Tula de Hidalgo (Mexico) Toltec Capital City of Tollan

The archaeological ruins of Tula (now known as Tula de Hidalgo or Tula de Allende) are located in the southwestern part of the Mexican state of Hidalgo, about 45 miles northwest of Mexico City. The site is located within the alluvial bottoms and adjacent uplands of the Tula and Rosas Rivers, and it lies partially buried beneath the modern town of Tula de Allende. Chronology Based on extensive ethnohistorical research by Wigberto Jimenez-Moreno and archaeological investigations by Jorge Acosta, Tula is considered the likely candidate for Tollan, the legendary capital of the Toltec Empire between the 10th and 12th centuries. Also, Tulas construction bridges the Classic and Postclassic periods in Mesoamerica, when the power of Teotihuacan and the southern Maya lowlands were fading, to be replaced by political alliances, trade routes, and art styles at Tula, and at Xochicalco, Cacaxtla, Cholula and Chichà ©n Itzà ¡. Tollan/Tula was established as a fairly small town (about 1.5 square miles) around 750, as the Teotihuacan empire was crumbling during the Epiclassic period (750 to 900). During the height of Tulas power, between 900 and 1100, the city covered an area of some 5 square miles, with a population perhaps as high as 60,000. Tulas architecture was set in a diverse environment, including a reedy marsh and adjacent hills and slopes. Within this varied landscape are hundreds of mounds and terraces that represent residential structures in a planned cityscape with alleys, passageways, and paved streets. Coatepantli Frieze or Mural of the Serpents The heart of Tula was its civic-ceremonial district called the Sacred Precinct, a large, open, quadrangular plaza surrounded by two L-shaped buildings, as well as Pyramid C, Pyramid B, and the Quemado Palace. The Quemado Palace has three large rooms, sculpted benches, columns, and pilasters. Tula is justly famed for its art, including two interesting friezes worth discussing in detail: the Coatepantli Frieze and the Vestibule Frieze. The Coatepantli Frieze is the best-known artwork at Tula, believed to date to the Early Postclassic period (900 to 1230). It is a carved into a 7.5-foot tall, free-standing wall running for 130 feet along the north side of Pyramid B. The wall seems to channel and restrict pedestrian traffic on the north side, creating a narrow, enclosed passageway. It was named coatepantli, serpent in the Aztec language, by excavator Jorge Acosta. The Coatepantli Frieze was made from slabs of local sedimentary stone, carved in relief and brightly painted. Some of the slabs were borrowed from other monuments. The frieze is capped by a row of spiral merlons, and its facade shows several reclining human skeletons intertwined with serpents. Some scholars have interpreted this as a representation of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent in pan-Mesoamerican mythology, while others point to the Classic Maya Vision Serpent. Frieze of the Caciques or Vestibule Frieze The Vestibule Frieze, while lesser-known than that of the Coatepantli, is no less interesting. A carved, stuccoed, and brightly painted frieze that illustrates a procession of ornately dressed men, it is located on the interior walls of Vestibule 1. Vestibule 1 is an L-shaped, colonnaded hall that links Pyramid B with the main plaza. The hallway had a sunken patio and two hearths, with 48 square pillars supporting its roof. The frieze is in the northwest corner of Vestibule 1 on a nearly square bench measuring 37 inches high by 42 inches wide. The frieze is 1.6 by 27 feet. The 19 men shown in the frieze have been interpreted at various times as caciques (local chiefs), priests, or warriors, but based on the architectural setting, composition, costumes, and color, these figures represent merchants engaged in long-distance trade. Sixteen of the 19 figures carry staffs, one appears to wear a backpack, and one carries a fan, which are all elements associated with travelers. Resources and Further Reading Bernal, Stephen Castillo. El Anciano Alado del Edificio K de Tula, Hidalgo. Latin American Antiquity, vol. 26, no. 1, Mar. 2015, pp. 49-63.Healan, Dan M., et al. Excavation and Preliminary Analysis of an Obsidian Workshop in Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico. Journal of Field Archaeology, vol. 10, no. 2, 1983, pp. 127-145.Jordan, Keith. Serpents, Skeletons, And Ancestors?: The Tula Coatepantli Revisited. Ancient Mesoamerica, vol. 24, no. 2, Fall 2013, pp. 243-274.Kristan-Graham, Cynthia. The Business of Narrative at Tula: An Analysis of the Vestibule Frieze, Trade, and Ritual. Latin American Antiquity, vol. 4, no. 1, Mar. 1993, pp. 3-21.Ringle, William M., et al. The Return of Quetzalcoatl: Evidence for the Spread of a World Religion During the Epiclassic Period. Ancient Mesoamerica, vol. 9, no. 2, Fall 1998, pp. 183-232.Stocker, Terrance L., and Michael W. Spence. Trilobal Eccentrics at Teotihuacan and Tula. American Antiquity, vol. 38, no. 2, Apr. 1973, pp. 195-199.Stocker, Terrance L., et al. â€Å"Wheeled Figurines From Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico.†Ã‚  Mexicon, vol. 8, no. 4, 30 July 1986, pp. 69-73.

The U.s. Constitution Of The United States - 868 Words

The U.S. Constitution laid out the ground work of how we run our country, and the processes we must go through to make our country strong and intact. When it comes to the steps that must be followed in passing a bill into law, the Constitution of the United States tells us in Article 1 Section 7 the appropriate steps to get this accomplished. The legwork and the approval process can be quite lengthy to get a bill passed into law, as it must go through certain stages before it can become official. To get a better idea of how a bill gets passed into law, I will play the role of a member of the House of Representatives with an idea to make public colleges tuition free. I have written a proposed idea of how I would like the college tuition of public Universities to be free with stipulations and requirements to the American citizen looking to broaden their education and create job skills. With the bill planned out and me being a member of the House of Representatives, I am going to in troduce this bill in the House. Now it is important to remember that anyone can draft a bill but only a member of Congress can introduce bills. After the bill has been introduced it goes to a committee, where at this point it will be determined if this bill has any chance of being passed. If the bill is brought to the committee and they happen not to act on the bill, then unfortunately the bill would be considered dead. Most bills after this point can be referred to a sub-committee where theShow MoreRelatedU.s. Constitution And The United States1307 Words   |  6 PagesThe U.S Constitution sets all the general rules and laws for the United States of America. The U.S. Constitution is very general because it is covering everything for the entire country. It gives an understanding on how the nation’s government works. 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With the passing of the Bill of Rights and the first ten amendments, it grants the people to what is said to be their â€Å"natural rights† following additional rights that have significantly changed our society. Amendments and Constitution According to the Constitution, an amendment may be

The Oxford Handbook of Business and the Natural Environment

Question: Describe about The Oxford Handbook of Business and the Natural Environment? Answer: Identification of purposes of different types of organization An organization is a group of social individuals working in a comprehensive manner under a controlled performance in order to achieve the fulfillment of combined goals. As per the legal structuring organizations can be broadly of four major types namely Public limited companies, Private limited companies, trusts and partnership companies (Daniel, Wang and Weber, 2013). As per the legal structure of the organizations the following organizations of UK are selected : Tesco Plc Public Limited Company Oreo- Cadbury Diary Milk partnership business British Red Cross society Trust Iceland Ltd Private limited company (Griffin and Pustay, 2013) Tesco Plc is a public limited company, which gives Tesco the opportunity to make its shares available for public purchase. Tesco is thus able to procure finance through sell of shares to the public and sell of shares through stock exchange. Moreover, the public limited companies get the options of getting cheaper loans from the commercial banks. The major purpose of Tesco is to expand its stores and product line base thus becoming a Plc company has helped Tesco to successfully finance its ventures (Gil Aluja and Terceno, 2012). British Red Cross Society is a registered charity in UK with around 32000 volunteers and 3500 staffs providing financial, material and mental support to the crisis affected people of UK. The registration as a charity has given the society an opportunity to gain public recognition and consequently funds for management of the activities. Moreover operating as a nonprofit organization also gives the society 100% tax relief. Evaluation of the organizations functions in meeting stakeholders needs A stakeholder is an individual or group of persons who are affected by the activities of the organization and are thus interested in the daily working within the organizations. They may o may not have shares or rights within the company functions however they are affected by the company decisions and are thus interested in company affairs. For the purpose of analysis of organizational functions involving the stakeholders two UK companies are chosen namely the British Airways and the retail company Marks and Spencer. Major stakeholders of British Airways Stakeholders Objectives Ways of meeting stakeholder needs Shareholders High dividends, corporate image CSR reports and annual reports Employees (Crew members, ground staffs, pilots, air hostesses, engineers and administrative staffs) Job security, salary hikes, training opportunities, free flight passes (Daniel, Wang and Weber, 2013) Annual reports, financial statements, incentives and reward systems Customers (business men, corporate personnel, local flight travelers) Interest about good quality flights, good food services and high quality service Prompt services, good flight experience, positive media publicity Competitors (United Airlines, Japan Airlines, Deutsche Lufthansa AG) Ticket prices, percentage of travel bookings, revenue Annual reports(Griffin and Pustay, 2013) Government (Secretary of State transport and Civil Aviation Authority) Compliance of airspace rules Legal guidance record Major stakeholders of Marks and Spencer Stakeholders Objectives Ways of meeting stakeholder needs Shareholders Investment returns Perks, AGM information, electronic communication about returns Employees (shop manager, sales persons, administrative employees) Workplace health and safety, remuneration and productive growth within retail store Health and safety policy, remuneration policy, equality policy Customers High quality products, new designs and competitive pricing Pricing policies, CSR reports Competitors (Tesco , ASDA and NEXT) Pricing strategies, monthly sales revenue Annual reports Suppliers Ethical trading, best price (Gil Aluja and Terceno, 2012) Sustainable SCM Responsibilities and strategies of an organization In case of Mark and Spencer, it is seen that the retail company uses the stakeholder mapping in order to prioritize the stakeholders before employing the strategies (Daniel, Wang and Weber, 2013). Thus, MS prioritizes the responsibilities towards the employees and the customers. For managing the employees the company provides incentives, employee discounts, has introduced policies like workplace health and safety, anti bribery policy and mental well being policy (Jacob, 2013). Moreover, the company also provides pension schemes for the retired employees. In order to manage customers MS has introduced 24 hours customer care services, uses organic chemicals in textile production, natural resources in food production etc. In monitoring of the competitors, the company focuses on the price levels of the other retail companies and prices the products accordingly. Finally, for effective management of the suppliers and stakeholders, MS presents CSR reports concerning animal welfare activities and ethical trading. The company also gives shareholders discounts, high dividends, financial statements and electronic information about returns (Griffin and Pustay, 2013). LO 2: Understand the nature of the national environment in which business operate Allocation of economic resources by different countries The economic system is the appropriate system of production, exchange and distribution of goods and resources between different countries and individuals (Jacob, 2013). Three major types of economic systems operating in different countries are capitalism, socialism and mixed economy. Resources allocation is the major problem faced by various countries. Since the demand for the resources re high hence the lack in the supply creates a scarcity of the resources. Thus keeping in mind the scarcity of resources, in an economic system the participatory are required to make decision related to economic choice and bear the opportunity costs for the alternatives made (Gil Aluja and Terceno, 2012). UK and Germany are the two countries displaying two diverse economic systems. UK adopts the mixed economic system involving both state ownership and government regulation. On the contrary, Germany adopts the capitalism economy where the participants for distribution of resources follow a two-class hierarchy system (Jacob, 2013). In the capitalist economy, the responsibility of allocation of resources rests upon the high class of individuals and they take the decision for allocation of the same to the working class giving rise of unequal distribution. However, in UK, prevalence of mixed economy helps in equal distribution of the resources by both government and public sector individuals (Gupta, 2013). Impact of fiscal and monetary policy on business activities UK has the fifth largest economy as per its current GDP of 3.002 trillion and 2.547 trillion in terms of PPP. The country has recorded around 2.70% annual GDP growth rate with the service sector recording the highest GDP rate of around 78.4%. Bank of England regulates the monetary policy of UK and has currently set an inflation target of 2%, which is favorable for economic growth (Daniel, Wang and Weber, 2013). The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) sets the monetary policy. The major target of the monetary policy of UK is to keep the inflation rate between CPI 2% with an increment of decrease by 1%. Moreover, in 2008-2009 Bank of England used Quantitative Easing that included creation of money electronically to purchase assets. The changes in the interest rates and Inflation rates affect the business functions of Sainsbury, which is a retail supermarket. With the rise in the rates of interest Sainsbury will face difficulty in financing cost of capital and with the rise in the inflation rates the customers purchasing power will decrease thereby making it difficult for the customers to purchase products. Moreover, changes in the exchange rates will also appreciate the monetary value of pounds in UK, which will increase the domestic sales of Sainsbury however will decrease the sales of Sainsbury in other countries. Impact of competition policy and regulatory mechanisms on organizations activities Sainsbury, which is one of the major players in the retail industry of UK, faces stiff competition from the other retail organizations like Tesco, ASDA and Marks and Spencer. Thus, the retail supermarket in order to retain its market share will focus on changing and implementing its competition policies (Kelly and Scott, 2011). Thus, Sainsbury has to frame its policies with regard to the changing policies of its competitors. The competition policy of Sainsbury focuses on cost and product diversification. The governmental policies concerning the product standards and product qualities as imposed by the UK government will have a direct impact on the product costs of Sainsbury. Thus, the governmental policies will threaten product-pricing strategies of Sainsbury along with its competitors. Understand the behavior of organization in their market environment Pricing and output decisions of organizations in UK The three major market structures are namely monopoly, oligopoly and perfect competition. Sainsbury operates under the oligopoly market structure where the price levels are decided based on the pricing strategies of the competitors and customers demand (Tebloyeva, 2010). In case of monopoly, there is a presence of only one or two companies in the market and hence the pricing strategies do not depend upon the customer demands. In this segment of market structure, the customers have little or no options and thus they are not the parties who can influence the price levels (Kelly and Scott, 2011). The seller thus possesses the whole power to set prices accordingly. However in case of Sainsbury the number of competitors are high hence the retail chain sets prices according to the customer demand and pricing strategies of other retail companies (Chikara, 2013). Evaluation of market forces shaping organizational responses Major market forces like the demand and supply graph, customers perceptions, economies of scale and cost and output relations shapes the product and pricing decisions of various organizations in UK. Sainsbury has to make production and supply decisions depending upon the demand of the UK customers and hence they use Just in time approach in order to successfully supply the products (Schaffer and Schaffer, 2012). Moreover, due the high competition Sainsbury analyses the customer perceptions before launching new products in the market. Moreover, the retail companies have the option of producing goods at a large scale. Thus Sainsbury adopts the benefits of the economies of scale in order to successfully produced large volumes of goods at low production cost. Moreover, factors like rise in the inflation rates may increase the price of the products of Sainsbury. Thus, if the price of the products increases then Sainsbury decides to produce large volumes of products in order to avail econo mies of scale and in order to gain profits (Kirpalani, 2013). Report on Virgin Atlantic Virgin Atlantic Airways is the second largest British airlines serving some of the major cities of UK. The airline operates through Gatwick and Heathrow airports and operates in around 30 destinations around UK and other countries. The cultural, political, technological and social factor influences the operations of Virgin Atlantics (Leal Filho, 2004). In UK the political situation is stable for the organizations and thus Virgin Airlines can make the policies keeping in mind the considerations offered by the UK government. The major economic factors like GDP, interest rates, employment rates and inflation rates also influence the activities and policies of Virgin Airlines (Mackey and Sisodia, 2013). The high degree of technological inputs and outsourcing has helped Virgin Airlines to increase the quality of the airline services at a considerably low service cost. Apart from these business environments, the cultural diversities also play an important role in framing the internal emplo yee culture of Virgin Airlines (Mackey and Sisodia, 2013). Assessment of global factors that shape national business activities Business in international prospective International trade refers to the trade of goods and services between global countries. The world economic concepts are based on the supply and demand system of international trade. Thus, any change in any of the global factors can affect the demand supply and pricing techniques of the international trade. The process of international trade involves exchange of capital, products and services on a global context. In this regard on monitoring the service of Tesco Plc which has its branches in different parts of the world can show some of the major benefits that an organization derives from international trade. International trade is important for development of revenue sources for Tesco (Kirpalani, 2013). Moreover with the enhanced production techniques, highly advanced supply chain systems, rapid industrialization and outsourcing of products Tesco has also been able to focus on the product and the marketing strategy. Further, the principle of comparative pricing advantages can also be derived with the help of international trade relations. Tesco has also been able to increase the domestic competitiveness, sales, profits and attained global market share. However, there are certain disadvantages of international trade. Firstly, the international trade has increased the product cost for Tesco (Baron, 2013). Tesco has to produce different products according to fit to the various diverse cultures within of the different countries. Moreover, the fluctuations in the exchange rates have also contributed to the loss of revenue for the organizations (Mackey and Sisodia, 2013). It is opined that another disadvantage of international trade is that the organization engaging in international trade tends to ignore the welfare of the individuals of the domestic or the production country for the sake of revenue generation. International trade has also resulted in exhaustion and destruction of the resources of Tesco and in some countries, the economic decisions and the political decisions influence the trading profit of Tesco. Tesco at times has to also reduce the product prices because of the high tariff charges charged by the other countries. In order to ensure sell of the product in that country Tesco strives to reduce the price and has to bear the high tax rates (Bansal and Hoffman, 2012). Impact of global factors on UK business organizations Globalization refers to the international operations of a particular organization. The different global factors like international competitiveness, global business environment, taxation policies and exchange rates influences the global business process of organizations in UK. Companies having global branches in different countries have to focus on the global competitiveness in order to earn equal revenue in all sectors. If the competition is high in the global market from some domestic company then the UK companies find it difficult to operate in that market. For analysis of the international business environment, the companies generally undertake the PESTEL analysis. Similarly high taxation and tariff rates in the global markets like China, Germany and USA threatens the revenue of the UK companies (Cherunilam, 2010). European Union policies and their impact The rules and regulations of the European Union are to be abided by the member countries. The major policies of EU are employment policy, regional policy, global trading policy, education sector policy, and inflation and taxation policy. All of these policies have a direct impact on the business activities of the member country. Thus, the companies operating under the EU policies needs to focus on the implementation of these policies. In this context, Sainsbury operates in the segment of both taxation and global trading policy (Mackey and Sisodia, 2013). The global trading policy is influenced by the exchange rate fluctuations and the tariffs and taxation policies of different countries give Sainsbury the opportunity to frame the pricing policies. Sainsbury thus formulates the different policies in order to cater to the needs to the customers and the shareholders equally(Chikara, 2013) Reference list Bansal, P. and Hoffman, A. (2012).The Oxford handbook of business and the natural environment. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Baron, D. (2013).Business and its environment. Boston: Pearson. Cherunilam, F. (2010).Business environment. Mumbai [India]: Himalaya Pub. House. Chikara, M. (2013). Book Review: Business Environment.Vision: The Journal of Business Perspective, 17(2), pp.185-186. Daniel, F., Wang, J. and Weber, B. (2013).Business process management. Berlin: Springer. Gil Aluja, J. and Terceno, A. (2012).Methods for decision making in an uncertain environment. Singapore: World Scientific. Griffin, R. and Pustay, M. (2013).International business. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson. Gupta, J. (2013). Economic and Business Environment.Vision: The Journal of Business Perspective, 17(1), pp.83-85. Jacob, W. (2013). Economic and Business Environment.Vision: The Journal of Business Perspective, 17(1), pp.87-89. Kelly, S. and Scott, D. (2011). Relationship benefits: Conceptualization and measurement in a business-to-business environment.International Small Business Journal, 30(3), pp.310-339. Kirpalani, V. (2013).International Business Handbook. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Leal Filho, W. (2004).Environment 2010. [Bradford, England]: Emerald Group Pub. Mackey, J. and Sisodia, R. (2013).Conscious capitalism. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business Review Press. Makhbul, Z. (2012). Workplace Environment Towards Health and Performance.International Business Management, 6(6), pp.640-647. Mirwoba, S. (2010). Rethinking ethical issues in global business environment.KCAJBM, 2(2). Schaffer, R. and Schaffer, R. (2012).International business law and its environment. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Subba Rao, P. (2010).International business environment. Mumbai [India]: Himalaya Pub. House. Tebloyeva, V. (2010). BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT FEATURES AND SMALL BUSINESS PROBLEMS IN THE NORTH OSSETIA-ALANIA.EoR, pp.192-196. Tokuoka, K. (2012).Does the business environment affect corporate investment in India?. [Washington, D.C.]: International Monetary Fund.

Euthanasia means good death. Essay Example

Euthanasia means good death. Essay Euthanasia means good death. It is used in situations where death is deliberately chosen, and not when someone is killed by accident (for example, in a car accident or failed medical treatment). Someone will choose to kill themselves or someone close to them because they feel that death is the best option in the situation. This usually happens when someone is suffering from a terminal illness and wishes to die in less pain, and so therefore, wishes to die sooner. There are different types of circumstances when it comes to euthanasia, and there are two different ways of administering it; actively (deliberately enforcing death, for example, by a lethal injection) and passively (simply letting die, for example, by withholding life-prolonging treatment). Although there are moral issues with particular circumstances in which euthanasia is administered, (for example, suicide) the main form of euthanasia that I shall be commenting on is active euthanasia, voluntary and non-voluntary, because I believe it is a factor with more ethical consideration and I personally have strong views on the matter. The simple justifications of euthanasia are as follows; it humanely ends a patients suffering, it shortens the grief of loved ones, and many people argue that one should have a right to decide when they die. If the law were changed, doctors could carry out euthanasia legally. If one could die with dignity, then it could possibly help others face death. It would also help doctors if they knew of their patients intentions. The simple criticisms of euthanasia are as follows; some may argue that patients are incapable of making a rational decision, and may change their mind, but would be unable to tell the doctors this. People have also been known to recover after doctors have diagnosed them of having a terminal illness, and so euthanasia would be wasteful in this case. Some may believe that euthanasia devalues life, as it becomes disposable. It is argued that people would take life too lightly if euthanasia were legalised. We will write a custom essay sample on Euthanasia means good death. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Euthanasia means good death. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Euthanasia means good death. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer A lot of voluntary euthanasia cases tend to involve an elderly patient. There are complications in this situation, as old people may feel they are a nuisance to others, and may opt for euthanasia although their heart wants to continue living. This is a huge moral dilemma for friends and relatives, as they have to choose between their loved one suffering or being deprived of him or her. On the other end of the scale, elderly people who live on their own without any living friends or relatives may request to die through sheer loneliness. There could also be a lot of confusion from the patient involved. With the fast progress in medicine over the past century, there are now a lot more older people than there are younger ones. The elderly may, therefore, become confused and request euthanasia motivated from the fact that they miss their youth. A common question also raised in these cases, What is there to look forward to? The justification of the individual intending their own death is made on the grounds that life brings them no pleasure and death is preferable to the intolerable life that they would continue to live. Therefore, it is based on the expected results of the action. A lot of people would argue that choosing death is avoiding the natural course of ones life, however, this mainly applies to religious views and the idea that it goes against the will of God. Some people may say that the only circumstance where choosing death is in the least bit acceptable is when one chooses to keep his or her dignity, and is put to death because of that. It is the secondary result, but not the intended act of the individual. Pro-euthanasia associations form an argument for euthanasia by writing strict circumstances by which euthanasia should be carried out. This being that at least two doctors should diagnose the patient as having an incurable and terminal illness, and that the individual must give a written request for euthanasia at least thirty days beforehand. The Voluntary-euthanasia society (Exit) aims to bring about a change in law so that: An adult person suffering from a severe illness, for which no relief is known, should be entitled by law to the mercy of the painless death, if and only if, that is their expressed wish. Doctors should be allowed to help incurable patients to die peacefully at their own request. The patient must have signed, at least 30 days previously, a declaration making their request known. The issue of euthanasia creates an ethical division between two different types of moral argument, the natural law argument and the situation ethics argument. The Natural law argument against euthanasia is the idea that one is going against the natural cause of ones life. However, it could also be argued that because we naturally avoid death, do we naturally avoid pain as well? This conflicts with the situation ethics debate, which judges each situation on the unique circumstance. It argues the greatest amount of love for the greatest amount of people. A situationist would therefore carry through whatever love required in the situation; which may involve euthanasia, both voluntary and non-voluntary. It could be that love does not permit pain and suffering, but also that it is not loving to kill a person that family and friends will miss dearly. Friends and relatives may be going through anguish as the patient is dying, and may feel better knowing they had a quick and painless death. If euthanasia is the patients request, it may also be considered to be the greatest love that one could give them. On the other hand, friends and relatives may want the patient to live for as long as possible. They may also consider death to be a morally wrong action under any circumstances. Situation ethics therefore is well named, as the morally right action depends on the situation. The same applies to the principle of utilitarianism, of which situation ethics was adapted from. The principle of Utility states that the morally right action is the one that brings about the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people. In the case of euthanasia, the same debatable ways of seeing it as morally good or bad applies with utilitarianism as with situation ethics. However, utilitarianism is, in itself, divided between act utilitarians and rule utilitarians. Act utilitarians apply utilitarianism to everything, and so in this case the euthanasia debate would agree with the princ iples of situation ethics. Rule utilitarians tend to judge along the same lines as act utilitarians, but they believe that traditional moral rules should always take priority in a situation. They therefore would probably argue that euthanasia is wrong in all situations, as a traditional moral rule is not to take the life of another. As for utilitarianism in general, calculating the pleasure and the pain of euthanasia can prove to be difficult. This is due to the fact that it is not death itself that matters to many people, just the pain along the way. This is the key motive used to request euthanasia. When using the hedonic calculus, are we measuring the patients pain, or the friends and relatives pain? Which one outweighs the other? Can the two types of pain really be compared? Another complication is one of the general criticisms of utilitarianism, and that is that utilitarians have to have an interpretation of what is good and what is bad, which some argue is made by the conscience. The conscience itself may actually cause long-term guilt for family and friends. This would most likely be motivated from the fact that they have taken a life. The conscience may not have spoken out originally if the friends and relatives were wrapped up in the pain and suffering of their dying loved one in the first place. This does, however, entirely depend on the principles that operate within the conscience. The main debate of euthanasia is the different ideas of the value of life. Is quality better than quantity? Does the individual contribute to society? The opinions of questions such as this may shape an individuals ethical view of euthanasia. A religious analysis of euthanasia in general would start with the idea that death plays a highly important part in religious ethics. All faiths assume the idea that the understanding of death is vital in finding meaning to human life. They all offer explanations for death, and have rituals and services surrounding an individual dying. It is not therefore surprising that they all have strong views on euthanasia. Most religions (and branches of religions) oppose euthanasia; the Roman Catholic Church, for example, is one of the most active organisations in opposing euthanasia. This is due to the fact that most faiths have strict commandments involving a rule in which one shouldnt kill. Whether or not circumstances in euthanasia can justify this rule depends on the religion itself, although its followers in most religions will usually condemn the act to be wrong. Western religions tend to believe in one God, and according to religious scriptures, God has commanded that innocent beings should never be killed. This fits in with the idea that most religions believe that human life is sacred, as it was created by God, and is a gift from God. This refers to the Sanctity of Life, which tends to mean something along the lines of, God gave us life and so only God can take it away. Religious followers would therefore hold the idea that life must always be protected and looked after. The sanctity of life could, of course, be interpreted that we should not interfere with the ending of anyones life. This would rule out life-support machines being used to keep a patient alive. Christianity is a perfect example of the idea that life is a gift from God. They uphold the idea that man is made in the form of God, God made man in his own image (Genesis 1: 27). This makes human life appear to be even more sacred as it implies that man has an importance close to the greatness of God. This does not mean that we look like God, but there is a related likeness beyond the form that we appear as. In the case of euthanasia, it means that human life should be valued, and that Christians should live a life of love, as they believe God does, Whoever sheds the blood of man by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man (Genesis 9: 6). Christians also believe that God gave dominion over every living thing (Genesis 1: 28) which implies that Gods gifts, such as life, should be cherished and lived to the full. It also means that Christians have a duty to look after one another until death. Christians believe that it is Gods duty only to take life away: death is a spiritual process and it should not be interfered with. Some may argue that death and suffering is present as a result of the fall of man, and traditional moral rules should still be accounted for even in unbearable pain. Then there are quotes spoken by Jesus, such as the famous love your neighbour as you love yourself. This can be interpreted in many ways under circumstances such as a request to die from a relative. Is the correct care for an individual the care that serves their request? Is it more caring to let the patient die painlessly, with dignity, or more caring to extend life as much as possible? In the case of Christianity, I believe duties towards one another conflict with duties towards God. This is because duties to one another require respect for every living thing. With respect, comes respect of one anothers decisions. Of course, to accept one anothers decisions, theyd have to respect anothers rational decision to have their treatment stopped, or even their request to be actively killed. As I mentioned in the ethical analysis, it is up to the individual Christian to decide which is more important quality or quantity. If Christians generally interpret the idea of quality in life and that one anothers decisions must be respected, then it can conflict with early teachings that life is a gift from God. It could be the other way round; Christians may prefer quantity to quality, and believe strongly that life is a gift from God. If a request for an early death from a relative came about, then Jesus preaching of love your neighbour would probably be neglected. Christians also believe that no one can judge the value of an individuals life: it lies within Gods understanding and it is not for us to decide. Humanists, on the other hand, believe that the value of life lies in oneself. Thus, Christian beliefs need a compromise when it comes to euthanasia. Christians have especially set up hospices for the terminally ill. These are aiming to care for the patients individually, and prepare them for death. This is because in the past, the dying were deprived of the truth, and brave faces were put on by friends and relatives, pretending that everything was all right. Hospices, on the other hand, help everyone in the situation face death and not fear it. Through this, Christian duties to God and one another can be resolved and prevented from conflicting. Roman Catholocism is a branch of Christianity that strictly forbids euthanasia, Euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God, since it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a human person (Pope John Paul II: Evangelium Vitae, 1995). They believe that killing in any form is not permitted; and despite the idea that ending suffering could be considered to be a caring action, they believe that life in itself is valuable, even if there is immense pain and suffering. This means that death should be postponed until the last possible minute, and certainly not put to an end intentionally by any human being. Roman Catholics completely dismiss the idea of any person having a right to die. By supporting a right to freedom, they do not believe it goes to the extent of one being able to end their life or anyone elses. However, Roman Catholics do support the right to refuse aggressive medical treatment. This could be because they see passive euthanasia as an acceptance of death, as opposed to deliberately inducing death. As I mentioned earlier, death is considered to be a sacred occasion in all faiths, most of which believe that it is not the end of life. All Christians uphold this idea, including Catholics. Acceptance and awareness of death is therefore, of course, acceptable and even encouraged. True compassion leads to sharing anothers pain; it does not kill the person whose suffering we cannot bear (Pope John Paul II: Evangelium Vitae, 1995). Pope John Paul II states that sufferers should be cared for and we must face through it bravely, and share their pain. Muslims uphold the life is a gift from God argument. They believe that Allah has given us all the great gift of life, and that he only can choose how long each person will live, And no person can ever die except by Allahs leave and at an appointed term (Quran 3.145). They believe that no person has the right to interfere with the length of life, as it suggests that one knows better than Allah. Do not take life, which Allah made sacred, other than in the course of justice (Quran 17.33). The course of justice does not, Muslims argue, apply to euthanasia or suicide, Destroy not yourselves. Surely Allah is ever merciful to you (Quran 4.29). It applies to more complicated circumstances, for example, one person dying so that another can live (e.g. A mother is at risk from her pregnancy and so the foetus may be prematurely expelled). When their time comes they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward by a single hour (Quran 16.61). Quotes such as this complicate a Muslims view of euthanasia. Passive euthanasia, for example, may involve turning off a life-support machine that a friend or relative is attached to. Of course, this quote states that to delay the end of life is also morally wrong. This means that to keep the person alive on the life-support machine was wrong in the first place. This form of euthanasia may, therefore, be acceptable; that is if Muslims allowed their relative to be kept alive in the first place. However, it is argued that almost all of medical practice interferes with nature. (The Moral Maze, by David Cook). Jews have very similar beliefs to Muslims. This is because they believe that people should be grateful for the gift of life, and lives are not to be disposed of as we please. As with Christians, they believe that man is made in Gods image (as it is included in the Old Testament). They uphold the quantity over quality idea, suggesting that even a moment in life is equal in value to many years of human life, The value of human life is infinite and beyond measure, so that any part of life even if only an hour or a second is of precisely the same worth as seventy years of it, just as any fraction of infinity, being indivisible, remains infinite (Lord Jakobovits, former UK Chief Rabbi). They uphold this regardless of the pain and suffering a person might be going through, as they believe that this is not an excuse for killing them, The message of Judaism is that one must struggle until the last breath of life. Until the last moment, one has to live and rejoice and give thanks to the Creator (Dr. Rachamim Melamed-Cohen, Jewsweek, March, 2002). This is a very strict rule in Judaism, for example, if someone is a goses (someone who has started to die, and will d ie within seventy-two hours) it is wrong to do even the slightest thing that would make death come more quickly E.g. To open their eyes, or move a limb. Thus euthanasia is a huge moral violation according to Judaism. There is, however, a limit to the duty of keeping people alive. Jews believe that if someone is in incredible pain and terminally ill, then doctors shouldnt extend their life longer than necessary, Thou shalt not kill; but needst not strive officiously to keep alive, (Poet Arthur Hugh Clough). This is the natural idea. For example, if a life support machine is keeping someone alive it is morally acceptable to turn it off if it is likely that they will not pull through, and let death come naturally. It is also only merely pro-longing death, and not actually curing pain. This is as Muslims believe, but with more emphasis. Jews strictly forbid active euthanasia under any circumstances, even if the patient has requested it. A famous case of euthanasia in the Old Testament of the Bible is in 2 Samuel, when King Saul was seriously wounded after a battle. He ordered a young soldier to kill him, to save him being captured. The young solider did as he requested, and when King David heard of this, he had the man executed. The purpose of this was to show that euthanasia was simply a form of murder, and so the soldier paid the penalty for taking a life. This confirms that one of the Ten Commandments, Thou shalt not kill, rules out euthanasia, making it forbidden in Judaism. Alternatives that a patient could focus on if their request for euthanasia is refused include the hope that the medical cure for their illness is just around the corner. Although this hope is small, it is still hope, and could be enough to change his or her attitude. More care and affection towards patients could also hopefully reduce the amount of pleas for euthanasia. To conclude the religious view of euthanasia in the western faiths, they all value the sanctity of life, and although they feel that quality of life is important, quantity is just as valuable as life itself no matter how unbearable. It is also believed that only God has the power to take the life that he has given away, and that man has no business interfering with such matters. An exception could be seen in Christianity, as certain circumstances involving euthanasia can be seen as loving actions. I do not believe that myself or anyone else would state that euthanasia was morally right under all circumstances. I personally refuse to completely condemn euthanasia as a right or wrong action, and would treat any event in which a request for euthanasia is involved individually. Thus I will bring forth two moral ways of approaching it, through situation ethics, and through my personal conscience. Utilitarianism is also, I feel, a logical moral theory, but I do not think we can judge it through any hedonic calculus because euthanasia is such a delicate issue, and we must account for certain degrees of loving emotion. Putting the fact that euthanasia is illegal aside, I feel that situation ethics and our individual consciences should combine to decide which is the morally right action in the case of a request for euthanasia. General criticisms of these sorts of circumstances could also be eliminated; for example, a rational decision should be ensured from both the patient and his or her friends and relatives. These criticisms aside, providing the action will generate a greater love, and our consciences are speaking out and claiming this action is right, then euthanasia should be carried out. I would now like to bring a political view into the picture. Naturally, the British system as it is will not allocate for factors such as love and other general emotions, this is merely how I would handle an individual situation and how I would advise others to handle it. If euthanasia were to be legalised, strict rules would have be applied to circumstances in which death is actively induced in order to put one out of his or her pain and suffering. For example, in Holland, (where euthanasia is legal) a decision for euthanasia will be responded to thirty days afterwards, when a doctor will induce it. I believe that this system works, and also believe that non-biased professionals should judge the situation and decide whether or not a request for euthanasia should be granted. It would, therefore, still be judged upon the situation. It would then be up to friends and relatives to decide if they feel that it is the best thing to do in the situation. A lot of people do, of course, have objections to the legalisation of euthanasia. Mainly, it is because it is against their personal morals, which includes conflict with their religion. There is obviously no way of compromising all of these principles, other than simply saying that there is of course no obligation for them to go through with euthanasia themselves. I do personally think that they should accept this, but no one can demand them to do so. We must also consider the effects of the legalisation of euthanasia besides others disapproval. Because no one is able to predict the future, we can only guess the consequences of any action. Many people argue that life would be taken too light-heartedly if euthanasia were legalised; I personally do not think that this will happen, providing that the rules for which euthanasia can be carried out are strict. If I may, finally, quote Joseph Fletcher, Christian action should be tailored to fit objective circumstances, the situation. This sums up my argument completely, except that it should apply to everyone, and not just Christians. If the morally right action were judged upon the situation, rather than merely condemning particular actions without any consideration of the individual circumstances of a situation, then perhaps religious and non-religious people, moral and not-so-moral people would agree that euthanasia, under some circumstances, is morally right. On the same scale, people could decide when euthanasia is morally wrong in some situations.

Business-writing radio launched - Emphasis

Business-writing radio launched Business-writing radio launched Free podcasts offer expert help with writing reports, proposals, emails and more A new source of free help is at hand for anyone who has ever grappled with writing a make or break proposal or report, or wondered how best to handle sensitive customer correspondence. It comes in the shape of a series of podcasts that give expert advice on how to improve your business-writing skills. The podcasts, called Write On, offer help with everything from creating effective reports and proposals to writing speeches and emails. The high-quality programmes have been produced by leading business-writing trainers Emphasis and are presented by BBC radio presenter Clare McDonnell. They offer a wealth of practical tips and advice, as well as interviews with executives from major public and private-sector organisations about the latest thinking on business writing. They are just one of the many resources available on the Emphasis website that enable everyone to access business-writing advice, free of charge, in their own time. Companies can lose millions of pounds every year through poorly written proposals or badly worded customer service letters, explains Rob Ashton, Emphasis Chief Executive. But often people dont know how to improve their written work and may not want to admit publicly that they struggle with writers block or grammar, for instance. The beauty of the podcasts is that you acan listen to them in private, anywhere improving your writing skills even while travelling to work, for example. The podcasts are available to download here, where users can subscribe through iTunes or RSS feed to automatically receive each show as its released. They play equally well on an iPod or computer. Press enquiries For more information, please contact us 01273 738 888 or email us here. For information on training courses or to access free online resources, visit emphbootstrap.wpengine.com. Notes for editors Emphasis Training Ltd are the UKs leading business-writing trainers, providing bespoke courses for a huge range of private and public sector organisations, both in the UK and internationally. Since 1998, they have helped thousands of people in government departments, law firms, blue-chip companies, universities and charities to produce first-class business writing. With headquarters in Brighton, East Sussex, Emphasis have a dedicated team of experienced, specialist trainers who run bespoke courses on-site for organisations across the UK. They also run open courses for smaller groups or individuals throughout the year in London.

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin - Essay Example His stepmother gave birth to seven children, three in Ecton and four after they had immigrated to Boston. However, after the demise of his mother, his polygamous father married a second wife, Abiah Folger, who bore ten children, bringing the total number of siblings to seventeen. This was at a time when America was a colony of Great Britain. As a result of the abject poverty that had ravaged the British colonies during this time, and bearing in mind the many siblings in the family, Benjamin attended Boston Latin school, a clergy school for a couple of years and was forced to end his studies prematurely due to lack of money. Contrary to this, his passion for acquisition of more knowledge, like all his brothers, grew by the day due to interest in books and the zeal for writing. Though his father had been against it from the start, he finally gave way after realizing his son’s undying enthusiasm for writing and the expense of college education, (Woodworth, 1). He finally took him to a school for writing and arithmetic where he really excelled in the former. Realizing he could not further his sons education, his father absorbed him into his tallow-chandler business newly acquired profession in New England. This sharpened his guidance skills especially when they went to forays with the boys in the sea. His zeal for reading grew by the day. All little money he got was spent on books with some of his first collections being John Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress and R. Burton's Historical Collections.(Woodworth, 3) The inception of a printing business by his brother James on his return to England further exposed him to a variety of books. He was made his apprentice and through this, he made many acquaintances like Mathew Adams, a resourceful businessperson, who exposed him to variety of books in his library collections, majorly poetry. His writing skills improved immensely for example when he wrote his first poetry of The Lighthouse Tragedy .This was further enhanced by acquisition of the book, Spectator and the inception of his brothers first newspaper, New England Courant, which he secretly contributed to under the disguise of Mrs. Silence Do-good. These articles attracted a lot of publicity in town and he eventually broke ties with his brother after he discovered the popular correspondent was his brother (Woodworth, 3) His journey to Philadelphia saw him work in different printing shops where he nurtured the idea of starting his own printing firm. With support from Sir William Keith, the then Pennsylvania governor, to travel to London to acquire printing gear, he would later establish the notion as unworthy of consideration (Woodworth, 21). However, he made several acquaintances like Charles Osborne, Joseph Watson, and James Ralph, all lovers of reading (Woodworth, 69). With the absence of forthcoming prospects, Ben went back to Philadelphia and established, together with other aspirants and tradesmen, a group called Junto with the noble inte ntion of bettering their community. This was done through excellent ideas that led to building of the library company of Philadelphia (Woodworth, 188). The pooling of enough resources from the junta group saw him begin his life of political lobbyism. Together with his trusted associate, Hugh Meredith, they established their first printing house in Pennsylvania. This led to the publication of their first newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette. Through his diligence and unremitting obsession for freedom

Exam Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Exam Questions - Essay Example Line managers maintain the arduous role of ensuring that employees are achieving performance targets, focusing on proper planning, scheduling and generic supervision to ensure compliance to corporate policies. However, when line managers take on the role of providing HR assistance, they become much more psychologically involved with employees to improve their dedication and motivation. Consider an organisation with a structured production system governed by traditional line management. In the role of HR provider, the line manager goes beyond the work schedule and efficiency measurement, becoming a strategic partner with the human resources division to create value rather than merely productivity. Research in human resources identifies that employee empowerment is one of the most fundamental methods of gaining their commitment and motivation. Empowerment strategies give employees more flexibility in taking active roles in corporate decision-making, thus giving employees a perception o f control and prestige within the organisation. According to Yusoff (2008) when employees are granted more authority, it becomes easier in the long-run to ensure discipline and control. Line managers have the most frequent contact with employees and thus act as the intermediary for team development. Line management has more intimate knowledge of employees’ attitudes, lifestyle preferences and skills capabilities than that of the HR manager due to their close proximity in the production (or non-production) environments. This gives line managers a unique ability to utilise many different HR theories to ensure that they become more like coaches or mentors than simply authoritative line managers to assist in developing employees’ core competencies. For instance, in a production environment, there is a constant demand for change. Change comes in the form of new technology implementation or systems process restructuring in order to meet cost or strategic-based performance or output goals. The line manager acting as an HR facilitator can become more active in training provision, giving employees hands-on tacit knowledge that can be transferred for better organisational learning and knowledge exchange. According to Bambacas and Bordia (2009, p.225) when training is provided that is perceived as being non-transferrable to another business, it becomes too costly for the employee to leave in pursuit of different employment. Traditionally, the HR manager handles the process of developing and implementing training packages. However, when involving the line manager, the management team can provide a distinctly different element to ensuring employees have the knowledge and skills to accept and embrace changes in the work environment. Line managers hold intimate knowledge of the systems that drive organisational productivity and can thus take this self-contained, tacit knowledge and disseminate it directly through concrete and applied training; something not ach ievable with the HR manager who is not personally familiar with operational systems. The line manager empowers employees, establishing a sense of group belonging in the team, constantly reinforcing that uniqueness of the training packages to gain a psychological advantage over employees. By using both line