Last Days of Socrates free essay sample

Analyzes Platos depiction of Greek philosophers trial, self-defense, integrity, spirituality, ideas on individual-state relationship. Several of the dialogues of Plato recount the trial, sentence, and execution of Socrates, with his friends gathered around. An image of the man emerges from these dialogues showing him to be a person of fierce integrity, a man who would rather die than consider himself dishonored, and a man who charges his friends to allow him to live life as he sees fit. Even as Socrates challenges aspects of the society of Athens, he demonstrates the importance of certain values in that society both in his own person and even in the charges brought against him, however incorrect those charges may be. Plato presents an explicit statement of the relationship between the individual and societyeven an unjust societyin the form of the Apology, the statement of Socrates to the court that finally sentences him to death. We will write a custom essay sample on Last Days of Socrates or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The speech represents the

Dwight D. Eisenhower essays

Dwight D. Eisenhower essays Dwight D. Eisenhower, a small town boy who grew up to the be the five-star general of the United States military force and the 34th president was an accomplished man. He was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas. He died in Walter Reed Army Hospital on March 28, 1969 from a heart attack. Eisenhower was one of 7 kids in his family. He was an average student in school. After he graduated from high school, he received an invitation to attend West Point, a military school. When he was finished with his military education, he received a military post in the Philippines where he met Mamie Geneva Doud. He married her in 1916. They had a son once Eisenhower was in office. In 1918, he served in the army during ww1. He was called to war again in 1944 to direct British and American forces in Africa. Then he directed D-day the invasion of Normandy. In 1953, he ran for president on the Republicans side against adlai Stevenson. He won with more than 3 times the votes. During his first term, Eisenhower created the Interstate Highway Act. The program provided a 41,000 mile interstate highway system that helped Americas economy. He is more known for his roles in foreign affairs though. Eisenhower went to Korea to find an end to the war. He wasnt entirely successful but he managed to get a cease-fire that divided Korea basically back to where things were in 1950. Eisenhower attended talks with the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to stop all nuclear testing. The talks failed though when the Soviets shot down a American spy plane and Eisenhower refused to apologize. Eisenhower used the CIA to create revolutions in countries such as Guatemala, Iran, and Cuba to help stop communism from spreading. The operation in Cuba failed to remove Fidel Castro from power but was successful in Guatemala and Iran. What impressed me about Eisenhower was his ability to manage crises which could have lead to nuclear war with the Soviets. "We are going to ...

Movie Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Movie Summary - Essay Example he main purpose of occurrence of the Civil War was eradication of racism from the American society, the amenities and privileges given to the white soldiers have been conventionally denied to the black soldiers. Although the black soldiers were given the most demeaning tasks, yet none of them decided to quit when they were provided with a chance to. Shaw realized that his unit was only being used to do manual labor. Another salient feature of the movie is the fact that it speaks about the bravery and courage of Shaw that is evident from his confrontation of the commanding officers after he finds that the officers are profiting from the war. Shaw threatens the commanding officers that he would notify their corruption to the War Department if his unit is not provided with a chance to combat. When granted an opportunity, the regiment takes part in a battle that happens in South California. In this battle, the regiment puts down a Confederate attack. After that, Shaw directs the regiment to lead an attack upon the Fort Wagner. The men are led in charge on the fort after the nightfall. In his attempt to unite the men forward, Shaw loses his life along with several other soldiers including Thomas, Trip, and Forbes. This movie brings the memories of those courageous black soldiers alive, thus paying a tribute to

Analyzing Black Historical Sites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analyzing Black Historical Sites - Essay Example The aftermath of the end of slavery raised the need for various reforms. Racial discriminations still went on in the US, and minor cases of slavery were still prevalent. The African American society held talks and rallies to empower each other and fight for their rights. The bay area in California was a place where radical changes within the African American society that revolutionized the fight against racism. The freeing of prisoners through the underground railroads was prevalent in the bay area. Economic development amongst the African American took root in the bay area leading to the establishment of estates by both men and women. Perhaps the most influential woman of this era was Mary Ellen Pleasant who raked a total sum of US $30,000,000 in the stock market that she used in the fight for equality. She has been christened â€Å"the mother of human and civil rights in California†. Her contribution to black history remains phenomenal as she had a massive amount of wealth t hat she did not hesitate to contribute to the struggle for equality. The Mary Ellen Pleasant Memorial at 1661 Octavia, San Francisco, California, was setup in memory of her dedication to the liberation of the black people in California. Her incessant effort to aid the African American society has ranked among the outspoken women of her era of slavery, segregation and violation of numerous civil and human rights of African Americans. Mary Ellen Pleasant Memorial Park and its Background The Mary Ellen Memorial Park is the smallest park within San Francisco preserved in honor of the abolitionist Mary Ellen Pleasant and her work in the era. The park is adorned with six gigantic eucalyptus blue gum trees that run down along Octavia Street. The six trees the only surviving ones out of the 20 that Ms. Pleasant herself had planted along the street. The City of San Francisco landmarked these trees to protect them from human interference. This street was once filled with the property of Mary Ellen Pleasant along its full length from Bush to Sutter. Her house once occupied this street, boasting 30 rooms and an entertainment avenue for several people back in the day. It was famous for cards, liquor and beautiful women. To others, this boarding house provided jobs for the African Americans. However, this house burnt down in 1925, and in its place Green Eye’s hospital built the Healing Arts Building1. A plaque adorns the front of her former 30-room home in her honor at the intersection of Bush and Octavia Streets. The disc-shaped plaque within the southwest corner of this intersection has a brief history of life and works of Mary Ellen Pleasant written on its cement structure2. The park remains a historical site for African Americans as it stands for the appreciation of the work of Mary Ellen Pleasant, whose philanthropy led to the efficacy of the black struggle in the freeing of slaves and the Civil War. Mary Ellen Pleasant was born at around 1814 as a slave in the East Coast, but she fled by boat in 1852 to San Francisco to establish herself in the bay area. She legally identified herself as white in the society to avoid being bound to slavery again and to empower herself financially. The Fugitive Slave Act would have led to her recapture in California so she developed a new identity with freedom papers, Mrs. Ellen Smith. She mixed with the top crop of the society

Human Resource Management 326 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Human Resource Management 326 - Essay Example Organizations get a different level of output from the workers by paying through different payment schemes such as skill based pay, incentive pay, payment on standard market rate or even payment according to minimum cost of living and different social norms. So, this paper contains a detailed discussion of the effect of different payment schemes on productivity and, most importantly, on the workers. Generally, two types of employers are there in an economy. One are government agencies and the other are private organizations. Both of these institutions pay the workers through different payment policies but desire adequate productivity based on organizational requirements, capabilities of employees, skills and knowledge and experience. Minimum wage is the lowest wage rate paid by the employers to the workers on an hourly basis, daily basis, or on a monthly basis. It is the employer who decides. Similarly, according to workers’ perspective, it can be said that minimum wage is the lowest wage rate at which workers provide their labor to the employers. Though minimum wage payment is effected by many jurisdictions in many countries, several opinions exist for the benefit and drawback of this wage payment concept in terms of both the workers and the employer’s perspective. Supporters of positive outcomes of minimum wage say that minimum wage enhances the standard of living of people, reduces poverty and also forces the business organizations to focus on the workers’ interest rather than only profit for the organizations. On the other hand, opponents of this payment method have been providing more evidence and supportive analysis for the drawbacks of this payment policy. They have argued that it inc reases the unemployment especially for the low skilled workers who do not have minimum skills and knowledge to provide labor for getting the minimum wage rate of a country. It forces these lower

A Criticism Of Incompatibilism

A Criticism Of Incompatibilism In Van Inwagens paper, An Argument of Incompatibilism, he posits in his consequence argument that, under determinism, there is no moral consequence of intentional actions. It is hard to think that one can act without free will. We seem to be able to make our own choices in life every step of the way, yet we are still exceedingly aware of situations and even decision that we seem to have no control over. This is the issue philosophers often encounter in the study of free will in our causally determined world. The subject of free will has been a matter of intense debate in the philosophical community for ages. Not surprising, seeing as its very concept has profound implications on metaphysical, deontological and moral grounds; the absence of free will puts into question the existence of moral responsibility, free thought and even our own existence. However, the compatibilists think that there are certain flaws in some of the premises of Inwagens argument that make it unreliable. David Lewis points out that two of the premises in Peter Van Inwagens Consequence Argument do not support it being viewed completely in the strong or weak sense of determinism. Incompatibilists such as Inwagen have trouble with the idea of determinism, or at least in the context of free will. Determinism is the view that there is a predetermined future that is created by events in the past while being governed by the laws of nature (Van Inwagen, 1983). A common example of determinism is the predestination paradox of time travel. What you do in the past affects what happens in the future, but unfortunately the future stays the same no matter whatever you try to do because you would still have caused the future regardless. When you apply determinism to something like intentional actions, it means that what youve done could have been predetermined to happen due to something having happened in the past. In the context of the free will debate, compatibilists subscribe to this very concept of determinism. This philosophical viewpoint is commonly brought up in free will related arguments. A reason for this is that that the idea of a causally determined future is d istressing when applied in the context of free actions. That is to say, that because everything is predetermined, there is technically no free will; whichever actions one believes they are doing is in fact simply an illusion. In his paper, Van Inwagen outlines seven propositions, which encompasses the Consequence Argument that argues against that fact. His argument seeks to remove determinism from the arguments of freewill due to the fact that it is deemed incompatible. In his Consequence Argument, Van Inwagen uses an example of a governor choosing not to raise their hand and influence the process of the final deliberation of a criminals death sentence. In this argument, he outlines the conditions that would have governed free will in a deterministic world in the form of six premises. In the Consequence Arguments first three premises, the argument outlines that intentional human actions are causally necessitated because they all happen within the natural, causally determined, world (Zimmerman, 2010). That is to say, the actions are determined to happen. The argument then goes on to outline the notion that if an event is necessitated by prior events, it could not have happened other than the way it actually happens (Zimmerman, 2010). This follows that because of the previous propositions, human actions cannot happen in any other way than what has already happened. For instance, following the arguments logic, I could only open a door ajar when I chose to do so because I was causally determined to do so. Finally, Inwagens Consequence Argument finally goes onto the topic of free will; a person can only be considered free if he can actually do otherwise on an action. Unfortunately, as stated before, any action a person does happens because it could not be done otherwise. Ultimately, following this line of reasoning, the person cannot do otherwise and is thus following the illusion of free will as he performs his seemingly intentional actions. Now, returning to the Inwagens example of the governor, we see what implications Inwagens argument has on this proposed scenario. By the logic of the Consequence Argument detailed earlier, the governor, despite having chosen to refrain from raising their hand, is not performing the action under their free will. In fact, according to the Consequence Argument, if determinism is true than there is no free will involved in the governors action. This has some severe implications on that particular subject. What it means is that since free will is not involved in his performing an action that would ultimately be responsible for sending a man to his death, the governor cannot be held morally responsible for that act. Hence, by this logic, the absence of free means one could not possibly be held morally responsible for anything they do. This certainly sounds like an outrageous, yet distressing, conclusion. How could there be any form of responsibility, or any rational thought even, in a dete rministic world when every action is seemingly predetermined? It is with this thought in mind that Van Inwagen argues that free will and, by extension moral responsibility, has no place in the deterministic world. So does this mean we can safely remove the possibility of free will in determinism? The compatibilists say otherwise. David Lewis, a compatibilist himself, has an interesting critique of Inwagens argument. In his paper, Are We Free to Break the Laws?, he argues that there are ways responsibility-grounding freedom of action (Zimmerman, 2010) can exist alongside determinism. Compatibilism is the view that free will does have a role together with determinism, specifically soft determinism. In his paper, he divides determinism into two different categories, hard and soft determinism. Hard determinism is defined, as a sort of determinism in where there seems to be no room for free will. Soft determinism, on the other hand, is the belief of the exact opposite, allowing for free will in the deterministic world. Lewis himself is a soft compatibilist. In Are we free to break the laws? he argues that there is a flaw in the consequence argument. Lewis admits that [he is] able to do something su ch that, if [he does] it, a [causal law will] be broken (Lewis, 1981), although he claims that the incompatibilists behind the Consequence Argument takes this claim to the extreme or what he calls the strong sense. To an incompatibilists, this statement can be taken to mean that he can break the very laws of nature (Lewis, 1981). These are the definition of the weak and strong theses. The difference between the two is that the weak thesis, which says that a [causal law will] be broken (Lewis, 1981) implies that whenever he decides to take an action, the act itself is what causes a law to be broken. A nice analogy of the weak thesis can be summed up with a simple rock thrown at a window. If someone throws a stone and in the process breaks a window, then, following the logic of the weak thesis, the act of throwing the stone is what ends up breaking the window. On the other hand, the strong thesis suggests the very act of performing an action means that he himself has broken the law. U sing the same example from before, instead of the act of throwing the stone, it is the thrower himself who breaks the window. Lewis outlines an important distinction between two different ways of viewing the premises of Van Inwagens Consequence Argument. The difference between the strong and weak theses plays an important part in Lewis argument. Lewis rejects the strong thesis that the Consequence Argument seems to imply but accepts the weak one. From the weak thesis he posits that one can actually do otherwise in the Consequence Arguments presumably unyielding deterministic actions. Lewis introduces a concept, which he calls a divergence miracle, since breaking a causal law requires nothing short of one. A divergence miracle is a divergence in the causal history that occurs before the act is performed. That is to say, that prior history may have been changed had the governor from Van Inwagens example raised his hand. Although, thats not to say that this would not be the case had the person simply chose not to have done so, Lewis claims that a miracle might have taken place, only to have its work undone by a second miracle (Lewis, 1981). This is where the weak thesis plays a significant role. Lewis states that for him to perform an a ction that would result in the breaking of a law, a divergence miracle independent of his own actions offers an alternate causal history that would allow the lawbreaking action to be possible. Lewiss paper draws attention to two premises from Inwagens Consequence Argument, most specifically the fifth and sixth premise. In Inwagens sixth premise, he states that a person could not have rendered a law of nature false (Van Inwagen, 1983). Lewis cites an example, which Van Inwagen has used in defense of this premise, of the possibility of the construction of an apparatus that can potentially violate the laws of physics. It follows that, following the rough outline of the sixth premise, if it is possible such an apparatus can be made then the laws of physics have certainly been rendered false (Van Inwagen, 1983). However, according to Lewis, while this proposition can be rejected, on the grounds that we have no choice what the laws of nature are (Van Inwagen, 1983), and in turn support viewing it from the strong sense. That is to say we cannot break the laws of nature. However, this defense is not suitable when being viewed from the perspective of the weak thesis. Inwagens sixth premise has an opposite effect. In defense of his fifth premise, he says that there is no way he can render false a conjunction that the Spanish being defeated in the past with the proposition that he will never visit Alaska (Van Inwagen, 1983). Inwagen believes that the reason one cannot render that false is that any deviation from actual events would be incompatible with any past state of the world taken with the laws of nature (Van Inwagen, 1983). Lewis counters this argument by saying it is completely irrelevant due to the fact that the claim of ones inability to render those false is only true in the sense of the weak thesis, but it completely neglects the strong thesis. The problem with these premises, according to Lewis, is that the arguments that Inwagen uses to support these premises are not sounds, seeing as neither of them addresses the Weak and Strong Theses. Generally the problem with the Consequence Argument, according to Lewis, is that it is not consistent in its premises. As outlined earlier, Inwagens fifth and sixth premises cannot both be viewed according to either the Strong or Weak Theses alone. This has the effect of weakening Inwagens argument, since it lessens the severity of the deterministic viewpoint; the inconsistency in views shows that that part of the argument seems unsound. In addition, Lewiss concept of divergence miracles also offers some welcome changes to the determinism that Inwagens Consequence Argument paints less rigid and unyielding. Such inconsistencies ultimately undermines what would normally be a rather solid argument convincing us of what would seem to be a no space for free will alongside determinism. Peter Van Inwagens Consequence Argument is seemingly unsound given that the argument does not hold up completely well when viewed from the Strong or Weak Theses that David Lewis had outlined. Incompatibilists have produced a fairly strong, if disturbing, argument of the potential link between determinism and free will. However, the viewpoints that result from the rejection of compatibilism, such as hard Incompatibilism and libertarian incompatiblism, seem far more alarming. One either outright rejects free will while the other posits that the world is not complete causally determined. Compatibilism on the other hand seems easier to accept.

Chaim Potoks The Chosen †Rueven and Danny :: Potok Chosen Essays

The Chosen – Rueven and Danny In the novel, The Chosen, Chaim Potok successfully captures the strange customs of a Jewish community through wit and satire. Potok's novel focuses on two Jewish boys, who live in a world where their families expect high standards of achievement of them. The wish to become an insightful leader in the Jewish community was an always-predominant custom of the two families. But with hard work and perseverance, the two boys (Rueven and Danny), find out that they really are, and what lives they will lead in the future. The novel concentrates on the desire to conceive a person's personal wants while conforming to tradition. The basis of all the conflicts in the entire novel stem from the differences in family life, which are brought on by the discrepancies of religious beliefs. Rueven, who is an Orthodox Jew, goes to a parochial school where Hebrew is taught instead of Yiddish (which would be considered the first Jewish language). Rueven's school is also very integrated with many English-speaking classes. But on the other hand, Danny, who attends a yeshiva (also a Jewish school), considers himself a true Jew because he (unlike Rueven) wears the traditional side curls and is educated in Yiddish. At first the two boys cannot stand each other, many times Danny refers to Rueven as "apikorsim," (32) which basically translates to... someone who is not true to their religion. These differences between the two soon become obsolete with one unfortunate accident, and make them realize they could use each other to get through some hard times. "Silence is all we dread. There's ransom in a voice--But Silence is infi nity."-Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson's quote can be related to the novel in several ways. "Silence is all we dread," can relate to Danny's lifestyle and how he cannot stand the silence in which his father lives. The only time Danny makes conversation with his father is when he is studying the Talmud. " It occurred to me suddenly that not a single word had passed between him and his father all evening, except for the Talmud contest" (145). This silence is basically what drove Danny to search for guidance or someone to talk to. "There's ransom in a voice," relates to Rueven being Danny's savior. As Danny explains to Rueven what he said to his father, "I told him we were good friends, I really think we are" (119).

Lookin for love

The first personal ad I f und on craigslist had to do with the equity theory â€Å"Country guy looking for a good woman (PAIWV) First off I want to be straight up I'm not looking to rush into anything serious. That's what I would like eventually but only with the right one. With that said a little about me I'm a young looking 30yo white, no kids, 6†² with fit/slender build. I'm a mountain boy thru and thru but not your typical one. I don't listen to country, chew tobacco, drive a truck etc. But I do like my guns collecting/shooting, bein in the woods or on the lake, rock climbing, on and on.I also like working in my shop, my cars, woodworking etc. I'm educated so I can hold my own talking about pretty much any topic. Also have a descent Job, nice house in the mountain and financially responsible. I dont want to ramble so I'll save it for getting to know each other. What I'm looking for is a mature honest woman that has her stuff together. Drama free, no crazy ex boyfriends or a nything like that. Anywhere between 21-35, must be fit/inshape and take care of yourself. Just a descent woman that has a good head on her shoulders and looking for the same.If interested drop e a line anytime(l). † The equity theory is the idea that people are the happiest with relationships in which the rewards and costs experienced and the contributions made by both parties are roughly equal (pg. 300). This ad reflects this theory because the man who wrote this clearly states that he is looking for an equal partner. He wishes for her to be independent not have to rely on him to support her financially. If a women had written this ad then things might have been written differently.A women would emphasize his needing to be financially independent but ould also put more of an emphasis on how he looks, where he lives and what type of Job does he have. The second personal ad has more to do with the social exchange theory. â€Å"I am a white man, 6ft, 185, very clean, d;d free. I am searching for a white lady that has sexual relationships with black men but would like to have a white man that would support ; spoil her. I would never Judge her, she would be treated like a queen. Age and size is not a factor. Please get in touch, I am very real, it suppose to me very nice this week.I would like to hear from you and we can exchange pics and chat and possibly meet. Please put queen of spades in subject when responding. (2)† The social exchange theory is the idea that people's feelings about a relationship depends on their perceptions of the rewards and costs of the relationship, the kind of relationship they deserve and their chances for having a better relationship with someone else (pg. 299). This ad reflects this theory because the man is offering to not only support her financial but promises to spoil her if she meets his equirements.If a women were to be writing an ad like this she would be more subtle in her writing, for one should would not come o ut and admit her past relationship experiences but she may try to allude to it. However if she was actively looking for someone to take care of her financially she would most likely openly state that in her ad. Sex differences in attraction exist but each individual person is looking for something different. What attracts you to one person may be a complete turn off to someone else. lookin for love.

Intelligence in two psychological journals written by Thorndike and Hagopian

Intelligence in two psychological journals written by Thorndike and Hagopian Description of the papers The psychological concept under analysis is intelligence as seen through the operant conditioning lens. In 1898 one of the pioneers of operant conditioning – Edward Thorndike – wrote an article called â€Å"Animal intelligence: an experimental study of the associate processes in animals.†Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Intelligence in two psychological journals written by Thorndike and Hagopian specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the article, the author carried out an experimental analysis of cats. He placed them in enclosures when they were hungry, and added basic escape mechanisms to the boxes. Thorndike (1898) placed food outside the enclosures. Some of the boxes had platforms that the cats could step on when they needed to get out; others had levers that would open when the cats wanted to escape. In other instances, he placed cords that the cats could pull when nece ssary. He recorded the time it took the cats to leave the enclosures successfully. He took out the cats that failed to open the enclosures but never fed them. He found out that successful cats kept repeating the acts needed to open the enclosures, and they did this in remarkably short timeframes. However, the cats that failed never attempted again. Thorndike came up with the law of cause and effect by affirming that responses (methods of escape used by the cats) that came immediately before satisfactory outcomes (food and less loneliness) became strongly associated to the situation, and were more likely to recur. However, inadequate association with the situation occurred when negative responses followed certain responses; these responses were less likely to occur.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hagopian et al. (2000) wanted to determine the effects of non contingent reinf orcement on engagement with stimuli and problem behavior. Their analysis involved four mentally retarded participants who all had problem behaviors. They provided them with positive rewards such as toys and soft music under different conditions and observed them. They found that if they provided the subjects with positive stimuli regardless of participants’ behavior (non contingent reinforcement), the subjects continued to engage with it. They also realized that the stimuli almost reduced problem behavior to zero in these cases. They explained that non contingent reinforcement created reductions of destructive behavior. They also found that reduced response to the readily available stimuli (satiation) was a factor when the subjects had long access times. Extinction providing no consequence for behavior – did not lead to reductions in problem behavior. Comparison In both analyses, the researchers are trying to understand how one reinforces behavior in intelligent organ isms. It can also be stated that the analyses focus on how learning occurs. They both use experimental analyses to come up with theories that explain these relationships. Furthermore, basic concepts of operant conditioning are the basis of these two researches; they all involve responses or behavior, rewards, and stimuli (something that alters behavior). Both studies also support the law of cause and effect; Thorndike (1898) explains that when a satisfactory effect comes immediately after a cat’s behavior (response), then the response is likely to be repeated.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Intelligence in two psychological journals written by Thorndike and Hagopian specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, when negative outcomes come immediately after certain behaviors, then the responses are less likely to occur. To Thorndike (1898), it is not possible to experience behavior reinforcement when one changes environments inconsistently. Similarly, Hagopian et al. (2000) explain that when one provides subjects with stimuli consistently; that is throughout the experiment, then targeted responses are likely to emanate from the study. In their case, they wanted to subvert problem behavior, so that was their targeted response. The subjects needed to form a link between the incentives and the consequences in order to achieve this outcome. Through consistent delivery, the researchers illustrated that there was a law of cause and effect. Continuities and discontinuities These researches are all based on operant conditioning. However, the recent paper is significantly different from the older article because it deals with the concept of non contingent reinforcement. Non contingent reinforcement refers to the provision of stimuli irrespective of a subject’s behavior. Scientists do this in order to show the subject that his or her negative behavior is not necessary in order to achieve a des ired outcome. In their research, the subjects’ desired outcome was getting attention. The actions that they used to achieve this were tantrums, biting, kicking and self harm – all cases of problem behavior. The researchers provided toys and music as stimuli. Continually providing these stimuli caused the participants to reduce their undesired behavior.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thorndike (1898) had not considered a situation where the researcher continuously delivers the positive stimuli without regard to behavior. His experiment was contingent on the subjects’ responses. Therefore, his method was heavily reliant on interruptive removal or provision of stimuli; i.e., rewards and punishments. He did not focus on non interruptive patterns. The studies are quite different from each other because of the methods employed and the analytical techniques. The recent paper relied heavily on theoretical reviews of similar work. The authors quote other scientists’ explanations on extinction and satiation before making their conclusions. However, Thorndike (1898) was the first of his kind, so he did not rely on other authors’ previous work. He needed to justify his choice of methods because they were not common. Hagopian et al. (2000) used accepted methods of scientific research like baseline conditions and investigational conditions. Furthermore, the papers focused on different participants; Thorndike (1898) dealt with animals, so he could not use neurological explanations for his work; subsequent studies on operant conditioning have dwelt on human subjects. Lastly, Hagopian et al. (2000) distinguished between the factors that contributed to the effectiveness of the consequences such as contingency and satiation while Thorndike (1898) did not know about any of these terms. References Hagopian, L., Crockett, J., Van Stone, M., Deleon, I. Bowman, L. (2000). Effects of non contingent reinforcement on problem behavior and stimulus engagement: the role of satiation, extinction and alternative reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33 (4), 433-449 Thorndike, E. (1898). Animal Intelligence: An experimental study of the associate processes in animals. Psychological review monograph supplement, 2(4), 1-8

A critical appraisal of the integrity of a HACCP Plan and the design of an effective, efficient, evidence based improvement strategy The WritePass Journal

A critical appraisal of the integrity of a HACCP Plan and the design of an effective, efficient, evidence based improvement strategy Abstract A critical appraisal of the integrity of a HACCP Plan and the design of an effective, efficient, evidence based improvement strategy ) explain that a HACCP is essential in maintaining the safety of individual food products. The main aim of this plan is to ensure that each stage in the food production process is safe. The main objective of this report is to identify the hazard and create controls that would prevent the occurrence of this hazard. The main issues of the Cheese-4-All company are traced to the customers’ complaint of the presence of a metal wire on a block of cheese and returned food products from caterers due to broken seals of the bags. In the first issue, the metal wire represents a physical hazard for consumers. A physical hazard is described as any foreign material present in dairy products that could cause injury or illness to the consumer (Marriott and Gravani, 2006). Mortimore and Wallace (2013) emphasise that a physical hazard results from lack of control of a process or a piece of equipment in the production chain. A number of factors have been identified to contribute to the presence of a physical hazard. Amongst these, poorly maintained equipment and the employees’ inattention to the details of the food production process are the most important factors that contribute to the physical hazard (Wallace et al., 2011). Meanwhile, the broken seals of the bags represent a biological hazard. This type of hazard results from exposure of food to pathogens (Smith and Hui, 2008). A closer investigation of the company’s issues reveals that the cutting and sealing of the vacuum packs of the cheese blocks are done by only one machine. The machine has a metal cheese wire used to cut the cheese. At the same time, this machine also automatically vacuum seals the cheese blocks. A metal detector, which serves as a control, is found at the end of the production line. This equipment could have detected any embedded metal in the cheese. At this point, poor attention to details could have contributed to the failure of the staff to detect the metal in the cheese. Instead of allowing the cheese blocks to pass through the metal detector before removing and labelling them, some members of the staff might fail to recheck whether the blocks have passed through the metal detectors. Similarly, an opportunity to check the integrity of the vacuum seals of the cheese block is also presented during the labelling. However, the staff failed to document whether all cheese blocks are safely sealed. On the other hand, the staff manually places grated cheese in plastic bags together with potato starch while the modified atmosphere packaging machine seals the packs. Recommendations for Improvement In this report, the issue of the presence of metal fragments in the block of cheese and broken seals of cheese packs will be addressed. Metal Fragments in the Block of Cheese In-line metal detectors are present in the production line. This is check point is crucial and is met by the company. However, it is recommended that these in-line metal detectors should be fitted with automatic rejection systems (Smith and Hui, 2008). In the company’s case, there was only one metal detector at the end of the assembly line. It was also not fitted with an automatic rejection system. The British Retail Consortium (2013) reiterates that metal detection protects the customers and should be part of any food protection system. However, there are cases where metal detection does not provide the consumers with significant added protection. In this case, the British Retail Consortium (2013) adds that exceptions should be made only when there is indeed no need for metal detection of the product. Hence, it is still vital that companies should make justifications why metal detection is not needed. The need of metal detection in a food company is highlighted when customers complain of metal in their food products. Consequences of this failure range from loss of credibility and loss of customers and bad publicity (Wareing, 2010). In worst scenario, metal present in the product might cause injury to the customer and result to prosecution (Academic Press, 2013). There are various possible causes of metal detector failure. The Academic Press (2013) explains that the metal detector might be experiencing mechanical failure or is not properly calibrated. The wrong pieces of metals are used during sensitivity check or the company used the incorrect metal detector. The succeeding table lists down the rest of possible causes of metal detector failure: Table 1. Causes of Metal Detector Failure Possible Causes of Metal Detector Failure Metal detector is placed in the wrong place in the assembly line Faulty rejection mechanism or there is no synchronization with the rejection system and the detector There is no control of the rejects Checks are not done regularly for the metal detector. In cases where checks are done, these are also performed incorrectly In cases where checks of metal detector reveal some failures, these are not recorded or corrective actions are not taken. Staff members of the organisation are not trained to perform metal detector checks. While staff members receive training on performing metal detector checks, the effectiveness of these trainings are not verified in actual practice. Workplace culture issues also play a role in influencing staff members not to take responsibility in performing necessary checks. Source: Academic Press (2013, p. 336) Â   Broken Seals of Cheese Packs The British Retail Consortium (2013) emphasised that food safety should be a priority amongst those in the food business. On analysis of the Cheese-4-All company, caterers complained of broken seals. Issues are often identified only when customers began complaining about the safety of the food that they order (Bougherara and Combris, 2009). This represents some breaches in safety procedures in the company. For instance, safety checks should be conducted once cheese blocks or grated cheese are sealed, before they are taken to or taken out of chillers. During the labelling process, it is also important that the staff conduct a check whether the seals are still in place or if there are broken seals in the cheese packs. Improvement Strategies Lawley et al. (2012) explain that many of the food safety legislation that are now in force in countries in Europe, including the UK, are formed as a result of collaboration between food authorities in the different countries. Representatives of the European Commissions are responsible for creating food safety legislations that are also used as template of food authorities in different countries (Lawley et al., 2012). For example, the European Commission has set out EC Regulation No. 852/2004 that set standards for hygiene on foodstuffs. In addition, the 2006 Food Hygiene Regulations also provide standards for food safety. Using information from these regulations, it is recommended that strategies should be in place to ensure the absence of metals in the cheese blocks and to prevent broken seals of the packs in the Cheese-4-All company. First, metal detectors should be checked every hour with test pieces (Robertson, 2013). Results should be recorded to assess the sensitivity of the metal detector. It is recommended that safety incidents should be recorded to ensure that staff learn from the experience and prevent the occurrence of similar incidents in the future (Arvanitoyannis, 2012). For example, the analysis reveals that only one machine is involved in cutting the cheese with metal cheese wire. It is also the same machine involved in vacuum packing of the cheese. It is suggested that the machine should be periodically checked to ensure that it is working properly. Second, qualified staff should perform calibration of the metal detector and ensure that it is in the proper place in the assembly line (Academic Press, 2013). Third, lockable receptacles should be in place to ensure that rejects are accommodated (Academic Press, 2013). Fourth, training staff to conduct safety checks of the food packs after sealing of the cheese, during refrigeration and before delivery. This is necessary to protect consumers from food poisoning (Montville and Matthews, 2008). Finally, it is suggested that the safety culture of the workplace should be investigated to determine the perceptions and current practice of the workers on food safety. Mortimore and Wallace (2013) argue that the safety culture of the workplace is a crucial determinant in whether safety regulations are implemented and institutionalised. In many cases, the lack of a safety culture leads to failure in the system. Conclusion In conclusion, this report shows that safety checks should be regularly done to prevent safety incidents such as presence of metals in food or having broken food seals. Consequences of these incidents include loss of customers and possible litigations from consumers who are harmed from ingested metals. Broken food seals present a health hazard since it could cause food contamination. In turn, this might lead to poisoning of the food consumers. An analysis of the Cheese-4-All Company reveals that safety checks are breached during food processing. A metal detector is present in the end of the assembly line but failed to detect the metal present in one of the cheese products. Possible causes of this failure are discussed in the report. On the other hand, the broken seal also indicates failure on the part of the staff to thoroughly check the packaging of the cheese. Finally, this report recommends performing regular checks of the machine used in cutting and sealing the cheese; ensuring t hat metal detector is working and placed in the proper position; and regularly performing checks on whether food seals are in place. It is also suggested that the work culture should be investigated to determine if safety is a priority in the workplace. This would help the company change the culture in the workplace and ensure that a culture of safety is practised. References Academic Press (2013) Encyclopedia of Food Safety, Washington, D.C.: Academic Press. Arvanitoyannis, I. (2012) Modified atmosphere and active packaging technologies, London: CRC Press. Bougherara, D. Combris, P. (2009) ‘Eco-labelled food products: what are consumers paying for?’, European Review of Agricultural Economics, 36(3), pp. 321-341. British Retail Consortium (2013) Global standard for food safety- guideline for fresh produce, London: The Stationery Office. Food Standards Agency (FSA) (2013) Safer food, better business [Online]. Available from: food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/sfbb/#.UswHhvbNevQ (Accessed: 6th January, 2013). Lawley, R., Curtis, L. Davis, J. (2012) The Food Safety Hazard Guidebook, London: Royal Society of Chemistry. Marriott, N. Gravani, R. (2006) Principles of food sanitation, London: Springer. Montville, T. Matthews, K. (2008) Food Microbiology: An Introduction. Mortimore, S. Wallace, C. (2013) HACCP: A Practical Approach, 3rd ed., Preston, UK: Springer. Robertson, G. (2013) Food packaging: Principles and practice, 3rd ed., Sound Parkway NW: Taylor Francis Group. Smith, J. Hui, Y. (2008) Food processing: Principles and applications, London: John Wiley Sons. Wallace, C., Sperber, W. Mortimore, S. (2011) Food Safety for the 21st Century: Managing HACCP and Food Safety throughout the global supply chain, London: John Wiley Sons. Wareing, P. (2010) HACCP: A toolkit for implementation, London: Royal Society of Chemistry. Yiannas, F. (2008) Food safety culture: Creating a behavior-based food safety management system, Arkansas, USA: Springer.

Human resources management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human resources management - Assignment Example The hard HRM philosophy is based on the notion of tight strategic control and the soft model on the contrary is based on controlling through commitment. However, it must be admitted that because of the diverse nature of the two concepts their incorporation into a single model of HRM remains incomplete and improper (Truss, et al., 1997, p.53). The basic differences between the two philosophies can be elaborated using the Michigan and the Harvard models on management. Harvard and Michigan had put forth Theory X and Theory Y for explaining the difference concepts of HRM. Theory X is based on the notion where people are viewed as being lazy and who work for own interest. It considers the interests of people and management as being completely opposite nature and those organizations need to direct their behaviour to the organization’s benefit. Theory Y considers human beings as being emotional possessing feelings and motivation. They actively participate in activities which give the m pleasure and personal realization and that it is the duty of the management to motivate them and help realize their potential (Truss, et al., 1997, p.54). According to the findings of Poole and Mansfield, (1994), the hard model comprises of amore strategic approach which endorses the views of the management more than the employees. On the other hand the soft model emphasizes more on communication, team work and group activities and utilization of individual talents (Gill, 1999, p.2). Theory X which is based on the hard HRM model mainly focuses on the nature of the organization and the organizational characteristics paying very little attention to the nature of the employees while on the contrary, the soft model based on which Theory Y is derived considers nature of employees and their needs and requirements for delivering to the organization (Price, 2007, p.42). Also the soft model of HRM considers increased satisfaction as the management’s main aim against the various calc ulated methods which characterizes the hard model. Lastly it must be mentioned that the hard model was one of the very first theories which were developed when organizations were born and they do not exactly demonstrate human nature. They were regarding the ways of managing the workforce through scientific measurements. This theory considered humans as resources like the way machines were treated as resources of the organization. However, the soft model thinks that individuals can be proactive and creative and must be nurtured by the organization in order to ensure their commitment (Price, 2007, p.42). Advantages and disadvantages of each approach Hard HRM practices are extremely tough minded and calculative and communicates through tough languages of economics and business. It focuses on the calculative and quantitative business strategic aspects of managing human resource. The beneficial aspect of this model is that it provides a close integration of the HRM policies, practices, s ystems and activities with the strategic interests of the

Identity Theft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Identity Theft - Essay Example Identity theft victimizes nearly 10 million Americans each year and costs businesses and individuals an estimated $53 billion (Crosby, 2005). A person’s identity can be stolen either in the real world or in the digital world (online). Although many would believe the digital world is the most common place that a person’s identity is stolen this is not true. The most common place that a person’s identity is stolen is in the real world when their wallet, checkbook or credit card is lost or stolen. The internet always grabs the headlines, but it is individuals who are close to the victims, such as family and friends, that are doing most of the crimes (Lai, 2006). Social Security numbers are at the heart of the issue because it is our sole code for identity. It’s very easy to obtain Social Security numbers. Non-Social Security Administration uses of Social Security numbers have not been prohibited, so Social Security numbers are used as identification and account numbers by many entities (Walsh, 2004). Counterfeit Social Security numbers are on the rise because the Social Security number is the national identifier and it gives individuals a reason to use it for illegal purposes. Stolen Social Security numbers have been used to establish credit, gain employment, hide identity to commit crimes obtain benefits and services. Thieves will attempt to get information on their potential victims in many different ways. They may steal your bank statements or pre-approved credit card applications out of your mailbox or they may do what is known as dumpster diving which is when the thief will go throw your garbage to look for potential information with your identification on it. The most difficult type of identity theft is fraudulent accounts being opened in a person’s name. It takes an average of 152 days for victims to find out