Tuesday, November 26, 2019

buy custom Types of Treatment for Sex Offenders essay

buy custom Types of Treatment for Sex Offenders essay Wright (2009) defines a sex offender as an individual who has committed a crime of forcing sex acts on children or adults. The criminal justice system ensures incarceration of sex offenders as a way of eliminating them from the society until they undergo a positive behavior change. Sex offenders can undergo treatment while they are serving their prison terms, which can make them socially acceptable in the society upon completing their prison terms. The most common kinds of treatment include medical treatment, behavioral treatment, and cognitive therapy. Medical treatment of sex offenders reduces the level of testosterone in men with an aim of reducing an individuals sexual drive (Wright, 2009). Numerous medications including Depo-Provera can achieve medical treatment. Medical treatment is the most effective technique of reducing recidivism. However, medications cause harmful side effects upon their application. Behavioral treatment involves the application of punishment and rewards to influence the behavior of a sex offender in a positive manner. Penile plethysmograph is an instrument that shows the sexual behavior of an individual. This instrument can determine whether an individual possess pedophilic behaviors. Cognitive therapy involves the change of a sex offenders basic perceptions that surround relationships, sex, and incidents that resulted in the sex crimes. Intensive group and individual therapy achieve cognitive treatment of sex offenders. However, there are some obstacles to the treatment of sex offenders. Among the obstacles is the insufficiency of qualified rehabilitation personnel and funds for the rehabilitation of sex offenders within the Criminal Justice System. Politically, a government may be unwilling to appropriate finances for treatment programs. The current legislation may not be an effective method of treatment due to insufficient funds (Wright, 2009). In spite of the obstacles, medical treatment effectively reduces recidivism rates. Therefore, medical treatment, especially the use of Depo-Provera, is the solution to sex offenses. Buy custom Types of Treatment for Sex Offenders essay

Friday, November 22, 2019

Biography of Sally Jewell, Ex-Secretary of the Interior

Biography of Sally Jewell, Ex-Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell (born Feb. 21, 1956) served as the 51st U.S. secretary of the interior from 2013 until 2017. Appointed by President Barak Obama, Jewell was the second woman to hold the position after Gale Norton, who served under President George W. Bush. As secretary of the Department of the Interior, Jewell knew the territory she oversaw- the great outdoors. An avid skier, kayaker, and hiker, Jewell was the only cabinet agency head to have climbed Mount Rainier seven times and to have scaled Mount Vinson, the highest mountain in Antarctica. Fast Facts: Sally Jewell Known For: She served as the 51st U.S. secretary of the interior from 2013 until 2017. Jewell won acclaim for her Every Kid initiative, which made every fourth-grade student in the nation and their families eligible for a free one-year pass to every U.S. national park.Also Known As: Sarah Margaret RoffeyBorn: Feb. 21, 1956 in London, EnglandParents: Anne (nà ©e Murphy) and Peter RoffeyEducation: University of Washington (B.S. in Mechanical Engineering)Awards and Honors: National Audubon Societys Rachel Carson Award, Woodrow Wilson Centers Award for Public Service, named to Sound Greenway Trusts Hall of Fame, named a 2012 Woman of Distinction from the Girl Scouts of Western Washington, University of Washington 2016 Alumni Lifetime Achievement AwardSpouse: Warren JewellNotable Quote: When you take on something like your footprint on the environment, you have to say, Where am I going to draw the circle around my level of responsibility and then where do I assume that others will take r esponsibility? Personal Life and Education Born Sally Roffey in England on Feb. 21, 1956, Jewell and her parents moved to the United States in 1960. She graduated in 1973 from Renton (Wash.) High School, and in 1978 she was awarded a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington. Jewel is married to engineer Warren Jewell. When not in D.C. or scaling mountains, the Jewells live in Seattle and have two grown children. Business Experience After graduating from college, Jewell used her training as a petroleum engineer working for Mobile Oil Corp. in the Oklahoma and Colorado oil and gas fields. After working at Mobile, Jewell was employed in corporate banking. For over 20 years, she worked at Rainier Bank, Security Pacific Bank, West One Bank, and Washington Mutual. From 2000 until she took over as secretary of the interior, Jewell served as president and chief executive officer of REI (Recreation Equipment, Inc.), a retailer of  outdoor recreation equipment and services. During her tenure, Jewell helped REI grow from a regional sporting goods store to a nationwide retailing enterprise with annual sales of more than $2 billion. The firm is consistently listed among the 100 best companies to work for, according to Fortune Magazine. Environmental Experience Besides being an avid outdoorswoman, Jewell served on the board of the National Parks Conservation Association and helped to found Washington State’s Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. In 2009, Jewell won the National Audubon Societys prestigious Rachel Carson Award for leadership in and dedication to conservation. Nomination and Senate Confirmation Jewell’s nomination and Senate confirmation process was swift and without notable opposition or controversy. On Feb. 6, 2013, ​Jewell was nominated by President Obama to succeed Ken Salazar as secretary of the interior. On March 21, 2013, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources approved her nomination by a 22-3 vote. On April 10, 2013, the Senate confirmed her nomination, 87-11. Tenure as Secretary of the Interior Jewell’s knowledge and appreciation of the outdoors served her well as she managed the activities of a 70,000-employee agency responsible for more than 260 million acres of public land- nearly one-eighth of all land in the United States- as well as all of the nation’s mineral resources, national parks, federal wildlife refuges, Western water resources, and the rights and interests of Native Americans. During her term, Jewell won acclaim for her Every Kid initiative, which made every fourth-grade student in the nation and their families eligible for a free one-year pass to every U.S. national park. In 2016, her final year in office, Jewell spearheaded a program expediting the issuance of permits allowing youth organizations to explore public wildlands on overnight or multi-day trips, particularly in less popular parks. During her time as interior secretary, Jewell opposed local and regional bans on â€Å"fracking,† a controversial process where oil drillers inject  millions of gallons of water,  sand, salts, and chemicals into shale deposits or other subsurface rock formations at extremely high pressure to fracture rock and extract raw fuel. Jewell said local and region bans were taking regulation of oil and gas recovery in the wrong direction. I think it’s going to be very difficult for industry to figure out what the rules are if different counties have different rules, she said in early 2015. Post-Government Service After her stint as interior secretary, Jewel joined the board of Bellevue-based life insurance company Symetra. The firm (as of February 2018) is owned by Tokyo-based Sumitomo Life Insurance Co., though it continues to operate independently. She also returned to the University of Washington, where one of her tasks is helping shape the future of  EarthLab, a new university-wide institute that seeks to connect scholars with community partners to solve environmental problems. â€Å"By coming to the university, I’m trying to help students understand how you can create a future that’s both economically successful and environmentally sustainable- one that you are proud to leave to future generations,† Jewell said upon accepting the position. In her role with EarthLab, Jewel is serving as chair of its advisory council, which seeks to raise awareness about the initiative in the community. Sources â€Å"Former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell Brings Leadership to UW Community, New EarthLab Initiative.†Ã‚  UW News.Long, Katherine. â€Å"Former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell Will Guide UWs New Climate Initiative.†Ã‚  The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 20 Nov. 2018â€Å"Sally Jewell Biography.†Ã‚  The Nature Conservancy.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

International human rights Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International human rights - Assignment Example Among the three models, the most successful in international human rights is the internationalist model, while the least successful is the statist model because the latter treats international relations as peripheral, when it plays an important part in determining and practicing human rights across national borders. The least successful model is the statist model because it does not believe in the importance of international relations in establishing and promoting human rights. The statist model can use its sovereignty to undermine human rights as it sees fit, since sovereignty is more important than the latter. On the contrary, the internationalist model stresses the centrality of international relations in governing international human rights. This model promotes collaboration and coordination among states, where they are willing to balance sovereignty with creating a social order where human rights are acknowledged and respected. It asserts the role of international relations in making human rights urgent and legitimate to all. Thus, the internationalist model uses global relations to institute human rights at an international

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Culture And Public Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Culture And Public Policy - Essay Example This paper stresses that culture can also be regard as the relationships among people within groups, among groups and between ideas and views. Culture deals with identity, coordination, structures, and practices that guide relations among people such as ethnicity, heritage, rituals, norms, and beliefs. Multiculturalism refers to a specific set of philosophical ideas, or a particular orientation by institutions or the government towards a varied population. Thus, culture is created by people and defines people. Culture is express in various ways such as through how we speak, live, conduct public life, associate with others, celebrate, entertain ourselves, remember the past, and think about the future. This report makes a conclusion that culture influences all public policies. The culture of the people or a nation determines the nature of the public policy that is created . Culture also affects the implementation of the policy. It may facilitate implementation of the policy thereby, helping to achieve the policy objectives or prevent creation or implementation of a good public policy, which may have a negative effect on a country’s different aspects such as economic development. Poor public policies in most African countries are because of bad cultures such as the high degree of power distance. On the other hand, most developed countries public interest oriented policies are inspired by the countries’ good cultures such as low power distance.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Research Summary and Ethical Considerations Essay Example for Free

Research Summary and Ethical Considerations Essay â€Å"According to statistics presented by the National Interview Survey (2010) there are approximately 7.1 million children in the United States who have asthma.† (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics [CDCNCHS], 2010). â€Å"Asthma is an inflammatory disease that is characterized by airway obstruction and may cause episodes of wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing.† (Walker, 2012). â€Å"Studies have shown that these symptoms are difficult to manage in obese asthmatic children as the medications used to treat asthma are less effective on them due to the added weight. This paper summarizes a quantitative study showing that enhanced physical activity and asthma management education can reduce asthmatic symptoms in children.† (Haines Kim, 2013). It includes introduction, background, methods, results, ethical considerations and conclusion summary of the study. Introduction â€Å"Children with asthma are at risk for obesity and resultant severity of the disease due to their reluctance towards physical activity. In order to prevent this risk an educational and activity program was developed for elementary schoolchildren with moderate persistent asthma utilizing a quantitative study design. The introduction of this program resulted in significant improvement in lung conditions and reduction of the number of emergency room visits while potentially reducing the risk of obesity later in life.† (Haines Kim, 2013). Background of Study â€Å"Reports show that seventy five percent of all children in the United States who need emergent care due to their asthma are overweight. Children with  moderate to severe persistent asthma have a higher incidence of also being obese. Obese asthmatics are less responsive to medications used to treat asthma. The reluctance to physical activity is due to the fear of asthma attack with exercise. This leads to obesity and obesity leads to more severe asthma symptoms. In order to break this cycle effective intervention is necessary. The most effective intervention is increased physical activity. Developing and evaluating understanding the mechanisms of asthma control and promoting physical activity in participating asthmatic elementary school-aged children was a pilot program resulting in reduced severity of asthma symptoms which was also the purpose of the study.† (Haines Kim, 2013). This study is significant for nurses as they take care of children with asthma in clinics an d hospitals effectively intervening to improve their health. Methods of Study â€Å"A quantitative, non-experimental, longitudinal design was used to evaluate a pilot asthma program with emphasis on physical activity in order to improve asthma control among children with moderate persistent asthma. Asthma symptoms, lung condition, and willingness to participate in physical exercise were compared before and one month after the six week asthma program. As a pilot study, this program was an intervention-only program without a control group. The sample was collected from participants of Breathe LA’s Lung Power program with moderate persistent asthma. Ten children between the ages of seven to twelve years old both males and females who volunteered for the study were selected for a six week asthma program. Barriers to proper asthma management were identified and treated by parental interviews. Introductory and concluding spirometry tests were done to assess the actual improvement in lung volume post program. Physical activity was closely monitored and performed only after sufficient management skills were taught to and reinforced by the participants and parents. Six lessons were prepared and delivered over two hours weekly sessions.† (Haines Kim, 2013). Results of Study â€Å"Throughout the six week program the participants’ asthmatic attack rates dropped significantly. Weekly and monthly asthmatic incidences also decreased significantly. Although not statistically significant, emergency  room visits dropped after the six week program and the participants also engaged in significantly more physical activities in a given week and month compared to pre-program activities. The spirometry test post-program results showed a slight, but significant increase in lung volume.† (Haines Kim, 2013). The implications of this study to nursing are very significant. Being the caregiver to children with asthma in clinics and hospitals nurses can make a huge difference in their lives by sharing the significant findings of the study and incorporating it in their daily care regimen. Teaching proper symptom management and physical activity to parents and children will significantly improve their health. Ethical Considerations of Study The authors are affiliated with California State University Fullerton and the study was reviewed by editorial board, blind peer, and expert peer. The study sample was a sub-group of pre-existing participants of the Breathe LA’s Lung Power program. In adherence to the code of ethics for the research study patient privacy was protected through the initial program. Only patients who volunteered were included in the study and the program was held in the Breathe LA facility located in Los Angeles. â€Å"Facilitators present throughout the program included a respiratory therapist and volunteer respiratory therapy students.† (Haines Kim, 2013). Parents were to observe at all times and intervene as appropriate to the study. The article fails to mention approval acquired from an institutional review board. There is a possibility that there may be a blanket consent that covers the research study via the initial Lung Power program which was in accordance to laws in Los Angeles. Conclusion â€Å"Children with asthma represent a population group more prone to becoming obese than their non-asthmatic counterparts. Understanding the mechanism of what causes asthma and being able to control asthma enough to engage in physical activity is significant. Therefore, future asthma management programs should incorporate more supervised physical exercises. Educators, therapists, nurses, parents and coaches need to understand that moderate physical exercise is a remedy for asthma symptoms, not the cause and should take an active role in providing asthma education for children with moderate persistent asthma. Increasing supervised, moderate physical exercise for  these children can reduce asthmatic symptoms and risk for obesity later in life.† (Haines Kim, 2013). References U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics. (2010). Summary health statistics for U.S. children: National Health Interview Survey, 2009. (DHHS Publication No. (PHS)-2011-1575). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr10/sr10247.pdf Walker, V. (2012). Factors Related to Emotional Responses in School-aged Children Who Have Asthma. Issues In Mental Health Nursing, 33(7), 406-429. doi:10.3109/01612840.2012.682327 Haines, M. S., Kim, D. H. (2013). A Study of the Effects of Physical Activity on Asthmatic Symptoms and Obesity Risk in Elementary School-Aged Children. American Journal Of Health Education, 44(3), 156-161. doi:10.1080/19325037.2013.779905

Thursday, November 14, 2019

A Moment of Innocence :: essays papers

A Moment of Innocence When I walked into class that day I was indifferent to the movie that we would be watching that evening. Five minutes into A Moment of Innocence (1995) by Mohsan Makhmalbaf, I was hooked. By taking a pseudo-documentary style Makhmalbaf lets us see the people as they are transformed into the characters from the director’s past. This style allows us to â€Å"grow up† with them and to relate to both sides of the story. By taking a true event and fictionalizing, at least part of it, Makhmalbaf has us trying to figure out what parts have been added to the narrative and which parts truly speak to history. A documentary does not strive to tell a story, it looks upon events unemotionally and tries not to colour our ideas about the event. A Moment of Innocence is not a documentary but uses the truth function common to that genre to give us an understanding of the events from both sides and makes us think about how our actions effect others every day. If A Moment of Innoce nce had been a wholly fictional film I do not believe that it would have carried the same emotional impact. Different scenes in the film show us how Makhmalbaf is trying to reconcile his past actions with his feeling today. They also show how he is, while not in any way apologizing for his actions, trying to amend some of the damage he may have caused. There are several scenes in the film that stand out to me as important. The scene that caught me the most off-guard occurred when Makhmalbaf and young Makhmalbaf went to the director’s cousin’s home to try to enlist her daughter to play the roll her mother had played in real life. For just a moment the daughter and young Makhmalbaf step out of themselves and become the characters that they are playing. They make plans to meet the next day for the incident with the policeman, both look nervous, Makhmalbaf returns and they resume their roles as if the exchange had never occurred. This glimpse into what and how the incident was planned gives the audience a look into the type of people that Makhmalbaf and his cousin were as young adults, scared but sure in their purpose. The scene also allows us to step out of the knowledge that this is staged and shows us the characters as people, not actors.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Let Task

Individual task outcomes should also be evaluated. The value of using common sets of evaluation criteria Is better in the long run because It will be the same across the board. This will make the process fair to all the employees that are being evaluated. To be evaluated on only one or two out of the three mentioned above would be unfair to all of the employees. If one employee was exceptional on behavior and Individual task outcomes and another employee was exception on behavior and traits rating on just behavior and traits would not be fair to the first employee.Rating employees on a broader scale produces better employees in the long run. They have the three areas that they can work on and excel to become a better fit for the organization. Now the 360-degree evaluation works by evaluating the employees on the set criteria however their direct supervisor is not the only person evaluating them. These evaluations are performed by the customers, suppliers, supervisors, and coworkers. This Is very diverse way of rating an individual's performance. One could have a certain behavior around the boss but once he/she Is out of sight the Individual may retreat other employees poorly.This Is a major advantage to a 360-degree evaluation since the employees have to keep a good rapport with all people they contact. On the other hand the 360-degree evaluation also has some disadvantages. I have an example that has happened to me and my co-workers due to an evaluation of this type. I worked for a large banking organization and we had phone contact with the customers discussing their credit card application. We either told them we approved them or if they were decline. No matter the decision, surveys were sent out Mandalay.No matter how nice and courteous I would be to someone if I did not approve them and give them a high enough credit line that survey would not come back with positive marks. Everyone found this out early on and began to give In to customer demands and thus the banks credit loses started to Increase. In this case the 360-degree can have negative Impacts on the company If the employees start to cater to one aspect of it and the employees if they do honest work and decline Commonly used methods of performance evaluations like written essays, graphic eating scales, and forced comparisons all have their similarities and differences.For instance written essays and rating scales both have to be filled out by the supervisor. They can relay the same evaluation in the end, but the written essay might mean more to an employee since it takes the manager more effort to write. On the other hand the written essay could be a bad thing if the writing skills of the managers are not up to par. Forced comparisons, like the other methods, are good at measuring and ranking your employees abilities, however ranking your employees can turn into popularity contest instead of a true ranking.I chose these three methods because my current employer uses a combina tion of all three. We have the graphical part that measures everyone on the same scale. Then we have the essay part which covers skills and goals not mentioned in the graphical part, and then the managers meet to rank all of the employees 1-5. I think when used in combination these three commonly used methods work the best. Used individually all 3 of these method also have bias' and errors. As mentioned the essay method is only as good as the manager's ability to write the essay.If a manager is unable to string a complete sentence together the employee is not going to see the managers intentions through the written word. With the graphical method while easier for the managers since they have a form to fill out it can be ineffective since it only ranks the employees on the topics that are provided on the forms. A manager might have a specialized employee that does something that no other employee does but has no way of expressing this since it is a basic form. And the final method of forced comparisons ranks the employees as if it were a popularity notes.If manager is fond of 4 employees and only has 20 there is a good chance that those 4 employees will always rank in the top one fifth leaving an employee that does comparable or better work on the outside looking in. To improve the performance evaluation process in the given scenario I believe there should be multiple methods used to evaluate the employee's productivity, behavior, and traits. To do this effectively the 360-degree method should be implemented but only allow it to account for 15% percent of the overall evaluation.This allows the co-workers and customers to get a say on how an individual is doing in those areas score. This should be done in a graphical method only so it is a fair evaluation to the individual. Next there should be a combination of the graphical method and the essay method for the direct manager/supervisor to evaluate the employee. This should account for 45% of the evaluation. The final 40% should be on productivity alone. In the scenario given the employee in question no doubt has superb productivity, but in the current method of evaluation the employee gets no credit for it.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

The Value of Philosophy

The Value of Philosophy and the Point of Our Lives It is basic human nature to question. There is a curiosity inside all of us that leads us to wonder about everything. Curiosity leads to examination, which leads to contemplation. Through this process the mysteries of life and the universe are slowly discovered. But there are some questions that can never be answered with certainty. These questions make up the study of philosophy, and are considered using reason and logic. Two of the main arguments in philosophy discuss its value and the meaning of life.Socrates, Bertrand Russell, Blaise Pascal and Thomas Nagel attempt in their own way to reason through these questions and form their own unique answers. In Bertrand Russell’s â€Å"The Value of Philosophy†, he discusses what philosophy is and why it is important. He concludes that the value of philosophy is rooted in its very uncertainty. He maintains that all those questions that cannot be answered are a part of philoso phical discussion, and questions with definite answers are a product of the physical sciences.When Russell is explaining in detail the value of philosophy he says, â€Å"These questions enlarge our conception of what is possible, enrich our intellectual imagination and diminish the dogmatic assurance which closes the mind against speculation† (Russell 12). For Russell, philosophy opens the mind and dispels ignorance and dogmatism, allowing us to think more freely and consider more possibilities. In Plato’s â€Å"Apology: Defence of Socrates,† Socrates also holds the view that philosophy is a necessary practice for all persons when he argues, â€Å"An unexamined life is no life for a human being to live† (Plato 40).Socrates has just been found guilty of corrupting the youth and not acknowledging the gods of the city. Once the verdict is reached, he argues for execution rather than exile because he believes that his study of philosophy is supreme in his lif e and it would be more honorable to die than to flee and study philosophy elsewhere, under subpar conditions than those in Athens. Philosophy is important to him because it allows people to think for themselves rather than go along with what they are told to believe.Russell and Socrates both uphold that the importance of philosophy come from what is does for the mind. Philosophy opens our minds, allowing unawareness and hypocrisy to dissipate. By questioning, we come to know more about the universe, and ourselves. However, Russell and Socrates do disagree on the certainty of truth. Socrates believes that there is certain truth, and one can reach it through reason and contemplation. Conversely, Russell maintains that everything is uncertain, but philosophy is still valuable because thinking of all possible explanations enlarges our minds.Through philosophy we are released from presumption, obliviousness, and bigotry. Whether or not we can know the absolute truth, contemplation throug h reason still holds immense importance for human beings. I draw from Socrates as well as Russell when I consider the value of philosophy. Philosophy allows me to see the world for what it is, instead of being bogged down by the opinion of the masses, or the societal norms. Through reason I can consider the truth and it’s importance to me. Similar to Russell, I see that much of philosophy’s greatness lies in its uncertainty.We cannot know for sure what the answers are, but through observation and thought we can form many possibilities, enlarging our minds to hold more than one solution to any given problem. Consequently this allows us to have a more open mind, and we can approach life with a broadened sense of self. Another question philosophers ask is â€Å"What is the point of our lives? † The answer varies greatly between each individual, demonstrated by the separate thoughts of Socrates, Pascal, and Nagel. Socrates argues that it is worse than death to be un just.He gives some examples of what qualifies as unjust. Injustice includes: lying, injuring others, breaking the law of a just state, and hurting those who hurt you. Above all, Socrates argues that the point of our lives is to seek the truth. He condemns the sophists because they have no regard for the truth; they only appreciate material things. The sophists were a group of philosophers around the time of Socrates who taught the youth of Athens how to win arguments, whether what they were arguing for was true or not. Socrates maintains that this is not the way to live.Life is not about money or material things, rather, the point of life is to be just, honorable, and true to yourself as well as the laws of the state. He even argues that one ought rather die than live a bad life. â€Å"I suggest that it is not death that is hard to avoid, gentlemen, but wickedness is far harder, since it is fleeter of foot than death† (Plato 41). Socrates claims that it is much easier to live in wickedness than die. Therefore, injustice and dishonor are two of the greatest evils and one should avoid them at all costs.In â€Å"The Wager,† Pascal presents a view of life centered on belief in God. Similar to Socrates, he upholds that life is about pursuing the truth as well as living a good life. He argues for the existence of absolute truth when he states, â€Å"Is there not one substantial truth, seeing there are so many things which are not the truth itself† (Pascal 83). Pascal maintains that this â€Å"one substantial truth† is God, and reasons for His existence. He claims that in life, we have two choices: to believe in God, or to not believe in God.We must accept the wager; we have no choice. There are four possible outcomes from this wager, according to Pascal. If God does indeed exist, and we so believe that he exists, we will gain infinite bliss; if we do not believe that he exists, then we are damned for eternity. However, if God does not exi st and we believe the same, then we lose nothing, but we also gain nothing. If we believe that He exists and He does not, then we also lose nothing, but have lived a good life with faith, humility, and compassion.Above all, Pascal wants us to believe. His main points are summarized when he writes, â€Å"If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing† (Pascal 83). We must wager, and we must believe in God, for He is the ultimate truth. Thomas Nagel discusses absurdity, which is the discrepancy between how seriously humans take their lives, and how uncertain life actually is. Everything is open to doubt, and that causes us to feel that our lives are insignificant, and therefore, nothing matters.He maintains that humans deem life absurd through epistemological skepticism, or the view that nothing can be known with certainty. He presents five options, which vary from completely avoiding life’s absurdity to embracing it fully. His thoughts on absurdity and his sol ution to it are best portrayed when he states, â€Å"If†¦there is no reason to believe that anything matters, then that does not matter either, and we can approach our lives with irony instead of heroism or despair† (Nagel 27).By accepting the view that nothing matters, we accept the view that believing nothing matters also does not matter, freeing us from absurdity. Nagel urges us to not despair, but also not take life too seriously. Pascal, Nagel, and Socrates present different views of how to make our lives worthwhile; but all agree that our lives should be spent in search of the truth, which is reached through honest reasoning and individual contemplation. When faced with the absurdity and uncertainty of life, Pascal and Nagel agree that suicide is not a legitimate escape.It is not necessary and ends up robbing us of the possibility of infinite happiness or a life free from absurdity. I agree with Socrates’ view, that dishonor and injustice must be avoided in order to live a good and honest life. I accept Pascal’s wager, and am willing to place my bet on the existence of God, hoping to gain all. I have also experienced some of the absurdity Nagel discusses and have come to my own conclusions. I maintain that we should live for today. By living in the present we escape the fear of the future.We do not get hung up on the uncertainties, but still acknowledge their existence. I also agree with Nagel that life should be approached with irony, and we should not take ourselves too seriously. Russell, Socrates, Pascal and Nagel all present plausible answers to the questions â€Å"What is the value of philosophy,† and â€Å"What is the purpose of our lives†. They use reason and logic to reach their conclusions. Through philosophy, we can broaden our minds and free ourselves from the dogmatism of society.Once our minds are expanded, we are able to think with reason and discover, for ourselves, the truth. References Nagel, Thom as, â€Å"The Absurd,† In John Perry, Michael Bratman and John Martin Fischer, editors, Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings, Fourth Edition (New York: Oxford University Press) 2007. Pascal, Blaise, â€Å"The Wager,† In John Perry, Michael Bratman and John Martin Fischer, editors, Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings, Fourth Edition (New York: Oxford University Press) 2007.Plato, â€Å"Apology: Defence of Socrates,† In John Perry, Michael Bratman and John Martin Fischer, editors, Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings, Fourth Edition (New York: Oxford University Press) 2007. Russell, Bertrand, â€Å"The Value of Philosophy,† In John Perry, Michael Bratman and John Martin Fischer, editors, Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings, Fourth Edition (New York: Oxford University Press) 2007.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Prologue Essays - The Canterbury Tales, The Pardoners Tale, Ethics

Prologue Essays - The Canterbury Tales, The Pardoners Tale, Ethics Prologue The Pardoner explains to the audience his usual methods of preaching, as well as his regular themes. He takes pains to have an important sounding speech and a satisfactory performance, thus earning him admiration. In addition, he explains how he sells fake relics and makes a huge profit from doing so. His theme is always "The love of money is the root of all evil," and he preaches heavily against greed and gluttony. At the same time, he repeatedly willingly admits to going against his own preaching. Pardoner's Story Three immoral men are drinking in an inn when they are informed Death has taken one of their friends. They promptly, and drunkenly, swear oaths to avenge their former companion and slay Death. They head off, and not quite half a mile from where they started, they encounter a poor old man. The old man greets them, and is treated rudely. The three men, believing the old man is an accomplice of Death, demand of him death's location. The old man responds that if they are so eager to find Death they should look in a grove, under an oak tree. The men go, and upon arriving promptly forget about Death, as they find almost eight bushels of gold coins. They plan to remove the gold at night, and send the youngest to town to fetch bread and wine. After he leaves, the two remaining men hatch a plot to kill him when he returns, as they will then have a larger portion of the treasure. While in town the youngest decides to kill the other two, and buys poison for two of the three purchased wine bottles. He returns and is killed by the other two, after which they promptly die by drinking the poisoned wine. Epilogue The Pardoner attempts to sell his relics' and pardons, but when asked to come forth and unbuckle his purse, the Host calls his fraud and refuses. The Host claims the Pardoner is not a real man, and the Pardoner gets very angry. The tale ends with the Knight stepping forth and making peace between them. Themes - The love of money is the root of all evil - Elders should be respected - Oaths should not be taken in vain - Drink (alcohol) leads to bad judgment and death - Friends should be chosen carefully, and are close enough to stab you in the back

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

GPA Chart Conversion to 4.0 Scale

GPA Chart Conversion to 4.0 Scale SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you looking for an easy way to understand just how your final class grades become GPA decimals? If so, then you've come to the right article. In just two simple charts, I'll show you how this conversion works for both a weighted and unweighted GPA. Why Are Grades Converted to a 4.0 Scale? Typically the grades you get in high school are either letters or percents, but on your transcript that number will be converted into a GPA. The GPA is a quick, helpful way for a college admissions officers to get a sense of your skills, intelligence, and willingness to challenge yourself. And looking at one number beats having to go through each person’s transcript grade by grade, for thousands and thousands of applicants! Colleges typically use a 4.0 GPA scale so that all GPAs are standardized. Rather than trying to compare a bunch of letter grades, percentages, or different GPA scoring scales, colleges convert all those scores to the 4.0 scale. That makes it easy to accurately compare the grades of students from all over the country and world. // For example, say one student went to a school that uses letter grades on transcripts, another went to a school that uses percentages, and a third uses the 4.0 scale. Comparing, say an A- average to a 93% average to a 3.5 GPA is much more difficult than converting the grades and percentages to the 4.0 scale and having three numbers that are easily comparable. Going through grades one by one: probably like sorting these noodles in order of height and width. The Unweighted GPA Conversion Chart Most high schools will convert all your final grades into a scale ranging from 0.0 to 4.0. This unweighted GPA scale treats your grades the same, no matter whether they come from Standard, Honors, or AP/IB classes. Here’s how unweighted grades convert: Letter Grade Percentile Standard GPA A+ 97-100 4.0 A 93-96 4.0 A- 90-92 3.7 B+ 87-89 3.3 B 83-86 3.0 B- 80-82 2.7 C+ 77-79 2.3 C 73-76 2.0 C- 70-72 1.7 D+ 67-69 1.3 D 65-66 1.0 F Below 65 0.0 Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. // But my AP apples were way harder than your Honors oranges! The Weighted GPA Conversion Chart Many schools also calculate a weighted GPA, ending up with a scale that ranges from 0.0 to 5.0. The weighted GPA tries to account for the fact that different level classes have different degrees of difficulty. The way this scale differentiates between harder and easier classes is by adding .5 to Honors and adding 1 to AP grades. This would mean a B in an AP class is equal to an A in a regular-level class for your GPA. Here’s how weighted grades convert: Letter Grade Percentile Honors GPA AP/IB GPA A+ 97-100 4.5 5.0 A 93-96 4.5 5.0 A- 90-92 4.2 4.7 B+ 87-89 3.8 4.3 B 83-86 3.5 4.0 B- 80-82 3.2 3.7 C+ 77-79 2.8 3.3 C 73-76 2.5 3.0 C- 70-72 2.2 2.7 D+ 67-69 1.8 2.3 D 65-66 1.5 2.0 F Below 65 0.0 0.0 We're just happy weighted GPA doesn't require actual weights. Does your school report your GPA as weighted or unweighted? What would your GPA be, considered on a 4.0, 5.0, or 6.0 scale? Use our tool to calculate your unweighted and weighted GPA to figure out how you stack up against other college applicants. You'll also get our proprietary college core GPA calculation and advice on where to improve to be a better college applicant. // What’s Next? Ready to use these numbers to calculate your GPA? Check out how to calculate your unweighted GPA and yourweighted GPA. If you’re curious whether colleges look at your weighted or unweighted high school GPA, then check out our guide on weight vs. unweighted GPAs. Worried about what your converted GPA means? We explore what’s a good GPA, what’s a bad GPA, and what colleges think. Ready to work, work, work to get that GPA up?We've got four strategies for raising your GPA fast, and how to keep your GPA high over your whole high school career. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: //

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Week 4 Forum Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Week 4 Forum - Assignment Example They lived in poor neighborhoods famously known as ghettos, suffered indignities of racism, for example, whites segregated them in the industrial workplaces, and were mainly deployed in dangerous and labor intensive tasks. They were united and created communities within the big northern cities, and it was common to find several families from a southern state living in one northern state, for example in Chicago today. Economic effects included; Factory wage in the north was generally three times that of the south. Even as housing was a bit expensive in the north, they still had better living standards. On the other hand, dwindling workforce led to economic struggle in the south (Gunnar, 2009). 5. African American activist used religious language to encounter injustices and racism, they came up with movements that drew its members from different backgrounds and classes and were also keen on political organization such as voter registration. There was the Congress of Industrial Organization (CIO) which planned many number of black workers into labor unions for the first time ever. Job discrimination against blacks compelled A. Philip Randolph, leader of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, to give threats of mass action on Washington. This caused Roosevelt to issue an Executive Order 8802 banning discrimination in the employment of black workers. To investigate any violations, a Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) was