Can Machines/Computers Think Essays - Cognitive Science, Cognition

Can Machines/Computers Think? Can computers, robots, and software agents can literally be said to think? Humans think, chimps think, dogs think, cats and birds think. But do computers? For example, If computers can be made to think, then does that mean that humans are a kind of robot and their brains a kind of computer; a neurocomputer? One of the deeper issues here is that the term thinking is ambiguous in at least two ways: it can include being conscious of one's environment (surroundings), one's personal feelings and thoughts, etc., or it can mean cogitate, learn, plan, and solve problems, where these latter terms pick out mental events that may or may not be conscious. The idea that machines could think occurred to the very first computer builders and programmers. The Turing t es t is a test for intelligence in machines. In 1950, Alan Turing published, Computing Machinery and Intelligence where he described a game he called the imitation game involving a human judge conversing only in written text with a second human and a language-using computer, each hidden away in separate rooms (3 rooms total). The point of the game is for the computer to converse in such a human-like way with the judge that the judge cannot tell the second human from the computer. The computer wins if the judge cannot tell which conversant is the human and which the computer is. Turing's point is that, were a computer to successfully and repeatedly pass such a test, we should then regard the computer as intelligent on the human level. To date, no computer has passed the Test reliably and often. While we don't know what thought or intelligence is, essentially, and while we're very far from agreed on what things do and don't have it, almost everyone agrees that hum ans think, and agrees with Descartes that our intelligence is amply manifest in our speech. Along these lines, Alan Turing suggested that if computers showed human level conversational abilities we should, by that, be amply assured of their intelligence. Turing continues, We may now ask the question, what will happen when a machine takes the part of A in this game?" These questions replace our original, "Can machines think?" This test may serve, as Turing notes, "to test not just for shallow verbal dexterity, but for background knowledge and underlying reasoning ability as well, since interrogators may ask any question or pose any verbal challenge they choose". Regarding this test Turing famously predicted that in about fifty years' time by the year 2000 it will be possible to program computers to make them play the imitation game so well that an average interrogator will have no more than 70 per cent chance of making the correct identification after five minutes of questioning. It is important to recognize that Turing proposed his test as a qualifying test for human-level intelligence, not as a disqualifying test for intelligence. So, from the failure of machines to pass this test, we can infer neither their complete lack of intelligence nor, that their thought is not up to the human level. Nevertheless, the manners of current machine failings clearly bespeak deficits of wisdom and wit, not just an inhuman style. Still, defenders of the Turing test claim we would have ample reason to deem them intelligent - as intelligent as we are - if they could pass this test. The extent to which machines seem intelligent depends first, on whether the work they do is intellectual or manual. Let's say that Turing is correct, and that it is imaginable to build a computer that can imitate human intelligence in such a way that it is indistinguishable from real human intelligence. Can we then conclude that the computer indeed thinks? The difficulty with questions like this is, what do we mean by thinking? What do we need for genuine thinking to occur? Consciousness? Understanding? These are not the same things. I am not always conscious of what happens in my mind, and when I am conscious of things, it may well be that I don't understand anything. According to philosopher John Searle, it is understanding that we are after. Let's follow Searle in this respect,

International Business in United Arab Emirates

International Business in United Arab Emirates Country Analysis The United Arab Emirates is a federal republic consisting of seven states referred to as emirates. Geographically, the United Arab Emirates is located on the south eastern part of the greater Arabian Peninsula which is itself found in the South Western part of the Asian continent (the gulf of Persia).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on International Business in United Arab Emirates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More UAE neighbors the Islamic republic of Oman and Saudi Arabia. The seven emirates making up the entire state are Dubai, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras al Khaimah. The largest of the emirate cities is Dubai; the second largest city Abu Dhabi, however is the one that doubles up as the capital of the UAE because it is the nerve centre of all industrial, political as well as cultural activities. Political System The constitution that was enacted in the year 1971 provides the basis by which the political affairs of the UAE are run. This document contains a number of inter twinned bodies of government.. The form of politics in practice can be said to be a compromise of the various aspects seen in a federal system, a monarchy and a presidential system. This is because all the seven emirates are absolute monarchies and partially independent from the central federal government, the president however is the head of state and the prime minister the head of government with authority over the country’s foreign policy, Emirates security and national defense. The central government is made up of the traditional arms of government that is, the executive arm consisting of the president his deputy and the prime minister with the entire cabinet; the legislative arm that makes laws as well as the judicial arm that interprets the laws. The federal supreme council, which is made up of emirs (representatives) from each of the seven emirates is tasked with the responsibility of electing the president and the entire cabinet including judges of the Supreme Court. The representative (emir) elected from Abu Dhabi the state capital, automatically holds the position of president whereas the emir elected from Dubai the largest city becomes the official premier. The degree of influence of all the emirates conclusively can be seen in the particular position they hold within the federal government and in as much as each of them is fairly autonomous from the rest, they are each allocated a proportion of revenue from the national budget.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Economy Being a member of the United Nations Organization (UN), World Trade Organization WTO), the Arab League and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); The United Arab Emirates has the seventh largest reserves of petroleum globally. Its econo my is arguably the most comprehensively developed in the entire Middle East. According to latest rankings provided by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), UAE has an impressive Gross Domestic Product (per capita) with its nominal GDP per capita standing at $ 46, 584. Its Human Development index is 35th internationally and is part of the reason as to why it has been classified as a high income economy (Ball et al 2008, p 150) The CIA’s world fact book places the country’s per capita GDP at number 3 in the Middle East coming next to Qatar and Kuwait; and number 14 universally. Petroleum products export (oil and natural gas) are a significant contributor to its national GDP. Other factors that have however made the economy to boom are its expansive manufacturing industry, an established tourism and service sector and most of all, its building and construction prowess in real estate business. Infrastructure The development in the country’s infrastructure has witne ssed a tremendous revolution with the setting up of magnificent structures the world has ever known. The Burj Khalifa (standing at 0.8Km) is now the tallest building on earth and it is found in the UAE, the Dubai World Central International Airport shall also become the most expensive airport ever constructed in the universe when its construction finally concludes. Other magnificent real estate properties in the country include the Palm Island which is a man made island (the largest ever artificial island) in the world, the artificial archipelago and the world’s largest shopping mall (The Dubai Mall). Such lucrative infrastructure makes the country appealing for investments in real estate. As part of its uniform economic foreign policy, local influence has to be felt in all businesses enterprises in the UAE and this explains the existence of a common standard requiring that all businesses except for the ones classified in the free trade zones in the country have no less than 51% shareholding being local. This is a clear strategy that is aimed at ensuring the locals (Emiratis) are in the lead towards economic empowerment (Balasubramanyam 1985, p. 159 ). Cultural Practices UAE has largely become multi cultural in recent years. Its cultural mix has however been gradually domineered and centered around the Islamic faith. In this cosmopolitan set up, Muslim culture is largely seen in the way the residents have to assemble everyday five times to pray from the mosques that are visible in the entire country. The country’s music, attire, cuisine and architecture are purely Arabic with the Eid al Fitr and Ramadan being the common Islamic holidays.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on International Business in United Arab Emirates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The non interference stance and the liberalism seen in the United Arab Emirates has contributed to economic progress, it is common to see Hindu temples as well as churches constructed alongside mosques to demonstrate the level of religious tolerance in this country. This has further increased the number of visits by tourists and thus enhanced the hotel industry. Investment in Real Estate An investment in Hotel Real Estate would be the most strategic in the United Arab Emirates, this is because the country’s infrastructure is extra-ordinarily established. The infrastructural development alone is responsible for close to thirty seven percent of all project value constructions. The seven Emirates have simultaneously realized that there is a future in the real estate sector with such big investments in the entertainment, leisure and generally tourism. The central government therefore provides incentives to both local and international commercial developers to bring in their investments in this sector. The current president of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed has moved in to entice development in real estate in especially the northern emirates by apportioning an amount of 16 Billion Dirham (about 4 Billion Dollars) for the expansion of infrastructure in these regions. This money is expected to among other things open up the road network and establish new housing schemes both residential and commercial premises in these areas considered to be having a deficit of such facilities. The federal (local) governments have also been adequately funded and provided with sufficient logistical inputs to help them provide the necessary public utilities that will attract real estate investment in their respective regions. Electricity and water has been provided as part of the infrastructure by the local Emirates to attract investments in these regions. The United Arab Emirates being basically a desert country utilizes 100% thermal energy as opposed to hydro electricity which is unheard of and generally unreliable depending on surface run off. Plans have also been instituted by the central government to augment this energy source with nuclear sources seen as most efficient and highly effective. Communication has also been greatly enhanced in not only the major emirates, but also other upcoming centers to make the areas attractive to invest. Real estate investment in the UAE has therefore been increasingly enhanced by the foregoing factors and shows tremendous ability to grow and multiply its market value. The long run results are not only desirable but also possess an enormous avenue for resale due to the appreciation in the value of land and buildings occasioned by adequate infrastructure.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More External investors in real estate in the UAE are able to obtain financing from the developed network of banks in the country. Real estate departments are also available in the various emirates. Land reclamation is key because the entire country is in the Arabian Desert and therefore specific strategies must be put up to reclaim desert land and make it attractive for settlement and commercialization. This has however been made easier by the federal electricity and water authorities that are tasked with ensuring that these resources are readily available using the cheapest means possible. Entry Strategy Since every country in the world is currently striving to be a regional force and play an important role in international business activities, particular legislations have to be put in place in order to control and accurately measure the degree of foreign direct investments as well as local investments. The established rules regarding the transfer of foreign capital in the United Arab Emirates is meant to enhance the ease of capital flight and ensure a much more free flow of ideas and money while at the same time ensuring the protection of the property owned by foreign investors. Investors thus feel safer and secure under this frame work as it prescribes a number of legally accepted forms of property ownership and outlines the various courses of action that may be available in law for an aggrieved investor. The laws that deal with a number of business activities including the formation and ownership of business organizations may vary slightly from one Emirate to another because of the initial point mentioned about their autonomy. Every individual Emirate has its own established standard of creating wealth and revenues. The central government has however tried to formulate a blanket law that shall act as a common standard. In the establishment of this law, a compromise position has been struck between the sovereignty and autonomy of the individual Emirates and the demands of progress and economic well being advanced by the central government. In the creation of this foreign investments law however, it was a unanimous agreement by all the federal Emirates that the welfare and economic well being of each and every individual Emirati is the bottom line. While they all realized the central need to make the UAE a one stop shop and a global reference point for any form of international investment, they upheld the significance of welfare and the progress of the nation. UAE has an investment legislation that makes it mandatory for any form of direct foreign investment in the country to be having a 50 plus 1 majority stake under the control of the indigenous Emiratis (David 1992, p 175.However in the recent past UAE has launched a new system to attract foreign investors in the emirates, by introducing free zones that offer incentives to foreign investors such as exemptions from import and export tax corporate tax and income tax among others. The zone s comprise of various businesses including; manufacturing, banking, assets and estates management, logistics, information and technology etc. They also have all the amenities, infrastructure communication systems and all other essential facilities for operation. Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone is one of them and is involved in the production and selling of manufactured goods, domestically and for the international market there are over 950 different activities in the zone. The zones regulations allow companies to have full ownership of the assets for the entity. Nasouh, (2009) says â€Å"Other major benefits are: exemption from the many normal requirements for foreign investors such as: a company must have local ownership, pay taxes and duties, and restricted transfer of capital, profits and salaries†. Companies do not require local sponsorships to create other branches of their business. The zones authorities keep a register for all companies in existence, register new businesses and set the rules and regulations for them. From the above information about Dubai’s investment policies, the high control strategy would be the best to way of entry. The strategy enables companies to have maximum control hence creating a physical presence in the foreign market. A major feature of the strategy is the foreign direct investment option which entails direct ownership and control of assets. Direct investment is the most advanced, complicated system which also has a high risk. It is best suited for well developed economies like that of the emirates, and all types of business can use the strategy including the service industry. The major benefits of using the system are: there is rapid growth of the markets, reduced costs, increase sales and revenues and it also protects both the domestic and foreign markets. The system also has two different ownership structures which are the; wholly owned direct investment and in this structure the company owns its foreign assets and equity fully, the second is the equity joint ventures in which two companies form a new entity and share control of the business. The best structure for an investor operating in the free zones is the wholly owned direct investment because it is allowed and will yield more benefits. Another feature of the system is the vertical integration which comprises of the activities an entity chooses to engage in; any of the three stages which are, production, selling or distribution of products can be fully applicable in the zones depending on a company’s objective. Production Marketing Strategies As earlier mentioned in this discussion, the religion and culture that is predominant in this region is Islam. This culture has percolated through the society and in as much as it is a liberal and tolerant (cosmopolitan) setting, the Arabic language, dress, food and particularly architecture are domineering. For an establishment in real estate to be successful therefore, it must be align ed to the available infrastructure and architecture which borrows heavily from the Islamic faith (Poynter Rugman 1982, p 54). A marketing strategy that may also double up as an entry strategy in the industry may be to identify and cling on real estate probate leads. Such probate leads are generally available because of the existence of property left behind by a deceased person. Such may be left to their immediate beneficiaries being available as their next of kin, these heirs may quickly want to sell off the property, and thus it may be worthwhile to establish these heirs. These can be easily located from offices of probate attorneys. In cases where the property was owned by a renowned realtor, its acquisition will have the benefit of goodwill and reputation already created by the proceeding owner. Another rather effortless method of marketing real estate products is through the construction of quality assets with spectacularly unique designs. Magnificent designs will market themse lves and quality products shall attract the appropriate levels of clientele in the market. The construction of the Burj Khalifa, for instance by Emaar (one of the most renown property developers in the UAE) cost 1 Billion US Dollars but since it is the world’s largest sky crapper it has attracted international attention from the media and architects, a factor that has marketed it not only locally but also abroad. The use of the internet and local media may also be a helpful and powerful marketing medium for advertising. Advertisements may be placed on either local or online newspapers or through the use of other realtors and agencies. The use of the internet as a marketing medium is greatly boosted by the developed telecommunications infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates. The level of internet spread is now 2.4 users per subscription and this extensiveness in use makes it a strategic source of marketing and publicity. The internet contention is also largely considered sa fe because it is usually filtered and regulated by requisite authorities to discourage sexual materials and religious profaning sentiments, views or ideas. International Business Risks The economy of particularly Dubai was hugely affected by the events in Wall Street in the global economic downturn that was witnessed from the year 2007 to 2010. These resulted in the average economy decreasing slightly to up to about 4%. Since majority of the world’s economic crisis may be difficult to control, the only reasonable way that seems practically reasonable to apply in the mitigation of enterprise risk is diversification. Since such forms of financial risks have far reaching effects, investors are expected to diversify their portfolios to avoid subsequent losses in their investments in the country. In real estate for instance, diversity may take the form of constructing not only commercial premises but also residential and religious or public properties so that when the market busin ess is low for private home owners (like the situation was in the United States with home mortgages) revenues can be obtained from other market sectors like hotel and tourism. Political risk may be minimized by ensuring that the entity conforms to the political philosophies of the country where it operates. The politics of the UAE are fairly stable and thus upheavals and major revolutions are uncommon, however with the advent of religious fundamentalism and terror movement killings in the name of religion, the entity must be positioned in a way that it will not contravene any religious or political doctrines that are largely viewed as being against the prevailing faith (Nausoh 2009, p. 25). A potential risk of property investment in the UAE may also be associated with the oversupply of properties in the form of houses, commercial buildings and other rental premises. The available infrastructure is being exceedingly attractive to many investors and with barriers to cross border forei gn direct investments lessening, this may cause many players to saturate the industry. The result of this could be the witnessing of decreasing yields or stagnating prices of properties. This is however only a long run possibility because in the current assessment, no such saturation is visible especially in the minor Emirates (Roth Morrison 1992, p 751) The economy of the country and indeed of many neighbors in the region has been built around petroleum exports, without any immediate plans to diversify the economy, a petroleum glut or a decrease in the cost of petrol products including gas worldwide may cause a massive indention of the country’s economy. The Emirate of Dubai has foreseen this potential risk and thus tried to augment the petroleum input in its GDP with a developed banking and commercial sector as well as improved tourism. The opinion of many analysts on this subject however is that as long as the oil prices remain at $ 35 per barrel and above, this risk may be ignored, but the future is always uncertain (Salisu 1991, p. 191). Therefore, the United Arab Emirates provides good and diversified opportunities for any foreign investor to invest in. in addition the rules, policies and regulations have made it easier for both the investor and the Emirates serve their interests without any conflict either economically, politically or socially. Ball, D, McCulloch, W, Geringer, J, Minor, M McNett, J 2008, International Business: The Challenges of Global Competition, McGraw-Hill, NY. Balasubramanyam, V, 1985, Foreign direct investment and the International transfer of technology, Current Issues in International Trade, Macmillan, London. David, G 1992, Economic integration and foreign Direct investment in the EC, Journal of Common Market Studies, vol. 5(2), pp. 10-50). Nasouh, N 2009, Heavy snowfall on Ras Al Khaimah’s Jebel Jais Mountain cluster, Gulf News, https://gulfnews.com/. Poynter, T Rugman, A 1982, World product mandates: how wil l multinationals respond? Business Quarterly, vol 47, no.3, pp. 54-61. Roth, K Morrison, A 1992, Implementing global strategy: Characteristics of global subsidiary mandates, Journal of International Business Studies, vol 23, no. 4, pp. 715-735. Salisu, M 1991, EP, IS and direct foreign investment in LDCs, International Trade and Global Development, Routledge, London.

Describing two works of art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Describing two works of art - Essay Example The picture itself is revealing almost all striking colors that catch the eye of the viewers. I think the artist has successfully conveyed the message that one should live a life full of joy in order to be happy, as well as to spread happiness among others. Poppy Fields by Zhang Huan is one of the most attractive artworks of recent times. The artwork features a wide range of colors on an oil-on-linen painting. If we look at Poppy Field No. 5 by some distance, four main colors catch the eye, which include teal, pink, lilac, and faded red. The artwork looks like as an abstract art if we look at it from some distance. However, from a closer look, tiny faces and skulls become visible. The meaning of the artwork as expressed by the artist is birth, illness, senility, and death of humans. I personally think that the meaning being conveyed through this artwork as described by the artist does not appear in the mind of every viewer. For example, to me it looks like conveying that every person in the world has a different internal color which becomes evident with the display of different

Comparing Biblical and Denominational Christianity Research Paper

Comparing Biblical and Denominational Christianity - Research Paper Example Both types of belief systems ascribe to the basic Christian tenets, but the way in which they develop traditions and interconnections to each other through frameworks of belief, are constructed upon differing forms of guidance. In understanding the differences between Biblical Christianity and denominational Christianity, systems of belief must be examined and interpreted through meanings and from where those meanings are developed. Interpretation is the foundation of how the Bible is received, however. The Bible was written in languages with meanings that have changed, and has been translated into the common modern tongue of every written language. Therefore, the translation is used to determined interpretation. As an example, the shortened comment â€Å"spare the rod, spoil the child† is often used as biblical wisdom, but this phrase is a shortened version of several in the Bible. One of the verses that this phrase comes from the section that states â€Å"he who spares the rod, hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him (New International Version Bible: Proverbs 13:24). The word for ‘rod’ is ‘shebet’, which is a reference to the Hebrew for shepherd’s staff. The staff was not used to beat the sheep, but to guide them and to fend off predators when the sheep were vulnerable (Nicholson and Parker 217). As an example, the shortened comment â€Å"spare the rod, spoil the child† is often used as biblical wisdom, but this phrase is a shortened version.... The problem with the concept of Biblical Christianity is that it still depends on the interpretations of someone within the group in order to create beliefs and meaning. The belief in the superiority that is assigned by claiming to only use the Bible as a resource for worship is the first belief that connects the members of the groups. All aspects of life are informed through the wisdom that is provided in the Bible, with agreements on interpretation being taken as absolutes. Some interpretations of Biblical Christianity are based upon the idea that the beliefs are developed through believing what the Bible says and not making adjustments for the state of modern life. The concept of heresy is determined through assessing beliefs that are outside of the bible wisdoms, that are â€Å"held in opposition to the commonly received doctrine and tending to promote division or dissention† (Ridenour 15). Therefore, whatever falls outside of what is believed by those who adhere to Biblic al wisdom is considered heresy. Therefore, in believing that the form of Christianity that is being practiced is Biblical is to believe that all of the interpretations made by the group adhere to strict and literal references to the Bible. Another example can be found in Timothy I. The statement that â€Å"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modes apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety: not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;† has been used to control the dress of women in some Christian groups (King James Version, I Timothy 2:9). In literal form, this suggests that wearing such items is an affront to God. However, once again, when put into context,

An analysis of Vitamins a short story by Raymond Carver Essay

An analysis of Vitamins a short story by Raymond Carver - Essay Example Patti attests to it herself on claiming that in early years of her youth, it is something she would not figure herself doing or one that occurs to be a last resort. While it generally sounds to be freaking a hell out of the female characters in Patti, Sheila, and Donna, the storyteller being the only guy among them exhibits the opposite or passive role in relation to the three. His function appears to serve a neutralizing effect in the middle where similarities reflect across the intertwined lives of the three women who have spanned control of themselves beyond his weak influence at providing comfort. As an irony in the theme, the vitamins sold by Patti, Sheila, Donna, and the hospital where he works are altogether symbolic of a prevention or cure to sickness however, as these characters remain attached to their conventional situation, the routine with vitamins and hospital augments the conflict and no resolution is found in the absence of external intervention or consideration of po ssible alternatives that would shift the level of personal undertaking for each. (2) Do the main characters' personalities, behavior and goals change during the story? If so, how? Significant change is not evident in the outlook and the way by which the narrator manages getting confronted by the challenges set by Patti. He briefly states in the beginning that Patti was first unemployed and by deciding to reverse this fate and give herself respect on working to sell vitamins makes positive hint or direction at progress from the initial condition as Patti even reaches the point of having people put under her supervision. This status, nevertheless, becomes unfulfilled since the state of economy and consumerism turns out not in favor of supplement acquisition, implying that in reality there exists a number of concerns far more worthy of savings and investment than vitamins are. In the manner R. Carver channels the thoughts and observations of the narrating main character, a reader can f eel a degree of needing to promote an element of transformation in his life as well as how this might impact that of Patti’s. As the story proceeds to gather the cast in a Christmas party to somewhat alleviate and enliven the dull, sickening mood with the bad economic trend of vitamin business, Sheila triggers rivalry with the male narrator yet escapes to make way for Donna in weaving new circumstances for Patti’s lover. A sense of seduction through Donna’s character takes the storyteller to an attempt at infidelity, leaving his fed-up partner to yield to a momentary space and grasp beyond the world with Patti in a newer dimension at Off-Broadway with Donna. Somehow, he develops another perspective in an appreciation of Khaki who seems to love his work as a bouncer, as opposed to Patti. Clearly, this event suggests that he is up for a change or for something to challenge his way out of the lifeless endeavor and depressed mode of living. At the instant Nelson com es over with Benny to lure Donna with money and gradually snatch here away from him, he allows a couple of moments to pass as if no real peril lurks. Here,

Carers of elderly Dementia sufferers

Carers of elderly Dementia sufferers Introduction The aim of this patient case study is to discuss the care and nursing interventions that an older person with dementia received in his home within the community during placement. There will be discussions focusing on normal ageing process, taking into account the relevant biological, sociological and physiological perspectives and the impact this had on this individuals life experience. The relevant epidemiology and aetiology factors will be examined and the social and kinship support networks will be identified, how they work together to provide individual holistic patient care, and finally the impact of current legislation on the overall care provided will be analysed. The learning experience and actions that I will take in order to ensure my continued professional development and learning will be discussed, followed by the conclusion. The rationale for this is to demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical and practical links in caring for individuals with this condition in th e community Confidentiality is maintained in conjunction with NMC (2010). Thus a pseudonym (Scot) is adopted where the clients name is mentioned. Scot was chosen for the purpose of this case study because his strength of character was admired and a good relationship was established. . The patients permission was obtained after an explanation of the purpose and proposed content of the case study, with a CPN present. Context Scot is a 67 year old man with a long term history of psychosis. Recently he had been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, a type of dementia which affects the brain cells and brain nerve transmitters, which carry instructions around the brain. Scot is also a non-insulin dependent diabetic and has hypertension, both of which are controlled by oral medication and had been non-compliant of late. Due to the decline of his mental state, he has been refusing access to his main carer (his wife) and was at risk of self-neglect. His aggressive outbursts follow an unpredictable pattern where his mood could change from pleasant and content to a highly agitated in a short pace of time. More recently, he has been observed to become low in mood and isolate himself. In particular, Scots aggressive behaviour could put others at risk of harm, or Scot could put himself at risk of retaliation from others. He has become lost and disoriented, even within the relatively small confines of the family home. S cot and his wife had been married for over 40 years. Initially his wife managed well, but as time went by and the dementia worsened, she found it increasingly difficult to look after her husband, do her household chores and have any life for herself. She could not leave him alone while she shopped, and it was too difficult to take him along. Eventually the stress, the low morale and the frustration of caring for Scot began to toil on her (Hoe et al 2009). What seemed to have been the last straw for Scots wife was when he started squatting in corners and urinating on the floor. Scot began to progressively have less interest inside and outside home, which is highlighted by intellectual, emotional and memory disturbances of dementia (Dexter et al, (1999). The deterioration again led him to becoming absent- minded, forgetting appointments, forgetting about his meals and forgetting things he has left in the house. It further progressed to extreme situations where he would recall past eve nts of his youthful days but not about the recent events. He would also get up in the middle of the night wandering around the house, which resulted in many falls and injuries to him. This major memory disturbance resulted in manifestation of confusion affecting his daily structure and routine of life. Current medication He had been well managed on Quetiapine until he had stopped taking the medication and his psychosis had worsened. Quetiapine is an oral antipsychotic drug used for treating schizophrenia and similar disorders. Like other anti-psychotics, it inhibits communication between nerves of the brain. Frequent adverse effects include headache, agitation, dizziness, drowsiness, weight gain and stomach upset (Ballard et al 2005). There is an interaction between Scots medication and his behaviour which requires a more skilled professional being required to administer medication. Aetiology Dementia as a disorder, is manifested by multiple cognitive defects, such as impaired memory, aphasia, apraxia and a disturbance in occupational or social functioning Howcroft (2004). Thus disturbances in executive functioning are seen in the loss of the ability to think abstractly, having difficulty performing tasks and the avoidance of situations, which involves processing information. The brain shrinks as gaps develop in the temporal lobe and hippocampus. The ability to speak, remember and make decisions is interrupted (ADS, 2011). Medical history Seven (7) years ago, he had a mild stroke. He has fractured both of his wrists and has no sensation of the heat or cold on his hands but can move and use his fingers perfectly fine. Referral Scot was referred to the CMHT on the 03 May 2011 by his General Practitioner (GP) with severe cognitive impairments due to Alzheimers disease for further assessment and treatment, as concerns have been raised about his vulnerability to exploitation by others. Epidemiology The Health of the Nation (DOH, 1991), Our Healthier Nation (DOH, 1998), and more recently, Living Well with Dementia (DOH, 2009) use information from the public health domain to look at trends and set targets for improvement. It aims to secure continuing improvement in the general health of the population by adding years to life and life to years. Overall, about 5% of the population over 65 has dementia, and the prevalence increases markedly with age (PSSRU 2007, ADL 2011)(Appendix 1). A new dementia map of the UK shows stark variations in the number of people suffering from the disease and those who have actually received a medical diagnosis (Appendix 1). Dementia Care Mapping (DCM), an observation tool designed at Bradford University, is a process internationally recognised for promoting a holistic approach to improving life for each individual because it evaluates the quality of the care being provided from the perspective of the person with dementia (BBC 2011) These prevalence rates have been applied to Office of National Statistics (ONS) population projections of the 65 and over population to give estimated numbers of people predicted to have dementia to 2025. The number of people with dementia nationally is forecast to increase by 38% over the next 15 years and 154% over the next 45 years. The estimates for early-onset dementia (onset before the age of 65 years) are comparatively small but, according to national statistics, are significantly under reported. Dementia is a major cause of disability in older people. According to the 2003 World Health Report Global Burden of Disease estimates, dementia contributed 11.2% of all years lived with disability among people aged 60 and over; more than: Stroke (9.5%), musculoskeletal disorders (8.9%).Cardiovascular disease (5.0%) and all forms of cancer (2.4%). Dementia costs the health and social care economy more than cancer, heart disease and stroke combined. Fewer than half of older people with dementia ever receive a diagnosis (DOH, 2009). Assessment A health needs assessment was carried out using my placement tool called CAREBASE and Observation. Assessment is a systematic process that aims to provide a framework for the collection of information relevant for the clients health experience, engage the client in a therapeutic relationship, and identify appropriate care, interventions and services (Thompson and Mathias, 2002). Psychiatric assessment therefore is the attempts to attribute a persons suffering to an underlying illness and thereby identify appropriate treatment (Barker, 2004). Scots assessment took a form of an assessment interview in consultation with his wife and children. The areas which were assessed included a clear description of his current symptoms; a detail and precise description of the problems that he is experiencing and a description of his social, occupational and domestic circumstances. Some other areas of importance were the support available and level of dependence as well as a comprehensive risk asses sment. These enabled me to elicit important information for a good clinical judgement (Guthrie and Lewis, 2007). A relaxed environment was facilitated in Scots home. Open questions were asked to gather as much information as possible to build a holistic picture of Scot, his needs and his community. I then transferred the details onto the University Tool as its contents met my expected learning outcomes. The model chosen to assess Scots needs was an adaptation of Roper Logan Tierney (RLT) model (1983) and the actual and potential problems based on the 12 activities of living were highlighted. This model was chosen as Walsh (1998) suggests it is trying to promote maximum independence and meet Scots needs. Haggart (1994) suggests the Neumans systems model seeks to involve patients in their health care and focuses on prevention. This is congruent with the needs of community nursing. Analysis Scots baseline observations on assessment were: temperature: 37.4 degrees Celsius, her pulse was 105 beats per minute and her blood pressure was 145 millimetres mercury systolic and 90 millimetres mercury diastolic. Scots Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated and he scored 26, which classified him as being overweight. The lifespan of an obese person is 9 years less than someone of lower weight (Netdoctor, 2004). Obesity causes raised blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels which lead to CHD and stroke. It also fosters inactivity and generally involves an unhealthy diet which together contributes to cancer, diabetes, gall bladder disease, arthritis and musculoskeletal problems (NAO 2001). Because Scot has a chronic illness such as diabetes and is overweight these factors contribute to delay in healing. King (2001) suggests people with diabetes experience more wound healing problems. However, this does not affect Scot as he had no wounds. A recent study by Brown et al (2004) indicates that majority of people who are obese have some form of skin problems. In Scots case dryness, broken skin, red patches and itchiness were identified. A moving and handling assessment derived by Pilling (1993) score of 5 was obtained for Scot due to his body weight being above 17 stones. Scot is fully mobile and therefore no equipment was needed. Pilling and Frank (1994) report that this is a tool and should not be substituted for professional judgement or knowledge of correct handling techniques. With regards to sleep, it was identified that he has unstructured and lesser sleep patterns which is a contributing factor to his restless and agitations during the day. He also has difficulty in hearing. Furthermore, assessment of other age related physiological and psychological degeneration of vision, auditory, speech, impaired cognition etc. are essential for baseline assessment and understanding the effects of physical and mental capabilities of an older person. Care Plan All identified needs of Scot, which were highlighted as personal hygiene, nutritional intake, safe environment and sleeping (Roper et al, 1996). , were integrated into his care plan approach and the appropriate interventions were taken. The care plan was for Scot to be given one to one counselling sessions each day and encouraged to discuss topics related to reality such as current affairs, his family, home life or social life. The rationale for this action is supported by Schultz and Videbeck (2002), who assert that familiarity with, and trust in staff members can decrease a clients fears and suspicions, leading to decreases anxiety. Discussing familiar topics also stimulates patients to maintain contact with the real world and their place in it (Stuart and Laraia, 1998). He is to be monitored on his medication and mental state in order for him to maintain optimum level of physical and mental wellbeing. This was to include exercise, social group activities and a good balance of flui d and food intake. He was also to be encouraged and engage in social activities during the day to help him have adequate sleep during the night. It was also included that Scot should be on primary observation to ensure his safety. Scots family are his main carers. His daughters visit him regularly. Twigg (1994) suggests that the largest provider of care services in the community is the army of family, friends and neighbours who are reported to number over six million people. The National Strategy for Carers (1990) defines an informal carer as someone providing care without payment for a relative or friend who is disabled, sick, vulnerable or frail (Cooper et al, 2008). Fitting et al (1986) found that women more often feel obliged to give care than men and have more difficulty in coping with the dependency of their dementing relative. INTERVENTIONS Following Scots initial assessment, certain problems were identified and her care plan was initiated. Scots identified problems were nutrition, safety, sleep, pain, medication and dying. The agreed goal for Scots problem of nutrition was to ensure adequate dietary and fluid intake and this was to be achieved by referring Scot to the dietician and offering Scot small, appetising meals and monitor dietary intake. Nutritional assessment according to Harris and Bond (2002) should be integrated with the overall nursing assessment and the plan of care and implemented and evaluated and involves identifying and evaluating patients nutritional status using assessable techniques to quantify any impairment or risk, such as food record charts and risk assessment scores. The degree of Scots safety was assessed due to his potential risk of falling and causing harm to himself. To promote safe environment for Scot, all potential hazardous objects were removed, and that familiar objects including pictures, calendars, activity sheets were rather put in place to orientate him to his surroundings. To reinforce this, he was discussed with what was happening around him. All interaction with Scot also involved communicating clearly about one topic at a time so that he is not confused with excessive information (Holden et al, 1982). He was given hearing aid equipment, which was constantly checked for proper functioning. This was emphasised with effective verbal and non-verbal communication. During these times it was imperative to use tone of voice which was conductive to his hearing, appropriateness of touch, good eye contact, gestures and allowing Scot to express his fears and desires, all in an atmosphere of acceptance and reassurance. This was to build a rap port and maintain a trusting therapeutic relationship with him (Egan 2002). To reduce some of the night time disturbances, Scot was involved in a sleep hygiene programme which included maintaining regular times for rising and going to bed, avoiding stimulants such as alcohol and tobacco and using the bedroom only for sleep. Taking him for a walk, attending OT sessions and other social group activity also increased his daytime activity. Relaxation and breathing exercises was part of the caring process for Scot, which were intended to give him mastery over his symptoms especially when he became anxious or unable to sleep. And although there seemed to be no significant process being made by Scot on the breathing exercise, the programme continued to be reassessed and reviewed. His care programme also took into account some of the normal ageing process associated with old age such as the presence of pathology affecting the overall functioning of the individual. For instance, during Scots assessment for nutritional intake it was important to take into account the fact that many older people have a reduced food intake as result of being less active and reduced lean body mass which leads to a low intake of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals (Norman, et al 1997). A further factor considered was that of the medication which when used to treat certain conditions can in fact cause depression, which is brought on by the toxicity of the drugs. The elderly are more prone to toxicity because of their impaired absorption, metabolism, and excretion of drugs (Cosgray and Hanna, 1993). It was imperative to note that the older person tend to take medication errors such as omission of doses and incorrect dosage when they are self-administering a drug and many elderly people tend to take a number of different drugs for different ailments which causes further confusion. Thus all non-prescription medications such as bottles, out of date prescription items were also removed from the reach of Scot. This was to prevent Scot having access to potentially dangerous medication and inadvertently taking them incorrectly. Until his condition improved, his medication was given to staff in the community. Scot constantly brought up the issue of dying during every one to one session with him. Although he did not want to end his present condition by committing suicide, he accepted death as an invertible end, which he anticipates will inevitably come soon for him (Sampson et al 2011, Samson 2010). His main concern was to be able to work and spend time in his garden again before he died. However, he did have the tendency to be rather depressed of what he saw as not doing much in his prime days to fulfil his ambitions. This sometimes brought on a sense of guilt and sadness to Scot. The National Service Framework for older people (DoH, 2001) emphasised the need to support carers in their role. Scots wife was therefore educated about how to handle the decline capabilities of her husband including how to provide safe environment for Scot and help him with respite programmes that will give her a break from her care-giving responsibilities. Scots wife also received education and information about how and why her husband behaves in his condition and how she can reduce the feelings of anxiety, tension and loss of control that has resulted from the impact of Scots deterioration. CONCLUSION From this study, I learnt that, assessing the health needs of patients like Scot can be beneficial to him and his family. By conducting a thorough assessment and involving patient participation, a satisfactory package of care was made available to meet Scots health needs. Furthermore, I learnt patients can be fully aware of all the services that are available and the capacity of making choices at the time of assessment The NHS plan (2000) was a modernisation strategy where 19 billion pounds was invested for a ten-year plan 2000-2010. It introduced the National Service Frameworks (NSF), which set national standards and identify key interventions for a defined service or care group, put in place strategies to support implementation and established ways to ensure progress within an agreed time scale. The plan was developed to shift the balance of power from top down to bottom up and involve patient participation. The impact of the policy related directly to patient care and all patients including Scot are entitled to a basic package of care by being a member of a PCT. Scot benefits from an enhanced package of care, as the NSF for older people (2001) and NSF for diabetes (1999) is available. Local community facilities such as a bowling club and voluntary services such as Alzheimers Society and Age Concern are also used by Scot. By the end of my placement, evaluations showed that although there have not been significant changes in Scots mental and physical state, it is also imperative to note that he has been supported and maintained well to carry some of the daily activities of living. Whilst Scots care plan continued to be reviewed, there is also an on-going support and educational programmes for his wife, which will enable her to effectively care for Scot. I have understood that whenever I undertake care, I must take a holistic view of the persons physiological, psychological and social circ umstance in order to provide effective and continuous care. The model of care used on the (activities of living) worked fairly well for Scot. However, I do not feel it is a holistic model of care and focuses largely on the biomedical model of health. REFERENCES Alzheimers Disease Society ADS (2011) The prevalence of dementia. London. Alzheimers Society Ballard C, Margallo-Lana M, Juszczak E, Douglas S, Swann A, Thomas A, OBrien J, Everratt A, Sadler S, Maddison C, Lee L, Bannister C, Elvish R, Jacoby R (2005) Quetiapine and rivastigmine and cognitive decline in Alzheimers disease: randomised double blind placebo controlled trial. British Medical Journal 330: 874 Barker, P. (2004) Assessment in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. In search of the whole person. London: Nelson Thornes. Guthrie, E. Lewis, S. (2007) Psychiatry. A clinical core text with self-assessment. London: Churchill Livingstone. Hoe, J., Challis, D., Livingston, G., Orrell, M. (2009). Changes in the quality of life of people with dementia living in care homes. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders 23(3), 285-290 Cooper, C., Katona, C., Orrell, M., Livingston, G. (2008). Coping strategies, anxiety and depression in caregivers of people with Alzheimers disease. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 23(9), 929-936 Department of Health (2009) Living Well with Dementia: A National Strategy. The Stationary Office, London Department of Health (1990). The NHS and Community Care Act. London, HMSO Department of Health (2000). The NHS Plan: A Plan for Investment. London, HMSO Department of Health (1998). Saving lives: Our Healthier Nation. White Paper, Stationary Office, London Department of Health (2009) Living well with dementia: A National Dementia Strategy Department of Health 2009 www.dh.gov.uk/dementia Department of Health. Projecting Older People Population Information System http://www.poppi.org.uk Dementia UK: A report into the prevalence and cost of dementia, Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) at the London School of Economics and the Institute of Psychiatry at Kings College London, 2007 Dexter G. and Walsh M. (1999) Psychiatry nursing Skills: A patient control Approach. 2nd edition London. Chapman Hall Egan G (2002) The Skilled Helper: A problem management Opportunity Development approach to helping 7th edition C A Brooks/Cole Fitting M, Rabins P, Lucas M J, Eastham J 91986). Caregivers for demented patients: a comparison of husband and wives. Gerontologist 26(3):248-252 Haggart, M (1994. A Critical Analysis of Neumans Systems Model in Relation to Public Health Nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 18: 1917-1922 Holden U Woods R T (1982) Reality orientation:psychological approaches to the confused elderly. Edinburgh Churchill Livingston http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12598706 Accessed 10/05/2011 http://www.alzheimers-tesco.org.uk/Accessed 13/05/20011 King, L (2001). Impaired Wound Healing in Patients with Diabetes. Nursing Standard. 15(38): 39-45 Kenney R A (1989) Physiology of ageing:a sypnosis 3rd edition Year book medical publishers, Chicago Livingston, G., Leavey, G., Manela, M., Livingston, D., Rait, G., Sampson, E., Bavishi, S., Shahriyarmolki, K., Cooper, C. (2010). Making decisions for people with dementia who lack capacity: qualitative study of family carers in UK.. BMJ 341, c4184- Mental Health Observatory. Estimating the prevalence of common mental health problems in PCTs in England: A first approximation of the expected caseload for new psychological therapy services. May 2008. http://www.nepho.org.uk/mho/needs Morrissey M and Beila C (1997) Snoezelen: benefits for nursing older clients. Nursing Standard. 12 (3); 38-40 National Service Framework for Older People (2001). www.dh.gov.uk. (Accessed 13 May 2011) National Audit Office (2001). Tackling Obesity in England. London, NAO National Service Framework for Diabetes (1999). www.dh.gov.uk. (Accessed 23 April 2011) National Statistics (2001). www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. (Accessed 5 May 2011) Netdoctor (2004). www.netdoctor.co.uk. (Accessed 12 May 2011) Norman I.J. and Redfern S J (1997) Mental health care for elderly people London Churchill Livingston NMC (2008) The Code: standard of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. London: Nursing and Midwifery council Pilling, S (1993). Calculating the Risk. Nursing Standard. 8(6): 18-20 Roper, N., Logan, W.W and Tierney, A.J. (1996). Using a Model for Nursing. Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone Sampson, E. L., Harrison Dening, K. (2011). Palliative care and end of life care. In Dening, T., Milne, A. (Eds.). Mental Health and Care Homes ( ). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Publisher URL [Accepted] Sampson, E. L. (2010). Palliative care for people with dementia. British Medical Bulletin , PMID: 20675657 Schultz G M and Videbeck S D (20020 Linppinacotts manual of psychiatric nursing care plans. 6th edition. Philadelphia. Linppicott Thompson, T. and Mathias, P. (eds.) (2002) Lyttles Mental Health Nursing and Disorder. London: Bailliere Tindall. Twiggs, T (1994). Carers Perceived. Milton Keynes, Open University Press Watson, N and Wilkinson, C (2001). Nursing in Primary Care: A Handbook for Students. London, Butterworth Heinemann

Emily Brontës Wuthering Heights :: essays research papers

The purpose of this paper is to assess the novel, "Wuthering Heights," by Emily Bronte, particularly within the context of the character, Catherine. Catherine plays a prominent role throughout "Wuthering Heights." For the most part, it is her love of Heathcliff which represents the crutch of the human struggle encountered by Catherine, as well as other characters throughout the story -- but especially Catherine. Curiously, relationships of that period were more often than not governed by social convention. The relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff is an exception to this...while, ultimately, one Thrushcroff Grange attracts Catherine, and thusly leads her to stray from her true nature. It is difficult to separate the character from the author, noting that the author's childhood was basically isolated and gloomy, and Catherine herself, is a truly private individual. It is this sense of privacy, in my opinion, that supersedes any other factor throughout the story. To understand this sense of inwardness, one must explore the novel itself. The story begins in the early 1800's (c. 1801) and one Mr. Lockwood removed from the narrative. The novel begins to take shape, only after some degree of reading, when we realize what is happening at Wuthering Heights in conjunction with Thrushcroff Grange. Soon afterwards, Nelly Dean makes her appearance, while she herself is somewhat unpreceptible. Overall, content and structure is rather fractured, although a so-called Satanic hero begins to emerge as a creature of darkness as well as rebellion and passion. Conversely, pressures on Heathcliff are internal. Results of his life emanate from his orphan years in Liverpool and his horrific treatment at Wuthering Heights. The author underscores the violence and darkness of man...even to such a primal and universal degree that it is impossible to overcome. In the beginning, Mr. Lockwood visits his landlord. He is a new tenant at Thrushcroff Grange and find s himself to be most unwelcome. His treatment by the landlord, Mr. Heathcliff, the servants, and even the dogs is less than welcoming. Heathcliff is something of a paradox. He exhibits the manners of country squire, urbane and handsome although aloof and private. Wuthering Heights itself is basically an old farmhouse and its namesake comes from the weather which it has had to endure. Overall, I found this book to be extremely personal, and almost eccentric. By eccentric, I mean the views that are put forth are very private and even difficult to understand.

Balance in the administration of justice

The term justice refers to canal provision of rights to every citizen in a given century. This concerns equal distribution and proper allocation of good things like wealth, and power. For a country to have justice in practice, people should be governed by laws which are well defined in a constitution. Such laws assures citizens freedom in all their activities for instance, one can have a freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom of movement among others. Through justice, one should have a right of access of any requirement like medical care, job opportunities, education and also settlement.At the same time, a country should ensure retributive of justice which mainly deals with rights response to law violators. This is facilitated by penalties administered to wrong doing. The major issues concerning legal environment in which justice and security administration operates includes natural laws which involves the system of results which naturally deserves from any action or choice. For every action taking place, there must be an equal opposite reaction which makes administration of justice to be universal and absolute concept.Authority in command is another environment in which justice operates. The country formulates rules and regulations which governs the people. Whatever is not allowed in the rules is termed as injustice. The state than has the mandate to administer the rules to the people concerned through its authority to command. Justice should also operate under mutual agreement of everyone concerned. For this case, the formulation of laws in a country should not favor any group. The biasness leads to unequal administration of justice which in turn can lead to imbalance in the state.The issue of fairness should be considered where by each person should have equal right to the whole system of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar system of liberty for all. The least advantaged should have fare equality of opportunity to social and economic ineq ualities. Right history plays a major role especially in ownership of property. Each individual should be entitled to having the right kind of history be it from just acquisition especially by working or unowned things or just transfer, from sale or free gift but not from unlawful means like grabbing and stealing.Retributivism is another issue concerning legal environment which justice operates. It involves dealing with justice violators. For instance when one is denies his/her right, that should be reported to authority for necessary steps to be taken. Wrong doing should be balanced/made good which is achieved through punishment administration. Justice administration should portray a high independency in investigation of truth. For instance, during judgments, the lawyers and magistrates should not be bias but drill on truth of the matter to know the reality of a phenomenon.Joint terrorism task force is another area where justice and security administration operates which is a small cell of highly trained, locally based argent for law enforcement in monitoring and investigating terrorists. Obscenity prosecution task force is another field of justice and security operation which deals with protection of American’s families and children through being involved in their nation’s obscenity laws.Assistance to victims of crime, prisoners and ex-offenders and also women from domestic violence is guaranteed by organization of faith based and community initiatives task force in US through provision of funding opportunities within the federal government. Violence in schools has been prevented by the department of justice and department of education through provision of guide to help schools and communities to educate each other on safeguarding their children. Drug abuse is another issue which has affected the communities’ development.This has been prevented through mobilization of citizens, use of policing strategies and to school children, through u se of after school recreation program. Voting is another area, where justice and security should be exercised. Every citizen is allowed by the law to freely choose the leader he/she requires without any influence. Justice also prohibits interference with access to reproductive health clinics or places of religions worship. Such should be accessible to every citizen. The changes in technology and mass communication has posed a positive effect administration of justice and security.Such includes establishment of the police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 A century ago before introduction by the police and criminal evidence, police used to interview suspects generally through transcription of questions and answers from memory. This led to recommendation of gradual introduction of audio recording of police interrogation in police stations which facilitated subordinate legislation to be drafted in such away to leave the rules regulating the police in the exercise of their investigative po wers, including interview recording with suspects.Advancement in technology has also led to public awareness of the laid down regulations through use of medias, law books and magazines. This enables the citizens to learn about the new rules and adhere to them appropriately. Technology and mass communication has led to revolution in telecommunications technology since 1978. If changed from making of calls on a wire and almost all transoceanic communications in radio communications to today’s technology which has reversed, as mot long-haul communications are on wire and local calls often travel by air.Other wholly new methods are also in place today like use of cell phones and e-mail which were not popular in 1970s. These new developments in technology play a vital role in restoring of security in different parts of world because information is acquired immediately after. Use of detection methods has contributed highly in maintenance of justice and security. This is acquired th rough use of well trained groups like intelligence groups who can be able to acquire a certain information before the disaster occurs.Change in technology and mass communication on the other hand can have negative effects in justice and security in that, for instance in times of world wide crisis, direct conveyance of first hand information can lead to incitation into other parts, hence lead to more damages. Technology also enables violators to use advanced destructive methods like bombings as for the case in US 1987 bombing Technological change also enabled citizens to know about the democracy. This automatically ruled out the traditional dictatorship leaderships and opened people’s mind to learn about their rights.The issues involved with individual rights versus the needs of the justice system should be balanced to maintain order and public safety. This has been achieved through regulating rules which are not bias to certain group of citizens. For instance, the right of sp eech should be available to every citizen. This enables everyone to express his/her self everywhere in the country. Every citizen is also entitled to a freedom of religion. A government should not decide on where and who people should worship but this should be based according to their faith.Assemble is another individual right whereby citizens should congregate anywhere and address their issues. The laws formulated by the government should abide to such rights for maintenance of order and security. Every citizen should be entitled to right of press in order to express his/her issues to others. The laws should not forbid this right because not unless one expresses himself, the shortcomings in the citizens cannot be known to the government. Voting is another issue whereby an individual should decide wisely on who to elect.In case of any malpractice, this can result to disagreement among the citizens hence lead to civil war in the country. Education opportunities should be available t o every citizen in the country. This should be achieved through provision of similar education system of the same quality to all students irrespective of poor or rich families. Health facility is another issue which should be available to every citizen. In order to balance this issue with the justice system, the government should have well stipulated laws allowing free acquisition of medical care to the aged and the children.Employment opportunity is another issue which should be available to every citizen. The provision of this aspect should be justified according to ones qualification. The government should ensure this through setting rules to guide the concerned bodies of employment distribution. Disabled citizens should be treated like any other individual. The government should ensure they are given the first priority in issues like employment opportunities. Equal protection should be available to every citizen.Such protection should be under the law which ensures security to c itizens either from assaults or injury by fellow citizens. This represents the right to live surveillance free and not to be identified as a suspect or to live suspiciously. The issue making decision about ones choice should be available to every citizen. For instance one should decide on marriage and reproduction which should be guarded by law and order. There should be provision of justice in issues of inheritance. This should occur after death of ones mate whereby his/her wealth should be inherited by the one who is left back.The issue of privacy should be observed as an individual right to every citizen. The law should ensure people’s security in their persons, honses and effects, against unreasonable searches. Another issue includes trial by jury. When one has been arrested, he should be proved guilty through trial. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused should enjoy the right to a speed and public trial and be notified. About the nature of cause of accusation; to be confronted with the witness against him to have a compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor and look for help for his defense.Cruel or unusual punishment is another issue which should be justified by the law to ensure public safety and order. Once an individual has been arrested the issue of demanding excessive bail should not be practiced. Such an individual should be judged and if proved guilty, required punishment should be undertaken without imposing excessive fines or inflicting cruel and unusual punishments which in turn can lead to total harm to the victim. The issue of right to own and enjoy property has been an important aspect of human right.The law should justify that no individual should be deprived of either life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public usage and yet there is no compensation from the government. Such property include land, among others. References: Washburne G,(1923). Imperial control of the Administration of justice in the thirteen American colonies,1984-1776. New York. Brussels P, (12/9/2002). Finding the Balance. Cittation from internet. http://www. crisisgroup. org/

A Level Psychology Essay Example

A Level Psychology Essay Example A Level Psychology Essay A Level Psychology Essay One reason that studying memory and organisation may be interesting is because the area was neglected, up until the 1990s, when psychologists became interested in how an enormously important but complex facility operates in people after being stimulated by the attempts to provide information about computer systems and how information is organised.( R.Gross, Hodder and Sloughton) One theory in relation to memory suggests that organisation may occur at two separate stages of memory. Meyer said to remember is to have organised and suggested that organisation either occurs at storage or at retrieval. Meyer suggested that at storage organisation serves to reduce the amount of material to be remembered and does this by grouping it hierarchically or by chunking it (putting it into chunks to remember).At retrieval he argued that organised items have greater uniqueness and therefore more retrieval routes assocciated with them.This suggests that organisation aids memory either by reducing the amount of information or by providing items with more reason to be remembered.( Broadbent, D.E., Cooper, P.J. Broadbent) A key study into hierarchy and memory was conducted by Collins and Quillian 1969 which proposed the hierarchical network model. This model was concerned with how words are organised in relation to their semantic meanings.Semantic memory was portrayed as a network of words which are connected to other when there is a semantic similarity. The meaning of a word is said to be given by pointers which basically point from the word out to the meaning. For example, Collins and Quillian suggested that pointers could indicate properties. For example a canary would have pointers to can sing. Other pointers may point to categories that a certain word belongs to. So a canary would have pointers to bird (on a lower level) and to animal (on a higher level). The model said that if a person was given the sentence A canary can sing and was asked to decide whether it is true or not they would only need to find the word canary and retrieve properties stored with that word. To test this model Collins and Quillian did an experiment where subjects were presented with sentences and were told to judge whether true or false by pressing the correct button as quick as possible.The length of reaction time indicated the difficulty.They found that the time taken to decide that a statement was true or not increased as the number of levels the subject had to go through to verify it increased. Therefore it implies that semantic meaning is stored in a hierarchy to aid memory in terms of its organisation.(R.Gross, Hodder and Sloughton) In 1953 Bousfield conducted a study where he asked subjects to learn 60 words that derived from 4 categories (animals, names, professions and vegetables), which the participants were not aware of. The categories had 15 examples which were all mixed up so did not appear to already be in a category. Bousfield found that when participants free recalled they tended to naturally cluster similar items, for example, if someone recalled potato it was likely that other vegetables followed. This concludes that although participants had not been told of the categories, they recalled in clusters and so therefore suggested that they tried to organise the data themselves and so proves in order to remember better the participants organised the data.(R.Gross, Hodder and Sloughton)  Bower,(1969) investigated the effects of hierarchy in recall memory, and compared  the results of these with those using word lists in a random order.The hierarchy provided a context for the words to be remembered by and recall was found to be up to three times better when word lists were organised . The study used an independent groups design, with two groups of participants: a control group and an experimental group . The independent variable was a list of 112words: The control group was given an unstructured, randomised list, while the experimental group was given the same words organised into a hierarchicy. The recall performance (DV) was measured using this scale (correctly recalled word = 1, incorrect or no-recalled word = 0). Bower found that the unorganised list gave a recall rate of 18% and particpants who used the organised list had a recall rate of 65%. Suggesting that organisation does aid memory recall.(Bower, G.H., Clark, M.C., Lesgold, A.M. Winzenz, D)  Aim: the aim of this replication of Bowers (1969) study is to test his findings (65% recall rate when given an organised list and 18% with and unorganised list) which will be conducted as a small scale version of the original experiment. The experiment will be considered small scale as the number of words will be reduced to 40 compared to Bowers 112. The number of participants will only be around 30 in this replication. The reason that a small scale experiment is to be done is because it is an opportunity sample and is estimated that only around 30 students will be available within a class. The experiment aims to test the experiment using different words, countries, which are categorised into continents further catagorised into eastern and western parts of the world whereas Bower used minerals, a harder topic. Directional Hypothesis: The directional hypothesis which was chosen was that partcipants will remember a greater number of words if they are presented in an organised way rather than if they are presented in a random list (an organised list will be made up of a heirarchy of words into sub categories and a random list will consist of all the words mixed up in list format) . The lists will be divided into 4 categories: Asia, Europe, South America and Africa. There will be 10 words in each category and will be randomly mixed up by picking them out of a hat.  The null hypothesis is whether the list is organised or not will not affect the number of words that the participant remembers and any difference is due to chance.  The chosen hypothesis is one tailed and is used because Bowers findings concluded it to be true as there was a 65% recall rate for organised lists in comparison to just 18% recall rate for an unorganised list..

Strong Acid Definition and Examples

Strong Acid Definition and Examples A strong acid is an acid that is completely dissociated or ionized in an aqueous solution. It is a chemical species with a high capacity to lose a proton, H. In water, a strong acid loses one proton, which is captured by water to form the hydronium ion: HA(aq) H2O → H3O(aq) A−(aq) Diprotic and polyprotic acids may lose more than one proton, but the strong acid pKa value and reaction only refers to the loss of the first proton. Strong acids have a small logarithmic constant (pKa) and a large acid dissociation constant (Ka). Most strong acids are corrosive, but some of the superacids are not corrosive. In contrast, some of the weak acids (e.g., hydrofluoric acid) may be highly corrosive. Note: As acid concentration increases, the ability to dissociate diminishes. Under normal conditions in water, strong acids dissociate completely, but extremely concentrated solutions do not. Examples of Strong Acids While there are many weak acids, there are few strong acids. The common strong acids include: HCl (hydrochloric acid)H2SO4 (sulfuric acid)HNO3 (nitric acid)HBr (hydrobromic acid)HClO4 (perchloric acid)HI (hydroiodic acid)p-toluenesulfonic acid (an organic soluble strong acid)methanesulfonic acid (a liquid organic strong acid) The following acids dissociate almost completely in water, so they are often considered to be strong acids, although they are not more acidic than the hydronium ion, H3O. HNO3Â  (nitric acid)HClO3Â  (chloric acid) Some chemists consider the hydronium ion, bromic acid, periodic acid, perbromic acid, and periodic acid to be strong acids. If the ability to donate protons is used as the primary criterion for acid strength, then the strong acids (from strongest to weakest) would be: H[SbF6]Â  (fluoroantimonic acid)FSO3HSbF5Â  (magic acid)H(CHB11Cl11)Â  (carborane superacid)FSO3HÂ  (fluorosulfuric acid)CF3SO3HÂ  (triflic acid) These are the superacids, which are defined as acids that are more acidic than 100% sulfuric acid. The superacids permanently protonate water. Factors That Determine Acid Strength You may be wondering why the strong acids dissociate so well, or why certain weak acids do not completely ionize. A few factors come into play: atomic radius - As the atomic radius increases, so does acidity. For example, HI is a stronger acid than HCl (iodine is a larger atom than chlorine).electronegativity - The more electronegative a conjugate base in the same period of the periodic table is (A-), the more acidic it is.electrical charge - The more positive the charge on an atom, the higher its acidity. In other words, its easier to take a proton from a neutral species than from one with a negative charge.equilibrium - When an acid dissociates, equilibrium is reached with its conjugate base. In the case of strong acids, the equilibrium strongly favors the product or is to the right of a chemical equation. The conjugate base of a strong acid is much weaker than water as a base.solvent - In most applications, strong acids are discussed in relation to water as a solvent. However, acidity and basicity have meaning in nonaqueous solvent. For example, in liquid ammonia, acetic acid ionizes completely and may be considered a str ong acid, even though it is a weak acid in water.

Official Development Assistance and Poverty Reduction Essay

Official Development Assistance and Poverty Reduction - Essay Example The Reality of Aid Report (2010:9) though note that the manner in which these agreements are implemented is too technical to actually transform the manner in which aid is governed to actually make it more effective and relevant to the poor for whom it is aimed. It shows that the agreements have not changed the reality of aid relationships since what is actually practised are technical aspects related to aid management rather than a focus on development policy making. The report concludes that even though reforms in aid effectiveness have delivered some benefits, they have not made considerable difference in how aid is viewed or to the extent to which it empowers or improves the lives of those who need it most (pp.25). From ODA’s definition, its key objective is to promote â€Å"economic development and welfare of developing countries† (OECD, 2008:1). Such development such developing healthcare facilities, educational facilities or even infrastructural development is oft en aimed at reducing poverty levels experienced by these countries as it increases the capacity of the countries to earn a decent living and to live in healthy states. In essence therefore one may relate poverty reduction as the key objective of ODA. So if ODA is not able to effectively meet its objectives as noted by the rise in poverty over a twenty year period as shown, then should aid be counted as official development assistance even if it does not reduce poverty levels? This paper argues that nothing should be counted as official development Assistance until it has been proven to reduce poverty. Official Development Assistance (ODA) ODA is defined as aid flows from donor countries of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list to countries eligible for such aid found on the DAC... From this essay it is clear that from ODA’s definition, its key objective is to promote â€Å"economic development and welfare of developing countries†. Such development such developing healthcare facilities, educational facilities or even infrastructural development is often aimed at reducing poverty levels experienced by these countries as it increases the capacity of the countries to earn a decent living and to live in healthy states. In essence therefore one may relate poverty reduction as the key objective of ODA. So if ODA is not able to effectively meet its objectives as noted by the rise in poverty over a twenty year period as shown, then should aid be counted as official development assistance even if it does not reduce poverty levels? This paper argues that nothing should be counted as official development Assistance until it has been proven to reduce poverty.This discussion highlights that  ODA is defined as aid flows from donor countries of the OECD Develo pment Assistance Committee (DAC) list to countries eligible for such aid found on the DAC list, these aid must first and fore most be given by official agencies or countries to the other countries or official institutions within the country where each aid is given with the core purpose of promotion welfare and development in the developing countries.  The area of focus of the definition in this paper is on the main objective of ODA whose purpose is to increase development and reduce poverty levels.

Reagan Revolution Through President Obama Essay

Reagan Revolution Through President Obama - Essay Example (Council of economic advisors, 2010, p.50) Even before he took office a change could be seen in the perspective of the whites regarding African-Americans. Research has shown that 22 percent of Americans view Obama as an exemplary figure when they think of African-Americans. If Obama administration continues to be successful then he can activate positive feelings in majority of people regarding the blacks (The Obama effect†¦., 2009). Overturning the Reagan Revolution Barack Obama in his inaugural speech pronounced that he would use old and traditional values to effect progressive changes. His approach towards politics would carry a sense of mature collective responsibility instead of the juvenile approach of individualism. He would uphold the democratic role of the US government and would continue to maintain the leadership position of the country in the global front. Obama has defended the traditional values like â€Å"honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism†. With this he has broken the established values of Reagan era. Obama has emphasized on the effectiveness of the government over its size thus overturning the Reagan revolution (Dionne, 2009). Impact With advocating the values â€Å"tolerance and curiosity† Obama has actually supported the concept of innovations by those who are determined to take risks. Obama as president believes in stressing on the security of the nation as he thinks that â€Å"power alone cannot protect†. He stressed on regulations on the market to keep it under control. His aim is to promote equality as according to him â€Å"the nation cannot prosper when it favours only the prosperous†. (Dionne, 2009) Impact of 1980s AIDS epidemic American life is largely a manifestation of religious... This report approves that the US war against Afghanistan was essentially illegal because it did not abide by the international law on war. According to the law when one nation makes armed attack on another nation, only then the attacked nation can use military aggression for defense. In this case Afghanistan did not attack since the 19 convicted men were not Afghans. Also permission from UN Security Council is needed to start a war and in this case the council did not permit the war. However there were some moral rationales behind the war. An international poll revealed that many people from all over the world took an unfavorable view on America especially on Bush. When people were asked who they think is a threat to world peace United States got more votes than al-Qaeda terrorist group. More people felt that America is more dangerous than countries like Iran and Syria. The poll also revealed negative views of people on America’s war on terrorism in the Middle East. This paper makes a conclusion that the continuous economic depression has created disparities within the American society thus threatening its position as superpower in the global arena. Although it has always been a land of unlimited opportunities but the success has become fragile. If there is no fast solution for overcoming the economic downfall, then the global economy is at stake. The growing disparity between the rich and the poor violates the core image of the United States.