Increased interdependence among nations Essay Example

Increased interdependence among nations Essay Globalization has made it easier for nations to obtain the goods or services that they need from other countries. With the assurance that they can easily import life essentials such as food and clothing, many countries have reduced or completely stopped the manufacturing of these products. They instead focus their energy on offering financial services or medical services to other nations. One such country is India (Boudreaux 68). Most third world countries rely on developed countries for the provision of machinery and computers. This arrangement is beneficial to all the parties involved. However, it is not stable as it appears to the naked eye. If something should happen to cause further destabilization, then all the parties involved will suffer (Weinstein 98). If, for instance, a developing country that relies on a developed country for machinery lacks the capital required for importation, many businesses in that county will suffer. All countries are financially dependent on their trade partners. The U.S. dollar is used as the world currency in the financial market. Today, the U.S. economy is much stable than it was during the Great Depression. However, should the U.S. economy fall or destabilize, all other countries will face the consequences as well. The only nations that will be safe in such a situation are those that are fully dependent on globalization for their survival (Weinstein 165). Many of these nations are the third world countries, especially in Africa, that are believed to have nothing to offer to the world economy. We will write a custom essay sample on Increased interdependence among nations specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Increased interdependence among nations specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Increased interdependence among nations specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Increased Rate of Unemployment Since the 2008 economic recession, the rate of unemployment in the U.S.A. and many developed countries has gradually gone up. Contrary to this, developing countries are experiencing a much lower rate of unemployment (Boudreaux 150). The wage policies and environmental protection laws in developing countries are much lower compared to those in the developed countries. Because of this, many corporations are investing in developing countries, hence creating more jobs. More job opportunities are lost to the developing countries due to frequent capital transfers from the developed nations (Boudreaux 154). To solve unemployment in the developed countries, more protectionism laws need to be put in place by the developing countries (Weinstein 189). These laws will protect the workers from developing countries from exploitation by the multinational corporations that are out to make more profits by hiring cheap labor. Developing countries are importing more products from the developed countries. The result of this is the closing down of many local industries, hence increased rate of unemployment (Boudreaux 134). One way of reducing unemployment in the developing nations is to regulate imports and encourage local production of good, thus creating more job opportunities. Exploitation of Developing Countries At the onset of globalization, there was the glamour of people having the chance to world oversees and conduct their business with much ease. While this has become a reality for many people, the negative impacts of the same are just beginning. Globalization has made it easier for the transferability of industries and jobs to the developing countries (Weinstein 186). All this is an attempt to lower production costs, have a lower wage bill and increase profitability in the corporation. Today, many U.S. industries have shifted their operation to either China, India or in some parts of Asia. A similar situation is developing in Australia. China, India and Asian countries produce goods at lower costs due to availability of raw materials. They also offer cheaper labor compared to the developed countries. The companies make more profits. The profits go back to the developed countries for more development. The third world countries are left struggling economically, despite the fact that they are in charge of manufacturing (Weinstein 197). The transfer of jobs to the developing countries may be viewed as a way of creating more jobs. However, it comes at a big cost as many people are paid less than $3 per hour. With the current living standards, this is barely enough to put food on the table. This can be solved by the developing countries putting into place better wage policies for their citizens. Before accepting to manufacture goods for a developed country, developing nations should sign contracts that call for financial benefits. The profits should also be reinvested in the developing country that production is taking place. Corporations should also be advised to pursue a more realistic approach to making profits (Casper 124). One such approach is one used by Henry Ford, where he paid his workers enough money that they could afford to purchase the same products that they were manufacturing. The lack of government regulation is another factor that contributes to the exploitation of third world countries. The governments in these nations need to step up to defend their economies and citizens. Establishment of minimum wage rates will help the people live better lives. Government agencies need to be created to help in the regulation of multinational companies that set base in developing countries. Cultural Erosion The observable impact of globalization is cultural erosion, especially in the developing countries. Prior to modernization and globalization, developing countries held their traditional way of life dearly. Their mode of dressing, eating habits, socialization of children, the value of placed on marriage and other cultural practices were passed from one generation to another. Today, the western culture is more prevalent in the world (Boudreaux 234). Few countries have held to their originality as many have taken up what is in fashion today. Today, practices such as alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual immorality and divorce are at an all-time high. It is high time that traditional values are brought back to the society before moral degradation destroys us. We still have our grandparents who can play the role of reminding us what their ancestors practiced. Cultural exhibitions should be held frequently to remind the youths of their roots. Increased Competition in the Market Due to globalization, many countries have eased up their trade regulations. This has made it easy for external companies to penetrate local markets, posing a threat to their operations. Multinational companies are able to set base in any country they so desire due to free trade policies and availability of capital. More businesses have come up, as people try to take advantage of the cheap labor, easier modes of transportation and higher demand of good and services, both locally and internationally (Weinstein 203). Each new business tries to outdo the other in terms of offering better products and services at affordable prices. This competition is healthy and dangerous at the same time. In a bid to lower prices, many companies are offering counterfeit products, which could be harmful to the consumers (Dollahite and Haun 156). Policies need to be put in place to regulate the number of businesses within a particular sector. This will help to control competition and reduce instances of fake and low quality products. Increased Health Hazards As mentioned before, globalization has caused serious environmental pollution. More industries have come up because of globalization. Many nations lack strict environmental laws. Industries have taken advantage of this fact by emitting dangerous gases into the air while manufacturing their products (Boudreaux 253). This has caused air pollution, which has in turn resulted into more air borne ailments. Today, asthma, pneumonia and respiratory diseases are at an all-time high because of breathing in polluted air. The noise made by the industries in the course of their operations has caused serious damage on the hearing of the employees and the people living close to the industries (Haldar 202). Waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid are on the rise due to disposal of waste products in water sources. Many industries lack proper waste disposal methods. They dispose their waste products haphazardly, completely ignoring the dangers associated with a dirty environment. Many trees have been cut down to create space for the creation of more industries. This habit has resulted in less rain for many countries. In the end, this has resulted in soil erosion, drought and famine (Haldar 230). These events have caused the death of so many people due to starvation. Every country needs to come up with strict environmental laws. Hefty penalties should be put in place for any individual or company that is caught polluting the environment. Social groups should involve themselves more in environmental clean-ups. In conclusion, globalization has achieved its potential but has caused several negative effects that are doing more harm to the people. It is imperative that globalization be redesigned in such a way that its negative impacts are reduced. Bearing in mind that globalization affects important areas such as democracy, the environment and the economy, policies should be put into place to regulate it. Developing countries need to step up and offer financial and planning aid to the developing countries. There is need to restructure the current international financial system to cater for the needs of both poor and rich nations. Globalization is meant to improve the living standards of all those involved. For this to be achieved, a human face needs to be put in globalization. Bibliography Boudreaux, Donald J. Globalization. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2008. Casper, J. K. Changing Ecosystems: Effects of Global Warming. New York: Infobase Pub. , 2010. Dollahite, Nancy E and Julie Haun. Sourcework : academic writing from sources. Boston : Heinle/Cengage Learning, 2012. Haldar, I. Global warming: The causes and consequences. New Delhi: Mind Melodies. , 2011. Houghton, J. T. Global warming: The complete briefing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Jones, L., Fraser Institute. Global warming: The science and the politics. . Vancouver: Fraser Inst., 1997. Weinstein, Michael M. Globalization : whats new? New York: Columbia Univ. Press, 2005.

Trilobites, the Dinosaurs of the Arthropod Family

Trilobites, the Dinosaurs of the Arthropod Family Tens of millions of years before the first dinosaurs walked the earth, another family of strange, distinctive, weirdly prehistoric-looking creatures, the trilobites, populated the worlds oceansand left an equally abundant fossil record. Heres a look at the ancient history of these famous invertebrates, which once numbered in the (literal) quadrillions. The Trilobite Family Trilobites were early examples of arthropods, a vast invertebrate phylum that today includes such diverse creatures as lobsters, cockroaches and millipedes. These creatures were characterized by three main body parts: the cephalon (head), thorax (body), and pygidium (tail). Oddly, the name â€Å"trilobite,† which means â€Å"three-lobed,† doesn’t refer to this animal’s top-to-bottom body plan, but to the distinctive three-part structure of its axial (left-to-right) body plan. Only the hard shells of trilobites are preserved in fossils; for that reason, it took many years for paleontologists to establish what these invertebrates soft tissues looked like (a key part of the puzzle being their multiple, segmented legs). The trilobites comprised at least ten separate orders and thousands of genera and species, ranging in size from less than a millimeter to well over two feet. These beetle-like creatures appear to have fed mostly on plankton, and they inhabited a typical array of undersea niches: some scavenging, some sedentary, and some crawling along the ocean bottom. In fact, trilobite fossils have been discovered in pretty much every ecosystem on hand during the early Paleozoic Era; like bugs, these invertebrates were quick to spread and adapt to various habitats and climatic conditions! Trilobites and Paleontology While trilobites are fascinating for their diversity (not to mention their alien appearance), paleontologists are fond of them for another reason: their hard shells fossilized very easily, providing a convenient â€Å"road map† to the Paleozoic Era (which stretched from the Cambrian, about 500 million years ago, to the Permian, about 250 million years ago). In fact, if you find the right sediments in the right location, you can identify the various geologic eras by the types of trilobites that appear in succession: one species may be a marker for the late Cambrian, another for the early Carboniferous, and so on down the line. One of the interesting things about trilobites is the Zelig-like cameo appearances they make in ostensibly unrelated fossil sediments. For example, the famous Burgess Shale (which captures the strange organisms that began to evolve on earth during the Cambrian period) includes its fair share of trilobites, which share the stage with bizarre, multi-segmented creatures like Wiwaxia and Anomalocaris. Its only the familiarity of trilobites from other fossil sediments that decreases their Burgess wow factor; they are not, on the face of it, any less interesting than their less-well-known arthropod cousins. They had been dwindling in numbers for a few tens of millions of years before then, but the last of the trilobites were wiped out in the Permian-Triassic  Extinction Event, a global catastrophe 250 million years ago that killed off more than 90 percent of the earths marine species. Most likely, the remaining trilobites (along with thousands of other genera of terrestrial and water-dwelling organisms) succumbed to a global plunge in oxygen levels, perhaps related to massive volcanic eruptions.

Critical and Creative Thinking Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical and Creative Thinking Questions - Essay Example As I cam to an understanding that not all people are taught in the same way that I was taught, I began to wonder how God could allow so many people to get it so wrong. Somewhere, though, I had an epiphany. Maybe it wasn’t that they were all wrong, but that they just had a difference in the way that they believed. I began to come to a place where I had to believe, because I believed in a just and fair God, that the approach made toward God wasn’t nearly as important as just the belief. If this was not true, then there would only have ever been two choices in believing in God - a single approach toward God, and a single approach away from God. In understanding that variety was not a threat to the way in which I believe, it was possible to have an understanding that the way that others believed was based solely on their traditions, just in the way that I believe based on the traditions of my family and spiritual community, I was able to accept the validity of the beliefs of others and create a more harmonious way in which to live a spiritual life. I do not believe that anyone is free of prejudice. Simply making the choice of how people are judged, provides for prejudice. Even deciding not to associate with a serial killer would be a prejudice (although this would be a prudent prejudice). However, legitimately foul prejudice based on any form of looks or any form of belief is very difficult to completely shed from one’s mind. Walking through an airport, for instance, many people get a tiny twinge when someone from Middle Eastern descent is noticed, even though much has been written and reported on how very small the radical element of the Muslim faith is in percentage to the number who are not of radical and fanatical beliefs. This leads to the most important element of prejudice that must be addressed before prejudice can be eliminated. Fear is the most destructive force in the cause against prejudice. It seems to be a natural

The Walter Family Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Walter Family - Case Study Example Catherine Walter, a self-proclaimed ‘depressed’ mother. The children are entitled to their basic needs and because there appeared to be a lack of provision in the Walter family, Mrs. Walter may indeed be guilty of neglecting her children. II. Major Issues of the Family The major problem of the family is that it does not have any dependable resources, let alone in the financial aspect. Although the lack of financial resources does not significantly qualify for a type of neglect, the Walter children are left exposed to possible substantial harm from the lack of food and a safe and clean dwelling place with no parent or any form of guardian to attend to their immediate needs. Mr. Walter abandoned his family without providing any essential aid (e.g. insurance) while Mrs. Walter admitted to have depressive symptoms which would give enough reason for the community CPS to take necessary action over the situation. Parental depression can cause a parent to divert her attention aw ay from her children (Jackson et al. 5). III. Needs of the Family The Walter family requires a good provider. ... Generally, the family needs economic and professional help from concerned social workers who could assist them. IV. Action Plan and Intervention Goals It is necessary that the alleged neglect of the Walter children by their mother, Mrs. Catherine Walter be determined properly. The community agency should know whether the treatment or intervention is favorable for the children and Mrs. Walter. Despite the fact that it’s the main duty of the community CPS to reduce the probable risks to a child, separating a child from his/her parent should be its last remaining option because doing so against the will of the family member concerned may have negative psychological effects to them especially when it is not necessary. In the following action plan, the persons directly involved during the treatment will be the Walter children, Mrs. Walter, physicians, pediatricians, social workers, child psychologists, and nutritional professionals who can detect victims of abuse or neglect. Intake /Initial Assessment/Investigation The Child Protective Services Agency must acquire credible evidence to substantiate the report of neglect (Depanfilis). Mrs. Walter should be properly and justifiably evaluated whether she could still provide the physiological and emotional needs of her children or not despite the fact that she admitted to undergoing depressive symptoms for it still unjust to opt for placement without due process of law (25). However, if it is the parent’s own choice to confine her children into a foster home instead, then she is already waiving her right as a responsible mother to her children. This recommended action will also determine whether statutory child protection is the best approach to the Walter family case.

The limitation of powers of European Community member states in the Essay

The limitation of powers of European Community member states in the field of commercial activity in the light of creation of a single market in goods - Essay Example Another form of cooperation, the European Atomic Energy Community was also established in 1957 and came into force in 1958. The above three treaties established the cooperation among six European countries - the ones that began the efforts for the establishment of common interests and policies in the European region. In accordance with Van Gerven (2005, p.710) among the three treaties existed at the period the most important was ‘the European Economic Community, which created, progressively, a common market of goods, persons, services, and capital subject to free competition and with a common commercial policy, and which was applicable to all economic sectors (including agriculture and transport) not addressed by the other two treaties’. Through the years, the European Community was enlarged through the participation of more countries of Europe. On the other hand, the targets set by the European Union were also differentiated. One of the most important differentiations w as that introduced with the Single European Act (1986, February) which targeted the improvement of the conditions of the European market and the interpretation of the rules included in the article 14(2) EC that describe the frontiers of the common market area. At a next level, the monetary, judicial and political integration of the European Union was targeted by the member states. The above targets were supported by the Maastricht Treaty (1992) and the Amsterdam Treaty (1997). The treaties of Maastricht and Amsterdam developed the role of the European Union promoting its power to intervene in the political and monetary decisions on member states. Specific issues related with the acceptance of the European Union by the member states were also supported through the above two treaties. Towards this direction, it is noticed by Youngs (2001, p.30) that ‘the Maastricht treaty for the first time listed the

The Creation of God and the Universe

The Creation of God and the Universe Does God really exist? How can we know? If God made everything, who made God? In our everyday experience, just about everything seems to have a beginning. In fact, the laws of science show that even things which look the same through our lifetime, like the sun and other stars, are running down. The sun is using up its fuel at millions of tons each second. Since, therefore, it cannot last forever, it had to have a beginning. The same can be shown to be true for the entire universe. So when Christians claim that the God of the Bible created the entire universe, some will ask what seems a logical question, namely â€Å"Where did God come from?† The Bible makes it clear in many places that God is outside of time. He is eternal, with no beginning or end—He is infinite! He also knows all things, being infinitely intelligent. Is this logical? Can modern science allow for such a notion? And how could you recognize the evidence for an intelligent Creator? The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding . The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of Gods existence are: The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason. The a posteriori argument, by which we proceed logically from the facts of experience to causes. These arguments are: The cosmological, by which it is proved that there must be a First Cause of all things, for every effect must have a cause. The teleological, or the argument from design. We see everywhere the operations of an intelligent Cause in nature. The moral argument, called also the anthropological argument, based on the moral consciousness and the history of mankind, which exhibits a moral order and purpose which can only be explained on the supposition of the existence of God. Conscience and human history testify that â€Å"verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.† Matthew G. Easton How to recognize intelligence Scientists get excited about finding stone tools in a cave because these speak of intelligence—a tool maker. They could not have designed themselves. Neither would anyone believe that the carved Presidents heads on Mt. Rushmore were the product of millions of years of chance erosion. We can recognize design—the evidence of the outworkings of intelligence—in the man-made objects all around us. Similarly, in William Paleys famous argument, a watch implies a watchmaker.Today, however, a large proportion of people, including many leading scientists, believe that all plants and animals, including the incredibly complex brains of the people who make watches, motor cars, etc., were not designed by an intelligent God but rather came from an unintelligent evolutionary process. But is this a defensible position? Design in living things Molecular biologist Dr. Michael Denton, writing as an agnostic, concluded: Alongside the level of ingenuity and complexity exhibited by the molecular machinery of life, even our most advanced [twentieth century technology appears] clumsy. It would be an illusion to think that what we are aware of at present is any more than a fraction of the full extent of biological design. In practically every field of fundamental biological research ever-increasing levels of design and complexity are being revealed at an ever-accelerating rate. The world-renowned crusader for Darwinism and atheism, Prof. Richard Dawkins, states: We have seen that living things are too improbable and too beautifully â€Å"designed† to have come into existence by chance. Thus, even the most ardent atheist concedes that design is all around us. To a Christian, the design we see all around us is totally consistent with the Bibles explanation that God created all. However, evolutionists like Dawkins reject the idea of a Designer. He comments (emphasis added): All appearance to the contrary, the only watchmaker in nature is the blind forces of physics, albeit deployed in a very special way. A true watchmaker has foresight: he designs his cogs and springs, and plans their interconnections, with future purpose in his minds eye. Natural selection, the blind, unconscious, automatic process which Darwin discovered, and which we now know is the explanation for the existence and apparently purposeful form of all life, has no purpose in mind†¦ It has no mind†¦ It does not plan for the future†¦ it is the blind watchmaker. Selection and design Life is built on information, contained in that molecule of heredity, DNA. Dawkins believes that natural selectionand mutations (blind, purposeless copying mistakes in this DNA) together provide the mechanism for producing the vast amounts of information responsible for the design in living things. Natural selection is a logical process that can be observed. However, selection can only operate on the information already contained in genes—it does not produce new information.distinct kinds of animals and plants, each to reproduce after its own kind. One can observe great variation in a kind,and see the results of natural selection. For instance, dingoes, wolves and coyotes have developed over time as a result of natural selection operating on the information in the genes of the wolf/dog kind. But no new information was produced—these varieties have resulted from rearrangement, and sorting out, of the information in the original dog kind. One kind has never been observed to change into a totally different kind with new information that previously did not exist! Without a way to increase information, natural selection will not work as a mechanism for evolution. Evolutionists agree with this, but they believe that mutations somehow provide the new information for natural selection to act upon. Can mutations produce new information? Actually, it is now clear that the answer is no! Dr. Lee Spetner, a highly qualified scientist who taught information and communication theory at Johns Hopkins University, makes this abundantly clear in his recent book: In this chapter Ill bring several examples of evolution, [i.e., instances alleged to be examples of evolution] particularly mutations, and show that information is not increased But in all the reading Ive done in the life-sciences literature, Ive never found a mutation that added information. All point mutations that have been studied on the molecular level turn out to reduce the genetic information and not to increase it. The NDT [neo-Darwinian theory] is supposed to explain how the information of life has been built up by evolution. The essential biological difference between a human and a bacterium is in the information they contain. All other biological differences follow from that. The human genome has much more information than does the bacterial genome. Information cannot be built up by mutations that lose it. A business cant make money by losing it a little at a time. Evolutionary scientists have no way around the conclusions that many scientists, including Dr. Spetner, have come to. Mutations do not work as a mechanism to fuel the evolutionary process. [For further information, see: Can genetic mutations produce positive changes in living creatures? Answer] More problems! Scientists have found that within the cell, there are thousands of what can be called biochemical machines. All of their parts have to be in place simultaneously or the cell cant function. Things which were thought to be simple mechanisms, such as being able to sense light and turn it into electrical impulses, are in fact highly complicated. Since life is built on these machines, the idea that natural processes could have made a living system is untenable. Biochemist Dr. Michael Behe uses the term irreducible complexity in describing such biochemical machines. †¦systems of horrendous, irreducible complexity inhabit the cell. The resulting realization that life was designed by an intelligence is a shock to us in the twentieth century who have gotten used to thinking of life as the result of simple natural laws. But other centuries have had their shocks, and there is no reason to suppose that we should escape them. Richard Dawkins recognizes this problem of needing machinery to start with when he states: The theory of the blind watchmaker is extremely powerful given that we are allowed to assume replication and hence cumulative selection. But if replication needs complex machinery, since the only way we know for complex machinery ultimately to come into existence is cumulative selection, we have a problem. A problem indeed! The more we look into the workings of life, the more complicated it gets, and the more we see that life could not arise by itself. Not only is a source of information needed, but the complex machines of the chemistry of life need to be in existence right from the start! A greater problem still! Some still try to insist that the machinery of the first cell could have arisen by pure chance. For instance, they say, by randomly drawing alphabet letters in sequence from a hat, sometimes you will get a simple word like BAT.So given long time periods, why couldnt even more complex information arise by chance? However, what would the word BAT mean to a German or Chinese speaker? The point is that an order of letters is meaningless unless there is a language convention and a translation system in place which makes it meaningful! In a cell, there is such a system (other molecules) that makes the order on the DNA meaningful. DNA without the language/translation system is meaningless, and these systems without the DNA wouldnt work either. The other complication is that the translation machinery which reads the order of the letters in the DNA is itself specified by the DNA! This is another one of those machines that needs to be fully-formed or life wont work. Can information arise from non-information? Dr. Werner Gitt, Director and Professor at the German Federal Institute of Physics and Technology, makes it clear that one of the things we know absolutely for sure from science, is that information cannot arise from disorder by chance. It always takes (greater) information to produce information, and ultimately information is the result of intelligence: A code system is always the result of a mental process (it requires an intelligent origin or inventor) It should be emphasized that matter as such is unable to generate any code. All experiences indicate that a thinking being voluntarily exercising his own free will, cognition, and creativity, is required. There is no known natural law through which matter can give rise to information, neither is any physical process or material phenomenon known that can do this. What is the source of the information? We can therefore deduce that the huge amount of information in living things must originally have come from an intelligence, which had to have been far superior to ours, as scientists are revealing every day. But then, some will say that such a source would have to be caused by something with even greater information/intelligence. However, if they reason like this, one could ask where this greater information/intelligence came from? And then where did that one come from . one could extrapolate to infinity, for ever, unless . Unless there was a source of infinite intelligence, beyond our finite understanding. But isnt this what the Bible indicates when we read, In the beginning God .? The God of the Bible is an infinite being not bound by limitations of time, space, knowledge, or anything else. So which is the logically defensible position?—that matter eternally existed (or came into existence by itself for no reason), and then by itself arranged itself into information systems against everything observed in real science? Or that a being with infinite intelligence,created information systems for life to exist, agreeing with real science? The answer seems obvious, so why dont all intelligent scientists accept this? Michael Behe answers: Many people, including many important and well-respected scientists, just dont want there to be anything beyond nature. They dont want a supernatural being to affect nature, no matter how brief or constructive the interaction may have been. In other words . they bring an a priori philosophical commitment to their science that restricts what kinds of explanations they will accept about the physical world. Sometimes this leads to rather odd behavior. The crux of the matter is this: If one accepts there is a God who created us, then that God also owns us. He thus has a right to set the rules by which we must live. In the Bible, He has revealed to us that we are in rebellion against our Creator. Because of this rebellion called sin, our physical bodies are sentenced to death—but we will live on, either with God, or without Him in a place of judgment. But the good news is that our Creator provided, through the cross of Jesus Christ, a means of deliverance for our sin of rebellion, so that those who come to Him in faith, in repentance for their sin, can receive the forgiveness of a Holy God and spend forever with their Lord. [Watch The HOPE on-line (streaming video)] So who created God? By definition, an infinite, eternal being has always existed—no one created God. He is the self-existing one—the great I am of the Bible.19 He is outside of time; in fact, He created time. You might say, â€Å"But that means I have to accept this by faith, as I cant understand it.† We read in the book of Hebrews, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). But this is not blind faith, as some think. In fact, the evolutionists who deny God have a blind faith—they have to believe something that is against real science—namely, that information can arise from disorder by chance. Can you believe in the existence of something that you cannot see? Have you ever seen your own brain? We all believe in many things that we have never seen. Have you ever seen the wind? Have you seen history? We see the effects of the wind, but the wind is invisible. We have records of history, but it is by faith we believe that certain historical events happened. Television waves are invisible, but an antenna and a receiver can detect their presence. Do you know that you have a receiver? Prior to becoming a child of God, your receiver (your spirit) is dead because of sin (see Ephesians 2:1). You need to be plugged into the life of God, and then you will come alive and be aware of the invisible spiritual realm. Learn more about God and his plan for your life Adapted from author Ray Comfort See these information sources for evidence of God and the accuracy of His Word†¦ The Christian faith is not a blind faith; it is a logically defensible faith. This is why the Bible makes it clear that anyone who does not believe in God is without excuse: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse (Romans 1:20). For a more in-depth article, read: Who created God? Who created God? A number of skeptics ask this question. But God by definition is the uncreated creator of the universe, so the question Who created God? is illogical, just like To whom is the bachelor married? So a more sophisticated questioner might ask: If the universe needs a cause, then why doesnt God need a cause? And if God doesnt need a cause, why should the universe need a cause? In reply, Christians should use the following reasoning: Everything which has a beginning has a cause.1 The universe has a beginning. Therefore the universe has a cause. Its important to stress the words in bold type. The universe requires a cause because it had a beginning, as will be shown below. God, unlike the universe, had no beginning, so doesnt need a cause. In addition, Einsteins general relativity, which has much experimental support, shows that time is linked to matter and space. So time itself would have begun along with matter and space. Since God, by definition, is the creator of the whole universe, he is the creator of time. Therefore He is not limited by the time dimension He created, so has no beginning in time God is the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity (Isaiah 57:15). Therefore He doesnt have a cause. In contrast, there is good evidence that the universe had a beginning. This can be shown from the Laws of Thermodynamics, the most fundamental laws of the physical sciences. 1st Law: The total amount of mass-energy in the universe is constant. 2nd Law: The amount of energy available for work is running out, or entropy is increasing to a maximum. If the total amount of mass-energy is limited, and the amount of usable energy is decreasing, then the universe cannot have existed forever, otherwise it would already have exhausted all usable energy the heat death of the universe. For example, all radioactive atoms would have decayed, every part of the universe would be the same temperature, and no further work would be possible. So the obvious corollary is that the universe began a finite time ago with a lot of usable energy, and is now running down. Now, what if the questioner accepts that the universe had a beginning, but not that it needs a cause? But it is self-evident that things that begin have a cause no-one really denies it in his heart. All science and history would collapse if this law of cause and effect were denied. So would all law enforcement, if the police didnt think they needed to find a cause for a stabbed body or a burgled house. Also, the universe cannot be self-caused nothing can create itself, because that would mean that it existed before it came into existence, which is a logical absurdity. IN SUMMARY The universe (including time itself) can be shown to have had a beginning. It is unreasonable to believe something could begin to exist without a cause. The universe therefore requires a cause, just as Romans 1:20 teach. God, as creator of time, is outside of time. Since therefore He has no beginning in time, He has always existed, so doesnt need a cause. OBJECTIONS There are only two ways to refute an argument: Show that it is logically invalid Show that at least one of the premises is false. Is the argument valid? A valid argument is one where it is impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion false. Note that validity does not depend on the truth of the premises, but on the form of the argument. The argument in this article is valid; it is of the same form as: All whales have backbones; Moby Dick is a whale; therefore Moby Dick has a backbone. So the only hope for the skeptic is to dispute one or both of the premises. Are the premises true? 1. Does the universe have a beginning? Oscillating universe ideas were popularized by atheists like the late Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov solely to avoid the notion of a beginning, with its implications of a Creator. But as shown above, the Laws of Thermodynamics undercut that argument. Even an oscillating universe cannot overcome those laws. Each one of the hypothetical cycles would exhaust more and more usable energy. This means every cycle would be larger and longer than the previous one, so looking back in time there would be smaller and smaller cycles. So the multicycle model could have an infinite future, but can only have a finite past.2 Also, there are many lines of evidence showing that there is far too little mass for gravity to stop expansion and allow cycling in the first place, i.e., the universe is open. According to the best estimates (even granting old-earth assumptions), the universe still has only about half the mass needed for re-contraction. This includes the combined total of both luminous matter and non-luminous matter (found in galactic halos), as well as any possible contribution of neutrinos to total mass.3 Some recent evidence for an open universe comes from the number of light-bending gravitational lenses in the sky.6 It seems there is only 40-80% of the required matter to cause a big crunch. Incidentally, this low mass is also a major problem for the currently fashionable inflationary version of the big bang theory, as this predicts a mass density just on the threshold of collapse a flat universe. Finally, no known mechanism would allow a bounce back after a hypothetical big crunch.7 As the late Professor Beatrice Tinsley of Yale explained, even though the mathematics say that the universe oscillates, There is no known physical mechanism to reverse a catastrophic big crunch. Off the paper and into the real world of physics, those models start from the Big Bang, expand, collapse, and thats the end. 2. Denial of cause and effect Some physicists assert that quantum mechanics violates this cause/effect principle and can produce something from nothing. For instance, Paul Davies writes: spacetime could appear out of nothingness as a result of a quantum transition. Particles can appear out of nowhere without specific causation Yet the world of quantum mechanics routinely produces something out of nothing.9 But this is a gross misapplication of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics never produces something out of nothing. Davies himself admitted on the previous page that his scenario should not be taken too seriously. Theories that the universe is a quantum fluctuation must presuppose that there was something to fluctuate their quantum vacuum is a lot of matter-antimatter potential not nothing. Also, I have plenty of theoretical and practical experience at quantum mechanics (QM) from my doctoral thesis work. For example, Raman spectroscopy is a QM phenomenon, but from the wavenumber and intensity of the spectral bands, we can work out the masses of the atoms and force constants of the bonds causing the bands. To help the atheist position that the universe came into existence without a cause, one would need to find Raman bands appearing without being caused by transitions in vibrational quantum states, or alpha particles appearing without pre-existing nuclei, etc. If QM was as acausal as some people think, then we should not assume that these phenomena have a cause. Then I may as well burn my Ph.D. thesis, and all the spectroscopy journals should quit, as should any nuclear physics research. Also, if there is no cause, there is no explanation why this particular universe appeared at a particular time, nor why it was a universe and not, say, a banana or cat which appeared. This universe cant have any properties to explain its preferential coming into existence, because it wouldnt have any properties until it actually came into existence. Is creation by God rational? A last desperate tactic by skeptics to avoid a theistic conclusion is to assert that creation in time is incoherent. Davies correctly points out that since time itself began with the beginning of the universe, it is meaningless to talk about what happened before the universe began. But he claims that causes must precede their effects. So if nothing happened before the universe began, then (according to Davies) it is meaningless to discuss the cause of the universes beginning. But the philosopher (and New Testament scholar) William Lane Craig, in a useful critique of Davies,10 pointed out that Davies is deficient in philosophical knowledge. Philosophers have long discussed the notion of simultaneous causation. Immanuel Kant (17241804) gave the example of a weight resting on a cushion simultaneously causing a depression in it. Craig says: The first moment of time is the moment of Gods creative act and of creations simultaneous coming to be. Some skeptics claim that all this analysis is tentative, because that is the nature of science. So this cant be used to prove creation by God. Of course, skeptics cant have it both ways: saying that the Bible is wrong because science has proved it so, but if science appears consistent with the Bible, then well, science is tentative anyway. A final thought The Bible informs us that time is a dimension that God created, into which man was subjected. It even tells us that one day time will no longer exist. That will be called â€Å"eternity.† God Himself dwells outside of the dimension He created (Titus 1:2). He dwells in eternity and is not subject to time. God spoke history before it came into being. He can move through time as a man flips through a history book. Because we live in the dimension of time, it is impossible for us to fully understand anything that does not have a beginning and an end. Simply accept that fact, and believe the concept of Gods eternal nature the same way you believe the concept of space having no beginning and end—by faith—even though such thoughts put a strain on our distinctly insufficient cerebrum. Paul S. Taylor, adapted from author Ray Comfort Further Reading More information can be found in the following works. Unfortunately they are too friendly towards the unscriptural big bang theory with its billions of years of death, suffering and disease before Adams sin. But the above arguments are perfectly consistent with a recent creation in six consecutive normal days, as taught by Scripture. Craig, W.L., Apologetics: An Introduction (Chicago: Moody, 1984). Craig, W.L. online article â€Å"The Existence of God and the Beginning of the Universe† http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth11.html Geisler, N.L., Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker, 1976). How does archaeology conclusively demonstrate the Bible to be reliable and unique among all the holy books of world religions? Archaeological discoveries verify the historical reliability of the Old and New Testaments. When compared to other religious books, the titles, and events mentioned in the Bible; and the language and literary formats used to compose the Bible. Many scholars today question the validity of Biblical accounts, supposedly based on the findings of archaeology (i.e. misinterpretation of evidence, lack of evidence, or poor scholarship) and not with the Bible. How can archaeology prove helpful to someone seeking for truth to the basic questions about life? The discoveries of archaeology can be helpful in removing doubts that a person might have about the historical trustworthiness of the Bible. The places, and events of the Bible are real. What Gods Word? Any one discovery can be explained away as coincidence, or an alternative interpretation can be given to disassociate it from the Bible. It is the weight of a myriad of discoveries that demonstrates the Bible to be the Word of God. These discoveries fall into three categories: Archaeological evidence demonstrates the historical and cultural accuracy of the Bible. The Bibles message of a salvation stands in sharp contrast to the pagan fertility religions of the ancient world as, revealed by archaeology. Archaeological findings demonstrate that the Biblical prophets accurately predicted events hundreds of years before they occurred—something that lies beyond the capability of mere men. Where did Cain get his wife? We dont even know her name, yet she was discussed at the wife in history? Scripture and, thus, the Christian faith. For instance, at the historic Scopes trial in Tennessee in 1925, William Jennings Bryan, the prosecutor who stood for the Christian faith, failed to answer the question about [3] lawyer Clarence Darrow. The worlds press was focused on this trial, and what they heard has affected Christianity to this day—Christians are seen as unable to defend the biblical record. And skeptics then make the logically fallacious jump of concluding that the biblical record is indefensible! The agnostic Carl Sagan used this same question in his book ContactContact,† which was based on Sagans book, also used it. In the book, the fictional character Ellie could not get answers about [6] Sagan cleverly used common questions—such as â€Å"Who was Cains wife?†Ã¢â‚¬â€questions that are often directed at Christians in an attempt to prove the Bible cannot be defended. Sadly, most Christians probably could not answer these questions! And yet, there are answers. But, since most churches are lacking in the teaching of 1 Peter 3:15). Why is it important? Many skeptics have claimed that, for New Testament doctrines depend. Defenders of the Genesis 4:1-5:5.) Before we answer this question, we will first show how important it is to the meaning of the gospel. The first man Therefore, even as through one man Romans 5:12). We read in God did not start by making a whole group of men. The sin of rebellion, also passed on to all his descendants. Since return to God! Because a man brought Romans 3:23). What is the solution? The Last Adam pay the penalty for sin: â€Å"For since by a man came [8] God. Since the Bible describes all human beings as gospel could not be explained or defended. The Hebrews 2:11-18). Thus, only descendants of the first man saved. All related Thus, there was only one man at the beginning—made from the Genesis 2:7). This also means that Adams descendants. The first woman In Eve—she was the first woman. marriage of one man to one woman. Also, in animals, he could not find a mate—there was no one of his kind. All this makes it obvious that there was only one woman, Eves descendants. If Christians cannot defend that all humans (including gospel and all that it teaches. Cains brothers and sisters Genesis 4:25), were part of the first generation of children ever born on this earth. Even though only these three males are mentioned by name, Genesis 5:3) before Seth was born. During their lives, Adams children, as says the old tradition, was thirty-three sons and twenty-three daughters.† The Genesis 1:28). The wife If we now work totally from Scripture, without any personal prejudices or other extra-biblical ideas, then back at the beginning, when there was only the first generation, brothers would have had to have married sisters or there would be no more generations! We are not told when marriages and children, but we can say for certain that some brothers had to marry their sisters at the beginning of human history. But what about Gods Laws? Many people immediately reject the conclusion that Gods law originally when close relatives (even brothers and sisters) married each other. Remember that Moses laws that forbade such marriages. Biological deformities Today, brothers and sisters (and half-brothers and half-sisters, etc.) are not permitted by law to marry because their children have an unacceptably high risk of being deformed. The more closely the parents are related, the more likely it is that any offspring will be d

Jane Eyre :: Literature Books Papers

Jane Eyre Social class distinction is very evident in Victorian England. This distinction is found not only in society, but also within the Anglican Church and its clergy. In Jane Eyre we are introduced to three Anglican ministers who represent different social classes. They are Jane Eyre’s father; the Reverend Brocklehurst, the administrator of Lowood Institution; and Reverend St. John Rivers, the curate of a small country parish at Morton and owner of Moor House. Comparing the way these clergyman are viewed by society establishes the adherence to the same social class structure within the church as is evident outside the church. Contrasting clergy from the same religious sect shows that class status was also reflected in some methods of practicing the Anglican faith. The first clergyman introduced in the novel is Jane’s father. We learn of him as Jane does, through a third person. Jane hears a servant, Miss Abbott, discussing Jane’s lineage with another servant, Bessie. Jane hears Miss Abbott say about her father: " My father had been a poor clergyman, my mother had married him against the wishes of her friends, who considered the match beneath her; my grandfather Reed was so irritated at her disobedience he cut her off without a shilling" (37; ch. 3). Young girls, especially of the upper class, were supposed to follow their parent’s wishes in regards to whom they should marry. In choosing a clergyman from a lower social class, Mrs. Eyre sacrifices her social standing as well as her family’s care and support. The fact that Jane’s mother was banished for her marriage reflects the disdain felt by the upper class for marrying beneath their class. Jane knows from her treatment by the Reeds that she is a poor relation. John Reed emphasizes this when he tells Jane "You have no business to take our books; you are a dependent, mama says; you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not live hear with gentleman’s children like us" (23; ch. 1). The fact that Jane’s father left her no inheritance was a reflection of his position as a clergyman. Indeed if her parents had lived she still would have been poor. In Alan Haig's The Victorian Church, we learn of the wages paid to the clergy. The text states that "The income earned by the clergy are so scanty as to likely to straiten a married man " (qtd. Jane Eyre :: Literature Books Papers Jane Eyre Social class distinction is very evident in Victorian England. This distinction is found not only in society, but also within the Anglican Church and its clergy. In Jane Eyre we are introduced to three Anglican ministers who represent different social classes. They are Jane Eyre’s father; the Reverend Brocklehurst, the administrator of Lowood Institution; and Reverend St. John Rivers, the curate of a small country parish at Morton and owner of Moor House. Comparing the way these clergyman are viewed by society establishes the adherence to the same social class structure within the church as is evident outside the church. Contrasting clergy from the same religious sect shows that class status was also reflected in some methods of practicing the Anglican faith. The first clergyman introduced in the novel is Jane’s father. We learn of him as Jane does, through a third person. Jane hears a servant, Miss Abbott, discussing Jane’s lineage with another servant, Bessie. Jane hears Miss Abbott say about her father: " My father had been a poor clergyman, my mother had married him against the wishes of her friends, who considered the match beneath her; my grandfather Reed was so irritated at her disobedience he cut her off without a shilling" (37; ch. 3). Young girls, especially of the upper class, were supposed to follow their parent’s wishes in regards to whom they should marry. In choosing a clergyman from a lower social class, Mrs. Eyre sacrifices her social standing as well as her family’s care and support. The fact that Jane’s mother was banished for her marriage reflects the disdain felt by the upper class for marrying beneath their class. Jane knows from her treatment by the Reeds that she is a poor relation. John Reed emphasizes this when he tells Jane "You have no business to take our books; you are a dependent, mama says; you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not live hear with gentleman’s children like us" (23; ch. 1). The fact that Jane’s father left her no inheritance was a reflection of his position as a clergyman. Indeed if her parents had lived she still would have been poor. In Alan Haig's The Victorian Church, we learn of the wages paid to the clergy. The text states that "The income earned by the clergy are so scanty as to likely to straiten a married man " (qtd.

Children’s Literature II: Young Adult Literature Essay

47, written by Walter Mosley, is the story of a 14 year old slave who lives on a cotton plantation in Georgia. 47 has lived in the house and barn all his life, thus giving him a clouded vision of what slave life is really like. One day he is relocated to the slave chambers where his universe is turned upside down. 47 meets a presumably runaway slave, named Tall John who in all reality is an extraterrestrial. Through their friendship Tall John teaches 47 all about freedom and his world. Through the text we are given a chance to find a new experience with the world of slave history, African American folklore, and science fiction. After researching articles the main focus of discussion is the unique combining of the slave narrative with the science fiction. Slavery is still a very touchy subject. Whites do not want to relive the horrid treatment that they put upon the slaves and slaves do not want to read and learn about the harm done to their ancestors. Walter Mosley chose to write this story to convey the story of slavery from a first person narrative but also to put a spin on it so that it wouldn’t be so depressing. The text has some amazing, out of this world gadgets and healing devices but I am even more compelled to think that the truth it brings to light is an even more powerful thing. As Hazel Rochman stated I have to fully agree, â€Å"slavery is the most unbelievable part of this whole story†. In â€Å"Conversations with Walter Mosley† by Owen Edward Brady we read that Walter Mosley’s novels are filled with â€Å"folk archetypes†. In 47 we are able to see the full l ist of archetypes being fulfilled. The archetypal seeker could be Tall John leaving his planet to come to earth to find 47. It could also be 47 leaving the big house to end up in the slave quarters. The Junex verses the Senex could be the conflict between Pritchard and 47. The Orphan could be Tall John, 47, 84’s children, or any other slaves that were torn away from their families. The Caregiver could be Mama Flore, Mud Albert, or Champ Noland. The Sage in the text is Tall John from beyond Africa. Friends are Tall John and 47. Lovers are Tall John and 84, Mama Flore and Mud Albert, 47’s parents. Warriors and Heroes are Mama Flore, Mud Albert, and Champ Noland. Villains are Mr. Stewart, Pike, and Calash. Rulers are portrayed to be Mr. Tobias and the whites. The Trickster in 47 is Tall John. He uses many different tricks be them for good or bad. The pros and cons of 47 are hard to distinguish. If you were to use this text in a secondary setting you would need to get the administrator’s and parent’s permission. The cons of using this text in a secondary setting are that the text has some brutal hardships that the slaves had to endure. Language, rape, torture, kidnapping, and slavery are some of the cons that might not be appropriate for a less mature audience. The pros of the text are astounding. The story points out so many truths about slavery, and the pains that it places upon each generation. 47 takes a huge stance against slavery and thus takes a stand against racial prejudices. â€Å"Neither master nor nigger be† are powerful words that ring true for 47, finally. 20 Minute Writing Assignment – Think about Tall John’s â€Å"yellow bag of tricks† and think back through the text. What are some items that should have been in his bag? You can create / design a new item or think of something that could have been there that could have helped them along their journey. Works Cited Mosley, Walter, and Owen Edward Brady. Conversations with Walter Mosley. Jackson: University of Mississippi, 2011. Print. Mosley, Walter. 47. New York: Little, Brown, 2006. Print. Rochman, Hazel. â€Å"Walter Mosley Literature.† Walter Mosley Literature. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2013.

Excited ABOUT, not for

Excited ABOUT, not for Excited ABOUT, not for Excited ABOUT, not for By Maeve Maddox Reader Alex has called my attention to a strange new usage with the word excited: People say excited for instead of excited about: Im excited for Avatar. It sounds clearly wrong to me. It sounds wrong to me as well. The phrase is being spread at a furious rate by entertainment writers. Anyone getting excited for Dan Browns new novel The Lost Symbol (gaming site) Lions fans at Ford Field excited for Ndamukong Suh (sports site) Kirstie Alley Excited for 17-Year-Old Sons Wedding (celebrity gossip site) A gaming site called NeoGAF seems especially determined to spread the abomination. Google tracks 8,190 examples from that site. I can think of one context in which for instead of about following excited could be justified: when one is sharing a friends excitement. On the pattern of I am happy for you, one could say Im excited for you. Otherwise, standard usage calls for excited about, as in these examples in which the writers (including entertainment writers) got it right: Why I Am Excited About the  iPad Rube Goldberg competition gets teens excited about STEM Why you need to be excited about SpyParty Rivers excited about RB prospects Rolling Stone’s Reasons To Be Excited About Music Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Words with More Than One SpellingStory Writing 101â€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most†

The Alternative Medical Treatments Essays

The Alternative Medical Treatments Essays The Alternative Medical Treatments Paper The Alternative Medical Treatments Paper Essay Topic: Medical Much information concerning alternative medicine is readily available on the internet for anyone who may be interested, however, the question remains whether or not this abundance of information is reliable and accurate or pure quackery. The websites being evaluated in this article are http://altmed. od. nig. gov and www. alternativemedicine. com. The differences between these two websites are a perfect illustration that one must be cautious and critical of all information obtained via the internet. The National Institute of Health’s website, http://altmed. od. nig. gov, is a good example of a reliable and well-informed source of knowledge. The website clearly denotes contact and sponsorship information on their homepage. It is extremely clear where one would call, email or write if there were questions, problems or concerns. Moreover, it clearly states that one should not use the information obtained by this website to seek therapy or treatment without talking to a doctor or health care provider. It also defines what NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) is, what they do and who with whom they are affiliated. Additionally, by clicking on a topic one can easily obtain very specific and well-credentialed background of the director of the program. The entire website is detail oriented, factual and well documented. It is up-to-date as the website says that it was â€Å"last modified 8/24/01. † The NCCAM website was also extremely user friendly (good graphics, well divided subject headings) and easy to maneuver. Overall, this website was an excellent source of information for students, researchers or anyone interested in information on alternative medicine. In contrast to the NCCAM website was www. alternativemedicine. com, â€Å"The Voice of Health. † I found this website rather amusing as it was very obvious that information was not at all based on reliable, research-based material. This is definitely the perfect example of information sources that one should be very cautious. As far as I could ascertain, there was no real authorship of the articles or the information blurbs. Once in awhile Dr. So-and-so would be quoted but the reader had no idea who Dr. So-and-so was (and whether or not he is a real doctor. ) The only biographical information (and picture) was of the president of the company, but there were no specific credentials, professional affiliations, or qualifications that would make him someone that you would want to take medical advice from. Not only was the CEO’s information vague, but so was the contact information for the company itself. No phone number or email address was listed, just an address. The best part of the website, in my opinion, was after you had chosen a specific health condition or problem, a box popped up for you to enter your zip code in so you could find a practitioner in your local area to help you. What a convenience This is a stark contrast to the NCCAM website, which advises the consumer to consult a health care provider before subscribing to any of the therapies. The graphics and maneuverability of the website, however, were good and easy to use. Overall, this website was not a reliable source of information and I would definitely be very hesitant to believe the information it provided. Both of these websites are useful in understanding and realizing the fact that just because information is on the internet does not make it true. The NCCAM is a proven example of a resource that one could use to augment their knowledge on a variety of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. It contains research data, facts and reliable information. In contrast, www. alternativemedicine. com is a prime example of what internet users should be wary of, a site that contains little or no factual information and was definitely NOT â€Å"The Voice of Health. † The internet is definitely a great source of information and learning but, as evidenced, one should always evaluate and be critical of what one reads and sees.

Analysis of Law of Desire Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of Law of Desire Film - Essay Example The film has a central axis the character of manipulative gay director Pablo, unconventional Pablo’s transsexual sister life, Tina, and the fiery, disparaging passion of Antonio, Pablo’s lover. Created only twelve years after the death of Franco, it may be considered as a conscious work to undermine the traditional cultural policy of this regime, by focusing on the homosexual sexuality and emphasizing the fluidity of gender, particularly the male gender. The film begins with a provoking soft-porn sequence, displaying a young athletic man in a roomy interior with a mirror and a bed. A voice outside the frame instructs him to undress and touch himself. Afterward, the camera centers on two elderly men reading these instructions from a script to the young model. This scene is revealed to be a film-within-a-film, directed by Pablo Quintero, the main character of Law of Desire. In this specific scene, the young man’s body is deliberately viewed through the gay male viewer’s eyes, as the unseen Voices direct him, aiming at the prurient pleasure of the viewer. Here the male body (masculinity) is multiply objectified’ as its vulnerability is emphasized by the ‘kind of words he is instructed to declaim.’ The Voices - having their sensuality increased due to the fact that they originate from unseen and unidentified speakers - manipulate the young male model, which seems to lack the ability to resist or personal will. The opening scene is ‘simply not a scandalous provocation’ but includes also many references to the central themes of the movie, such as the power shift in sexual relationships and issue of narcissism that is more portrayed in male gender (Mask 67). Indeed the dominance change between model and dubbers demonstrates the sovereignty changes in Pablo and Antonio’s sexual relationship; the narcissistic approach of the male body is equal to the narcissistic and the manipulative attitude of Pablo.

An attempt to Find Midway between Utopian Sunshine and Foucauldian Essay

An attempt to Find Midway between Utopian Sunshine and Foucauldian Gloom - Essay Example Among the two stream of thoughts, the first one is the group of optimistic people referred as Utopian sunshine, who see the concept as highly practicable. Driver says that the more optimistic side may be populated by practitioners and consultants who are looking to sell their advice to client organisations and therefore not interested in pursuing the more critical aspect of the learning organization (Denton, 1998 cited in Driver, 2002, p. 34). On the opponent’s side are the people called Faucauldian gloom, who find this concept as no better than a ‘psychic prison’. Explaining who all can be finding the concept as impracticable, Driver says that the more pessimistic side may be populated by academics looking for publish and therefore problematize an overly critical view of learning organization without any interest in the practicality of some of their suggestions (Denton, 1998 cited in Driver, 2002, p. 34). The difference of opinion among the two groups is on three organisational dimensions which are control, ideology and painful employee experience that they go through for giving the competitive edge to the organisation. Regarding the concept of the learning organisation, Driver comments that the lack of clarity with regard to the exact definition and theoretical conceptualization of a learning organization has been a common problem (Denton, 1998 cited in Driver, 2002, p. 36).... All these qualities claim to make the learning organisation an exceptional place. Needless to say, this is in stark contrast to the traditional bureaucratic organisations that believe in concentration of knowledge, power and decision-making. This does not mean that a learning organisation does not have any kind of control. Regarding the managerial control in a learning organisation, Driver says that while the learning organisation may have few traditional managerial controls, it is not completely free of managerial control (Starkey, 1998 cited in Driver, 2002, p. 39). In other words, the shared values in tightly knit ‘communities of learners’ (Edmondson, 1996 cited in Driver, 2002, p. 39) serve as internalized controls in which employees conform because they share the same views and values rather than they fear or respect external controls imposed on them by management (Mills and Friesen, 1992, Smith and Tosey, 1999, cited in Driver, 2002, p. 39). Building a learning org anisation requires change in the basic culture of an organisation; a transformation from traditional bureaucratic organisation that helps them imbibe the benefits mentioned in the concept of learning organisation. However, organisational culture does not develop in days, week or months. Hence such a dramatic change would also consume a lot of time. Also there will be managers who would have to share their knowledge to the employees. There is a famous saying that knowledge is power. Power or control is not something that a normal human being would like to lose so easily. Hence the top managers of the transforming organisation, who are to lose power, social stature and monetary