Books are dead Essay Example for Free

Books are dead Essay It could be said that books are dead which leads to the question, What are people doing instead? People are buying and using modern technology indeed of reading books because books are tedious. Would you rather read through a whole chapter in a book just to find an answer to a question, or type in key words into a search engine on a computer and the information be found instantly? Other technologies such as; video, internet and DVD, have superseded them. The more advanced technology appeals to a wider audience and society is not pressurised into enjoying it from an early age if they do not want to, as in the case of books. Books are seen as primitive and dated because they have less to offer the next generation in the form of enjoyment. Furthermore, books are not fashionable in the twenty-first century. This is because popularity within the community is directly proportional to whether the individual has the newest technology or not. The most popular individual has the most recent technological development, such as the latest mobile telephone, and the not so popular individual is left behind, still reading books. Technology is a way to show off and showing off is a way of making new friends and keeping the existing ones. In addition, we would not have moved forward in time without new technology. For example, in the future, we will be able to travel into space and back, which we would not be able achieve using books. Of course, the maths and science would have originated from books but you would need technology to apply it. There is not point in publishing books anymore because no one has the time to sit down and read them. This is because they are boring and it is too much effort. You also have to be in the right mood to read a book, whereas you do not need to be with technology since there are so many alternatives. Books are a waste of paper and ink, and are we not trying to save the environment? Moreover, books are made by technology, for example, the printing press is made up of machines. So why not use technology in other ways that will be appreciated more? On the other hand, books have survived every new technological development, unlike the video recorder being superseded by the DVD recorder, within a few decades. Books have, and will stand the test of time because one can escape into a story in a book and enjoy it without the need for anyone else. Disappearing into a book is an escapist fantasy because you can interpret it in so many different ways. It also makes a nice change from the more advanced technology the world has to offer.

The Problem of Evil

The Problem of Evil The Problem of Evil Does such problem contradict the existence of God? Why does our world contain so much evil? Why does it contain any evil at all? These questions and many others, particularly the presence of evil, reflects the most persistent argument raised against theism. The problem of evil is usually seen as the problem of how the existence of God can be reconciled with the existence of evil in the world. The problem simply stems from basic beliefs or assumptions pertaining to the attributes of God: God is perfectly good, omniscient, and omnipotent. From this, such a God should want to prevent evil, yet much evil exists. There have been many proposed solutions to problem of evil, one being the free will defense/argument. According to this argument, God must allow His creatures to do evil sometimes in order to promote free will. So even if God wants to prevent evil, he cannot because free will is important. The free will defense successfully solves the problem. Some critics believe that this argument fails due to the fact that God could give us f ree will and still stop people from doing evil. But if that were the case, people would not really have free will; they would know they could not freely do anything they wanted. In this paper I will further explain the problem of evil and examine the concept of the free will argument. Furthermore, I will present J. L. Mackies argument regarding the issue, while exploring Alvin Plantingas defense. Despite Plantingas success and acceptance, his free will defense still presents a conflict between reasoning and the characteristics of God. The problem of evil arises because the concept of God seems to entail that there should be no evil in the world. The existence of evil seems to indicate that God is not preventing this evil. If such notion were true, why would not God step in to intervene? Many philosophers, particularly J.L. Mackie, details the problem of evil as a simple case of logical inconsistency, which arises from the attributes of God all being true at the same time. The religious believers assume that God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent, yet evil exist. Simply stated or broken down, the problem of evil claims that the following prepositions cannot be held consistently together: 1. God is omnipotent (all powerful) 2. God is omniscient (all knowing) 3. God is omnibenevolent (all good) 4. Evil exists If God has these features, then it follows that God can and should want to prevent evil. As Mackie states, â€Å"Good is opposed to evil, in such a way that a good things always eliminates evil as far as it can, and that there are no limits to what an omnipotent thing can do. From these it follows that a good, omnipotent thing eliminates evil completely, and then the propositions that a good, omnipotent thing exists, and the evil exists, are incompatible (174).† For sake of clarity, I will define the terms â€Å"good† and â€Å"evil†, as they will be used throughout this paper. Good is interpreted as anything in harmony with Gods character, will, and goal, whereas evil is any state or condition that is contrary to His character, will, and goal. Speaking in terms of evil, I will further examine two types of evil, as one will be introduced later on in the paper. Moral evil is evil that results from an act, or failure to act, by man. For instance, murder is an evil brought about by man and therefore it is a moral evil. On the contrary, natural evil arises through no fault by man. He has no control over natural evil and is completely powerless to prevent its occurrences. Examples of natural evils are sufferings caused by diseases or natural phenomena such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and tsunamis. The problem of evil can be distinguished between two types of philosophical aspects or challenges to faith in God: the evidential challenge and the logical challenge. The evidential challenge (also known as the inductive argument) seeks to show that the existence of evil counts against the probability of the truth of theism (defined as the belief in at least one deity). Philosophy William L. Rowe illustrates this challenge as such: 1. There exist instances of intense suffering which an omnipotent, omniscient being could have prevented without thereby losing some greater good or permitting some evil equally bad or worse. 2. An omniscient, wholly good being would prevent the occurrence of any intense suffering it could, unless it could not do so without thereby losing some greater good or permitting some evil equally bad or worse. 3. Therefore, there does not exist an omnipotent, omniscient, wholly good being (Rowe, 201) In these statements, Rowe suggests the inductive, probabilistic view of the evil argument justifies atheism (defined as either a rejection of theism or a position that deities do not exist). Evidential arguments claim that there is no good reason for Gods permission of evil. On the other hand, there is the logical challenge to belief in God, which says that it is both impossible and irrational to believe in the existence of a good, powerful God with the existence of evil in the world. A sample logical challenge would in the following form: 1. A good God would destroy evil. 2. An all-powerful God would destroy evil. 3. Evil is not destroyed. 4. Therefore, there cannot possibly be such a good and powerful God. The logical challenge attempts to demonstrate that the assumed propositions lead to a logical contradiction and cannot therefore all be correct. In his argument from evil, David Hume inquires about the existence of God, stating that the assumed God would not possibly allow evil to exist. He asks, â€Å"Is He willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then He is impotent. Is He able, but not willing? Then He is malevolent. Is He both able and willing? Whence then is evil (150)?† Being that there is more evil than good in the world, it is difficult to see how one can reconcile the existence of evil with the existence of an all-powerful, omnibenevolent God. So it seems that either God does not exist, or His characteristics are very different from what we think. It seems that either choice contradicts the traditional belief in God. However, the conclusion that were wrong about God follows only if God has no good reason for allowing evil. Perhaps if one can explain Gods reason for allo wing evil, then the belief in God may still be rational. There are many possible replies and solutions to the problem of evil, but I will only limit focus to one particular argument. The free will defense illustrates that God allows evil for the sake of human free will. Moreover, evil occurs because God does not want to compromise this free will be preventing evil. Speaking in terms of free will, what does it mean to necessarily be free or possess free will? As used in this paper, free will is identical to freedom of choice, or the ability to do or not to do something. The concept implies that an omnipotent God does not assert its power to intervene in choice. Gods creation of beings with considerable free will is something like the greatest gift that can be given, or in another sense, the greater good. He could not eliminate evil and suffering without eliminating the greater good of having created beings with free will. The argument simply says that God is not responsible for the evil that takes place, but rather, beings are at fault; at some point in life, a being will be faced with a situation that requires moral choice and the ability to act freely, and they may possibly choose evil (Cain). The argument gives the impression that God knows that evil occurs, God does not want evil to occur, and God has the ability to prevent evil, but evil still exists because God wants us to have free will. In Evil and Omnipotence, Mackie argues that the traditional conceived God cannot possibly exist with so much evil and suffering in the world. Thus, the problem of evil leads to a contradiction in at least one, if not all, of the attributes of God (that being omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent). In his essay, Mackie examines what he calls â€Å"so-called† solutions to the problem: evil being a necessary counterpart to good, the universe being better off with some evil, evil acting as a means to good, and evil being the result of human free will. For objective purposes of consistency, I will only touch basis on Mackies response to evil being the direct result of freedom. For Mackie, the existence of evil is logically incompatible with the existence of a Christian God. He maintains the idea that God granted free will, but then asks, â€Å"If God has made men such that in their free choices they sometimes prefer what is good and sometimes what is evil, why could He not h ave made men such that they always freely choose the good (Mackie, 178)?† Being all powerful, God could have created a world with both free will and no signs of evil. In other words, God could have created a world where man had the ability to choose between two actions (good or bad), but from his omnipotence, He would always see it that man choose what was right. It is obvious that such a world was not created, so what does this say in terms of Gods power? According to Mackie, Gods inability to offer this possibility is a rational contradiction and limits not only his power, but his goodness as well. Plantinga, in his response against Mackie, suggests that atheologicans (specifically Mackie) are wrong to believe that evil and God are incompatible. He argues that God, even being omnipotent, could not create a world with free beings that never chose evil. Furthermore, it is possible that even an omnibenevolent God would want to create a world that contains evil, only if such would bring moral goodness. God uses evil as a vehicle for bringing about the greater good. In efforts to refute the logical problem of evil, Plantinga tries to show that Mackies argument is not contradictory. In order to do so, he finds a statement that could make the claim a reasonable one and makes an addition of a necessarily true proposition to Mackies. He says that â€Å"The heart of the Free Will Defense is the claim that it is possible that God could not have created a universe containing moral good (or as much moral good as this world contains) without creating one that also contained moral evil. And if so, then it is possible that God has a good reason for creating a world containing evil (Plantinga, 190-191).† It is not to be taken in any way that Plantinga declares his proposition is true, but rather logically sound. The free will defense, in my opinion, is a partial success. Plantingas argument is a valid justification for Gods permission of evil, but he seems to speak only in terms of one nature of evil. Yes, the evil that exists around us is a consequence of the abuse of our freedom. Not all natures of evil, however, can be explained in this way. There is much evil that is not inflicted by man. Natural evils (as described earlier in the paper) or disasters, for instance, cause great destruction, but there is nothing that man could have done to prevent them. So if the blame does not fall on man, who can we hold accountable for such occurrences? Would it be safe and logical to say that God, being the Creator of all things (nature in particular), is to blame? Of course for Plantinga he would rely on Augustines perspective to say that these particular evils are a result on moral evil, relating the incidents of Adam and Eve and the concept of original sin. This response would probably be the safe way out, but again it does not necessarily pose a solution to the problem of natural evils. Not everyone hold the same beliefs or interpretations of Adam, Eve, and the forbidding fruit scenario. And at this rate of thinking, his argument would only hold strong for the theist himself. On another note, I believe that it is reasonable to say that it is better that the world contain beings with significant freedom than that it contains only automata. Evil can be seen as an instrument of God to correct, purify, and instruct (as a parent punishes his/her child). God is justified in permitting evil and suffering in terms of promoting character development; it seems that His goal would be to bring man to a point spiritual well-being and maturity. It is deemed necessary that man go through struggles in order to gain strength, a means of soul promoting, or to be conscious of certain emotions. For instance, in order for a person to know â€Å"hot†, they must inevitably know â€Å"cold†. Without being aware of the one, chances are you would not know how to distinguish between the two. In this case, in order for a person to possess happiness or feel sorrow, they must have been faced with a situation that evokes such feelings or emotions. Ultimately, perhaps God allows evil and suffering so that in the end, man will be born again and accept Gods grace and live by His word. In addition to this thought, a world without evil may not be a feasible world for those who possess free will. Everyone would always freely choose to do good acts because God would constitute everyone to do so. But if no one can choose otherwise, then no ability to choose really exists. Therefore, free will does not exist. When it comes to the problem of evil and Gods existence, there are many questions and concerns that come to mind. Firstly, it is written in the Book of Genesis that God created man in His image. But what exactly is Gods nature? Earlier in the paper, it was established that God, particularly the Christian God, is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all good. I take this as saying that God acts as an accomplice to evil because He knows what will happen before the action is done, and yet he does nothing to get involved. He is all powerful because â€Å"through Christ all things are possible†, or at least all things logically possible. He is also all good meaning He cannot sin nor do evil. Taking this into deliberation, man (being created in His image) has the ability to do wrong and create evil. Thus, we are not â€Å"all-good†. So does this fact alone contradict Gods omnibenevolence? Secondly, God granted free will, but has no means of intervening or preventing the consequenc es; if this was false, then evil would not exist. Does this inability take away from His omnipotence? In a sense, I think of it as a limitation on his power because He created something that He has no control over or at least it seems that He does not. Thirdly, it is argued that God cannot actualize a world with free will and no presence of evil. If this is true, then what do you consider heaven? Heaven is supposed to be a â€Å"perfect† world. I am sure that there is free will and absolutely no evil and suffering. Why could not have God create the physical world (in which we live) as such? In conclusion, the problem of evil exists because man believes in an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent creator. Many philosophers, such as Mackie, argue that if one abolishes God himself, or at least some of His attributes, then evil needs no explanation. In response, some philosophers offer justifications for God permitting evil. The most credible of these is the free will defense, which states that there are no contradictions in Gods attributes; He is capable of destroying evil, but not at the expense of taking away free will. In my paper, I have examined the problem of evil and the concept of the free will argument, using Mackie and Plantingas arguments on the subject. I have given reason to both accept and reject the notion that it can be logically established that the existence of both evil and God are not incompatible. Perhaps no one will really understand Gods reason for allowing some things to happen. More so, there is a possibility that such knowledge is beyond our means of reasoning at present. Bibliography Cain, James. Free Will and the Problem of Evil. Religious Studies: An International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion (2004): 437-456. Gale, Richard M. Freedom and the Free Will Defense. Social Theory and Practice: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal of Social Philosophy (1990): 397-42. Gillett, Grant. The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God. Journal of Applied Philosophy (2007): 435-438. Hume, David. The Argument from Evil. Pojman, Louis P. and Michael Rea. Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2008. 147-152. Mackie, J. L. Evil and Omnipotence. Pojman, Louis P. and Michael Rea. Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2008. 173-180. Plantinga, Alvin. The Free Will Defense. Pojman, Louis P. and Michael Rea. Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2008. 181-199. Schellenberg, J. L. The Atheists Free Will Offence. Internal Journal for Philosophy of Religion (2004): 1-15.

Thomas Mores Utopia Analysis

Thomas Mores Utopia Analysis THESIS: In this essay, we will analyze Utopias role in the common laws, the religious freedoms, and dystopia/utopia similarities throughout Mores literature. Introduction Imagine you are a sailor, sailing the vast emptiness of the ocean. To your dismay, the storm thrashes waves against your boat. You find yourself on the island of Thomas Mores Utopia Some facts about Thomas More Common Law / Commonplace / Customs The commons in Thomas Mores Utopia are drastically different from the society in which he lived. Thus, More spent most of his lifetime scrutinizing and paying considerable amounts of attention to the Englands common place and common law. Utopia and England have a few additional odd similarities worth mentioning. Religious Freedoms More wanted to unite his Catholic church. He based Utopia solely on rational principle. More designed Utopian religious freedom as a model for Europe. Dystopia or utopia Each member of Mores Utopia is cared for; however, todays generation finds the uniformity unappealing. Ralphael contradicts extreme punishments in Utopia Clear class system on the island Conclusion A. To conclude, Utopia explores ideas of common law, religious freedom, and has similarities to a dystopian society rather than Utopian. Thomas Mores Utopia Imagine you are a sailor, sailing the vast emptiness of the ocean. During your travels, you come across a storm on the horizon that at first poses no threat to you. To your dismay, the storm thrashes waves against your boat and you struggle to hold your bearings. The storm grows stronger; suddenly, you drift off into unconsciousness. When you awake, you are on an island. There are people on this island and they graciously take you in. Shockingly, they are incredibly hospitable. The people begin to tell you where you are and how their society functions. All the people are dressed almost identical and they all have a purpose and a function in their society. This island is Thomas Mores ideal fictional society, Utopia. Thomas More was not the first person to write about a Utopian society, but he did coin the term utopia which means not place in Greek. Utopia was written in Latin and published in 1516. It is said to be Thomas Mores most influential work. Mores utopian society had complete employment, the citizens are not fixated on money, and are tolerant towards others in the community (Forward). In this essay, we will analyze Utopias role in the common laws, the religious freedoms, and dystopia/utopia similarities throughout Mores literature. First, Thomas more claims that the commons (a shared system or political space whose authority is constituted by its actual commonality) in his imagined society is fundamentally diverse from the society that he lived in and the tradition in which he wrote. More copes with the established notions of commonality in his book, Utopia. Common law was on the rise and was Englands dominant legal form during the 1500s. Thus, More spent most of his lifetime scrutinizing and paying considerable amounts of attention to Englands common law. The Utopian customs include: a system of housing and city planning, a method of senatorial deliberation, a mode of dress, a manner of dining, travel practices, pre-marital courtships, garden growing, and chicken hatching. Evoking the peculiarity of the English legal system, Utopia accepts customs importance in shaping human behavior and Utopian commonwealth. (Elsky) Furthermore, More makes it clear that Utopia is meant to be his ideal vision for England. Both societies are governed by a binding force of law. Every member of these societies is required to obey the laws and face punishment if they contravene. Utopia and England have a few additional odd similarities worth mentioning as well. For instance, England and Utopia are both islands. The capital of Utopia is Amaurotum, which has a river that passes through it. This river has identical tides and bridges to the Thames river in England. England and Utopia are governed by custom. In England, common law is that custom. Unlike common law, Utopian custom offers a means of dominating other nations. Utopia is outside the realm of commonplace; thus it exports its customs carelessly. (Elsky) Secondly, Thomas More wanted to unify his Catholic church. He promoted civic peace by supporting religious freedom in his literature. More developed a plan that would manage church-state relations. This plan became a predecessor to liberal methods. As presented in Utopia, religious freedom today has Catholic, Renaissance roots. Rational principles were the foundation of Utopia. Religious freedom for Christians was favored by More when he was writing Utopia. Utopian religious freedom was designed to serve as a model for Europe. Utopus, the founder of Utopia, was doubtful of claims made to religious orthodoxy. After he seized power, he banned all religious-political conflict. He banned politically dangerous forms of religion. He required all Utopians to follow religions that promoted virtue. This limited religious freedom made Utopia a morally united society that was also spiritually diverse. Utopuss efforts made Utopia a society completely free of religiously inspired violence. Utopia stands in the shadow of communism causing most scholars to fail in appreciating Utopian religious freedom. (Kesser) To continue, Mores Utopia is meant to be a perfect civilization and yet there are countless contradictions and unjust rules on the island. Each member of Mores Utopia is cared for; however, todays generation finds the uniformity unappealing. An average day in Utopia is set up on a ridged schedule with bedtime at 8 p.m. Community members are given one article of clothing every 2 years; consequently, Fashion does not exist and eliminates a major form of self-expression. Atheists are despised on the island yet there is allegedly religious tolerance. Furthermore, Utopians are obligated to obtain a special passport to travel within their own country, but do not have complete freedom to travel. (Forward) On occasion, there is an alarming, somewhat unsettling note: There are also no wine-taverns, no ale-houses, no brothels, no opportunities for seduction, no secret meeting places. Everyone has his eye on you, so youre practically forced to get on with your job, and make some proper use of your spare time (More 65). The main character in Utopia is a man named Raphael. He believes the treatment of thieves in England is harsh; On the other hand, he was accepting of the extreme punishments Utopia had for adultery. Society in Utopia is dominated by males, and it is a husbands responsibility to insure proper discipline of his wife. Every month wives must confess to their husbands. Taking a rather regimented approach, the state interferes in courtship and marriage. Boys cannot marry until they are 22, while girls can marry as early as 18. Every member of the society must view their chosen partner nude before making the decision to marry. Utopians are a monogamous people and thus uphold the idea that it is necessary to choose an appropriate spouse. According to the Utopians, there is equality in Utopia. Reading Utopia one can see that this is not the case. There is a clear class system on the island with a hierarchy of priest, mayors, and diplomats all from a specific class. The Utopians use slaves to perform lowly task and must work in chain gangs. Slavery is usually used as punishment for serious crimes. Utopians pay mercenaries to fight for them during times of war. Often, they hire foreign armies called Venalians and sadly, the Utopians send many Venalians to their deaths without a care. They rationalize by saying, If only they could wipe the filthy scum off the face of the earth completely, theyd be doing the human race a very good turn (More 113). They disapprove of war, except in self-defense or when helping to end oppression. (Forward) To close, Utopia explores ideas of common law, religious freedom, and has similarities to a dystopian society rather than Utopian. Common law in Mores work is comparable to Englands customs. Religious freedom is present, but suppressed as well. Some may say the utopian society did become a dystopian society with further analysis. It is important to note that the issues discussed in Mores text are still relevant to modern-day readers and he addressed some extremely complex topics in a constructive manner. Works Cited Elsky, Stephanie. Common Law And The Commonplace In Thomas Mores Utopia.. English Literary Renaissance 43.2 (2013): 181-210. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Jan. 2017. Forward, Stephanie. A taste of paradise: Thomas Mores Utopia. The English Review, vol. 11, no. 4, 2001, p. 24. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GPSsw=wu=avl_nshov=2.1id=GALE%7CA79981415it=rasid=1738af1f731801e1f0d51de4e455e0cc. Accessed 25 Jan. 2017. Kessler, Sanford. Religious Freedom In Thomas Mores Utopia. Review Of Politics 64.2 (2002): 207. Academic Search Premier. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. More, Thomas, and Paul Turner. Utopia. London: Penguin Books, 1965. Print.

A Comparison of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen Essay -- English Liter

A Comparison of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen ADVANCED ENGLISH LANGUAGE ESSAY Of the many authors to emerge during the nineteenth-century, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen were among the few who would make a lasting impression on the literary world for generations. Hard Times, often referred to as Dickens’ ‘Industrial novel’ and Austen’s Pride and Prejudice have been much read and well-loved classics for many years. It is the purpose of this essay to compare and contrast the different worlds depicted in both Hard Times and Pride and Prejudice. It will also look at the literary development between the early and late nineteenth-century. The essay will end with the examination of the stylistic characteristics of each author. In the world depicted in Hard Times, workers are treated as little more than interchangeable parts in the factory's machinery, given just enough wages to keep them alive and just enough rest to make it possible for them to stand in front of their machines the next day. The town in which the story is set is called Coketown, taking its name from the ‘Coke’, or treated coal, powering the factories and blackening the town's skies. It is a large fictional industrial community in the north of England during the mid-nineteenth century. In Chapter 5 of the novel, Dickens describes the town as having buildings and streets that looked the same with red brick but were forever masked with smoke. The reader is told that the town looked like the ‘painted face of a savage’ and ‘serpents of smoke’ trailed out of its factories. It is easy to imagine the sunshine struggling to break through the thick smoke. The lives of the workers were monotonous and hard as they lived in ‘a town so sacred to ... ...ast, Miss Austen’s very finely written novel of Pride and Prejudice. That young lady had a talent for describing the involvements and feelings and characters of ordinary life, which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with.’ (Watt, 1963). BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, W. (1954) The English Novel, Dutton, New York Allen, W. (1960) The English Novel, Pelican, London Bygrave, S. ed. (1996) Approaching Literature: Romantic Writings, The Open University Gray, M. and Gray, L. (2001) York Notes Advanced: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen, York Press, London Page, N. (1985) Macmillan Master Guides: Hard Times by Charles Dickens, Macmillan Education Ltd, London ("Romanticism (literature)," Microsoft ® Encarta ® 98 Encyclopedia.  © 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation.) Watt, I. Ed. (1963) Jane Austen: A Collection of Critical Essays, Prentice-Hall Inc, USA A Comparison of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen Essay -- English Liter A Comparison of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen ADVANCED ENGLISH LANGUAGE ESSAY Of the many authors to emerge during the nineteenth-century, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen were among the few who would make a lasting impression on the literary world for generations. Hard Times, often referred to as Dickens’ ‘Industrial novel’ and Austen’s Pride and Prejudice have been much read and well-loved classics for many years. It is the purpose of this essay to compare and contrast the different worlds depicted in both Hard Times and Pride and Prejudice. It will also look at the literary development between the early and late nineteenth-century. The essay will end with the examination of the stylistic characteristics of each author. In the world depicted in Hard Times, workers are treated as little more than interchangeable parts in the factory's machinery, given just enough wages to keep them alive and just enough rest to make it possible for them to stand in front of their machines the next day. The town in which the story is set is called Coketown, taking its name from the ‘Coke’, or treated coal, powering the factories and blackening the town's skies. It is a large fictional industrial community in the north of England during the mid-nineteenth century. In Chapter 5 of the novel, Dickens describes the town as having buildings and streets that looked the same with red brick but were forever masked with smoke. The reader is told that the town looked like the ‘painted face of a savage’ and ‘serpents of smoke’ trailed out of its factories. It is easy to imagine the sunshine struggling to break through the thick smoke. The lives of the workers were monotonous and hard as they lived in ‘a town so sacred to ... ...ast, Miss Austen’s very finely written novel of Pride and Prejudice. That young lady had a talent for describing the involvements and feelings and characters of ordinary life, which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with.’ (Watt, 1963). BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, W. (1954) The English Novel, Dutton, New York Allen, W. (1960) The English Novel, Pelican, London Bygrave, S. ed. (1996) Approaching Literature: Romantic Writings, The Open University Gray, M. and Gray, L. (2001) York Notes Advanced: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen, York Press, London Page, N. (1985) Macmillan Master Guides: Hard Times by Charles Dickens, Macmillan Education Ltd, London ("Romanticism (literature)," Microsoft ® Encarta ® 98 Encyclopedia.  © 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation.) Watt, I. Ed. (1963) Jane Austen: A Collection of Critical Essays, Prentice-Hall Inc, USA

Business Strategies :: essays research papers

Strategy evaluation is an attempt to look beyond the obvious facts regarding the short-term health of a business and appraise instead those more fundamental factors and trends that govern success in the chosen field of endeavor. Strategy can also be defined as a set of objectives, policies and plans that, taken together, define the scope of the enterprise and its approach to survival and success. Alternatively, we could say that the particular policies, plans, and objectives of a business express its strategy for coping with a complex competitive environment. A good business strategy can be broadly categorized into functions like consistency, consonance, advantage, and feasibility. A strategy that fails to meet one or more of these criteria is strongly in suspect. It fails to perform at least one of the key functions that are necessary for the survival of the business. Inconsistency in business is not simply a flaw in logic. A key function of strategy is to provide coherence to organizational action. A clear and explicit concept of strategy can foster a climate of tacit coordination that is more efficient than most administrative mechanisms. Organizational conflict and interdepartmental bickering are often symptoms of managerial disorder, but may also indicate problems of strategic inconsistency. It is no exaggeration that to say that competitive strategy is the art of creating or exploiting those advantages that are most telling, enduring, most difficult to duplicate. Competitive strategy, in contrast with generic strategy, focuses on the differences among firms rather than their common missions. Competitive advantages can normally be traced to one of the three roots: (1) superior skills, (2) superior resources, and (3) superior position. Positional advantage is of two types, first mover advantages and reinforcers. First movers may also gain advantages in building distribution channels, in trying up specialized suppliers, or in gaining the attention of customers. Reinforcers are policies and practices acting to strengthen or preserve a strong market position and which are easier to carry because of the position. Other position-based advantages include the ownership of special raw material sources or advantageous long-term supply contracts; being geographically located near k ey customers in a business involving significant fixed investment and high transportation costs; being a leader in a service field that permits or requires the building of a unique experience base while serving clients; being a full-line producer in a market with heavy trade-up phenomena; having a wide reputation for providing a needed for providing a needed product or service trait reliably and dependably. Business Strategies :: essays research papers Strategy evaluation is an attempt to look beyond the obvious facts regarding the short-term health of a business and appraise instead those more fundamental factors and trends that govern success in the chosen field of endeavor. Strategy can also be defined as a set of objectives, policies and plans that, taken together, define the scope of the enterprise and its approach to survival and success. Alternatively, we could say that the particular policies, plans, and objectives of a business express its strategy for coping with a complex competitive environment. A good business strategy can be broadly categorized into functions like consistency, consonance, advantage, and feasibility. A strategy that fails to meet one or more of these criteria is strongly in suspect. It fails to perform at least one of the key functions that are necessary for the survival of the business. Inconsistency in business is not simply a flaw in logic. A key function of strategy is to provide coherence to organizational action. A clear and explicit concept of strategy can foster a climate of tacit coordination that is more efficient than most administrative mechanisms. Organizational conflict and interdepartmental bickering are often symptoms of managerial disorder, but may also indicate problems of strategic inconsistency. It is no exaggeration that to say that competitive strategy is the art of creating or exploiting those advantages that are most telling, enduring, most difficult to duplicate. Competitive strategy, in contrast with generic strategy, focuses on the differences among firms rather than their common missions. Competitive advantages can normally be traced to one of the three roots: (1) superior skills, (2) superior resources, and (3) superior position. Positional advantage is of two types, first mover advantages and reinforcers. First movers may also gain advantages in building distribution channels, in trying up specialized suppliers, or in gaining the attention of customers. Reinforcers are policies and practices acting to strengthen or preserve a strong market position and which are easier to carry because of the position. Other position-based advantages include the ownership of special raw material sources or advantageous long-term supply contracts; being geographically located near k ey customers in a business involving significant fixed investment and high transportation costs; being a leader in a service field that permits or requires the building of a unique experience base while serving clients; being a full-line producer in a market with heavy trade-up phenomena; having a wide reputation for providing a needed for providing a needed product or service trait reliably and dependably.

Communication Style Case Study Essay

â€Å"Communication is an ongoing, complex ever-changing process between two or more individuals to convey a message† (Hansten & Jackson, 2009). Effective communication in the healthcare field is an essential piece to delivering competent client care. Effective communication is not only needed to relay the importance of instructions and tasks to our peers in the treatment team, but to provide respect to our coworkers and create a positive working environment. Communication styles are important and can contribute or hinder the process of maintaining effective communication in the workplace. This paper aims to analyze the communication styles in four different communication scenarios. Scenario One There are two communication style used in scenario one. The Registered Nurse (RN) engaged in aggressive communication whereas the assistive personnel (AP) engaged in passive communication. Aggressive behavior and communication is hostile in intent and is usually communicated through talking at people and not with people. The aggressive communication was used when the RN belittled the AP with an upraised tone, and inappropriate comments such as,† you are only the aide†, and â€Å"we don’t expect you to think, just to do what we tell you to do.† (Hansten & Jackson, 2009). According to Hansten & Jackson (2009), this communication style successfully suppresses ideas and feedback from others and creates a tension filled relationship (p. 281). This communication style inflicts a tone of supremacy, statements which direct blame, and labeling. These negative communications often times can cause the other person to feel humiliated, angry and hurt. The AP was experien cing feelings of anger and resentment and these feelings elicited a response of revenge in this scenario. The AP in this scenario has shown a passive style of communication because he feels it is necessary to keep his job. Passive behavior is often not idyllic due to it being an act of avoidance to the situation that is presented, which the AP showed by quietly sitting and not voicing his  concerns. People who exhibit passive behavior often have feelings of hurt, embarrassment, fright, coyness, and apprehension. Because of the communication of the RN being aggressive it has evoked a passive behavior and communication style on the part of the AP. The passive communicator allows the anger and resentment to build up which ultimately leads to the passive communicator to expose these feelings through outlets of subtle sabotage, manipulation and punishment. This is exactly what the AP in the scenario exhibited when he thought to begin a plan on how he’d make the RN pay for her comments. This is an example of a cycle of authoritarianism and indirect aggression which results in poor work relationships, the compromise of client care in order to revenge communications and breakdowns in communication between the treatment team. Scenario Two The school nurse in this scenario has chosen a passive non-assertive communication style. This is evident through the nurse choosing to avoid the immediate conflict of confronting the volunteer and choosing to take the work load upon her-self. The problem is not going to be faced which will ultimately lead up to the problems multiplying for the nurse because she physically cannot redo every test performed forever, she will become bitter and angry. â€Å"A passive response is based on the fear of rejection and retaliation caused by displeasing others. Conflict is avoided at the price of denying one’s own feelings and needs† (Hansten & Jackson, 2009). This passive and avoidant behavior can lead to nursing fatigue and burnout. This can also lead to her volunteers feeling confused and angry, thinking the nurse doesn’t value or trust their work. This communication style although not outwardly hostile or aggressive due to avoidance of conflict, can cause feeling of hostility which may lead to manipulative behaviors. The school nurse in this scenario has not corrected the problem by educating her volunteers so the incorrect results will keep being brought to her and she will end up becoming bitter and angry with her volunteers leading to a breakdown in communication and possibly a hostile work environment. Scenario Three This scenario also involved two different communication styles. The manager was using assertive communication and the surgical tech was using aggressive  communication. The manager in this this scenario clearly addressed the problem by expressing what she observed, thought, felt and wanted from the situation. She addressed the problem by approaching the surgical tech and stated her wants without belittling the tech. She was very clear even using the surgical techs job description. This communication style promotes a trusting relationship with other coworkers because they know you will address the problem with them and not talk about the situation inappropriately with other staff member. This communication is essential in healthcare because it is a vital core to effective delegation. This communication does not compromise client care because it addresses problems and sets clear expectations to fix the problem which leads to changes. The surgical tech in this scenario used aggressive communication. This was evident by her statement that she’d â€Å"get Rosa’s head on a platter.†(Hansten & Jackson, 2009). The goal of her claim was to dominate and hurt her manager which is a characteristic of aggressive communication. Threatening your coworkers and superiors shows a lack of respect for the workplace and other. This can compromise the working environment which can lead to a breakdown in patient care.

Marketing 311 Study Guide Midterm 1

1. Managing customers as assets? – * Building the right relationships with the right customers involves treating customers as assets that need to be managed and maximized * Different types of customers require different relationship management strategies * Customer relationship management is the overall process of building and maintaining profitable customer relationships by delivering superior value and satisfaction * 2. Marketing Mix (4 P’s) * Product, price, place and promotion—the controllable set of activities that a firm uses to respond to the wants of its target markets * Product- goods, services and ideas Price-everything the buyer gives up (time, energy, money) in exchange for the product * Place- all the activities necessary to get the product to the right customer when that customer wants it. * Supply chain management- the set of approaches and techniques that firms employ to efficiently and effectively integrate their suppliers, manufacturers, warehou ses, stores, and other firms involved in the transaction, such as transportation companies into a seamless value chain. This allows merchandise to be produced and distributed in the right quantities, to the right place, and at the right time. * Promotion- Communicating the value of a product to its customers. * 3. Consumer decision making process- * Need Recognition- consumers recognize that they have an unsatisfied need and want to go from their needy state to a desired state. The bigger this gap is=the greater the need recognition. * Functional needs- pertains to the performance of a product or service. Psychological needs- pertain to the personal gratification consumers associate with a product or service. **shoes are needed to keep feet clean. $500 shoes satisfy a psychological need. * THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL MARKETING: establishing a balance between these two needs that best appeals to that firm’s target market * Search For Information- second step is to search for info about various options that will satisfy the need. The length of time spent on this will relate to how much risk is involved should you hoose the wrong option. * Internal search for information- the buyer examines his own memory and knowledge about the option. * External search for information- buyer seeks information from outside himself to make a decision. Talking with friends, family, sales people, research online†¦ * Factors the affect consumer’s’ search process * Perceived Benefits vs. Perceived Costs – is it worth the time and effort? If there is high risk (buying a house) people will spend more time researching. The Locus of Control – people with internal locus control believe they have control over the outcomes of their actions. These people do more researching. People with external locus of control believe that fate and external factors control outcomes. It doesn’t matter to them how long they spend searching. * Actual or Perceived Risk- Performance, Financial and psychological risks influence how long and how much research will be done. * Performance Risk - risk of getting a bad (poorly performing) product. Financial Risk- risk with money outlay. Warranties reduce that risk * Psychological risks- how people feel if a product does not convey the right image * Type of Product or Service- specialty, shopping, and convenience products * Specialty goods and services- people have a strong preference and will expend time looking for the best supplier (prius vs other hybrid†¦) * Shopping goods and services- going from store to store looking for a product (perfume, shoes†¦. * Convenience goods and services- things that do not require research and are often purchases without very much thought (bread, soap†¦) * Evaluation of Alternatives- sifting through the available choices they have gathered info on and evaluating the option available to them. Universal sets- all possible choices available to them for that product * Retrieval sets- brands or stores that can be easily remembered and always come to mind * Evoked set- alternative brands and stores that a customer states they would consider when making a choice(companies want to be here to increase likelihood of purchase and reduce searching in other areas). This is the group that the choice has been narrowed down to by specific criteria. * Evaluative criteria- a set of important attributes about a particular product. ( looking for a tv†¦picture quality, rightness, reputation, technical support†¦) * Determinant attributes- product or service features that are important to the buyer and where competing brands may differ. * Consumer decision rules- the set of rules and criteria that consumers use consciously or subconsciously to quickly and efficiently select from alternatives. * Compensatory- assumes that the consumer trades off one characteristic for another. * Non compensatory- when consumers choose a product or service on the basis of a characteristic regardless of the value of its other characteristics. Decision heuristics- mental shortcuts that help a consumer narrow down choices. Price, brand, product presentation * Purchase and Consumption- buying a product and â€Å"putting it to the test† * Ritual consumption- pattern of behaviors tied to life events that affect what and how we consume. Symbolic meaning and vary my importance and culture. * Post Purchase- marketers are interested in this because it involves actual customers rather than potential customers. Satisfied customers become repeat customers. Customer satisfaction- build realistic expectations, demonstrate correct product use, stand behind the product with money back and warranty guarantees and encourage customer feedback * Post purchase dissonance- the uncomfortable feeling produced by inconsistency between beliefs and behaviors, buyer’s remorse * Customer loyalty- marketers attempt to solidify a loyal relationship with their customers * Undesirable consumer behavior- negative word of mouth * 4. Maslow's hierarchy? Maslow’s Hierarchy of N eeds * Physiological- basic biological necessities of life – food, shelter drink and rest. In most developed countries these needs are generally met, but in less fortunate countries they’re not. * Safety needs- protection and physical well being (airbags, alarms, vitamins†¦) * Love needs- relate to our interactions with others * Esteem needs- satisfy their inner desires, (yoga, meditation†¦) * Self actualization – occurs when you feel completely satisfied with your life and how you live. You don’t care what others think. * 5. BCG matrix? – Boston Consulting Group Matrix * Provides a framework for allocating resources among different units. Things are explained as being in one of four areas of a grid: * Cash cow- a unit that has a large market share in a mature, slow growing industry. Cash cows don’t require much more investment * Star- a business unit that has a large market share in a industry that is rapidly growing. They produce a lot of cash and require a lot of investment to keep up their competitive advantage * Question mark (Problem Child)- unit that has a small market share in a quickly growing market. They require a lot of resources and their potential is relatively unknown * Dog- a unit that has a small share of the market in a mature stable industry. Does not require investment. But could this money be used in a better unit? 6. Marketing strategy options- Marketing strategy- identifies a firms target market(s), a related marketing mix—their four P’s, the basis upon which the firm plans to build a sustainable competitive advantage * Sustainable competitive advantage- an advantage over the competition that is not easily copied and thus can be maintained over a long period of time. * Customer excellence- achieved when a firm develops a value based strategy for retaining loyal customers and provides outstanding customer service * ? Having a strong brand, unique merchandise and great customer service solidify this. Operational excellence- through efficient operations, excellent supply chain management, strong relationships with their suppliers and excellent human resource management to yield productive employees. * Product excellence- involves a focus on achieving high quality products; effective branding and positioning is key. * THE MARKETING PLAN * Define the business mission * Conduct a situation Analysis(Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Analysis) * Identifying and Evaluating Opportunities using segmentation, targeting and positioning * Implement Marketing Mix and Allocate Resources Evaluate Performance Using Marketing Metrics * GROWTH STRATEGIES * Market Penetration- employs the existing marketing mix and focuses the firm’s efforts on existing customers. * May include: attracting new customers to the firm’s existing market, encouraging current customers to patronize the firm more often, * Requires efforts such as increase d advertising and additional sale and promotions, intensified distribution efforts in geographic areas where the product or service is already sold. Market Development Strategy- employs the existing marketing offering to reach new market segments whether domestic or international * International expansion is riskier because firms must deal with differences in culture, government regulations, supply chains and language. * Product Development Strategy- offers a new product of service to a firm’s current market. * Diversification strategy- introduces a new product or service to a market segment that currently is not served * Diversification opportunities may be either related or unrelated. When related the current target market and or marketing mix shares something in common with the new opportunity * Unrelated diversification lacks any common elements with the present business, so they do not capitalize on the cores strengths associated with markets or products. They are very risky. 7. Different types of Marketing Research options and their pros and cons? * Market Research Process * 1) Define the problem * 2) Develop the research plan * 3) Collect data * 4) Develop findings 5) Take Actions based on your findings * Sources of Data * Primary Research- original data collected by researchers themselves * Quantitative research is data analysis based on archival data, panel data or questionnaires from a large group of respondents * Qualitative research (e. g. ethnographic research) provides a holistic view of a research problem by integrating a larger number of variables, but asking only a few respondents * Secondary research- data collected and nalyzed by someone else * Ex ploratory Research- attempts to begin to understand the phenomenon of interest; also provides initial information wen the problem lacks any clear definition * Conclusive Research- provides the information needed to confirm preliminary insights which managers can use to pursue appropriate courses of action * Observation- exploratory research method that entails examining the purchase and consumption behaviors through personal or video camera scrutiny. In-Depth interview- exploratory research technique in which trained researchers as questions, listen to and record the answers and pose additional questions to clarify or expand on a particular issue. * Survey- a systematic means of collecting information from people that generally uses a questionnaire * Unstructured questions- open ended questions that allow respondents to answer in their own words * Structured questions- close-ended questions that proved respondents with specific answers to evaluate. How to evaluate the data- * Who co llected the data? * Would there be any reason to purposely misrepresent the facts? * For what purpose was the data collected? * How / when was the data collected? * Are the data internally consistent and logical in the light of known data sources or market factors? * Is the instrument available? 8. Coke Case? – After 99 years of Coca-Cola, executives decided to abandon their formula and start over. In the 1970’s people began preferring Pepsi to Coke during taste test groups. Coke conducted their own tests and found the same results. Looking to regain the market share, they decided to change their formula. Perception of this idea varied widely during focus group interviews. Secret tests of different coke formulas in cities across the country showed that 55% of people preferred the â€Å" New Coke. † Executives conducted a press conference to release this information. News spread quickly, and soon complaints came pouring in when people were aware. After this release only 30% of people preferred the new Coke. This is said to be the â€Å"Marketing Blunder of the Decade† 9. John Quelch's ideas on the â€Å"New Normal† (under lecture 3 or lecture 4? > slides)? * â€Å"New Normal† types of consumers Slam-on-the-brakes (sudden loss of income) Pained-but-patient(see light at the end, hope) Live-for-today(have job, party like 1999 Comfortably-well-offs(willing to postpone for now) * â€Å"New Normal† types of purchase Essentials (switch from organic to non-organic or switch brands). Treats (minimize quantity or frequency of purchases (e. g. , Haagen Daz). Post-ponables (e. g. , big ticket items like washers, TVs, remodeling, dental work, plastic surgery) Expendables (e. g. , multiple vacations per year, private schools, eating out, going out to movies) 10. Segmentation, target market, repositioning? * Types of Segmentation- * Niche Marketing * Focusing on meeting the needs of one specific target market * Often the best strategy for small companies in a large market * Can be risky if the niche is not large enough to be profitable * Differentiated Marketing Using several different marketing mixes to target several different target markets * Allows companies to target a larger number of customers * Can lead to higher market share overall * Can be difficult to maintain cost efficiencies with multiple marketing mixes * Individual Marketing * Customizing the marketing mix to meet individual needs * Ideal because marketers are meeting the needs of individual customers * Requires very detailed information on customers * Can be difficult/expen sive to implement Demographic Segmentation * Gender * Age * Race/Ethnicity * Income Level * Occupation * Education Level * Household size or composition * Psychographic Segmentation- * Based on social class, lifestyles, personality and beliefs * Often generalized from activities, interests and opinions * Can be difficult to categorize consumers but categorizations are likely to be more accurate than simple demographic segmentation * Criteria for good segmenting- * Consumers within a segment are homogeneous. * Consumers between segments are heterogeneous. The segment is profitable. * The segment is reachable. * Criteria for evaluating Segment Attractiveness * Size of the segment * Expected cost to reach the segment * Expected growth of the segment * Competition (ie: 5 forces framework) * Company objectives and resources (e. g. , synergies with other product lines or brands) * Targeting is evaluating each market segment’s attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to ent er. To do this, two steps are involved * Developing measures of segment attractiveness * Selecting the target market Positioning- * Goal: Show consumers that your brand can offer them more value than the competition can. * Positioning by competitors: Hertz- We’re #2, so we try harder * Positioning by attribute: Sendodyne- The toothpaste for sensitive teeth * Positioning by use or application: Nyquil- The nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever so you can rest medicine * Positioning by user: Pepsi- The Choice of the new generation * Positioning by product class: Taco Bell- Think outside the bun * 11. Reliability and Validity * Reliability – is the consistency of your measurement, or the degree to which an instrument measures the same way each time it is used under the same condition with the same subjects. In short, it is an estimate of the repeatability of your measurement. * Is an instrument reliable? * Test / Retest – in this appro ach you have the same subjects take the same survey multiple times. The idea behind test / retest is that subjects should get the same scores on test 1 and test two. * Internal consistency – in this approach you group similar questions together and measure how highly correlated they are with one another – Cronbach’s alpha is a measure of correlation used in this method * Validity – is more difficult to define than reliability but basically validity is a measure of how close we are to the truth when we conduct marketing research. Two examples: * Construct validity – are we really measuring what we think we’re measuring? e. g. , satisfaction, brand loyalty * External validity – will our results apply to other settings and contexts or are they limited to the subjects / contexts that we chose for our study? – e. g. , student subjects * * * * * *