Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Comparing Peter Tosh and Malcolm X :: Civil Rights Racism Malcolm X Peter Tosh Essays
Comparing Peter Tosh and Malcolm X Introduction: Who Were These Men? Maya Angelou, a contemporary author and poet, once asserted,"No man can know where he is going unless he knows exactly where he has been and exactly how he arrived at his present place."It is this quote that serves as the underlying principle in an effort to demonstrate the commonalities that tie Peter Tosh and Malcolm X together by a similar history of slavery. No other quote is more fitting to exemplify how Peter Tosh and Malcolm X came to understand themselves and their relation to the rest of mankind. Maya Angelou's statement epitomized their goals, personalities, and the sentiment that Peter Tosh and Malcolm X tried to instill in all oppressed people. At the very least, their legacies have reminded all persecuted people to stand up, fight, and let the glory of each individual shine. This was their message. Both of these individuals knew exactly what they were creating through their respective songs, speeches, and interviews: severe discomfort for"Babylon", or tile oppressive white establishment."Babylon,"to Peter, referred to the corrupt Western society that exploited the rest of the world through hundreds of years of capitalism and imperialism (/ / 3mill.bitshop.com/ MiddlePassage / origins.htm). Malcolm held the same position (Malcolm X and Haley, 1964). For their efforts in trying to revolutionize the black man's position in this world, these martyrs lived with harassment, violence, and an"unnatural mystic"of eminent death. But this did not deter the conscience of these soldiers of justice. Malcolm X even went so far as to blatantly state:"It is time for martyrs now, and if I am to be one, it will be for the cause of brotherhood. That's the only thing that can save this country." Though Malcolm in this statement referred to saving his"country,"it soon became apparent that he was also referring to the entire world. For Peter Tosh and Malcolm X, the means to finding a better place for blacks could never come from one country. If significant change was to result, all black people had to unite, regardless of nationality or religion. The only concern for these men was to attain a better dominion for blacks. Both individuals felt this cause was worth more than their lives. With these beliefs in hand and heart, they devoted their existence to one purpose: ending the hypocrisy where all black men and women fell prey to a"slavish mentality." The black man's reasoning needed to be slaughtered if he ever was to be considered an equal.
Monday, November 11, 2019
A Hmong Child, Her Doctors and American Tragedy Essay
Introduction à à à à à à à à à à à America is known for having a culturally diverse society. The Hmong Group is among the population of the said society. In the story entitled ââ¬Å"The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Downâ⬠, which was written by Anne Fadiman, the main character came from the said ethnic group. The Hmong ethnic tribe is known for their knowledge and practice of traditional and primitive medical processes in healing their sick members. Based upon their beliefs of spirits, they usually create their medical observations on the patients and later on apply the practices they know are needed for the patientââ¬â¢s recovery. The question is that ââ¬Å"since their traditional practices have been proven effective for many members of their group for the past years of their history, does it guarantee that their ways of healing the patients that they treat are better than that of medical processes? Is there any possibility that the medical practices of the modern medicine be integrated with the cultural ways of the ethnic groups and still gain better results on the patientââ¬â¢s recovery later on? How effective could the said kind of medical processes be when it comes to actual application? These questions with regards to culture and its effect and influence towards medication would be the main topic of this paper and the subject of the discussions that would follow. About The Case à à à à à à à à à à à The story, as written by Anne Fadiman involves a young child who is afflicted with a serious illness. The girlââ¬â¢s name is Lia, a preschooler who has been experiencing developmental delay since she was in her younger years. As she grew up, she developed more serious health problems such as major seizures every now and then accompanied by several series of severe convulsions and cerebral Anoxia. Because of the said situation, the young child was profoundly impaired and physically incapable of doing the normal things that a young child naturally does. She was not playful and she had fewer chances when she used to react on the situations that are happening around her. à à à à à à à à à à à The parents of Lia, who were traditional Hmongs, believe in their cultural medication. Hence, whenever she passes out, or looses her consciousness, they claim that it is simply because she has ââ¬Ëlost her soulââ¬â¢ and thus needs toà à receive ritual practices to be able to regain her own self. For several times of having seizures, the ethnic elder of their tribe has tried reviving the young girl through ceremonial ministries and application of herbal medicines which were prayed over for her benefit. à à à à à à à à à à à Upon knowing this, the medical experts who used to handle Liaââ¬â¢s case before she went home believed that the further developments of her illness towards becoming worse was caused by the neglect of her parents in giving her anti-convulsant medications. The said anti-convulsants are known to be strong and really affect the system of the child as it tries to ââ¬Ërepairââ¬â¢ the damaged brain tissues of the child every time she looses her consciousness. à à à à à à à à à à à Later on, the medical practitioners who were supposed to both evaluate and take charge of Liaââ¬â¢s health situation was moved to get the child from her parents and bring her to a medical center where they believed she could be more closely observed and cured as well. à à à à à à à à à à à However, the medical processes used by the said practitioners were not as successful as they believed it would be. As for a fact, the terminality of the case of Lia even pushed to a worst condition until her parents were advised to take her back home, especially when they started to believe that her case could not be met anymore and that there is only a little time left before she dies. à à à à à à à à à à à Upon coming home, the tribe or the ethnic group of Lia performed several rituals again which they strongly believed would help her recover. As a result [as the tribe members claim] is that the young girl did not die. However, she was brain dead. This means that although she still breaths, her brain does not function anymore making the other systems of her body useless as of the said moment. à à à à à à à à à à à Knowing the situation behind Liaââ¬â¢s case, a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) Protocol shall be created regarding her case. Hence, by doing so, the author of this paper hopes to help in turning the situation around by answering the question ââ¬Å"What could have been done that could have contributed better on the progress of the healing process of Lia?â⬠The DSM Protocol à à à à à à à à à à à The process of pre-medication and therapeutical approach towards the illness shall be applied on the DSM protocol that follows: Interview The interview shall be performed for the sake of creating a basis for the creation of the medical protocol that needs to be applied for cases such as that of Lia. The interview then would be addressed to several parties that are involved in the direct healing practice that needs to be applied for the patient. The said interview is subdivided into three major sections. Interview with the Parents of the Patient Since they are the ones who regularly attend to the patient and are also the ones who are directly affected by the illness of the child, it would be best to know how they are able to give the childââ¬â¢s needs amidst her health situation. It would also help if they would be asked on what kind of ââ¬Ëhome nursesââ¬â¢ they are to be able to meet the medical requirements of their childââ¬â¢s health status. The interview shall help the psychology experts to understand the environment of the child and thus identify what factors [may include emotional and social] affects the healing development of the patient. Interview with the Physician The Physicianââ¬â¢s records as well as his own opinion towards the health situations of the patient are among the important sectors of this research. To be able to know the medical observations that they have done towards the patientââ¬â¢s situation, the development of the therapeutic process would be more practical and medically authorized. Interview with the Elders of the Ethnic Group An interview with the elders or the chief leaders of the ethnic group that the patient is joined with would help the person analyzing the situation to gain some knowledge about the basic cultural background of the patient and how the said traditional practices could be incorporated into the medical practice that would be applied to then patient afterwards. Tests The tests would involve oral, practical and medical tests: Oral tests This would be done with the patient [Lia]. This test would measure the development of the child with regards to the mental reasoning that she is able to use as she is asked some questions. [the author of this paper preempts that the patient is still at the first stage of her illness when she is still having slight seizures pertaining to the developing status of her illness. Practical tests This test involves both the parents and the child. They would be asked on how they are able to meet the challenges of the situation together. It should also include the ways by which they are able to treat their child during situations wherein their child experiences seizure and other health problems relayed to it. [It could be an inquiry on what they value better, the medical ways of healing their child or the traditional ways of dealing with the said health problem] Medical Tests The medical tests are almost the same as that of the interview with the physician attending to Liaââ¬â¢s case. Only this time, it would be based from the hard copy of the medical tests that have been made to identify the childââ¬â¢s sickness. Observation The observation on the patient would be based on both the written output of the interviews and tests that were done on the earlier part of the protocol, as well as with the actual observation of the situation of the patient during regular days. Life Records This mainly involves the observation and analysis of the life of the child as an infant and how she was taken care of by her parents. It would also be a measure on how the tribe tried to help in the childââ¬â¢s recovery through the application f traditional practices and cultural beliefs. This would allow the one working on the analysis to understand the possible sources of the aggravating health situation of the child. Assessment This process involves a more in depth observation of the situation. Assessment of the results that were collected would be incorporated within the healing [therapeutic] processes of medicating the patient. Clinical Inference After all the processes are done, it could be expected that the clinical application of the healing process could already be done. à The pre-trial and the actual application would help the patient, the relatives and the physicians involved in the case understand the importance of working together to be able to complete the healing process. à à à à à à à à à à à With the application of the said protocol comprising of six major processes, it could be noticed that the author of this paper aims to integrate some of the cultural practices within the healing process not only to avoid ethical issues and cultural conflicts in the progress of the healing the patient but also to evaluate ways buy which some of the cultural practices of the said ethnic group could help in the process of healing. Hmong Cultural Sensitivities à à à à à à à à à à à There are three major ways by which the Hmongs treat their patients. Most often, they tend to base this from their own diagnosis of the situation. As for Liaââ¬â¢s case, they believed that every time she passes out or losses her consciousness, she looses her soul. Thus they have to apply the three major practices to be able to regain her back. The three practices are as follows: Herbal Medicine application (A leaf that has been prayed over is applied on Liaââ¬â¢s body to regain her strength) Ceremonial Ministrations of a traditional practitioner (involves the prayers ad some group rituals that the ethnic tribe does to call the spirit of Lia back to her body) Sacrificing of Animals (Most often that not, this rituals are focused towards the gods of the tribes as a way by which they ask for the guidance of their gods for assistance in healing the sick member of the group) With the three major traditional ways that the Hmongs use, it could be noticed that the most important factor there is that has strong possibilities of being incorporated in a medical process is the use of herbal medicine. The reason behind this shall be tackled in the paragraphs to follow. à à à à à à à à à à à ON HERBAL MEDICATION à à à à à à à à à à à Although manââ¬â¢s use of synthetic drugs is a modern medical development, plant extracts have been used as cures for common ills for thousands of years. Early Assyrian records describe the use of the common anemone to alleviate pain. And Egyptian medical papyri from the time of the Pharaohs reveal a widespread use of medicinal plants. (Duke, 54) The World Health Organization has recorded the use of about 20,000 medicinal plants worldwide. In Britain alone an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 tons of herbs are used annually as ingredients in some 5,500 different herbal products, and in the United States, it has been reckoned that over half of all doctorsââ¬â¢ prescriptions are for medicines derived from plants. With as many as 250,000 known species of plants in the world, each possessing a potentially unique chemistry, scientists constantly look for clues to find useful medicines (Mowrey, 87). One of the obvious ways is to study how people treat ailments using plants growing in their locality. The discovery of cocaine started with the observation that chewing coca leaves deadened hunger pangs and eased fatigue. By isolating and modifying the structure of the cocaine molecule, chemists produced a synthetic derivative for use as a local anesthetic. Much valuable information on the use of plants is still filed away in botanical collections. Scientists who spent over four years examining 2.5 million specimens in the Gray Herbarium and Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University were able to pinpoint more than 5,000 plant species previously overlooked as potential sources of medicines. (Duke, 54) Another line of inquiry compares the chemical contents of plants. If one species contains useful compounds, related species may also be valuable. When work on a north Australian tree, the Moreton Bay chestnut, isolated castanospermine, a poison displaying antiviral activity, botanists searching for related trees suggested looking at the South American Alexa. (Chevallier, 63) It could be noted that the use of herbal medicines could out do some of the effects of the strong anti convulsant medicines that Lia received from her physicians. Hence, through the incorporation of herbal medication in the healing process it could be expected that the process would yield better results. New Culturally Sensitive Protocol à à à à à à à à à à à In any healing process, it should be realized that the involvement of the family, the relatives as well as the society that roams around the patient is a very important factor of the restoration process for the patient being treated Hence, in this section, a more culturally sensitive protocol shall be created: Creation of a Physician-Parent relationship This would help the physician and the parents of the patient work together through the incorporation of the cultural practices of the family in the medical process. The physicians must study if the herbal medicines would do no harm in reaction to the existing medical processes applied towards the patient. In a way, this could take time, but carefully considering things with regards the issues involved in the medication could even shorten the period of healing that is required for the patient. Integration of the Processes Close enough to the first stage; this involves more of the cultural or ethnic chieftains of the group where the patient belongs to. Their realization of the fact that some of their rituals may not be that applicable on the situation of the patient and thus would not be incorporated into the system, would help them cooperate with the healing process provided by the medical experts. Evaluation of the Strengths and Weaknesses of the New Protocol à à à à à à à à à à à As clearly seen, the process involves in depth study which may require time and stress on the physicians since they are at some point controlled with the way they are supposed to deal with the situation. However, thru realization of the fact that emotional and social acceptance is important for the patientââ¬â¢s recovery would enable them to meet with the said challenge to their profession. à à à à à à à à à à à However, if carefully applied, this process could help both parties [medicine and culture] see the importance of each sectors of medication and thus create better ways of healing the patients based form then practices that both social sectors accept. Conclusion à à à à à à à à à à à In this analysis, it could be noted that at some point, giving importance to the cultural background as well as the cultural practices of an ethnic group with regards to medicine could help in the development of medical practices that are used towards patients today. It is seen that by doing so, the integration of two worlds to result to better medical development could be considered as a way by which medicine could further progress its practices. à à à à à à à à à à à After all, the ancient times when people lived longer lives and dealt with less complicated diseases, people appreciated herbal and other traditional ways of medication even before modern medicine was discovered. Going back to the original cure would sure not be a hindrance to further medical progress in the future. BIBLIOGRAPHY Anne Fadiman. (1998). The spirit catches you and you fall down. http://www.spiritcatchesyou.com/bookexcerpt.htm. (December 15, 2006). Growth House Incorporated. (1999). A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures. http://www.growthhouse.org/books/fadiman.htm. (December 15, 2006). Books: Andrew Chevallier. (2000). Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine: The Definitive Home Reference Guide to 550 Key Herbs with all their Uses as Remedies for Common Ailments. DK ADULT; Revised edition. James A. Duke. (1998). The Green Pharmacy: The Ultimate Compendium Of Natural Remedies From The Worldââ¬â¢s Foremost Authority On Healing Herbs. St. Martinââ¬â¢s Paperbacks. Daniel Mowrey. (1986). Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine. McGraw-Hill; 1 edition.
Friday, November 8, 2019
When Morality Should Not Be an Issue
When Morality Should Not Be an Issue Free Online Research Papers There is an interesting dialogue going on within the field of cultural anthropology that addresses whether or not anthropologists have a moral responsibility to defend human rights. This discussion is a result of anthropologists making philosophical claims about the nature of morality, an activity anthropologists should not be focusing on. The main purpose of cultural anthropology is to observe and analyze the differences in structures of society around the world and not to make value judgments because making value judgments while attempting to objectively record and observe cultural practices hinders the anthropologistââ¬â¢s ability to remain completely neutral to the subject matter. This neutrality is necessary so that other fields such as philosophy can appropriately evaluate the human condition and its role in the nature of reality. Anthropology is a holistic science that observes, analyzes, and compares the past, present, and future of the human experience. Within this definition, there are four subcategories of anthropology: biological, archaeological, linguistic, and cultural anthropology. Cultural anthropologists study the diversity of culture. They attempt to explain differences and similarities between cultures by developing theories for how societies operate. They attempt to find the underlying meaning behind the behaviors and norms of a given society (Robbins 12). A major problem found by most anthropologists is how an anthropology should approach and understand cultural differences. Europeans were exposed to ââ¬Å"primitiveâ⬠peoples during a period of discovery and exploration in the 1800ââ¬â¢s. It was a lot like a close encounter of a third kind for these explorers because the masses were not aware of other beings living on Earth. Questions arose about the human species. Were humans everywhere essentially the same or was cultural and biological diversity so great that the unity of human kind did not exist? Are these ââ¬Å"primitivesâ⬠human? Do they have a soul or a religion? Anthropology was a field developed to help answer these questions by observing the different cultures. The relationship between the fieldworker and the native was asymmetrical, however. The natives did not have a choice or a voice against anthologists studying their culture because the anthropologists had more power both in numbers and in weaponry. Anthropologists could, without question, intrude into the lives of non-Europeans and put them under a microscope as if they were specimens. The judgments of these anthropologists were not value free because bias, especially then, was always present. Power was given to the researcher, and the researcher believed what he or she saw and recorded was ââ¬Å"the Godââ¬â¢s truth.â⬠Ethnocentrism is the concept of believing that your own societyââ¬â¢s norms are better than otherââ¬â¢s because they are true. Your reality is the only reality. Anthropologists do not rely on their own culture to understand other cultures because to do so would contaminate their research. This power relationship discloses the true imperialistic nature of anthropology in the 1800ââ¬â¢s. Intellectual movements such as the publication of Darwinââ¬â¢s theory of evolution in 1859 also caused elitist attitudes to dominate the majorityââ¬â¢s mind. Darwin suggested that human instincts, including morality, only existed because these instincts at one point in human evolution allowed for humans to survive. The idea of survival of the fittest and progress through evolution heavily influenced people such as Thomas H. Huxley and Herbert Spencer to apply progressive evolution to entire societies, termed Social Darwinism. Social Darwinists believed that wealth and power in a society was a sign of a highly developed culture, and the more developed a culture was, the higher their moral superiority was (Boss 108-110). This outlook allowed for anthropologists and the nations they were working for to look down on any different, primitive culture and regard them as morally inferior. This, in turn, served as a justification for the colonization of these people. Anthropologists then used these ââ¬Å"savageâ⬠cultures to illustrate human ancestry as if these ââ¬Å"primitiveâ⬠cultures were so far behind in development that they were a historical window in to the past of the dominate culture. As anthropology continued o develop at the turn of the twentieth century, new anthropologists such as Ruth Benedict and Franz Boaz began to speak out against viewing the native as ââ¬Å"primitive.â⬠In 1934, Ruth Benedict published ââ¬Å"Patterns of Culture,â⬠in which she debunked social Darwinism and puts in its place cultural relativism in order to prevent the imperialistic tendencies that resulted from Social Darwinism. She claimed that although cultures differ, the civilized society does not necessarily have a higher developed sense of morality. All cultures, Benedict asserted, have the same amount of history behind them and the dominate culture has no right to judge the morality of another culture as wrong (111). By dismissing altogether the notion of a universal moral code by which any community of people can use as a standard for judging the morality of another community, Benedict claimed what is right and wrong is dictated by the community and is relative to that community alone. Right is what the community approves of and morality is equivalent with custom alone as she mentioned in her article, ââ¬Å"Anthropology and the Abnormal.â⬠This is cultural relativism. At first glance, this theory seems very plausible and useful. When it gained popularity, the theory prevented the dominate society from justifying the exploitation of other, less powerful cultures and ethnocentric ideas of superiority. No longer could one society look at another and judge their actions because according to cultural relativism, morality is contingent on the context of the society. It also is very useful today. The observation that what I deem as right is only so because my society approves of it almost leads me to question my cultures norms and creates in me this need to explore other cultures way of life (Rachels 30). Despite these benefits, however, there are numerous problems with cultural relativism. First, imagine if cultural relativism were true. Initially, it seems like a good idea to not judge the moral practices of another culture, but what about the Nazi regime in Germany. If everyone adhered to cultural relativism, then no one could justify going to war against Germany to stop the elimination of the Jewish people. Slavery in America would be morally acceptable. With the ability to label certain activities of a culture morally wrong, we would be unable to criticize any culture for the obstruction of human rights. Also, it is very easy for you or I to imagine how our society could be better; we can think of things that might improve our society. Cultural relativism, however, states that this is impossible. If a society things slavery is right, then it is right without objection and to suggest otherwise would be to go against societyââ¬â¢s moral code. This notion erases any concept of cultural progress. Most would say the abolishment of slavery was a form of progress for the United States of America, but according to cultural relativism, progress would never occur. Progress suggests the society improved, and to improve is to be better. ââ¬Å"Betterâ⬠is a value judgment and value judgments are not allowed in the realm of cultural relativism. Aside from this, cultural relativism is not logical. Benedict observed that differences were present in what cultures believed to be right and wrong. She then applied this observation to what is. So, there is no absolute morally right or wrong because people disagree about what that absolute would be? Simply because two different cultures disagree about what they believe to be right and wrong fails to prove that there is no transcending moral code. It is possible for one culture to be mistaken in their beliefs. Is it even acceptable to suggest that societies differ on what they think is morally right and wrong? There are numerous examples of universal values (Rachels 25). Perhaps cultures express these similar values differently though custom, but they are similar nonetheless. Take for example infanticide. Initially, this practice seems barbaric and one could assert that this custom shows that the Inuit have no love for their children. But what is the purpose of infanticide? Inuits lived in harsh conditions, and sometimes it was necessary to kill a child if that childââ¬â¢s survival would cause the instability of the communityââ¬â¢s future. If the Inuit hated their children, there would be no community because there would be no children to populate the future generations. By reflecting on the purpose of a custom, we are able to recognize similarities between our values and those of another culture. For these reasons and perhaps others, some anthropologists today abandon cultural relativism. Because of cultural relativismââ¬â¢s inclination to ignore violations of human rights, some anthropologists even feel that it should be the anthropologistââ¬â¢s responsibility not only to observe cultures, but also to attempt to reform them. In her article, ââ¬Å"Ethical Considerations in Anthropology and Archaeology, or Relativism and Justice for All,â⬠anthropologist Merrilee H. Salmon attempts to motivate her colleagues to group together in effort to abolish female circumcision (Welch and Endicott 342). By making value judgments concerning morality, anthropologists take a step into the realm of philosophy and this is precisely what should be avoided. Personally, I do not think it is the anthropologistââ¬â¢s responsibility to defend human rights. Anthropologists observe the human condition and do not have ââ¬Å"make this condition more pleasantâ⬠in their job description. Regardless of whether or not a custom may appear to violate human rights, it is not the anthropologists job to reform the culture or make value judgments. This is not to say that action should not be taken to defend human rights, however. The point is that anthropologists should remain neutral and objective when conducting their research. Leave it to the philosophers to determine or question the morality of a given action. There are several reasons why anthropologist should avoid this blending of philosophical thought into their fieldwork. If an anthropologist spends all of his or her time analyzing the wrongness of a custom, how much effort is not geared towards actually observing the culture in question? In addition, the main goal in anthropology is to be objective, to give a non-biased interpretation of other cultureââ¬â¢s societal structure. The observations that come from anthropology are very useful if thorough and objective enough for allowing others to reflect on morality like human right activists and philosophers. By making value judgments, anthropologist take the risk of being ethnocentric and contaminating their research. It is true that philosophy and anthropology have some things in common, however. Philosophy studies and theorizes into the nature of reality by using rationality. To understand the nature of reality, it is important to recognize societal influences and ultimately to understand the function of these influences within oneââ¬â¢s own society. This way, it becomes easy for the philosopher to question societal norms and place them in the context of this ultimate reality. Anthropologist and sociologists alike also participate in this realization. It is crucial, as Ruth Benedict pointed out, not to immediately regard oneââ¬â¢s own culture as the only right and true reality. Ethnocentrism hinders the anthropologist because when the anthropologist (who is ethnocentric in this example) views another culture, he or she is seeing the other culture through his or her own cultureââ¬â¢s lens, and this prevents the anthropologist from being able to interpret the structure of the given society. If only Ruth Benedict could have stopped her observations here. It is true that other cultures have different beliefs and customs. It is also true that every culture has an equal length of history behind it. These claims alone should suggest that no culture is necessary better than another because of civilization, and this was all that was necessary to ignite an opposition to Social Darwinism. Her additional claim, that there were no objective, universal moral truths was not needed. The introduction of making philosophical claims about humanity in relation to morality simply confused the anthropological world. Today, following Benedictââ¬â¢s lead, anthropologists think it is their duty to make philosophical claims, without philosophical training. In school, philosophers learn how to analyze arguments like the one Ruth Benedict introduced. They learn how to find error in lines of thought and learn how to avoid making these errors when creating their own arguments. Nowhere in anthropology is there a focus on this type of training. Anthropologists learn how to shed their own cultural biases in order to objectively observe other cultures, but this is the extent of their philosophical training. The purpose of this training is to prepare the anthropologist for making observations and analyzing these observations so that the anthropologist can understand the structure of a culture. The training is not intended to prepare anthropologists to make deductions concerning the reality of nature. Making philosophically oriented moral judgments will also lead to a lack of trust between the culture that is being studied and anthropology as a whole. Anthropologists have a trust with other cultures because the other cultures understand that anthropologists are there to simply observe, not indoctrinate. Once anthropologists attempt to reform the cultures they observe, the host culture will no longer allow the anthropologists to study them. The efforts of anthropologists such as Ruth Benedict to develop philosophical theories about morality are well intended but these efforts to saturate anthropology with philosophical discussion dilutes anthropology by creating a field that is not only lacking focus and direction, but also effectiveness. The observations made in anthropology are needed for the understanding of the human condition and will be put in jeopardy if anthropologists attempt to step outside of their field of study. Bibliography Barrett, Richard A. Culture and Conduct: An Excursion in Anthropology, Second Edition. Belmost, California: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2004. Boss, Judith A. Ethics for life. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. pgs 100-132 Kottak, Conrad Phillip. Anthropology: The Exploration of Human Diversity. New York: MeGraw-Hill, 2002. Endicott, Kirk M., Welsch, Robert L. Taking Sides . Guilford, Connecticut: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2003. Rachels, James. The Elements of Moral Philosophy, Forth Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003. pgs 16-31 Robbins, Richard H. Cultural Anthropology: A Problem Based Approach. Itasca, Illinois: F.E. Peacock Publishers, Inc., 2001. 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Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Free Essays on Egocentrism In Children
LAB REPORT- EGOCENTRISM IN CHILDREN: ââ¬ËCOPS & ROBBERS STUFFââ¬â¢ ABSTRACT This report sought to examine whether a change in the response required -given that the materials utilized remained constant- would effect the degree of egocentrism exhibited by children within, either the pre-operational (3-5 years old) or concrete (9-11 years old) phases of cognitive development. This experiment was designed to correct or reinforce Piagetââ¬â¢s theory of conservation of matter, and used a modified version of Hughes police and robbers task. This was achieved by changing the response required from a straightforward verbal response to a visual response in which cue cards were applied. It was able then to be contrasted with Piagetââ¬â¢s 3 mountains task. The results given by the 507 subjects (228 male and 279 female) showed on average that egocentrism became more evident, particularly in pre-operational age bracket when asked to view the object (robber) form an opposite perspective rather than a similar one. Despite this however the experiment dispeled Piagetâ⠬â¢s theory by suggesting that not all pre-operational children are egocentric. Throughout this century scientists have pondered on the egocentric tendencies of humans and have tried to pinpoint its prenuptial foundations by examining cognitive development in children. Donaldson (19) defines egocentrism as: ââ¬Å"a self-centered viewpointâ⬠(p.17) and suggests that this failure to realize the world form another stance leads to lack of knowledge. Although Piaget (1932) -the forefather of modern cognitive psychology- established a theory to explain this condition of egocentrism in children, the experimental data which he used to support this; namely the 3 mountains task, was somewhat flawed. This was because, it suggested that children participants aged between two and seven; which he categorized in a stage labeled the pre-operational stage, were egocentric because they fai... Free Essays on Egocentrism In Children Free Essays on Egocentrism In Children LAB REPORT- EGOCENTRISM IN CHILDREN: ââ¬ËCOPS & ROBBERS STUFFââ¬â¢ ABSTRACT This report sought to examine whether a change in the response required -given that the materials utilized remained constant- would effect the degree of egocentrism exhibited by children within, either the pre-operational (3-5 years old) or concrete (9-11 years old) phases of cognitive development. This experiment was designed to correct or reinforce Piagetââ¬â¢s theory of conservation of matter, and used a modified version of Hughes police and robbers task. This was achieved by changing the response required from a straightforward verbal response to a visual response in which cue cards were applied. It was able then to be contrasted with Piagetââ¬â¢s 3 mountains task. The results given by the 507 subjects (228 male and 279 female) showed on average that egocentrism became more evident, particularly in pre-operational age bracket when asked to view the object (robber) form an opposite perspective rather than a similar one. Despite this however the experiment dispeled Piagetâ⠬â¢s theory by suggesting that not all pre-operational children are egocentric. Throughout this century scientists have pondered on the egocentric tendencies of humans and have tried to pinpoint its prenuptial foundations by examining cognitive development in children. Donaldson (19) defines egocentrism as: ââ¬Å"a self-centered viewpointâ⬠(p.17) and suggests that this failure to realize the world form another stance leads to lack of knowledge. Although Piaget (1932) -the forefather of modern cognitive psychology- established a theory to explain this condition of egocentrism in children, the experimental data which he used to support this; namely the 3 mountains task, was somewhat flawed. This was because, it suggested that children participants aged between two and seven; which he categorized in a stage labeled the pre-operational stage, were egocentric because they fai...
Monday, November 4, 2019
Economic Value Added (EVA) Statement Research Paper
Economic Value Added (EVA) Statement - Research Paper Example EVA is one such performance measurement tool that captures the financial profit and shareholders wealth. ââ¬Å"EVA subtracts the cost of capital from the net operating profits after tax (NOPAT) generated in the business. It is a measure of the residual income from the income statement after accounting for the cost of the balance sheetâ⬠(Economic Value Added, 2007). How can Economic Value Added (EVA) Statements be used to improve financial statement reporting, results, and success? EVA statements are formed on the basis of two financial statements-the balance sheet and the income statement. EVA Statements can be Used as a Valuable Tool to Improve the Financial Statements: With the correct prediction of economic profits every financial year, EVA statement shows how much value is additional to the capital. It helps to set the goals of business, incentives of management, and pay bonuses for better performances which cannot be obtained from the cash flows of financial statement. .. . It helps to analyze the capital budgeting and long term investment decisions of the firm. Since it helps in calculating the financial profits, it can be a very useful performance measure which supports the financial statement of the business. It increases the average rate the of returns of shareholders. This helps to increase the rate of capital. EVA statement clearly specifies how much amount is given as tax, and therefore helps correct estimation of expenses in the financial statement. It also shows the economic value generated and distributed in the business. EVA can raise the firmââ¬â¢s investment, which is presently very low. The managers are thus paying attention on increasing earnings that they acquire on projects, for which the earnings do not validate the capital investments. EVA statements are based on financial statements; it is helpful to find out any faults and make adjustments in the accounting principles that can improve the capital and operating profits. As financi al statements are based on the generally accepted accounting principles, there will be mistakes, and therefore correct adjustments one needed, which can be possible through the EVA. EVA statements help in calculating the weighted average cost of capital; it is useful to estimate the risk and returns involved in the project of the business. What are some of the problems found with EVA? Though EVA is a useful method to evaluate the performance of business; it has some limitations which are as follows: EVA is considered as a short term performance measurement tool. Companies focusing on long term investment decisions cannot use EVA as a performance measurement. The EVA for future investments can not be calculated independently with every performance calculation, as
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Managerial Decision Making essay 8 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Managerial Decision Making 8 - Essay Example Most researchers explain analogical thinking as the process of remembering a situation of the past and abstracting information from the same in order to develop better understanding of the present situation (Foreman & Selly, 2001). The purchasing decisions of individuals are influenced by analogical reasoning. It is considered as a technique which shoppers use to increase the satisfaction regarding the purchased commodity or service (Foreman & Selly, 2001). Last week when I was purchasing a mobile handset, I adhered to the information that was provided to me by the store keeper. Instead, if I had used my own analogical reasoning, perhaps I could have made a better purchase. Through analogical reasoning I could have analyzed my previous experiences with different brands. Analogical reasoning could have also helped me to consider and match my needs with the offerings of the product and chose more wisely. Biased behavior is a common issue faced in the daily lives of most individuals. Biasness refers to supporting a particular theory, an individual or to think in a particular manner without being rational. Biasness from others may arise out of different reasons such as lack of knowledge, attachment with particular individuals or the lack of familiarity with certain situations. Biasness may often cause individuals to take wrong decisions (Frame, 2012). Biased thinking may also arise out of individual heuristics. Heuristics is the process of taking decisions quickly without analyzing the same in depth or logically. Such an effect leads to the generation of cognitive biasness. Biased judgment can also arise out of wishful thinking. Wishful thinking and beliefs of individuals may act as suitable motivations for biased decision making. Understanding other peopleââ¬â¢s biasness is an important aspect while working in teams or while taking decisions collectively. This helps in understandi ng the motive behind their biased thinking. Once the motive is
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Discuss and compare two legal transplants, with reference to AT LEAST Essay
Discuss and compare two legal transplants, with reference to AT LEAST ONE African or Asian legal system - Essay Example The main purpose of comparative law in this case is to provide a deeper knowledge on legal systems (Ritaine 11). From the general study of law, there is great awareness of the transfer of legal concepts, practices and organizations. Atleast in every nation, there has been the use of legal transplant during the development of the legal system; laws have been borrowed from one country to another. There is a lot of evidence that show cases the migration of legal systems from one country to another. It was evident during the adoption of Roman law by many countries; for example, there was a case of legal transfer from America after the World War II to other countries that had been defeated and the migration of legal system from western countries to the countries of the Eastern part of Europe. At the moment, due to globalization, there have been re-dimensions of the legal systems. This has led to the realization of concerns by the European Union, which wants harmonization of legal systems so as to curb the rising of international crime and terrorism (Negura 812). Despite this stand, legal transplant has stood to be one of Chinaââ¬â¢s major legal systems that have seen it develop its legal system, while playing the major role in the transition of social systems. It has served as the best means for legal construction. The process in China began in about 1980. The government sat and agreed to setup a new legal system for the purpose of foreign investment, and it began by informing its major foreign embassies to collect joint venture laws from their respective countries of operation. Most government officials also attended major foreign courses dealing with foreign investment and taught by foreign lawyers and professors (Chenguang, ââ¬Å"The Functionâ⬠). This is the model of legal transplant relating to economy whereby individuals and groups gain a lot of benefit due to their investment through investments, learning
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