World Ethics Comparison of Philosophies an Example of the Topic History Essays by

World Ethics: Comparison of Philosophies It is interesting to consider the ways in which a variety of ethical interpretations and ideologies have manifested throughout the world. These philosophies are often the backbones of the wide range of diverse cultures found across the globe. In studying about the ethical similarities and differences between cultures, it is important to study the major philosophers and their contributions to the ways in which people think. People are always looking for ethical guidance in shaping their conceptual frameworks about the world in which they live, and they turn to experts, many times leaders of religious and philosophical movements, to provide insight and verification about the supposed truths of the world. By comparing philosophers, such as Saint Thomas Aquinas and Lao Tzu, one is able to note the similarities and differences between cultures and their ethical development and make personal decisions about the validity of the philosophical perceptions. Saint Thomas Aquinas and Lao Tzu wer e contributors to the theological foundation of Catholicism and Taoism respectively. In studying the ethical declarations of Saint Thomas Aquinas and Lao Tzu, one is able to gain insight about the diversity of world ethics and its relationship to various cultures across the world. Need essay sample on "World Ethics: Comparison of Philosophies" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed College Students Often Tell Us:Who wants to write paper for me?Specialists advise: Choose The Qualified Help In Writing PapersTop Essay Writing Best Essay Writing Service Paper Writing Service Best Essay Writing Service Reviews Saint Thomas Aquinas Saint Thomas Aquinas is one of the greatest Catholic theologians of all time, deepening the Christian understanding of God and integrating philosophical concepts under the umbrella on the one divine and Trinitarian God. It is interesting to note that Saint Thomas Aquinas believed in making a certain distinction between theology and philosophy, in that theology addressed the analysis of the world with respect to a divine, holy, and sacred God, while philosophy merely addressed a simplistic analysis of the world (Giancola, D. & Gregory, 2002). One of his main theological arguments was upholding the idea of a Trinitarian God, three persons in one divine nature (McInerney, 2009). This portrait of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the bonding Holy Spirit is the backbone of the Catholic faith and the assertions of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Here, one is able to conceptualize the holy and all encompassing Father, the begotten Son of Man, and the divine relationship in the Spirit. The idea of be ing a strict theologian and a staunch defender of the one true and Trinitarian God are essential elements of beginning to understand the ethical declarations made by Saint Thomas Aquinas. The idea of goodness and what is good to do springs from the divine being, the eternal natural order, the sublime vision of God. Lao Tzu Lao Tzu is one of the greatest Taoist philosophers of all time, and he is noted as being the personification of the Tao, the Tao being the one divine reality. The writings of Lao Tzu have been described as metaphysical in nature, analyzing the world and its sacred dynamics (Giancola way, a combination of virtue, naturalness, and decision making, becoming meditative enough to feel the spiritual vibrations of the surrounding world in order to guide people on their paths. There are no hard and fast parameters for theological direction, rather one takes note of the natural metaphors and the encouragement to feel the mode and swing of nature in order to help oneself arrive at ethical conclusions. Theology versus Philosophy A striking difference between the philosophies of Saint Thomas Aquinas and Lao Tzu are that Saint Thomas Aquinas abides by a strict theology and perception of the Trinitarian God while Lao Tzu is more focused on the philosophy of the natural energies of the world in addressing philosophical considerations. Where Saint Thomas Aquinas is focused on humanity as divine beings participating in Gods natural and divine plan, Lao Tzu does not classify humanity as being divine, rather simply moved and guided by the natural forces of the universe. Saint Thomas Aquinas focuses on the ability of God to prescribe natural law to his creation, in that all elements of the divine universe can be studied and understood according to Gods natural and divine law. Although Lao Tzu does not specifically name an all encompassing and directive God, he calls attention to the various attributes of the universe in how they are dynamic and responsive to one another. Where Saint Thomas Aquinas can be soon as more of an absolutist, Lao Tzu can be viewed as more of a relativist. The center of attention of the work of Saint Thomas Aquinas is solely vested in the ability to know the will and desires of God, which are present in the heart of man. Lao Tzu takes a more relaxed approach in describing the natural ways, the behaviors of personal and environmental situations, and trying to make sense of the world without the idea of an omnipresent, all-knowing, and judging lawmaker. Goodness versus Balance It is interesting to note the ways in which Saint Thomas Aquinas conceptualizes the idea of goodness in relation to the ways in which Lao Tzu conceptualizes the idea of balance. To Saint Thomas Aquinas, the highest achievement of a person is to be good, to follow the desires and the natural law of God, in order to attain happiness and ethical correctness. From the perspective of Lao Tzu, he sees the world as a fluid interchange of forces, where nothing is absolutely good or absolutely bad, merely in flux. Here, the person is best guided by making decisions based on the needs and the situation of the moment. The path that a person must follow is subject to the balance of energies in the universe the need for more or less force, more or less action. Saint Thomas Aquinas is a person who believes in the matter of virtuous excellence as being an aspect of character, in that a person is tune with the divine will of God and able to act in the ways which produce the best effects, the desired good. Here, the personality is shaped by ones desire to do the will of God, to act in good ways which produce supreme ethical outcomes, or rather to stay aligned with the good will of God at all times. Lao Tzu is less concerned with absolutely good thought and action and more concerned with relatively correct thought and action. There is more room for interpretation from the ethical perspective of Lao Tzu, in that every situation is different and requiring of a different feeling, way, or source of power for what is right. Although these ideologies are not mutually exclusive in the desire to attain goodness versus balance, it is important to note the emphasis of Saint Thomas Aquinas in regard to the emphasis of Lao Tzu. Male versus Female In studying the ethical ideas of Saint Thomas Aquinas and Lao Tzu in regard to gender, one notes that the Catholic philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas is more patriarchal and hierarchal, while the Taoist philosophy of Lao Tzu is more balanced and equalized between the genders. From the perspective of Saint Thomas Aquinas, there is a loving flow of energy from God to man, in which grace allows for man to know the goodwill of God. From the perspective of Lao Tzu, there is interplay between the masculine and female energies, in that one may need to draw from these eternal spiritual powers in various situations and for various reasons. Where Saint Thomas Aquinas abides by a patriarchal and Christian belief system, where man is seen as the holy creation and image of God with Jesus Christ as the sole link to understanding the divine plan, Lao leaves the door open to a variety of interpretations about the natural world and the best ethical directions for man. It is noted that Saint Thomas Aq uinas focuses on the dominance of the Father over the Son, yet also of the interaction between the Father and the Son and their mutual divine relationship, a description of how the divine theology entered into the being of man. On the other hand, Lao Tzu places his focus on the natural world and the interaction between the masculine and feminine principles of nature and humanity. Where Saint Thomas draws his ethical determinations from the authority of God the Father being transmitted downward to Jesus Christ, man, and then women and children, a universal yet hierarchal model, Lao Tzu draws his ethical determinations from the expression of the natural world itself, the universal considerations which are in constant flux and speak to the male and female energies of the world, highlighting the properties of yin and yang as being parts of finding the way of enlightenment. Conclusion It is important to understand the variety of interpretations of existence, the meaning of life, and the ethical purpose of man, so that one is able to make conclusions about what makes the most sense in ones own personal quest for truth and purpose. Saint Thomas Aquinas offers a classic Catholic theology in regard to the alignment of man under the watchful eye of God, and the mutual loving intention and relationship which springs from this bond and best known through the life of Jesus Christ. This perspective places utmost value on the ability of the individual to align himself under and with the goodwill of God. Lao Tzu offers a classic Asian philosophy in regard to the ability of one to know oneself and the spiritual universe through the dynamic energy and forces experienced. This perspective places utmost value on the ability of the individual to be able to feel out the correct way, the best course of action, or inaction, in a variety of situations. Both perspectives deal with top ics relating to the spirituality of the eternal universe, yet the conceptual frameworks of these two ideologies is different. Saint Thomas Aquinas can be said to be more unifying, absolute, and dominating in his ethical prescriptions. Lao Tzu can be said to be more open, relative, and dichotomous in his ethical prescriptions. However, both men are aligned with the idea of needing to find ethical answers in the surrounding universe and are determinedly concerned with figuring out the best ethical support for humankind. It is interesting to note the ways in which societies and cultures have been shaped through these ethical considerations, and to remain open to idea that both perspectives have much to contribute a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the idea of ethical righteousness. Works Cited Giancola, D. & Gregory, W. World Ethics. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2002. Chan, A. Laozi. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2007. McInerny, R. Saint Thomas Aquinas. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2009.

Sir Isaac Newton1 essays

Sir Isaac Newton1 essays On Christmas day by the georgian calender in the manor house of Woolsthorpe, England, Issaac Newton was born prematurely. His father had died 3 months before. Newton had a difficult childhood. His mother, Hannah Ayscough Newton remarried when he was just three, and he was sent to live with his grandparents. After his stepfathers death, the second father who died, when Isaac was 11, Newtons mother brought him back home to Woolsthorpe in Lincolnshire where he was educated at Kings School, Newton came from a family of farmers and he was expected to continue the farming tradition , well thats what his mother thought anyway, until an uncle recognized how smart he was. Newton's mother removed him from grammar school in Grantham where he had shown little promise in academics. Newtons report cards describe him as 'idle' and 'inattentive'. So his uncle decided that he should be prepared for the university, and he entered his uncle's old College, Trinity College, Cambridge, in June 1661. Newton had to earn his keep waiting on wealthy students because he was poor. Newton's At Cambridge, Isaac Barrow who held the Lucasian chair of Mathematics took Isaac under his wing and encouraged him. Newton got his undergraduate degree without accomplishing much and would have gone on to get his masters but the Great Plague broke out in London and the students were sent home. This was a truely productive time for Newton. He conducted experiments on sunlight and prisms. He discovered that sunlight was made up of different colors. This lead to his work on reflecting telescopes. At the same time he was working out his ideas of planetary He returned to Cambridge in 1667 and became the a fellow, earned his MA and the following year became the chair of the math department. he then ...

Analysis of the movie Alphaville in comparison to today's society Essay

Analysis of the movie Alphaville in comparison to today's society - Essay Example In this film, Lemmy Caution invades the scientific city of Alphaville with a range of objectives, which partly includes the assassination of the professor von Braun (Godard). The professor creates a world that outlaws emotions and punishes by killing people found to have succumbed to these â€Å"illogical† qualities. Gradually, the entire world of Alphaville is withdrawn from natural human qualities by replacing emotions with scientific concepts. The result is a world that gravitates towards self-destruction, and which becomes a threat to other societies that do not subscribe to its own laws. This film is a reminder of some of the perils of scientific developments. The past decades have seen rapid developments in the world of technology as scientists seek all possible ways to increase efficiency and effectiveness in all discourses of human concern. Generally, the development of a system that relies on scientific knowledge might be assumed a positive, even laudable step. Howeve r, such developments acquire negative qualities whenever they invade into the natural discourses that are controlled by the natural qualities of humanity. Technically, the society of Alphaville as controlled by the computer program challenges the basic tenets that support human emotion and compassion. In some sense, human beings and machinery are made into a uniform continuum that must exist in perfect harmony according to the strict boundaries provided by the professor. It might be important to consider the effects of increased reliance on scientific concepts of developments on the society. Past and recent analyses of social trends have revealed a worrying increase in the cases of family disintegration and divorce in the world. The trends shows that the most developed parts of the world are more affected by the collapse of the family unit as compared to the developing parts of the world. For instance, statistics indicate that the family unit in the United States has always been und er the constant menace of collapse (Wells and McFadden 59). This reality could be explained in form of the pressure that derives from the world of logic and science. Scientific progress, as shown in Alphaville has the potential of disrupting the harmonious survival of humanity. As such, it becomes important to exercise caution when embracing systems that are significantly reliant on the laws of science. By their very nature, the laws of science are limited and narrow. They cannot comprehend the complexity of human nature. In order for these laws to govern human existence, they must fight against systems that cannot be reduced into clear theories. Matters of love, care and compassion cannot be quantified. Value judgments have metaphysical qualities in nature. They cannot lend themselves to explanations founded on the laws of logic. Due to this fact, it becomes necessary to investigate the place of science within the basic survival of humanity. Essentially, it is impossible for scienc e to destroy the governing laws of human compassion, emotions, and feelings without destroying the entire humanity. One of the issues that are discussed within the concept of science is its role in the process of human development. Some social researchers have identified a growing gap between the world of science and nature. Science dehumanizes humanity by promoting the laws of logic above those of emotions. Warfare, human abuses, and other catastrophic occurrences have been blamed on the laws of

MOTOROLA MOBILITY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MOTOROLA MOBILITY - Essay Example The decline at Motorola Mobility has been blamed in part to the many number of models that were produced to cater to particular geographical and demographic areas, which was met with limited appeal. In addition, Motorola Mobility shied away from investing in products that were riskier, but more innovative for the long term. According to Iqbal Arshad, who was head of the Droid and RAZR teams, the company saw an increase in commitments from stakeholders who ensured they released at least forty products every year (Gold, 2012: p51). This reduced their ability to focus and seek to make a more lasting innovative difference. Motorola Mobility should seek to cut back drastically on the models that they release, as well as seek to sell directly in only a limited number of countries. The company has to simplify its business in order to focus on specific innovative products. In addition, the company could bring in new engineers to supplement the current ones who know the culture of Motorola Mo bility (Goggin, 2012: p744). In order to reclaim Motorola’s market share, the organization could pitch Motorola Mobility as the underdog start-up of the industry and develop a model that is symbolic of the turnaround. The firm will only get one chance to re-define their product and, therefore, the themes they select must be innovative, viable, and iconic. The new flagship model should also be designed to appeal to a mass market, rather than the more limited target market of the Droid. The company should also improve on its personalization scheme that allows Motorola Mobility device users to customize their products (Goggin, 2012: p744). While it is still in its infancy, the innovative scheme portends one of the organization’s biggest opportunities. The customization process could be enabled as an app or on a website, allowing the customers to request their customized phone remotely from various colors and textures. The customization process should also last for a short er time in order to counter attempts by rivals to pick up on their innovation and differentiate it by making it faster (Goggin, 2012: p745). Finally, this customization scheme should also allow for customization of software, which will require the engineers at the firm to come up with innovative ways to enable this feature. Despite the takeover by Google Inc, it may be prudent to maintain Motorola Mobility as an independent firm that engineers products independently. This would be the best choice for Google Inc that supports other companies on its Android platform and for Motorola Mobility as it will give them the innovative freedom required (Ickin et al, 2012: p51). It is important that the Motorola Mobility brand remains live from the bottom to the top, including in its management. However, running the company as an independent entity may not portend any business advantage to Google Inc as the organization is losing money. Since Google cannot offer early access to Motorola Mobilit y of its Android platform due to its other smartphone partners, it should be left up to the firm to create their own signature product. Having lost money prior to its acquisition, Motorola Mobility should now focus on producing a flagship Motorola product without relying on Google’s Android platform. It is clear that innovation is not a problem for

Structural equation modelling Research Proposal

Structural equation modelling - Research Proposal Example Skill was not found to impact trust. In addition, trust has a significant positive impact on long-term orientation of the relationship among SMEs. The origins of the structural equation modelling (SEM) have its roots in three disciplines: sociology, psychology and economics. In marketing SEM starts its application in November 1982 in the issue published by the Journal of Marketing Research (Bollen 1989). SEM grows out of and serves purposes similar to multiple regression, but in a more powerful way which takes into account the modeling of interactions, nonlinearities, correlated independents, measurement error, correlated error terms, multiple latent independents each measured by multiple indicators, and one or more latent dependents also each with multiple indicators. SEM may be used as a more powerful alternative to multiple regression, path analysis, factor analysis, time series analysis, and analysis of covariance. That is, these procedures may be seen as special cases of SEM, or, to put it another way, SEM is an extension of the general linear model (GLM) of which multiple regression is a part. In this analysis we apply SEM to examine the influence of reputation, flexibility, information exchange, power and skill on trust and consequently on long-term orientation. ... ng-term orientation is a central theme in marketing currently, it is crucial to know what are the variables that help explain successful long-term relationship building. The analysis is structured as follows. First, we give a brief description of SEM and its importance for marketing research, then we provide the bases for the interrelationship between the variables used in the model; this is followed by description of the design of the analysis and finally, discussion of the result is provided. Description of structural equation modelling and its applicability to the field of marketing SEM is usually viewed as a confirmatory rather than exploratory procedure, using one of three approaches: 1. Strictly confirmatory approach: A model is tested using SEM goodness-of-fit tests to determine if the pattern of variances and covariances in the data is consistent with a structural (path) model specified by the researcher. However as other unexamined models may fit the data as well or better, an accepted model is only a not-disconfirmed model. 2. Alternative models approach: One may test two or more causal models to determine which has the best fit. There are many goodness-of-fit measures, reflecting different considerations, and usually three or four are reported by the researcher. Although desirable in principle, this AM approach runs into the real-world problem that in most specific research topic areas, the researcher does not find in the literature two well-developed alternative models to test. 3. Model development approach: In practice, much SEM research combines confirmatory and exploratory purposes: a model is tested using SEM procedures, found to be deficient, and an alternative model is then tested based on changes suggested by SEM modification indexes. This

The Protection Of Marine Ecosystems Environmental Sciences Essay

The Protection Of Marine Ecosystems Environmental Sciences Essay Oceans cover approximately 71 % of Earths surface and comprise the greatest preponderance of its hydrosphere. While all the seas of the world share certain obvious characteristics, many have unique attributes. For example, shipping lanes and straits are used more intensively than other parts of the ocean for navigation, making accidents and spills there more likely; some areas of the sea are more ecologically fragile than others; some seas such as the Mediterranean and the Baltic, are semi-closed, inhibiting the exchange of their waters with those of the rest of the ocean and thus slowing the process of self-purification; and some parts of the ocean are utilized more intensively by humans than others, resulting in more pollution, both chronic and accidental. The worlds oceans are under stress from over-fishing, climate change, invasive species and marine pollution. United Nations Environmental Programme Ocean Atlas define pollution sources that exist through the world as leading to a state of silent collapse. The stresses are particularly acute in coastal areas. In addition to ocean dumping and spills, intensive shore development funnels oil and toxic pollutants into coastal waters. Nutrient run off from farm and yard fertilizers cause algae blooms which threaten coral reefs and sea grass beds. In this project, the various aspects related to the protection of marine ecosystems have been analyzed in detail. Also, the particular problems of the conservation of marine ecosystemand marine biodiversity and the threats with which they are confronted have been examined. Finally, the international regime for the protection of marine ecosystem has been discussed in detail with special reference to UNCLOS. Also, the international regime for the protection of marine ecosystem components has been discussed in brief. WHAT IS MARINE ECOSYSTEM? The problems of addressing the conservation of marine ecosystems and the maintenance of biodiversity in the oceans are qualitatively different from those of terrestrial systems. Because mankind is a terrestrial creature, there is, perhaps, inevitably a terrestrial bias in understanding of species and of ecosystem as well as the means which have been developed for their protection. This bias is reflected in the Convention on Biological Diversity itself.Article 2 of the Convention defines biological diversity to include variability amongst living organisms from all sources includingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part, however it goes on to specify that this includes diversity within the species, between species and of ecosystems. Nowhere else in the Convention is specific reference made to the protection of marine biodiversity although Article 22(2) does specifically provide that contracting States shall implement the Convention with respect to the marine environment consistently with the rights and obligations of States under the law of the sea. In fact the whole approach of the Convention directed as it is to the biotechnology issues and, arguably a concept of national ownership of resources based on assumptions about endemic species bypasses some of the key issues of marine biodiversity conservation. Awareness of the importance of ecosystems or of ecosystem conservation and management is relatively new in international arena. Few international instruments rarely use this precise terminology. MARINE BIODIVERSITY: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT AND HOW IS IT THREATENED? The oceans cover 70% of the planet yet far less is known about the marine environment than the terrestrial; 80% of all the known species are terrestrial; only sixteen of the 6,691 species officially classified as endangered are marine and fourteen of these are mammals and turtles creatures which have some affinity with the terrestrial creatures. Because of the fluid nature of the marine environment scientists suggest that there has been less opportunity or need for speciation in marine organisms, as there has been in land organisms in which species and subspecies have developed as they have become separated from each other by physical forces. This does not mean however that, oceans are single amorphous system. Apart from the obvious variations in the oceans at different latitudes or depths, the existence of closed or semi-closed seas and of major currents, confluences and gyres in the open system means that there is a wide variety of different ecosystems in the marine environment. H owever, these bear little relation to the various legal jurisdictional zones established by customary international law and now to be found codified in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention. As seen from the definition of biodiversity given in CBD, the common practice of terrestrial biologists of assessing biological diversity or richness in terms of number of species and subspecies in a particular ecosystem, especially number of those who are unique or endemic. However, as far as marine biodiversity is concerned speciation is low and endemism uncommon. In oceans there is far greater variety of organisms amongst the higher taxonomic orders than species or subspecies. In the last few years entirely new life-forms which thrive in the boiling waters around deep ocean thermal vents have been discovered which offer exciting opportunities for development of medical and industrial processes. Marine and coastal systems provide important food sources, and marine creatures offer a multitude of different substances which may be of significance to the medical and chemical industry. It is well established that oceans play a key role as sinks for greenhouse gases, but also, and perhaps more significantly, there is increasing evidence that marine biota play an important role in global chemical processes which may affect the climate change. Thorne Miller and Catena suggest that the concentration on genetic, species and ecological diversity reflected in the work of terrestrial biologists (and strongly represented in the 1992 Convention) overshadows what has been termed functional diversity which reflect biological complexity of an ecosystem. In their words: In the face of environmental change, the loss of genetic diversity weakens a populations ability to adapt; the loss of species diversity weakens a communitys ability to adapt; the loss of functional diversity weakens an ecosystems ability to adapt; and the loss of ecological diversity weakens the whole biospheres ability to adapt. The evidence suggest that marine ecosystems are rich in functional diversity, and that there are therefore dangers in transferring to the marine environment concerns about lower order diversity and about protection of rarity which have been developed in a terrestrial context. There are threats to the very maintenance of ecosystems. The most significant threats are posed by marine pollution from a variety of sources and activities, from over-exploitation or indiscriminate exploitation of marine species, as well as the destruction of the coastal habitats. A large proportion of sea creatures depend on the inshore or coastal areas for an important part of their breeding or life-cycles. The destruction or degradation of coastal habitats or the degradation of coastal water quality therefore has a major impact on a widespread of marine `life. This does suggest that protection of rare and endangered species and of key and representative ecosystems may also be appropriate to certain aspects of marine biodiversity conservation. These protected areas cannot in themselves provide protection from marine pollution. It must also be said that despite the fact that 1982 UNCLOS specifically recognizes that the problems of ocean space are closely inter-related and need to b e considered as a whole. Also, the maritime jurisdictional zones recognized by UNCLOS, inevitably make arbitrary decisions in ocean ecosystems, do not assist a holistic approach to management of these issues. The recognition by international environmental law of the importance of ecosystem management is relatively of recent origin. The earlier environmental treaties related simply to species protection. It is possible to group the general classes of relevant international obligations. Firstly, those that address specific threats to marine environment and therefore to marine ecosystem.Secondly, those obligations that address the conservation what might be called ecosystems components and finally those obligations that require conservation of marine ecosystems per se. Such a classification may serve to identify the strengths as well as defects and lacunae in the current legal regimes. CONSERVATION OF MARINE ECOSYSTEMS The recognition of importance of management of ecosystems, rather than simply those of their components which maybe of immediate significance to mankind, is a relatively recent phenomenon. Crucial steps in development were the 1972 Stockholm Declaration and the 1980 IUCN World Conservation Strategy which formed the basis of the 1982 UN General Assembly World Charter for Nature, and which popularized the concept of, as well as the term, life support systems and which stressed the interrelationship of these with other ecological processes and genetic diversity. INTERNATIONAL REGIME FOR THE PROTECTION OF MARINE ECOSYSTEM UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF SEA, 1982 (UNCLOS) In order to seek an answer to a wider question of whether there is a general obligation on all States to conserve marine ecosystem, it is necessary to look beyond the specific treaty obligations at customary international law. The starting point of this assessment is UNCLOS which came into force only in November, 1994 but which is widely recognized as reflective of customary law. Customary law recognizes the division of ocean into a series of juridical regimes which reflect criteria related to Coastal States sovereignty and resource exploitation rather than considerations of ecosystem integrity. The nature of the obligations which the customary international law, and now the 1982 UNCLOS, imposes on the States in relation to the marine environment does to a large extent depend upon the juridical nature of the particular waters under consideration, consequently these jurisdictional divisions can create a major obstacle to the rational management of ecosystems or species which cross or straddle more than one zone. Broadly, the oceans are divided into the following maritime zones: internal waters behind the coastal state baseline; a belt of territorial waters up to 12 nautical miles in breadth, a 24 nm contiguous zone with restricted enforcement jurisdiction, a 200 nm exclusive economic zone or fishing zone, and the high seas beyond these limits. Within each of these zones, the Convention envisages a different balance of rights and duties between the coastal states and other states. UNCLOS contains a number of provisions of general significance for the protection of marine ecosystems. Nevertheless, it would probably be a mistake to think this was a conscious drafting objective per se. It is certainly possible to read into the provisions of Part XII of the Convention endorsement for a marine ecosystem approach to marine conservation, although these obligations are even less precise than those relating to pollution control. Article 192 of UNCLOS recognizes a general obligation to protect and preserve marine environment. In so far as this goes beyond simple protection, it can be interpreted as being an obligation to behave in a precautionary way. Article 194(5) specifically requires that measures taken in accordance with this Part shall include those necessary to protect and preserve rare and fragile ecosystems as well as the habitat of depleted, threatened or endangered species and other forms of marine life. As this provision is located within general provisions of Part XII this requires all States to protect these special ecosystems and habitats form the effects of pollution originating from all sources in addition to other general conservation measures. Article 196 requires the States to take all measures to prevent, reduce and control pollution from the use of technologies under either their jurisdiction or control. This could be mean to read biotechnology or any other polluting technology. The rest of the paragraph requires the states to prevent, reduce and control the incidental or accidental introduction of species, alien or new, to a particular part of marine environment which may cause significant or harmful changes thereto. However, the definition of pollution adopted by UNCLOS does not make explicit reference to impacts on marine ecosystems. This defect has been remedied by in some regional conventions. In the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (Part V) coastal States are obliged to ensure through proper conservation and management measures that the maintenance of living resources is not endangered by over-exploitation, taking into consideration the effects on species associated with or dependent upon harvested species with a view to maintaining or restoring populations of such associated or dependent species above levels at which their reproduction may become seriously threatened. Similar provisions apply to such species in high sea fisheries. But these provisions only aim to maintain the viability of such species, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..[not] to protect their role within the food web or the functioning of the marine ecosystem as a whole. 1980 CANBERRA CONVENTION ON THE CONSERVATION OF ANTARTIC MARINE LIVING RESOURCES This is arguably the first convention to be centered on ecosystem approach to conservation and has been described as a model of ecological approach. Even the geographical scope of the treaty itself is unique, in that it is designed around the Antarctic ecosystem. Under Article 1, the Convention applies to the Antarctic marine resources of the area south of 60 degrees South latitude and to the Antarctic marine living resources of the area between that latitude and the Antarctic Convergence which form a part of Antarctic marine ecosystem. The Antarctic ecosystem is then defined by Article 1(3) as the complex of relationships fop Antarctic marine living resources with each other and with their physical environment. The sole objective of the Convention is declared to be the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources; conservation however is defined to include rational use. To achieve this end any harvesting or associated activities has to be conducted in accordan.ce with declared principles. These objectives, which clearly relate to the maintenance of the ecosystem rather than its exploitation, are implemented by the Commission for Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) which coordinates research on Antarctic marine living resources and adopts appropriate conservation and management measures. A further formal step in the protection of Antarctic Ecosystem was taken with the conclusion of the 1991 Madrid Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty on Environmental Protection. 1985 ASEAN CONVENTION ON CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES Another treaty of major potential significance but, unfortunately, still not in force after a decade is the 1985 ASEAN Convention on Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. This Convention reflects in its wording the concepts contained in the 1980 IUCN World Conservation Strategy, embracing a clear ecosystem approach to conservation. Kiss and Shelton describe this Treaty at the most comprehensive approach to viewing conservation problems that exist today. The Convention recognizes the interdependence of living resources, between them and other natural resources, within the ecosystems of which they are a part. It is divided into eight chapters. It is tempting to observe that the major treaties calling for marine ecosystem conservation considered thus far are either limited in geographical scope, or not yet in force, or both. GENERAL CUSTOMARY INTERNATIONAL LAW There is a general obligation first promulgated by Principle 21 of Stockholm Declaration and now to be found in Principle 2 of Rio Declaration to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or to areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. This obligation not to cause damage extends not simply to activities physically located within the State territory but also to activities within the State jurisdiction. Customary international law would impose responsibility on States under this principle for a range of activities which impact on marine ecosystems whether such activities take place within the areas of national jurisdiction or outside or straddling such areas.Activities which could be argued to cause damage to marine ecosystems and to fall foul of this principle would include marine pollution particularly that emanating from land based sources and activities; it could also be extended to fishing and related activities which impact upon rare and endangered marine species or their habitat. REGIMES FOR THE CONSERVATION OF MARINE ECOSYSTEM COMPONENTS Historically, the two main techniques which have been utilized by international conventions for the conservation of marine species are derived from those taken for terrestrial species, namely, the regulation or prohibition of the taking of designated species and the protection of habitat by designation of protection areas. PROTECTION OF SPECIES The protection of designated species has habitually been addressed by the imposition of restrictions and prohibitions on the harvesting, taking or killing of target species. The approach was taken by the 1946 Whaling Convention, by the various seal hunting regulatory agreements and by the 1973 Polar Bears Agreement. Such a strategy is still maintained as a part of approach adopted by more modern generic or regional protected species treaties such as the 1979 Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals and the regional treaties concluded under UNEP Regional Seas Programme. PROTECTED AREAS The second key technique, often used in combination with protection of species and in modern treaties increasingly merge with it, is the establishment of protected areas either to protect the habitats of specific species or as representative examples of ecosystems or habitats. These may be important isolated areas or take their place within a systematic network permitting for example transnational migration. In the terrestrial environment between 5-8% of the total world land mass now lies in protected areas. Despite the fact the sea covers more than two and a half times the land area, marine protected areas may cover an area less than half that of terrestrial protected areas. REGULATION OF TRADE IN WILD SPECIES One of the major threats to marine species such as sea turtles is the commercial trade in products such as turtle shell. Other well known threats to marine ecosystems are posed by over exploitation of shells and corals for the tourist souvenir trade and of reef fish for the aquarium trade. CITES provides the main regulation of such trade, although a number of treaties provide independent proscriptions or regulation of such trade. CONCLUSION It is paradoxical that although the particular problems of conservation of many marine creatures, particularly pelagic creatures, make them particularly suitable to regulation at an international level under a treaty on biological diversity, in fact the most important discussions concerning conservation of marine biological diversity are currently taking place in the context of other forums those relating to land based resources, straddling fish stocks or at a regional or sectoral level. The recognition by the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity of the issue of the conservation of biological diversity as a matter of common concern of humankind implies that all states have a legal interest in the issue as well as positive responsibility to safeguard it. However, this common concern still requires a more obvious focus than national actions or diverse regional or sectoral actions, for much of the attention has to be taken in international waters as well in coastal waters or in ways that will reflect natural ecosystem boundaries rather than national maritime jurisdictional boundaries. It can thus, be concluded that there is an existence of a substantial body of treaty law which seeks to address one or more aspects of marine ecosystem conservation. Although, a few treaties actually commit themselves to this, it is clear that a large number of treaty regimes are developing an ecosystem approach through their parties interpretation of their existing treaty obligations. UNCLOS can be seen as a most positive force in the crystallization of the general obligations of States to protect the marine environment. Nevertheless, important though the obligations of Part XII are in this respect, they too require further substantial elaboration and implementation. A protocol on the conservation of marine biodiversity in context of protection of marine ecosystems would be an obvious way of seeking to remedy the lacunae of existing regimes and refocusing attention on this crucial, but somewhat neglected, aspect of biodiversity debate.

Mr. Collins’ and Mr. Darcy’s first proposals to Elizabeth. How do they :: Free Essay Writer

Mr. Collins’ and Mr. Darcy’s first proposals to Elizabeth. How do they style and the content of the proposals reflect on how these three characters are portrayed in the rest of the novel. In what ways are attitudes to marriage different from today? Pride and Prejudice =================== Compare and contrast of Mr. Collins’ and Mr. Darcy’s first proposals to Elizabeth. How do they style and the content of the proposals reflect on how these three characters are portrayed in the rest of the novel. In what ways are attitudes to marriage different from today? Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ reveals the importance of social status and how marriages affected women at that time. The book opens with the words, ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.’ This implies that the chief interest in the book will be marriage. The main character is Elizabeth Bennet who, unlike Charlotte Lucas, does not want to marry only for a comfortable and to avoid the stigma of not being married, but also for love. There is a big contrast between Mr Collins’ and Darcy’s proposal and give us insight into these three character. Mr. Collins is a figure of comedy in this novel. He is described as ‘not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society’. He speaks in a very formal way indeed. He is a picture of ‘pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility’ At Longbourn having been told that Jane was likely to marry Mr. Bingley, Mr. Collins decides to propose to Elizabeth Bennet, ‘having no feelings of diffidence’ with ‘all his solemn composure’ because he supposes this is only a ‘regular part of business’. First, he asks for a private conversation with Elizabeth. Before Elizabeth has met Mr. Collins, she was ‘chiefly struck with his extraordinary deference for Lady Catherine de Bourgh’, but after she sees him, her dislike towards Collins is even stronger. At the Netherfield ball, Mr. Collins requests the first two dances with Elizabeth that let her feel ‘herself completely taken in’. In the meantime, she also realizes that her mother is planning a marriage for her, but she has never expected this proposal. Therefore, this proposal gives Elizabeth ‘a blush of surprise’. She immediately tries to avoid for not having a private conversation with Mr. Collins and says ‘I am going away myself’ which shows she wants to escape from the embarrassment. However, her mother insists upon Elizabeth ‘staying and hearing Mr. Collins’’.

Oral Commentary Essay

â€Å"hello, this is jakob gonzalez. Today i will comment on Two Minue Drill by Mike Lupica. my focua will be to analyze the way the universal theme of dreaming represents Mike Lupica’s view of life as nobody is perfect.The view of life is established by Mike Lupica’s effective use of conflict resoltion, and character development. Pior to my analysis i will provide you an overview of my text. I will now summarize the main literary features of the novel Two Minute Drill. The setting of Two Minute Drill is around fall and one of the main settings would be perry’s field because that’s where scott hangs out with chris and that’s where he really gets him emotions out and doesn’t really focuson anything and th have a great tme with his dog Casey and Chris. The protagonist of Two Minute Drill is scott perry. Scott perry may be charcterized by the following two traits, shy and self conscious. the antagonist Jimmy Dolan may be characterized by the following two traits, selfish and greedy. The major internal conflict is Scott wants to get better at football and Chris wants toget better at math, and language arts. so they agree on a deal to help each other. The major external conflict is chris gets hurt in the championship game and scott has to get the final points to win. The main events of this novel are in the beginning Scott was the new kid and kept on getting bullied by Jimmy and after chris came in and told Jimmy to stop. A couple of weeks later chris saw how good scott was a kicker and wanted to tell everyone but scott was trying hold him back. Also chris finally told scott about how he cant read and totally freaked scott out about it. Finally the last major event would be when scott had to kick a field goal to win he game for the championship on the line and it was actually his first time on the field playing. the climax of Two Minute Drill is when chris finally told scott that he couldn’t read. The novel concludes with the following major event when they are at the championship game. The internal conflict is resolved when Scott got to get on the field and win the game for his team and chris passed his test and was able to play football. The external conflict is resolved when Scott got his chance to finally et on the field and prove to everyone that they were wrong about him not being a good football player. The resolution of these conflicts and the development of the protagonist over time establish the theme of never giving up. I will now comment on how Mike Lupica utilizes conflict, and resolution to establish a controlling impression and theme. Understanding the author’s craft in creating resolution to major conflicts in a novel crystallize the reader’s inference of theme.In Two Minute Drill there exist the following theme. The internal conflict is scott wants to get better at football and chris wants to get better at math an language arts so they agree to a deal to help each other out is illustrated in the following quote from the novel, â€Å"The deal is, you make me better at football, and i’ll make you better at school.†(78) This conflict occurs further in the novel, â€Å"Chris stared at the grade on the front, not changig expression until Mr.Dykes was past him. then chris looked back at scott and pointed at him. chris finally seen his grade, B.†(98). This internal conflict conflict is resolved when scoot helped out chris with his school work and passed Mr.Dykes test so he could play the championship game and chris helped scott with football and making tougher and he got his chance to kick the ball in the championship game. The following quote provides evidence of the authors resolution,† chris smiled with a cocy quaterback smiled, i told i’d get you better at football†.(180) and scott said â€Å"i told you i’d get you better at school†.(180) Mike Lupica crafted a resolution in which the protagonist scott learns that as long as youstick to something and get better at it something good will happen later.such a resolution allows the reader to understand the authors view of never giving up because scott knew that even though he didnt like playing football that the year with jimmy that he knew if he could get through the year maybe the coach will put him in the game to kick. The external conflict is chris getting hurtin the championship game, and scott having to get to the final points to win the game is illustrated in the following quote from the novel, â€Å"Mr.Dolan took off his cap despite the soaking rain, and rubbed his forehead.scott thought the coach looked lost for a moment. then suddenly coach called me out on to the field.(170)†. this conflict occurs further in the novel,†scott planted his left foot, not slipping even a little bit, dropped the ball perfectly in the spot he cleared.brought his right leg through. it cleared the cross bar with a couple of feet to spare(177)†. The external conflict is resloved when scott kicked the ball through the croosbar to win the game for his teammates. The following quote provides evidence of the authors resolution â€Å"i’m going to say this for the last, time, and i promised i wont say it again. i couldn’t do it without you(180)†. Mike Lupica crafted a resolution in whichthe protagonist scott learns that hint at character development and a furthering of the plot. such as a resolution allows the reader to understand the author’s view of never giving up because people will always make you doubt yourself and tell you what you want to achieve is impossible but doesn’t matter what other people think, its about how you can prove them wrong and tell them not everything is possible. Mike Lupica’s resolution to the stated conflict is but one aspect of understanding theme. a reader must recongnize and interpret character development over time to dive deeper into the author’s purpose in communication a view of life. The theme of never giving up is in part established by the characters actions,thoughts, and words and in their reactions to their repective conflicts. An analysis of the characters behavior allows the changes in the protagonist’s character hint to the author’s statement on life. the protagonist is best characterized by the following traits sy and self consious. For example , the trait of shy is evidence when † so he tried to not act like he was showing off, even though his hand still shot up more than anybody else’s in sixth grade(2).†This shows that the character posses the trait of shy because heknew that if he liftd his hand all the time then people would call him the nerd s he tried to not be so involved in the class so that no one knew who he is. In addition the trait of self conscious is evidence when â€Å"oh i get your one of those guys who doesn’t think kickers are real players(32). â€Å"This shows that the character posses the trait of self conscious because scott began to go into a shell and try to protect himself because he knew that chris was going to tell everyone about how he could kick the football.these triats, in part determine how the character will resolve his conflict. Internal conflict of scott wanting to get better at footballand chris wanting to get better at math and language arts so they agree to a deal to help each other outis resolved when scott takes te following action by tutoring chris at his house and then go in the backyard and chris would help scott become a better football player so he coulld kick a field goal in the game. The external conflict of scott wanting to get on the field and play is resolved when chris takes the following action to tell Mr.Dolan to put scott in because he knew that he could win the game for them.The conflict is resolved because he gets to kick the winning field goal for his teammates. The author’s ability to craft a protagonist’s development through conflict is an important aspect in a readers understaning of the main character. A reader wishes to know how thier character will handle adverse situations, and how they will be affected by their reaction to the situation.This is a quality that engages a reader and forwards the plot development. when a reader assasses the manner in which a character resolves his conflict through actions, thoughts, or words theme is evident As i have commented on my reading of Two Minute Drill by Mike Lupica. i have discussed the theme of never giving up and how this theme is understood through the analysis of scott handling oof his internal conflict and finally gettinhis opportunity to show everyone wrong and the external conflict on how scott got to kick the winning field goal and won the championship titl for his team thus learning the lesson of you dont want to be the person that is weak and gives up. As long as you keep on practicing something good will happen in return. my analysis of these aspects of my independent reading novel allows me to infer the theme of never giving up. Thank you for your time and consideration of my oral commentary.

Informative Essay Sample on Tornado What Are the Dangers

Informative Essay Sample on Tornado What Are the Dangers Throughout history, humans have been amazed and intrigued by the various forces of nature, particularly those associated with weather. This fascination can most readily be attributed to the fact that so many different weather patterns exist throughout the world. This diversity in climates results in a wide range of weather conditions; from relatively calm weather to dangerously violent storms. Despite the great variation in weather patterns among the worlds many climates, tornadoes are one weather phenomenon that have been known to occur in almost every climate on Earth. Because a tornado is one of the worlds most deadly forces of nature, it is important for humans to strive to understand what tornadoes are, how they are formed, their potential dangers, and how to better predict the formation of tornadoes so that effective warnings can be issued. In order to completely understand the dangers of tornadoes, it is important to examine the current explanations for how and why tornadoes form. Tornadoes are most often generated by supercell storms. Supercell storms are particularly large, severe storms that develop in highly unstable environments in which cool, dry air lies above warm, moist air. Supercells typically form in the United States during the Spring as warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico flows north and comes in contact with cooler, dryer layers of air. The Midwestern section of the United States tends to be the location for the majority of the countrys tornadoes. Because of this, the area from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes, spanning over one thousand miles wide, is referred to as tornado alley. Although the number of tornadoes reported in the United States each year may seem rather high, in actuality only one percent of all thunderstorms make tornadoes. Of the total number of tornadoes recorded each year, on average, seventy-nine percent are considered to be weak, twenty percent are rated as strong, and one percent are recorded as violent. Although tornadoes appear mostly in the United States, they have been reported worldwide. It is evident that tornadoes are not isolated to the tornado alley of the United States, but do occur in all different types of regions all over the earth. Once it is understood of how and why tornadoes form, the next step is to attempt to predict their behavior. Due to the strength of the winds within a tornado, the path that it takes may highly unpredictable. The tornado may move in a circular motion or turn to the left or right. Due to their extremely high wind speed, tornadoes have the ability to cause a great deal of damage, but they also have been known to produce some extremely unusual events. They are known to carry cars and even houses miles. And leave people homeless and without any belongings on the street. Because some tornadoes appear to be more damaging than others, a system has been created to rate these storms according to their destructive potential. The Fujita scale ranks tornadoes according to their speed and the size of their path. The scale ranges from F0 to F5 (F0 being least destructive and F5 being most destructive). An F0 tornado causes light damage to chimneys, shallow-rooted trees, and sign boards. In the middle of the scale, an F2 tornado causes considerable damage by tearing roofs off frame houses, demolishing mobile homes, snapping large trees, and carrying light objects. On the most destructive end of the scale, an F5 tornado causes incredible destruction. Such tornadoes can lift strong frame houses off their foundations and carry them considerable distances to disintegrate, carry automobile-sized objects through the air for hundreds of feet, and even de-bark trees. With the help of modern technology, meteorologists and weather researchers have gotten a lot more experience in the area of tornado forecasting. Through satellite images meteorologists have made it possible to detect the shape of the clouds. Knowing the shape and the type of the cloud system that produces a storm helps meteorologists to predict whether or not a tornado will be produced. This method of tornado monitoring has been useful in the past. However, the most effective method of monitoring severe storms is the use of Doppler radar. It measures wind speeds by bouncing microwaves off rain, dust, and other objects in the air. Doppler radar is proving to be a valuable tool in predicting the formation of tornadoes. Using radar images of a storm, meteorologists can identify rotation within clouds thirty minutes before a tornado will emerge. Forecasters issue tornado warnings at the first sign of a developing tornado. This gives the public more time to be ready for the tornado to touch down. The Optical Transient Detector(OTD) was invented in 1995, by NASA. This was the first invention able to detect lightning events during both day and night. Its job was to detect and increased number of cloud to cloud lightning flashes. The OTD was able to detect more lightning passes from cloud to cloud than between clouds and Earth just before tornadoes are made. Its limitations are that its only use is that its only able to find tornados only moment before they hit the ground. The OTD technology, however, is useful in that it can detect the formation of a tornado much quicker than Doppler radar. The more we learn about tornadoes and storms that can create them, the more they seem to become even more of a mystery. It is possible that some insight we have yet to find will help in our understanding of tornadoes. On the other hand, new research may not result in a quick understanding, but may raise new and even more confusing issues scientists will have to deal with. Until the many questions about tornadoes are answered, tornadoes will remain one of mother natures biggest destructors.

Creons Dramatic Monologue from Antigone

Creons Dramatic Monologue from Antigone Considering he appears in all three plays of  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Sophocles Oedipus trilogy, Creon is a complex and diverse character. In  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Oedipus the King, he serves as an advisor and moral compass. In Oedipus at Colonus, he tries to negotiate with the blind ex-monarch in hopes of gaining power. Finally  in, Creon has attained the throne after a long civil war between two brothers,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Eteocles, and Polyneices. Oedipus’ son Eteocles died defending the city-state of Thebes. Polyneices, on the other hand, dies trying to usurp power from his brother. Creons Dramatic Monologue In this monologue  placed at the play’s beginning, Creon establishes the conflict. The fallen Etecles is granted a hero’s funeral. However, Creon decrees that the traitorous Polyneices will be left to rot in the wilderness. This royal order will stir up a singular rebellion when the devoted sister of the brothers, Antigone, refuses to abide by Creon’s laws. When Creon punishes her for following the will of the Olympian Immortals and not the rule of the king, he incurs the wrath of the gods. The following excerpt is reprinted from Greek Dramas. Ed. Bernadotte Perrin. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1904 CREON: I now possess the throne and all its powers, by nearness of kinship to the dead. No man can be fully known, in soul and spirit and mind, until he hath been seen versed in rule and law-giving. For if any, being supreme guide of the state, cleaves not to the best counsels, but, through some fear, keeps his lips locked, I hold, and have ever held, him most base; and if any makes a friend of more account than his fatherland, that man hath no place in my regard. For Ibe Zeus my witness, who sees all things alwayswould not be silent if I saw ruin, instead of safety, coming to the citizens; nor would I ever deem the countrys foe a friend to myself; remembering this, that our country is the ship that bears us safe, and that only while she prospers in our voyage can we make true friends. Such are the rules by which I guard this citys greatness. And in accord with them is the edict which I have now published to the folk touching the sons of Oedipus; that Eteocles, who hath fallen fighti ng for our city, in all renown of arms, shall be entombed, and crowned with every rite that follows the noblest dead to their rest. But for his brother, Polyneiceswho came back from exile, and sought to consume utterly with fire the city of his fathers and the shrines of his fathers godssought to taste of kindred blood, and to lead the remnant into slaverytouching this man, it hath been proclaimed to our people that none shall grace him with sepulture or lament, but leave him unburied, a corpse for birds and dogs to eat, a ghastly sight of shame.

Women and children in mesopotamia Research Paper

Women and children in mesopotamia - Research Paper Example Many cultures have continually improved upon equality for women throughout time, and thus it seems that the ancient world would provide some of the most dangerous and unfair societies for women to live in. However, in Daughters of Isis: Women of Ancient Egypt, Joyce Tildesley argues that women in Ancient Egypt actually experienced a great deal of political and financial freedom (Tildesley, 2005), particularly when compared with its contemporary cultures. A number of goddesses (including Isis herself) played a huge role in Egyptian culture and there were also a huge number of ruling Pharaoh women who were able to take power without marriage to a man. This situation may be due to a huge number of factors, including the unusual geographical features of Egypt, which will be covered within this paper. However, despite the fact that women in Ancient Egypt experienced a number of freedoms that women in Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece and Rome did not have access to (Tildesley, 2005), it is clea r that men still dominated society, and some of the assumptions of fairness are based upon documents that may not be accurate. Geographical Features Ancient Egypt was subject to a number of geographical constraints, mostly related to its place on the river Nile. This is often suggested to have made a difference to the lifestyles that people led within the area and the constraints on what they were allowed to do. As an arid landscape, the Nile River provided the only source of water in the area, and the people relied upon this to grow crops. If the Nile did not flood as expected, food could be scarce for the next year (Stearns, Gosch & Grieshaber, 2008). In this way, the Egyptians placed a lot of emphasis on the way that the river worked and could only work in certain areas dependent on the seasons. It is perhaps this need for flexibility for living and working arrangements that meant that women could have a more flexible attitude towards work and property ownership, which would depe nd on the Nile (Stearns, Gosch & Grieshaber, 2008). Although Ancient Egypt is generally considered to be a separate culture than those surrounding it, it must be noted that there were several visitors to the region who may have had an influence on Egyptian culture (Stearns, Gosch & Grieshaber, 2008). Those from the Greek empire often came, and wrote many observations about the Egyptian way of life. Assyria and Canaan were neighbors, and it is military campaigns between these cultures and the Egyptians that may have played a role in the attempt to eradicate female pharaohs in the New Kingdom. Mesopotamia was also a hugely important ancient culture, and the status of women here represents well the treatment of women in the majority of the ancient world, and thus will be covered in more detail later. Women in Ancient Egypt It is often argued that women held a prized place in Ancient Egyptian society for a number of reasons. There were a huge number of influential female Pharaohs in Anc ient Egypt, including Cleopatra (Tildesley, 2005). The ability of women to hold a ruling position seems to go against much of what occurred within the Ancient World and even within modernized Europe and America. However, it could be argued that there were still a majority of male pharaohs and many of these ruling women did not take part in the same number of administrative duties as the men (Stearns, Gosch & Grieshaber, 2008). Both men and women in ancient Egypt did have the right to own property, as well as take this property with them as part of divorce proceedings. In this area, Egyptian women did seem to have a much more positive role in legal proceedings, particularly when it is noted that these freedoms were not part of

Sport in high schools and colleges Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sport in high schools and colleges - Essay Example On the basis of those studies, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Knight Commission have been taking different steps at different times to bring order in sport education. Thus, tougher academic standards for student athletes and a certification program for athletics departments were introduced. Though the new academic standards are not always fair to student athletes – in some cases they are required to do more than students not involved in college sport life. Some states adopted no pass – no play policy to enhance academic achievements of student players. With institution of tougher academic standards and new support programs in 1996 graduation rates began improving and more student athletes appeared to earn degrees – in 2002, 62 per cent of Division I athletes who had enrolled six years earlier graduated. (Although the proportions were up in 2003, only 54 percent of Division I-A football players and 44 percent of basketball players graduated (Price, 2004)). Drug use can enhance an athlete's performance as well as impair it and possibly lead to injury. In the case, Vernonia School District v. Acton, student athletes in Oregon were required to take a urine test for amphetamines, marijuana and cocaine at the beginning of the season. In addition, random tests on 10 percent of all student athletes were conducted each week during the season. School officials said they instituted the policy because students were openly boasting of using drugs, and disciplinary problems had increased. But there is still no consensus on whether high school athletes should be subject to random drug testing as a condition for playing interscholastic sports (Worsnop, 1994). College sports has become a $4-billion-a-year enterprise, and the elite football and basketball teams - mostly those in the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10 and Southeastern conferences - earn multimillion-dollar profits for their universities (Price, 2004). Here rises a problem - who gets the money and how to distribute it equally between management and players. It was suggested to develop a certification or peer-review program for Division I sports departments. Proponents of peer review say it will keep the college sports reform movement alive by forcing Division I schools to engage in periodic soul-searching. However, it may take years to pass