Ptlls Level 3 - 11404 Words

ASSESSMENT 1 a. Explain what your actual or perceived role, responsibilities and boundaries are as a teacher in terms of the teaching cycle. Why are these necessary? b. Identify the legislative requirements and codes of practice that directly impact on your teaching. c. Identify the legislative requirements and codes of practice that directly impact on your learning environment. ANSWERS 1.1. †¢ Explain what your actual or perceived role, responsibilities and boundaries are as a teacher in terms of the teaching/training cycle. I intend to continue to be a trainer in management and in the security sector. The role, responsibilities and boundaries of a trainer are ever changing and†¦show more content†¦Overall, this information would help me to plan my content and delivery strategies. These have some advantages: i. Understanding the learners learning styles can make my course to be engaging. Flemming (1987) noted three different styles of learning; visual, kinaesthetic and aural. In order to know which method(s) to use to benefit my students the first lesson on my course will centre around discussions on what they already know, the resources they are familiar with, and a learning style questionnaire which will provide me with information on preferred learning styles. Effectiveness can also be enhanced if I adapt my teaching style to give maximum benefit to learners. ii. Another important factor I must consider when identifying the needs of my learners is their learning process. A commonly used theory of learning process is that of Kolb (1984) who describes four different stages of the learning process as; Concrete experience, observation and reflection, abstract conceptualisation, and active experimentation. This theory particularly gained insight into the fact that greater understanding is achieved by learners when different and appropriate means are deployed to teach the same concept.Show MoreRelatedPtlls Level 3 Assignment1452 Words   |  6 PagesAssignment 2. Write a concise summary (approximately 1’200 words) to demonstrate your understanding of your role and responsibilities as a teacher in relation to: ï‚ § Your responsibilities and those of others who have an effect on your work. ï‚ § Legislation – how might it impact on your area and context of teaching. ï‚ § Equality, diversity and inclusion – in what ways can you integrate these principles into your teaching. ï‚ § Internal and external assessment requirements- what requirementsRead MoreEssay on reflection697 Words   |  3 PagesLevel 3 Award in Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector ( PTLLS )(6302) REFLECTING LEARNING JOURNAL UNIT 001 The purpose of this essay is to reflect upon an aspect on my role and responsabilities as a teacher in lifelong learning ,responsability for maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment (PTLLS 6302/LD Academy /Barchester/page 4 }For the purpose of reflection the essay shall be written in the first person.I decided to use John’s(Read MoreImproving Own Practice (Dtlls)856 Words   |  4 PagesDTLLS Module 2 Task 3 Improving Own Practice Sharon Baker In order to improve our own practice as a teacher, lesson planner and a professional in a teaching organisation working with others, it is important that we take account of feedback from various sources and evaluate our own performance on a regular basis. As Wilson, suggests: ‘recognition that your performance can be improved is accepting that whatever does (or does not) happen in the classroom is in the hands of the teacher’ (2009Read MorePTLLS Overview1077 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS) at Level 4. Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS) at Level 4 Total credit value (at Level 4) 12 Total GLH 4 x units (each @ 12 GLHs) = 48 Units being run and assessed: Group Unit title Level Credit value GLH A Roles and responsibilities and relationships in lifelong learning 4 3 12 Learning outcomes: The learner will Assessment Criteria: The learner can 1. Understand own role and responsibilities in lifelong learningRead MoreEducation and Lifelong Learning1329 Words   |  6 PagesCity and Guilds 6302 Award in Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector Unit 001 Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning Assessment Task 1 By Contents Task 1 Assignment Page 3 References Page 7 1. Understand own role and responsibilities in the lifelong learning. (1.1) Having been requested to produce a brief on my roles in teaching and professional values whist teaching in this role. I have to deal with variety of personnelRead MorePTLLS Unit 012 Principles of Assessment in Lifelong Learning1266 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ PTLLS Unit 012 Principles of Assessment in Lifelong Learning Produce 1 Written Rationale of 1000 words for all areas of research in 1 to 3. 1.1 Analyse how types of assessment are used in lifelong learning: â€Å"Assessments should be a regular process; it might not always be formalised, but you should be observing what your learners are doing, asking questions and reviewing their progress throughout their time with you†.   Gravells A. Page 113.   Assessments are used to track notRead MorePtlls Unit 0013426 Words   |  14 Pagesrequirements and codes of practice relevant to your own context Teaching in the lifelong learning sector If you are reading this book we expect that you are preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector and may well be interested in gaining the PTLLS Award. So what does this lifelong learning sector look like? It is a sector that covers all publicly funded post-16 education outside universities; this takes place in a wide range of institutions including Further Education (FE) colleges, adultRead MoreDFA7130 Teaching, Learning and Assessment. Essay2888 Words   |  12 Pagesembedding language, literacy, numeracy (and where relevant) ICT skills in the learning sessions. †¢ How you are using assessment to support learning and encourage learners to progress according to potential. Section 3 †¢ References Glossary of terms PTLLS Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector AVA Assessing Vocational Achievement ICT Information, Communication, Technology SOW Scheme of Work SP Session Plan CG City and Guilds Read MoreA Brief Note On Numeracy And Maths Specialists3358 Words   |  14 Pagesothers will use it as an example. Due to the passion I have for teaching, I had always sought opportunity to enrol to a course like this but have never found one. I came across PGCE Numeracy and Maths Specialists in December 2014 when I was taking the PTLLS course. I have studied maths and maths related courses throughout my studies, but did not understand the essence until when I worked with people who had no maths or numeracy background, then I realised how hard it was for them solving basic problemsRead MoreDiscrimination and Single Equality Scheme804 Words   |  4 PagesAppendix 1 Forms Form 2 Assessment front sheet and feedback record PTLLS Level 3 / 4 Theory/Practical T2: Summarise the key aspects of current legislative requirements Assessment No: and code of practice relevant to your subject and the type of organisation within which you would like to work. [pic] Candidate name S A Malik[pic] Enrolment number [pic] Date issued [pic] Date submitted

Little Albert Free Essays

Assignment One – Mini Lit Review. The Little Albert Study. Not everyone believes that biology is our destiny. We will write a custom essay sample on Little Albert or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many scientists whole-heartedly believe it is our experiences in life that count. They believe that it is our up-bringing, education, and our environment that form our behaviour, beliefs and characteristics. Chief among scientists in this field of thought is psychologist John Watson. Watson developed a theory that we are not restricted to our genetic make-up, but instead we arrive into the world as a blank slate and all our information is learned. There is continuous dispute over this theory with the nature nurture debate strongly in play (McLeod, 2007). On the nature side of the debate, it is believed that individual’s differences are determined by their unique genetic make-up. They argue that all other characteristics that develop later in life are caused by maturation (McLeod, 2007). The other side is nurture which John Watson strongly supports. This side says that we come into the world as a blank slate and through experiences our slate is gradually filled (McLeod, 2007). To support the theory that environment is more powerful than genetics, Watson designed an experiment on an infant commonly known as the Little Albert experiment. This experiment focused on Ivan Pavlov’s process of classical conditioning. Watson believed and wanted to prove that all human psychology can be explained by this process (McLeod, 2008). The other studies that I will be comparing the Little Albert experiment to will be â€Å"Elevated fear conditioning to socially relevant unconditioned stimuli in Social Anxiety Disorder† (Lissek, Levson, Biggs, et all, 2008) and the study of Pavlov’s dogs (Pavlov, 1928). These studies will enable me to make a justified evaluation of the Little Albert study by making comparisons to these two other studies. The Little Albert experiment was conducted by John Watson and Rosalie Rayner in 1920. They chose nine month old Baby Albert for the study because Albert had been reared almost from birth in Harriet Lane home for Invalid Children where his mother was a wet nurse. Albert was deemed extremely stable and well developed which determined his suitability for the experiment (McLeod, 2007). The focus of their study was to continue on from Pavlov’s experiment involving the classical conditioning of dogs, and determine whether this empirical evidence was also evident in humans (Watson, 1924). More specifically, they were focusing on conditioned emotional responses. In determining these aspects they conducted a series of different tests involving a variation of stimulus. Before the experiment commenced, they gave Albert a sequence of baseline tests to determine his initial fear responses to stimuli. They presented him with burning paper, a monkey, a dog, cotton wool, a fur coat (seal), various masks and a white rat. During the baseline, Albert showed no initial fear to these items. Throughout the study these items (fluffy white objects) served as the independent variables. The dependant variable was whether or not Albert cried or showed distress. During the study Albert was positioned on a mattress on a table. Albert was presented with a white rat and just as he reached out to touch it, a metal bar was struck with a hammer behind him. Albert jumped and fell forward, burring his head into the mattress, but did not cry. After these two stimuli were paired on several occasions, Albert was presented with only the white rat. As the rat appeared in front of him he became distressed and turned away, puckered his lips, began to cry and crawled away (Watson, 1924). From this, it became obvious that Albert’s fear had been conditioned. Albert had associated the white rat with a loud noise producing fear, thus having conditioned fear of the white rat. The experiment showed that Little Albert generalized his response from furry animals to anything furry. Albert showed the same reactions as the initial experiment when Watson presented him with a furry dog, seal-skin coat and even a Santa-Claus mask (Watson, 1924). The way in which Albert’s responses were measured was through the amount of distress to the stimuli he presented. The Little Albert study is a highly popular study especially across the field of Psychology. Although the study has provided valuable knowledge and understanding of learned behaviours and the development of phobias, it’s procedures considering ethics are questionable. The fact that Albert was only nine months old deems this study unethical. Albert’s mother was obviously desperate for money to support her son, so the bribe of money probably out-weighted the possible harm caused to her son. Albert’s mother probably wasn’t entirely aware of the potential risks involved. Albert’s fear was supposed to be extinguished at the end of the experiment, but he moved away. Other ethical codes that have been violated in this study are that of the distress that it caused. Little Albert was never desensitized from the conditioning undergone meaning that because he had a conditioned fear of white furry objects, he would forever be terrified of white furry objects (Watson, 1924). In today’s code of ethics, the welfare of the participant/s is the most important factor and under no circumstances should this protection be hindered, unless the participant has given consent to be put under this distress. It is also now deemed unethical to purposely cause distress to a participant in laboratory circumstances (Weiten, 2008). These unethical procedures could have been corrected quite simply. In the study of fear conditioning in people with social anxiety disorder, they conducted what called an extinction process where the participants were desensitized from any fear conditioning that took part throughout the experiment (Lissek, Levson, Biggs, et al, 2008). This experiment is clearly ethical as it was only conducted in 2008 and would have had to have been passed by the ethics board in order to be conducted. The Little Albert study is a valid study; however it was not measured effectively. The way in which Little Albert’s fear was measured was just whether or not he cried or showed distress. The way in which they measured this could have been improved in order to get more valid and reliable results. In this case, the studies operational definition was not valid. The Little Albert study could have used apparatus in order to get more valid results. For example, they could have measured Albert’s fear by assessing his skin conductivity. This would have measured Albert’s distress through measuring the arousals in his skin i. e. weat. They also could have used the blink-startle response measurement as used in â€Å"Elevated fear conditioning to socially relevant unconditioned stimuli in Social Anxiety Disorder† (Lissek, Levson, Biggs, et al, 2008). This method measures how much the participant blinks when presented with a stimuli. If the participant is startled (scared) by something, they will blink a lot more than if they are not startled. The re liability of the Little Albert study is not strong. If the same study was conducted today, the same results would not be found. Little Albert’s responses to the stimuli that he was presented with could have been a result of his general fear of animals, not that he conditioned a fear of white fluffy objects. Most people would agree with me when I say that if you were a nine month old baby and an animal was jumping up at your face, you would be scared and would become distressed. Being a nine month old baby, Albert also could have just been tired, bored, and hungry or just missed his Mother. None of these factors were accounted for during the trials. If the same study was conducted today, it would become extremely obvious that times have changed and so too should the design of the study. The reliability of the experiment is hindered by the fact that the method of measurement is simply observation and there is no concrete evidence being analysed. For example if they were to measure brain activity or use the blink-startle reaction measurement, these results would be a lot more concrete and therefore the study would be classed a lot more reliable. In comparison, the 1928 study of Pavlov’s dogs (Pavlov, 1928) is a lot more reliable even though it is only a few years newer than the Little Albert study. If Pavlov’s experiment was replicated today, very similar if not the same results would be found. The fact that Pavlov used concrete methods of measuring his data deemed his study a lot more reliable. If he was to measure the amount that the dogs salivate by just observing them, it would not be as valid. To conclude, through the evaluation of the Little Albert study and comparison to â€Å"â€Å"Elevated fear conditioning to socially relevant unconditioned stimuli in Social Anxiety Disorder† (Lissek, Levson, Biggs, et al, 2008) and Pavlov’s dogs (Pavlov, 1928) it has come to my attention that the Little Albert study does not comply to today’s code of ethics, the reliability is not strong and could be improved on however it is a valid study, but the operational definition could be improved. I feel that the contributions to knowledge of conditioned fear are valuable to society and has proved useful in various situations and other studies. Future studies on this topic would prove extremely valuable to society and our understanding on fear conditioning. References McLeod, S. A. (2007). Simply Psychology; Nature Nurture in Psychology. Retrieved 3 April 2012, from http://www. simplypsychology. org/naturevsnurture. html McLeod, S. A. (2007). Simply Psychology; Pavlov. Retrieved 3 April 2012, from http://www. implypsychology. org/pavlov. html McLeod, S. A. (2008). Simply Psychology; Classical Conditioning. Retrieved 3 April 2012, from http://www. simplypsychology. org/classical-conditioning. html Pavlov, I. P. (1928). Lectures On Conditioned Reflexes. (Translated by W. H. Gantt) London: Allen and Unwin. Watson, J. B. Rayner, R. (1920). Conditioned emotional reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 3, 1, pp. 1–14. Weiten, W. (2011). Psychology: Themes and Variatio ns. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. How to cite Little Albert, Papers

Ethics in the Workplace free essay sample

Ethics in the Workplace Classical and Contemporary Ethical Philosophies Ethical philosophies served as guide for people in the workplace to make moral decisions in conducting business. There are classical normative ethical philosophies as well as contemporary ethical philosophies being used. They have been applied in the different levels or dimensions of the business organizations. People do know that there are business organizations that have disregarded ethical standards and encounters ethical issues inside their company. There are times that ethical standards or norms have to be set aside to achieve something worthwhile for the company. Lately, businesses recognize the importance of ethics to help establish the integrity of the company. The ends justify the means is the common thinking in business but in terms of ethics what is considered morally right is the one that counts. Classical normative ethical philosophies include relativism, pragmatism, behaviorism and positivism. Relativism as a philosophical doctrine pertains to the denial of ethical absolutes. In recent years, managers and workers have expressed concerns about how ethics in the workplace apply to the goals of an organization and the work of the employees. The Ethics Resource Center (www.ethics.org) assist leaders to impact their organization by identifying ethical risks and establishing systems to emphasize higher standards for business conduct. According to Joshua Joseph (2000), of the Ethics Resource Center, â€Å"in order for managers to develop a positive workplace ethics they must provide written ethics standards, ethics training, altering reward system, and make sure ethical resources are available to employees†. In this paper the writer will discuss how ethics in the workplace applies to the goals of an organizational and the work of the employees. How do Workplace Ethics Apply to the Goals of an Organization and the Work of Employees? Ethics in the workplace are viewed in the business world as an attempt to communicate its expectations and standards of ethical behavior in the workplace. In recent years, managers and workers have expressed concerns about how ethics in the workplace apply to the goals of an organization and the work of the employees. The Ethics Resource Center (www.ethics.org) assist leaders to impact their organization by identifying ethical risks and establishing systems to emphasize higher standards for business conduct. According to Joshua Joseph (2000), of the Ethics Resource Center, â€Å"in order for managers to develop a positive workplace ethics they must provide written ethics standards, ethics training, altering reward system, and make sure ethical resources are available to employees†. In this paper the writer will discuss how ethics in the workplace applies to the goals of an organizational and the work of the employees. Let’s Answer the Questions According to the Ethics Resource Center’s 2000 National Business Ethics Survey (2000 NBES), managers consistently link ethics programs to more positive organizations outcomes and increased employee satisfaction. A well developed and organized ethic program tells employees that your organization is moving in a positive direction. Ethical business practices are essential for growth, increased employee productivity, and reliable investment in a business. Ethics plays an important role in the success of an organization. Davis’ (1975) study found the following: Business managers in most organizations commonly strive to encourage ethical practices not only to ensure moral conduct, but also to gain whatever business advantage there may be in having potential consumers and employees regard the company as ethical. (p19). Ethics in the Workplace Ethics in the workplace starts at the top with management. If managers are committed to excellence and can communicate this organization will be ethical. If management chooses to mistreat and cheat employees, they can expect that to be reflected back to them and to their customers. Successful workplace ethics policies must begin with the person who signs the pay check. According to Shaughnessy (2002), â€Å"workplace ethics guidelines generally lend a moral backbone to the firm’s policies, as well as detailing the sort of professional atmosphere the company hopes to foster† (p.20). Take for example ERON and Martha Steward; both showed how ethics was not used in anyway and their action painted a realistic picture of what can happen when ethics are neglected. Establishing An Ethics Program Every organization must deal with ethics. An ethical culture is essential for optimal productivity. After all, research shows that effective ethics training lowers the rates of misconduct within an organization (Lang, 2006). In order to create an ethic program, a manager must determine goals and objectives for the program. Goals are the essential part to any training session and have critical implications. With an ethics program in place, managers can increase productivity and improve morale by establishing an ethical culture within the organization. To establish an effective program a manager must do the following: †¢Establish a code of conduct that reduces risk of criminal behavior †¢Detect wrongdoing, foster quick investigations, minimize consequences †¢Demonstrate company’s ethical/legal philosophy during an investigation †¢Reduce fines if company is found guilty of wrongdoing †¢Enhance company reputation and stature Importance of Ethics in the Workplace In todays society, ethics plays an important role in the workplace. Ethics is vital to creating the company culture of an organization. An organization uses ethics to decide how it wants to do business and how its reputation is viewed from an outsiders perspective. Good ethical practices can prevent these things from happening. While at work there are certain guidelines that should be followed to make sure that everyone feels comfortable. Ethics are followed in everyday life situations outside of work so it is normal to conduct rules within the workplace too. Good ethics in the workplace can often be the result of the personal ethics of the individual employee. An employee’s concern for their work or those they help can carry a multitude of results based on how they handle the situation (Milliage, 2005: p 14). Tips for Managing Ethics in the Workplace The primary requirement for managing ethics in the workplace is an understanding that workplace ethics is a continuous and on-going process deep-rooted to management practices, and not a deliverable defined project. It influences the way the organization functions, and remains independent of profits or product range. According to Compton (2007), â€Å"professional values and ethics are backbone of any organization and how they treat it determines their standing and reputation in any given environment† (p. 13). Listed below is a list of Compton’s (2007) guidelines for managing ethics in the workplace: 1.Communicate the companys ethics policy clearly to the employees. †¢Posting it around the office and distributing it to employees is great, but you should have regular meetings in which everyone spends some time discussing ethics. 2.Make it easy for employees to seek guidance when they need help making a decision. †¢Employees may not always be sure what the ethical solution is. †¢Its the companys responsibility to provide the resources that they need to make the right decision. †¢Someone should be available at all times with which employees can discuss these issues. 3.Create an atmosphere in which employees can trust their supervisors and know they can report violators of the ethics policy. †¢Supervisors should keep employees who report violators anonymous and not make them face penalty. †¢ Employees shouldnt feel like its their responsibility to report violations. 4.Set an example. †¢Supervisors cannot expect employees to respect them if they dont follow the rules that they set. †¢ Employees will respect their supervisors more and will likely follow their example. Ethics in the workplace plays a very important role on how success of organization goal and the work of the employees. Proper planning is important, but the effectiveness of any association’s approach also depends on characteristics that are unique to its culture, the leadership style of the executive director and executive team. Discussion of workplace ethics can raise sensitive issues, so managers have to have the proper tools in place to handle these issues.

Thoughts Before Dying Essay Example For Students

Thoughts Before Dying Essay Hunter Creed, a man of 24, looks out at the horizon ahead of him. He thinks of his life: his past, the present, and his future. He doesnt feel any shame for what he has become, he actually feels a little tinge of satisfaction. But he cant justify his actions, and that is what he focuses his thoughts on now. As he sits on top of the rock, his brown hair blowing from the force of gusts of wind, a paradox of thoughts races through his mind. He remembers a past where he was happy. He remembers the love he felt from the people around him, the various ways they encouraged him throughout his life to be a good man. He remembers how he left them behind for a future that he thought was brighter than the one they offered. Hunter now realizes how wrong he is, and sadness starts to well up inside of him. He knows that he is troubled. We will write a custom essay on Thoughts Before Dying specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Getting up from the rock, he stands straight and tall. Rubbing his unshaven face, he knows what he is going to do. Looking out at the horizon, he whispers sorry, not directed at anyone in particular, then jumps into the void below. His broad, firm body, soars through the air and hits the water beneath. In his last glimpse of life, he relishes the feeling of purity.

Understanding Different Types of Colleges

Understanding Different Types of Colleges Colleges and universities in the United State can be divided into two categories: four-year colleges and two-year colleges. Within those categories, there are a variety of subdivisions and distinctions between schools. The following article explains the differences between types of colleges to help you make the best decision when considering your higher education options.   Key Takeaways Colleges and universities can be divided into two-year institutions and four-year institutions.Four-year institutions include public and private colleges and universities as well as liberal arts colleges.Two-year institutions include community colleges, trade schools, and for-profit universities.Other institutional distinctions include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, women’s colleges, and Tribal Colleges and Universities.   Four-Year Colleges A four-year college is an institution of higher learning that provides programs of study that take approximately four academic years to complete. Students that complete these programs earn bachelor’s degrees. Four-year colleges are the most common institutions of higher education in the United States. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), undergraduate enrollment in four-year colleges is 65 percent, nearly 11 million students. These institutions often include strong student communities, complete with sports teams and extracurricular activities, students clubs and organizations, student body leadership, on-campus housing opportunities, Greek life, and more.  Harvard University, University of Michigan, Carroll College, and Bates College are all examples of four-year institutions, though they are all different types of colleges.   Public vs. Private Public colleges and universities are owned and operated by the state board of education within the state where the college is located. Funding for public institutions comes from state and federal taxes, as well as student tuition and fees, and private donors. Boise State University and the University of California are examples of public universities. Private institutions are owned and operated by individuals or organizations and do not receive federal or state funding. Private institutions often receive funding from alumni and corporate and individual donations. Though private institutions are not operated by the state in which they are located, they must still meet state and federal criteria in order to be accredited academic institutions. Yale University and Notre Dame University are examples of private universities. College vs. University   Traditionally, a college was a small, often private institution that only offered undergraduate programs, while universities were larger institutions that offered undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. Since these two terms have been commonly used to describe four-year institutions- and many small colleges began offering graduate and doctoral degree programs- the terms college and university are now completely interchangeable.  Ã‚   Liberal Arts Colleges Liberal arts colleges are four-year institutions that focus on the liberal arts: humanities, social and physical sciences, and mathematics. Liberal arts colleges are often small, private institutions with higher tuition rates and lower student-to-teacher ratios. Students at liberal arts colleges are encouraged to engage in interdisciplinary academia. Swarthmore College and Middlebury College are examples of liberal arts colleges.   Two-Year Colleges Two-year colleges provide lower-level higher education, commonly known as continuing education. Students that complete programs at two-year institutions can receive certifications or associates degrees. Hudson County Community College, Fox Valley Technical College, and the University of Phoenix are different examples of two-year institutions. Approximately 35 percent of undergraduates are enrolled in two-year institutions, according to the NCES. Many students choose to enroll in two-year institutions to obtain associate’s (or two-year) degrees before attending a bigger, often more expensive four-year institution to obtain a bachelor’s degree.  This cuts down on the cost of general education requirements, making college more achievable for many students. Other undergraduates enroll in two-year programs because they provide job-specific training and a direct pathway to a career.  Ã‚   Community Colleges Sometimes called junior college, community colleges offer higher education opportunities within communities. These courses are often geared toward working professionals, with classes offered outside of regular working hours. Students often use community colleges to gain job-specific certifications or as affordable stepping stones for completing bachelor’s degrees. Western Wyoming Community College and Odessa College are examples of community or junior colleges.   Trade Schools Also called vocational schools or technical colleges, trade schools provide technical skills for specific careers. Students that complete trade school programs can move directly into the workforce with ease. Students at trade schools often become dental hygienists, electricians, plumbers, computer technicians, and more. North Central Kansas Technical College and the State Technical College of Missouri are both examples of trade schools. For-Profit Schools For-profit colleges are educational institutions that are privately owned and operated. They run like a business, selling education as the product. For-profit schools can provide bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as technical education, though these programs are often offered online or via distance learning. According to the NCES, enrollment in for-profit institutions has increased by 109 percent since 2000, though that number has been declining since the financial crisis in 2007.   Other Types of Colleges Schools either fall into the two or four-year college categories, but there are a variety of other distinctions between colleges that make the campuses stand out. Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historically Black College and Universities, or HBCUs, are educational institutions founded before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the goal of providing higher education to African-American students. There are 101 HBCUs in the United States, both private and public. HBCUs admit students of all ethnicities. Howard University and Morehouse College are examples of HBCUs. Women’s Colleges Women’s colleges are education institutions founded to provide single-sex education for women; these institutions only admit female students. Traditionally, women’s colleges prepared women for assigned societal roles, such as teaching, but they evolved into degree-granting academic institutions after World War II. There are 38 women’s colleges in the United States. Bryn Mawr College and Wesleyan College are examples of women’s colleges. Tribal Colleges and Universities Tribal Colleges and Universities are accredited educational institutions that provide undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees as well as vocational training to both Native and non-Native students with curricula designed to pass on tribal history and culture. These institutions are operated by Native American tribes and are located on or near reservations. There are 32 accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities operating in the United States.  Oglala Lakota College and Sitting Bull College are examples of tribal colleges. Sources   Fain, Paul. â€Å"Enrollment Slide Continues, at Slower Rate .†Ã‚  Inside Higher Ed  , 20 Dec. 2017.â€Å"More Than 76 Million Students Enrolled in U.S. Schools.†Ã‚  Census.gov, U.S. Census Bureau, 11 Dec. 2018.â€Å"Undergraduate Enrollment .†Ã‚  The Condition of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, May 2019.

Take Nothing for Granted

Take Nothing for Granted Take Nothing for Granted Take Nothing for Granted By Mark Nichol Just when you think you know everything, you’re reminded that subtlety and nuance are part of even the most mundane information. It’s been said that facts are inconvenient things, but they’re especially vexing for writers, because there are facts, and then there’s what really happened. I just read today that a fellow named Gustave Whitehead preceded the Wright brothers in heavier-than-air flight by more than two years and stayed aloft longer and at a higher altitude than Orville Wright in his inaugural flight. That’s the conclusion of Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft, the world’s most authoritative resource about aviation, which claims that Whitehead’s flight, and subsequent efforts preceding the 1903 launch of the Wright Flyer, have precedence. However, Whitehead’s claim is still in dispute, and most aviation authorities credit the Wrights, although their achievement is often qualified by references, for example, to â€Å"controlled, powered, and sustained flight in a heavier-than-air aircraft.† (They are also credited with being the first aviators to develop sophisticated flying instruments.) So, what is one to do when one seeks to write, perhaps merely in passing, about the dawn of flight? It is irresponsible, of course, to say that the Wright brothers invented the airplane, and neither did Whitehead. Nor were they, or he, the first to fly: The achievement of the Wright brothers was preceded by glider flights and powered but uncontrolled flights. Lighter-than-air manned (balloon) flight was first accomplished in 1783 dirigible (steerable) flight occurred the next year and historical accounts exist of working hang-glider-like contraptions built and tested (usually with disastrous results) hundreds of years ago. How, precisely, one qualifies such milestones depends on context and on the sophistication of the audience; a history of aviation directed at children will differ in its references from a technical treatise. But it’s the in between that counts for most writers: A newspaper or magazine article, or a trade book, that mentions the advent of manned flight must concisely acknowledge that the Wright brothers were aviation pioneers but do not deserve unqualified credit for priority. You may never have the occasion to mention flight in your writing other than a passing reference to the mode of travel to your recent vacation destination, but this lesson is scalable to any topic: Unequivocal claims of priority are hazardous to one’s credibility. Take care that such discussions are backed up by documentation and accurately expressed. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Has vs. HadWhenever vs. When EverHyphenation in Compound Nouns

WK5-Critque Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

WK5-Critque - Essay Example Most of these articrafts were collected and donated by the curator and founder, Dr. David Pilgrim. The Jim Crow museum also owns a website link that serves as a valuable educational resource for research scholars at national as well as international levels. The website is very simple in layout and design. With a bold title description at the top, the format of the articles presents a clear and readable font size with a number of pictorial illustrations. There is no link, advertisement or content pasted on both sides of the article to avoid reader’s distraction. However, one has to move back to the main menu page for navigating to another article or resource. The information is well structured with bullets, numbering and headings for clarity. One of the most notable merits of the presented information is the acknowledgement of the sources in-text as well as at the end of the articles. The sources used are mostly from the scholarly journals and accredited books supporting the au thenticity of the information. Apart from several merits, the update information is not mentioned anywhere for the website or individual resources. The sources for the incorporated images are also not mentioned that makes it difficult for research scholars to track unbiased opinion. However, undoubtedly, the website is serving as a good learning and teaching resource.

Week 9 discussion paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Week 9 discussion paper - Essay Example iations to negotiate with management for worker rights is a time-honored and legal right in the U.S., however in other countries unionism is frowned upon due to its monopolistic wage effects – when unions push up wages, product prices rise and in effect reduce the real incomes of nonunion workers (Pencavel, 1997). From a cultural viewpoint, Asian countries such as Japan expect workers to espouse filial piety and loyalty towards their companies which in return employ them for life. Therefore, the U.S. multinational company which chooses to operate in other countries where unionism is not welcome will be forced to change its human resources policies when operating in these areas; however, this may cause a double standard in HR policies which may give the impression that the company is discriminating among workers based on race. I would expect that different organizations deal differently with such challenges, depending upon the nature of the business (if it allows for a adjustments for diversity) and the culture or country the firm is trying to penetrate or is setting up business in. The organization therefore derives an entry into the culture by conforming to local differences, although from an organization-wide point of view it appears to be applying a double standard. In other aspects, however, particularly in matters where the quality of the product or service is severely affected, the firm may choose to impose the same standards it practices in its own country. For instance, the policy of not employing child labor practices in the home country may be enforced among the firm’s suppliers and subcontractors in other countries who, because it is commonplace in that country, may be employing children in sweat shops (Bellettini, et al., 2005; Anderson, et al., 2010). One problem that is exacerbated and even exploited by business is the graft and corruption prevalent in many developing countries. It is sad to note that while graft and corruption appears to be

Bhopal Essay Example for Free

Bhopal Essay

My Personal Strengths and Weaknesses Essay -- Personal Narrative Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that life is a learning experience and being able to recognize our own strengths and weaknesses can help us become better individuals in anything we choose to do, whether it is positive abilities and skills that can help achieve our goals or negative personal areas that need improvement. Knowing yourself and what you can do, can help you recognize and overcome your weaknesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of my greatest strengths at work that I have recognized would have to be my ability to be a well-organized individual. I tend to write what I have to do down on paper and prioritize what is more important to least important. In doing this, it helps me organize and accomplish my work and meet deadlines that are important. A personal strength that I have at home is patience. I am a mother of a beautiful three year old little girl who is a handful. Patience is my greatest strength as a parent and individual which I possess especially being a single mother. I am a dedicated and hard working mother and I always make sure that my daughter gets the love and attention she needs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In my Learning team, my personal strength is having good people skills. I meet and get involved with new people everyday whether it be work or school related. I enjoy speaking, listening and giving input to my team members so that they are aware that they can count on me to participate as a team player in our Learning Team. Good people skills are very important in a group setting because of all the di... My Personal Strengths and Weaknesses Essay -- Personal Narrative Essays   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that life is a learning experience and being able to recognize our own strengths and weaknesses can help us become better individuals in anything we choose to do, whether it is positive abilities and skills that can help achieve our goals or negative personal areas that need improvement. Knowing yourself and what you can do, can help you recognize and overcome your weaknesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of my greatest strengths at work that I have recognized would have to be my ability to be a well-organized individual. I tend to write what I have to do down on paper and prioritize what is more important to least important. In doing this, it helps me organize and accomplish my work and meet deadlines that are important. A personal strength that I have at home is patience. I am a mother of a beautiful three year old little girl who is a handful. Patience is my greatest strength as a parent and individual which I possess especially being a single mother. I am a dedicated and hard working mother and I always make sure that my daughter gets the love and attention she needs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In my Learning team, my personal strength is having good people skills. I meet and get involved with new people everyday whether it be work or school related. I enjoy speaking, listening and giving input to my team members so that they are aware that they can count on me to participate as a team player in our Learning Team. Good people skills are very important in a group setting because of all the di...

Banco Compartamos Case Study

Social innovation and enterprise is one way of eradicating poverty and illiteracy in society. The model that an enterprise takes determines their social impact in the long run. While some organizations maintain their social values over time, others abandon or diminish those values and venture into more financially profitable activities (Yunus 205). The paper addresses how the micro-finance business model used by Compartamos Bank compares with the village bank model of Grameen Bank. Microfinance in this sense refers to the supply of small loans, insurance, savings, and basic financial services to poor people, who are often unable to access such in conventional banking institutions. It looks at the shift of Compartamos Bank to a commercial bank, impacts of the shift to its initial mandate, and the effectiveness of both models in poverty alleviation. When the need for profit making and scaling competes with the need to alleviate poverty, the social motive often diminishes. Sustainabilit y of any social enterprise lies in maintaining its initial social values. Commercialization drives capitalism, which is often incompatible with social good. Making profound and lasting impacts on poverty alleviation requires consistency in social orientation.Comparison of Microfinance ModelsCompartamos Bank is a commercial microfinance while Grameen Bank is a village bank. The main difference between the two models is their funding methods. As a village bank, Grameen is primarily funded through local funds from community saving deposits, while Compartamos is funded as traditional commercial banks, engaging in IPO as one way of fundraising. Both models aim at reducing poverty, reaching scale, and financial sustainability though by applying different approaches. In place of collateral required by traditional banks, Grameen Bank uses voluntary formed small groups of five people for mutual and morally binding guarantees (Volkmann, Kim and Kati 253).The banking system is based on account ability, participation, mutual trust and creativity, a complete reverse from requirements of conventional banking. Village banking offers women equal access to financial aid, as they have been recognized as very enterprising. Operations of Grameen Bank are executed by bicycle bankers in various community branch units (Fotabong).Group members meet weekly for collection of the repayments and are accountable for each other. Compartamos Bank as a commercial bank offers loans, insurance and savings to its clientele. It operates as a conventional bank targeting the poor. It is for-profit organization that charges higher rates and opened up to public and private investors in a bid to scale up its profitability and financial sustainability. Compartamos started as a not-for profit organization and its shift to a commercial enterprise has been received with mixed reactions. The major concern of the shift is not in the high interest rates charged but on the importance placed on profitability m ore than social good. With all the profits and scaling the people who benefit most from such a set up are the already rich investors at the expense of poor borrowers.Evolution of CompartamosFounded in 1990 as a non-government organization, Compartamos aimed to eradicate poverty by giving credit to small businesses, especially poor women. It was initially supported by international donors and philanthropists to serve indigenous people in the poorest parts of Mexico. The company turned into a for-profit organization in 2000 in order to increase their funding (Carrick-Cagna and Santos 4). The company began accessing capital markets in 2002 raising millions of bonds over the next years. It slowly involved private investors and further obtained a commercial banking license in 2006 to enable them offer more services to its clients such as savings and insurance.The need to scale made the company raise hundreds of millions from a successful initial public offering (IPO), earning huge return s from private and public sectors without using any additional capital according to Carrick-Cagna and Santos. The profits allowed Compartamos to achieve financial self-sufficiency, no longer relying on donor aid. Thirty percent of the company was given to private investors and in essence the founders, with their visionary social goals have no complete control over the organization. The commercialization of Compartamos may seem to emphasize profit making over social good. Currently it offers microcredit services such as loans, insurance, and savings to low income earners and is among the largest and most profitable microfinance institutions in Latin America (MFI Solutions, LLC, USA and La Colmena  Milenaria, A. C., Mà ©xico 13).Investors in the bank make enormous profits, which is a good thing for any organization but for a microfinance dedicated to improving lives of the poor, it is seen as a problem. The extent to which Compartamos benefits the already-rich private investors far outweigh the benefits accrued to poor borrowers. It charges up to 100 percent interest rates per year to borrowers. In the perspective of fundamental values of microfinance, the actions of Compartamos are not pro-poor.Social ValuesIn the social enterprising context, the stand of Compartamos Bank is controversial. While to others it is a pro-poor initiative, others see a shift in its operation no different from conventional banks which are often anti-poor, anti-illiterate and anti-women according toYunus. Inequalities between the rich and the poor are a question of access to financial credit. Compartamos allegedly charges very high interest rates to its borrowers, who struggle to the rate while investors highly profit. Most of the poor people are also illiterate and few understand the idea of interest rates. What most borrowers focus on is how much they have to repay weekly but calculated in real sense, the interest rates are much higher than those of common commercial banks. The re sult is confining the poor in a never-ending cycle of poverty where they borrow more to service their credits.Implications for Increased CommercializationCompartamos IPO was a huge success in financial markets but majority of the shares went to hedge fund managers and commercial investors rather than the socially-responsible investment entity. According to MFI Solutions and La Colmena Milenaria, the lending capacity of the Bank increased after the IPO, though the interest rates charged went higher and higher with time. The bank has more than doubled its reach to clients in need of financial services in Mexico. In order to cater for the expansion and operating costs, the bank charges interests above the normal commercial Mexican rate.It has however continued to expand and retain many of its clients. It is a major concern to microfinance, on the appropriate balance between the goal of providing access to financial services to the poor and profitability and sustainability of microfinan ce institutions. The shift of microfinance from  social investors to commercial investors is a threat to social enterprises aimed at alleviating poverty. The IPO has sent a message that social service and profitability go together.It is a message that will definitely attract more private investors into microfinance. Compartamos IPO does not exclusively have implications on the company but to the entire microfinance entity. As a non-profit organization started off by grants, the implication is that society may have a different view of social enterprises. Some would question ethical, moral, and social values of such establishments.The Future of MicrofinancePlayers in the sector are uncertain about the future of microfinance, especially with the move of Compartamos to commercialize its operations. Commercialization of microfinance is seen as an opportunity to expand access of the poor to financial services. The high profit margins will attract more investment into microfinance, there by availing more money to extend to people to help them out of poverty. Additionally, it is felt that if other microfinance players shift to commercialization, the profit maximizing behavior will further take advantage of the poor. This would worsen the existing gap between the rich and the poor, profiting the rich and sending the poor into more poverty.Initiatives of the past two decades to make businesses socially responsible will also have been a waste. Communities and socially-responsible investors may shy away from initiatives aimed at addressing serious social issues. Microfinance faces a danger of turning into how well investors are doing of how profitable microfinance institutions are instead of actively focusing on ending poverty. In conclusion, those who founded formal microfinance intended it for the social good, but when more people got involved, the objectives and intentions of social enterprises shifted. The best model that is well adapted to create wealth for the poor is Grameen’s village model. With commercialization it becomes difficult to determine where microcredit ends and loan sharking ends.Involvement of private investors, whose main aim is often profit making would make social enterprises in microfinance serve more the interests of investors at a disadvantage of poor clients. It would turn microfinance from an area where non-profits and donors effect beneficial social and economic change into a haven for profit-maximizing investors. We  are living in a capitalist society where the need to satisfy personal interest overrides social good. In view of microfinance and addressing poverty, it is better to operate on the traditional approach of such initiatives other than commercializing it.

Josef Mengele †the Angel of Death Essay

After the war many Nazi doctors were tried at Nuremberg, for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Yet the man who became the most infamous Nazi doctor — although Hitler himself may never heard of him — fled to South America and escaped prosecution. He was never caught and convicted, though he lived for decades thereafter. Mengele, called ‘Uncle’ by the countless children he subjected to gruesome experiments and unthinkable torture, and known as the â€Å"Angel of Death† in the concentration camps, was responsible for the torture and deaths of 400,000 people, and the torment of thousands more. The most important thing to note about Mengele is that he was not an isolated example of an evil maniac gone berserk. He was simply part of a system and a much wider network of Nazi doctors. His work may have been different from those of the other doctors only in quantitative terms not qualitative terms. Today, the Auschwitz experiments of Josef Mengele remain the most egregious example of the collaboration of unscrupulous researchers with equally unscrupulous senior scientists and prestigious scientific institutions – which is a phenomenon that could be happening on a wide scale in our own times, especially in matters of drug trials of giant pharmaceutical corporations. In 1947, the world learned of what is now the most infamous scandal in medical research: medical experiments conducted by Nazi doctors. Nazi doctors performed a variety of extremely disturbing experiments on prisoners in concentration camps. Some experiments were designed to further the war effort. For example, to study gunshot wounds, Nazi doctors shot inmates and examined their wounds. To study diseases such as typhus, Nazi doctors intentionally infected inmates with disease. To study human capacity to withstand exposure to cold, Nazi doctors stripped inmates and exposed them to icy water or blizzards. However, the majority of experiments had less to do with winning the war and more to do with promoting or substantiating Nazi ideology. Doctors were interested in sterilizing undesirables, â€Å"curing† homosexuality, and establishing anthropological differences between races. To find an effective means of mass sterilization, Nazi doctors injected hundreds of women with a caustic substance in the hope of obstructing their fallopian tubes, and inflicted severe burns and infections on both male and female prisoners by exposing them to high doses of radiation. To â€Å"cure† homosexuality, Nazi doctors injected hormones into inmates suspected of being homosexual. To catalog physical differences in race, Nazi doctors killed a number of prisoners, stripped the flesh off their bones, and saved their skeletons for an anthropological museum. Dr. Mengele is among the best known SS physicians at Auschwitz, and was responsible along with other SS doctors for â€Å"selections† and medical experiments that used prisoners as guinea pigs. Mengele could never have thought of himself as a monstrous psychopath, though, but only as a â€Å"biomedical scientist† participating in a broad program of racial research. During the Holocaust Mengele and many other Nazi physicians used thousands of camp inmates, especially those with disabilities and â€Å"deformities† as subjects for their biomedical racial â€Å"research. â€Å" Born in the Swabian section of Bavaria in 1911 into an upper middle-class family, Mengele eventually earned two doctorates. The first doctorate was in physical anthropology at Munich under Theodor Mollison in 1935 and the second was in medicine at Frankfurt under Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer in 1938. He received his license to practice medicine in late 1937 but apparently did not pursue certification in a specialty. Instead, he opted for research. As a student of anthropology, he had studied under the leading exponents of the â€Å"life unworthy of living† theory and it greatly influenced his thinking and behavior. The notion that some lives were not worth living was rapidly becoming academically acceptable. His two dissertation supervisors were eugenicists, and his dissertations in anthropology at Munich and in medicine at Frankfurt both dealt with research in racial hygiene. After finishing his second doctorate, Mengele continued his research in Verschuer’s Frankfurt Institute for Hereditary Biology and Race Hygiene. As principal investigator, Verschuer supervised the research of numerous assistants under a variety of DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – German Research Foundation) research grants. Verschuer’s 1938 report to the DFG on this sponsored research, focusing on the genetic study of twins and families, lists the work and publications of his assistant Mengele. Although Mengele did not join the Nazi party until 1938, he belonged to the brown-shirt storm troopers, the SA, during 1933-34 and in 1938 joined the SS. As an SS member, he was drafted during the war into the Waffen SS instead of the Wehrmacht, advancing by 1943 to the rank of captain (Hauptstrumfuhrer). He served as an SS physician to the Eastern front until he was wounded and therefore posted to the concentration camp death head units in the rear. He functioned during 1943-1944 as one of the SS physicians at the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. In his new post, Mengele performed the usual duties of a concentration camp SS physician as well as the special Auschwitz assignment of directing selections for the gas chamber. In addition, Auschwitz opened up unlimited opportunities for the ambitious researcher. Research subjects were available in large numbers, and the restraints of medical ethics did not apply. Further, Mengele could compel highly skilled inmate physicians to design and conduct research, perform tests and autopsies, and produce research papers, without the need to share credit with them. It is therefore not surprising that Mengele used Auschwitz as a research laboratory. Otmar von Verschuer, Mengele’s mentor who was himself a protege of Eugen Fischer, had left Frankfurt for Berlin in 1942 to succeed Fischer as director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Anthropology. Mengele had worked at the institute during SS assignments to Berlin and thus continued to contribute to Verschuer’s research projects (Cefrey 62). When Mengele went to Auschwitz, Vershuer realized the potential of this posting, and as principal investigator, he carried Mengele’s Auschwitz experiments on his DFG grants. Therefore, Mengele’s experiments — that often necessitated the killing of children, thousands of them (especially twins) — were part of the official program and in pursuing his shockingly macabre â€Å"research† he was only following the broad lines of Nazi research agenda. Driven by the desire to advance his medical career by scientific publications, Dr Mengele began to conduct all kinds of utterly atrocious medical experiments on living Jews, children, twins, disabled people, and all those who fell into the Nazi category of ‘Untermenschen’ – all of whom he took from the barracks of the concentration camp at Auschwitz, or ‘selected’ right away on their arrival, and brought to his hospital block. Mengele used the pretext of medical treatment to kill thousands upon thousands of prisoners, personally administering the horrific torture procedures, for example as by injecting them with phenol, petrol, chloroform, or by ordering SS medical orderlies to do so. From the moment of his arrival at Auschwitz, Mengele joined the other SS officers and SS doctors, among them Dr Clauberg and Dr Kremer, in the ‘selection’ of Jews reaching the Auschwitz railway junction from all over Europe. With a movement of the hand or the wave of a stick, he indicated as ‘unfit for work’, and thus destined for immediate death in the gas chambers, all children, old people, sick, crippled and weak Jews, and all pregnant women. Between May 1943 and November 1944 Mengele conducted, also along with Dr. Heinz Thilo, scores of such selections. Mengele was especially on the lookout for twins and other promising research subjects (Lifton 165). He also took an equally decisive part in several selections in the camp infirmary, pointing out for death by shooting, injection or gassing those Jews whose strength had been sapped by starvation, force labor, untreated illness or ill-treatment by the guards. On May 26, 1943, only two days after he arrived at Aushwitz, Mengele committed his first mass murder. There was a typhoid epidemic in the barracks of over a thousand Gypsies who had been brought to the camp two months earlier. For Dr Mengele, typhoid was not an illness to be cured, but one to be eliminated; that day, all the Gypsies were dragged out of their barracks and driven to the gas chambers. Against their names in the camp register were put the letters ‘SB’ – ‘Sondebehandlung’, Special Treatment. This was just a sign of much worse things to come. In perpetrating a host of such ghastly â€Å"medical and scientific experiments,† Mengele was of course being an independent member of a larger cohort of wanton butchers. These Nazi doctors most brazenly forsook their Hippocratic Oath and armed themselves with scalpels, forceps, and needles in inflicting immeasurable pain and torture on hundreds of thousands of innocent people, a significant portion of them being children. Mengele regularly mailed the results of his research on twins to the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. There scientists analyzed the samples of blood obtained before death and the organs obtained after dissection. It was a systematic, organized and purposeful enterprise. Though few of these doctors collected scientifically valid data and many of the experiments were expressions of pure pathological sadism, the Nazi doctors justified their acts of torture and inhumanity as attempts to improve German medicine and advance science. Mengele himself, through his research on twins, dreamed of being able to genetically engineer a flawless race. The ultimate goal was to produce an ideal race of Aryan men and women endowed with only the finest genetic traits, who would rapidly multiply and rule the world. (Lagnado, Dekel 61) Of the approximately 350 doctors who are estimated to have committed medical crimes, only about 20 doctors and 3 assistants were brought to justice in Nuremberg (Spitz 50). Some others were tried, and sentenced to in American military trials at Dachau. Still many doctors escaped, including one who would become the most infamous of them all, Dr. Josef Mengele. Human experimentation neither arose with the Nazis, nor ended with them; however, the history of human experimentation in the West is usually divided into two eras: before the Nazis and after. Mengele is by no means such a grotesque aberration as he may appear to be at first. Nazi doctors perpetrated some of the most horrendous actions during the Third Reich, but the shadows of Auschwitz and Nuremberg are long. Though Mengele escaped scot-free, we at least know about his evil deeds; there may be many others of his ilk alive today and even working in collaboration with reputed organizations whose work we may never even come to know. Works Cited Cefrey, Holly. â€Å"Doctor Josef Mengele: The Angel of Death† New York : The Rosen Publishing Group, 2001 Lagnado, Lucette Matalon; Dekel, Sheila Cohn. â€Å"Children of the Flames: Dr. Josef Mengele and the Untold Story of the Twins of Auschwitz. † New York : Penguin Books, 1992 Lifton, Robert Jay. â€Å"The Nazi Doctors: Medical Killing and the Psychology of Genocide† New

The inherent anarchy of the international system is largely to blame for the onset of war. The WritePass Journal

The inherent anarchy of the international system is largely to blame for the onset of war. Introduction The inherent anarchy of the international system is largely to blame for the onset of war. Introduction Whilst studying any discipline focusing on the international system, it is essential to try to comprehend its complexity. As will be seen in this essay, numerous authors such as Thucydides, Hobbes, Grotius and Waltz, in order to understand the international environment, worked significantly on the correlation between the nature of the international system and the onset of war. The notion of anarchy is crucial in International Relations and international security studies, and is therefore taken into consideration by all main theories. However it is Realist theory and its various sub-branches that are most reliant on the assumption of an anarchical international environment. This sense of anarchy is, Realists assume, inherent in a system in which the highest authority is the state, with no overarching power, or ‘Leviathan’, to impose order and restraint as the state does on its domestic society. In such an environment states are bound only by coercion or consent (See Bull, 2002). However, as is suggested in the title of this essay an anarchical system is not believed to be the only cause of war. Therefore this essay will present an overview of key Realist thinkers in an effort to identify factors other than anarchy that may lead to conflict. These factors will then be applied to existing theoretical frameworks before the conclusion attempts to determine the true role played by international anarchy in the onset of war. In order to assess the effect of the inherent anarchy of the international system on the onset of war, it is essential to first establish the effective importance and impact of anarchy on the onset of a hostile, pre-conflict, situation, both in theory and in practice; this will highlight the fact that anarchy is a facilitator more than a cause of the onset of war; and finally determine if there are other factors which can take part in the outbreak of war. Hans Morgenthau, widely regarded as the individual most responsible for constructing the realist school, claims that realists â€Å"†¦believe that the world, imperfect as it is from the rational point of view, is the result of forces inherent in human nature.† (Morgenthau, 1993 p.3) A sub-theory of Realism, that of Classical Realism, develops this pessimistic view of International Relations as a resulting from the negative qualities of human nature. States, being the creation of men, are assumed to inherit the flaws of human nature. Once the selfishness of man is applied to an anarchical environment, Classical Realists argue, conflict is often the result   (Morgenthau, 2006, p.590). Indeed, as Kenneth Waltz summarises: According to the first image of international relations, the focus of the important causes of war is found in the nature and behaviour of man. Wars result from selfishness, from misdirected aggressive impulses, from stupidity. Other causes are secondary and have to be interpreted in the light of these factors. (Viotti Kauppi, 1998 p.131) For Classical Realists, men are susceptible to the impulses of greed, mistrust and envy, which lead them to an inevitable social Darwinian struggle for survival. They stress on the fact that there is continuity in world politics, a continual struggle for power, devoid of morality. In concordance with Machiavellis The Prince, it aims at seeing the world â€Å"as it is† and not â€Å"as we would like it to be†. One of the primary figures of Realist thinking is Thomas Hobbes, who posited the view that before the creation of states, men were living in a state of nature, where no set of rules or principles prevented them from acting as they. This state of nature shaped men and their own inherent qualities, which for Hobbes was â€Å"competition, diffidence and glory† (Hobbes, 1985, p.183-188). For Hobbes, if there is not some overarching sovereign entity, some Leviathan (Ibid, 1985), to coerce human nature, men will inevitably resort to conflict (Abizadeh, 2011, p.298). Realists apply these characteristics to states and to the international system. The international system exists in a state of nature, anarchical in the sense that there is no set of rules that can prevent the states from acting immorally or simply attacking each other; There is no overarching international authority (Waltz, 1992, p.105). Moreover, according to Hobbes, states have the same interests, which put them in dir ect competition. They seek at the minimum self-preservation, but will also try to acquire advantages (in terms of territory, trade etc.) in order to dominate other states and increase there own secure. Indeed, in his interpretation of Morgenthau’s work, Kenneth Waltz makes this point exactly: Morgenthau recognized that given competition for scarce goods with no one to serve as arbiter, a struggle for power would ensue among the competitors, and that consequently the struggle for power can be explained without reference to the evil born in men. The struggle for power arises because people want things and not necessarily because of the evil in their desires. (Waltz, 1992, p.34-35) Therefore, in this state of anarchy, states serve their own interests and try to acquire power to assure their survival. Power is usually defined as the combination of different elements improving the state’s capacity or perceived capacity: military, economic, diplomatic, etc. Realists usually deem coercive power to be the most important (Nye Jr and Welch, 2001, p.38-41). Because of the state of anarchy, states can rely only on themselves and what they perceive, and if they perceive threat, it can lead to war. War in this environment is merely the consequence of the fear generated by anarchy. Waltz argues that states are just trying to survive, whilst not being able to discern other states intentions, and for these systemic-structural reasons, they can be drawn into conflicts. Waltz’s view is in turn supported by Hobbes’ notion of fear of destruction by rivals; this fear leads to what Hobbes calls â€Å"anticipation† (Hobbes, 1985 pp.183-188), or in modern parlance the attraction of launching preemptive or preventative attacks on rival polities. This systemic pressure is well illustrated by the basic game theoretical model the Prisoner’s Dilemma, wherein it is in both parties’ interest to adopt and offensive posture. In the prisoner’s dilemma, if say two prisoners are arrested for committing a crime and are being held in different cells for questioning, a clever prosecutor may make them offers in order to encourage them to confess. He may tell them that if one of them confesses to committing the crime, then he will be pardoned if the accomplice chooses to remain silent and not confess. However if both of them confess, then they will both be convicted of the crime with early parole. If they both choose to be silent and not confess then the prosecutor will opt to settle for token sentences on the committed crime. Both of the prisoners care much about their personal freedom than that of their accomplices. The dilemm a here is that regardless of the decision made by the other prisoner, each of them is better confessing than remaining silent. However, if they both choose to confess then the outcome will be worse than if they choose to remain silent. The prisoner’s dilemma is used to illustrate the conflict between individual and group rationality. Groups where the members pursue rational self-interest may end up with worse results than those with members acting contrary to the rational self-interest. This situation can lead to a security dilemma, which ultimately might lead to war. A security dilemma occurs when a state arms to protect itself from other states, thus making the other states feel threatened (as they cannot know the arming state is only attempting to protect itself, not to attack its neighbours) and therefore arm themselves, resulting in an arms race and increased chance of war (Viotti and Kauppi, 1999, p.68). An excellent example of the paranoid nature of man and its effect on the international state system is the period leading up to the First World War. Wilhelm’s inferiority complex and love hate relationship with his uncle (Edward VII) and England led him to start constructing a large modern naval fleet that England perceived as a mortal threat to her vital interests. This forced England to patch its relationship with France and Russia in order to form an alliance against the Germans. The paranoid inferiority complex of the German state resulted in friction with France over colonial possessions and with the United Kingdom over naval supremacy. The subsequent actions of these states perfectly reflect the theories outlined above. All three sought to alter the balance of power in their favour through the construction of opposing alliance structures and through large scale military build up. The war that resulted began in a geopolitical area, the Balkans, which was not a part of the UK’s, Germany’s, or France’s core interests, however the anticipatory nature of their military build up made war inevitable. Furthermore, the ridiculous alliances they had forged with states/groups on the region divided Europe into two camps by 1914 with both camps pushing for balance of power in their favour. These alliances facilitated a sense of duty to protect each other and escalated the animosity between different European states. The Balkan war only acted as a trigger that the alliances needed to engage each other in war. Moreover, some Realists also have a more cynical vision of states and do not explain their misbehaviour only by diffidence due to a lack of information. Indeed, even if states are equal actors on the international scene, they do not have the same capabilities, and because of the anarchical environment, there is nothing to stop the most powerful from being aggressive towards less powerful states. Hans Morgenthau sees this aggressive behaviour from the states as a consequence of mans nature, which is in his opinion a urge to dominate others, an â€Å"aggressive animus dominandi† (Abizadeh, 2011, p.298). War is often assumed to be the consequence of the Hobbesian state of nature, anarchy. It would be therefore simply violence arising from the lack of law and order. This analysis of the realist vision and the role of anarchy shows that anarchy does not seem to be the only factor generating war. Indeed, it actually seems to be facilitating the onset of war rather than really generating it. This can be easily demonstrated by the fact that the international system as described Huntington (2011) is always being anarchical, but war is not omnipresent. There are periods of relative peace, or at least of absence of war between states. This observation leads to the assumption that other factors must be generating the onset of war. Hobbes himself agreed on the fact that human nature was partly to blame for war, but in his opinion not because of rational fear but rather because of his â€Å"intrinsic desire for glory† (Abizadeh, 2011, p.313). Indeed, without a Leviathan, men and therefore states, will resort in violence as they do not chose to regulate themselves. This pessimistic vision of human nature is dismissed by another theory, liberalism, which finds other factors leading to war. Liberals generally believe that humans are good natured. Liberalism emphasises the rule of law and omnipotent principles such as individualism, freedom from authority, equality and freedom for social action (Fukuyama, 1992, p.42). Liberals agree with Realists on the fact that there is a security competition between states that can transform into war, but war can be avoided through economic cooperation, as this cooperation creates interdependence between states. It is then in states (economic) interest to have good relations. Neo-liberals go even further by promoting the use of international institutions to help states cooperate and trust each other (Viotti and Kauppi, 1999, p.209). Economical cooperation is not the only element highlighted by liberals to avoid war. Indeed, the â€Å"democratic peace†, hegemony and the balance of power are three situations conducive of peace in an anarchical environment. The democratic peace theory points to the fact that democratic states do n ot engage in war between one another. Nevertheless, if democratic states do not have fight each other, it does not mean that they cannot be involved in war. The recent intervention of France in Mali for example, shows that democracies can chose to participate in a conflict. As stated in the hegemonic stability theory, relative peace can also be reached with a hegemon, which is an international actor encompassing more power than the other states, and therefore who sets the international agenda and determines the order of the international system. Finally, a balance of power between two states assure stability, as the equal distribution of power between states ensure that none will take the risk of attacking another. Nevertheless this situation is quite fragile due to the natural competitiveness of states, intensified by the state of anarchy. Furthermore, the international system is not as anarchical as described by realists. There is a complex set of rules aimed at constraining warfare. These rules do not work perfectly and it is true that states obey them by choice more than by obligation, nevertheless, they have a real impact and do restrain the behaviour of states at war (Anderson and Gifford Jr, 2004). For instance, in 2001 during the Gulf war the Coalition forces limited their conventional land operations to the territory of Kuwait and did not pursue defeated Iraqi forces into Iraq, which would have involved a breach of their international mandate (Nye Jr and Welch, 2011, p.206-208). Idealists join the liberalists on the point of view that war can be avoided by means of cooperation. As Kenneth Thomas (1994 p.79) notes: Idealists deny that the inclination toward power is a persistent reality. Rather, they describe it as an archaism carried over from an ancient past. In the post-Enlightenment era, reason and science are transforming human nature and thereby the possibility of war and strife. Moreover, communication and cultural relations are drawing men ever closer. Another important theory, constructivism, highlights some aspects that Hobbes suggested and have been neglected by realists. Indeed, Hobbes thought that ideological disagreement was an important factor in causing war. Constructivists like Wendt took this idea further as they put forward the idea that the different actors in the international system are socially constituted by ideas and the meanings actors attach to events. A good illustration of the importance of the actors perception of events for the onset of war is the United States invasion of Afghanistan after the terrorist attacks occurring the 9/11 2001 (Abizadeh, 2011, p.298). Other examples can be found with the invasion of Poland by Germany in 1939, the American conduct of the Vietnam War (1959-1975) (Viotti and Kauppi, 1999, p.56). Moreover, some authors like Huntington (2011) explain conflict recurrence by the presence in the international system of fundamental antagonisms between different cultural groupings. This vision suggests that men are not only different in their nature but also socially and culturally differentiated. Moreover, these differences are seen by Huntington as being too important to be surpassed and therefore pushes each human grouping to fight for the supremacy of their beliefs. The world may also be moving towards new types of resource wars in which powerful countries use their military power to acquire resources from other countries. With the continued growth of human population and dwindling of natural resources there will be more conflicts with countries fighting for resources. For instance US invasion of Iraq was partially motivated by the desire to control its oil. The search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq only acted as an excuse for the invasion. When taking into account all the different elements identified by the theorists cited above and the examples of actual events that occurred in the international system, it is possible to determine that in a state of anarchy, some states will desire mutual cooperation when others will desire to exploit cooperation with others. With so many different actors, any analysis of anarchy and its level of influence on the onset of war require unrealistic assumptions regarding actors interests, knowledge of their situations and will (Vanderschraaf, 2006, p.243). Even if there is no international Leviathan per se, it seems that the inherent state of anarchy of the international system is not the main factor of the onset of war, but rather that it makes the situation more suitable for war. It seems that the onset of war is most likely caused by human nature itself. Nevertheless, men are complex creatures, both ill natured and good natured, which mean that they try to fight their own ill nature by creating rules and trying to install order in the general anarchy. As Locke highlighted, men in a state of nature can end up either at war, at peace, or in an intermediate state (Ibid, 2006, p.248). This will to avoid the onset of war is well illustrated by the creation of the United Nations and the fact that almost all the states joined voluntarily. Moreover, another example is the creation of the European Union, which would have been unthinkable after the First World War. The European Union facilitates trade and political cooperation between the European states, which insure durable peace between them. Whilst Realism could counter that the project is purely conducted for the individual selfish reasons of the member states the fact remains that such international cooperation is unprecedented. This appears to represent, whilst not an elimination, at least a softening of man’s selfish instinct. Nevertheless, because of the state of anarchy and the nature of men, even such a union encounters difficulti es, as states still are reluctant to cooperate. Indeed, cooperation to this extend is seen by some states as a loss in sovereignty. In conclusion, the Realist inspired anarchical international system is not in fact largely to blame for the onset of war, rather it is the primary facilitator for man’s paranoid nature as manifested in states. Human nature, when applied to an anarchic environment, or a state of nature, resorts to the basic principles of Darwinism, centered on survival. This is what pushes states to compete against each other and is what eventually leads to war. The fact that war is not a constant shows that this competition can take other forms, such as diplomatic or economic competition, but all revolve around the need for power and the protection this is perceived to provide. Man’s attempts to at least partially negate the inherent anarchy of the international system through the creation of intergovernmental organisations such as the UN and EU indicates an attempt to control the main facilitator of war, whilst providing institutionalized means of survival. Such attempts are perfectly in keeping with the Classical Realist notions outlined in this essay, but it does indicate an attempt to move away from zero-sum competition to that of positive gain. It remains to be seen whether the increased inter-reliance of states in the era of globalization will serve to erode the role of the state as the main representation of human nature in International Relations. Bibliography Abizadah, Arash (2011, May) Hobbes on the Causes of War: A Disagreement Theory McGill University Press Vol. 105 No.2 pp.298-315 Bain, William (2000) Deconfusing Morgenthau: Moral Inquiry and Classical Realism Reconsidered Review of International Studies 26, 445-464 Barkin, Samuel J (2006) Realist Constructivism Appendix A. Morgenthau, Hans. Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace Mcgraw-Hill/Irwill Brown, Chris (2009) Structural Realism, Classical Realism and Human Nature International Relations, 23 (2). Bull, Hedley (2002) The Anarchical Society, Palgrave Macmillan edition, (third edition) Carr, E. H (1939) The Twenty Years Crisis Macmillan and co Ltd Clark, Ian and Neuman, Iver B (1996) Classical Theories of International Relations St Martin’s Press Hobbes, Thomas (1985) Leviathan Penguin classics Hollis, Martin and Smith, Steve (1991) Explaining and Understanding International Relations Clarendon Press; New Ed edition Jones, Charles (1998) E.H. Carr and International Relations: A Duty to Lie Cambridge University Press Kokaz, Nancy (2001) Moderating power: a Thucydidean perspective Review of International Studies 27, 27-49 Lessnoff, Michael (1986)   Social Contract: Issues in Political Theory Macmillan Education LTD Machiavelli, Niccolo (2003) The Prince trans. Bull, George.   Longman; 1 edition Morgenthau, Hans (1993) Politics Among Nations McGraw Hill, Boston MA Shaw, Martin (1994) Global Society and International Relations Polity Press Rothstein, Robert L (1992) The Evolution of Theory in International Relations University of South Carolina Press    Samuel, P. Huntington (2011) The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, Simon and Schuster Sylvest, Casper (2008) John H. Herz and the Resurrection of Classical Realism International Relations 22:441 Thompson, Kenneth W (1994) Fathers of International Thought: The Legacy of Political Theory Louisiana State University Press Thucydides (1982) History of the Peloponnesian War, trans. Warner, Rex Harmondsworth, England, and New York: Penguin Books Viotti, Paul R and Kauppi, Mark V (1998) International Relations Theory: Realism, Pluralism, Globalism, and Beyond. Longman; 3 edition Waltz, Kenneth (1979) Theory of International Politics Newbury award Records, Inc. Waltz, Kenneth N (1992) Realist Thought and Neorealist Theory (Chapter 2 in The Evolution of Theory in International Relations Rothstein, Robert (ed.) University of South Carolina Press Waltz, Kenneth N (1998) Explain War Viotti, Paul R and Kauppi, Mark V. International Relations Theory: Realism, Pluralism, Globalism, and Beyond. Longman; 3rd edition Williams, Michael (2004) Why Ideas Matter in International Relations: Hans Morgenthau, Classical Realism, and the Moral Construction of Power Politics International Organization, Vol. 58, No. 4 Viotti, Paul R and Kauppi, Mark V (1998) International Relations Theory: Realism, Pluralism, Globalism, and Beyond. Longman; 3rd edition

How to Make a Giant Bubble Using Dry Ice

How to Make a Giant Bubble Using Dry Ice All you need to make this giant bubble is dry ice, bubble solution, and either a little water or else tonic water and a black light (glowing liquid). You can make the bubble itself glow if you add a little highlighter ink to the bubble solution. The dry ice sublimates to form carbon dioxide gas, which expands the bubble.  Watch the video tutorial of this project. Materials dry icebubble solutionwater (or tonic water and a black light, if you want glowing liquid)glass or dish Make a Dry Ice Bubble Pour some water or tonic water into the container.Add a piece of dry ice. The dry ice will make bubbles in the liquid.Spread a film of bubble solution around the lip of the container.Use your hand or a piece of paper towel that has been wetted with bubble solution to smear bubble solution across the top of the container. I made a video of the project so you can see what to expect. How It Works Dry ice sublimates in air, meaning the solid carbon dioxide makes the transition to carbon dioxide gas. This process occurs much more quickly in water than in air. As the dry ice sublimates, the carbon dioxide vapor is caught inside the bubble solution. The bubble expands, but the cooled bubble solution does not evaporate quickly so the bubble lasts for a relatively long time. Sometimes conditions are right for the bubble to stabilize at a given size. This happens because carbon dioxide is able to diffuse across the bubble surface. Sublimating carbon dioxide expands the bubble, but when the bubble expands its walls become thinner and leak more. Since more carbon dioxide can escape, the pressure is reduced and the bubble has a tendency to shrink back again. As long as the solution doesnt evaporate too quickly, the bubble may remain relatively stable until the dry ice is nearly gone. At that point the bubble will become smaller.

(Institutional Affiliation) FORMAL REPORT COMPARING THE USE OF THE Essay

(Institutional Affiliation) FORMAL REPORT COMPARING THE USE OF THE IDEF METHODOLOGY TO UML - Essay Example 1). On the other hand, UML is a modeling language that is most suited to the generation of computer-executable platforms/frameworks that encode important elements of software engineering projects. This paper will seek to compare the use of IDEF to UML by focusing on their applications, nature, and techniques employed in their development. This comparison will be done on the basis of credible and reliable literatures, written and published by authorities on modeling languages and techniques. Key Words IDEF; UML; graphical modeling methods; enterprise engineering projects; modeling language The Approach/Rationale of both Methodologies a) IDEF According to Bernus, Mertins, & Schmidt (1998, pg. 17), the rationale for IDEF is to support modeling activities that are fundamental to system analysis, design, improvement or integration. b) UML The approach/rationale for UML is to act as the dominant, publicly accepted, and uniform objected oriented visual modeling language, and as a foundation object description language for the offshoot unified enterprise modeling language (UEML) that has been put forward by IFAC/IFIP (Bernus, Mertins, & Schmidt 1998, pg. 17). The Stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle that each Addresses IDEF methodology addresses documentation, design, integration, analysis, understanding, planning, and improvement (Fowler & Scott 2000, pg. 46). Based on the Waterfall model of the system development life cycle (SDLC), these functions fit into four stages of the SDLC: preliminary analysis, system analysis and requirements definition, systems design, integration and testing, and maintenance. On the other hand UML methodology is limited to the systems design phase. During the systems analysis phase, object-oriented analysis (OOA) is performed; its output is a conceptual model that is comprised of one (sometimes more) UML class diagram, a user-interface mock-up, a group of use cases, and a couple of interaction diagrams. This conceptual model is sub sequently used as an input in objected-oriented design during the systems design phase (Lankhorst 2005, pg. 63). The Techniques used for modeling the Processes/Functions of the System (including the similarities and differences between the techniques and their strengths and weaknesses) a) IDEF Techniques IDEF is based on three modeling constructs/viewpoints/techniques which define its approach/rationale. These are: i) IDEF0 Function Modeling Method This method was created so as to represent processes or activities (consisting of partially sequenced groups of activities) that are usually executed in a systematic and uniform manner. IDEF0 defines a function as a group of activities that takes specific inputs and, using some mechanism, and based on certain controls, converts the inputs into outputs (Noran 2008, pg. 41). These ICOMs (inputs, controls, outputs and mechanisms) can be employed in the modeling of relationships between a wide range of activities (Kim 2003, pg. 3). IDEF0 mode ling generally begins by defining a context diagram (Kim 2003, pg. 3). This is representative of the system’s overall purpose and its interactions with external environments (Kim 2003, pg. 3). Usually, IDEF0 models consist of a hierarchy of connected diagrams that are decomposed systematically hence encoding semantic data at lower modeling levels. The systematical breakdown brings not only detailed but also wide-scope representations of system or environmental activities (Bernus, Mertins, & Schmidt 1998, pg. 29). ii) IDEF1x Data Modeling Method This method was created to define data models that symbolize both the semantics and structure of data that is found in a target system

The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Epic of Gilgamesh - Essay Example The epic, with its complex plot is acknowledged by historians and archaeologists as the oldest existing written story although it had been discovered and translated only relatively recently but it never fails to fascinate its readers with its many parallels to the biblical story of the Great Flood and that of Noah and his family. It is therefore not very far-fetched to assume that many parts of the biblical Noah got their origins and ideas from the Epic of Gilgamesh for its many similarities, barring mere coincidence, from the tale of Utnapishtim. What is even more remarkable is the story was based on an actual king named Gilgamesh. This paper explores this gem of world literature from the viewpoint of its importance in terms of its sophisticated moral lessons. Additionally, it will also discuss the universal questions that Man has been asking ever since, questions such as immortality, how to escape death itself, his place in the entire scheme of things in the cosmos, his relationshi p with his gods, with fellow human beings, governance and kingship. Moreover, the paper will likewise offer some hopefully useful insights into the immensity and scale of this grandiose tale. Discussion The epic is partly based on the real historical figure King Gilgamesh who ruled the kingdom of Uruk in ancient Sumeria at around 2700 B.C.E. (before current era, as historians now would like to date historical events rather than the usual B.C. or A.D. in order to avoid a bias towards Christianity and maintain neutrality towards all religions) but was written down in clay tablets only at around 2000 B.C.E. perhaps with an eye towards preservation of a story for posterity. Although it has historical basis as determined by rigorous historical research, it also contains so many embellishments to make the story more interesting to its intended audience and also partly to impart some important moral lessons, like biblical parables. The provenance of the epic story cannot be traced or ascri bed to a single writer but it is rather the work of several authors, who added a portion of the story with each succeeding re-telling to a listening audience, perhaps by the high priests of Babylon. It was originally an oral composition recited by traveling storytellers, which may help to explain why there are so many parts of the story which are mere fragments although it is still offers some continuity. It can be found in the royal library of King Ashurbanipal, who ruled around 700 B.C.E. but still portions or other versions of the same epic were unearthed at different epochs in the time of the ancient city of Babylon, providing a rich ethnological source as well (Maier 377). The Epic of Gilgamesh can be taken in context, in the sense it was written at a time of history when rulers often invoked their right to rule over their subjects from some form of divine intervention or deriving their royal power from the gods. This theme is very recurrent in many historical periods, and this theme is also quite common even in the other areas of the world, where kings ruled either by force or some other means to retain political control such as invoking their authority with their supposed knowledge and wisdom, just like Gilgamesh. A key character, Enkidu, was introduced to the epic as counterbalance to Gilgamesh. A good question to ask might be: What