The Powers Of Rational Being Freedom Of The Will

The laws of nature as well as past and present states of the world motivate our actions, whether or not we are able to recognize the complex causes for the decisions we make. Every choice is the result of factors outside of our control. â€Å"Free will† can only exist if a person truly has the choice between multiple possible options; however, as hard determinists claim, every choice is fixed to only one possible outcome based on any number of existing outside factors. While libertarians believe in the concept of free will and choices based entirely on personal deliberation, compatibilists assert that the state of the world does potentially offer multiple outcomes, and so free will is possible alongside determinism. Peter van Inwagen, in his article, â€Å"The Powers of Rational Being: Freedom of the Will† states that the belief in free will is necessary for survival to avoid chronic indecisiveness, although he confuses the absence of free will for the absence of action , and simply makes an unconvincing case for duping oneself into believing in free will. While believing in the concept of free will necessarily ignores the influence of unchanging outside motivators, hard determinism provides a logical position on how certain results come to be without contradicting our ability to choose. The theory of causal determinism explains the way in which the laws of nature and the state of the world govern our decisions. There can be only one fixed outcome for every scenario, because man â€Å"isShow MoreRelated Freedom and Reason In Kant Essay1560 Words   |  7 PagesFreedom and Reason in Kant Morality, Kant says, cannot be regarded as a set of rules which prescribe the means necessary to the achievement of a given end; its rules must be obeyed without consideration of the consequences that will follow from doing so or not. A principle that presupposes a desired object as the determinant of the will cannot give rise to a moral law; that is, the morality of an act of will cannot be determined by the matter or content of the will for when the will is Read MoreThe Rational Way Of Life843 Words   |  4 PagesThe Rational Way of Life Epictetus’ Stoic Recommendation of Freedom Freedom is an arbitrary concept that has been and will always be limited. The notion of freedom is possible among equals, however, equality itself is universally different. Arendt, a political theorist, believes political freedom manifests through action, her reliance on the ability to act implies that humans can tangibly live freely. Epictetus on the other hand, believes that all humans can be internally free if they had a stoicRead MoreThe Purpose Of This Work Is To Explore Machiavelli’S Political1623 Words   |  7 Pageseffects. His praise of tumults has inspired scholars not only to relate the notion of humors to the discussion of political freedom, but also to find the origin of the Modern Republicanism in his political philosophy. Focusing on the irrational cause of humors, however, existing studies have slightly overlooked rational causes such as idea or reason or knowledge of political freedom when there are conflicts between the nobles and the people. As an attempt to the limitation of the existing studies, thisRead MorePower, Authority And Power And The Views Of The State1388 Words   |  6 Pagesauthority and power and the views of JS Mill and Plato, giving their thoughts, ideas and styles. The researcher will also apply these definitions of authority and democracy to both Mill’s and Plato’s theories of the state. Heywood tells us that authority is, in the broadest sense of the word, a form of power which can be thought of as ‘legitimate power’. He goes on to say how power, â€Å"is the ability to influence others† (Heywood, 2000). It is important to remember that authority and power are differentRead MoreHappiness Is An Activity Of The Soul1449 Words   |  6 Pagesand the rational. The irrational part consists of the vegetative part that is in charge of nutrition and growth, and the appetitive aspect that dominates our impulses. The vegetative part has a very small link to virtue, while the appetitive part â€Å"shares in it, in so far as it listens to and obeys it, this is the sense in which we speak of â€Å"taking account’ of one’s father or ones friends.† The rational part of the soul is in control of the impulses more; meaning one who is truly rational can betterRead MoreTilich, Marx and Feuerbach637 Words   |  3 Pagesof having a â€Å"wil l to believe.† This argument derives from Tillich’s belief that faith is the state of being ultimately concerned. Faith requires both rational and non-rational elements. Although faith is ecstatic, there must be a certain amount of awareness. The individual must be aware that there needs to be truth and ethical value associated to their belief. Indeed, man is the only living being that â€Å"has spiritual concerns- cognitive, aesthetic, social, and political.† (1) Therefore, faith is anRead More Communism vs. Hegelism 1679 Words   |  7 Pageswas in the process of being overthrown; there was political and civil unrest throughout Europe. In the midst of all this turmoil Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel emerged, presenting an analysis of history that would echo through the future, an understanding of the human condition, and an estimate of the end of said history and what would bring it about. This end of history would be brought about by the State, for the State’s sole purpose was to bring positive change and freedom to the individual. LessRead MoreJohn Locke And Modern Capitalism1204 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Locke was a philosopher that didn’t think human thought was based on pure egoistic behavior . Locke believed people were partially altruistic, believing that people respected the rights of others by rational thought capabilities. There is speculation about how John Locke would view the modern idea of American Capitalism and how it would complement or conflict his idea of the social contract. I will argue that John Locke would be against this interpretation of modern capitalism. There are differentRead MoreThe Political And Moral Thought Of Rousseau And Kant1571 Words   |  7 PagesConceptions of Freedom in the Political and Moral Thought of Rousseau and Kant In the Age of Enlightenment, both Rousseau and Kant discuss the idea of freedom concerning a man’s will. In spite of their shared conception of freedom as self-legislative autonomy, they differ markedly in terms of what freedom really means. The substantive differences between their accounts of freedom illustrate the two philosophers’ different perceptions about the norms of a civil state, which I suggest, are both flawedRead MoreEssay about Isaiah Berlin’s Two Concepts of Liberty790 Words   |  4 Pagesidentifies and contrasts the two components of freedom: negative and positive liberty. While the author’s voice is often confused amidst the frequent references to other political philosophies from Platonic to Millian theories, Berlin successfully argues that both of these notions can be misconstrued to the point where liberty itself is sacrificed. Although reasonable, Berlin’s assessment of the two concepts seems artificial and effortlessly simpl e, as if freedom could be defined according to a rubric;

Business and Internet Free Essays

What is the internet? The Internet is a worldwide collection of computer networks, cooperating with each other to exchange data using a common software standard. Through telephone wires and satellite links, Internet users can share information in a variety of forms. How does it work? Internet allows users to: connect easily through ordinary personal computers and local phone numbers, exchange electronic mail (E-mail) with friends and colleagues with accounts on the Internet, post information for others to access, and update it frequently, access multimedia information that includes sound, photographic images and even video, and access diverse perspectives from around the world. We will write a custom essay sample on Business and Internet or any similar topic only for you Order Now How does it provide business value? People search the Internet with some questions or concern in mind. That is the importance behind all the keywords being placed on your website through traditional Search Engine Optimization. However, once the person has found one of your pages on the search engine, what unique value does your website offer to prospective clients / customers? Websites allow for easy access anytime to your companies information. Explain how the domain name and IP addressing system work. If you’ve ever used the Internet, it’s a good bet that you’ve used the domain even without realizing it. DNS is a protocol within the set of standards for how computers exchange data on the Internet and on many private networks. Its basic job is to turn a user-friendly domain name that computers use to identify each other on the network. It’s like your computer’s GPS for the Internet. Computers and other network devices on the Internet use an IP address to route your request to the site you’re trying to reach. This is similar to dialing a phone number to connect to the person you’re trying to call. List and describe the principal internet services. Internet services consist of communication, news, weather conditions, shopping and entertainment. You can do faxing, calling, surfing, browsing and marketing in internet and even crimes, etc. List and describe alternative ways of locating information on the web. Search engines- The search engines are the first place everyone heads to and they have become household names. Subject Directories If you have a specific piece of information you are looking for and it fits neatly into a particular category this is a good place to start. These sites include libraries, academic institutions, research facilities and usually include the ‘best of the best’ as well as peer-reviewed publications for business and academics. Directories have even been created by both Google and Yahoo. Social Networking Social Networking is the latest craze on the Internet and includes online communities of people who share certain interests, activities, etc. While many of them are just about connecting to other people, some can be used to glean new information from the web. Services such as StumbleUpon will give you recommendations on websites that might be of interest to you based on a set of interests and keywords. Other services like LinkedIn focus on connecting people in business but also give you a resource where you can ask for the opinions of others or to be pointed in the right direction. Social Bookmarking Social Bookmarking sites like Reddit, Delicious and Digg all allow users to bookmark or share links of interest. They all contain categories and notifications so you needn’t go searching, the information can even be brought to you to save time. All three have ways for users to increase (and possibly decrease) the popularity or relevant importance of some links that are dropped into the services. Not all links bookmarked at these sites will be useful but many could be interesting, informative or something you might use later. The peer-review means that others find the links useful and help them float to the top so to be more easily found. How to cite Business and Internet, Papers

Managers And The Process Of Change Essays - Economy,

Managers And The Process Of Change Moving organisations from current to future changed states is not easy and requires skills and knowledge some managers do not possess Introduction The desperate call-to-arms, Change or Die which can be heard echoing down the corridors of businesses everywhere is evidence that leaders have recognised the need to change. Managers know that companies must be fast, flexible, responsive, resilient, and creative to survive. Most also know that current mind-sets, techniques, and tools are ineffective for creating such an organisation. These people are displaying the talents required to successfully negotiate change. They are aware of the limitations around or within themselves and are willing to learn the necessary skills required to succeed as change managers. Change is the process of moving from one state to another. Just as moving house requires the massive packing of furniture and other items, change requires just as much preparations to be successful. Most people do not like change, they like things to remain the same. Changes require more effort to adapt. It threatens stability and security and people fear that they will not be able to cope. Resistance is the natural defence to such perceived threats. A good manager has to be able to work with and overcome resistance he/she must be able to control the whole process of change. With this in mind, I have considered the role of the manager, what his/her function is and what skills are required to enable him/her to be a successful change manager. Function of Managers Fayol (1908) identified the functions of the manager as: 1. Setting objectives 2. Organisation 3. Motivation 4. Control or measurement 5. Co-ordination These functions are as true today as they were then, but I consider communication as the key to them. It is the essential function in successful change management. Drucker (1977 in Stewart 1986) also makes the important addition of, the development of people. Each of the functions can be seen as essential to managing emergent or planned change, however it is the balance of skills and knowledge combined that produce a successful change manager. With these points in mind we then consider organisations and their nature. Organisations their nature and culture. Organisations are living social organisms, each with its own culture, character, nature, and identity. Every organisation has its own history of success, which reinforces and strengthens the organisations way of doing things. The older and more successful the organisation, the stronger its culture, its nature, its identity becomes. They are communities of people with a mission (Putman, 1990 in Buchanan and Huczinsky, 1991), not machines. The basic nature of a living social organism is naturally more fundamental, deeper in the hierarchy, and therefore much more powerful than business work processes, financial systems, business strategy, vision, supply chains, information technology, lean manufacturing, marketing plans, team behaviour, corporate governance. All of these phenomena are important. But they are less fundamentally important than the basic nature of organisations as living social organisms. This critically important reality must be where any intervention starts. When this occurs, the intervention has a chance of working. To enable this managers must be able to combine their knowledge of the above systems with response ability. If we look at Figure 1, it demonstrates the fine balance required by a manager to remain agile, allowing him/her to manage a changing organisation whilst taking into consideration the infrastructure of the organisation. Agility is an important skill for a manager to possess, if he/she is able to reach this point then they are more likely to be manage change efficiently. Fig. 1 (Schneider, B. 1997.) Whether a particular change will work or not is related to the extent to which the idea behind it takes constant process of patterned change into account. Determining where an organisation has been, where it is currently, and where it is primarily poised to go next is critically important before any change is attempted. Indeed, what managers must do is discover the unique patterns and processes - and then work to influence them in a manner that helps the organisation to help itself function more efficiently and effectively. The pattern of dynamic relationships at the organisation level is culture, which explains why organisational culture is so powerful. So powerful, in fact, that its impact supersedes all other factors

Generating and Pitching Story Ideas

Generating and Pitching Story Ideas With the ubiquitous presence of the Internet, coming up with story pitches and finding out where to pitch them has never been easier. There are publications for just about any hobby, industry, quirk, fetish, subculture and subject you could possibly think of. And resources abound for reaching them.Unlike assignments, with pitches you get to propose writing about something you choose. So think about what you would like to write about- stamp collecting? Minorities in the construction industry? Your personal experience with heartbreak? Whatever the subject is, you should be ready to research it, interview people about it and spend a lot of time thinking about it.Nothing new under the sunOf course, whatever it is youve thought of pitching, chances are its been written about before. So you have to find out where and how. Lexis-Nexis, usually available at the local library, is an excellent way to research articles on a certain subject. Google searches on the Web or archive searches on regi stered websites for major publications (which is usually free, although pulling up the archived stories in full may not be) can also give you a reasonable body of material. And plenty of websites with articles on that subject will pop up for free. Also check for organizations that relate to that topic, because they often list articles as well.Shape your pitch with a new angleYou dont have to search for every story written on the subject since the dawn of time. Lets say its a pitch about women in the construction industry. Dont worry about the articles written on this subject that date back more than five years ago. Thats ancient history in the world of publications. Youll probably find a good selection of stories written in major dailies and small weeklies within the past five years, but thats where the next tip comes in.Lets say you find that the New York Times has published a story about the struggles of women to succeed in the construction industry. Does that mean your pitch is a lready taken? Absolutely not. What it means is that you read the story, get a sense of what it did cover, and shape your pitch so that it will cover a whole new angle or idea that the Times story didnt. Did the Times story talk about women who faced discrimination and went on to own their own firms? Then think about interviewing women who dont own their own firms, but who operate cranes or weld iron. Youll look for women whose stories werent told by the Times. Even if the issue of discrimination is the same, every individuals story is different. Just as good literature offers new twists to old plots, so you can offer new twists to subjects of articles.Also, consider localizing a story for a local publication. Journalists for smaller hometown newspapers often take a story of national interest and apply it to their hometown readers. For example, the Atkins Diet is a nation-wide trend, but you could interview local bakeries about whether theyre losing business, and pitch the story to t he editor of a local publication.Now you have to find publications to pitch your great idea to. Fortunately, its not nearly as tough as pitching your book to publishers. I pitched several stories successfully to the New York Times Money Business section via e-mail. This was made possible by nothing more than having the right name and e-mail address. A colleague had the email and name of the Money Business editor. I sent the guy an email with a story proposal that he accepted.Editors, especially at dailies, will be typically harried and easily distracted from strange e-mails. So you have to get straight to the point, while still being polite. Make it clear in the header that you are pitching a story about thus-and-so. Dont ramble on in the body; if the editor wants to know more about your credentials or history, he or she will ask for it. Just pitch the story, emphasizing why it would be something the publications audience will eat up with their coffee or lunch. I believe this topi c/angle/knowledge would be of great interest to your readers because†¦. Attaching your resume wouldnt hurt, and you can offer to send examples of your writing if the editor wants to follow up.You can also, of course, use snail mail. Be aware, though, that particularly busy editors may take more time to plow through stacks of envelopes than to browse their email inboxes.If there is a particular publication you want to work for, call their main number and ask for editorial. You should be able to find out fairly quickly whether they are accepting freelance articles or not. Checking the website for that publication may also answer the question.An excellent online resource for insider tips on pitching to specific publications is at mediabistro.com. It does require a paid membership, though registration to access job listings that may include freelance opportunities is free. The pitch tips feature a specific publication each day and tell you what the deal is.Take the time to read thr ough a particular publication to get a sense of what kind of stories it wants. Editors find it very irritating to receive unsolicited pitches that arent appropriate for their publication. Dont assume! For example, I edit transportation stories for a weekly construction magazine. I look for stories about building major highways, bridges, rail systems and airports. If somebody sends me a pitch about manufacturing the next generation of clean-air buses, that means they didnt take them to glance through the magazine and realize that we dont cover that industry. The pitcher only saw the title transportation editor and made an assumption.That writer, however, could probably do a bit more research and find out that there are indeed several magazines that cater to the suppliers, builders and users of clean-air buses. The writer could also check out publications whose main audiences consists of concerned users- i.e. environmentalists- and pitch the story with emissions in mind. It will be a slightly different pitch to the publication who caters to transit agency officials who buy the buses.When you show that youve taken the time to find out a little bit about a given publication and thus pitch it a story that would work for its readership, youre inherently advertising that youre a good journalist and writer who does your homework.

How Ballast Water Systems Work

How Ballast Water Systems Work A ballast water system is essential for the safe operation of a ship, but the operation of these systems causes significant threats to the environment and local economy. What Is a Ballast Water System? A ballast water system allows a ship to pump water in and out of very large tanks to compensate for a change in cargo load, shallow draft conditions, or weather. The capacity of ballast water tanks might be millions of gallons on a large vessel. This allows vessels to carry a light or heavy load while maintaining ideal buoyancy and handling conditions in all situations.A ship might discharge all ballast water tanks to pass a shallow area or forward tanks only to raise the bow in rough open seas.Physical components of the system include; raw water intakes, large and small strainers, pumps, distribution pipes, ballast water tanks, treatment system, discharge system, and all the valves, sensors, and controls to run the equipment. Invasive Species in Ballast Water Invasive species are a significant threat to ecosystems and the economies of the affected areas. Researchers think that about one-third of all documented invasive plants and animals are able to travel in the ballast water tanks of ships. Zebra Mussels were introduced into Lake Saint Clair in 1988 when a ship emptied ballast water into the Great Lakes System. The Great Lakes hold nearly twenty percent of the earth’s fresh surface water in a watershed system. The non-native mussels eliminated native varieties once used by industry and have caused an estimated 7 billion dollars (US) in damage by encrusting or clogging underwater equipment essential to industrial and recreational activities.Sea Lamprey and ​Spiny Water Fleas are organisms which feed off of host fish or compete with young fish for food. Many species of fish impacted by these invasive species have significant commercial or sporting value. These animals and others can live in fresh or salt water and may spread into inland waterways from saline ports and harbors.Plants can also travel long distances in ballast water. Eurasian Milfoil is a surface plant which can clog equipment and deter recreation where it forms thick mats. Eurasian Milfoil was introduced to the United States in the 1940s. Because the plant can produce large colonies from only one small fragment it is likely the plant was introduced in the ballast water of a ship. Resolving Ballast Water Issues For years amateurs and professional researchers have experimented with a huge array of weapons to combat invasive species in a ship’s ballast water. Most of the difficulty is due to the fact that huge volumes of water must be treated in a reasonably short period of time. Many land-based systems for treating public supplies takes many hours or days to pass water through their treatment systems. A ship, on the other hand, must be able to discharge ballast water as quickly as cargo is loaded. In emergency situations, ballast tanks need to empty as quickly as possible. A quick pass through most ballast water treatment systems is not enough to kill all the organisms that may be present. Ballast Water Treatment Solutions and Shortcomings No Discharge or Ballast Exchange Rules: International, National, and Local law govern ballast water discharge. Some areas require ballast tanks to be sealed while others allow ballast to be exchanged. Ballast exchange allows tanks to be filled with local waters. Sealed ballast tanks may need to be emptied in an emergency situation and exchange is hindered by the fact that foreign waters must be discharged in close proximity to ​the sensitive area for vessels to operate safely.Mechanical Filters: Filters which are fine enough to remove the small immature young and eggs of invasive species clog quickly and require constant maintenance.Thermal Treatment: The idea is to heat ballast water to kill any unwanted organisms. Unfortunately heating such a huge volume of water is impractical due to time and energy constraints.Other Energy Treatments: Ultraviolet, sonic, and other radiation have all been tried but have similar problems to a thermal treatment; limits on time and energy.Chem ical Treatments: One of the earliest and most dangerous of all the methods used to control invasive species in ballast water. Chlorine bleach and other toxic chemicals will kill existing organisms but the release of these chemicals on the scale necessary to treat every ship would reach toxic levels for all aquatic life near the discharge points. The Future of Ballast Water Treatment Researchers are pursuing this difficult and financially lucrative goal at institutions around the world. In 2011, a team announced their successful small-scale test of a two-phase ballast treatment system which eliminates unwanted organisms and produces sodium bicarbonate as a byproduct. The system is undergoing full-size tests in the Great Lakes. The test for a scalable system is expected to perform well. It is not clear how regulatory agencies around the world will respond to the potential discharge of industrial amounts of sodium bicarbonate into their waters. Sodium bicarbonate is a common and safe chemical in small amounts, but studies must be conducted to assure this method is safe for long term use.

All the Light we cannot see Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

All the Light we cannot see - Research Paper Example As a matter of fact, that as the essential reason why the then global leaders saw it suitable to establish the League of Nations, which has developed into the United Nations Organization. In his novel titled All the Light We Cannot See, distinguished American author and literature fanatic Anthony Doerr uses the book’s setting to open the eyes of the World to some of the unfortunate events that took place during the World War. Doerr employs various literary charms such as characterization and tone, to demonstrate the devastating consequences of war and the approaches an individual can employ to bring the best out of the situation amidst the myriad of challenges (Anthony Doerr Book Website). This research paper therefore aims to provide further insight on how Anthony Doerr has employed setting, plot and tone to take us through one of the darkest periods in World history; World War Two. Literary scholars have overtime reaffirmed the fact that the setting of any work of art is important, particularly because it plays a significant role in determining whether the author is successful in driving his or her message home. All the light we cannot see is set in both France and Germany with several events taking place between 1930s and 1940s. Whereas the events in Germany revolve around the life of Warner Pfenning and his sister Jutta who are both orphaned, it is imperative to note that the Doerr is in essence trying to shed more light on the Nazi culture, and some of the principles they cohere to so profoundly. At the same time, the decision of the author to focus Marie-Laure’s undertakings in the city of Paris is essentially aimed at helping the vast audience make sense of the cultures and beliefs of the French in the period leading to and after World War Two. Going through the text, it is apparent that the setting within which all the lights we cannot see is documented is in line with the historical events of the

Financial Management Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Management Master - Case Study Example It prides itself in the following retail brands: B&Q; Castorama; Brico Depot and Screwfix. Progressively, the company has been faring pretty well over the years, consequently scooping a pre-tax profit of three hundred and eighty six million pounds generated from a total sale of over nine billion pounds within the first quarter of the 2008 financial year (kingfisher.com). Investment will be reprioritized, targeting higher hurdle rates and faster payback periods. A key target is to stabilize debt at current levels, prior to reducing it in due course. A target of flat rate debt has been set for the current year. Greater focus will be placed on generating higher cash returns from the retail businesses. Stretching targets for sales growth, margin improvement and cost reduction will be drawn (http://www.ekingfisher.com/managed_content/files/downloads/2008ar.pdf ). With these key priorities it is evidenced that the management of kingfisher are committed to the survival profitability and sustenance of the company which is a very good indication of share prices increasing. The market for the product is very lucrative since home improvement is an attractive segment of retail, benefiting from natural long- term demand. Characteristics coupled with demand for more new housing and more frequent home renewal. The market also benefits from variety of products being common across international market, which gave rise to outsourcing and Economics of Scale; but within this market kingfisher is enjoying a large geographically diversified business. However, delivering these values to shareholders from this strong strategic position ill require the charges which have been talked about. The number of shares opened by the Company in various Countries will enhance the profitability base of kingfisher. This is enhanced by the management by the practice of decentralized management approach which gives power to their retail businesses largely operating independently but participating in group- wide programs for local advantage. This approach will enhance high turnover as local customers will adapt to the products. Operating Review of Kingfisher Plc With Retail profit growing rapidly for the past five years it has put the company in a good position to expand its operations in various sectors of the business. For example in 2007/2008 report of kingfisher retail profit grew 13.2% to 237million pounds with both businesses delivering a good profit growth. Gross margins were up90 basis points due to higher own- brand sales penetration, a 25% increase in direct sourcing and an improved sales and strong cost control. In France for instance kingfisher's total sales grew 7.2% and eight new shares were opened and in the year six were