History of Algebra Essay

Various derivations of the word â€Å"algebra,† which is of Arabian origin, have been given by different writers. The first mention of the word is to be found in the title of a work by Mahommed ben Musa al-Khwarizmi (Hovarezmi), who flourished about the beginning of the 9th century. The full title is ilm al-jebr wa’l-muqabala, which contains the ideas of restitution and comparison, or opposition and comparison, or resolution and equation, jebr being derived from the verb jabara, to reunite, and muqabala, from gabala, to make equal. The root jabara is also met with in the word algebrista, which means a â€Å"bone-setter,† and is still in common use in Spain. ) The same derivation is given by Lucas Paciolus (Luca Pacioli), who reproduces the phrase in the transliterated form alghebra e almucabala, and ascribes the invention of the art to the Arabians. Other writers have derived the word from the Arabic particle al (the definite article), and gerber, meaning â€Å"man. Since, however, Geber happened to be the name of a celebrated Moorish philosopher who flourished in about the 11th or 12th century, it has been supposed that he was the founder of algebra, which has since perpetuated his name. The evidence of Peter Ramus (1515-1572) on this point is interesting, but he gives no authority for his singular statements. In the preface to his Arithmeticae libri duo et totidem Algebrae (1560) he says: â€Å"The name Algebra is Syriac, signifying the art or doctrine of an excellent man. For Geber, in Syriac, is a name applied to men, and is sometimes a term of honour, as master or doctor among us. There was a certain learned mathematician who sent his algebra, written in the Syriac language, to Alexander the Great, and he named it almucabala, that is, the book of dark or mysterious things, which others would rather call the doctrine of algebra. To this day the same book is in great estimation among the learned in the oriental nations, and by the Indians, who cultivate this art, it is called aljabra and alboret; though the name of the author himself is not known. † The uncertain authority of these statements, and the plausibility of the preceding explanation, have caused philologists to accept the derivation from al and jabara. Robert Recorde in his Whetstone of Witte (1557) uses the variant algeber, while John Dee (1527-1608) affirms that algiebar, and not algebra, is the correct form, and appeals to the authority of the Arabian Avicenna. Although the term â€Å"algebra† is now in universal use, various other appellations were used by the Italian mathematicians during the Renaissance. Thus we find Paciolus calling it l’Arte Magiore; ditta dal vulgo la Regula de la Cosa over Alghebra e Almucabala. The name l’arte magiore, the greater art, is designed to distinguish it from l’arte minore, the lesser art, a term which he applied to the modern arithmetic. His second variant, la regula de la cosa, the rule of the thing or unknown quantity, appears to have been in common use in Italy, and the word cosa was preserved for several centuries in the forms coss or algebra, cossic or algebraic, cossist or algebraist, &c. Other Italian writers termed it the Regula rei et census, the rule of the thing and the product, or the root and the square. The principle underlying this expression is probably to be found in the fact that it measured the limits of their attainments in algebra, for they were unable to solve equations of a higher degree than the quadratic or square. Franciscus Vieta (Francois Viete) named it Specious Arithmetic, on account of the species of the quantities involved, which he represented symbolically by the various letters of the alphabet. Sir Isaac Newton introduced the term Universal Arithmetic, since it is concerned with the doctrine of operations, not affected on numbers, but on general symbols. Notwithstanding these and other idiosyncratic appellations, European mathematicians have adhered to the older name, by which the subject is now universally known. It is difficult to assign the invention of any art or science definitely to any particular age or race. The few fragmentary records, which have come down to us from past civilizations, must not be regarded as representing the totality of their knowledge, and the omission of a science or art does not necessarily imply that the science or art was unknown. It was formerly the custom to assign the invention of algebra to the Greeks, but since the decipherment of the Rhind papyrus by Eisenlohr this view has changed, for in this work there are distinct signs of an algebraic analysis. The particular problem—a heap (hau) and its seventh makes 19—is solved as we should now solve a simple equation; but Ahmes varies his methods in other similar problems. This discovery carries the invention of algebra back to about 1700 B. C. , if not earlier. It is probable that the algebra of the Egyptians was of a most rudimentary nature, for otherwise we should expect to find traces of it in the works of the Greek aeometers. of whom Thales of Miletus (640-546 B. C. ) was the first. Notwithstanding the prolixity of writers and the number of the writings, all attempts at extracting an algebraic analysis rom their geometrical theorems and problems have been fruitless, and it is generally conceded that their analysis was geometrical and had little or no affinity to algebra. The first extant work which approaches to a treatise on algebra is by Diophantus (q. v. ), an Alexandrian mathematician, who flourished about A. D. 350. The original, which consisted of a preface and thirteen books, is now lost, but we have a Latin translation of the first six books and a fragment of another on polygonal numbers by Xylander of Augsburg (1575), and Latin and Greek translations by Gaspar Bachet de Merizac (1621-1670). Other editions have been published, of which we may mention Pierre Fermat’s (1670), T. L. Heath’s (1885) and P. Tannery’s (1893-1895). In the preface to this work, which is dedicated to one Dionysius, Diophantus explains his notation, naming the square, cube and fourth powers, dynamis, cubus, dynamodinimus, and so on, according to the sum in the indices. The unknown he terms arithmos, the number, and in solutions he marks it by the final s; he explains the generation of powers, the rules for multiplication and division of simple quantities, but he does not treat of the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of compound quantities. He then proceeds to discuss various artifices for the simplification of equations, giving methods which are still in common use. In the body of the work he displays considerable ingenuity in reducing his problems to simple equations, which admit either of direct solution, or fall into the class known as indeterminate equations. This latter class he discussed so assiduously that they are often known as Diophantine problems, and the methods of resolving them as the Diophantine analysis (see EQUATION, Indeterminate. ) It is difficult to believe that this work of Diophantus arose spontaneously in a period of general stagnation. It is more than likely that he was indebted to earlier writers, whom he omits to mention, and whose works are now lost; nevertheless, but for this work, we should be led to assume that algebra was almost, if not entirely, unknown to the Greeks. The Romans, who succeeded the Greeks as the chief civilized power in Europe, failed to set store on their literary and scientific treasures; mathematics was all but neglected; and beyond a few improvements in arithmetical computations, there are no material advances to be recorded. In the chronological development of our subject we have now to turn to the Orient. Investigation of the writings of Indian mathematicians has exhibited a fundamental distinction between the Greek and Indian mind, the former being pre-eminently geometrical and speculative, the latter arithmetical and mainly practical. We find that geometry was neglected except in so far as it was of service to astronomy; trigonometry was advanced, and algebra improved far beyond the attainments of Diophantus. The earliest Indian mathematician of whom we have certain knowledge is Aryabhatta, who flourished about the beginning of the 6th century of our era. The fame of this astronomer and mathematician rests on his work, the Aryabhattiyam, the third chapter of which is devoted to mathematics. Ganessa, an eminent astronomer, mathematician and scholiast of Bhaskara, quotes this work and makes separate mention of the cuttaca (â€Å"pulveriser†), a device for effecting the solution of indeterminate equations. Henry Thomas Colebrooke, one of the earliest modern investigators of Hindu science, presumes that the treatise of Aryabhatta extended to determinate quadratic equations, indeterminate equations of the first degree, and probably of the second. An astronomical work, called the Surya-siddhanta (â€Å"knowledge of the Sun†), of uncertain authorship and probably belonging to the 4th or 5th century, was considered of great merit by the Hindus, who ranked it only second to the work of Brahmagupta, who flourished about a century later. It is of great interest to the historical student, for it exhibits the influence of Greek science upon Indian mathematics at a period prior to Aryabhatta. After an interval of about a century, during which mathematics attained its highest level, there flourished Brahmagupta (b.  A. D. 598), whose work entitled Brahma-sphuta-siddhanta (â€Å"The revised system of Brahma†) contains several chapters devoted to mathematics. Of other Indian writers mention may be made of Cridhara, the author of a Ganita-sara (â€Å"Quintessence of Calculation†), and Padmanabha, the author of an algebra. A period of mathematical stagnation then appears to have possessed the Indian mind for an interval of several centuries, for the works of the next author of any moment stand but little in advance of Brahmagupta. We refer to Bhaskara Acarya, whose work the Siddhanta-ciromani (â€Å"Diadem of anastronomical System†), written in 1150, contains two important chapters, the Lilavati (â€Å"the beautiful [science or art]†) and Viga-ganita (â€Å"root-extraction†), which are given up to arithmetic and algebra. English translations of the mathematical chapters of the Brahma-siddhanta and Siddhanta-ciromani by H. T. Colebrooke (1817), and of the Surya-siddhanta by E. Burgess, with annotations by W. D. Whitney (1860), may be consulted for details. The question as to whether the Greeks borrowed their algebra from the Hindus or vice versa has been the subject of much discussion. There is no doubt that there was a constant traffic between Greece and India, and it is more than probable that an exchange of produce would be accompanied by a transference of ideas. Moritz Cantor suspects the influence of Diophantine methods, more particularly in the Hindu solutions of indeterminate equations, where certain technical terms are, in all probability, of Greek origin. However this may be, it is certain that the Hindu algebraists were far in advance of Diophantus. The deficiencies of the Greek symbolism were partially remedied; subtraction was denoted by placing a dot over the subtrahend; multiplication, by placing bha (an abbreviation of bhavita, the â€Å"product†) after the factom; division, by placing the divisor under the dividend; and square root, by inserting ka (an abbreviation of karana, irrational) before the quantity. The unknown was called yavattavat, and if there were several, the first took this appellation, and the others were designated by the names of colours; for instance, x was denoted by ya and y by ka (from kalaka, black). A notable improvement on the ideas of Diophantus is to be found in the fact that the Hindus recognized the existence of two roots of a quadratic equation, but the negative roots were considered to be inadequate, since no interpretation could be found for them. It is also supposed that they anticipated discoveries of the solutions of higher equations. Great advances were made in the study of indeterminate equations, a branch of analysis in which Diophantus excelled. But whereas Diophantus aimed at obtaining a single solution, the Hindus strove for a general method by which any indeterminate problem could be resolved. In this they were completely successful, for they obtained general solutions for the equations ax(+ or -)by=c, xy=ax+by+c (since rediscovered by Leonhard Euler) and cy2=ax2+b. A particular case of the last equation, namely, y2=ax2+1, sorely taxed the resources of modern algebraists. It was proposed by Pierre de Fermat to Bernhard Frenicle de Bessy, and in 1657 to all mathematicians. John Wallis and Lord Brounker jointly obtained a tedious solution which was published in 1658, and afterwards in 1668 by John Pell in his Algebra. A solution was also given by Fermat in his Relation. Although Pell had nothing to do with the solution, osterity has termed the equation Pell’s Equation, or Problem, when more rightly it should be the Hindu Problem, in recognition of the mathematical attainments of the Brahmans. Hermann Hankel has pointed out the readiness with which the Hindus passed from number to magnitude and vice versa. Although this transition from the discontinuous to continuous is not truly scientific, yet it materially augmented the development of algebra, and Hankel affirms that if we define algebra as the application of arithmetical operations to both rational and irrational numbers or magnitudes, then the Brahmans are the real inventors of algebra. The integration of the scattered tribes of Arabia in the 7th century by the stirring religious propaganda of Mahomet was accompanied by a meteoric rise in the intellectual powers of a hitherto obscure race. The Arabs became the custodians of Indian and Greek science, whilst Europe was rent by internal dissensions. Under the rule of the Abbasids, Bagdad became the centre of scientific thought; physicians and astronomers from India and Syria flocked to their court; Greek and Indian manuscripts were translated (a work commenced by the Caliph Mamun (813-833) and ably continued by his successors); and in about a century the Arabs were placed in possession of the vast stores of Greek and Indian learning. Euclid’s Elements were first translated in the reign of Harun-al-Rashid (786-809), and revised by the order of Mamun. But these translations were regarded as imperfect, and it remained for Tobit ben Korra (836-901) to produce a satisfactory edition. Ptolemy’s Almagest, the works of Apollonius, Archimedes, Diophantus and portions of the Brahmasiddhanta, were also translated. The first notable Arabian mathematician was Mahommed ben Musa al-Khwarizmi, who flourished in the reign of Mamun. His treatise on algebra and arithmetic (the latter part of which is only extant in the form of a Latin translation, discovered in 1857) contains nothing that was unknown to the Greeks and Hindus; it exhibits methods allied to those of both races, with the Greek element predominating. The part devoted to algebra has the title al-jeur wa’lmuqabala, and the arithmetic begins with â€Å"Spoken has Algoritmi,† the name Khwarizmi or Hovarezmi having passed into the word Algoritmi, which has been further transformed into the more modern words algorism and algorithm, signifying a method of computing Tobit ben Korra (836-901), born at Harran in Mesopotamia, an accomplished linguist, mathematician and astronomer, rendered conspicuous service by his translations of various Greek authors.

A Case for the Legitimate Use of Marijuana

It is normal for people to feel that rules are meant to forbid. When one goes out for a short drive for instance, he or she would encounter a lot of rules to observe – speed-limits, stop-lights, pedestrian lanes, no right or left turn signals, among many others.But it is also not wrong to think that rules, while they forbid certain things to be done, are actually meant to regulate. This means that laws exists not really to stop people from doing what they so desire. Instead, they are there to regulate so that the people can live in a decent and harmonious society.Currently, the use of marijuana is forbidden by a lot of world governments, the United States included. And it is normally accepted that such prohibition stems from the desire to implement peace and order in the society. We all know for a fact that marijuana is a type of drug that, when smoked, can elicit certain psychological and physical effects.People who smoke marijuana experience a feeling of being high – i.e., they feel a sensation characterized by being relaxed or pacified, or being a dreamy or semi-conscious state. Marijuana can make a person lose control as well. This is why, many authorities have forbidden its cultivation and possession, because its use can make a person do certain things he or she do not want to.Be that as it may, I still would like to argue that authorities must start looking at the possibility of legitimizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes.The Benefits of Marijuana Use for Medical PurposesThe use of marijuana, as mentioned, can bring about certain psychological effects. And many authorities fear that, if left unchecked, its widespread use can lead people to commit heinous crimes such as gang-wars, robbery, rape and even homicide.But in their desire to regulate the use of marijuana, in view of the noble purpose of maintaining peace and quiet within the society, many authorities have also undermined the benefits which can be gained from its use. Spec ifically, these governments are overlooking the fact that marijuana can help doctors, and all those attending to the medical needs of the patients, administer helpful ways to effectively address pain management.The hospital is a place where sick persons are treated. Most often than not, these treatments come with a very high price – i.e., these persons have to deal with the pain that comes with having to be treated with their illnesses. In a manner of speaking, doctors and medical practitioners are tasked not only with the duty to cure their patients’ sickness, but also to make sure that patients can tolerate the cure which would be given to them.There are certain cures – for instance, surgeries – which are accompanied with intolerable pain. This is why, pain management is an essential part of medical practice.In view of such need, I have reasons to think that governments can start looking into the possibility of allowing the legitimate use of marijuana, if only doctors and nurses can be helped in addressing pain management issues. Since marijuana can make a people less conscious of their bodily sensation, a dose of which can help patients deal with the pain of certain medical cures. This is especially true after surgeries.When a patient undergoes surgery, the aftermath can be very stressful. He or she needs to put up with the grimacing pain that comes with the medical procedure. And there are even times when, because of the intense pain, patients get to be traumatized because of the intense pain that comes with their operation.The use of anesthesia to address this pain issues is a common practice in the medical field. But because any high dosage giving out of anesthesia can seriously affect bodily functions, many doctors opt to use it quite sparingly. They would rather have the patients bear their post-procedure pain, than give them medicines which can seriously impede their normal physiological functions.

Acid Rain: the Southern Company (a) Case Analysis Essay

Acid Rain: The Southern Company (A) Case Analysis | Production Processes and Costs| Executive Summary In the year 1992, the Southern Company that held the Bowen plant, a coal-fired steam electric plant had to decide on the various options available to comply with the amendments in the Clean Air Act, effective 1995. The Bowen plant was an unusually large plant with a capacity to serve the residential, commercial and industrial demands of 1 million people. The Bowen generators consumed 8.338 million tons of coal and generated 21,551 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. During 1990, Bowen plant emitted over 30 tons of sulfur dioxide per hour, an important precursor of acid rain. In 1990, Congress passes the Clean Air Act that aimed at controlling acid rain. As per the Clean Air Act, beginning 1995 (Phase 1) all the coal-fired utility plants would be receiving allowances to emit 2.5 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million British Thermal Units (MMBtu) of coal consumed. In the year 2000 (Phase 2), all coal-fired utility plants, would get allowances worth 1.2 pounds per MMBtu of coal. The plants either had to reduce their emissions or purchase additional allowances from other firms. The Bowen plant received allowances for 254,580 tons of sulfur dioxide for each if the five years, from 1995 till 1999. From year 2000, it would receive allowances worth 122,198 tons per year. To comply with this new law, Southern Company had the following options: * Burn high sulfur Kentucky coal without scrubbing the exhaust gases, as in past, and buy the allowances from other firms. * Install scrubbers to remove sulfur dioxide from the exhaust gases of the generators. There were further two options available to be considered * Scrubbers could be installed from 1992 to 1994, to be ready for Phase one. * Install scrubbers from 1997-1999 and be ready for Phase 2. * Switch to low-sulfur coal from Kentucky or West Virginia. The emissions would be lower than the amount permi tted in Phase One, but in  Phase Two they would have to buy allowances. As a result of the analyses, Option 3 : burning low-sulfur coal seem to be the best fit in this situation, because it has the minimum cost involved and thereby, generates the maximum profits for the company. PROBLEM STATEMENT The Southern Company, is trying to figure out the best option available, the one with the minimum costs involved, to comply with the amendments in the Clean Air Act, effective 1995. The main issue was the amount of sulfur dioxide emitted each hour by the plant, which was 30 tons in year 1990. As per the amendments in the Clean Air Act, the amount of sulfur dioxide was regulated to 2.5 pounds per MMBTu of coal from year 1995 and further reduced to 1.2 pounds per MMBtu of coal from year 2000. The regulated amount was the total emission allowed by all the coal-fired utility plants in the country. As a result, Bowen plant would receive an allowance for 254,580 tons for each of five years beginning 1995 and 122,198 tons per year starting 2000. The company could either buy extra allowances from other firms or reduce the emission amount by either scrubbing off the sulfur dioxide from exhausted gases or use low-sulfur coal. METHODOLOGY The case presents three main options which were analyzed to make an informed decision about the choice to be made. I have calculated the net present value of the costs involved in each of the three methods and recommend the option one with minimum net present value of cost to be used for complying with the Clean Air Act amendment. The three available options are: * Burn high sulfur Kentucky coal without scrubbing the exhaust gases, as in past, and buy the allowances from other firms. * Install scrubbers to remove sulfur dioxide from the exhaust gases of the generators. There were further two options available to be considered * Scrubbers could be installed from 1992 to 1994, to be ready for Phase one. The Bowen plant would then be generating lower sulfur dioxide emissions that could be sold to other firms * Install scrubbers from 1997-1999 and be ready for Phase 2. In this, they will be generating excess of allowed emission level  in Phase 1 (1995-1999) and would have to buy those allowances. Starting Phase 2 (year 2000), they would be in a state to sell the allowances. * Switch to low-sulfur coal from Kentucky or West Virginia. The emissions would be lower than the amount permitted in Phase One, but in Phase Two they would have to buy allowances. To calculate the total costs involved for each of the three options, I have considered only those factors that are not common in all. I have calculated only the excess of cost that might be required to deploy an option. The current operating costs and all costs that do not change amongst the options have been left out as these costs would remain same and will have no effect on the decision. Data Requirement or Sources The data used to perform analysis has been taken from the case study only. The factors available are: * Switching cost of coal: switching from high sulfur to low sulfur. * Costs or revenue involved with buying or selling, respectively, the sulfur dioxide emission allowances. * Depreciation on capital costs * Capital costs involved to upgrade the plant with scrubbers or existing machinery. * Additional operating costs * Energy consumptions (Revenue lost) when using scrubbers. * Federal and state taxes involved * Discount rate used by the company to evaluate investment opportunities. Key Assumptions To determine the costs involved in the given three options, following assumptions have been made: * There is no available evidence that the cost of coal may deviate from the given amounts, or the company seems to have contracts with the coal vendors and so the values are constant. * The electricity generated by the plant remains constant throughout the operation of the plant, that is, amount of electricity generated is 21,551 million kilowatt hours every year. * The amount of coal required to  generate the electricity amount remains fixed to 8.338 million tons when high-sulfur coal is used and 8.391 million when low-sulfur coal is used. * In 1990, the revenue generated by electricity is $5.6 cents per kilowatt hour on an average, and will more or less the same. * The rate of buying or selling allowances is estimated to be $250 in year 1995 and will increase at a rate of 10% every year till 2010. After 2010, the rates will remain constant. * As per the amendments in the Clean Air Act, in Phase One, Bowen plant will be allowed to emit 254580 tons of sulfur dioxide and in Phase Two, 122198 tons of sulfur dioxide. * There are firms ready to sell or buy the allowances for sulfur dioxide emissions. Analysis Option 1: Burning High-Sulfur Coal without Scrubbers; Purchase Allowances In this option, we consider using the existing infrastructure. Since, the companies are allowed to buy extra emissions from some other firms, we will consider that. The information that is available to analyze is: * Cost of coal from 1992-1995 is $41.46 per ton and is expected to fall down to $29.82 per ton from 1996. * The amount of sulfur dioxide emitted is 266550 tons for burning 8.338 million of high-sulfur coal. * The first and only cost in this method will be the cost to buy emission allowances for sulfur dioxide from other firms. The costs will vary every year because of the difference in allowance prices as shown in Exhibit â€Å"Option1†1. * There is no capital costs involved in this method as there we are not investing in machinery required. Also, since there is no capital costs involved, there is no depreciation. * The additional operating costs are also zero. After, adding the tax benefits to the total cost, the net present value of cost in this method is $266,379,610. The advantages of using this approach are that there will be no costs to add or upgrade machinery. Also, since the plant will be operating as it currently is, there are least chances of unexpected malfunctioning of the plant. The issue with this approach is that we are assuming that there are firms willing to sell their allowances. But, since it is known that the Bowen plant is comparatively cleaner than  the other coal-fired steam electric plant, finding the firms willing to sell involves risk. And in-case, if we are not able to find firms ready to sell allowances, it will put the plant into a risk of shutting the operations and pay fines, or decrease the amount of electricity generation to emit the allowed sulfur dioxide levels. Also, it is a greater threat to the environment to emit such large numbers of sulfur dioxide when there are methods available to decrease those numbers. Option 2: Burning High-Sulfur Coal with Scrubbers; Sell Allowances In this option, we consider adding scrubbers to the plant. Scrubbers will help reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide emissions by 90%. In this option, the plant will be able to sell allowances as very low amounts of sulfur dioxide will be emitted by the plant. The information that is available to analyze this option is: * Cost of coal from 1992-1995 is $41.46 per ton and is expected to fall down to $29.82 per ton from 1996. * The amount of sulfur dioxide emitted is 26655 tons for burning 8.338 million of high-sulfur coal, once the scrubbers are installed * The first cost in this method will be the cost of installing scrubbers. The scrubbers are highly expensive and so can be considered to be installed and ready to use either by the beginning of Phase 1 (year 1995) or by the starting of Phase 2 (year 2000). The total capital costs including the 10% capital interest for installing scrubbers is $719,430,000. The cost is spread over three years, $143,850,000; $503,610,000; $71,970,000. * There is depreciation amounts involved for the investments in installing scrubbers. * The additional operating cost is $0.0013 per kilowatt hour that amounts to a total cost of $28,016,300 per kilowatt hour for each year * Also, the operation of Scrubbers uses 2% of the total electricity generated, which means 2% of the total revenue generated every year which has the value of $24,137,120. After adding the benefits of tax deductible expenses and depreciation values, the net present value of cost in this option is $451,531,619 if the Scrubbers are ready to be used in Phase 1 (as shown in Exhibit â€Å"Option2A†). If the Scrubbers are ready to be used in Phase 2 the net present value comes out to be $293,959,184 (shown in Exhibit â€Å"Option2B†). The advantages of using this approach are that there is a very low emission level of sulfur dioxide, and we can earn revenue by selling allowances. Also, we are sure that there will  be firms ready to buy those allowances. This option also is beneficial for the environment. The issue with this approach is that we are the net present value of the cost is high. Also, we will be investing atleast $293,959,184 in the plant which we are sure will be operational for only a few more years, till 2016. With the advancement in technology, there are higher chances of new more efficient plants to come on stream even earlier. Option 3: Burning Low-Sulfur Coal In this option, we consider changing the type of coal that is burnt in the plant. We can switch to low sulfur coal which contains 1% sulfur by weight and so will reduce the emission of sulfur dioxide in the environment. The information that is available to analyze this option is: * Cost of low- sulfur coal from 1996 is $30.37 per ton and is expected to rise to $34.92 per ton from 2000. In years 1992-1995, coal used in the plant will be high-sulfur coal which has the cost of $41.46 per ton * The amount of sulfur dioxide emitted is 16750 tons for burning 8.391 million of low-sulfur coal starting 1996 and so we would have to buy emission allowances for the years 1995, 2000-2016 and we will generate revenue in years 1996-1999 by selling the excess of emission allowance. * The first cost in this method will be the cost of switching from high-sulfur coal to low-sulfur coal. The amount and cost of high-sulfur coal required to generate 21,551 million kilowatt hours every year is different from the low-sulfur coal rate and quantity. There is an overall increase in the cost when operations are switched from high-sulfur coal to low-sulfur coal as shown in Exhibit â€Å"Option3†. * Switching to low-sulfur coals also need changes in the existing electrostatic precipitators used to control airborne particulate matter as it is currently designed for operating with high-sulfur coal. The costs for upgrading the electrostatic precipitators for low-sulfur coal is $22.1 million * There is depreciation amounts involved for the investments for upgrading electrostatic precipitators. After adding the benefits of tax deductible expenses and depreciation values, the net present value of cost in this option is $176,919,328 (as shown in Exhibit â€Å"Option3†). The advantages of using this approach are that the net present value of the costs is the lowest and so is most beneficial for the  Southern Company. There is relatively lower emission level of sulfur dioxide. Although we have to buy allowances in most of the years, still the lower levels are better for the environment. The issue with this approach is that we are the investing a $22.1 million in the plant and we are depending on the new type of coal whose cost is expected to rise over the years. Conclusions and Concerns: After analyzing all the three available options, I would conclude that the best option to be deployed is Option 3: Burn low-sulfur coal. This option does not only have the least cost but is also beneficial for the environment. The option will generate higher profits for the company and we can have even a lower cost, if the price of the low sulfur coal does not rise and is negotiable. Also, there can be a possibility that the changes in the electricity precipitator for low-sulfur coal could decrease the emission levels. The major concern with this option is that we have to either find firms willing to sell their allowances (although a small amount) or would have to decrease the amount of electricity generated to adjust the sulfur dioxide emissions which will impact the revenues but since the amounts are low, the revenues will not be affected adversely.

Immunology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Immunology - Essay Example 006) Researches have also made it clear that cats living in urban areas (40%) are more likely to be infected than the ones living in rural areas(6%) (Little, 2006) The FeLV virus is a fragile virus and can survive for only two hours in a dry environment and 48 hours in damp and moist surroundings. Though it is contagious, it can only be transmitted among cats; it cannot potentially infect humans. Within cats, it is transmitted via intimate moist contact through licking, biting, grooming or eating from the same source. It can also be transmitted through urine, feces and milk. It is also transmitted from an infected mother to her new born kitten (Hoover & Mullins, 1991) It is usually categorised in the following four classes- FeLV A, B, C and T. Out of these, only FeLV A is transmissible among cats, while the others arise de novo. While FeLV A causes severe immunosuppression, FeLV B and C cause neoplastic diseases and anemia respectively (Poulet et al,2003) Once a cat is exposed to the virus, there are four possible consequences, depending on the response of the immune system. In about 30% of the cats, the virus evokes a strong immune response, which in turn extinguishes the virus. In another 30% the cats’ immune system does not produce an immediate immune reaction. At the same time though, the virus does not manifest its potential effects. It resides safely in a dormant state in the cats’ bone marrow. It might express itself later or may remain dormant forever. In the remaining 40% of the cats, the virus is successful and the cats become infected. (Hoover, Mullins, 1991) Once the virus actively infects a cat, it can have hazardous effects. It can lead to cancerous diseases like leukemia and lymphosarcoma. It also leads to a generalized suppression of the immune system, and may also cause reproductive ailments. Besides these, it also damages the liver and intestine, and is also capable of causing blood infections (Little,2006) A few tests have been devised

OB Analysis Paper Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

OB Analysis Paper - Case Study Example Production engineers should come up with standardized way of building different products to reduce the delays and costs of operations (Buller & Randall 2-8). In addition, the company is also faced by test failures which are regarded as serious problems and this may make customers be delayed. Product engineers should try to be as competent as possible to reduce various causes of test errors and other test related activities which consume most of their time. Part of improvements that need to be taken care of are proper documentation. Stopping interruptions especially while the product engineers are in the meeting with Lee may not be the solution to the problem because it would also mean that there would be delays during the meeting. Lee should just ensure that his engineers come up with effective layout on how to build different products. Lee should also come up with solid agenda in his meetings to ensure that important issues are raised at a particular time limit. Considering that tim e is an important thing for the company particularly the product engineers, he should therefore fix a particular duration for the meetings. Some of the agendas of the meeting should not involve problem affecting a single product engineer but general challenge facing all of them (Buller & Randall 2-8). ... Lee should ensure that every issue raised in the meeting or amongst engineers that concerns the entire product engineering department is addressed and proper solution be found. Lee’s department does also not coordinate very well with the application engineers. Indeed there is a serious communication breakdown between application engineers and product engineers that even leads to customer dissatisfaction (Buller & Randall 2-8). Furthermore, Lee should ensure that there is cooperation and good relationship amongst the two departments to minimize the issues arising due to communication breakdown. There is also a shaky relationship between manufacturing department and product department which derails the functions of the company. Relationship between Lee and his boss too does not seem promising. Sam is not giving Lee enough support to smoothen operations in the product engineering department. For instance he is not providing the under-staffed product department with more personnel to make work easier. Moreover Sam cannot give or mediate between Lee and Reese as a way of creating peace and motivating the workers. As much as Lee may try to be a good leader who intends to ensure that his department works well and achieves the best results as possible, he does not have good support to succeed in his duty and objectives (Buller & Randall 2-8). OB Perspective There is an increasing pervasiveness in job dissatisfaction and disengagement due to paradoxical organizational behaviors which has resulted into negative consequences for employers and employees. Management of job and work output is largely contributed by degree of job satisfaction and attitude towards work. Various issues concerning organization performance are never costly

The Current Position of Starbucks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Current Position of Starbucks - Essay Example Though profit maximization, sales maximization makes the backbone of every company’s objective, Starbucks have over insisted on this and failed to maximize its quality management and customer needs. The replacement of comfy seats with stands, stylish coffee cups with general cups, stuffy environments and supply of sandwiches whose smell overpowered the sweet scent of brewed coffee is also another strategy that led to the drastic decline of the company’s sales. This shows a complete diversion of the company’s mission and goal. Waitresses and waiters have also been overburdened; they no longer appreciate their work. They feel that the goal they were working hard to achieve and sustain has suddenly changed (Mulcaster, 2009). Brewing of coffee was the major idea behind Starbucks formation. However this idea has changed to automatic making of coffee that customers complain about. The quality of coffee is not felt anymore and so is the social effect of the stores. The employees’ attachment with the customers has reduced due to the tall coffee making machines that destruct the customers view when coffee is made (Mintzberg et al., 2003). ...ategy to help them cope up with the food crisis problems, such as decreasing its prices, or even changing the type of cups to small ones that were affordable just like its competitors deed. Nonetheless, this company did not take into concern efforts made by its competitors. Many stores came up with new strategies to combat Starbuck’s increased sales. The strategy then employed by this company was to open even more stores in the US. However they failed to carry along their distinctive character with them, such as brewing coffee, presence of comfy seats, and ensuring that the sweet aroma of coffee was still intact. As a result the decline of its shares in the stock exchange was inevitable. This is because there is no one who would like to be associated with a declining firm which translates to low di vidends due to the low profits and sales realized. Though Starbucks Company still has the capabilities and resources that can help it to still lead in the coffee world, the environment in which it is running its business is too tight. First the economy has changed. Food prices have hiked, meaning that the disposable income of the consumers is low. They will therefore not opt to take expensive coffee. In addition, its competitors are doing all they can to make sure that they also increase their sales and also penetrate the market just as Starbucks is doing. They are thus growing at the same level. The company’s employees are also getting tired of the introduction of new products. Not that it is wrong, but because their opinion is not taken into concern. They feel that they are not part of the company anymore. However, Starbuck Company can be able to reinstate itself once more and be on the lead in coffee roasting and retailing.

Issues in Womens Health Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Issues in Womens Health - Assignment Example The most frequent of all the indications of heart attack in women is some pain or discomfort in the chest. Nevertheless, there are added symptoms that are more conspicuous than the chest pains. These other symptoms are more severe than the pressure or pain in the chest that women often cite. Studies have revealed that these chest pressures might be due to the presence of blockages in arteries and veins that supply blood to the heart in woman’s heart (Libov 1991). The other symptoms are right arm pain, unusual fatigue, shortness of breath as well as neck and upper back discomfort. The most challenging issue with this symptom in women is that they may occur when least expected like while sleeping or resting. These symptoms, on the other hand, might be triggered by mental stress. Since sometimes they occur randomly, women downplay them until there problem gets severe.  The most familiar risk reasons for women include diabetes and smoking, both which increase the chances of hear t disease significantly in women. Low levels of estrogen in the body after the onset of menopause have also been identified to pose a significant risk for the development of micro vascular disease in smaller blood vessels. Pregnancy is also among the risk factors as difficulties such as diabetes or high blood pressure might trigger the development of heart diseases in the mother and her children. Mental stress despite affecting both men and women, it has been found to affect the hearts of women more significantly than men.

The cast of Amontillado By Montresor and Fortunado Essay

The cast of Amontillado By Montresor and Fortunado - Essay Example In an effort to understand Montresor, there is need to focus on his superego, patient and canning nature. Montresor is canning in his attempt to lure Fortunato into his death trap. â€Å"My dear Fortunato! I am indeed glad that I have met you. I †¦tell me is Amontillado.† (Poe 866). this is an attempt by Montresor to try his first move to seek revenge on what he considered an act that was meant to demoralize him. Montresor earlier portrays canning traits as he attempts to pull the audience believe he was justified in what he was about to attempt. He insinuate he had forgiven Fortunato several times and that he was justified in seeking revenge Montresor portrays ego centric traits this highlights the reason as to why he manages to plan a revenge plan on ground that his dignity was at stake. He also brags about his traits which places him supreme to Fortunato. In this case he portrays Fortunato as weak and naà ¯ve. â€Å"He had a weak point†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (866). this is an effort to portray himself superior meaning his plans would succeed without any hitch. The implication that Fortunato portrays his ego centric attributes. His ego centric character ensures his survival through the story. The character also portrays him as being patient. This is evident in his opening statement which he states that "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (866). Montresor indicates how he was able to forget the past mistakes just to wait for the right time. This traits changes and he becomes an antagonist. He patiently plans his revenge beginning with the wide tasting to the chining and finally to the murder of Fortunato (870). The character is successful in his revenge as he manages to accomplish his goals. His quest to seek revenge is repaid by his patience. He utilizes the naà ¯ve nature of Fortunato to execute his plan. In conclusion the ego centric, caning and patience nature portrays the traits of Montresor. The effort to avenge the

Different Types of Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Different Types of Writing - Essay Example Each of the above types of writing had unique requirements. This enhanced the interactivity of the course since I carried out researches and brainstormed ideas with the view to constructive effective pieces. My strength is on research. I enjoy reading and I love science-based subjects. A read numerous books and articles on the internet and can, therefore, compile descriptive articles. I love justifying actions through provable scientific and psychological theories. With such abilities, I often wrote better argumentative and expository essays than I did the narratives. As explained earlier, my greatest weaknesses include visualizing actions and creating fictional plots. My imagination remains limited to the scientific theorems and observable realities. Such validated my inability to write effective narratives since the type of essay required effective use of descriptive words coupled with an equally avid imagination in creating conflicts. My best work was the argumentative essay. This type of essay requires one to carry out researches and adopt a position in an argument. After this, a writer must provide adequate support for his reasoning by giving rational thought and appropriate examples where necessary. The fact that such writings are neither right nor wrong makes the experience even more interesting. The quality of the papers relies on the author’s ability to explain his thoughts effectively thus convincing the audience on a particular viewpoint. My worst work was on a narrative.

Global E-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Global E-commerce - Essay Example The smallest unit of Bitcoin is Satoshi wherein 100 million Satoshi are there in 1 Bitcoin. The supply of Bitcoin has the limit of 21 million which is equal to 2100 trillion Satoshi. The current supply is 57% of the total which is equivalent 12 million Bitcoins. The public history with regards to transactions is experiencing upgrades at a continuous rate and also verified by the miners who can gather new transactions in different blocks and attach these blocks at the end of the chain called the block chain. Every single movement of the Satoshi is been tracked right from the first owner to the present owner. This helps in preventing fraud as the customer is aware of the number of Bitcoins he or she wants to spend on a particular transaction. Bitcoin as a medium of exchange is different from the transactions done in other exchanges. Bitcoin gained popularity among the companies that were involved with the facilities of Bitcoin ecosystem. In addition, Bitcoin has provided different soft ware like Bitpay to the merchants and has also absorbed FX volatility risk by giving a guarantee towards a successful transaction undertaken at the right exchange rates and also in making bank payments. From 2013, the company started making significant developments and changes to the start up so as to improve the process and also make it more users friendly for the customers for easy transactions. This report is an exclusive study about the importance of ecommerce and how it helps in creating a good business for the company especially in creating a good brand image. The way ecommerce is done using different platforms and how it benefits both the company and the customers can be seen in a wide and descriptive manner. The importance of ecommerce and the performance of ecommerce for Bitcoin will be analysed in comparison with FOREX.com which is a global leader in foreign exchange and provides contract for different individuals who makes transactions while trading

Strategic HRM and how it is identified Case Study

Strategic HRM and how it is identified - Case Study Example External drivers have a direct impact on the internal needs of the company. It should be mentioned that the external and internal factors such as structure, people, technology and task are all interdependent. In Lafarge, planned organizational change is triggered by the need to respond to new challenges and opportunities of the external environment, and in anticipation of the need to cope with potential future problems. The external drivers for organizational changes involved international expansion and globalization of the industry. To some extent, external change drivers are caused by innovation rapid technological changes and innovations proposed by competitors within the industry. "The industry is also investing in alternative activities in order to protect itself from the economic impacts of business cycles" (Case Study). For Lafarge, the planned change represents an intentional attempt to improve, in some important way, the operational effectiveness of the company. The basic underlying objectives can be seen in general terms as: modifying the behavioral patterns of members of Lafarge; and improving the ability of Lafarge to cope with continuous changes in its environment. External drivers include new industry and customers demands including "greater safety, comfort, and quality" (Case Study), internalization of business, consolidation of industries, a global supply chain and the Internet solutions. One of the major changes deals with the specification of goods which may be considered in terms of their design features and performance characteristics. Increased competition and market demands create a new business environment and force Lafarge to accommodate to changing economic and business conditions. Internal change drivers are caused by company's mission and strategic objectives, new policies and new vision of the company. The internal forces involve the policy of acquisition and development and need to improve labor skills, attitudes of employees and need to improve organizational performance. Workforce diversity creates a great challenge for Lafarge to accommodate its structure to new business environment. "The work environment was driven by a demand for operational excellence. The organization was restructured and streamlined, and over 100% more employees were added to the group through new acquisitions" (Case study). For Lafarge, it is important to have technically competent staff able to cope with complex tasks and work under pressure. External drivers cause a continual need for the process of staff development, and training. The usual methods of boosting performance - process rationalization and automation - haven't yielded the dramatic improvements for Lafarge need. In pa rticular, heavy investments in information technology have delivered disappointing results - largely because companies tend to use technology to mechanize old ways of doing business. The acquisition strategy forces the company to introduce a shared culture and values based on unique cultural traditions and international HR practices (Reed, 2001). Competitive Strategies The competitive positioning school of thought, based primarily on the work of Michael Porter (1980, 1985), stresses the importance of how the organization is positioned with respect to its competitive environment or

How Media Affects Society Essay Example for Free

How Media Affects Society Essay How The Media Affects Society The media is undoubtedly a significant and influential aspect in modern day society. As a means of communication in a world very much advanced in technology, the media touches all types of people through various forms such as the radio, newspapers, televisions etc. The question remains: what information is left unbiased and untarnished? The people within society must sort through the many bits of information fed to them and unfortunately, in most cases, all bits of media is taken as the whole truth. The ways in which media impacts society to a great extent are through the facts it chooses to reveal, as recently seen in the case of the Tamil war in Sri Lanka. The tone in which it is presented such as the recently reported cases of Tamil protest on the streets of downtown Toronto and finally in the manner it chooses to target certain audiences, such as the case of Victoria George-Pazzano in Mexico. The media affects society through the facts it chooses to reveal. The media can choose to mention certain things and not to mention certain things. As seen in the recent Tamil war in Sri Lanka all mainstream media outlets were banned from broadcasting out of the country. The media then proceeded not to broadcast any of it, leaving people unaware of it on a global scale, until the Tamils outside of Sri Lanka began to protest and make other countries aware of the situation. The media chose not to reveal this information and if it was not for the protest and marches held around the world it is possible, that society could have never known that genocide was being used against the Tamil Tigers. Society needs the media to be informed on the events happening around the world, but sometimes the media may not choose to show us what is exactly going on. This can result in society not knowing how to react to what is happening in other parts of the world. Just as important as the facts the media chooses to reveal, the tone and manner in which the media presents these facts plays a large role on societys take on events. The tone in which the media presents the facts in can be hostile, neutral or in favour. The tone can affect societys view on the situation, resulting in either a positive or negative reaction. As seen on May 10th when thousands of Tamils met on Torontos Gardiner Expressway, for almost 4 hours shutting down a key artery in the citys road network. If the media had said, â€Å"The Tamil protesters are keeping Torontonians hostage in their own city† vs â€Å"The Tamil protesters are bravely doing what needs to be done to save their families†. This could have resulted in Toronto turning against the Tamil community and possibly resulting in hate crimes, but instead the tone of the media was in favour of the protesters. Which has resulted in a positive reaction from Toronto and the Canadian government. The tone in which the facts are presented by the media, can easily change the point of view of the consumer, and can have either a positive or negative reaction regardless of the truth behind the facts. Lastly, the media uses its voice to target certain audiences for certain reactions. Who can the media target? In the case of Victoria George-Pazzano, a 29 year old woman who suffered a severe asthma attack while on vacation in Mexico became critically ill. Victorias family pleaded to the Canadian government and Ontario hospitals to bring her home,but were continuously told that there were no beds and doctors available to treat in all of Ontario. The family of Victoria then pleaded there case to the media, who in return targeted the government officials and found out that either the hospitals or the officials were lying to Victorias family because there were more than 20 beds available at the time. Because the media targeted the government with the right tone and direction of attention, the heat was put on the government for action because all of the attention was affecting there reputation. Without the media Attention, Victoria George-Pazzano would have died in a hospital bed in Cancun Mexico because the government of Canada pushed her aside. With these three weapons at the medias disposal, namely the facts it chooses to reveal, the perspective it chooses to take and the people it wishes to target. The media holds a great deal of power and influence over society. Of course, it may be for a positive effect or a negative one. Would one rather live in fear of all the rapes, assaults, robberies and murders that are reported or live happy, not knowing about every crime that takes place? That is another debate altogether. But, one thing is for certain: the people should not live blindly at the word and mercy of the media or another. There should always be room for doubt, speculation and of course ones own opinions. Although the media may carry a great influence over society, each person is entitled to think for oneself.

Individualistic And Holistic Biases In Environmental Ethics

Individualistic And Holistic Biases In Environmental Ethics Environmental ethics is a hybrid of both ancient and recent insights and is a discipline in the making. In addition, this is a discipline whose time has come and has come urgently. The magnitude and urgency of contemporary environmental problems known as environmental crisis form the mandate for environmental ethics. In other words, environmental ethics is a re-examination of the human attitudes and values that influence individual behaviour and government policies towards nature. The principle approaches to environmental ethics are biocentrism, egocentrism. Other topics which are related are ecofeminism and deep ecology. Moral pluralism in environmental ethics insists that we endorse all of these approaches, and employ any one of them according to circumstances. Another long-standing controversy in the philosophy is the debate between methodological individualists and methodological holists. The former hold that social facts and phenomena are reducible without remainder to facts about individuals. The latter, advocates of methodological holism argue that there are some social facts that are not reducible to facts about individuals, and that social phenomena can sometimes be adequately explained without reference to individuals. One should take into consideration that there is no necessary connection between support for methodological individualism or holism and ones position vis-Ã  -vis the naturalism debate. Nonetheless there is a tendency that naturalist people embrace methodological individualism. Still, the naturalists are also found in the holist camp. There are several philosophers who argue about individualistic environmental ethics. Two of them are Peter Singer and Tom Regan. The work of Singer and Regan generated a significant and critical response among philosophers. Many of these criticisms followed the same idea. Peter Singer is the one leading thinker who raised the profile of ethical reflection in relation to animals in our world. Some philosophers including Regan, challenge the utilitarian basis of Singers programme. Singer does not form any principle against causing animals to suffer. Singer argues that humans are different from animals, so equal consideration does not entail equal or identical treatment. Further interest and suffering are not alike. Not all interests deserve to be treated equally, and not all suffering is created equal (Desjardins 2006, p.115). According to Regan and Singer, we need to be very selective in our decisions regarding our everyday life, and we have to choose properly our type of lifestyle. We need to limit ourselves to eat meat so that we can conserve animals from the ecosystem. Moreover, both of them argue that we need to be vegetarian, and Singer continues that the boundary of considerability should be drawn somewhere between shrimp and oyster (Desjardins 2006, p.116). On the other hand, Regan most often speaks in general terms about animals but he argues that the subject of a life criterion applies to mentally normal mammals of a year or a more (Regan 1983, p.78). In my opinion, this is a very unrealistic view of the world because an ecosystem is made up of both humans and animals. If we all choose to be vegetarian than the ecosystem will be unbalanced, leading to an overpopulation of animals because animals will continue to produce without being reduced by humans. Moreover, I think that other species will ta ke over the habitat of others because of the overpopulation and this may lead to many disasters. I believe that, people are part of an ecosystem in order that the world can be balanced accordingly. However, in certain cases we find several abuses-one of them being illegal hunting which causes many endemic species to become extinct. There should always be a balance. Moreover, Regan argues that his right-based ethics, like most traditional ethical theories is individualistic. This means that ethics is concerned with protecting and promoting the well-being of individuals, not communities or societies or someones common good. This puts him at odds with many environmental and ecological thinking which is holistic where many environmentalists emphasise biotic communities or ecosystems rather than individual members which include humans of those communities. Regan warns us of environmental fascism in which individual rights are willingly sacrificed to the greater good of the whole. Environmental fascism and the rights view are like oil and water: they dont mix (Regan 1983, p.362, cited in Desjardins 2006, p.116). In addition, Regan argues that only individual animals can be said to have moral standing or, more specifically, to have rights. In Regans view, an animal that is of an endangered species has no special moral status. Singers view recognizes that it is conceivable that human interference could improve the conditions of wild animals. Moreover, he recommends a policy of leaving wild animals alone as much as possible. In fact he states that we do enough if we eliminate our own unnecessary killing and cruelty towards other animals (Singer 1990, p.227 as cited in Donaldson and Kymlicka 2011, p.159). Singer argues that we have the greater responsibility of reducing suffering than that to increase happiness. In addition, Regan endorsed the similar idea proposed by Singer that is, as long as we protect the rights of animals, other ecological concerns will take care of themselves. In my opinion, it is not a selective choice to let extinct species become endemic because they are part of the eco system for quite a good reason. I think that if those endangered species become endemic than other species cannot benefit from their benefits that contribute to the ecosystem. This is because specie in every community serves to be a prey and also, in itself, it is a predator. If this specie becomes endemic than the prey cannot eat it anymore, and the specie itself cannot kill other animals. The ecosystem is always like a chain in which one factor contributes to the other factor and in which every single step is important for the ecosystem. I believe that, we need first to reverse the long history of destruction and habitat loss before we could preserve biotic communities. In addition, the idea that some untamed wilderness untouched by human activities is a mirage. No place on earth, no animal on earth and no period on earth has escaped human influence for quite some time. The question is not whether we should actively influence the wilderness but how we should do so. For Singer and Regan it seems that the paradigms of holders of moral values are human beings. Thus only animals that are like us can have moral standing. Moral standing seems a benefit that is derived from human nature and that living beings receive only if they are similar to human beings. On the other hand, there are several philosophers who have different ideas about the holistic idea of the environment such as Rolston Holmes and J. Baird Callicott. A holistic idea of the environment deals with environments that must focus their moral concern on the interdependent functioning of the entirely ecological system and not merely on the isolated individuals who make up the system. Holmes as a representative of most environmental ethics encourages us to recognize the inherent worth of nature. According to him, an emphasis on intrinsic value, would preclude the development of a holistic environmental ethic. In fact he argues that the for what it is in itself facet of intrinsic becomes problematic in a holistic web. It is too internal and elementary; it forget relatedness and externality (Holmes 1982, p.146). Holmes has argued that nature should not be treated as a mere resource to be used but rather as a source of what we value. In fact he states One is not so much looking t o resources as sources, seeking relationships is an elemental stream of being with transcending integrities (Holmes 1983, p.183). For Holmes nature as a source of value is then itself intrinsically valuable. Holmes believed that one has to spent time with nature to be an environmentalist. Wilderness is nature which has never been locked and framed is rare. Nature is something that has been through biological processes. We do own gratitude towards biodiversity. Another thing which we value in nature is autopoeisis which means self-making. Many philosophers have argued that this defines life. Life is able to come to a certain extent. Beauty and integrity mean that it has not been whole. Holmes believed that man does not fit in nature. However, in my opinion this is not correct because we came out of wilderness. Many environmental philosophers take up the value and try to see where it comes from. Holmes understands that one has to consider the laws of nature. Holmes argues that it can be good to follow nature but also bad to follow nature. He argues that it is bad when you follow it too much. Humans also damage and modify the environment. Holmes says that this is not natural because we move things around too much. Non-human beings do not modify their environment the way that we do. According to Holmes, anything that completely upsets the balance is not natural and therefore wrong. Like Holmes, Callicott is suspicious of ethical preoccupations with individual nonhuman creatures. Callicott does not deny the fact that individual creatures can have a place as individuals in the sphere of ethical regard. However, he argues that, it is not their well-being as individuals that should be our concern. Rather, it is the well-being of the biotic community of which they are a part and to which they contribute. Callicott insists that environmental ethics locates ultimate value in the biotic community and assigns differential moral value to the constitutive individuals relative to the standards (Callicott 1980, p.337). The systems of individuals ecosystems, species and communities might be a more proper focus than those individuals themselves. One of the motivating concerns, theoretically and practically, is that we should place value on the organization of systems and communities. Following Leopold, J.Baird Callicott argues that there is intrinsic value in the integrity, stability and beauty of ecological systems (Callicott 1989, p.83). Balancing the apparent need to value systems as well as individuals has served to generate a different set of normative principles. Callicott considers this to be an entirely new ethic which will be considered below. Klonoski (1991) in his paper about Callicott holism also presents Callicotts argument about environmental ethic holism. He points out Callicotts idea that in order of the biotic community and to assign value and to prescribe legitimate use of the constituents of the community in a way that contributes to the unity, harmony and balance of the eco-system (Callicott U.d, as cited in Klonoski 1991, p.99). But the problem of shaping a value theory such that it can accommodate both individualistic value and systemic value is daunting. Callicotts holism was criticised due to insufficient room for any intrinsic value apart from the value of the system. Callicott sustains that human activities, such as agriculture and suburban and exurban development, provide some organisms with excellent habitat. But the habitats of many other organisms are severely degraded by the cultural modifications of landscapes that characterize contemporary industrial civilization. These organisms need places that are otherwise suitable for them where modifications of that kind are prohibited (Callicott 2000, p.29). Callicotts system is monistic; there is only one value, instantiated in a principle that has moral weight. Another philosopher who had a clear idea about environmental ethics is Arne Naess who had the idea of self-realization. This means that the ideal of developing ones highest potential skews the notion of value not only towards living entities but also towards those that are analogues of human beings. In my opinion, I do agree with this idea because one has to self-realise him/herself in order to be able to live in a community. In addition, if this does not happen, one does not take care of the environment and of what happens around us. We should take care of the environment because once it is exploited it takes a longer time to revert to its original state. However, this is not an issue that all people agree with because, most often, people do exploit what they have and then this result in different consequences. I believe that, the ecosystem should be made up of both humans and animals. In addition, I think that each specie has an important role to play in the ecosystem, and this is because each specie has its advantages and disadvantages in the ecosystem. If, over a period of time, there is any endemic specie, then there should be another specie which takes its role. However, most often this does not happen and this leads to different disasters. A clear example of what I am stating is when in Malta there was a type of insect the red weevil that was imported with foreign palm trees inferring. This showed that they were not being eaten by other animals, and thus they did a lot of damage to the Maltese palm trees. A specie in an ecosystem is like a link in a whole chain and if one link is broken the chain is broken too! I do disagree with Regans idea that an endemic species should not be protected. In fact I argue that we should spend some time with nature like Rolston suggests in order to admire how precious our environment is. Moreover, I think that there should be more emphasis on mans responsibility. When someone comes in contact with nature he should make sure that it should be kept as it was found because once it is exploited the effects are disastrous. It is difficult to reverse the damage and bring back nature to its original state. In my opinion the holistic view of environmental biases is more practical especially in our everyday world. There are different views of how one can respect the environment around us. The most important thing is that we do our outmost to leave part of the environment in its natural state without construction because it is our contribution to those that come after us. Most often people do not even notice how little things can harm species, not only on the earth but also marine species which are also an important part of the ecosystem. In my opinion, although nowadays there are more environmental organisations there should be more awareness of how our modelling with the eco system can affect nature around us. God created nature in order to be used but also to be protected accordingly.

Reflection On Communication In Experiencing Mental Illness Nursing Essay

Reflection On Communication In Experiencing Mental Illness Nursing Essay The purpose of this assignment is to critically reflect upon on aspect of my professional practice and development that arose whilst out in clinical practice. The paper will show emphasise based on communication. This reflection has been chosen to highlight the need for nurses to have therapeutic communication skills in order to provide holistic care and encourage a good nurse-patient relationship. Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle has been chosen as a framework for this paper. To satisfy the requirements of the Data protection Act (1998) as well as the NMC (2007) code of professional conduct, all names have been changed to protect identity in concordance with confidentiality purposes. Reflection is a way of analysing a past incident in order to promote learning and development. Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle can be seen as cyclical in nature which incorporates six stages to enable me to continuously improve my learning from the event for better practice in the future. The six stages are: 1. Description 2. Feelings 3. Evaluation 4. Ananlysis 5. Conclusion 6. Action plan. Description Whilst out in placement I witnessed both positive and negative communication. During handover I was informed Maisey has dementia, deafness, aggression and short term memory loss. During handover Maisey approached the nurses int he office who appeared to look very anxious and upset. The staff nurse raised her voice and in a fixed tone told Maisey to return to her bedroom, shouting we are to busy now, go back to your room. The nurses and health care assistants present in handover giggled amongst themselves, exchanged knowing glances and mimicked Maiseys voice saying she can be such a nuisance. Having not previously met Maisey I offered to assist her with her personal hygiene needs and to make her bed. I knocked on her bedroom door to which I then entered. Maisey stood up defensively and appeared to be very agitated and irate. She shouted that she wanted answers. I explained that I came to help her and would do my best to help her. Maisey then explained that no one had explained to her why she was in hospital nor did she know the where abouts of her daughter (main care giver). Reviewing Maiseys care plan I found out she had a fall at her daughters (Barbara) house and her son informed me that Barbara was away on holiday for a week. After the discussion with Maisey I documented it in her notes so that other members of the Multi-disciplinary team would acknowledge that Maisey was uncertain about the situation she was in. After speaking to my mentor and being more knowledgeable on Maiseys situation, I returned to her with my mentor close by. I pulled up a chair next to her and in a calm, reassuring, comforting manner explained the reason why she was in hospital. However Maisey appeared to look confused and asked me to speak to her in her left ear as she was deaf. I patiently repeated what I had said, she looked brighter after I mentioned her daughters name. Maisey asked a few more questions and I tried to answer them accurately and confidently. Maisey smiled and confided she is aware that she can be forgetful but feels that she is being ignored and that no one cared to what she had to say. She also said she could not sleep as other patients were disturbing her. After the discussion I gave Maisey assistance with her personal hygiene needs to which she thanked me for taking the time and just talking. Maisey had said she felt a lot better that someone took the time to listen to her concers and explain wh at was going on instead of being ignored and left in the dark. Feelings I felt very angry and disappointed that the staff easily agreed as a team that Maisey was just confused and describing her a as nuisance, without investigating as to why she seemed upset. I was in complete shock that as nurses they could be so quick to dismiss Maisey the way the did. I was highly annoyed that they all felt it was alrite to mimic and laugh at a patient. I felt a bit disheartened how no one took the time to explain what was going on to Maisey. Once I helped Maisey I felt happy that I took the time to get to know her and in turn see a different side to things. I felt proud I was able to reassure and relax Maisey so she could rest properly. Evaluation I feel I have learnt a lot from this experience with Maisey and how the nurses responded to her when she was at a very vulnerable time. It was not a nice encounter as I feel things like this should not happen in practice, however in terms of a learning prospective it was good as it taught me that it is paramount to be sensitive towards a patient who is feeling distressed. It went well as I have learnt how important it is to be patient, to take the time to listen to a patient as this can have cumulative effects on that persons well being and the outcome as to how they are feeling. The way the staff nurses reacted was not in the best interests of the patient. I did not like their approach, as they did not make an effort to show support or any understanding as she was known as a difficult patient. Stockwell (1972) wrote the infamous book The Unpopular Patient where she explains that studies of communication in nursing demonstrate inadequacies in nursing practice.   Stockwell (1972) de scribes the nurse-patient interaction, insisting that such interaction is not always satisfactory, especially when dealing with a difficult or unpopular patient. I feel the nursing team were ignorant to the fact that Maisey had difficulty in hearing which must have made it irritating for staff to keep repeating themselves. This could have been part of the reason as to why Maisey was considered an unpopular patient as she was seen as demanding. Analysis There was no interaction between nurse and patient as Maisey approached the nurses station, and to be mocked then dismissed must have been a terrible experience for her.   Davis (2008) explains how hectic times of the day such as handover, mealtimes and ward rounds leave insufficient time to help patients who need it.   However, if the nursing team had engaged in a little conversation with Maisey, she might have felt valued and understood, instead of upset and belittled.   The NMC Code (2008) clearly states many standards of conduct which a registered nurse should be trusted to do, these including You must treat people kindly and considerately and You must listen to the people in your care and respond to their concerns and preferences.   If as nurses we should comply with The Code (2008), a lot of work is required to raise the awareness of the importance of communication in the delivery of care.   In 2007 the NMC introduced Essential Skills Clusters.   These Essential Ski lls are to be delivered by all registered nurses, one of these clusters containing Care, Compassion and Communication.   The NMC introducing these clusters show the importance of interpersonal skills in nursing care, and significance of communication in the nursing profession.   On this occasion, the nursing team did not show care or compassion for Maisey, and certainly did not engage in therapeutic conversation.   As a student nurse I felt I had the knowledge and skills to approach the patient to appropriately calm and reassure her.   Heyward and Ramsdale (2008) explain that a patient who thinks his nurse is not listening to them will lose faith in the service a nurse provides, and in the nurses willingness and ability to do as they have promised.   They explain that sympathising with a patient shows willingness to understand their anxieties and make the patient feel more comfortable.   As I entered the room the patient stood up with a defensive posture, which I assumed was using non-verbal communication to inform me that she was suspicious and distrustful of me.   This was caused by the nursing teams disability to make the patient their first priority and to listen and respond to her concerns.   Santamaria (1993) tells us that nurses must deal with the full range of human behaviour, and at the same time deliver the highest quality of care.   I acknowledged that Maisey was upse t and gave her the opportunity to ask questions and voice her concerns, and in turn made her feel special by giving her my time.   As Maisey asked me to speak loudly into her right ear I wondered if her history of deafness had been accurately assessed, as she was definitely not deaf but having communication difficulties.   Eradicating this problem with help of a speech and language therapist or a hearing aid would have helped Maisey and the impatient staff enormously in this situation.   Although I had been informed that the patient could be aggressive, I managed the situation by relating to her position and understanding her point of view.   Leadbetter and Patterson (1995) explain the prevention and management of aggression should be dealt with by showing empathy and respect for the patients individuality and being genuine, utilising an open and honest manner.   Finally, integrity, and being aware of ones own competence to handle the situation.   Egan (1990) considers non-verbal communication to prevent violent situations such as considering body posture, nodding to show interest and making eye contact, but not as though to threaten the patient in any way. Fortunately, empathy and respect for Maisey helped her to trust and confide in me.   The reason for analyzing this particular section of the scenario was to answer the question, Why did the nurse not feel efficiently equipped to approach the patient herself, instead leaving the potentially aggressive situation with an unsupervised student?   In the NMC Code (2008), advice for a registered nurse is to recognise and work within the limits of your competence, but also to have the skills and knowledge for safe and effective practice.   I believe communication skills within the nursing team must be rigorously developed and maintained as one professional alone cannot meet a patients requirements.   We need to work collaboratively to provide maximum care delivery.   Maisey felt more relaxed, valued and safe, after we identified and resolved her concerns.   Older people generally have more barriers to communicating effectively.   These barriers are worth investigating, as the acquisition of a little understanding and basic skills is a simple and rewarding exercise. (Myerscough, 1992)   The barriers Maisey faced, was the time the nurses had to spend with her, and the fact that she was deaf.   Myerscough (1992) explains that this is overcome by speaking loudly and clearly, using clear lip movements to assist lip reading.   Through actively listening to the patient and encouraging conversation we managed to focus on the problem that was causing unease.   I do believe that Maisey was discriminated against because of her conditions and illness, as she was not given the time and energy that was given to other patients.   The Human Rights Act (1998) Article 14 explains that every person should be treated equally without any discriminat ion on any ground.   This section of the act was broken when the staff failed to treat Maisey as they would the other patients.   Maisey was confused and upset that she had not been given time to adapt to her surroundings, and was in fear due to the separation from her main caregiver.   Most patients do suffer a degree of anxiety and apprehension and admission to hospital is in particular a disturbing experience for anyone. (Lloyd and Bor, 1996)   They offer explanations for these anxieties, such as being in an unfamiliar environment and separation from family and friends.   Loss of personal space is a factor mentioned, as is loss of independence and privacy.   One that closely relates to the scenario is uncertainty of diagnosis and management.   Maisey was uncertain of what was going on.   By providing her with the information she required, she could understand a purpose for her admission and the decisions being made.   Conclusion The reason for Maisey being upset, and the nursing teams reluctance to help her, all stem from the same thing.   As we have discovered communication and ones ability to reflect on practice have enormous effect on the capability to provide the highest possible quality of care.   Additionally time and commitment to our patients is priceless as it can never be taken away from them.   We also need to realise that ones own values have effects on interaction with our patients, so appreciating that our client has different values and beliefs to ourselves help us gain insight into the reasons they think and behave as they do.   Some consider interacting with others as hard work, but we as nurses need to understand that communication is the gateway to successfully helping our patients and improving our skills.   Action Plan On reflection I saw first-hand how easily communication can break down, if not between nurse and patient, then within the multi-disciplinary team.   I will take the experience with me throughout my nursing education, remembering the importance of effective communication, and also the ability to look back at an experience and break it down to discover what really happened.   Taylor (2000) defines how reflection on action occurs perfectly.   He explains that only when details of events are recalled and analysed, unpicked and reconstructed considering all aspects of a situation, can one gain fresh insights and amend actions.   He quotes Critical thinking is essential for safe practice.   (Taylor, 2000)   This should be an ongoing and extensive process for all nurses in practice.   I will be more aware of my interaction with others and will constantly reflect on my experiences to see the whole package of care delivery.   REFERENCES Becker, E.L. (1991) Churchills Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 3rd Edition. USA: Churchill Livingstone Data Protection Act 1998 London: HMSO Davis, C. (2008) Tea and Empathy: discussing a project focusing on patient centred care. Nursing Standard. Vol 22, no. 32,   p.18 Elliss, R.., Gates, B., Kenworthy, N. (2003)   Interpersonal communication in Nursing.   2nd Edition. London: Churchill Livingstone Egan, G. (1990) The Skilled Helper: A systematic approach to effective helping.   4th Edition.   USA: Wadsworth Gibbs, G. (1988)   Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. London: Further Education Unit Human Rights Act 1998 London: HMSO Heyward, T. Ramsdale, S. (2008) Interpersonal Skills. Chapter 1 IN Richardson, R. (Editor) (2008) Clinical Skills for Student Nurses.   UK:   Reflect Press Lloyd, M. Bor, R. (1996)   Communication Skills for Medicine.   New York: Churchill Livingstone Myerscough, P.R. (1992) Talking with Patients: A Basic Clinical Skill.   2nd Edition.   Oxford: Oxford University Press Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2007) The Code: Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics for Nurses and Midwives.   London: NMC Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2008) Essential Skills Clusters for pre-registration nursing programmes.   London: NMC Santamaria, N. (1993) The Difficult Patient: An Important Educational Need of Registered Nurses. Unknown Stockwell, F. (1972) The Unpopular Patient.   London: Royal College of Nursing Taylor, B.J (2000) Reflective Practice: A guide for nurses and midwives. Buckingham: Open University Press p.64 Timby, B.K   (2009)   Fundamental Nursing Skills and Concepts.   9th Edition.   London: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins Weller, B.F (2002)   Baillieres Nurses Dictionary.   24th Edition. London: Elsevier

Oliver Twist: Summary :: essays research papers

Oliver Twist: Summary I Content - Characterizations Oliver Twist - A loving, innocent orphan child; the son of Edwin Leeford and Agnes Fleming. He is generally quiet and shy rather than aggressive. Oliver's affectionate nature, along with his weakness and innocence, earn him the pity and love of the good people he meets. Dicken's choice of Oliver's name is very revealing, because the boy's story is full of "twists" and turns. Dickens uses his skills at creating character to make Oliver particularly appealing. Mr. Bumble - The parish beadle; a rat man and a choleric with a great idea of his oratorical powers and his importance. He has a decided propensity for bullying. He derived no inconsiderable pressure from the exercise of petty cruelty and consequently was a coward. Halfway through the book, Bumble changes. When he marries Mrs. Corney, he loses authority. She makes all the decisions. The Artful Dodger - A talented pickpocket, recruiter, cheat and wit. Jack Dawkins, known as the artful dodger, is a charming rogue. Fagin's most esteemed pupil. A dirty snub-nosed, flat-browed, common-faced boy (short for his age). Dickens makes Dodger look more appealing by describing his outrageous clothes and uninhibited manners. Fagin - A master criminal, whose specialty is fenang (selling stolen property). He employs a gang of thieves and is always looking for new recruits. He is a man of considerable intelligence, though corrupted by his self-interest. His conscience bothers him after he is condemned to hang. He does have a wry sense of humor and an uncanny ability to understand people. He's a very old shrivelled Jew, whose villainous looking repulsive face was obscured by a quantity of matted red hair. Mr. Brownlow - A generous man, concerned for other people. A very respectable looking person with a heart large enough for any six ordinary old gentleman of humane disposition. Bill Sikes - A bully, a robber and a murderer. He is an ally of Fagin. Fagin plans the crimes and Sikes carries them out. Sike's evil is so frightening because it is so physical. He is compares to a beast. A stoutly built fellow with legs that always look like they are in an unfinished and incomplete state without a set of fetters to garnish them. Monks - Also known as Edward Leeford (son of Edwin Leeford and his legal wife).Oliver's half brother. He wants to destroy Olivers chance of inheriting their fathers estate. Monks is a stock villain, lurking in shadows and uttering curses with a sneer. He lacks family love and moral upbringing. He is a tall, dark blackguard, subject to fits of cowardice and epilepsy.

Essay --

As I packed up my belongings from my dorm at the end of my freshman year in college, I remember feeling indifferent about summer. Although most people would be happy knowing they were not going to summer school, I had gotten accustomed to this routine. As far back as I can remember, each summer was spent in school or some form of tutoring program; not as a result of my poor grades but to stay ahead. I finally had a summer free, and I was uncertain what to do. Not wanting to waste away my summer idly, I set out to make my summer productive and obtained an internship position at my local health department. Undoubtedly this has been one of two main experiences highly influential in leading me to pursue my Masters in Public Health. Interning at the health department was my formal introduction to public health. It quickly became apparent how predominant and ubiquitous the practices of public health are in our everyday lives. I also gained a better understanding as to how critical public health is to the entire healthcare system; specifically how research and practice in the areas of community needs can make notable impacts. Working mainly in the nurse's clinic and birth and death records, I occasionally got the opportunity to help out in other areas such as the Black Infant Health Program. This program specifically caught my attention because of how valuable and requested it was for the African American community. They provided resources to empower and strengthen women throughout their pregnancy. Women were provided with information and classes so that they were informed to make better choices for caring and raising their children, in hopes that it would positively impact future generations. This is particularl y important because ... ... healthcare setting can greatly help gain the support at the community level. I want to be apart of the growing effort in creating an atmosphere that allows dialogue and interest amongst minority groups who are more disproportionately affected by diseases. My desire to pursue a graduate degree in public health is personally driven, and I believe UC Irvine will serve as a vital foundation for obtaining the necessary knowledge and training in my career. With my persistence in the pursuit of knowledge I am confident that I will be able to take full advantage of what the program has to offer so that I too can make meaningful contributions in public health. In order to hone my skills with regards to health, I am currently taking a human anatomy and physiology course through Loyola Marymount University Extension, and I find myself eager to return to full time studies.

Virtual Child Ages 11-16

Maureen Gillespie PSY 206 – Dr. Greenspan Montgomery County Community College April 15, 2013 Assignment #2 Adolescence is defined as the transition between childhood and adulthood. Many changes happen at this stage. Adolescence involves things such as puberty, greater independence, and a time when someone begins to construct their identity. Identity means their life value and goals including a secure sense of who they are in terms of sexual, vocational, and moral ethics. In the next few paragraphs I will be discussing my Virtual Child, Maeve as she went through adolescence (ages 11- 16).I am going to delve into the different changes I saw in her and how they relate to theories proposed by Piaget, Erikson, Marcia, and Gardner. Each theory deals with development through adolescence and will help give a better understanding of this time in Maeve’s life. According to Piaget, around age 11 young people enter the formal operational stage. Here they develop the capacity for ab stract, systematic, scientific thinking. Whereas concrete operational children can â€Å"operate on reality,† formal operational adolescents can â€Å"operate on operations. They can come up with new, more general logical rules through reflection, rather than just using concrete things as objects of thought. (p. 301). Formal operational thought invokes verbal reasoning about abstract concepts. Adolescents doing things such as physics are examples of their operating within this stage. Maeve always did well in her math and science grades but, by 10th grade she was very enthusiastic about physics. She even went and entered one of her science projects into a county-wide science fair. Maeve has also taken, and done well, in art since the 7th grade.At age 14, Maeve's English class required she submit a poem into a school-wide contest. Maeve's poem took home first place in the contest, and her work was placed in a state-wide contest. Her work on art and poetry were reflections of h er inner feelings and were not just focused on concrete objects. As Maeve grew cognitively through this stage of her adolescence, she also went through a great deal of emotional and social change. These changes were obvious to us as her parents. These changes were signs that she could think logically and scientifically and was trying to put it all together to form her own identity.Identity is defined as a well-organized conception of the self, consisting of values, beliefs, and goals to which the individual is solidly committed. Erikson was the first to recognize identity as the major personality achievement of adolescence and as a crucial step toward becoming a productive, content adult. (p. 314) Identity is planted in an individual early in life, but it is not until late adolescence and early adulthood that people really take on the task and delve into finding their own identity.By age 12, Maeve began to argue with us over little things such as clothes, bedtime, and household chor es. These weren’t things we usually argued over, in fact we rarely argued at all, but as she changed emotionally, so did our arguments. She would talk frequently about what is and isn’t â€Å"fair. † Her moral development was forming as she started to differentiate her thoughts like this. As Maeve progressed through adolescence, she continued to grow morally and socially, but remained relatively easy going and well-behaved. She did well in school, saved her money, and was involved in after school activities.By the time she was 16, these actions proved she was responsible, and after practicing with me, she went for her driving test. She was just like any other teenager who wanted to hang out, go shopping, and drive around. But, she still always checked-in with us and was rarely late. She had begun to find her identity through independence and was doing well. Maeve was involved with sports and was looking happily ahead on her path towards college. But, late in 11t h grade, Maeve started to change for what could have been the worse.She had quarrels with girlfriends, engaged in a few senseless pranks, and began to date boys. At one point, as an act of defiance, she ran off with her boyfriend and they both got matching tattoos. During the times when she was feeling down, she wouldn’t talk much, but always knew she could. But, when Maeve was ready to talk, she was confident in herself and what she stood for. While her decisions weren’t always that irresponsible, we still found that we didn’t always agree with her. But for Maeve, she seemed to know she was in a trial and error phase of growing up and had to see what worked for her.We had to let her develop that. Much like Maeve’s trial and error phase, Erikson’s theory of identity versus role confusion explains psychological conflict of adolescence. This theory states that this conflict is resolved positively when adolescents achieve an identity after a period of exploration and inner soul searching. If a young person’s earlier conflicts were resolved negatively or if society limits their choices to ones that do not match their abilities and desires, they may appear shallow, directionless, and unprepared for the challenges of late adulthood. p. 314). Maeve luckily didn’t make many choices that were resolved negatively. These social and emotional changes weren’t always easy for the rest of the family to deal with, but they were a part of her growth. With us there to provide nurturing support, she was able to develop her own healthy identity after her period of â€Å"soul searching. † Researchers commonly evaluate progress in identity development on two key criteria derived from Erikson’s theory. These two criteria are exploration and commitment. Marcia yielded from this, four â€Å"identity statuses. These four statuses are: identity achievement, identity moratorium, identity foreclosure, and identity diff usion. Identity moratorium is exploration without commitment to value, foreclosure is commitment in the absence of exploration, and diffusion is an apathetic state where you don’t commit or explore. The following example shows how Maeve does not fit into either of these categories. As you know from previous examples, Maeve explored many social and behavioral changes in her adolescence. One conversation sits with me the most. I had a conversation once with Maeve after she was off the school bus in about 10th grade.She described a situation where she had a conversation with a good friend, heard her friend’s values, didn’t agree, and respectfully listened while providing feedback as necessary. She came home to tell me all about her values and how she didn’t openly or rudely oppose her friend just because her friend thought differently than she did. She also didn’t change her own values because of this. This is a perfect example of identity achievement which is defined as a commitment to values, beliefs, and goals, following a period of exploration. Maeve stayed true ith these beliefs, stayed on track with her goals in life, and is all set to go to the college of her dreams, because that is what she values. In looking at adolescence it is important to look at how they develop their intelligence. Howard Gardner developed a theory about various intelligences. He articulated seven criteria for a behavior to be considered intelligence. These were that the intelligences showed: 1. Potential for brain isolation by brain damage, 2. Place in evolutionary history, 3. Presence of core operations, 4. Susceptibility to encoding (symbolic expression), . A distinct developmental progression, 6. The existence of savants, prodigies and other exceptional people, 7. Support from experimental psychology and psychometric findings. Gardner chose eight abilities that he held to meet these criteria: spatial, linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kin esthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. I believe that Maeve’s highest intelligences are logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, and interpersonal. She excels in her school work and is involved in higher level physics than that of her grade level.She participates in science fairs and enjoys using her mind to solve problems. She has always been a social butterfly and enjoys the outdoors. While she did play an instrument for some time, she didn’t enjoy it and wouldn’t be considered the musical type. While she is coordinated when playing sports, she has more than once ran into the trash cans while backing out of our driveway which would make me say she is not of the spatial intelligence. I also would consider a weaker intelligence for her to be linguistics. While she is intelligent it is not her strongest suit, as she isn’t the most eloquent speaker.In conclusion, there are many factors that come into play when a child is growing through adolescence. They change emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically. All of this is to work towards gaining a sense of self and identity to carry with them through adulthood. By taking the time and letting your child go through these phases with your background support, you are preparing your child to take on their world. References * Berk, L. E. (2010). Exploring lifespan development. (2nd ed. ). Illinois: Pearson College Div.