Analysis Of Plato s Republic And Aristotle s Nicomachean...

Upon application for university, hearts are heavy with the uncertainty for the future. An overwhelming hope to become the person we are meant to be. This journey, called university, provides the inverse; a worldly creation where past and future are intertwined. A place for discovery. A place of reflection. Leisure, sport and recreation are culpable in cultivating thyself in preparation for true reflection, whose telos is knowledge of thyself. This paper will explore this notion of the journey to true reflection through various historical and present day ideologies. Context will be provided via personal experiences of each phase, as the yellow brick road, leading up to reflection. Only then, true discoveries of thyself can be uncovered. Leisure, sport, and recreation provide the opportunity for growth of mind and body. Both Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics conceptualize this growth through games and sport. What is meant by â€Å"growth?† What i s development in relation to the self? Once sufficiently developed, leisure, sport, recreation become agents for one to experience thyself in relation to others. Here, socio-spatial boundaries become other-dimensional and the self becomes a collection of photos. What does it mean to be an â€Å"individual?† What identity does the individual give to their â€Å"community?† Pat Power’s notions or creative play, Luc Robene and Dominique Bodin, among many philosophers, thoroughly explore this interconnectivity that distinguishes theShow MoreRelatedPlato s Interpretation Of Utopia1630 Words   |  7 PagesPlato and Aristotle shared many differences despite also sharing a teacher student relationship. This essay will strive to establish their understandings of reason and the role reason plays in their comprehensions of politics, differentiating between the kinds of reason and politics produced as a result. Plato is regarded as the first writer of political philosophy while Aristotle is recognised as the first political scientist. Plato’s interpretation of Utopia is founded upon the existence of threeRead MorePlato and Confucius4610 Words   |  19 PagesWestern ethical theory has been deeply influenced by Plato’s Republic, Eastern ethical theory has been deeply influenced by Confucius’s Analects. David Haberman describes the Republic as ‘one of the most influential books of all time’ (86). And Bryan Van Norden compares (with considerable fervor) the Analects to ‘the combined influence of Jesus and Socrates’ (3). On the surface, there are many similarities between Confucius and Plato. Both taught through means of dialogue, and both expressed reticenceRead MoreBranches of Philosophy8343 Words   |  34 Pagesrelationships between truth, belief, and justification. †¢ Ethics, or moral philosophy, is concerned with questions of how persons ought to act or if such questions are answerable. The main branches of ethics are meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. Meta-ethics concerns the nature of ethical thought, comparison of various ethical systems, whether there are absolute ethical truths, and how such truths could be known. Ethics is also associated with the idea of morality. Platos earlyRead MoreEssay Utopia4252 Words   |  18 Pages These ideals of an infinitely capable and cooperative. Utopic society have captured the imagination of the greatest minds throughout the centuries. One may find the origin of Utopian thoughts in the Republic and Law conceived by Plato and in The Nicomachean Ethics and Politics created by Aristotle. The two individuals are the founding fathers of western philosophy, and their works are the basis of the western political science. Despite the thoughts on a planned society that preceded More in the

Essay about Socrates - 736 Words

To question what no man has questioned before, that is a credo which we seemingly impose upon Socrates looking back upon his life. The philosopher Socrates is a commonly known inquisitive character, and is mainly known of because of his trial in 399 B.C.E. (2) But was Socrates really everything we know him as today? Or have the lines between the real Socrates and the Socrates of Aristophanes, Plato and Xenophon been so blurred that we do not know who the real man is. When one initially learns of Socrates through Plato one gets an upstanding view of the philosopher, while when viewing Socrates through the writings of Aristophanes one finds him a crude purveyor of the children. Regardless of which view one takes upon the Socratic question –†¦show more content†¦Somewhere between the years of 416 and 413 B.C.E. Socrates married Xanthippe and fathered two children, Lamprocles and Sophroniscus. In 406 Socrates stood up for the rights of a group generals who were being unfa irly sentenced to death as a group. This was unfair mainly because the law of Athens stated that each individual was to be given a separate trial. (1) In 399 the most famous part of Socrates life took place, his trial. He was accused of corrupting the youth with his philosophy by Anytus, Meletus and Lycon. (2) The extent of the corruption was said to be denouncing the gods and thus taking away from the next generation of citizens who would maintain the system. Socrates fought in his own defense, and lamented that he was only given a day to do so. Socrates was eventually condemned to death having not chosen his option to pay a fine or go into exile. He was not given his suicidal does of Hemlock until some thirty days after his death. (1) An understanding of Socrates philosophy is found in how he determines it is better to die than live under restrictions and accept the will of what he believes is a wrong society (5). In saying that he would rather die than live the unexamined life Socrates is stating that he would rather be dead, than live a life without the ability to question his surroundings. The main question that arrives out of this statement is if this is something that was said before he knew he had the potentialShow MoreRelatedSocrates : The Suicide Of Socrates1405 Words   |  6 PagesSocrates was born in 470 BCE in Athens, Greece. His father was Sophroniscus, a sculptor and stone mason from Athens and his mother was a midwife by the name of Phaenarete (30 Interesting Socrates Facts 2014). Socrates original profession was masonry and sculpting, before becoming a philosopher. On a day in 399 BC, Socrates ( roughly 71 years at the time) went to trial.Now why would anyone want to send an old man to court? Three answer is that Socrates was accused of refusing to recognize theRead MoreSocrates And The Apology Of Socrates1322 Words   |  6 Pages Socrates is quite the unique individual compared to most, if not all, other Greeks at that time. In the Apology, Socrates gives an analogy of himself being a gadfly and that his gadfly like actions are favorable for Athens and that the actions are goods he is providing. From his service he claims to live a more private life than a public life when discussing virtue. This paper is going to discuss Socrates and his analogy of a gadfly, approach to others about virtue, his conduct effect on democracyRead MoreSocrates As A Martyr And Socrates927 Words   |  4 PagesIn philosophy class this semester we spoke a lot about Socrates and his trial. We were required to read the dialogue ‘Apology’ by Plato. The à ¢â‚¬ËœApology’ Dialogue is what Plato recorded during the speech Socrates gave to the court defending himself against the charges of corrupting the young, and by not believing in the gods in whom the city believes† these two were the main charges, but underneath that there were also other significant charges such as being considered an antidemocratic or pro-SpartanRead MoreSocrates : The Problem With Socrates908 Words   |  4 PagesThe Problem With Socrates: The problem with Socrates concerns the problem with the role of value and reason. Nietzsche believes that the bulk of philosophers claim that life is a corrupt grievance for mankind. Nietzsche reasoned that these life deniers were decadents of Hellenism, as a symptom of some underlying melancholy. For someone to paint life in such a negative light they must have suffered a great deal through the course of their own life. Furthermore, these no-sayers agreed in various physiologicalRead MoreSocrates Worldview Of Socrates1855 Words   |  8 PagesPart 1: Socrates’ Worldview Socrates is a widely renowned teacher, who has taught and demonstrated a variety of lessons that regard how he views the world. Socrates has described his view on morality, purpose, death, and the ultimate. He has spoken about these views through multiple texts including The Last Days of Socrates and they have been interpreted through the text Socrates by George Rudebusch. Through these worldviews, Socrates has given people the opportunity to expand their wisdom andRead MoreSocrates1461 Words   |  6 PagesSocrates was one of the greatest Greek philosophers. His work was not to propose any specific knowledge or policy: it was to show how argument, debate, and discussion could help men to understand difficult issues. Most of the issues he dealt with were only political on the surface. Underneath, they were moral questions about how life should be lived. Such is the influence of Socrates that philosophers before him are called the Presocratic philosophers. Socrates made enemies, three of whom broughtRead MoreSocrates1099 Words   |  5 PagesSocrates the Greek Philosopher December 14, 2014 PHI/105 In the beautiful city of Athens, Greece, there was a philosopher Socrates, and his Socratic method, was laid on the groundwork for the Western systems of logic and philosophy. Socrates did believe that he didnt know anything, and It was because of this that the Oracle told Socrates that he was wise and that he should seek out the wise men to hear what they had to say. So Socrates began to travel to different parts of Greece to questionRead MoreSocrates659 Words   |  3 PagesSocrates Socrates was accused of many things in the Athens market. Socrates was accused of being a man who makes the worse argument into the stronger argument. A man who knows about the heavens and earth and therefore any one who believe this must not believe in the gods. Socrates was accused of being an atheist. Most of the people that followed him around his quest were inquisitive. Where as most adults would walk by Socrates with his â€Å"annoying question† the youth stopped to see what heRead MoreSocrates : A Man By The Name Of Socrates963 Words   |  4 PagesIn 469 B.C. a man by the name of Socrates was born. Socrates was a very wise man that cared about doing the right thing. He believed that the best ways to develop ideas was in the give and take of conversation, and that the best way to educate people was to ask them a series of questions leading in a particular direction (now named â€Å"Socrates method). Socrates had been quick to identify the drawbacks of democracy, and he had also been the teacher of two men who in different ways harmed Athens: AlcibiadesRead MoreSocrates s Views On Socrates1314 Words   |  6 PagesSocrates could undeniably be described as one of the most influential philosophers and greatest thinker of his time. His views can be interpreted many different ways, but most would agree that he sought out wisdom and truth for the betterment of himself and his community. Though Socrates was one of the most intelligent men of his time, he was very foolish to never write his own book. For this reason, after his passing, one of his students, Plato, began to write a book about his teachings and ideas

Saints and Roughnecks Reaction Paper free essay sample

Society tends to punish only the poor for their visible crimes, although the invisible crimes of rich are more severe and heinous than those of the poor. â€Å"The Outsiders† and â€Å"Saints and Roughnecks† commonly point towards one issue i. e. future of individuals is decided by the way they are treated by the materialistic society which tends to favor the richer and suppress the poorer to the extent that the latter are pushed into social exclusion. The society in which we live can be principally divided into two types of people; the rich and the poor. People belonging to both of these classes can be criminals, but it appears as though the poor are always the ones committing delinquent acts. The poor get noticed for their crimes because their region is specific and a scarcity of resources which causes them to be less smart in hiding their crimes unlike the rich. We will write a custom essay sample on Saints and Roughnecks Reaction Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Moreover, the crimes committed by the rich are too abstract to be taken into account, in that, they offer psychological torture to the poor in the form of abuse or insult to which they physically react and are punished. The Outsiders† and â€Å"Saints and Roughnecks† form part of the vast literature that has preserved the different standards of justice for the rich and the poor, which have always dwelled in society. The poor have always been looked down upon by the society in general, and the rich in particular. This social attitude has resulted into the emergence of such concepts as social exclusion, which forms the basis of the widespread crime among the poor. In fact, the absorption of rights of the lower class people by the upper classes is the fundamental cause of the rise of social exclusion. As pointed out in Saints and Roughnecks, rich kids are able to maintain a good reputation among the family and neighbors only because it is easy for them to get away with all their bad deeds because of the facilities and resources made available to them by their rich parents. They can use their own cars to commit the crime in other cities without getting the local police to catch them, while it is not possible for the poor criminals without the car to escape the suspicion of the local community. Thus, it is easier for the rich to indulge in criminal activities and keep out of the reach of police than the poor. Poor children are turned into criminals because of the social injustice and exclusion they are offered by the richer society. Pony boy and his friends of â€Å"The Outsiders† and the Roughnecks of â€Å"Saints and Roughnecks† are similar in the way they are treated by the society and the way they respond to the treatment they are offered. Society tends to sideline the poor for their physical misconduct. Poverty and social exclusion together induce a feeling of revenge among the poor and they indulge in physical offences. Crimes of the rich are more heinous because they are more often than not, a root cause of the physical reaction shown by the poor. In view of this argument, a large proportion of the prisoners we know come from low class backgrounds. This is evident from the fact that the major forms of crime i. e. murder, drug possession, drunk driving, physical offence etc require very little / no money to be committed. (Caplan, 2007, para. 1 ). Power has always been the property of rich. The wish to dominate others is in the nature of man. With all the power and resources they have, it is easy for the rich to play with the emotions of the poor. This is exactly what is termed as social injustice and is the root cause of social exclusion of the poor. This induces feelings of revenge in the poor and their revenge is more physical than otherwise because all they have is physical power. This physical revenge is both a cause and effect of the social exclusion and the crime. The way an individual is perceived or labeled in the society shapes his mentality and has a big role in deciding his future. If one knows how to carry oneself in the public, the public would accept one and overlook one’s delinquencies. But this does not mean that others who are just not as good at hiding their delinquencies are worse. The society should eliminate the differences between the rich and the poor. Only if the society attempts to accept the temporary misconduct of the poor and cooperate with them and calm them down psychologically, the number of criminals can be significantly reduced.

Physical, Human, and Economic Geography of Italians

Introduction Italy is located in continental Europe, in the South Central, to be specific. Its neighbors include France Switzerland and Austria to the north, Slovenia along the Alps, and the Italian Peninsula, the islands Sicily, and Sardinia to the south in the Mediterranean ocean. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Physical, Human, and Economic Geography of Italians specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Italy is known in history as the home of some of the world’s most celebrated artists like Titian, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli among many others. In addition, Italy is well known for historical tourism structures such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa which is made from marble. The people of Italy speak Italian language. Most of the people are Roman Catholics. The people of Italy also engage in economic activities like merchandise, mining, tourism, fishing and many other activities. In add ition to this, Italians are well known for their fashion in cloth industry. This report discusses the physical, human, and economic geography of Italians. It also gives a brief description of Italy as a country. Historical Setting Italy is known to be the headquarters for the Roman Empire in ancient times. This is because its capital city, Rome, was used to rule a large portion of Western Europe. The country has always attracted foreigners from ancient Greek settlers to modern tourists. Artists, pilgrims, romantic poets and mercenaries were also frequent visitors of Italy’s major cities (Woolf 13). The Celts inhabited northern Italy especially along the Lombard valley. Other people who settled initially include the Etrurian people who settled in Tuscany. This was during the period in which Italy was not yet born. Characteristics of the population of Italy Most of the country’s population lives in cities and towns. The large population occupies northern Italy, the west coast in particular. The southern parts of Italy are more rural although not productive for farming activities due to climatic factors. The behavioral characteristics of the population, dates back from the seventeenth century when cities began to grow in number. Most administrative centers experienced a sharp growth while others stagnated at a particular size. Thus the increase in urban population caused a decrease in the size of the rural community (Woolf 57).Advertising Looking for research paper on geography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Geographic Setting of Italy Italy covers a total area of 116,340 square miles, the islands of Sardinia and Sicily being included. Its population is 58 million people (How Stuff Works 4). The capital city of Italy is Rome. Italy also has several other major cities which include Milan, Naples, Genoa and Venice. The continental Italy is a peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea that is, it pro jects outwards from continental Europe into the sea. The republic of Italy encompasses two islands in the Mediterranean. The islands are Sicily and Sardinia. Due to political boundaries, the northern part of Italy is situated between the gulf of Trieste and the Rhone at its efflux from the lake of Geneva. Therefore, the Rhone, the Pennine Alps together with some parts of Adriatic Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea separate Italy from her neighbors France, Germany and Switzerland. The coast of Italy is composed of the Adriatic Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea up to the region where the Maritime Alps appear to end just near France’s frontiers (Brun 586). Generally speaking, most of the northern fertile areas are covered by the Po valley which receives and transports all the waters that come from the Apennines northwards. It also receives all the water that comes from the Alps towards the south. The river follows a parallel course with the Adige. The Adige enters the Adriatic by a se parate mouth with the Po. Geologic Setting of Italy A large part of Italy is covered by mountains which include the Alps. Most of the Alps in Italy are composed of the rock dolomite. Other mountains in Italy include the Apennine Mountains which dissects the middle part of Italy from north to southern parts thus separating the eastern and the western coasts of the country. South of the dolomite mountains lies the Po Valley. This is the basin of river Po. Italy has also been shaped by major geologic phenomena. Crustal subsidence occurred when Wurm Regression surface lowered within the Naples Bay. Glacial activities are also present in the northern parts of Italy. Seismic and volcanic activities also occur in Italy especially in the mountainous regions of Pozzuoli Bay (Dvorak Mastrolorenzo 5). The Apennines experience a lot of earthquakes together with volcanic eruptions which occur in the western parts of the Apennine slopes which also occur on several offshore islets. Active volcan oes include the Ve-suvius, near Naples; Mt. Etna on Sicily Island and the Stromboli which is located in the Tyrrhenian Sea.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Physical, Human, and Economic Geography of Italians specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Climate of Italy The southern parts of continental Italy have warmer temperatures than the northern parts. In northern Italy, temperatures can reach below freezing point during winters. Some parts of the northern Italy can also be covered by snow during the winters. The northern and central plains and river valleys have rich soils while the southern areas are hot and arid occasioned by violent which swell the rivers into threatening torrents (Woolf 14). The south east winds of the sirocco prevail in the Naples and in Sicily, and are more prevalent in winter than in summer (Brun 592). Natural Features of Italy Italy does not have enough natural features. There are on ly a few natural features like the natural frontiers formed by the Mediterranean. The Alps also from part of the physical geography endowed to Italy. The Alps are so expansive such that they cover four fifth of the country’s territory. The great Alpine Arc sweeps west to east from the Mediterranean to the Adriatic. The Apennines are very steep and they stretch irregularly down the entire length of Italy. The mountains in the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia do offer a great hindrance to cultivation (Woolf 13). Natural Resources of Italy Italy is well endowed with natural resources. The Alpine provides plenty of limestone for the country to mine and use in the construction industry. This is present in the valley of Pieva di Cadora. In the same valley is found lead and silver. The mountain of Gregni harbors iron oxide while calcareous rocks are found in Vicenza (Brun 592). Thus the mineral resources of Italy are Iron, Aluminum, Lead, Zinc, and Mercury as the metallic mi nerals. The non metallic minerals include Sulphur, Pyrites, Potassic salts, Feldspar, and Fluorspar whereas the fuel deposits include Lignite, crude oil and natural gas in form of methane (King 8). Industrial Setting of Italy There are a wide range of industries in Italy. Most of these industries are located in the northern parts of the country. Italy is known in the world for her fashion especially in clothes, shoes and furniture. Italy also manufactures motor vehicles, computers, and electronic gadgets. Rice is also produced together with wheat and other grains in the fertile Po valley. It is also worth noting that the finest meadows and the fattest cattle can be found in the same valley (Brun 589).Advertising Looking for research paper on geography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, Italy is one of the world’s largest producers of wine. These wines come from Friuli, Vicentino, Bolognese, and Montferrat. Italy also produces all the fruit trees that do well in the temperate regions of Europe like the Dyospyrus lotus. Animals in Italy exist in places which are related to the specific climatic and environmental conditions. The mountains are home for the lynx, the chamois, wild goat, ferret, the dormouse, and the lemming whereas the Apennines host porcupines, buffaloes. Domestic animals include the horses, the ass, the mule and the sheep. Conclusion Italy is a country in continental Europe which is also composed of the two major islands namely Sicily and Sardinia. Her northern parts are covered with mountainous features which are characterized by extreme weather conditions during the winters. Geologically, the mountainous areas are comprised of the rock dolomite. To the south lies the Po valley which is also the basin of river Po. Italy is one o f the countries in Europe which have a long history. Her artistic legends such as Titian and Giorgione contributed a lot in putting Italy on the global scene with their paintings. Italy is also endowed with natural resources such as Iron, crude oil and Lead which are considered as the major sources of Italy’s economy. Most of the population resides in the cities while a few are left in the country to do farming. Works Cited Brun, Malte. Universal Geography or a Description of All the Parts of the World On a new Plan: According to the Great Natural Divisions of the Globe: Accompanied with Analytical, Synoptical, and Elementary Tables, Vol. VII, Wells and Lilly- Court Street, and White, Gallaher and White. New York, 1829. Dvorak, John Mastrolorenzo, Giuseppe. The Mechanisms of Recent Vertical Crustal Movements in Campi Flegrei Caldera, Southern Italy, Colorado: Geological Society of America, Inc., 1991. How Stuff Works. Geography of Italy, 2010. 10th Nov. 2010. ttp://geography .howstuffworks.com/europe/geography-of-italy.htm King, Russell. The Industrial Geography of Italy, Australia: Croom Helm Ltd, 1985. Woolf, Stuart. A History of Italy, 1700-1860: The Social Constraints of Political Change. London: Methuen Co. Ltd, 1991. This research paper on Physical, Human, and Economic Geography of Italians was written and submitted by user Jayce Mcpherson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Limitations And Suggestions For Future Research Information Technology Essay Essays

Limitations And Suggestions For Future Research Information Technology Essay Essays Limitations And Suggestions For Future Research Information Technology Essay Essay Limitations And Suggestions For Future Research Information Technology Essay Essay Online banking is a system that allows persons to execute banking activities anyplace via the cyberspace. Examples of cyberspace banking activities are account transportations, measure payments, on-line loan and even recognition card applications. Online banking has been so familiar among Malaysia citizens. So many issues were brought when online banking was first being introduced. The security, lucidity and how far can we swear minutess utilizing the cyberspace were the most popular issues at that clip. Furthermore Malaysians are trained to utilize physical or traditional banking alternatively of via cyberspace. Online banking is frequently use in B-2-B, B-2-C and other types of e-commerce. There are many cozenages and viruses in on-line banking. The security of cyberspace banking is still being hesitated by most of consumers. Because of deficiency of information engineering, people tend to believe the cozenage and frequently we can see most of the consumers being cheated are from the age of 40 and supra. Background of survey Normally people will non uncover much information about themselves. But for banking there is an exclusion no affair how of import that information are. Banking via cyberspace requires a batch of personal information from all facets. Cybercrime is turning quickly in this state. We do non cognize whether our information is being kept safe and sound as the hackers know everything and they tend to make anything merely to acquire the of import information. How far the security does helps in salvaging our information? What are the types of cybercrime that might transgress the protections of the security? Information security is protection of information from being disclosed, misused or destructed. Information security is more concerned with confidentiality, unity and handiness. Nowadays bulk of the concerns are utilizing e-commerce as their chief method to make to the consumers. The high engineering makes everything goes easy for the concern every bit good as the client. But without they notice, being of rivals that might transgress the protection and that could take to bankruptcy, lost of concern and trust from the clients. One of the major factors that can decelerate down the rapid growing of e-commerce ( EC ) is the concern for the information privateness. ( FTC, 2000 ; Hoffman et al. , 1999 ; Malhotra et al. , 2004 ) . Even though many of on-line concerns build the policies that designed to signal trusty organisational pattern ( Meinert et al. , 2006 ; Pollach, 2006 ) and there is besides proven that this would act upon client s assurance in purchasing online ( Earp A ; Baumer, 2003 ) . But most of the clients still believe that uncovering information online can take to personal privateness jobs ( Sinclaire et al. , 2006 ) Aim of the survey and research inquiry The major aim of this survey is to cognize and look into how far does on-line security can protect our information. In other words this survey wants to cognize the map of trust in the electronic commercialism minutess particularly in Internet banking execution. Besides, this survey besides do research the disadvantages of Internet banking which is by holding a weak security and trust. Electronic commercialism requires people to make on-line minutess by reassigning money via Internet from one party to another party. The most common web sites that already established ages ago and internationally are Ebay, Amazon and late Wal-Mart. These established web sites have its ain high degree of security that no 1 can transgress the system. Lapp goes with the full established web site. But how far can we swear those website since cozenage, phishing and cybercrime are everyplace. Different instances happen for the little concerns that runs the concern through the Internet. We as a consumer has to take the hazard when purchasing online because this little concerns might hold a bogus history on the Internet merely to flim-flam the consumers. Often we can see those who did non cognize anything about Internet can easy being cheated by those bogus web site. In Malaysia, CIMB Bank and Maybank and other commercial Bankss are making great in functioning the consumer via the Internet. Those Bankss offer an on-line minutess, lodging loan, wage measures and besides investings. This types of on-line minutess required consumers to portion all the inside informations. This might be unsafe if consumers do non cognize how to distinguish between the original web site than the bogus one. So in order to look into about how sensed information security affects the degree of the trust in Internet banking by users, following researched inquiries are formed ; What are the factors that can impact the trust in electronic commercialism or Internet banking acceptance? How far does the security set up and derive trust from consumers? What is the degree of trust in utilizing Internet banking among consumers? To concentrate on all of the inquiries, there is a demand to analyze in established appropriate policies and standards in Malaysia. Scope of the Study Most of the articles in newspapers and cyberspace highlighted the positive things of Internet banking acceptance and electronic commercialism. Even the authorities of Malaysia besides promotes its ain web site that can function anything including paying biddings, revenue enhancements, and so much more. This survey is concentrating on the relationship between trust, perceived information security and its factors and ancestors by sing three dimensions which are confidentiality, unity and handiness. So this survey evaluates the Internet banking acceptance from consumers perceptual experience whether they find it utile and unafraid whenever they are utilizing online banking minutess. The information security is best described with three constructs of confidentiality, unity and handiness. Restrictions and Suggestions for Future Research This survey has the same restrictions as other empirical surveies in that collateral findings should be viewed as scientific findings merely to be extent that they can be replicated in subsequent surveies, ( Stewart and Segars, 2002 p. 45 ) . The study is hard in footings of information assemblage and informations aggregation from the right people and the limited clip for administering and garnering the information from the study questionnaires. The most of import thing is the honestness and truthfulness of the respondents in replying the study that can impact the consequence of this survey. Number of many respondents is needed in order to hold a good quality happening. In this survey the entire figure of 150 responses can be collected. The mark respondents are among the pupils in MMU Melaka so the sample can non be a true image of the Internet banking acceptance among Malayan population. So for future research, broad scope of respondents can truly assist in acquiring a good determination. Plus the respondents should be the people all over Malaysia or at least a representatives from each provinces. Besides this survey merely concentrate on the relationship between Information Security and its ancestors and the consequence or effects. In future, a research on other ancestors could be examined. Chapter 2: Literature Reappraisal In this chapter, the reappraisal on related literature in Internet banking, Electronic Commerce, Information Security, Trust and ethical position in e-commerce are explained. This reappraisal provides the theoretical foundation and besides ushers to the development of the theoretical model for the research of Malayan consumers of online banking. 2.1 Internet Banking Internet banking is defined as anything to make with Bankss minutess via online for illustration, Cimbclicks and Maybank2u . In other words, the bringing of banking services through the unfastened entree computing machine web ( the Internet ) straight to clients place or private reference ( Lau, 1997 ) . This online system helps in constructing the fiscal establishment because it broadens the scope of clients every bit good as the locations. As we know, Internet banking can be done anyplace and anytime provided with the Internet entree. It gives the benefit to fiscal establishments or bank every bit good as the consumers. More consumers are experiencing comfy for the fact that now they can entree and make any minutess online from anyplace and anytime they want. The services that the Bankss are offering is reassigning financess, paying measures, lodging loan, recognition cards service and so much more. Plus by holding these types of services, Bankss can implement and seek their new scheme to the consumers such as a new merchandise or services that can pull more consumers. Banks can increase their income through Internet by bear downing a certain fees to the consumers. For illustration, Cimbclicks will bear down a certain sum ( RM 2 ) from Cimbclicks users if they transfer the fund to other Bankss. New scheme implemented can hike the income every bit good as the relationship with the clients. As Internet banking is turning quickly, it needs the development and execution of a safe and sound security. The system must be to the full supervised by the professionals and experts. It requires the bank to plan effectual methods which a user can be recognized and authenticated in a distant environment. One user must hold designation and that user can merely entree their site by utilizing 1s codification or watchword. The Bankss have to keep, manage and maintain the privateness of the user from being breached by other parties. This designation is of import to user and must maintain in private in order to non being duplicated by others. Some of the engineerings that been used do run into the certain demands for national, regional and planetary Internet banking confidence.

Obama Surname Meaning and Origin †Gorski Genealogy

Obama Surname Meaning and Origin – Gorski Genealogy Obama is an ancient Kenyan surname, found most frequently among the Luo, the third largest ethnic group in Kenya. The surname  is believed to be patronymic in origin, meaning descendant of Obama. The given name Obama, in turn, derived from the root word  obam, meaning â€Å"to lean or bend.†Ã‚   Traditional African given names  often reflect the circumstances at the time of the birth. Thus, the given name Obama may mean a child born bent, such as with a crooked spine or limbs, or possibly refers to a breech birth. Obama is also a Japanese word meaning little beach. Surname Origin: African Surname Variations: OBAM, OBAMMA, OOBAMA, OBAMA, AOBAMA,   Where do People with the Surname Obama Live? WorldNames publicprofiler  indicates that  individuals with the Obama last name are found in greatest numbers in the country of Japan, especially in the Okinawa and Kyushu regions. However, this site does not include data from Africa. Forebears.co.uk shows the highest distribution of the Obama surname to be in Cameroon, with the highest density in Equatorial Guinea, where it is the 10th most common surname. The name is next most common in Kenya, followed by Spain and France. Famous People with the Surname Obama Barack Hussein Obama - 44th president of the United States Genealogy Resources for the Surname Obama Ancestry of Barack ObamaLearn about the deep African and American roots of Barack Obama. His African roots stretch back for generations in Kenya, while his American roots connect to Jefferson Davis. Obama Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Obama surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Obama surname query. FamilySearch - OBAMA GenealogyAccess over 35,000 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Obama surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. RootsWeb Mailing List: Obama SurnameJoin, search or browse this free mailing list devoted to the discussion and sharing of information regarding the Obama surname and variations. DistantCousin.com - OBAMA Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Obama. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1967. Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Bergenfield, NJ: Avotaynu, 2005. Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Bergenfield, NJ:  Avotaynu, 2004. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Hoffman, William F. Polish Surnames: Origins and Meanings. Chicago:  Polish Genealogical Society, 1993. Rymut, Kazimierz. Nazwiska Polakow. Wroclaw: Zaklad Narodowy im. Ossolinskich - Wydawnictwo, 1991. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Lowe's vs Home Depot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lowe's vs Home Depot - Essay Example As a result, each brand wants to draw the customers more towards their own products and away from their competitor. In the past Lowe’s has concentrated on providing a better range of products for customers, and on improving customer service so that shopping is a pleasant experience. This matches the preferences of women and the do-it-yourself customers who want to have some choice in their purchases and who take their time to review all the products. The larger stores that Lowe’s tends to have are expensive to run, however, and so their latest plans include a drive to increase efficiency in those stores, so that there is a better return on this investment in space. Home Depot, on the other hand, caters more for serious professionals and so it has concentrated on providing a large number of stores in convenient locations. This is geared to contractors who want reliable availability of known products in the immediate vicinity. Home Depot has paid less attention in the past to the shopping experience and there has been a tendency to cram a lot of products into crowded spaces. This may be changing as competition gets tougher. Each company appears therefore to be analyzing the strengths of the other, and aiming to catch up in these specific areas with their major competitor. It is difficult to judge which company has the better competitive image. In terms of customer preference, it appears that Lowe’s has the better image, because 53% of customers stated a preference for Lowe’s against only 46% for Home Depot. Given that Lowe’s has considerably fewer stores than Home Depot, this is an indicator that they have done a better job in making their brand known to the public and attracting customers to come into their stores. On the other hand, customers spend less at Lowe’s on each shopping trip that they make. Home Depot achieves higher sales figures, which proves in concrete terms that customers rate them highly. On balance, then, it appears that

Movie review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Movie Review Example Walter Lee is sure that investing the money in a liquor store will provide the most long-term financial security for the family. He has some friends that want to invest in the business with him, but they are not willing to put up any of their own cash. Momma Younger, played by Phylicia Rashad is sure that getting out of the dismal housing situation they are in would help the entire family most. She has dreams of a nice neighborhood and a spacious house where there is enough room for all the family members to breathe. She has set her sights on a pleasant little house in the Clybourne Park neighborhood. The only problem is this neighborhood is all white. The Youngers would be the first African-American family to live there. Other major characters that have their own dreams and desires that are attached to the money in some way are Benethea and Ruth. Benethea is the sister of Walter Lee and Ruth is Walter Lee’s wife. Their young son’s name is Travis. The updated production is loosely based on the original play. Some of the updating is unfortunate because the feel of the story is altered tremendously. I feel that Phylicia Rashad and Sean Combs are woefully miscast in this production. The original story is about a family that was less polished and more real than the one portrayed in this production. Rashad and Combs are too smooth in their delivery to have credibility as the matriarch and oldest son of a family struggling to get out of the ghetto. Their presence gives the story an air of people pretending (not very convincingly) that they are salt of the earth. Stylistically, the updated feel of the story robs the original of the edginess in the original story. Some of the criticism I feel towards this updated version stems from the way the family reacts to the blatant racism they face from their white neighbors. The family doesn’t seem shocked or even truly angry. Walter Lee seems to be resigned

United Kingdom’s Economic Low Unemployment Advantage Essay Example for Free

United Kingdom’s Economic Low Unemployment Advantage Essay In 2002, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), UK’s standardized unemployment rate is 5. 1. For France the standardized unemployment rate is 8. 9, for Spain is 11. 5 while for Italy is 9. 0. Let us examine first why UK had this low unemployment rate compared to the France, Spain and Italy. First UK is very attractive to foreign investors compared to France, Italy and Spain. This is partly because UK has a proven track record of economic stability strengthened by its government economic policies. UK has one of the most stable exchange rates which equates to stability for investors. Increase in foreign investors also means an increase in employment, resulting in lower unemployment rate. If UK had not been attractive to investors, there would have been no rise in real GDP in UK brought about by new business and expansions in 2002. Another determinant factor of the low unemployment rate is the labour environment in UK. UK is home of highly skilled and dynamic labour force. Its pool of workforce comes from top universities and trained by RD centers (Research and Development). This workforce together with UKs less constricting laws for labour generates high level of employment. In terms of innovation UK is far advance compared to France, Spain and Italy. â€Å"Although UK has only 1 per cent of the world’s population but conducts 5. 5 per cent of global research† (OIPA, 2005). Innovation promotes more investment and thus lowers unemployment. Another factor that makes UK’s unemployment rate low is its being a leader in world trade. UK is second in the world in terms of exports and third in the world in terms of imports. The magnitude of trade is an indication that there is a corresponding high level of workforce behind this trade. There are also a considerable proportion of world’s leading companies who reside in UK. These companies provide stability and maintain the employment force in UK. If assuming that UK was not a leader in exports and imports, the economic indicators showing UK as having roughly 50% exports to other European countries would have shown otherwise. Another most significant contributor that makes UK’s unemployment rate low is its low taxation compared to other European countries. The corporate tax, which is at 30%, is relatively low compared to other key European countries. The Value Added Tax (VAT) in UK is also lower than most European countries. Lower corporate tax and lower VAT induces more investment and thus decreases unemployment rate. Let say for example we are a company from another country like Japan and we wanted to have some presence in Europe. Logically, if we have France, Spain, Italy and UK as alternatives we would definitely put up our business site in UK because we will be paying lesser taxes. Lesser taxes in our investments mean more income for the company. Even if looking at this corporate tax rate from a percent perspective, the difference seem small like 3% or 2%, but if we are talking about millions of dollars 2% is already a large amount. Thus a slight advantage in corporate tax means a lot in attracting investors. France, Spain and Italy’s Higher Unemployment Economic Advantage Most European countries suffer some levels of growing unemployment due to the pressures of lower labor cost in the world market like China. China’s growing threat of low cost manufacturing expands not just in employment but to the whole economic state of European Companies. France has been in a state of falling down GDP since 2000 and in 2002, France unemployment rate reach 8. 9%. Although France has easy access to UK, the France has a higher corporate tax compared to UK. France effective corporate tax rate is 34. 33% (Export Entreprises SA, 2005). This is 4. 33% higher than UK’s 30% maximum corporate tax. This higher tax rate is a major contributor why France has higher unemployment rate compared to UK. Higher tax rate deters investment and therefore lowers employment. Spain suffers the same condition of growing unemployment just like France because of its higher corporate tax and rigid employment scheme. The corporate tax of Spain is 35% (Export Entreprises SA, 2005). It is even higher than France. Even if Spain offers lower corporate tax of 30% to companies whose turnover does not exceed 6 million EUR, the overall average is still somewhere in 35%. The regulatory framework of employment in Spain is not so flexible leading to high dismissal cost and low part time employment. The overall result of higher corporate tax and less flexible employment leads to higher unemployment compared to UK. Italy is affected the most by China’s threat of low cost manufacturing. This is because Italy has a large number of manufacturing enterprises that belongs to the small to medium sized. Small to medium sized manufacturing enterprises fall under those than finds low cost alternative in China. Similarly the corporate tax in Italy is 33% (Export Entreprises SA, 2005), 3% higher than UK. Again this explains why Italy has higher unemployment rate than UK. To what extent might the pursuit of full employment conflict with other economic objectives. Looking at the previous explanation of why UK’s unemployment is much lower than France, Spain and Italy, the most significant contributor is the taxation. This is because low corporate tax can give economic advantage over its rivals. As corporate tax decreases, investment spending increases and employment rises. In reality this is not always true because as corporate tax decreases, the government collection also decreases. If we keep on pushing by lowering corporate and individual tax rate, it will also have some negative effects. A lot of economist cautioned that lowering corporate tax will result to short term economic growth unless backed up by extensive government economic infrastructures. â€Å"KPMG concludes that indirect taxes appear to be playing an increasingly important role in the revenue-gathering strategies of many countries around the world† (KPMG, 2007). Lowering corporate tax may reach to a point that the overall collection is not enough to sustain the expenses required to maintain government maintained organizations and infrastructures needed for economic stability. The stress cause by such condition may swing the economy to a condition where the overall economic structure will cause impediments to investment. An example is that if it increases crime rate due to the poor security given by the government. High crime rates can deter investors and bring down employment. Another possible case is poor roads and transportation. This could greatly affect the decision of investors. Therefore a balance must be achieved. When the lowest minimum corporate tax is achieved it must be offset by some other means in it needs to be lowered further to compete in the world market. One possible strategy is increasing VAT when lowering corporate tax. VAT increase has major benefits over corporate tax because VAT is continuous flow of cash as oppose to lump sum corporate tax. Another similar approach to offset a reduction in corporate tax which has the same effect as VAT is increasing Goods and Services Tax (GST). Again GST has the advantage of bringing a continuous cash flow as oppose to lump sum corporate tax. â€Å"On the other hand, the survey shows that corporate tax rates are continuing to fall worldwide, but there are signs that this trend is slowing† (KPMG, 2007). This year it is 26. 8 from 27. 2% last year which indicates that the average rates have decreased compared to the major reductions in 1997 to 2007. So far UK still has some capability to lower its corporate tax to compete with other country. The more relaxed labor regulations in UK, although helpful in keeping more people get employed, may also have some limits. This may also lead to inefficient employees that would take a toll on company’s revenue. This could lead a company to loose interest in investing their money. If we take for example if we make employee regulations very relaxed like for example by not having to require that employee need to have a specific security measures in applying for a job, the employee might end up to be a member of an underground organization. An organization that may have some security threats to the company. If a security breach would occur like a patent design being stolen, the company will loose millions and end up withdrawing their investment. In the end everything is just a matter of balance, where the equilibrium between a relax labor regulation and the negative effects that it might bring. References OIPA (2008). Invest in UK. Retrieved from the Overseas Investment Promotion Agency website: http://www. investoverseas. org/United_Kingdom/Invest_UK/uk_economy. htm, on February 8, 2008 Export Entreprises SA (2005). France TAXES ACCOUNTING. Retrieved from the Export Enterprises website: http://country. alibaba. com/profiles/FR/France/taxes_accounting. htm, on February 8, 2008 Export Entreprises SA (2005). Spain TAXES ACCOUNTING. Retrieved from the Export Enterprises website: http://country. alibaba. com/profiles/ES/Spain/taxes_accounting. htm, on February 8, 2008 Export Entreprises SA (2005). Italy TAXES ACCOUNTING. Retrieved from the Export Enterprises website: http://country. alibaba. com/profiles/IT/Italy/taxes_accounting. htm, on February 8, 2008 KPMG (2007). Indirect Taxes The price for low corporate tax. Retrieved from the Winterman-am. blogspot website: http://winterman-

Hamlet- The Role Of Women Essay -- essays research papers

Today women have many rights. We can vote, work, and even voice our own opinions. In the past women were seen as mothers and housekeepers, always taught to respect, listen, and serve there husbands or the man of the house. In those days this was considered normal, therefore women had no choice but to obey and do as they were told. In Hamlet, Shakespeare portrays a similar relationship between women and men. He allows men to hold the higher position in the causing, them to treat women as lesser people and believed that women should listen to them and do as they were told. Ophelia a young women in Hamlet, she represents how women are treated. Ophelia obeys several different men in the play. One of the men is Hamlet. Ophelia is sixteen much younger than Hamlet, Hamlet is twenty one and in college. The Maturity of each persons mind depends on there age. Ophelia is a woman who has been taught to believe and listen to men such as her father. When she is now faced with wether to believe Hamlet or doubt his love for she once again she disregards her feelings and trusts Hamlet. Hamlet pursued Ophelia, he saw a young women whome he could satisfy him self with. In the play Hamlet does not court ophelia the only place they are together is in Ophelia’s bedroom "He hath, my lord, of late made tenders Of his affection to me"(pg 17 line 99). Hamlet visits her bedroom at night and makes love to her. Ophelia believes this a relationship but is too young to know what a real relationship is. Hamlet writes her letters to make her believe that letters are a representation of Love. Ophelia did not refuse Hamlet everything that Hamlet wanted from Ophelia he got. She stops thinking for herself and allows men to think for her. Ophelia allows Hamlet to "make love to her" because Hamlet wants to. Men in those days had a great deal of power. Women were not thought of being much more than lovers and house keepers, there minds belonged to there men. Ophelia does not know wether the relationship was ever real. Hamlet is another man controlling her to make her believe that he really loved her. like her father, he can control her mind and make her believe what he wants her to. Another man she obeys is her father, Polonius, Lord Chamberlain. In the play she believes her father has her life in his hands, she will never d... ...ow her how wrong it is but it is a s though she can not see through her own eyes she agrees with Claudius and repeat whatever his oppinions are. Queen. I doubt it is no other but the main, His father’s death and our o’erhasty marriage (pg 39 line 56). Here the queen does not care whether her own son is hurt by her marriage. She seems to be heartless when she should be full of heart warming feelings. As a women in the play she allowed Claudius to instill his views in her. And just like Ophelia she subdues her feelings and allows a man-Claudius- to make his opinion an feelings hers. In making Hamlet I believed that Shakespear gave men the higher position in the play. Such as the title of the book Hamlet who is also the prince in the play. Most of the main characters in the play are men. The role of the women in the play existed in all the characters in the play. Women were portrayed as slow, weak, neurotic characters who were easily led astray and were easily controlled. Maybe Shakespear did not believe in women as strong characters due to the age he lived in but, now in the year 2000 this is un heard of.

Administrative Decentralization

In a centralized organization, the decisions are made by top executives or on the basis of pre-set policies. These decisions are then enforced through several tiers of the organization after gradually broadening the span of control until it reaches the bottom level.In a more decentralized organization, the top executives delegate much of their decision-making authority to lower tiers of the organizational structure. As a correlation, the organization is likely to run on less rigid policies and wider spans of control among each officer of the organization.This paper will consider administrative decentralization, the benefits and potential pitfalls as it pertains to local emergency services. The first section reviews the term administrative decentralization and its various forms. While its followed by the benefits and pitfalls in relations to local emergency servicesAdministrative decentralizationAdministrative decentralization seeks to redistribute authority, responsibility and financ ial resources for providing public services among different levels of governance. Its is the transfer of responsibility for proper planning, financing and public functions management from central government to the local governments, semi-autonomous public authorities or corporations, or area-wide, regional or functional authorities.An example of administrative decentralization is the power of a field office to settle certain claims against the central administration (decentralization â€Å"government† Encarta student 2008). Governments in developing countries have variety of administrative decentralization policies.These range from those that are more widespread in scope and designed to transfer development planning and management responsibilities to local units of government. Others have been more narrowly conceived, deconcentrating or reallocating administrative tasks among the units of central government.The three major forms of administrative decentralization — dec oncentration, delegation, and devolution — each have different featuresDeconcentrationThis is the weakest form of administrative decentralization and is used most often in unitary states. It distributes decision making, authority and financial and management responsibilities, among various tiers of the central government.It can simply shift responsibilities from the central government workers who are in the capital city to those working in local regions, provinces or districts, or it can create strong field management or local administrative capability under the supervision of   the central government ministries.DelegationDelegation is another form of administrative decentralization. It’s more extensive form of decentralization. It works by transferring of responsibility for decision making and administration through semi-autonomous bodies. Such bodies are not wholly controlled by the central government but they are somehow accountable to the government.This is usual ly done by designating responsibilities by creating various forms of public enterprise, housing authorities, transportation authorities, and special project implementation units. These bodies have an enormous caution in decision making. The organization may be excluded from certain law and constraints on regular civil service personnel. They may also charge the customers directly for product consumption.DevolutionDevolution is the third form of administrative decentralization. Governments delegates functions, by transferring authority for decision-making, finance, and management to semi-autonomous units of local government with corporate status.It usually transfers responsibilities for services to districts that elect their own mayors and councils, generate their revenues, and have independent authority to make investment decisions. In such a system, local governments have plain and lawfully recognized geographical boundaries over which they exercise power and within which they perf orm public functions.This form of administrative decentralization underlies nearly all political decentralization.Community services produced by local government include water provisions, wastewater disposal and creating and maintaining streets and parks, education and social welfare, infrastructure development and protecting the citizens’ legal security and the exercise of public authority and police power.Benefits of administrative decentralization in local emergency servicesIncrease coordination; since power has been brought closer to people, it makes the citizen contribute in one form or the other in reducing the risks of hazards. There is also increase in self reliance of the population at reducing risk of hazards and also helps in disaster prevention.Its also believe that bringing power close to people enhance vertical linkages and flexibility among the administrative agencies hence facilitating planning and implementation of local emergency service policies.Administrat ive decentralization also helps government in post-disaster relief compensation programs and international assistance may also act as ‘incentives’ for people to locate to disaster-prone areas. There’s also effectiveness in development and conservation, planning and implementation of various local emergency system.Potential pitfalls of administrative decentralization pertaining to local   emergency   Ã‚  servicesEquilibrium in empowerment; as stated earlier the objectives of a decentralized administration are good, this is characterized by public empowerment, effectiveness in development, increased efficiency and increased coordination. There is usually a problem in achieving equilibrium between the people of different geographic location or in different communities in people empowerment.Administrative decentralization; it's not absolute in its purpose nor is it always efficient or just. It may assist in programs that alleviate poverty or sustainable forest ma nagement but it is not always sufficient. It’s usually a long term process which is to be achieved in stages or phases. The local government also tends to lack the skills in proper management of disaster.Weak; decentralizing power does not mean doing away with control, hence it tend to be more effective under a strong central government. Hence effectiveness might not be accomplished under the weak form of government.Policies; administrative decentralization policies especially those involving devolution should address existing corruption and potential new structures before initiating the necessary change to address them.Staffs; another problem that tend to arise from this form of decentralization pertaining to the local emergency services is the transfer of power to officials who care more about their self interest than the welfare of the community. This can lead to corruption. Another problem may also arise when power is been devolve to an incompetent official.ConclusionCons idering the merit and demerits of administrative decentralization of governance, proper implementation and designation of power and it monitoring will help to prevent local emergencies and its proper management if it occurs. Its makes life better and brings out their innate potentials because they are allowed in the decision making process.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ReferencesDecentralization Thematic Team.(2008). Different forms of decentralization. Decentralization. Retrieved July 7, 2008. From www.ciesin.orgIan, Ferguson, Cherukat, Chandrasekhar an. (2004). What effect is decentralization having on the quest for sustainable forest management in the Asia-Pacific region?   Path and pitfalls of decentralization. Retrieved July 7, 2008. From www.itto.or.jpJean, Bonnal. (2008). A history of decentralization.   Decentralizatio n. Retrieved July 7, 2008. From www.ciesin.orgJohn, Cohen, Stephen, Peterson. (2008). Administrative Decentralization: A New Framework for Improved Governance, Accountability, and Performance. Retrieved July 7, 2008. From www.cid.harvard.

Pax Americana: The Importance of Soft Power Essay

There are two main ways through which a country can lose its ascendancy. First, it can be defeated militarily by a stronger, rising power. Second, it can rot from within, its culture and institutions progressively becoming weaker while its economy stagnates. Joseph Nye Jr. , in his book The Paradox of American Power, argues early on that America is in no immediate danger of â€Å"rotting from within†, as was the case with ancient Rome. Citing statistics to buttress his point, Nye shows that the negative media (both local and international) coverage received by the United States have little factual basis. While the country is not exactly where it wants to be in terms of morality and culture, it is certainly far from being the social Sodom and Gomorrah that it is portrayed to be. While the country lags some countries (notably those in the European Union) in many social metrics, it is nevertheless substantially better-off than the rest of the world in such terms. Neither is the U. S economy undergoing major problems. Despite the many doomsday predictions, the U. S. economy is growing at a respectable rate and continues to maintain the high standard of living that Americans have enjoyed for the past twenty to thirty years. While the trade challenges posed by China and the European Union may prove problematic in the years to come, they are nevertheless still manageable at present. Thus, it appears that that the United States is not going to collapse on itself in the near future. What Might Cannot Accomplish: The Case for Soft Power With regards to military power, no one can argue that the United States is in any danger of losing its hegemonic position. However, Nye posits the argument that the United States must learn not to rely on this aspect of its national power alone. One of his key contentions is that military power is not enough to maintain the ascendancy of the United States in the coming century. Also known as hard power, military power is an important part of the country’s overall strength – but it should not be the only fount of influence from which the country draws. In a rapidly globalizing world, soft power, e. g. , economic and cultural strength, must be seen as being as important as its military capabilities. Power not only consists of brute force, but also of influence and persuasiveness. The author agrees that if the United States is to achieve its foreign policy objectives, then it must learn not only to use its soft power, but to widen its scope in the years to come. Other than terrorism, a number of issues can only be resolved by acknowledging that we live in a deeply interconnected world. Issues such as pollution and global warming, the spread of AIDS, drug trafficking, and human slavery cannot be addressed by any one country in isolation – even if that country is a superpower. Because the relationships between state and non-state actors are increasingly intertwined in a mesh of common interests, then global multilateral cooperation is the only viable alternative that the world – the United States included – can choose. Current events would seem to prove this point. While the United States remains the world’s predominant military power, it is becoming increasingly clear that it cannot achieve its goals through unilateral military action. Indeed, the present war in Iraq is a clear indication of the United States’ limitations, especially when battling non-conventional organizations such as terrorist cells. Military might is an important tool in battling terrorism on a global scale, but the help of other countries – especially when it comes to intelligence gathering – will be increasingly required. In other words, only a multilateral approach will have an appreciable effect on a global hydra such as terrorism. Similarly, only by using such an approach will the U. S. e able to make progress on a variety of global issues. Recognizing the Times: Forming a Sound Foreign Policy Nye believes that American foreign policy is too dependent on its military power, pointing out that the military receives sixteen times the funding that the diplomatic service does. As he points out, the military corps is important – but not sixteen times as important as diplomatic corps. As we enter the new millennium, the latter must gain more importance if the U. S. is to maintain its power. The era during which the U.  S. could promote its national self-interest through military power alone is fast fading, if not already gone. The United States must learn to adapt to a new international political environment, one wherein it must strive to be looked up to as much as feared. Transnational problems cannot be solved in isolation, and America will need friends and allies if it is to make any lasting progress. However, it is also clear that the United States must not simply begin to act multilaterally on a sweeping number of issues. Rationality must be pursued at all times. There are situations in which the privilege to act unilaterally must be exercised by the United States, especially when it comes to issues of national defense and survival. Neither should the U. S. allow itself to be bound to international pacts that will restrict it excessively, or will allow other countries undue leverage over it. The key here is balance: finding the right mix between protecting America’s current national interests, as well as its future credibility and influence with the world community. A corollary to the preceding statement is that the United States must continue to provide global leadership by providing global public goods, such as international order and a free market system. While some may argue that such a policy inevitably spawns free riders, the U. S. must nevertheless push through with ensuring the availability of such public goods, not only because they benefit the country directly, but also because they make America indispensable to the world, in effect legitimizing its power. The author agrees with Nye on such counts. America stands at a crossroads today; the path it chooses to take will determine its future position in the world. If it decides to play the tyrant, it will suffer the usual fate of tyrants. However, if it chooses to adapt itself to the changed international political environment, it will ensure not only its survival but also its eminence. When Theodore Roosevelt said that he would â€Å"speak softly but carry a big stick,† he was formulating sound foreign policy. What American leaders should notice is that he mentioned â€Å"speaking softly† before the â€Å"big stick. †

Adaptations of trees in the rainforest biomes

Adaptations of trees in the rainforest biomes The trees in the rainforest biomes have developed several adaptations to enable them to survive the conditions in the area. The rain forests receive an average of between 50 and 260 inches of rainfall annually (Denslow, 1987). This means that the plants in that area will need to adapt in order to ensure that they shed water in an efficient way.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Adaptations of trees in the rainforest biomes specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another problem that may be encountered by rainforest flora is that the sunlight that reaches the plants on a lower canopy may be little. There are different layers of canopies. With every layer, there is a drop in the amount of sunlight that reaches the leaves. This means that the plants need to be adapted and they have to device ways of harnessing the little sunlight. One adaptation of the rainforest trees is that they have drip tips on their leaves. This helps the leaves to drop off water from their leaves. The air is very humid and there is a tendency of leaves accumulating water. Another adaptation of the leaves is that they may have grooves on the leaves. This helps to increase the surface area to allow more water to be lost through transpiration. The leaves of the trees in the rain forests may also be oily. This oily coating helps to shed off water from the leaves more efficiently and does not allow it to settle. The barks of these trees are usually thin and smooth. This is because they do not require thick barks to protect them from water loss (Herwitz, 1985). Since these plants receive plenty of water at all times, they do not require deep roots. In order to absorb as much sunlight as possible, the plants have devised ways to increase efficiency. One adaptation is that the rainforest trees have broad leaves. This increases the surface area of the leaves to ensure that more sunlight reaches the leaves. Another adaptation of the leaves is that some trees have leaf stalks that turn. This movement corresponds to the movement of the sun meaning that the leaves follow the direction of the sun and ensure that the maximum amount of light reaches the leaf surface at every moment. Why these trees would not compete well in another biome The rainforest trees have adaptations that limit them from being competitive in other biomes. For example, these trees would not be able to survive in a relatively dry area, let alone a desert. The broad leaves and the grooves on the leaves would increase water loss and that would become a hindrance to its survival. The large surface of the leaves would also mean that there is a larger surface area to allow for water loss.Advertising Looking for essay on ecology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Leaves of plant in dry areas need to have ways of reducing the surface area for water loss and this includes having small leaves and s maller stomata (Dolman, Gash, Robert, Shuttleworth, 1991). The smooth, thin bark would also work against attempts towards water conservation because heat would be able to penetrate and water would be lost since the bark is thin. Since the rainforest trees have shallow roots, such plants would not be able to survive in a dry area since they would not be able to reach the underground water. In dry areas, the groundwater level is usually lower and this means that roots need to go deeper. These plants would not be able to get water and they will simply dry up. References Denslow, J. (1987). Tropical rainforest gaps and tree species diversity. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 18, 431-451. Dolman, J., Gash, J., Robert, J., Shuttleworth, J. (1991). Stomatal and surface conductance of tropical rainforest. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 54(2-4), 303-318. Herwitz, S. (1985). Interception storage capacities of tropical rainforest canopy trees. Journal of Hydrology, 77(1-4), 23 7-252.

Use these 10 tools to figure out your ideal career

Use these 10 tools to figure out your ideal career If you’re one of those people who always knew what you were destined to do for your career, from fresh-faced recent grad to wise retiree, that’s amazing! You are already killing it, plan-wise. But chances are you’re more like the rest of us, and are less than 100% sure of what you want to do with your career. At that point, it takes a little more thinking, prodding, and questioning before you can move on to the career plan. Or maybe you’ve already gone down one path, and either don’t like it or need a change. Whatever the case may be, there are lots of great tools out there you can use to figure out what you should be doing with your career. You’ve probably seen those Buzzfeed-style quizzes all over the place, promising to tell you your age, weight, and best life choices based on the pizza toppings you choose. I’m not here to say those aren’t accurate, but if you truly want to figure out what you want to do with your life, it pa ys to dig a little deeper. Luckily, there are some easy, accessible (and dare I say â€Å"fun†?) online tests and surveys that help you channel your personality and your strengths into a job that matches your greatness.Why do personality and aptitude tests work?Personality tests aren’t always career-related, but they can help you get a baseline handle on who you are, what you like, and what circumstances can help you thrive (or, alternatively, what your biggest challenges might be). All of these things are crucial for helping you figure out a long-term path. They also support a fundamental truth about professional life: you can have all the education and skills necessary to do a job, but whether you do it well- and whether it is fulfilling for you- is largely due to your personality. Your personality is often the forgotten part of the job hunt, lost in the shuffle with resume, cover letter, and interview prep. Yet it’s a major component of who you are, and who y ou’d be on the job.Similarly, aptitude tests may help you define skill sets you didn’t realize you had, or didn’t know that you should emphasize. A little self-knowledge can go a long way, especially when it comes to finding a career path that works for you in the long run.Let’s look at a few of the assessments out there.The Color QuizBelieve it or not, your favorite colors can show what careers might be right for you. In this simple, five-minute quiz, your answers are analyzed and returned as potential career matches.Cost: Free to use and get your results.The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) AssessmentThis is the classic personality test, used in many different professional and personal contexts to help people become more self-aware and make decisions based on their personal strength areas. It’s a questionnaire (which you can fill out either online or on paper) designed to assess how you see the world in four different areas: directing and recei ving energy (extroverted vs. introverted); taking in information (sensing vs. intuitive); making decisions (thinking vs. feeling); and approaching the outside world (judging vs. perceiving). It reveals insights about how you form and approach relationships, as well as how you communicate- both factors that can help determine whether you become, say, a lab technician versus a stand-up comedian.Cost: Insights don’t always come for free. The official test is $49.95, but there are also free versions available online as well. As part of the cost, you receive a detailed report analyzing your personality type and communication styles.Truity TypeFinder TestsTruity bases their personality assessments on the 16 different types originally outlined by Isabel Briggs Myers (whose name should sound familiar if you just read about the MBTI). They offer a general personality test (the TypeFinder Personality Test), but also a professionally-focused one (the TypeFinder for the Workplace). There are also smaller, targeted personality quizzes available on the site.Cost: The general TypeFinder assessments (both personality and professional) are $29 apiece, but you can take the shorter personality quizzes on the site for free.PymetricsIf games are more your speed than filling out straight-up questionnaires, then Pymetrics might be a more fun way for you to learn more about your personal and professional styles. The Pymetrics method uses game design to help limit anxiety and biases that might be present in more traditional quizzes and surveys, allowing people to relax and make honest choices instead of overthinking or trying to figure out how to â€Å"score high† on a standardized test. At the end of the process, the Pymetrics reports match job seekers with a subset of potential careers based on neuroscience and their algorithms. This new wave of personality assessment is used by schools and many different kinds of companies to assess potential applicants and recruits.C ost: It’s free to sign up and start playing the games, but there may be costs for detailed reporting and career matchmaking.The MAPP Career AssessmentThis assessment is a 22-minute â€Å"test† (flashback to those No. 2 pencils and scantron sheets!) that asks you 71 questions about your likes and dislikes to gauge your potential career interests. The focus is less on the â€Å"right† answer than on the instinctive one. This test bills itself as the â€Å"mapp† to your â€Å"true calling.† And unlike those old-school pencil-and-paper affairs, this can be done entirely online.Cost: It’s free to get started and take the test, but it costs $89.95-$149.95 to get detailed reports and potential job analysesSokanuSokanu takes your answers from a 20-minute quiz, and compares your interests, personality, and preferences to 100 different traits. At the end of the test, you’re matched to a subset of 800 different jobs. Rather than make general rec ommendations like â€Å"astronaut† or â€Å"ballet dancer,† this test prides itself on using deeper data metrics to make specific career recommendations.Cost: Totally free!My Next MoveThis is a very career-focused assessment put out by the U.S. Department of Labor. Also called the â€Å"O*Net Interest Profiler,† this test allows you to take your results and use them to search the U.S. government’s vast database of career information.Cost: This tool is free to use (well, probably funded by your tax dollars- but no additional cost in the meantime).Skills ProfilerIf you’re looking for something more solidly skills-based than personality-based, the U.S. Department of Labor’s other career assessment, the Skills Profiler tool, might be a better fit for you. Instead of taking a personality type and matching it with a job, it lets you input either your current skills to find a matching career, or a job type to see what kind of skills you’ll n eed for it. This can be a good way to see if that job you want to apply for is a good fit for the skills you already have, or if you’ll need to do some building in the meantime.Cost: This assessment is free to use.PathSourcePathSource is a little different- instead of telling you which jobs you should pursue based on your personality or interests, it helps you figure out what kind of job you’ll need to support your lifestyle. It’s an app that assesses your personality and career interests, and also lets you know whether that job in library science is likely to support your caviar dreams. Or, more importantly, whether you’ll be able to pay back the student loans you accumulated in pursuit of your goals.Cost: The app is free to download from the Apple or Google app stores.So how do I use these results in my job hunt?Think of this test-taking as pre-work. You won’t be rattling off your MBTI results on your resume or dropping hints in the interview tha t your love of the color forest green makes you perfect for this job as a firefighter. These are merely in the interest of understanding yourself better, and giving you potential starting points (or eventual goals) that you can use to target your job search or align your goals.If you end up in a job or career that just doesn’t fit who you are, it’s likely that you’ll end up right back at this same place- trying to figure out what does make you tick, and how you can turn that into a more fulfilling job and career. Knowing what types of environments you thrive in, how you work with others, and how you approach the world in general can be invaluable information as you figure out which opportunities to pursue, and it’s an area that you can only access if you make the commitment to understand yourself better.Don’t forget, your resume is the next important step! You can also download free templates from our Resume Library to get started on your resume cr eation.

Aesthetic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aesthetic - Essay Example ..""Aesthetics"" or esthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the definition of beauty† (Singh 2008). The concept of beauty is subjective in nature as it had been popularly coined by the phrase â€Å"beauty is in the eye of the beholder† (Martin 2009). Film, which is an art of making motion pictures, encompasses different criteria or qualities by which its aesthetic quality can be evaluated depending on the person viewing it. Thereby, its classification as a beautiful film depends on the subjective nature of the person who viewed it. It is in this regard that this essay is written to determine the qualities of a good (and beautiful) film as hereby defined. The most critical factors that qualify a film or movie as good are as follows: (1) a good plot (or the content of the story), (2) the quality and choice of casts, (3) genre, (4) excellent audio visual quality, (5) cinematography (or the form which is the actual beauty of fine art) and (6) moral or message of the story. I consider the following films as meriting the aesthetic standards of a good film: (1) Apocalypse Now, (2) Psycho, and (3) 12 Monkeys. The Apocalypse Now, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, had been a controversial movie according to critics in terms of various concerns that besieged the director, actors, and other movie personnel. However, despite these concerns, Apocalypse Now passes my aesthetic standards because of the plot, quality and choice of casts, cinematography and the message of the story. The proof are the numerous awards that the film garnered including two Oscars for best in cinematography and sound and a host of other awards in the US, Cannes, Brazil, with 13 wins and 32 nominations. In Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the aesthetic beauty comes out from the plot which leaves the audience in constant suspense. Despite the time that has evolved since its first filming, a lot of movie goers still remember this film due to the surprise ending.

Marketing advertising report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing advertising report - Essay Example building brand awareness for both Southeast Asian Laneway festival and existing local festivals, but she was unsure about the exact marketing activities required to promote the brand. In such a context, the manager has asked the researcher to recommend suitable marketing and advertising strategy to promote the brand, thereby helping her to fulfill the proposed objectives. The manager has asked the researcher to focus on certain issues, while making recommendations such as, 1- propose strategic recommendations that can help Laneway Festival to address their current needs, 2- provide justification regarding functionality of proposed campaign, 3- illustrate look/feel of the proposed advertisement in order to specify how the proposed campaign would achieve success, 4- identification of target audience for the advertisement and 5- make broad media recommendation by addressing budget, time period and brief description of activities. As marketing personnel, the researcher will analyze the b rief and try to locate anomalies present in there. In the next section, the study will conduct a brief literature review in order to understand arguments, presented by previous researchers, to identify the working pattern of advertising campaign. In the book, â€Å"Confessions of an Advertising Man†, Ogilvy (1988) had stated the phrase, â€Å"If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative†, in order to highlight the importance of outcome while employing advertisement to promote brand. According to Ogilvy (1988), success or creativity of advertising campaigns can only be appreciated, if it is able to sell the product/service. Hence, advertising campaigns cannot be created only for the sake of creativity. Kawashima (2006) found that look and feel of advertisements changes with the background story of the brand, nature of target audience and divergence of marketing objectives. Grabher (2001 and 2002) argued that incorporation of creativity in advertisements can be done by experimenting with

Critical Thinking Reflection Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Critical Thinking Reflection - Article Example The most important information in this article is web can be dangerous and thus need to learn to control the use and addiction to social media and the web to our advantage as we take measures not to sway away from reality as we are pegged all day to these machines and networks. The fact that Russell’s Facebook, Youtube and Twitter accounts were almost dead before he posted the videos shows that by that time he was living in the real world, but after his fame, he even cut down his sleeping hour and patterns which affected his mental health. The author’s arguments are strong in the credibility of the information and his connection to the real life. For instance, viewing computers and networks as tools that helped Russell support his mission, have turned out to tear his psyche and exposing him to kudos and criticisms, with the article’s heading. Authors weaknesses can be traced his failure to argue exactly on what other uses of the web apart from the social site lik e Facebook, Youtube and Twitter can affect both socially and psychologically. In his arguments, he concentrates much on these sites which are accompanied by likes, shares, kudos and criticisms but the overall web includes other site of knowledge search, which he did not argue on their effects. The main conclusion of this article is that the web has both positive effect and negative ones. The effective use, management and control of addiction to these media are important because the uncontrolled use and overreliance can transform our perception and interactions to those of cyborgs. The best practice would be to prepare psychologically on the criticisms and kudos associated with content posted online and more so concentrate on the  productive part of the web like knowledge search and business information.  

Love in Shakespeares Sonnets

Love in Shakespeares Sonnets Introduction In his poem, Scorn not the Sonnet (Poetical Works, 1827), Wordsworth famously said that the sonnets were the key with which Shakespeare unlocked his heart and whilst this can certainly be seen to be the case, the sonnets do much more than that. Writing of various forms of love, and indeed of love itself, using the contemporary sonnet form, Shakespeare develops the aspects of love which the sonnets reflect into an all-encompassing discussion on the major themes of life itself that continue to inform and direct the human condition, a fact which is perhaps partly responsible for their continuing popularity with both public and critics alike. This dissertation sets out to discover, through close reading of carefully selected representative sonnets and critical context, the way Shakespeare accomplishes this. The sonnet form as Shakespeare, whose 154 sonnets were first published in 1609, and his contemporaries used it was introduced into England in the sixteenth century by Sir Thomas Wyatt who translated sonnets in the Petrarchan form from the original Italian: As we should expect in a period when he [Shakespeare] was beginning to write the sonnet, allusions to Petrarchism become increasingly common. (Whitaker, 1953, p. 88) The Shakespearian or Elizabethan sonnet form differs from the Italian, originally developed by Petrarch in the fourteenth century, principally in form. Both styles are usually comprised of fourteen lines but have a different rhyme sequence and structure. The Petrarchan sonnet consists of an octet (a sequence of eight lines in which the theme is opened) and the subsequent sestet (which reflects on the theme it has introduced), whilst the Shakespearian is structured in iambic pentameter in three quatrains and a couplet, the three quatrains rhyming in abab form and the final couplet rhyming cc. It is important to understand Shakespeares structure because it so often reflects the theme, with the three quatrains each addressing a different aspect of the sonnets focus and the couplet usually providing an epigram summing up the idea which the sonnet reflects. Indeed, Shakespeare does not only use the sonnet form in his poems but also within his plays, incorporating what a contemporary audience would recognise to be evidence of true and even holy love. The most famous example of this is in the first meeting between Romeo and Juliet, written in 1594, where their words are exchanged in sonnet form: Romeo: If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. Juliet: Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers kiss. Romeo: Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? Juliet: Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. Romeo: O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. Juliet: Saints do not move, though grant for prayers sake. Romeo: Then move not while my prayers effect I take. (Shakespeare, William. 1954. Romeo and Juliet, Act I, Scene v, p. 30) This is an excellent example of the innovative way in which Shakespeare uses the sonnet form and it is therefore appropriate to look at it in detail in the introduction to this dissertation in order to show the aspects of love with which the discussion will be concerned: From the early poems to the young man of rank, urging him to marry and have a son, through the idealising attempts to negate the space of social difference in the mutuality of private love, to the bitter wit of the Will poems to the dark woman, the player-poet seeks to reduce the gap between addresser and addressee that is the very condition of the Petrarchan mode. It has not escaped commentators or audiences that in Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare represents a moment of reciprocity via the archetype of in commensurability: a sonnet, uniquely shared by Romeo and Juliet in Act 1. (Schalkwyk, 2002. p. 65) In the first quatrain, Shakespeare has Romeo, who was previously infatuated with Rosaline, a state we are given to understand that he has often found himself in before this, declare his feelings in holy imagery which Juliet, in the second quatrain, immediately picks up on and develops. Thus, though inversion of the traditional male role as director is not removed, Shakespeare gifts Juliet with an aspect of equality with Romeo, by making her his equal in wit, a gender specific imperative which is found in both his plays and sonnets alike. Moreover, in the third quatrain, the lovers share their feelings and the structure itself, with each taking separate lines of the sonnet. This mutuality reflects how the play will develop, with Juliet continuing to grow in strength, and also shows the importance of the connection between what appears to be love and what is true love, associated fundamentally with God, as evidenced by the religious imagery of pilgrims and saints and perhaps most impor tantly palmers, which signifies one who has made the pilgrimage to Rome. The contemporary audience would recognise this first dialogue between the lovers as emblematic of true love precisely because it is expressed in the sonnet form. Also, Shakespeare establishes the connective between true love and religion which, as will be seen in the dissertation discussion, is another feature of the sonnets as a whole and indeed the sonnet form. The way in which Romeo and Juliet share the sonnet is, as is noted above (Schalkwyk, 2002. p. 65), very different from the way that the older Petrarchan sonnet form implements the structure to address the theme or indeed object of love. Shakespeares concept of love as expressed in the sonnets is essentially based upon reality, human beings interacting or regarded as representative of love without the necessity to involve the idea of worship as is certainly the case with Petrarchs Laura. Although many of the sonnets are addressed to an unknown and somewhat generically enigmatic female, referred to as the Dark Lady by critics, the sense of the sonnets being concerned with human love in all its aspects is always primary, as Shakespeare writes in Sonnet CXXX: I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground: (Shakespeare, William. 2003. Shakespeares Sonnets. ed. Katherine Duncan Jones. p.375) This is a thought that he completes by following the colon with a couplet summation that despite this, or perhaps because of it, his love is as rare as any belied with false compare. It is clear that love for Shakespeare is as concerned with humanity as much, if not more, than the conception of love and the distant, silent, object of that love as divine. Thus, the idea that Romantic love has little to do with love as it is actually experienced is another aspect of love with which the sonnets are concerned and which this dissertation will address. Indeed, one imperative which seeks to involve a less direct form of love is the notion of Platonic love, or love as an ideal, as expressed in Sonnet CXVI: Let me not to the marriage of true minds/Admit impediments (Shakespeare, William. 2003. Shakespeares Sonnets. ed. Katherine Duncan Jones. p.343). It is generally accepted that the first seventeen of the sonnets are addressed to a young man and in these Shakespeare turns more frequently to the idea that marriage should be the object of a mans life. However, he then turns, in sonnets XVIII-CXXVI, to homoerotic expressions of love to a man, identified, simply because of the dedication on the first (possibly unauthorised) publication, by Thomas Thorpe, as Mr. W.H.: The interpretation of the expression only begetter is doubtful. Did Thorpe mean that Mr. W. H. was the fair youth of the sonnets (though on this reading the dark lady also has a claim as a begetter, to some of the sonnets), or was he merely the gentleman who gave Thorpe the manuscriptMr. William Harvey perhaps, who in 1598 married the widowed mother of Lord Southampton? The manuscript can only have come from one in the innermost circle of those who knew Shakespeare and his noble friend. If Southampton was the friend, William Harvey may have been the only begetter. (Alexander Nisbet, 1935, p. 94) Like the Dark Lady, the young man is not identified within the sonnets and the location of his identity has similarly exercised scholars across the generations. However, although it is certainly true that spurious identification is of passing interest: The identity of the fair youth matters much more to those who believe that the poems grew from personal experience than to those who believe that they are poetic fictions, influenced more by sonneteering convention than by life. (Bate, 2008, pp. 41-2) Bates point is well-taken since the actual identity of the object of love is indeed much less important to an appreciation of the sonnets than their importance as representative of aspects of love: Somehow the poems convince each reader that what he or she sees in them is what is really there. But somehow they then sneak up behind you and convince you of something completely different. (Bate, 2008, p. 43) It might be argued, in fact, that precisely because of the lack of knowledge concerning the individual to whom the sonnets are addressed, readers have formed a generic connective with them across the generations which is cathartic in its anonymity: How do we lesser mortals know to perform our lesser miracles of life? Again we face the enigma of all creation, which Shakespeare himself has simply accepted and has nowhere attempted to explain. What was there when there was nothing? And how does something more forever come from something less? Whether the creation be instantaneous, in six days, or in aeons of ages the miracle is no less. And in it we live, and move, and have our being. And perhaps, alas!, have in us too little of the poet to see that there is any miracle at all. (Baldwin, 1950, p. 384) Thus, the individual biographical aspects of the sonnets, though of interest, can never be a primary informative and this may, indeed, be beneficial, as we shall hope to see. Chapter One: The Marriage of True Minds Little is known about Shakespeares life and this has given rise to much speculation about his biographical background: It is one of the ironies attendant on the growth of Shakespeares reputation that even the most diligent scholarship has been able to uncover very little of the background of the poets personal or public life. However, the poverty of detail has merely spurred his biographers to increased scholarly, inferential, and imaginative activity. (Marder, 1963, p. 156) What is certain, since it is documented through baptism of the children, is that he was married to Anne Hathaway, a fairly well connected Stratford girl, older than himself, when he was eighteen, and they had three children: a daughter, Susanna, and twins, Hamnet and Judith. Despite this, or maybe because of it, he spent the vast majority of his life away from home in London where most of his writing took place. There has been a great deal written about how happy or otherwise the couple might have been, especially since he left Anne nothing in his will except his second best bed. Many have read this as an insult but perhaps a more appropriate reading is that the best bed was for guests and the second best the marriage bed therefore to bequeath this to his wife, far from being an insult, was a love token. Carol Ann Duffy writes of this in her sonnet Anne Hathaway: The bed we loved in was a spinning world of forests, castles, torchlight, clifftops, seas where he would dive for pearls. (Duffy, The Worlds Wife, 2000, p. 30) This tender version of love would seem much more appropriate, especially since the first seventeen of the sonnets, known as the procreation sonnets, are largely concerned with the recommendation of marriage to a young man. If Shakespeare was so violently against marriage then it seems unlikely that he would have recommended it. However, as always with the sonnets, this is not as straightforward as it seems with the directive to marry being somewhat complicated by other imperatives with which Shakespeare is clearly concerned, not least his affection for the Fair Youth. The early sonnets in the sequence should be considered as they pertain to the question of marriage itself, therefore, rather than as they relate to Shakespeares life: Shakespeares Sonnets raise a number of problems. We do not know when they were written, to whom they are addressed, nor even if they are certainly autobiographical. (Knight, 1955, p. 3) With this in mind it is not only preferable but essential, therefore, to qualify any discussion on the possible relationship between the sonnet topics and Shakespeares life with the reminder that we know so little about the latter that any inferences must be regarded as tenuously speculative at best. Thus, the marriage question which relates to the first seventeen sonnets cannot be seen as directed in any major sense by the poets own life: The greatest sonnets, those which are neither wholly conventional nor wholly autobiographical, preserve this balance between embroilment and detachment in a way which is truly dramatic. A personal experience may underlie each, but it is experience transmuted, as in the plays, into the correlative form of characters in action. To some degree these characters are the dramatic counterparts of actual people-the youth, the dark woman-though they are not the people themselves. Others belong, as personages, only to the microcosm of poetry: Time, for example, one of the most powerful villains among Shakespeares dramatis personae; and above all, Shakespeares own diverse masks and moods, fully realised and understood. (Mahood, 1988, p. 90) The idea that the sonnets are in any way biographical must, indeed, be questioned but it must also be remarked that the way the words are used within the sonnets might be attributable to Shakespeares personal consciousness: The nature of the wordplay in the Sonnets varies according to whether Shakespeare is too remote or too near the experience behind the poem or whether he is at a satisfying dramatic distance from it. When he is detached, the wordplay is a consciously used, hard-worked rhetorical device. When his complexity of feeling upon the occasion of a sonnet is not fully realised by him, the wordplay often reveals an emotional undercurrent which was perhaps hidden from the poet himself. But in the best sonnets the wordplay is neither involuntary nor wilful; it is a skilfully handled means whereby Shakespeare makes explicit both his conflict of feelings and his resolution of the conflict. (Mahood, 1988, p. 90) Thus, when in Sonnet CXVI he writes of the marriage of true minds (Shakespeare, William, 2003, p.343) he is perhaps inviting us to infer a connective between what he writes and what he feels, an altogether different kind of marriage, metaphorical rather than literal and certainly more of the mind than of the heart. As the sequence begins, the poet addresses the youth familiarly but in an almost didactic tone, of the older to the younger, as here in Sonnet I: From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beautys rose might never die, But as the riper should by time decease, His tender heir might bear his memory: But thou contracted to thine own bright eyes, Feedst thy lights flame with self-substantial fuel, Making a famine where abundance lies, Thy self thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel: Thou that art now the worlds fresh ornament, And only herald to the gaudy spring, Within thine own bud buriest thy content, And, tender churl, makst waste in niggarding: Pity the world, or else this glutton be, To eat the worlds due, by the grave and thee. (Shakespeare, William, 2003, p.113) The importance of this sonnet in establishing the poets themes throughout the sequence must be stressed, as here we see Shakespeare writing of the transience of beauty, the selfishness of the individual, the battle between desire and fulfilment, the beauty of the natural world and its comparative with human beauty (to which he will return in the well-known Sonnet XVIII and elsewhere) and the basic responsibility of man to procreate or, as the sonnet has it, increase and thereby beautys rose might never die. All of these relate to the human condition and also perhaps to Shakespeares own concerns: In the case of a poet, I suggest it is chiefly through his images that he, to some extent unconsciously, gives himself away. He may be, and in Shakespeares case is, almost entirely objective in his dramatic characters and their views and opinions, yet, like the man who under stress of emotion will show no sign of it in eye or face, but will reveal it in some muscular tension, the poet unwittingly lays bare his own innermost likes and dislikes, observations and interests, associations of thought, attitudes of mind and beliefs, in and through the images, the verbal pictures he draws to illuminate something quite different in the speech and thought of his characters. (Spurgeon, 1935, p. 4) Thus, the fact that the boy is referred to in relation to fairest creatures facilitates the poets directive that this places upon the individual a responsibility: beauty is not given to die but to be carried on by the tender heir. The register is imperative and commanding, with the poet adopting the voice of one who has the authority to instruct by reason of superior age and wisdom, hence perhaps the juxtaposition of riper and decrease in the preceding line to reference to the tender heir and memory. The youth is instructed that he is, in common parlance, his own worst enemy, Thy self thy foe, since he does not see the waste of his beauty which lies in his refusal to share his gifts with posterity via procreation. This accusatory tone is extended to the self-abuse of masturbation in Within thine own bud buriest thy content, which also bears the pun of pleasure and substance, and the youth referred to as a glutton and tender churl, the latter implying an indulgence in the chiding of t he boy. This is, of course, the supreme image of the waste with which the poet is concerned since to make a famine where abundance lies is almost seen as a blasphemy, refusing, selfishly, to procreate and eat the worlds due by the selfish pursuit of personal indulgence: contracted to thine own bright eyes, as with Narcissus, in love with his own reflection and failing to see the self-destruction that is inherent in this. In addition, by referring to the boy in terms of a rose, the poet introduces the classic Romantic emblem of love as well as re-emphasising the transience of the poets beauty. This idea of beauty and its connective with nature is again related in terms of a comparative with natures beauty and inveterate perishability in Sonnet XVIII: Shall I compare thee to a summers day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summers lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed, And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or natures changing course untrimmed: But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou owst, Nor shall death brag thou wanderst in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growst, So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. (Shakespeare, William, 2003, p.147) The comparison of the transience of natures beauty with that of the youth to whom the poem is addressed is clear, yet the rhetoric of the opening seems to imply an equivocal nature to the connective of the extended metaphor that follows. The tentativeness of the image is also emphasised by this questioning in the first line and it enhances both the intimacy of the register of address and the relationship of the poet with the wider readership. This latter is important because it is so much a concern in the poem, with the idea of immortality attached here to writing as it was previously attached to procreation. The common denominator here is the idea of creation itself and its connective with the eternal. This is perhaps one of Shakespeares more famous sonnets, if not the most famous, therefore it is fitting that in a dissertation concerned with the aspects of love which the sonnets present, attention should be paid to the aspect of the writing which pertains to the process of creation and its connective with the reader. It is interesting to note, indeed, that the poet chooses to stress the importance of the eternal lines which he is composing and how this overcomes the basic transience of life and beauty whether in nature or humanity. Indeed, the punctuation of this sonnet is indicative of its imperative since there is frequent usage of the colon throughout, implying a thought begun and completed in each quatrain, functioning almost as enjambment and enhancing the idea that the many aspects of beauty and life which this sonnet covers are embodied within one thought as evidenced in the single extended metaphor which informs the sonnet as a whole. The poets almost godlike assimilation of the power to grant immortality appears dangerously hubristic in abstract and indeed encourages the inference that Shakespeare was aware of the strength of his poetic gifts and their ability to confer a kind of immorality on the object of love, who by the end of the sonnet has become subject to the sonneteer rather than in command. As the poet is also using his gifts to describe the loved one via nature, the features of the numinous within nature become connected with this hubristic stance. Thus, natures changing course and Chance, which significantly begins a line, are to some extent negated, or at least qualified, by the poets art. Features of life which terrify, therefore, such as death cannot brag in the face of the eternal nature of Art: Shakespeare prophetically felt the immortality and universality of his plays even though he seems to have made no great effort toward their preservation in print. (Marder, 1963, p. 361) This might, this sonnet would seem to suggest, also be extended to the sonnets. Indeed, in daring to criticise the glories of nature, Shakespeare appears to place creative Art above it, since it, unlike all that is natural, survives, only, though, as long as it is appreciated, as the final couplet significantly testifies: So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. In this way, Shakespeare demonstrates an awareness of the fundamental importance of the connection between writer and reader, reinforced perhaps by his experience as an actor and writer of drama. Hence, the voice of the actor may be perceived in the words of the sonneteer and universality as well as the eternal perceived in both: On this planet the reputation of Shakespeare is secure. When life is discovered elsewhere in the universe and some interplanetary traveler brings to this new world the fruits of our terrestrial culture, who can imagine anything but that among the first books carried to the curious strangers will be a Bible and the works of William Shakespeare. (Marder, 1963, p. 362) Thus, Shakespeare may be seen, via the sonnets and plays, to transcend what is perceived as immediate in aspects of love and engage with the eternal. Chapter Two: I do believe her though I know she lies The potent sexual content of the sonnets becomes a major directive following the romantic turning point of Sonnet XVIII. The sequence moves powerfully from restrained yet poetic discussion of aspects of love to explicit sexual references which are concerned more with lust than love and often deceit is linked to this and this duplicity is most often associated with the heterosexual sonnets. Importantly, the passion is not directed solely towards heterosexual love, instead it involves an equal, if not stronger, reflection of homoerotic desire, with the Fair Youth and the Dark Lady equally powerful in the poets passion, indeed, often the two overlap producing an androgynous aspect to the passion which also appears in the plays: The first thing that startles the reader about the sonnets is the emotional virtuosity of the protagonist. The poems appear to have been composed over a longer period of years, and to cover a greater range of passionate experience, than any one of the plays. In recognizing the variety of moods and attitudes Shakespeare accumulates in the sonnets, we may choose either to admire his protean nature as an actual passionate friend and lover, or to stress his dexterity in accumulating such an extraordinary range of amatory motifs from literary sources. Either his own nature was unusually flexible and susceptible, or he deliberately chose to display the full scope of literary permutations of which emotional relationships are capable. Probably both views are true: he dexterously coordinated first-hand experience with the accumulated resources of the sonnet tradition, from the solemn and sentimental to the cynical and outrageous. (Richmond, 1971, p. 19) This is particularly noticeable in Sonnet XX where the poet longs for the youth to be a woman and the homoerotic replaces the marital directive which appeared in the didactic tone of the first sonnets in the sequence: A womans face with natures own hand painted, Hast thou, the master mistress of my passion; A womans gentle heart, but not acquainted With shifting change, as is false womens fashion: An eye more bright than theirs, less false in rolling, Gilding the object whereupon it gazeth; A man in hue all hues in his controlling, Which steals mens eyes and womens souls amazeth. And for a woman wert thou first created; Till Nature, as she wrought thee, fell a-doting, And by addition me of thee defeated, By adding one thing to my purpose nothing. But since she prickd thee out for womens pleasure, Mine be thy love and thy loves use their treasure.(Shakespeare, William, 2003, p.151) Shakespeare confronts directly here the clear belief that women are duplicitous and deceitful and that the master mistress of his passion, though gifted with a womans gentle heart is not acquainted/With shifting change, as is false womens fashion. The eye, the traditional window of the soul, is more bright but less false. Thus, the poet suggests that the beautiful youth has all a womans best gifts but none of her faults, a state of perfection to be idealised in desire. Shakespeare develops this by writing directly of the sexual difference where the punning prickd is clearly a reference to the redundancy of the penis for the poet. Nature here is the enemy, even the jealous sexual predator, having me of thee defeated thus frustrating the desires of the poet by changing what he perceives to be the original intention, to create a woman, in the addition of the male organ of procreation. The amorphous image appears to be the ideal with neither male nor female specifics to obscure or defeat the perfection of the union. Whether this desire is linked to Shakespeares own desire is equivocal as are all inferences of autobiographical content, it is tempting but dangerous to make too may autobiographical assumptions. However: In depicting this blend of adulation and contempt, and in all those sonnets where verbal ambiguity is thus used as a deliberate dramatic device, Shakespeare shows that superb insight into states of strangely mixed feelings which enabled him to bring to life a Coriolanus or an Enobarbus. Like Freud, he found the causes of quibbling by studying his own quibbles; and the detachment which such an analysis implies imparts to the best of the Sonnets that objectivity we look for in the finest dramatic poetry. (Mahood, 1988, p. 110) Certainly, there is a Freudian homoerotic subliminal here but there is no evidence to suggest that this was an actual experience of the poet any more than we can say that he wrote Hamlet therefore he must have experienced being the Prince of Denmark. To do either is to ignore Shakespeares imaginative genius and his ability to transmute the fancy into the creative, with both forming then a reality which has little if any connection with fact. So, although Shakespeare may have had sexual liaisons with both sexes and been crossed in love, the genius is in producing what can be seen to be unrelated to what might possibly have occurred in fact into an emblem of a generic tendency in humanity to which most of us can relate: If Shakespeares speaker fictionalized the young man, so too he fictionalizes himself (Berry, 2001, p.1). Having said that, Sonnet XX has been seen as offering significant clues not only to the nature of Shakespeares own sexuality but also to the identity of the Fair Youth himself and certainly to the reality of the human image even in its placing, as Kathryn Duncan Jones has pointed out in her notes to her 2003 edition of the Sonnets (the edition used throughout this dissertation): The placement of this anatomical sonnet at 20 may allude to a traditional association of this figure with the human body, equipped with twenty digits (Duncan Jones, 2003, p. 150). The direct connection which Duncan Jones makes between anatomy and imagination in this sonnet is interesting in that it breaches the gap between what might be seen to be metaphorical and what is actually a human figurative. Indeed, she goes on in her Introduction to expand on this: Many more numerological finesses may be discerned. For instance, the embarrassingly anatomical sonnet 20 [which] probably draws on primitive associations of the figure with the human body, whose digits, fingers and toes, add up to twenty (Duncan Jones, 2003, p. 101). As to the identity of the youth to which clues are supposedly to be found in this sonnet, they largely attach to the usage of the word, or name it is suggested, of hue and hues (spelt Hew and Hews in the Quarto). This, it has been mooted, might relate to a specific individual, especially as critics have noted that the name appears in one form or another, even if only in disparate letters, throughout the sonnet. As with much of the investigation into a connective between Shakespeares life and his Art, the link is at best speculative and at worst spurious and in either case somewhat superfluous: The sonnets have an extraordinary capacity to elicit categorical statements from their interpreters. It is announced that the youth is Southampton, the youth is Pembroke, the youth is nobody, the dark lady is Mary Fitton, she is Aemilia Lanyer, she is nobody, the sonnets are based on experience, they are not based on experience, the love was not homosexual, the love was homosexual, the love was a dramatic fiction which ha