Second Language Aquisition

Second Language Acquisition What is Second Language Acquisition? In second language learning, language plays an institutional and social role in the community. It functions as a recognized means of communication among members who speak some other language as their native tongue. In foreign language learning, language plays no major role in the community and is primarily learned in the classroom. The distinction between second and foreign language learning is what is learned and how it is learned. Slide 2: Learning a second language requires: 1. formal language instruction in an academic setting; 2. nteractions with the second language outside of the classroom; 3. pedagogical practices, strategies and methodologies which facilitate second language learning (how); and 4. teaching the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing along with comprehension and thinking (what). Slide 3: The study of second language acquisition involves: 1. how second languages are learned ( t he process); 2. how learners create a new language system with limited exposure (interactions); 3. language proficiency levels (competence and performance of the language); and 4. hy some learners achieve native-like proficiency. How Do Learners Acquire a Second Language? Learners acquire a second language by making use of existing knowledge of the native language, general learning strategies, or universal properties of language to internalize knowledge of the second language. These processes serve as a means by which the learner constructs an interlanguage (a transitional system reflecting the learner’s current L2 knowledge). Communication strategies are employed by the learner to make use of existing knowledge to cope with communication difficulties.Slide 4: Learners acquire a second language by drawing on their background experiences and prior knowledge in their first language. They experiment with the second language by using features found in their first language which a re similar to those in the second language. This dependence on the first language serves to help the learner construct an interlanguage, a transitional system consisting of the learner’s current second language knowledge. Communication strategies help the learners use what they already know to overcome breakdowns in communication. Slide 5:Individual differences affect second language acquisition. These differences may be developmental, cognitive, affective or social. There are factors that are fixed which we cannot control such as age and language learning aptitude. There are some variable factors such as motivation which are controlled by social setting and the course taken for developing the second language. Teachers need to know that variable factors are controlled through the learning environment, by knowing their students’ cognitive styles, their learning preferences, how they teach, and what they teach.Slide 6: There are many different types of learner strategies which teachers need to be aware of in order to understand the strategies children bring with them and how they learn best. Language learners may need to be taught strategies for relating new knowledge to prior knowledge, for organizing information more effectively and for seeking opportunities for communicating with target language speakers. Slide 7: Researchers identified a natural order of strategies for developing a second language.The order of development starts with the very simple imitation of a word or language structure, to self-talk, to self-correcting, and to role-playing. An awareness of this natural order can help teachers of second language learners plan lessons to facilitate language learning and increase the learners’ self-esteem and self-confidence. Slide 8: There are several theories of second language acquisition which have provided information on how second languages are learned. The Universalists studied a wide-range of languages to find out how languages vary and what makes them vary.They looked at language patterns, language universals (features of language which are common across many languages) as well as other properties of language. Slide 9: Universalists also claimed that language is acquired through innateness (nature) and that certain conditions trigger the development of language (nurture). The search for meaning is innate. Activities and instructional materials need to be presented in a meaningful, relevant and interesting manner in order to allow students to make language learning connections. Slide 10:Behaviorists claimed that learners learn by undergoing training and practice through a series of stimulus and response chains and operant conditioning. The environment provides the stimulus and the learner provides the response. According to the Behaviorist theory, reinforcement motivates the formation of a language habit. Behaviorist Theory (Continued) Theory When the learner learns a language, this learning includes a se t of stimulusresponse-reward (S-R-R) chains. Imitation provides the learner with a repertoire of appropriate, productive responses.The learner learns to imitate or approximate the productive responses provided by the environment. The characteristics of human and non-human learners include the ability to: 1. 2. 3. 4. respond to stimuli in a certain way; intuitively evaluate the reward potential of responses; extract the important parameters that made up the stimulus response (positive reward chains); and generalize these parameters to similar situations to form classes of S-R-R chains. Slide 11: Language learning requires effort and practice.Behaviorists further claimed that learners imitate or approximate productive responses. For instance, learning how to write is not universal across cultures because some cultures do not have a history of written language, therefore learning how to write involves a conscious effort and specific training, as well as a willingness to learn by trial and error. Responding to stimuli in this instance is critical in order for writing to take place. Slide 12: Nativists claimed that language learning is biologically determined.Each person is born with an innate ability to learn language. The basic innate language learning capacities are referred to as the Language Acquisition Device (LAD). This view asserts that the environment only serves to trigger the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) which determines what children acquire. Children acquire much of their language ability before coming to school, thus supporting the innate structures argument. Nativist Theory (Continued) 1. 2. 3. the ability to distinguish speech sounds from other sounds in the environment; TheoryMcNeill (1966) described the LAD as consisting of four innate linguistic properties: the ability to organize linguistic events into various classes that can be refined later; knowledge that only a certain kind of linguistic system is possible and that other kinds are not; and the ability to engage in constant evaluation of the developing linguistic system in order to construct the simplest possible system out of the linguistic data that are encountered. 4. Nativists have contributed to the discoveries of how the system of child language works.Theorists such as Chomsky, McNeill, and others helped us understand that a child’s language, at any given point, is a legitimate system in its own right. Slide 13: The Nativists also contend that learners actively construct grammar for themselves by actively listening to the language around them and trying to determine the patterns in the utterances. Learners progress through language in predictable stages. The learner will not respond to error correction if he/she is not developmentally ready. Slide 14: Cognitivists claimed that the conditions for learning language are the same conditions that are necessary for any kind of learning.They believed that human beings have the capacity for developing logical thinking. Acquiring knowledge is a cognitive process which involves automatic processing (rountinzed) and controlled (temporary) learning. Cognitivist Theory (Continued) Language Learning as a Cognitive Process 1. 2. Theory Learning a language involves internal representations that regulate and guide performance. Automatic processing activates certain nodes in memory when appropriate input is present. Activation is a learned response. Memory is a large collection of nodes. Controlled processing is not a learned response.It is a temporary activation of nodes in a sequence. Skills are learned and routinized only after the earlier use of controlled processes have been used. Learner strategies contain both declarative knowledge i. e. knowing the ‘what’ of the language-internalized rules and memorized chunks of language, and procedural knowledge i. e. know the ‘how’ of the language system to employ strategies. 3. 4. 5. 6. Slide 15: The Cognitive theory undersco res the fact that the learner brings an innate mental capacity to the learning task. He/she also brings perceptions of relationships between what he knows and what he/she needs to know.Learner strategies are used for learning the rules of a language and how to use the language for different audiences and purposes. Theories of Second Language Acquisition (Continued Social Interactionist Theory supports the view that the development of language comes from the early interactions between infants and caregivers. Social interactionists stress: Theory the importance of a child’s interactions with parents and other caregivers; the importance of â€Å"motherese†; contributions of context and world knowledge; and the importance of goalsGlew (1998) claims that learners have to be pushed in their negotiation of meaning to produce comprehensible output. The classroom context needs to provide adequate opportunities for target language use to allow learners to develop competence in t he target language. Slide 16: Social interactionists believe that human language emerged from the social role that language plays in human interactions. They further believed that the environment plays a key role and that adults in the child’s linguistic environment are instrumental in language acquisition.Language learners need many opportunities for using the target language in order to develop competence. Slide 17: Social interaction is the key to language processing. Input from the social interactions provides a model for negotiation opportunities. Vygotsky (1978) believed that learners bring two levels of development to the learning: an actual developmental level and a potential developmental level. These two levels are referred to as the Zone of Proximal Development. Learners can move from actual development to proximal development through social interactions with others. Slide 18:Krashen proposed five hypotheses for second language acquisition. He explored the notion t hat acquisition is different from learning because one takes place in a natural environment while the other takes place in an academic setting. He further claimed that we learn language in a predictable order. Some language structures are learned earlier than others. The monitor is the self-correcting mechanism that learners use to edit what they say before they speak or write. The learner can overuse the monitor and stifle communication. Slide 19: Krashen proposed that when learners are provided with comprehensible input they acquire more.When the learner’s affective filter is up, this means that information is not reaching the learner. This may be because of fear, anxiety or low selfconfidence in language learning. The ideal situation is for the filter to be down so that the language acquisition device can receive the input necessary for language acquisition. Cummin’s Second Language Framework Cummins makes a distinction between social language and academic language. 1. Social language refers to the everyday conversational language which is supported by the use of illustrations, realia, demonstrations, etc. Context Embedded). Studies show that language learners acquire social language in approximately two years. Social language deals with the here-and-now language, therefore second language learners tend to acquire it faster. 2. Academic language is the language of school tasks which is more abstract and decontextualized (Context Reduced). Some second language learners who develop fluent spoken English have difficulties in reading and writing because they may be at different levels of proficiency while they are moving from social language (BICS) to academic language (CALP).It takes between five to seven years for second language learners to acquire academic language. Slide 20: James Cummins developed a framework for second language acquisition that involves the identification of both social and academic languages. The basic interpersonal commun ication skills are acquired from everyday use of the language and are supported by cues in the environment (context-embedded). The cognitive academic language proficiency is more abstract language which is not supported by environmental cues (context-reduced).Slides 21-22: Context-embedded tasks are for the most part cognitively undemanding because learners are able to depend on cues for assistance. There are some tasks that are context-embedded, more complex and impose cognitive demands. The learners in these situations can still rely on environmental cues for help. Slides 23-24: Context-reduced tasks can be both cognitively undemanding and cognitively demanding as well. Cognitively undemanding tasks are simple to carry out but do not contain environmental cues i. e. reading for personal purposes.Cognitively demanding, context-reduced tasks are more abstract and decontextualized. Slides 25-26: The components of communicative competence include: 1) grammatical competence which is kn owing the structure of the language; 2) sociolinguistic competence which involves the use of the language for different audiences, purposes and norms of communication; 3) discourse competence which includes combing and connecting utterances both spoken and written; and 4) strategic competence which involves using language to meet communication goals. Slide 27:Competence is the underlying knowledge which is the mental representation of linguistic rules. This knowledge is nonobservable because it is internal. Performance is the overtly observable production of competence (comprehension and production of language). Slide 28: The three general principles of language learning include: 1) the law of exercise-active and repeated responses to stimuli (practice); 2) the law of effect-reinforcing learner responses (providing immediate corrective feedback); and 3) the principle of shaping-learning language through learning chunks (bit-bybit).Slide 29: These principles operate under the assumpt ion that language learning is the formation of habit. The learner’s automatic responses were prompted by stimuli. Interesting and motivating stimuli turns responses into automatic, routinized learning. The level of difficulty required to learn a second language depends on the amount of time it takes to learn a second language pattern. The time from which controlled responses (short-term) turn into automatic responses (long-term) is dependent on learner differences, learning conditions, and teaching pedagogy. Input and InteractionL2 acquisition can only take place when the learner has access to input in the second language. This input may come in written or spoken form. Spoken input occurs in face-to-face interactions. Non-reciprocal discourse includes listening to the radio or watching a film. Behaviorists claim that presenting learners with input in the right doses and then reinforcing their attempts to practice them can control the process of acquisition. Chomsky pointed ou t that in many cases there was a very poor match between the kind of language found in the input that learners received and the kind of language they themselves produced.Comprehensible input (Krashen’s, 1985 Input Hypothesis) proposed that learners acquire morphological features in a natural order as a result of comprehending input addressed to them. Long (1981a) argued that input which is made comprehensible by means of the conversational adjustments that occur when there is a comprehension problem is especially important for acquisition. Swain (1985) proposed the comprehensible output hypothesis which states that learners need opportunities for â€Å"pushed output† in speech or writing that makes demands on them for correct and appropriate use of the L2.Slide 30: Input and interaction are very important factors in second language acquisition. Second language acquisition can only take place when the learner has access to input in the target language. Teachers can prov ide comprehensible input in their instructional delivery coupled with opportunities for interactions. Adjustments are made in order to facilitate the comprehension of messages. Just as important is comprehensible output. Learners need to be given opportunities to produce spoken or written discourse which forces them to use correct and appropriate use of the second language.The Role of the Native Language in Second Language Acquisition Language Trans fer The role of native language in second language acquisition has come to be known as â€Å"language transfer. † It has been assumed that in a second language learning situation learners rely extensively on their native language. According to Lado (1957) individuals tend to transfer forms and meanings, the distribution of the forms and meanings of their native language and culture to the foreign language and culture.This transfer is productive when the learner attempts to speak the language. This transfer is receptive when the le arner attempts to grasp and understand the language and culture as practiced by native speakers. Lado’s work and much of the work of that time (1950’s) was based on the need to produce pedagogically relevant materials. A contrastive analysis of the native language and the target language was conducted in order to determine similarities and differences in the languages. Slide 31: The first language has a distinct role in second language acquisition.When language learners have a strong linguistic and communicative foundation in their native language, then the process of second language acquisition involves language transfer. Learners transfer forms and meanings as they attempt to speak or write the second language. Transfer takes on a receptive role when the learners listen to native speakers of the language and try to understand what is being said. Similarities in the two languages are transferred positively (language facilitation), while differences cause a nonproducti ve transfer (language interference). Framework for Explaining L1 Transfer Language Trans ferThe L1 system is used for both comprehension and production. The interlanguage system is also used in comprehending and receiving messages. The L1 system is used in hypothesis construction responsible for interlanguage development. Comprehensible input serves as a major source of information for hypothesis construction. L2 output may be used for hypothesis construction. Slide 32: Language learners rely on their first language to produce language and to comprehend it. Hypotheses construction of language comes when learners manipulate and test language forms to further their interlanguage, the stages of development between L1 and L2.The second language output helps the learner test hypotheses of how language works and helps them construct new ones. Teachers provide comprehensible input in order to help learners acquire information for hypotheses construction. Slide 33: Language transfer is a co gnitive process which involves the strategic use of the first language in learning the second language. The flexible thinking that occurs in the learner’s mind is representative of the interconnectedness between the two languages. Bi-cognitive thinking occurs spontaneously and with great ease.Learners think in their first language, transfer that thinking into the second language and then produce the utterances that meet the communication situation. There is a distinction between transfer experienced for communication purposes and transfer experienced for second language learning. First language transfer helps the learner receive and produce messages for communication purposes. Transfer in learning situations happens when the learner uses the first language to formulate hypotheses about second language rules. Language Language Transfer Trans ferWhere the two languages were identical, learning could take place through positive transfer to the native-language pattern. Where the two languages were different, learning difficulty arose and errors occurred resulting from negative transfer. Chomsky (1959) set in motion a re-evaluation of many of the behaviorists claims. This re-evaluation included area such as: the dangers of extrapolating from laboratory studies of animal behavior to the language behavior of humans were pointed out; 2. the terms stimulus and response were exposed as vacuous where language behavior was concerned; 3. nalogy could not account for the language user’s ability to generate totally novel utterances; and 4. studies of children acquiring their L1 showed that parents rarely corrected their children’s linguistic errors, thus casting doubt on the importance of reinforcement in language learning. All this led to the reconsideration of the role of L1 in L2 learning. 1. Slide 34: When language features in the two languages are similar, positive transfer from the first language to the second language occurs. When language feature s in the two languages are different, learning difficulties and errors happen.This transfer process made it evident to researchers that the native language definitely plays a major role in second language acquisition. The Nature of the Interlanguage Continuum Cognitive theories of interlanguage claim that with the assistance of learning strategies, learners build mental grammars of the second language. Learners draw on the rules they have constructed to interpret and produce utterances. Learner’s utterances are only erroneous with reference to the target language norms, not to the norms of their own grammars.The interlanguage continuum consists of a series of overlapping grammars. Each share some rules with the previously constructed grammar, but also contains some new or revised rules. A rule has the status of a hypothesis. Slide 35: The implication of the interlanguage continuum for teachers is that with assistance from learning strategies, learners are able to build mental grammars (rules) of the second language. The continuum represents different interlanguage stages (overlapping grammars) that the learners go through to use the rules they have learned to interpret and produce speech.Rules are classified hypotheses because the learner tests certain language rules in his/her development. Selinker’s Interlanguage Theory Selinker’s Interlanguage Theory maintains the separateness of a second language learner’s system and gives the system a structurally intermediate status between the native and target languages. According to Selinker, second language learners are producing their own self-contained linguistic system. The system is not a native language or target language system, rather it falls between the two.Stages of Interlanguage Development include: 1) random errors (presystematic); 2) experimentation and inaccurate guessing; 3) emergent-growing in consistency in linguistic production; 4) backsliding-appears to have grasped but later regressed and unable to correct errors; 5) systematic stage-ability to correct errors on their own; rules may not be well-formed but display more internal self-consistency; 6) stabilization-few errors are made, have mastered the system to the point of fluency; and 7) intralingual-inconsistencies within the target language; Global errors-affect meaning;local errors-close similarities in word form (i. . spelling). Interlanguage Continuum Interlanguage Stages L1 L2 ______/____/______/____/_______/_____/___/_____/_____/______ Basilang Mesolang Acrolang Slide 36: Each of the stages of the interlanguage continuum represents each grammar that the learner builds which represents more complexity as he/she moves on the continuum. Second language learners begin in their first language and as teachers provide the formal and informal second language instruction, learners move forward in their development.When learners encounter difficulties in any of their interlanguage stages, they can fo ssilize (learning stops at some given point) or they may experience backsliding (regression). The continuum can be related to language learner categories used for identifying bilingual/ESL students. Basilang is equivalent to the beginner; mesolang is the category of an intermediate learner; and acrolang is the category for the advanced learner. Slide 37:The identification of errors that language learners make is important in order to understand the source of errors and the corrective measures teachers can offer. Errors happen when learners lack knowledge of second language rules, while mistakes occur when learners are unable to perform their competence (underlying knowledge that is non-observable). Overt errors are deviations in form and covert errors are those that are well-formed but do not communicate what the learner intended. Learner Errors Error Analysis is used for examining errors as a way of investigating learning processes.Much of the early work on learner errors focused o n the extent to which L2 acquisition was the result of L1 transfer or creative construction (construction of unique rules similar to those which children form in the course of acquiring the native language). The presence of errors that mirrored L1 structures was taken as evidence of transfer (interlingual), while those errors similar to those observed in L1 acquisition were indicative of creative construction (intralingual). The study of learner errors showed that although many errors were caused by transferring L1 habits, many more were not.It was found that learners went through stages of acquisition and the nature of errors varied according to their level of development. Error analysis could not show when learners resorted to avoidance and it ignored what learners could do correctly. Slide 38: For teachers of English language learners, it is important to understand the role of errors in second language learning. Error analysis is important because it gives us the opportunity to e xamine learner errors and determine if errors are a consequence of first language interference or not.Implications for teachers come in planning instruction that addresses patterns in errors made by students experiencing language interference, grouping practices to target the identified errors, and instructional methodologies and strategies for helping learners overcome some of their errors. Slide 39: Errors made by a language learner can give teachers insight as to how much knowledge the learner has in the second language. They are a means of diagnosing progress or lack of progress in second language development.Errors are to be seen as part of a process of second language acquisition not just as the result of imperfect learning. Slide 40: Errors are systematic and will occur until the language learner recognizes them and corrects them. If communication is clear, even when learners produce errors such as â€Å"no want† then the error is in the language structure and not in t he learner’s system (interlanguage). Slide 41: Contrastive analysis helps teachers understand potential errors language learners make. This understanding will allow teachers to identify what needs to be learned and what is already in the learner’s system.What needs to be learned will be the focus of instruction and what is already learned will be the knowledge the learner brings to the learning situations. The pedagogical materials that resulted from contrastive analysis were based on the claim that language is a habit; language learning involves the establishment of a new set of habits; the native language interferes with the reception and production of a second language; and accounting for errors involves considering differences between the first and the second languages.The greater the differences the more errors will occur; and difficulty and ease in learning a second language are determined by differences and similarities between the two languages in contrast. Sli de 42: Thomas and Collier (1997), proposed the Prism Model of Language Acquisition for School. This model includes first and second language cognitive development, academic development, language development as well as social and cultural processes. Slide 43: The cognitive development component is a subconscious process that is developmental. Thought processes are built through interactions.It is critical that cognitive development take place in the first language so that the foundation is strong and positive transfer of skills and concepts occurs. Slide 44: Academic knowledge, concepts and skills transfer from the first to the second language. In order to make the necessary instructional adjustments, teachers need to provide instruction in the learners’ first language and a strong English as a Second Language component during the instructional day in order to make academic content meaningful. The interruption of academic development in the first language will likely promote a cademic failure.A good balance of academic instruction (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) in the first language and vocabulary and oral language development (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) through ESL will facilitate language transfer and transition when the learner is ready. According to research, it takes a language learner from 5-7 years to reach academic proficiency in the second language. It takes from 2-3 years to acquire BICS. Therefore, teaching BICS in the two languages and having a strong ESL program are essential if language learners are to be ready for transitioning from the first to the second language.Slide 45: Language development includes Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) which are acquired subconsciously as well as the innate ability learners bring with them to the academic setting (CALP). In order to assure both cognitive and academic success in learning a second language, the learner must be taught in his/her first language to a hig h cognitive level so that the learner can develop the necessary competence and performance in the second language. Slide 46:Second language learners go through everyday experiences which impact the acquisition of the second language. The home-school connection is very important in order to help language learners respond to second language learning more effectively. The sociocultural support that language learners need must be evident at home, at school, in the community and in society at large. The instructional environment can either create social unity, linguistic and ethnic respect, and value for bilingualism or it may promote a psychological distance between two groups, cultures and languages.Slide 47: In conclusion, teachers working with second language learners must consider the learners’ linguistic, cultural, and academic needs, as well as the levels of language proficiency. Teachers should encourage their students to experiment with language and not be afraid of makin g errors. Errors are part of the learning process just as error correction is part of the teaching process. Teachers should not ignore errors, but focusing too much on them can cause anxiety, fear and hamper learning.

An Unfor Gottable Event in My Life

he Most Memorable Event in my Life As the title suggests, my essay is about some event which is important, exciting, memorable to me. A lot of people probably would agree with me that one of the most interesting activities in life is traveling, this is one of the thing I enjoy the best in my life. For this reason, I try to travel as much aas possible. The last trip was a very long and interesting one, it was a trip to the United States of America. The first thing to be said about is the choice of the country.It wasn’t that the United States was a country of my dreams like it is for some people. There were a lot of countries which I wanted to see more than America, but I was given an opportunity to work there for some time and this is how I went overseas. I worked there and traveled as well. During this trip I had visited a lot of places, but I decided to write only about one city which impressed me the most. It is the New York. City. When I first arrived to this city I had nev er seen anything like that before.When you come from such a small country like Lithuania you are shocked how big the city is. It left a great impression to me, I just loved the buildings of it: new ones, old ones, small ones and especially big ones. There is so much of everything: huge and tiny shops, restaurants, cafes, night clubs, museums, galleries, etc. It seems that it would take at least few years to see everything only in one city, not mentioning the whole country. Another interesting and important thing about New York, as well as the whole United states, is a mixture of cultures.I met so many people from so many different countries. I think America is the only country which has so many cultures mixed with that of their own. This is a very interesting and at the same time strange thing to discover for someone who is not familiar with such thing. The last words which I want to say about this trip, it taught me a lot of things about life and people. In the States people are ve ry different but one thing is common to the majority of them, it is money.Visiting this country I discovered how great the power of money is, how it changes the world, people and their lives. I guess it was the only disappointing thing about this country because the rest of it was very exciting. To conclude, I would like to say that it is quite hard to write everything on one sheet of paper as there is so much of interesting to say, but it takes a lot of space. Summing up, I could say that this trip, in some way, changed my life and outlook to the world, that is why I have chosen it on the most memorable event in my life.

The Importance of Immanuel Kant's Works Research Paper

The Importance of Immanuel Kant's Works - Research Paper Example Kant has influenced many other great thinkers of modern times. It was because of the wholeness of Kant’s work that many people from different professional backgrounds identify with him. Kant wrote extensively on political philosophy, moral philosophy, perception, and categories of the faculty of understanding. In this paper we will attempt to outline the main ideas of Kant and then an analysis of his ideas will be followed. We will also discuss the strengths of Kant’s ideas briefly at the end of the paper. Kant wrote extensively on philosophy as he covered different branches of philosophy. He wrote on Metaphysics, ethics, politics, and aesthetics. He was particularly interested in creating a bridge between the rationalist and empiricist philosophies. The major work of Kant is The Critique of Pure Reason. This book holds great value in the field of philosophy as it made important contributions to Metaphysics. In this great book Kant has attempted to solve the problems th at were not previously answered by Metaphysics and philosophy. Kant is known all over the world for these two books and they are also a compulsory read in any philosophy curriculum. In the other works of Immanuel Kant, his works on ethics, aesthetics, and political philosophy are included. Kant wrote Ground Work of the Metaphysics of Morals in which he outlined his moral philosophy. In other books like Critique of Practical Reason and Metaphysics of Morals, Kant has explained his view on ethics and morality. He believed that morals and ethical standards cannot be relative in nature and they should be absolute. He also stressed more on actions and behaviors than the consequences of actions and behaviors. The Categorical Imperative of Kant is a widely discussed and accepted ethical theory. The views o Kant on ethics will be discussed in detail later. Kant also wrote on aesthetics in detail in his books Observations on the Feeling of the Beautiful and Sublime and Critique of Judgment. On aesthetics Kant was of the opinion that our judgment of beauty is not cognitive in nature (Kant, 1). This means that we do not reason and then come to a conclusion about beauty rather it is aesthetical in nature. Such were Kant’s ideas about aesthetics. In the field of politics too Kant contributed heavily as he wrote Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch. The focus of Kant’s political philosophy is on law and on mixed form of government. He is not in favor of democracy as many of his contemporaries but at the same time he is also not in favor of extremely autocratic government. Kant’s political views were mainly aimed at finding ways to end ways and bring long term peace in the world. He was not in favor of wars at all and attempted to give a political philosophy that will end all kinds of war and bring about perpetual peace. Kant's Philosophy The philosophy of Immanuel Kant is complex and covers a wide range of topics. Kant has written on ethics, politics , and on reason and experience. In this section we will talk about each of these three areas in great detail. It is important to understand the social settings as well as the philosophical thought prevalent in the days of Kant in order to understand fully what he is trying to say. Kant was living at a time when enlightenment movement was in its full flow. Philosophers and thinkers had started to celebrate the power of reason and logic in the field of metaphysics and philosophy.  

The Epitome of Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Epitome of Democracy - Essay Example This explains why despite the country being economically stable, the number of people who can afford health insurance is very small. There is an ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor with the poor being majority about 80% (Behrouzi,  16). The wealth of the country is controlled by a small group of people who are about 20% and who also with the current state of political development have control in the political system. It is a shame that a country that is so developed has people languishing in poverty, some are homeless and there are high levels of unemployment even among the educated population. Although people with degrees have a greater chance of getting better jobs, they also have their challenge of dealing with student debt (Iek, 1). Education has become very expensive. In order to overcome the eminent problems facing the country, there is need to change the political system. This paper investigates the problems in the American systems of governance and gives the sug gestion of the changes that should be implemented. Here is the doubt that the American political system is dysfunctional. The existing systems have become obsolete. Creation of jobs is very slow and only a few people benefit from reforms that the government institutes than many. There is no doubt that there exists huge inequalities between the haves and have not’s. However, despite the fact that American system of democracy and capitalism is to some extent to blame for the current state of affairs, this does not mean that they should be completely done with. America reached its status of being global leading economy because of practicing capitalism. Capitalism encouraged people to work hard to gather wealth and this led to the growth of the countries economy (Marx, Karl & Friedrich Engels, 245).

Hemophilia A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hemophilia A - Essay Example Some emergency cases require urgent medical attention to prevent death. This paper will discuss in detail the causes of the disease, its prevalence, symptoms and diagnosis as well as management and treatment of the disease. Introduction Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder that is hereditary where the blood clotting process takes place in an abnormal way and it is very rare. People affected by hemophilia may bleed for a longer period especially after an accident. Individuals suffering from this disorder may bleed internally especially in joints such as elbows, ankles and the knees. Almost 9 persons out of 10 suffer from Hemophilia A, which is a rare condition and the main type of hemophilia, where the blood clotting process occurs abnormally (Schoenstadt, 1). Factor VIII is essential in the blood clotting process. Hemophilia A may occur due to insufficient factor VIII. If the levels of factor VIII are 6 % to 50% below the normal percentage, bleeding may occur primarily. However, with le vels below 1 percent, impulsive bleeding can occur. Most bleeding occurs into the joints of the arms and legs, causing crippling joint damage. In addition, atrophy occurs due to frequent bleeding into the muscles (Lockwood, 1). Lack of factor VIII may leads to various problems. Because bleeders will not close, there is a higher possibility of bleeding out (Hemophilia.com, 1). Causes and Prevalence of Hemophilia A Defect in one of the genes that determine how the body conducts various blood-clotting factors may result to hemophilia A. This gene, known as F8 is present in the X chromosome. One type of the blood-clotting factor is factor 8, which, normally made by the F8 gene. Mutation of the F8 gene hinders clots from forming in case of an accident, which may lead to too much bleeding and in mot cases it may be difficult to control (Schoenstadt, 2). Women have two X chromosomes. In cases where a factor 8 gene does not function, the gene on the other chromosome can perform the task gen erating enough factors 8. On the other hand, males have only one X-chromosome. If the factor VIII gene on that chromosome is imperfect, they will end up having hemophilia A. Therefore, most people suffering from hemophilia A are males (1). A woman who has imperfect factor 8 gene becomes a carrier. This means that her children may inherit the imperfect gene. In a woman who has the defective gene, any of her male children will have a 50% possibility of having hemophilia A, while any of her female children will have a 50% probability of being carriers (Dugdale et al, 2). In the United States, about 18,000 individuals suffer from hemophilia A and almost 400 babies each year inherit this disorder from their mothers. Even though hemophilia occurs in males only, there is a lower probability that this disorder may affect women. Almost nine individuals out of 10 affected with hemophilia suffer from type A disorder. The people suffering from hemophilia A have a problem with clotting factors. These clotting factors aids in the blood-clotting process, thus their absence leads to hemophilia A (Schoenstadt, 1). Prevalence of hemophilia A varies among different nations. For instance, in the early 1970s, the reported hemophilia A occurrence for the United Kingdom was about 10 per 100 000 males compared to the occurrence

Is wind power green Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Is wind power green - Essay Example Wind power, though helpful in promoting alternative resource could not sustain the growing need of electricity; the claim about how it reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emissions holds a lot of questionable areas, while its more subtle effects on animals is as fatal as the blatant ones. Wind Power The wind’s molecular structure and versatility in movement are the main reasons why it is a good agent of producing electricity by means of wind turbines. The blades of the turbines are â€Å"designed to capture kinetic energy in the wind† (Layton, n.d.). The heat of the sun combined with the irregularities of the Earth’s surface, are the main factors of wind formation; thus leading us to the idea that wind power is basically an offshoot of solar energy. The origin of using the wind as an energy resource dates back hundreds of years ago when civilizations prosper and began to develop agriculture. According to Redlinger, Andersen, Morthorst, and the United Nations Env ironment Programme (2002), the origins of wind power may be traced back in ancient Asia particularly in some parts of North Asia and the Middle East. In the eve of European navigation, windmills were spread across the European continent particularly in the Netherlands and Denmark, where windmills were used primarily for irrigation. What convinces environmental advocates that wind power is the safest form of renewable energy is the fact that it does not reproduce radioactive chemicals like what nuclear energy does. Truly, wind energy is tried and tested through time. However, the needs of the society nowadays are a far cry from what it is before. If power was only needed to process wheat and other agricultural products, then the amount of power the wind produces would be enough, but looking into the modern context where steel and massive electricity needed to light the country’s households, power generated by the wind would only mean a speck of dust. A Lighter Side of the Issu e Harnessing energy from the natural wind may be the biggest advantage of wind power if compared to fossil fuels or nuclear energy. According to the Energy Resource Center of Wisconsin (n.d.), power plants generally produce toxic by-products such as mercury and lead, which are both lethal to the environment and human and animal health. The use of wind power would likely to reduce the production of these chemicals in such a way that it would prevent contamination of clean natural resources. In addition, an edge that wind power may have among other forms of energy source is the longevity of the system. The wind power equipments have accessible materials for its maintenance and would less likely to require expensive machineries for its sustenance (Cane, 2010). Nowadays, information about the wind power offers a bright future for the environment; however several environmental advocates disagree with this statement. The Other Side In his book Power Hungry: The Myths of "Green" Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future, Bryce (2010) regarded the energy by the wind power, a myth; more-so with its efficiency as electricity provider. In the case of Denmark’s wind power resources, the wind turbines needed a considerable amount of electric generation capacity (Bryce 2010). Basing on the Denmark’

UK Food Labelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

UK Food Labelling - Essay Example In a nation where consumers want to know more and more about what they are putting into their shopping carts, the way towards a more healthy diet and wider awareness of how eating and shopping habits affect the rest of the country and the world on the whole, more information is needed for each food item and the answer seems to be a label that is ever increasing in size. This essay examines the current guidelines of British food labelling, where Europe feels the guidelines should go and in particular how the elements of the 2006 Conference on Food Labelling might be implemented into UK directives. With reference to stakeholders, current label requirements, necessary information and consumer understanding, the role of the label is ascertained both on its own and in conjunction with other information media now and in the near future. Foods that are sold in the United Kingdom are subject to the legislation of the Food Standards Agency; internally speaking this means that any produce sold, or any packaged foods sold in grocery stores must meet certain standards (Cartwright 1999). Meat, for example, must be traceable to the farm they were raised on so that if any health risks are discovered it will be possible to track down any other potentially harmful produce quickly and efficiently (Fine 1998). Packaged foods must not exceed certain amounts of salt or contain substances not deemed suitable for consumption (Foodlaw; General Guidance for Food Business Operators). In terms of the European Union and food trade agreements, these guidelines have not been imposed strictly on EU nations and so it becomes difficult to legislate on imported produce. This means that the FSA must deal with the concerns of its British population in terms of foreign food standards, plus it must deal with internal pressure to understand the fu ll nutritional value of foods sold locally (FSA; Food Law Enforceement). The FSA is run by an appointed board whose members have recently lobbied for the removal of commercials aimed at children that promote the consumption of unhealthy food items containing high amounts of sugar, salt and fat. The organisation is responsible foremost for the health of British consumers and in this capacity it has taken on many challenges in recent years. The FSA is currently under pressure to establish a new labelling system that might incorporate organic and free range status as well as to stamp each item or ingredient with a place of origin (Mansfield 2004). Consumers want to know that their food is not only healthy for them, but healthy for the environment and that any live animals consumed were treated well before their slaughter (Goldstein and Goldstein 2002). Certainly it is beginning to seem as if there is no end to the information being demanded on each food label, however one must consider whether a person can be expected to eat something that is of questionabl e origin and quality. A traffic-light system has been recently backed by the FSA in terms of categorising several packaged foods by level of nutritional value. A green mark will indicate healthy food to be eaten regularly, yellow indicates moderation and red will indicate a food that should only be eaten on occasion (FSA; Agency's new traffic-light TV ad launched). After

Political Instability in Egypt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Political Instability in Egypt - Essay Example Mubarak has been oppressing the rise of rebellion for many months in order to keep the centralized power. This clearly relates to Mill’s On Liberty, as the dictator is trying to maintain harmony and status quo. He clearly uses this to for explaining the necessity of a political sovereign state (Mill). Furthermore, he insists on a sovereign leader with absolute power that would bring security and calmness to people. In addition, he himself insists on this fact, since he witnessed a civil war that tore his country. The evil that lurks in unlimited power is the focal point of Mill’s argument. Undoubtedly, Mill’s argument for absolutism is due to the fact that the state of nature is indeed war (Mill). Mill’s main agenda is to show that, rationally, men will seek peace against the state of nature of conflict behavior. Mill’s bold attempt to convince the fact that men are creatures of peace in a state of nature is, nonetheless, a difficult thing to prove since mankind is struggling in constant warfare (Mill). Thus, Mill’s explanation of conflict is complex and hard to comprehend since, even in perfect conditions, certain man will rise to occasion to challenge authority (Mill). It’s human nature to seek pride, glory and fame; without doubt, humanity will continue to be engrossed in these acts because it can never be satisfied. Clearly, the author’s task is to show that the nature of men is complex. Mill’s theory elaborates that men are instrumentally designed to seek rationality in all instances for their best self-interest (Mill). Thus, this is the reason for the general tendency of mankind to desire power after power until death strikes them. The competition does not rise from the general scarcity of resources but Mill does not imply that. He implies that when distributed equally, even if insufficient for fulfillment of community needs, resources will never be sufficient for the satisfaction of certain p eople’s quest to obtain more power (Mill). People in their state of nature tend to have mistrust and compete for natural competition of power. Thus, the people of Egypt have revolted because of lack of free elections, high unemployment, corruption that plagues the country, and restriction of free speech. Egypt was less than a month away from holding parliamentary elections after Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power earlier this year. The natural competition for men to elect a leader that can protect their interest is crucial for Egypt (Brennan). Mill states that if the leader under power cannot provide his people with sustenance, a rebellion can threaten to change the status quo (Brennan). Clearly, Mubarak failed to give his people the free democratic elections he promised earlier. For many decades, the mass majority of the populous was surprised to see Mubarak’s party known as the National Democratic Party win by huge margins (Jensen, 2010). Many began to question the true cause of these results and accusations of vote rigging, fraud and bribery have been the focal point against Mubarak’s campaign. Hence, according to Mill, a revolution is almost guaranteed when individuals have little or no impact in the politics that govern themselves (Mill). Another key element Mill discusses in his work is brilliantly illustrated in this particular scenario. It is the fact that individuals are likely to rebel if unemployment plagues the region. This scene can be brilliantly depicted

Reintroduce death penalty Essay Example for Free

Reintroduce death penalty Essay Death penalty is a legal process through which, as a punishment a person is sentenced to death for a criminal offense by the state. Criminal offenses punishable through death penalty are referred to as capital offenses or capital crimes. The death penalty proponents, pro-capital punishment argues that it is an important aspect for deterring crimes, preserving law and order, and is less expensive compared to life imprisonment. They also claim that it is in the honor of the victim to award the death penalty. This is because it ensures the offenders of the heinous offenses do not get another chance to commit such crime again. In addition, the death penalty consoles the victims grieving families. Those opposed to death penalty, abolitionists argue that there is no deterrent effect on crimes, and government wrongly uses it as power to take life. They claim that it is the death penalty is a means to bring about social injustices through targeting people who cannot afford good attorneys, and people of color disproportionately. They argue that life imprisonment is less expensive and more severe than the death penalty. With all these arguments, we are left to decide on what course to take, assess the pros and cons of capital punishment and decide to support or oppose it. Questions relating to who deserves the death penalty and who does not have been raised by both the advocates of death penalty and those opposed to the death penalty (Zimring 91-93). Should death penalty be introduced? This is the argument of this paper. Capital punishment, in many countries, cultures and societies, throughout the human history has been applied in the justice system; the question that arises is that is it morally acceptable? Is it justified? Both the advocates for death penalty and the opponents of death penalty have valid arguments to back up their reasons. Those for the death penalty argue that the act of capital punishment is a deterrent to crime. However, those against argue that the death penalty is only a life imprisonment and not a deterrent to crime. It is however evident that the deterrence from the perspec tive of capital punishment is about the murderer’s mind involving the existing psychological processes (Haag 70-71). Not everybody deserves the death penalty. However, some people earn capital punishment. A person who breaks into a grocery store and steals bread definitely does not deserve the death penalty. In addition, people who commit murder for self-defense or during moment of  passion. Such people according to me do not deserve death. On the other hand, a serial killer after the lives of innocent people for fun and personal gains deserves capital punishment. I support the proponents of capital punishment. This stance is informed by a number of facts and reasons. Death penalty is a deterrent to crime. Even though the death penalty is irreversible, convicted persons are often given numerous chances to prove their innocence. Capital punishment assures societal safety through elimination of criminals. A life for a life is a sensible and credible assertion. Deterrence is punishing someone to create fear among people for punishment. Capital punishment is a punishment creates fear, especially in the minds of sane persons. Haag (2003) in his article On Deterrence and Death Penalty, people refrain from dangerous and harmful acts because of inchoate, vague, habitual, and most importantly preconscious fear (Haag 72). Everyone fears death, and most criminals would have a second thought if they were aware their own lives would be on the line. There are not so many justifications and evidence of death penalty to effectively deter crime than the usual long term imprisonment. The countries or states with the capital punishment has no lower rates of crime or rates of murder than those countries and states without those laws. On the other hand, the states or countries that campaign against capital punishment have not shown any significant deviation in the rates of murder or crime. The indicates that capital punishment has no defined deterrent impact. Claims that the executions dissuade particular number of murders have been discredited thoroughly by the researches of social sciences. In fact people do commit murder widely in the heat of passion basically under drug or alcohol influence, or because of mental illness, without thinking about the implications of the act. Those murderers who make plans of their murder crimes expect and intend to escape punishment by avoiding getting caught (Haag 70-73). On the other hand, some social research has found that execution has a significant deterrence to incidents of murder. In addition, the implementation of the capital punishment is related to the increased murder incidences, while those against the death penalty argue that the capital punishment is used unfairly against the African Americans, every extra execution prevents murder of 1.5 African Americans. In moratoria, death row, and commuted sentences removals tend to increase murder  incidences. Americans have emerged to support the capital punishment for reasons such as; the existence of minimal justification that suggest unfair treatment of the minorities, and that the death penalty results into a reduction or deterrent to crimes and saves life. Those for capital punishment believe that the death penalty ultimately deter murderers from killing more innocent people. No concrete evidence justifies this assertion. Therefore the supporters suggest that the capital punishment is a basic reminder to the general public that there is no reward for crimes. It gives people a notion that if you engage in killing innocent people then you are forced to pay a quite high price (Zimring 95-96). Abolitionists, opponents of the death penalty argue that there is no need to take the life of a criminal to deter life, and that imprisonment in itself is a deterrent to criminal activities. Zimring (2004) asserts that deterring crime is only possible by frightening the would-be criminals by arrest, conviction, and punishment. However, imprisonment may not be enough for some criminals to stop committing more crimes. A number of criminals such as serial killers believe that they would never be caught and brought to justice. For these kinds of criminals, the death penalty should be warranted to teach others a lesson and instill fear in them. The advocates of anti the death penalty argue that capital punishment is irreversible, and may lead to making irreversible mistakes. I accept this fact because once someone is awarded the death penalty; there is no reverse even if they only failed to prove their innocence (Haag 77-78 ). However, the probability of making a mistake with the death pe nalty is very minimal, extremely low. Capital punishment is very extreme. Therefore, the judicial system exercises it with a lot of care and caution. Because of the various guaranteed rights protection of people facing capital punishment, guilt must be determined by convincing and clear evidence that leaves no room for alternative justification of facts. The right to appeal is also protected for the convicts, and other privileges that ensure only rightly accused persons are awarded the death penalty. According to Haag, whenever life is at stake, trials are often more likely to be fair, and the death penalty is less often inflicted unjustly than others. Therefore, the abolitionists’ argument of making irreversible mistakes is unjustified. People have argued that the death penalty theory is correct since people are deterred from doing crimes by what they fear most,  that people fear death more than any other punishment, that the death penalty is a deterrent to crimes that any other punishment possible, and that the capital punishment is humane enoug h and the law supports it. They also argue that because those sentenced to death normally do much to have the day postponed, it proves that people fear death and therefore will avoid it (Zimring 97). Others have also said that the televised executions are more effective as people exercise more reaction to what they see than that which they imagine. It is hence hard to threaten murderers with something basically invisible, but in their minds, the death penalty is a major deterrent option. These are justifications that the death penalty is effective. The U.S establishment of the death penalty was due to capital crimes and murder. State or congress legislature may recommend the death penalty for capital crimes. According to the Supreme Court ruling, the death penalty does not violate the Eighth Amendments ban per se on unusual and cruel punishment. However, the Eighth Amendment shapes certain aspects of procedures regarding where a jury may prescribe the death penalty and the way it must be conducted. Analyses of Eighth Amendment demand courts to consider the evolution of decency standards. This is important in ascertaining that a particular punishment constitutes an unusual or cruel punishment. It is required that when considering evolving decency standards, objective factors that show a change in standards of the community must be observed and independent evaluations made concerning the reliability and/or essence of the statute in question. Although the death penalty is being considered effective in deterring capital crimes, the Supreme Court ruling discredited capital punishment for juvenile offenders. Majority opinion indicated that juveniles are irresponsible and immature. They have incomplete character development and are greatly vulnerable to negative influences. The Supreme Court deduced that adolescent offenders assume reduced accountability for their crimes. However, social science researchers point out that people do commit murder widely in the heat of passion. The reas on for this may be influence from drug or alcohol, mental illness. This renders little or no thought to the consequences of the act. Those murderers who make plans of their murder crimes expect and intend to escape punishment by avoiding getting caught. Therefore, the death penalty may be appropriate in such cases (Zimring 98-101). In conclusion, I support the arguments given  by the proponents of the death penalty, the pro-capital punishment. I think death penalty should be reintroduced. I take this stance because I believe the death penalty serves a definite purpose of deterring crime and bringing criminals to justice, as well as honoring the victims. For capital punishment to rightly serve this purpose, it must be made efficient and more effective. The system of justice has gone through a drastic transformation to ensure only rightly accused persons are brought to justice. I believe the death penalty ensures societal safety, brings criminals to book, brings justice to the victims, and deter crimes and reduce the number of criminals. From these illustrations, I believe capital punishment should not be abolished. Capital punishment is necessary to maintain public safety and keep justice shining in the society. It also cuts down the number of convicts on death row. The death penalty relieves families and friends who lose their loved ones in the merciless hands of criminals. It also solves the problem of overcrowding through a humane action. From this account, the death penalty aids in resolving a number of societal criminal issues. Therefore, I take the stance of the pro-capital punishment: I support the reintroduction of death penalty. Works Cited Haag, Ernest Van Den. On Deterrence and Death Penalty, Reserved reading for Philosophy, 2(3) 2003; 44-78. Zimring, F. E. The Contradictions of American Capital Punishment, New York: Oxford University Press. 2004. Print.

Nutrition programs Essay Example for Free

Nutrition programs Essay Traditionally, nutrition programs were targeted to the indigent and poor populations in developing countries. Many of todays Americans are malnourished also, but they are inundated with unhealthy foods and require a multidisciplinary approach to nutrition education. What would be the three most important points to include in a public nutrition program? Provide current literature to support your answer and include two nutritional education community resources. Answer: Although we already know it is essential to eat a healthy diet, we may find it more challenging to sort through all of the information about nutrition and food choices. Nutrition is the provision to cells and organisms of the materials necessary (in the form of food) to support life. Healthy eating helps prevent high cholesterol and high blood pressure and helps reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Many people today in America are malnourished and it is mostly due to indulging in unhealthy/poor dietary intake. These problems can be controlled by utilizing a multidisciplinary approach to public education. The doctors, social workers, nurses, dieticians and other health educators involved in health promotion should all have a part in ensuring and promoting healthy dietary intake with appropriate food portions and increasing physical activity. The three most important points to include in a public nutrition program are (a) the relationship between food choices and chronic disease such as high blood pressure (high salt intake), high lipids (high fat intake), obesity/diabetes (high sugar/carb intake/low activity) and much more. Educating the public on how to use natural herbs/ seasonings, or salt substitute, reading labels for nutritional contents and ingredients and eating low carb food are all vital factors to know. It is also very important to increase your physical activity daily. Another important point to include is (b) the nutritional assessment. Individuals need to be assessed for their nutritional status and risk. This will help to â€Å"tailor the food packages, design appropriate nutritional education and make referrals to health and social services† (USDA, 2015). The next would be  the nutrition for mothers and children in regards to lactation counselling and school lunch programs. Newborn maternal nursing along with children’s’ nutrition is also a very important point to address. There are a lot of mother/baby classes in the community to help promote breastfeeding, infant meals, and children lunch box ideas. Schools are also in a unique position to promote healthy eating and help ensure appropriate food and nutrient intake among students. There are many nutritional education community resources that helps families in America to improve their nutritional status. They are (A) MyPlate Program: This was created by Michelle Obama in 2011 to serve as a reminder for people to create/make healthier food choices. It put emphasis on eating lots of fruits, grains, vegetables, protein foods and dietary foods. (B) The woman, infant and children program (WIC): This program assist pregnant women, new moms and young children obtain and eat healthy foods. Qualified individuals can only purchase healthy food items. Nutritional education is also provided for qualified individuals at no cost to them. References: MyPlate, 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/myplate WIC Program Nutrition Education Guidance, 2006. Retrieved from: http://www.nal.usda.gov/wicworks/learning_Center/ntredguidance.pdf Edelman, C.L., Kudzman, E, C., Mandel, C. L., (2014). Health promotion throughout the Lifespan. St. Louis: Elsevier.

The Tailless Aircraft

The Tailless Aircraft This report on tailless aircraft presents the pros and cons of using such an aircraft design for commercial purposes. The report comprises 4 sections discussing the aerodynamics, structural innovations, engines and overall advantages and disadvantages of tailless aircraft. The aerodynamic study of a tailless aircraft highlights the importance of the wave drag and span loading distribution and different designs that can improve the aerodynamic performance effectively. In structural innovations, several existing tailless aircraft are examined to identify how the structures have been designed to create a successful aircraft. In particular, structures used in the control and stability of the aircraft are examined. As regards to engines, the positioning of the engine and the idea of using a Vertical Takeoff has been discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of a tailless aircraft have been detailed. Introduction Of the aircraft in use today, the vast majority use a tailplane to house rudder and elevators. Aircraft without such a system remain quite rare. However, the concept of tailless aircraft has long been considered by engineers and aviators as an aerodynamically ideal. In the history of the aircraft design several attempts were made to build an aircraft with reduced tail size which has sometimes resulted in smaller drag and weight but has added to controllability problems. Because of this, tailless designs have mostly been used in military applications. In this report we assess whether it is now possible to seriously use this concept in commercial aircraft. Methodology The information contained in this report was primarily gathered from textbooks and internet research. Four different aspects of the subject were identified and each aspect was researched and written up by one member of the group. Additionally, the group were able to examine a harrier jump jet which visited Perth on 7th May 2010. Results of findings The following table summarises what the research has revealed: Negative points Lower profile and interference drag Lift to drag ratio increases by 20-25% Engines can be positioned in the centre rear instead of a tail, providing the additional advantage of directional stability Roll control is more efficient due to large wingspan The tip of the wing aerofoil is not near the stall angle due to backward sweep along with twisted wing tip Vertical takeoff is not practical since a large commercial aircraft weighs too much for the thrust available from current engine technology to overcome Directional control is more difficult to achieve without adding a rudder assembly The triangular spanwise aerodynamic loading distribution does not give the best aerodynamic performance even though the wave drag is the reduced. Section 1: Aerodynamics This section of the report discusses the aerodynamics of a tailless aircraft and various factors affecting the same. A tailless a is a revolutionary conceptual change from the classical design that has been prevailing for the past 50 years i.e. a wing attached to a cylindrical fuselage with a tail to ensure the stability and manoeuvrability of the aircraft. Lower wetted area (area which is in contact with the external airflow) to volume ratio and lower interference drag is the main aerodynamic advantage of a tailless aircraft in comparison with the conventional aircraft. On the aerodynamic performance side, the maximum lift-to-drag ratio depends on the ratio of the aircraft span to the square root of the product of the induced drag factor and the zero-lift drag area, which is proportional to the wetted area of the aircraft. () max = Where Cf is the average friction co-efficient (mainly dependent on the Reynolds number) over the wetted area Swet and is the friction co-efficient. Since the tailless aircraft have a lower aspect ratio but also a lower friction co-efficient due to its larger chord, we always get smaller relative wetted area. This provides a substantial improvement in aerodynamic performance by increasing the lift-to-drag ratio of tailless aircraft in cruise to about 20-25% as compared to the conventional aircrafts. The BWB-450 and BWB-800 were designed to compare with the existing fleet of conventional aircrafts as Boeing 747 and Airbus 380. BWB-450 was presented with the span and the aspect ratio being reduced to 80 m and 7.55 respectively, thereby concluding a decrease in 30%fuel burn per seat for the BWB models as compared to other conventional aircrafts and thus requiring 3 instead of 4 engines. Moreover another such design project was successfully completed, which is based on a similar payload and performance as Airbus 380 with over 650 passengers. The configuration of the project is well suited for the application of laminar flow technology (which results in skin friction drag) to the engine Nacelle and potentially to the lifting surfaces. Also an increase in cruise Mach number increases the drag making the design of aircraft unfeasible.

Social System in Gabriel Marquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Al

Social System in Gabriel Marquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Albert Camus’s The Stranger â€Å"Like father, like son† the old saying goes. And naturally this is so, for if the parent lacks morals, logically the child will too. Just as parents shape their children, authority figures shape their societies. Authority figures have great impact on the common people, for if they act in dishonest or fraudulent manners, the society considers it acceptable to do the same. Such reflections between authority figures and society are seen throughout Gabriel Marquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Albert Camus’s The Stranger. With societies constantly looking to authority figures for guidance, Marquez and Camus satirically depict folly in the actions of the leaders in order to criticize the social system and reveal the accepted selfishness that is reflected by the people. In order to completely understand the manner in which authority figures actions become reflected on society, a reader must observe the social system through the eyes of the narrator. Marquez begins Chronicle of A Death Foretold by establishing the town to appear very religious. The novel commences with the townspeople thoroughly preparing for the yearly arrival of the bishop. The whole town arranges for his arrival, bringing him many gifts and animals. Although Marquez establishes the city as consumed in religious dedication, a reader must analyze the thoughts of the townspeople in order to truly understand the society. The individuals of the community make elaborate preparations, not to show their spiritual devotion, but to benefit their personal selves. Each person concerns themselves with receiving a blessing from the bishop. The people seem to be... ...ngs in order to expunge their sins, The Stranger also presents faith as a means to obliterate sins. In both systems, people rely on religion in hypocritical manners. Instead of desiring a spiritual peace, the people have been taught by authority figures, like the magistrate, to use religion in self-interest. Overall, Marquez and Camus break the spiritual, rational, and impartial facades of the authority figures by exposing the idea that; since the leaders of the society were unable to provide a moral structure for their citizens, an accepted form of selfishness unfolded within the societies. The social systems in both novels act as the shadow of the bishop and the magistrate. Like a shadow, the societies follow in the leaders footsteps, for the society lives as a dark reflection of the authority figures who promote selfishness and false public images.

Gender Roles Essay -- Female Male Compare Socialization Essays

Gender Roles   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While I was growing up, gender roles were highly defined by my parents and teachers as well as all other societal influences. Boys were taught to do 'boy' things and girls were taught to do 'girly' things. The toys that children play with and the activities that are encouraged by adults demonstrate the influence of gender roles on today's youth.   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  In my formative years, the masculine traits that I learned came out because of the activities that my parents had me engage in and the things that they expected from me. The expectations that my parents held for my sister, on the other hand, varied from those that they had for me, and this was made apparent through the different activities that occupied her time. My parents treated us in completely different regard. We had different toys, different friends, and we were supposed to like different things. When I got hurt my parents would say things like 'shake it off,' or 'that didn't hurt that much,' but when my sister would cry, they would give her attention and pull her aside to take care of her. I got into a lot more trouble throughout my life than my sister and this was, in part, overlooked as the boy's mischievous nature. I played with GI Joes and He-Man action figures, while my sister played with Barbie Dolls. I remember when she and I would play together and the GI Joes would be married to the Barbie Dolls. When I made the action figures fight over the Barbie Dolls, my sister would always get ...

Cultural Views on Health Essay

Health beliefs and cultural practices are an essential part of todays multicultural society. It is beneficial for medical providers to be aware of the perspectives of different cultures. Minorities suffer from receiving proper health care because of lack of Jobs, no insurance, and their cultural beliefs. A person’s cultural background can affect medical treatment and health care needs he or she may receive. People from different cultures have different beliefs on health care. The two different cultures I chose to discuss are Hispanic American and African American cultural views. I will be discussing the cultural views between Hispanic Americans and African Americans and their views on health care. The majority of Hispanic Americans are Catholics. Religious beliefs and spirituality play important roles in health care of Hispanic cultures in the United States. Mexican American believes health is a gift from God and their health problems are a result of God’s will. Some Mexican Americans may not have resources for health care and use traditional healings to treat their illness. Hispanics respect their elders and the men within their culture. According to Transcultural Nursing (1997-2008), Hispanics are accustomed to the professionalism of social workers, so they rely on their family and close friends for support or help. Curanderos and Santeros are two common healing practices among the Hispanic culture. Curanderos are naturalist healers who use herbs and plant to heal illnesses. Santeros use the power of the saints to heal and counsel. The majority of African Americans are Christians. Many African Americans view religious as an essential part of life. African Americans view God as the source of ood health and a source of serious illness. Many African Americans rely on religion, family, and social connections for support because of the unfairness they have encountered in the past. Many African Americans think they receive poor health care because of their ethnic background or their race. African Americans may not see a medical provider until this or her medical condition severe because of economic factors. Many cultures do not believe that organic approach is very helpful. Organic approach may seem impersonal to people who have a traditionally different method of care. Minorities, such as African American and Mexican American, have been dissatisfied with the overall health care services because of the unfair treatment they receive as individuals. The organic approach uses scientific knowledge of germs and diseases to find out the health of a patient by using physical testing, conducting studies and experiments, and keeping detailed patient records. From an organic perspective, a patient’s cultural beliefs and social practices are not the primary issues of health care. Harmony perspective sees illness as an incident that occurs for different reasons

Business Class

1) Go to the Bureau of Economic Analysis's Webb site (www. bea. gov) and locate the gross domestic product data. Compare the annual figure for the last four years. What do the figures indicate for the next couple of years? In 2007 it was 4. 9%, in 2008 it was 1. 9%, in 2009 it was -2. 5%, in 2010 it was 4. 2%. 2011 is not yet out. These numbers indicated a rapid decrease and a rapid bounce back. I think for the next couple of years, the figures will rise again before a decrease comes again. ) At the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Web site (www. bls. gov) under Industries, click on Industries at a Glance to find the information about the manufacturing industry. What is the employment trend in manufacturing over the last four years (percentage change from the preceding period)? The unemployment percentage has been going down over the past four years. We are coming off of a 7. 9% unemployment rate. ) Return to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' home page and use the Search feature to find tre nds in employment for the state of Illinois. Look around the Web site to see what other information is available. Plot the trend in manufacturing employment in Illinois over the last four years. On your own, discuss what economic changes may have influenced that trend. In 2009, there was a big unemployment filing from the manufacturing industry due to job loss. That year there was about 65,000 jobs lossed in the manufacturing field. It went from 620k in January to 553k in December. It has been staying around 560k-570k over the past few years though. There are many reasons the manufacturing employment has dropped. Automation, technology, outsourcing, and other things factor in for the decline in jobs since 2009. 4)Based on the information you have gathered, write a brief summary of what may happen to company sales over the next couple years. Based on what I have gathered, company sales will increase

Brett Whitely: a brief frames analysis Essay

Subjective Used art as a method of expressive self-exploration. ‘I paint in order to see.’ His artworks moved from being political protests to being focussed on the not-so-quiet intimacies of his private life. â€Å"Politics, travel, social consciousness, self-analysis, philosophical speculation and youth took second place to one over-riding obsession – to paint pictures of beauty.† (Brett Whiteley, by Sandra McGrath, 1979) Experimented with different, mind-altering drugs to influence his art-making. Greatly influenced by Francis Bacon. Towards the end of his career he moved to painting more still lifes, the more anti-social he became, the more interested he was in inanimate, inhuman objects. His paintings often verged upon the sadly disturbing and deperate or outrageously humourous as his health declined + he became more demoralised. Where he once believed his paintings could change the world (eg. American Life), he tried to grapple with the contradictions in what he believed (ie. complete political restructure) + what he had become (a highly sought after + highly paid artist with a valuable house, swimming pool expensive car etc). His paintings were designed to provoke a very strong emotional response from the viewer, either positive or negative. Cultural Many of his artworks included images of sex, violence, social themes. Interesting portrayal of Australian culture – not always positive, however, it is his paintings that depict Australia in a positive light – Australia as  a beach paradise etc – that are most often glorified. These paintings, for example The Beach, were often misunderstood, as they were commenting on the materialistic/consumer nature of modern Australian society Whiteley saw Australia as being in it’s political infancy, and believed that until Australia forged a more equal relationship with the rest of Asia, it would be doomed. He drove this point home through the use of Chinese calligraphy, slogans, provocative sculpture, poster art and often sensationalist press conferences. Cultural significance of life drawing in the art world. Was also influenced by his many overseas trips, notably India (Calcutta, Shankar + Fidgeting with Infinity) + England (The Christie series + the London Zoo series). Many of his artworks depict a kind of East vs West theme. Structural Combined many different mediums. Mostly did large-scale works – something I want to experiment with. Used many different signs + symbols, sometimes overtly, sometimes not. Very interesting use of space – often depicted bulging, distorted figures on large canvasses in the middle, or corner, surrounded by uninterrupted, negative space. (Many Eastern styles of art have a tendency to portray people as tiny details in the corner of a massive landscape.) Usually used a limited colour range, often worked in white + black or one other colour. Often skips narrative information + detail, more emphasis on forms, curves +  swellings that hint toward vague details. Much style dislocation – didn’t just paint in one style, but many, often within the same painting. Post-Modern Despised the idea of tradition, suburbia, family values etc. Very iconoclastic. Liked to shock the rest of the art world, art critics etc.

A Reader’s Response †The Lesson

The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara is a story of a naughty little girl and her gang of kids who were bundled up one summer day to go with Miss Moore to a toy store. Sylvia and her cousin Sugar are with Fat Butt, Rosie Giraffe, Mercedes, Q. T. , Junebug and Flyboy, not their real names but monikers given them by Sylvia. The names came from their most obvious trait, Fat Butt for his fondness for food, Mercedes for her ritzy tastes, Q. T. , is the youngest, and Rosie Giraffe is always ready to kick asses. One may guess Sugar is for her being the exact opposite of sourly Sylvia. Miss Moore wants to teach the kids about money, specifically, how much of it can buy what. Her objective really is to make them see how much they can not afford compared with what the rest of their fellow citizens can, half of which are whites. If there is one thing that can sure catch the interest of kids, it is a toy. So Miss Moore took them to an upscale toy store at Fifth Avenue, when all the toys the kids knew and had were from Pop’s. The tone of the story is sarcastic all throughout, from the first person point of view of Sylvia. Bambara’s style is effective in her portrayal of Sylvia, as a little Black, spoiled brat who has a vocabulary peppered with cuss words such as â€Å"sorry-ass, goddamn, boring-ass, dumb shit, smelly-ass, smart-ass, nappy-head bitch, scratching the shit out of me† and who believes that â€Å"white folks crazy. † She uses similes to introduce Miss Moore who is â€Å"black as hell† and whom â€Å"grownups †¦ talked behind her back like a dog. † With the story, Bambara takes the readers to pore into the psyche of a child born on the on the other side of the tracks. The reader would think that it is a gang member speaking instead of a precocious kid from the block when she says â€Å"she would much rather †¦ go to the Sunset and terrorize the West Indian kids and take their hair ribbons and their money too. † The story is told from the eyes of a child ultimately bored with how the adults attach so much importance to the mundane. Sylvia asks, â€Å"Watcha bring us here for, Miss Moore? † To which Miss Moore replies with, â€Å"You sound angry, Sylvia. Are you mad about something? † Bambara keeps the lightness in the treatment of the characters, who are all kids except for Miss Moore, by strong doses of humor. Big Butt wants to buy â€Å"that there. † Rosie Giraffe cuts him with â€Å"That there? You don’t even what it is, stupid. † When it is Rosie’s turn, she asks what a paperweight is. Flyboy answers with, â€Å"To weigh paper with, dumbbell. † There are moments when the kids sound pathetic. Miss Moore asks about their desks at home where they do their homework. Junebug says he does not have a desk, Big Butt says he does not do his homework and Flyboy says he does not have a home. The theme of the story is about issue of economic disparity, among all others, between the Whites and Blacks. It can be an emotional one when discussed seriously and earnestly. The Lesson successfully attempts to present the issue in a novel manner without taking the truth away and the need for it to be confronted. Bambara uses literary techniques to bring home the point to her readers and provide the insightful highlights of the story. For a $1,195. 00 toy sailboat, the kids’ reactions are as follow: (1) with Hyperbole, Sylvia thinks with â€Å"That much money it should last forever. † Q. T. figures that only the rich shop in the store that sells the sailboat. (2) with Litotes, Flyboy tells him â€Å"You are a bright boy †¦ What was your first clue? † Sylvia fancies a $35 clown that somersaults. (3) with Anaphora, Thirty-five dollars could buy new bunk beds for Junior and Gretchen’s boy. Thirty-five dollars and the whole household could visit Grand-daddy Nelson in the country. Thirty-five dollars would pay for the rent and the piano bill too. † These lines are significant because even the usually doubting Sylvia realizes what other important things $35 can buy, something to sleep on for two boys, the happiness of an old man, a roof on the family’s head with their entertainment thrown in. Miss Moore’s plan must be working alright. (4) with Hyphopora, â€Å"Imagine for a minute what kind of society it is in which some people can spend on a oy what it would cost to feed a family of six or seven. What do you think? † Sugar verbalizes her disgust for the insensitivity of some. The girl has her values right when she is equates the toy with food for seven people. Buying the toy is the height of insensitivity. Aside from the last two quotes above, there are others that add to its meaningful dissection of the social issue of disparity. â€Å"What kinda work they do and how they live and how come we ain’t on it? Who we are is who we are. † These are the words of Miss Moore, typifying those who quest ion the inequality of things and yet accept the fact as it is. They do not even challenge the situation and right the wrong of it. â€Å"But it don’t necessarily have to be that way †¦ poor people have to wake up and demand their share of the pie. † These words are also from Miss Moore, speaking for those who believe that something can and must be done. It is like saying that nothing will change for as long as people do not know how to fight for what is by right theirs. â€Å"I think †¦ this is not much of a democracy if you ask me. Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough †¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is entirely wrong. Democracy is not handed down, it is something one fights for. Equal chance and equal crack is not for free, one must earn the chance and as well as the crack. Works Cited Bambara, T. C. (1972). The Lesson. Retrieved February 5, 2009 from http://cal. ucdavis. edu/gender/thelesson. hmtl A Reader’s Response – A Good Man is Hard to Find Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† is a third person narrative that begins on a humorous mode and ends on a tragic note. The grandmother is a persistent old woman who gets her way, in one or the other. She has a bagful of antics to get her family, particularly her son to see things the way she sees them and get them to agree to her plans for everybody. She meets opposition from the two most impossible to convince people in the family, her two grandchildren. She threatens them every now and then with a â€Å"Just remember that the next time you want me to curl your hair. † She almost always gets what she wants, but not always including this particular trip to Florida. She wants to go to Tennessee instead to see old friends. Her spin about an escapee from the penitentiary roaming the highways of Florida is not working on her son Bailey. Nonetheless, on D-day she is the first to board the car. While on the way, she remembers a particular old house she remembers from childhood that she says would be nice to see again. Bailey is hearing none of it. She consciously lie about some secret room where the family silver is, â€Å"not telling the truth but wishing she were† to get much needed support from the oppositionists, her grand kids. This time she wins and they were heading to this place through a 36-mile dirt road. It suddenly dawns on her that they are a state away from the house, which is in Tennessee and not in Georgia. The much feared escapee from the Penitentiary comes along with his two other companions. This is the turning point of the story. O’Connor makes the characters so real in the way she portrays the grandmother and June Star. Grandmother dances to the music of Tennessee Waltz while Bailey stares fiercely at her. The irreverent June Star thinks her grandmother does not want to be left out in trips because she does not want to miss anything, that she does not want to live in a â€Å"broken-down place† like that of Red Sam and after the accident, she says that â€Å"nobody’s killed† with a tinge of disappointment when she sees her grandmother coming out alive from the car. O’Connor is effective in giving life to their characters that one will want to squeeze the neck of June Star or give Grandmother a big hug. O’Connor uses Similes â€Å"face was as yellow as the T-shirt,† Alliterations â€Å"big black battered,† â€Å"dark and deep,† â€Å"Don’t see no sun †¦ don’t see no cloud,† Anaphora â€Å"Tennessee has the mountains and Georgia has the hills,† and Allusion â€Å"Gone With the Wind. † The story tells us about the ironies and contrasts in life. There is the grandmother who sees the beauty in anything and everything like the mountains of Tennessee and the hills of Georgia, and the cute little Negro boy by the door of a shack, dances to the beat of an old favorite, takes time to see friends, calls a day beautiful in spite of the danger she is in and sees a good man in the Misfit out to kill all of them. The other character in the story is the Misfit who is hardened to the core. He thinks the world is out to get him and treat him nasty all the time. He does not know of a single goodness left in people. There are meaningful quotes in the story that touches the reader about unfamiliar scenes of real life. Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† has several: â€Å"I was not a bad boy that I remember of †¦ but sometimes along the line I done something wrong and got sent to the penitentiary. I was buried alive. † Society has not been fair and kind to the kid who became the Misfit. He was not given a fair shake in life that being bad became his way of life, in and out of the penitentiary. I call myself The Misfit †¦ because I can’t make what all I done wrong fit what all I gone through in punishment. † The Misfit was too young to make out what it was he had done that he was punished for so long and so harsh. Whatever it was he must have committed, he was sure that he did not deserve the hard life he had been through. â€Å"It was the same case with Him [Jesus] as with m e except He hadn’t committed any crime and they could prove I had committed one because they have the papers on me. † The Misfit compared his conviction with that of Jesus Christ, who he said was innocent. He, too, was innocent as far as his conscience goes, but while they had no basis to establish the guilt of Jesus, they had papers to convict him to life in the penitentiary. â€Å"She would have been a good woman †¦ if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life. † For the Misfit, only death would save people from being bad. It could be the reason why he kept killing people, to save them from being bad. He thinks that the longer people live, they keep going bad.

Castles and Kings Crumble

A cold fear jumped out of my throat. It's not my fault, but I know that I messed up this job, but fat ladd decided not to let go of Coca-Cola slowly. Regardless of the reason, he still has to blame me, otherwise I did not answer my phone. Okay, I have it for now. I took the phone. Molan, the voice on the other side of the line, said that the tone is tightly cut. I think that this is unusual for Smith. Smith usually sounds like a cold frog. Edward issued an order to demand the Queen to protect Wales: defend 400 soldiers in Cardiff, defend the harbor, re-release felonies, and take them to the defense of Kelfri Castle Please give me. This is a waste of time. His powers have collapsed so far, he has been ignored. He drowned and the castle could last for a few months but could not last forever. Without fear of being counterattacked, the queen can betray the castle as long as he is hungry. Forced to surrender, Hugh will be executed, it may be terrible. Regarding Edward, he knows that death often happened to the royalty. It is essential to change the rules of the game The theme of the collapsed haunted castle, which has greatly contributed to the definition of the Gothic style, is an important feature of Horace Walpole's Otranto Castle (1764). In the postpot work, there was a large, divided house symbolizing the destruction of the human body. These emotions concentrate on Roderick Usher suffering from anonymous diseases like many Ellen Points. Like a storyteller of the heart of storytelling, his illness caused his overactive sensation. This disease appears in the body, but it is based on the spirit and moral status of Roderick. He is suggested to be sick because he wants to get sick according to his family medical history, hence basically depression. Likewise, he wanted to buried a living person and wanted to make his own self-realizing prophecy, he filled his living sister. Still, they live in the castle. This is a partially destroyed old castle, near the Norman Towe r. Family living in a castle - even a collapsing family - how can it become poor? Well, the castle is a lease, on the one hand their presence sounds miserable. Smith does not shy away from describing old and more tailored clothes with their slight meal (bread and margarine, or cold Brussels bean sprouts and rice - eggs are treats). The castle is cold and ventilated, selling most of the furniture, and unless Moto Main writes another book, everyone must wait until Thomas finishes his research and finds a job . According to the definition of our castle, we say that this castle is a good place for fortification and defense. But why did the king, nobility, his family, supporters feel that they needed to live in the castle during the Middle Ages? Because the castle is a place to protect, the people living there will have to worry about being attacked. There are three main reasons why the king or baron want to live in the castle. - Of the three risks listed here, the need to control civil war threats or population is the main reason most castles are built in Europe. A foreign invasion has occurred, but it is safe to say that many castles could not be built due to the fear of foreign invasions. People on the South and East Coast of the UK such as Dover and Port Chester