Mills Utilitarianism Essays - Utilitarianism, Classical Liberalism

Mill's Utilitarianism When faced with a moral dilemma, utilitarianism identifies the appropriate considerations, but offers no realistic way to gather the necessary information to make the required calculations. This lack of information is a problem both in evaluating the welfare issues and in evaluating the consequentialist issues which utilitarianism requires be weighed when making moral decisions. Utilitarianism attempts to solve both of these difficulties by appealing to experience; however, no method of reconciling an individual decision with the rules of experience is suggested, and no relative weights are assigned to the various considerations. In deciding whether or not to torture a terrorist who has planted a bomb in New York City, a utilitarian must evaluate both the overall welfare of the people involved or effected by the action taken, and the consequences of the action taken. To calculate the welfare of the people involved in or effected by an action, utilitarianism requires that all individuals be considered equally. Quantitative utilitarian would weigh the pleasure and pain which would be caused by the bomb exploding against the pleasure and pain that would be caused by torturing the terrorist. Then, the amounts would be summed and compared. The problem with this method is that it is impossible to know beforehand how much pain the bomb exploding or how much pain would be caused by the torture. Utilitarianism offers no practical way to make the interpersonal comparison of utility necessary to compare the pains. In the case of the bomb exploding, it at least seems highly probable that the bomb exploding would cause a greater amount of pain, at least in the present. This probability suffices for a quantitative utilitarian, but it does not account for the consequences, which create an entirely different problem, which will be discussed below. The probability also does not hold for Mill's utilitarianism. Mill's Utilitarianism insists on qualitative utilitarianism, which requires that one consider not only the amount of pain or pleasure, but also the quality of such pain and pleasure. Mill suggests that to distinguish between different pains and pleasures we should ask people who have experienced both types which is more pleasurable or more painful. This solution does not work for the question of torture compared to death in an explosion. There is no one who has experienced both; therefore, there is no one who can be consulted. Even if we agree that the pain caused by the number of deaths in the explosion is greater than the pain of the terrorist being tortured, this assessment only accounts for the welfare half of the utilitarian's considerations. Furthermore, one has no way to measure how much more pain is caused by allowing the bomb to explode than by torturing the terrorist. After settling the issues surrounding the welfare, a utilitarian must also consider the consequences of an action. In weighing the consequences, there are two important considerations. The first, which is especially important to objective Utilitarianism, is which people will be killed. The second is the precedent, which will be set by the action. Unfortunately for the decision-maker, the information necessary to make either of these calculations is unavailable. There is no way to determine which people will be killed and weigh whether their deaths would be good for society. Utilitarianism requires that one compare the good that the people would do for society with the harm they would do society if they were not killed. For example, if a young Adolf Hitler were in the building, it might do more good for society to allow the building to explode. Unfortunately for an individual attempting to use utilitarianism to make for decisions, there is no way to know beforehand what a person will do. Furthermore, without even knowing which building the bomb is in, there is no way to predict which people will surely be in the building. A subjectivist utilitarian would dismiss this consideration and would examine only what a rational person would consider to be the consequence; however, even the subjectivist utilitarian must face the question of precedent setting. Utilitarianism considers justice and humane treatment to be good for society as a whole and therefore instrumentally good as a means to promoting happiness. Utilitarianism considers precedent to be important, but does not offer any method of determining exceptions. It is impossible to determine how much effect on precedent any given isolated action will have. In the case of determining whether or not to torture the terrorist, one must consider whether it is good for society to allow torture to be used as a method of gaining information. If

The Only Actual Science You Need to Know for ACT Science

The Only Actual Science You Need to Know for ACT Science SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips While youmay have been toldyou need zero science knowledge to answer any ACT Science questions, this is NOT true. There are typically around four questions per test that you cannot answer without previous background knowledge.That's the difference between a 31 and a 36 on the Science section! In this article, I willgive an overview of the 13 topics that will NOT be explained in the ACT Science passages that the ACT expects you to know. The ACT assumes you know these topics from school and science class. To gather this info, I dissected dozens of previous ACT Science test sections to find the concepts you have to know. As far as we can tell, we're the only ones who have taken the time to research this. If you've gotten bad grades in science classes in school, this article will give you a refresher on the only concepts you need to know. Reminder: If you haven't already, check out our Ultimate Study Guide for ACT Science.It contains dozens of ACT Science guides going into every question type tested, strategies to tackle the questions, and how you should be organizing your prep to raise your score. In order to best answer this question of what science you actually need to know for the ACT Science section, I am going tostart with what topics the ACT says the Science section covers. According to the ACT makers, "The content of the Science Test includes biology, chemistry, physics, and the Earth/spacesciences (for example, geology, astronomy, and meteorology).† So much information. Do You Need to Be a Science Expert to Succeed on ACT Science? No, and even the ACT makers admit that â€Å"Advanced knowledge in these subjects is not required, but background knowledge acquired in general, introductory science courses is needed to answer some of the questions. The test emphasizes scientific reasoning skills over recall of scientific content, skill in mathematics, or reading ability.† Why Don’t You Need Expert Knowledge? In the ACT Science passages, they give you the majority of the information you need to answer the questions.They explain most of the terms within the passage. See for yourself inthis example passage, from a free ACT online practice test: You can see in this passage they give you definitions for most of the terms: refracted, seismograph, focus, shadowzone, the types of seismic waves, the difference between p and s waves. How Much BackgroundKnowledge Do You Need to Answer Most ACT Science Questions? Very little. Most of the questions can be answered using your knowledge of reading graphs and charts.Check out our article on the types of ACT Science Passages for more information about this strategy. For the questions that you can’t answer with the visuals, you can usually figure them out by reading the passage. However, there will be times you can't find the answer in the passage- and that's what we're discussing in this article. What Information Will Not Be Given in the Passage? As I mentioned earlier, there are typically around four questions per test that you cannot answer without previous knowledge.In my study of old ACT Science sections, I have found a total of 13 topics spanning biology, chemistry, physics, and math (yes, math) that you need to know. Here is the overview. I'll go into more depth on each topic below. Biology Cell Biology DNA, RNA, and Ribosomes Natural Selection Chemistry Basic Molecule Structure Freezing/Boiling Point of Water in Celsius pH Scale Molar Mass Concepts How Charges Interact Phase Changes Physics Gravity Density Formula Density Rules Math Basic Math Skills The basic overviews that I present below should be all you need toknow for the test, but I provide links to more in-depth explanations if you would like to do more reading. In our first topic, Cell Biology, you'll also see the first example of a question that you wouldn't be able to answer without prior knowledge, even after reading the passage. Knowledge Subject 1: Biology Topic 1: Cell Biology You need to know certaincell organelles (parts of cells), their functions, and whether they are found in animal or plant cells. Animal Cell Structure Lysosomes hold enzymes. Lysosomes digest food or break down the cell when it dies. Mitochondria are organelles that act like a digestive system, which takes in nutrients, breaks them down, and creates energy-rich molecules (ATP) for the cell. The cell nucleus acts asthe brain of the cell. It contains the cell's DNA, or the genetic information, from which proteins are made (see Topic 2, coming up next). It also helps control eating, movement, and reproduction. Chloroplasts only exist in plant cells and assist in the process of photosynthesis, converting light into energy (which only plants do, not animals). The cell membraneholdsall of the pieces of the cell and serves as the barrier between the cell and other cells. Belowis a sample question where you need an understanding of these organelles to select the correct answer. The chemical reaction mentioned in the passage was photosynthesis. Knowingthat photosynthesis happens inchloroplasts, I can correctly choose answer F. But nowhere in the passage was it said that chloroplasts are where photosynthesis happens! This is a fact you had to know before the test. While there are many other organelles, the ones listed above and ribosomes (which I will cover in the next topic) should be the only organelles you need to know for the test. Also, you should not need to know any other information about these organelles. If you would like to do more reading on these topics, click here. Topic 2: DNA, RNA, Ribosomes, and Protein Synthesis DNA contains the genetic information needed for making proteins (protein synthesis). Protein synthesisinvolves DNA, RNA, ribosomes, and proteins. DNA acts as the blueprint for protein production. The Process of Protein Synthesis Messenger RNA (known as mRNA) makes a copy of the sequence of DNA of a specific gene. This process is known as transcription and happens in the nucleus. Once the mRNA is made, it leaves the nucleus and enters the cytosol of the cell. Ribosomes use mRNA as aguide to make protein of the same amino acid sequence as the original DNA.The process of producing protein from the mRNA is referred to as translation. So, the process of protein synthesis consists of two steps: DNA to mRNA transcription and mRNA to protein translation.If you would like to read a more detailed summary, click here. Topic 3: Natural Selection Natural selection is also known as 'survival of the fittest.' In a specific environment, traits that allow organisms to reproduce more effectively will become more common, and traits that reduce reproductive success will become less common. A classic example of this is the change in peppered moth color during the industrial revolution. In England, the burning of coal during the industrial changed tree bark from light brown to dark brown in color. The peppered moth blended in perfectly and was hidden from predators.However, once clean air acts were passed, the trees quickly returned to a lighter color, making the dark moths easily visible to predators. Meanwhile, lighter colored moths were still hidden from view and survived to lay eggs. Thus, because of natural selection, over the course of years, the moths turned from dark to light in color!Click here for more information. The Strong Survive, the Weak Hang On Knowledge Subject 2: Chemistry Topic 4: Basic Molecule Structure The ACT Science section expects you to know the basic molecular structure of sugar, fat, protein, and nucleic acids. C6H12O6is the basic sugar molecule structure (for more on sugar molecules, click here). There are many different kids of fats: saturated, unsaturated, trans (you may have seen this on nutrition labels). The test does not expect you to know each structure. You only need to know that fatsare made up of C (Carbon), H (Hydrogen), and O (Oxygen), and to differentiate fats from sugar, fats have nearly twice the number of H as C and a very small number of O. Fats are much bigger in size than sugar (for more information on fat molecules, click here). For example,an unsaturated fat triglyceride has a chemical formula ofC55H98O6. Proteins are composed of amino acids (as I mentioned in the above section on protein synthesis, proteins are made based on the original DNA sequence). There are many different protein structures, but all proteins contain C, H, O and N (Nitrogen). Click for more information on proteins and amino acids. Nucleic acids are biomolecules. Two types of nucleic acids that we already discussed are DNA and RNA. Nucleic acids are made up of three parts: a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. Nucleic acids are different from Sugar, Fat, and Proteins becausethey aremade up of P (Phosphorus) and N in addition to C, H, and O. For more information on nucleic acids, click here. Here is a sample question from the ACT: In order to answer this question, you need to look atthis equation from the passage: You then see that the Carbon from the originalCO2becomes a part ofC6H12O6.However, you need to know thatC6H12O6is a sugar molecule to get the correct answer G. Once again, the ACT expects that you know how photosynthesis works, and what the chemical formula for sugar is! You wouldn't be able to get this information from the passage. Topic #5:Freezing/Boiling Point of Water in Celsius Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and boils at 100 degrees Celsius. That is all you need to know. Memorize those numbers. For more information, click here. Topic 6: pH Scale A pH scale is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance is. While the pH scale formally measures the activity of hydrogen ions in a substance or solution, it is typically approximated as the concentration of hydrogen ions. All you need to know is that a pH of below 7 is acidic, above 7 is basic, and at 7 is considered neutral. Fun fact: the beverage Coke has a pH of 2.50 while drinking water typically has a pH of 7.00, and hand soap has a pH of around 10. Coke's very acidic! For more information, click here. Topic 7:Molar Mass Concepts Remember the periodic table? Don't worry- you don't need to memorize molar weights of elements. The only molar mass concept you need to know is that the mass of a molecule is the sum of the mass of its atoms. This appears in an ACT question asking aboutoxygen's weight versuscarbon dioxide's weight. You need to know thatO2is lighter per molecule thanCO2because CO2has an extra Carbon atom compared to oxygen. Check out this ACT Science question: In order to answer this question, you need to use this figure from the passage as well as your outside knowledge. Figure 2 shows that the pressure exerted byO2was greater, eliminating answer choices F and G.However, nothing in the passage tells you if there are moreO2molecules per gram orCO2molecules per gram.You nowknow thatO2is lighter per molecule than CO2, sothe answer is J. For more information aboutO2versus CO2, click here. Topic 8: How Charges Interact Atoms are composed of three types of particles: protons, electrons, and neutrons. Protons are positively charged, electrons are negatively charged, and neutrons have no charge. Like charges repel each other while opposite charges attract each other. For example, two positive charges will repel each other while a positive and a negative charge will attract. For more information, click here. Topic 9:Phase Changes I already mentioned the freezing and boiling point of water in Celsius, but you also need to know the order of phase changes. Below freezing point, a material will be in solid form, just above freezing point a material will be in liquid form, above boiling point, liquid becomes gas (is vaporized). One natural way to think about this is in terms of water. When it's really cold, it turns to ice (solid). When it warms up, it turns to liquid. Then, when you boil it, it turns to steam (gas). For more information, click here. Want to learn more about ACT Science? Check out our new ACT Science prep book. If you liked this lesson, you'll love our book. It includes everything you need to know to ace ACT Science, including deep analysis of the logic behind ACT Science questions, a full breakdown of the different passage and question types, and tons of expert test-taking and study tips. Download our full-length prep book now: Knowledge Subject 3: Physics Topic 10:Gravity You need to know thatgravity is a downward force that acts on objects, and other forces (such as a spring or pulley) can counteract gravity. This will come up a lot in passages that show experiments using springs or pulleys. For more on gravity, click here. Topic 11:Density Formula Density is the degree of compactness of a substance. To calculate the density of a substance, you use the formula: Density = mass/volume For more information on density, mass, and volume, click here. Topic 12:Density Rules You need to know more about density than just the formula. You need to know the main density rule. Denser objects sink, and less dense objects float.Objects only float when they are less dense than the liquid they are placed in. An easy way to think about this: what happens when you throw a rock into water? It sinksthat's because the rock is denser than water, meaning it weighs more for the same volume. What about when you throw a styrofoam cup onto water? It floats- because styrofoam is less dense than water. For the same volume, styrofoam weighs a lot less than water. For more on this rule, click here. Knowledge Subject 4: Math Topic 13: Basic Math Skills You are not allowed to use your calculator on the science section. Yet, there are problems that require math skills like the one below. In order to solve this problem, you have to use the given information from the passage that Algol C is a 1.7 solar-mass MS Star.Then, you have to multiply 1.7 by the mass of the sun (solar-mass) given to you in the question, 2.0 x 10^30.You need to be able to do basic multiplication. 1.7 x 2.0 x 10^30= 3.4 X 10^30, so the answer is C. In order to refresh your basic math skills, I suggest during your practice to attempt some of the easier ACT Math Section questions (the first 15 questions) without using your calculator. And that's it!By knowing these concepts, you'll be able to answer any basic science question the ACT throws at you. If any of these concepts are unfamiliar to you, review them and brush off the cobwebs- you won't need to know the details beyond what's in this article, but it won't hurt to get more attuned to the science topics. What’s Next? Now that you know the basic science for ACT science, it's time to tackle the rest of the science section.Check out our article about the 3 Types of ACT Science Passages.Learnthe big secret of ACT Scienceandthe best way to read ACT Science passages. Reminder: If you haven't already, check out ourUltimate Study Guide For ACT Science.It contains dozens of ACT Science guides going into every question type tested, strategies to tackle the questions, and how you should be organizing your prep to raise your score. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by ACT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

6 signs your job is ruining your mental health

6 signs your job is ruining your mental health First and foremost, most of us go to work to make money. Ideally, on top of that, you like what you do. On top of that, there may even be social benefits to going to work every day if you also enjoy being around your co-workers. If your job checks all of those boxes, great! If it even checks just one, you might be doing all right. But if you can’t think of  one positive  thing about your current situation, you might need to make changes. Work should not be a place that makes you feel terrible- all the time. Yet this is what happens to many people who must endure toxic work situations that are damaging them mentally. If this is happening to you, it is time to find a new job or make strides toward a new situation. Here are six warning signs that it’s time to make a change. 1. You can’t bring yourself to go to workWhen you wake up in the morning, do you feel as though your limbs weigh 1,000 pounds and you simply cannot pull them out of bed? Does the idea of step ping foot in your office fill you with crushing anxiety, EVERY single day? Do you take days off simply because you can’t bring yourself to go into work? These are all great, big, flashing warning signals that something is terribly wrong at work, and it’s wreaking havoc with your mental health. Sure, for most people it’s not common to bound out of bed with a huge smile on your face ready to take on the day (how lucky if that’s the case!), but if work dread plagues you every morning, that’s not the norm.2. You can never really leave workIf you have no chance to get out of a non-work mindset, you’re not living a balanced life. When you’re home with family or friends, do you still have your phone connected to work email and attached to your palm so you can deal with clients or co-workers? Are you always on call? Do you not even get to take a break when you’re in the office to go for a 15-minute walk to get some lunch or a breath of fresh air? If so, that is not a healthy way to live your life, and you probably need to make some radical changes. Everyone deserves time off, no matter what you do for a living.3. You don’t want to socialize at workFrom Monday through Friday, the average adult spends half of his or her waking life at work, so it is vital to get along with the people you spend time around all week, even just on a cordial level. But if things are bad at work, the idea of talking to or even looking at your co-workers may make you feel sick to your stomach. That is not a good thing, and a very clear indicator that your job is making you deeply unhappy.4. You’re overlooked and ignoredSome people prefer to go under the radar at work, but there is a real downside to always being overlooked or ignored: you don’t get the accolades for a job well done that you deserve, and you might even get passed over when it comes time to receive raises or promotions. Chronically overlooked employees may start to feel like they don’t even exist, which can put them into an extremely unhealthy frame of mind. No one wants to feel as if they don’t matter.5. Your job fills you with guiltSometimes we don’t think about the consequences of a particular job when first accepting it†¦ we just need to work, whatever that may be.  But if you are working for a company that commits the unconscionable- environmental damage; human rights violations; misogynistic, homophobic, or racist practices; selling unsafe products; treating workers like sub-humans; supporting immoral or unethical ideologies; lying to the public- simply going to work may fill you with an awful sense of guilt. If that’s the case, it may be time to find another opportunity. We all need to pay the bills, but you’ll want to remain true to your morals if what your company does is negatively affecting your state of mind. If you can’t look yourself in the mirror, your mental health will suffer.6. Your personal life is sufferingA miserable job may make you feel miserable during work hours. A completely unacceptable one will leak into your personal hours. You might get testy with your spouse or kids at home. You might never be in the mood for intimacy. You might spend all your free time sleeping, crying, sulking, or simply thinking about work. If you feel terrible at all times because of your job, there is no question that your job is ruining your mental health and you need to take some positive action.

Ethnography Assignment Worksheet 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethnography Assignment Worksheet 2 - Essay Example She said, â€Å"Who’d know better than me. Regee’s and my day is incomplete unless we’ve been to this place.† From this interview, my perception of lack of a class system in the Veterans Park strengthened. I found that the Park is truly a place of enjoyment for everyone. The most interesting thing I found while conducting this research was the participation of children. Children as little as under five years of age did not even understand what I was talking with their parents about. Terms like racism were new to some. I found very positive changes in the Veterans Park. The Veterans Park has been decorated to make it look even more beautiful and appealing. The new park has a walkway laid out with brick pavers. A new flag pole has also been placed recently. The Park administration intends to develop the park further with the help of money collected for the walkway. Rules of Conduct have also been introduced lately to take objective control over any possible incidents of racism or discrimination that might happen in the park. The Rules of Conduct require the visitors to keep the park clean. The visitors are forbidden to make use of obscene, racist, lewd, or vulgar language while in the park. The Rules of Conduct forbid the visitors to abuse or threaten anybody in the park. They clearly demonstrate that any attempt of harming any visitor will be dealt strictly and prompt action will be taken against the offender. In addition to that, the Rules of Conduct also encourage the visitors to display ethics in their mannerism by being truthful, nice, and proactive in reporting the administration of the park of any abusive events. The park is visited by both the homeless and the non-homeless people. Generally, the two groups of people do not sit next to each other in the park. One can sense a lack of association between the two groups of people but despite that, the homeless people are always greeting the people walking by regardless of their

BUS303 MODULE 2 LP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BUS303 MODULE 2 LP - Essay Example I actually commend the University for according students with the opportunity to make partial payments through accomplishing a Promissory Note form, which is to be secured from the Dean’s office prior to major examinations. Since my financial sources were not enough, I secured the form and lined up at the Cashier to make a partial payment. After about 30 minutes of queuing, the system experienced technical difficulties and those in line were told to either wait, try to pay through an authorized bank, or return the next day. The follow day, I directly went to the cashier; and true to her word, accepted my partial payment. I proceeded to the registrar to validate the payment and secure my examination permit, only to be told that the Promissory Note (PN) needed to be signed first at the Dean’s office. When I went to the Dean’s office, the line of students securing the signature on their respective PNs was longer than the eyes could see. After a patient wait and when one’s turn was due, the authorized signatory informed me that I needed to pay an additional $xxx amount; otherwise, I would not be given an exam permit despite the amount that I already paid. I had to go back to the Cashier, have the PN signed, return to the registrar and finally secure the exam permit. It would have been so much easier to have communicated all the payment protocols during orientation; or to have a flowchart of procedures posted near the Cashier and Accounting Offices. I hereby enjoin University personnel in charge of creating policies and procedures to publish payment protocols and avoid students queuing and being referred back to departments to secure signatures or make additional payments, which are fairly easy to comply with explicitly disseminated guidelines. This would likewise facilitate payment and collection and avoid unnecessary returns. Hoping for your immediate action in this regard. In writing the persuasive memo, the guidelines in writing persuasive

Children social and emotional development Essay Example for Free

Children social and emotional development Essay The advantage that day cares provide to children is, they help the child to socialize and improve any social skill. For example a kid who never go out and play with other children doesn’t know and doesn’t learn a different environment than the family atmosphere. Many cases as a result of it, children grow up shy and sometimes have difficulties to create social relationships with others. At daycares kids learn to see the differences between others kids, they might find people who speaks different languages or belong to a different ethnicity. So they start to see the world it’s different outside of home. Daycares help children to discover new things, improve social and emotional develop because children are around children and are not with the parents all the times, so it creates security and independence from parents, which it help in the future when this child becomes a teenager. Day care absolutely have a lot of influence in the language aspect. When a child stays home, this child just listen to how the mother or father speaks and sometimes mom has the bad habit to â€Å"talk little† or keep thinking the child is still a newborn confusing the toddler with small words.† The language used by the caregiver is the most important factor that predicted children’s cognitive and language outcome†. Children are like sponge, they absorb everything specially from the age 0 to 3, those ages are crucial for the cognitive social and emotional develop, and day cares help in a big part to increase and ensure the well develop of the child.

Acid Rain: Its Effects on Aquatic Environments :: Geology

Acid Rain: Its Effects on Aquatic Environments What is Acid Rain?: Acid rain is rain, snow or fog that is polluted by acid in the atmosphere and damages the environment. Two common air pollutants acidify rain: sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx). When these substances are released into the atmosphere they are transformed into sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3) and can be carried over long distances by prevailing winds and return to earth as acidic rain, snow, fog or dust. When the environment cannot neutralize the acid being deposited, damage occurs. Causes of SO2 and NOx: * Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is generally a byproduct of industrial processes and burning of fossil fuels. Ore smelting, coal-fired power generators, and natural gas processing are the main contributors. * The main source of NOx emissions is the combustion of fuels in motor vehicles, residential and commercial furnaces, industrial and electrical-utility boilers and engines, and other equipment . Acidification of Freshwater: General Info: Freshwater acidification is not an entirely new problem. First linked to the decline of salmon and other fish stocks in Norwegian rivers some sixty years ago, freshwater acidification was later identified as a problem in Scandinavia during the 1970’s. Since then, thousands of rivers and lakes have been proven acidified. Areas most susceptible to acidification are those with an unreactive catchment such as granite and a base, nutrient-deficient soil. Areas of high acidification incidence include the United States, Canada, Scotland, Central Europe, and Scandinavia. Any lake below pH7.0 is, by strict definition, an acid lake, but it is generally argued that acid waters are those below pH5.0 where sulfate concentrations exceed those of carbonate or the sum of calcium and magnesium content. Process: Acid rain enters water by two routes: directly and through the catchment. The vast majority enters through the catchment while a relatively small percentage enters directly. Acid water passes easily to the lake through catchment consisting of shallow soil cover and alkaline-deficient bedrock such as granite, which does not contain the carbonates necessary to neutralize the acid. In areas where a continual supply of base cations is not assured then the gradual depleting of the bicarbonate in the lake means that the once stable pH will drop rapidly resulting in an acidified lake. Acidification can also occur in surges after snowmelt or drought; the first 30% of snowmelt can contain 50 - 80% of the total acids in the snow. Acid Rain: Its Effects on Aquatic Environments :: Geology Acid Rain: Its Effects on Aquatic Environments What is Acid Rain?: Acid rain is rain, snow or fog that is polluted by acid in the atmosphere and damages the environment. Two common air pollutants acidify rain: sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx). When these substances are released into the atmosphere they are transformed into sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3) and can be carried over long distances by prevailing winds and return to earth as acidic rain, snow, fog or dust. When the environment cannot neutralize the acid being deposited, damage occurs. Causes of SO2 and NOx: * Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is generally a byproduct of industrial processes and burning of fossil fuels. Ore smelting, coal-fired power generators, and natural gas processing are the main contributors. * The main source of NOx emissions is the combustion of fuels in motor vehicles, residential and commercial furnaces, industrial and electrical-utility boilers and engines, and other equipment . Acidification of Freshwater: General Info: Freshwater acidification is not an entirely new problem. First linked to the decline of salmon and other fish stocks in Norwegian rivers some sixty years ago, freshwater acidification was later identified as a problem in Scandinavia during the 1970’s. Since then, thousands of rivers and lakes have been proven acidified. Areas most susceptible to acidification are those with an unreactive catchment such as granite and a base, nutrient-deficient soil. Areas of high acidification incidence include the United States, Canada, Scotland, Central Europe, and Scandinavia. Any lake below pH7.0 is, by strict definition, an acid lake, but it is generally argued that acid waters are those below pH5.0 where sulfate concentrations exceed those of carbonate or the sum of calcium and magnesium content. Process: Acid rain enters water by two routes: directly and through the catchment. The vast majority enters through the catchment while a relatively small percentage enters directly. Acid water passes easily to the lake through catchment consisting of shallow soil cover and alkaline-deficient bedrock such as granite, which does not contain the carbonates necessary to neutralize the acid. In areas where a continual supply of base cations is not assured then the gradual depleting of the bicarbonate in the lake means that the once stable pH will drop rapidly resulting in an acidified lake. Acidification can also occur in surges after snowmelt or drought; the first 30% of snowmelt can contain 50 - 80% of the total acids in the snow.

Is Scientific Progress Inevitable? Essay

I read the article â€Å"Is Scientific Progress Inevitable?† which was written by Andrew Irvine on 2006. It was published in the book In the Agora: The Public Face of Canadian Philosophy. The main idea of the article is scientific progress is not inevitable. At the first part of the passage, the author used his own his experience that he took his daughter to see a medicine wheel; he used what he saw to let us know these structures have been there for thousands of years and human beings are fragile. Furthermore, he used some facts that ancient people may use their unique ways to record summer solstice rather than today’s high astronomical knowledge. As he said â€Å"scientific knowledge is not inevitable† (para.12), there is no guarantee that scientific progress will keep increase, as long as we have the belief to live better, the scientific progress is not essential or necessary. Critique This article was written by Andrew Irvine who is a professor of UBC at department of philosophy (Irvine, 2012). The title of the passage makes readers to think of scientific progress is not inevitable, however, without technology, we cannot live in this highly developed world. The book In the Agora: The Public Face of Canadian Philosophy was edited by Andrew Irvine and John Russell; it is a book which collects many Canadians philosophers’ article and enriches our world by their Philosophical thought (University of Toronto Press Publishing, 2013). However, we are living in a developing world, as long as we want to live better, the scientific progress will remain non-inevitable. Electronic products for example, cellphones have been part of our live for few years, everybody has a cellphone to communicate to each other conveniently. But ancient people can only communicate each other with their voice or gesture, they cannot reach somebody who is far away from them. With the scientific results, we can use electronic products to talk and see people thousands of miles away from us. In the article, the author mentioned that some ancient culture may use their own way to figure out summer solstice like the sun dance (Irvine, 2006, pp338-339).

Batterer Treatment Programs

Domestic violence and especially battering has been identified as a form of aggression in the society for decades now. Even though, battering has been categorized as a criminal by the criminal justice system, its treatment has been handled differently from other forms of aggression. Over the past two decades, efforts have been applied to address the problem of wife battering.The development of treatment programs has been rapid which has subsequently increased batterer’s right to programming. Battering is inevitably associated with family violence and the general societal violence.This means that the existence of battering will continue unless the structures of power within the society is changed and thereby forbidding it. The change of the society alone is not enough to address the problem of battering. In addition to this change, individual involved in battering practices must also change (Mederos, 1999). The purpose of this paper is therefore to examine how the batterers can be changed. In particular, it aims at providing effective treatment programs that can be applied to address the problem of battering.The paper examines the roles that have been played by criminal justice in addressing battering problem and the existing treatment approaches that have been effectively applied to remedy this behavior. Criminal justice system intervention to battering There exist a number of criminal justice responses to battering. However, battering has continued for years due to the reluctance of the victims to report such cases to law enforcement agencies. There are a number of responses with regards to battering in the criminal justice realm which are triggered following reports of abuse.Arrest In the circumstance that it is proved beyond any reasonable doubt that an assault has been committed, then an arrest becomes mandatory. These mandatory arrests have significantly increased as reports of assault by victims of battering increase. However, many people have rais ed concerns about the effectiveness of arrests in reducing recidivism. It has been reported by certain research studies that arrests can only downgrade recidivism partly. This study has however been contracted arguing that effects of arrests on recidivism is limited.The debate over the effectiveness of arrests on recidivism will continue due to the lack of consensus on its impacts. In particular, the ineffectiveness of this approach has been witnessed in the slow prosecutions of batters, and thereby suggesting that these arrests are not adequately accompanied by convictions. Arrests without an efficient conviction do not deter future incidences of battering (Rusen, 1992). Prosecution The process of arrests should be followed subsequently with immediate prosecution after charges have been preferred against the batterer.In some cases, batterers may not be prosecuted but instead issued with restraining instructions. However, the effectiveness of arrests and prosecutions in deterring th e future occurrence of battering has been questioned by several researchers. Sufficient evidence has not been found to prove that prosecution of the offenders of battering reduces recidivism (Davis et al. , 1998). Sentencing Convicted batters are usually subjected to probations where they may be required to undergo treatment programs.It has been argued that it is impossible to distinguish the chances of recidivism with regards to cases which results to null prosecution, probation and incarceration. On the other hand, subjective battering to probation where they are subjected to treatment programs has been found to reduce recidivism. The criminal justice system has therefore been identified to be deficient in dealing with recidivism. There has been no significant relationship between recidivism and the prospect of arrests and punishment.This means that batters are not deterred from engaging in future battering by the possibility of being subjected to arrests and prosecution (Davis et al. , 1998). Approaches to batterers treatment programs There are several treatment programs available for batterers ranging from theoretical methods to forms of treatment. These programs include the Duluth approach and a program commonly referred to as New Leaf. Against this introduction, several theoretical approaches are examined together with fundamental models necessary for the treatment of batterers.These programs have not been proven to decisively reduce recidivism. However, they form a strong basis for examining the appropriate treatment mechanisms. The Duluth Model This was a community based response that was developed in Minnesota and comprised of several batterer detection and prevention groups within the society. This approach performed a coordinative role to the law enforcement agencies responsible for arrests, prosecution and batterer treatment programs. The batterers were subjected to either imprisonment or probation under stringent guidelines.The activities of the b atterer during this probation period were closely monitored. Such activities included attending to treatment programs. In addition, a close contact between the spouse of the batterer was maintained. In order to effectively respond to the problem of battering, prosecutorial agencies and the mental health institutions within the community closed worked as a unit. Thorough training was given to all the participants involved in the treatment process on batters under this model in order to equip them with adequate knowledge to understand what was involved in their work (Mederos, 1999).Under the Duluth model, the work of the male team leaders is not confined to interaction with the offenders of battering and their spouses. Part of their duty includes accounting for physical abuse by passing information to the relevant agencies. According to this model, abusive men usually use several obscure arguments to justify and legitimize their behavior. Treatment programs involve a number of video c lips and team dialogue with the intention of guiding the batterer in understanding the fundamental mythical beliefs regarding battering and thereby aid them in envisioning and defining non-abusive behaviors.The process of envisioning was accompanied with clear guidelines involving negotiations illustrating the basis of behavior in open relationships (Mederos, 1999). New Leaf program This program was developed to address the concerns of shelter women in Nova Scotia. The basis of this approach was that the shelter women needed assistance but the participation of shelter workers in this assistance was discouraged. As a result of this concern, males in the community intervened with the offenders of battering. This program involved and open group discussions which were organized weekly.The viewpoint of this program was that violence is feministic and a way of control. A thorough intake interview program was undertaken where the batterer was encouraged to change. The group leaders were in full control of the interview sessions and had an influential role in the lives of the batterers. The team leaders were constantly accessible to address the concerns of men and their spouses. Interventions included providing on-spot crisis resolution, visitation of offenders in prison, and unplanned visits to homes upon suspecting that there was danger of violence.However, these unannounced visits are not viewed as strange especially in the rural setting where it is the norm. This program had the advantage of intervening in high risk situations (Hanson & Whitman, 1995). Theoretical approaches The general approach to the treatment of batterer can classified into psychological, feminist and socio-cultural. The traditional intervention mechanisms for batterers focused mainly on the influence of psychological factors on violence. The problem of battering has a psychological dimension as abusive men usually blame their partners for the problems they are experiencing such as depression.T he depression can therefore lead them into substance abuse. Batterer treatment should therefore involve psychotherapeutic models. The socio-cultural method assumes that the battering is influenced by learned behavior. According to this approach, battering is learned within the society as there are inequalities in wealth control as well as societal structures which are biased in defining gender roles and therefore encourages leniency to battering. Treatment should therefore emphasize on unlearning where the batterers are encouraged to view violence as an unacceptable behavior within the society.In addition, the involvement of men in battering has been found to be as a result of attitude towards women. Intervention mechanisms should therefore include efforts in assisting batterers to change their attitudes. Feminist oriented batterer treatment strategies view battering as a social and political. According to this theory, battering is a consistent pattern of economic and sexual abuse. This approach therefore suggests that interventions to battering should address to root causes of battering. The feminist strategy in addition focuses on addressing the gender imbalances which are responsible for violent behavior (Dutton, 1998).Conclusion Developing batterer treatment programs within the society is quite challenging. However, there are fundamental factors that have effectively and efficiently contributed the treatment of batterers. Any approach to batterer treatment should be developed with adequate knowledge which is capable of achieving high standards of integrity. Reference: Davis, R. C. , Smith, B. E. , & Nickels, L. B. (1998). The deterrent effect of prosecuting domestic violence misdemeanors. Crime & Delinquency 44(3), 434-442. Dutton, D. G. (1998). The abusive personality: Violence and control in intimate relationships.New York: The Guilford Press. Hanson, R. K. & Whitman, R. (1995). A rural, community action model for the treatment of abusive men. Canadian J ournal of Community Mental Health 14(1), 49-59. Mederos, F. (1999). Batterer intervention programs: The past and future prospects. In M. F. Shepard & E. L. Pence, Coordinating community responses to domestic violence: Lessons from Duluth and beyond. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Rusen, M. F. (1992). Silencing their screams: The legal system’s response to male battering of women. Ottawa: National Association of Women and the Law.

Al-Awa Paper Essays - Criminology, Penology, Criminal Law

Al-Awa Paper Essays - Criminology, Penology, Criminal Law Alexandra Tolhurst Al-Awas paper on the Islamic penal law system is one that can easily be broken down to the main contributions that make up the theories of punishment in the system: retribution and deterrence make up the main theories, while I would argue that circumstance, morality and reformation each would make up a smaller theory. To understand the application of these theories, one must first understand what is considered a crime in Islamic law and where these are derived from. Islamic criminal law recognizes six major offenses, two of which Al-Awa doesnt even recognize because their punishments are not defined in the Quran or the Sunna, which is the definition of a hadd punishment. Along with the fact that hadd punishments are written in the text, its important to point out the distinguishing factor from tazirs in that they cannot be pardoned by any non-divine authority once reported. This divinity was the reason the original jurists found no reason to prescribe a purpose for the punishments an d is now the basis for all of the theories of punishment and the Islamic law system itself, which we will now discuss. The first theory of punishment is retribution. Retribution is a universal theory and is revealed in the Quran as the purpose of punishment in this world and the Hereafter (which greater confirms the divinity of the law.) The Arabic word for retribution is jaza which means punishment and reward, which makes the theory of retribution similar to the usage in Western law, apart from the divinity. When it comes to hadd punishments, its important to remember that they are the most severe punishments in the world for the crimes theyre prescribed to, which draws attention to the consequences, and also that mediation is prohibited, so combining these features brings a very retributive effect in Islamic culture. The theory of retribution in punishment is shown by the fact that in the case of multiple offenses, multiple sentences will be imposed, with the criminal serving them from least severe to most severe ending with the death penalty. The second theory of punishment is deterrence, which is recognized as the most dominant reason for the hadd punishments. This fact is interesting to me in that the idea of deterrence is the opposite of retribution because deterrence justifies the punishment with regards to the future while retribution justifies punishment with regards to the past, seeing each offense as an isolated offense. With deterrence, two effects are seen: general deterrence on the population as a whole and individual deterrence on the criminal. The punishment is justified with this theory because future crime is being prevented, both by the population because the punishment is made as public as possible, and by the individual criminal because the inhibitive effects of serious punishment makes one reluctant to ever offend again (or so the theory goes.) This theory has evidence to back it up in that Saudi Arabia has seen a significant decrease in their crime rate since re-implementing hadd punishments in the 20t h century. While retribution and deterrence are the main recognized theories of punishment, I think circumstance, reformation, and morality are worth being noted. What is meant by circumstance is that many determinations for punishments were once made to be based on what suited the community of the Prophet. Now because of circumstances that have changed with the times, the punishments (more-so certain characteristics of the punishment) have had to change with the times. We see this in the case of theft where one of the controversies between jurists is the value of the stolen property; a relevant value for hadd punishment in the Prophets time surely would be sufficient for our time. We also see this in the case of the hadd punishment of execution for armed robbery, which is to be done by the sword. Some would argue this is more of a medieval practice and the method should be changed to meet the current circumstances of the time. Reformation as a theory of punishment only has roots in one hadd cr ime, which is armed robbery. One of the hadd punishments for this crime is banishment or imprisonment, which naturally would suggest that the reason for the punishment is to

Introduction to Global Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Introduction to Global Business - Assignment Example It is necessary to find out particular industries, which may help in the building of another industry, which will give national advantage. As suggested by President Khama, the country should promote commercial farming and safari tourism in the country. However, commercial farming would probably require a large labor force, which is not ample in Botswana. The question is whether these industries will lead to an increase in the economic development. Since Porter’s theory explicitly states that the comparative advantage needs to be created, if the government encourages tourism, by building proper safari parks, and marketing the tourism industry of Botswana in the international arena, then the conditions of Porter’s diamond theories will be fulfilled. Tourism also does not require much investment, and hence it can work efficiently. If the competition in the commercial farming is increased, then the supply conditions will also be met. The African Safari in Botswana can be an attraction, because it gives individuals to roam around unguided, if they have a car, and they can spot different types of animals, which includes zebras, monkeys, wild boars and many other birds, which will give Botswana an edge in the global market. Hence, using factor conditions, and creating favorable conditions, the government can create comparative advantage for this industry. Fisher and Clark’s structural change theory also suggests that in the case of Botswana, diamonds are not ‘forever’, and therefore there should be a change in the structure, moving from primary to the service industry, in the form of tourism. This would definitely lead to further specialization and economic development (biz-ed, n.p). 3. The government can impose trade barriers, which includes imposing quotas. It can also put custom duties and tariffs on certain products to increase the price of the imported goods to deter people from buying them. Sometimes, the government can

Event this week Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Event this week - Assignment Example The context of the article is relevant to the past years when oil prices rose to unexpected levels, leading to low productivity and high cost of goods. This is also relevant to the dwindling Russian economy after the US influenced the price cuts to impose sanctions on the country. However, most industries are shutting down production for maintenance purposes, which reduces the oil demand across the American States. The implication for a broader international development is that the producing countries are crying foul because the reduction in prices will affect their market shares. This is because of the increasing American reserves that take advantage of the fall in prices to store additional oil. For instance, Saudi Arabia expresses fear that the reduced demand will affect future market shares and productions. The contents of the article relate to the course because it analyses the implication of reducing oil prices to economies that depend on its sales. This is evident through the effect of the prices on workers, global economies and industrial production. As a result, the concept of demand and price is clearly