Morality and Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Morality and Religion - Essay Example For example, offering animal and human sacrifices would comprise of such acts of appeasing the Gods. It these early days of religion, Gods were sought after as a matter of survival of the tribe or clan; and religious beliefs as they existed had little to do with morality. Irrespective of whether there was a cause-effect relationship between religious rituals and natural events, it is fair to say that primitive religious practices were done as a matter of survival and morality found no consideration. (Taliaferro, 2006) In wasnt until the rise of organized religion around two thousand years ago that the importance of morality to human lives got more attention. Seen from a theoretical viewpoint, all the major monotheistic religions – Christianity, Islam and Judaism – seem to fall under the non-consequentialist framework. The primary tenets of these religions ordain followers to act, think and behave in certain ways, not on the basis of rationality and logic but for the sake of virtues inherent in them. The immutability of religious commandments have made them controversial throughout history. Given that there is never any unanimous agreement about the validity and applicability of a certain principle under all contexts, it then follows that the non-consequentialist basis of most religions make them inadequate in dealing with social, interpersonal and individual problems. A good example of this point is the raging debate going on about stem-cell research in the United States. While stat istics clearly show that scientific advancement in this area would generally benefit humankind, these projects have been thwarted or hampered by fundamentalist Christian believers who take the word of the bible rather too literally. The same contingency is vehemently opposing the practice of abortion, irrespective of the consequences to baby and mother in the future. In contemporary times, fervent atheist

Funding proposal local resilienc prject Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Funding proposal local resilienc prject - Essay Example For the coastal areas, it means erosion and evacuation of people living near the coastlines. According to Dorrell, R. and Wentworth, J. (2010, p.1) UK has roughly 16,000,000 people affected by floods as of September 2010, because 30% of England and Wales live near the coastal areas. Thousands lose their power supply during heavy rains, storm, or unusually cold winter. Some die. Based on the study of Kapucu, Naim PhD. (2009), Losses amounted to billions of Sterling Pounds in 1987 alone. An ideal Local Resiliency Project should be the orchestration of Local Authorities, Community Association members, and SMEs for the planning, management, and control of provisions that will meet the needs of all community members. There are those provisions that only the government can afford to prepare. These would be the well-trained Special Rescue Forces and major equipment for rescue and evacuation of people and properties, namely, heavy duty boats, diving supplies, army trucks, helicopters, ambula nce, night vision devices. And there are infrastructures that Joint Ventures can construct on sturdy, higher grounds where people can be evacuated. Ideally, these infrastructures should consist of durable housing alternatives and the durable Storage Depot of basic needs for survival day and night. Eventually, the homeowners themselves can become shareholders of all these investments. It can start with a Grant for the organization, planning, and initial implementations. Eventually, the chosen location of the Storage Depot should accommodate alternative housing that people in lowlands can eventually own through financing schemes. Section 3. Objective of Projects & Project Outcomes (300 words ) Lancashire Coastline communities will be the immediate beneficiary of this Local Resiliency Project. This project proposal clarifies the critical needs of the community wherein a Local Resiliency Project will be launched. It will then develop a contingency plan whereby any simulated disaster or actual calamity can have an equivalent logical response that should negate the unwanted impact for most homeowners and businesses. Thus, the objectives include the following: a. To describe the community and specific location that will be involved in the creation of a Local Resiliency Project, in terms of the usual natural disturbance based on past months and years; b. To elaborate the reported consequences of those calamities in the past; c. To identify needs of the community so as to remain productive during and after the disasters; d. To describe the logical remedy along with the implications of providing a solution; e. To estimate cost of having such provisions; f. To summarize the benefits of investing on such a proposed Local Resiliency Project; g. To develop a plan of action with timetable for implementation and maintenance; h. To identify people and organizations who should be help accountable and responsible for the various stages of the project proposal; i. To prove how th is project will result in a resilient community over many years to come; j. To specify limitations of such provisions for the community. Section 4. Statement of Needs, Characteristics of Beneficiaries ( 500 words ) Large towns make up the coastal settlements of

RR13 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

RR13 - Article Example In my personal opinion, various books that address these concerns made for ESL learners have made intonation rules that are applicable to situations that are used in common or frequently encountered scenarios. â€Å"†¦..In this chapter we will treat both types of falling tones and both types of rising tones as interchangeable† (p. 2). Through this reading I can confirm that in a way, despite the differences in geographical area or location, teaching of intonation patterns to learners seems similar around the world. For instance, the manner in which a Swedish would raise and lower their voice is comparable to a Chinese or an individual from the Caribbean. In my teaching career I normally talk about arrows without really knowing how they work.   For instance, tones that are rising and then abruptly falling tones, how would they be distinguished using arrows from those that are leveled in intonation. The confusion originates from other chapters and I find it difficult to relate it to the current reading specifically with regard to the use of arrows for pitch movements. In addition, towards the end of the page in chapter four the examples given have arrows at the start of the tone unit as opposed to my understanding that they should be at the right just before the tonic syllable like was the case in previous chapters.   This forms the basis for my second question. 2) What makes these transcriptions

Nursing in Partnership with Faith Based Parish Nurses Research Paper

Nursing in Partnership with Faith Based Parish Nurses - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that faith based communities consider health a vital ingredient in the continuity of their faith. Therefore, healthy human beings must reconsider their concentration on their faith and other activities that strengthen their faith. In most cases, the faith based communities consider providing better health care facilities to the people that would wish to join their faith. The core reason of this approach is to ensure the believers are not distracted from their activities. Healthy people are more likely to be focused on their faith at all times, which strengthens the community as their faith is not jeopardized. For instance, a healthy person will not feel any ailments. However, an ailing person will not have the mindset of holding on to his/her faith constantly. This reduces the commitment of the believers in their faith. Under such circumstances, providing healing is the appropriate approach. The heritage of health and healing in the faith b ased communities is instigated to provide care for the underprivileged. There are some people in the world that are underprivileged and do not have avenues of attaining better health. Since their faith and beliefs state that they should help the underprivileged, they have an obligation to do so. In many instances, faith based communities will find better ways of helping the underprivileged in the society at all costs. This is an approach that strengthens both their faith and activities in helping the society. Apparently, many faith based communities consider this their obligation as stated by their faith.... Nursing is a profession that requires amassed human resources. Therefore, a larger number of professionals working in the sector will have a positive impact on the provision of the services (Solari-Twadell and McDermott, 2006). In essence, for many professionals working for a universal goal, this will be a prudent approach in giving high quality services. In the recent past, the nursing profession has been facing several challenges which include a limited number of professionals. This has adversely affected service provision in the nursing profession as they are unable to serve all the people that need their services. This has been a looming drawback to the nursing profession as they are not able to provide adequate health care services. To rectify such a situation, the faith based communities prefer to help by partnering with community nurses. This creates a scenario where the people offering the services are in large numbers. As such, the nursing sector has a large number of people that offer services to people that need them. The quality of services is improved when community nurses partner with parish nurses. The parish nurses are guided with their faith and beliefs in the profession. With such, the people that need the services are treated with the best care and health services. This is a benefit to the society as it gets the best care and health services. Partnership between community nurses and parish nurses helps in reducing the instances of stigmatization. This is especially helpful to the underprivileged people of the society. In any society, there are some people that can afford paying for the services they need. On the other hand, some people do not have this opportunity and can hardly pay for medical services. As such, they will forego some

Beethoven Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Beethoven - Essay Example as being both a great musician, and when he saw young Beethoven first perform at the age of seven, he took him out of school and found him music teachers for his education. When he was fifteen, Beethoven had the chance to play for the famous composer and musician Mozart. In his early twenties, he left Bonn for Vienna, Austria, and studied under teacher Joseph Haydn. Beethoven became well known as a virtuoso in some of the high-ranking society circles of the day. He was also known for his talent in improvising music. At the age of 27, Beethoven discovered that he was losing his hearing, and would soon be totally deaf. He almost decided to kill himself, but after thinking about it realized that he could still hear music, if only inside his head, so he decided to keep on with it. He composed works even as he was going deaf. His Ninth Symphony, today recognizable by almost anyone even in the first few notes, was composed after he was totally deaf. Beethoven suffered from bad health for years, and was three times rejected by women he wanted to marry. He died a bachelor in 1827 in Vienna, Austria, and his funeral was attended by more than 10,000 people. His symphonies, some of which he could not even hear when conducting, are still some of the best known and widely played pieces of music throughout the world

Basic Ethics Essay Example for Free

Basic Ethics Essay According to Michael Boylan’s book Basic Ethics the study of ethics concerns itself with â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong, judgments that assign praise or blame. In the case of ethics, these judgments are usually assigned to people or to actions (Boylan, 2009). This essay will discuss three major ethical theories, virtue ethics, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics. It will also provide a personal experience to help explain the relationship between virtue, values, and moral concepts as it relates to utilitarianism. The three ethics theories discussed herein are the virtue ethics theory that examines a person’s character over a long period of time and is forgiving of an occasional mistake that is not consistent with a person’s past character. Deontological ethics or duty-based morality is a theory based on a â€Å"nonconsequentialist† view of people and moral decision-making. Deontological ethics supports that actions are not justified by their consequences. Rather, factors other than good outcomes determine the â€Å"rightness† of actions (Deontological Ethics, 2014). Utilitarianism in the most basic term is based on measuring â€Å"good† in terms of usefulness. Utilitarianism is often defined as an effort to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number. Also this principle advocates that the ends justify the means in other words if a negative action must be used to reach a greater good then its justified (What Is Utilitarianism?, 2014). There are marked differences between the three ethics theories. Unlike deontic or action based theories of morality that focus on the actions a person performs, the virtue theory, aka character ethics focuses on helping people develop good character traits, like kindness and generosity, â€Å"The deontological ethics is grounded in the â€Å"Categorical Imperative,† The Categorical Imperative simply declares, â€Å"Act as if the maxim of thy action  were to become by thy will a universal law of nature.† The Categorical Imperative is very similar to the â€Å"Golden Rule† of Chri stianity, and other religions (â€Å"do unto others as you would have them do unto you†)† (Deontological Ethics, 2014). On the other hand utilitarianism revolves around the concept that the end justifies the means. A personal example I have of utilitarianism being practiced was when my Father was in hospice with terminal throat cancer. He ordered a DNR, do not resuscitate. My family and I did not like his wish but it is what he chose for himself and we all accepted his final wish. Although many feel this is not right to just let someone die without trying to help the person dying the attitude on these decisions is purely determined by the person dying. The utilitarian approach can be selfish in nature because the judgments is strictly that of the person thinking of his own truth in my Fathers case his last dying wish. So depending on what kind of person you are, how you were raised, the environment you live in, your faith, the influences you may have from the social circle you belong to you all these factors could influence your ethics and depending on the situation on hand you may find yourself moving towards one or the other of these ethic theories. Morally or ethically, I would never let my Dad die without making some attempt to resuscitate him but on the other hand I set aside my moral belief and my ethics to allow my Dad his last and final wish. References Boylan, M. (2009). Basic Ethics (2nd ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Deontological Ethics. (2014, February 17). Retrieved from allaboutphilosophy .org: http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/deontological-ethics.htm What Is Utilitarianism? (2014, February 17). Retrieved from wisegeek.org: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-utilitarianism.htm

Dance - Girl Essay Example for Free

Dance Girl Essay Dance, Girl, Dance is a film from the Classical Hollywood period that presents a complicated reading when viewed through a feminist lens. The 1940 film was directed by Dorothy Arzner, one of the most notable female directors and the only prominent woman in Hollywood at that time. Arzner presents her audience with an array of female characters, the main characters being Judy O’brien and Bubbles/Tiger Lily White. Judy is a dedicated dancer, honing her talents as a ballerina. Bubbles, on the other hand, uses her looks and sexuality to land jobs as a burlesque dancer. Dance, Girl, Dance reveals these characters’ experience in a dance troupe with several other girls. When the troupe disbands, Bubbles comes to offer Judy a humiliating job as her stooge. As tensions rise, the two eventually come to blows, quite literally, when both fall for the same man, Jimmy Harris. Through their relationship with each other and with men, a dynamic is defined that gives insight into the power of the male gaze and sexual politics, not only in the film but also in society at large in the context of 1930s America. This can be seen in the analysis of a particular scene near the beginning of the film. Judy and one of her roommates, Sally, are preparing for bed after their performance at the nightclub in the opening scene. Bubbles, their third roommate, arrives at home after a disappointing outing with Jimmy. This scene specifically highlights the contrast between the personalities of Judy and Bubbles, and speaks to the many ways female characters are coded based on their sexuality and appearance. The analysis of the scene begins at the moment Bubbles enters the room. She comes into the frame through the doorway in a medium shot. It is important to note her costume, as it speaks to her character. She is wearing makeup, jewelry, a fox fur stole around her shoulders and a feathered hat. One may get the impression that she is trying to look as glamorous or ostentatious as possible on her limited budget. At this point, Bubbles has already been partly established as a brash woman who does not shy away from her ability to attract men. This can be contrasted with Judy’s costume during this scene, modest button-up pajamas. The scene continues as Bubbles enters the tiny apartment. She turns on the light, when Judy whispers that Sally is asleep from off camera. Bubbles leaves the light on, looks down at Sally in the bed, and proceeds to loudly close the door while muttering â€Å"So, what? † As she delivers her dialogue, the camera follows her as she walks to her bed, panning over to include Judy in a two shot. One key element in this simple interaction is the difference of attitude toward female solidarity between Bubbles and Judy. Judy obviously cares to not disturb Sally, while Bubbles seems disappointed and only concerned with her own problems at this point. Then, the camera cuts to a close shot of Sally lying in bed, smiling and clearly awake. She then closes her eyes and continues to try and sleep, rendering her unimportant to the rest of the scene. The next cut brings us back to a long, two shot of Bubbles and Judy as they discuss what happened to Bubbles that evening. Bubbles is explaining how she had gone out with Jimmy, but he suddenly left her at the bar after giving her a little stuffed bull. In this shot, Bubbles is in the foreground, a little closer to the camera than Judy, making her appear slightly larger. This could be interpreted as signifying her social dominance over Judy, and the fact that she â€Å"stole† Jimmy from Judy earlier that evening. Bubbles dismissively tosses the bull onto a chair in front of Judy. Judy picks it up, stating â€Å"It’s cute. † Bubbles tells her that she can have it. The audience is clearly meant to get the impression that the token of the night has no significance to Bubbles, and she is merely disappointed that she could not add Jimmy to her list of men to dote on her occasionally. The camera stays stationary as Bubble walks to the background of the shot and sits on her bed. Judy gently places the bull back on the chair, already showing signs of her eventual fetishization of the bull and Jimmy. Then, she continues to bend and stretch her legs, as Bubbles pouts behind her. It is interesting to point out that as Judy resumes her exercises, she has gained the â€Å"high ground† of the shot. The reminder of her status as a dancer, a more artful and talented dancer than Bubbles, means she is the larger, more significant character in the frame now. The focus has moved from Bubbles proficiency as a female spectacle, completely at home under the male gaze, to Judy’s proficiency as a ballerina, with no real concern for superficial male attention. Then, this is reinforced when there is a cut to a medium shot of Bubbles, looking at Judy. The camera follows Bubbles line of sight and there is a quick cut to a medium shot of Judy, then it reverses back to the shot of Bubbles on her bed, shaking her head. She says, â€Å"I’ll say one thing for you, Pavlova. You’ve certainly got ambition, even if it’s dumb. † As she says this, Judy’s foot briefly enters from the side of the frame as she kicks her leg. Once again, Bubbles is coded as having no passion for her craft as a dancer, seeing it as a means to an end of attracting men and/or making money, while Judy genuinely loves to dance. One way of reading the film is through the suggestion that Judy’s ballet is high art, while Bubbles’ burlesque is low art. In the world of the Dance, Girl, Dance, women utilizing their sexuality for physical and financial gratification given by men is deemed less valuable than artistic expression. What follows is a short series of counter shots between the two, as Bubbles ponders how she will get back to New York, going through her list of male suitors to find a solution to her dilemma. On a surface level, this shows that Bubbles needs men to get where she is going, whether it is for a trip to New York or a trip to stardom as they buy tickets to her shows later in the film. The scene comes to a close as Bubbles decides on Sam, the traveling salesman that is â€Å"sweet on her. † As this line is delivered, there is a quick cut to Judy whipping her head around to look back at Bubbles. Judy has an expression on her face that is hard to describe, but it gets across the fact that her reality is very different from that of Bubbles’. Judy goes on to ask if there will be room for Sally, as the camera tracks Bubbles while she walks to the bathroom. As the camera stops tracking, it stops in a medium shot of Bubbles as she eventually replies, â€Å"†¦ All right, she can go, but don’t blame me. That guy’s got more arms than an octopus. † There is a cut to a close shot of Sally in bed with a wide-eyed, nervous expression as she quickly lifts up her head and plops back down. Like Judy, her reality is very different from the reality of the dynamic Bubbles, and the possibility of encountering a man from that reality seems to frighten her. After the last cut of the scene, it ends on a medium shot of Judy picking up the stuffed bull once again and smiling at it fondly. This emphasizes the fact Judy is not asexual and clearly is developing feelings for Jimmy. Although, Judy seems to have a more deep, emotional connection to Jimmy than Bubbles has for her various men. Judy only became interested in Jimmy after he helped the girls at the nightclub and talked with her earlier in the film. Her interest is not based solely on what he can provide to her. The differences in costume, behavior and motivation between Bubbles and Judy are relevant to a larger scope of the film involving sex and gender politics. For all of the above reasons found in the formal elements of the film’s visual and narrative composition, Bubbles is coded as superficial, purely physical and vapid. On the other hand, Judy is given much more value and depth. While Bubbles goes on to find success by exploiting her good looks, Judy is the winner in the end, when she lands her position in the ballet company and achieves her dreams. In this way, the film is sending a message that female self-worth is not derived from male approval or reaffirming of beauty, but from accomplishment of what are considered to be more substantial goals.