Free Essays on Supercomputing

By a "superintelligence" we mean an intellect that is much smarter than the best human brains in practically every field, including scientific creativity, general wisdom and social skills. This definition leaves open how the superintelligence is implemented: it could be a digital computer, an ensemble of networked computers, cultured cortical tissue or what have you. It also leaves open whether the superintelligence is conscious and has subjective experiences. Entities such as companies or the scientific community are not superintelligences according to this definition. Although they can perform a number of tasks of which no individual human is capable, they are not intellects and there are many fields in which they perform much worse than a human brain - for example, you can't have real-time conversation with "the scientific community". Superintelligence requires software as well as hardware. There are several approaches to the software problem, varying in the amount of top-down direction they require. At the one extreme we have systems like CYC which is a very large encyclopedia-like knowledge-base and inference-engine. It has been spoon-fed facts, rules of thumb and heuristics for over a decade by a team of human knowledge enterers. While systems like CYC might be good for certain practical tasks, this hardly seems like an approach that will convince AI-skeptics that superintelligence might well happen in the foreseeable future. We have to look at paradigms that require less human input, ones that make more use of bottom-up methods. Given sufficient hardware and the right sort of programming, we could make the machines learn in the same way a child does, i.e. by interacting with human ad... Free Essays on Supercomputing Free Essays on Supercomputing By a "superintelligence" we mean an intellect that is much smarter than the best human brains in practically every field, including scientific creativity, general wisdom and social skills. This definition leaves open how the superintelligence is implemented: it could be a digital computer, an ensemble of networked computers, cultured cortical tissue or what have you. It also leaves open whether the superintelligence is conscious and has subjective experiences. Entities such as companies or the scientific community are not superintelligences according to this definition. Although they can perform a number of tasks of which no individual human is capable, they are not intellects and there are many fields in which they perform much worse than a human brain - for example, you can't have real-time conversation with "the scientific community". Superintelligence requires software as well as hardware. There are several approaches to the software problem, varying in the amount of top-down direction they require. At the one extreme we have systems like CYC which is a very large encyclopedia-like knowledge-base and inference-engine. It has been spoon-fed facts, rules of thumb and heuristics for over a decade by a team of human knowledge enterers. While systems like CYC might be good for certain practical tasks, this hardly seems like an approach that will convince AI-skeptics that superintelligence might well happen in the foreseeable future. We have to look at paradigms that require less human input, ones that make more use of bottom-up methods. Given sufficient hardware and the right sort of programming, we could make the machines learn in the same way a child does, i.e. by interacting with human ad...

Shakespeares Brothers and Sisters

Shakespeare's Brothers and Sisters William Shakespeare came from a large family and had three brothers and four sisters ... although not all of them lived long enough to meet their most famous sibling! William Shakespeares brothers and sisters were: Joan ShakespeareMargaret  Shakespeare Gilbert  ShakespeareJoan  ShakespeareAnne  ShakespeareRichard  ShakespeareEdmund  Shakespeare Much is known of Shakespeare’s mother Mary Arden whose house in Wilmcote near Stratford-upon-Avon remains a tourist attraction and functions as a working farm. His father John Shakespeare, also came from farming stock and became a Glover. Mary and John lived in Henley Street Stratford upon Avon, John worked from his house. This is where William and his siblings were brought up and this house is also a tourist attraction and it is possible to see exactly how Shakespeare and his family would have lived. John and Mary had two children before William Shakespeare was born. It is not possible to give the exact dates as birth certificates were not produced in those times. However, due to high mortality rates, it was customary to have the child baptised as soon as three days after the birth so the dates given in this article are based on that assumption. Sisters:Joan and MargaretShakespeare Joan Shakespeare was baptised in September 1558 but sadly died two months later, her sister Margaret was baptised on December 2nd 1562 she died aged one. Both were thought to have caught the prolific and deadly bubonic plague. Happily William, John and Mary’s first born son was born in 1564. As we know he lived a very successful life until he was 52 and died in April 1616 on his own birthday. Brother:Gilbert Shakespeare In 1566 Gilbert Shakespeare was born. It is thought that he was named after Gilbert Bradley who was a burgess of Stratford and was a Glover like John Shakespeare. It is believed that Gilbert would have attended school with William, being two years younger than him. Gilbert became a haberdasher and followed his brother to London. However, Gilbert often returned to Stratford and was involved in a lawsuit in the town. Gilbert never married and died a bachelor aged 46 in 1612. Sister:Joan Shakespeare Joan Shakespeare was born in 1569 (It was customary in Elizabethan England for children to be named after their dead siblings). She married a hatter called William Hart. She had four children but only two survived, they were called William and Michael. William, who was born in 1600, became an actor like his uncle. He never married but it is thought he had an illegitimate child called Charles Hart who became a famous actor of the time. William Shakespeare gave permission for Joan to live in the western   house on Henley street (There were two houses) until her death at the ripe age of 77. Sister: Anne Shakespeare Anne Shakespeare was born in 1571 she was the sixth child of John and Mary but sadly she only survived until she was eight years old. It is thought that she also died of the bubonic plague. She was given and expensive funeral despite the family experiencing financial problems at the time. She was buried on April 4th 1579. Brother:Richard Shakespeare Richard Shakespeare was baptised on March 11th 1574. Little is known about his life but the families fortunes were in decline and as a result it is very likely that Richard did not receive an education like his brothers and he would have stayed home to help with the family business. Richard was buried on February 4th 1613. He died aged 39. Brother: Edmund Shakespeare Edmund Shakespeare was baptized in 1581, he was sixteen years William’s junior. By this time the Shakespeare’s fortunes had recovered. Edmund followed in his brother’s footsteps and moved to London to become an actor. He died aged 27 and his death is also attributed to the bubonic plague which had already claimed 3 of his sibling’s lives. William paid for Edmund’s funeral which was held in Southwark London 1607 and was attended by many famous actors from the Globe. After having eight children Mary, Shakespeare’s mother lived to the grand age of 71 and died in 1608. John Shakespeare, William’s father also lived a long life, dying in 1601 aged 70. Only their daughter Joan lived a longer life than them dying at 77.

Steve Wozniak (Co-Fonder of Apple) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Steve Wozniak (Co-Fonder of Apple) - Essay Example His father was an engineer from whom he was influenced to innovate newer things. His succeeding creativity and creation was the basis of modern computer race that the present generation is experiencing at its best (Cohen, 2011). 2.0 Life and Education Since childhood, he was devoted to electronics items. He had completed the high school education in the year 1968 from California at ‘Homestead High School’. He started the college education in the University of Colorado, and subsequently changed the university; and in the year 1971, Steve Wozniak got admission in the University of California in the city of Berkeley with major in Engineering. At that time, he started to team up with Steve Jobs to create ‘Blue Boxes’ which permit individuals to ‘make long distance call’ (A&E Television Networks, 2011) & (National Inventors Hall of Fame, 2002). 3.0 Family Background Steve Wozniak belongs to a simple family background. His father was an engineer in th e Lockheed Martin, a security and IT organization of the US and his mother was a housewife. When he was only seven years old, his family was transferred to Sunnyvale at California. He got vast knowledge about electronics and other scientific areas from his father. Because of his huge potential and curiosity in inventing electronics materials, Steve Wozniak’s parents had given him electronics sets which included things such as lights, switches and timers. The most vital knowledge he gained from his father was information about transistor, logic circuit and idea about creation of basic gates (AND, OR) which were useful for development of his experience in the field of electronics (Hyman, n.d.). 4.0 Obstacles There were many obstacles that Steve Wozniak faced in his way of creation. He always endeavored to achieve peak position in his creation. After getting employed in the Hewlett Packard for making calculators, he realized it is a type of computer and subsequently knew about t he chip and how it works. Finally, he got an idea of making computer with that chip. As Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak did not have enough money to buy computer, they had developed their individual computer named Apple I, which was a prototype. The plan of making Apple I was generated from designs of TV and typewriter. Wozniak was a member of ‘Homebrew Computer Club’. Both Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs together met with technology sorcerers from the ‘Homebrew Computer Club’. In order to raise the money required to make computer, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs had sold many of their precious assets. By selling the scientific calculator of HP brand and ‘Microbus’ of Volkswagen both had gathered 1300 USD. The money was not enough for making computer which made them to request credit from the home electronic suppliers and consequently arranged their first product line (Srivastava, 1996). The Apple Company was established in the year 1976 by Steve Woznia k and Steve Jobs. They had faced several arguments because of the name ‘Apple’. The first creation of the company was ‘Apple I’ which was sold at 666 USD. Quite rapidly the ‘Apple I’ stroke in the market and they got an order of 50,000 USD. By evaluating the demand of ‘Apple I’, Steve Wozniak had upgraded it and developed ‘Apple II’

Social Networking Distracting People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Social Networking Distracting People - Essay Example Social network analysis examines the social structure by applying the Theory of Graphs and identifying the entities as "nodes" or "vertices" and relationships as "links" or "edges". The structure of the graph resulting is often very complex. However, the fact remains that technology plays a crucial role in such networks in the modern day and their sophisticated networks attract people and entice them to indulge in such activities. Thus, people at work or at school, and even those in places like churches get distracted by different forms of technology. Therefore, the largest form of technology distracting people today can be perceived as social networks. With photos and status updates about one’s daily thoughts and actions, these social networks are a way for people to keep up with their friends, family, and even favorite celebrities on a daily basis (Leigh, 2011). Services such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, and the newly added Pinterest and instaGram are swiftly growing and t aking over the attention and time of today’s generation While social networking sites can provide a place for positive interactions, unfortunately, they have becomes a places for people to be not only distracted from more important tasks but also to cause personal and public harm to others. The first recognizable social network site, six degrees.com was launched in the year 1997 and it has had the facility of enabling its users to create profiles and list and surf their friends. Though some forms of profile sharing and social contacts existed through dating and community sites prior to the advent of social networking sites, these were not so popular or common place. Besides, they were also found to be lacking many of the features that the social networking sites presently have. AIM and ICQ buddy lists supported lists of friends, although those Friends were not visible to others. On the other hand, today these same social media and social networking sites have many

Motivational factors on the employee’s commitment Essay Example for Free

Motivational factors on the employee’s commitment Essay Today’s organizations and companies want their enterprise to be around in the future, successful and sustainable; avoiding the risk of performance or any negative effect. They consist of employees known as personnel that turned into human resources. Some of the major factors shaping the outcome are the quality that you hold: if employees are the right people; how the manager could keep it up; how they can be motivated for good performance. Motivation is a necessary tool for management or leadership providing a reason to employees to perform in a certain way. In addition, the essay will include the academic background of motivation theories as that of Herzberg, Maslow, Adams and Vroom. Setting goals is an essential motivating process and has been the focus of recent research and theory on work motivation (Locke and Latham, 1990). Thus, examples would be provided for further and practical explanation of theories, as the cases of Starbucks, Freese and Nichols (FNI) and Apple’s iPhone. At the start of the 20th century fundamental theories of motivation are presented, models about what motivates workers and their responses. Several theories of motivation try to analyze and estimate who wants, what and why. This is the reason why the theories of Herzberg, Maslow, Adams and Vroom have implications on the contemporary business. First, the bigger portion of Herzberg is that he developed the motivation –hygiene theory, which believes that there are many factors that workers could be motived. Byhese factors generate satisfaction and dissatisfaction. According to Herzberg (1959) accomplishment, the work itself, responsibility, growth and recognition, and company policies, work  conditions, supervision including relations with peers and management, salary causing respectively the two different distinctions. Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction portrait two different human needs driven by salary to purchase shelter and food and by actions leading to grow and attain (Herzberg, 1987). However, job satisfaction does not imply always-high level of productivity or excellence of motivation response. Practicing in business, the challenge at work is to raise the utility of ability of employee leading to the growth of responsibility levels. Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory and Maslow’s are the main theories of motivation. Continuing with Maslow’s model, Maslow classifies the human needs and examines how the classifications are connected to each other. A person starts at the bottom level, where they try to satisfy basic needs (food and house). When the needs have been fulfilled, there are no longer a motiving force and the individual goes to the next stage. Moving on the rest hierarchy; we can recognize safety needs (loss or protection against unemployment), social needs (communication, teamwork), esteem needs (human to be accepted and valued by others, respect from others) and self-actualization (how people think about themselves) (Maslow, 1954). If the management can find which level of need each employee expects, they can then decide corresponding rewards. Besides, one of the most relevant process theories of motivation is Adams’ Equity Theory. According to Adams, the theory argues the comparison of employee’s job input and outcome and also the same with that of other person at the same level (Mowday, 1991). Adam identified inputs as characteristics (age, sex, education, social status) that guide individual to ‘’social exchange’’ for an effort. Outcomes are specified as the benefits, the rewards or privileges (money, work duties, better status, power, authority). The employee is not moved to an action when there is a balance between inputs and outcomes, because they are already satisfied and equality exists. However, if the individual notices that the ratio of outcome/input is less than that of expected, then inequality exists and motivation forces start to build up the lost equity. It should be noted that there are two main different ways to restore the equity. Either the individual might choos e higher outcome based on their lower inputs, or reduce the inputs in relation  to the same outcome (Adams, 1965). The actual purpose is the equality between input and outcome. Therefore, inequality could be when the employee is either over-rewarded or under-rewarded (Fok et al, 2000). It was initially proposed in the early 1960s the Expectancy Theory by Victor Vroom, which premises the significance of motivation. The theory tries to examine why individuals choose specific behavior or action. According to Vroom (1964), there are three central components; Expectancy (effort leading to a particular level of performance); Instrumentality (that performance will lead to outcomes); Valence (the value that the individual places on the outcome). Droar (2006) suggests that for a person to be motivated the key elements must be linked. Otherwise, Porter and Lawler (1971) argue that Expectancy theory needs to be updated, because it includes some flaws. For example, an employer gives a reward, such as a promotion or financial bonus hence the employees will bonus their productivity to gain the reward. However, this only works if the employees believe the reward is favora ble to their actual needs. Apple is a company that can be used to exemplify the theory of Herzberg. Behind Apple and the design of products by employees is the psychology of extrinsic and intrinsic characteristics driven by the question ‘’Will I enjoy using this product myself? ‘’. The extrinsic motivation is based on rewards for executives by giving them 3%-5% bonus of their salary. Next, all Apple employees receive discounts on products or they might receive free iPhone or iPad if they are on the developing team (Issaacson, 2011). This is more efficient than the increase of the salary as long as they see in front of their eyes the results of the effort, but also it is cheaper for Apple. In addition, intrinsic motivation is driven by corporate culture. Employees are weightily committed to their job, as ‘’monotonous encoding’’ that they enjoy it (Issaacson, 2011). The culture of Apple was forced by Steve Job. What motived him to follow his dream and his heart was the passion, creating innovative products based on enjoying using himself rather than to bring profits to Apple. The core principles for this are: Do something direct for your life; Get better and better at something that matters; There is no reason not to follow your instinc ts and your heart, nothing to lose (Awareness of his death) ; Understand that you live only once. Apple is a company that works and thinks outside the box helping people to change the world (Gladwell,2011). Furthermore, Freese and  Nichols (FNI) is a practical example of expectancy theory. FNI is the first engineering/architecture firm to receive this honour. Employees are trained to improve quality in the work and seminars and FNI University training offered by the company. Workers have the authority to work on their own. In 2010 FNI gained the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. In addition, Starbucks Corporation, the most famous chain of coffee shops in the world, attracts customers for its quality and the good value for money while the prices are high. Beyond, the employees are also satisfied. Major motivational principle of king of coffee is the equity, meaning how fair the employees are treated by the employers during their work (Economist.com , 2009). For Starbucks employees are partners, not just employees, giving them valuable knowledge and training and providing them with rewards and benefits. Besides, Starbucks offer a creative and excellent work place, as part of ethics program, where the company treats its ‘’partners’’ with respect and prestige. Motivation theories should be examined in a deeper and macro level. Firms corporate operate and have subsidiaries in different countries, where there are different employees around the world with different cultures and values. It is complicated for an organization to motivate different cultures, for the reason why each has different temperament and the ranking of needs differs among cultures. The motivation to work differs across cultures and this could be illustrated the following example. In countries where there is high risk of economic failure the reward of success is low, like Greece, where there is an enthusiasm for work because the deep recession. Great enthusiasm for work could be found when high uncertainty of outcome combined with positive reward (Triandis,1982). To conclude, according to the background theories, personal goals are contributing to the developing of human behavior. They are used by individuals to monitor, to modify and evaluate their behavior. Generally speaking, motivation can be preferential and selective aspect of particular behavior. It should be understood that motivation is important for the explanation of force toward a particular behavior or action. Vroom’s expectancy theory also places emphasis on the importance of motivation in the explanation of why people choose a particular action or behavior. Managers’ responsibility is to inspire, empower, envision and motivate employees for the fulfillment of their needs based on the different cultural  background. References Adams, J. (1963) Towards an understanding of inequity. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67 p.422-436. Adams, J. (1965) Inequity in social exchange . Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Academic Press. Droar, J. (2006) Expectancy theory of motivation. Economist.com (2009) Woke up, smelled the coffee. [online] Available at: http://www.economist.com/node/14536977 [Accessed: 23rd October 2012 ]. Fok, L. et al. (2000) Human factors affecting the acceptance of total quality management. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 17 (7), p.714-729. Freese and Nichols Website (2010) Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Report. [online] Available at: http://www.freese.com/sites/default/files/Malcolm%20Baldrige%20Service%20Sheet.pdf. Gladwell, M. (2011) The Tweaker: The Real Genius of Steve Jobs. New York:. Herzberg, F. (1987) One more time:How do you motivate employees. Harvard Business Review, 65 (5), p.109-120. Herzberg, F. et al. (1959) The Motivation of work. 2nd ed. Barbara B. Snyderman:. Isaacson, W. (2011) Steve Jobs. New York: Simon and Schuster. Locke, E. and Latham, G. (1990) A Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance. Prentice Hall: Englewood, NJ. Maslow, A. (1954) Motivation and personality. New York: Harper and Row New York, p.91-93 , 256. Mowday, R. (1991) Motivation and work. New York: McGraw-Hill. Porter, L. and Lawler, E. (1968) Managerial Attitudes and Performance. Homewood: IL:Richard D. Irwin Inc. Triandis, H. (1982) Cross-Cultural Management :Conceptual Analyses. International Studies of Management and Organization, 12 (4). Vroom, V. (1964) Work and Motivation. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Bill Clinton - Redefines Democratic-republican :: William Jefferson Clinton Essays

Bill Clinton - Redefines Democratic-Republican In the early 1800's, the United States was but a promising seedling in search of viable political direction. The initial parties were known as the federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, the first of which soon diminished and the later eventually bisected. The result is the two party Democrat and GOP system which the majority of politicians of current day subscribe. However, many political and economic analysts find themselves perplexed by an incredible new phenomenon radiating from the white house - the economic policies of President Bill Clinton. This dilemma has left many wondering, did we elect a democrat or a republican? Has Clinton unintentionally begun a campaign to reunite the two rivals? The telltale signs of Clinton's political ambiguity include reminiscently republican techniques of reducing the budget, creating jobs, lowered productivity, and shaping the tax code. During Clinton's 1992 campaign, balancing the budget was not among the countries main economic objectives (Miller 4). However, after close scrutiny, the economic woes of the approaching millennium were projected as "higher then we thought it would be" (Miller 4). In fact, "in the twelve years before Clinton took office, the deficit quadrupled in size" (deficit 1). As a result, Clinton must engage in creative cost cutting techniques to keep the budget under control. Money afforded to state and local governments for development programs, such as those which relieve "urban blight," will eventually be cut by two-thirds, a third more then Gingrich's last congress proposed (Rauch 2). In addition, cuts to transportation aid will prove fifty percent greater then republican propositions (Rauch 2). According to Clinton, all of these maneuvers will result in the lowering of the deficit by $600 billion, or almost one-third by the year 1998 (progress 1). Economists speculate that these reforms may produce the desired effect (Rauch 2). However, putting these measures into action may contradict one of Clinton's main election tenets - to preserve the status quo as it relates to government programs. The final budget will include one-seventh for interest on the national debt. A whopping two thirds will go toward entitlement, one sixth for defense programs and another one-sixth for "non- defense discretionary spending" (Rauch 2). Perhaps the most touted aspect of the initial Clinton administration was its ability to "create" jobs. According to the White House, almost six million jobs have been created in the past four years, and the unemployment rate in Texas has dropped from 7.5% to 5.8% (Progress 1). This is a level well below the 6% rate which many economists regard as full employment. However, there may be a great deal more then meets the eye when it comes to these "promising" statistics.

Activity Based Costing as an Alternative to Traditional Product Costing Essay

If manufacturing overhead rates were allocated based on direct labor hours, the total manufacturing overhead cost for each product will seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) and two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for the mono-relay and bi-relay, respectively. This is computed by multiplying the one million dollars ($1,000,000) total manufacturing overhead with the total direct labor cost for each product over the total direct labor cost for both products. The manufacturing overhead cost per unit of product is eighteen dollars and seventy-five cents ($18. 75) and twenty-five dollars ($25) for the mono-relay and the bi-relay, respectively. This is arrived at by dividing the manufacturing overhead cost allocated to each product with the number of units produced. The total product cost is sixty-two dollars and seventy-two cents ($62. 75) and eighty-five dollars ($85) for the mono-relay and bi-relay, respectively. If the manufacturing overhead rate was allocated based on Activity Based Costing, the manufacturing overhead rate will be allocated to each activity pools as follows: maintaining parts – sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) and one hundred twenty thousand dollars ($120,000) for the mono-relay and bi-relay, respectively; processing – seventy-two thousand dollars ($72,000) and eighteen thousand dollars ($18,000) for the mono-relay and bi-relay, respectively; quality control – one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) and one hundred thirty thousand dollars ($130,000) for the mono-relay and bi-relay, respectively; and machine-related overhead – two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) and three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for the mono-relay and bi-relay, respectively. This is computed by multiplying the pre-determined overhead cost for each activity with ratio as given in the problem. The total manufacturing cost for each product is four hundred thirty-two thousand dollars ($432,000) and five hundred sixty-eight dollars ($568,000) for the mono-relay and bi-relay, respectively. The figure is arrived at by adding the manufacturing overhead allocated to the each activity pool for each of the product, as computed above. The unit product cost per unit of product, using Activity Based Costing, is ten dollar and eighty cents ($10. 8) and fifty-six dollars and eighty cents. The bi-relay is not more profitable than the mono-relay. Since the company is producing seventy-five percent less bi-relay than mono-relay, the cost of maintaining parts inventory, quality-control and machine-related cost is much higher per unit of bi-relay than mono-relay.

Rawls Theory of Justice Essay

A contemporary philosopher, John Rawls (1921-2002), is noted for his contributions to political and moral philosophy. In particular, Rawls’ discussion about justice introduced five important concepts into discourse, including: the two principles of justice, the â€Å"original position† and â€Å"veil of ignorance†. Rawls most famous work is, A Theory of Justice (1971) gives an introduction to this body of thought and he emphasises the importance justice has on governing and organising a society. The problem arises by defining what the term means theoretically. One of two definitions can be used, the first being definition based on ones merit or lack thereof. This â€Å"merit theory† of justice uses merit to decide how an individual of the society will be treated based on the contribution to the society. The other is the â€Å"need theory† of justice where is it assumed every individual should help those in need or who are less privileged. Attempting to balance the demands posed by these rival theories, Rawls maintained that inequalities in society can only be justified if they produce increased benefits for the entire society and only if those previously the most disadvantaged members of society are no worse off as a result of any inequality. An inequality, then, is justified if it contributes to social utility, as the merit theory asserts. But, at the same time, Rawls argued, priority must be given to the needs of the least advantaged, as the needs theory asserts. Thus, differential rewards are allowed to the advantaged members of society but not because of any merit on their part. No, these rewards are tolerated because they provide an incentive for the advantaged which ultimately will prove beneficial to society (e. g. , taxing the advantaged with the goal of redistributing the wealth to provide for the least advantaged). Original Stand Using â€Å"the original position† and experimental thought where agents behind â€Å"veil of ignorance† choose principles to govern society. Rawls argued that two principles serve to organize society, the â€Å"liberty principle† and the â€Å"difference principle. † He rooted the original position in and extended the concept of â€Å"social contract† previously espoused by Hobbes, Rousseau, and Locke which made the principles of justice the object of the contract binding members of society together. In addition, Rawls’ advocacy of treating people only as ends and never as means rooted his philosophical speculations in and extended Kant’s categorical imperative. According to Rawls a society is a venture between free and equal members for the purpose of mutual advantage. Cooperation among members makes life better because cooperation increases the stock of what it is rational for members of society to desire irrespective of whatever else its members may want. Rawls calls these desires â€Å"primary goods† which include among others: health, rights, income, and the social bases of self-respect. Rawls noted that there would be disagreement when deciding how the burden would be shared amongst the people. Rawls responded to this challenge by invoking the original position, in which representative members of a society would determine the answers to these difficult questions. That is, absent any government, the representatives would rationally discuss what sort of government will be supported by a social contract which will achieve justice among all members of society. The purpose for this discourse would not be to justify governmental authority but to identify the basic principles that would govern society when government is established. The chief task of these representatives would not be to protect individual rights but to promote the welfare of society (1971, p. 199). To this end, the representatives do not know—are â€Å"veiled† from—which place in society they will occupy. In addition, every factor which might bias a decision (e. g. , one’s tastes, preferences, talents, handicaps, conception of the good) is kept from the representatives. They do, however, possess knowledge of those factors which will not bias one’s decision (e. g. , social knowledge, scientific knowledge, knowledge identifying what human beings need to live). From this original position and shrouded by a veil of ignorance about their place in society, Rawls argued the representatives ultimately would select the principle of justice rather than other principles (e. g. , axiological virtues, natural law, utilitarian principles) to organize and govern society. While individual members of society oftentimes do act in their self-interest, this does not mean that they cannot be rational about their self-interests. Rawls argued that this is precisely what would occur in the original position when the representatives operated from behind the veil of ignorance. Freed from focusing upon one’s self-interest to the exclusion of others’ self-interests, the society which the representatives would design determines what will happen to its members and how important social matters like education, health care, welfare, and job opportunities will be distributed throughout society. The idea is that the representatives operating from behind the veil of ignorance would design a society that is fair for all of its members because no individual member would be willing to risk ending up in an intolerable position that one had created for others but had no intention of being in oneself. Rawls claimed that the representatives to the original position would invoke the principle of rational choice, the so-called â€Å"maximin decision rule. † This rule states that an agent, when confronted with a choice between alternative states of the world with each state containing a range of possible outcomes, would choose the state of affairs where the worst outcome is that state of affairs which is better than the worst outcome presented by any other alternative. Rawls’ example of two persons sharing a piece of cake demonstrates how the maximin decision rule works in actual practice. Suppose there is one piece of cake that two persons want to eat. They equally desire to eat the cake and each wants the biggest piece possible. To deal with this dilemma, both agree that one will cut the cake while the other will choose one of the two pieces. The consensus derived guarantees that the cake will be shared fairly, equating â€Å"justice† with â€Å"fairness. † Two Principles of Justice The first is the liberty principle that states that each member of society has an equal right to the most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar system of equal liberty for all. Accordingly, each member of society should receive an equal guarantee to as many different liberties? and as much of those liberties? as can be guaranteed to every member of society. The liberties Rawls discussed include: political liberty (the right to vote and to be eligible for public office); freedom of speech and assembly; liberty of conscience and freedom of thought; freedom of the person along with the right to hold personal property; and, freedom from arbitrary arrest and seizure. In contrast to some libertarian interpretations of utilitarianism, Rawls did not advocate absolute or complete liberty which would allow members of society to have or to keep absolutely anything. The difference principle requires that all economic inequalities be arranged so that they are both: a) to the benefit of the least advantaged and b) attached to offices and positions open to all members under conditions of fair equality of opportunity. If this is to occur, Rawls argued, each generation should â€Å"preserve the gains of culture and civilization, and maintain intact those just institutions that have been established† in addition to putting aside â€Å"in each period of time a suitable amount of real capital accumulation. † Rawls is willing to tolerate inequalities in society but only if they are arranged so that an inequality actually assists the least advantaged members of society and that the inequalities are connected to positions, offices, or jobs that each member has an equal opportunity to attain. In the United States, this scheme is oftentimes called â€Å"equal opportunity. † The inequalities Rawls discussed include: inequalities in the distribution of income and wealth as well as inequalities imposed by institutions that use differences in authority and resRawls is willing to tolerate inequalities in society but only if they are arranged so that any inequality actually assists the least advantaged members of society and that the inequalities are connected to positions, offices, or jobs that each member has an equal opportunity to attain. In the United States, this scheme is oftentimes called â€Å"equal opportunity. † The inequalities Rawls discussed include: inequalities in the distribution of income and wealth as well as inequalities imposed by institutions that use differences in authority and responsibility or chains of command. The reason the representatives in the original position and operating from behind the veil of ignorance would agree upon the difference principle is not due to the existence of a social contract but to ethics. That is, members of society do not deserve either their natural abilities or their place in a social hierarchy. Where and when one was born and the privileges and assets afforded by one’s birth is a matter of sheer luck. It would be unfair, Rawls contended, were those born into the least advantaged of society to remain in that place if all members of society could do better by abandoning (or redistributing) initial differences. According to Rawls, this is what ethics? according to the standard of justice? demands and, in the United States, this is the basis of what is oftentimes called â€Å"affirmative action. † The representatives would agree. The liberty principle must always take precedence to the difference principle so that every member of society is assured of equal basic liberties. Similarly, the second part of the difference principle cited above (b) must take priority to the first part (a) so that the conditions of fair equality of opportunity are also guaranteed for everyone (1971, p. 162). Thus, the two principles of justice, the liberty principle and the difference principle, are ordered because society cannot justify a decrease in liberty by increasing any member’s social and economic advantage. Reflecting Rawls’ interest in political philosophy, the liberty and principle and the difference principle apply to the basic structure of society (what might be called a â€Å"macro view†)? society’s fundamental political and economic arrangements? rather than to particular conduct by governmental officials or individual laws (what might be called a â€Å"micro view†). The liberty principle requires society to provide each citizen with a fully adequate scheme of basic liberties (e. g. , freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, and due process of law). The difference principle requires that inequalities in wealth and social position be arranged so as to benefit society’s most disadvantaged group. In cases where the two principles conflict, Rawls argues the liberty principle must always take precedence over the difference principle. One example that applies Rawls’ theory of justice involves how one would become a lawyer in the society designed by the representatives in the original position and operating from behind the veil of ignorance. This example also indicates how and why inequalities would exist in that society. In the original position and operating from behind the veil of ignorance, representatives organize society to be governed according to the liberty principle and the difference principle. In that society, any member of society can become a lawyer if one possesses the talent. So, a young woman discovers that she possesses the talent and interest to become a lawyer and decides that this is what she wants to do in her life. But, to get the education she actually needs to become a lawyer requires an inequality. That is, less fortunate people must help pay for her education at the public university’s law school with their taxes. In return, however, this young woman will perform some very important functions for other people? including the less fortunate? once she becomes a lawyer. At the same time, however, the lawyer will make a lot of money. But, she is free to keep it because she has earned it. At the same time, she will also pay taxes to the government which, in turn, will be used to provide needed programs for the least advantaged members of society. The issue of equitable pay also provides a practical example that clarifies how Rawls’ theory of justice can be applied (Maclagan, 1998, pp. 96-97). Noting that the principle â€Å"equal pay for equal work† is eminently fair in concept, Maclagan notes that not all work is equal. What is really needed in society is some rational basis to compare what sometimes are very different occupations and jobs, especially when this involves comparing â€Å"men’s work† and â€Å"women’s work. † Typically, the criteria used to compare dissimilar jobs quantifies work requirements as well as the investment individuals must make to attain these positions. In addition, the amount of skill and training required, the potential for danger and threat to one’s life, the disagreeableness involved in the work, as well as the degree of responsibility associated with a job all figure prominently when making such calculations. In actual practice, however, making comparisons between dissimilar jobs is an immensely difficult undertaking, as Maclagan notes, citing as an example the difficulties management and labor both confront in the process of collective bargaining. Collective bargaining involves ethics because each party declares what the other ought to do. When these differences are resolved through a consensus, a â€Å"contract† provides the basic structure by which the members of that society (called the â€Å"corporation†) will organize and govern themselves for a specific period of time. Coming to agreement upon a contract—like Rawls’ concept of reflective equilibrium—requires both parties to the collective bargaining process to align their principles and intuitions through the process of considered dialogue and mutual judgment. Furthermore, the contract? like Rawls’ difference principle? tolerates inequalities in pay but only as long as the least advantaged enjoy equal opportunity and their situation is protected if not improved. What is noteworthy about Maclagan’s example is that the parties are not in the original position nor do they operate from behind a veil of ignorance. Instead, they have to move toward those positions if they are to adjudicate their differences amicably and for the benefit of both. The critics†¦ Since its first publication in 1971, Rawls’ work has received some begrudging if not respectful criticism. Some have asked which members of society constitute the â€Å"least advantaged†? For his part, Rawls identified these people generally as unskilled workers and those whose average income is less than the median income. What Rawls failed to address, however, is the plight of those who may be the truly least advantaged members of society, namely, those citizens of some permanently unemployed underclass, who depend entirely upon government largesse to subsist (e. g. welfare), or whose racial or ethnic origins condemn them to permanent disadvantage. The critics ask: Should not their plight be considered more important than those who possess more of society’s benefits? Furthermore, in so far as Rawls states the difference principle, it appears that inequalities are permissible but only if they better the lot of the least advantaged members of society. However, cr itics note, that position is inconsistent with Rawls’ claim that the representatives to the original position must not take an interest in anyone’s particular interests. The logic fails if preference must be given by those in the original position to the least advantaged. Lastly, Rawls’ critique of utilitarianism, his embrace of egalitarianism, and the actual effects of the difference principle combine in such a way that his philosophy can be construed to advocate political agenda with Marxist overtones. That is, in actual practice Rawls’ theory would redistribute society’s benefits away from the â€Å"haves† to the â€Å"have nots† with little or no concomitant bearing of society’s burdens. Economists, for example, note that Rawls has neglected to consider the market forces unleashed in a capitalist society where seeking one’s self-interest is arguably the primary motivating principle. These critics argue that even the least advantaged, if they so choose, can take advantage of the minimal benefits society offers them by virtue of citizenship. Through education, persistence, and hard work, the least advantaged (or, their children in the next generation) will be able to participate more fully in enjoying the benefits as well as in bearing the burdens of membership in society. The critics ask: â€Å"Is this not what has happened to waves of immigrants to the United States during the past two hundred years? † In light of these criticisms, Rawls modified the principles of liberty and difference. Pondering the question of social stability, Rawls considered how a society ordered by the two principles of liberty and difference might endure. In Political Liberalism (1996), Rawls introduced the idea that stability can be found in an overlapping consensus between citizens who hold diverse religious and philosophical views or conceptions about what constitutes the good to be sought. As with Maclagan’s (1998) collective bargaining example, this â€Å"overlapping consensus† is found in their agreement that justice is best defined as fairness. In Justice as Fairness (2001), Rawls introduced the idea of public reason, that is, the reason possessed by all citizens which contributes to social stability, a notion he first detailed in The Law of Peoples with â€Å"The Idea of Public Reason† Revisited (1999).

Free Essays on Scott Joplin

SCOTT JOPLIN April 7, 2004 Scott Joplin is thought to have been born in mid –1867 in or near Linden, Texas. His birth parents were Florence Givens and Jiles Joplin; Scott was the second of six children. Sometime in 1871 the family moved to Texarkana, Texas where Scott’s mother cleaned the homes of the well off white people. These homes were where Scott learned to play the piano. In 1882 Scott’s mother purchased the first piano for the Joplin home. The Joplin family was very musical. Florence sang and played banjo, while Jiles played the violin, and Scott played the piano, violin and sang. While in Texarkana, Scott’s talents were noticed by a local music teacher, Julius Weiss. Weiss educated him further, with emphasis on European art forms and opera. It is believed that this education was his basis for his composing form. The 1880s found Joplin in Lincoln High School, located in the black district of Sedalia, Missouri. Records show many black families with the â€Å"Joplin† name in Sedalia at that time. It is thought that he could have been related to and staying with a number of them. In 1891 Joplin began his traveling. First he began touring with a minstrel group in Texarkana. Then in 1893 he was said to be in Chicago playing the cornet and leading a band, probably somewhere outside of the 1893 World’s Fair. After the Fair he set up in Sedalia, and that became his home. There ha played first cornet with the Queen City Cornet Band. After a year of playing with the band, he began to itch for the road. He formed the Texas Medley Group, his first vocal group and went to Syracuse, New York. There he impressed several businessmen, who issued his first two publications, Please Say You Will and A Picture of Her Face. While not on the road, Joplin worked in Sedalia as a pianist and at the town’s two black gentlemen’s clubs, the Maple Leaf Rag and the Black 400 Club. Also he taught some of the young musicians in tow... Free Essays on Scott Joplin Free Essays on Scott Joplin SCOTT JOPLIN April 7, 2004 Scott Joplin is thought to have been born in mid –1867 in or near Linden, Texas. His birth parents were Florence Givens and Jiles Joplin; Scott was the second of six children. Sometime in 1871 the family moved to Texarkana, Texas where Scott’s mother cleaned the homes of the well off white people. These homes were where Scott learned to play the piano. In 1882 Scott’s mother purchased the first piano for the Joplin home. The Joplin family was very musical. Florence sang and played banjo, while Jiles played the violin, and Scott played the piano, violin and sang. While in Texarkana, Scott’s talents were noticed by a local music teacher, Julius Weiss. Weiss educated him further, with emphasis on European art forms and opera. It is believed that this education was his basis for his composing form. The 1880s found Joplin in Lincoln High School, located in the black district of Sedalia, Missouri. Records show many black families with the â€Å"Joplin† name in Sedalia at that time. It is thought that he could have been related to and staying with a number of them. In 1891 Joplin began his traveling. First he began touring with a minstrel group in Texarkana. Then in 1893 he was said to be in Chicago playing the cornet and leading a band, probably somewhere outside of the 1893 World’s Fair. After the Fair he set up in Sedalia, and that became his home. There ha played first cornet with the Queen City Cornet Band. After a year of playing with the band, he began to itch for the road. He formed the Texas Medley Group, his first vocal group and went to Syracuse, New York. There he impressed several businessmen, who issued his first two publications, Please Say You Will and A Picture of Her Face. While not on the road, Joplin worked in Sedalia as a pianist and at the town’s two black gentlemen’s clubs, the Maple Leaf Rag and the Black 400 Club. Also he taught some of the young musicians in tow...

The Most Common Place Names in America

The Most Common Place Names in America Is there a place name that exists in all 50  U.S.  states? It depends on what you count as a city, town, or village- for example, whether a township name counts as a town and whether youll count county names as well, as they also contain populations. Sources vary widely as to what is the most prolific place name throughout the United States. This piece follows World Atlass numbers for count and MSN for the largest city with that name. Washington (88) Although Springfield is commonly thought of as the most prolific place name in the United States, Washington is the most common, according to World Atlas, with 88 place names. There are even more if you count places where Washington is only a portion of the name. Springfield (41) Springfield is in second place, coming in with 41 cities and towns named it, the first being in Massachusetts, naturally, in 1636, after a city in England. Its a long-running debate among fans of the animated TV series The Simpsons as to which state the family actually lives in, because Springfields are seemingly everywhere and the TV series makes a point never to specify which state theyre in. Franklin (35) In third place is Franklin, with 35 cities and towns named after founding father Benjamin Franklin, who was integral in the Declaration of Independence, served as an ambassador to France, and helped establish the U.S. Postal Service. The most populous Franklin city is in Tennessee and has  68,549 residents as of 2017. Greenville (31) A lot of city and town founders must have enjoyed the scenery where they put down roots, as the name Greenville is next, with 31 U.S. instances. The name appears coast to coast. One of the first founded was in South Carolina,  in 1786. Bristol (29) If there are any city names that sound as if it were plucked straight out of Britain, the place name of Bristol has to be at the top of that list. It has 29 cities and towns named after it in the United States, and in Britain, its historically been a commercial center and important seaport. Clinton (29) The first tie on the list comes up here, with the moniker of Clinton also notching 29 instances in the United States. New York state alone has three Clinton place names, the village, town,  and county of. The most populous city by that name is in Maryland, with more than 39,000 inhabitants, and the city in Arkansas wasnt named after its governor turned president but after New York governor DeWitt Clinton. Fairview (27) Fairview might be popular around the country as a name, but the cities across the United States must be fairly small if the most populous is the one in New Jersey at just over 14,000 residents. Founders of these cities must have liked the scenery around their location and realized that the name Greenville was already taken. Salem (26) Of the 26 Salems in the country, the one in  Massachusetts is where the infamous 1692 witch trials were.  The city in Oregon is the largest, though, coming in at just over  160,000 in population. Madison (24) Known for his work on  US Constitution and the Bill of Rights, fourth president James Madison has 24 place names sprinkled throughout the United States that carry his surname. The largest city is the capital of Wisconsin, which has  243,122  people living there. Georgetown (23)   Being that Washington is tops, its no surprise that George towns  also make this list. The United States has 23 Georgetowns, in fact, though some could have been named for other Georges or even the former king of England. Georgetown, Texas, is the largest city, with a population of  56,102.

Economic Impact of Peacekeeping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic Impact of Peacekeeping - Essay Example The topic gives me a chance to highlight the importance of peace in economic development. Any country at war its economy grows backward and investors will not invest in that country thus leading to high level of unemployment. What does a peacekeeping mission help in the economy of the country? What are the challenges associated with the peacekeeping missions across the world? The peacekeeping mission is an activity that provides peace and security in a country affected by conflict. Peacekeeping missions have helped countries like Kosovo, Timor Leste, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Liberia, Burundi, and Ivory Coast restore stability (Garnahan, Durch & Gilmore, 2006). The peacekeeping mission is crucial for the propriety of the continent. According to Nibishaka, â€Å"When it brings about peace in the continent, it creates an environment that is conducive to reconstruction and development in our region and possibilities of faster economic development" (Nibishaka, 2011.p.2). Despite the positive role played by peacekeeping missions towards the growth of the economy, it is faced with various challenges. Some of the challenges include the operations of peacekeeping missions sometimes canno t be sustained by the developing country, and a mission sometimes takes policies without understanding their impact on the local economy. Finally, there is the uneven distribution of economic impact by the geographic area or ethnic groups (Garnahan, Durch & Gilmore, 2006). Consequently, the questions raised above are critical to the fact that peacekeeping play a crucial role in the growth of any economy. The economy determines the many things including the living status of the concerned citizens. If stability is not in a country, the life will be difficult in that country. In my opinion, nobody likes war and from my perspective, stability is only to economic development of any country.

Students with Special Needs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Students with Special Needs - Assignment Example However, he is capable of understanding speech and language although this capability is not absolutely normal. The disability in speech and language slows down his capability to comprehend sounds and language that he is able to listen (Speech and Language Disorders and Diseases, 2009). I would use visuals and words to meet the needs of the speech and language disabled student. For instance, if I wanted to teach this student what a house was, I would show him the picture of a house with the word "house" written under the picture of the house. I would then proceed to break down the visual of the house to its various components such as the door, windows, walls, floor, etc. each with the respective words under them and show these visuals to the student until he has thoroughly understood them. The speech and language disabled student will have some problems in understanding what he is being taught with pictures and words. However, he will soon master the art of identifying the house with the word "house" beneath the picture. Although, he is speech and language disabled, he is not completely deaf and dumb. He is capable of producing sounds. He is also capable of recognizing the outlines in the pictures being shown to him. The speech and language disabled student will have problem with different languages. ... However, he will soon master the art of identifying the house with the word "house" beneath the picture. Although, he is speech and language disabled, he is not completely deaf and dumb. He is capable of producing sounds. He is also capable of recognizing the outlines in the pictures being shown to him. 2a) Identify one additional instructional strategy or student activity from the outline of plans that could be challenging for the student, considering the student's other learning needs The speech and language disabled student will have problem with different languages. For instance, if I show him the picture of the house with the word "house" written below the picture in English, he will soon master the English language as well. However, if I used the words in other languages he may have to be taught all over again. In this case, it will be a challenge like the one experienced by a person learning a new language. 2b) Explain why the strategy or activity you chose could be challenging for the student, based on specific aspects of the student description The strategy or activity chosen could be challenging because there is no guarantee that one strategy could work for all the speech and language disabled students. One strategy could work for one student, but for another student I may have to use another strategy that may be successful only with the second student. For instance, I can use the picture of the house and the word "house" written under it for the first student because it works for him. But another student may not understand English, so I may have to use words of his mother tongue to meet his need. 2c) Describe how you would adapt the strategy or activity you identified to meet the needs of the student I would use words and sounds with which the