Survival Lottery Essay Example For Students

Survival Lottery Essay In his article The Survival Lottery, Harris suggests a situationwhere a possible course of action would be to kill a healthy person and use hisorgans for transplantation, thereby saving several lives at the cost of one. However the argument Harris presents, which he claims to be rational, doesintuitively raise a certain moral repugnance. The issues addressed such aswhether letting die is equivalent to killing, or is killing the innocent everjustified, are controversial in themselves and Harriss views have beenroundly criticised. This Essay will examine the main issues raised by thesurvival lottery and attempt to prove Harriss claim that it would be arational thing to do is in fact wrong. I will not do this by appealing to someobjective moral standard, such as we have a duty to never kill the innocent, asthis will inevitably lead to deadlock and lower the debate to a matter of yourown personal opinion. Instead I will argue that a Reductio ad Absurdum can belevelled against Harriss argument because of the untenable consequences itwould lead to. By revealing the weakness of the argument for the lottery we canshow why it shouldnt take place without being drawn into a conflict betweenconsequentialist and objectivist based ethical theories Harriss argument isbased on the maximising lives theory, as he believes there is valuein numbers and that two lives are twice as valuable as one. From this premise hegives the example in the survival lottery of two patients Mr. Y and Mr. Z whoare certain to die unless they get organ transplants, but no spare organs are tobe found. They both suggest that a healthy person, (Mr. A) be seized, killedpainlessly and his organs be used for the transplantation. They argue that thisis the rational and morally correct thing to do, for to not do so would besacrificing two lives to save one. It is the right course of action since itmaximises the number of lives saved albeit at the cost of a healthy and innocentperson. To combat the fear, worry and possible abuse by doctors of who should beseized and disorganised Mr. Y and Z suggest a lottery as a fair wayof determining who should be the donor. Mr Y and Z do have a strong case, theycan argue that they are just as innocent as Mr A, as its not their fault theyneed organ transplants. For the doctors to refuse to treat them is in effectdiscriminating against sick people. When we try to point out to them thatdoctors have a duty not to kill anyone, Mr Y and Z could claim that this isbegging the question as the doctors through there inaction will be killing bothof them. Perhaps this is where we can attack Harris, he equates killing withletting die for as a consequentialist it does not matter to him how the deathscome about, merely the fact that they have occurred is whats important. We will write a custom essay on Survival Lottery specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now However we could argue that by killing Mr. A we will have performed an ACTION,it will have been a man made death. On the other hand if we kill Mr. Y and Z we will have let nature take its course, no act has been done by anagent and can we be held responsible for things we dont do ? We could use theexample of starving children in Africa, if we dont always send aid to themare we responsible for killing them ? However this does not settle the question,we have merely provided an alternative viewpoint and on what basis can we saythis is more morally correct than Harriss view ? Maclean tries to side stepthis deadlock by arguing that the killing of Mr A is not moral question at all,in fact its morally impossible. Harris assumes that the organs forMr. Y and Z are available albeit at the death of an innocent person. Macleanstates that although the organs are physically available, they are not morallyavailable and if this is the case there should be no question of killing Mr A. .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 , .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 .postImageUrl , .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 , .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242:hover , .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242:visited , .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242:active { border:0!important; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242:active , .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242 .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u35187fa9c9c2f8f3800fcd01d5994242:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bill of rights EssayBy denying the availability of organs we can then say the doctors have no courseof action to take, Mr Y and Z cannot be saved and the question of whetherletting them die is tantamount to killing them does not even arise. However Idont believe this has resolved the conflict as it has simply provided anotherview of the value of human life. Maclean accuses Harris of operating ametaphysical notion of value whereon lives are rated as more or lessvaluable on some supposedly objective scale of values independently of whovalues them. This has the effect of degrading human beings to nothing morethan expendable units of organs and no longer seen as individuals. Harris of course would disagree saying his view, since it maximises the numberof human lives, it places more value on life. Both views can be rationallyjustified and the deadlock remains, the question is on what basis can we ruleone view to be moral the other immoral? I dont believe we can, but what wecan do is try to show that the rationality behind the argument for one of theviews is fallacious and if this is the case we can then reject that view. Thenext part of my Essay will reveal how Harriss case can be successfullyattacked and shown to have absurd consequences without having to appeal to somemetaphysical notion of the value of life, or an axiom such as the sanctity ofhuman life, thus breaking the deadlock doing so creates. To establish ourReductio ad Absurdum lets examine the premises Mr. Y and Zs argument relieson. Firstly they state that all three people in this situation, themselves andMr. A are all innocent. This is important as it removes any other considerationon who sho uld be killed other than the basis of numbers, so for the moment weare accepting the maximising principle so that we can show the absurdity itleads to. Mr Y and Z then in effect point a finger at Mr A andaccuse him of living at the cost of 2 lives. This is their reason for killinghim, the force from which they rationalise their course of action. But theabsurdity follows form this, Mr. Y and Z have no basis on which to pointthe finger at Mr A and level a 2 lives against 1 argument against him. Mr. A has every right to refute this by pointing the finger back at either Mr. Y orZ and saying you have no right to single me out, for I accept that if youkill me then 2 people will live, but if I where to kill either of you then 2people will also live. Myself for I will not have to be killed, and whicheverone of you I dont kill, cause we could use the others organs to save him. Since you claim we are all innocent, and your only argument against me is thatkilling me will save 2 lives, I have shown that you cant use this argumentagainst anyone without them reversing it back upon you. Thus Mr Y andZs argument is defeated their premise that killing 1 person to save 2 stillstands, but they cannot use it against a third party such as Mr A. Another formof this argument can take is that if we accept Mr Y and Zs premise that themore lives we save the better, then it would make sense for Mr A to kill aperson. For in doing so he would be saving 3 lives, his own and Mr Y and Zs. But just say this person before being killed by Mr A, said hold on aminute, lets kill this guy here, this way we will save 4 peoples lives, mine,yours Mr Y and Mr. Zs. This establishes a regress with each person whosabout to be killed using the same argument, and its difficult to see how toescape from it. In conclusion from these attacks we can proclaim the argumentfor the survival lottery as presented by Harris is fallacious and in theoryleads to absurdity. I have chosen not to mention the practical difficulties ofthe survival lottery such as which groups if any should be excluded from thedraw, as I have not needed to. .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f , .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f .postImageUrl , .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f , .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f:hover , .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f:visited , .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f:active { border:0!important; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f:active , .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u10b4480ae416f2e1fe25614b5903e91f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Forensic Science: Proper Crime Scene Techniques. EssayBibliographyHarris, John The Survival lottery from Applied Ethics ed. PSinger (Oxford 1986) Maclean, Anne The elimination of Morality (London 1993 ) McKnight Chris J. The Survival of the Survival Lotteryin Journal of Applied Ethics Vol. 13 No.1 1996Philosophy

Animal Testing1 essays

Animal Testing1 essays Medicines, household products, food, and basically everything involved in the life of an average person has to under go a form of testing before it is legal to be placed on a shelf and if available to the public. The same tests are performed on every medical procedure that is introduced to surgeons. Since the only way to directly mimic the human body is to use it itself, scientists were forced to find the closest and best alternative. That is where animals were introduced to the medical profession. Experimentation on animals date back to as early as 500 BC, making this form of medical validation one of the oldest known to humans. It is not only one of the oldest but one of the most informative. Scientists use animals in medical research to study how the body works and how to diagnose, cure, and prevent disease. Researchers also use animals for tests to try to protect the public from dangerous chemicals, (Day, 13) such as those included in detergents, bleach, and other household products. When live animals are used in experimentation, this practice is called vivisection. Animals are used in many instances because their bodies often react in a similar way to Although animals have been used in medical research for numerous years it was not until the early 1920s that it became more prominent. It was at this point that the introduction of using live, un-anesthetized, animals to study toxic effects on an increasing array of drugs, pesticides and food additives was introduced. After this great advance in medical research the results of using animals grew with leaps and bounds. In 1970 this process peaked with the use of millions of animals. Since then, according to the USDAs Animals Welfare Enforcement, 1,267,828 animals were used for medical purposes in 1998, which is more than a 50 percent decrease since 1970. Although this is a drastic drop in ...

Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power

Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power Do the advantages of using nuclear power outweigh the disadvantages and thus making it a safe and economical method of generating electricity? At this time it is believed that there are far more disadvantages than advantages when it comes to the use of nuclear power. This report will list the advantages and disadvantages and prove that nuclear power is the next stepping stone in technological advancements and a cleaner future. HYPOTHESIS The advantages of utilizing nuclear power will by far demean the disadvantages and therefore prove that it will be beneficial to make use of nuclear power as an energy source. DISCUSSION ADVANTAGES One of the main advantages of nuclear power is that it does not emit a large quantity of green house gases such as CO2 [1] [2] and thus does not contribute to global warming. In turn this allows for a cleaner global environment. As seen in the below diagram, Coal-fired power stations release 5912000 tons of CO2 per year. Nuclear power stations use less th an a twenty-fifth of that because they only release 230000 tons of CO2 per year. Therefore in the environmental aspect, nuclear power is safe and beneficial for the world s future. Figure 1: A graph of the CO2 Emission by Each Power Source Another advantage of nuclear power is that it has relatively low costs involved in its production [5]. It yields much more electrical energy for each unit of nuclear fuel (uranium rods) used than the conventional fossil fuel power stations (coal) [1] [2]. Due to this it will also cost less to ascertain the resources needed to produce the same amount of energy as fossil fuels as is made evident in the below graph. This results in nuclear fuel costing much less per kilowatt hour for a consumer than any other method of producing electricity [fig. 2]. Therefore nuclear power will be economically beneficial for the world s electricity consuming population. Figure 2: A graph showing the US Electricity Production Costs for 1995 – 2008 An organizat ion known as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is in place to ensure that all nuclear power stations and nuclear activity which occur anywhere in the world is done without error which ultimately makes the use of nuclear power a safer option [7]. They implement standards and regulations which must be adhered to by all nuclear facilities [7]. One of their main tasks is to oversee the installation of the nuclear systems and transportation of nuclear materials to insure safety and security [7]. These monitoring protocols allow the usage of nuclear energy to be safe and secure. Over time improved designs have come about for nuclear reactors such as the advanced reactor in Japan which has been operating since 1996 [6]. The major safety feature in this reactor is its passive safety system. In the event of a malfunction, no intervention from an operator is required thus eliminating the chance of a human error [6]. If this type safety feature was to be implemented in all the curr ent and future nuclear reactors, it would significantly enhance the safety of the nuclear plants. There is a variety of safety features for nuclear reactors one of which is the three barriers between the fuel rods and the environment [6]. The fuel rods are in a solid ceramic pellet which forms the first barrier [6]. These pellets are inside a closed zirconium tube, which forms the second barrier [6]. The final barrier is the containment of the fuel rods. They are stored in a steel pressure vessel and this vessel has walls up to 30cm thick therefore preventing all radioactive radiation from escaping. Other than those safety barriers the whole containment structure has one meter thick reinforced concrete walls [6]. Thus in the event of a human error there are provisions in place to minimize the severity of the error. These measures will increase the safety of using nuclear power plants even more.

The Internal Problems of Vietnam as Cause of the War Essay

The Internal Problems of Vietnam as Cause of the War - Essay Example The collapse of the Soviet Union and China’s adoption of capitalist economic policies influenced Vietnam to broaden its international trade links and liberalise its internal economy (Evans & Newnham, 1998, p, 561). Vietnam is a country whose economy had always been largely agrarian in nature, although the communists had hoped to industrialise the economy. The internal problems of Vietnam as cause and consequence of the wars course and outcome was demonstrated by the damage that the conflict did to the country’s agricultural sector. By the time that North Vietnam had reunified the country its economy had been devastated by more than three decades of virtually continuous fighting. The task of rebuilding the economy was only achieved through the economic assistance of the Soviet Union. The internal problems of Vietnam as cause and consequence of the wars course and outcome were not helped by the fact that the economic policies of the Soviet Union, which the Vietnamese copied were flawed in their own right (Woodruff, 2005 p. 275). The Soviets wished to prop up a communist state that had already humiliated the United States, and that preferred friendship to the Soviet Union rather than a good relationship with China (Hobsbawm, 1994 p. 489). The Vietnamese economic recovery was interrupted by the short - lived Chinese invasion of 1979, which had the affect of increasing the number of refugees that fled the country. The conflict also reversed some of the economic recovery that had begun since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 (Lenman, 2004 p. 869). Ironically it was the economic policies of China that provided the Vietnamese government with the inspiration to liberalise their economy and attempt to increase international trade with the rest of the world.

The influence of Bunuel on Latin American Cinema Essay

The influence of Bunuel on Latin American Cinema - Essay Example The paper "The influence of Bunuel on Latin American Cinema" concerns the surrealism and the figure of Bunuel. The Dada representatives disdained official art. In 1922 the movement of Dada propagated the dominance of the world of imagination and subconscious. Having become surrealists the former Dadaists started experimenting with the automatic writing. The idea was that one put down the words that occurred to a writer. The same principle was applied to painters who reflected on the canvas the images appearing in their head. In general the direction of surrealism prioritized the fabrication of psychological works rather than creating art masterpieces. The basic principle used in surrealism was irrationalism. Breton published â€Å"Manifesto of Surrealism† where he gave the explanation of this movement. Luis Buà ±uel was the introducer of surrealism to the cinema and in this way he became an innovator. He was prominent both in silent and modern films, he shot not only feature films but also documentaries. He is believed to be the first surrealist in the world of cinematic though he has several works that are said to be made in realistic and non-realistic manner. His most successful films were in the can when he was past 60. As a rule film directors either retire or have a substantial filmography at this age. Due to his rich life experience Buà ±uel touched upon several topics in his films: Yet despite all the innovations and permutations of his work, Buà ±uel remained suprisingly consistent.

Declaration of the Rights of Men and of Citizens Essay Example for Free

Declaration of the Rights of Men and of Citizens Essay The Declaration of The Rights of Man and of Citizens begins with a clear stipulation of intrinsic freedom and equality in every man. Equality, therefore, seems to be an appropriate place to begin. The Declaration defines our equality in relation to our rights, such that we are all born with the same entitlements and among them the right to perpetuate such rights throughout our lives. Each and every one of us is entitled to the expression of the will of a community (which, according to Rousseau, is the collective will of the constituent individuals). In a similar light, the law is to regard each individual without bias; performing its duty of punishment or protection as justice sees fit. The sixth section of the declaration states that: All being equal in its sight, are equally eligible to all honours, places and employments, according to their different abilities, without any other distinction than that created by their virtues and talents. Effectually, this levels the metaphorical playing field, rightly empowers the skilful and the able while ensuring men are distinguished not by the colour of their skin, nor by their religion and neither by their wealth but by their merits and abilities. Unfortunately that has never been so. There are a plethora of sordid historical examples that contravene section VI. The apartheid, holocaust and slave trade are amongst the many historical events that have grossly violated the former section. Nepotism, racism, sexism and segregation still ail society and contribute to its atrophic senescence. One audacious claim is that every man is innocent, until proven guilty by the law. The present Catholic Church disagrees, believing than everyone is born  with the burden of original sin. It is not the only body that believes in immediate guilt, many states (including China) adopt a judicial system, which operates on a contrary principle: that every man is guilty until proven innocent by the law. UNRESTRAINED COMMUNICATION Each individual is entitled to his own opinions, their expression and their communication (regardless of content and context). The Declaration explicitly iterates that this is a mans most precious right and can only be annulled when it threatens the public order. The law establishes the threat. How exactly can you abuse the right of free speech? Who has the right to decide when freedom of speech is abused? A state may act unjustly towards the expression of politically or religiously sensitive opinions, as they may rouse widespread criticism and lead to an imbalance of governing power and authority. However, is it within the laws rights to place the right to freedom of speech below its own interests? Such controversy is faced in places such as China and Russia. However, the uproar provoked by Julian Assange and Edward Snowden prove that the West cannot lay claims to an unmarred reputation of moral conduct. Individual intrinsic equality is never defined with autonomy, since it is always bordered by the canons of the law. The Declaration seems to state that the power of the law transcends the rights of man, as it may decide what is within and excluded from such rights. It is given the power to distinguish and determine. LAW The Declaration defines the primary duty of the law as an expression of the will of the community and that the law should only [prohibit actions that are hurtful to society]. It decrees, what is not prohibited by the law, should not be hindered and the law ought to impose no other penalties but  such as are absolutely and evidently necessary. The law is detailed as the decision-making faculty in society, it has the power to imprison, accuse, arrest, apprehend and (the two most important powers) to determine the extent at which one man may secure the liberal exercise of his own rights and to establish when public order is breached or threatened. So who deems what is absolutely and evidently necessary? Who holds the reins to the law? Shouldnt the law be separate from the normal man, should it not occupy a different order of sovereignty? What gives another man the power to wield the scales of the law, is he superior to any other man that he may decide his counterparts fate? Who has the prerogative to empower another man with the sword and shield of the law? According to the declaration, all citizens have a right†¦either personally, or by their representatives, in its formation. So the populace, by right, has power over the law, which in turn, by right, has power over the populace. Ideally, this ascertains the equality of power. A cyclic system where the law changes with the people and adjusts itself accordingly as the essence of man itself changes; where any change in the attitudes of the people is reflected in a change in the law. Equilibrium is, therefore, maintained and this allows elasticity and exposes duality in the expression of power. This is by no means a moral system. By this definition, the law is as fickle as man and serves as an inadequate canon, an imitation canon to reassure us that we are a moral and just society. Though the Declaration implores the equal distribution of law, all being equal in its sight, it has managed to allow the atrocities committed in the past. The witch hunts, slave trade, oppression of women, exploitation of children and the inquisition are merely a few events where the latter section of the clause ([the law] should be the same to all) has been unpardonably violated. Is this the fault of the people? No, the fault lies with the educated  lawmakers, the representatives. REPRESENTATIVE The Declaration mentions lawmakers (or representatives) and their sole duty to express the will of the citizen. They are effectively the mouthpiece of the populace and are crucial for succinct communication between power and the people. In modern society, this role is prevalent in the majority of democratic states in the form of: Members of Parliament in the UK, Senators in the US and LegCo members in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, the representative role can be held responsible for neglecting its duties and promulgating laws in favour of the upper echelons of society throughout history. The Church is one of the main perpetrators, abusing its influence and power to serve its own needs or requirements. It can be held directly responsible for the frenzied witch-hunts, the inquisition and the violent reformation, which are some of the darkest events in history. Wealthy plantation owners all over the world perpetuated the slave trade, since their operations were extremely labour intensive and extensively profit orientated. Plantations could not profit if workers were to be paid and treated fairly; therefore requiring underpaid and exploitable workers. Since the role of a representative is conventionally a caste specific role, it is nearly impossible for a member of the people to ascend to this position. Therefore the role of a lawmaker is somewhat disconnected from the people and is, perhaps, inadvertently stifling the voice of the people. The representative has, of course, the same (equal) rights of the people and therefore is entitled to ambition. Though their duty is to represent and express the will of the people, it is rather understandably second only to their personal desires and demands. Self-satisfaction is ingrained within every single complex organism on this planet, so it is only natural to pursue your own interests and seek your own ends. However, those with power (and above all representatives and lawmakers) have  the means to meet their ends. The mere possession of power is corruptive and addictive. Those in the upper classes of society will, at the very least, strive to remain in the rung they nestle in; fearing a relegation to a lower status. Many will desire to advance and climb further from the people and manipulate the resources available to them in order to do so. Yet, it is the privileged that possess such resources or have access to certain opportunities that allow them to advance and the unprivileged that dont, thereby consolidating caste preservation and setting the cyclic nature of disparity in place. This is where the voice of the people is lost in transmission. This is evident in the American taxation scheme, where the wealthy benefit from certain policies that permits income to be classified otherwise and thereby avoiding the maximum rate of taxation. The Republican Party immortalizes these policies, as it contributes to their socio-economic preservation. What seems not to be apparent is that there is no need to abuse power. The correct expression of power and fair distribution can only bring about what the Declaration suggests: a level playing field. It would encourage a Darwinian model of progression, where the socio-economic advance and preservation of an individual is reliant on performance, ability, talent, skill and virtue. COMMON CONTRIBUTION It is necessary, according to the declaration, for a common contribution. This is for the support of the public force, and for defraying the other expenses of government. The declaration states that this common contribution ought to be divided equally amongst all according to their abilities. The former of the statements still rings true today and is the only thing reputed to be certain (apart from death). The latter stipulation, regrettably, has not. Internationally most citizens are taxed on their income, on the goods they  purchase and the money they inherit. Yet no system of taxation is truly fair, as the law affords disproportionate contribution and means of evading certain taxation. This is most evident in America, where many high net worth investors pay a smaller percentage of their income than their middle class, working counterparts. This is achieved through exploiting the capital gains tax and the carried interest tax. As a result of such exploitation, Warren Buffet only paid a combined tax rate of 17.4% in 2010, where less affluent Americans contributed up to 45% of their income to the government. The declaration stipulates that common contribution should be divided equally among members of the community according to their abilities. A merit and ability based taxation scheme is fair and just. So how should a population be taxed (if they are to be taxed on ability)? Taxing on the basis of income seems not to work. Perhaps the rate of tax should be varied by age or perhaps determined by occupation (seeing as occupation is decided by ability). A problem that arises is that this would discourage hard work and penalize success. Thus resulting in a population hesitant to use their abilities and work to their full capacity.

The Similarities and Differences in My Last Duchess and Porphyrias Lov

The Similarities and Differences in My Last Duchess and Porphyria's Lover 'My Last Duchess' and 'Porphyria's Lover' are poems written by Robert Browning in the form of a dramatic monologue. They both contain themes of love, jealousy, contempt and obsession. In the beginning of 'My Last Duchess' the Duke is speaking about his wife's portrait to an envoy. In 'Porphyria's Lover' the Lover is speaking directly to the reader, conveying his thoughts, personifying the weather perhaps emphasizing his unhappiness ('the sullen wind soon awake') seeing as he had a 'heart fit to break'. Both the Duke and the Lover are watching the women whilst they speak. The Duke hints at her having affairs; 'Fr. Pandolf's hands worked busily', 'busily' implies that he did more than just paint her picture. The Lover in 'Porphyria's Lover' shows a similarity, as he too was suspicious of her love, believing she would not give herself fully to him as she was 'from pride and vainer ties', from a higher rank. Both Porphyria and the duchess are of high ranking. The difference here is that the Duke believed his wife did not give herself fully to him, but was as equally impressed with everyone and everything, and the Duke was too proud to give her the same attention. In 'Porphyria's Lover' the Lover believed Porphyria was too proud to give him her undivided attention. The Duke felt that the duchess treated every trivial object with the same affection she had for him, 'too easily impressed, she liked whate'er she looked on'. Although both the Duke and the Lover felt unloved in the beginning neither made any attempt to convey this to their lovers. The Lover pretended to be asleep when Porphyria entered the home ('When no voice replied'... ... a sculpture created for him; showing the pompous aspect of his character. In the beginning of the poem, the Lovers' tone is cold, hostile and annoyed portrayed through words like 'sullen', 'spite' and 'vex'. When Porphyria appears, his attitude becomes obsessive and appreciative, as he watches her every movement as she 'glides' around the house, observing her 'yellow hair'. There is still a bitter quality to his words as he contemplates her love for him ('Too weak, for all her heart's endeavor To set its struggling passion free'). When the Lover realized Porphyria did genuinely love him his tone is ecstatic and rapturous. 'Porphyria worshipp'd me; surprise Made my heart swell While I debated what to do. That moment she was mine, mine fair,' The line exposes his arrogance after he has murdered his Lover, 'And yet God has not said a word'. The Similarities and Differences in My Last Duchess and Porphyria's Lov The Similarities and Differences in My Last Duchess and Porphyria's Lover 'My Last Duchess' and 'Porphyria's Lover' are poems written by Robert Browning in the form of a dramatic monologue. They both contain themes of love, jealousy, contempt and obsession. In the beginning of 'My Last Duchess' the Duke is speaking about his wife's portrait to an envoy. In 'Porphyria's Lover' the Lover is speaking directly to the reader, conveying his thoughts, personifying the weather perhaps emphasizing his unhappiness ('the sullen wind soon awake') seeing as he had a 'heart fit to break'. Both the Duke and the Lover are watching the women whilst they speak. The Duke hints at her having affairs; 'Fr. Pandolf's hands worked busily', 'busily' implies that he did more than just paint her picture. The Lover in 'Porphyria's Lover' shows a similarity, as he too was suspicious of her love, believing she would not give herself fully to him as she was 'from pride and vainer ties', from a higher rank. Both Porphyria and the duchess are of high ranking. The difference here is that the Duke believed his wife did not give herself fully to him, but was as equally impressed with everyone and everything, and the Duke was too proud to give her the same attention. In 'Porphyria's Lover' the Lover believed Porphyria was too proud to give him her undivided attention. The Duke felt that the duchess treated every trivial object with the same affection she had for him, 'too easily impressed, she liked whate'er she looked on'. Although both the Duke and the Lover felt unloved in the beginning neither made any attempt to convey this to their lovers. The Lover pretended to be asleep when Porphyria entered the home ('When no voice replied'... ... a sculpture created for him; showing the pompous aspect of his character. In the beginning of the poem, the Lovers' tone is cold, hostile and annoyed portrayed through words like 'sullen', 'spite' and 'vex'. When Porphyria appears, his attitude becomes obsessive and appreciative, as he watches her every movement as she 'glides' around the house, observing her 'yellow hair'. There is still a bitter quality to his words as he contemplates her love for him ('Too weak, for all her heart's endeavor To set its struggling passion free'). When the Lover realized Porphyria did genuinely love him his tone is ecstatic and rapturous. 'Porphyria worshipp'd me; surprise Made my heart swell While I debated what to do. That moment she was mine, mine fair,' The line exposes his arrogance after he has murdered his Lover, 'And yet God has not said a word'.

Ethic Simulation Essay

This week I participated in two Ethic Game Simulations; The Mysterious Blogger and The Veiled ID. The Mysterious Blogger was about the leaking of confidential information by an employee and the actions of a second employee. The Veiled ID presented an issue that arises as the company tried to implement more strict security issues. The â€Å"Mysterious Blogger† had me playing the part of the Director of Information Technology for G-Bio Sports Company. During a routine check the department finds there is an employee that is posting blogs about the company and although 90% of the information is not confidential and questions safety this is a clear violation of the company policy. An anonymous email is also received by me this note indicates the name of the person posting the blogs. This information was obtained by hacking this person’s personal computer. My department was able to identify the name of both employees involved. There is an ethical issue on both cases one employee is violating the NDA policy and the other is violating the privacy of another employee. The action of both employees can cause major harm to the company. It is important to identify everyone that needs to be informed of the situation and decided the proper way to handle the situation. Both employees have been with the company for a while and are an asset to the company. Based on this information I do believe that both employees need to be discipline and made aware of the seriousness of their actions at the same time ensure safety concerns are address. My next step is to involve the proper stakeholders, our HR Director and our Legal Counsel they will help me validate my position and outline next steps. â€Å"The Veiled ID†, I play the part of the Associate Director of Operations. The  company has recently suffered a breach in security a former employee broke into a lab causing not only damage to the equipment but harmed another employee in the process. A new security system is being put in place to protect employees and our clients. Every employee will be required to carry a work Identification that will include a photograph without the ID they will not be allow in the building. Although the solution seems to very easy I did not take into consideration that some of our employees cannot be photograph due to religious beliefs. After, determining who will be affected by my decision and discussing the issue with a representative of our Human Resource Department, Training Manager and, other employees. We decided that the photo ID will still be require however, there will be some measures put in place to accommodate people with special needs. In conclusion, by utilizing the Rights and Responsibility Lens and the Baird Ethical model I was able to determine the best decision for each separate situation. The decision was the result of a serious of steps that help me first identify the issue, the people affected and the effect that my decision would have had in the community. Each steps helps you understand what is morally right and fair for the primary stakeholders and the community and how your decision making impacts others. Making sure that you understand everyone that will be affected either directly or indirectly is important prior to making your final decision. Doing the right thing is not just to following company procedure; it is also about protecting the shareholders interest and the interest of the company. In the case where the company’s policies were violated, the company must make a sound decision that that produces an outcome in the best interest of the company and its stakeholders. The ethical perspectives used to make the decisions during the simulation were based on options given in each scenario. In the simulation, you were to determine the best outcome for each scenario based upon the information given. Neither one of the scenarios had a right nor was wrong answer it just the best ethical decision you consider fair for all parties involved. The important part is to make sure that each situation it’s analyzed and all the components are taking into consideration prior of making your final decision. Reference Trevià ±o, L. K. & Nelson, K. A. (2011). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right (5th ed.).

Examining Bermuda: Tourism Planning Essay

The beautiful island of Bermuda is a ‘fish hook’ shape island located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 575 miles east of North Carolina. Bermuda is considered by many to be a wonderful tourist destination with turquoise waters and first class accommodations and activities. Perhaps we never knew that Bermuda is actually composed of over 100 islands. We might also not have known that due to the Gulf Stream, Bermuda has the most northerly coral reefs in the world. Bermuda technically is a British colony, but they have been self-governed since 1620. When we examine the island of Bermuda from the viewpoint of the tourism industry, we can learn much from Bermuda’s successes as well as their attempts to revitalize their tourism industry. Hold on to your shorts as we examine tourism policy planning in a pink sand paradise. (www. bermudatourism. com) In looking at Bermuda for the purposes of tourism policy planning we are initially reminded of how many positive realities we can see in the Bermuda tourism picture. Needless to say, tourism is obviously a major part of Bermuda’s economy. Bermuda is an interesting case study in that they were considered the ideal model for a narrowly defined tourist destination, but in the early 1990s fell into less prosperous times. Perhaps one could say that when it came to making money from the tourism market, Bermuda became too ‘fat and happy’ for their own long-term good. Michael V. Conlin sheds more light on this phenomenon when he writes in his case study on Bermuda tourism that â€Å"notwithstanding the long-term success of its tourism industry, Bermuda experienced a significant deterioration of its visitor count beginning in the early 1990s that had a serious impact on the country as a whole. † (Conlin, p. 1). By studying ups and downs of the tourism economy in Bermuda and the unfolding of Bermuda’s tourism committee work, we can hopefully learn some lessons to enable us to practice more successful and responsible tourism in the future. Bermuda is considered a mature international tourist destination that usually is quite successful and economically prosperous. By the middle of 1992, however, â€Å"Bermuda’s tourism leaders had recognized that Bermuda’s tourism industry was not immune to the economic climate or, indeed, to the changes that were taking place in the global tourism marketplace. † (Conlin, p. 13). One of the changes that was taking place in the global tourism marketplace was that technological advances and increases in personal wealth were greatly boosting the tourism industry. In light of the great global growth of the tourism industry, we should obviously see the need for more sophisticated planning and management in the this industry. In this light we can begin to see that tourism planning in many cases needs to be an ongoing, flexible, and continually evolving process. Perhaps this revelation was something that the Bermuda tourism board never sincerely grasped or believed until the 1990s. Once this revelation was understood, the Bermuda tourism authorities were in position to take steps to address the critical issues and problems that were eroding their prosperity and market position. By the time the year 1992 arrived, we could say that the Bermuda tourism board was ready to do some serious tourism planning! When it comes to tourism planning we can say that there are believed to be two sides to the planning process as well as the need for a type of corporate planning model. Indeed, Conlin writes that â€Å"planning within the tourism industry takes place at both the micro level and the macro level. † (Conlin, p. 2) Macro level planning can be defined as dealing with the growth of tourist destinations as geographic, political, and social units. In terms of the island of Bermuda, we can learn that â€Å"many islands are particularly susceptible to the to the consequences of poor planning given their small size and the relatively greater impact that tourism can have on their development. † (Stonich, 1995). Conlin seeks for us to understand that â€Å"increasingly, the failure to plan will not simply be a cosmetic issue but a more fundamental economic, ecological, and social concern. † (Conlin, p. 4). The micro level of tourism planning could be said to involve specific actions that operators undertake once they have honestly evaluated the realities of their business activities. In one sense, this is where a strategic planning and goal planning model are put into place. Conlin writes that ideally this model will be â€Å"based on the goal of matching an organization’s strengths with the market opportunities presented by a changing external environment. † (Conlin, p. 3). In this model we will see such elements as a mission statement, stakeholder analysis, implementation, and strategic control. We might say that macro level planning in the tourism industry is ultimately concerned with the growth and sustainability of a tourism destination. On the whole, we can say that when it comes to successful tourism planning at the micro and macro level there is the need to â€Å"match product, price, location, and management expertise with the market and its expectations in a way that will attract investment. Increasingly, this is done with the needs of the host community as a major focal point. † (Conlin, p. 5). In this case, the host community is, of course, Bermuda, with its turquoise waters, pink sands, and tempting culinary delights. Let’s continue on to see how these concepts were applied specifically to the case of Bermuda in the 1990s. We have already begun to see that â€Å"as Bermuda’s tourism industry moved into the 1990’s, it was characterized by a sense of complacency, a reluctance to innovate, a decreasing level of service quality, and a deteriorating physical plant. † (Conlin, p. ). At this point the tourism planning committee needed to make some changes to move Bermuda from being stagnated and losing market share to a place of revitalization and wisdom for the future. In 1992 they created the Commission on Competitiveness which was to examine the status of tourism and international business on the island. The commission was to explore new areas for economic stimulus. Conlin writes that â€Å"the mandate of the commission reflected a broad concern about national economic well-being in a rapidly changing international marketplace. † (Conlin, p. 15). The Commission on Competitiveness had representatives from the tourism industry, from the public sector, from educational fields, and from international business firms. â€Å"To achieve a high level of community involvement, the Tourism Planning Committee created 16 task forces under the leadership of prominent local stakeholders. At any given time, this structure resulted in approximately 120 persons being actively involved in the process of examination. It was truly a community activity. † (Conlin, p. 16). Some of the important findings of the Tourism Planning Committee include understanding the following conclusions: Bermuda is a model for developing tourism as a basis for a prosperous economy. Its past success should provide confidence that Bermuda tourism can improve in the future. The economy and quality of life in Bermuda are dependent upon tourism. Changes in world tourism, including new products, choices, and competition, will dictate many of the circumstances to which Bermuda will have to adapt. The cruise ship visitor cannot replace the stay over visitor for economic impact on the island. Bermuda’s tourism product is overpriced compared with some of its competitors, and it does not satisfy the price-value expectations of visitors. Bermuda must accept the need for fundamental change. It cannot dictate the terms of world tourism. This will require significant investment of resources and effort. There are no simple, single, or quick fixes for improving the tourism industry in Bermuda. Conlin,1995). When we assess the actions taken by the Commission on Competitiveness we can see that their work was arguably thorough, with many valuable conclusions and recommendations. We should not be surprised that the actual implementation of these recommendations was slow in process. Conlin writes that â€Å"the process of adoption was slow and involved trade-offs between competition interests. † (Conlin, p. 17). In this situation we can see that when it came to revitalizing the economic conditions in Bermuda there existed â€Å"an underlying theme of a call to a greater degree of public participation. (Haywood, 1988,p. 105). In this vein, we can also learn about what has come to be called ‘community inclusive tourism planning’. Involving the community in tourism policy planning often has positive consequences for policies being adopted and eventually successfully implemented. Including the community results in an increase in communication between the policy makers and the public, but this new relationship also carries with it the responsibility to carry on this communication and deal with the outcomes of policies and strategies. With growing concern about the environmental and social impacts of tourism, planning also has become more integrated (Gravel, 1979) and has matured to the point where it must consider the impact of tourism development on a number of fronts, not just site-specific economic sectors. (Conlin, p. 6). In this decade, all of us have become familiar with the going green movements, so it should not surprise us to hear that there is a call for more inclusive policy planning in the tourism industry. As we near the end of our brief look at the unfolding of tourism policy planning in Bermuda, we can also learn about the destination life cycle theory of tourism development. According to Conlin, â€Å"the product life cycle continues to play an important role in marketing management, including applications to the hospitality industry. † (Conlin, p. 5). The idea of adapting one’s approach to changing situations brought on by the stages of the product life cycle, when applied to tourist destinations, is called the destination life cycle theory. (Conlin, p. 5). A. M. Morrison described the life cycle as: The product Life Cycle idea suggests all hospitality and tourism services pass through four predictable stages: (1) introduction, (2) growth, (3) maturity, (4) decline. Marketing approaches need to be modified with each stage. Avoiding a decline is the key to long-term survival. Atlantic City, New Jersey is a great example of a travel destination that went through one life cycle (from a fashionable to a rather seedy seaside resort) and then got a completely new lease on life as an exciting gambling destination. Morrison, 1989). We see that through the efforts of the Tourism Planning Committee the island of Bermuda had the opportunity to revitalize and reposition itself to have its own ‘new lease on life. We learned that even though a tourist destination may be considered to be mature, ideal, beautiful, and economically prosperous, there may and almost certainly will be the need to address declining and/or changing market position and then take wise and strategic steps to rejuvenate itself. We also hopefully learned that tourism planning should be community-based, especially in a place such as Bermuda where the population is considered to be a major part of the tourism product. Mark Twain once wrote of Bermuda â€Å"the deep peace and quiet of the country sink into one’s body and bones and give the conscience a rest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  For anyone going to Bermuda, we wish you all the best in your activities and in your personal encounter with the deep peace and quiet of the island.

Four Advantages of Single-Sex Schools

Four Advantages of Single-Sex Schools A lot of research has shown that single-sex schools have a great deal of advantages. for students, with benefits ranging from confidence and empowerment to new activities and higher levels of achievement. For example, on the whole, girls and boys who are educated in single-sex schools gain more confidence than their coed peers. In addition, they make academic gains above those in co-ed schools. They also learn to gravitate towards untraditional areas that are not always accepted for their gender. For example, boys learn to love literature in boys schools, while girls in girls schools feel more comfortable with math and science. Though its hard to generalize about all single-sex schools, here are some commonalities that tend to characterize many single-sex schools: A More Relaxed Environment Despite the fact that many boys and girls schools are at the top of their game academically, they often have a more relaxed environment. This relaxed environment is created, in part, because boys and girls dont need to worry about impressing the other gender. The students can be themselves in class, and they can speak openly and honestly. At the same time, students in single-sex schools are often more willing to take risks because they do not fear falling on their face in front of the other sex. As a result, the classrooms in these schools are often dynamic, free, and bursting with ideas and conversation, all hallmarks of a great education. While teachers in co-ed schools sometimes beg their students to contribute to class discussion, this is not true in single-sex schools a great deal of the time. Fewer Cliques Though it is not always true, sometimes single-sex schools can help reduce cliques, particularly in girls schools. The girls again do not have to worry about impressing boys or seeming popular, common concerns in middle and high school. They can instead concentrate on their studies and being open to befriending the other girls, and there are often fewer cliques as a result. Though the stereotype about boys schools is that they are rough-and-tumble places in which boys are hazed, the reality is often quite different. While one cant generalize about all boys schools, in general, boys schools are places that do not involve hazing or cruelty. Boys in an all-boys environment tend to  not form cliques because they dont have to appear cool, and they are often more generous to their peers as a result. In many boys schools, there is room for all kinds of boys, and the less socially mature students are not punished, as they might be in a single-sex school. A More Tailored Curriculum The teaching at a single-sex private school can be tailored to all girls or all boys, and the ability to tailor the curriculum allows teachers to design classes that have the potential to really reach the students. For example, at boys schools, teachers can teach books that are likely more of interest to boys and find books that speak to boys and their concerns. For example, a class discussion of Hamlet in a boys school can involve a study of a boys coming-of-age and of father-son relationships. In a girls school, students can read books with strong heroines such as Jane Eyre or look at books such as The House of Mirth  that touch on how womens lives are affected by prevailing attitudes towards women. While such discussions are possible in co-ed schools, they can be more open and concentrated in a single-sex school. The Loss of Gender Stereotypes In addition, students in single-sex schools can gravitate without embarrassment towards untraditional subjects. In boys schools, male authors can come in to speak about their writing, and the students can ask questions without feeling embarrassed about being interested in writing, a subject that they might shy away from in a co-ed school. The same holds true for the arts, including visual arts, music, drama, dance, and even digital arts. In a girls school, female scientists and mathematicians can offer their experience, and girls can be interested without fearing that they appear dorky or unfeminine. The examples of how single-sex schools free students from gender stereotypes are endless. In addition, teachers in single-sex school can use methods that might interest their students. For example, in a boys school, they can use techniques that draw on boys energy, while in a girls school, they can offer the kinds of feedback that girls are most likely to accept. While each child is different and there is no one school that is right for all kids, there is no doubt that single-sex schools offer a great deal of advantages and a special atmosphere that encourages kids to feel comfortable and to learn. Article edited by  Stacy Jagodowski

Compare and Contrast National Athletic Association (NCAA) Coursework

Compare and Contrast National Athletic Association (NCAA) - Coursework Example The common situation among college participants is that they do not have the right to profit from their own aptitudes despite the NCAA doing so. Media and game giant, Electronic Art pays NCAA to use its bowl games and team names in videogames like NCAA Basketball as well as NCAA Football. This college version does not include players’ names; hence they do not share the splits with the NCAA for the governing body contends student-athletes receive enough benefits worth their caliber. These benefits comprise free college education to the athletes through sponsorships, which mainly is in terms of waiving tuition. Mainly, revenues emanate from broadcast agreements, tickets besides other sources like subsidies among the division I institutions (Burnsed, 2014). Regardless of all these funds, athletics associated costs rise at a fast rate such that expenses surpass the obtained revenue in all except 20 institutions in division I-A, for instance, the annual median proceeds from 2012 to 2013 augmented by 3.2% but their expenses managed to top by 10.6% (Burnsed, 2014). These institutions outside the 20 could not make profits therefore since expenses were more than their revenue forcing them to subsidies. Institutions like University of Michigan alongside other others with major athletics programs make profits, hence no need for subsidies for the sports fetch them quite a sum of profits. For instance, when The University of Michigan won the national championship in 1997, managed to realize proceeds of approximately 14 million dollars from the football program yet at that time many other institutions complained of poverty when advised to expand their financial aids (Rosner & Shropshire, 2011). The profit making institutions from athletics have managed to take their sports to another level by compensation of celebrity coaches,

Humanitarian Action - Haiti Earthquake Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Humanitarian Action - Haiti Earthquake - Essay Example Usually we associate disaster as a crisis inflicted by nature but human-made disasters are not less likely to represent similar amount of suffering for humanity. One of such disasters is war and conflicts that brings up the crisis of internally displaced people or IDPs. By June 2008, more than 2.8 million people were internally displaced in Iraq. Most of them are spread in rented accommodations and depend on host communities, governmental bodies, or some national and international humanitarian agencies. This population was displaced in three phases, approximately 1.6 million fled sectarian violence in 2006,an estimated 190,000 displaced by military operation and violence in 2003 to 2005, and around 1.2 million displaced as a consequence of the policies of Saddam’s government and Gulf War. In addition to this, according to UNHCR 1.7 million Iraqi refugees are abroad and only 300,000 of them are registered (Iraq 2010 Humanitarian Action Plan [HAP], 2009) This situation is not created at once but emerged from a legacy of sanctions, violence, conflict, lack of development and public service. These factors led to the scarcity of basic human needs, for instance, water, food, shelter, security, and access to health care and education. Since there has been no major humanitarian or security crisis in 2009, some improvement in IDPs returning to their home can be noticed but there is no change in vulnerable areas, for instance, northern and north-western Iraq, central Iraq and areas of southern Iraq.