Thursday, January 30, 2020
Gender Differences in Mathematics Essay Example for Free
Gender Differences in Mathematics Essay Throughout the first half of the 20th century and into the second, women studying or working in engineering were popularly perceived as oddities at best, outcasts at worst, defying traditional gender norms. Female engineers created systems of social, psychological, and financial mutual support, through such strategies, conditions for female engineers changed noticeably over just a few decades, although many challenges remain. Engineering education in the United States has had a gendered history, one that until relatively recently prevented women from finding a place in the predominantly male technical world. For decades, Americans treated the professional study of technology as mens territory. At places where engineerings macho culture had become most ingrained, talk of women engineers seemed ridiculous (Sax, 2005). For years its been assumed that young women avoid careers in mathematics-based fields, like engineering and physics, because they lack confidence in their math skills. But a new study finds that itââ¬â¢s not a lack of confidence in their math skills that drives girls from those fields; its a desire to work in people-oriented professions. It has been found that young women who are strong in math tend to seek careers in the biological sciences. They value working with and for people, they dont perceive engineering as a profession that meets that need. The environment at many tech schools is hostile toward helping students achieve a degree and is more geared toward weeding out those who are struggling. Its difficult to come up with alternative engineering solutions if everybody in the room looks alike. Thats the initial reason why automakers and suppliers are busy trying to identify and hire minority and women engineers. The business case is that if more than half of an automakers customers are either female and/or people of color, which they are, then those groups need to be represented in every sector of the company. One of the most important areas for automakers to get a range of views is in product development. With that diversity mission in mind, DaimlerChrysler Corp. , Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. , all have mounted aggressive programs to identify and hire minority and women engineers. At GM the story is the same. To attract minority and women engineers, the automaker proclaims that innovation comes from the people who see the world in a different way than everyone else. One women and minorities enter into the automotive engineering ranks, they need to be challenged and encouraged to develop their careers or theyll be gone (Sax, 2005). Its not just the Big Three that are working to create a more diverse engineering workforce. Suppliers and engineering support organizations such as the Society of Automotive Engineers are trying to draw more women and minorities into the profession. Faced with chronically small percentages of minorities and women in virtually every segment of engineering, companies are going to great lengths to attract them to the world of automotive engineering. Harvard President Lawrence Summers ignited a firestorm recently when he suggested more men than women are scientists because of differences between males and females in ââ¬Å"intrinsic aptitude. â⬠Many scientists-both men and women-expressed outrage at Summerââ¬â¢s remarks and blamed any lag in math among girls mainly on discrimination and socialization (Dean, 2006). They point out that girls have closed the gap in average scores on most standardized math tests in elementary and high school. Today women constitute almost half of college math majors and more than half of biology majors. But Summerââ¬â¢s supporters say he courageously raised a legitimate question for scientific inquiry. Indeed, in recent years some researchers have been pursuing a scientific explanation for the discrepancies in math and science aptitude and achievement among boys and girls and have found differences, including biological ones. Summerââ¬â¢s suggestion that women are biologically inferior in math infuriated many female scientists. Some asserted that the other two factors he mentioned were far more important in keeping women out of science: sex discrimination and the way girls are taught to view math as male territory. Some differences are well established. Girls do better on tests of content learned in class and score much higher on reading and writing tests than boys. Boys score higher on standardized tests with math and science problems not directly tied to their school curriculum. On tests of spatial awareness, boys do better on tests that involve navigation through space. Girls are better at remembering objects and landmarks. Studies show differences in brain structure and hormonal levels that appear to influence spatial reasoning. But the implications of these differences for real world math and science achievement remain unclear. ââ¬Å"There is evidence that male and female brains differ anatomically is subtle ways, but no one knows how these anatomical differences relate to cognitive performance,â⬠(Dean, 2006). At the heart of the current controversy is a societal implication-that the failure of an institution like Harvard to tenure even one woman mathematician can be blamed on the lack of top-flight women mathematicians, which in turn can be blamed on too-few top female minds in math. As evidence of intrinsic aptitude differences, Summers pointed out that more boys than girls receive top scores on standardized math tests. Today girls receive better grades than boys in math and science through high school, have closed the gap on average scores on most standardized math tests and take more advantage high school classes than boys in almost every category except physics and high-level calculus. In college they constitute nearly half the math majors and more than half the biology majors. Indeed, today a growing number of researchers contend boys are the ones who are shortchanged-judging by the larger proportion of boys in special-education classes and the declining proportion attending college. Women now make up 56 percent of students enrolled in college; by 2012, the Department of Education projects they will account for about 60 percent of bachelorââ¬â¢s degrees (2002). The fact that more boys than girls make top scores on standardized math tests is often invoked as evidence that boys possess an innate superiority in high-level math. Experts on both sides of the divide agree gender differences are real, even if they disagree bout how much is socially learned and how much biologically based. Girls do better on writing and on algebra problems, probably because algebraic equations are similar to sentences, and girls excel in language processing. Boys are better at mathematical word problems; girls are better at mathematical calculation. Boys and girls also differ on spatial skills, and experts are divided over how innate or important these differences are. A recent study of the Graduate Record Exam, for instance, found men did better on math problems where a spatially based solution was an advantage (Gallagher, Kaufman, 2005). Sex hormones have been shown in several studies to affect the ability to envision an object rotating in space. Females who take male hormones to prepare for a sex-change operation improve on tests of 3-D rotation and get worse on tests of verbal fluency, at which women typically excel. During their menstrual cycle, women do better on 3-D rotation when levels of the female hormone estrogen are low; they do better on verbal fluency when estrogen levels are high. If science be taught directly with a hands-on, inquiry-based approach, it sustains girlââ¬â¢s interest in science. Girls like to work in cooperative teams, a lot of science was taught in a competitive mode. Women scientists also earn less than men. But itââ¬â¢s only fair that women who work fewer hours face the economic consequences of lower salaries and less status. References: Dean, Cornelia. (2006). ââ¬Å"Dismissing ââ¬ËSexist Opinionsââ¬â¢ About Womenââ¬â¢s Place in Scienceâ⬠. A Conversation with Ben A. Barres. The New York Times. July 18, 2006, pp. 1-5. Gallagher, Ann M. , Kaufman, James M. (2005). ââ¬Å"Gender Differences in Mathematics: An Integrative Psychological Approach. Cambridge University Press. National Center for Education Statistics, ââ¬Å"Projections of Education Statistics To 2012â⬠. (2002). Available on-line: http://nces. ed. gov/pubs2002/proj. 2012/ch_2. asp.. Sax, Leonard. (2005). Too Few Women- ââ¬Å"Figure It Outâ⬠. Los Angeles Times. Jan. 23, 2005.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Poes Fall of The House of Usher Essay - Downward Transcendence :: Fall House Usher Essays
Downward Transcendence in The Fall of the House of Usher à According to Beverly Voloshin in "Transcendence Downward: An Essay on 'Usher' and 'Ligeia,'" Poe presents transcendental projects which threaten to proceed downward rather than upward" in his story "The Fall of the House of Usher" (19). Poe mocks the transcendental beliefs, by allowing the characters Roderick Usher, Madeline Usher, the house and the atmosphereà to travel in a downward motion into decay and death, rather than the upward transcendence into life and rebirth that the transcendentalists depict. The transcendence of the mind begins with Roderick Usher and is reflected in the characters and environment around him. à The beliefs of transcendentalists are continuously filled with bright colors and ideas, and heavenly-like tones. The character Roderick Usher suffered much from a morbid acuteness of the senses" which refers to his transcendental beliefs (Poe 1465). Usher finds his transcendental connection with the oversoul but instead of brightness he finds gloom with black, white and gray colors. Madeline Usher suffers from "a gradual wasting away of the person, and frequent although transient affections of a partially cataleptical character" (Poe 1465). This results from a loss of contact with the physical world, again a characteristic of a transcendentalist, yet negative instead of positive. According to Voloshin "Madeline matches her bother's pallor, but her special mark is red-a faint blush when she is interred and blood on her garments when she emerges" (22). Both characters differ from transcendentalists with their disintegration of the body and mind instead of a rebirth of the body and mind of a transcendentalist. à Because of his connection with the oversoul Roderick Usher finds it difficult to communicate with words, so instead he uses paintings and writings to describe his inner thoughts. Voloshin describes how inà "The Haunted Palace," a writing by Usher, he explains his own " fall of order into chaos, reason into madness, innocence into experience" (20). Representing another downward and deathly transcendence is Madeline, who is painted in the "vault or tunnel" by Roderick. In the painting, Roderick portrays Madeline in a tomb, and gives her no chance to have her own beliefs by locking her in. By doing this,à Roderick breaks the transcendental belief that says being locked into the past is wrong, and each person should break free to create beliefs of their own. à Just as the transcendence into decay is found in the characters of "The Fall of the House of Usher" it is also found in the actual house and the environment around it.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Zoe’s Tale PART I Chapter Four
Let me tell you about that jade elephant. My mother's name ââ¬â my biological mother's name ââ¬â was Cheryl Boutin. She died when I was five; she was hiking with a friend and she fell. My memories of her are what you'd expect them to be: hazy fragments from a five-year-old mind, supported by a precious few pictures and videos. They weren't that much better when I was younger. Five is a bad age to lose a mother, and to hope to remember her for who she was. One thing I had from her was a stuffed version of Babar the elephant that my mother gave to me on my fourth birthday. I was sick that day, and had to stay in bed all day long. This did not make me happy, and I let everyone know it, because that was the kind of four-year-old I was. My mother surprised me with the Babar doll, and then we cuddled up together and she read Babar's stories to me until I fell asleep, lying across her. It's my strongest memory of her, even now; not so much how she looked, but the low and warm sound of her voice, and the softness of her belly as I lay against her and drifted off, her stroking my head. The sensation of my mother, and the feeling of love and comfort from her. I miss her. Still do. Even now. Even right now. After my mother died I couldn't go anywhere without Babar. He was my connection to her, my connection to that love and comfort I didn't have anymore. Being away from Babar meant being away from what I had left of her. I was five years old. This was my way of handling my loss. It kept me from falling into myself, I think. Five is a bad age to lose your mother, like I said; I think it could be a good age to lose yourself, if you're not careful. Shortly after my mother's funeral, my father and I left Phoenix, where I was born, and moved to Covell, a space station orbiting above a planet called Omagh, where he did research. Occasionally his job had him leave Covell on business trips. When that happened I stayed with my friend Kay Greene and her parents. One time my father was leaving on a trip; he was running late and forgot to pack Babar for me. When I figured this out (it didn't take long), I started to cry and panic. To placate me, and because he did love me, you know, he promised to bring me a Celeste doll when he returned from his trip. He asked me to be brave until then. I said I would, and he kissed me and told me to go play with Kay. I did. While he was away, we were attacked. It would be a very long time before I would see my father again. He remembered his promise, and brought me a Celeste. It was the first thing he did when I saw him. I still have her. But I don't have Babar. In time, I became an orphan. I was adopted by John and Jane, who I call ââ¬Å"Dadâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Mom,â⬠but not ââ¬Å"Fatherâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Mother,â⬠because those I keep for Charles and Cheryl Boutin, my first parents. John and Jane understand this well enough. They don't mind that I make the distinction. Before we moved to Huckleberry ââ¬â just before ââ¬â Jane and I went to a mall in Phoenix City, the capital city of Phoenix. We were on our way to get ice cream; when we passed a toy store I ran in to play hide-and-seek with Jane. This went smashingly until I went down an aisle with stuffed animals in it, and came face-to-face with Babar. Not my Babar, of course. But one close enough to him that all I could do was stop and stare. Jane came up behind me, which meant she couldn't see my face. ââ¬Å"Look,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"It's Babar. Would you like one to go with your Celeste doll?â⬠She reached over and picked one out of the bin. I screamed and slapped it out of her hand and ran out of the toy store. Jane caught up with me and held me while I sobbed, cradling me against her shoulder, stroking my head like my mother did when she read the Babar stories to me on my birthday. I cried myself out and then when I was done, I told her about the Babar my mother had given me. Jane understood why I didn't want another Babar. It wasn't right to have a new one. It wouldn't be right to put something on top of those memories of her. To pretend that another Babar could replace the one she gave me. It wasn't the toy. It was everything about the toy. I asked Jane not to tell John about Babar or what had just happened. I was feeling out of sorts enough having just gone to pieces in front of my new mom. I didn't want to drag my new dad into it too. She promised. And then she gave me a hug and we went to get ice cream, and I just about made myself throw up eating an entire banana split. Which to my eight-year-old mind was a good thing. Truly, an eventful day all around. A week later Jane and I were standing on the observation deck of the CDFS Amerigo Vespucci, staring down at the blue and green world named Huckleberry, where we would live the rest of our lives, or so we thought. John had just left us, to take care of some last-minute business before we took our shuttle trip down to Missouri City, from where we would go to New Goa, our new home. Jane and I were holding hands and pointing out surface features to each other, trying to see if we could see Missouri City from geostationary orbit. We couldn't. But we made good guesses. ââ¬Å"I have something for you,â⬠Jane said to me, after we decided where Missouri City would be, or ought to be, anyway. ââ¬Å"Something I wanted to give you before we landed on Huckleberry.â⬠ââ¬Å"I hope it's a puppy,â⬠I said. I'd been hinting in that direction for a couple of weeks. Jane laughed. ââ¬Å"No puppies!â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"At least not until we're actually settled in. Okay?â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, all right,â⬠I said, disappointed. ââ¬Å"No, it's this,â⬠Jane said. She reached into her pocket to pull out a silver chain with something that was a pale green at the end. I took the chain and looked at the pendant. ââ¬Å"It's an elephant,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"It is,â⬠Jane said. She knelt down so that she and I were face-to-face. ââ¬Å"I bought it on Phoenix just before we left. I saw it in a shop and it made me think of you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Because of Babar,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"But for other reasons, too. Most of the people who live on Huckleberry are from a country on Earth called India, and many of them are Hindu, which is a religion. They have a god called Ganesh, who has the head of an elephant. Ganesh is their god of intelligence, and I think you're pretty smart. He's also the god of beginnings, which makes sense, too.â⬠ââ¬Å"Because we're starting our lives here,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Right,â⬠Jane said. She took the pendant and necklace from me and put the silver chain around my neck, fastening it in the back. ââ¬Å"There's also the saying that ââ¬Ëan elephant never forgets.' Have you heard it?â⬠I nodded. ââ¬Å"John and I are proud to be your parents, Zoe. We're happy you're part of our life now, and will help us make our life to come. But I know neither of us would want you ever to forget your mother and father.â⬠She drew back and then touched the pendant, gently. ââ¬Å"This is to remind you how much we love you,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"But I hope it will also remind you how much your mother and father loved you, too. You're loved by two sets of parents, Zoe. Don't forget about the first because you're with us now.â⬠ââ¬Å"I won't,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"I promise.â⬠ââ¬Å"The last reason I wanted to give you this was to continue the tradition,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"Your mother and your father each gave you an elephant. I wanted to give you one, too. I hope you like it.â⬠ââ¬Å"I love it,â⬠I said, and then launched myself into Jane. She caught me and hugged me. We hugged for a while, and I cried a little bit too. Because I was eight years old, and I could do that. I eventually unhugged myself from Jane and looked at the pendant again. ââ¬Å"What is this made of?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"It's jade,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"Does it mean anything?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"Well,â⬠Jane said, ââ¬Å"I suppose it means I think jade is pretty.â⬠ââ¬Å"Did Dad get me an elephant, too?â⬠I asked. Eight-year-olds can switch into acquisition mode pretty quickly. ââ¬Å"I don't know,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"I haven't talked to him about it, because you asked me not to. I don't think he knows about the elephants.â⬠ââ¬Å"Maybe he'll figure it out,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Maybe he will,â⬠Jane said. She stood and took my hand again, and we looked out at Huckleberry once more. About a week and a half later, after we were all moved in to Huckleberry, Dad came through the door with something small and squirmy in his hands. No, it wasn't an elephant. Use your heads, people. It was a puppy. I squealed with glee ââ¬â which I was allowed to do, eight at the time, remember ââ¬â and John handed the puppy to me. It immediately tried to lick my face off. ââ¬Å"Aftab Chengelpet just weaned a litter from their mother, so I thought we might give one of the puppies a home,â⬠Dad said. ââ¬Å"You know, if you want. Although I don't recall you having any enthusiasm for such a creature. We could always give it back.â⬠ââ¬Å"Don't you dare,â⬠I said, between puppy licks. ââ¬Å"All right,â⬠Dad said. ââ¬Å"Just remember he's your responsibility. You'll have to feed him and exercise him and take care of him.â⬠ââ¬Å"I will,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"And neuter him and pay for his college,â⬠Dad said. ââ¬Å"What?â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"John,â⬠Mom said, from her chair, where she had been reading. ââ¬Å"Never mind those last two,â⬠Dad said. ââ¬Å"But you will have to give him a name.â⬠I held the puppy at arm's length to get a good look at him; he continued to try to lick my face from a distance and wobbled in my grip as his tail's momentum moved him around. ââ¬Å"What are some good dog names?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"Spot. Rex. Fido. Champ,â⬠Dad said. ââ¬Å"Those are the cliche names, anyway. Usually people try to go for something more memorable. When I was a kid I had a dog my dad called Shiva, Destroyer of Shoes. But I don't think that would be appropriate in a community of former Indians. Maybe something else.â⬠He pointed to my elephant pendant. ââ¬Å"I notice you seem to be into elephants these days. You have a Celeste. Why not call him Babar?â⬠From behind Dad I could see Jane look up from her reading to look at me, remembering what happened at the toy store, waiting to see how I would react. I burst out laughing. ââ¬Å"So that's a yes,â⬠Dad said, after a minute. ââ¬Å"I like it,â⬠I said. I hugged my new puppy, and then held him out again. ââ¬Å"Hello, Babar,â⬠I said. Babar gave a happy little bark and then peed all over my shirt. And that's the story of the jade elephant.
Monday, January 6, 2020
A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream Essay The Young Lovers
The Young Lovers of A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream For the proper view of the plight of the young lovers of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream, we should look to other characters in the play. We are invited to sympathize with their situation, but to see as rather ridiculous the posturing to which it leads. This is evident in their language which is often highly formal in use of rhetorical devices, and in Lysanders and Hermias generalizing of the course of true love (the reasons they give why love does not run smooth clearly do not refer to their own particular problems: they are not different in blood, nor mismatched in respect of years). Pyramus and Thisbe is not only Shakespeares parody of the work of otherâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦But the best reason is that Demetriuss profession of his new-found love makes the antidote or its absence redundant in his case. Early in the play we laugh at what the young lovers say. Lysander is aware of his and Hermias sufferings, but to pontificate about the course of true love generally, to say it never did run smooth, is risible. The alternate lines in which Lysander proposes a reason why love does not run smooth, while Hermia comments on his statement, invite ridicule, as his or (leading to another reason) is followed by her O, bewailing the cause of the lovers suffering. In the same scene, we note how the same device (stychomythia) is used rather differently, as Hermia and Helena expound Demetrius preferences: I frown upon him, yet he loves me still/O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill!. Here the use of similar vocabulary with opposite meaning is made emphatic by the rhyming couplet. When Helena soliloquizes about love, at the end of the scene, she speaks wisely, in her general account, but her inability to be wise in her own situation is comic. Disclosing her rivals flight to Demetrius, to enjoy his company briefly, seems perverse, but is wholly plausible: young people in love often do silly things. In the wood, we see the likely outcome of Oberons orders to Puck, asShow MoreRelatedWeathering the Storms of True Love1159 Words à |à 5 Pagespresents the truth about true love in his comical tragedy A Midsummer Nights Dream. Lysander clearly stated loves situation when he told Hermia the course of true love never did run smooth (Griffiths 94). In some ways Lysanders declaration becomes the plays structural and thematic point by which Shakespeare uses to explore the storms of love (Bloom 12). In A Midsummer Nights Dream, Shakespeare uses young lovers to depict how love masters young people and pushes them to extreme measures (ComtoisRead More Comparing A Midsummer Nights Dream and Romeo and Juliet Essay1176 Words à |à 5 Pagesanother, two stand out from the rest as sharing a great deal in common. Specific, solid parallels can be drawn between Shakespeares plays A Midsummer Nights Dream and Romeo and Juliet. The themes and characters are remarkably similar in many aspects. Firstly, both plays highlight the stereotypical young lovers - Hermia and Lysander in A Midsummer Nights Dream and Romeo and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Secondly, both plays are very ambiguously categorized. By this I mean that each could have beenRead MoreUnreality in A Midsummer Nights Dream1693 Words à |à 7 PagesUnreality in A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream is a play that encompasses three worlds: the romantic world of the aristocratic lovers, the workday world of the rude mechanicals, and the fairy world of Titania and Oberon. And while all three worlds tangle and intertwine during the course of the play, it is the fairy world that has the greatest impact, for both the lovers and the mechanicals are changed by their brush with the children of Pan. 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From his very first play (The Comedy of Errors) to his very last (The Tempest), he uses unique symbolism and descriptive poetry to express and explain the actions and events he writes about. Twelfth Night, The Tempest and A Midsummer Nights Dream are all tragicomedies that epitomise the best use of the themes and ideologyRead More Importance of Speech in Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Richard III2277 Words à |à 10 PagesImportance of Speech in Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Richard III Speech is often the strongest indicator of personality and motivation in Shakespearean histories and comedies. Each turn of phrase is a small insight into the essence of the character. Stringing together each line from the mouth of the character allows the audience to discover each nuance created by Shakespeare. By connecting the actions to a manner of speech, which mirrors those actions, ShakespeareRead MoreFemale Sexuality in Shakespeare4830 Words à |à 20 PagesQuestion Compare and contrast the representation of female sexuality in Cymbeline, the Sonnets, and one of the plays: A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream, Richard II, Hamlet, Antony and Cleopatra, Measure for Measure or King Lear. à à Both Cymbeline and A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dreamà (AMND)à are both set in a patriarchal environment where both genders grapple for control. Valerie Traub defines the distinction between gender sex and gender behavior as ââ¬Å"Sex refers to the . . . biological distinctions between
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Modern Technology And Ethical Dilemmas
Modern Technology And Ethical Dilemmas Introduction One effect of ethical theories is to go beyond emotions and intuitions. As a result, they can have a substantial position in the business world. It is critical that a person in the business community has professional ethics because entry into the workforce leads a person to a place where an individual is in some relations, which involve rights and duties. The professional relationships include associations with the clients, employer, co-professionals, society, and the environment itself including the technology at the employeeââ¬â¢s disposal. Comprehending the rules and ethics applying to these relationships is critical. One relationship, in particular, is the connection with technology in the modern world. Modern day technology overall has a positive influence on a personââ¬â¢s moral development within the business. Case study David Barker is an IT consultant working at Quins Private, a private investigating firm. He is 33 years old, and has previously worked for a terrorist countering organization, but was fired, and remained unemployed for a long time before his employer Jack Oââ¬â¢Brien employed him. The reason for his removal from the force was a suspicion that he was collaborating with terrorists and using his profound knowledge of information technology and communication systems to sell secrets to terrorists. David had a hard time finding employment until Jack gave him a position with the promise of being honest. He pledged to avoid an instance where his loyalty was in question in the private investigation firm. His work involved collaboration with many secrets and information that others would pay huge amounts for, but David would have to fight the temptation to commit a federal crime in any of his actions. In his line of work, he is in situations where he faces ethical decisions that could destr oy his career, and the lives of many if he chooses poorly. He faces the dilemma that many find, as they exist in a computerized society since he has to act morally concerning technology. Technology is in the business world creates a high level of accountability because it is possible to trace the chain of responsibility for actions and decisions in the workplace (Gini and Marcoux 67). Ethics is important in his line of work and his life because of the power that he, as a professional affects the physical and social environment. David has to be mindful of five areas as he works with technology. He must be conscious, integrity, responsibility at work, competence, and advancing human welfare. These areas are imperative to the ethical theories. If David upholds all these areas in the everyday instructions, he may confidently work and say he acts in a morally responsible way. Ideas and concepts are an essential basis for the daily actions, and they should assist David if he chooses right in tackling the difficult ethical decisions with zeal and confidence. He invites Jack to play close attention to this work in his time at Quins Private until he earns trust, or exclusively if he pleases, an act of good faith from David. Hypothetical Dilemmas Surveillance technology and virtues ethics; a sense of accountability The surveillance cameras in all areas of the workplace, including private sanitation areas and balconyââ¬â¢s, influence David to retain a stable virtual character in response to virtue ethics, when he receives a threat against his life, of he does not assist criminals to access the personnel files at a particular bank. David receives an anonymous email that indicates the sender was currently watching him in the office and is aware of his movements. The email directs him to perform some actions that are not in line with the character he has embraced since beginning to work for Jack. The anonymous senders threaten to kill him if he does not access the bank records for a bank and send them to them through an undisclosed channel. The bank is not within his locality and is in fact in another state. This fact alone potentially makes the action relatively easy since he knows the route to take, and he can use some of his prior experience and knowledge of banking information technology inf rastructure to gain the information and send it, protecting his life. He faces the dilemma, and David has a time limit to take action. On the one hand, technology makes it easy for him to breach ethics, and avail this information, protecting his life. After all, he has the technique, the experience, and the motive. However, there are surveillance cameras and devices to monitor the work of every server in the workplace. Even though he knows he can perform the action, he knows that the intensity of the situation could cause him to leave a mark. Additionally, he does not want to tarnish the virtues character he has developed in his time there. He chooses to alert his colleagues on the matter, and on notifying Jack, the resources of the firm redirect to finding the anonymous senders and protecting his life while performing a virtuous act. In this case, technology, and the knowledge of the same has a positive influence on Davidââ¬â¢s moral development. Firms should have a policy that allows surveillance of the work of employees to ensure no person is carrying out illegal activity. According to virtue ethics, the character of an individual is the key element in ethical decision making, as opposed to the rules about the acts (Harris, Wijesinghe, and McKenzie 76). If it was about the rules, David has broken them before, and it would be easy to make the same decision again. However, the knowledge that he requested for surveillance through different forms of technology, he is aware that his actions will come out to the light. He does not desire to tarnish the character he is struggling to build and earn the trust of his colleagues. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street reforms and consumers protection are one of the acts that provide guidance for the oversight and supervision of financial institutions, and it makes the action David would have taken an illegal one. However, within the organization, Jack had strictly prohibited unmanned hacking for personal gain, and breach of this security policy would have seen David lose his job. Self-sacrifice scenario and utilitarian ethics; using technology for good David used the utilitarian ethics to evaluate the action with aggregate welfare benefits and acted accordingly after finding information using technology, which could have harmed the organization if it went unrevealed. Jack had made it illegal to hack for personal gain, as indicated previously. The company enrolled a new employee on contract to work on a case. David had to work with the new employee, but noticed a few behaviors that were awkward. For instance, he liked to work in private, and when questioned about this behavior, he shrugged it off and said he enjoys working privately. James, having worked in the law enforcement, David had training on behaviorism. He was able to identify suspicious behavior and decided to do something about it. David hacked the personnel files, found a few clues, and decided to look deeper into the employeeââ¬â¢s past using technology from his past at the government counter-terrorist organization. He revealed that the contract employee had some tie s with an international criminal organization, and wondered if Jack was aware. He knew if he kept the information to himself, there is a chance that the reputation of the firm would stand a high-security risk. Utilitarian ethics consider the action that would have the highest benefit (Mizzoni 91). A utilitarian perspective reveals the different benefits that would come with any option he would choose. He contemplated keeping the information to himself to protect his position of employment since hacking is illegal according to the policies of the organization. However, that would only benefit himself. If he revealed the information, it would help all the members of the firm. He decided to take the action that would benefit the highest number of people and forward the information to Jack. He decided to talk to Jack and explain that his training and the software allowed him to come to this truth. Jack understood and responded appropriately. In this scenario, technology motivated the right decision and provided information that was critical. The organization and the government have a counter-terrorism policy, and the use of technology helped mold Davidââ¬â¢s decision to choose the action th at has the most benefit. Businesses should run their employees through a security screening procedure, and use technology to their advantage, ensuring they do not hire criminals and endanger stakeholders. Care ethics and using technology for organizational and national protection When faced with the same situation that cost him his job previously, the difficult decision, and the interaction with the technology in the firm, David used care ethics to come to a decision. The technology that in the company monitored the work of all his employees, including David Barker and made it easier for him to make this decision. The people whom he sold information to the first time contacted him again and asked him to find some more information about them. The pay this time was four times the first pay, and the temptation was present. However, aware of the terms of his employment and the role of technology in monitoring his work molded his decision at this time. In care ethics, the individual has to have positive partial relationships along with appropriate domestic virtues (Hamington and Sander-Staudt 90). He acted in a manner that was sensitive to the relationship he had created by Jack upon employment. Additionally, he took responsibility for his actions and decided to act in a responsible manner. His choice guided by care ethics was in line with the policies of the organization and the government since he chose the legal action, and did not sell the information, which would be unethical. The government should implant a surveillance body that protects the nationââ¬â¢s secrets from criminals who trade huge sums of money for delicate information Conclusion Technology has a positive effect on an individualââ¬â¢s moral development and the responsiveness of a person to an ethical decision in business. When faced with different ethical dilemmas, David focused on the teachings of ethics, chose the right one, responded accordingly, all of which were guided by technology. The role of technology in making these decisions is clear from the evidence above. An explicit collaboration between technology, integrity, and ethics is clear from his actions.
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Ethics of Gun Control - 1659 Words
The Ethics of Gun Control The phrase Gun Control means different things to different people. One bumper sticker states that Gun Control means hitting your target. However one defines gun control, the mere mention of it brings controversy. Opposing sides have for years fought over the laws that govern firearms. For the purposes of this paper Gun Control is defined as policies enacted by the government that limit the legal rights of gun owners to own, carry, or use firearms, with the intent of reducing gun crimes such as murder, armed robbery, aggravated rape, and the like. So defined, gun control understandably brings favorable responses from some, and angry objections from others. The gun control debate is generally publicizedâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The next question that arises is, Is it morally okay for everyone to possess a firearm for use in self-defense? The answer to this, without allowing for other uses of firearms must be yes. To defend ones self is instinctually right, and is rationally allowable as well. If threatened with a gun, it is difficult to effectively defend ones self with anything other than a gun . Thus for self-defense, guns meet the requirements of the Categorical Imperative. The question then becomes, What type of guns should be allowed? The answer cannot be easily given, unless one arrives at an answer based entirely on the need for the gun in the first place. If the purpose of the gun is to protect ones self, and ones family, then the answer must be, Whatever type of gun is needed to defend ones self and ones family. From this the question arises, From whom am I to defend myself? The answer of the Founding Father would have been, From both foreign and domestic tyranny. A gun that would protect from both foreign and domestic tyranny seems to be a tall order. Protection from domestic tyranny seems simple enough, since most cases of domestic tyranny are simply crimes committed against others by common thugs with less than state-of-the-art weaponry. Thomas Jefferson, however, saw a different domestic tyranny to defend against. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a lastShow MoreRelatedGun Control And The Ethics Of Gun Control1306 Words à |à 6 Pageshomicide or mass shooting immediately leads to the discussion of a longley debated issue, which has divided Americans for many years: gun control. About thirty thousand Americans die each year as a result of firearms (Doeden 7). People begin to question whether it is morally right for civilians to own guns, and if so, what types of restrictions should be placed on guns. This year, the deadliest mass shooting in American history occurred, leaving fifty-eight innocent people dead and over five hundredRead More The Ethics of Gun Control Essay1770 Words à |à 8 PagesThe Ethics of Gun Control The phrase Gun Control means different things to different people. One bumper sticker states that Gun Control means hitting your target. However one defines gun control, the mere mention of it brings controversy. Opposing sides have for years fought over the laws that govern firearms. For the purposes of this paper Gun Control is defined as policies enacted by the government that limit the legal rights of gun owners to own, carry, or use firearmsRead MoreEssay On Teenage Gun Violence1314 Words à |à 6 PagesAbstract Teenage gun violence is on the rise. Gun violence has become a major problem for America. We have more privately owned guns than any other country. This could be one of the reasons that guns are being used by teens, because of the access they have to guns. The availability of guns to our youth is making the world unsafe. Although lawmakers are working on gun control laws, I wonder is the problem too far gone. Social Welfare Issue: Teenage Gun Violence Teenage gun violence is caused by individualsRead MoreThe Issue Of Teenage Gun Violence1320 Words à |à 6 Pages1 Teenage Gun Violence Nicole Minor Union University . Abstract Teenage gun violence is on the rise. Gun violence has become a major problem for America. We have more privately owned guns than any other country. This could be one of the reasons that guns are being used by teens, because of the access they have to guns. The availability of guns to our youth is making the world unsafe. Although lawmakers are working on gun control laws, I wonder is the problemRead More Guns and Violence Essay1548 Words à |à 7 PagesGuns and violence have some long lasting effects on not only the crime rate, but the rights that people have to own guns themselves. Even though the violence is a factor in why many believe that guns should be banned, guns should be allowed and not banned because they should be allowed because of the laws and the rights of citizens allow them there rights. The ethics and laws that occur with the current and enduring debates are another meaningful point. As Supreme Court Cases rage on about how aRead MoreHunting : The Truth About Hunti ng Essay1372 Words à |à 6 Pages If one is able to understand the benefits of hunting, but still has a hard time with the ethics behind it, take Neilsonââ¬â¢s advice and accept hunting, so long as the hunter takes the time and steps to respect the animal he/she is hunting. Hunting is dangerous. Many people disrespect guns and end up putting themselves and others in danger(Hunting Safety and Ethics). This is absolutely true. Never give a gun to someone who is not capable of handling it or is not will to respect it for what it is. ItRead MoreThe Importance Of Gun Control950 Words à |à 4 Pagespossibility of a mentally unstable individual attempting to take their own life away. This is why gun control is a crucial debate within our society. Today, my colleagues and I will inform you on the importance of gun control, historical events that further increase the need for gun control, and ways California has already taken steps to further increase safety for our society. Gun control is important because guns are extremely dangerous and have the ability to harm individual rights. Every single one ofRead MoreReflective Letter:. What Worked For Me In This Assignment1153 Words à |à 5 PagesReflective letter: What worked for me in this assignment was researching and learning more about gun control. what i found challenging was that i didn t know which sources to use for a majority of my information i used so i decided to break it up as evenly as possible. I don t know how well i did on this assignment i do know that when i think i did great i tend to do bad. I feel sure about summarizing and compelling, but i don t know if my research methods and strategies are working or are whereRead MoreThe Nra Essay928 Words à |à 4 Pagesof hunting, self-defence, and gun ownership rights. The group bases its political position on the fact that firearm ownership is a civil liberty protected by the Second Amendment which comes from the Bill of Rights. American gun culture is based on the right to own a gun and to protect oneself. Gun culture originated in the early history of the United States, as the early settlers owned guns to protect their land and families primarily in the west. In America the gun acts as a symbol of power andRead MoreGun Violence Essay1050 Words à |à 5 Pages Gun violence should be addressed in the United States because it is one of the leading causes of death facing Americans. According to the Center for Disease Control, over 33,000 people die in gun related deaths each year, nearly two-thirds of which are suicides. Since the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, there has been great concern for the safety of children in schools. Other mass shootings like the recent Las Vegas shooting are making all Americans feel that they are at risk of becoming
Friday, December 13, 2019
Figurative Language in Shakespeare free essay sample
Figurative language in Shakespeare Ever notice in movies how the villain or villainess always seems to have a black cloud looming over them or lighting striking the ground beside them? The same strange happenings where used in the story Macbeth to reveal character. Shakespeare uses figurative language to tie Macbethââ¬â¢s bad choices and others around him to nature and to illustrate natureââ¬â¢s efforts to expose Macbeth and bring Scotland back to balance. The figurative language that he uses is to explore human nature and show its connections with the natural world and the supernatural. Through the use of figurative language, Shakespeare ties actions and events to nature. After Banquo and Macbeth encounter the witches and hear what they have to say, the witches vanish into thin air. Unsettled Banquo ponders ââ¬Å"The earth hath bubbles as the water has, and these are of them: whither have they vanished? â⬠(1. 3. 82-83). this simile tells the reader that Banquo is wary of the witches. We will write a custom essay sample on Figurative Language in Shakespeare or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ââ¬Å"The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, and these are of themâ⬠explains Banquo thinks they are as strange as the bubbles of water. It shows that he is not as easily swayed by their news as Macbeth is and does not think Macbeth should take their news seriously. Duncan unlike Banquo is not keeping an eye on Macbeth but is instead rewarding him for is valiant acts of bravery. ââ¬Å"I have begun to plant thee and will labour to make thee full of growingâ⬠(1. 4. 32-33). This quote is a metaphor that tells the reader that Duncan fully trusts Macbeth and is completely naive to his dark true character. ââ¬Å"I have begun to plant theeâ⬠¦full of growingâ⬠Duncan says that he will look for more ways to honour Macbeth. The metaphor uses the fertility of nature as a comparison. Duncan is easily fooled by Macbethââ¬â¢s act. Banquo uses the example of bubbles in water to explain the strangeness of the witches and Duncan uses the example of a tree to explain his gratitude and dedication to Macbeth. Shakespeare uses comparisons to nature because nature was thought to reveal not only character but also intentions. When someone used nature as a positive way to describe you it was as if god was on your side and when you messed with nature you pay. To illustrate natures efforts to expose Macbeth and bring the world back to balance Shakespeare used figurative language. Ross tells the old man of the unnatural events that occurred on the night of Duncanââ¬â¢s murder: And Duncanââ¬â¢s horses a thing most strange and certain Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, Turnââ¬â¢d wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, Contending ââ¬Ëgainst obedience, as they would make War with mankind (2. 4. 16-21). It is almost as if the horses could sense that Duncan was in danger they were at unease. Turnââ¬â¢d wild in nature, broke their stalls flung out contending ââ¬Ëgainst obedience as they would make war with mankindâ⬠They believed nature could sense when there was an imbalance in the world and the horses seemed to animate the chaos that was coming. Just as strange, Banquoââ¬â¢s ghost appears directly after his death causing Macbeth to ponder: Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak; Augures and understood relations have By maggot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth The secretââ¬â¢st man of blood (3. 4. 152-155) This quotation is using personification to describe what Macbeth is feeling. By maggot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth the secretââ¬â¢st man of bloodâ⬠explains that Macbeth believes that the elements of nature will somehow expose even the most secretive of murders. Duncan horses seemed to be trying to expose the horrible deeds being done by Macbeth just as later on Macbeth realizes that although he might not tell any one of his acts nature will work against him to expose his acts. This reveals that even to the most carless of people nature still held sacredness and was considered very important to have the ability to know everything going on. To reveal human nature and connect it to the natural world Shakespeare uses figurative language. It is used to express their feelings because nature revealed important things to them and to illustrate the efforts by nature to bring back the balance and right the chaos. The same tactics are still being used now in society, implying that even now nature still holds the same sacredness that it did when Shakespeare wrote Macbeth. The figurative language used is important because it connects the two together. Work Cited Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. Ken. Roy. Toronto: Harcourt Canada Ltd. , 2001. Print
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