Thursday, October 31, 2019

May be on any philosopher or logician (e.g., Aristotle), any pair of Essay

May be on any philosopher or logician (e.g., Aristotle), any pair of philosophers or logicians (e.g., Aristotle and Frege), an - Essay Example The Academy in Athens was the first institution in the Western World devoted to research and instruction in philosophy as well as other sciences. Plato’s works delve into political events and intellectual movements of his time while raising profound questions and tackling them in s richly suggestive and provocative manner that educates readers of nearly every period. As such, Plato’s works has been used as teaching material in varied subjects such as philosophy, logic, ethics, rhetoric as well as mathematics. In this regard, Plato along with Socrates and Aristotle played a crucial role in influencing the foundation of Western philosophy and Science. In essence, Plato expressed a sense of self-consciousness in regards to how we ought to conceive philosophy, its proper scope and ambitions. This paper seeks to discuss Plato’s contributions to the field of philosophy. In this regard, the paper discusses the biography of Plato and addresses his work in the field of ph ilosophy. ... In regards to Diogenes Laertius account, Plato derived the name Plato from the breadth of his expressiveness while his wrestling coach as well gave him that name in light of his stature. Plato had the quickness of mind and modesty as a young boy while his hard work and love of study made him a student of Socrates. Prior to meeting with Socrates, Plato had received instructions in grammar, music as well as gymnastics while he was as well acquainted with the Cratylus and the Heraclitean doctrines. After the death of Socrates, Plato traveled in Italy, Sicily, Egypt and Cyrene. He returned to Athens while at the age of forty and founded the Academy in Athens, one of the earliest known formal institutions of higher learning in Western Civilization. The Academy in Athens schooled many intellectuals with the most prominent one being Aristotle. Plato later delved into politics by associating in the politics of the city of Syracuse. Plato died in 347 BC while the details of his death remain s canty. The widely acclaimed accounts detail that he died in his sleep. In essence, the biography of Plato remains scanty in many areas owing to the lack of proper documentation of events during his era. Plato’s philosophical contributions Persistent themes One of the most persistent themes in Plato’s philosophical work is the relationship between a father and a son. Plato pays particular interest to the question whether the interests that a father has in relation to his son have profound influence on how well the son turn out. The factor influencing Plato’s concern in this theme is the fact that in ancient Athens, the social identity of a boy emerged from the social identity of his family. Plato differs from his mentor, Socrates, who mocks the

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Brand Plan of Chipotle- management paper Research

The Brand Plan of Chipotle- management - Research Paper Example The Brand Plan of Chipotle includes the overview of the current brand scenario in the industry. According to "Where the Burritos Buzz Themselves: Chipotles Ad Budget Is Tiny, but Word of Mouth Makes Up the Difference Easily.",  the management of Chipotle does not believe in spending on promotions and advertisements to create an image of their brand. However, relying on word-of-mouth only to build the equity of a brand is not enough considering the growing situation of Chipotle. This paper focuses on how the brand is to be managed. Currently, as narrated in "How I Got Started Founder Steve Ells Tells the Story of Chipotles Rise.†; Chipotle manages a portfolio of a couple of brands which are Burrito, Burrito Bowl Crispy Tacos, Soft Tacos, Salad and Chips & Guacamole. Although the menu is quite limited for a large restaurant like Chipotle, the owners decide to keep the menu simple in order to maintain the flare of the brand on which the growth rests. As the management believes more on the word-of-mouth marketing rather than undertaking fully fledged marketing campaign, Chipotle must see that with the growth in the international marketing, it has to be backed with marketing campaigns and brand marketing endeavors in order to build a strong customer base as pointed out in the book â€Å"Strategic Brand Management, International Edition: Best Practice Cases in Branding†. As implied in "The Marketing Advantages of Strong Brands.", with the organization in its growing phase, the positioning strategies of the brand will be set, along with the corporate branding techniques which would translate into financial benefits. The brand of Chipotle would be made a corporate brand and the famous menu items of the restaurant would be advertised under corporate branding. The turnover resulting from these corporate brands would be gauged and the financials would be managed separately. This would show how much a brand is contributing to the total

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Kalabagh Dam Consequences

The Kalabagh Dam Consequences The Kalabagh dam is controversial for many reasons. A key reason has to do with the decision making process, which is highly centralized, politically coercive, and technically flawed. Regrettably, when the need is for broad-based stakeholder consultations, the existing trend is towards even greater centralization. For instance, the rotating chairmanship of the Indus River System Authority has recently been converted into a permanent appointment, provincial resolutions against Kalabagh have been given short shrift, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has consistently ignored the matter and community concerns continue to be met with blatant disregard. Small wonder then that the political leadership in the smaller provinces and civil society are up in arms against Kalabagh. In this essay, we critically examine four contested aspects of the Kalabagh dam. These relate to: water availability; environmental impacts; food and energy; and technical and financial feasibility. The work of colleagues is gratefully acknowledged. Water availability is an over riding concern. Is surplus water available to justify the Kalabagh project? WAPDA itself the generic source has sown confusion on this issue. It cites two average flow figures: 123 MAF (million acre-feet) and 143 MAF. The first calculation is based on a 64-year period (1922-1996) and includes both wet and dry cycles. The second estimate is based on a much shorter and wet cycle period of 22 years (1977-1994). Since the total requirement (inclusive of the additional allocation of 12 MAF under the 1991 Water Accord), is calculated at 143 MAF, there is a clear short fall of 20 MAF if we use the first estimate. This means Kalabagh may remain dry every 4 out of 5 years. Even the higher flow figure (143 MAF) overlooks certain factors. The first of these is system (evaporation and seepage) losses. If such losses increased from 6.2 MAF post Mangla to 14.7 MAF post-Tarbela, presumably, they will be even higher post-Kalabagh. This would have adverse implications for inter-provincial water distribution. New irrigation infrastructure appears untenable in view of these losses, since the increased upstream off-takes would be at the expense of downstream flows. This concern is also ignored when presenting Kalabagh as a replacement for Tarbela. Tarbela is projected to lose 5.3 MAF of its storage capacity by the year 2010. Since Kalabagh would, essentially, be replacing this loss, the Right and Left Bank canals would divert even more of Sindhs allocations than they presently are. In addition, illegal off-takes would also tend to be exacerbated. Consider now the environmental implications of constructing yet another large dam on the Indus River ecosystem. A catalogue of existing degradation provides the context for future environmental impacts of dams like Kalabagh. Degradation of the Indus delta ecosystem, as a result of reduced water outflows, is already a highly visible phenomenon. The present level of silt discharge, estimated at 100 million tons per year, is a four-fold reduction from the original level before large dams were constructed on the River Indus. The combination of salt-water intrusion (some reports show this as 30 km inland), and reduced silt and nutrient flows has changed the character of the delta considerably. The area of active growth of the delta has reduced from an original estimate of 2,600 sq. km (growing at 34 meters per year) to about 260 sq. km. The consequent ravages to the ecosystem have been exceptionally severe, in particular to the mangroves, which are its mainstay. They sustain its fisheries, act as natural barriers against sea and storm surges, keep bank erosion in check and are a source of fuel wood, timber, fodder and forest products, a refuge for wildlife and a potential source of tourism. Without mangroves and the nutrients they recycle and the protection they provide, other components of the ecosystem would not survive. The direct and indirect benefits of mangroves are enormous. In 1988, Pakistan earned Rs.2.24 billion from fish exports, of which shrimps and prawns constituted 72%. Additional income is generated from fuelwood, fodder and forest products was another Rs.100/- million. Not only is this revenue at risk from mangrove loss, but the physical infrastructure required to replace the natural protection provided by the mangroves (dykes, walls) would entail enormously high capital and maintenance costs. The health of mangroves is directly linked to fresh water inflows. Releases below Kotri barrage in most years and excluding floods average 10 MAF. Of this, little or none actually reaches the mangroves. The rest is lost due to evaporation or diversions. According to the Sindh Forestry Department, about 27 MAF is required to maintain the existing 260,000 ha. of mangroves in reasonably healthy condition. This is 27 MAF more than currently available, a situation which has contributed to ecosystem instability and mangrove loss. Within the framework of the Indus Water Accord, an additional 12 MAF would be diverted for upstream dam construction including Kalabagh. This would reduce existing sub-optimal flows further and aggravate an already critical situation. A community of about 100,000 people, residing on the northern side of the Indus Delta, depends on the mangroves for their livelihood. The prevailing view is that being under privileged, such communities are prone to degrade their environment. However, it is difficult to fathom why poor communities should endanger the very basis of their existence. The more likely explanation is that community practices have not changed, but they appear unsustainable because the resource base has begun to degrade. Communities are more often the victims than the agents of such degradation are. The real culprits are water diversion; biological and chemical water contamination and large-scale commercial practices, compounded both by institutional ignorance and complicity in such practices. Mangrove loss is only one among the many manifestations of biodiversity deficits emerging along the entire length of the Indus River ecosystem. The ecosystem has been severely fragmented over time by its extensive network of dams, canals and barrages, resulting in threats to a variety of species and organisms, the most notable among them being the Indus dolphin and the palla fish. Both can be classified as indicator species, as their impending loss represents the loss of a way of life, characterized by interdependence between communities and their environment. Another myth firmly embedded in the minds of our planners is that large dams are the perfect flood prevention devices. The evidence for Pakistan shows otherwise; that its large dams not withstanding, there has been no reduction in the incidence and intensity of floods nor in the associated losses in lives, crops, livestock and infrastructure. There is no seeming pattern to the floods other than the fact that they could have coincided with wet cycles. In actual fact, the severity of flood impacts appears to have increased after the two major dams, Tarbela and Mangla, were constructed. In actual fact, the shrinking of the riverbeds due to water diversions reduces their absorptive capacity and hence enhances the danger of flooding. River ecosystems have a natural capacity to deal with floods and these natural processes provide many benefits. Flood plains, wetlands, backwaters are commonly referred to as natures sponges; they absorb and purify excess water as a hedge against lean periods. They act as spawning grounds for fish and wildfowl. The floods themselves replenish agricultural soils. Communities living around these areas adapt to this natural rhythm and use its bounty to ensure reliable and sustainable livelihoods. It has also been pointed out that dams dont prevent floods, they merely create flood threat transfer mechanisms. The solution is to work with communities, rely on their knowledge and to supplement their flood mitigation and coping strategies. Two of the most commonly cited arguments in favor of large dams relate to food security and energy. Such arguments have become increasingly compelling in the light of perceived threats to food security and the recent furor surrounding the private power projects. We examine both of these arguments in turn. Additional water from Kalabagh can enhance crop production in three ways: by irrigating new land; by enhancing cropping intensity on existing land; or through yield enhancement. The first option appears tenuous. It is claimed that Kalabagh will irrigate close to an additional million hectares of barren land, and bring Pakistan closer to wheat self-sufficiency. However, the reports of the National Commission on Agriculture and the National Conservation Strategy suggest otherwise. They indicate that available cultivable land is almost fully utilized, leaving little scope for extensive cultivation. Between 1952 and 1977, about 80% of the increase in total cropped area was due to the cu ltivation of new land. Since then, this proportion has fallen dramatically, with double cropping accounting for the bulk of the increase. The reports suggest that in addition to the water constraint a very tangible land constraint exists as well. Crop production can also be increased through cropping intensity increases or crop yield enhancements. Both are water dependent and establish an a priori justification for Kalabagh. The NCS report states that at present 12.2 million hectares of land are available for double cropping while only 4.4 million hectares are being double cropped clearly water is the constraining factor. With respect to yield enhancements, water is again required in large quantities by the high yielding seed varieties (wheat, cotton, rice, maize) and for its synergetic effects upon chemical inputs. However, a critical choice needs to be made here. Does one opt for additional water, or can the same results be achieved through improved water use efficiency? Higher water retention in the system risks aggravating an already massive problem of water logging and salinity. In fact, the controversial and exorbitantly expensive ($780 million), 25-year National Drainage Plan project has been launched to mitigate its impacts. Kalabagh is bound to add to the problem, not only in its immediate environs but also where new irrigation infrastructure is to be situated. A clearly preferred choice is to use existing water more efficiently, and to focus on the necessary institutional changes for its equitable distribution. Some of the proposed measures are canal and watercourse rehabilitation, land leveling, improved on-farm water management and, at the policy level, switching demand based management while protecting the needs of the poor small farmers. These are clearly win-win solutions as they are relatively low cost, efficient, equitable and environmentally friendly. After the recent commotion over private power, the government began to hype up Kalabagh as an alternative source of cheap and clean energy. In the process, it switched adroitly from its earlier position that energy demand had been overstated, to one where it now posits a deficiency in supply. However, the cheap energy argument is becoming increasingly untenable both financially and technically. Donors such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank are unlikely to provide concessional funding for Kalabagh. This reflects their commitment to the thermal based private power projects, as well as the censure they have faced for getting embroiled in projects with major environmental and resettlement costs. And even if concessional funding was available, it is still not clear that hydel unit costs would be lower than thermal, once these costs are factored in. At this point, the whole debate appears to be moot since the government is scampering for funds to keep the economy afloat against the backdrop of sanctions. Even so, renewed policy statements suggest there is a resolve to proceed when the situation permits. Apart from the political compulsions, there is an inertial aspect to this decision as well. Institutional and financial paralysis inhibits the scope for energy conservation, efficiency improvements and diversification. The options have been identified often enough: on the supply side these are reduction of transmission and distribution (TD) losses and renewable energy development technologies (solar, wind, biomass). On the demand side, both technical and economic options exist for energy conservation. While these have been employed to some extent (tariff increases, energy efficient lighting), the efforts are a far cry from the kind of sustained initiatives launched in some South Asian countries, such as Thailand, where revamped e nergy supply systems are part of a larger network, with linkages to RD, the private sector and trade facilities. The title of a study Tarbela Dam Sedimentation Management, carried out by TAMS-Wallingford (March 1998) is self-explanatory. It shows that a de-silted Tarbela would yield the same irrigation benefits as Kalabagh, but at one-seventh the cost in net present value terms. The study states that, replacement of [irrigation and energy] benefits by constructing a new dam and reservoir down stream is feasible, but will be expensive, environmentally damaging and socially harmful. An alternative option cited is the construction of new outlets at the Tarbela Dam that will enable sediment to be flushed from the reservoir. The proposed Tarbela Action Plan is based on computer simulations of sediment flows. These simulations were designed to determine whether flushing was technically feasible and could be used to enhance long run storage capacity and to predict future sedimentation. Based on these simulations, a three phased action plan was proposed. The implementation of this plan would ensure long term and sustainable storage with only a small annual reduction in capacity. The estimated increase in retention at 6 MAF is exactly what the Kalabagh reservoir is designed to hold. Our conclusion is that the burden of proof is on those who advocate building the Kalabagh Dam. Our findings show that it is not economically, socially or environmentally viable. Also, the proposed benefits are based on faulty or misunderstood premises and, in any case, there exist in each case more viable and cost effective alternatives.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Alaska Drillings :: essays papers

Alaska Drillings Drilling for oil in Alaska’s Arctic Wildlife refuge will not solve our nation’s energy crisis, but it will destroy one of the worlds most unique animal habitats. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would satisfy only six months' worth of the nation's oil needs while oil drilling would "destroy" a wilderness that is home to the 150,000 animals of the Porcupine animal group. Our nations natural refuges should not be turned to destruction when a solution to a problem can be found else where. In addition to not being economically productive, drilling for oil will do nothing to help energy shortages experienced throughout the United States, while still destroying one of the only habitats of its kind in the world. Despite common thought, the Alaskan refuge is not a snow covered desert. It is important to what exactly would be destroyed if the United States decides to drill for oil. The Arctic Refuge is among the most complete and undisturbed ecosystems on earth. The Arctic Refuge contains an impressive variety of arctic wildlife. The rich variety of wildlife found within the Refuge includes more than 160 bird species, 36 kinds of land mammals, 9 marine mammal species, and 36 types of fish. The reality is that opening the Arctic refuge to drilling will accomplish little except destroying one of the last pure preserves of its kind in the world. Another reason why it would be unwise to drill is because it is just not cost efficient. For the oil industry to invest, the Refuge must hold a lot of oil, and the oil must sell for a high enough price for long enough to recover costs and earn profits. We need to think of a solution that will affect us today and will alleviate our problems. In exchange for this short-term return, we would have to pay a very high long-term price, threatening one of the planet's most unique animal and plant habitats. Scientific analyses by the US Fish & Wildlife Service have concluded that drilling would severely harm the refuge's abundant populations of caribou, polar bears, musk oxen, and snow geese. Alaska Drillings :: essays papers Alaska Drillings Drilling for oil in Alaska’s Arctic Wildlife refuge will not solve our nation’s energy crisis, but it will destroy one of the worlds most unique animal habitats. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would satisfy only six months' worth of the nation's oil needs while oil drilling would "destroy" a wilderness that is home to the 150,000 animals of the Porcupine animal group. Our nations natural refuges should not be turned to destruction when a solution to a problem can be found else where. In addition to not being economically productive, drilling for oil will do nothing to help energy shortages experienced throughout the United States, while still destroying one of the only habitats of its kind in the world. Despite common thought, the Alaskan refuge is not a snow covered desert. It is important to what exactly would be destroyed if the United States decides to drill for oil. The Arctic Refuge is among the most complete and undisturbed ecosystems on earth. The Arctic Refuge contains an impressive variety of arctic wildlife. The rich variety of wildlife found within the Refuge includes more than 160 bird species, 36 kinds of land mammals, 9 marine mammal species, and 36 types of fish. The reality is that opening the Arctic refuge to drilling will accomplish little except destroying one of the last pure preserves of its kind in the world. Another reason why it would be unwise to drill is because it is just not cost efficient. For the oil industry to invest, the Refuge must hold a lot of oil, and the oil must sell for a high enough price for long enough to recover costs and earn profits. We need to think of a solution that will affect us today and will alleviate our problems. In exchange for this short-term return, we would have to pay a very high long-term price, threatening one of the planet's most unique animal and plant habitats. Scientific analyses by the US Fish & Wildlife Service have concluded that drilling would severely harm the refuge's abundant populations of caribou, polar bears, musk oxen, and snow geese.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Explain How Constructivist Theory Differs from Traditional Ideas About Teaching and Learning

Constructivist Theory is very similar to the traditional ideas about teaching. The teacher’s roles that are similar include specifying learning objectives, preparing learning activities, and designing assessments. The main difference between Constructivist Theory and the traditional roles of a teacher is â€Å"a shift in emphasis away from the teacher merely providing information and toward the teacher promoting the interaction that makes students’ thinking open and visible.The constructivist theory puts the opportunity for knowledge in the students’ hands more than in traditional ideas of teaching. The teacher acts as a guide for imaginative and exploratory thinking. I would use constructivism in my classroom. I will provide high quality representations. I will use examples that include all of the information necessary in order for the students to understand the topic. The first example that popped into my head was to bring in a cake for each group and to cut t he cake into different portions to help with fractions in math.I will also connect content to the real world. I will try my best to relate the content I am teaching to the students. I know for myself, when I can relate to the content that is being taught, it is more interesting to me and I am more likely to do well in that specific content area. I will promote high levels of interaction. Group work will definitely be present in my classroom. Something I learned from this section is that the Constructivist Theory can be used with all grades and with all ages.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Strangest Existentialism

Patrick Jackson Advance English 2 Mr. E. Hardy December 9, 2012 The Strangest Existentialism To understand how existentialism is present in The Stranger, written by Albert Camus in 1946, we first need to understand what existentialism is, and originally being written in French, the book presents some troubles in understanding and comprehending the existentialism that is present. Existentialism is a philosophical approach to understanding human existence and experiences.It is based on the assumption that individuals are free and responsible for their own choices and actions. Acting on your own experiences is essential in arriving at the truth and â€Å"man is condemned to be free. † (Sartre). Existentialism is present in mainly two events that occur in the story, when Meursault is on the beach, and he shoots the Arabian. And when he is about to be killed at the end of the story. One part of the novel that displays existentialism is when Meursault shot the Arab on the beach and how he handled the situation afterwards.The Arab drew his weapon, and in this case it was a knife and held it up to Meursault, but that occurrence was not what bothered Meursault at all, it was the light from the sun that shot off the Arab’s knife, and along with the intense heat along with the salt from his sweat in his eyes that was bothering him before. Meursault shot the Arab mainly because he was uncomfortable with the heat and sunlight shining off the knife, not because he felt threatened.In the following pages, Meursault can't understand why he would need an attorney for his case because it's simple to him, he had murdered a man and was now ready to pay the consequences. It exemplifies existentialism because it shows the power of free choice, which is what existentialism solely is. Being able to choose one’s destiny as a way of free choice. The other part of the story that displays existentialism is at the end of the novel when Meursault is sentenced to death.In my personal opinion, I do not think Meursault was an existentialist, until he faced his death the way an existentialist might’ve. Taken from page 123, Meursault says, â€Å"I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again. † For him, there was no difference between life and death, everything was the same to him. It could be argued that he felt no emotion for any such thing, such as when Marie asked if he would marry her and he said it didn't matter and that it was up to her.In this moment, for the first time in the book he realizes what his mother might’ve felt before she died, only to be put in the same situation. This point helps to understand existentialism because throughout the whole book his mother's death—which is the first event to occur in the story—had absolutely no meaning to him at all until he is placed in the same situation—facing death—he finally realizes what it must have been like for her and for the first tim e in the whole story thinks about her feelings.From the existentialist point of view you must accept the risk and responsibility of your choices and follow the commitment to wherever it leads, as Meursault displays at the end of the story. Someone that is put in a particular situation understands it far more than someone looking in on that same situation—could be shown when the man is talking Meursault just before his execution. The man doesn’t understand why Meursault won’t pray to Jesus for him to save the man.With Meursault constantly refusing, the man will never truly understand why he won’t because he is not in the situation himself—one commonly used situation that appears often in existentialist writing is that of death. Bibliography Ankrom, Sheryl. â€Å"Existentialism – What is Existentialism. † About. com Health. N. p. , 27 Jan. 2009. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. Camus, Albert. The Stranger. Trans. Matthew Ward. New York: Vintage Books, 1989. Print. Sarte, Jean Paul. Philip Mairet, trans. â€Å"Existentialism is a Humanism. † Lecture given in 1946. Web. 10 October 2012