Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Christianity - Essay Example of Wittenburg literature, philosophy and theology Died 18 Feb. 1546 July 31, 1556 (Religion Facts, 1) (Famous People, 1) Message salvation is a free gift absolute self-abnegation, â€Å"love and compassion, from God; the Bible is the obedience to Pope and universal promise of only true source of superiors (ibid.) help and protection to Divine message all mankind† (Our (Religion Facts, 1) Lady, 1) Contribution Protestant Reformation Spiritual Exercises, conversion to Chris- Translated to English the Jesuit Constitution and tianity, miracles, cures, King James Bible; Jesuit Schools, interventions, millions Lutheran teachings and Society of pay homage to her (Our (Religion Facts, 1) Jesus (ibid.) Lady, 1) From the tabular form, one can deduce that the earliest account of significant event happened during the birth of Luther in 1483, only eight years prior to the birth of Ignacius in 1491. The apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531 happened within 25 years prior to Ignacius death, which means that during the apparitions, Ignacius was still very much alive and just finished his writing of one of his most significant contributions, the â€Å"Spiritual Exercises, a simple 200-page set of meditations, prayers and various other mental exercises† (Famous People, par. 16). Their birth similarly occurred prior to the 16th century. Luther was born in Saxony while Ignacius was born in Spain. The date of death was only 10 years apart, where Luther died in 1546 while Ignacius died on 1556. Both Luther and Ignacius studied theology. Although the messages were diverse, where Luther focused on transforming the belief in the Catholic faith that God’s punishment could be redeemed by money and that salvation earned through good deeds (Religion Facts, 1); while Ingacious, due to his similar orientation in the priesthood, was actively involved in â€Å"teaching catechism to children, directing adults in the Spiritual Exercises, and working among the poor an d in hospitals† (Famous People, par. 14). There is disparsity in their commitment where Ignacius focused on uplifting the conditions of the poor through whatever means they were capable during their times. Luther, on the other hand, was focused on reorienting the belief in the Catholic Church that previously stressed on â€Å"on purgatory, hell, angels, demons, sin, judgment and the saints. Jesus was depicted as an unapproachable, terrifying judge, but believers knew they could call upon the Blessed Virgin and other saints to intercede on their behalf† (Religion Facts, par. 2). Likewise, the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe centered also in according universal assistance and protection of all mankind (Our Lady, 1). Their contributions range from movements and formation of organizations that paved the way for increased awareness of the need for reformation of the true meaning of salvation, enhanced awareness of the word of God through the Bible (Luther); and through the organization dedicated to the commitments and endeavors of the Holy Father (Society of Jesus) and the set of prayers needed to remain steadfast in faith (Ignacius). Our Lady of Guadalupe’s apparition has set the time for miracles to happen through cures and interventions that converted nonbelievers. As indicated, â€Å"

Homosexuality Essay Example for Free

Homosexuality Essay Homosexuality within the church is a controversial matter that is threatening to break apart the over 20-century-old institution of the church. This paper sets out to demonstrate that, Homosexuality within the church and the society is a controversial matter that is yet to be resolved. With particular emphasis with the teachings of the Catholic tradition on Homosexuality, the paper seeks to analyze how Homosexuality has for the entire history of the Catholic tradition threatened to divide the church. The paper also will take a view of Homosexuality in today’s society in a bid to compare and contrast how modern society views on Homosexuality differ from the teachings of the church and the reasons behind the church’s rather conservative approach to the Homosexuality issue. The Catholic church was founded around 2nd century at a time when church and state were inseparable and the church yielded much influence over state affairs and governance. With particular reference to Roman empire, the Catholic church in Rome came to be so powerful that church law determined state’s laws and the papacy was responsible for the running of not only the church affairs, but also of the state affairs. So much was the influence of the Catholic Church leadership on state governance that, church leaders were powerful and revered because they could exert political and religious authority. The issue of Homosexuality within the Catholic Church is not new and as early as the 5th century, there is evidence to the fact that, the issue had come up often in church doctrine and it had been discussed at the highest level of the church. Homosexuality according to the Catholic tradition is evil and not permissible. Indeed, the Catholic tradition holds that those who engage in Homosexuality should be excommunicated from the church, a punishment that is not revertible and rarely does the church leadership give audience to those viewed to be disobedient to the Catholic stance on Homosexuality. According to Catholic tradition, a union between a man and a man or between a woman and a woman is seen and therefore, it is contravention to the church teachings. As a result of the position the church has maintained for centuries, the issue of Homosexuality in the church continues to elicit emotional debates and is currently one of the most controversial issues in the Catholic Church especially the Catholic Church in USA. Rather than amend the existing church doctrine, to reflect modern society, and particularly the newfound freedom amongst the youth in America, the church continues to make key amendments to its dogmatic teachings, which continue to depict the church as old-fashioned, insensitive and non-responsive to modernity. The number of youth attending church in the USA has been found to have declined by upto 30% in the past few decades. This is reflected by the fact that, there are fewer Americans willing to take up leadership positions in the church causing a major shortage of father, nuns, etc. in the church. Although Homosexuality as an issue is not solely to blame for the current standoff, it is evidently a contributing factor to the leadership crisis the church is facing and the inability of the church to attract young people to participate in church leadership. Their lax evidence and substantial research in the causes of the church’s conservative position, which inspite of being challenged by scholars in the church and the faithfuls has remained perpetually undeterred and continues to maintain the hard position it has taken for the past centuries. In sharp contrast to the position taken by the clergy, there is growing evidence that a gay culture is slowly gaining root amongst the clergy something, which is proving to be magnanimous and one of the latest scandal in the Catholic church . This has had an impact on values that the church has continued to teach including family values that the church bases as its key argument against ratification of Homosexuality within the church. Although it is hard to say for sure how many Catholic clergy are involved in Homosexuality, going by the number of those who come out in the open and defiantly state their support of Homosexuality, it is clear that there are significant numbers of clergy engaging in Homosexual practices, promoting Homosexuality as well as openly or silently advocating for Homosexuality . This has left the church leadership in a dilemma as it has become very difficult for a common ground to be struck between proponents and opponents of Homosexuality in the church. What started as deliberations to examine how the church could respond to Homosexuality and its growing influence in the face of organized homosexual groups, which started getting rights to marriage as well as other rights, guarding from discrimination has put the Catholic church especially in the USA at crossroads. As a result of the raging debate, the media sought to focus attention on the issue of Homosexuality and how the church was responding to it leading to numerous reports accusing cardinals in the USA of engaging in Homosexuality. This has further been complicated by the fact that whenever Homosexuality debate has come up, the issue of pedophilia has come up . This has further complicated the Homosexual debate in that it gives the Homosexual debate a negative image in the public given that pedophilia is a sensitive issue equitable to crime. Homosexuality in the Catholic Church is so complex that, the independence given to cardinals has made it virtually impossible even for victims of Homosexuality perpetrated by the clergy to successfully wage complaints. For instance, clergy collaborate with their superiors to perpetrate Homosexual behaviour to young boys and instead of such clergy being punished when the matter comes out in the open, it is often the victims and their families who suffer most. Indeed, in many cases, members of the church are more likely to quit church because the only way out is to avoid confrontation with the church. This has further been complicated by the fact that, the church has been rather unwilling to acknowledge that Homosexuality is a problem within the church something which means that whenever such accusations are raised against the church leadership, the church is less willing or not devoted to dealing with the problem of Homosexuality. In most cases, the ‘offenders’ receive light punishments such as transfer and rarely has any meaningful punishment been referred against clergy by the church. This indifference from the church leadership has continued to taint the church’s image especially considering that there is a general lack of understanding and appreciation of Homosexuality amongst church faithfuls. That the Catholic Church traditionally believes Homosexuality is a sin, is evidenced by the constant pleas and calls for repentance the church sends out to self-confessed Homosexuals. Indeed, there is a clear difference between Homosexuality as practiced in the church and Homosexuality as practiced in the society. The matter is further complicated by the fact that, traditional Catholic beliefs do not allow members of clergy to marry or engage in sexual intercourse leave alone Homosexuality. Therefore, Homosexuality in the church circles is viewed as clerical abuse and is treated as such. There is enough evidence towards the fact that, the church is willing to fight on and totally ban Homosexuality in the church and especially within the clergy. However, the church is faced with a dilemma in that, it does not support the concept of Homosexuality. As such, the church leadership is in a state of denial, which seeks to present the church as devoid of Homosexuality but at the same time, wants to fight incidences of Homosexuality if and when reported. Although in some cases those accused of Homosexuality have been forced to resign, such calls come from the faithful and tend to be grounded on threats of charges and not as a contradiction of traditional teachings or church dogma considering that the church is reluctant to acknowledge that even within its clergy the problem of Homosexuality is rife. Outside the US, resistance to Homosexuality in the church is higher compared to US where in some cases, some archdioceses have the leeway to choose whether to work with Homosexuals or not. This is bringing a new dimension into the Homosexuality debate in regard to celibacy and a call for further scholarly interpretation of celibacy as understood in the Catholic Church . It is not surprising that the issue of Homosexuality in the church has never been comprehensively dealt with despite the fact that, Homosexuality in the church has been practiced since the 1970s upto present and evidently with the knowledge of the church leadership . Another dimension that the Homosexuality debate has taken in the church is questioning of how effectively Homosexual clergy are capable of guiding the faithful. The fact that Homosexuality is still considered by many Catholics as sin and violation of their traditional beliefs brings a dilemma to the clergy who are Homosexuals and is a common cause of conflicts. This has led many to question the ability of those who violate church teachings to lead the faithfuls who hold different points of view on Homosexuality. Indeed, this has brought about an ethical dimension to the Homosexuality debate in the church. While the proponents of Homosexuality call for relaxation of traditional teachings on celibacy, opponents of Homosexuality call for chastity and upholding of traditional teachings on sexuality as handed down by generations . Evidently, Homosexuality in the church has started to take a new dimension, that of civil liberties and civil rights. In this regard, there are those who want to bring the human rights issue into the Homosexuality debate and look at the church’s stance on Homosexuality as a violation of civil liberties and civil rights. This dimension has been criticized due to the fact that, the church is an independent institution whose doctrine is out of state control and therefore, compelling the church to accept Homosexuality as an attempt to guarantee civil liberties and civil rights, has in the past failed to yield into results. Therefore, while some liberals view Homosexuality as an orientation and something to be left to the choice of an individual, others view the church and indeed the Christian faith as dominant when it comes to individual choices and therefore, this implies that once one accepts membership into the church, individualism is less important and collectivity is emphasized. If what is happening in other denominations such as Evangelicals and Anglicans is anything to go by, Homosexuality in the church will continue to be a contentious issue and the solution lies in the granting of independence to churches to make individual decisions on how to conduct the Homosexuality debate. Indeed, nothing has in the recent history of the church been so hard to strike a common position on, as has been with the case of Homosexuality. Efforts by the church to transform Homosexuals through methods such as therapy in form of Bible teachings, have failed and that too has been considered as interference in civil liberties and civil rights of individuals. Therefore, asking homosexuals to change their sexual orientation has greatly failed and it seems that the homosexuals are gaining ground in the church and are swelling in numbers. If current estimates of homosexuals in the church today are anything to go by, the Catholic Church may find it difficult to contain the ‘homosexual movement’ and it is the high time that a multidimensional approach to the Homosexual debate is adapted with an aim of bringing together conservatives and liberals to strike a common ground. Even the involvement of scriptural interpretation has failed to yield into meaningful results as different groups have interpreted the issue differently. Therefore, the Biblical standpoint has ceased to be what guides the debate on Homosexuality and the church and evidently civil rights and civil liberties dimension together with emotive dimension is what is taking prominence in the debate about Homosexuality in the church. In conclusion, the view of Homosexuality in the contemporary society is as controversial as it is the case in the church. However, since the moral standards in the contemporary society compared to the moral standards set by the church are significantly different, homosexuals have received insignificant resistance in the civil society than has been the case in the church. That modernity has influenced the way modern society has welcomed Homosexuality is for sure but the teachings of the church have failed to incorporate the views of the same society that it purports to serve. This has resulted into a conflict that persists between the church and the modern society something, which will be resolved when the church will amend its teachings to reflect the modern society standpoint. There is a need for more scholarly studies geared towards establishing a common ground between opponents and proponents of Homosexuality with a view of diffusing the standoff between those who support a more tolerant church position on Homosexuality and those who are opposed to a more inclusive position on Homosexuality in connection to the church. There is a need for the Catholic Church to review its training programs for clergies in a bid to deal with the problem of clergy engaging in abusive behaviour that has resulted into conflict of interest and lack of harmony in the church. It is no doubt that, the society expects the church to be a model in as far as moral standards are concerned, and therefore, when clergy are accused of engaging in Homosexuality, which is in the first place against the official position of the church, doubts arise about the church’s teachings on Homosexuality.

Character-defined Destiny Essays -- Literature Heroic Epics Essays

Character-defined Destiny The Greek poet Homer established the heroic epic literary genre more than two-and-a-half millennia ago with the composition of two voluminous works of art, the Odyssey and the Iliad. From its inception, the heroic epic cast human fate as a type of whimsical recreation for the gods. In fact, the word fate was adopted from the name of the Greek gods in charge of spinning the thread of human life and then cutting it when a person’s destiny had been fulfilled. Hence, a person’s fate in the Homeric epics was largely determined by providence, and a person’s individual actions had little bearing on what became of him or her. We see a new understanding of fate begin to take form in the two primary heroic epics of thirteenth century German literature. The story of Parzival introduces the role of individual maturation in the fulfillment of one’s destiny, notwithstanding its predetermination by God through birthright. The Nibelungenlied, on the other hand, suggests that predestination is the result of the inevitability of one’s own idiosyncrasies: one acts in accordance with one’s own character traits and cannot act otherwise. Both understandings of fate, however, afford man a much larger share in the determination of his own destiny than the Homeric epics ever did and, as such, can shed light on the evolving notion of the â€Å"heroic† informing each work. The story of Parzival and his quest for the Holy Grail was first told by French author Chrestien de Troyes in the 12th century; naturally, the fate of Parzival would have already been well known to Wolfram von Eschenbach’s 13th century audience. Then the focus of the epic is certainly not Parzival’s destiny, but his development and maturation throughout th... ... The reason for this is that Gawan (and the code of chivalry he represents) regards his relationship with God in feudal terms, expecting reward in return for service. Even though Parzival once fell from grace and the favor of the round table, he was able to gain redemption through God with the help Trevrizent. By confessing his sins before God and atoning for his trespasses, Parzival was thus able to attain a higher level of honor. Redemption is the pivotal piece of the heroic puzzle that the society of the Nibelungenlied lacks. In Parzival there is no sense of the imminent doom that pervades the Nibelungenlied, because of the society’s steadfast belief in God’s eternal mercy. And, as long as the society of the Nibelungenlied remains bereft of the potential for redemption, it will remain entangled in its own type of Atreus curse and doomed for self-annihilation.

Imposing Our Own Ideological Frameworks onto Virginia Woolf and Her Wr

Imposing Our Own Ideological Frameworks onto Virginia Woolf and Her Writing Whenever we try to imagine the feelings or motives of a writer, we impose our own thoughts and ideas, our own biases, onto that person and their work. Perhaps in order to justify our choices or legitimate the philosophies that we hold dear, we interpret texts so that they fall into place in our own ideological frameworks. Literature, because it engages with the most important and passionate questions in life, evokes responses in readers that emanate not only from the mind but also from the subconscious and from the deepest places in the heart. Writers like Virginia Woolf ask, and sometimes answer, questions about life's meaning, about the nature and importance of relationships, about spirituality, work, family, identity and so on. It is what makes writing fascinating and the critiquing of writing something more than an intellectual exercise. When we interpret a text, we bring our own hopes, fears, joys and beliefs to the forefront, despite our claims of intellectual objectivity, and what is at stake is not just an evaluation of the work itself, but often an evaluation of our political, social, psychological and emotional identities. What we see or read into a text can become a kind of experiment, a literary depiction of the way we see, or would like to see, and interpret ourselves and our world. Often, in the course of interpreting, we feel compelled to name and label both writer and text in order to talk about them in ways that make sense to us, and in order to pinpoint them in relation to ourselves. When we label anything, we attempt to control or own it; we assign values or a set of rules to that person or object. What is lost in that process... ... Voyage Out." Modern Fiction Studies 38.1(1992): 269. Meese, Elizabeth. "When Virginia Looked at Vita, What Did She See; or, Lesbian: Feminist: Woman - What's the differ(e/a)nce?" Feminist Studies 18.1 (1992):105. Nicolson, Nigel. Portrait of a Marriage. New York: Atheneum, 1973. Nicolson, Nigel and Joanne Trautmann, eds. The Letters of Virginia Woolf. Vol. 3. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1977. Smith, Patricia Juliana. Lesbian Panic: Homoeroticism in Modern British Women's Fiction. New York: Columbia UP, 1997. Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One's Own. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1979. --- . "A Sketch of the Past." Moments of Being. Ed. Jeanne Schulkind. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1976. --- . Mrs. Dalloway. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1925. --- . Three Guineas. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1938. --- . To the Lighthouse. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1927. Imposing Our Own Ideological Frameworks onto Virginia Woolf and Her Wr Imposing Our Own Ideological Frameworks onto Virginia Woolf and Her Writing Whenever we try to imagine the feelings or motives of a writer, we impose our own thoughts and ideas, our own biases, onto that person and their work. Perhaps in order to justify our choices or legitimate the philosophies that we hold dear, we interpret texts so that they fall into place in our own ideological frameworks. Literature, because it engages with the most important and passionate questions in life, evokes responses in readers that emanate not only from the mind but also from the subconscious and from the deepest places in the heart. Writers like Virginia Woolf ask, and sometimes answer, questions about life's meaning, about the nature and importance of relationships, about spirituality, work, family, identity and so on. It is what makes writing fascinating and the critiquing of writing something more than an intellectual exercise. When we interpret a text, we bring our own hopes, fears, joys and beliefs to the forefront, despite our claims of intellectual objectivity, and what is at stake is not just an evaluation of the work itself, but often an evaluation of our political, social, psychological and emotional identities. What we see or read into a text can become a kind of experiment, a literary depiction of the way we see, or would like to see, and interpret ourselves and our world. Often, in the course of interpreting, we feel compelled to name and label both writer and text in order to talk about them in ways that make sense to us, and in order to pinpoint them in relation to ourselves. When we label anything, we attempt to control or own it; we assign values or a set of rules to that person or object. What is lost in that process... ... Voyage Out." Modern Fiction Studies 38.1(1992): 269. Meese, Elizabeth. "When Virginia Looked at Vita, What Did She See; or, Lesbian: Feminist: Woman - What's the differ(e/a)nce?" Feminist Studies 18.1 (1992):105. Nicolson, Nigel. Portrait of a Marriage. New York: Atheneum, 1973. Nicolson, Nigel and Joanne Trautmann, eds. The Letters of Virginia Woolf. Vol. 3. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1977. Smith, Patricia Juliana. Lesbian Panic: Homoeroticism in Modern British Women's Fiction. New York: Columbia UP, 1997. Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One's Own. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1979. --- . "A Sketch of the Past." Moments of Being. Ed. Jeanne Schulkind. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1976. --- . Mrs. Dalloway. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1925. --- . Three Guineas. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1938. --- . To the Lighthouse. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1927.

Ashoka Maurya’s Conversion to Buddhism: Effect on the History of India Essay

Ashoka Maurya was one of the most influential leaders in India’s history. The British historian H. G. Wells in his work The Outline of History said of Ashoka, â€Å"amidst the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history†¦ the name of Ashoka shines, and shines almost alone, a star† (94). Ashoka’s eventual aversion to violence and war, his honesty in admitting his mistakes, and his concern for the welfare of his people not only made him shine as brilliantly as a star, but also dramatically changed the history of India. Yet since many legends were simply nothing more than a popular yearning for an exemplary ruler, none of the references were taken too seriously at first. Ashoka was portrayed as too good to be true: the ruthless, cruel leader who saw the light and transformed into the supreme benevolent ruler. When he was evil, Buddhists legends contended he killed ninety-nine brothers to obtain the throne after his father. As the transformed benevolent king, Buddhist legends claimed he built 84,000 monasteries and almost as many stupas in one day. Scholars did not take this king too seriously. Renewed interest in this legendary figure came with the discovery of rock and stone pillars containing edicts engraved during the reign of Ashoka. In 1879, Alexander Cunningham published a translation of these inscriptions. Even more engravings were discovered with the latest four found in 1969. These stone inscriptions provided a rare access to the personalized edicts dictated by Ashoka and thus, were a primary source concerning this king. Gradually, as rock and pillar inscriptions were scrutinized, scholars began to consider Ashoka a legitimate historical figure and to evaluate his place in India’s history. The rock and pillar edicts were critical in understanding and documenting the changes Ashoka brought to India for they were a record in his very own words. Romila Thapar described the benefit of these exclusive inscriptions: â€Å"It is rare in Indian history to have access to the personalized edicts of a king†¦ in this we are fortunate† (Thapar 16). Ashoka’s edicts, engraved on rocks and stone pillars between 264 and 262 BCE, were scattered throughout India, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The location of the rock engravings was governed by the accessibility of suitable slabs of stone. The pillars, on the other hand, were placed in very specific locations. For example, one marked the birthplace of Buddha. Others were found near populated areas to be seen by as many people as possible. The pillar edicts, between forty and fifty feet in height, weighed up to fifty tons. They were all quarried between 247 and 242 BCE in the Chunar Hills along the Ganges River and sometimes transported over one hundred miles to the location where they were erected. The pillars were originally capped with a roaring lion, a bull, or a spirited horse. These stone works reflected the great art and design of the Indian culture. The history regarding Ashoka was chiefly known from these rock and pillar edicts. This research shows the transformation that occurred in the country of India because of Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism. First, this study investigates the three aggressive generations of the Mauryan Dynasty to provide background and to shed light on the caliber of leadership training Ashoka received from his upbringing. One must understanding Ashoka’s family history in order to comprehend the difference he made after his conversion. Secondly, this research covers the causes of Ashoka’s conversion, which builds an understanding of the personal and political benefits for him. His remorse and shame after a bloody battle, which he instigated and took responsibility for, were the catalyst to his conversion. The methodology for this paper places the highest emphasis on the translations of rock and pillar edicts found throughout the Indian subcontinent. These inscriptions are a primary source: Ashoka’s own words. From numerous readings of these edicts, evolves this research query: how much did India change after Ashoka’s conversion? The various edicts contain Ashoka’s interpretation of Buddhist doctrine, his personal changes, or India’s policy changes. Not every edict is documented in this paper for there is not room or need to do that. The edicts of primary impact on India are discussed. Scholars and translators have labeled and numbered the rock and pillar edicts inscribed by Ashoka. Most of the rock edicts were catalogued simply by the abbreviation RE with a number. For example, the fourteenth rock edict was labeled RE 14. The pillar edicts were handled the same way only using PE as the abbreviation. Sometimes the edicts listed the location in front of the abbreviation, as with Kalinga RE 1. This study uses these abbreviations within the text. Gokhale (1966) includes citations from Arthastastra, a book on government and economics written during the Mauryan Dynasty. This book is critical in understanding the impact of the changes Ashoka makes. How Ashoka Maurya’s Conversion to Buddhism Affected the History of India Ashoka Maurya was the third ruler of the Mauryan Dynasty about 263 BCE. After a bloody battle in Kalinga, he renounced brutality and endeavored to rule his empire rule according to the Buddhist doctrine of nonviolence. His grandfather and father did not follow Buddhism. Chandragupta, Ashoka’s grandfather, was the founder of the Mauryan Dynasty about 325 BCE. After Ashoka’s father, Bindusara, ruled for approximately twenty-five years, he handed the empire over to Ashoka. Northwestern India, in the fourth century BCE, consisted of independent tribes ineffective in uniting against outside resistance. Alexander conquered one tribe after another like a tornado ripping through the country. Yet after he returned to Greece, the leaders he left in place were soon murdered or overthrown. There was not enough support to sustain Alexander’s conquests. The significance of the Greek invasions and aftermath for India was that â€Å"Alexander had shattered the power of numerous petty kingdoms†¦ and created a military turbulence and a political weakness that were soon exploited by Chandragupta Maurya† (Gokhale 25). The young, strong, and ruthless Chandragupta, an opportunist with Kautalya’s encouragement, took advantage of this time to seize power. Under Chandragupta, the empire enjoyed great success. Much of the wealth came from widespread foreign trade with Greece, Rome, and China. The affluence was not gained for him, but he used the wealth to improve his empire, including irrigation systems and new roads. His example of investing in the empire would later be seen with Ashoka. Megasthenes, a Greek historian living in India at the time, recorded his personal observations concerning the Mauryan rule in Indika. Gokhale quoted excerpts from Indika: Ashoka’s father, Bindusara, extended the Mauryan Empire and conquered the land between the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. At the time of Bindusara’s death, about 273 BCE, almost the entire Indian subcontinent was part of the Mauryan Dynasty. The only troublesome territory was Kalinga on the eastern coast. His son, Ashoka, would eventually obtain this area by brutal force and regret thisaction for the rest of his life. Ashoka was next in line to rule the flourishing Mauryan Dynasty. During the first years of Ashoka’s rule, he was as warlike as his grandfather conquering tribes in the east and earning the name â€Å"one without sorrow. † The province of Kalinga, a rich and fertile land outside Ashoka’s empire, remained independent and was particularly troublesome to him. Ashoka determined that the future of his empire was threatened, if he did not control Kalinga. Another motive for wanting control of this province was that valuable trade routes passed through it. About 261 BCE in the eighth year of his reign, Ashoka marched towards Kalinga. King Ashoka’s reaction to the battle was unique. â€Å"Never before in the history of humanity, nor afterwards, has a king publicly expressed genuine grief for a deed commonly regarded as the legitimate business of kings. The war of Kalinga was the first and last war waged by Ashoka† (Gokhale 59). History did not record exactly when Ashoka converted to Buddhism, but his own words in stone certainly recorded the impact this battle had on his moving towards the non-violent doctrine of Buddhism. Some historians believed that Ashoka had already converted before the battle at Kalinga. Scholars felt his commitment to the non-violent doctrine of Buddhism simply grew after he witnesses the destruction (Guruge 52). Using the dates of K. Rangaswami, Ashoka was crowned as king and joined the Buddhists as a laymen the same year, 269 BCE (145). The battle at Kalinga was fought three years later. Rock inscriptions found in three different sites said: â€Å"I did not progress well for a year. † Another important piece to understanding why Ashoka chose Buddhism was his upbringing. His early education under Hindu beliefs paralleled particular Buddhist doctrine, including the importance of one’s dharma, or moral duty. Ashoka was raised under the teachings Kautalya, a Brahmin and a contemporary of Aristotle. Kautalya’s ideologies regarding a king’s responsibilities were recorded in his book, Arthashastra, literally meaning principles of wealth. The writings expanded beyond wealth to a pragmatic philosophy regarding all the responsibilities of statehood: taxation, administration, law, diplomacy, trade, labor, and land occupancy. The Arthashastra explained that a king had two objectives: â€Å"one of which was the exercise of power, and the other the practice of benevolence† (Gokhale 39). This balance was ingrained in the Mauryan rulers as all three were raised under Kautalya’s principles of statehood. Kautalya taught that power â€Å"could be legitimate only if used in pursuit of the dharma† (Gokhale 38). Dharma was a central concept in both Hinduism and Buddhism. Ashoka embraced the doctrine of dharma before his conversion for this belief was part of Kautalya’s training. Buddhism was appealing to this king because he was comfortable with dharma. The Mauryan king eventually rejected the Brahmin’s teaching regarding the necessary show of force, and became infamous for proclaiming dharma in every area of government. Who was personally responsible for Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism? The rock and pillar inscriptions did not give one-person credit. History recorded a few personal encounters Ashoka had with Buddhists: his nephew, a monk in northern India and his first wife. These experiences were a positive influence in his choice of Buddhism. Ashoka throughout his whole life, before and after conversion, was tolerant and respectful of all religions. Not only did he permit all faiths to worship freely, he often invited them to the palace for their advice. Mahavamsa, a Sri Lankan Buddhist text from the fifth century CE, told the tale of how dissatisfied Ashoka was after a session with Brahmins and holy men of other sects regarding the distribution of charity moneys (Gokhale 61). He stood by the palace window and noticed a young man, Nigrodha. It turned out that Nigrodha was his nephew, the son of Ashoka’s elder brother, who had been killed in a struggle for the throne after Bindusara. Given audience with the king, his nephew preached a sermon; Ashoka heard Buddhist doctrine from a family relation. The Sanskrit Buddhist text, Divyavadana gave a monk, Upagupta, the credit for Ashoka’s conversion. A whole sequence of Buddhist stories concerning Ashoka, the proverbial poster child for this religion, was quite contradictory making it hard to give them much credence. Buddhist texts tended to glorify Ashoka’s conversion (understandably so for he was great advertisement). Regardless, one can imagine that a personal encounter with a very convincing monk made an impression on Ashoka. The most historically documented encounter Ashoka had with Buddhism was with Devi, his first wife. At approximately age eighteen, Ashoka was given the responsibility to govern Avanti, a province in central India. Here tribal villages were often rebelling against their incorporation into the Mauryan Dynasty. Avanti was vital to the Mauryan Empire for its agriculture (wheat in particular), its trade, and its commerce (Gokhale 39). This province was a center for Buddhism with two major monasteries located near important trade routes that connected southern and western cities. The deeply entwined political and religious climate during Ashoka’s lifetime was an important clue in understanding his choice of Buddhism. Hinduism, the major religion at the time of Ashoka, began between 2000 BCE and 1500 BCE with the entrance of the Aryans, nomadic herders from central Asia. By the third century BCE, Buddhism (still considered a sect) was emerging as an adversary to many Hindu social values, in particular the priestly hierarchy. History would later show that it was Ashoka’s attention to Buddhism that was the catalyst for its growth into a major religion in India. Economically, Buddhism was advantageous to Ashoka, also. Partially due to the Buddhist influence, the Indian social hierarchy started to see a transfer in power. Buddha’s teachings encouraged the people to reevaluate the Brahmin traditions, including the need for priests. The authority of the Brahmins was slowly shifting away to favor the merchant class. Prior to the Mauryan Dynasty and certainly during it, India was enjoying strong economical advantages. The development of trade and commerce was partially due to the growth of several trade routes crisscrossing northern, central, and western India. Many factors contributed to Ashoka’s conversion and choice of Buddhism. Ashoka had many emotional, pre-existing connections to move him in the direction of a non-violent philosophy. The battle at Kalinga produced a deep-rooted emotional response as he declared in a rock edict that he was filled with remorse, sorrow and regret. His personal encounters with a nephew, a monk, and, most importantly, a woman he loved, Devi, all contributed to favorably looking towards Buddhism. As the ruler of the Mauryan Dynasty, he wanted to provide the best for his people, and politically, Buddhism was becoming more popular than the ritualistic Brahmin ways. With many encounters with this rising religion, it was not surprising to see the third ruler of the Mauryan Dynasty embrace Buddhism. Ashoka Maurya transformed himself and his state before the very eyes of his people. He changed from a ruler trained in the Indian tradition of military conquest to a benevolent monarch. His desire for his people was inscribed in stone: â€Å"All men are my people†¦ I desire that they be provided with complete welfare and happiness in this world† (Kalinga RE 1). India for him was now a large family over whom he presided with the Buddhism as his guide. The concept of dharma was not solitary to Buddhism alone. Hindus, Jains and other popular sects at that time included a code of ethics. Dharma was part of the currency of ethical norms propounded by various teachers (Thapar 32). What made Ashoka unique was that as the most powerful man on the Indian subcontinent, he adopted a policy of goodness to all (previous enemies included) and non-violence in domestic and foreign affairs.

Zenzele Review

Zenzele Review If you recall my previous comments on the novel Zenzele, by our contemporary J. Nozipo Maraire, you undoubtedly know that my appreciation of this book ends on the first page. I have previously stated that because of her elementary writing style and child-like narration (un-befitting of the adult narrator), I have hopelessly lost any interest that I could hold to this piece of literature. For this essay, I will attempt to stifle my true opinion of the book and address the social significance of the themes and ideals expressed to racism and prejudice in society today.Shiri, our narrator, lives a simple life in Zimbabwe. That is, if simple includes a massive revolution for independence and facing brutal racism every minute of every day. By mixing history, memory, and tradition, Shiri recounts her life experiences into a symphony of wisdom in which she advises her daughter, Zenzele, a student at Harvard, on how to live her life.'RACISM/THERE IS MORE TO LEARN' Dominic JacquesMost importan tly, Shiri teaches her daughter how to survive as an independent woman in the alien and oppressive culture that is the United States of America. Shiri coaxes her daughter not to forget the culture of her homeland. She insists that stories and traditions from the past can be applied to any point in history, and encourages Zenzele to find meaning in her anecdotes about love, conflict, prejudice, and tradition.While Maraire tells of family and marriage, much of the novel is centered around the revolution of Zimbabwe natives against their European colonial enemy. The import of such a xenotypic culture sparks much civil unrest that leads to brutal prejudice of the natives by the white folk. "Prejudice is in the eye of the beholder... Racism is a phenomenal thing; it is like a thick mist that obscures the vision...

Free Essays on Eyes Of The Dragon

The role of animals in The Eyes of the Dragon is a very significant theme in the novel. Through the development of the novel, the animal kingdom is very apparent in the novel from insects to dogs and they all play their own, individual roles. The great black and white Andean Husky named Frisky who is, out of all of her dogs, Naomi’s favorite, leads Ben Staad and Naomi directly to the whereabouts of Dennis, Peter’s butler. Flagg’s animals are symbols of his plans for the downfall of Delain. The dragon that is killed by King Roland may be considered the most the memorable of all. In this tale, Thomas sees Flagg murder Thomas’s father through the eyes of the dragon. In the end of the novel, though, all of the animal’s roles fall into place. Frisky, Naomi’s companion, is a strong-willed, over-confident, Anduan Husky who may have been the greatest tracking dog that ever lived. This dog sums up the meaning of a man’s best friend. Frisky, who can track a three-day-old scent in the middle winter, is the reason the story takes place as it does. Frisky uses her keen sense of smell to pinpoint exactly where Dennis, son of Brandon, has journeyed to from Peyna’s farmhouse. Dennis’s mission is to go back to the castle where Thomas the Tax-Bringer and Flagg, the king’s magician, live and are at high power. Peyna, who has just given up his Judge-General’s bench, has a feeling that there is some reason why Peter has asked for the Royal Napkins and his mother’s dollhouse. Dennis is to find this reason by sending a letter to Peter, who is imprisoned at the time. Dennis journeys from Peyna’s farm in the Inner Baronies back to the fearful castle with nothing except f or the risks of getting killed. Five days later, with not a soul knowing the whereabouts of Dennis, Naomi and Ben Staad (Peter’s best friend) come upon the deserted farm. Naomi’s dogs have been pulling the sleds for thirty miles all the way from... Free Essays on Eyes Of The Dragon Free Essays on Eyes Of The Dragon The role of animals in The Eyes of the Dragon is a very significant theme in the novel. Through the development of the novel, the animal kingdom is very apparent in the novel from insects to dogs and they all play their own, individual roles. The great black and white Andean Husky named Frisky who is, out of all of her dogs, Naomi’s favorite, leads Ben Staad and Naomi directly to the whereabouts of Dennis, Peter’s butler. Flagg’s animals are symbols of his plans for the downfall of Delain. The dragon that is killed by King Roland may be considered the most the memorable of all. In this tale, Thomas sees Flagg murder Thomas’s father through the eyes of the dragon. In the end of the novel, though, all of the animal’s roles fall into place. Frisky, Naomi’s companion, is a strong-willed, over-confident, Anduan Husky who may have been the greatest tracking dog that ever lived. This dog sums up the meaning of a man’s best friend. Frisky, who can track a three-day-old scent in the middle winter, is the reason the story takes place as it does. Frisky uses her keen sense of smell to pinpoint exactly where Dennis, son of Brandon, has journeyed to from Peyna’s farmhouse. Dennis’s mission is to go back to the castle where Thomas the Tax-Bringer and Flagg, the king’s magician, live and are at high power. Peyna, who has just given up his Judge-General’s bench, has a feeling that there is some reason why Peter has asked for the Royal Napkins and his mother’s dollhouse. Dennis is to find this reason by sending a letter to Peter, who is imprisoned at the time. Dennis journeys from Peyna’s farm in the Inner Baronies back to the fearful castle with nothing except f or the risks of getting killed. Five days later, with not a soul knowing the whereabouts of Dennis, Naomi and Ben Staad (Peter’s best friend) come upon the deserted farm. Naomi’s dogs have been pulling the sleds for thirty miles all the way from...

Adn Rn vs Bsn Rn Essay Example

Adn Rn vs Bsn Rn Essay Example Adn Rn vs Bsn Rn Essay Adn Rn vs Bsn Rn Essay Running head: Associate Degree Nurse versus Baccalaureate Degree Nurse Associate Degree Nurse versus Baccalaureate Degree Nurse Valerie Castillo Grand Canyon University NRS 430-V September 19, 2010 Associate Degree Nurse versus Baccalaureate Degree Nurse A registered nurse (RN) is defined as a highly trained and skilled professional who cares for those that are sick (Quan, 2006). They are educated and trained to care for those that have chronic and acute illness, they are also taught to help those with wellness issues. They use these learned skills along with their compassion to provide care to those in need. There are two very common types of nursing degrees earned: associates degree nurse (ADN) and baccalaureate degree nurse (BSN). Both degrees enable a nurse to work as nurse as long as they have passed the NCLEX-RN, licensing exam, so what is the difference between an ADN and BSN degree, is one RN more competent than the other? The biggest, most obvious difference is the length of education required in each degree. An ADN nurse often goes through 2-3 years of education before receiving a degree and becoming eligible to take the NCLEX-RN. An ADN program focuses more on technical skills rather than theory (Entry-Level Nursing Degree Programs, n. d. ). Whereas, a BSN nurse goes through 3-4 years of education before receiving a degree and becoming eligible to take the NCLEX-RN. A BSN program is the entry point for professional nursing and is often a requirement for many nursing positions (Entry-Level Nursing Degree Programs, n. d. ). Although all nurses must take the NCLEX-RN licensing exam to become a RN that is allowed to practice, this exam is only one indicator of competency and doesn’t test the skills learned in a BSN program. In 2001, the National Council of State Boards for Nursing conducted an Employer’s study, in this study they found employers had a strong preference for hiring experienced BSN nurses for management and RN specialty positions (Rosseter, 2010). Another survey published in Journal of Nursing Administration showed 72% of manager’s noticed differences in practice between BSN prepared nurses and ADN prepared nurses, particularly in regards to strong leadership skills and critical thinking skills (Rosseter, 2010). With regards to more critical thinking skills, studies have also been conducted with correlation to more BSN staff and lower rates of mortality. In the January 2007 issue of Journal of Advance Nursing, they found that â€Å"a 10% increase in the proportion of baccalaureate prepared nurses was associated with 9 fewer deaths for every 1,000 discharged patients† (Rosseter, 2010). In today’s society, practicing as an RN requires more than the ability to take doctor’s orders, follow them through and show competency in technical skills. It requires the nurse to take in consideration the patient as a whole and be able to make critical decisions; it also means that the nurse should be able to question a doctor’s order when they seem inappropriate. An RN with a BSN has often had more liberal arts classes which enables them to have sharper critical thinking skills along with having been exposed to more cultures and different people (Forster, n. d). An example, a 70-year old female patient was admitted on Tuesday for a skull fracture as a result of syncope. Initial cat scans showed a small subdural bleed in the left side of temporal and parietal lobes. The patient has since then been in the ICU, now out of the ICU on a neurological floor. The patient’s assessment has been stable with no changes noted in the neurological assessment; however the patient continues to complain of a headache, increased lightheadedness and dizziness with ambulation along with nausea. The days come and go, with the intent of discharging the patient but exactly a week later, still hospitalized the patient complains of the worst headache of her life and extreme nausea despite being given every anti-nausea medication possible. The doctors are made aware, a stat Cat Scan is performed, no change is noted to the bleed. The pain and nausea however are only worsening causing the patient to actually make herself through up. What next, disregard the patient’s pain and nausea as a result of the injury, so just continue to treat it or be the patient’s advocate and call the doctor insisting that something is still wrong? An ADN nurse, as she was educationally prepared to medicate patients as needed and based on their complaints, may disregard the headache and nausea and attribute it to a complication of this type of head injury. With that said the ADN RN is most likely to keep trying to give the patient more pain and nausea medication, in hopes that with time this phase of the injury may pass. A BSN nurse would more likely do a little more critical thinking and give it a holistic approach such as looking at all patient care aspects. This RN would probably redo a complete head to toe assessment and thorough neurological assessment. She may also look into the patient’s labs, further investigate the headache and nausea such as precipitating and aggravating factors, when it occurs, what makes it better or worse if anything and then call the doctor if indicated. All in all, both types of degrees enable a nurse to practice their job with competence however a BSN degree definitely opens up more opportunities and gives nurses the ability to give their patients the very best care possible. A BSN degree also prepares an RN to develop the critical thinking skills and communication skills that set a BSN nurse apart from an ADN nurse. References Entry-Level Nursing Degree Programs. (n. d. ). All Nursing Schools. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from allnursingschools. om/faqs/programs Forster, H. (n. d. ). ADN vs. BSN. Nursing Link. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://nursinglink. monster. com/education/articles/3842-adn-vs-bsn Quan, K. (2006, October 12). What is a Nurse? Retrieved September 17, 2010, from Http://www. suite101. com/content/what-is-a-nursea7761. Rosseter, R. (2010, March). Fact Sheet The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Retrieved September 17, 2010, from aacn. nche. edu/Media /FactSheets/ImpactEdNp. htm

Visual Rock Music Stars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Visual Rock Music Stars - Essay Example Above I provided some background information on the topic of rock and roll that will help me get closer to the topic that will be dealt with lower. The aim of my study is to examine the relationship between dress and ideology of visual rock music stars. This group was chosen as the visual nature of the group allows for a thorough analysis of the ways in which the beliefs of the group may affect their decisions relating to dress. In the frameowkr of my project, an interview was conducted with members of a rock music group in order to collect primary data on the topic. The interview is used in this study to ascertain the history of the group and the beliefs of the group. The interview was also used to obtain information about how the group's beliefs have changed over time. The information from the interview is presented here alongside with the relevant current literature to ascertain how the two are interlinked. The interview revealed several things, some of which were expected, but others which were surprising. The interview found that the band did not claim to hold any strong beliefs which related to politics or religion. The band members claimed that their ideology, focused more on having fun, and this was the image that they tried to portray. The band did acknowledge that there are many rock bands which do have strong ideologies. One such example, which they quoted was the British group the Sex Pistols, who were famous in the Punk Rock era of the 1980s. They were as famous for their strong beliefs in anarchy and hatred of the British political regimes as they were for their music. The interview also revealed that the rock group was heavily influenced by other counterpart rock groups. Though, not only other... This "Visual Rock Music Stars" essay outlines the history of rock’n’roll music and how it affects the fashion. There was a rock band specifically mentioned in the interview that was the Sex Pistols. This band is considered to be an iconic rock band on many levels. Their music was highly controversial and being produced and released independently. That state of things allowed the band a large degree of freedom that many other bands which having signed to corporate brands did not possess. The entire stance which was adopted by the group was â€Å"anti-establishment†. It is for this reason that the Sex Pistols selected their dress. They aimed to take the clothes which were seen as socially acceptable at that time and transform them into a dress code, which would be highly controversial. It was not only the clothes which the Sex pistols altered in an attempt to shock, moreover, they also adopted hairstyles such as the Mohican, died their hair dramatic colors, and dec orated their bodies with tattoos and piercings. Other rock bands at the time did not possess the same levels of freedom, and as a result, their images were far more controlled by the record label and have not been so distinct. Goshert (2000) suggests that although the majority of modern bands would not consider themselves to be ‘punk’ bands, they are still heavily influenced by the ideology of bands such as the Sex Pistols. For example when the photos of the band interviewed were inspected it would be possible to see some elements of ‘punk’ dress in their early photos.

Select one human rights region and analyse the mechanisms for the Essay

Select one human rights region and analyse the mechanisms for the protection of up to two human rights issues. Your should - Essay Example The notion of human rights is an arena which can be associated with the above stated abstract concept4. Human rights are basically rights that are considered to be as intrinsic attributes5 to all the human beings devoid of their nationality, sexual orientation, color of the skin, language as well as other status. All human beings are the entitled to equal rights without any discrimination and the rights are all associated with each other with their independent existence and bearing the attributes of indivisibility6. The universal human rights are rights which are actually exhibited as well as stipulated by the law, by various general principles as well as various other sources of international law7. On the other hand the international human rights are rights which are basically obligations laid down by several governments of nation8 which direct towards acting in certain ways for the purpose of promoting as well as protecting human rights as well as the fundamental freedoms of indivi duals or groups9. 1.2 Human rights violation But despite the establishment of legal framework of human rights and rising concerns there has been mass scale violation of the human rights in different corners of the world10. There lies a basic tension among the philosophy of the human rights and the way in which it is basically understood within the domain of social sciences11 .On an international basis there has been legislation of Human Rights Act of 1998 as well as the European Convention on Human Rights but there has been wide spread violations of human rights12. Human rights violation comes in various forms13 where the individuals are denied of their basic entitlements be it moral, physical or mental. Human rights violation creates a way in which the human beings face treatment as if they are less than human and they do not deserve respect or dignity. The instances of human rights violation include torture, slavery, ethnic discrimination, deprivation from educational facilities a s well as basic amenities of life, rape, enforced sterilization, medical experimentation as well as deliberate starvation. These policies are quite often implemented by the governments which restricts controlled power of the state being an important part of the international law. There are various underlying laws that restricts various crimes against humanity which is the principle of non discrimination and application of certain rights in an universal manner14. 2. Aims and objectives of the paper 2.1 Human Rights region- Emphasis on Latin America Latin America is one of the regions which have encountered rapid human rights violation. In the recent times the major focus may have been on the elections of Mexico, Venezuela as well as United States of America but it has been also seen that there has been almost a slow death of the human rights system of Latin America. In this paper we will be discussing the extra judicial killings as well as the issues of property rights and some other related issues in Latin American countries. The paper will be directing towards critically evaluating the legislation and policy documents which are adopted by the political organs within the region. Discussions will be made on the extent to which there is consistency within various political organs on the human rights issues in the region. The other part will be directing towards analyzing the judicial decisions on the issues of the human

Letter to the editor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Letter to the editor - Essay Example Although police officers require sophisticated weapons and equipment there should be a limit on the type of arms that police officers should carry. The main reason why the country has both the police and the army is that the two forces have different responsibilities and training. Soldiers are trained to defend the country by eliminating the enemy through all possible means (Franceschi-Bicchierai web). On the other hand, police officers are expected to maintain law and order through sustainable public relations. The differences in duties of police and military officers indicate that the two officials require different equipments. Acquisition of military equipments indicates that police officers have neglected their duties or the police departments have misplaced priorities. Fighting crime is a significant duty of the police officers. However, the role prevents the police officers from concentrating on other duties that are critical to the public. For instance, a police officer is expected to ensure that people conduct their businesses without hindrance. Acquisition of heavy weapons indicates that police officers are more concerned with criminals than with the citizens. I think that the police departments would have considered acquiring more ambulances and fire fighting equipment instead of the military equipment. Through the acquisition of such equipments, the police department would show that its operations are of public interest. The other aspect demonstrated by the move, is the level of crime within different cities across the United States. In the last decade, crime level increased by 10% across major US cities. Armed robbery and drug trafficking are among the common crimes. According to the criminologist theorists, criminals respond according to the authority. This indicates that the move taken by police departments would have a similar response from the criminals. Criminals are likely to acquire

Discuss the use of directed evolution in enzyme technology Essay

Discuss the use of directed evolution in enzyme technology - Essay Example Moreover, the synthesis of molecules in the laboratory requires the aid of enzymes. However, scientists have had challenges in designing highly specific enzymes that exhibit remarkable stability for use in the different processes that require enzymes. Initially, they relied on rational design, but the products of this process did not prove desirable. The emergence of the directed evolution enzyme technology in the 1990s has served to alter the production of enzymes. This process relies on selected parent gene, subjection to a mutagen until they yield variants of the parent gene selected. This paper will discuss the process of directed evolution enzyme technology (Simpson 2012, p. 54). Prior to the development of the directed evolution concept, the application of enzymes in a diverse range of processes presented salient challenges. As many enzymologists have described, enzyme specificity is the most critical aspect in the functioning of any enzyme. The enzyme must exhibit exemplary specificity for its substrates. This serves to increase its efficiency in the catalysis process. However, many of the enzymes developed for use in many processes exhibited limited specificity (Soetaert & Vandamme 2007, p. 146). Moreover, whereas many processes were designed to occur at remarkably high temperatures, many enzymes proved unstable. Evidently, many of the enzymes exhibited low and undesirable reaction rates, and the rates of substrate conversion proved slow. In other cases, product inhibition occurred, retarding the process. These challenges necessitated the development of a procedure that could serve as a reliable method for the production of enzymes with desirable qualitie s. As highlighted above, the process of rational design that comprised of screening produced DNA libraries and subsequently engineering them did not address most of these setbacks (Arnold & Georgiou 2003, p. 54). The minimal success in rational design is

Reserch paper on Internet Security(Master level) based on Electronic Essay

Reserch paper on Internet Security(Master level) based on Electronic Business Design - Essay Example However, E Commerce is no panacea. As the dependence on the Internet increases, so do the pertinent risks that might hamper the profitability of a business due to computer criminals. The past few years have revealed that most people are not proactive towards Internet security and tend to wake up to its importance only after the disaster has already struck. This paper aims at analysing the impact Internet security has on electronic business. The prevalent norms of electronic business are analysed and the security mandated are considered. Current security standards are analysed and their loopholes are presented. Finally the paper concludes with the presentation of the prospective state of Internet security. The availability of commodity priced IT systems, high speed and affordable communications infrastructure and ever increasing research and development in computer languages have swelled Electronic Commerce. But what exactly is E Commerce The ubiquitous definition of E Commerce would be, "Buying and selling of goods on the Internet". However this definition is a little too coarse; too simple. The eCommerce Innovation Centre provides a more pragmatic view by defining E Commerce as every form of business or administrative transaction or exchange of information between a company and its outside world (eCIC, 2001). The first implementations of E Commerce applications can be traced back to the early 1970s, when a few companies began exchanging data among themselves through Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), a prevalent industry standard for inter enterprise communication. Since then there has been no looking back. Companies began deploying huge corporate networks with groups of systems per form certain business tasks. The major springboard to E Commerce was provided by the low cost entry of the Internet. Virtually every major company started transforming their businesses to global level through Internet (Gottardi et al, 2004). However today, just a decade after the revolution, E Commerce is plainly considered to be a synonym for high profits. It is an underlying business philosophy assumption of major companies and not some necessary technological breakthrough. Such a ubiquity of E Commerce was mainly due to its potential to lead to dramatic growth in trade and improved efficiency and effectiveness of business practises. As of today, E Commerce consists of several theoretical models, which provide a company with the tools to support the 5 essential elements of conducting business, namely price, promotion, presence, product and place. The important models are: Merchant Model: This model is typically used by traders, resellers, wholesaler and retailers of goods and services. It includes 24x7 ordering and one to one custom marketing (embellix, 2000). Auction Model: This model emulates the traditional 'bidding' model. It implements the bidding mechanisms by presenting goods and their value online. Manufacturer Model: It is used by the manufacturers directly to communicate to the consumers about their goods and service

Discuss the use of directed evolution in enzyme technology Essay

Discuss the use of directed evolution in enzyme technology - Essay Example Moreover, the synthesis of molecules in the laboratory requires the aid of enzymes. However, scientists have had challenges in designing highly specific enzymes that exhibit remarkable stability for use in the different processes that require enzymes. Initially, they relied on rational design, but the products of this process did not prove desirable. The emergence of the directed evolution enzyme technology in the 1990s has served to alter the production of enzymes. This process relies on selected parent gene, subjection to a mutagen until they yield variants of the parent gene selected. This paper will discuss the process of directed evolution enzyme technology (Simpson 2012, p. 54). Prior to the development of the directed evolution concept, the application of enzymes in a diverse range of processes presented salient challenges. As many enzymologists have described, enzyme specificity is the most critical aspect in the functioning of any enzyme. The enzyme must exhibit exemplary specificity for its substrates. This serves to increase its efficiency in the catalysis process. However, many of the enzymes developed for use in many processes exhibited limited specificity (Soetaert & Vandamme 2007, p. 146). Moreover, whereas many processes were designed to occur at remarkably high temperatures, many enzymes proved unstable. Evidently, many of the enzymes exhibited low and undesirable reaction rates, and the rates of substrate conversion proved slow. In other cases, product inhibition occurred, retarding the process. These challenges necessitated the development of a procedure that could serve as a reliable method for the production of enzymes with desirable qualitie s. As highlighted above, the process of rational design that comprised of screening produced DNA libraries and subsequently engineering them did not address most of these setbacks (Arnold & Georgiou 2003, p. 54). The minimal success in rational design is

Managers can and will help employees with family responsibilities Essay

Managers can and will help employees with family responsibilities. It's not the job of governments.' Evaluate these claims - Essay Example Technology itself has become a double edged weapon. On the one hand technology is connecting the world together and on the other, weapons of mass destruction are creating a feeling of insecurity amongst individuals, resulting in more scepticism and animosity. Slowly and surely, with the passage of time, individuals are realising that co-dependency and mutual assurance are the traits that will lead to progress and a general sense of well-being. Therefore people are now adopting a more lenient attitude towards each others and are making a deliberate effort in assisting one another. These qualities are now being promoted by countries through globalisation and even in countries relatively untouched by globalisation like the third world nations, policies such as progressive moderation are being encouraged, which talk of more moderate schemes. However in implementing the unified world vision of the world coming together, that most government dignitaries seem to be sharing these days, the government of all countries finds itself to be too engaged. They now need this burden to be shared. This is where the companies are coming in. The higher staffs at workplaces, like Managers, are now personally taking an interest in their employees. They are as sisting their employees in their personal responsibilities such as that of their families. Managers are in a position where they can help their employees with their family responsibilities and are doing so. Whether the personal affairs of an employee’s family is the government’s job or not is a debatable issue however we are noticing a responsive attitude on the part of the Manager. In human resource management related workplaces, Manager’s specifically cater to the needs of their employees. For instance The Federal Government’s Human Resources Agency guideline states in its Office of Personal Management, that:’ The

The Ghosts of My Lai Essay Example for Free

The Ghosts of My Lai Essay Sometimes events in a person’s life can have dramatic effects long after the incident is over. If the problems are serious enough, psychological and mental imbalances can occur. Such is the case with John Wade. His participation in the My Lai massacre in Vietnam never leaves his consciousness. It haunts him in the forms of dreams and affects his self perception and behavior. Ultimately, it casts upon him the suspicion of murder. Throughout the details of John and Kathy’s days at the cabin, John’s nights are troubled by dreams of his time in Vietnam. He dreams of shooting his trenchmate and of other amorphous yet frightening memories. His lack of sleep and the anxiety these dreams cause haunt him during the day as well. His mutterings of â€Å"Kill Jesus† are a concise manifestation of this problem. Other than the dreams, John still internalizes his persona as a sorcerer. From his childhood, John turned to magic to make his problems disappear, or as he notes, â€Å"where he could turn bad things into good things and just be happy† (O’Brien 66). His father’s taunts at his weight and his father’s alcoholism were made easier to bear by his ability to perform tricks. When he goes to Vietnam, he internalizes his role as the magician even more and is given the nickname Sorcerer by his platoon mates. However, when he cannot make all the death and destruction disappear, the doubts begin to creep in. He accidentally kills one of his own men, makes him disappear, and this constantly affects him through dreams. Later, in the My Lai massacre, he adopts the name Sorcerer himself, perhaps as a way to disengage himself from the murders he was committing and from his ultimate crimes. Once home, he continues this need to control. He creeps around and spies on Kathy while she is at college, deriving a sordid feeling of power from this secrecy. He acknowledges that â€Å"The trick then was to be vigilant. He would guard his advantage. The secrets would remain secret – the things he’d seen, the things he’s done. He would repair what he could, he would endure, he would go from year to year without letting on that there were tricks† (O’Brien 46). It sounds as if John cannot separate his experience with death and fear in the war with his fear that his wife will somehow leave him. These feelings followed them throughout their lives, never letting up. Alcoholism also impeded upon their lives. He refuses psychiatric help. Infidelity and the ghosts of Vietnam eventually erupt to the surface, ruining John’s political career. He finds he has lost control of his life, and with the disappearance of his wife, of Kathy herself. At the end, he loses himself, leaving only speculation of what could have happened to his wife. The stress that Wade endured in Vietnam, particularly his role in the My Lai massacre, coupled with the dysfunction in his relationship with his father all led to a frightened but controlling husband in John Wade. The mystery continues.

Human Resource

Human Resource Human Resource (H.R): Introduction The word â€Å"manage† as used in business can simply be defined as the art of dealing with people with the aim of bringing the best out of then so as to improve the productivity of the business. It is not easy to manage some of the things we have that have no life let alone people. People are complex in themselves and to have different people from different backgrounds to work together can prove to be very difficult. It is however possible for people to come together for a common goal. It does not matter how they are going to achieve their goal but the common thing that they want to achieve plays a very important role in taming people to put their differences aside and work together. Rothwell (2008, p.23) argues that it is mandatory for a leader in a business to be very good at people-skills for it is the people working at the business that are the most important people in the business. Without employees in a business then the business does not achieve its goals. They are the people that make things move. There is therefore no escaping people-skills if a business venture is to highly perform. â€Å"Management is nothing more than motivating other people†. These are the words of Lee Iacocca – former CEO Chrysler. It is therefore important for a manager to have some basic tips on how to manage people. It is vital that a manager delegates most of the objectives set to achieve so that he or she gets time to manage the team he or she has been given to manage. It also helps the manager to clear his or her mind. It is very important that the person who delegates has a clear head on his or her shoulders. Pearce and Conger (2002, p.41) identify that one of the most important â€Å"X factor† is team work. A strong team delivers most of the things put before it. This paper will focus on teamwork and critically analyse it on how it can be used to improve performance. When people come together, more ideas are bound to be generated, there is strength in numbers and also there is the variety being applied in order to achieve a common objective. Whenever humans come together with a common objective there is very little that they cannot do. It is important that the tem leader gets to have a one on one understanding with each of the team members so as to know the individual strengths of the team members. It is in this way that the responsibilities are divided. One does what they are good at but with the conscious awareness that he or she is only but a piece of a jigsaw, that there are others that are also specialising in their area of expertise to complete the jig saw into one complete thing that makes economic and objective sense (Michaels, 1994, p.45). The only reason a company would invest in its people is so as to enhance performance of the business. They are the key players in an organisation and should be handled with care. There are various ways in which organisations or businesses entice and build their employees so as to achieve higher quality and quantity performance. A business is judged by its outcome. It is the various people employed to work for the venture equipped with the spirit of teamwork that determine the performance of the business. It is quite clear that team work is then a very important factor as it is the ship in which if the business sails, it will never drown or subdue to the waves of furious business challenges. The winning team It is always feels good to be associated with winning. It makes one feel like they are pursuing a worthy cause. If a team is to be put together in a business then it better be a winning team. It is not enough to hire professionals who know what they are supposed to do at exactly which time to have a winning team but recruiting a group of people who will work together in the most efficient of ways. A team that has people who share the same destination work extremely well with each other. It is only when people in a team do not share a vision that they do not work well. A team is defined by the togetherness in achieving the specific goals and objectives of a business. When people share a vision then what do they have to fight over and not work together? Nothing. Differences may exist between individuals but for as long as they have a common goal then they can do anything despite their differences. In order for a team to have a common goal, then it is good practice for members to meet in order to discuss the various projects that have to be undertaken. The secret behind managing people is in a business is to make the employees or the team members feel like they coined and own the business objectives, vision and mission. Koestenbaum (2002, p.74) reveals that this will help people to have a common sense of direction. This implies that he visions, missions and objectives of a business need to have a strong base upon which, a strong team is built. Any team has problems but it is up to the team leader to be very sensitive to any slight behavioural change that would reduce the performance of the team in the long run. The team leader as a people manager should also talk to the team members and encourage them. When one is given motivation to do something, a person is performs even better as they flourish in the though that it is not only him or her that believes he or she can do it but also the team leader. There are teams made up of simple human beings like any human being but thee is always something about the teams. They have the attitude that they were born to win. An example of one such team is â€Å"Manchester United Football Team†. They believe that they are winners. When a person believes something, it is very difficult for them not to make it a reality. It is important that people managing people instil a winning attitude in their team members (Lawler et al., 2004, p.14). It goes a long way in building a strong competent team. How Teamwork affects other key performance areas This can be illustrated by a diagram which is shown below: According to Vandenberg and Lance (1992, p.156), under managing self we have several issues that are worth elaborating and they are eight in number. The very first one is the creative nature and originality of the self. Teamwork improves the ability of a person to get creative and think of ways to get out of tasks presented to him or her that are challenging. This is because the person is always trying to get out of something and always jogging his or her mind to get out of something. The person also wants to be original. It is very difficult to find unethical leadership in a person who leads a team or even the team member himself or herself. A person is always out to improve and to build the winning team so as to achieve the objectives of the business and also get to improve the performance of the team. Performance is core in teams so the self is built to consider ethics when tackling organisational challenges (Walker, 2002, p.36). It is the people around us that build us. Man is no island. People in good teams have been found to have a better way of communication and also have the character to go with this. For a good team to succeed, the members that comprise it have to be in constant communication with each other. A marriage is a good example of a team. Whenever there is breakdown of communication in a marriage then it becomes difficult for things to move. Good marriages are ones in which there is constant effective communication going on, on the regular (West, 2004, p.6). It is through teamwork that a person becomes effective in communication and also gets to know the character he or she should acquire in order to succeed in the business world. Managing people is not only about managing other people but also managing the self. Team work greatly helps in doing this. In teams, it is normal for people to make contributions that they own in order to steer their objective forward. This helps to build a person I problem solving skills which is a factor important to have in the business world. Williams and Anderson , (1991, p.604) concurs that the values of the self are also improved or built. In good effective teams, good values are encouraged as undesirable ones are normally discouraged. This helps a person to always focus on having good values whose practice leads to them sticking. Effective teams have brainstorming sessions where team members contribute in order to make the achievement of their objectives a success. This helps a person to improve their thinking capacities and also helps team members to think in a way that optimises the performance of the business (Blau, 1985, p.279). It gives the individual that deliberate way of thinking that involves thinking in a certain direction. Team members benefit by being in such teams. For a team to succeed then the personalities of the persons in it need to be on point. It is the work personality that helps team members to be able to work through their differences with that common vision in mind. When members learn the personality they need to have in order to work together they will definitely practice this as all of them want to get to the goal so bad. In life, it really matters how badly, one wants to get something as if one does not want something so badly, they will not put differences aside, they will not work hard enough and they will not value input from team members. Under managing people, there are four key areas that need to be discussed and team work is a major component or ingredient in managing people. Arbinger Institute (2002, p.9) suggests that there is team work, the diversity of people, transformed leadership and motivating people. Team work is intertwined with the three issues as it is in team work that people are motivated to push on in order to improve performance. Leadership Leadership is also transformed in team work as most of the time, it is not the team members that learn from the team leader but it is the team leader most of the time rather than not that learn from the team members (National Institute of Social Work, 1996, p.11). The members teach the leaders on hoe to lead knowingly or unknowingly. This gives birth to a new way of leading especially if the leader of a tea listens to his members. Teams can be made up of a rich diversity of people which can either be used to achieve the objectives of a business or also allow the differences that exist within to ruin the team. In International Companies, recruitment as in the type of the company is done at an international level. This means that people will be mixed from different cultures and backgrounds and also different races as well (Block, 1996, p.33). It is quite challenging building a team of people of the same background. It is quite tasking to build a team that comprises of different people. People of one background have been seen to appreciate the music from another background even when they do not know what they are saying. It is in this regard that a team leader needs to direct his team members to be able to dance to the same tune which is synonymous to achieving the same objectives of the business. Such teams come to appreciate diversity. They come to understand that people are different but sure can work together in order to achieve a common goal. Brown and Wardle (1996, p.12) argues that managing work is also another factor that is intertwined with team work. In order to manage a team then the work also has to be managed; the work needs to be kept track of. It is very important that work goes on smoothly in a team even when the management of the team has to be changed for this purpose. Managing work involves the judgement of decisions and also the ability to manage the decision. A decision can be evaluated on the basis of the results of the work that is done or the work that has been achieved in order. The team can easily be evaluated on the same based on the decisions the team made. A team can be judged based on the decisions they made. The decisions they make have to improve performance in the business or organisation (Covey, 2009, p.62). Once the decision is made, then it needs to be managed. When a decision is not managed, then it beats logic to have made the decision in the first place. It is important that team members carry follow through their decisions in order to achieve the task given to undertake. A good team is one that manages the team members well. A strong human resource management is a must in strong teams. Whenever the human resource in a team is good, there are very slim chances of a team not doing its best to accomplish whatever task that is presented before them. We have seen that people are very important and it is through people that a business gets to achieve its objectives. According to Dimma (2007, p.47), a good human resource department forming part of a team will value the employee and make that employee as reasonably comfortable as possible in order for the business to achieve its objectives. A good human resource sub team will provide incentives to persons working in their business; give them a reason to turn down job offers given by other businesses or companies. Good teams also ensure that they manage the information they have in a way to improve performance rather than sitting on information. It is the information we gather in business or in life that assist us in making decisions hence the word informed decision. It is important that a team acts on the basis that it has information. Innovation, Priority management and Objective setting are al components of managing work but also relate to team work (Harrison, 1972, p.28). It is in teams that innovative ideas, decisions and work emerge from. This is because of the team aspect. Teams also prioritise in terms of work so as not to leave important work pending for a long time than usual. It is important that a team sets for itself objectives aside from the objectives of the business so as to also have a common goal in terms of work. Team building and Team Work Companies have been seen to spend quite a lot of money so as to improve the team building skills of their employees. This goes on to show just how important team work is important in the world we live in today especially in the business world. It is essential that a manager has team building skills as it is part and parcel of managing people. It is an important part of managing people. The same people can work by themselves but achieve less productivity. A good, strong team is one in which these same people come together and work towards a goal but perform much better than when they were working on an individual basis. This is the idea behind merging. Some companies merge because together, they have more yields and perform on a different level, giving their customers higher quality of service than when the companies were doing it on their own (Iverson and Roy, 1994, p.39). This is the secret of synergy. Individuals are different but synergised so as to achieve optimum performance. In team building, there are two very important factors to consider. One factor that we have to appreciate in team building is the diversity that exists in terms of the personalities that exist and also the skills. The different people have to be in such a way that they fully exploit their potential to the last drop but again, the weaknesses of the same people are covered for by the other people‘s strengths. Their different personalities have to be in a way that they balance out. In a good team, all ideas, works and decisions in a team made by different individuals are directed to a common purpose either created within the team or the objectives of the business (Goodwin, 2005, p.91). The goals have to be clearly understood by the team members. When some team members get it while others don’t then already there is a loophole and the team is bound to fail because of a different set of goals embedded in the different team members’ minds. Team building Activities aimed at team building are very important so as to assist in the establishment of a strong team. To have a great team takes a lot of hard work, dedication and determination. Team building activities are therefore very important in that they assist in the building of a great team. It is important that a team is led by someone but not just anyone but a good leader. It may not help that a team has clearly understood the objectives, they ma have the same personality thus resulting in conflicts mostly because of fighting (Charan, Drotter and Noel, 2001, p.29). If everyone in a team wants to be a leader then we have a problem as each team member will be acting so as to show how he or she can dominate people. This has led to in-house fighting on too many an instance. There are many factors that have to be overcome to have a good team which is reason the more for team building activities to be taken seriously. There are basic techniques that have to be in place for an effective team to be built. The most obvious one is that all the team members need to have understood and clearly have the goals and objectives behind having the team and also the goals and objectives behind having the business or organisation. There also has to be a clear chain of command in that every single team member is completely aware of their duties and responsibilities and there should be no grey area in this. All the roles have to be distinct so that in the case that there is competition over a certain role then the role needs to be split into smaller distinct roles so as to avoid conflict in the team built. A team leader also needs to be able to spend time with his or her team members so as to understand the various personalities and skills he or she has in the team and also appreciate the same. When a team leader is fair, open, honest and loyal then it becomes a little bit easier to have the same back from the employees or team members. This may be summarised to leading by example. It is in team building activities that members learn how to trust each other and also be open with each other. When this is done then they work together better. The activities should have social times deliberately to prompt people to bond and share their experiences. They get to know each other better which is good for the business as this will help them accommodate each other’s faults but accentuating their strengths (Brion, 1989, p.32). This is what we want to achieve by having a team working on something. An example of one such activity is scheduling the week such that a specific day of the week is set aside so that employees or team members can share lunch. It is over this that they bond. The secret to having an effective team built is also to have the practice of involving the team members in the decision making process so that they feel like they own the decision. When one owns something, it is very difficult for them not to take care of it and watch it grow. The goal can be set in a group. The tactics to be used to undertake in undertaking challenges presented to a team are also brainstormed by the team with them being encouraged to give possible solutions. This leads to the obligated feeling of a team member since a sense of ownership has been cultivated in him or her, which leads to the commitment of team leaders to the cause of the team. There is also need to keep the lines of communication open in a team. It is through this that a team can succeed. Conclusion In today’s world, it is not so fashionable to do things on an individual basis as performance is result driven. The world expects so much from people that the only way the same expectation can be met is through team work. Most of the world’s greatest achievements have been accomplished because of team work. It is very difficult to achieve the results desired in a business single handily. It will have to be in a team. Team work is a very important aspect of business (Curry, et al., 1986, p.851). This explains why businesses always want to now if one is a team player before recruiting them into their companies. Business owners will look at a person’s history to be able to establish whether they are team players or not. It is quite normal in the global arena to find teams in businesses as people have appreciated strength in numbers. To achieve almost perfection in a business and to boost sales or improve the quality of businesses, team work is essential. It is important to have team skills whether one will eventually be a team member or a team leader (Kelley, 1999, p.63). A team leader is a leader to the extent of the performance of his or her team. A team leader is always a member of another team only on a different level. It is quite clear that the world revolves in team work. It is safe to say that the world is a family of teams; its just that they have different objectives and different personalities and skills. 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