American Pageant. Essay

Over time, there have been many different modifications to facilitate transportation and the economy. The transcontinental railroad is one factor that introduced the American indusrty. This immense industry turned into an even greater business and touched from coast to coast. Because of the railroads, urbanization and industrialization grew although the corruptions with scandals came as well. The nation was in a time of spurring even higher from starting in 1865. Before the railroads, the population was more scattered around farming areas. As the railroads grew, urbanization also expanded and began gathering around the railroads.Because the government gave a significant amount of land grants, the railroad companies, which were able to choose alternative mile-square sections, had much land that they did not use to build their railroads. President Grover Cleveland gave the unclaimed portions for land settlement in 1887. Although this was seen as the â€Å"giveaway† of land, the government ended up benefiting with long-term preferential rates for postal service and military traffic; the railroad corporations could also sell the land at an average of three dollars an acre.With new railroads in placed, people moved beside them and brought in business for the railroads and towns which gave the railroads another source of profit. Immigration also started uprising, with the Chinese and Irish working on the railroads. As the railroads traveled across the country, it gave the nation a way to get products or people across the country. Food and materials traveled to all from farms to towns and cities. People found it easier to move across the country; urbanization grew throughout the whole country rather than being scattered among the farms.The railroads were built because of industrialization and expanded it even further. As the railroad network snaked around the country, the economic growth did as well. The locomotives touched coast to coast offering what each sid e of the country had for the other. The west had many wealthy resources and the east had many workers. Raw materials traveled back and forth as so did the finished goods afterwards, such as steel for the generation of more railroads. The United States soon became the largest integrated national market in the world.As the railroads grew there was more demand for raw supplies from different parts of the country. The steel and wood for the railroads impacted greatly the forestry and mining industry while the coal industry also grew to power the trains; new factories and industries were built and powered to load more onto the new railroads. Millionaires greatly benefited from this, such as Cornelius Vanderbilt who was one of the most profitable amongst the new aristocracy. As the railroads expanded, so did industrialization, which made the United States economy one of the best that it has had over history.Although the effects of the railroads were mostly positive, there was the negative aspect of corruption and scandals came as well. Congress commissioned the Union Pacific Railroad, which the company received huge sums of money and land to build tracks. What the government did not know was that the corporation had frauds which were known as the Credit Mobilier; insiders from the construction company had reaped twenty-three million dollars in profits. Jay Gould was many of those who also executed many robberies. For nearly thirty years he gained money from the stocks of Erie, the Kansas Pacific, and the Texas and Pacific.One of the many different ways these million-dollar-thieves manipulated was â€Å"stock watering†. Originally coming from the definition of bloating up a cow to sell for more, the stock promoters were doing this but with the economy and stocks. The railroad stock promoters inflated their claims about a given line’s assets and profitability and sold stocks and bonds much higher than the railroad’s actual value. Railroad managers where therefore forced to charge much higher and compete against each other in order to pay the exaggerated financial obligations. In the midst of all the scandal, the Vanderbilt’s were involved as well.As many railroaders, they had to fight and bribe for rights. As long as there were railroads, and with their many positive effects, there was also corruption, competition, and scandal. The building of the transcontinental railroads changed the American economy immensely. It has changed the nation as a whole and spurred with a new way of supply and demand traveling all over the country. The new web of steel brought up urbanization, industrialization and corruption with scandals as well. The transcontinental railroads brought the country together with a new form of economy.

The Legality, Morality, and Social Responsibility

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23rd, 2010. The Act is a daring attempt by President Barack Obama to reform the healthcare system in the United States. The new healthcare reform act is historical because of its scope and size. Opponents to the healthcare act state it is an attempt to increase the size and power of the federal government and it is one of â€Å"the largest tax increase in the history of the world,† despite it being almost equally in size to President Clinton 1993 tax increase (â€Å"‘Obamacare’ isn’t the largest†, 2012).There is an abundance of questions surrounding the new healthcare act ranging from the constitutionality of Act to the ethical and moral ramifications of such wide sweeping legislation. This paper will attempt to answer some of these questions as they pertain to healthcare provider Florida Blue. We will also explore how Florida Blue is transitioning as a company under these ne w laws and their role as a socially responsible company in the community. On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court rendered a final decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act.According to (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2008) this was possible due President Lincoln’s leadership, implementing the legal system; it was restored to be more liberal, justified, and democratic. The idea is that every law enables the government of the people, by the people, and for the people to make laws that befit the people. The constitution was effectively written to allow for flexibility. The new provisions would allow families and small business owners the ability to make choices that work best for them. The power of the government is divided into three branches judicial, executive, and legislative.In order for a bill to become law, all three branches of government must approve it. That separation of power is what does not allow one branch from becoming more powerful than any of the others. Under the law, the ne w â€Å"Patient’s Bill of Rights† gives the American people the stability and flexibility they need to make informed choices about their health. (Obama, 2013) The main purpose of President Obama’s bold healthcare reform was to address the affordability and quality of health care as well as to curb the growth of healthcare spending in the United States.Many of the provisions in the Affordable Care Act are aimed at fixing these major issues facing the U. S health care and insurance industries. In the idea of not only helping the people to consider and obtain health insurance. The group agrees that the law is constitutional and should be addressed, in most countries there are laws stating that you much have health insurance and based on your income you get it for free or you pay a very small amount. The United States has waited a long time to enact this law and should be enforce.Despite evidence to the contrary, explained in the joint dissent the Chief Justice name d Roberts, along with 4 other Justices Breyer, Ginsberg, Kagan, and Sotomayor upheld Obamacare’s â€Å"penalty imposed upon individuals’ failure to purchase federally-approved health insurance (the Individual Mandate) as within Congress’ taxing power. † A majority of the Court held that the Constitution’s Commerce Clause did not grant Congress the power to institute an individual mandate.A significant portion of the law’s Medicaid provision was partially overturned as an unconstitutional coercive federal spending condition imposed on the states. Instead of entirely striking down this provision, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is prevented from withholding current Medicaid federal spending to those states who decide not to participate in Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion. (Teller, 2012). Whether Obamacare was upheld as a proper exercise of Congress’ taxing power or through the commerce power is simply a distinction witho ut a difference.The law as it was before the Supreme Court decision is virtually the same as it was afterward. But, as a matter of legal precedent and technical legislating, such a determination is monumentally important in terms of how future cases of congressional power will be decided, as well as how bills are crafted for consideration. The Chief Justice’s opinion recognized the long-standing history of Congress attaching conditions upon states in exchange for receiving federal funding under Congress’ Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 spending power.17 The legitimacy of this power â€Å"†¦ rests on whether the State voluntarily and knowingly accepts the terms of the contract,† since the â€Å"Constitution has never been understood to confer upon Congress the ability to require States to govern according to Congress’s instructions. †18 When â€Å"pressure turns into compulsion, the legislation runs contrary to our system of federalism,† (Teller, 2012). Florida Blue, the largest health insurer in the state of Florida, had to reinstate 300,000 policies in order to meet the new Affordable Healthcare Act requirements.Florida Blue is attempting to offset many of these costly new healthcare requirements, which now include things such as maternity/newborn care, mental health services, substance abuse services, and emergency services. These services will now be covered by individual and small market plans. Under this new law anyone the government determines can afford healthcare, and does not purchase it by 2014, may have to pay a fine. This fee will be referred to as an individual responsibility payment, individual mandate or penalty.The Supreme Court of the United States has determined the Affordable Care Act, and its provisions, are constitutional and have upheld the legality of the act. Therefore a discussion regarding its legality would be mute. However, the ethical ramifications of the act are worthy of noting and di scussing. Ethics is one of the five branches of philosophy that deals with human character and how humans conduct themselves in society. Humans have the freedom of doing various activities that may benefit them, ethics is essential because it defines their character and conduct.In essence, ethics systematically assesses human activities in an attempt of establishing whether they are right or wrong. In a society where chaos and disorder prevails, ethics offers an appropriate solution because it provides moral values, principles, norms, and ideals, which humans should adhere to as standard practices of human conduct and behavior. According to (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2008), the goal of ethics is to understand the epistemology of human conduct and character so that it can define the best ways in which humans can co-exist and attain the real meaning of life.In this view, ethics enables humans to regulate their conduct and character in order to be more in line with the moral values, norms, ide als, and principles that society cherishes and upholds amidst chaos and confusion. To define and expound ethics, diverse philosophers have come up with theories and models such as utilitarianism, deontology, pragmatic ethics, and postmodern ethics. Hence, this term paper seeks to use utilitarian theory and model in assessing whether it is moral for Florida Blue to implement President Obama's health care reform act.Utilitarian theory is the dominant ethical theory that philosophers and ethicists apply when analyzing human conduct and character. John Stuart Mill is one of the pioneers and proponents of utilitarian theory. Fundamentally, utilitarian theory belongs to the category of consequential theories that assess morality based on the consequences of an action. According to Mill (2010), rightness or wrongness of an action is dependent on its consequences rather than the nature of the action.On this assertion, utilitarian theory rejects the assessment of morality based on the action s. Hence, utilitarian theory assumes that human actions have no morality in themselves unless assessed using their consequences. Cavico and Mujtaba (2009) argue that an action is morally right if its consequences are good, and it is morally wrong if its consequences are bad. Hence, the consequences of an action are central in determining if an action is right or wrong. The utilitarian theory also assesses the degree of morality or the extent to which an action is right or wrong.According to the utilitarian theory, for an action to be morally right, it must generate greatest happiness or pleasure to most people and cause the least pain and harm (Mill, 2010). In this view, the theory does not only assess the degree of morality basing on the consequences, but also assesses morality basing on the number of people that gain happiness or experience pain. In the examination of utilitarian theory, (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009) state that the consequence of an action should be good and beneficial to most people in the society.In this view, utilitarian theory requires consideration of action’s consequence and the number of people that experience happiness or pain. Thus, an action is morally right if its consequences are good and beneficial to most stakeholders, and it is morally wrong if its consequences are bad and harmful to most stakeholders. The use of the utilitarian model in the assessment of human actions provides a quantitative way of analyzing morality. The utilitarian model apportions numerical values to goodness and badness of an action’s consequences.The goodness of an action has a positive scale of 1 to 5 (1 to 5) while the badness of an action has a negative scale of 1 to 5 (-1 to -5). Zero is an intermediate value on the scale, which shows that actions’ consequence is neither good nor bad to a specific stakeholder. The utilitarian model quantifies the degree of pleasure and pain, which are consequences of an action (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009) . Therefore, the term paper utilizes the utilitarian model in establishing if it is moral for Florida Blue to implement the Affordable Health Care plan. 1.The act that the term paper seeks to evaluate using the utilitarian model is whether it is moral for Florida Blue to implement the Affordable Health Care plan. 2. The following are the stakeholders that the implementation of the health care reform affects, both directly and indirectly. a) The government The foreseeable good is that the government will improve general health of the population, and thus enhances the health of the nation. However, the foreseeable bad consequence is that the cost necessary to sustain health care reforms may not be sustainable in the end.b) Health care system The foreseeable good of the health care reforms is that the health care system will offer improved quality of healthcare services (Rosenbaum, 2011). Given that quality of healthcare services depend on many factors, the foreseeable bad is that the quality of care may deteriorate with time. c) Florida Blue The foreseeable good of the health care reform in Florida Blue is that it will increase the number of patients and thus improve its growth. However, Florida Blue may not be able to satisfy the demands of the patients.d) Insurance companies If Florida Blue implements health reforms, the foreseeable good is that it will provide a competitive environment for insurance companies. The foreseeable bad consequence is that the insurance companies will increase insurance premiums. e) Healthcare providers and working environment The foreseeable good of the health reforms is that it will improve competence, remuneration packages, and the working environment of healthcare providers. Since the number of patients will increase in Florida Blue, theforeseeable bad consequence is that healthcare providers will have to perform extra duties to serve all patients. f) Patients The foreseeable good among patients is that they will receive quality services that they have been unable to afford. Nevertheless, the foreseeable bad consequence is that the quality of healthcare services offered to patients may deteriorate with time. g) Citizens and society Since health care reforms legally require citizens to acquire health insurance coverage, the foreseeable good is improved health and lifespan of the people.However, the foreseeable bad consequence is that the cost of health insurance may increase and become unaffordable to many people. Quantification of Good and Bad Consequences Stakeholders Foreseeable Good Foreseeable Bad a) The government +5 -2 b) Health care system +4 -3 c) Florida Blue +3 -3 d) Insurance companies +5 -1 h) Healthcare providers +3 -3 e) Environment +4 -2 f) Patients +5 -2 g) Citizens +3 -3 h) Society +4 -2 i) Total 37 -22 Conclusion The assessment of the act of implementing the affordable health care plan in Florida shows that it has more good than bad.Since the good consequences of implementing Obamaâ€℠¢s health care reform outweigh the bad consequences, from the utilitarian perspective, it implies that the act is moral in the case of Florida Blue. The utilitarian analysis shows that Florida Blue should implement health reforms to improve healthcare services that it provides to all stakeholders. Another major ethical work exploring is the Kantian Ethical Principle. Kantian ethics originated from the German philosopher Immanuel Kant.It revolves around his work—Groundwork (or Foundation) of the Metaphysics of Morals (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). The basis of Kant’s work was reason. Kant deduced that reason is the source for morality. To Kant, morality relied only on human reason. His definition and elaboration on morality excluded conscience, law, and utility. According to Kant, to be moral is to be rational (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). Morality and rationality must coexist; therefore, morality consists of acting rationally. It must be noted, however, that rationality must be employed to arrive at a moral conclusion.The intellectual use of reason, or â€Å"intellectualism†, is a form of egoism and does not serve a purpose toward morality (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). In comparison to the utilitarian approach, the Kantian approach does not take into account happiness when deciding morality. Kant deduced that dignity and worth were not fulfilled from a sense of happiness, but rather from the ability to reason. After all, it can be argued that the human ability to reason is the only differentiation from other species. Happiness, or the lack there of, is not an appropriate measure for morality.In summary of Kantian ethics, it is not arriving at a moral conclusion that is the challenge (any rational human can do that), it is possessing the self-control to follow through with what is right, regardless of consequences. The Categorical Imperative is the principle which Kant called the â€Å"supreme ethical principle† (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). A catego rical imperative regards certain actions are absolutely vital, regardless of desires or end result. The rules that surround moral conduct are, according to Kant, absolute. Kant went on to create a â€Å"test† to discern between moral and immoral actions.His categorical imperative must satisfy three conditions, without exception. The three conditions that an action must have to be moral are as follows: 1) the action must have the possibility to be made consistently universal, 2) it must respect rational beings as ends in themselves, and 3) the action must stem from and respect the autonomy of rational beings. Kant concluded that by satisfying the aforementioned conditions, the question of morality would be unaffected by consequences, personal gain, and compulsions. Instead, any rational human being would be able to rationalize the morality of actions by fulfillment of his three tests.In determining the morality of the Affordable Care Act using Kant’s Categorical Imperat ive, the main point of focus will be the morality to the intended benefactors (United States citizens and legal residents) from the law. The first test forces one to ask oneself: can the Affordable Care Act be applied universally? For argument’s sake, â€Å"universally† implies throughout the United States for this analysis. Furthermore, satisfaction of the first test eliminates any individuals from regarding themselves as â€Å"special. † Rather, nobody is exempt from the moral â€Å"law.† The Affordable Care Act will require U. S. citizens and legal residents to obtain healthcare. Healthcare for all U. S. citizens and legal residents can be consistently universal. Furthermore, with proper planning, the idea behind the Affordable Care Act can be sustained. Currently, the U. S. has many uninsured pockets of people that are unable to get a routine medical exam without a hefty fee. Although there are caveats in the Affordable Care Act, it can be applied ove rall to the majority of the population. The Kantian tests for determining morality disregard â€Å"privilege.† Instead, by applying universal healthcare, a rational person can deduce that everyone obtaining healthcare is logical and consistent. The first test is satisfied. Kant’s second test is called the â€Å"Kingdom of Ends† test. This test works to further eliminate the possibility of immorality by taking into account the human condition. Kant states that,†each people must be treated by every other person as an end† (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). Again, we are forced to reexamine whether the Affordable Care Act treats each person with â€Å"dignity and respect and as a valuable and worthwhile entity.† The current state of healthcare denies various groups of people the ability to obtain medical care. Through his second test, Kant holds the intrinsic worth of human beings as an undeniable truth. Thus, by existing as a human, one has an unconditio nal value. Because a rational human would be able to identify their own intrinsic value, so would they be able to identify that value in others. The Affordable Care Act extends healthcare coverage to individuals that would previously have no viable options. In addition, it minimizes discrimination by encompassing groups of people that have consistently gone without healthcare coverage.By expanding Medicaid to 133% of the federal poverty level, alone, the government is extending its recognition of intrinsic worth to those that have been previously disregarded. The â€Å"Kingdom of Ends† test is centered on human dignity; by extending healthcare coverage, the U. S. government has empowered more individuals to be free to make a choice of what medical services to pursue. Although the implementation of the Affordable Care Act may result in higher costs to the public, the self-interest of individuals is not a basis for determining morality.Rather, the freedom, empowerment, and reco gnition of intrinsic worth provided by the activation of the Affordable Care Act satisfies the second test. The final test is deemed the â€Å"Agent-Receiver Test†. This third test allows for further dissection of an act. The use of the â€Å"Agent-Receiver Test† in relation to the Affordable Care Act is extremely relevant and allows for a more black-and-white approach by further stripping any vested self-interest. A rational person must be able to accept the action or rule, regardless if they are the agent (giver) or receiver of the action or rule (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009).Would an individual accept the Affordable Care Act whether they were supplying or receiving the benefits? In this case, there are stereotypically many white collar, upper middle-class U. S. citizens that oppose the act because of the implied rise is costs for themselves. However, a rational person would be able to remove their selfish motive by analyzing it from the point of view of the receivers. Sa y the individual was, instead, an uninsured, 20-something pregnant woman barely living above the federal poverty line, would they still oppose the act?The Affordable Care Act allows healthcare to become more impartial to people using it. The â€Å"Agent-Receiver† test, thus, proves the act moral. Analyzing such a complex act, such as the Affordable Care Act, does present exceptions and caveats as it is currently written. The overall basis behind the creation and implementation of the act aims to value more humans and increase dignity and self-worth. By removing individual motive and self-interest, the Kantian model for determining morality strives to decide morality based on impartial tests.After reviewing and applying the three tests to the Affordable Care Act, we have found it is moral. The theory of ethical emotism is centered on feelings and emotions (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2009). David Hume is credited as one of the most important contributors to the idea of the emotist theor y. The theory is ethical emotism lies on the other side of ethical theory spectrum from the Kantian model. In the Kantian model, reason is the basis for morality, but in ethical emotism, reason is merely a tool employed to help one judge morality.In ethical emotism, the act itself is not used to decide morality, rather the feelings from the act are what is important. Morality is viewed as a purely emotional response and is, therefore, extremely subjective under this theory. Although ethical emotism is, on the surface, a rather simple measure of morality, it often overlaps with ethical relativism and utilitarianism. The concepts behind ethical emotism can be laid out simply. If one has positive emotions towards an act, the act is deemed moral and good. If one has negative emotions toward an act, that act would be deemed immoral or bad.In terms of the morality surrounding the Affordable Care Act, ethical emotism can present some consequences that will not allow for a sound moral concl usion. First and foremost, this theory relies heavily (entirely) on emotions and emotions may be very subjective. When employing the emotist theory, the Affordable Care Act must be analyzed from the perspective of each group affected and/or involved. Because of the subjectivity of emotions, different groups of people will feel different ways, thus, creating the large possibility of different moral conclusions.As an example, a 24 year old, recent college graduate, in an entry level, minimal salary position may feel positively about the act because they can be under their parents’ insurance for an additional two years. The implementation of Affordable Care Act is moral in this instance because of the positive feelings felt by the receiver. However, five years later, this same individual may be earning a higher income, invested in real estate, and covering their own health insurance with no assistance—their feelings may have changed. The aforementioned individual likely h as negative feelings regarding the Affordable Care Act because of higher taxes.In this sense, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act is immoral. The changing of one’s feeling is a big consequence of the ethical emotism theory. Since individuals will deem the Affordable Care Act moral or immoral based on their own individual feelings, reaching a general and standardized consensus is impossible. From the prospective of those becoming eligible for obtaining healthcare, the act is likely moral. Those individuals have not had or have lost the opportunity to make decisions about their health and are feeling extremely positive about the act.On the other hand, individuals who have had no problem covering their healthcare insurance costs could have feelings of disapproval towards the Affordable Care Act. In their case, the act is seen as simply a probable increase in their own taxes. Moral conclusions are subjective under the ethical emotism theory and must be addressed individ ually. Many different theories can be used to help decipher morality, especially on large-scale issues like the Affordable Care Act. However, each theory must be maximized, while taking into account the consequences that accompany each train of thought.The above theories discussed use various criteria to determine morality. However, ethics and morality become an even greater point of focus when applied to real world scenarios. Ethics and morality must transcend their place as theories of study and come into play in our current world. In the case of Florida Blue, it is certain they will have to embrace the Affordable Care Act if they want to continue as a functioning healthcare provider. As the company will likely continue to grow in size and influence, they will likely take a closer look at their role within American society.It is becoming a common trend among many high stature corporations to integrate a humane tactic into their company’s strategic plans. Companies are begin ning to give back to the community, while in return noticing the positive reaction consumers are developing towards their product especially when they see the company’s brand is perceived in a positive and philanthropic light. Now more than ever before, corporations have taken notice of the increased benefits being perceive as a positive, giving company can bring such as an increased rate of profitable.This sincere act of kindness, which no company is legally liable to fulfill, is what we call social responsibility. Social responsibility is the act of an entity to provide a need for the community. When a corporation takes the initiative to create a solution for society, they are deemed as a socially responsible firm. The organization is not necessarily the last resort or the only solution to the problem, however the corporation takes ownership of the need and the responsibility for creating a solution for a particular problem their consumers face.The success factors and formu lation of fulfilling the act of a socially responsible entity, quoted by (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2008), according to Banks, a few reasons for being a socially responsible firm is by â€Å"1) obtaining a â€Å"social license† to operate from key stakeholders, 2) ensuring â€Å"sustainable competitiveness,† 3) creating new business opportunities, 4) attracting and retaining quality investors and business partners, 5) securing cooperation from local communities, 6) avoiding difficulties due to socially irresponsible behavior, 7) obtaining governmentsupport, and 8) building â€Å"political capital. † Florida Blue, formerly known as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, is a not-for-profit health insurance company that strives on social responsibility. In preparation for the Affordable Care Act, Florida Blue has prepared several different tools for consumers to utilize to educate themselves about the new law that will eventually have an effect on everyone in the U. S. Flori da Blue has created a Health Care Reform eBook that can be downloaded on any tablet. This eBook is constantly being updated as changes are continuously being made to the law.Also, to ensure they are doing their due diligence as an educational source for the community, the app is available in English, Spanish and Creole. According to Florida Blue CEO, Pat Geraghty, between the 16, soon to be 18, Retail Centers across the state the company will have organized over 3,000 Health Care Reform seminars by the end of the year. As a socially responsible company, these tools Florida Blue has put tremendous amounts of effort into creating, are not only available to Florida Blue members, but they are available to the general public.Whether you are insured with another company, not insured at all, or insured with Florida Blue, the organization prides on being a tool for Floridians to turn to in reaction to this new law that has many consumers dumfounded. In addition to being accessible by any me mber of our community, all of these tools are complimentarily available to the consumer market. Florida Blue has been in preparation for Health Care Reform since 2006 when they opened their first Retail Center.With the Affordable Care Act implementing a new focus gearing towards individual plans, and steering away from the well-known and accustomed group plan, Florida Blue has built these Retail Centers to accommodate selling to the individual rather than selling to the employer (â€Å"Health Insurance Companies†, 2013). These Retail Centers offer the face-to-face experience that consumers need and allow health care shoppers and customers to build a relationship with one individual agent that they can rely on and come back to time and time again with any questions and concerns.In addition to face-to-face Retail Centers, there is a FloridaBlueHealthCareReform. com website that anyone can visit, a Health Care Reform hotline facilitated by employees trained to specialize in the Affordable Care Act, and customers can also call into any Retail Center and talk to any sales or service consultant over the phone just as you would meet with them in person. In any recommendation of social responsibility it would be a wise business decision for a company to partake in socially responsible acts.As (Cavico & Mujtaba, 2008), state, â€Å"business also gains an improved public image by being socially responsible. An enhanced social image should attract more customers and investors and thus provide positive benefit for the firm. † For a company to engage in community affairs in order to enhance the level of success it would be somewhat foolish not to participate in socially responsible acts in an effort in improve your company’s prosperity, while achieving greater good for consumers.Overall, is it a legal requirement for companies to be socially responsible? No. Is it implied that companies should partake in some type of social responsibility to enhance th e well-being of the community in order for them to be considered a moral organization? Yes. It is solely up to the discretion of a corporation and their shareholders whether they determine to provide a socially responsible contribution for their consumers, but more than likely it is in their benefit to give back to the community they operate in and engage in socially responsible acts.To be perceived in a positive manner, generally has a positive return on investment for the company and their shareholders. It is simple to determine that being socially responsible has a positive impact on all parties involved in the act. As mentioned earlier in this paper, the legality of the Affordable Care Act, and its implementation by Florida Blue, has been deemed legal by the Supreme Court.Ethical analysis of the Affordable Care Act and Florida Blue using the Utilitarian and Kantian ethical theories have all proven both the Act, and the implementation of the Act by Florida Blue, to be ethical. It was also shown that using the Ethical Emotism theory for such a complex matter would provide mixed results and no definitive answer would likely ever be reached. Florida Blue continues to develop tools that help explain and guide the average consumer through the new healthcare process.By providing information to all consumers-not just their clients, holding fairs and encouraging face-to-face contact, they are continually shaping the public’s perception of their company and attempting to show the public they are committed to assisting them regardless of whether or not they are members. It would be in Florida Blue’s benefit to continue to show good will and become further engaged in the neighborhoods where they operate. It is our opinion that Florida Blue will continue to grow as they now have access to new groups of people seeking insurance.

Final exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Final exam - Essay Example lution in any way and it would be very wise for any person to accept reality as a stepping stone in trying to solve different kinds of problems that we encounter every day in our lives. Basically, real life is concerned with solving problems hence it would be sheer waste of time to be found crying when confronted with a difficult situation because life itself is an experience where we encounter new things on a daily basis. There was a time when I was so devastated after loosing my most prized possession, a state of the art laptop to thieves. I even contemplated committing suicide but little did I know then that greater things were lying ahead. From this traumatic experience, I learned that it is a noble gesture to accept reality. I reassured myself that, if in the first place I managed to buy this machine with a purpose in life, there was nothing whatsoever that would stop me from replacing it. Whilst recounting the loss, this unfortunate incident rekindled the sense of self determin ation in my life and within a couple of weeks, I had acquired an even more advanced machine. I also learned that it was always very wise to take precautionary measures of also storing my data on an external hard drive such that I would not loose my valuable information in the event of a similar incident mentioned above. From this experience, I realized that the tendency of submitting yourself to fate does not solve anything in real life. By virtue of accepting reality, one stands better chances of solving problems than someone who believes in crying. Over and above, it can be noted that sometimes really bad things may happen to our lives but that would not in actual fact spell the end of the world. Accepting reality is a virtue and there is no use of behaving like a cry baby in the case of misfortunes as this would not reverse the actual situation on the ground. In fact, we gain more experience from such kind of bad

Virtual Teams. Eastern Europe Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Virtual Teams. Eastern Europe - Assignment Example A good way to determine which are best investment locations within Eastern Europe is by comparing the gross domestic product per capita of the Eastern European countries. The countries with the top three gross domestic products per capita in Eastern Europe are Slovenia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The corresponding gross domestic product per capita of each of these countries is illustrated in the table below. Country Gross domestic product per capita Slovenia $27,149 Czech Republic $21,028 Slovakia $17,630 (Globalpropertyguide). The country with the highest gross domestic product per capita could be considered the most attractive location by a lot of business analyst because the customers in that country have higher buying power. Another important variable to consider are the market and industries that the country has to offer. In Slovenia the service industry accounts for 64% of Slovenia gross domestic product and manufacturing and mining are key economic sectors (CultureGrams). T he majorities of companies in Slovakia are state control which leads to a lot of inefficiencies. Tourism in the Czech Republic is a booming industry. The Czech Republic is the best selection among the different Eastern European nations. This country has a diversified industry segment which includes glass, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and armaments (CultureGrams). The use of virtual teams can help companies achieve better business results. The target country the company selected is the Czech Republic. Since the company does not have any experience in the Czech Republic marketplace the firm should contract a consultant to help them in the process of selecting the virtual team. A local firm that specializes in human resources would be very helpful to access the local talent for the virtual team. The team is going to be composed of 8 people. The company is going to include two managers from its corporate headquarters. The remaining six members will be selected amo ng the local population. Each member will have different academic backgrounds. The six professionals the company will select for the virtual team include an engineer, accountant, marketing specialist, researcher, lawyer, and a scientist. The virtual team will work together to analyze the best business opportunities available in the Czech Republic. The goal of the firm is to achieve market growth by expanding into other markets. The virtual team will utilize multiple technological tools and devices to communicate with each other. The online service Skype will be used as the primary communication tool for team meetings. Skype allows people to communicate while at the same time seeing a video stream of the person. All team members will have smartphones. A smartphone such as an Iphone enables its users to transfer data files from phone to phone. One of the cultural differences between the United States and the Czech Republic is the fact that in the United States the official language is English and the Czech Republic the official language is Slavic. It is important for the American members of the virtual team to understand the customs and traditions of the Czech Republic. For instance in the Czech Republic it is customary go greet a person by shaking hands firmly and saying their last names. In the virtual setting the managers must remember to use the last names of the person. First names are only used among relatives and family members. Another sign of respect in the workplace is addressing both men and women by their professional title. The probability of success of the team depends on a lot of factors. One of the most important aspects of the virtual team project is to have excellent communications among the team

White paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

White paper - Essay Example The idea here is to gain acceptance and thus every sentence ought to be written with this in mind and carefully. Green infrastructure is now becoming the key and big thing for the achievement of a green world. It turns the concentration of attention to enhancing the management of the spaces and areas between the buildings as contemporary economies put great efforts to develop their performance at everything environmental. This project was draw out of this realization and will endeavor to develop the plan and strategy for the Green Infrastructure Development in West Bronx, 3rd Avenue Commercial Corridor. With rapid rate of urbanization and environmental degradation, going for the green infrastructure is the only option to balance between the two and ensure that none overdoes the other. There is a need to demand and formulate higher and more vigorous mechanisms of ecosystem function. There is need for deeper understanding the vital patterns and significant processes of healthy ecosystems and how this can be utilized to go beyond a fairly passive conservation approach to form a more resilient and regenerative systems of green urban infrastructure. Conserving the environment results to the benefits to the society both economically and socially.

Baroque Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Baroque Art - Essay Example Whereas it is sometimes the case that a sculpture or is also skilled with the use of oil and canvas, this was especially true with regards to Geon Lorenzo Bernini. Tying in with the discussion and analysis of the means by which many of the Baroque artists were sponsored and promoted by the Catholic Church, Bernini is an especially good example of this. Rising rapidly among the ranks of the many artists of the time, Bernini soon attracted the attention of the papacy who commissioned him to perform several works of art. Blown away by his skill and prowess, both on canvas and with marble, Bernini became something of an artist of court for several successive popes. With such a notion in mind, it is easier to analyze the implied meaning and means by which bring me the expressed strong overt and subliminal religious tones within â€Å"The Ecstasy of St. Theresa† (Wilkin 31). Many scholars have considered this particular sculpture to be the beginning of high Roman Baroque art. In eff ect, even the casual observer can note the means by which the sculpture approach rates how the divine is interacting with the earthly via a theatrical mechanism. This in truth and into the affairs of men create something of a sensual, some even say orgasmic, juxtaposition of both the divine and human. However, rather than understanding the sculpture in too much of a temporal mindset, it was doubtless Bernini’s intention to express the pure joy and bliss that mankind could achieve when in communion with the divine. Although thematic elements between Bernini and Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, represented within his artwork entitled â€Å"The Crucifixion of St. Peter†, are quite disparate, the reality of the matter is that the ideas represented and discussed are both highly spiritual in nature. At first glance, the reader can note the fact that a painstakingly detailed and imaginative oil painting of the crucifixion of St. Peter is displayed. Beyond the fact that St. Peter is obviously the only face within the portrait that can be seen, beyond the fact that St. Peter’s body, although supposedly aged at the time it is crucifixion, is unbelievably toned muscular, the viewer is also illustrated with the subliminal understanding that the weight of this crucifixion, both physical and mental, ways most heavily upon the perpetrators. As can be noted from an examination of the painting, it requires three strong young men to carry the body of an agent St. Peter to his final crucifixion (Marcussen 75). Each and every one of them are weighed down event under the heft of both

Developing self developing others Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Developing self developing others - Essay Example His performance got evaluated from his role play and he expedited his job in an organized manner. He expressed strong proficiency in preparation and organization. His time management and placement of tasks in a sequential way also showed strong planning skills he possesses. John also demonstrated that he is a strategic visional thinker when he scheduled tasks according to their complexity and put in place possible solutions for probable future challenges. He also demonstrated efficient time management skills, by planning tasks in a written schedule for prompt completion. John’s prowess in relationship management was effortlessly reinforced by his outgoing nature. To other team members, he was extremely welcoming and warmed up to every member of the group. His score in management of association was (insert score). In his interaction with the group members, he applied body language and was supportive of other group members through affirmative exploits such as nodding. He was very easy-to-read in verbal communication and in body language. His management of relationships was easy to determine as he was tactful and promoted open discourses among members. When disagreeing with opinions of others, he did it tactfully and avoided condescending utterances. His handling of dissenting opinions acted as motivations to other group members and therefore stood out as a good relationship

The role animals play in our lives Research Proposal

The role animals play in our lives - Research Proposal Example Animals as pets are our companions and friends, in terms of forensics, they are employed for searching crime and criminal or law breaking activities and in terms of their presence in the forests in our environment, they add beauty in our lives and our environment. Overall, it can be said that animals and human beings are attached to each other in a bondage that is beneficial for both of the members. In this paper, there is discussion of animal and human bondage to a detailed extent; afterwards the role of animals as pet animals is accessed and lastly, the role of animals in crime detection and solution is accessed. At the end, the topic is concluded. This paper analyzes the role of animals in our lives in a manner that is comprehensible and understandable. Woodward and Bauer (2007) inform in their article, â€Å"People and Their Pets: A Relational Perspective on Interpersonal Complementarity and Attachment in Companion Animal Owners† that â€Å"the roots of the human-animal bond date to very early history and likely have their origins in food acquisition† (172). Humans are attached to animals in a bondage that is very close and long lasting. From the advent of humanity on earth, there has been linkage between human beings and animals (Woodward and Bauer, 2007). Animals are not only kept as pets but they are employed for a lot of purposes. They feed us by their meat and milk. They live with us as our partners and friends. They try to solve our problems of loneliness and solitude. They try to sooth our pains. They make us happy. They help us towards resolution of problems. They love us and care for us and they give us merriment with their innocent activities and performances. The importance of animals in our lives cannot be neglected, as they are our partners in leading lives. Human and animal bond cannot be seen as a bond between a pet and his/her owner but every link that is developed between animals and human beings. The animals can be pets as well as

Conductivity vs Molarity Essay Example for Free

Conductivity vs Molarity Essay Introduction: Athetles consume Gatorade to replenish the electrolytes lost through sweat. Since Gatorade has a high concentration of solutes such as electrolytes it allows for the nervous system to respond faster to changes in the body. â€Å"Electroyltes are molecules that can dissociate into ions and conduct electrical currents† (EduChange 2002). These molecules, can move freely, once dissociated into ions allowing for there to be a electrical current. Because elcetroyltes can not conduct electrical currents in there solid form they are put in a solution to dissociate. The purpose of Lab 32 was to determine the effect that the concentration of a solue has on the conductivity of an electrolytic solution. If NaCl is added to water to create an electrolytic solution then it will create a stronger electrical current than distilled water because NaCl is a strong electrolyte that can conduct electricity well due to its ability to dissociate into ions. Materials and Methods: In order to test for the effect that the concentration of a solute has on the conductivity of an electrolytic solution. Four beakers were filled with 100 ml of distilled water. A conductivity tester was then put into the first beaker of water to test for the conductivity of the control. 20 grams of salt was then weighed on a scale, 2g of salt was placed in 1 beaker to create a . 346 molar solution. 5g in the next to create a . 865 molar solution and 10g on salt was placed in the last beaker to create a 1. 73 molar solution. The solutes were stirred until they were completely dissolved in the water. The conductivity tester was again used, and placed into the 3 beakers to test for the conductivity. For each beaker the conductivity was recored. After the data was recored the materials were put away and post – lab questions were answered. Trends: For both trials there was a sharp increase in conductivity from the control to beaker 3 (filled with 5g of NaCl). But the level of conductivity in all the beakers never exceded a conductivity of 10. Discussion: The purpose of the lab was in fact met. As expecteted the beaker that had 10g of salt had a higher conductivity than the control. There was a direct relationship between concentraion and conductivity and the intial hypothesis was supported, as seen in Graph 32. . For example a solution with . 346 molarity had a conductivity of 7. Therefore as concentration increased so did conductivity. However a solution with a molarity of . 865 had the same conductivity of a solution with a molarity with 1. 73, because NaCl doesn’t have the sea of electrons that metals do. There were inherent errors in the lab. Since the placement of the conductivity tester was not always placed in the same depth of each solution the data may be inclaclusive. Different conductivity levels could have been retrived at different depths in the solutions. Also the size of the beaker would come into factor because the size determines the depth. When approcaching the lab again all the same size beakers and equipment should be used. This would allow for the the conductivity to be the tested in the same depth for more accurate results. This lab clearly shows how a higher concentration of solutes in a solution, can and will increase the electrical current with in the body.

Leadership Essay Example for Free

Leadership Essay Vice Principal Mr. Leonard Curry entered the main staffing office of the Academy and ordered a young teacher to get out into her class. Her quiet gentle response was, ‘I do not have a class now, sir.† â€Å"What!’ was his rebuttal insisting that the schedule had been changed and it was her period to be teaching a 10th grader’s Biology class. She replied by asking if it were ethical for her to be informed in such a manner pointing out that   a memo is the acceptable mode of transmitting such changes. This was followed by a gentle explanation she wanted to perform her duties without conflict. Further he said that it was her responsibility to check out changes on the teacher’s assignment notice board from time to time. She reiterated that that was an unconstitutional approach since it was not stated like that in the bylaws of the school. They continued to argue with the principal threatening her with suspension for insubordination had she not complied. A disciplinary report was eventually filed for insubordination and disobeying the rule of law. Impact on credibility—Principal-Mr.Cury displayed a tendency towards an autocratic leadership style. Once how to address the issue was lawful inscribed in the bylaws stipulating a particular way to inform about staffing changes it had to be adhered to. It would appear that the young teacher reminding him of it antagonized the situation. This is a challenge to his credibility. Communication-It is clear that there was a change of command in terms of communication. The principal seemed to have erred. His reaction is to blame the young teacher for his mistake by imposing a penalty on her for his mistake. This is often a management strategic adopted in a autocratic culture. Power of influence—in this situation the power of influence lay in the position or status of principal. The principal used it to make himself look respectable while casting blame onto unsuspecting immature teacher.

Learning styles in language learning

Learning styles in language learning Chapter 2 Literature Review In this chapter, the author briefly reviewed the literature related to this study. notion of learning styles including definition of the key terms, categories of learning styles, and Oxfords theory on language learning styles were first reviewed. Then the author examined the gender and foreign language learning theories related to learning styles. Finally, the author reviewed previous studies that have been made on the relationship between learning styles and second or foreign language learning both abroad and home. 2.1 Theories Related to Learning Styles This section includes definitions of different terms of learning styles, categories of learning styles and Oxfords theory of language learning styles. 2.1.1 Different Terms Regarding Learning Styles The definitions of styles and learning styles are first reviewed, and then cognitive styles and learning styles are differentiated in this part. 2.1.1.1 Definitions of Styles and Learning Styles Styles Before reviewing the literature of learning styles, it is necessary to know the definition of styles. The concept of styles was first put forward by cognitive psychologists. Brown (2002: 104) defines style as a term that refers to consistent and rather enduring tendencies or preferences within an individual. Therefore, styles are those general characteristics of intellectual functioning (and personality type, as well) that especially pertain to one as an individual, that differentiate one from someone else. Learning Styles Regarding studies of learning styles, the most serious problem is the confusion of its definitions. In the past two decades, the learning styles has been used in various and sometimes confusing ways in the literature. It is very common to hear different opinions on its definitions based on different findings in this comparatively new research field of learning styles, for each study defines it from particular perspectives. However, there is not an agree-upon definition of learning styles. Learning styles can be defined in the following ways. Keefe (1979, cited in Brown, 2002:10) defines learning styles as the characteristic cognitive, affective and physiological behaviors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how learners perceive, interact with and respond to the learning environment.Dunn et al. (1978:11) defines learning styles as the way in which each person absorbs and retains information and/or skills; regardless of how that process is described, it is dramatically different for each person. Sims Sims (1990, cited in Reid, 2002) put forward that learning styles are typical ways a person behaves, feels, and processes information in learning situations. Therefore, learning style is demonstrated in that pattern of behavior and performance by which an individual approaches educational experience. Oxford et al. (1991) briefly defines the learning style as the general approaches students used to learn a new subject or tackle a new problem. Claxton and Murrell (1987, cited in Eliason, 2002: 19-20) use an onion metaphor in which the layers of the onion represent layers of learning styles: basic personality characteristics form the core; information-processing characteristics form the second layer; social interaction characteristics form a third layer; instructional preferences form the fourth and outermost layer. Claxton and Murrell postulate that the core of the onion represents the most stable characteristics, with each successive layer being progressively more amenable to change. Tan Dingliang (1995: 12) defines learning styles as: the way that a learner often adopts in the learning process, which includes the learning strategies that have been stabilized within a learner, the preference of some teaching stimuli and learning tendency. Reid (1995) summarizes definitions of learning styles as internally based characteristics of individuals for the intake or understanding of new information. Essentially learning styles are based upon how a person perceives and processes information to facilitate learning. Among these definitions, Kinsella definition of learning styles is widely accepted (Reid, 2002). Kinsella (1994, cited in Reid, 2002) concludes that learning style is an individuals natural, habitual, and preferred way(s) of absorbing, processing, and retaining new information and skills which persist regardless of teaching methods or content area. Kinsella also emphasizes that everyone has a learning style, but each persons is as unique as a signature. Each signature appears to be influenced by both nature and nurture; it is a biological and developmental set of characteristics. (1994, cited in Reid, 2002: 171) 2.1.1.2 Cognitive Styles and Learning Styles The second problem about the study on learning styles is the confusion of the meanings of the terms of learning styles and cognitive styles as they are often used interchangeably in research. The clarification of the two terms will be helpful to better understand learning styles. Messicks (1984) definition of cognitive styles has been widely cited. He defines cognitive styles as consistent individual differences in preferred ways of organizing and processing information and experience. Cognitive styles are characteristic self-consistent mode of functioning which individual shows in their perceptual and intellectual activities (Stern, ! 983: 373). According to Tan Dingliang (1995) and Kang Shumin (2003), cognitive styles mainly refer to the ways of information processing, that is, individuals typical ways of processing perception, memory and thinking. Brown (2002: 104) suggests that the way we learn things in general and the particular attack we make on a problem seem to hinge on a rather amorphous link between personality and cognition; this link is referred to as cognitive style. According to Brown (2002), when cognitive styles are specially related to an educational context, where affective and physiological factors are intermingled, they are usually more generally referred to as learning styles. Thus from this perspective, learning styles are regarded as a subset of cognitive styles. Meanwhile, cognitive styles can sometimes be seen as a subset of learning styles. Keefe (1986) reports that learning styles include not only cognitive processes, but also integrate affective and physiological behaviors that assist learners to perceive, interact with, and respond to the learning environment. Renzulli David Yun Dai (2001) differentiate the two terms in detail: cognitive styles are mainly concerned in psychological domain, while learning styles are mainly proposed by researchers of educational field; researchers of cognitive styles adopt a more positive approach, whereas researchers of learning styles focus on a more phenomenological perspective. Regarding the methodology, performance-based measure is usually used by cognitive styles researchers, while self-report is the measure that learning styles researchers primarily use. 2.1.2 Categories of Learning Styles Confusion also exists in the literature on categories of learning styles for many same or similar factors researched under the same name. Reid (1995) divides learning-style research into three major categories: cognitive styles, sensory learning styles, and personality learning styles. 2.1.2.1 Cognitive Learning Styles Cognitive learning styles which include field-independent/field-dependent, analytic/global, reflective/impulsive learning styles, and Kolb experiential learning model, belong to the aspects of psychology. Among them researches on field -independent/field-dependent (FI/FD) attract the most attention of SLA domain (Ellis, 1994). According to Reid (1995), field-independent learners learn more effectively step by step, or sequentially, beginning with analyzing facts and proceeding to ideas. They see the trees instead of the forest; whereas field-dependent (field-sensitive) learners learn more effectively in contexts, holistically, intuitively, and are especially sensitive to human relationships and interactions. They see the forest instead of the trees. Chapelle (1995) explains that FI/FD refers to how people perceive and memorize information. Reid (1995) defines that analytic learners learn more effectively individually; prefer setting own goals, and respond to a sequential, linear, step-by-step presentation of materials; whereas global (relational) learners learn more effectively through concrete experience, and by interactions with others. According to Reid (1995), if learners can learn more effectively given time to consider options before responding, they are reflective learners; and they are often more accurate language learners; whereas if learners can learn more effectively being able to respond immediately and to take risks, they are impulsive learners; and they are often more fluent language learners. Kolb (1984) categorizes his experiential learning model of perception (concrete experiences and abstract conceptualization) and process (reflective observation and active experimentation) into four learner types which are converger, diverger, assimilator, and accommodator. Converger (common sense learner) learns more effectively when she or he is able to perceive abstractly and to process actively. Diverger (innovative learner) learns more effectively when she or he is able to perceive concretely and to process reflectively. Assimilator (analytic learner) learns more effectively when she or he is able to perceive abstractly and to process reflectively. Accommodator (dynamic learner) learns more effectively when she or he is able to perceive concretely and to process actively. 2.1.2.2 Sensory Learning Styles According to Reid (1995), sensory learning styles include two dimensions: Perceptual learning styles and environmental learning styles. Perceptual learning styles contain four types of learning styles which are auditory, visual, tactile and kinesthetic styles. Auditory learners learn more effectively through the ears; visual learners learn more effectively through the eyes (seeing); tactile learners learn more effectively through touch (hands-on); kinesthetic learners learn more effective through concrete complete body experiences (whole-body movement). Physical and sociological styles belong to the environmental learning styles. Physical learners learn more effectively when such variables as temperature, sound, light, food, mobility, time, and classroom/study arrangement are considered. Sociological learners learn more effectively when such variables as group, individual, pair and team work, or levels of teacher authority are considered. 2.1.2.3 Affective/Temperament Learning Styles Learning styles of this type are based on affect, personality, tolerance of ambiguity and brain hemisphere. Myer and Briggs (1987, cited in Reid, 1995) report that affective and personality factors influence learners learning styles a great deal. Mayer-Briggs team tested four dichotomous styles of functioning in their Mayer and Briggs Temperament Styles (MBTI) which include extraversion-introversion, sensing-perception, thinking-feeling, and judging-perceiving. According to Reid (1995), extroverted and introverted styles belong to extraversion-introversion. Extroverted learner learns more effectively through concrete experience, contract with the outside world, and relationships with others; whereas introverted learner learns more effectively in individual, independent situations that are more involved with ideas and concepts. Sensing-perception contains sensing and perception styles. Sensing learner learns more effectively from reports of observable facts and happenings; prefers phy sical, sense-based input. Conversely, perception learner learns more effectively from meaningful experiences and from relationships with others. In thinking-feeling styles, thinking learner learns more effectively from impersonal circumstances and logical consequence; whereas feeling learner learns more effectively from personalized circumstances and social values. And in judging-perceiving styles, judging learner learns more effectively by reflection, and analysis, and processes that involve closure; conversely, perceiving learner learns more effectively through negotiation, feeling, and inductive processes that postpone closure. Reid (1995) suggests that tolerance of ambiguity styles also belong to the affective/temperament learning styles. Ambiguity-tolerant learner learns more effectively when opportunities for experiment and risk, as well as interaction, are present; whereas ambiguity-intolerant learners learns more effectively when in less flexible, less risky, more structured situations. Reid (1995) also claims that whether the learner is left-brained or right-brained will influence learners learning styles. Left-brained learners tend toward visual, analytic, reflective, self-reliant learning; conversely, right-brained learners tend toward auditory, global/relational, impulsive, interactive learning. 2.1.3 Oxfords Language Learning Styles Theory Oxford and Burry-stock (1995) put forward the most significant styles for ESL/EFL learning which include global/analytic, field-independent/field-dependent, feeling/thinking, impulsive/reflective, intuitive-random/concrete-sequential, closure-oriented/open, extroverted/introverted, and visual/auditory/hands-on styles. They suggest that each style preference offers significant benefits for learning and that the important thing for learners is to identify the style preferences and to apply them whenever possible. Oxford (1991, cited in Kang Shumin, 2003) groups all the above learning styles into three categories: sensory learning styles (visual, auditory, and hands-on), cognitive learning styles (intuitive-random and concrete-sequential, closure-oriented/open and global/analytic), and personality learning styles (extroverted and introverted). 2.1.3.1 Sensory Learning Styles Visual styles Visual students enjoy reading and they prefer material in a classroom environment to be presented in a visual format such as books, board work, and handouts. Auditory styles Auditory students enjoy lectures, conversations and oral directions. They prefer material in a classroom environment that is presented as auditory input such as radio, oral instruction, oral communication and audiotape. Hands-on styles Hands-on students like lots of movement and enjoy working with collages, flashcards, and tangible objects. They prefer to be physically involved with tasks, tending to prefer activities such as Total physical Response (TPR) and role-play. Oxford et al (1992) find that sensory preferences (visual, auditory, and hands-on) are very important in the multicultural ESL/EFL classroom. Reid (1987) also argues that ESL/EFL students from different cultures vary significantly in their sensory preferences. Those with Asian cultural backgrounds, for instance, are often highly visual, while Hispanics tend to be auditory. Students from non-Western cultures where hands-on experiences are valued often prefer a corresponding learning style. 2.1.3.2 Cognitive Learning Styles Intuitive-random/concrete-sequential styles Intuitive-random ESL/EFL students prefer to develop a mental picture of the second language in an abstract, random manner in search of the underlying language system. In the absence of comprehensive knowledge of the target language, intuitive-random style learners typically employ speculative and predictive strategies. Concrete-sequential ESL/EFL students prefer rigidly performed, strictly planned and adhered to sequential classes. They like language learning materials and techniques that involve combinations of sound, movement, sight, and touch, and that can be applied in a concrete, sequential, linear manner. Closure-Oriented/Open-oriented styles Closure-oriented ESL/EFL students perform more effectively if presented with structured activities and more time. Typically, they favor carefully planned and completed tasks, as opposed to ambiguity and uncertainty in a classroom environment. Open-oriented ESL/EFL students favor a more open and flexible schedule, demonstrating a high degree of tolerance towards ambiguity in the classroom. Typically, they approach a language assignment or a class activity as though it were an entertaining game, and they do not worry about not comprehending everything, and do no feel the need to come to rapid conclusions about the topic. Global/Analytic Styles The global style ESL/EFL students typically employ a holistic view early in the learning process, into which they fit more detailed information as learning progresses. They typically look at several aspects of the topic at the same time, constantly making corrections between the theoretical aspects and practical applications as they learn, and make substantial use of analogies. Moreover this type of learner employs holistic strategies to solve problems including guessing and paraphrasing, favoring a search for the general idea rather than for accuracy. Ellis (1989) argues that global learners prefer experiential learning and learning through communication. The analytic style ESL/EFL students have no trouble picking out significant details from a welter of background items. They typically focus their attention more narrowly on pieces of information, how in the hierarchical structure, preferring detail rather than the overall picture. They are orientated towards rules tending to focus on step-by-step presentation of material. Typically, theoretical and practical aspects are learned separately. Moreover, this type of learner employs language strategies that favor exact wording rather than guessing or paraphrasing-in their aim of achieving accuracy. Ellis (1989) suggests that analytic learners prefer formal, individual learning in a classroom environment. 2.1.3.3 Personality Learning Styles Extroversion/Introversion The dimension of styles particularly influences classroom management, especially grouping of students. Extroverted students perform most productively in a group environment, enjoying activities that involve other students, such as role-play, conversation and other interaction favoring social goals as opposed to impersonal rewards. Conversely, introverted students are stimulated most by their own inner world of ideas and feelings. They like working alone or else in a pair with someone they know well. They dislike lots of continuous group work in the ESL/EFL classroom. This contrast is somewhat similar to the categories of group/individual style made by Reid (1987). 2.2 Gender Differences in Language Learning Styles Many investigations show that males and females learn differently. Where do the gender differences come from? Several sources can be postulated for gender differences in language learning styles. Among these are brain hemisphericity and socialization. 2.2.1 Gender Differences in Brain Hemisphericity According to Oxford (2002), brain hemisphericity or lateralization (right, left and integrated) is a feature of many learning style surveys. Research on the two cerebral hemispheres indicates that each hemisphere may be responsible for a particular mode of thinking. The left hemisphere is associated with logical, analytical thought, with mathematical and linear processing of information. The right hemisphere perceives and remembers visual, tactile and auditory images and it is more efficient in processing holistic, integrative and emotional information (Brown, 1994). Each hemisphere deals with language differently. According to Willing (1988, cited in Oxford, 2002), right-hemisphere-dominant individualsthose whose right side of the brain typically dominates their thinking processestend to be more field dependent (less able to separate the details from a confusing background), global, and emotion-oriented. Willing (1988) and Leaver (1986) (cited in Oxford, 2002) claim that left-hemisp here-dominant peoplethose whose dominant brain hemisphere is the leftare more field-independent, analytic, and logical-oriented. Some researchers such as Spring Deutsch (1989) and Elias (1992) (cited in Oxford, 2002) find several sources of gender differences in brain dominance: In men, the left hemisphere might be more lateralized (specialized) for verbal activity and the right hemisphere may be more lateralized for abstract or spatial processing. Women might use both the left and the right hemispheres for both verbal and spatial activity, thus showing more integrated brain functioning and less hemispheric differentiation. In women as compared to men, part of the corpus callosum (the bundle of brain fibers linking the left and right hemispheres) is bigger in relation to overall brain weight, allowing more information to be exchanged between the two hemispheres. Based on such research findings, Oxford (2002) postulates that males might usually process language learning information more readily through the left-hemispheric, analytic mode, but females might more often process language learning data through an integration of left-and right-hemispheric modes. However, other researchers (e.g., Fausto-Sterling, 1985, cited in Oxford, 2002) oppose the idea that brain hemispheres are more integrated in females than in males or that brain hemispheric differences can make a significant difference. The prevailing opinion seems to be that there are indeed gender differences in brain hemisphericity that deserve consideration and further exploration. And our understanding of language learning stylefor both ESL and foreign languageswould benefit if these differences were explored. (Oxford, 2002) 2.2.2 Gender Differences in Socialization According to Tan (1995), the difference between males and females is a result of both nature and nurture. The explanation of gender differences that ignore sociological factors is incomplete. Oxford (2002) claims that socialization which is the way we bring up our young and integrate them into society through a vast network of social roles might also be a great influence on gender differences in language learning styles. Through gender socialization, different behaviors and attitudes are encouraged and discouraged in men and women. Parents respond differently to boy babies and girl babies from the first hour of life, and after that teach their children sex-appropriate behaviors (Bern, 1974, cited in Oxford, 2002). Socialization process takes place not only within family, but also within school. School exercises much influence on the creation of gendered attitudes and behaviors. In school, teachers support the previous socialization patterns, paying more attention to aggressive, disru ptive boys than to girls with identical behavior, and responding to passive and dependent girlsalthough teachers prefer the behavior of girls (Serbin OLeary, 1975, cited in Oxford, 2002). In school, curriculum materials, teachers expectations, educational tracking, and peer relations encourage girls and boys to learn gender-related skills and self-concepts. 2.3 Relationship between Learning Styles and Foreign Language Learning Ellis (1994) points out that all learners analyze input and store information about the L2 in much the same way. However, he also admits that it is true that learners vary enormously in both the way they set about leaning an L2 and also in what they actually succeed in learning. Therefore, he regards the study of individual learner differences (IDs) as an important area of work in second language acquisition (SLA) research. He (1994:473) sets up a basic framework for investigating individual learner differences to guide the examinations of IDs. 2.3.1 Framework for Investigating Individual Learner Differences In his framework for investigating individual learner differences, Ellis (1994: 473) identifies three sets of interrelating variables (see Figure 2.1). The first set consists of IDs, which are of three main types: beliefs about language learning, affective states and general factors. General factors include age, language aptitude, learning style, motivation and personality. The second set of variables consists of the different strategies that a learner employs to learn and use the L2. The learner strategies encompass learning strategies and use strategies. The third set concerns language learning outcomes which can be considered in terms of overall L2 proficiency, achievement with regard to L2 performance on a particular task, and rate of acquisition. The inner part of the triangle is learning processes and mechanisms, so positioned for they are largely hidden. These three sets of variables are interrelated. ID research until now has concentrated on investigating the effects of different ID variables on learner proficiency, achievement, or rate of progress, measured in terms of performance on some kind of language test (Ellis, 1994). The general factors constitute major areas of influences on learning and can be ranged along a continuum according to how mutable they are (Ellis, 1994: 472). According to Liu Runqing (1995) and Ellis (1994) the main general factors that have received the most attention in SLA research are age, language aptitude, learning style, motivation and personality. Learners beliefs and affective states are likely to have a direct effect on L2 learning, but they themselves may be influenced by a number of general factors relating to learners ability and desire to learn and the way they choose to go about learning (Ellis, 1994). Individual learner differences-beliefs about language learning-affective states -general factors Learning processes N and mechanisms(2)(3) Learner strategies , Language learning outcomes-on proficiency-on achievement-on rate of acquisition 2.3.2 The Role of Learning Styles in Foreign Language Learning Reid (1995) provides some fundamentals of learning styles. She claims that learning styles in the ESL/EFL classrooms is based on six hypotheses: (1) Every person, students and teachers alike, has a learning style and learning strengths and weaknesses; (2) Learning styles are often described as opposite, but actually they exist on wide continuum; (3) Learning styles are value-neutral; that is, no one style is better than others (but it is true that there are students with some learning styles work better than those with some other learning styles); (4) Students must be encouraged to stretch their learning styles so that they will be more empowered in a variety of learning situations; (5) Students strategies are often linked to their learning styles; (6) Teachers should allow their students to become aware of their learning strengths and weaknesses. McCarthy (1980) claims that the learning styles theory impacts education in the following three aspects: instruction, curriculum and assessment. (1) InstructionTeachers should design their instruction methods to connect with students learning styles, using various combinations of experience, reflection, conceptualization, and experimentation. Instructors can introduce a wide variety of experiential elements into the classroom, such as sound, music, visuals, movement, experience, and even talking. (2) CurriculumEducators must place emphasis on intuition, feeling, sensing, and imagination, in addition to the traditional skills of analysis, reason, and sequential problem solving. (3) AssessmentTeachers should employ a variety of assessment techniques, focusing on the development of whole brain capacity and each of the different learning styles. Ellis (1994) concludes that learners clearly differ enormously in their preferred approach to L2 learning, but it is impossible to say which learning style works best. And quite possibly it is learners who display flexibility who are most successful, but there is no real evidence yet for such a conclusion. 2.4 Previous Researches on Learning Styles and Foreign Language Learning Abroad and Home 2.4.1 Previous Researches Done in the West When learning styles were initially introduced, the distinction between field independence (FI) and field dependence (FD) has attracted the most attention in SLA research (Ellis, 1994). The results of many studies show that people tend to be dominant in one mode of Fl/FD or the other. According to Ellis (1989), both FI/FD learners can gain language success in SLA and the embedded-figures tests have little or no relationships with the language achievement. Brown (2002) provides an explanation that FI may be important to both classroom learning and performance on paper-and-pencil tests and he believes that FI/FD is considered to be contextualized and variable within one person. In other words, the utilization of FI or FD of individual learners depends on the context of learning. Nevertheless, no evidence has been found to prove such consideration. Meanwhile, many researchers study individual learning style preferences from other dimensions. The following are some of the most representative ones. Dunn (1975, cited in Tan Dingliang, 1995: 19-20) develops the Learning Style Inventory. The learning style elements identified in the SLI are: 1) Environmental stimulus which includes the individual learners preference toward a quiet or noisy environment, a formal or casual seating design, and the preference of light and temperature. 2) Emotional stimulus. This domain mainly concerns whether individual learner possesses a high degree of motivation, persistence and responsibility as well as whether he prefers highly structured learning materials. 3) Sociological stimulus. This category contains factors such as whether individual learner prefers to study as a member of a team and whether he depends on authority to confirm his judgment and whether he likes to study in routines. 4) Physiological stimulus. This sort contains the perceptual preferences of individual learner, i.e., his tendency to auditory, visual, tactile or kinesthetic patterns and his mobility while learning and his tend ency to the time of learning such as morning and afternoon. According to Kinsella (1994, cited in Reid, 2002), Dunn and Dunn add the psychological stimulus in 1979. This category contains the individual learners preference toward right or left hemisphere learning style which includes factors such as analytical/global, reflective/impulsive learning styles, etc. The Dunns model is very important for it representing the complexity of variables which potentially influence students distinct approaches to learning comprehensively. Many researchers developed their studies based on Dunns model. Reid (1987) classifies learners into six different types in accordance of their style differences, namely, visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, group and individual types. Based on her own theory, Reid conducts a study in 1987 to investigate the preferred learning styles of students with different language backgrounds. The research reports that learners preferences often differ significantly from those of native speakers of US. They show a general preference for kinesthetic and tactile learning styles (with the exception of the Japanese), and they view group learning style as a negative one. Proficiency level is irrelevant to learning style preferences. However, no matter which background a learner comes from, the longer he stays in the US, the more his learning styles resemble the native speakers. Melton (1990) uses Reids Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire to examine the six learning styles of 331 Chines

George Berkeley Essay -- Irish philosopher philosophy

George Berkeley was an Irish philosopher. His philosophical beliefs were centered on one main belief, the belief that perception is the basis for existence. In doing so, he rejected the notion of a material world in favor of an immaterial world. Berkeley felt that all we really know about an object we learn from our perception of that object. He recognized that in the materialist’s view the real object is independent of any perceiver’s perception. The pen on my desk would exist, whether or not I was in the room to see it or have a sensory experience of it in some way. Berkeley rejected this idea. He realized that knowledge is limited to perception. In this realization, he postulated that everything we know we learned through some sort of sensory perception. He demonstrated that there was a veil of ignorance separating the materialist’s real object and the perceived object. For instance, if one could not ever perceive the pen, how could one ever know of its existence? He held that if an object is independent of one’s perception, then how could one know it to be real. He thought that you could not truly know something without first perceiving it in some way. It was an easy step from that ideology for him to adopt the phrase – Esse Est Percipi, which means, â€Å"To be is to be perceived.'; There is a crippling problem that arises in this mode of thinking that can best be demonstrated by the following limerick: There once was a young man, who sa...

William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury Essay -- Faulkner Sound Fury

William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury In William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury, the image of honeysuckle is used repeatedly to reflect Quentin’s preoccupation with Caddy’s sexuality. Throughout the Quentin section of Faulkner’s work, the image of honeysuckle arises in conjunction with the loss of Caddy’s virginity and Quentin’s anxiety over this loss. The particular construction of this image is unique and important to the work in that Quentin himself understands that the honeysuckle is a symbol for Caddy’s sexuality. The stream of consciousness technique, with its attempt at rendering the complex flow of human consciousness, is used by Faulkner to realistically show how symbols are imposed upon the mind when experiences and sense perceptions coalesce. Working with this modernist technique, Faulkner is able to examine the creation function of symbols in human consciousness. The occurrences of honeysuckle in the Quentin section suggest that Quentin came to view this plant as a symbol for Caddy’s sexuality involuntarily. When Quentin attempts to convince his father that he was the one who impregnated Caddy, he connects honeysuckle with his sister’s loss of virginity: â€Å"I fooled you all the time I was in the house where that damn honeysuckle trying not to think the swing the cedars the secret surges the breathing locked drinking the wild breath the yes Yes Yes yes† (94). In Quentin’s memory of the night Caddy lost her virginity, he recalls honeysuckle as a significant element of the event. In addition, he is hostile towards the plants and its meaning, which can be seen in his damning of it. This connection to the sexual act and the hostility, which is ascribed to it, suggests the internal conflict in his anger... ... of our deepest memories, rather they are active forces in our life, capable of controlling the mind of the individual. Works Cited Bauer, Margaret D. Southern Literary Journal. â€Å"`I Have Sinned in That I Have Betrayed the Innocent Blood': Quentin's Recognition of His Guilt.† 2000: 32.2 70-90. Bockting, Ineke. Style. â€Å"The impossible world of the `schizophrenic': William Faulkner's Quentin Compson.† 1990:24.3 484-498. Kartiganer, Donald M. â€Å"The Meaning of Form in The Sound and the Fury.† The Sound and the Fury. Ed. David Minter. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1994. 333. Vickery, Olga W. â€Å"The Sound and the Fury: A Study in Perspectives.† The Sound and the Fury. Ed. David Minter. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1994. 285. Zender, Karl F. American Literature. â€Å"Faulkner and the Politics of Incest.† 1998: 70.4 739-766.

Comparison Between Hinduism and Budhism

Comparison of Two types of Pagan Religion i. e. Hinduism and Buddhism South Asian people have a well-defined amalgam of Abrahamic and Pagan religions. Two of the Pagan religions of this region are well-known in this region because their birth place South Asia. These two religions are â€Å"Hinduism† and â€Å"Buddhism†. Hinduism refers to the principal and most ancient religious tradition of India: in it the lives of the believers are governed by the doctrines of â€Å"Dharma† or universal law, â€Å"Karma† or the cumulative effects of personal actions, and â€Å"Samsara† or the cycle of rebirth, liberation from which is the first goal of life; [similarly] Buddhism is a religion and philosophic system, founded in India in the 6th cent. By Buddha: it teaches the right thinking and self-denial will enable the soul to reach Nirvana, a divine state of release from misdirected desire† (â€Å"Dictionary definitions you can understand-†).Altho ugh the birth place of both religions is South Asia and thus they stem from a similar Philosophy and culture, as S. Radhakrishnan says â€Å"Buddhism, in its origin at least is an offshoot of Hinduism† (qtd. In  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Buddhism & Hinduism, Comparative Study of Buddhism & Hinduism, Compare Contrast Buddhism & Hinduism. â€Å"); yet there is also a prominent difference in the major ideational elements of Doctrine of both; which includes â€Å"Concept of God†, â€Å"Reincarnation† and â€Å"Caste system†. In each and every religion of the World, the word â€Å"God† generally refers to designate a supreme power, who is the ultimate creator of the entire universe.In Hinduism there is also such definition for God. â€Å"Neither the multitude of gods nor great sages know my origin, for I am the source of all the gods and great sages. A mortal who knows me as the unborn, beginning-less great lord of the world is freed from all delusion and all evilsâ⠂¬  (â€Å"Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2 – Verses 9 & 10. †). But the thorough study of Hinduism reveals it a polytheistic religion; indeed most of Hindus attest it by their worship of God. As they consider the many of living and non-living things to be divine and sacred.For example they consider the trees, the sun, the moon, the monkey, the snake and the human beings as manifestations of God. While in Buddhism, the designation of God is same as in Hinduism. As Gospel of Buddha says â€Å"There is, O monks, an unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, and unformed. Were there not, O monks, this unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, and unformed, there would be no escape from the world of the born, originated, created, formed. Since, O monks, there is an unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, and unformed, therefore is there an escape from the world of the born, originated, created, formed† (â€Å"The Gospel of Buddha†).But there appears difference in the belief in gods and godly manifestations of both religions; because in Buddhism there is no such entailment of godly figures in the original Buddhist doctrine, except in few sects. â€Å"Buddha was once asked by a disciple whether God exists. He refused to reply. When pressed, he said that if you are suffering from a stomach ache would you concentrate on relieving the pain or studying the prescription of the physician. â€Å"It is not my business or yours to find out whether there is God – our business is to remove the sufferings of the world† (â€Å"Concept of god in Buddhism†).Doctrine of Buddhism says that all these are the ways, by which people soothe themselves. â€Å"Gripped by fear, men go to the sacred mountains, sacred grooves, sacred trees and shrines† (â€Å"The Dhammapada 188†). But also Buddhists do not condemn the concept of gods and also they do not regard the believers of gods as sinners. Hinduism is considered as the complex mixture of religious philosoph ies and schools; but the soul of all this is â€Å"Reincarnation† i. e. the journey of the â€Å"soul† (atman) from one body to another body(cycle of birth and death).This cycle of birth and death (also known as â€Å"Samsara†) is summarized in the following verse of The Bhagavad Gita: â€Å"Just as a man discards worn out clothes and puts on new clothes, the soul discards worn out bodies and wears new ones. † (Chapter 2-Verse 22). As we profoundly glance over both the religions: â€Å"Buddhism shares some concepts of Reincarnation with Hinduism but on the major there appear differences. For example Theravada Buddhism emphasizes in the doctrine of â€Å"Anatta†, or no soul, which states there is no enduring entity that persists from one life to the next.While in Hinduism, â€Å"Karma† determines the circumstances of subsequent lives, so there is continuity between personalities but not persistence of identity. For this reason, Thervada Budd hist prefer the term â€Å"Rebirth† to â€Å"Reincarnation†. That is why in Buddhism, the law of â€Å"Karma† is viewed as naturalistic, akin to the laws of physics. Thus Buddhists do not consider the circumstances of â€Å"Rebirth† as rewards or punishment handed out by a controlling God, they simply regard it the natural result of various good and bad deeds.Thus contrary to the infinite cycle of â€Å"Reincarnation†: â€Å"Rebirth† inevitably involves suffering and ends when all carvings are lost and â€Å"Nirvana† is achieved† (â€Å"Does Hinduism Believe In Reincarnation. â€Å"). So Buddhists lead their lives in a way (negating the concept of infinite cycle of births and deaths), which leads them to their ultimate destination i. e. Nirvana Some of the teachings of every religion of the world provide the guidelines in order to secure the basic social rights of the people.But the there are some religion in which â€Å"Cast e system† has deprived the people from their basic social rights. â€Å"During the Buddha’s time â€Å"Brahmanism† was the predominant religion in India, in which all humans were divided into four castes i. e priests, warriors, traders and laborers. Later on this â€Å"Caste system† was absorbed into â€Å"Hinduism†, given religious legitimacy and sanction and has continued to function right up till the present. This has made the Social contact between each cast minimal and has provided the lower ones with the less opportunities, the less freedom and the less rights.Outside the caste system there are the outcast’s people, who are considered so impure that they are hardly counted as humans. On the other hand Buddha himself was born into the warrior caste, but he severely criticized the caste system. He ridiculed the priests’ claims to be superior, he criticized the theological basis of the system and he welcomed into the  Sangha  p eople of all castes, including outcasts. His most famous saying on the subject is: â€Å"Birth does not make one a priest or an outcaste. Behavior makes one either a priest or an outcaste†Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"Buddhist Studies: Caste System. â€Å").In summary to the religious beliefs, philosophies and social teachings; Buddhism provides an ultimate concept for an ultimate Power, similarly it gives the fascinating hope for ultimate destination â€Å"Nirvana† and also it maps a just society on the golden rules of equity. While Hinduism limits the ultimate concept of God to worldly figures, similarly the concept of â€Å"Reincarnation†, negates the ultimate destination; which indirectly, is the negation of God and also the caste system in it makes the life of its follower’s worldly punishment, because deprivation of basic social rights leads the people to inferiority complex. Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2 – Verses 9,10 &22†³Ã‚  Bamboo Wisdom. Web. 19 Oct. 2011.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Buddhism & Hinduism, Comparative Study of Buddhism & Hinduism,Compare Contrast Buddhism & Hinduism. †Ã‚  Buddhist Tourism,Travel Buddhist Sites,Buddhist Tourism in India, Japan, Tibet, China. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. http://www. buddhist-tourism. com/buddhism/religion/buddhism-hinduism. html â€Å"Buddhist Studies: Caste System. †Ã‚  BuddhaNet – Worldwide Buddhist Information and Education Network. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. . Does Hinduism Believe In Reincarnation? †Ã‚  Personal Development on a Deeper Level – Tyler Hardy. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. . â€Å"Reincarnation – World, Body, Life, History, Beliefs, Time, Person, Human, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shiite Muslims, Judaism and Christianity, Ancient Greece, West Africa. â€Å"Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. . â€Å"South Asia – Definition | WordIQ. com. †Ã‚  Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus – WordIQ Dictionary. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. â€Å"The Dhammap ada: Verses and Stories.   Tipitaka Network: Bringing Dhamma Studies to You. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. . â€Å"The Gospel of Buddha. †Ã‚  The Reluctant Messenger of Science and Religion: Science and the World's Religions Are Pieces to a Puzzle That Need Each Other to Form a Complete Picture. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. ;http://reluctant-messenger. com/gospel_buddha/chapter_20. htm;. â€Å" Concept of god in Buddhism-by Dr. Zakir Naik† Dictionary Definitions You Can Understand – YourDictionary. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. ;http://www. yourdictionary. com;. http://saif_w. tripod. com/interfaith/general/god/inbuddhism. htm