Collectivism vs. Individualism Essay Example for Free

Collectivism vs. Individualism Essay The research to examine the cultural norms of Korea as compared to that of US, is based on two particular core dimensions: United States as an individualistic country, and Korea as a collectivistic country. In fact, this is the first thing that comes to mind, knowing that collectivism vs individualism is a major characteristic that differentiates these two countries. Lifestyle and living arrangements In a study by Lee and Ro Um (1992), it is discussed about the major difference between Koreans and Americans in their evaluations of product attributes was the different weights each put on the importance of the family. Koreans tended to be more family oriented in their product evaluations than the Americans. This meant that the products were selected. Korea has a family-oriented culture. For a young couple, living with elders (parents) has been a cultural norm in Korea, although in United States this living style is unusual normatively and behaviorally. According to Korean National Statistics office, 1993, almost three out of four Koreans people aged 60 and over live with their children, a percentage of 74.7%. The percentage that lives with a spouse only is 13.2% and living alone, 10.6%. Explore the gaming culture of Korea Why South Korean people play games In South Korea more than half of the 50 million populations play online games frequently. Gaming in this country is not just a hobby but a way of life. Currently in the country are 10 professional gaming leagues which are sponsored from the successful corporations such as SK Telecom and Samsung.   According to a news article published CNN , in South Korea almost half of all games have been sold since the game launched in 1998. StarCraft is a legitimate business, ranking in hundreds of thousands of dollars in earning. According to a news article published in BBC [4], in South Korea games are nationally televised and they fill-up stadiums. Extremely popular is the multi-player gaming. Being a professional video-gamer is a serious business. They attract huge sums in sponsorship and can make more than $100,000 a year. Professional players in South Korea are treated like  sports stars. Some of the most famous players from league matches and sponsorship could earn more than $400,000 per year. South Korea hosts the annual World Cyber Games. The country registered more than 15 million people for online gaming, which is 30% of the population. Gaming Addiction and the Government Intervention in South Korea As a consequence as a strong video game culture, South Korea since early 2000s reports of addicted gamers dying or murdering loved ones in order to satisfy their addiction. When a mother tried to stop her son from playing games, he killed her. Approximately 14% of Koreans between ages 9 and 12 suffer from Internet addiction because there are cable channels devoted solely to the games.[5] South Korea has been treating the disorder for years. In 2002 the government opened an Internet-addiction treatment center. In 2005, a 28 years old South Korean man went into cardiac arrest and died after reportedly playing an online game called StarCraft for 50 hours straight. The man did not sleep properly and did not eat well. He just made few bathroom breaks and for very short periods of sleep. In 2006 the government opened a hotline for gaming addicts. Moreover, hundreds of private hospitals and clinics in the country opened specializes units to treat the disorder. In 2010 the government ordered a â€Å"nighttime shutdown† for gamers. This happened after police discovered a 3-month old baby who starved to death while her parents were busy with their virtual baby on a game. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ordered the three most popular operators of the games to block people under age 18 from playing games between midnight and 8 a.m. The government has significantly slowed down the Internet connections of young players if they play for lots of hours into the night. More over in the National Assembly several other bills were pending that would control kids gaming habits. Where South Korean people play games South Korean entertainment industry is note based on home entertainment system such us console video game system, home theater etc. Instead it is created outside of the home in various places called â€Å"Bangs†. Recently South Korean people play games in the country’s Internet cafes, known as â€Å"PC- Bangs†. The PC Bangs are especially dominant in big cities like Seol, where  is a density of population. It is important that the PC-Bang industry now can provide computers and Internet service to those that previously did not have the economic conditions to possess these technologies. Analysts consider that the social environment of the PC-Bang is the most important factor to make the PC Bang attractive and popular to users. Other factors are: the high-performance computers, high-speed internet connection and low fee usage. [6] Most bangs are cheap; the patrons pay an hourly fee, ranging from $1.00 to $1.50 USD an hour. In South Korea going to a bang is the sam e as going to the bar in USA. Economic Conditions According to an article in About.com , the industry of video game has a large share of South Korea’s GDP. â€Å"According to the Ministry of Culture, in 2008 the online-gaming industry earned $1.1 billion dollars in exports. Nexon and NCSOFT, South Korea’s two largest game development companies reported a combined net income of over $370 million in 2012. The entire game market is estimated at approximately $5 billion dollars annually, or about $100 per resident, which is more than three times what Americans spend. Games like StarCraft have sold over 4.5 million copies in South Korea, out of a worldwide total of 11 million.† The same article says that video games stimulate the black economy of the country. What they play Relatively a small number of games are played in South Korea, the most popular of them are: League of Legends, FIFA Online 3, Sudden Attack, Lineage, Dungeon Fighter, Blade Soul, Aion: The Tower of Eternity, Echo Soul, Cyphers, World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Warcraft 3. [9] StarCraft- The most popular game in South Korea of all the times is StarCraft. Star Craft is a military strategy game, which is developed by Blizzard Entertainment. [10] World of Warcraft (WOW) Another popular game at most of the time is the World of Warcraft, developed by Blizzard Entertainment. World of Warcraft is a massively multi-player online role-playing game or MMORPG.

Hazardous And Industrial Waste Disposal Issues Environmental Sciences Essay

Hazardous And Industrial Waste Disposal Issues Environmental Sciences Essay The handling of the hazardous materials is complicated by the increasing magnitude of waste generated each year, the variety of materials that become refuse, the vast array of chemicals that may eventually leak from containers and burial sites; the difficulty of monitoring landfill sites for leachates, the difficulty of adequately sequestering waste to inhibit leaching, the variability of soils and their sorption capacities for leachates, the variability of soil permeability, and the cost of safe disposal versus that of assessing real or imaginary risk (Chian, E.S.K., and DeWalle, F. B., 2001). Due to these complexities, the removal of the hazard from hazardous wastes requires a systems approach (Brunner, D. R., and Carnes, R. A., 2004). For example, the least cost of an activated sludge and carbon adsorption system is a function of both processes operating simultaneously. The optimal design range for the least-cost system could not be ascertained by assessing the performance of the two processes independently. Background of the Study An important consideration over the next several years will be the impact of the toxic effluent limitations which should be discussed in the Philippine Government. A rational approach to defining toxic and hazardous wastes is to view a biological entity in equilibrium with its environment and attempt to quantify those insults on the biological entity that causes a disequilibrium or negative response. In the study of hazardous substances, two parameters of importance are dose and time (Atkins, P. R., 1998). An important point to note about the tests for acute and chronic toxicity is that, although the tests might isolate the relative toxicity of a substance, they are virtually useless for predicting levels at which no toxic effects will occur. The decision to incinerate depends on the type of hazardous solid waste, moisture content, organic fraction, heat content, economics, and the availability of land (Fennelly, P. F., et al., 1999). Whenever feasible, incineration should be considered. This process significantly reduces the volume, generally will also detoxify the waste, and gives a product amenable to compaction and containerization resulting in enhanced ease of handling. Incineration processes include the stationary hearth incinerator, the multiple hearth furnaces, the rotary kiln, the fluidized bed reactor, and the open pit incinerator. Each type of incinerator operates properly only within a limited range of temperatures. Generally speaking, for efficient operation, the materials burned must have a fairly uniform BTU value. This may require the blending and mixing of wastes to be burned and the addition of auxiliary fuel. Capital costs for incinerators are high, particularly for the smaller units. In some cases, com plete elimination of the hazardous agent may be obtained through incineration. The result is that potentially toxic and hazardous substances can be identified, but criteria for safe exposure are lacking; therefore, these wastes have a special stigma imposed on them because of the possibility of unknown effects (Farb, D., 2007). This psychological stigma can often impede rational implementation of treatment and ultimate disposal schemes for these toxic and hazardous wastes. No matter what treatment or ultimate disposal scheme is selected, man-made residuals will eventually reside in the atmosphere, lithosphere, or hydrosphere. Objective of the study An understanding of the reactions and forces controlling the movement of a pollutant in the environment is essential if effective treatment and ultimate disposal of toxic and hazardous wastes is to be attained. For example, decisions involving chemical waste disposal will be based on knowledge of chemical form, persistence, acute or chronic toxicity, genetic effect, flammability and reactivity. Hypothesis (Null Hypothesis) There is no environmental effect from hazardous and industrial wastes. Significance of the study A study of the natural environmental forces and reactions which maintain equilibrium of systems illustrates quite well the basic principles of handling toxic and hazardous substances by transforming them into less harmful substances or isolating them in a repository such that release into the dynamic parts of the environment occurs at such a low rate that toxic effects are not realized. Literature Review The greatest fallacy with the environmental crisis and residuals disposal is that acceptable environment can be obtained by reducing or even abolishing our dependence on technology or by neglecting cost considerations. The fact is that residual wastes and their ultimate disposal will require technological solutions-and many of them. Finally the cost to support waste treatment, recycle, reuse, collection and disposal must be borne by the consumer in the form of higher prices and by the taxpayer in the form of higher taxes. The handling and disposal of toxic and hazardous wastes is a multipronged problem that involves: (a) separation and waste partitioning, including process control through technological improvement, waste stream separation, and recycling; (b) inplant waste treatment, including chemical, physical, and biological treatment; (c) in-plant waste disposal, involving recycling, containerization, and incineration; (d) volume reduction through drying, incineration, and compaction of end-of-pipe residuals; (e) translocation involving storage, containment, and transportation; and (f) ultimate disposal considering isolation through minimization of water movement, and maximization of passive barriers through which migration of hazardous materials might take place. Separation and waste partitioning have the distinct advantage of reducing the volume of solid wastes to be handled. Process control entails separating the hazardous agents at the source. The initiation of control on the toxic wastes at this point is the most cost effective with respect to minimizing the volume and segregating the hazardous wastes. Chemical treatment schemes involving techniques based on chemical precipitation, oxidation, photochemical degradation, and pH adjustment can be employed to isolate or detoxify certain hazardous agents. Toxic heavy metals such as lead and cadmium can be isolated by hydroxide precipitation (Rouse, J. V., 2004). In liquid waste streams, numerous physical treatment schemes are possible for separation and partitioning of the hazardous agents. The bulk form of the solid wastes limits the implementation of most physical treatment techniques. Biodegradation of hazardous substances such as certain hydrocarbons, pesticides, and heavy metals (cyanide, for example), has been the subject of a number of studies. Soils, particularly the surface horizon to a depth of 1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m), contain large numbers and varieties of aerobic, facultative, and obligate anaerobic organisms which singly or together can provide an effective biological detoxification of certain hazardous agents. Two techniques are usually employed to achieve this component of the multiple barrier concepts. These are containment and encasement. Encasement is usually combined with one or more storage methods. The burial site itself, with proper use of clays or other liner materials, can become a container. This aspect of the multiple barrier concepts is more effective in reducing water movement than maintenance of physical integrity. A method of improving the passive barrier is encasement. The use of concrete as an encasement material is widespread. More recently, an interest in developing technology for encasement in plastics and vitreous materials has been expressed. Various encasement materials include: polyethylene, asphalt, lime/fly ash, portland cement, plaster of Paris, metal silicate, bentonite, and vermiculite. Data Treatment and statistical Tools The study is a quantitative study that will focus on data that presents environmental effects of hazardous and industrial waste. They will get the data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from year 1988-2008, to uphold consistency and prevent bias. The researcher will be using T-test to be able to test the significance of the variables. Summary and Conclusion Ultimately, residuals must be returned to air, land, or the oceans. The cost of disposal will be borne by the consumer, because residual wastes are generated when natural resources are processed for mans benefit. There is a large and growing body of technical literature on waste management. Hazardous agents can be removed from wastes, although under some circumstances it is more economical to modify the manufacturing process rather than modify sections of the treatment train. Recommendations The removal of hazardous agents is not simply a process that occurs at any one step in a well engineered system. The materials and design of the disposal site itself afford mechanisms for detoxifying and rendering innocuous the hazardous agents in the waste. Through the use of properly engineered treatment systems and passive but multiple barriers between residuals and the biosphere, it is possible to reduce the transport of potential pollutants to environmentally acceptable levels.

The Importance Of Team Work Management Essay

The Importance Of Team Work Management Essay The essay begins with an attempt to define the nature of teams and groups and considers the differences between the two. This is followed by a discussion of why teamwork is important to contemporary organisations. After which, the conditions necessary for effective team working is discussed drawing on Tuckman (1965) model of group development. Then a discussion of group processes that lead to ineffective teamwork are considered. Finally, the impact of technology is considered on the effect of teams and the rise of virtual teams before a conclusion is made. Defining Groups and Teams A definition of a team may assume that the team has, or is working towards a common goal (Pynadeth and Tambe, 2002). A team can be defined as groups of people embedded in organisations, performing tasks that contribute to achieving the organisations goals. They share overall work objectives. They have the necessary authority, autonomy and resources to achieve these objectives (West, 2004, p.18). The difference between a group and a team is that members of a team share a common goal they are pursuing collaboratively. Moreover, they can only succeed or fail as a whole, and the members of that team share the benefits and costs of success or failure. In contrast, the members of a (psychological) group may share a number of common features.but each has his or her own individual goals (Buchanan and Hyczynski, 2007, p.379). Importance of Teamwork In a contemporary organisations, what were once competitors are now collaborators, what were once outsiders are now stakeholders, what were once stark boundaries are now fuzzy fences. Organisations have now discovered the value of collaboration, both inside and outside (Brooks, 2006, p.115). Teamwork has been linked to economic advantages, higher output, lower absenteeism and increased employee satisfaction (Steijn, 2001; Brooks, 2006; Buchanan and Hyczynski, 2007). It has also been shown to lead to less stressful work, reduced alienation and improved working relationships (Katzenback and Smith). Effective Team Working Certain conditions are necessary for effective teamwork (Buchanan and Hyczsynski, 2007). Several models of team working have been developed, however Tuckmans Model of Group Development (1965) is one of the most widely used (Murray et al., 2006, Buchanan and Hyczynski, 2007). Tuckman (1965) model depicts four stages of group development, which represents a logical sequence of stages of group development of which every team must go through in order to work as a cohesive and effective team (Tuckman, 1965; Murray et al., 2006). The first stage is forming. Forming is about orientation, socialisation and developing relationships. Discovering what is acceptable behaviour, focusing on objectives. Discovering the nature and boundaries of the task, developing team behaviours The second stage is storming this is about confrontation and conflict and the struggle for power and influence. At this stage the group structure shifts towards hostility and conflict, as members express their individuality and resistance (Murray et al., 2006, p.314). During this stage there is conflict over individuals desires to express their own opinions, which often results in the polarisation of opinions (Buchanan and Hyczynski, 2007). The third stage is norming, in this stage groups develop a cohesive approach, whereby harmonious relations replace conflict and disagreement. During this stage, communication becomes more open and people are more comfortable with expressing their opinions, even if it is different to others without fear of repercussions or thoughts of deviant behaviour (Buchanan and Hyczynski, 2007). Members begin to develop social interactions that enhance the overall performance of the group (Murray et al., 2006). Performing is the final stage of group development, in which teams are finally able to work as a cohesive unit. This is about team collaboration and the focus is on getting the task at hand completed and reaching the shared goals of the team. By this stage, the team should have a thorough understanding of what is required of them, the problems, challenges and issues they face in reaching their goals and will have established norms of behaviour that will facilitate the team in meeting its goals (Tuckman, 1965; Murray et al., 2006). The team which emerges as a result of these group development stages is a mature group, capable and willing to complete the tasks as defined by the organisation (Tuckman, 1965; Murray et al., 2006, Buchanan and Hyczynski, 2007). Arguably, if the team is not able, for whatever reason to complete the stages of group development, then the team will be ineffective (Murray et al., 2006). As a result, this has important implications for managers and team leaders. Group processes and behaviour cannot be separated from the pursuit of effective team working. Therefore, leaders and managers must develop and emotional awareness of the influence of the psychological group on the overall performance of the team (Steijn, 2001; Buchanan and Hyczynski, 2007) Factors which Threaten the Success of the Team Buchanan and Hyczynski (2007) point out that teamwork of all kinds is fraught with tensions, conflicts, obstacles and problems. If these are not managed effectively, rather than surpassing the best members capabilities, the total group output may actually equal less than the weakest members efforts (p.351). This is known as negative synergy. This can be caused by factors such as negative equity, whereby other members of the group underperform so the other person thinks why should I?, shirking of responsibility, negative effort of group reward whereby everyone is rewarded the same regardless of effort and finally, problems of coordination, so people are obstructing others ability to get on with a task (Buchanan and Hyczynski, 20007). Collectively, this phenomenon has come to be known as social loafing (Ingham et al., 1974). In addition to social loafing, problems of group think can have a negative impact on the performance of teams. Whilst the development of group norms and behaviour can be beneficial to the team, in its extreme form this can lead to the problem of group think (Buchanan and Hyczynski, 2007). Group think occurs whereby members of the group fail to critically analyse, test and evaluate problems, issues and challenges which face the group (Murray et al., 2006). This may be caused as a subconscious desire for members to avoid deviating from the prescribed norms of behaviour and group consensus (Buchanan and Hyczynski, 2007). However, this leads to ineffective team working, which is not beneficial to the organisation (West, 2004). Managers and team leaders play a pivotal role in ensuring that the problems of social loafing and group think does not occur. In addition managers should recognise team leaders who may advertently or inadvertently encourage the onset of negative synergy, social loafing and group think and take steps to minimise the impact of their ineffective team leadership. Impact of Technology on Team Functioning Technology plays an increasingly important role on the way in which teams function (Brooks, 2006). This is because organisations are becoming increasingly distributed across geographical boundaries and across industries (Brooks, 2006, p.115). There are many different types of technologies that have emerged which facilitate the development of teamwork both in a virtual and non-virtual teamwork environment. The rise in computer mediated technology, which facilitates communication, planning and organisation, has broken down barriers and can contribute towards making the team more effective (West, 2004; Brooks, 2006). Virtual teams are becoming an increasingly common extension of traditional organisational structures. Brooks (2006) describes the process as the following: virtual organisations, workplaces and teams are becoming increasingly common place. In a virtual team the members primary interaction is through some combination of electronic communications systems, which allows members of the team to cross time, space and cultural boundaries (Brooks, 2006, p.110). The type of technology which facilitates both physical and virtual teams includes the reduction in costs in recent years of portable PCs and consumer electronics and of communications devices. For example, laptops have seen a reduction in price and the majority of modern laptops come with in-built microphones, speakers and web cams for video conferencing. The cost of international calls has reduced and can even be made for free using VOIP (voice over internet protocol) technologies, such as Skype and Google Voice. Conclusion Teamwork is becoming increasingly important in contemporary organisations, and as long as teams are formed, managed and implemented effectively, can provide a source of competitive advantage in terms of increased employee satisfaction, creativity and innovation. However, if teams are assigned to inappropriate tasks, are managed ineffectively or not provided with adequate support, resources and autonomy to carry out their tasks then the effect of teamwork can be counterproductive. Teams are formal groups assigned by management that have shared goals. There is a difference between teams and groups; groups can exist without teams but teams cannot exist without groups. Therefore, the impact of group behaviour and group dynamics will have a significant impact on the overall performance of the team. Therefore, management must be awareness of the presence of groups that create their own norms and personal goals, which may deviate from the objectives of the team. Therefore, teamwork can be i s a complex management area, yet if carried out effectively, the results can be very rewarding.

Case #1- Toyota :: essays research papers

Toyota Revs up U.S. Sales Threats: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Japanese market is getting more competitive and Toyota is loosing sales to Nissan and Honda. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chevrolet and Ford are selling better in the U.S. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The â€Å"Toyota takeover† is not assured. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Japanese manufactures gaining a foothold in the US market. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  American companies are working to update the styling of their cars. Opportunities: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Exploiting the U.S. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attaining more local managers in order to Americanize. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Import taxes and current risk are reduced by manufacturing 2/3 of the cars U.S. and keeping revenues and expenses in U.S. dollars. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Spending salaries on 123,000 American employees at their facilities. Strengths: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Understanding the US consumer needs and wants. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Toyota will likely pass Ford’s sales in the near future. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Known for their effectiveness in long-term planning. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not as dependant on Japan anymore. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Utilizing American designers to compete effectively in the U.S. market. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American competitors have been slow to respond to Toyota’s threat. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The development of a car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a company, Toyota is beginning to set better long-term goals. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Getting accepted as an â€Å"American Brand† Weaknesses: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning, Toyota had a very conservative approach to goals. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Failure to recognize a market opportunity to introduce a full-size truck. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slowing economies in Southeastern Asian countries. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Loosing money in Japanese market. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Traditionalists inside Toyota do not like where the company is headed and want to stick to old ways. Ford 2 Toyota uses a multi-domestic strategy in their U.S. auto division. The company is international and caters to each country’s needs in which they do business. For example, in the U.S., Toyota has hired designers and managers in order to gain a better understanding of what Americans want. The cars Americans are buying today were manufactured here in the U.S. Thus, Toyota has kept their headquarters in Japan but is catering to consumers using different products and marketing strategies throughout the world while not treating the globe as a whole. This decision was based on information from the book as well as class lectures on chapter 8. According to the textbook, it seems quite possible for Toyota to achieve their corporate goals.

Nicholas Malebranche :: essays research papers

Nicholas Malebranche   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nicholas Malebranche was a theologian and philosopher from the 17th century. He was very influential in two aspects of the history of philosophy. The first was that we see all things though God. Second was his works with occasionalism. He was concerned with how our minds get perceptual images of external objects. His final answer was that God contains all external objects there for God implants these ideas in our mind and the right time. So, we see external objects and there images as God sees them. Malebranche gave his ideas to help people to realize that God was a part of their lives at all times. Nicolas Malebranche was born August 5th, 1638 in Paris. He was born deformed and sickly and preferred solitude in his childhood. Malebranche’s father was a government official his father’s official title was royal counselor, from the rural bourgeoisie. For work he was a treasurer of five large farms. Malebranche’s mother belonged to the minor nobility. And had a brother-in-law that was the governor of Canada. It was believed that Malebranche lived off of his family’s wealth. The religion Malebranche was raised in was catholic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Malebranche was born crippled and had a deformed spine he remained this was all of his life. There for he could not go to school like all the other children. He was educated at home from his mother who was a very educated woman. This is thought of how he got his great literary style. After getting the start of his education from his mother he went on to attend the College de la Marche from 1654 to 1656 were he studied philosophy and theology. Malebranche graduated Master of the Arts, and went on to Sorbonne in Paris until 1659. He intended to make theology his life intention but stopped going to the Sorbonne because he did not believe he was learning anything new.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Malebranche had the chance to be canonry at Notre Dame but refused to accept. Then he joined the Congregation of the Oratory in 1660. The chief aim of this program was to train candidates for the priesthood. During the time Malebranche studied at the Oratory its teachings where strongly based from the philosophies of Descartes. Malebranche was ordained a priest in 1664 having studied ecclesiastical history in Hebrew and Biblical criticism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Malebranche had to major influences in his studies of mathematics and philosophy.

Persuasive Essay on John Proctor from the Crucible Essay

Who is John Proctor? Is he is a hero, a villain, a conqueror? Some may think he is craven, but others may credit him with great fortitude. This brave man was one of many who died for what he believed in. Although many people tried to persuade him to do otherwise, he stood his ground and died an innocent man. John had many reasons for choosing what he did. At first he was going to confess to save his life and be with his family. When Danforth made him sign the paper so he could post it on the Church doors, Proctor lost it. â€Å"It is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!† is something he yelled to the court right after signing the paper. It was his name that they were taking away from him and it was the only one he will ever get. His sons will carry on that name, and if they post his it up for everyone to see, his good name will be ruined. Proctor is looking out for his sons, so they can carry on the family name with good reputation. Proctor had a right to not want his name up on the church doors. He didn’t want everybody seeing that he had confessed that he was a witch. John is supposed to be the guy everyone in the town looks up to. He didn’t want them seeing that he had committed a sin just so he could keep his life. He felt there was no need for them to use him to get other people to follow in his steps and lie. Proctor said to the court, â€Å" You will not use me! I am no Sarah Good or Tituba, I am John Proctor! You will not use me! It is no part of salvation that you should use me!† As a result of all this anger, John rips up the paper he signed. That being the case, John Proctor was hanged for the assumptions of being a witch. I know you all are outraged by the aftermath of all this, but Proctor made the right choice. He was concerned about having his â€Å"confession† made public. He was primarily afraid that his sons would never respect him and would think of him as craven fo r giving into the court. He died for the good of his family, not himself.

Australian Rules

Ladies and gentleman, the film Australian Rules is simply impossible to overlook as Australia’s entry into the international film everything that a proper ‘Australian’ film should, drama, romance, action and deceit. It portrays cultural differences that create segregation between the fabrics of society in a town that doesn’t possess the capacity to co-exist which is evident in urbanized Australia. My name is ______, and I am taking it upon myself today to tell you, the good people of the Australian Film Board that ‘Australian Rules’ is capable of earning great accolade at the international film competition and doing Australia great favours in the eyes of the international film community. The director, Paul Goldman, has achieved what he feels to be an honest and frank interpretation of our Australian identity through the use and skilful manipulation of several film techniques such as setting, cinematography, characterization, music and symbolism. I will discuss these techniques with you in detail as i continue. The movie is set in Prospect Bay, a remote outpost on the South Australian coast. It is a dry, desolate and unappealing area which is confirmed by the lives lived by the ‘tidy towns’ few residents. The town has been presented in this fashion as it emphasises the true remoteness of the location, and presents the audience with the fact that the characters are not in or even near the city, do not follow the city culture and do not partake in activities in a ‘conventional’ way. The setting in which the movie takes place is of greater importance to the overall message of the film than perhaps anything else. It conveys the message that there is another side to Australia, one which suburbia has not been exposed to. Gary Black, usually referred to as Blacky by his peers, is the kind hearted and idealistic feature character in the film. He is separated from the rest of the community as he is willing to see beyond the barrier of white vs. Black and exist in both worlds, away from the insurmountable racial tension that is evidently displayed by the actions and attitudes of the wider community. He is positioned in such a light that his actions, whether they be positive, or negative, are seen to be in good will and are intended to be without malice, regardless of whether this is the case. He is also placed in a position of weakness and vulnerability. This is showcased through the relationship which is shared between Blacky and his father. He is portrayed as being afraid of his father and not willing to examine his father’s role within his own life, but more mportantly his family’s life and question his use of negative, aggressive and demeaning tactics which he employs in order to gain full control of his family and eliminate any defiant or disobedient behaviour. The use and manipulation of cinematography throughout the film is of massive importance as it presents different characters in a desired way which helps to shape the film. For example the camera angles in the scene in which Blacky’s father exposes him and Clarence lying in bed together and procee ds to beat Garry down. The camera angle depicts Garry lying on the ground with an upward shot centred at the fathers imposing presence. The shot is almost the point of view Garry would have experienced as he was was lying on the ground in fear. This was the angles particular purpose, to emphasise the presence of fear and trepidation in that situation. The use of music, or lack thereof in the film is a powerful way of distinguishing the true feelings and emotions in any given situation. If there is a light hearted friendly moment within the film the music may possibly be calm and light, giving the impression of carelessness and fun. The same applies to a dramatic scene where the music may be deep and frantic to convey to the audience the feeling of anticipation. A scene i would like to focus on is the scene in which Garry and his father have a final ‘showdown’, if you will, at the front of the house. The scene consists of the father imposing himself on Garry and proceeding to continually beat him down time after time only for Garry to rise up and face his father on each occasion. This scene evoked a feeling of pride and admiration from the audience as to Garry’s courage and determination to convey the message to his father that he is ready to stand on his own two feet and defy him. This is a very powerful scene within the movie which initiated powerful emotions within the audience. All of this was accomplished with the notable absence of music of any form. The omission of music in this scene created an atmosphere in which the dramatic affect was amplified due to the silence. The use of symbolism is clearly evident throughout the film. From the contrast of the colours on the team’s uniform which many believe to be a hidden symbol of ‘unity’ as such, to the final scene of the movie which entails Garry and Clarence swimming in the ocean in what appears to be a yin-yan formation. One notable use of symbolism in the film is that of the ‘fruit and nut’ bar. This symbolises the fathers role in the family, as something simple as a bar of chocolate can mean so much within the context of the families relationships. It is the ultimate symbol of the dominate and commanding position in which the father holds within the household. I wish to thank you, the members of the film board for your valuable time and hope you have taken into consideration the message I have conveyed to you today.