Strategic Management Accounting for Shareholder Value Maximisation Essay

Strategic Management Accounting for Shareholder Value Maximisation - Essay Example This report presents an insightful study on the concept of shareholder value maximisation and the efforts that are undertaken by management to achieve it. It demonstrates that in an effort to enhance shareholder value the management generally puts behind the importance of serving the interest of other stakeholders like employees, customers, suppliers and society that share a long-term association with the company. However, protection of interests of these stakeholders is important to ensure the maximisation of shareholder value. This report, therefore, concludes that in order to accomplish the objective of shareholder value maximisation in an effective manner, the management should also strive to serve the interests of other stakeholders. Shareholders are the true owners of a company and have ultimate residual claims on its financial assets. Management is responsible to serve the interests of shareholders and engage the efforts of the whole organisation towards the enhancement of val ue for shareholders as well as the other stakeholders that have their interest in the corporation.

Recreation, Leisure and Play Essay Example for Free

Recreation, Leisure and Play Essay The idea of leisure has been in existence for many centuries and has come to have many different meanings depending on the period in history or the civilization that it originated from. From as early as Ancient Greece, Rome or Babylonia, the term we now know as leisure has existed in some form or another. As has been widely noted in introductory recreation texts, schole was both the ancient Greek word for leisure meaning, â€Å"serious activity without the pressure of necessity† and is the root of the English word for school (Godbey, 2003). To the ancient Greeks, leisure, education, and culture were intertwined. In other words, learning was available only for the rich, people with the wealth to afford free time. Leisure, as we know it today, has changed from the original meaning of the word. From what I have read and found in various books and articles, Leisure can be defined in 3 different ways: leisure defined as a state of being or a state of mind, leisure defined as an activity, and leisure defined as time. I will discuss the various definitions of leisure today and then discuss my issues with each definition. Leisure Defined as a State of Mind Leisure defined as a state of mind is, in my mind, the least often used definition of the word. The way to understand this concept would be use it in the context such as â€Å"someone who is at leisure†; meaning freedom from anxiety, obligation, or constraint or having an internal locus of control. Locus of Control refers to an individuals perception of main causes of events in life. More simply, having an internal locus of control means that you believe that you are the master of your own destiny. John Neulinger (1974) states: Leisure has one and only one essential criterion, and that is the condition of perceived freedom. Any activity carried out freely, without constraint or compulsion, may be considered to be leisure. â€Å"To leisure† implies being engaged in any activity as a free agent and of one’s own choice. (p. 12) Now I want you to keep in mind this idea of leisure as any activity of one’s own free willed decision because I am going to touch on it again during the leisure defined as time. Leisure Defined as an Activity Leisure defined as an activity is used widely as well. Most people would agree that leisure activity is something that is fun and enjoyable during a non-working time. This idea makes it difficult to pinpoint a leisure activity though. Understanding if the activity is performed for intrinsic or extrinsic purposes may be the deciding factor whether the activity is leisure or not. The distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic properties plays an essential role in stating several interesting philosophical problems. Why am I performing this action? If you are doing the activity because you enjoy it, then you are performing it for its intrinsic value. If you do not want to participate in an activity, but you know that you will benefit from the activity, you are performing it for its extrinsic value. An example would be a person who practices on the piano because they like to play, versus a person who practices piano because they want to win a music contest. Who of the two is experiencing leisure as an activity? Most people would agree that the first person is definitely experiencing leisure as an activity. The second person is where the debate lays. It is the same exact activity as the first person, but the motivation for performing the activity is different. I feel that as long as you, as a free willed individual, choose to perform any activity then you are experiencing leisure as an activity because you are fulfilling your desires. I feel that the only time when you are may not experience leisure is when you are dying. If you have lived a long life and eventually die from old age, I do not believe that you made the decision out of free will to pass away. Although, if a person commits suicide, does that persons free willed decision make the act of dying a leisure activity? Some good questions to ask: If your career is your passion, are you always at leisure? Conversely, is a person without a job always at leisure? Musicians, professional athletes, and the homeless are all specific examples of situations that may help answer these questions. Leisure Defined as Time Leisure defined as time may be the most commonly understood meaning of the word today because of its positive connotations (Martin, 1975). People often use the word leisure and the term free time interchangeably. On the surface this definition seems fine, but as you delve deeper and ask difficult questions, it starts to become less clear. What is free time? Free time is defined as time free of obligations or responsibilities, or time to do with what you please. As Neulinger stated his definition of leisure, performing the activity out of free will is the deciding factor for whether it is leisure or not. This idea brings this thought to mind. All human beings have been blessed with the gift of free will; a consciousness of who we are and of the decisions we make. Without consciousness we would still be aware of what is going on around us, but we would react to it in a reflexive, instinctive way. With consciousness, we can deliberately weigh what the senses tell us, and respond accordingly. If this definition holds true, shouldn’t all of life be considered leisure? Every decision, every action, comes from our decisions of our own free will. If we continue with this thought, some questions arise: †¢ Are there any instances in life that would prevent you from experiencing free will? †¢ Do we always make decisions based on our desires? †¢ Do having priorities that are not in sync with our desires negate our free will? These questions came after having a conversation with my friend. She told me that when you are a parent, you have obligations to your children that may interfere with your free time. This is where the damn breaks open and it is up to the individual to decide. Her question was, â€Å"What if my needs as a parent cannot be fulfilled because I have work to make sure my kids are fed and clothed? † I feel that even though you have the responsibility as a parent to provide for your children, you made the decision to have a child knowing full well the obligations and responsibilities that would ultimately come with that decision. Free time, who would have thought two little words, would bring up so many questions? My Definition of Leisure After contemplating on the various definitions of the term leisure I propose the following: Leisure is the phenomenon experienced by all self aware beings whose decisions are based out of free will, whether those decisions are made in the conscious or subconscious mind of the individual. Recreation Recreation is any activity which is relaxing to humans or provides diversions from their normal routine, and in many ways is also a therapeutic refreshment of ones body or mind. Any activity can potentially be a recreational one. Vacations to exotic islands, sporting events, meditation, watching television, or playing monopoly are all forms of recreation. A key factor to the activity being considered a recreational activity is whether or not it is pleasurable. If the activity is not pleasurable then the activity cannot be considered recreational because it is not rejuvenating to the body or mind. For example, a couple travels to the Caribbean for a second honeymoon. They have planned the vacation far in advance and the tickets and reservations are non-refundable. Upon arriving, the weather is awful and the couple is unable to participate in any of the activities they had planned for the trip. Even though the fact they were engaging in a commercial recreational activity, the weather prevented them from having an enjoyable time and therefore the vacation was not recreating to oneself or another. With the information provided, this vacation would not be classified as recreation. Fairchild defined recreation as â€Å"any activity pursued during leisure, either individual or collective, that is free and pleasurable, having its own immediate appeal, not impelled by a delayed reward beyond itself† (Fairchild, 1944). Another aspect of recreation was presented by Gray and Greben (1974) as: an emotional condition within an individual human being that flows from a feeling of well-being and self-satisfaction. It is characterized by feeling of mastery, achievement, exhilaration, acceptance, success, personal worth, and pleasure. It reinforces positive self-image. Recreation is a response to aesthetic experience, achievement of personal goals, or positive feedback from others. It is independent of activity, leisure, or personal acceptance. (p. 23) This definition is not focused on the activity itself, but on the individual’s reaction to the activity; the individuals state of mind. I would agree that this definition touches the heart of the subject much better. I stated earlier that any activity has the potential of being a recreational activity. This is true because it depends on how the individual feels about the activity. Most people experience pleasure during activities like exercise, sports, relaxing, and vacationing. If you think along these lines then it is easy to understand why some activities are generalized as recreational and why some are not. Although some people consider work pleasurable, most people do not love their job. This is why I believe that work is not universally accepted as recreational. My Definition of Recreation After contemplating on the various definitions of the term recreation I propose the following: Recreation is a positive state of mind achieved during any physical or non-physical activities characterized by feelings which are rejuvenating and recreating to the body and spirit. Play Leisure and recreation as I discussed them are states of mind experienced by an individual. Play, although related to these concepts, is different in the fact that it is a means to achieve this positive state of mind which all living beings desire. Play has existed since the beginning of time. Johan Huizinga (1950) described the characteristics of play as: †¢ Voluntary behavior †¢ Stepping outside of â€Å"ordinary life† †¢ Secluded and limited in time and space †¢ Not serious but absorbs the player intensely †¢ Bounded by rules †¢ Promoting formation of social groups that surround themselves with secrecy As you read the characteristics, you realize that they appear in all forms of play. Although play is a common occurrence within all ages of life, it is a concept that it liked to immaturity in today’s society. The Instinctual Aspect of Play. Play is a puzzle to scientists. Why do animals spend so much time and energy doing such silly things that seem to have no purpose? The struggle for survival in nature is deadly serious. What place is there for activities that dont help animals eat, grow, and reproduce? Play is also very risky. Animals can break bones, pull muscles, or get bitten too hard. In a study of 14 Siberian ibexes (wild goats), more than one-third were hurt badly enough during play to cause limps-a serious concern in the race for survival. And animals can become so wrapped up in play that they are unaware of danger. One study showed that 80 percent of the deaths among young fur seals occurred because the playing pups didnt see predators coming! (Braaf 2003,  ¶ 4) Why is play worth the risk? Many scientists believe its essential for survival-as important as food or sleep. Why Play? Most scientists believe that when animals play, they are practicing skills theyll need later in life. This is why different kinds of animals play in different ways. Young predators, such as wolves, lions, and bears, play by stalking, pouncing, biting, and shaking their heads from side to side. Theyre honing their skills for when they will run down, catch, and kill prey. When a wolf pup chases its own tail, bites it, and yanks it back and forth, the pup is rehearsing skills itll need one day as a hunter. Research shows that smarter animals spend more time playing. Elephants play more than horses. Chimps play more than macaques. Wolves play more than rabbits. And parrots play more than either ducks or sparrows. Smarter animals also play in more creative and complex ways. Not surprisingly, humans and chimpanzees are among the most playful species. (Braaf 2003,  ¶ 9) Here are three questions to start with: Why do humans play? Is play something that is learned, or is it instinctual? And what purpose does it serve in humans? To answer the first question, Godbey (2003) presents the following: If you put a person in a dark tank of water heated to same temperature as their body in a dark room devoid of sound, their need for stimulation will be so great that they will usually start to hallucinate. If you are walking down the street with nothing much absorbing your attention, you may start to notice cracks in the sidewalk and make up a game in which you have to avoid stepping on them. (p. 46) In conclusion, humans need stimulation. If the mind is idle then the person will seek out the stimulation in his or her surroundings. Whether or play is instinctual or learned, I believe that it is both. Most games that we play are learned, such as baseball, hide and seek, or even make believe games such as house. Obviously, not all forms of play are taught though. As in the example from Godbey, a person will make up a form of play if there are no other options for stimulation. Finally to understand the purpose of play in humans we must first discuss the four forms of play developed by Caillois (1958). †¢ The pursuit of vertigo in which one tries to momentarily destroy the stability of perception, escaping reality for the moment. †¢ Games of chance †¢ Make Believe †¢ Contests which require appropriate training, the application of skill, and the desire to win As in animals in the wild, play is used to hone a person’s skill for later in life. Some examples of this are interacting with other children on the playground, which will increase social skills, hitting rocks with a stick, which will increase hand-eye coordination, and cloud watching, which will develop a persons imagination. My Definition of Play After contemplating on the various definitions of the term play I propose the following: Play is voluntary behavior, bounded by rules, experienced by both human and non-human beings, which stimulates the mind and body, prepares an individual for similar future situations, and allows for personal growth within the individual. How Leisure, Recreation, and Play Relate Now that I have discussed my definitions of leisure, recreation, and play, I will explain how my definitions are related to one another. As I stated earlier, Leisure is the phenomenon experienced by all self aware beings whose decisions are based out of free will, whether those decisions are made in the conscious or subconscious mind of the individual. Life, to me, is leisure because of our ability to act out of free will. The question should not be, â€Å"Is this activity a leisure activity? †, but rather, â€Å"Is this activity considered good or bad leisure? † Recreation, I feel, is a subset of leisure. All of recreation can be considered leisure, but not the converse. Recreation is a positive state of mind achieved during any physical or non-physical activities characterized by feelings which are rejuvenating and recreating to the body and spirit. The reason that not all of leisure can be considered recreation is because not all of life is recreating to the mind and spirit. Play is a subset of recreation. Similar to leisure and Recreation, all of play is recreation, but not the converse. Play is voluntary behavior, bounded by rules, experienced by both human and non-human beings, which stimulates the mind and body, prepares an individual for similar future situations, and allows for personal growth within the individual. The main difference is that play is bounded by rules where recreation is not. Some examples of recreation that are not considered play would be meditation, reading, or watching TV. If you look at the following diagram, I think it makes it easier to understand the relationship between all three of the concepts. [pic] Leisure is all encompassing. Within it lays recreation and play. Although they are both within leisure there are still some aspects of leisure that are not considered recreation. This blue arrow points to this area. The red arrow points to the area that is recreational but does not classify as play. Quality of Life The well-being or quality of life of a person is an important concern when trying to understand leisure, recreation, and play in an individual’s life. Understanding quality of life is today particularly important in health care, where monetary measures do not readily apply. Decisions on what research or treatments to invest the most in are closely related to their effect of a patients quality of life. There are many components to well-being. A large part is standard of living, the amount of money and access to goods and services that a person has; these numbers are fairly easily measured. Others components like freedom, happiness, art, environmental health, and innovation are far harder to measure and are generally considered to be more important. There are two main strategies we can adopt to improve the quality of life in our everyday lives. The first is to try making external conditions match our goals. The second is to change how we experience external conditions to make them fit our goals better. Neither of the strategies is effective when used alone. Changing external conditions might seem to work at first, but if a person is not in control of his or her consciousness, the old fears or desires will soon return, reviving previous anxieties. (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990, p. 89) For instance, feeling secure is an important component of happiness. The sense of security can be improved by purchasing a gun for home protection, placing security locks on the front door, having an alarm unit installed, or moving to a safer neighborhood. All of these actions would fall under making our external conditions fit our goals better. One also has to understand that perfect safety is, in all reality, not possible and risks are inevitable. Once a person understands this then the threat of insecurity will not have as great of a chance of having a person live in fear; ultimately ruining ones quality of life. In society today, wealth, status and power have become symbols of happiness. People often assume that the rich and famous have very rewarding lives just because of their status. We often assume that life would be better if we were in other peoples shoes. The reality of the situation is that quality of life does not depend directly on what others think about us or what we own, but rather how we feel about ourselves and what happens to us in our everyday lives. Some people today suffer from affluenza, the bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to keep up with the Joneses. It is an epidemic of stress, overwork, waste and indebtedness caused by dogged pursuit of the American Dream. In layman’s terms, affluenza is experienced when people have the mentality that their possessions is what defines them as an individual. This is not to say that having nice things, being famous, or being is peak physical condition are irrelevant to happiness. These things can be genuine blessings but only if they make us feel better without having to sacrifice other important aspects of our life. Research on happiness suggests that in general, there is a mild correlation between wealth and well-being. Given these observations, instead of worrying about how to make a million dollars or how to win friends and influence people, it seems more beneficial to find out how everyday life can be made more harmonious and more satisfying, and thus achieve by a direct route what cannot be reached through the pursuit of symbolic goals (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990, p. 91). How Leisure, Recreation and Play Affect Quality of Life Everyone is familiar with stress. We experience it in varying forms and degrees every day. In small doses, stress can actually be beneficial to us. It is only when the stress becomes too great, affecting our physical or mental functioning, that it becomes a problem. The stress response of the body is meant to protect and support us. To maintain stability or homeostasis, the body is constantly adjusting to its surroundings. When a physical or mental event threatens this equilibrium, we react to it. This process is often referred to as the fight or flight response. We prepare for physical action in order to confront or flee a threat. When it is part of a natural reaction to challenge or danger, the body’s response is called positive stress. However, when you feel out of control or under intense pressure, you may experience the physical, emotional, or relational symptoms brought on by negative stress. Stress can cause both physical and emotional in an individual’s life. Stress adversely affects reproduction, sexual behavior, and growth. Stress inhibits the immune system, making you more vulnerable to colds, flu, fatigue and infections. Leisure, recreation and play are natural ways to reduce negative stress that builds up in the body therefore improving ones quality of life. The human body is like any other system in nature. If we don’t have ways to vent our stress from everyday life through activities that are pleasurable, we will start to experience the negative side effects of stress. Final Thoughts My thoughts on the subject of leisure, recreation, and play before this paper could not be further from where my thoughts are now. I feel that too much emphasis is placed on unimportant things today. Society, more so than ever, has gotten into the habit of treating the symptoms of people, instead of treating the individual. I feel that having a better understanding of the concepts of recreation, leisure, and play and the role they play in your life will ultimately lead to a happier and hopefully longer life. Refrences Braaf, E. (2003). Why animals love to play. Retrieved September 20, 2006, from Find Articles Website: http://www. findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qa4128/ is_200311/ai_n9307508/pg_1 Caillois, R. (1958). Man, play and games. Glencoe, IL: The Free press. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York, NY. Harper and Row. Fairchild, H. (1944). Dictionary of sociology (pp. 251-252). New York, NY: Philosophical Library. Godbey, G. (2003). Leisure in your life: An exploration. State College, PA: Venture Publishing. Gray, D. and Greben, S. (1974, July). Future Perspectives. Parks and recreation, 61, 49 Hiuzinga, J. (1950). Homo ludens: A study of the play element in culture. Boston, MA: Beacon Press Martin, A. (1975, March). Leisure and our inner resources. Parks and Recreation, 69. 1-16 Neulinger, J. (1974). The psychology of leisure: Research approaches to the study of leisure. Springfield, IL: Charles Thomas Publishers.

How Can English majors develop their speaking skills? Essay -- Langua

In the next point, I inquired about the amount of presentations they had to prepare, which I regarded significant because based on this, they could decide whether it is enough practice, or they would require more. After that they had to rate how difficult it was for them to prepare these presentations. I aimed to discover their attitudes toward presentations because their approach can influence the final quality of their work. For example, if a student is generally worried about oral presentations, it can be perceptible and the audience would be able to notice that the presenter is struggling. In connection with the difficulty of the preparation, I wanted to gather information about the amount of time they usually spend on this activity. I considered it substantial since it can indicate how seriously they take the task and how much time they need to be well-prepared. Of course, it can be variable because there are students who learn faster, while for others it is a more time-consumin g process. In the next point, I aimed to gather some information about teachers’ willingness to help from the students’ point of view. As the university is an entirely new medium compared to secondary schools, it can be hard to adapt to the new atmosphere and expectations, but helpful teachers represent a great advantage. The following three questions dealt with students’ speaking skills in general. The first one asked whether it has ever caused them a problem to speak in a class. The next one aimed to reveal the possible reasons behind the problem. I think it is crucial to be aware of the difficulties that students can have with oral production. After that they could name methods to successfully overcome their possible fears or problems. I also ... ...n R. Lugossy, J. Horvà ¡th, & M. Nikolov (Eds.) UPRT 2008: Empirical studies in English applied linguistics (pp. 43-57). Pà ©cs: Lingua Franca Csoport. Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom. Oxford University Press. Kiss-Gulyà ¡s, J. (2001). Experiencing the Examination Design, Content, Materials and Procedures. In Egyà ¼d J, Gy. & Gà ¡l, I. & Glover, P. (Eds.) English Language Education in Hungary Part III. Budapest: The British Council Hungary. Menyhà ¡rt, A. & Kormos, J. (2006). Angol szakos hallgatà ³k nyelvtanulà ¡si motivà ¡cià ³ja. Iskolakultà ºra, 2006/12, 114-125. Nagy, B. (2005). The role of individual communicational variables in advanced EFL learning. Magyar Pedagà ³gia, 105, 5-27. de Saint Là ©ger, D. & Storch, N. (2009). Learners’ perceptions and attitudes: Implications for willingness to communicate in an L2 classroom. System, 37, 269-285.

Primate Observation Essay

Primates are some of the most interesting animals to watch and learn about whether it be in person at a zoo or seeing a film or documentary on wild ones in a natural environment. Part of this reason is due to the incredible amount of similarities found in between primates and humans. After observing two different primate species at a local zoo, I found out that by observing their behavior, we gain a small insight into human behaviors and their roots. Today I will discuss the different types of behavior I observed as well as the effects of being in captivity and how this helps us understand hunan behavior. On sunny April 19th this year, I visited the San Francisco Zoo and the first species I observed were the gorillas, also known as Gorilla Beringei. Upon approaching the gorilla habitat, at about 1:30 p.m., I noticed the enclosure was roughly about fifty yards in diameter. Throughout the enclosure, there were different levels of ground elevation varying from small hills, to large rock structures placed about twenty feet away from the gorilla cages inside the habitat. There were also many plant or bush like shrubs around as well as trees varying from shape and size throughout the enclosure. The overall shape of the enclosure was similar to an octagon which supported different observational vantage points from a few different sides. The gorillas are the largest primates still existing today. The gorillas in the enclosure varied in size and appearances. All the females were much smaller then the male silverback, however within the female group, their sizes also varied. Some females within the group were less massive and more lengthy then for example the female in charge of the newborn gorilla. The â€Å"mother† of the baby gorilla, Kabibe, was much larger then the other females and she seemed to have more authority within the social group. The male silverback, Oscar Jones, was impressively larger then any other gorillas in the enclosure and had a much larger head and arms in comparison. He had long thick black hair with a patch of silver on his back symbolizing maturity. In total, I observed about six to eight gorillas out of the cages and interacting within the enclosure. The second species I  observed around 3:40 pm were the siamangs, or symphalangus syndactylus. Their enclosure was much different then the previously observed gorillas enclosure. This one was about fifty feet high, 30 feet long, and 20 feet wide and in the shape of the letter â€Å"L†. It’s made of reinforced glass from the bottom to about 10 feet high, then becomes a chain linked metal cage the rest of the way up. The structure contained many different objects from which the siamangs were able to use to climb up or down. Some of these objects included, climbing logs, swings, many thick pieces of rope, cylindrical shaped rubber tubes, planks of wood, and many other suspended objects. Towards the bottom of the enclosure, there were also a lot of plant life and bushes or flower like things where the siamangs could sit or interact with one another when not climbing around. Within the enclosure, there were two siamangs. Although not labeled, since siamangs are monogamous primates, I assume one was male and one was female. Physically, the siamangs are just a bit larger then the other gibbons however still small in comparison to the apes. They have no tails, are slender and long armed as they are arboreal lesser apes. They are covered with long dense black hair and have long hooked nails. Siamangs are also known to have large throat sacs which they can use to let out a very loud call to warn against predators. However, neither of these siamangs had the adaptive throat sacs. Also, there was not much difference in size between the male and female gender. After observing the two primate species and reviewing my field notes, I noticed the two species although both part of the ape family, are not that similar in fact. For example, the gorillas social organization consists of a one male, multi female group with the male being the alpha leader. He ensures that it is his genetics being passed on to the offspring and that is the only way he will protect and partake in the baby’s life. Due to being a one male, multi female group, it is not uncommon for gorilla males to kill any infant they assume is not theirs. There also seemed to be a sense of hierarchy amongst the females themselves, with Kabibe’s mother, at the top of the female group. However, the male silver back Oscar Jones, was still maintaing authority amongst the entire group by charging the females. On the other hand, the siamangs are a pair bonded group whom select mates for life and have a family. In the enclosure I observed, there were only two siamangs present who behaved very differently from one another. One siamang continued to be very active, swinging throughout the cage and constantly climbing up and down the metal fence. However, the other siamang, which I believed to be female, sat on a small rock towards the bottom corner of the enclosure and did not interact with any bystanders or the other siamang at all. Also, my friend and I noticed this sitting siamang also seemed to appear as if it were depressed. Many times the active siamang would swing down and try and interact with his partner and the other siamang would just ignore him and continue staring down or out the glass. One of the gorillas I was observing displayed a way of acquiring food which I thought was quite intelligent. She grabbed a thin leaf filled branch from a tree and placed her hand at the top of the branch. Starting from the top she pulled her hand down towards the other end pulling any leaves out together instead of one by one. She then disposed of the branch by throwing it a few feet away from her. This showe d a level of intelligence I have not seen in other primates. The gorillas mainly stick to eating leaves and vegetation found in their enclosure from many trees and plants around. This similar to their natural habitat, does not offer them lots of nutritional value, however is available in large quantities and available year round. I am also assuming they are fed fruits by zoo employees as well for nutritional quality and value. The three females outside in the enclosure seemed to be isolated about 20 feet away from each other and spread around the enclosure. They did not seem to be sharing any source of food or interact much with one another unless they were nearing the cage door within the enclosure. The siamangs did not seem to display any signs of higher intelligence. One continued to constantly move around the cage by climbing up then swinging back down. The other siamang just sat in isolation and was not physically active much at all. They did not share anything amongst themselves and did not interact much either. The two primate species I observed did not have much in common, except for their diet. Both the gorillas and the siamangs are both primarily vegetarians and consume different types of leaves, fruits, and other plants found in their habitats. I was not able to observe how the siamangs acquired their food or how they react to â€Å"meal time†, however based on my observations I assume the siamangs would not share much either due to their lack of interaction with one another. This throws me off because according to what I have learned in class, the siamangs are in fact mates with one  another for life and yet they did not interact with one another at all durin g my observations at the zoo. I believe these similarities in diet exist because that the siamangs and gorillas are part of the ape family. However, the differences in behavior, mating, social organization, and intelligence also exist due to the fact that they are separated between the â€Å"lesser apes† (siamangs), and the â€Å"great apes† (gorillas). Another reason why these differences might exist is due to where the species originated from. Gorillas originally were from Africa while Gibbons were found from Southeast Asia. Overall after reviewing my notes, I noticed that the Siamangs are much less intelligent then the gorillas, yet more active. I believe this is because the siamangs are much smaller, requiring less energy to move about their enclosure in such a fast and excited manner. The gorillas on the other hand are much more complex in behavior as they actually interact with one another by expressing sounds and or physical actions. They also seem to be aware the fact that many people are around them watching, and they also react to this by hiding back in the cages or moving away behind a tree or rock structure. I have always believed that being held captive in a zoo, is no where close to being free in your natural habitat. How can one take an animal who should have the ability to roam endless land and have the need to survive in the â€Å"natural† world and put them in a restricted enclosure, a fraction the s ize of their natural habitats and claim that these animals are happy there? I personally believe being in captivity and on display in a zoo has many negative effects on these animals. While observing the gorillas, they seemed to be heavily affected by their environment and surroundings. In a gorillas natural habitat, you would most likely find them playing with one another, acquiring food, and being active. However, most times in zoo’s you simply find the gorillas not really doing anything besides just sitting there. These are most likely due to psychological effects brought on by being captive and put on display to thousands of people all the time. While observing, I noticed the gorillas did not really do much besides move around to their own spot of the enclosure, about twenty feet away from one another, and just sit there and stare at the people watching them. Also, these gorillas suffer mental trauma from being teased or provoked to a level where they feel threatened by all these yelling kids and or adults. I do not believe the behaviors  exhibited by gorillas in captivity are â€Å"natural† due to the fact that gorillas are very intelligent. According to GorillasWorld.com, â€Å"As humans are watching them they will be watching as well. This is why they often pick up behaviors from people.† As a result, behaviors seen by gorillas in a zoo would not be the same behaviors shown by wild gorillas in natural environment. With thousands of people standing around the enclosure yelli ng and making gestures towards the gorilla, it is safe to say the gorillas observe the humans behavior and repeat behaviors they have learned. The siamangs I observed also display a bit of natural and unnatural behaviors as well. For example, siamangs are arboreal primates who live in tree top canopies and are rarely seen walking on the ground. They use their long limbs and fingers as hooks to swing from branch or vine to another and that is how they maneuver throughout the forests. One of the siamangs I was watching was very active and continued to swing back and forth throughout his enclosure almost the entire time I was watching. He would use logs and ropes to climb up to the top corner of the cage, then he would observe from up there for a few seconds. After, he would make his way back down towards the bottom of the enclosure and would leap around. This is natural behavior to be seen by a siamang even in the wild. However, the other siamang within the enclosure exhibited some worrying signs of unnatural behavior. This siamang was sitting on a rock of some sort around the enclosure floor and would stare down towards the ground or look out the glass. However, she would not move at all throughout my entire observation time and really seemed depressed. At one point, the other active siamang swung down and got very close to her and still she did not move or interact at all. Im assuming this is a psychological effect brought on by being trapped in such a small con tainment instead of being able to roam about the forest and be free. I believe that this specific siamang has been held in captivity for a while longer due to the behavior shown. Observing these primates in their natural wild environment would have significantly different behavior observations. Living in the wild, these primates experience struggles to survive such as finding sources of food, competition for mating, and also predators and dangers. These are not really things captive animals in zoos experience due to human intervention. For example in the wild, gorillas are moving to a new â€Å"camping ground† very often due to predators such as large cats and build a  sleeping nest to stay protected. This is natural adaptive behavior found in gorillas; however, you will not see this in captive gorillas because the only predators they experience are humans taunting or screaming at them and they do not have enough space available to travel distances. As a result of these observations, primates and other animals in captivity may not exhibit natural behaviors observed in their natural environment. After spending the day observing the behaviors of both the gorillas and the siamangs, I see some behavior patterns that I also see in humans. For example, the siamangs find mates for life and raise a family and that is their social group. This is basically most families around the world. Our social group normally consists of us with a single mate whom we raise children with. I believe the fact that we as humans ideally choose to settle down with a single partner and raise children has to do with our culture and not necessarily as an instinctual choice such as the siamangs. As humans most of us find it wrong to have more then one mate or parter and we call it â€Å"cheating.† However, based on my observations of the primates, it is a natural and instinctual decision to try and mate as much as possible to ensure your genetics being passed on and carried through the future since that is life’s main objective. Another example is the effects of captivity the depressed siamang suffered from. This is very common in humans as well to become anti social or depressed when placed in a small room such as a jail cell. Studying primates can help us understand more of where humans came from due to our recent shared common ancestor. We are able to see some behavior patterns from the primates found in humans as well, however there are many behavioral patterns in the primates which is uncommon for humans. For example, the gorillas tended to be in isolation and spread out throughout the enclosure for most of the time. Humans on the other hand, if having to live together for a long period of time such as the gorillas, are more likely to build a tight knit group and have lots of interactions with one another. Based on my observations, there are some behavioral patterns found in both primates and humans. However the cause of these patterns differ based on instinct and adaptations in primates compared to culture and morality in humans. I believe that by studying and observing behavioral patterns in primates, we can better understand where some of our own actions and  behaviors derived from, and whether its something that is instinctual and preprogrammed, or if it is something we have created and added to part of our culture as humans. Works Cited Cawthon Lang KA. 2005 October 4. Primate Factsheets: Gorilla (Gorilla) Behavior .

Machiavelli Discourses Essay

Within the Machiavelli’s Republic, a prince should be the sole authority of the state and should have a main part in determining every aspect of the state and the policies being established by the state. The best interests of the prince are gaining, maintaining, and expanding his political powers or views. Since the prince is the sole authority, he has the power over everything and everyone. Machiavelli speaks about this in his books The Prince and The Discourses. In The Prince, Machiavelli concerned about the principality of the state and the Prince’s role within the sovereign state. â€Å"Men worry less about doing an injury to one who makes himself loved than to one who makes himself feared. The bond of love is one which men, wretched creatures they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so; but fear is strengthened by a dread of punishment which is always effective† ( Prince, p 87). Within this quote, Machiavelli describes a man as self-centered and s elfish in a way. Within this republic, the prince needs to willingly deceive its citizens in order to win honor. He says that a citizen should have complete trust within the prince; therefore a prince should deceive himself in front of the citizens to show the public what they want. Machiavelli’s sole purpose was to help prince maintain his power for the good of its citizens. In the Discourses, his main interest is to preserve the liberty and independence of its citizens. He says that the prince is the foundation of the state. The prince has the ultimate power of veto and the only way to get rid of the prince is to kill him. From time to time, state needs constant transformation in the change of the transformation. Good laws are not enough to keep the survival of the republic. If the republic becomes corrupt, the prince can kill people for the good of the state, public trial and public execution. It is called truth and reconciliation trial. Everyone who is responsible for the corruption agrees to their wrong and they are pardoned by the one in charge. We keep the prince occupied by sending him to campaign. The prince should always be studying the war or fighting the war. The prince is the ruler that must stay in power. He has a role in the founding of the republic in The Discourses. He must maintain the virtue in the city. He defines virtue as the way one accomplishes his goals. In his book, he has a fight against the prince. For Machiavelli, power characteristically defines political activity, and hence it is necessary for any successful ruler to know how  power is to be used. He believes the same for a prince. He should know his duties for the country and how to carry out laws within the country. Machiavelli believes that individuals are brought to the world to obey and will the ruler be able to maintain the state in safety and security. Without exception the authority of states and their laws will never be acknowle dged when they are not supported by a show of power which renders obedience inescapable. The prince is the sole power of the state. He believes like the prince with the highest virtue is capable of authority. In his opinion, virtue is the most important aspect of authority. In the Discourses, Machiavelli describes his political personal beliefs of the republic. â€Å"In particular, across the two works, Machiavelli consistently and clearly distinguishes between a minimal and a full conception of ‘political’ or ‘civil’ order, and thus constructs a hierarchy of ends within his general account of communal life† (Machiavelli, 2008). A minimal civil order is one in which a strong government holds both the people and nobility and helps them live peacefully. He believes that a strong government is a key to a successful state and prince is the highest authority of the government. â€Å"As for the rest, for whom it is enough to live securely (vivere sicuro), they are easily satisfied by making orders and laws that, along with the power of the kin g, comprehend everyone’s security. And once a prince does this, and the people see that he never breaks such laws, they will shortly begin to live securely (vivere sicuro) and contentedly,† (Machiavelli, 2008) Machiavelli says about the prince. According to Machiavelli, a law- abiding character like the prince comprehends a state’s security. With that said, a prince is always willing and ready to go to war in order to protect his state. Machiavelli loves France and always gives examples of France’s kingdom in his book. â€Å"The kingdom of France is moderated more by laws than any other kingdom of which at our time we have knowledge,† Machiavelli declares (Machiavelli, 2008). â€Å"In his view, whatever benefits may accrue to a state by denying a military’s role to the people is of less importance than the absence of liberty that necessarily accompanies such disarmament† (Machiavelli, 2008). The prince is in charge of the military at all times and by this quote, it shows that a prince is always willing to go to war in times of hardship. The prince’s key role is to bring virtue to the state as discussed earlier. He cares the most about virtue in the book and talks  about how the divine power should bring virtue within the state. He speaks more about the role of the prince in his book The Prince, instead of the Discourses. It is people’s duty to obey the prince and help him in times of war. He speaks much about the war in his book and his main goal is war. Machiavelli is assertive that citizens will always fight for their liberty and freedom against internal as well as external oppressors. Indeed, this is precisely why the succeeding French monarchs left their people disarmed. They pursued to sustain public security and order. This security and order for them means the elimination of any opportunities for their subjects to their arms. â€Å"The French regime, because it seeks security above all else (for the people as well as for their rulers), cannot permit what Machiavelli takes to be a primary means of promoting liberty†(Machiavelli, 2008). The portrayal of Machiavelli’s republic is one of a kind and related to reality. The politicians in today’s world have similar traits and act in a similar manner. A man, who stated his theory on the republic hundreds of years ago, still has people who agree with him. The ways government’s duties are defined by Machiavelli haven’t changed much since the years. The government is the same, the people’s attitudes are the same, and the only thing that has been changed is the time. Works Cited Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince and the Discourses. Toronto: Random House, Inc., 1950. Print. Nerdman, Cary. Niccolo Machiavelli. Stanford Encyclopedia. Stanford University. September 2008. Web. 6 December, 2012.

Romantic Poetry Multiple Choice Essays

Romantic Poetry Multiple Choice Essays Romantic Poetry Multiple Choice Paper Romantic Poetry Multiple Choice Paper Essay Topic: Poetry the speakers questions in lines 1-2 and 9-10 suggest that the subject of the lamb is the creator of the lamb reread lines 5-8 of the chimney sweeper from songs of innocence. the author symbolizes the loss of innocence in these lines with the shaving of toms head why are the boys in Toms dream in the chimney sweeper from songs of innocence able to play on the green plain an Angel unlocks their coffins that trap them the boy says that he is alone in lines 1-4 of little boy lost because the father walks too fast for the boy to keep up the questions in lines 5-8 of the tyger suggest that the tiger is a wild and powerful force in lines 13-16 of the tyger, the descriptions of furnaces, hammers, chains, and anvils create a sense of the creators strength which phrase best expresses the boys unhappiness in lines 1-4 of the chimney sweeper from songs of experience crying weep weep compare lines 1-4 of the two poems titled chimney sweeper. what idea do both poems express some parents force their children to work what does the author show his concern for in all of the poems innocence where is the speaker at the beginning of lines composed a few miles above tintern abbey in a beautiful landscape in lines composed a few miles above tintern abbey, the speaker shows romantic poetrys interest in the commonplace by describing a cottage orchard with unripe fruit notice that semicolons interrupt the main idea in lines 114-119 of lines composed a few miles above tintern abbey. What does this stylistic element express in the sentence love that the speaker feels for his sister reread lines 155-159 of lines composed a few miles above tintern abbey. In years to come, the sister will remember the speakers love of this place because of her at what time of day dies the speaker in composed over westminster bridge see the view sunrise line 11 of westminster bridge contains inverted syntax. which is the best rewrite of this stylistic element I never saw or felt such a calm before what problem does the speaker identify in the world is too much with us people have lost their connection to nature in i wandered lonely as a cloud, the speaker finds daffodils along the edge of the lake which phrase from i wandered lonely as a cloud is a good example of the natural speech that romantic poets sometime used beside the lake, beneath the trees lines composed a few miles above tintern abbey and i wandered lonely as a cloud are similar because the speakers value a relationship with nature in rime of the ancient mariner, reread lines 31-38. the wedding guest beats his own breast because he is missing the wedding in this literary ballad, the repetition of the word ice in lines 58-60 emphasizes that the ice completely surrounds the ship the sailors are unable to speak in Part 2 because thirst dries up their mouths reread lines 162-170 and the authors margin notes to clarify the narratives plot. why does the sailors joy at the sight of a ship change to horror the ship sails despite the lack of wind or tide what has life in death won in the game of dice the mariners life what torments the mariner on the boat for a week in part 4 the stares of his dead crewmates the mariners spring of love for living things in line 284 causes the spell on the mariner to break why do the spirits say that the spirit of the land of mist and snow will continue to punish the mariner the spirit loved the bird that the mariner killed reread lines 493-495 of this ballad. the author most likely uses the strong rhyme of these lines to stress the supernatural quality of the beings the mariner says that the activity that is sweeter far to him in line 602 is praying in church with others in the second stanza of to a mouse, the speaker describes people as fellow creatures living on the earth during what time of the year does to a mouse take place early winter in lines 21-24 of to a louse, the speaker is amazed to see the louse trying to climb the very top of the bonnet where is the one place in which the speaker would expect to see a louse a ragged boys clothing the animals in both poems are causing emotions in the speakers what has happened to the statue in ozymandias the statue has fallen apart over time where are the kings works that the words on the pedastal in ozymandias command people to look upon all have been destroyed over time the regular rhythmic pattern of iambic pentameter in line 14 of ozymandias has the effect of emphasizing the unchanging stretch of sand reread lines 7-11 of ode to the west wind. what brings new hope in the section spring wind waking the earth the event in section 2 of ode to the west wind that best reflects the violence of the poems historical context is the burst of fire in a dark storm reread line 54 of ode to the west wind. the iambic rhythmic pattern in this line emphasizes the speakers actions of falling and bleeding which expression tells you that the speaker in she walks in beauty admires the womans gentleness that tender light reread the third stanza of she walks in beauty. what main idea does the stanza structure allow this sestet to emphasize the speaker admires the womans goodness what sight in nature inspires the speaker in when i have fears that I may cease to be a night sky full of stars and clouds if you paraphrase line 14 of when i have fears that I may cease to be, the result of the speakers thinking is that his thoughts about death make love and fame meaningless the gods and maidens in the first stanza of ode on a grecian urn are part of the decoration on the urn in lines 41-50 of ode on a grecian urn, the speaker stresses the immortality of the urn in lines 31-35 of ode to a nightingale, the speaker will be able to join the nightingale through writing poetry that portrays his joining the bird in stanza 6 of ode to a nightingale, the speaker thinks a good time to die would be at midnight while the nightingale sings

Logic - Features Of Argumentation Essays - Critical Thinking

Logic - Features Of Argumentation Essays - Critical Thinking Logic - Features Of Argumentation Features of Argumentation The logic of everyday argumentation should be based upon common data or information that is accepted by everyone. A warrant need to be used in order to relate the evidence that is presented in an argument to the claim that is being made. When creating an argument, one usually uses grounds that are well known by their peers of the same field of study. In this way, most arguments are specific to a certain area of study; however, information that is considered common knowledge is easily warranted in other fields of study besides philosophy. Once an argument is written, a very important warrant is distinguishable. The language that is used in the argument can be interpreted as grounds for the actual argument. The style that is used represent how strongly the author believes in the argument, and where their position is on the conclusion of the claim as well as playing an enormous part in convincing the reader to think further about the claim that is being presented. A claim is presented that give a possible conclusion to an argument and then evidence is presented that supports the claim. This is not enough for a, Complex academic argument, the author also has to create warrants that link the evidence to the claim being made. Often times a narrative can is used as a basic warrant. In this method the author gives details and describes events and situations that can establish a relationship between the grounds being made about the claim. A Complex Academic Argument, is based on a claim and the grounds that are made to support it. In previous papers I have used this technique in supporting my argument. The mistake that I made in the past was that I always to a pro or con position. A Complex Academic Argument, only gives the reader a single view on a subject, not an overall decision of pro or con. Bibliography none