Barriers to Critical thinking

Work that demonstrates the qualities in this column is considered to be excellent work or an A Demonstrates Basic Skill Sets Work that demonstrates the qualities in this column Is considered to be Average to Above Average, or B to C Demonstrates Skill Building Needed on Skill Sets Work that demonstrated the qualities in this column is considered to be below average or a D or F The discussion put forth in this assignment demonstrates excellent communication skills.The topics are explored with explicit detail and analysis. Writing skills are excellent, communicating Ideas succinctly. This work functions at the top of the assignment guidelines. This depth of discussion in this work is demonstrated by the work meeting or exceeding the high word count range listed in the assignment. The discussion put forth in this assignment demonstrates an understanding of the assignment but perhaps does not fully develop the Ideas In a complex content. Details may be missing or not fully explained. Cri tical connections are not completely roger between opinions and commentary/source materials.The writing skills may need some development. This work functions at the mid-range of the assignment guidelines. The depth of discussion in this work is demonstrated by meeting the middle of the word count range in the assignment. Connection to the assignment concepts. Faulty or unfocused commentary does not show a clear-cut thought process. Little to no connection is made between opinions and outside sources for support. The writing skills need to be developed in order to enhance communication of ideas in writing. This work functions as the lower range of the assignment guidelines.The depth of discussion in this work is demonstrated by not meeting the low/ minimum word count range given in the assignment, or Just meeting the minimum word count of the assignment. 75% The work provides comprehensive understanding of the assignment intent. 0 Content meets the assignment task requirements Conten t demonstrates critical thinking without bias 0 Content is complex enough to demonstrate a depth of understanding of the topic in focused discussion The work provides average to good understanding of the assignment intent. 0Content meets the assignment task requirements in general Content does not move beyond the average interpretation of the issue at hand, may present some bias Content is not complex enough to demonstrate a depth of discussion for the topic – more detailed discussion required – discussion may lack some focus The work provides a lack of understanding of the assignment intent. 0 Content does not meet the assignment task requirements demonstrate an understanding of the topic at hand, presents bias 0 Content is not complex enough to demonstrate an understanding of the topic – focus on the topic is not clear.

How My Creative Thinking in Nursing Care Help Me Solving Problems with Patients in Long Term Care

When we have made a commitment to work with and develop nursing theory, it is important to keep in mind that this activity is crucial to establish scientific foundations in nursing. The first line of teaching and learning in nursing is based on linear thinking, arguing to promote the student's vision of cause / effect when, for example, this is in the process of providing the patient with an anticoagulant for DVT prevention at a patient and requires monitoring by protocol, bleeding adverse effect, or also monitor the heart rate, or blood pressure levels, and heart rate when the patient requires to receive anti-arrhythmic or digoxin. In the latter case, with a retro feedback mechanism, put into action when the resident and blood sample taken to measure the Digoxin level in order to adjust the dose, seeking the drug's effectiveness and thus the patient's clinical stability. During the development of nursing theory, it is important to realize as we are thinking when we find or look for a problem to solve. For this creative thinking plays an important role. Researchers have described various methods of creative thinking among them these three: Evolution: This is a method of continuous incremental improvement. We can gestate new ideas from existing ideas, or seek and find a solution derived from another, obtaining at the end a solution that we would not have imagined from the beginning with a single step. The result will be something totally different to the original. Synthesis: This method of thought goes into action when two or more existing ideas are combined to create a third, new idea. Reapplication: This method of creative thinking comes into play when we see something otherwise stated, entirely new. The key is to see beyond the prior application of any idea or method and thus demonstrate if the other application is feasible. When we encounter a problem in some cases may emerge any negative attitude may hinder and even block our creative thinking. For you I have noticed that, when unforeseen circumstances I get the load of 25 or more patients in the institution where they take care of patients in long term care must run at a faster pace than usual, with proper care to prevent errors but when there is an unexpected situation arises in my mind: â€Å"a situation more, adding to the complex repertoire of tasks to accomplish!. This idea looks something like this:† Oh! Now this? â€Å". If so, at the time of first reaction, I was adding a bigger problem than the situation itself, having to deal with and solve it before continuing with the rest of the investigation of the case. The next question that arises if this occurs I would be: Why am I thinking and / or feeling this? This happens with the patient TH has relationship with his previous medical history? Psychological/cultural context? It has happened before? Why has this happened? Is there any background prior to solve this? At this point I realize that I am involved in an active process of search, first to understand the phenomenon, and then how to solve it. This positive attitude (curiosity) helped me to think creatively. Another attitude that has helped me is to believe that most problems can be solved; all a matter of time, energy and resources. Also, and especially, to attack the problem from the moment when it is detected, since otherwise, can add what I call collateral problems. Even more, I can say that I stay alert not to make value judgments or criticisms that may that may contaminate the process of addressing the problem with my own prejudices, alienate adding unnecessary elements in time and possibilities to solve this problem. References Harris, R. (1998). Introduction to creative thinking; Retrieved from: https://www. virtualsalt. com/crebook1htm. Rapadoupulus, Irena; Omeri, Akram. Transcultural nursing theory and models: The challenges of application. Contemporary nurse. 28(1-2):45-7, 2008. Apr. Editorial. Jennings, BM. Nursing Theory development, successes, and challenges. Journal of advanced nursing

Knight of Faith vs Overman

For my final research paper, I have chosen to compare and contrast Friedrich Nietzsche’s overman with Soren Kierkegaard’s knight of faith As if a coroner were standing over a body, holding a cold hand in one and looking at his chain watch in the other, I hear Nietzsche say: God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it? – Nietzsche, the Gay Science, Section 125 As if conversing with Nietzsche I hear the response of Kierkegaard to be, God will never die, only faith in Him can, and has died, in you Nietzsche. To which Kierkegaard would add, but that’s only my perspective. Kierkegaard and Nietzsche each have views that respond to the issue of faith and the life lived by the individual. Kierkegaard’s view is called the knight of faith and Nietzsche’s called overman. The knight of faith is an individual who has placed complete faith in himself and in God. Kierkegaard argues that the knight of faith is the paradox, is the individual, absolutely nothing but the individual, without connections or pretensions. The knight of faith is the individual who is able to gracefully embrace life. Most people live dejectedly in worldly sorrow and joy; they are the ones who sit along the wall and do not join in the dance. The knights of infinity are dancers and possess elevation. They make the movements upward, and fall down again; and this too is no mean pastime, nor ungraceful to behold. But whenever they fall down they are not able at once to assume the posture, they vacillate an instant, and this vacillation shows that after all they are strangers in the world. This is more or less strikingly evident in proportion to the art they possess, but even the most artistic knights cannot altogether conceal this vacillation. One need not look at them when they are up in the air, but only the instant they touch or have touched the ground–then one recognizes them. But to be able to fall down in such a way that the same second it looks as if one were standing and walking, to transform the leap of life into a walk, absolutely to express the sublime in the pedestrian–that only the knight of faith can do–and this is the one and only prodigy. – Soren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling, Nietzsche’s overman can be described as; overman has his own self, both his higher and lower natures, neither repressed. He has this, his world, to which he is faithful. He has the love of this life, in this world, without the illusions that this world is inferior. And he has his reflective mind that reinforces these ideas. I believe that Nietzsche would claim his perspective to better because his claim focuses on this world, the one known to exist, whereas Kierkegaard’s claim implies a next life. Nietzsche would argue that Kierkegaard’s claim has two assumptions, 1) that there may or may not be an after life, and 2) that it is superior to this life. I like Nietzsche’s view of overman; overman is strength incarnate, reveling in the beauties of this life while satisfying his desires, both worldly and not. But it begs me to ask the question, as long as the anticipation of the next life doesn't interfere with the enjoyment of this one, can an overman not love this life and carry this love so far to greatly anticipate the next life as possibly even more beautiful than this one? I would further like to challenge Nietzsche on the topic of morals, and his overman. Since there is no objective truth, there are no objective morals or values. One becomes free to create their own and this is precisely what overman does. Overman has his own set of morals and values. Unless the morals one lives by here on earth are different than those they live by in Heaven, I don't see a problem. And even then I don't see a problem, unless one desires Heaven with its values inferior to their own. If one enjoys the way they live here and Heaven takes those enjoyments and morals away, why would one desire to live in Heaven at all? Nietzsche professes that God is dead, meaning the very idea of God's salvation is no longer held in the world's belief. If this is so, then doesn't it imply that having religious faith is indeed a subjective act, if not the highest possible subjective act? The fewer people who truly believe only means that the objective uncertainty is greater. Since objective uncertainty is at a maximum, so too must be the will to believe and the passion by which to believe. If this does not require also the maximum amount of courage, I don't know what does. I also like Kierkegaard’s view, but his view as well again begs me to ask questions. Kierkegaard’s knight of faith is self sacrificing. Christianity's absurdity makes it harder to have faith than to not. It almost seems that faith is a response to the fear of being wrong about the afterlife. Better to believe in just case than not believe and burn for it. The very degree of doubt makes belief seem desperate. But strong God fearing people should not feel such apprehension for the next life. Now don't get me wrong, they shouldn't depend on the next life for salvation. They shouldn't even depend on the existence of the next life, for there may be none. But if so, one isn't even disappointed if the next life doesn't exist since this life gives them all the happiness they desire. The despair that, Kierkegaard speaks of, needn't exist if he grant the premise that God desires ones happiness in this life, and if he grant the human race the possibility of achieving this happiness, independent of the next and possible nonexistent life. Subjectivism says that it matters more how one believes than it does what or why we do. So if one believes fervently that one can be happy here, what God would impose that such subjectivity is wrong, that one can only be happy independently of this world? Nietzsche’s overman has this courageous independence, but why can't a knight of faith also have it? I think that both Nietzsche and Kierkegaard have valid points. The overman's worship of this world, a world made beautiful by God Himself, is justified. It's courageous to find happiness in a meaningless world. The knight of faith's authentic anticipation of the next is equally justified as long as such faith doesn't interfere with living an authentic life while here on earth. The overman is not inferior to the knight of faith and the knight of faith is not inferior to the overman. They are both authentic, subjective existing individuals, living life the fullest way they know how, both courageous in their own ways. They are both equally superior in courage to all the slave moralists, master moralists and mock Christians of the world. And while I live here on earth, neither the overman nor the knight of faith can discredit the other, since there may or may not be an afterlife. The lacking evidence of an afterlife doesn't suggest there isn't one. Where would be the challenge in believing in something I know to exist? Likewise the very notion of Christianity defying common logic tempts me to doubt the faith it is so hard for me to have.

Women driving in Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Women driving in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example There was also no freedom of religion to believe in whatever they wanted. Even Christians killed other Christians and prosecuted them for believing in a different church than the government. That is the reason why a lot of Christians found it better to live under Islamic rule in Andalusia, Turkey, or Egypt rather than live in their own medieval European country. The founding fathers recognized the problem early on and wanted to create a country where people can state their opinion peacefully, worship their God freely, and have many other privileges and freedoms. And they have succeeded. Benjamin Franklin, for example, wanted the House of Speakers to be a place for anyone, including Jews, Buddhist, Hindus, â€Å"Mohammadans† or Muslims, etc. to come and speak knowing that their freedom of speech and other rights are protected. The U.S. Constitution was very well drafted to ensure the rights of everyone in the community. However, as I have now learned in my studies, it seems that people have been trying to manipulate the constitution in various ways. When the debate about whether or not to allow for a mosque to be built on Ground Zero New York New York came about I was shocked to see what this country has come to. Separation of church and state is supposed to be one of the strengths of the government, but recently it seems that is not the case. Even more so, it seems as if the problem is even worse. There seems to be a full blown religious war going on. Even though there are many churches all around the area, the proposition of building a much needed mosque by the private sector has sparked a heated debate on a whole other level. This is something that makes no sense. Believers would attend the mosque about five times a day, in comparison, believers would report to a church once or a twice week! I have learned that the American constitution is valuable and appropriate for a country of many cultures like the United States, but

Select an ebusiness company (regional or international) and prepare a Essay

Select an ebusiness company (regional or international) and prepare a case study about what makes it special (you may want to re - Essay Example These retail firms like Amazon are countering the sale and purchase of large number of products pertaining to different categories through its internet sphere. In fact, the emergence of these online retail firms has changed the way through which the people generally make purchases and sales. People started becoming more accustomed to the virtual sphere where they were presented with a huge variety of options of many commodities belonging to different categories. Further the online retail firms like Amazon started intensifying their product portfolio through the activities of mergers and acquisitions and presented to the customers quality products at cheap and affordable prices. Further the study of Amazon is also conducted based on the twelve new principles brought out for the emerging internet economy by Kelvin Kelly. The activities of Amazon is also closely monitored against the practices of its several competitors like EBay in the online retail market and other physical dealers of books and compact discs like Waterstone’s Book company. Such close monitoring would help to understand the effects and potency of Amazon’s strategic initiatives taken to rule the online retail market. ... Amazon.com also earned fame for being the selling agent of a large number of popular retail firms belonging to various sectors. The company puts increased focus to gather a huge market share and also to augment its profitability position. Amazon.com commenced its pioneering work from the period of 1990 owing to the mass scale development and spread of internet user in both domestic and commercial purposes. The advancement of internet helped many companies to conduct sales and purchase activities among a large number of customers on a worldwide basis via the web sphere. In this context, Jeff Bezos came out with an amazing business plan during 1994 which later shaped into Amazon.com to venture into the sphere of online retailing. In the initial years the company mainly highlighted on the selling of books, videos, compact discs, and other computer peripherals and accessories through the online sphere. The company focusing on the sales of books, compact discs, videos and other stuffs str essed on providing the customers with products with a low price range that would help in mass market penetration in lesser time periods. Amazon.com earned a huge popularity within a short period in this direction for the quick delivery of orders placed with it. The company through a large database of publishers and wholesalers helped in faster dispatch of ordered books and materials. Furthermore the company by offering discounts on various categories created a further interest in the consumer’s mind to make purchases through its website. The company also focused to enhance it customer relationship activities through encouraging them in making recommendations, and providing other services like generating information about new

Compare and contrast Code of Hammurabi and Tao Te Ching Essay

Compare and contrast Code of Hammurabi and Tao Te Ching - Essay Example Again, he advocated for self-mastery in that he considered one as having true power in mastering himself. He was outspoken to criticize those leader with high egos but rather cherished the works of leaders who inspired people to realize their capability and work to achieve success. He also had an advice to those who give up so easily when things get tough. He sees the reason and importance of perseverance in that by incorporating the quotation on the long journey starting by a single stride. From my analysis, an essential message can be derived from Tao’s works. Firstly, the philosopher naturally came out to present a reasoned source in his claims. Occasionally it is not always what that source is, however, it is not advisable to presume that he wrote strictly from his own view or urge. Tao’s thoughts were decisively supported and intricately linked. I think this is one of the reasons as to why his philosophical vision has been so successful. Tao Te Ching was strongly contributes to today’s ethical catch-22, he provides solutions as well as causing such dilemmas. According to Tao Te Ching, human beings need to all live a unbiased life. Despite the fact that Tao and teaches about humans living in harmony, he does not reveal the penalty, and a strong base of correct and erroneous. He edifies that there truly no sin. This portrays how Tao’s verses lacked the moral sense hence he does not provide a basis for human to lay their lives on. Tao enlightens us on making ourselves happy rather than looking on to other people for us to find happiness. In comparison to Hammurabi who was a leader of the Babylonians, he enthusiastically understood the importance of justice. And in an effort to realize his goal, he required a single collective set of rules for all of the different kind people he dominated. Consequently, he sent legal

Change Through the Ages Part One Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Change Through the Ages Part One - Essay Example The society today places a lot of emphasis on technology as most systems are wired to work efficiently with technology. The world has made significant strides in technology from people using simple machines to make their jobs easier. In this case, the use of computers has evolved over time from doing simple tasks to performing complex operations (Pepe, 2011). The use of computers has made work efficient in various institutions and corporations as it can perform tasks that would otherwise be done by a lot of people. Companies have been able to save time and money by doing accounting work, auditing, keeping their records and even in communication with other people (Pepe, 2011). The work of computer scientist in the workplace is to ensure that the technology department is working smoothly. Their work is to make sure that all the machines in the company are working in great condition and also to ensure there is no internet threat to the operations of the business. Threats can be in the form of internet viruses, competitors trying to get information about the enterprise. Computer scientists are held in high esteem in the society today. This is because they hold companies together. They ensure that there is the free flow of information and ensure that the companys operations are running smoothly and efficiently. Any reputable company needs to have a computer scientist to ensure that all the computers are synced and are working well to make the flow of information much easier. Technology keeps getting better and better with time (Towner, 2012). People are always coming up with better technology, faster computers, sophisticated software that are not only much easier to use but also very fast. For instance, there is a significant difference between the first computers that were initially invented and the machines that people use now. Today, the computers are much smaller, use less energy, are much faster and have more storage capacities than the first computers

The Trouble with Celebrity Endorsers Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Trouble with Celebrity Endorsers - Article Example Another point raised is brand equity. Brand equity is something that the company builds over time in order to differentiate itself from the other competitors in the market. The article suggests that instead of leveraging on celebrity’s image, the brand should be able to develop its own equity through leaving out costly promotion into adding more product features, etc. Having learned in marketing that promotion is a key to creating customer awareness, I believe that companies should invest in promotion especially in the first months or years of a brand in order to introduce it to consumers. However, in the latter life, the real value should be delivered to customers. This article opens my eyes to the challenges faced by marketing strategist. Promotion is far more complicated than having celebrity wears the product or recommends the brand. There should be an alignment in the image of the celebrity as well as the celebrity being used for promotion. The article highlights how Nokia is faring through the economic downturn in industrialized economies especially the United States. The past months have witnessed how the world economic leader in the past is undergoing the recession. As a consumer, I have read and seen how investment firms collapse, laborers laid-off, and even the more profitable retailers’ close down. Looking at in a marketing viewpoint, this change in the business environment challenges businesses to reinvent themselves and their various strategies in order to survive. Nokia’s response to the situation is to cut cost in order to maintain profitability. However, the low demand brought about by the bleak economic outlook and lower purchasing power of customers remains the key consideration. Thus, companies should focus on strategies other than minimizing operations and marketing costs.

Strategic planning and control Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Strategic planning and control - Assignment Example Secondly, you need to realise how to purchases technology and design license. Finally, you must understand how to compare the results between our team and other teams, how to post the final decisions to the CESIM as well. After listening to the teachers explanations, I began to find a way to use CESIM. At the same time, I started to write down some notes about the steps to use the CESIM. After this lecture, I had a preliminary understanding on CESIM. I had a simple plan about how I should do in the first round in the game as well. Combined with the teacher said and I learned before, I thought the most important thing were to increase the production and adjusted the price to the appropriate areas. Although this game is virtualï ¼Å'on the one hand, it helped to practice our skills to use a suitable strategy and control our company. On the other hand, let us know much more about the accounting knowledge, for example we had known the relationship between the demand and supply through the game. The teacher explored growth strategies for businesses, focusing on what a business can do when a market has reached the maturity stage, in order to stay competitive. I learned about the different models that can be used in order to understand what factors would pose risks or opportunities for a business operating in a mature market. At first, the teacher proposed the TOWS Matrix which seemed to be a very simplistic method of examining the firm’s position. I assumed that a competent strategic manager would already understand the firm’s basic competencies and infrastructure without having to conduct such an analysis. However, to build better acceptance of this model, I tried applying it to a real-world organisation, Sony, which was struggling against competition in such a market. Through building a thorough TOWS Matrix for this company, I discovered some issues that I would not have originally considered. I conducted small-scale marketing

Great Expectations and Life as a fruit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Great Expectations and Life as a fruit - Essay Example 23). The intense echo of this note is felt in Pip's relating to his own home and the surrounding marshes. However, even if the child sees the sky above the marshes as "just a row of long angry red lines and dense black lines intermixed" (Dickens, 1993, p.7), the adult returns to the long-familiar landscape with brighter views and a lighter heart. The home which "had never been a very pleasant place" (Dickens, 1993, p. 109) comes to be reconsidered in the end, when happier circumstances turn its windows "gay with flowers" (Dickens, 1993, p. 473). The contrast between the thoughts of the unhappy child and those of the relieved young man is made possible by a shift from the foggy atmosphere of the marshes during wintertime to the sunny air of the same marshes during June. The terrifying Hulks of a long gone cold season are forgotten to the advantage of more agreeable conditions. Once, the house set so close to the anchoring Hulks had occasioned nightmares to a small boy frightened not only by his sister's manner towards him, but also by an awful convict's threats. Now, the mists having risen and the boy no longer scared, the atmosphere is cheery as well. Therefore, places and people are strongly connected. ... The childhood marshes and house merge and generate an overall feeling that everything is wrong and nothing good will turn out of it. However, as the plot develops, Pip discovers that there is some kind of hope beyond the mists and the house. He 'escapes' into another despairing atmosphere, that of the Satis House. The gloomy exterior of the building, with "great many iron bars on it some of the windows walled up" (Dickens, 1993, p. 56), announces nothing constructive. The garden, "overgrown with tangled weeds" (Dickens, 1991, p. 65), causes more reason of concern. Everything here is out of date and creates the feeling that Pip has somehow entered a forbidden land. The feeling becomes even more intense when Pip meets Miss Havisham. The dressing room, where everything is "in a state to crumble under a touch" (Dickens, 1993, p. 89), the yellow-white colour of the bride-gown, the rotten bride-cake and the decaying bride herself compose an image of disintegration in the happening. What would have been of this alive, yet decomposing woman, had her hopes been realized Two conclusions can be drawn from her behaviour: one, she is a very decided character, and two, she carries her decision to the extreme. Nonetheless, even if everything in the Satis House is a "heap of decay" (Dickens, 1993, p. 89), the misery here is not equal to poverty. It is just the result of some rich woman's pain carried up to eccentricity. If the circumstances had been different, her will would have made her a popular, wealthy Victorian woman, most likely able and eager to manage the issues concerning the house, and to act as her husband's perfect companion at gatherings specific to their

The elements of a Validated Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The elements of a Validated Contract - Essay Example A proposal is an act when a person wants to do something or abstain from and shares this thought or idea to someone, thinking or wanting that particular person to act or think in the same way. An offer is a promise that bounds a person keeping in mind that all the terms and conditions are disclosed and accepted as well. It means that there must be acceptance of exactly what has been offered as a proposal. This is the first step towards making a contract. Such a proposal or offer when accepted, it becomes a â€Å"promise†. All these actions are based on the intention to make a legal relationship. Generally, there is not any intension to make a legal relationship in daily routine agreements. However, for a valid contract, the agreement or acceptance must be on legal bases. A person who made an offer can withdraw the offer that has been made before it is accepted. To make the withdrawal successful, the person who has proposed the offer, should converse with the other party and in form them in clear terms that the offer has been withdrawn, and it doesn’t exists anymore. Similarly the acceptance must be made and communicated to the offerer. ... An agreement without consideration is considered to be void. Consideration stands as the cause or reason of the promise. Consideration is an essential part of a contract. Consideration is also termed as â€Å"object†. The object must be lawful for agreement to be called as contract. As long as consideration exists, the law does not question about its fairness and capacity. Without this, an agreement is not acceptable or it is not treated as a valid contract. The consideration should not be illegal or impossible to perform by any of the two parties involved. A consideration is unlawful if it is forbidden by law, fraudulent and the courts declared it as immoral act. A promise is always made in return of a promise. That promise must be ethical and lawful. 3. Legal Capacity: There are some restrictions regarding entrance into a valid contract. It is necessary for both the parties of the contract to be completely able to respond to the contract. Both parties must be proficient of e ntering the contract and in case they are not able to handle the contract, then the agreement will not lead to a valid contract. Each party must be fully aware of all the rules and restrictions. Also it should be experienced enough to deal with the contract. In terms of law, a party should be of â€Å"age of majority† and â€Å"sound mind†. These words clearly mean that parties must be mature enough for the contract. There are mentioned some groups of people which involve a problematic consent and are dealt in a separate way under specifies rules for them. Such groups consists people like bankrupts, prisoners, corporations those who are mentally impaired. Capacity and consent of these people are brought into consideration while discussing such cases. 4. A legal purpose: In our daily life, we

Grief Counseling and Process Intervention Essay Example for Free

Grief Counseling and Process Intervention Essay Abstract Grief comes in different forms and affects each person differently. Webster’s dictionary describes grief as â€Å"deep sadness caused especially by someones death, a cause of deep sadness, and trouble or annoyance†. Grief is associated with loss; loss of people, place, or thing. It is a universal experience that happens to all life. In multicultural counseling a counselor should be able to effectively treat and deal with the issues of grief, as they relate to divers groups. The boundaries between normal and complicated grief is a process. The factors of cultural, social and religious influence, also influences the grief and the level of anxiety that is raised due to that grief. Different people behave differently on the same sort of loss, and this makes it important to understand the impact which the loss has on the person. This diversity warrants further research on the topic of grief counseling and process interventions which have to be chosen in different circumstances with different people. Grief Counseling and Process Intervention Grief is a common reality of everyone’s life and almost all have to go through a phase where the loss is too big to handle. Altmaier (2011) states that, the strength of anxiety, stress and grief from a loss depends on the closeness and importance of that lost thing in the life of the person. Many researchers (Ober, et al., 2012; Howarth, 2011; Breen, 2011) have highlighted that death is one of the typical forms of complex loss that most people experienced at least once in their lives. The bereavement of loss of life can be far more devastating to an individual’s behavior and social functioning than any other type of losses. Such bereavement is common in  all cultures and there can seldom be a person who is not disturbed about the loss of a loved one (Howarth, 2011). However, the social detachment and the level of anxiety and depression after the loss can vary from culture to culture, closeness of relation with the deceased one, and the nature of the person. For this reason group counselors have to study and understand the nature and level of grief in order to use the correct strategy and process intervention for grief recovery (Altmaier, 2011). Discussion The term ‘best practices’ has been used in relation with group counseling to analyze the practices that are mostly applicable with people in grief (Kato Mann, 2009). However, several researchers (Baier Buechsel, 2012; Ober, 2011) have canceled out this term and claimed that each case would stand different and unique from the other. Because of this, generalizing the grief counseling process and intervention can be unsuccessful. Understanding the varied state of mind and grief symptoms of anger, depression, loneliness, anxiety and other symptoms are necessary for group counseling (Baier Buechsel, 2012). The Impact of Loss and Bereavement The research of Sussman (2011) founds that the grief and bereavement after a loss has different impacts on males, females and children. It has been discovered that men cope with a loss and their state of depression more quickly than women and children. The beginning of this fact can be related to the natural characteristics and the sensitivity of each individual, which is greater in women and children than in men. Stroebe, et al., (2009) separated the impact of loss into three phases and has illustrated that every individual that has experienced a loss will go through these three phases. The first phase is the instant shock where the person is in a mid-state of accepting the loss. Many people take a long time to accept the fact that a certain loss has occurred (Stroebe, Stroebe, Hansson, 2009). This has been a common view in the cases of deaths of loved ones, particularly with females and young children. This stage has the first reactions of mourning, yelling, protesting, showing anger and frustration loudly and not welcoming the occurrence of the loss (Howarth, 2011). In the second phase the loss is accepted mentally, but there remains the after  effects of the loss, in the form of social impairment and detachment of the person from the social group and/or preferring to be alone (Stroebe, Stroebe, Hansson, 2009). This is the phase where the counselors needs to get involved and observe the symptoms of the person and the duration of the loss event to know the technique and structure that needs to be used in such a situation Higgins (2009). The third phase of acceptance, is on in which the person accepts the loss and develops the belief that nothing can change the reality and life has to move on (Stroebe, Stroebe, Hansson, 1999). Allumbach Hoyt (2009) focuses the fact that grief counseling should not be stopped early in this phase, as there are chances that the patient could return to the second phase again (Allumbach Hoyt, 2009). The concept of cognitive therapy is introduced to be sure that the complete transaction of the person in grief takes place from the second phase of emotional distress and pain to the third phase of recovering and moving on with the life by suppressing the memories of the loss person or thing (Altmaier, 2011). A complex perspective of the grief loss is in the context of young children. Malkinson (2010) underlines the cognitive learning procedure of humans and explains that children from age two- five do not have a solid understanding of loss or death (Malkinson, 2010). They carry likelihood that whatever is gone will return back one day. This is typical in the case of their deceased pets, siblings or parents. As they go into adolescence they develop a better understanding of death and that the departed will not return. A loss of loved one at this stage can be very challenging because the child is already dealing with the questions of self-identity and life-direction. This type of loss can block the mindset, behavior and thinking capability of the child Higgins (2009). Process, Intervention, and Structure Several theorists have addressed the fact that after a loss people usually feel lonely and prefer to be alone as they cannot fill the space made by the loss object or person (Watson West 2006). A person being bankrupted and losing all his life savings in a flash has a high chance of getting isolated from the society and ending up as a depression patient or with physical disorders like brain tumor, high blood pressure or other disorders that happen due to stress and tension (Watson West 2006). If a therapist is consulted in such a scenario then the first thing to do is to understand  beliefs and conjectures which the person is carrying regarding the loss. They may think that people will make fun of them or they will lose their social status. They also may think that they will not be able to take care of their family and children etc. These are the thoughts that the person develops in the second phase of loss. They can become mentally and emotionally weak, not able to look at the brighter side of the scenario or what is left (Baier Buechsel, 2012). In the Task-Oriented Approach forwarded by Doel (2006), Eaton Roberts (2002) shows that the mechanism of motor performance of each individual suffering from losses processed and structured with a technique to make the person believe that the intensity and level of loss is not as big as it is perceived by the person. In his study Doel (2006) defines the practice of using volunteers who can form group with the person to be treated and the volunteers. They will act if they have not had a much greater loss and can share how they have coped with it. This has proved to be a good strategy if conducted in a proper fashion and establishing that the events described by other are similar in nature but unique from one another (Eaton Roberts, 2002). The second task is of helping the person to erase the old memories related to that person, business or any other object. The motif here is not to separate the person from the loss, but to lessen the grief and bereavement that is closely associated to the memories of the loss (Eaton Roberts, 2002). The task oriented intervention for grief counseling shows great limitations when it is implied for the grief therapy of parents who have lost their young children in an accident or been killed. Such cases were abundant after the devastating event of 9/11 and a lot of parents showed little or no recovery by the use of task oriented process and stayed in their state of depression and emotional pain. Brown (2006) has forwarded the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Model for the grief counseling of people in complicated bereavement like those who have experienced sudden death of a loved one, particularly their children. The ground of this intervention is due to the difference between the rational and the irrational thinking of the distressed people. Irrational thinking makes them perceive their lives to be intolerable without the existence of the deceased one (Brown, 2006). In the CBT process, close bonds are developed with such people and they are given the chance to express the effect of such a loss on their present and future.  This presumption, usually based on irrational thinking, is first replicated by other irrational support (Malkinson, 2010). For example, if a mother has lost her child then she is made to believe that her child will be remembered as the one who sacrificed his/her life and he/she would have attained a higher state in the heaven. The parallel of the irrational thinking with other irrational belief was carried out in the study of Cigno (2006) on ‘Cognitive-behavioral practice’ with 18 mothers and 11 fathers whom children became victim of the street crimes or terrorist activities. Cigno found out that 72.4% of the parents in this research showed signs of improvement and were able to enter the second phase of loss grief to the third phase. At this stage, activities of social engagement and task oriented approach can be available to ensure maximum grief recovery of those people (Cigno, 2006). The Complicated Grief Intervention Model (CGIM) To empower the counselors and the social workers in treating complicated grief, there is a need of a model that can define the approach and plan of counselors when they are dealing with a bereaved person (Morris, 2006). The grief of loss of the loved one, a major business downfall or other losses which have a great impact on the outlook of one’s life can be included in complicated grief. The counselor assesses the need and the present condition of the bereaved one in the first step of the model. This is not limited to the emotional state, but also to the practical side; the work and family responsibilities of the bereaved one that are affected by the disposition of the person. These things can be assessed by using the narrative technique and asking the people about their stories related to the lost person or object. A secondary assessment is also suggested where the friends or family members of the bereaved one are interviewed to know the extent of grief (Altmaier, 2011). When the counselor prescribes activities or medicines to the bereaved person this is the second stage is of intervention. It has been a common observation by many researchers (Watson West, 2006; Silversides, 2011; Morris (2006) that counselors are not result-oriented in their intervention. Silversides (2011) discusses that many counselors do not plan the outcome of the activity and they do not regularly evaluate the success of the activity. Because of this practice the recovery is temporary. There have been cases reported to have developed the  same state of depression and grief after the therapy was over (Silversides, 2011). For instance, if a hobby is suggested to the bereaved person to exercise, some of the questions that need to be answered are: what will be the duration of the exercise? What end results it will bring or tend to bring? How will it help the bereaved person to replicate the negative irrational thinking with positive irrational thinking? What will be the consequences of the exercise after it is discontinued for more than 6 months? What will be the approach if the person develops the same state of mind again? Answering these questions prior to starting the intervention strategy will raise the probability of achieving desired results over the anticipated time (Drenth, Herbst, Strydom, 2010). It is evident that some part of the therapy, like counseling sessions and workshops cannot last forever and they need to be stopped after some period, while few of the routine activities can be carried on for a much longer period as the person wants to. It is necessary for the social worker or counselor to understand the significance of the activities and which are for finite period, and analyze if there would be a need to prolong, modify or substitute it with another activity as per the requirement of the person (Johnsen, Dyregrov, Dyregrov, 2012). It is both natural and biblical to grieve. The reality is that no matter how happy those who have gone are, and how much they gain by the move, the loss is suffered , and trying to live in denial of this reality is not heroic but caving in to social or religious pressure that is not of God. There is much evidence that those who confront their inner pain head-on, heal quickest. Inner pain will gradually retreat when we face it, but it will keep haunting us if we run from it. â€Å"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:4-6, KJV). Conclusion Grief is a natural occurring and almost every human goes through this phenomenon at some point of time in his or her life. The extent of grief is dependent on factors of closeness with the lost person or thing and the  rational and irrational thinking that the person has developed after the loss. The state of complex grief or bereavement occurs mostly in the case of losing the love ones and entering into the state of loneliness, anger and depression. The degree of these symptoms is more pronounced in teen agers and women. It is for this reason that counselors have to understand the nature and extent of the grief and the irrational thinking that have been developed as a result to prescribe a therapy or activity that best suits the need of the bereaved one. References Allumbach, L., Hoyt, W. (2009). Effectiveness of grief therapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology , 46, 370–380. Altmaier, E. (2011). Best Practices in Counselling Grief and Loss: Finding Benefit From Trauma. Journal of Mental Health Counseling , 33 (1), 33-47. Baier, M., Buechsel, R. (2012). A model to help bereaved individuals understand the grief process. Mental Health Practice, 16(1), 28-32. Breen, L. (2011). Professionals experiences of grief counseling: implications for bridging the gap between research and practice. Omega, 62(3), pp. 285-303. Brown, H.C., 2006, ‘Counseling’, in R. Adams, L. Dominelli M. Payne (eds.), Social work. Themes, issues and critical debates, pp. 139–148, Palgrave, London. Cigno, K., 2006, ‘Cognitive-behavioral practice’, in R. Adams, L. Dominelli M. Payne (eds.), Social work. Themes, issues and critical debates, pp. 180–190, Palgrave, London. Doel, M., 2006, ‘Task-Centered workâ⠂¬â„¢, in R. Adams, L. Dominelli M. Payne (eds.), Social work. Themes, issues and critical debates, pp. 191–199, Palgrave, London. Drenth, C., Herbst, A., Strydom, S. (2010). A complicated grief intervention model. Journal of interdisciplinary Health sciences , 10 (1), 97-109. Eaton, Y.M. Roberts, A.R., 2002, ‘Frontline crisis intervention: Step-by-step practice guidelines with case applications’, in A.R. Roberts G.J. Greene (eds.), Social workers’ desk reference, pp. 89–96, University Press, Oxford. Higgins, P. C. (2009). Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner, Fourth Edition. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 12(7), 653-654. doi:10.1089/jpm.2009.9590 Holland, J. M., Neimeyer, R. A., Boelen, P. A., Prigerson, H. G. (2009). The underlying structure of grief: A taxometric investigation of prolonged and normal reactions to loss. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 31(3), 190-201. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10862-008-9113-1 Howarth, R. A. (2011). Concepts and controversies in grief and loss. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 33(1), 4-10. Retrieved from Johnsen, I., Dyregrov, A., Dyregrov, K. (2012). Participants with prolonged grief how do they benefit from grief group participation. Omega, 65(2), pp. 87-105. Kato, P., Mann, T. (2009). A sysnthesis of psychological intervention for the bereaved. Clinical Psychology , 16, 275-296. Malkinson, R. (2010). Cognitive-Behavioral Grief Therapy: The ABC Model of Rational-Emotion Behavior Therapy. Psychological Topics , 2, 289-305. Morris, T., 2006, Social work research methods: four alternative paradigms, SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks. Ober, A. M., Granello, D. H., Wheaton, J. E. (2012). Grief counseling: An investigation of counselors training, experience, and competencies. Journal of Counseling and Development: JCD, 90(2), 150-159. Retrieved from Silversides, A. (2011). When loss leads in new directions. Jane Simington shares hard-won lessons about healing. The Canadian Nurse, 107(6), 34-35. Stroebe, M., Stroebe, W., Hansson, R. (1999). Handbook of Bereavement: Theory, Research, and Intervention. New York: Press Syndicate .

Democracy Enable And Disable Social Movements Politics Essay

Democracy Enable And Disable Social Movements Politics Essay Democracy has been one of the greatest aspirations of Modernity and one of its greatest disappointments. The passing of centuries between the collapse of the Ancient Greek precursor and the reestablishment of democracy as a viable system makes its recent globalisation all the more remarkable. The revival of democracy was achieved in part through the victories of social movements over entrenched interests. (Esche 2001: 17) It is true that social movements were determinant for the implementation of democratic systems throughout the world. However, the question concerning this paper is whether democracies are determinant to social movements. Therefore this paper will explore in which ways does democracy enable and/or disable social movements. It will conclude that although democracy is, in theory, the system more prone to the appearance of social movements it is also a regime that, in practice, can prevent and restrict them. The first section of this paper will briefly overview the concepts of democracy and social movements in order to provide a framework for the argument. The second will explore in what ways democracies have provided spaces for social movements to occur. The third, will discuss the opposite. That is, how democratic systems, intentionally or unintentionally, have constrained the rise of associational forms. Both arguments will be illustrated with case studies from experiences within the developing countries. Finally, some concluding remarks will be offered in the end. As Tilly (2003) explained democracy as oligarchy, autocracy for example is a kind of regime and that means that it is a set of relations between a government and persons subject to that governments jurisdiction (p.25). Democracy can also take many dimensions and forms and they differ greatly from one another. For instance, there are liberal democracies and there are representative democracies; there are pluralistic democracies and there are constitutional democracies. This is relevant for the argument because the level of democracy, being the liberal democracy the most flexible one, might have an impact on the creation or restriction at the civil society level. Nevertheless, although they might differ in their construction they also share common values. One of the most important is that it should serve the best interests of their constituents echoing Abraham Lincolns ideal of government of the people, by the people, for the people. In other words, a democracy allows for debate and for decisions to be made according to the will of the majority. It also allows for the creation of spaces between the private sphere and the state. These spaces are the ones where mediation is made between the state and the people or formally known as civil society: Civil society could be viewed as but one form of the political relationship between state and society. [It is] an intermediate associational realm between state and family populated by organisations which are separate from the state, enjoy autonomy in relation to the state and are formed voluntary by members of society to protect or advance their interests and values (White 1996: 181-2). From this definition an important characteristic is worth pointing out. Indeed, an independent civil society is the one who can truly voice peoples discontent. This is because any association with the state can severely undermine their intentions. Without an independent civil society the balance of power can never be challenged; the level of accountability cannot be increased and the chances of having grievances transformed into favourable legislation will be impossible. Furthermore, if the civil society is not independent there is the risk of social movements becoming institutionalised as it will be discussed in a further section. Now that both democracy and social movements it is time to look at the main argument and explore in what ways democracy promotes or disables democracy. It was with the introduction of democracy that the world has seen a dramatic increase in social mobility levels, in more opportunities for education and above all a feeling of individual freedom allied with the right to associate without fear of persecution. Stories from North Korea or China stand to make the argument that democracy is the most open and flexible system. It was with the advent of democracy that previously unrepresented groups began to have both political representation and protection in the form of legislation. One of the most visible social movements throughout history has been the womens movement. Seeking to have representation in the political world women have been fighting in traditional patriarchal societies for their equal place in society. In Ghana the transition to democracy opened a space for women to target their grievances by mobilising women to engage in political activity. This was due to two main factors. First, the pre-democratic regime made impossible for women to even consider the debate of their situation. As soon as democracy was installed women were quick to mobilise and bring the issue into public debate. Second, if a democracy means representation of different groups in society surely women had to be also part of the political life of Ghana (Fallon 2008). This is, however, problematic and sometimes even undesirable. If all groups demand representation then it will be harder to reach consensus, especially in countries with a large number of different ethnicities or religious beliefs. Another feature of democracy, besides the right of freedom of association, is accountability. That is, people have the right to question and protest against any measure or action taken by their government. A key feature for the success of social movements is working governments institutions such as an independent judicial system where everyone, including the government itself, is not free from obeying the law. This was the case in Brazil where President Lulas government faced corruption charges due to misuse of public money. A free press, independent from the government, led the people in searching questions and demanding answers (Flynn 2005: 1260). However, accountability is not only related to the rule of law. It is also attached to a governments position on certain issues as previously mentioned. For instance, the United States (US) war on terror has created much discontent within their own borders and caused an anti-war movement due mostly to unilateral decisions such as going to war with Iraq and Afghanistan ironically in the name of democracy and as leaders of the free world. In 2002, Kellner recommended that the war should be fought not on military terms but by a global movement condemning terrorism. Since then there has been a movement, or several, but condemning US use of violent means. Perhaps the best example on how a democratic system allows for social movements lies in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. In a country with high-levels of inequalities both between classes and between regions the city of Porto Alegre, with an alternative model of participatory democracy, exhibits a high level of social re-distribution (Ponniah and Fisher 2003: 181). There are, however, several ways in which democracy or the process of democratisation disabling or restricting social movements. The first one has to do with the transition from any kind of authoritarian rule to democracy. A transversal problem across several transitions in the developing world is the fact that the same power structures and elites remain in place (Garretà ³n 1997, Gibbon 1997, Prevost 2006, White 1996). Usually, movements that attain power are not organised or powerful enough to constitute a secure government. Therefore they have to make concessions with old power structures such as the military in order to form a government. In South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) had to accept that: [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] the old government bureaucracy would have to be maintained. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] It did not have the people to fully replace the existing government bureaucracy both in terms of their sheer number and out of a lack of appropriate skills in a wide range of areas (Prevost 2006: 170). As a consequence the same kind of policies and reluctance in accepting a black majority rule prevented in specific the actions of the black movement to be fully realised and in general democracy to be deepened. In South Korea a similar pattern, of restrictive democracy, emerged in the late 1980s. With democracy a large number of organizations entered civil society causing some social and political unrest. However, the political elite joined the two opposition parties into the government and formed a new hegemonic party. White (1996) explains the advantages of forming the latter. First, it absorbs opposition leaders. Second, by doing that the established elites maintain their power and influence in decision-making. The second way in which democracies disable social movements happens when democracy is already in place. If the movements were focused on one aim to overthrow the government then when they achieve it they lose their main thrust and, eventually, become fragmented. As mentioned, democracy opens spaces for unrepresented groups and because within any society there are so many different groups demanding political representation it becomes difficult to mobilise any kind of collective action as there is not a coherent and unique grievance (Melucci 1988, Menon 2000). In some cases, and because there is not a wider movement to support it, some forms of protest are not organised and are destined to fail (Dong 1997). Furthermore, movements might actually compete with each other which further weaken the movements (John 2000, White 1996). A third way in which movements might be disabled is when they become institutionalised (Berger 2003, Flynn 2005, Melucci 1988, Prevost 2006). Becoming institutionalised is when movements lose their independent status. This can happen in three ways. Firstly, in order to have access to power, or resources, social movements might need to associate with mainstream political parties (Houtzager 2000). Secondly, governments in order to gain support but also to avoid contestation co-opt key community leaders into the political system (Prevost 2006: 169). By doing so they are eliminating the radical and influential individuals from their natural habitat the civil society. Both the ANC in South Africa and President Lulas Partido Trabalhador (PT) have used this tactic to gain acceptance and to diminish to possibilities of social movements to mobilise. But movements can also be co-opted by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Disillusioned with the lack of political space offered by the gover nment and lacking funds, movements often resort to NGOs for support. Eventually, this relationship turns into dependency and because of that they have to accept external policies from NGOs which in turn restricts organizations agenda-setting as this becomes set by western donors priorities. In Guatemala, the womens movement known as Guatelmatacas became a provider of social services replacing governments functions. This was in part because they were representing the interests of NGOs and not their own. As Berger (2003) described it womens groups in due course shifted from a strategy of confrontation to one of conciliation (p. 205). A fourth way that accelerates the weakening of social movements is the advancement of capitalism and its instrument neo-liberalism. Esche argued that capitalism and democracies have developed a special relationship, that it to say that capitalism prefers democratic environments and that democracy favours the introduction of capitalism. He also argued that this simple account of democracy and capitalism should be avoided mainly because capitalism is also able to penetrate in authoritarian governments. However, Roberts (1998) points out that capitalism and market forces at work in democracies accelerate the fragmentation and weakening of popular collective subjects, the labour movement in particular and that neo liberalism has the remarkable capacity to neutralise and dissolve its opposition (p. 270). Capitalism thrives on inequalities and therefore these have to be maintained in an elegant way by governments. This shows that governments and for that matter democracy itself are unable to protect the interests of their citizens. To finalise the argument on how democracies disable social movements it is important to explore the role of the media. One might think that media and specifically the internet, is only used as a propaganda tool in authoritarian countries but the fact is that it is also used in democracies such as the US. In other words, internet technology can be used [..] for democratic or non-democratic means (Hand and Sandywell 2002: 212). If the internet is restricted and controlled in China it is also used as a propaganda tool for democratic countries. The war on terror ideology of good versus evil, the election of Barack Obama as president of the US have shown how democratic countries can also use the internet as a political tool. More recently the Tea Party movement is using the internet to mobilise a grassroots movement with vested interests pro-corporate, anti-tax, anti-regulation. (Monbiot 2010: 29) However, in the context of social movements this is to ignore the fact that it is also a to ol for movements to mobilise groups and create networks of activity beyond the physical world. It is true that the internet is not at the moment a democratic arena but like the majority of the transitions to democracy it will take several social movements to democratise it. This paper has shown that democracy can enable and disable social movements. These possibilities are dependent on the type of democracy but also on how much the civil society sphere can remain autonomous from governments apparatus. If it remains truly autonomous then it is possible to alter the balance of power. As an enabler it was discussed in this paper that democracies allow for the creation of a space between the state and the private sphere. It also allows, on the one hand, for people to associate and express their grievances and, on the other hand, for previously represented groups to engage in political activities. One would say that these two allowances should be enough to guarantee success for all movements. However, there are several ways in which democracy disables movements. First, the transition to democracy does not mean that old elites and power structures are removed meaning that although the terminology has evolved maybe the ways of doing politics have not. Second, on the instalment of democracy movements become fragmented. Movements fight different, smaller, and unfocused battles and this lead to either their extinction or their relevance. As democracies mature so do their governments. In order to control possible future movements, governments co-opt leaders and thus, movements lose their autonomy. This is aggravated with western NGOs advocating westernised ideals. Finally, the spread and level of capitalism penetration in developing countries means that no means are excluded in order to maintain both inequalities and special interests in place. Regarding the media, and with special attention to the internet it was explained that it can work as a force for both democratic and non-democratic fields but above all it allows for the creation of virtual transnational networks of social movements.

An Argument for the Existence of God Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive

An Argument for the Existence of God God can be defined as a being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions (1). There are many people that do not believe in any religion. People who do not believe in a religion have no reason for believing in a God. People who do not believe in a God and argue against the existence of God are proving something that is completely false. There is a God for numerous reasons. This paper's purpose is to prove the existence of God. There are ten main reasons that are presented in this paper that show the actuality of God. It also shows counter-arguments to the competing positions (the presence of evil). It also gives anticipatory responses to possible objections to the thesis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first reason focuses on the belief of faith. The following passage is taken from the Bible. It has excellent meaning because it shows that everyone has faith. Having faith is the first sign that shows everyone believes in a religion. There are two good definitions of religion. The first is belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. The second is a personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship. The passage shows that everyone has an institutionalized system that has belief. The passage is as follows, ?Everyone believes in something. No one can endure the stress and cares of life without faith in God. Atheists cannot prove there is no God. Pantheists cannot prove that everything is God. Pragmatists cannot prove that what will count for them in the future is what works for them now. Nor can agnostics prove that it is impossible to know one way or the other. Faith is unavo idable, even if we chose to believe only in ourselves. What is to be decided is what evidence we think is pertinent, how we are going to interpret that evidence, and who or what we are willing to believe in.? (Luke 16:16)(4) The passage is great proof that there is a God. It shows that everyone has faith. Faith is a big aspect in religion. With every religion, there is likely to be a single holy being, a god.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many atheists have used science as a way to disapprove the existence of God. Science is not an accurate way of disapproving the existence of God(2). Scient... ...This is completely false because God made the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed himself so he could redeem humanity and that all their sins would be forgiven. Making such a self sacrifice is good proof that God cares for humanity. The last reason that proves the existence of God is how we look at God. Most of humanity believes that God must look up to humanity, where as the truth is we must look up to God. The best argument that atheists have to disapprove the existence of God is the presence of evil. But their argument is shut down by the Augustinian theodicy. These reasons are great proof that shows the existence of God. Any atheist who reads all ten reasons and the Augustinian theodicy can never disapprove the existence of God. Bibliography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1) Oxford Readings in Philosophy. The Concept of God. New York: Oxford University press 1987   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2) Gollwitzer, Helmut. The Existence of God: As Confessed By Faith. Philadelphia: The Westminister Press, 1965   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3) The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas. Whether God Exists? 1920. New Advent. http://www.newadvent.org/summa/100203.htm. K. Knight. 2003. 4) Holy Bible. New International Version. (New York). 1978.

The Trials of Odysseus of Homers Odyssey Essays -- Odyssey essays

The Trials of Odysseus   Homer's epic poem The Odyssey was written after his Iliad which told the tales of the Trojan War. This Odyssey told of the wanderings of a prominent warrior and ruler, Odysseus. Odysseus fought in the Trojan War and, after the Greeks claimed their victory at Troy, began his prolonged journey home. During his travels Odysseus faced many obstacles which he had to overcome. Through his wanderings, Odysseus had to prove his valor, intellect, and determination. Incorporated into The Odyssey are many current-day characteristics of man including a constant dependence on others, the presence of a greater vision, or lack there of, and the essence of a sensitive side behind courage and pride. At times throughout The Odyssey Odysseus didn't think about the consequences of his actions and depended on guidance from the gods to help lead him in the right direction. Odysseus was quick to take action and occasionally made poor decisions that were bound to harm him. Odysseus was eager to fight, even if he had little chance of survival. His impulsiveness resulted in Athena coming down from Mount Olympus to warn him saying "Foolhardy man! Still bent on war and struggle! Will you not even yield to immortal gods? This is no mortal being, but an immortal woe, -dire, hard, and fierce, and not to be fought down. Courage is nothing; flight is best" (116). Odysseus didn't know when to run and leave a situation and when to face and fight. He believed that his courage would pull him through to victory, even against a goddess. Without Athena's wisdom, Odysseus was sure to meet his doom because there was no way that he could defeat the goddess Charybdis. Odysseus not only depended on immortals to get him out of a mess, b... .... He felt comfortable showing this side because he knew that she wouldn't laugh at him, but would be understanding because she felt the same as he did; they both longed for each other. The Odyssey involved many current-day characteristics of man including a dependence on others, the existence of a greater vision, or lack of it, and asensitive side found behind courage and pride. Today people still face these problems and must work to overcome them. Man must learn to survive on his own determination and strengths instead of others. Man must also learn to see a greater vision and look at the big picture rather than the moment. Lastly, man must decide with whom he wants to share his feelings of fear, love, and despair so he can experience a greater fulfillment in life. Works Cited: Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Books, 1962.

Blogs are Here to Stay Essay -- Blog Blogs Blogging Weblog Web Log

Blogs: Fad or Here To Stay? The question is, are blogs here to stay or are they just a fad? To answer this question, one must understand what a blog is exactly. There are many definitions for a blog. One source defines blog simply as â€Å"an online Journal (Glossary of Terms).† That is one of the less complex definitions. Another source wrote â€Å"Contraction from the term Web Log. This is an online diary or journal which is published and shared with others on the web by an individual, who is known as a ‘blogger’. Blogging has now become a very popular publishing method on the web as the software does not require any technical knowledge to use and this has the potential to move into the corporate world soon (Alba).† Basically anyone who wants to can create a blog. Bloggers can write about almost anything in their blog, but they usually are about personal life. They also write about world issues, their feelings on a topic, and now even various corporations use t hem to advertise their companies. Although a lot of people use blogs, some these days, are anti-bloggers. These people refuse to set up a blog for their own personal life because they feel it is corny. They find it too computer nerdy and think it is another thing for dorks to get addicted to. They are very wrong because many people of all ages and types create blogs online. I myself don’t have my own blog set up, but am not out to make fun of those who do. Besides the simple blog that most users set up to share their personal thoughts and experiences, companies now put them on their websites to create more revenue. There are actually seminars out there that help business owners create a blog and reasons why they should have one. ... ...tay and that is a fact. Those who hate blogs will have to get used to it. Works Cited Alba, Rosetta. Webmentor Glossary. April 25, 2005. Blogging is Here to Stay, According to WordBiz.com Survey. March 28, 2004. April 25, 2005. Coggins, Sheila. Who Reads Blogs? April 25, 2005. Glossary of Terms. April 24, 2005. Moffatt, Brian. Why Do We Blog? November 30, 2004. April 24, 2005. ROI Of Business Blogging. WordBiz Report. April 24, 2005.

Interstate Hydraulic Manufacturing Co. Essay

Interstate Hydraulic Manufacturing Co. is an established, family-owned manufacturer of hydraulic devices used in automobile suspensions and forklift trucks. From the factory in Muncie, Indiana, products are shipped to customers worldwide. All data processing is performed by a minicomputer, which handles payroll, billing, accounts receivable, inventory, and cost accounting. Workers clock on and off the job using time clocks, and they report job progress by filling out a forms packet that accompanies each job lot. Data from the time cards and forms packets is keyed into the computer by data entry operators in the manufacturing division, who use terminals. Ben Lambert is in charge of customer service, handling complaints, conducting plant tours, and providing information to the plant manager on product performance. One day Lambert is sitting at his desk, handling the backlog of correspondence he has accumulated. He picks up his office recorder and dictates the following letter: Ms. Ellie Nostrom Purchasing Director McCullin Enterprises Thank you very much for being so understanding last week when you called to inquire about your order. As I explained, we have a large number of jobs in process at any one time, and many more waiting in line. It is simply impossible to locate where one is without spending considerable time looking through our records. I’m sure you can understand. I later learned that your order was held up due to lack of materials. We have been having difficulty obtaining the nylon bushing that attaches the actuating arm to the housing. We have had only one supplier that could meet our high quality standards, and we have recently learned that its factory has been on strike for almost half a year. We finally located another supplier in California and placed an order with it. But when the bushings arrived, the receiving report was misfiled, and we didn’l know that they were here. The receiving report, which is normally sent to our accounting department, was sent to purchasing by mistake. After your call, I talked with the supervisor of receiving, and he said he remembered seeing the shipment. We finally located it in inventory and have issued a production order. The job is presently in process and should be completed either by the end of next week or early the following week. Again, thank you for calling attention to your order. Our customers are our most valuable asset, and we appreciate your business. You have our pledge that we will continue to be responsive to your needs and supply you with the same high level of service that has been our trademark. Please do not hesitate to call on me at any time.

John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism Essay

Abstract The paper presents the life of John Stuart Mill through his biography. A glimpse on his exceptional life as a child was also included in his biography. Likewise, his major contributions as a philosopher and economist were also discussed. Since John Stuart Mill was a proponent of utilitarianism, the paper focuses its discussion on Mill and utilitarianism. The views of John Stuart Mill on utilitarianism and how it differs from Bentham’s views were given much attention in the paper. The history of utilitarianism was also presented to show how utilitarianism evolved. The confusions of many people, regarding who the real founder of utilitarianism, was clarified through the history of utilitarianism. Introduction John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), is a British philosopher-economist, who is the son of James Mill. He is one of the best 19th century thinkers. In economics, he was influenced by the theories of Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Thomas Robert Malthus, and his Principles of Political Economy is a little more than a restatement of their ideas. He had a great impact on 19th century British thought, not only in philosophy and economics but also in the areas of political science, logic, and ethics. He was a proponent of utilitarianism. He systematized the utilitarian doctrines of his father and Jeremy Bentham in such works as Utilitarianism (1863), basing knowledge upon human experience and emphasizing human reason. In political economy, Mill advocated those policies that he believed most consistent with individual liberty, and he emphasized that liberty could be threatened as much by social as by political tyranny. He is probably most famous for his essay â€Å"On Liberty† (1859). He studied pre-Marxian socialist doctrine, and, although he did not become a socialist, he worked actively for improvement of the conditions of the working people. Utilitarianism is a philosophy which has been around for centuries, and is still active and popular in the modern world. It is important not only in philosophy itself, but in disciplines such as economics, political science, and decision theory. To some people, Utilitarianism seems to be the only ethical philosophy which is obviously correct. To others, it seems to be quite misconceived, even reprehensible. Biography of John Stuart Mill. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was a British philosopher, economist, moral and political theorist, and administrator. He was the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century. His views are of continuing significance, and are generally recognized to be among the deepest and certainly the most effective defenses of empiricism and of a liberal political view of society and culture. The overall aim of his philosophy is to develop a positive view of the universe and the place of humans in it, one which contributes to the progress of human knowledge, individual freedom and human well-being. John Stuart Mill was born on May 20, 1806 in Pentonville, London. He was the eldest son of James Mill, a Scottish philosopher and historian who had come to London and become a leading figure in the group of philosophical radicals which aimed to further the utilitarian philosophy of Jeremy Bentham. His mother was Harriet Barrow, who seems to have had very little influence upon him. Mill was educated by his father, with the advice and assistance of Jeremy Bentham and Francis Place. He was given an extremely rigorous upbringing, and was deliberately shielded from association with children of his own age other than his siblings. His father, a follower of Bentham and an adherent of associationism, had as his explicit aim to create a genius intellect that would carry on the cause of utilitarianism and its implementation after he and Bentham were dead. John Stuart Mill as a child was exceptional. At the age of three he was taught the Greek alphabet and long lists of Greek words with their English equivalents. By the age of eight he had read Aesop’s Fables, Xenophon’s Anabasis, and the whole of Herodotus, and was acquainted with Lucian, Diogenes Laertius, Isocrates and six dialogues of Plato. He had also read a great deal of history in English and had been taught arithmetic. At fifteen, John Stuart Mill undertook the study of Bentham’s various fragments on the theory of legal evidence. These had an inspiring influence on him, fixing in him his life-long goal of reforming the world in the interest of human well-being. At the age of seventeen, he had completed advanced and thorough courses of study in Greek literature and philosophy, chemistry, botany, psychology, and law. In 1822 Mill began to work as a clerk for his father in the examiner’s office of the India House. In 1823, he co-founded the Westminster Review with Jeremy Bentham as a journal for philosophical radicals. This intensive study however had injurious effects on Mill’s mental health, and state of mind. At the age of twenty-one, he suffered a nervous breakdown. This was caused by the great physical and mental arduousness of his studies which had suppressed any feelings or spirituality he might have developed normally in childhood. Nevertheless, this depression eventually began to dissipate, as he began to find solace in the poetry of William Wordsworth. His capacity for emotion resurfaced, Mill remarking that the â€Å"cloud gradually drew off†. In 1851, Mill married Harriet Taylor after 21 years of an at times intense friendship and love affair. Taylor was a significant influence on Mill’s work and ideas during both friendship and marriage. His relationship with Harriet Taylor reinforced Mill’s advocacy of women’s rights. He died in Avignon, France in 1873, and is buried alongside his wife. John Stuart Mill and the Classical School of Thought Classical economics starts with Adam Smith, as a coherent economic theory, continues with the British economists Thomas Robert Malthus and David Ricardo, and culminates in the synthesis of John Stuart Mill, who as a young man was a follower of David Ricardo. Among the classical economists in the three-quarters of a century, although they have differences of opinion between Smith’s Wealth of Nations and Mill’s Principles of Political Economy (1848), the members of the group still agreed on major principles. All believed in private property, free markets, and, in Mill’s words, that â€Å"only through the principle of competition has political economy any pretension to the character of a science. † They shared Smith’s strong suspicion of government and his ardent confidence in the power of self-interest represented by his famous â€Å"invisible hand,† which reconciled public benefit with individual pursuit of private gain. From Ricardo, classicists derived the notion of diminishing returns, which held that as more labor and capital were applied to land, yields after â€Å"a certain and not very advanced stage in the progress of agriculture steadily diminished. † Through Smith’s emphasis on consumption, rather than on production, the scope of economics was considerably broadened. Smith was optimistic about the chances of improving general standards of life. He called attention to the importance of permitting individuals to follow their self-interest as a means of promoting national prosperity. History of Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a fairly old philosophy, and major elements of it are even older. The best known, and most prolific, utilitarian philosophers were Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). In their time, utilitarianism was a significant philosophical movement in Britain, and the utilitarians were some of the leading social reformers of the time. John Stuart Mill, especially, is quite well known today. Many people seem to think, unfortunately, that utilitarianism began with Bentham and ended with Mill. This is quite wrong in two ways. First, Bentham was not the first utilitarian, although he did coin the word â€Å"utilitarianism†. Various pre-Benthamite philosophers were advocating utilitarian positions several decades before Bentham was born. Also, utilitarianism has a lot in common with ancient non-utilitarian philosophers, such as Mo Tzu and Jesus. Both of these people advocated a doctrine of universal love. These doctrines were not precisely stated enough to compare directly with utilitarianism, but they were definitely universalist and egalitarian, and had strong currents of consequentialism, welfarism, and (at least in the case of Mo Tzu) maximization. The second problem with the popular misconception is that there has been a great deal of development in utilitarianism since Mill. Some people are aware, for example, of the later developments of Preference Utilitarianism and Rule Utilitarianism. Mill is still usually regarded as the main resource on Utilitarianism, though. Part of the problem is that he wrote about it comprehensively, and there have been few good comprehensive books about utilitarianism since then. Modern utilitarianism is in many ways far more sophisticated than that of Mill. Most importantly, it has become connected with many developments in areas such as economics, political science, and decision theory. Utilitarianism has always enjoyed an essentially unique position as the only philosophy which applied to all areas of human endeavor in a reasonably straightforward endeavor, and committed to specific positions on how conflict between various interests should be resolved. In Mill’s time, utilitarianism was strongly linked to economics, although the two disciplines subsequently diverged. Today, Preference Utilitarianism as a theory underlies many ideas in the sciences, and has been formalized to a degree that Mill never dreamed of. The idea of utility maximization even has applications entirely outside of philosophy, such as its use in artificial intelligence to represent how a computer could make trade-offs between different goals. Utilitarianism today exists both as a powerful kind of formal reasoning, and as the philosophy which says that such reasoning should define the moral ideal in human affairs. Utilitarianism can even be formally derived from a set of four reasonable seeming axioms, something that no other major philosophy can claim. The modern state of utilitarianism in relation to other philosophies is actually quite unusual. Most philosophies exist in theoretical isolation, based on ideas which have little in common with ideas in other disciplines. Other disciplines, in turn, don’t have much formal contact with them. Most major philosophies have a significant presence in politics and social issues, with people explicitly referring to issues such as rights and equality when debating how society should be organized. Utilitarianism, on the other hand, exists mostly in the background of popular discourse. People who claim to follow other philosophies often make utilitarian arguments when it suits them, and utilitarian arguments are often used by people who wouldn’t claim to follow any specific philosophy at all. Many philosophers make sure to explicitly place their ideas in opposition to utilitarianism, as if it were always lurking in the background ready to pounce on the unsuspecting theory. In part, this may be because utilitarianism is a sort of philosophical hydra, growing a new position for each one that is dismissed. While specific utilitarian ideas are vulnerable to attack, the underlying sentiments have proven amazingly resilient and have evolved to remain entirely current. Throughout the twentieth century, many philosophers confidently predicted that utilitarianism had been devastated, and would soon fall out of favor – only to be disproved when it remained as popular as ever. Utilitarian perspectives have also been quietly adopted in domains ranging from economics, political science, and decision theory to cognitive science and artificial intelligence. This has given modern utilitarianism a powerful formulation like no other, and a strong applied tradition. The old questions of how to measure utility, and how to maximize it most effectively in practice, have been extensively researched outside of philosophy. The result of this is that while other philosophies often talk in general terms of how they should be applied, and have problems in resolving conflicts between various principles, utilitarianism is at the cutting edge of rigorously applicable principles. Which is still, it should be mentioned, far from perfect. John Stuart Mill on Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is the most influential moral philosophy in the last two centuries. Jeremy Bentham is the acknowledged founder of utilitarianism. He admitted however that he took over the principle of utility from David Hume. By stating categorically that there is an ultimate good – a summum bonum, John Stuart Mill, the most famous utilitarian, laid the foundation of his moral philosophy. According to Mill, all moral actions should be aimed at attaining this good. Mill insists that this good is happiness. According to the Greatest Happiness Principle, †¦ the ultimate end, with reference to and for the sake of which all other things are desirable – whether we are considering our own good or that of other people – is an existence exempt as far as possible from pain, and as rich as possible in enjoyments, both in point of quantity and quality†¦ ( Boyce, p. 36) Mill states his teological position by insisting that the rightness of an action is determined by the actual consequences. It cannot be done by simply examining the nature of the act alone. The real value of our actions depends on whether it promotes the good or not. The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals Utility or Greatest Happiness Principle holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness. Wrong, as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain, by unhappiness, pain and the privation of pleasure. (Boyce, p. 36) Mill differs radically from Bentham on two important points. He is vehemently against the purely quantitative treatment of the principle of utility. According to Mill, we have to admit that some pleasures are intrinsically superior to others. He disdainfully said: It is better to be a human being dissatisfied, than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, is of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question. The other party to the comparison knows both sides. (Solomon, p. 310 ) To confirm his point, Mill cites Epicurus (341-270 B. C. ) who also espoused the view that while the good life is the life of pleasure, he does not mean only bodily and sensual pleasure alone. These are higher forms like intellectual and spiritual pleasure. According to both philosophers some pleasures are intrinsically superior to others. When there are some issues that arise about the criterion for judging the quality of pleasure. Mill argues that: If I am asked what I mean by difference of quality of pleasures, or what makes one pleasure more valuable than another, merely as a pleasure, except its being greater in amount, there is but one possible answer. Of two pleasures if there is be one to which all or almost all who have experience of both give a decided preference, irrespective of a feeling of moral obligation to prefer it, that is the more desirable pleasure. If one of the two is, by those who are competently acquainted with both, placed so far above the other that they prefer it, even though knowing it to be attended with a greater amount of discontent, and would not resign it for any quantity of the other pleasure which their name is capable of, we are justified in ascribing to the preferred enjoyment a superiority in quality so far outweighing quantity as to render it, in comparison of small account. (Solomon, pp. 297-298). The example given by Mill is Socrates who is acquainted with both bodily pleasure and intellectual pleasure. If you ask which pleasure is more desirable, obviously, according to Mill, Socrates will choose intellectual pleasure. So the criterion for judging which pleasure is better than another must be made by a judge who has experienced both kinds of pleasures. Indeed, Mill is calling for an inter-subjective consensus of people who experienced both types of pleasure. The introduction of quality of pleasure added undue complication to Bentham’s quantitative calculus. The higher pleasure consists of the more intellectual, artistic and even spiritual, like reading poetry, speculating about the nature or the cosmos, enjoying of music and the visual arts etc. as opposed to the more sensual and physical, like eating good food, indulging in sex and other physical stimulation. It must be mentioned though, that Mill is not excluding the lower pleasure from consideration. But obviously, he personally prefers the higher pleasures. Remember that it is the pig that provides the model for lower pleasure; in contrast, it is Socrates who exemplifies the quest for higher pleasures. Mill’s proof on the soundness of the principle of utility: The only proof capable of being given that an object is visible is that people actually see it. The only proof that a sound is audible is that people actually hear it; and so the other sources of our experience. In like manner, I apprehend, the sole evidence is it possible to produce that anything is desirable that people do actually desire it†¦ no reason can be given why the general happiness is desirable, except that each person, so far as he believes it to be attainable, desire his own happiness. (Solomon, p. 319 ). This proof has been the subject of debate among utlilitarian scholars. According to Solomon, the most generous interpretation of Mill’s proof are the following: one’s own happiness or pleasure is the only thing desired by each person; the general happiness or the happiness of all is the only thing desired for itself by all; the only test of something being desirable is its being desired; the general happiness is the only thing desired in itself; and lastly, the only test of the rightness or wrongness of actions is their tendency to promote the general happiness (the greatest happiness for the greatest number). Summary and Conclusion John Stuart Mill, being a philosopher and an economist had a great impact in the 19th century british thought not only in the field of philosophy and economics but also in other areas of political science, logic, and ethics. His exceptional childhood because of his father’s rigorous training had injurious effects on his mental health, and state of mind. Nevertheless, his father was able to create a genius in him that would carry on the cause of utilitarianism and its implementation after the death of his father and Bentham. One of the important works of John Stuart Mill was Utilitarianism, which argues for the philosophy of Utilitarianism. This philosophy was primarily formed by Jeremy Bentham, but Mill’s father James Mill was also a proponent. Utilitarianism holds that actions are good in proportion to the amount of happiness produced and number of people happiness is produced in. Mill’s main innovation to Utilitarianism is the idea of a hierarchy of pleasures. Bentham had treated all forms of happiness as equal, whereas Mill argued that intellectual and moral pleasures and developments were superior to more physical forms of pleasure. His views are of continuing significance, and are recognized to be among the deepest and certainly the most effective defenses of empiricism and of a liberal political view of society and culture. The overall aim of his philosophy is to develop a positive view of the universe and the place of humans in it, one which contributes to the progress of human knowledge, individual freedom and human well-being. His views are not entirely original, having their roots in the British empiricism of John Locke, George Berkeley and David Hume, and in the utilitarianism of Jeremy Bentham. But he gave them a new depth, and his formulations were sufficiently articulate to gain for them a continuing influence among a broad public. References: ACUNA, A. E. 2001. Philosophical Analysis. 5th Edition. U. P. Department of Philosophy. Diliman, Quezon City. Autobiography by John Stuart Mill. http://www. utilitarianism. com/jsmill. htm. BOYCE, W. D. 1978. Moral Reasoning. University of Nebraska Press. London. MONTGOMERIE, I. 2000. A Utilitarian FAQ. http://www. ianmontgomerie. com /manifesto/utilitarian. SOLOMON, R. C. Morality and the Good Life. 1984. McGraw-Hill Book Company. New York. Webster’s Family Encyclopedia. 1999. Vol. 6. Archer Worldwide Inc. Great Neck, New York, U. S. A.

Narrative Essay Skills

Narrative Writing Lesson plans and other teaching resources Action Chains Students learn to elaborate on an event in a narrative by expanding their sentences into action chains. Expanding single actions into an action chain provides the reader with a more detailed picture of an event in a narrative. This lesson is designed for grades 3-5. Active Beginnings This 3-page printable handout focuses on crafting strong leads. It is designed for elementary students and requires Adobe Reader or compatible application.Constructing Narratives: A Unit Plan for Taking Apart and Reconstructing Stories This lesson is designed as a project-based unit plan that will take students through the narrative process from deconstruction to construction. After initial discussion, students will use an interactive story map to deconstruct a short story. Students will use pictures to put together a PowerPoint-based storyboard that other students will use to construct a story. This unit is designed for grades 6-8 .From Object to Story: Writing a Historical Narrative Featuring an Artifact from One's Family History Students share observations about the history of familial artifacts. They then research the history and cultural significance of selected objects to prepare their own historical narratives. Includes short reading as prewriting activity. Getting Hooked: Introduction for a Narrative Students will be able to identify techniques for writing an introduction for a narrative and use them effectively. This lesson is designed for grades 2-4.Hands, Hands, Hands – Writing a Narrative Essay from the Perspective of a Particular Hand The teacher will show pictures of six hands to students (pictures included with other handouts). After a brainstorming session, students will choose one hand that illustrates a particular story from their life. Then students will write a two page narrative essay about this story. These stories will be posted on a class blog to allow for feedback and discussion from classmates. In Search Of Wisdom: An Interview With An Elder Students develop interview questions, interview someone aged 60 or older, and write a narrative using that person's voice.Incorporating Flashbacks in Narrative Text — The Sinking of the U. S. S. Indianapolis Students watch a 2:25 video segment that shows an interview with one of the survivors of the U. S. S. Indianapolis who recalls the sinking of the ship and his survival. Students then create an original narrative that utilizes flashback to tell the survivor's story. This lesson is designed for grades 8-10 and includes links to the downloadable video and all support materials. Make Kids' Writing Shine: Using Beginnings and Endings to Teach Craft Strategies to build elementary writing skills.Scroll down for revision and assessment ideas, resources. Memory Preservation–One Relative at a Time After organizing and conducting an interview of a grandparent/senior citizen, students create a slideshow presenta tion using the information and memorabilia collected at the interview. This lesson plan includes rubric and model. It is designed for 8th grade. Narrative Writing & Reading Core Skills Lesson Plan Creating a story is like magic! Grab your magician's hat and wand for this activity. Teach core curriculum concepts of narrative writing (story creation) through the use of characters, setting, and plot.Also teaches skills needed to meet language arts reading and writing core curriculum standards that require the ability to describe characters, settings, and major events in a story. Designed for elementary students. Nibble, Nibble, Little Mouse Students in grades 6-8 explore the implications of point of view in literature and write a narrative, retelling a traditional story from a different character's point of view. A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words Students are given a picture that tells a story. They brainstorm words and ideas, then write a story based on what they see.This lesson is d esigned for grades 6-8. Note: more ideas for teaching the personal narrative can be found on the Biography page. Prewriting Exercises for Personal Narratives Ten activities for personal narrative writing. Savvy Story Structurestudents learn to actively engage in reading by becoming more familiar with the elements of a story. Students will be required to think at a higher level and will enhance their understanding of selected passages and stories. Students should also begin to relate stories to their own lives. Designed for grades 3-5.Ten Narrative Writing Prompts These prompts are designed for high school and college students, but it might be possible to modify some of them for younger students. Tir Nan Og This 4:04 video offers many options: introduction to linear narrative, making predictions, sequencing, writing descriptions, adding dialogue. Using Music to Teach Personal Narrative Students use songs like â€Å"Snapshots† and â€Å"Crossing the Border† to reflect on their own experience. From the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Using Personal Photographs to Spark Narrative WritingThe lesson plan asks students to bring in a photograph that has special meaning for them and to write about it. Using Pictures to Teach Narrative Writing with Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Students respond to pictures depicting segregation. They write a story from the point of view of someone in the picture. Writing to Photography/Photography to Writing A teacher designed this project with two goals in mind: (1) to improve students' writing by incorporating photography into descriptive and narrative writing exercises designed to inspire more varied and creative perspectives, and (2) to enhance visual as well as verbal literacy.