Principles of economics

Introduction This essay seeks to present an insight into an emerging economic event in china. China is among the top performing economies in the Asia. Its economic growth has been remarkable over the last years. Local economists predict an increase in the domestic growth. However, this might not be the case because there are some signs of economic stagnation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Principles of economics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is a period when the levels of domestic production are either declining or constant. The major causes of weak domestic production are insufficient skills, insufficient raw materials and/ or low demand for consumer products. This essay therefore, humbly, concisely and clearly reflects the key points contained in the economic article by Bradsher (2013). The essay also contains an application of major economic concepts of supply and demand, market structures, elasticit y and cost of production into the real perspective of China’s economic trend as depicted in the article. Below are weightier issues. Key points According to Bradsher (2013), top Chinese economists have noticed an indicator of a decrease in the Chinese exports. Exports are the goods and services that china ships out of the country to meet the demand of an external market, say Australia. Another key point in the article is the fact that china’s economic growth is sluggish. Economic growth of a country (including China) is measured by various criteria. Total domestic production forms a foundation for an economic growth. Domestic production derives its stimulation from the level of local and international demand for goods and services. Concisely, the only reason for china’s economic growth is the availability of lending services from policy-regulated financial institution and overnight package. Increase in lending has boosted the levels of production whereas low dem and for the goods and services both in the local and international market, suppresses the growth. Another key factor on its own is the increased lending in China. The Chinese government has increased lending opportunities to businesses. The rationale for the move is to stimulate production and thus economic growth. The last key point is about consumer spending. Noticeably, the levels of consumer spending have been rising in the country. Consumer spending levels can be measured by household-purchase quantity levels and/or quality. The more the quantity of goods and services purchased by consumers, the higher the spending levels. The argument is true when quality is considered. The higher the quality of goods and products purchased by consumers, the higher the spending levels (Buchanan, 1999).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Economic concepts in application Supply and demand- demand is the ability and willingness of a consumer to spend a specific amount of money on a commodity at a particular time. Demand of a certain good or product is influenced by taste and preference, levels of customers’ income, availability of alternatives and price of the goods and services. Decreased levels of demand for Chinese products in the international market are the chief cause of weak levels of export experienced by the country. In simple terms, the ability and willingness by international consumers to buy goods and services from China has decreased. The reasons for the decrease are the same factors that influence demand. For instance, the international market could have identified a cheaper source of goods that the Chinese producers provide. In that case, they would channel more of their resources to purchase from a cheaper supplier as opposed to China (Buchanan, 1999). The willingness of Chinese nationals to consume local goods is the reason for increased consume r spending in China. That is, consumers only spend on what they want and need. Demand, on the other hand is induced by consumers’ needs and want. The more the needs and want (demand), the higher the levels of spending and aggregately, this leads to increase in consumer spending (Adil, 2006). Supply on the other hand is the ability and willingness of a seller to sell his products at a specific price at a particular time holding things constant. The levels of supply are influenced by prevailing commodity prices, prices of alternative commodities and prices of factors of production. The Chinese state controlled bank has increased the levels of lending. In other words, the supply of funds has increased. Therefore, borrowers obtain funds at a lower cost since the supply levels are higher than the demand (Buchanan, 1999).  Cost of production- it is the price of the resources used to provide consumer goods and services. The factors of production (labor, land, capital and enterpris e) have different prices due to their nature. Cost of production can be offset by high profit levels due to high sales levels. During the period of low demand, sales levels are low and businesses make losses. Losses discourage production levels and thus less economic growth. China’s sluggish economic growth is partly because of unequaled cost of production (Adil, 2006). Conclusion To conclude, Bradsher (2013) is to the point going by the content of its article. Exports stimulate domestic production. It is also a source of foreign income to a country. If the levels of a country’s export decrease because of less demand for foreign goods by international markets, a chief production stimulus would be lost. Less domestic production would therefore impede economic growth rate, thus sluggish china’s economic growth.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Principles of economics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn M ore References Adil, J. R. (2006). Supply and demand. Mankato, Minn: Capstone Press. Bradsher K. ( 2013, August 8). China’s Economy unexpectedly stumbles again on weak export results. The New York Times. Web. Buchanan, J. M. (1999). The demand and supply of public goods. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund. This essay on Principles of economics was written and submitted by user Giselle Daniels to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Execute and Run Applications and Files From Delphi Code

Execute and Run Applications and Files From Delphi Code The Delphi programming language provides a quick way to write, compile, package, and deploy applications cross-platform. Although Delphi creates a graphical user interface, there are bound to be times you want to execute a program from your Delphi code. Lets say you have a database application that uses an external backup utility. The backup utility takes parameters from the  application and archives the data, while your program waits until the backup finishes. Maybe you want to open documents presented in a file list box  just by double-clicking on them  without opening the associated program first. Imagine a link label in your program that takes the user to your home page. What do you say about sending an email directly from your Delphi application through the default Windows email client program? ShellExecute To launch an application or execute a file in a Win32 environment, use the ShellExecute Windows API function. Check out the help on ShellExecute for a  full description of parameters and error codes returned. You can open any document without knowing which program is associated with it- the link is defined in the Windows Registry. Here are some shell examples.   Run Notepad uses ShellApi;...ShellExecute(Handle, open,c:\Windows\notepad.exe, nil, nil, SW_SHOWNORMAL) ; Open SomeText.txt With Notepad ShellExecute(Handle,open,c:\windows\notepad.exe,c:\SomeText.txt, nil, SW_SHOWNORMAL) ; Display the Contents of the "DelphiDownload" Folder ShellExecute(Handle,open, c:\DelphiDownload, nil, nil, SW_SHOWNORMAL) ; Execute a File According to Its Extension ShellExecute(Handle, open, c:\MyDocuments\Letter.doc,nil,nil,SW_SHOWNORMAL) ; Heres how to find an application associated with an extension. Open a Website or a *.htm File With the Default Web Explorer ShellExecute(Handle, open,http://delphi.about.com,nil,nil, SW_SHOWNORMAL) ; Send an Email With the Subject and the Message Body var em_subject, em_body, em_mail : string;begin em_subject : This is the subject line; em_body : Message body text goes here; em_mail : mailto:delphiaboutguide.com?subject em_subject body em_body ; ShellExecute(Handle,open, PChar(em_mail), nil, nil, SW_SHOWNORMAL) ;end; Heres how to send an email with the attachment. Execute a Program and Wait Until It Finishes The following example uses the ShellExecuteEx API function. // Execute the Windows Calculator and pop up// a message when the Calc is terminated.uses ShellApi;...var SEInfo: TShellExecuteInfo; ExitCode: DWORD; ExecuteFile, ParamString, StartInString: string;begin ExecuteFile:c:\Windows\Calc.exe; FillChar(SEInfo, SizeOf(SEInfo), 0) ; SEInfo.cbSize : SizeOf(TShellExecuteInfo) ; with SEInfo do begin fMask : SEE_MASK_NOCLOSEPROCESS; Wnd : Application.Handle; lpFile : PChar(ExecuteFile) ;{ParamString can contain theapplication parameters.}// lpParameters : PChar(ParamString) ;{StartInString specifies thename of the working directory.If ommited, the current directory is used.}// lpDirectory : PChar(StartInString) ; nShow : SW_SHOWNORMAL; end; if ShellExecuteEx(SEInfo) then begin repeat Application.ProcessMessages; GetExitCodeProcess(SEInfo.hProcess, ExitCode) ; until (ExitCode STILL_ACTIVE) or Application.Terminated; ShowMessage(Calculator terminated) ; end else ShowMessage(Error starting Calc!) ;end;

Aspects Of British Colonialism In Uganda And Kenya History Essay

Aspects Of British Colonialism In Uganda And Kenya History Essay Uganda and Kenya as British protectorates were founded in 1894. Colonization of Africa employed a number of methods. The main ones were the use of the gun the Bible or religion. Buganda was colonized by the gun, Bible and koran. The Bible and koran teachings became effective ways of establishing a fanatical following which eventually played a crucial role in the political landscape of buganda. By 1867 islam was established in buganda and Mutesa I was already observing the ramadhan and learning to read the koran. Mutesa I pages at his courts fully converted though Mutesa I never converted fully to islam. The Christian Missionary Society (CMS) arrived in buganda in June 1877. After two years the roman catholic white fathers arrived in buganda. The arrival of these two groups not only ignited a rivalry between them but confused the buganda (EnterUganda). Just as Uganda, Kenya had its share of missionary activity which sprang up from the coastal part of the region. Missionaries first la nded at the coastal town which had been previously explored and dominated by the arab traders who came in with the koran. However the factional fights that were characteristic of the buganda were not with Kenya mainly because of the ethnic set up diversity that existed in Kenya. Later on the establishment of colonial boundaries would greatly affect these more than 40 different communities who were now brought together into one territory. In the case of the buganda and on a broader scale there was rivalry between the French who were catholic inclined and the English who were protestant inclined. In this rivalry was also a scramble for products and cheap raw materials source. On the other hand the earliest foreign expeditions in Kenya were mainly missionary expeditions and were mainly to open up the inland for the sake of the gospel. The scramble for raw materials would however come later as a secondary factor. The coming of the missionaries caused religion to spread rapidly throughou t the entire east African region. For Kenya the spread advanced from the coastal region into the interior, whereas for Uganda the kabaka hosted the missionaries whose activities fanned out from the palace into the entire region. The Imperial British East Africa chose to move in and establish British sphere influence. Sending FJ Jackson who spearheaded this mission. Jackson sought to sign a treaty with Mwanga who was enjoying catholic backing after Karl Peters a German favoured by the catholics arrived in buganda. The Germany influence and interest over buganda was curtailed by the signing of the Heligoland treaty of July 1890. In this treaty buganda was officially recognized as a British sphere of influence in return for Heligoland island in the north sea to the Germans (EnterUganda) In Kenya it all began at the 1884 to 1885 Berlin Conference which was the basis on which was set the rules of colonial occupation. Combining with the 1886 Anglo-German Agreement and other inter- Europea n territorial arrangements, the Berlin conference was instrumental in not only erecting artificial boundaries around Kenya but also in removing diplomatic initiative from Kenyan people. This was just a precursor of the demarcation of the Kenyan territory that would follow in the year 1894. Imperial British East Africa now had a firm grip on the two east African states Kenya and Uganda. However in order to further protect their interests in Uganda the Imperial British East Africa later send Captain Fredrick Lugard to counter the threat posed by Emin Kasha in Sudan who was planning to annex buganda and bunyoro to Turkey. Charles Stoke a missionary turned arms dealer who was also plotting to arm Kabalega needed to be dealt with because kabalega being unfriendly to the British would be a risk if he was armed.. Captain Lugard successfully forestalled their plans. However the coming of Captain Lugard was viewed by Mwanga and the catholic backed regime as a triumph for the protestant. Luga rd signed a treaty with Mwanga and fought alongside him to defeat the muslim invasion. Captain Lugard also entered an agreement with Ntare V to stop arms from reaching Kabalega.

Emphysema lung disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emphysema lung disease - Essay Example Chronic exposure to cigarette smoke decreased elasticity of the lungs and destroys the alveoli. Another cause of emphysema is deficiency of alpha-1-antitrypsin, a substance that fights a destructive enzyme in the lungs called trypsin. An alpha-1-antitrypsin deficient person cannot fight the destructive effects of trypsin and the lung is slowly destroyed. Though the role of genetics in the development of emphysema is unclear, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency may be inherited. Other causes of emphysema are air pollution, abnormal airway reactivity, sex and old age. Air pollution has similar effect on the lungs like cigarette smoke. The pollutants will inflame the airways and destroy the lung tissues. Abnormal airway reactivity, such as bronchial asthma, can lead to emphysema. The differences between male and female hormones are suspected to make more men develop emphysema than women. It is also found that lung function normally declines with age, that lung tissues are destroyed as one gets old and this condition will lead to emphysema. The most common symptom of emphysema is shortness of breath. Due to the collapse of the chest wall, a person with emphysema has to struggle to exhale completely because his airways are close when exhaling. In the advance case of emphysema, a person may engage in "purse-lipped breathing" wherein the person purse his lips, leaving only a small opening. When exhaling, the lips block the flow of air and increase pressure in the collapsed airways. Since air is trapped behind obstructed airways, a person with emphysema may develop a "barrel chest" where the distance from the chest to the back becomes more pronounced. Other symptoms are cough and wheezing and decrease in tolerance for exercise.When experiencing shortness of breath, decrease in the ability to exercise or perform daily activities, a persistent cough or wheezing, consult your doctor since these may be indicative of other diseases such as heart problem and other lung diseases. The doctor can also help in formulating a plan to quit smoking. Watch out if the lips, tongue, fingernails, or skin turn blue since these indicate cyanosis or severe worsening of your lung condition. If these symptoms are seen, rush to the hospital's emergency department. If the doctor suspects emphysema in a patient, he will recommend physical examination, with particular focus on breathing sounds, heart sounds, and general physical appearance. A number of tests may be ordered or performed such as chest x-ray, lung function tests, bloods tests. These tests will gauge the extent of the disease, the remaining lung function, and the presence of lung infections. Looking at the chest x-ray results, the doctor can identify changes in the lungs that may indicate emphysema, detect presence of an infection or a mass in the lung (such as a tumor). The lung function tests will give specific information on how the lungs are working mechanically. In the lung function test, the patient is made to breathe into a tube that is connected to a computer or some other monitoring device. The lung function tests measure how much air the lungs can hold, how quickly the lungs can expel air during expiration, and how much reserve capacity the lungs have for increased demand such as during exercise. The blood tests will check white blood cell count, which in turn indicates an acute

Monopolies - Gas and Electric Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Monopolies - Gas and Electric - Essay Example Government’s intervention leading to monopolization of the gas and electric sectors of the given country will have positive and negative implication to the general economy. Government’s intervention in such businesses will ensure that consumers receive better services from the traders of the particular product (Tucker, 2011). Government will also help consumers exercise maximum sovereignty without any form of manipulation by the individual traders. In addition, government’s intervention in monopoly of gas and electricity will help in ensuring that consumers get quality products and that traders comply with the safety standards. According to Rittenberg, et al (2008), the negative experience that will occur when government intervenes, forming monopolies in gas and electricity sectors will include high cost of production as the producer will be unable to pass the costs to consumers. When costs of production rises, producers will strive to limit the use of raw materials and this may compromise innovation. Furthermore, government’s intervention in monopoly of gas and electricity may lead to skyrocketing of prices of the products due to the raised standards of services, which will have adverse effects to the lower economic class (Rittenberg, 2008). Moreover, government’s intervention in monopoly trade of gas and electricity will also derail research process and spirit that a company may have to develop other ways of producing the particular

Cultures and Practices Not Allowed in the Philippines Essay Example for Free

Cultures and Practices Not Allowed in the Philippines Essay Euthanasia Euthanasia is the legal term for a medically assisted mercy killing; however in most countries, euthanasia is illegal. The first form of euthanasia is the voluntary decision of a patient. This is when a patient asks a doctor to terminate the patient’s life if and when the patient suffers too much, the patient has no hope of recovery, the patient has no hope for a decent quality of life, or the patient wishes to relieve the financial or psychological burden on the patient’s family. The other form of euthanasia is an involuntary decision by friends or family of the patient to end the patients life. This is sometimes referred to as euthanasia without consent from the patient. Euthanasia is unethical. It is immoral. Even though a death of a person is given consent by himself, it is still murder, assisted suicide, or mercy killing, which is against the will of God. Abortion Abortion, though allowed in some other countries, is illegal in the Philippines. Under the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, any person who shall intentionally cause an abortion shall suffer reclusion temporal, prision mayor, or prision correccional. The only time abortion is legal is when the pregnancy of the expectant mother is beyond saving like in the case of fetal death, fetal deformity caused sickness while in womb, pregnancy post high risk to mothers life. In all other circumstances, there is no exception. Abortion is more illegal in the eyes of God, because it is a mortal sin. Divorce Divorce, under the Family Code, is not allowed in the Philippines. Christianity is the largest religion in the Philippines, being that the Christian religion is strongly against divorce. The reason is the influence of Christianity in the Philippine culture. Under its teachings, only death can separate what God has put together. So even if under the eyes of the law, the marital bonds have been validly severed, the Catholic Church will still not honor said decree. Couple this with the fact that there is a stigma attached to broken marriages. Said stigma often develops feelings of insecurities and in some cases, rebellion on the part of the concerned parties. Polygamy Polygamy is the status or institution of simultaneous marriage of more than one woman to one man, or of several women to several men. The two forms are polygyny and polyandry. In ordinary use, the term is restricted to polygyny, where one man is simultaneously married to more than one woman. Catholic tradition has consistently interpreted Christs teaching as absolutely forbidding polygamy, and the prohibition was defined by the Council of Trent, pronouncing that it is unlawful for Christians to have several wives at the same time, and that it is forbidden the divine law. Marriage is a covenant between two people. In the Philippines, polygamy is not allowed because of the Christian influence in the Philippine culture. The only exception is when you are a Muslim living in the Philippines. Same sex Marriage Same sex Marriage is not allowed in the Philippines. Two people of the same gender having a relationship is somehow socially accepted nowadays. But when they are to be married, it is unethical. Even though there are some instances that these marriages occur, the couple could not include seeking legal protection and benefits that flow from marriage. Marriage is defined as a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life.

Pathology Arises Out Fo The Ex Essay -- essays research papers

Concepts of pathology, as treated by the traditions of clinical psychology and psychiatry, define what is ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ in human behaviour. Various psychological paradigms exist today, each emphasising diverse ways of defining and treating psyopathology. Most commonly utilised is the medical model which is limited in many respects, criticised for reducing patients problems to a list of pathological symptoms that have a primarily biological base and which are to be treated behaviourally or pharmacologically (Schwartz & Wiggins 1999). Such reductionistic positivist ways of viewing the individual maintain the medical discourse of ‘borderline personality’, schizoid’, ‘paranoid’ or ‘clinically depressed’, often failing to address the wider socio- ltural environment of the individual. Pilgrim (1992) suggests that such diagnostic pidgeon-holing does not enhance humanity, nor aid those who are dealing with the distressed individual to find meaning. It also neglects to consider life beyond the physical, failing to address the more philosophical questions that abound from our very existence. Existential psychiatry and psychology arose in Europe in the 1940’s and 1950’s as a direct response to the dissatisfaction with prevailing efforts to gain scientific understanding in psychiatry (Binswanger 1963). Existentialism is the title of a set of philosophical ideas that emphasise the existence of the human being, the lack of meaning and purpose in life and the solitude of human existence. Existentialism stresses the jeopardy of life, the voidness of human reality and admits that the human being thrown into the world, a world in which pain, frustration, sickness, contempt, malaise and death dominates (Barnes 1962). How one positions oneself in that world becomes the focus for existential notions of pathology, a responsibility that is present for every human being, not one confined to the ‘mentally ill’. In this sense the human being is ‘response-able’ to the existential predicament that is life and the necessary struggles that arise through negotiating these conditions in every lived moment. In this essay I will give a brief outline of the history of existential thinkers, then discuss how t... ...  Lowrie). Princeton: Princton University Press Laing, R. D. (1960). The Divided Self. Harmondsworth: Penguin Lewis, C. S. (1943). The Abolition of Man. Oxford: Oxford University Press May, R. (1969). Love and Will. New York: Norton. May, R. & Yalom, I. (1984). Existential Psychotherapy. In Corsini, R. J. (ed.), Current  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychotherapies. Itasca Illinois: Peacock Owen, I. R. (1994). Introducing an existential-phenomenological approach: basic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  phenomenological theory and research- Part 1. Counselling Psychology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Quarterly, 7, (3) 261-273 Pilgrim, D. (1992). Psychotherapy and Political Evasions. In Dryden, W. & Feltham,C. (Eds.) Psychotherapy and It’s Discontents. Buckingham: Open University Press Satre, J. P. (1951). Being and Nothingness. (Trans. H. Barnes) Methuen: London Schwartz, M. A. & Wiggins, O. P. (1999). The Crisis of Present-Day Psychiatry:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Regaining the Personal. Psychiatric Times, 16, 9. Yalom, I. (1989). Love’s Executioner: And Other Tales of Psychotherapy. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harper Collins

Introduction to Philosophy Essay

Abstract â€Å"It is very tempting for people not to think, to remain submerged in reality rather than aware of it, to be carried along by the current of events rather than creating their destiny through thoughtful, independent choices† (Chaffee, 2013). In this paper, the importance of philosophy is discussed in practical terms. Why is it important? What purpose does it serve and what reasons do people have for pursuing an education in it? How can this affect my life? The major branches of philosophy, which are Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Political & Social, Aesthetics and  Logic, are also discussed along with the contributing questions specific to each branch and what each branch focuses on. Philosophical Areas 3 Philosophical Areas of Inquiry, Personal Relations and Application As stated by Cicero (n. d. ), â€Å"Rightly defined, philosophy is simply the love of wisdom. † â€Å"The actual word philosophy is Greek in origin, and it is the composite of two Greek roots: philein, a Greek word for ‘love,’ and sophia, the Greek word for ‘wisdom. ’ Taken together, they mean ‘the love or pursuit of wisdom’† (Chaffee, 2013). There are so many reasons one would  want to study philosophy, and considering that we are all different, our reasons vary. â€Å"Philosophy means liberation from the two dimensions of routine, soaring above the well known, seeing it in new perspectives, arousing wonder and the wish to fly† (Walter Kaufmann, n. d. ). Studying philosophy is a life-changing experience. It is impossible to â€Å"unlearn† something once you have discovered it, so upon your mind being awakened, it cannot go back to sleep. This grants you the gift of having a new, more complete perspective of the world around you and of life in general. People are naturally inquisitive creatures. This is one of our biggest assets, as well as our biggest downfalls. Philosophy teaches you to think critically about important issues. This is something that takes time, effort and practice. Thinking critically isn’t necessarily easy, but the benefits are plentiful. The purpose of philosophy is to ask questions that â€Å"penetrate the surface of life to confront the deeper currents lying beneath† (Chaffee, 2013, p. 4). Due to there being so many different categories of philosophical questions to be answered and studied, there are several  branches of philosophy with questions specific to them and certain methodologies used in search of answers. These branches are Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Political & Social, Aesthetics and Logic. Metaphysics Metaphysics is â€Å"the study of the ultimate characteristics of reality or existence† (Chaffee, 2013, p. 31). Bertrand Russell defines metaphysical philosophy as such, â€Å"Metaphysics, or the Philosophical Areas 4 attempt to conceive the world as a whole by means of thought, has been developed from the first by the union and conflict of two very different impulses, the one urging men towards mysticism,  the other urging them toward science. † Some of the major questions asked in this area of inquiry are, â€Å"What is the nature of reality? †, â€Å"What is the nature of self? †, â€Å"How are the mind and body related to each other? †, â€Å"Do we have personal freedom or are our choices limited? †, â€Å"What are the arguments for and against the existence of God? †, â€Å"Is there life after death? † and â€Å"Does life have meaning? † The methodology used in Metaphysics has expanded so much over the years since Aristotle. One method used for answering questions such as these â€Å"emphasizes the continuity of metaphysics with science. On this conception, metaphysics is primarily or exclusively concerned with developing generalizations from our best-confirmed scientific theories† (â€Å"Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy†, 2014). Because of the difficulty answering some of these questions, some believe Metaphysics to be â€Å"impossible. † There is no current way to label a metaphysical statement either true or false, and therefore â€Å"impossible to find out what they are† (â€Å"Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy†, 2014). Citations Chaffee, J. (2013). The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2014). Retrieved from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/metaphysics/ Epistemology Epistemology is the study of knowledge. This identifies and develops criteria, as well as methodologies, for what we know and why we know it (Chaffee, 2013, p. 31). Some questions asked regarded epistemology are, â€Å"What is truth? †, â€Å"Can we ever really know anything? †, â€Å"What Philosophical Areas 5 are the sources of knowledge? †, â€Å"What is the relation between truth and knowledge? † and â€Å"How can you increase your wisdom? † This, â€Å"Defined narrowly†¦is the study of knowledge and justified belief,† according to the â€Å"Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2014) or SEP. Now, this being said, there are sources of knowledge and justification in epistemology. These sources include perception, introspection, memory, reason and testimony. The limits to this branch of philosophy are skepticism, closure, relevant alternatives, denial, and moorean, contextualist & ambiguity responses (â€Å"Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy†, 2014). Citations Chaffee, J. (2013). The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas (4thed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2014). Retrieved from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/metaphysics/ Ethics Ethics is the study of moral values and principles. Questions regarding ethics are things such as, â€Å"How should we treat other people? †, â€Å"Is there a ‘good life’ for humans? †, â€Å"What is the relation between moral values and religion? † and â€Å"How do we decide on the moral rightness of social issues? † (Chaffee, 2013, p. 31). Everyday ethical concerns in life can include any topic  from capital punishment, euthanasia, lying, human rights, abortion, animal testing, cloning, slavery and pornography, among several others. The purpose of having and studying ethics is a way for people to ensure that the decisions made are following a preset ethical code or guideline. â€Å"Creating yourself to be a wise and knowledgeable person entails developing an enlightened moral compass that will guide your decisions. People typically rely on what they ‘feel’ is right Philosophical Areas 6 when faced with challenging moral dilemmas. The but we ‘feel’ is an unreliable moral guide†(Chaffee, 2013, p. 35). Citations Chaffee, J. (2013). The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Political & Social Political and social philosophy is â€Å"the study of social values and political forms of government† (Chaffee, 2013, p. 31). â€Å"What is the nature of justice? † and â€Å"What is the most enlightened government? † are common points of inquiry from a political and social standpoint in philosophy. Political and social philosophy basically takes a look at the various methods people should govern themselves. According to philosopher, Baron D’Holbach, â€Å"Politics must conform to the essence and aims of society, not to the passions of rulers. † This means analyzing the values that the society should be based on, keeping in mind individual rights and justice. Citations Chaffee, J. (2013). The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Aesthetics Aesthetics studies beauty, taste and art. Two very distinct questions that are specific to this branch are as follows: â€Å"What is the nature of beauty? † and â€Å"What is art? † â€Å"It analyzes efforts to establish standards for beauty in all of its various manifestations. And it explores the nature and purpose of art in human affairs† (Chaffee, 2013, p. 37). Have you ever heard of the saying, â€Å"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder†? Well, this is the branch of philosophy that examines how to identify principles of beauty. Other questions related to this asked in aesthetics are â€Å"Are there Philosophical Areas 7 universal standards of beauty, or are they relative to cultural and individual taste? † and â€Å"Is there one core concept of beauty or many different concepts? † Citations Chaffee, J. (2013). The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Logic Logic is the branch of philosophy that â€Å"seeks to establish the rules of correct reasoning, clear understanding and valid arguments† (Chaffee, 2013, p. 31). â€Å"What are the logical principles of correct reasoning? † and â€Å"How do people use incorrect reasoning to reach false conclusions? † are questions associated with this branch. In this branch of philosophy, critical thinking is one of the most important skills needed. Citations Chaffee, J.(2013). The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Thought Development: Philosophy & Culture Religion, philosophy and culture are said to be the three pillars or elements of human reality. How does this tie into thought development? What is the relationship between philosophy and culture? â€Å"†¦compared to the feet with which Man journeys towards his destiny, philosophy could represent the eyes that scrutinize that journey, and culture, the earth on which Man is walking during his concrete pilgrimage†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Panikkar, 2000). Depending on one’s approach to examining this matter, it may be difficult to separate religion from philosophy. For example, with an intercultural approach, it would not be possible, for religion and philosophy would both be dependent upon the culture. The reason that the two are inseparable sometimes is, according to Philosophical Areas 8 Panikkar (2000), â€Å"Philosophy is but the conscious and critical accompaniment of Man’s journeying towards his destiny. This journeying is called religion in many cultures. † Citations Panikkar, R. (2000). Religion, Philosophy & Culture. Retrieved from http://them.polylog. org/1/fpr-en. htm Personal Attachment to Inquiry Philosophical Areas 9 Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that sticks out to me the most and resonates closest to my innermost self. The runner up is metaphysics, because I do find myself questioning and wondering on the meaning of life and things of that nature. However, I have decided a long time ago that the meaning of life is specific to the person. Whatever it is that drives you, motivates you and keeps you pushing forward, that is your meaning; your â€Å"why†. Epistemology fascinates me because of its questions regarding knowledge and truth. Just because we know something, does that make it truth? In the Taoist religion, the journey you embark on is to enlightenment. The purpose of Taoism is to find truth and to see the whole picture, the entire picture, for what it is. Not many make it to such a spiritual level such as that, but that is the reason for working so diligently internally. I have always admired Buddhist and Taoist for these reasons. As far as cultural influence on my decisions goes, I would have to admit that the American culture does not have as much to offer (that I am seeking, at least) as other cultures do. I am proud of my heritage, but my culture is a different story. I feel like I’m searching for something, yet cannot pinpoint what that something is. Hopefully by the end of this course I will have a better outlook and idea of what that thing is. References Chaffee, J. (2013). The Philosopher’s Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2014). Retrieved from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/metaphysics/ Panikkar, R. (2000). Religion, Philosophy & Culture. Retrieved from http://them. polylog. org/1/fpr-en. htm.   

Lumpkin Plumbing Essay

Lumpkin experienced a steady increase in sales since it began 1990 and has recently expanded inventories to accommodate a relatively larger sales increase. Richard Lumpkin borrowed $150,000 to expand the warehouse to hold more inventories and include a model to attract retail sales. The expansion will benefit the company as long as inventories are managed well and the increase in production does not harm profit margins. Lumpkin Plumbing projected figures for the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flows for 2000. Lumpkin anticipated growth for the 2000 year but underestimated the increase in total assets and liabilities by 47. 37%. Lumpkin also projected a 20% increase in sales and realized an actual increase of 63. 15%. Though the company underestimated the sales increase, it was able to manage costs and increase net income 63. 42%. If Lumpkin can maintain its’ profit margin and take advantage of increased demand then the expansion would be beneficial to the health of the company. Lumpkin is managing the expansion and should be able to make its loan repayments of $50,000 per year. Lumpkin also underestimated the growth of its inventories and accounts payable. Inventories at Lumpkin increased 89. 39% though the increase was projected at 10. 48%. Lumpkin had $628,800 in inventories at the end of 2000 which raises concern for the liquidity of the company. Accounts payable projections were also off, with a projected decrease of $2,000 and an actual increase of $216,400. The increase in accounts payable is partly due to the extension of A/P days from 10. 40 to 45. 10 from 1999 to 2000. The extreme A/P could be from inventory costs and also account for the large increase in inventory holdings. Lumpkin could be planning for an increase in sales growth and hold inventories to meet the demand. Even if the discrepancies between the projected and actual figures for the inventories and A/P are explained by increases in sales, these should have been accounted for in the projections and should not have been so dramatically different. Lumpkin Plumbing effectively used the loan to grow the company and is in fair financial health to repay the loans. Though the company has met the increased demand and managed operating costs, the difference in some projections raises reasons for concern. If Lumpkin is not able to forecast financial conditions accurately, the financial future of the company is uncertain, increasing its default risk. I recommend Lumpkin Plumbing be considered for future loans after financial statements are analyzed repayment of the current loan is complete.

Spread of Islam in Europe in the Last Century

Spread of Islam in Europe in the Last Century Introduction Islam is becoming a popular religion in the world today after having spread all over the world and slowly becoming an acceptable religion. Islam is most dominant in Asia and the Arab world. However, in the last century, Islam has found its way into Europe. This paper will describe and highlight the history of Islam in brief and expound on how it has spread to Europe in the last century.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Spread of Islam in Europe in the Last Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Islam first became a religion about 1400 hundreds years ago in the regions near Persia and Byzantine (Ezzati, 2002). It was born in the Middle East but as a small religion, its followers had to embrace other cultural norms to survive hostility and keep the religion alive. During the reign of Prophet Mohammad, Islam spread slowly and peacefully. However, after the death of the Prophet, there was a divisio n between the Muslim world, and the Prophet’s mission of peaceful spread of Islam abandoned when his successors formed army troops and began conquering territories (Ezzati, 2002). These troops conquered regions and converted every one under their rule to Islam. The troops acquired big territories and formed empires. The empires succeeded each other until in the late 18th century when colonialists from Europe destroyed them. These Empires included; Umayyad, Abbasids, Fatimids, Ghaznavids, Seljuqs, Safavids, Mughlas and Ottomans. The arrangement of the dynasties is in a chronological order of their existence and their power. Umayyad is the first and most powerful followed by the rest respectively (Malik, 2004). However, these empires did not conquer Europe. Actually, it is due to this fact that the remaining part will discuss how Islam found its way into Europe. Channels of Spread Islam spread throughout Europe in the last century through various channels, such as education and trade (Pauly, 2004). Islam merchants from the Muslim World travelled in merchandise ships to Europe. These merchants on arrival in Europe spread their faith to the European citizens who were willing to hear them and later converted them into Islam. These merchants being trade partners with Europe had the permission to build temporary mosques at the places they stayed when they were on trade missions. By doing this, they slowly spread Islam in Europe as they traded into the deepest parts of Europe (Pauly, 2004). The other major channel through which Islam was spread was through education and science (Abicht, 2008). This was because of the first university built in the Muslim world that made the West become eager to acquire this knowledge.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This university taught majorly Muslim contents and the Europeans who came to learn, also leant about the Muslim faith and would later spread it and teach the faith to the rest of Europe. Europe later built universities and gave scholarships to most of the Muslims students who upon arriving in Europe spread the faith to the other students. Apart from the above mentioned major channels, Islam developed rapidly in Europe after the First World War in 1924 (Ezzati, 2002). Islam rapidly developed during this period because it was during this time that most of the Europeans had occupied the Muslim World. Most Europeans who occupied the Muslim World assimilated the Islam culture and on return to Europe spread the Islam religion to the others left behind in Europe (Abicht, 2008). The other major way through which Islam has spread into Europe was through immigration (Pauly, 2004). Many Muslims migrated to Europe especially in the late 1950s throughout the 1960s to date. These Muslim immigrants went to Europe to pursue higher education or in search of better jobs. Later on, they acquired citizenship in the European nations. These immigrants later brought their families with them and the Muslim population has rapidly being growing in Europe (Malik, 2004). Some of the Muslims present in Europe today, first went there as asylum seekers. The Muslim culture and religion allows polygamy, so the husbands have several wives. This culture also allows girls to be married at very early ages promoting their fertility rates. Due to their high fertility rates, their population has greatly being increasing. The religion also has good cultural values, which are appealing to almost anyone who has interest in the religion. Therefore, after settling in Europe and continuing to practice their religion and culture, some of their Christians neighbors were pleased with the religion and converted to it. Additionally, some people converted to the religion out of sheer eagerness. As such, the religion has been spreading all over the region. In the early 19th century when Islam was y oung in Europe, the Christians began worrying leading to the break of Christians and formation of various Christian denominations especially the Protestants and Roman Catholics. The Protestants went ahead and split even further forming amongst them various denominations (Abicht, 2008). The division among the Christians left many Christians at that time confused on which side to follow. Islam emerging at this time gave a perfect opportunity for the confused Christians to convert into Islam. The main reason was that Islam advocates for one religion, which worships one Supreme Being who is Allah. This message reached the confused Christians who had questions as to why the Christians were splitting yet they worshipped one God. At the time of this confusion, Islam was the only religion to opt for. Many people converted to Islam during this period. The converts influenced their close associates to convert into Islam too, and this is among the many reasons and major ways that Islam spread in Europe in the last century (Malik, 2004).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Spread of Islam in Europe in the Last Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The other major reasons as to why Islam has spread rapidly in Europe over the last century are the changes in the Christian worshiping styles. During the introduction of Christianity, virtues were highly regarded and people were morally upright although not perfect. The Christians heard the teachings of the Quran, compared them with those of the Bible, and found them similar and they were left confused again, as to why Christianity was becoming more secular. Christianity was becoming a religion of only going to the church rather than practicing what the bible taught. This questions and realization by many Christians made them think otherwise about Christianity. These Christians realized that Islam entailed and practiced what it taught and in a search for a better religion, which was pure and more moral and holy; the Christians found themselves converting to Islam (Ezzati, 2002). Islam remains as the symbol for perfect architectural work because every component of this religion supports each other resulting to a religion of great balance and composition. In addition, it practices everything it teaches and postulates. These facts about Islam have attracted many Christians and pagans who have become converts and followers of the religion. The reason many people are converting to Islam is their knowledge of what Islam has to offer and the lack of confinement by culture since there is freedom of choice (Pauly, 2004). The other reason why Islam has been spreading all over Europe is because of its simplicity (Ezzati, 2002). Islam has a very simple doctrine that calls for the belief in one God creator of heaven and earth. Islam has simple instructions to humankind. it encourages mankind to utilize his God given powers to observe and make i ntellect decisions. These simple instructions have attracted many to the faith in Europe especially in the last century. The other reason why many people in Europe converted to Islam in the last century is after realization of the truth. After the Christian missionaries failed to conquer most of the Asian world, which was mostly Islam, they had to come back to Europe with the false information that Islam had spread by the use of the sword, the reason for the claim, is because of the major territories the Islamic empires had ruled. These missionaries had claimed that after conquering these territories, the people had to choose between Islam and death and as a result, they chose Islam. However, in the last century, people have become more educated and have read more about Islamic history. As such, they have realized that their empires were just like many other empires that existed in the world at that time and that converting to Islam was out of an individual’s choice. This rev elation has removed and erased all the worries and fears that people had about Islam and the large numbers of converts see the result, especially in the last century.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is also important in this discussion to mention other channels that have lead to the rapid spread of Islam in Europe and especially North Europe, not initially invaded by any Muslims. These channels are three and considered to be among the fundamental factors that have facilitated the spread of Islam throughout Europe. As mentioned earlier, immigration of Muslims was among the major factors, but immigration has resulted to three major channels that include Islamic organizations, Public Mosques, and infamous underground movements (Abicht, 2008). First, I will begin with the organization groups. Once the Muslim immigrants came into Europe, their population was minimal, and there were no mosques around them. This was in the early 1920s after World War 1 (Pauly, 2004). In an effort to preserve their religion, these Muslim immigrants formed small religious groups, which members could meet and worship together. It was in the estates where these immigrants stayed that the creation of th ese groups took place. However, the estate groups were not as influential in the spread of Islam as the Campus Islamic Preaching Organizations later formed in the late 1930s by the offspring’s of the immigrants (Ezzati, 2002). The few Muslim students who would invite other campus students to go and listen to their summons organized these preaching organizations in campus. The preaching groups would get involved in public debates with the Christian organizations and debate on the virtues and vices of their faith. The engagement in these debates made many campus students familiar with the religion, and the true meaning of a believer. Having in mind that peers, the conversion of some of the campus students, influence many campus students had impact on some of their friends who would later convert to Islam. Later in life, the students did not leave the religion at campus but adopted into their families and when they had their own families their children were born as Muslims and t he trend has developed in that manner and Muslims who were native converts were slowly occupying most of Europe. The other channel that Islam spread over the last century in Europe was through public mosques (Malik, 2004). After acquiring citizenship of the various countries they had migrated to, the immigrants had to worship and as a result, they built public mosques in which they would worship. The Muslims would worship three times a day in their Mosques, as a requirement by the religion. In the mosque, the Sheik would preach and teach the faithful of what is required of them. These teachings not only taught the Muslim faithful but everyone who wanted to hear them also had the opportunity. It is true to note that in the early 1980s mosques had become a common phenomenon in Europe and that they were flooded with many youths. Although most of the youths were Muslims, some Christians always accompanied them to go, hear, and see what their friends believed in. These mosques also had e xternal speakers and the message of the preacher heard within a clear range of distance. Even the passersby could hear and learn a little from the religion. The students who visited the mosques realized that it was not only a source of religious and spiritual nourishment but also a source of knowledge because some important scientific discussions went on there. This information spread among people, the non-Muslims would find themselves visiting the Mosques, and eventually they became converts. Those who passed near the mosques, heard the message, got touched and later converted to Islam and these are the simple ways that Islam was spread all over Europe in the last century. Lastly, there were the underground Muslim movements that assisted in the spread Islam (Malik, 2004). The immigrant Muslims formed underground movements to spread Islam in secret, through Europe. The reason they formed such movements were for fear of persecution from the governments that mostly comprised of Christ ian leaders. The campus students formed these organizations and wanted to spread Islam but feared expulsion from their campus. This was also because Christians owned most of the universities during this time, and the Christian leaders were against Islam. These underground movements moved from place to place spreading Islam and converting all those who were willing to embrace the religion. These underground movements played a significant role in the spread of Islam in Europe in the last century. Conclusion Although Islam has evenly spread in Europe over the last century, it is important to know that it has not been an easy journey. There have been major obstacles and pullbacks that have made the spread quite slow. Some of the Muslim converts are becoming more secular, but in an effort to curb this, the religion is becoming more civilized dropping the cultures that oppressed its followers, especially women. The Muslim religion today is advocating for the empowerment of its women follo wers. Islam has been associated with terrorism and this has hindered its spread, but the strong stand of the Muslim faithful and making it clear that the Quran and Islam do not advocate for terrorism have led to its success. However, despite all these pullbacks, the religion is still spreading at a first rate and it is now widely spread in Europe. Recent statistics have shown that about 53 million people of the total population in Europe today are Muslims and this is only an approximation (Abicht, 2008). Reference List Abicht, L. (2008). Islam Europe: Challenges and opportunities. Belgium: Leuven University Press. Ezzati, A. (2002). The spread of Islam: The contributing factors. London: Islamic College for Advanced Studies Press. Malik, J. (2004). Muslims in Europe: From the margin to the centre. Münster: LIT. Pauly, R. J. (2004). Islam in Europe: integration or marginalization? Aldershot [Hampshire: Ashgate.

The Roll of Ethics In Public Administration Research Paper

The Roll of Ethics In Public Administration - Research Paper Example This paper declares that from the case of Enron to the case of Lehman Brothers, corporate ethics, namely the disregard for them, have been a pervasive theme of the past several years. However, in all of the discussion of insider trading or purposefully ignoring standards for the financial sector, little attention is paid toward the public sector and the means through which high ethical standards must necessarily be engaged. As such, this brief analysis will focus upon the public sector and the need for ethics that it necessarily engenders. Recent cases of poor ethics within the public sector have resulted in a great loss of efficiency and/or public trust; which thereby correlates to a decrease in the functions or usefulness of these public entities. As a result of all of these reasons, regaining public trust through demonstrating high ethical standards is a core requirement that all publicly administered organizations must engage. It is the hope of this author that the discussion tha t will be forthcoming will underscore this need and seek to provide solutions and proscriptive change for the way in which this might be handled. As the paper highlights that the history of public trust dates as far back as public institutions themselves. Sadly, for much of this history, public organizations have been seen as corrupt and inefficient; at least as compared to their private counterparts. Beyond merely an unfair level of characterization, the underlying rational for this has traditionally been the fact that publicly administered organizations have a seemingly endless supply of resources. Due to this characterization, individuals incorrectly attribute this to mean that public administered organizations are inherently unethical and become wasteful and unscrupulous with the resources that they are charged with. Regardless of the standards that might exists, this is still a pervasive view that is held by many stakeholders; and likely one that is not set to change anytime in the very near future.  

How Far External Auditors are Committed to Code of Conduct in Saudi Thesis

How Far External Auditors are Committed to Code of Conduct in Saudi Arabia, and the Ways which Encourage them to Follow Professional Behaviour - Thesis Example Scope of the study: The study will cover a wide area of auditors’ ethics. This research will involve a detailed study of the accounting and external auditing standards of Saudi Arabia. The code of conduct of the country’s accounting standards will also be studied. Study about the external auditor’s commitment to such code of ethics is the major area of study. Finally, this research will suggest a set of important recommendations that might help to improve the professional behaviour of external auditors in Saudi Arabia, and encourage them to commit code of conduct. World over very few studies were conducted in the field of personal values and accounting ethics. One among such few studies is ‘Effects of personal values on auditors’ ethical decisions.’ The study was mainly conducted among practicing auditors. The study however revealed that personal values and preferences do not influence the ethical decisions in accounting. It explains that other than personal values it is contextual factors that promote unethical behavior in accounting. Another study on ethics and auditing is, ‘Testing the bases of ethical decision-making: a study of the New Zealand auditing profession.’ The study showed that most of the auditors did not avoid a difficult situation. The study also showed that demographic factors like age, gender, job profile, etc. did not influence a person’s ethical behavior in their profession. There was another study that was done to find the relationship between cultural influences on professional ju dgment and auditor client-conflict resolution. The study was focused on auditing professionals of Australia, China, Malaysia and India. There was clear difference witnessed in the behavior of Australian auditors compared to that of the Asian counterparts. This is a slightly different view than the study, ‘Effects of personal values on auditors’ ethical decisions.’ â€Å"New corporate governance rules