Oedipus the King by Sophocles

Karina Lazcano Oedipus the King by Sophocles English Literature Anderson Many will argue that fate cannot be escaped in Oedipus the King by Sophocles, where the main character is portrayed as a tragic hero with a predetermined fate. Both the concept of fate and freewill played an innate part in Oedipus' downfall. The play suggests that fate dominates over free will. Oedipus never had control of his fate; the day his mother gave birth to him, his parents attempted to kill him in order to prevent the prophecy. â€Å"True: it is not from me your fate will come.That lies within Apollo’s competence, as it is his concern† (75, 159-160). Oedipus fate was the God’s will that damned him since birth. Fate mastered free will when Oedipus’ pride overruns his arrogance and leads him to leave the parents he thought were his biological parents. Only to come that his arrogance drove him closer to his biological parents and doomed by the curse of Thebes. Consequently, Soph ocles points out that as much as free will takes place, life is predetermined. Oedipus tries his best to avoid the prophecy that Teiresias predicted; that he will murder his father and marry his mother.Oedipus tried to change his fate by moving away, in reality it only brought him closer to his crossroads fate. Jean de La Fontaine once said, â€Å"A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it. † Oedipus confronts his biological father in an intersection, then killing his father with his bare hands, just as the oracle that was told to him. Killing King Laios started a new problem; Thebes was now under a new plague that leads Oedipus the King to find the murderer of the King Laios. â€Å".. The Sphinx was performing here, What help were you to these people?†¦But I came by, Oedipus, the simple man, who knows nothing- I thought it out for myself, no birds helped me! †(75, 175-182) Pride and confidence led Oedipus, the King of Thebes to guide and pro tect his people but in reality Oedipus’ free will only created a path, for which prolonged the search of the murderer of Laios. Oedipus promises that â€Å"once more [he] must bring what is dark to light† (71, 134). Creating new problem that he will save the people from the plague by finding the murderer of King Laios, in which ironically he is trying to save from himself.According to Fosso, â€Å"thebe’s plague, and have lived on in happy albeit plague-ridden ignorance†¦. his happiness would simply be that of not knowing that he had fulfilled his horrible destiny†. Even though the plague was caused by Oedipus himself he finally figured out the truth about his birth, Iocaste also figured out before her suicide that fate itself was inevitable. Even though Laios, Iocaste, and Oedipus all tried to escape their fate, it was bound to be sooner or later. Iocaste told Oedipus she was positive his fate was not to become true, because she is skeptical of prop hecies.Since at first Iocaste thought that her son was dead, she sent for his death and her husband was killed by a group of thieves but she slowly uncovers the truth and tries to slowly tie Oedipus down for comfort. â€Å"Why should anyone in this world be afraid, since fates rules us and nothing can be foreseen? A man should live only for the present day. Have no more fear of sleeping with your mother: how many men, in dreams, have lain with their mothers! No reasonable man is troubled by such things† (84, 64-69). She becomes upset of Oedipus’ attempts to find out the truth about his birth.Iocaste plays two roles in the play, as a mother and as a spouse. When Iocaste realizes that the prophecy did come true, she tries to tell him that the future does not matter. At the end Oedipus does not take in mind her advice, it is brutal for her as she knows what will happen and kills herself. Teiresias also plays a big role in the play as he has Oedipus begging for the truth. â€Å"But I say that you, with both your eyes, are blind: You cannot see the wretchedness of your life, nor in whose house you live, no, nor with whom. Who are your father and mother? Can you tell me?You do not even know the blind wrongs that you have done them but the double lash of your parents’ curse will whip you out of this land someday, with only night upon your precious eye†(75, 196-205). Tiresias predicts that Oedipus will end up blind and out of Thebes . Oedipus denies almost all of it and disrespects him. But Teiresias himself knows his inevitable fate. The play shows that fate is unavoidable without regard of the things done to avoid it. When Iocaste and Oedipus himself try to avoid the truth, Iocaste finally realizes that her ex-husband Laios, and herself could not defy fate. Everything that I say is for your own good! †(86, 147) Iocaste then tries to become a mother figure for Oedipus and intends to steer him away from his promise to the people of Th ebes. King Oedipus used his power to help him find the truth, in which he was blinded himself from. Seeking the truth was Oedipus own free will, nobody else made the decision to seek the murderer of Thebes but himself. His arrogance did not allow him to question himself. In a nutshell, Oedipus feels a sense of remorse as he realizes all the pain he has cause for his family and himself. But the blinding hand was my own! How could I bear to see when all my sight was horror everywhere? † (90, 112-13) However, now that he is blind he can now â€Å"see† his madness. At this point we see all pride, all arrogance set aside as Oedipus confesses that his freewill worked hand in hand with his fate. Oedipus was ultimately controlled by fate and not free will. Oedipus lost his wife, he lost his eyesight, and he lost his children, and lost his crown. To a certain extent, we see Oedipus downfall, his pride and arrogance led to this discovery which resulted in him losing everything th at he had.Oedipus’ overall attempt of free will to raise his level of the gods and trying to avoid his own fate failed. Works Cited Dudley, Fitts, and Fitzgerland Robert. â€Å"Oedipus the King (. 430 B. C. ). † Trans. Array. Orlando, FL: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 1977. 67-93. Print. Apr. 2013 Fosso, Kurt. â€Å"Oedipus crux: reasonable doubt in Oedipus the King. † College Literature 39. 3 (2012): 26+. Literature Resource Center. Web. Apr. 2013. Jean de La Fontaine . â€Å"A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it. † Think exist. Web. Apr 2013.

Imposing Strict Punishment for Driving Offences

Two weeks back, my friends and I witnessed a car accident in front of our very own eyes. The night was still as there were not many cars on the road. However, the silence was disrupted by a loud screeching noise. The flow of conversation came to a halt as we turned our heads in unison towards the source of the noise. At that exact moment, we saw a black car crashed into a lamp post. The front of the car was severely damaged and minutes later, the bleeding driver could be seen limping out of the car. What we have just witnessed serves as proof that road accidents are becoming more and more rampant with every passing day. Some suggest imposing strict punishments for driving offences as a mean to reduce road accidents. In most situations, this holds true because punishments such as heavy penalty, community service and a prison sentence are able to change an offender’s behavior. Moreover, it deters the public from making traffic offences. Heavy penalty should be imposed on those who defy the road rules. For example, those who fail to obey the speed limit on Malaysian roads and expressways can be fined up to RM300, depending on the difference between the speed limit and the driven speed.Compare and Contrast Driving in the Winter and Driving in the Summer A heavier penalty of RM500 should be imposed on the road offenders to deter them from committing the offence again. Besides that, a stricter punishment in the form of a heavier penalty will act as a deterrent to potential road offenders. This method has been proven to be rather successful as a statistics have shown that the number of road accidents have reduced by 39% when a heavier penalty was imposed. If this continues, nobody will dare to go at high speed. After all, money is what motivates or deters people from doing or not doing something. Not only that, I believe that the community service is a good form of punishment especially for the younger offenders. Young being those who are aged between 17 to 35 years of age. In this form of punishment, offenders are forced to carry out between 40 to 300 hours of unpaid work as ‘Community Payback' which includes cleaning public areas such as the community halls, playgrounds and schools. They are also made to wear uniforms while carrying out their duties. Undoubtedly, they would be embarrassed as people would take notice of them and more so if it were their very own friends. They might even be mocked at or ridiculed by passers-by. However, the main aim of the community service is not to make a fool of these people but to bring about a change of attitude in them. By doing the community service, hopefully they are able to experience and appreciate the hardship that others face in maintaining the public areas even though the offence committed was not related to it. One way or another, this might just help them to be a better person. A prison sentence could also be seen as an effective method to reduce road accidents. However, this will take into account the severity of the road offence committed. If it involves the lost of an innocent life then a prison sentence should be compulsory. For instance, the punishment of a two year long imprisonment to those who commit a road offence such as driving under the influence (DUI). If there happens to be a lost of a life due to that person’s irresponsible act, then the prison sentence should be extended to four years. This might seem rather cruel to some but these offenders should think of the consequences before they decide to go behind the wheels while under the influence of certain substances such as alcohol and drugs. Life in prison would be a deterrent to the public in committing driving offences as it strips them of their freedom. Undeniably, the mere thought of losing one’s freedom is enough to send shivers down the spine. With that being said, we can conclude that most people will abide by the law if a sense of fear is instilled into them. Nevertheless, I am also of the opinion that other methods that are not punishment based could also reduce road accidents. For instance, tightening the rules on obtaining a driving license and holding campaigns on road safety in schools. Some may argue that the subtler methods do not work well with today’s society but I think that we should look into the core of the matter to find out where the problem lies. By doing so only then we are able to decide on the best solutions to overcome this ever growing problem. The subtler methods are effective in its own ways as it helps to instill the right mentality into teenagers’ and children’s minds from a young age. In other words, the law enforcers, police and government should find the best solution to this problem and it should incorporate both the elements of the harsh punishments and also the subtler methods.

Changing Tire Essay

Most people know how to change the tires of a car, it is a skill people should know in order to survive if a roadside flat tire occurs. Changing tires usually happens in a shop or when a roadside flat tire occurs, males are usually do a better job and know more about changing tires; however, there are females who changes tires but rarely. My dad had taught me how to change tires just in case a roadside flat tire occurs and it would be a good skill to know. When changing a tire, safety is the most important thing. The ground should be flat and stable when a tire is being change, the emergency brake should be on in case of sliding down the road. The right tools to use while changing the tire are very important, and if a mechanic is changing a tire for a job they usually wear something to get down on the ground and get dirty. In order to change a tire the first thing a person needs to do is to check the areas to see if it is a safe place to do so. Some people take the safety very serious, the vehicle could roll down the hill if the emergency break isn’t on or it would be bad to jack the car up when the ground is slanted. After checking the area, get out all the tools that are needed to change the tire. The tools that are usually needed are the jack, a wrench, and a spare tire. The jack is to use to lift the vehicle off of the ground so the tire can come off the vehicle. A wrench is to twist and loosen the lug nuts off of the tire and the new tire is to repair for the flat tire or the new one. Now that the area is checked and the tools are out it’s time for changing the tire. To change the tire, the vehicle needs to be lifted up with the jack. Place the jack under the frame near the tire that is needed to be change. Make sure that the jack is in contact with the metal portion of the car’s frame. After the jack is in the right place, start raising the jack up to where the tire is off the ground and make sure the jack is stabilized. After the tire is off of the ground, begin loosening up the lug nuts by using the wrench to twist. There are different sizes of wrench to fit different sizes of lug nuts. Find the correct size then loosen the lug nuts by turning it counterclockwise (left), don’t take the lug nuts all the way off, just break the resistance with the wrench first. The lug nuts take a lot of power to start loosen it up, after just loosen the lug nuts off it might be easier to use hands to twist it completely off. When all the lug nuts are off, the tire should be easy to come off as well. If the tire is hard to take off by hands, kick or hit the tire a little to loosen it up or lift the tire up a little to take it off. Sometimes if the vehicle isn’t lifted high enough it would stop the tire from coming off. In that case, pump up the jack more and lift the tire off of the ground so it might help. After the old tire is removed, replace the spare tire. To replace the spare tire correctly, the rim of the spare tire needs to be aligned with the wheel bolts, then put on the lug nuts. Tighten the lug nuts by hand until they are all snug then tighten them all the way by using the wrench. After the lug nuts are being tightened, lower the jack down. Once the car is lowered, tighten the lug nuts more to make sure the lug nuts are as tight as possible. The final step would be putting all the tools away and the flat or changed tire away. Changing a tire isn’t the hardest job but it can be tough for people who have never experienced it. It is a skill that needs to be learned if a roadside flat tire occurs and no one is around to help. A spare tire and tools are usually in the trunk when a tire is needed to be changed if it’s in the middle of nowhere. Safety is the most important part, and doing the steps correctly will make this process easier.

Innovation (Apple Ipod) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Innovation (Apple Ipod) - Essay Example (Albury, 2005) From the singers to the composers, from the lyricists to the manufacturers of the devices which are used for playing music – they all are the key players in the music industry. The player that has been chosen for this report is the manufacturer of the music playing device. Apple introduced the revolutionary portable media player, called iPod on 23rd October 2001. (Breen, 2003) And this has been a major contribution to the world of innovation, since it radically altered the way music was being listened to. Innovation is to produce something new, whether it is an idea, a method or a device. Innovation opens the horizon for new dimensions to be explored and also fulfill some market niche which was unexplored and touched upon before the innovation. (Tushman, 2004) Moreover, the definition of innovation does not end there. Its scope is pretty vast. Innovation is not just about introducing a new thing; it is also about improving something old by adding an element of freshness and newness to it. Innovation is all about creativity. (Tidd, 2006) Innovation can happen in any field but mostly it is important in the field of business because that is where competition is intense and companies are fighting to gain the attention of the firm and they need to get a competitive edge somehow to come to notice. Innovation gives them that. Innovation requires creativity, and for a product to be successful ultimately, we need to make sure that it is functioning properly and is fitting the purpose for which it was created. (Tumi, 2002) Therefore, doing trial and error and continuously experimenting with your imagination is the preparation for an innovative product. For this purpose, companies open Research and Development Departments where they can experiment all they want to before finally giving a product to the end user.   Innovation is a concept which has been studied by managers and analysts time and

Language Assessment for Korean High school students learning English Essay

Language Assessment for Korean High school students learning English - Essay Example Once the correct techniques and tools are adopted, the learning of English language, like any other language, becomes extremely easy and an effortless exercise. Not only learning a language but testing the skills acquired by learners, is also paramount in achieving the goal of teaching English to students from the non-speaking English background. It is seen that there has been a tendency among social class to attach social values and prejudices to different types of language use, depending on the circumstances they are exposed to. Language socialization is a newly emerging area of study that concerns the process in which a language learner, either a child or an adult, acquires the communicative competence of a target language, and function of the language in that process (Hymes, 1972). In the language socialization perspective, the relationship between the caregivers or teachers and children or students is critical, where the language is the key means of socialization. The major international routine of foreign language classrooms focuses on the initiation, response, and follow-up (IRF), where initiations turn could be a greeting, a question or a drill prompts; a response turn may elucidate an answer or response: and a follow-up turns an evaluation or comment. (Mehan, 1985; Ohata, 1994: van Lier, 1988).  As we have seen, th e need for the English language as the global language for any transaction is often emphasized and the proficiency in the English language communication is a must in the development of individuals, thereby of the global economy. According to Wentworth (1980), the socio-cultural meaning is constantly created and reformed through social interaction between the members and novices of society, and language plays a great role in this process.  

Business Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Business Management - Essay Example To keep pace with the demands, the operations team should on a high gear to develop better products or services that are more customers oriented (Lang, 2013). Secondly, the mode of relaying information to the customer is very important. Information technology has grown to enable organizations to meet individual needs of customers. In order to remain competitive and retain the customers, use of information technologies is inevitable due to the accompanying efficiency (Lang, 2013). Thirdly, customer care is very important; all issues raised by the customer should be keenly addressed. The care centers should go a notch higher in providing customized customer services. In doing so, the customer feels appreciated hence increasing their loyalty. Another important point is that the organizations should be swift to respond to customer’s opinions and trends (Slywotzky, 2007). Fourthly, the organization should have a database of its customers and keep on tracking any changes in buying trends. If a customer’s trend exhibits a negative change, an appropriate action should be taken by doing follow up geared towards understanding the cause (Slywotzky, 2007). Some companies have been successful in ensuring that customers remain loyal as well as appreciate their products. One of these companies is Coach Inc, a company that makes handbags and other fashion accessories. Coach Inc has utilized diverse ways of identifying the customer needs. It uses over $5 million in the process of testing new products, which includes several methods of reaching to the customers such as surveys, one-one interviews, as well as in-store testing. The company has a database of its customers; this has continued to grow due to the responsiveness and sensitivity to customer needs. The company endeavors to have all the customer dynamics taken care of. Aspects such as positive buying intent, lapsed customers, competitive rating, customer

Cloning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cloning - Research Paper Example Advocates of cloning practices say that it may, among other things, serve society as an effective alternative treatment for infertility. The cloning of animals has stirred the debate about the ethical, legal and social aspects regarding human cloning. Cloning is the creation of an embryo by the method of human somatic cell nuclear transfer. This procedure involves implanting DNA cells from an organism into an egg whose DNA nucleus has been removed then chemically treated so that the egg begins to behave as though fertilization has occurred. This results in the creation of embryonic growth of another organism that contains the complete genetic code of the original organism. Through this process, the cloning of mammals has resulted in, to date, hundreds of cloned organisms born. â€Å"The term clone is used in many different contexts in biological research but in its most simple and strict sense, it refers to a precise genetic copy of a molecule, cell, plant, animal, or human being. In some of these contexts, cloning refers to established technologies that have been part of agricultural practice for a very long time and currently form an important part of the foundations of modern biological research† (Nussbaum & Sunstein, 1 998, p. 1). Though this process has produced many live successes, it has proved considerably less likely to produce successful pregnancies than those conceived through sexual reproduction. In addition, the majority of cloned animals have experienced some type of birth defect. Replication of an organism’s DNA identity does not occur naturally within mammals. Only plants produce offspring through replication from one generation to the next. â€Å"The prospect of such replication for humans has resulted in the most controversial debate about reproduction ever to be taken up in western civilization† (McGee,

Discuss the economic and demographic arguments for and against new Essay

Discuss the economic and demographic arguments for and against new labour migration - Essay Example Population characteristics of UK and its economic implications UK is among the developed western continents. Majority of the people in UK are old aged as the lifespan is longer, but this reduces the population growth rate because the aged are not within the productive age brackets. Economically, these people are not strong enough to provide workforce needed in economic building (Borjas 2000; Kupiszewski, 2012). Additionally, due to their age, there is no possibility of young generation to replace them in the work environment (Lisiankova and Wright, 2005). This population structure poses a threat to both population structure and economic condition of the country. To address this condition, several procedures have been formulated. One of the measures includes encouraging labor immigration. Need for immigration Given the scenario of UK population challenges, analysts and economists would raise question to find out whether UK requires immigrants or there are other options that can be fol lowed. By understanding the need for immigrants, it will be easier to formulate appropriate policies to be used (Borjas 2000). Currently, UK migration is characterized by the two types, international and domestic migration. Labor immigration has great effects in the UK’s economy and population. ... This is to ensure the adverse effects of immigration are addressed now and in future (Borjas 2000; Great Britain, 2012). UK countries need to remain pro active in policy making in regard to immigration and future labor market situation. In economics, philosophers have concluded that through migration everybody benefits. The countries receiving employees benefit through reducing the labor shortage and produce low cost products. Countries, from which the people come from, reduce the rate of unemployment while the workers in the foreign land benefit. From the above theory, it can be noted that it is true, but these benefits are only in the short run; in long run, migration cost is huge. Countries getting foreign workers endanger their citizen job security. The native employees in firms may be fired to recruit cheap workers from foreign countries. This is so in nations with labor market which inflexible (Borjas 2000). It is therefore important to check on the flexibility of labor market before formulating policies that encourage immigration. Immigrants find themselves trading off their rights for wealth creation in other countries. The immigrants are exposed to high chances of being exploited in the foreign countries. Merits of Immigration Creation mobility of job - Immigration leads to establishment of new jobs because of economic growth and enhancement of job mobility. In 18th to 20th century, over one third of UK’s population growth, moved to other countries, but this was not sustained for long. In 21st century, largest increase in population is due to immigration. It is important for any country to control the movement of people across the borders. Migration has effects on both demographics and economic performance of a country. Demographics

System analysis and design 251 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

System analysis and design 251 - Essay Example Due to the disadvantages of this system, Helen McPherson seeks information systems that are crucial to the achievement of modern business organizations. Information systems are the hardware and software applications that sustain data-intensive functions. They involve  an integrated set of mechanisms for gathering, storing, and handling data and for provision of information, facts, and electronic products (Stair and Reynolds 2013, 120). Business corporations (OT included) and other institutions depend on information systems to implement and manage their functions, interrelate with their consumers and suppliers, and contend in the marketplace to gain competitive advantage. With this system in place OT will be able to serve their customers efficiently and accurately. This Functional Requirements Report provides information system fundamentals that will facilitate the Customer Booking system including accommodation booking of OT (Stair and Reynolds 2013, 156-200). This Functional Requirements Report identifies the required system capabilities that would enhance OT customer booking and accommodation facilities to improve general performance of OT (Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication 2006, 264). The capability of incorporating IT efforts with business activities and purposes. This potential is to administer organizational preparations, structure procedures and staffing tacking any predicaments in OT booking arrangements Functional Requirements Report provides new information system’s scope through context Data Flow diagram. It is easy to analyze the scope through the diagram. This Functional Requirements Report identifies the below procedures as critical information system that would enhance OT’s customer booking system. OT novel customer booking system allows integrate OT management, accommodation department, customer request, departures, marketing, and

Street art and political revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Street art and political revolution - Essay Example Freedom of expression speech is assumed as the only channel of expression, but art also plays a big role in it. Political revolutions tend to have beliefs and stand for a particular cause that the people concerned are willing to die for. Revolutionist should have a symbol or an art figure that represents this cause, which tends to motivate and keep them focused on the eventual cause of their struggle. Noam’s face which is used as a symbol by Iran activists represents anger and suffering which people find familiar. The result of the picture is Iranians in the dark of night shout slogans imitating Noam’s scream in darkness. The visual representation that these people look for is mainly found in the street from artists who feel aggravated by the prevalent conditions that affect them, which they transform into art. In many revolutions where people fight against their oppression, the Che Guevara portrait is common in many flags of the revolutionary organizations. This is a s ymbolic representation of Che Guevara’s struggles against oppression, which he succeeded in the end. Street art is not only used in showing the struggle, but also there are those that show a new day will come where action will be taken and the oppression will end (261). In a revolution, the people reclaim control of infrastructure, national resources, social amenities from the governing body. In Tunisia, street art was elemental in reclamation of public spaces where the oppressed were given an opportunity for them to express themselves.

Menu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Menu - Essay Example Immediately add the eggs, Gruyere, and Parmesan and pulse until the eggs are incorporated and the dough is smooth and thick. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 1 1/4 inches wide and 3/4-inch high onto the baking sheets. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use 2 spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Brush the top of each puff lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of Gruyere. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown outside but still soft inside. Place in a large kettle of scalding water and boil for 45 minutes. Remove and chill in cold water. Pull out all the hairs - these will have been loosened by the boiling and should come out easily (like plucking a duck). Wash thoroughly until no hairs remain. Place the nose in a kettle and cover with fresh water. Add onion, garlic, spices and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the meat is tender. Let cool overnight in the liquid. When cool, take the meat out of the broth, and remove and discard the bones and the cartilage. You will have two kinds of meat, white meat from the bulb of the nose, and thin strips of dark meat from along the bones and jowls. Slice the meat thinly and alternate layers of white and dark meat in a loaf pan. Reheat the broth to boiling, then pour the broth over the meat in the loaf pan. Let cool until jelly has set. Slice and serve cold. 2 Combine the chocolate, butter, and espresso in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not simmering, water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool until the chocolate is just slightly warmer than body temperature. To test, dab some chocolate on your bottom lip. It should feel warm. If it is too cool, the mixture will seize when the other ingredients are added. 4 When the chocolate has reached the proper temperature,

Education Essay Example for Free

Education Essay Did you know that education in school is really important? Many parents believe that education is important because it leads to a degree which grants you a good job. With an education you can get a steady pay check. With that pay check you will get away to financial independence as an adult. Why is Education So Important? he first thing that strikes me about education is knowledge gain. Education gives us knowledge of the world around us. It develops in us a perspective of looking at life. It helps us build opinions and have points of view on things in life. People debate over the subject of whether education is the only thing that gives knowledge. Some say, education is the process of gaining information about the surrounding world while knowledge is something very different. They are right. But then, information cannot be converted into knowledge without the catalyst called education. Education makes us capable of interpreting things rightly. It is not just about lessons in textbooks. It is about the lessons of life. Did you know that education in school is really important? School and education help people you understand beyond the world around them. Education helps ones immediate family, area, region, country, culture, race, or civilization. These different subjects open up information and knowledge. An important aspect of education is learning how to learn in order differentiate fact from fiction. Education is important because it equips us with all that is needed to make our dreams come true. Education opens doors of brilliant career opportunities. It fetches better prospects in career and growth. Every employer of today requires his prospective employees to be well educated. He requires expertise. So, education becomes an eligibility criterion for employment into any sector of the industry. We are rewarded for exercising the expertise required for the field we venture. We are weighed in the market on the basis of our educational skills and how well we can apply them. Education brings about economic wealth, political stability and social prosperity; all these are hallmarks of a prosperous society. It can therefore be said that education playas an important role if a society is to be successful. Tertiary education is an important aspect in the development of any society that considers or aspires to be modern. It is by far the best investment that a nation or an individual can make in its youth or oneself respectively. Educated people are in a better position to contribute to the development of their country; these educated individuals get employment opportunities that give them satisfaction and also earn some form of respect among their work mates. It also plays an important role in the integration of a society in that by interacting with people from various areas, it will raise different issues that people in rural areas are facing thereby promoting knowledge and understanding of these areas Life is nothing without education? Life without education is like living in the streets. Without education youll become lost. You will not have a guaranteed future. You will no go home ridding your favorite car to your Own home. By learning your basic alphabets youll work your way through to have a professional career. Therefore with out Education to school you will not learn at all. Life is never without education. In societies without formal schools, parents pass skills on to children. Education starts before you ever go to school and goes on after you finish school. That said, formal education is a great way to ensure that every child knows what is most necessary to live in a particular society. Without education you will be an illiterate person your children in the future will come up to you and you’re not going to know how to answer them with a right answer. Education will help build your own perspective. Schools are the place you school of started how to pronounce and count. Importance of education is needed in order to succeed in today’s world. In order to receive education you must go through some process. Your first process is to graduate from high school with your diploma. The next step is to attend college to obtain a degree in a trade that you would like to pursue. Without education you wouldn’t get good pay or promotion that you deserve. However, some people feel that they can get by in life without education, sadly that is not true. If you would like at the graphic at the bottom you will see that the higher the education you have the more money you can make. Education is important to have in today’s society. Importance of education able you to have a good job security and knowledge of your field supporting the hard work a person put into there education. Overall, school is the basic start that will drive you to your future. With knowledge youll get the sense of pride that you know must of the things. Education will help brighten your children’s future. 66% of the US population has a high school diploma or high. You should be amongst these people.

Hewlett Packard: Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Hewlett Packard: Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) Consider an organization you are familiar with and with reference to associated theory and practice critically asses the approach that is taken to strategic HRM. Evaluate the extent to which the approach has contributed to the organizational effectiveness. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (ABSTRACT) The report focuses on critically evaluating how Hewlett Packard has been using the variables of Human resource management such as training and development, performance management in order to bring all the employees from a diverse cultural background, with different personality traits to work efficiently and effectively towards achievement of the organisational objectives HP, a giant in IT industry catering to the hardware as well as software needs of the individual customers and businesses, was started in the year 1939 by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard and currently employs over 300,000 people The report delineates how HP has been supporting equal opportunities for people from different ethnic backgrounds by recruiting people without any bias towards any particular ethnic group. The report also states the role of performance management within HP i.e. activities which ensure that the organizational goals are met on time and with minimizing resource usage. The report even talks about the resource facilities and working environment provided to the employees, i.e. employee relations at HP. Further the role of training and development in polishing the skills of the individual employees and making them become a part of the HP team is stated along with how the employees are trained to inculcate the necessary skills required for the job. TERMS OF REFERENCE/ STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The following assignment is compiled so as to become familiar with the main theories in the field of strategic human resource management. During preparation it intended to gain knowledge of the evolving role of strategic human resource management in the current world scenario, performance appraisal and its function in performance management system, administration and formulation of compensation and benefit programs, significance of development of human resource (development and training) at every level for employees and opportunity for management provided by employee diversity. The study undertaken requires expertise in research of the subject but due to limitations of the words for the assignment covering all the HR policies is next to impossible; my objectives were to study the key processes and policies for which the company provides vital information. INTRODUCTION Storey (1989) defined HRM as Set of interrelated policies with an ideological and philosophical underpinning. Storey (1995) defines HRM as a distinctive approach to employment management which seeks to achieve competitive advantage through the strategic deployment of a highly committed and capable workforce, using an array of cultural, structural and personnel techniques. HP was started in 1939 by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard. In 2010, fortune 500 ranking hp was placed at number 10. Its headquarters are located in Palo Alto California. HP has 304,000 employees. The company makes use of participative decision making management system in their company giving them an edge in the industry (HP website). The results of this investment can be seen in the two awards received by HP from the American society for Training and Development for inventiveness of its leadership development programs. Furthermore, Hay group recognized HP as one of the best company in the world for leadership development. (reference) To emerge as a complete technology company which offers an inclusive set of solutions all through the value chain, HP is practicing an inorganic strategy (Data monitor 2010). They cater to almost everyone ranging from individual customers, medium sized business and large corporations which include health, education and government sector. The company deals in a wide range of products, from portable devices to supercomputers, from computing to home printing. It has also sought a level of inorganic growth too, through its merger with Compaq in 2002 with an aim of providing excellent IT solutions. Consequently, HP today caters to over a billion customers in 170 countries (Data monitor 2010). CORE POLICIES AT HP DIVERSITY AT HP Smart organizations identify the need for swift action and are prepared and eager to disperse resources for management of diversity in the workplace. Workforce diversity can be defined as the differences between individuals in a company. Diversity includes gender, race age, education, background etc Diversity takes into account how individuals perceive others and how they perceive themselves. Their interactions are affected by these perceptions. Organizations diversity agenda is expected to increase in the future as we are moving into a more and more globalized setup. (reference) In The Future of Diversity and the Work Ahead of Us, Harris Sussman says, Diversity is about our relatedness, our connectedness, our interactions, where the lines cross. Diversity is many things a bridge between organizational life and the reality of peoples lives, building corporate capability, the framework for interrelationships between people, a learning exchange, a strategic lens on the world. The benefits of diversity include greater competitiveness through higher adaptability, poising it for success. Organizations embracing diversity are able to offer a wider variety of solutions to different issues. Services to customers are easily provided by organizations employing a diverse collection of experience and skills (e.g. culture, language etc), offering the wealth of varying points of view. A large number of experiences and ideas can be accumulated by employing a diverse workforce which comfortably communicates viewpoints. The organization can use these to form strategies and cater to customers effectively. Some of the challenges of workforce diversity are the organizations ability to successfully implement diversity agenda, which requires openness, transparent communication and sensitization of the existing staff. (reference) A diversity of age, culture, potential, ethnicity amongst the labor force encourages innovation and creativeness. It is believed at HP diversity is the solution to understand the principles and demographics of the consumers and is fundamental in drawing and holding on to the finest employees. (reference) HP supports diversity in the following ways: Hiring of different collection of people and crafting them as leaders. Constructing a comprehensive work atmosphere. Supporting employees in navigation of their work and private commitments while complying with the business requirements of HP. Policies A comprehensive work atmosphere is encouraged by HP diversity policies. Respect, courtesy and dignity is required by every employee while treating others. Discrimination founded on attributes such as age, race, ethnicity, sex or disability is not accepted under any circumstances. Employees are persuaded to speak up and it is possible for them all over the world to report harassment or bias through the 24 hour anonymous helpline. HP approach Efforts by HP include expansion of its labour force by hiring best in class varied talent and implanting diversity in all major diversity in all major development processes and supporting main growth programs for career development and professional escalation. Gender diversity is calculated and kept in check by HP globally and ethnic diversity in its united nations labour force. For details over the previous 5 years see table: Executive diversity Minorities comprised 17.3% in contrast with 12.9 % in 2008. In the year 2009 17% of HPs topmost executives in U.S. were women in contrast to 17.2% in 2008. HPs activities in the year 2009 were: Partnership with diversity associations: HP supplied grant and products for cause of cause of underrepresentation of minorities in business positions which is addressed by management leadership for tomorrow. Drawing a extensive range of human resource: 3000 women from extensive range of professions and businesses are brought together by the annual conference that is held in Boston. Employee resource groups: workers with familiar interests and backgrounds are brought together by HPs ERGs. Opportunities for internal development: celebrations of womens international day in India. For talented omen, a series of virtual leadership was conducted in EMEA. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS There is nothing new about the idea that company and employee performance should be improved by appraisals. Today managers are way more serious about the process- of training workers, rewarding and appraising them and forming goals. The whole incorporated process is called PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT. Performance management may be defined as a process that unites goal setting, performance appraisal and development into a single, common system whose aim is to ensure that the employees performance is supporting the companys strategic aims (dessler and varkkey 2010). Setting of standards, training of workers, feedback and appraisals related to performance and contribution to achievement of organizational goals is explicitly measured by performance management. Performance management therefore never just means meeting with a subordinate once or twice a year to review his/her performance it means setting goals that make sense in terms of the companys strategic aims. It means regular interaction to make sure there is continous growth in workers performance. It also takes into account and makes sure that the worker has the correct training to perform the job (hrm book pg 338). (reference) According to Goel 2008 manpower management is the most crucial job because managing people is the heart and essence of being a manager. Personnel management is concerned with any activity relating to the human element or relations in the organisation. Work life programs offered by HP Employees at HP have the benefit of various work life choices offered to them. HP offers: Flex time: altering the commencement and end of work, but working normal 8 hour a day. Part time: temporarily or continuously working for less hours, part time employees account about 2%. The requirements of aging workforce are met with the help of this program. Tele work: 28% of employee t HP work full time from home. Flex work: mainly working in hp offices but occasionally from home. Whilst improving employee productivity the cost of HPs real estate has been reduced with the help of these arrangements. Employee engagement Open, honest exchange of ideas and continuous communication is what HPs culture is based upon. This helps HPs workers understand their contribution to companys overall success and also gives the company chance to consider their input for various decisions. Recognition programs At HP employees are kept motivated and engaged by recognizing them for their contribution. Recognition @HP was conducted in 2009 to identify workers at HP for their qualities. Day to day non monetary recognition is stressed by the program. Retiree engagement HP has about 79000 retirees who are ambassadors of HP and the company keeps them connected and up to date. Retirees at HP connect through various social media. The retirees can also join HP alumni association which has worldwide members registered which account 17000 in numbers. The Employment Relationship A prerequisite for success in the organization is the maintenance of good employee relations. For high productivity and satisfaction, strong employee relations are needed. Employee relations are concerned with evading and resolving problems amongst individuals which occur due to the work situation. Safe and healthy work environment, incentives for motivation, useful communication and commitment of employees determines good employee relations. It is believed by many people that employee relations are about considering the larger picture and assisting the organization to take required action. (reference) HP considers its employees vital to its success. Innovation of products, management of supply chain and the connection with the customers and partners at HP is driven by the talent expertise and skills of the employees. According to HP its competitive advantage lies in retaining and hiring the finest people. For employees to grow, HP attempts to create a helpful and inspiring work environment. HPs policies are applicable globally and show companys commitment to just treatment of workers. (reference) HP complies with local laws but companys own policies demand much more: Best work environment: policy describes the principles of personal conduct that are expected by the workers to add to an optimistic, dynamic work experience. Open door policy: Portrays HPs promise to open communication and a place of work where everyone is heard. Human rights and labour policy: commends HP to just treatment of all workers. Management and compliance Upholding environmental health and safety is a key goal of HPs. Safety of products and services is the main aim and it is also made sure that the workers can perform without injury at the premises. HPs minimum obligation for EHS is legal compliance. The processes needed to abide by are made sure by HPs EHS management system. Any allegation is thoroughly investigated and proper action is taken to avoid any recurrence. All operations related to manufacturing at HP are certified to ISO 14001. EHS systems are introduced to recently acquired companies to make sure that EHS objectives carry on to be fulfilled as the company grows. (reference) Employee feedback The employees are asked for feedback by voice of the workforce conducted annually and also though pulse surveys on explicit issues. There were various surveys conducted during 2009 including: Onboard and monthly transition experience surveys. Enterprise business quarterly pulse survey. Hr manager communication survey EDS integration survey Voice of the workforce survey Around 90,000 workers in 2009 participated in voice of the workers survey. Privacy of the respondents is strictly protected and the survey was available over the internet in 25 languages. (reference) TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT at HP Training The process through which people acquire abilities to accomplish organizational objectives is known as training. It includes planned activities for specific learning to develop workers performance at work. (reference) Development According to Drucker (1977), the one contribution a manager is uniquely expected to make is to give others vision and ability to perform. A basic operation in the work of the manager is to develop people and to direct, motivate and train subordinates. Stern argues that staff training and development have become matters of vital strategic importance. Importance of training and development (reference) There are various reasons for an organization to conduct training and development programs. Some of them are: Helps to avoid managerial obsolescence Manage change due to acquisitions and mergers. Also helps in coping up with technological and diversity changes in the organization Higher employee morale and increase in job satisfaction. Elevated motivation among employees Financial gain through higher efficiency in process and innovation in products and strategies is increased. Developing leadership at HP Since HP recognizes excellence as a key driver of its business success, HP significantly invests in leadership development. Dedicated to this mission, global talent consists of 3 firmly integrated organizations. (reference) Employee relations at HP The evaluation of data and insights to spot high potential leaders in the company and underlining of areas where additional learning resources may be needed are provided by the dedicated talent management team at HP. Designing of HPs major corporate wide leadership is crafted by executive and leadership organization. Learning by doing is emphasized by almost all of HPs leadership development programs. E.g.: Projects providing major business impact are frequently powered by HP. Learning experiences offered by these projects are not like the classroom experience. HPs leadership programs are offered training and development support by more than 500 executives in a classic year. To get used to dynamic business conditions the curriculum of leadership is frequently revised. Leadership programs at HP are divided into 3 categories: Choosing those at a particular level or creating career transitions through foundational programs is emphasized. Leadership standards of HP and definition of expectations by HP leaders is carried out by skill based programs at HP. For employees with elevated potential for development there ate select talent development programs. With leadership development central portal, HP offers leadership knowledge. This is offered by podcasts, internet courses and quick tips. Green advocates training program Participation in this program is encouraged by HP in Canada. This program provides knowledge and allows workers to develop into ambassadors of HPs environment projects. (reference) Eco solutions advocate program Through this program HP teaches its workers about environmental issues and companys dedication to sustainability of the environment. It also offers workers the resources they require to communicate with consumers about HPs solutions. (reference) People Development HPs approach is based on interior and exterior benchmarking, HP uses an incorporated development framework for its employees. The structure employs range of tools to help workers plan the next step in their career. HPs developmental plans are divided in a 70/20/10 breakup. 70% of the plans are of the main concern. They include job rotations, special reports and cross functional team experiences. With hands on experience the workers are encouraged to develop their capabilities. Focus of about 20% of the programs is relationship based education. This is done through coaching and mentoring. Rest of the 10% of HPs programs are provided through formal learning, interactive online resources etc. (reference) HPs learning programs take the benefit of technology. About 83% of HPs training lessons are conveyed through video conference or the web. Wherever there is a geographic focus of members HP uses face to face training. It has been acknowledged by hp that technology- based training provides major benefits: wider reach and saving huge amounts of money on travel whilst reducing related greenhouse gas release. It also allows employee access at the correct times and place, and also improves knowledge and retention. Training at HP is complimented as employees are also encouraged in following external educational prospects. (reference) Summary The human element of business and partners with every business is driven by human resource at HP to make sure that employee planning strategy is associated to convey the business objectives. The leadership team at HP works together with groups of business to make sure the company has the correct people, with accurate skills, in the correct job etc. The company is escalating its ability to develop by explaining strategic employee plans, support of acquisitions and mergers, providing cost efficient infrastructure in growing markets. To stay in front of the competitive pressure, HP optimizes every element of its operating strategy- to increase revenue, be efficient, making smart investments. Even though the recent financial downturn of 2008 has had sever impacts in the IT industry, HPs earnings per share has risen continuously from 2008 till 2010 Good business results are indicative of great human resource which has driven performance On account of increasing globalisation, HP considers diversity as a major driver of innovation, invention and creativity. A diverse workforce differentiates the company and it is also vital for the company to relate and serve customers worldwide. At HP it is believed that people are motivated to do their best with a culture that respects differences. The company crafts an attitude in its employees, allowing them to think intentionally about diversity and its insertion in the companys activities. It does so by knitting diversity into the fabric of the company. As a MNC, HP has had to prioritize this so that they are more efficient across different markets, understand local needs. As far as performance management is concerned HP has a goal directed approach and has formulated a process to evaluate the manpower resource and their enhancement in terms of careers and work life balance is commendable. HP has a relationship oriented view to managing performance rather than a hierarchical top down approach. This approach has proved to be very concrete in terms of setting targets/achieving outcomes. The most striking feature of HP is its emphasis on leadership development. It is held as a company that has some of the best leaders in the business which is only because they invest time, effort and resources into making this possible. As the company becomes more global, it is important that they keep this emphasis. To broaden its reach to its employees all over the world, it provides training through video based sessions, which also ends up having a positive cost saving and reducing environmental impact by eliminating the need to travel (hence reducing greenhouse gases). Therefore it seems that training and development at HP pays attention upon interrelation of the companys goals and objectives with that of workers. HP maintains employee relations wherever it has its operations without showing any disparity or bias with respect to ethnicity or cultural background in true terms it is a global company. The company monitors compliance with its policies principally through employee engagement surveys. This enquires questions on prejudice and diversity. It also assesses employees understanding of companys approach to these issues. HP does not tolerate discrimination. It deals with this issue through stout polices that are accessible to all employees. HP has worked towards ensuring excellent work-life balance through various options provided to its employees. These programs have helped in improving employee productivity and therefore higher efficiency towards achieving organisational goals With regard to workplace safety since HP is an IT company therefore is requirement to work in potentially dangerous settings (assembling products, hardware etc), hence HP has been committed to fostering the best health and safety norms and always keeping themselves up to date with changes in health safety standards. Since the employees are assured of their safety the employees productivity to work has gone up leading to higher and more efficient production. RECOMMENDATIONS At HP the same performance appraisal standard is used overseas which they use in their headquarters. The external aspects that may affect performance in the international scenario were not considered while designing the performance appraisal criteria and has hence led to a number of problems. Therefore HP needs to formulate a new standard for evaluation according to the situation. To prepare workers to work on an international platform HP can provide linguistic training. This training requires not only learning of the language of the country in perspective, but it also requires learning of how customers think and react. Inclusion of higher level of responsibilities by expanding the job and access to important meetings should be facilitated to improve employee relations. Furthermore HP can assign employees to lead teams and projects and increase time spending between the employee and the boss. Focusing on service training can help workers expand knowledge of managing customers. Disagreement and conflicts can be prevented through transparent appraisals systems. Educating employees and improved training for rating Performance in the subsidiaries of the company is affected at times due to insufficient training and education of various related factors like interaction, culture, business and social information. By alerting managers about errors in judgment, it can be made possible to spot them before hand and prevent them. Clear cut performance in dimensions will help in reducing errors related to rating. Confusion and uncertainty circling the process can be avoided if the companys purpose for appraisals is clearly stated. CONCLUSION HP is committed to developing a high performance culture where the employees can grow. To enhance its value proposition for its employees, HP has been formulating plans to support development of people with a lot of firmness and discipline. Talent management was driven deeper into the company and creation of strategic employee planning was done by a total redesign of companys leadership programs. HP has effectively and efficiently: Excelled in transformation of business and planning of workforce. Motivated people and developed leadership. Maximized employee engagement and built a high performance culture. Promoted areas such as development of career, performance management, development of management of leadership. In both theory and practice HP has some of the best human resource management policies. The company has won awards for its diverse and innovative human resource systems. It is assessed that even though HP followed some of the best human resource policies, the recession had a major impact on the organizations employees. Dissatisfaction was caused among the employees due to the layoff and caused fear among employees for the loss of their job. It is therefore implicit that even some of the best human resource policies may not turn out to be satisfactory. It is hence implied that even though the organization includes some of the finest human resource practices the psychological aspect of humans are still erratic to rejection and acceptance hence making human resource practices should be made subjective to change. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/emprelsovr.htm http://www.managementstudyguide.com/employee-relations.htm http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/B39AFC72-25BD-4C10-B1BA-3564CAC3BBB3/0/whatemprels1105.pdf http://www.diversityworking.com/employerZone/diversityManagement/?id=9 http://www.zeromillion.com/econ/workplace-diversity.html http://www.blurtit.com/q804656.html http://managementhelp.org/trng_dev/basics/reasons.htm http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/employee-development/339712-1.html

Enlightenment in Western and Islamic Traditions

Enlightenment in Western and Islamic Traditions Which tradition provides greater Enlightenment? In the world we live, we are always faced with conflicting ideologies that influence our thinking. This is certainly true about Islam and secularism. In my case and in the case of most Muslim individuals who live in a modern society, society sometimes demands us to reject secular Western values and follow Islamic values and vice versa. Due to such conflicting influences on our thinking, we are sometimes confused as to which tradition to adopt as a transcendental decision: the Islamic tradition or the Western tradition? To help decide which tradition to follow, I am going to investigate which tradition provides greater enlightenmen. I will do this by breaking the paper into the following parts: General concept and definition of the word enlightenment. The Age of Enlightenment in the West. Enlightenment in Islam. Successes and Failures of enlightenment in the West. Why Islam is more enlightened than the Western ideology of enlightenment and should be promoted? General concept and definition of the word enlightenment The word ‘enlightenment has many different meanings depending on the context in which it is used. If we look at the literal meaning of the word enlightenment, we will find that it comes from the verb to lighten. The prefix ‘en means to make or become and the suffix ‘ment means a state of being. Therefore if we join the components of the word ‘enlightenment together, we will find that it literally means to become brightened. However the broad definition of the word ‘enlightenment according to most cultures and societies is â€Å"the acquisition of new wisdom or understanding† (Wikipedia, 2006, Enlightenment (concept) section,  ¶1). If we look at this definition, we will find it is very similar to the literal definition of enlightenment. When we say a person has become brightened, we mean he has become wiser (more intelligent) or has acquired new wisdom. In general, there are two different concepts of enlightenment: religious/spiritual enlightenment and intellectual/secular enlightenment. Both concepts of enlightenment are strong opposites of each other. This is why most people that believe in secular enlightenment often reject religious enlightenment and vice versa. Secular enlightenment is enlightenment that is not regarded as religious, spiritual or sacred, whereas religious enlightenment is the opposite. According to Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher of the enlightenment, the Enlightenment was the period in the development of European civilization when â€Å"Mankind grew out of its self-inflicted immaturity† (as cited in Davies, 1996, p.596) or it is â€Å"mans release from his self-incurred tutelage.† (as cited in Duprà ©, 2004, p.1). The concept of Secular enlightenment was important in Europe during the 18th century, because it caused a dramatic change in the everyday thinking of Europeans. The characteristics of Secular enlightenment were the rejection of old dogmatic beliefs, which were replaced with the belief in reason as a measure over all things. The Enlightenment was in fact the intellectual movement that advocated this concept. The Age of Enlightenment in the West The Age of Enlightenment refers to the 18th century in American and European philosophy or according to some scholars it also includes the seventeenth century and the Age of Reason. This was the period where innovative and intellectual ideas were being propagated so as to challenge traditional dogmatic ideas and beliefs. During this period an intellectual movement known as The Enlightenment advocated reason as a method to investigate and study all the various scientific fields, which included the social sciences (aesthetics, ethics, philosophy, logic, economics), literature and natural sciences (physics, biology, chemistry). They believed this would allow human beings to obtain objective truth about the universe.The main figures of the enlightenment were Descartes, Pascal, Bayle, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Diderot, and Rousseau. Among them Denis Diderot was one of the first people to propose the six fundamental principles on which enlightenment are based in his Encyclopedie. The first principle was strong belief in human reasoning to the point, where it was considered the best measure over everything. The second principle was the belief in a Supreme Being (God), who is exalted over everything. However these enlightened thinkers also believed that God did not intervene with nature. The third principle was the rejection or less significance given to religious values and metaphysics. The fourth principle was the belief that secularism, which is the separation of the church and state, is better. The fifth principle was the strong belief in the scientific method, which lead to extreme materialism. The last principle was the expectation of unlimited progress. Enlightenment in Islam Even though in Islam there is no concept of enlightenment, Islam came as an enlightened religion and way of life for the whole humanity. During the time the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born, which was in the year 570 A.D., the whole world lived in the Dark Ages. Belief in superstitions, myths, common practices of black magic, idolatry (polytheism) and paganism was common. One of the major concerns of that time was the loss and alteration of the original Holy Scriptures such as the Bible and Torah and the increased power of the Church, which dictated its own version of religion and was mainly responsible for altering the Holy Scriptures. In Arabia polytheism and paganism was the dominant religion of the Arabs. Ignorance towards science and illiteracy were rampant among the people. The Holy Kaabah, which was built by Prophet Abraham and Ishmael was filled with hundreds of idols. Also dark customs and traditions such as the female infanticide and ritual gambling (Maysir) on camels were common. When the Prophet Muhammad started his mission of preaching Islam, which was propagating the Oneness and Unity of God (monotheism), he was met with extreme resistance. However as he kept his preaching consistent with the same rigor, the number of his followers increased dramatically till they were able to completely change the cultures of Arabia and the rest of the world. Islam brought enlightenment in the Arab world by positively changing the dark customs and attitudes of society such as abolishing female infanticide, slavery, gambling and alcohol addiction. Islam also brought justice and provided human rights for each individual. In Islam, the life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred, whether Muslim or not. Islam also protects the honor of every individual. It does not allow insulting or making fun of others. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said: â€Å"Truly your blood, your property, and your honor are inviolable† (as cited in Ibrahim, 1997, p.61). Islam also abolished Racism and brought human equality. The Quraan speaks of human equality in the following words: â€Å"O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes for you to know one another. Truly, the noblest of you with God is the most pious. Truly, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware† (1997, p.61). Islam rejects that an individual is superior to another individual by his wealth, power or race. God created human beings as equal to one another. One is only better than the other if he has greater faith or piety (taqwa). A person who greater taqwa is one who prevents himself from all types of sins, performs good deeds that God commands us to do, and fears and loves God. Concerning equality our Prophet Muhammad also said: â€Å"O people! Your God is one and your forefather (Adam) is one. An Arab is not better than a non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab, and a red (i.e. white tinged with red) person is not better than a black person and a black person is not better than a red person, except in piety† (1997, p.62). Concerning the status of women, Islam has from the very beginning given women equal rights as men. In the Holy Quraan, God says â€Å"O Mankind, keep your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate (of same kind) and from them twain has spread a multitude of men and women† (as cited in Badawi, 1971, p.11). El-Khouly Al-Bahiy, a scholar who pondered about this verse states: â€Å"It is believed that there is no text, old or new, that deals with the humanity of the women from all aspects with such amazing brevity, eloquence, depth, and originality as this divine decree† (1971, p.11). In other verses, the Quraan also expresses clear-cut evidence about the equality of women such as: â€Å"†¦So their Lord accepted their prayers, (saying): I will not suffer to be lost the work of any of you whether male or female. You will proceed one from another†¦.† (1971, p.13). Also, according to the Quraan, woman is not solely blame d for Adams mistake of eating from the forbidden tree in Paradise. Both Adam and Eve jointly committed the mistake, repented and were forgiven by God. Concerning religious obligations in Islam such as praying, fasting, giving charity and pilgrimage, women are no different than men. In fact, in some cases women are more exempted from obligatory duties than men. When a woman has menstrual periods or is pregnant during the past forty days, she is exempted from fasting and prayers. Concerning the pre-Islamic custom of burying female infants alive at birth, the Quraan clearly forbids it and considers it a crime like murder. It is said in the Quraan concerning this crime: â€Å"When news is brought to one of them, of (the Birth of) a female (child), his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief! With shame does he hide himself from his people because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain her on (sufferance) and contempt, or bury her in the dust? Ah! What an evil (choice) they decide on?† (1971, p. 15). Another reason why Islam is an enlightened religion is because of the greatness of the Quraan in terms of its scientific soundness and being the best masterpiece of Arabic literature. The Quraan was not authored by the Prophet as he was illiterate and did not possess the intelligence shown by the Quraan. The Holy Quraan was only authored by God. The Prophet Muhammad only received divine revelation from God and then communicated it to his people. Concerning the soundness of scientific facts, the Quraan mentions some scientific miracles that have been discovered recently in the past 100 years, even though the Quraan was revealed 1400 years ago. For example, the Quraan speaks about the stages of embryonic development: â€Å"We have created man from an extract of clay, Then made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspended thing, and blood clot), then We made the alaqah into a mudghah (chewed substance)†¦.† (as cited in Ibrahim, 1997, p.6). The scientific details expressed in this verse were put forward to Professor Emeritus Keith L.Moore. Dr. Keith Moore is one of the worlds most leading scientists in the field of anatomy and embryology. He was impressed after studying and conducting scientific research on them and when present at the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, he said â€Å"It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify s tatements in the Quraan about human development. It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God† (1997, p.10). He also said that the Quraan must be the word of God and proposed that a new system of classification could be developed on embryonic knowledge using the Quraan and Sunnah (traditions). Other scientific miracles that the Quraan mentions are about the origins of the universe, that the heavens and earth were one connected entity, that there is a barrier between two different seas when they meet, that the mountains are pegs that stabilize the crust of the earth and that as you go deeper down the sea it gets darker. Successes and Failures of Enlightenment in the West The successes of enlightenment were of great benefit to humanity. The enlightenments principle of using reason (logos), observation and experience to explain phenomena around us contributed to the rapid advancement of the natural sciences such as the discovery of physical laws (e.g. gravity) that govern the universe, space exploration and genetic engineering. The advancement in the natural sciences in turn led to a better standard of living for mankind for example: the invention of fractional distillation led to a greater production of petrol and gasoline which led to more efficient and convenient means of transport such as cars. Enlightenment also led to advancement in the social sciences such as Economics. The concept that free markets maximize welfare in an economy and determine the best allocation of resources, as proposed by Adam Smith in his book The Wealth of Nations, was an example of the successes resulting from enlightenment. Some of the other fruits of enlightenment were the rule of law and liberal democracies. Despite all these successes that resulted from enlightenment, there were even greater failures resulting from enlightenment. Most of the six elements of enlightenment led to some failure. The principle that logos (reason) is a measure over all things was overestimated as reasoning could not comprehend what is the divine or unseen. Reasoning cannot explain for example black magic that goes on in some countries such as Oman. Reasoning also cannot fully explain the existence of God. This is because we cannot see or hear God. Until we do not physically see God, we will not be able to know about his existence. Another failure of overestimating reasoning was it led to a general decline in religion. While all the main figures of the eighteenth century enlightenment were Deists, who believed in a non-interventionist cloud-maker God, their nineteenth century successors became atheists or at least agnostics. Another failure of concept of enlightenment in Europe was the lawlessness produced from fascism and communism. This lawlessness was produced as the concept of enlightenment rejected the concept of divine law and believed that the basis of law can be found in nature. As what was called the natural law was actually made by the people, it was under the influence of either the majorities in a democratic country or brutal totalitarian rulers. The Enlightenments sense of unlimited progress also had negative effects. Tradition, which is the basis of all major religions including Islam, was completely abandoned. The concept of sacredness was also neglected. Rather any change was welcomed. By the end of the nineteenth century many people anticipated that the earth will become a paradise once all scientific discoveries would take place. In the twentieth century the real failures of enlightenment showed up. The results were two world wars that destroyed most of Europe and America. The use of chemical and nuclear weapons in these wars killed tens of millions of people. In between these two world wars the fanatic totalitarian systems of communism (Russia, Eastern Europe, China, Cambodia, Congo, Vietnam and Algeria) and fascism (Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Greece) arouse. These one-party systems strongly discriminated against other parties and ethnic groups. They killed millions of people as a result of ethnic cleansing and class warfare. Examples of such brutalities include the Holocast, which was carried by the Nazis against the Jews. All these brutalities were a consequence of the inhumane rationalism that contradicted the discipline of ethics in philosophy, which in turn contradicted the ideas of the early philosophers and founders of enlightenment. Such disasters including the possibility of a World War Three are ahead of us. However, the present negative results of enlightenment are unnecessarily high consumption patterns in Western countries, a further decline in religiosity, wide scale environmental degradation, increased inequality between the poor and rich and the negative results of globalization, which include the widening gap between rich and poor countries in terms of national income and standard of living. Why Islam is more enlightened than the Western ideology of enlightenment and should be promoted? When analyzing the successes and failures of Islam, I found that Islam has no failures and is a perfect way of life, which is why it is such an enlightened religion. However when I studied the successes and failures of enlightenment in the West, I noticed that there were a lot of major failures that resulted from enlightenment even though there were some great successes such as the advancement in technology. The successes achieved from enlightenment in the West could have also been achieved by the Muslims if they had not deviated from the path of the Prophet Muhammad, which is the Quraan and traditions (Sunnah) of the Prophet. If we look the earlier eras in Islamic history, the Muslims were much ahead of the West in technology and sciences. The Muslims also had their own empire which extended from China to Southern France. At that time the West lived in the Dark Ages and were inspired by the Muslim philosophers and sociologists such as Averroes (Ibn Rushd), Ibn Khaldun and Avicenna (Ibn Sina). A lot of words in English and French were borrowed from Arabic such as alcohol (al-Kohol), algebra (al-Jabr), assassin (hashshashiyeen) and coffee (kahva). Also if we look at the time period (between the 19th and 20th century), when the enlightenment was causing devastation in the West such as the two world wars and the Holocast, we will find that there were no such major conflicts in the Islam world. The Islamic countries were at peace with each other. Also if we study the Quraan we will find that it provides a great deal of enlightenment even during the present day. It is sound in accordance with the latest discoveries in science. In fact the Quraan has been a leading guide to enlightenment for 1400 years since it begun. Since the time of the Prophet, it has been by far the best piece of Arabic literature and had a tremendous influence on the Arabic language particularly in secular (prose) and religious writing. During the time of the Prophet it challenged the best poets in Arabia to write even one verse as eloquent as the Quraan. Many of these poets (such as Kaab Ibn Zuhayr) accepted Islam due to the Quraans eloquence and originality. In the present world, the Quraan is serving as a guide to scientific research and jurisprudence. References Badawi, J.A. (1980). The Status of Women in Islam. Al-Ittihad, 8(2), 1-28. Davies, N. (1996). Europe, A History: Enlightenment And Absolutism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Duprà ©, L. (2004). The Enlightenment the Intellectual Foundations of Modern Culture: A Definition and a Provisional Justification. Yale: Yale University Press. Enlightenment (concept). (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_%28concept%29 Hofmann, M.W. (2002, Summer). Has Islam Missed Its Enlightenment? American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, 19(3), 1-10. Ibrahim, I.A. (1997). A Brief Illustrated Guide To Understanding Islam (2nd ed.). Houston: Darussalam , Publishers and Distributors.

The Era of Privatisation :: Business Management Studies

The Era of Privatisation Introduction It was under the Thatcher government that the era of privatisation started and it was â€Å"the most radical change in the 20th century British politics† (Young, 2001, p. 1). From 1984 to 1991, the telecommunications, gas, water and electricity industries which were under government control, were sold to become privately owned and controlled. The privatisation of the electricity industry occurred in 1990 but had already begun in 1987 with the creation of a programme describing the different tasks involved in privatising the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. According to Young (2001), the considerable number of privatisations can be explained by the intention of improving the efficiency and a more economic reason concerning the proceeds of the flotation. As far as the case of electricity is concerned, David Parker (1999) argues that the main reason was to promote competition and that all the producers of the four activities (generation, transmission, distribution and supply), could be divided into separate corporations responsible for each activity and open to competition. After the privatisation of the electricity industry, a regulatory office was created, the Office of Electricity Regulation - also known as Offer. The need for regulatory bodies such as Offer can be explained for example by the requirement of preventing unfair competition when several companies work in the same fields or provide customers the same service, or the need to protect the work force. Moreover, as Parker argues it can attract international attention. This essay will firstly attempt to explain the situation of the electricity industry before 1997 and the changes it was subjected to, then it will identify the regulation office responsible for this industry and the role it plays, and finally it will highlight the benefits and the drawbacks of this regulation. I- The situation of the British electricity industry A) A historic review up to 1997 Ø The early days As John Surrey (1996) explains, the Electricity industry existed for about 150 years and it has always required a form of regulation especially when the technology started progressing. The first model of regulation were acts of legislation taken for example after the First World War, in 1926, by the Conservative Government to â€Å"establish the Central Electricity Board as the owner of a national grid† (Surrey, 1996, p. XV). Some of the issues were solved, such as the voltage distribution between the different regions but others remained, like the considerable numbers of suppliers. All these considerations tend to explain the nationalisation of the industry in 1948. Ø Privatisation State control lasted forty years until 1989, however the need to promote competition in generation and in retail electricity supply, and to separate the transmission from the generation, led the Thatcher

Biffs Changing Perception in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman :: Death Salesman essays

Biff's Changing Perception in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman In Death of a Salesman, Biff's perception of society is altered through a chain of events throughout the play.   His unrealistic expectations about how to succeed, learned from his father, eventually caused the destruction of his fantasies.   His concept of an ideal society, where being liked is what is needed to succeed, is harshly changed to a reality where he must realize that hard work and devotion are necessary to prosper.  Ã‚   Through a series of events, Biff gradually comes to a realization of what is necessary for success.   First, we are shown a part of his childhood where Biff is told that "the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead."   This idea appears in direct contrast to Bernard, one of Biff's childhood friends, who works and studies hard.   Biff decides that Bernard will not succeed because he is "only liked, not well-liked," and being well-liked is the cornerstone of success. Nonetheless, later in the play we see that Bernard has become very successful, underscoring one of the messages in the play, that success is not just a result of popularity.   Second, we are shown a scene in Boston soon after Biff has just failed math for the year.   He discovers his "heroic" father having an affair.   Biff comes to the painful realization that his father's values, his views, and everything that Biff had mad e the foundation of his life, are all completely "fake" and "phony."   Unfortunately, he has nothing with which to replace it.   Lastly, Biff decides to leave to try and find himself, but an argument develops between Biff and Willy.   Biff begins to see himself as like his father, "nothing," just an average man trying to make a living, and quite possibly failing.   Biff's earlier image of his father's greatness has crumbled entirely, leaving a lost young man trying to find his way.   Biff realized that he now needs to find his own values in life.   He has finally tasted reality and now must dive head first into the pot, without any real preparation. Thus, it is clear that in the novel Death of a

Defining Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

In order to move forward clinically or in research to address the problem of emotional and behavior disorders one must first have a solid definitive grasp on the nature of the problem and what it ultimately is, definitionally. Unfortunately, there’s no universally accepted definition for emotional and behavioral disorders. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines the disorder as followers: â€Å"a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree, which adversely affects educational performance: An inability to learn which cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers. Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems† (Council for exceptional, 2011). The federal definition also includes those children who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, but excludes children who are socially maladjusted unless they are seriously emotionally disturbed (Ibid). Gargiulo points out that although research continue to argue over a concrete definition of emotional and behavioral disorders, there are some common denominator/factors in the various definitions. He indicates four key factors that an individual must exhibit that will contribute to diagnosis of emotional and behavioral disorder. 1. There must be a high frequency (or rate) at which the behavior occurs. 2. The high intensity of the behavior. 3. The length or duration of the behavior. And 4. The age appropriateness of the behavior (Gargiulo, 2006). The terms emotional and behavioral disorders, mental disorders, emotional disturbance, behavioral disorders, and mental illness are all umbrella terms that are often used interchangeably in the field and in the literature. Beneath these terms, there is a wide range of specific conditions all different from one another in their characteristics and in their treatment (National dissemination center, 2010). Some examples of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders are, adjustment disorder, anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, selective mutism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, anorexia nervosa disorder, bipolar/manic depressive disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder.

My inspiration to go into medicine

People never want to become doctors. They strive towards the goal of being one. Perhaps the process of healing awakens a hidden potential for answering the mysteries of life; or provides some form of protection for the pilgrim that had himself couthed into the sheath of white: either way the attractions of medicine are undeniably numerous. What, then, of reputation or the great self-devouring love for humanity? What of saving others and finding significance in one’s own existence? All superficial! As undergraduates, we are driven by absolute inquiries into the depths of knowledge to recover fragments of our lives. Where do we fit into the puzzle of life? That’s the question. I have an image to maintain: in front of others and in front of myself. My father is a renowned pediatrician back home in New Zealand. I used to stalk him to his workplace and follow him around all through the singular years of my childhood. Not that I particularly liked staying in the hospital or anything. As a matter of fact, I despised hospitals. The scent of sterility, driven by the notion of vacuumed air straight from the void; the faded color of those walls dressed to match in uncunning fashion; and the ethereal atmosphere of the admission halls grazing through the clarity of perception as if to enforce its own presence. Ugh! But to weigh out all of these, I had a doctor’s magic! (I mean this in a strictly in a figurative sense for no matter how much of a rogue that institution turned to the normal rules of a civilized, everyday society, it had no magic there. Certainly not my father. He was a serious character, always in motion, wearing a frown and a deliberate mask of indifference. He wasn’t particularly liked by the nurses or popular among the patients, either. But he did have remarkable powers for comforting people. Whether cheeky brats, angry rebels or crybabies; my father ticketed them all through the examination roll until they were shipped back to their quarters. His executions were perfect and timely, as he never ran out of tricks to pull from the pockets of his lab coat. The essential part of the battle is to win them over,† he always used to say, So, yes, I have an image to maintain. An infolding of personality I wish to develop into the outside world. Like a newborn, it chides and kicks to be let out, and though I realize fatherly affection is still beyond me in this immature state, I want to bring this child to the world. I believe becoming a doctor is the only answer to this immortal call, and for this reason I hope to study medicine in — university. Tracing the steps I used to take in the hospital dorms, more vivid impressions surface to my mind. I remember the time when, lost in between the labyrinth of curves and swings in the hospital, I perceived the shadow of my father’s coat- just a sliver of its sheath, impressing me with such overpowering impulses. I didn’t doubt it for a moment. I followed that formless ghost until its sheath materialized in my slight grasp. Unable to control myself, I sobbed and cried: painfully†¦ shamelessly†¦ until I was completely relieved. I remember fighting by my father’s side against no worthier adversary than himself: latching myself unto him to keep him from leaving. The staff had to tear me apart from him. At that moment, I had a premonition that I might never see my father again. I cried for him to come back, but he disappeared into the bright light beyond the door at the end of the hallway. The door at the end of the hallway was big, scary; its windows were blurred; and the stripes that clambered over its bulk seemed to have forsaken all hope of stretching back to its point of origin. It really was a magnificent light and my father approached it with such a look of importance as I’ll never forget. It was priceless! The melodramatic setting; the overdramatized characters; and my utter stupidity: â€Å"I still have long ways to go,† this memory always reminds me. This child has something to share with you all. If I’m given a chance, I’m sure the prayer will be fulfilled. Teach me the secret beyond that light. Help me cross that door I daren’t cross as a fledgling. Show me I can be better.

An Analysis via Erikson’s Theory Essay

Hillary Clinton is a well-known political figure, with many contradictions in her personality. This difficult Democratic primary election process has revealed interesting features of her personality, from her strong, resolute character, reflected in her perseverance despite political challenges, to her vulnerability, which she has shown in several moments, like that well-publicized tearful scene in the New Hampshire primary, in front of all the cameras. I chose Erikson’s theory of personality to help explain the development of Hillary Clinton’s personality. Erikson proposes that an individual develops her personality by passing through various life stages, each marked by a specific area of conflict. Hence, I will apply Erikson’s stages to Hillary Clinton’s personality development and life events. Erikson’s first life stage is trust versus mistrust, followed by the second stage of autonomy versus shame and doubt. During Hillary’s infancy and early childhood, Hillary was born into a supportive family with a strong religious background. Her parents nurtured her emotional development. In such a supportive environment, her personality flourished, as she found her caregivers and family caring and reliable. Independence and self-reliance were encouraged at an early age in Hillary’s family. Erikson’s third stage is the conflict of initiative versus guilt. Early in her childhood, Hillary was encouraged by her parents to be assertive. Personal drive was strongly encouraged, as she excelled early in school, and as she was encouraged to stand up for her rights. One popular incident was illustrated by Hillary’s mother when one time, Hillary came home crying because she was being bullied. After a long talk with her mother, Hillary came back to school, and punched her bully. Erikson’s fourth stage of industry versus inferiority is a major period of success for Hillary Clinton. From the time of her early childhood to high school, she excels in school, graduating first in her class. Hillary develops a strong feeling of purpose and self-worth, which carries forward her ambitions later in life. Her sense of industry and accomplishment are further validated by her academic achievement in Wellesley College and Yale University. Erikson’s fifth stage of identity versus role confusion is often matched to an individual’s  teenage years, but this stage covers many events in Hillary’s personality development, extending beyond her teenage years. Hillary’s parents allowed her to gain her own voice. She was encouraged to break free beyond the traditional female roles of her time, to pursue higher education and a career. Her political leanings radically changed, as she left her earlier registration in the Young Republican party, to join the Democratic Party. In her valedictory speech at Wellesley College, she embraced the strong sentiment against the Vietnam War and full support for the civil rights movement. Like many members of her generation that time, Hillary tried to find her identity in the turbulent society of the 1960’s. The sixth stage of Erikson corresponds to an individual finding love, in a struggle of finding intimacy versus isolation. As a law student at Yale University, Hillary met her husband, Bill Clinton. While Bill Clinton’s infidelity will challenge this relationship, the relationship between Hillary and Bill Clinton is a true partnership. Despite the proposals of cynics that Hillary stuck with Bill Clinton because of his political connections, many sources still acknowledge that the love between Hillary and Bill Clinton has been genuine. This family unit, also built around their sole daughter Chelsea Clinton, has helped the Clintons weather political turmoil. Erikson’s seventh stage of generativity versus stagnation is a major question that keeps recurring in Hillary Clinton’s life. Hillary Clinton has worked hard on her legacy, and continues to do so. During her husband’s administration, Hillary took up active roles in formulating government policy, including an attempt at health care reform, far beyond the traditional roles of a First Lady. Not content after Bill Clinton left the White House; Hillary Clinton decided to pursue her own ambitions by running for the Senate. Finally, as she attempts to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary strives to make history as America’s first female president. Perhaps, it is this driving force to leave a legacy which is the source of Hillary Clinton’s tenacity during the Democratic primary. The final stage of Erikson’s life development, involving ego identity versus despair, is an open chapter in Hillary’s life. If she fails to secure her lifelong dream of becoming the first American female president, will her personality turn to despair? Or instead – will she instead be satisfied with her family and her political accomplishments? Time will decide how Hillary’s personality  development will unfold. In summary, Erikson’s life stages of development offer a useful framework for understanding Hillary Clinton’s motivations and personality development. The various conflicts in Erikson’s theory highlight the life of Hillary Clinton, who faced many challenges to reach her current unique position of success and historical significance.