Wall Street Crash of October 1929

In the 1920s, many people felt they could make a fortune from the stock market. Forgetting the volatility of the stock market, they  invested their entire life savings. Others bought stocks on credit (margin). When the stock market took a dive on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, the country was unprepared. The economic devastation caused by the Stock Market Crash of 1929 was a key factor in beginning the Great Depression. A Time of Optimism The end of World War I in 1919 heralded a new era in the United States. It was an era of enthusiasm, confidence, and optimism, a time when inventions such as the airplane and the radio made anything seem possible. Morals from the nineteenth century were set aside. Flappers became the model of the new woman, and Prohibition renewed confidence in the productivity of the common man. It is in such times of optimism that people take their savings out from under their mattresses and out of banks and invest it. In the 1920s, many invested in the stock market. The Stock Market Boom Although the stock market has the reputation of being a risky investment, it did not appear that way in the 1920s. With the mood of the country exuberant, the stock market seemed an infallible investment in the future. As more people invested in the stock market, stock prices began to rise. This was first noticeable in 1925. Stock prices then bobbed up and down throughout 1925 and 1926, followed by a strong upward trend in 1927. The strong bull market (when prices are rising in the stock market) enticed even more people to invest. By 1928, a stock market boom had begun. The stock market boom changed the way investors viewed the stock market. No longer was the stock market only for long-term investment. Rather, in 1928, the stock market had become a place where everyday people truly believed that they could become rich. Interest in the stock market reached a fevered pitch. Stocks had become the talk of every town. Discussions about stocks could be heard everywhere, from parties to barber shops. As newspapers reported stories of ordinary people, like chauffeurs, maids, and teachers, making millions off the stock market, the fervor to buy stocks grew exponentially. Buying on Margin An increasing number of people wanted to buy stocks, but not everyone had the money to do so. When someone did not have the money to pay the full price of stocks, they could buy stocks on margin. Buying stocks on margin means that the buyer would put down some of his own money, but the rest he would borrow from a broker. In the 1920s, the buyer only had to put down 10 to 20 percent of his own money and thus borrowed 80 to 90 percent of the cost of the stock. Buying on margin could be very risky. If the price of stock fell lower than the loan amount, the broker would likely issue a margin call, which means the buyer must come up with the cash to pay back his loan immediately. In the 1920s, many speculators (people who hoped to make a lot of money on the stock market) bought stocks on margin. Confident in what seemed a never-ending rise in prices, many of these speculators neglected to seriously consider the risk they were taking. Signs of Trouble By early 1929, people across the United States were scrambling to get into the stock market. The profits seemed so assured that even many companies placed money in the stock market. Even more problematic, some banks placed customers money in the stock market without their knowledge. With the stock market prices upward bound, everything seemed wonderful. When the great crash hit in October, people were taken by surprise. However, there had been warning signs. On March 25, 1929, the stock market suffered a mini-crash. It was a prelude of what was to come. As prices began to drop, panic struck across the country as margin calls were issued. When banker Charles Mitchell made an announcement that his bank would keep lending, his reassurance stopped the panic. Although Mitchell and others tried the tactic of reassurance again in October, it did not stop the big crash. By the spring of 1929, there were additional signs that the economy might be headed for a serious setback. Steel production went down; house construction slowed, and car sales waned. At this time, there were also a few reputable people warning of an impending, major crash. However, when months went by without one, those that advised caution were labeled pessimists and ignored. Summer Boom Both the mini-crash and the naysayers were nearly forgotten when the market surged ahead during the summer of 1929. From June through August, stock market prices reached their highest levels to date. To many, the continual increase in stocks seemed inevitable. When economist Irving Fisher stated, Stock prices have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau, he was stating what many speculators wanted to believe. On September 3, 1929, the stock market reached its peak with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at 381.17. Two days later, the market started dropping. At first, there was no massive drop. Stock prices fluctuated throughout September and into October until the massive drop on Black Thursday. Black Thursday, October 24, 1929 On the morning of Thursday, October 24, 1929, stock prices plummeted. Vast numbers of people were selling their stocks. Margin calls were sent out. People across the country watched the ticker as the numbers it spit out spelled their doom. The ticker was so overwhelmed that it quickly fell behind. A crowd gathered outside of the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street, stunned at the downturn. Rumors circulated of people dying by suicide. To the great relief of many, the panic subsided in the afternoon. When a group of bankers pooled their money and invested a large sum back into the stock market, their willingness to invest their own money in the stock market convinced others to stop selling. The morning had been shocking, but the recovery was amazing. By the end of the day, many people were again buying stocks at what they thought were bargain prices. On Black Thursday, 12.9 million shares were sold, which was double the previous record. Four days later, the stock market fell again. Black Monday, October 28, 1929 Although the market had closed on an upswing on Black Thursday, the low numbers of the ticker that day had shocked many speculators. Hoping to get out of the stock market before they lost everything (as they thought they had on Thursday morning), they decided to sell. This time, as the stock prices plummeted, no one came in to save it. Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929 October 29, 1929, became known as the worst day in stock market history and was called, Black Tuesday. There were so many orders to sell that the ticker quickly fell behind. By the end of close, it had lagged to 2 1/2 hours behind. People were in a panic, and they couldnt get rid of their stocks fast enough. Since everyone was selling, and nearly no one was buying, stock prices collapsed. Rather than the bankers rallying investors by buying more stocks, rumors circulated that they were selling. Panic hit the country. Over 16.4 million shares of stock were sold, a new record. The Drop Continues Not sure how to stem the panic, the decision was made to close the stock market on Friday, November 1 for a few days. When it reopened on Monday, November 4 for limited hours, stocks dropped again. The slump continued until November 23, 1929, when prices seemed to stabilize. However, this was not the end. Over the next two years, the stock market continued to drop. It reached its low point on July 8, 1932, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 41.22. Aftermath To say that the  Stock Market Crash of 1929  devastated the economy is an understatement. Although reports of mass suicides in the aftermath of the crash were most likely exaggerations, many people lost their entire savings. Numerous companies were ruined. Faith in banks was destroyed. The Stock Market Crash of 1929 occurred at the beginning of the Great Depression. Whether it was a symptom of the impending depression or a direct cause of it is still hotly debated. Historians, economists, and others continue to study the Stock Market Crash of 1929 in the hopes of discovering the secret to what started the boom and what instigated the panic. As of yet, there has been little agreement as to the causes. In the years after the crash, regulations covering buying stocks on margin and the roles of banks have added protections in the hopes that another severe crash could never happen again.

The Ethics Of Prenatal Screening - 1728 Words

Ethics of Prenatal Screening Prenatal screening itself is a moment that holds uncertainty and can change the lives of those involved. . The chance of having a boy or girl seems to be the least of worries of expectant parents. Having a child with disability has been stigmatized to be a much bigger issue that is considered a â€Å"problem† in society. Even with issues surrounding prenatal screening, and it being ethical or â€Å"the right thing to do,† the worries of people with disabilities about how prenatal screening is handled can be answered. Tom Shakespeare references in, Solving the Disability Problem Whose Responsibility? how â€Å"scientific progress has created a situation in which childhood disability has moved from being considered a random chance or act of God, to something which can often be anticipated, and thus prevented† (Shakespeare 2005). Before science could tell us the gender of our future children, and any other problem that may entail, it was up to chance and choice whe ther one would follow through with complete pregnancy. With technology and advances in prenatal screening, anticipation is removed, predominantly due to the fear of having to raise a child with a disability. In contrast to negative and opposing views, Madeo et. al mentioned Lardy et. al’s study, which showed that those who suffer from a disability have the ability to maintain, â€Å"friendships, hold jobs, and go to school† (Madeo et. al 2010, 1778). Even with attitudes, which dishearten the lives of theShow MoreRelatedEthics Of Computing And The Internet1173 Words   |  5 Pages Ethics in Computing and the Internet Jorge Zacarias Written Assignment Unit 7 University of the People Inside the topic of health care system ethic is implicit the pregnancy dilemma. This wide topic can include hundreds of pages; herein we are going to cover principal’s data of this essential topic in today’s lives. Pregnancy includes a debate for more than 4 decades and some topics that affect not only mothers even child, there are many dilemmas surrounding this controversialRead MoreEthics Of Computing And The Internet1173 Words   |  5 Pages Ethics in Computing and the Internet Jorge Zacarias Written Assignment Unit 7 University of the People Inside the topic of health care system ethic is implicit the pregnancy dilemma. This wide topic can include hundreds of pages; herein we are going to cover principal’s data of this essential topic in today’s lives. Pregnancy includes a debate for more than 4 decades and some topics that affect not only mothers even child, there are many dilemmas surrounding this controversialRead MoreArgument Against Prenatal Genetic Screening1845 Words   |  8 PagesArgument Against Prenatal Genetic Screening In this essay, I will argue that prenatal screening for disabilities for the intent of actively choosing to have a child without a disability is immoral. By disability, I mean the definition provided in a medical dictionary: â€Å"A disadvantage or deficiency, especially a physical or mental impairment that prevents or restricts normal achievement†. This does not include diseases that are considered inevitably and irreversibly fatal, nor does it include birthRead MoreThe Field Of Reproductive Technology1484 Words   |  6 Pagestrue within the field of reproductive technology. Advancements in this field has expanded family options significantly with the advent of reproductive technologies such as in vetro fertilization, embryo transplant, and varying genetic testing and screening (Finsterbusch, 2008). However, what drives humanity to want to modify humankind? Should there be limits placed on these modifications? And, how far should we really go? According to the President’s Council on Bioethics, the completion of the DNARead MoreEthics at the Beginning of Life: Prenatal Genetic Testing3950 Words   |  16 PagesEthics at the Beginning of Life: Prenatal Genetic Testing Lauren Delucca Linda Field Despain Cynthia Ventura-Lippert Submitted to Dr. Mark Jumper in partial fulfillment of HCE430, Health Care Ethics Regis University October 13, 2012 Prenatal Genetic Testing Prenatal testing and genetic testing developed hand in hand. Many genes, the basic unit of heredity, are now known through the human genome project (Pence, 2011, pp. 273-274). Genetic testing can identify theRead MoreThe Benefits of Human Genetic Engineering Essay1654 Words   |  7 Pagessomeone goes in and takes that malignant gene out of the equation with the help of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) such as embryo screening, in vitro fertilization, and pre-implantation genetics. â€Å"PGD allows couples at risk of transmitting a genetic disease to ensure their future children are unaffected by the disease without going through the process of prenatal diagnosis†¦and being forced to make the difficult decision regarding pregnancy termination† (Pray). Doctors can perform a procedure whereRead MoreEthical Issues Regarding Prenatal Testing1498 Words   |  6 PagesEthical Issues Pertaining to Prenatal Testing Rebecca Arsenault University of Saint Joseph Ethical Issues Pertaining to Prenatal Testing The advances in medical and scientific research have impacted today’s society by constituting cures and treatments for illnesses and disabilities. A woman can now have her unborn child tested for diseases and disabilities before the child is born. This testing is called prenatal diagnosis and has become increasingly popular. Regretfully, selective abortionRead MoreNew World Or Gattaca Style Dystopic Future Development Of Effective Prevention And Treatment Strategies For A Great3494 Words   |  14 Pageshuman embryo to fears about slippery slopes into a Brave New World or Gattaca-style dystopic future characterized by designer children and a genetic underclass. In the following, I will attempt to map out the current debate as it applies to genetic screening and testing, with special attention paid to the criticism offered by disability studies theory and disability rights advocates. I will begin with a brief overview of the traditional arguments in favor of reproductive liberty and a more permissiveRead MorePrenatal Genetic Testing Should Be Allowed1569 Words   |  7 Pagestesting and manipulation. Prenatal genetic testing is becoming more readily available to expectant parents, many who currently appreciate the option of amniocentesis, a procedure performed in the second trimester to test for Down syndrome, among other prenatal tests (Lippman 383). However, technology has advanced to the point where doctors will be able to test fetuses and embryos for potential defects, and this point of contention has led to a debate on whether prenatal genetic testing should beRead MoreThe Pregnancy Of A Foetus Diagnosed With Down Syndrome1610 Words   |  7 Pagesestimated to occur in 1 out of every 650- 1000 live births (Bittles Glasson, 2004), receiving a positive diagnosis of Down Syndrome can be very overwhelming for the parents. Prenatal diagnosis and screening are controversial when we refer to ethical considerations, but the benefits that they provide are undeniable. Prenatal tests do not only facilitate choices through information provision, but also allow the parents to recognise and prepare for the challenges that their unborn child and their family

Neo-Liberal Hyperglobalism Free Essays

Globalisation is a major topic of debate of our era. Globalisation can be defined as the â€Å"global growing interconnectedness between economy, technology, culture and political institutions† (Lofgren Sarangi, 2009, pg. 57). We will write a custom essay sample on Neo-Liberal Hyperglobalism or any similar topic only for you Order Now This essay will discuss how globalisation can be good for developing countries. By applying Neo-liberal Hyperglobalism, I will analyse and demonstrate the various beneficial effects of globalisation through the case of India and the reform measures they have recently taken towards globalisation. Globalisation can provide new opportunities for developing countries due to increased access to developed country markets and technology, resulting in improved productivity and higher living standards (Balakrishnan, 2004). Following a major economic crises, India liberalised it’s economy in the early nineties. Inflation had rocketed to an annual rate of 17%, high fiscal deficit had become unsustainable and foreign investors confidence in Indian Economy was low (Goyal, 2006, p. 167). It was these factors that put pressure on the Indian government to call for a complete revamp of their economic policies. Some of the major changes made, as part of the economic liberalisation and globalisation strategy, included government’s privatisation and disinvestment in a majority of the public sector undertakings, allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) across many industries, the removal of quantitative restrictions on imports and the reduction of customs tariff from over 300% to 30 % (Goyal, 2006, p. 167). The main purpose of India’s economic reform is to ultimately â€Å"integrate Indian economy with world economy† (Singh, 1995, p. 36). This liberalisation and globalisation of the economy can help solve India’s major problems of unemployment and poverty. India’s economic reform favours a more open and market orientated economy (Goyal, 2006, p. 166). India’s new economic structure emulates the principals of neo-liberal Hyperglobalism. Neo-liberal Hyperglobalism â€Å"celebrates the global dominance of market principals over state power† (Lofgren Sarangi, 2009, pg. 70). This means that decisions about allocation, production and distribution in the economy are left to the global economy rather than the government. Burke, Devetak George, 2008, p. 299). States are increasingly the ‘decision- takers’ and not the ‘decision-makers’ (Goldblatt, Held, McGrew Perraton, 1999). Three key terms that come out of neoliberalism are deregulation, liberalisation and privatisation all of which India’s new economic policies draw on. Neo-liberal Hyperglobalism favours global ism as beneficial process for a developing country. The benefits that Neo-liberal Hyperglobalism can provide are evident in India. India’s steps towards globalisation through new economic reforms have produced some significant benefits for the country. The privatisation of particular state-owned enterprises provides the government with an increased amount of cash which they can then spend on increasing their citizen’s quality of life through increased food supplies and the development of hospitals, schools, infrastructure etc in poverty stricken regions. The domestic economy has been freed up from state control, virtually abolishing state monopoly in all sectors (Panagariya, 2001). This has lead to greater competition in industries; resulting in lower prices, a greater supply of goods which benefits the citizens (Goyal, 2006, p. 68). Another step towards globalisation that has proven beneficial for India is the decision to allow foreign direct investment in the Indian industry. The huge amounts of foreign investment that now enter India have significantly boosted the country’s economy. Many foreign companies have set up industries in India, mainly in pharmaceutical, BPO, petroleum, manufacturing and chemical sectors, which have created greater employment opportunities for Indian people, decreasing unemployment and poverty (Dwivedi, 2009). A further benefit of globalisation due to foreign investment in India is the advanced technology that the foreign companies bring with them (Dwivedi, 2009). Advancements in medicine which improve the health of citizens is an example how becoming more technologically advanced can be beneficial for the country. The economic reforms that reduce custom tariffs and remove restrictions on imports support the principals of neo-liberal Hyperglobalism. That is that measures should be taken that allow trade and finance to have unrestricted movement (Burke et. al. , 2010). Removing taxes and quotas can increase international trade which in turn increases economic competition. Competition was rife in the economy, after India’s economic reform, as more imports were encouraged (Balakrishnan, 2004). Exports also significantly increased as countries became more willing to accept India’s products due to the reductions in custom tariffs (Goyal, 2006, p. 170). This improved relationship between India and its trading partners can encourage low prices, reduce unemployment through the creation of more jobs and induce improved living standards. Improved relationships between developed and undeveloped economies can prove to be profitable and extremely valuable for developing countries especially when future policies have to be negotiated. Overall, the economic reforms initiated in India since 1991 has helped the Indian economy to grow at a faster rate and led to fiscal consolidation, control of inflation, and increased foreign investment and technology (Goyal, 2006). The reforms aimed to lliberalise and globalise the domestic economy have helped boost GDP growth rates, which increased from 5. 6% in 1990-91 to a peak level of 77. % in 1996-97 (Balakrishnan, 2004). The new economic policies have also proven to increase citizen’s living standards with increased employment opportunities and a decrease in poverty from 36% in 1993-94 to 26. 1% in 1999-2000 (Fox, 2002). The new policies can be used to further support the country’s citizens and develop the country. The Indian government’s strategy to globalise t heir economy has revealed that globalisation can be beneficial to a developing country by aiding the nation to a more favourable financial position. However, there are also negative effects of globalisation. A significant negative effect is the increase in inequality that can arise from globalisation. There have been arguments that state an increase in GDP can in fact increase income inequality. â€Å"Wealth is still concentrated in the hands of a few individuals and a common man in a developing country is yet to see any major benefits of globalization† (Lovekar, 2010). Also multi-national corporations (MNC) can worsen income inequality by generating jobs and producing goods that primarily benefit the richest portion of the population (Positive and Negative Effects of Multinational Corporations, 2010). This means that the richer are getting richer and the poorer are getting poorer. Many employees are working in awful conditions where negligible health and safety regulations apply. This is an example of globalisation can develop an exploitative nature. Furthermore, â€Å"the market economy seems to be more concentrated on the growth of consumerism to attract the high income groups who are mostly in the cities in the developing countries† (Malik, 2010, p. 4). The globalisation strategy paid little attention to the rural economy and the agricultural sector, which is essentially the backbone of the Indian economy. The agriculture sector is a major provider of food and nutrition to the people as well as raw materials to industries and to export trade (Malik, 2010). A further impact the globalisation strategy has had on agriculture sector is the decrease of agriculture’s share in GDP, which has resulted in a decrease of the per capita income of the farmers and an increase of rural indebtedness (Malik, 2010). India’s era of reforms exhibit many themes that are parallel those of Neo-liberal Hyperglobalism. Since 1991, India has experienced the strong inroad of neoliberalism (Lofgren Sarangi, 2009). The new economic reforms indicate a strong movement towards deregulation, privitisation and liberalisation of the Indian economy. These three factors are all examples of neoliberalism (Burke et. al. , 2010). A neo-liberal hyperglobalist state would believe that rather than the government trying to regulate and control the market through strict policies, the government should make policies to accommodate and open up the market. India’s new policies indicate the government’s willingness to adopt this thinking and it is through this thinking that has marked India’s steps towards the â€Å"real integration of the Indian economy into the global economy† (Malik, 2010, p. 1). In other words India is taking steps towards globalisation. India is an example of how the globalisation of a developing country can be positive and beneficial. Although there are some unfavourable effects such as income inequality, the overall benefits a developing country can receive from globalisation outweigh the negatives. India has proved how applying neo-liberal hyperglobalist principals to the domestic economy of a country can prove to be advantageous. With a greater focus on further developing a globalised economy, developing countries can aim to increase the working and living standards for the country’s citizens and subsequently become a healthy and wealthier state. A more liberal and global market can achieve improved living standards and wealth through the promotion of competition, efficiency, productivity, technological-upgradation and growth (Singh, 1995). Hence I believe, like a hyperglobalist, that globalisation is good for a developing country. References Balakrishnan, C. (2004). Impact of Globalisation on Developing Countries and India. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://economics. about. com/od/globalizationtrade/l/aaglobalization. htm Burke, A. , Devetak, R. , George, J. (2008). An Introduction to International Relations: Australian Perspective. New York: Cambridge University Press. Dwivedi, M. (2009). South Asia Security. India: Kalpaz Publications. Fox, J. W. (2002). Poverty in India Since 1974: A Country Case Study. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www. ekh. lu. se/ekhcgu/teaching/401d4/poverty%20in%20india. pdf Goldblatt, D. , Held, D. , McGrew, A. , Perraton, J. (1999). Global Transformations: What is globalisation? Retrieved October 11, 2010, from http://www. polity. co. uk/global/whatisglobalization. asp Goyal, K. A. (2006). Impact of Globalization on Developing Countries (With Special Reference To India). International Research Journal of Finance and Economics, (5), 1450-2887. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www. eurojournals. com/IRJFE%206%20goyal. pdf Lofgren, H. , Sarangi, P. (2009). The Politics and Culture of Globalisation: India and Australia. Social Science Press. Lovekar, V. (2010). Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization. Retrieved October 11, 2010, from http://www. buzzle. com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-globalization. html Malik, T. (2010). Impact of globalization on Indian economy- An overview. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www. ibre2fashion. com/industry-article/8/738/impact-of-globalization7. asp Panagariya, A. (2001). India’s Economic Reforms: What Has Been Accomplished? What Remains to Be Done? ERD POLICY BRIEF SERIES Economics and Research Department,(2). Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www. adb. org/Documents/EDRC/Policy_Briefs/PB002. pdf Positive and Negative Effects of Multinational Corporations. (2010). Retrieved October 11, 2010, from http://www. socialscience. gardner-webb. edu/Fac ulty/craymond/Devdocs/DevMNCposn How to cite Neo-Liberal Hyperglobalism, Papers

Creative short stories Essay Example For Students

Creative short stories Essay MacBethsTransformation from Brave Macbeth to This dead ButcherWilliam Shakespeares play MacBeth tells the story of Macbeth change from a bravegeneral, to a vicious murderer. At the start of the play Macbeth is acknowledge by theking as a brave and honourable general, after he heard of Macbeths great victory in thebattlefield. He promotes Macbeth to Thane of Cawdor, which was still unknown by bothMacbeth and Banquo when they came across the three weird sisters. All Hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor (I:III:51)All Hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter (I:III:53)Macbeth was sceptical about these prophecies, however developed faith in them whenRoss, following the kings orders titles him Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth does not let on to anyone about his ever-increasing desire to become king. If chance will have me king, why chance will crown me. (I:III:154)Macbeth tells his lady about the prophecies and she is instantly enthusiastic about theprospect of Macbeth becoming king. Great Glamis, Worthy Cawdor! Greater than both by the all-hail hereafter!Thy letters have transported me beyond this ignorant present and I feel now thefuture is an instant. (I:V:58)Macbeths desire turns to an obsession and with lady Macbeth; they make plans toassassinate king Duncan. Macbeths strong conscience overpowers his obsession andhe resigns from the fatal ploy. He sees a vision of a dagger drifting in the direction ofDuncans room, which convinces him to take part in the sinful act of murder. False face must hide what the false heart doth know. (I:VII:92)Macbeth is discomforted and confused after the murder of Duncan, but does notexpress his emotions to anyone. Malcom and Donalbain Duncans sons in fear for theirlives flee the country, leaving Macbeth to assume the role as king. After reigning as king for a little while, Macbeth becomes concerned with the continuationof his supremacy. The weird sisters spoke of Banquo as being lesser but greater, not sohappy yet much happier, Thou shalt get kings though be none (I:III:68)This plays on Macbeths mind for a while and his desire proves to be to strong. His guiltyconscience is taken over and in an attempt to control fate Macbeth devises a plan to killboth Banquo and his son Fleance. Macbeth is disturbed when he receives word that Banquo had been murdered, butFleance escaped. Macbeth begins to hallucinate and is constantly hunted by a ghost ofBanquo. During these hallucinations in the presence of many noblemen, Macbethreveals emotions and thoughts from deep down inside. Many noblemen now suspect himas the murderer of Duncan and Banquo. He becomes isolated from many peopleincluding Lady Macbeth. Macbeths desire to reign as king has led him to kill. His obsession drives him to revisit the weird sisters, to obtain the answers to hisquestions. MacBeths fatal flaw is shown clearly when the image of Eight kings passbefore him, with the Ghost of Banquo following. What is this so? (IV:I:134)Ay sir, all this is so; but why stands MacBeth so amazedly (IV:I:138)It shows that he has yet to realise that he cannot control fate, and Banquo will father aline of kings no matter what he does to try and prevent it from happening. The first of the second set of prophecies Beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife. (IV:I:77)almost instantly became apparent when Lennox brings word that Macduff has fled toEngland. The bluntness of his orders shows how selfish and arrogant he has become. .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d , .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d .postImageUrl , .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d , .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d:hover , .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d:visited , .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d:active { border:0!important; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d:active , .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud0470db38781142e83d380788428068d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Compare / Contrast - Baseball EssaySeize upon Fife; give to the edge o the sword, his wife, his babies, and all theunfortunate souls that trace him to his line. (IV:I:165)MacBeth is prepared for the invasion by Macduff and Malcom, his overwhelming pridecauses him to feel fearless of Macduff, and is filled with confidence before they confronteach other, but when they do eventually meet MacBeth does not want to fight. He hasrealised how ruthless he has been in his actions and how guilty he is of slaughteringmany innocent people to benefit him. How selfish and pretentious he has been in hisattempt to control fate. He is eventually slained after being to proud to concede defea tand having to kneel before his successor, the son of his first victim, Malcom. MacBeths transformation from a brave general to a dead murderer, was not gradual, hisoverwhelming pride and his inability to realise he could not play the part of God broughtabout

Toyota Ethics case study

Identification of ethics and social responsibility issues facing the company Toyota Motor Corporation is an international automobile and financial company, respected for its quality and reliable products; to remain competitive; the company’s management makes timely decisions. In all operations, the company aims to be ethical; it also extends a hand of appreciation to the public through corporate social responsibilities (CSRs). When determining the operation base and the CSRs to undertake, the company considers different issues likely to influence the direction of the projects or decisions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Toyota Ethics case study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There has been come ethical issues faced by the company, for example in early 2010, Toyota Company was faced by a problem when some fault vehicles got their way to the market and lead to deaths particularly in the United States of A merica. The company was considered not to be taking good care of its customers and the public. The brands of vehicle could accelerate themselves to an uncontrollable level they even led to death. The move or the experience that the company got at the time forced the management to appraise in person on the case and recalled all faulty automobiles. The case of Toyota was broadcasted in international and national media a point that made the sales of the company reduce ((Habisch, Jonker and Martina 1-123). Toyota being in the automobile industry has been blamed for environmental damage; the damage has been attributed to the company’s products, vehicles, which use fossil fuels to run. When fossil fuels are burnt, they produce green house gasses that have been a major talk in environmental debates, for the reason the company has been considered unethical. However, despite the moves and criticism gotten from environmental conservatisms, the company has continued to improve its produ cts and has innovated battery vehicles (electronic vehicles). Identification of key stakeholders and explanation of their involvement and influence There are a number of stakeholders in Toyota as far as ethics and corporate social responsibilities plans are concerned. The stakeholders are both internal and external players; internally Toyota is divided into departments performing different tasks. Internal team is expected to be creative, inventive and innovative to come up with approaches to ethical and CRS programs.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company has embarked on enforcement of its operating strategies: the company operates under five principals, they are Kaizen (continuo’s improvement), teamwork, Challenges, Respect and Genchi Genbutsu (go and see): to be ethical, the company aims at fulfilling the above objectives. Another set of the company’s st akeholders that affect the ethical code of business in the company is the external environment like customers and the society; there is a level of quality that customers expect from the company, the level forces the company to adopt high ethical operations. The company takes social corporate responsibilities as advertising and marketing tools, they offer the company a competitive advantage as communities value the efforts made by the company. The government and community-based organizations are other stakeholders; the main areas that these organizations get involved is in offering a minimal base and rate of operation that the company should uphold, for instance the environment movements require some level of emission from the company’s products and operations. When the company is compiling with such regulations, then it has to conduct its businesses ethically. International bodies and regulations are other stakeholders which the company has as stakeholders, there are a number of international conventions, protocols , and agreements that define the way business should be conducted, they include Kyoto protocol, Stockholm agreements, Doha round of talks, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992, European Commission, and The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). However, these organizations are more concerned on pollution matters and environmental protection. The company is listed in Asian stock exchange whereby the public can buy shares in the company. The employees have a policy that ensures that they also have shares in the company, all this are stakeholders. The government and the public also would like to get ethically correct products from whichever the company and thus are included in the context of stakeholders. Shareholders are recognized by paying them dividends and the government by taxes. The public benefit from social corporate responsibilities programs (Habisch, Jonker and Martina 1-123) Identification of company’s stance Al though Toyota has been concerned on ethical and CSR issues, it waited until 2005 when the company developed a CSR policy, in the policy the company’s stance which is â€Å"CSR POLICY: Contribution towards Sustainable Development.† The policy team section has been upgraded to full departmental level managed by team of experts; the sector looks into economic, social, political and environmental issues in the company. The department has been successful in innovating environmental technologies in both products and processes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Toyota Ethics case study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The stance is seen as a combination of pragmatic, ethical, or strategic stance; the broad approach of the stance offers flexibility in country. The success of the structure can be seen in different areas which include development of products that are internationally accepted and automating its process to meet international standards. The stance is not limited to guidance in CSR and ethical issues but takes massive research to advice the company on consumers expectations. The following are the policies that are contained in the stance: Contribution towards a prospectus 21st century society Pursuit of environmental technologies Voluntary actions and Working in corporation with society The above action policies are implemented using the framework of: Action plan Toyota Green purchasing Guidelines Biodiversity guidelines Initiative at the new Toyota RD center Let us evaluate the success of the company using a Carroll’s Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility. Carroll Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility is as follows: At the base of the pyramid, the company profit objectives; when the company economic welfare has been looked into, the company lays the base of other corporate responsibilities and ethical code of conducts. The pyramid can be expanded as fo llows:Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Basic policy action guideline Economic responsibility the company has futuristic actions and strategies that target the continuity of the business, according to the CRS plan, the company aims at improving its products and improves the quality of the products to meet the demands of 21st century. When doing this, the company aims at maintaining harmony with the environment. Legal responsibilities It is the company’s policy that it should comply with national and international ethical standards; when the standards are being developed, it is one of the companies consulted for their inputs, it advises these organizations with customer as the main concern. Ethical responsibility The company has ethical policies that it should attain in its operations, the ethical responsibilities include the need to conserve the environment and create harmony with the environments its is operating. Philanthropic responsibilities the company has created good citizenship with the communiti es it is operating in, it aims at adding value to stakeholders. The efforts of the company look into all areas of ethical concern, the major drive of the company is to have products that are accepted internationally and whose connect with the people (Toyota official website). The automobile industry is quite demanding as far as ethical and social responsibilities are concerned, they are at the point of focus by national and international bodies more so when it comes to the issues of environmental conservation and being efficient. Mitsubishi is another international automobile company; it has ethical and corporate social responsibility functions at it heart, in every automobile it produces, it ensures it meets international accreditation of quality, before releasing to the market, the company quality team has to ensure that ever thing is intact. The efforts have not gone untested; the company’s Glanti model has been accused of brake failures and color fades. There are a num ber of corporate social responsibilities that the company has embarked on; they include environmental conservations, public educations, and has embarked on massive automation to facilitate ethical business. According to environmental report 2009 by US Environmental Agency, Mitsubishi has reduced its water wastage by 50%, this is through recycling and proper water use. The recycling is seen as a move to conserve the environment in line with EU environmental rules and Kyoto protocol. US Environmental Agency has congratulated the efforts taken by Mitsubishi to conserve the environment. It is of the view that if other motor industries follow the same trend, then the world is likely to reduce emissions by half. Pollution from Mitsubishi Motors Corporation can be controlled as a form of corporate responsibility (internal) or a company can embark on massive cleaning of the environment. Mitsubishi is also a key player in carbon emission reduction through: Adopting fuel efficient production methods like use electricity instead of coal when heating, this is estimated to reduce its in factory emission by 20% A project to develop electric motor vehicles is in an advanced stage The company has embarked on improved technology on it vehicles to ensure that they are fuel efficient The company have started making bio-diesel engine vehicles; they are seen as the breakthrough to future environmental conservation When comparing Toyota and Mitsubishi, Toyota is doing better; this is so because of the massive innovations that it has come up with in products and processes. Although Mitsubishi is having effective CRS, its coverage is lower than that of Toyota, this may be agued its because of the differences in operating base, since Toyota is the world largest automobile maker while Mitsubishi comes in as seventh (Mitsubishi Corporate website) The areas that both companies should look into are weak points and leakages in the company resulting from lack of 100% seal of holes that mi ght result to unethical businesses. The company’s quality report of 2009 has almost claimed that the company’s products quality is incomparably high, however, it was a matter of time before they believe failed the test of time. The five operating policies adopted by the company are strong source of drive and should shape the company’s direction, when it comes to ethical matters, the policies should be adhered to the dot. Advocators for good citizenship acknowledge the benefits that can be acquired from continuous improvements; they are of the view that businesses need to undertake research in their line of business to invent and innovate better ways of working than the current ones. Summary From the course, I have appreciated the benefits that a company can derive from being ethical and the power of corporate social responsibility as a marketing tool. Previously, I had less interest in CSR programs and their effect on a business, after the course I clearly under stand the benefits and the approaches it should take. The course was an eye opener; I now can tell companies that are ethical, them who respect stakeholders and those who have no interest. The efforts made by Toyota can be applauded, the company has automated its internal structures and is making products that are ethically accepted; to attain the ethical objective as required by the policies; the company is constantly innovating and inventing other ways of operating that are environmentally friendly. Some of the projects that the company has implemented as corporate social responsibilities have continued to change lives; for example the company’s education programs in developing countries has eradicated poverty and assisted communities. Such systems have a life touching effect; other programs that are aimed at environmental conservation are building to much needed sustainable development agendas attainments. The efforts made by Toyota has slightly made me respect the company and wish I would get a chance to work with the compact; at least it has made efforts and the efforts are yielding positive results. On paper and according to Toyota code of conduct, the company complies with internationally ethical values and has CSR efforts. The processes that the company has adopted in the efforts of being ethical are a great blessing to the company and societies; they include automation, recycling processes and refurbishment of products. The moves are compliant with international environmental conservation measures; the invention of electronic motor vehicles (EMVs) is seen as a major breakthrough in energy industry which has been threatened by increasing use and chances of depletion of oil reserves. on the other hand emissions from motor vehicles have been a major contributor to green gasses, the invention is expected to assist in a great deal. The company has embarked on quality management policies, they include TQM (total Quality Management), Six Sigma, and CR M (Customer relations management) policies; although the policy has made the company more profitable, its spillovers are ethically accepted moves like reliable, affordable and efficient automobiles. Conclusion In modern contemporary societies, there is a growing concerns on environmental conservation, management and restoration; this has been facilitated by enlighten among consumers and other business stakeholders calling for companies to act ethically and involve themselves in corporate social responsibilities. Toyota has embarked a number of measures to make its compliant with international ethical code of conducts. To act ethically, the company is guided by its CSR Policy document of 2005 and guidance of its implementation team. Works Cited Habisch, Andrà ©, Jonker Jan, and Martina Wegner. Corporate Social Responsibility across the Europe. Heidelberg: Springer. 2005. Print Mitsubishi Corporate website. Mitsubishi,2011. Web. Toyota official website. Toyota, 2011. Web. This essay on Toyota Ethics case study was written and submitted by user Knox T. 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.

Demographic Effects of the Columbian Exchange Essay Example

Demographic Effects of the Columbian Exchange Essay Example Demographic Effects of the Columbian Exchange Paper Demographic Effects of the Columbian Exchange Paper Comparative Essay The Columbian exchange affected many regions all over the world. The Americas and Europe were similar in their changing population densities caused by diseases and goods. Also Europe and the Americas both benefited from the exchange of foreign crops and livestock across the Triangle trade routes. However, Europe and the Americas were different in their migration of peoples. The effects of the Columbian Exchange was similar in Europe and the Americas because of their changing population growth and the diffusion of goods to each country but differed in their expansion of territory. The Americas and Europe were similar because both of their population densities changed due to diseases and goods. When Europeans first came to the Americas in search of a fresh start they inadvertently brought with them many diseases that killed off most of the Native Americans such as measles, smallpox, whooping cough, chicken pox, and influenza. The introduction of cattle from Europe brought most of these diseases. The reason for this is because Native Americans had never been around cattle before so they couldnt have developed immunity to them. As a whole diseases from Europe wiped out close to 90% of the population of the New world. While for the Europeans population was increasing because of all the goods that were being imported from the Americas like peppers, tomatoes, and tobacco. The Native Americans also gave to the Europeans, venereal disease also known as syphilis. It was first identified by physicians in 1493, in Cadiz, Spain, the port which Columbus returned to after his first voyage. The reason for the incline and decline of population in both the Americas and Europe was due to the introduction of new diseases. Since the pipeline between Europe and the Americas made by Columbuss voyages to the new world had been opened it was asier to spread unfamiliar diseases between populations that hadnt developed Europe and the Americas were similar because of their exchange of immunity. foreign crops and livestock. The Columbian Exchange brought upon the diffusion of goods from both the Americas and Europe such as tobacco, pepper, and tomato from the Americas and wheat, horses, and goats form Europe. The most important good that was exchanged was cattle and horses from Europe. The introduction of horses to Native Americans changed their life in both good and bad ways. The reason for this is because horses made farming more efficient. Horses could pull plows that were too heavy for the Natives. Horses also gave the Native Americans advantages in war by providing them a height advantage over their enemies. However, horses also brought many diseases that killed off most of the Natives. Tobacco is a great example People began smoking and chewing tobacco when it was first brought back to Europe which created a whole new industry revolving around cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco. Plants and animals like these and many more helped revolutionize the old worlds way of life. One way Europe and the Americas differed was through their expansion of territory. The discovery of the New world attracted many people in search of goods such as gold and silver or new ways to get to Asia. Many nations were sending explorers and colonists to the New world including France, England and Spain. Europe started to increase in territorial expansion due to the enhancement of technology improvement, weapon mastery, and rank of power. As their worldly, status began to change there was a rapid increase of explorations and increase in expansion. This was due to improvements of technology and building structure of boats. Slaves were also transported to the New world from Africa. The journey from Africa to the Americas is called the Middle Passage. Captive slaves were dragged in chains to board commercial ships. Death was caused by starvation, disease, unsanitary conditions or severe ocean weather. The reason for Europes expansion of territory was caused by new opportunities for land and products in the New world. The hope of finding gold in the Americas drove the greedy Europeans to migrate there. The Natives had no reason to travel to Europe because they had no need for power and wealth unlike the Europeans who eventually ended up destroying the Natives way of life.

Identification of Possible Pathogens in an Office Environment Research Paper

Identification of Possible Pathogens in an Office Environment - Research Paper Example Is there a relationship between working efficiency and pathogenic presence in offices? The disease-causing pathogens lead to various illnesses that may lower the efficiency of personnel in the offices. Due to the reduction in efficiency, the research herein is of a great essentiality. We obtained the isolate by taking a sample of the used Petri plate with Nutrient agar (Ravichandra 37).Thereafter, exposing it to the air in a small office for approximately 1 hour. The Petri plate helped in the collection of a variety of microorganisms. The microorganisms were from surfaces, strictly chairs, desktops and computer mice. The primary purpose of the methodology was to help in identifying a single unknown culture of bacteria to prove whether it is pathogenic or not. The organism I identified via PCR is Dermacoccus nishinomiyaeusis and is non-pathogenic generally regarded as harmless saprophytes (Rose, Joan and Erin 14). It inhabits and contaminates the skin, mucosa, and the pharynx. A Gram-positive coccus locates in tetrads, irregular clusters and cubical agglomerates of eight. It is enzymatic positive and exhibits strictly aerobic metabolic. However, they can be opportunistic disease-causing organisms to the immune-compromised beings. They associated with various infections, including bacteremia, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis peritonitis, and infections related to ventricular shunts. They occur worldwide and are ubiquitous. They locate on the human skin, marine and fresh water, plants, dust, and air. Rocasermeno, Pablo. "Pressurizing with dust collectors: guidelines on how to apply a concept that is appropriate for mine and plant environments, where dust generated during crushing, screening and conveying must be controlled to protect workers, office spaces and sensitive equipment." E&MJ - Engineering & Mining Journal 2013: 92. General OneFile. Web. 11 Dec.

MASTERPECIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MASTERPECIS - Essay Example He is talking about the loneliness he felt in the month of November accompanied by the misty lonely woods .The poet explains the beauty of the hills and experience of the trembling lake which exaggerated his loneliness. In this poem the poet is trying to connect with the objects of the magnificent nature to overcome his undying solitude. He takes the company of the nature and tries to reflect his solitude and despair with it. He finds the solitary element in all the objects of nature which is the situation of the heart of the poet. He resembles the sound of the village clock to that of a galloping horse which is full of energy. He his explaining the motion of the earth which we know is just like the moving fields shown in a passing train. He is trying hard to forma communion with nature and gets lightened by the extreme beauty and moves of nature. Comparison of William Wordsworth’s ideas with William Blake William Wordsworth and William Blake were great romantic poets of 17th century and described their feeling through the beauty of nature. Both of them had an undying love and passion for the nature and believed in the divinity existed in the universe. There can also be seen certain other comparisons between Wordsworth and Blake in how they admired the grace and benevolence of divine nature. Apparently, both these poets believed greatly in the imaginative power of the human being and praised the primitive instinct of a man. Both Wordsworth and Blake saw the characteristics of god in his vast creations and urged for the communion with the divine power. These poets are greatly influenced by the overpowering beauty and grace of the nature and strived to merge with nature to find God. According to Cutajar(2011)â€Å"In his poems such as The Prelude and Tintern Abbey, Nature is personified with Godlike characteristics and it becomes the object of love and worship. Wordsworth believed that this â€Å"natural piety† has given his life consistency and co herence†. This shows that how much Wordsworth was influenced by the nature and god Similar to Wordsworth, Blake also believe in harmony, serenity and divinity in the nature and wants to get back to the primitive nature of man.Applebaum(1996)writes that, â€Å"Serene will be our days and bright, And happy will our nature be, When love is an unerring light, And joy its own security†These lines of Blake depict the love and passion he had for nature and god same like Wordsworth. William Blake found the innocence in the nature which was real and authentic, and Wordsworth also idealized the uncorrupted glory of nature. It can be noticed that the both poets gave much emphasis on God and nature and their theme was exclusively God and universe. They both had the extreme awareness of god and divinity inside them and experienced this through the exalting beauty of nature. They instantly felt the mysterious beauty of nature which can never be altered or created by human at any cost . They were impressed by nature and is stunned by the divine play of God and craved to be a part o f him. Both these poet listen to the inner voice of their heart and connect themselves with the explicit charm of nature and God. Contrast in William Wordsworth’s ideas with William Blake Both William Wordsworth and William Blake were great poets of their time in England and Scenic beauty of the country was their inspiration. However,

Coffee Manufacturing Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Coffee Manufacturing Company - Case Study Example From this paper it is clear that   to illustrate our finding, the result of the calculation illustrates that the cash flow for the beginning of the first four years of the sales of the New Home Machine projection are correlatively negative ranging from -146.35 to -273.0. In this sense, company may tend to make a loss for the earlier stage of this new projection and spend more money on the promotion of this new project and test marketing cost and so on due to the new project having low reputation, credibility and lack of competition as it is a new entrant within the industry. As the discussion highlights capital budgeting expenditure is usually of very high value; therefore, the management must undertake a careful analysis before resolving to put money in such projects. This is because, if decisions are made without careful analysis, heavy losses can be incurred or else the management can abandon a very profitable project. As such, this project will involve extensive analysis using techniques such as IRR, NPV and PBP. The objective of this capital analysis is to find out whether the management of Coffee Manufacturing Company (CMC) should adopt Home Grinder Cappuccino Machine or abandon it altogether. The decision as to whether to adopt the machine or abandon it will depend on the outcome of different capital budgeting methods including payback method, Net Present Values, and Internal Rate of Return. The analysis will ensure that the management adopts the projects only when there is an assurance that it will be of substantial economic benefit and abandon i t if investing in it will not have any economic relevance. The analysis will involve a variety of capital budgeting techniques such as Net Present values (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Pay back method. To establish the present values, a discount rate, which in this case is the opportunity cost of capital, is used.  

Honda Strategy and Marketing Analysis

Honda Strategy and Marketing Analysis Volkswagen was the first company entering the Chinese automobile industry. Faced by a satisfied home market the company had to expand its business and therefore the growing economy of China was their next choice. The Volkswagen Beetle, the first car produced for the Chinese market, was a real success. After several years  competitors, mainly from the Japanese market like Honda, started to enter the Chinese market very aggressively and  due to that Volkswagen had to face the challenge to maintain its market leader position and therefore adopt the  corporate strategy. As a consequence Volkswagen China introduced its Olympic Program strategic plan in 2005. The program is calledOlympic since its aim is to reach the strategic goals set by the end of the Olympic year 2008. In the following we will analyze the strategic plans of Volkswagen and set them in context to the strategic behaviour of  the Japanese competitor Honda. 3.1 Marketing Volkswagen announced to focus more on differentiation. This is due to the existence of two joint ventures and the  planned positioning of the Skoda products. By offering a large product variety the group aims to serve as many different  target customer groups as possible. In opposition to previous product designs the new cars offered by Volkswagen will be adapted to Chinese taste in order  to increase the brands popularity. The former Volkswagen products were designed for the European market but since  Japanese car manufacturers fit better to the Asian taste the company had to react. The Volkswagen products in China  compete on quality but to maintain the companys leading position it is unremitting to produce cars that are both  fashionable and qualitative. 3.2 Sales Sales relationships are going to be restructured and there will be more interaction between the two joint ventures FAW  VW and VWS. These strategic interactions are another way to increase the companys customer orientation and thereby  the attractiveness of the brand. Dealerships will be tailored to the newly-defined customer groups segmentation of the  two joint ventures respectively. Vehicles of the Volkswagen brand will be distributed through two dealer network  channels. By this, Volkswagen aims at its strategic goal to maintain its leading position by serving different customer  groups. 3.3 Research and Development The company focuses more on in-house developments within the Volkswagen joint ventures in China to save costs. Ten  to twelve new models developed in China for the Chinese market should be launched by the end of 2008. 3.4 Sourcing and Supply Chain Historically the two joint ventures VW Shanghai FAW VW in Changchun sourced separately but within the last decade  sourcing became more challenging for the company: the cars are becoming more sophisticated and therefore the  components have to fulfil higher expectations, the technical expertise of the supplier is getting more important and it is  difficult for Volkswagen to find suppliers which meet their requirements, lack of availability of certain raw materials  (e.g. specific kinds of steel) cause sourcing difficulties. As a reaction Volkswagen is trying to introduce a common sourcing process for the global group and bundle the  purchasing volume in China to create economies of scale. Thereby the target is to find one supplier for each platform  part and carry these parts to China. 3.5 Manufacturing In order to decrease production costs the board decided to introduce so called product cost workshops within the  manufacturing departments to communicate cost targets and produce to costs. Also large parts of the manufacturing  process will be done in China and localization in China are planned to be increased to make use of the cheaper labour  wages in China. Besides all plans to reduce production costs Volkswagen tries not to compromise its high engineering  quality and manufacturing standards since this is a very important success factor for the company. 4. Honda strategy in China Honda advocates the spirit of three joys. Because of their belief in the value of each individual, Honda believes that each person working in, or coming in touch  with their company, directly or through their products, should share a sense of joy through that experience. This feeling  is expressed in what they call The Three Joys. Their goal is to provide Joy: for those who buy their products and produce their products. In that regard, their main concern is for people. First, there is The Joy of Buying for every customer who buys a Honda This Joy is a step beyond customer satisfaction. As they define it, there are four steps to successfully creating The Joy  of Buying.   We also pick up another 4 strategy of Guangzhou Honda in China. Firstly, large scales of purchasing; Honda uses their  economies of scale by working with their parts suppliers to order raw materials in large quantities. Secondly, suppliers localization, more than 160 component suppliers around Guangzhou Honda to manufacture some  supports component for automobiles. For example, the glass seat and engine. These parts are supplied not only for  Guangzhou Honda but also sometimes for exporting. Whats more, setting up manufacturing base for transmission in  Guangzhou really makes a record, because this is the first time for foreign-funded automobiles enterprises to set up  transmission manufacturing base in China. And this investment of Honda makes the supplier localization especially the  suppliers for core parts. Thirdly, optimizing logistics process. They use logistics management software from USA.The logistics department of  Guangzhou Honda was demanded to operate according to the pattern in Janpese Logistics Company. They emphasize  importing the service quality in logistics, decreasing logistics cost enlarge market share and competitiveness and import  new technology and methods in logistics from USA. Fourthly, making supply chain perfect. The Honda setting up a local transmission manufacturing base in Guangzhou  makes transmissions no longer popular in importing and components industrial chain in China will develop to perfect. the newly set-up base will provide transmissions to three Honda companies in China(Guangzhou Honda, Dongfeng  Honda and China Honda)In this pattern, the most crucial part of automobileengine production has been promoted a  lot. In the influence of transmission localization. The biggest supplier of clutch in Japan set up a factory in 5 years with the  total investment54million dollars in Nanhai District in Guangzhou and it manufacture clutch for Guangzhou Honda  directly. With the localization of supplier of transmission and clutch the supply chain of Guangzhou Honda has developed into  nearly perfect. Hondas strategy in supply chain can considerably decrease the cost which gives Guangzhou Honda more profits. Then we move on to the comparison of the marketing between Volkswagen and Honda. Firstly, for Honda they launch a  new car later in China compared with in Japan. For example, the Accord in 2008 was launched half a year later in China  than in Japan. But for Volkswagen, a new car will have a same launching agenda all over the world; it means same time  promoting same time marketing. Secondly, Honda adjusts the price to the situation of market nearly every season. Demand fluctuation, price fluctuation. The flexible price strategy is different from Volkswagens steady price strategy which perhaps gives consumers more  reliability. Thirdly, Honda fight for market share and Volkswagen emphasize brand reputation in long term, Honda target  consumers which means flexible strategy will be much easier for company to survive and succeed. While for  Volkswagen, more luxury and exclusive element allow Volkswagen to offer more credence for consumers in order to  gain reputation in long term. Case study : SIAC 6.4.1. General History of SVW and SGM Not only did Shanghai present an advantage as a potential market, but  Shanghais heavy industrial infrastructure also made major contributions to Shanghai  VW (SVW) and Shanghai GM (SGM). A larger number of parts factories, together  with the extant Shanghai car plants and the citys steel and other heavy industries,  cried out for the final ingredients necessary for rapid development: modern  technology and management skills. An automobile cluster began to develop in Shanghai in the 1980s, thanks to  strong government support at different levels. To upgrade the national automobile  industry following international standards and to avoid an influx of automobile  imports, the central government started negotiation with VW in 1978 for the  establishment of a joint auto production firm. During that entire year, the countrys  state-owned auto factories produced only 15,500 vehicles, and the industry was characterized by old-fashioned, low-quality cars that were produced with outdated  equipment in a labor-intensive process (Kiefer, 1998). Chinese official pressed the  idea of building autos for export and insisted on auto-parts localization. The German  counterpart, however, explained the necessity of auto-part import at the first stage and  proposed the idea of localization as China became more experienced in producing  quality part supplies. Within this cooperative atmosphere, the contrac t was signed in  1984. This joint venture was owned 50% by Volkswagen, 25% by SAIC, 15% by the  Bank of Chinas Shanghai Trust and Consultancy Corporation, and 10% by the China  National Automotive Industrial Corporation. The involvement of Chinese partners  revealed careful forethought: The Bank of China could provide or guarantee needed  loans, SAIC would have an interest in solving local problems, and CNAIC could be a  link to the central planner. (Harwit, 1995, p. 153). To reduce its dependence on VW and to stimulate technology transfer after  one decade of cooperation, SAIC decided to engage in the joint venture with GM in  the early 1990s. SAIC and GM signed a contract to jointly set up Shanghai GM  production facilities in Pudong in 1997. GM was anxious to win this joint venture  because it believed that SAIC was the best automobile company in China. Indeed,  SAIC was highly profitable due to many advantages. Notably, the Chinese  government had chosen SAIC to be the primary passenger car producer enabling it to  acquire the most relevant technological experiences, more so than any other domestic  company. However, the obvious disadvantage of working with SAIC was its existing  joint venture with VW which was one of GMs global competitors and which had  dominated the Chinese passenger car market since the mid-80s (see Table 19). Since  its establishment, SGM has grown into one of the largest car producers in China. 6.4.2. Auto Supplier Cluster in Shanghai Area The development of the automobile industry in the city was strongly supported  by municipal policies, including infrastructure development, labor market, and  industrial policies. In addition, to stimulate broad manufacturing competencies and to  integrate Chinese suppliers within the region, the central government enforced local-content regulations on those auto joint ventures to spur the development of a regional  production network with substantial local linkages. Meanwhile, there has been a strong tendency in the international automobile  industry to develop hierarchical supplier networks and shift the developing,  manufacturing, and assembly responsibilities of important modules to the first-tier  suppliers. Along with the globalization strategy of the automobile producers, large  first-tier suppliers were also required to follow their auto assembly partners and set up  production facilities in other nations (Sadler, 1998). As a consequence, VW  demanded that important first-tier suppliers establish production facilities in China,  preferably within the region. However, production volume (less than 20,000 units in 1990) at that time was too small for global suppliers to set up mass production  facilities in Shanghai. In the initial years after production was launched, SVW still imported most parts and components for the production of the VW Santana from overseas, a large part of which was from Germany. At that time, there were basically no firms in the  region that could have supplied the parts that were needed. However, the Chinese  government threatened to impose a production limit on SVW if the firm would not  increase its local content in production. To achieve the 70% local content regulation  but at the same time to ensure global quality standards, VW and the Chinese  government worked interactively in promoting joint venture partnerships in the auto  parts sector. 6.4.3. Joint Ventures Firm Strategy and Competition SAICs strategy is clear-to form multiple auto JVs with different global  firms and to benefit from competitions between those partners, in regard to  technology transfer, new model introduction, and supply market rationalization. SAICs experience with GM and VW proved this strategy, and GM seems to do a  better job in quality control, technology adaptation, and accurate appraisals of  domestic demand market than its competitor VW. While VW and GM are  increasingly going head to head in the marketplace as they expand their product lines,  SAIC may find itself competing with both when its own car goes on sale. At the same . time, VW and GM run the risk of being shunted aside as Chinas domestic auto  industry develops. In July 2004, national auto sales rose only 3.7% over the same period in 2003  (CAAM, 2005). The growth slowdown has had a significant impact on VW who was  losing market shares because of an aging product line and increased competition. In  2002, cars made by SVW had 27.6% of the China market; in 2003 they slipped to  19.6%, and for the first seven months of 2004, they fell further to 15.5% (Xu, 2005). VWs difficulties have created an opportunity for GM, which passed SVW  briefly in June 2004 to become the market leader. Over the past few years, Chinese  consumers have become more savvy shoppers through greater access to information  (The middle class., 2001), said Phil Murtaugh (CEO of GM China) at the 2001  China Business Summit, and they have higher expectations for the products and their  quality. (The middle class., 2001). He pointed to the dramatic increase of internet  usage and the greater number of Chinese auto publications. Chinas growing middle  class itself represents a sophisticated customer base for a broaden product mix and  thus fierce competition, Murtaugh said (The middle class., 2001). A careful  evaluation of changing domestic consumers and a close relationship with Chinese  engineers in its technical center keeps GM consistently in the leading position in  Chinese passenger car market. 6.4.4. Technology Transfer: Good and Bad  Scholars a dvocated that the existing supplier network and industrial  infrastructure were important reasons why GM also decided to set up production  facilities in Shanghai in 1997(Gallagher, 2005; Taylor III, 2004), while the later  success of GM, to a large extent, is attributed to its sincere investment in local  technology development and close cooperation with Chinese engineers. Nonetheless,  problems could rise from inter-JV technology transfer. GM was the first company that actually established a technical center with  additional investment in Shanghai, following the governments promotion of  technology transfer in the 1994 industrial policy. A separate $50 million US joint  venture was established between GM and SAIC named the Pan Asian Technical  Center (PATAC). PATACs main purpose is to provide engineering support to SGM  and other Chinese auto companies. PATAC has also established an in-house  emissions testing center and has employed around 400 Chinese engineers, which,  though not directly training Chinese engineers, gives China the opportunity to work  closely with advanced techniques and learn in the process. According to Porter (1990), only when a foreign company transfers RD  decisions can it add to the host nations competitiveness.  

Individuality :: essays research papers

Individuality is a characteristic that sets you apart from everyone else. The author Tim O’Brien illustrates this through Rat Kiley, Kiowa and Mary Anne in his novel, The Things They Carried. Individuality shows the personality of a character, reveals the link between personality and the physical items the soldiers carried, and how individuality is used to create teamwork.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When overlooking the personalities of the characters; they all are unique. Rat Kiley is the medic of the operation. He is often known to being humorous, cracking jokes, and telling stories. Religious and cautious would be words to describe Kiowa. Being a Native American, he is careful around others not like himself. Though there are only two main characters that are female in the novel, Mary Anne is one like no other. She is introduced into the chapter as, â€Å"Just a kid, just barely out of high school† (90). Seen having a bubbly and flirtatious personality, she is still naà ¯ve, young and curious like a â€Å"kid†. Tittering between the notions of safety with her boyfriend or joining the thrill of a Green Berets life, she is overcome by her desire of danger, and goes with the Greenies. Though her boyfriend and his friends try to convince her to stay with them, she does not waver in the end. Many see her shrouded in mystery because they’re bewildered by her actions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If comparing personality to personal belongings, there are few differences to distinguish them. In Rat Kiley’s case, carrying a â€Å"canvas satchel filled with morphine, plasma, malaria tablets and surgical tape† (5) as well as comic books would not be a surprise. Being a medic, a first aid kit would be essential. Since Rat is a funny and an amusing person its no wonder why he owns comic books. Entertainment and kits would not be objects found with Kiowa. In his backpack you would find a hatchet and a copy of The New Testament. Kiowa is a devout Baptist and a bible is natural for him to be carrying. A hatchet may be a symbol that ties him with his Native American heritage. Opposite life and items from the soldiers, Mary Anne arrives with a suitcase and plastic cosmetic bag. Since she was arranged for a visit, a suitcase with her clothes is assumed. For her to wear and carry makeup reflects her girlish attitude and fresh-faced appearance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teamwork can not be done alone; it’s distributed to different people who assist in different ways.

Tinbergen’s Four Questions Regarding Orca Behaviour

Introduction The type of communication used to transmit information is closely related to the animal’s lifestyle and environment. This can be seen in most terrestrial mammals which are nocturnal so use olfactory and auditory which work as well in the dark as they do during the day. Visual communication would be relatively ineffective in this lifestyle. In contrast humans are diurnal and use primarily visual and auditory signals for communication, but miss many chemical cues which many other mammals base their behaviour upon.Marine mammals often need to communicate great distances, and the water does not support visual cues over great distance. This is why whales and dolphins use primarily auditory signals. Auditory signals can travel great distances and travel four and a half times faster in water than in air (Ford, 1984). Killer whales or Orca (Orcinus orca) are very social dolphins and live in pods often consisting of family members from between four up to fifty for resident ial whales while transient pods normally are only between two and five animals (Ford, 1989).These pods communicate with each other by use of echolocation clicks, tonal whistles and pulsed calls (Deecke et al. , 2000). The three main noises have very different uses from each other. Clicks can either be produced as a single click or produced in rapid succession. Single clicks are generally used for navigation and collection of clicks and whistles are thought to be used for communication amongst members of the pod. Pulses are believed, with the assistance of single clicks, to be the method used by orcas to distinguish objects and discriminate prey (Barrett-Lennard et al. 1996). Residential orcas feed on fish, and can be frequently heard communicating with the clicks, whistles and calls because the fish have very poor hearing abilities (Wilson, 2002). The vocal behaviour of transient killer whales is quite different with the vocal communication consisting of occasional clicks and pulses (Deecke et al. , 2000). The only occasion where transient orcas display significant amounts of vocal activity is when they are active on the surface or recently after a kill.The reasons for this reduction of noise could be due to many factors which can be seen in other species interactions and behaviour. Using ‘Tinbergen’s four questions’, I will explain what necessity for this behaviour and what the origins of the silent behaviour may have been. Tinbergen’s Four Questions In 1963 Nikolaas Tinbergen published a paper â€Å"On aims and methods of ethology†. In this paper he discussed how he believed any question regarding animal behaviour should be broken down into four different questions.These four questions could be divided into two categories, evolutionary (ultimate) explanations and proximate explanations. The evolutionary explanations, which refer to the population, include evolution or phylogenetic determinants and survival value or adaptive significance. The phylogenetic determinants refer to all evolutionary explanations which are not covered by adaptive significance. These may include random processes including mutation and changes in the environment which could have impacts on the population resulting in a specific behaviour adaptation.The adaptive significance closely follows Charles Darwin’s work on natural selection where it is explained that an animal’s form has been altered to function better in the habitat and resulting in a increase in fitness for the individual. The proximate explanations are focused with dealing in terms of the individual as opposed to the population. The two different individual questions proposed by Tinbergen relate to causation and ontogeny. The causation for a display of behaviour relates to the mechanics of the body and which stimuli provides a cue for the animal to display this behaviour.Included in causation is control of hormones, motor control, central-nervous-system control and the ability to process the information obtained through senses. Ontogeny relates to the development of an individual, from conception til death. This may include a experience or a environmental factor which occurs and changes the behaviour of the animal, including learned behaviour from another individual. Causation ? Figure 1: An illustration of sound generation, propagation and reception in a killer whale. (WhalesB. C. com)The nasopharyngeal anatomy of cetaceans is strongly modified comparing with terrestrial mammals. They have one impair respiratory hole at the top of the head. It is closed near the surface by dense musculocutaneous crimps arranged so, that the salient of one of them enters into the dimple of another. They form a peculiar lock preventing the water from penetrating into respiratory tract. Above the skull around of nose passage there is a system of pneumatic sacs, connected with nose passage (Barrett-Lennard et al. , 1996).In 1964 A. V. Jablokov suppose d that sounds could be produced by forcing air through these nasal sacs. Air is forced past a set of finely striated muscular plugs or lips that vibrate or slap against each other as the lips are forced apart by the stream of air and then slapped shut by muscular tension (Ford, 1989). Transient killer whales are often very difficult to track when under water as they are typically silent. Often communicating with each other with just a single click, known as a cryptic click (Deecke et al. , 2000).The only time that the killer whales produce large amounts of vocal activity was when milling about on the surface or after killing a marine mammal. Transients have been found to only use four to six discrete calls which are not shared with the resident pods (Deecke et al. , 2004). Ontogeny Like other aspects of learning in mammalian society, I hypothesise that the newborn calves will be taught the ability for vocalisation by its parent or other pod members. There have been many studies on k iller whale vocalisations in different parts of the world including Canada (Ford, 1984), Alaska (Yurk et al. 2002) and Norway (Matkin, 1988). Each study showed that every pod has its own distinctive repertoire of discrete calls, often this phenomenon is referred to as vocal dialects. The differences in vocal repertoires can be the result of geographic isolation and when this occurs it is not dialects that are being represented but â€Å"geographic variations of vocal repertoire† (Ford, 1984). The use of repetitive calls and the specific number and type of discrete calls are what are used to classify and compare dialects. Pods often produce between seven and seventeen different types of discrete calls.Some pods share calls and are grouped together as a acoustic clan (Baird et al. , 1988). Different clans might represent different independent maternal lineages, which have persisted for many generations, developing their independent call traditions. Dialects are probably the mea ns by which pod cohesiveness and identity are maintained. Newborn calls manage to produce calls very comparable to their mothers, but the repertoire is very limited. With the arrival of a new calf to the pod, the calls of the pod and particularly the matriarch increase, especially the frequency of pod-specific calls (Ford, 1989).This is widely regarded as the method to which newborns learn the pods dialect. The majority of the learning done by the newborn is a process of imitation and trial and error. The calf does not always learn communication from a parent. In captivity a young whale was observed to have learned the calls of its tank mate, even though it had no relatedness. Survival Value I hypothesise that the because the mammalian predators can hear well under water is the reason why the transient killer whales adopt significantly reduced communication during periods of foraging.Acoustic communication can have great benefits such as organising groups for attacks and avoiding pr edation. As with all behaviour traits there is a trade off. There is a direct cost of energy required to producing the sounds and along with this is the loss of energy from lack of feeding during times of communicating. There is also a indirect cost, especially for transient killer whales, which pass information on to eavesdroppers. Eavesdroppers may include competitors (Hammond et al. , 2003), predators (Hosken et al. 1994) or for transient killer whales alerting potential prey. Various studies have documented the costs from eavesdropping for prey in the case of predators who utilise echolocation. Bats have been documented preying on frogs performing mating calls by eavesdropping on them (Fenton, 2003). Insects have also been noted as being able to avoid predation from bats by listening to their acoustic projections (Rydell et al. , 1995). Communicative vocalizations are usually not essential for prey location unlike echolocation.This is the most likely reason that transient killer whales move in silence or considerably reduced vocal communication while foraging. Evolution I believe that the evolution of marine mammals from a common ancestor hinders the transient killer whales hunting due to the retention of excellent underwater hearing by marine mammals. In Pakistan the discovery of Ambulocetus was remarkable, a three metre long mammal which resembled a crocodile. It is thought to be the transitional fossil starting the mammalian movement towards an aquatic life.By 38 million years ago mammals had fully adapted to a aquatic life with the emergence of Basilosaurus and Dorudon. Although these large marine mammals resembled modern whales and dolphins they lacked the ‘melon organ’ which allows echolocation in their descendants (Ford, et al. , 2000). In the middle of the Oligocene (33 million years ago) a animal called Squalodon is thought to have been the first to use echolocation. With a cranium which was well compressed, and a telescoped rostrum i t displayed a skull similar to modern dolphins.A big problem with the hunting marine mammals is that they all have a common ancestor, and all have retained a common lineage of very good hearing. Fish have poor hearing which allows the residential killer whales to freely use communication when hunting. Transient killer whales have been forced to change this behaviour because of their choice of prey including seals, dolphins, porpoises and whales. With all mammals having good underwater hearing they have been required to adopt a reduced vocal communication when searching for prey. ConclusionI believe that the lack of acoustic communication between transient killer whales is due to the ability of their selected prey being able to hear the clicks, whistles and pulses they generate. These sounds can be heard from over seven kilometres away and marine mammals do react to these calls (Deecke et al. , 2002). In the study by Deecke in 2002, he played the sounds of killer whales near a harbou r seal colony which resulted in most of the seals displaying strong anti-predator behaviour of leaving the water. This suggests that they are able to clearly hear the calls and understand what is generating them.I believe that other marine mammals will react in a similar way. Guinet (1992) observed the vocal patterns of killer whales around the Crozet Archipelago and came to the same result as Deecke (2004) that the killer whales were silent throughout hunting and searching, but once a mammalian kill was made the pod would greatly increase in vocal activity. While it can be a risk to produce noise after killing a prey, for fear of drawing the attention of other predators or scavengers, killer whales are the apex predator and have no natural predators.Resources Baird, R. W, Stacey, P. J. , (1988). Foraging and feeding behaviour of transient killer whales. Whalewatcher vol 22, no. 1:11-15 Barrett-Lennard, L. G. , Ford, J. K. B. , Heise, K. A. , (1996). The mixed blessing of echolocati on: differences in sonar use by fish-eating and mammal-eating killer whales. Animal Behaviour, 51: 553-565 Deecke, V. B. , Ford, J. K. B, Sprong, P. (2000). Dialect change in resident killer whales: implications for vocal learning and cultural transmission. Animal Behaviour 60: 629-638 Deecke, V. B. Ford, J. K. B, Slater, P. J. B. (2002). Selective habituation shapes acoustic predator recognition in harbour seals. Nature 420: 170-173 Deecke, V. B. , Ford, J. K. B, Slater, P. J. B. (2004). The vocal behaviour of mammal-eating killer whales: Communicating with costly calls. Animal Behaviour 69: 395-405 Fenton, M. B. (2003). Eavesdropping on the echolocation and social call of bats. Mammal Review 33: 193-204 Ford, J. K. B. (1984). Call traditions and vocal dialects of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in British Columbia. Ph. D. hesis, University of British Columbia Ford, J. K. B. (1989). Acoustic behaviour of resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) off Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Can adian Journal of Zoology 67:727-745 Ford, J. K. B. , Ellis, G. M. , Balcomb, K. C. (2000) Killer whales the natural history and genealogy of Orcinus orca in British Columbia and Washington State. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press Guinet, C. (1992) Comportent de chasse des orques (Orcinus orca) autour des iles Crozet. Canadian journal of Zoology 70: 1656-1667Hammond, T. J. , Bailey, W. J. , (2003) Eavesdropping and defensive auditory masking in an Australian bush cricket, Caedicia (Phaneropterinae: Tettigoniidae: Orthoptera). Behaviour 140: 79-95 Hosken, D. J. , Bailey, W. J. , Oshea, J. E. , Roberts, J. D. (1994) Localization of insect calls by the bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae): a laboratory study. Australian Journal of Zoology 42: 177-184 Matkin, D. (1988) Killer whales of Norway. Homer: North Gulf Oceanic Society Rydell, J. , Jones, G. , Waters, D. 1995) Echolocating bats and hearing moths: who are the winners? Oikos 73: 419-424 Wilson, B. , Dill, L. M. (2002) Pacific herring respond to stimulated odontocete echolocation sounds. Canadian Journal of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences 59: 542-553 Yurk, H, Barrett-Leonard, L. , Ford, J. K. B. Matkin, C. O. (2002) Cultural transmission within maternal lineages: vocal clans in resident killer whales in southern Alaska. Animal Behaviour 63: 1103–1119 Vocal behaviour of mammal-eating killer whales A report on a unique behavioural characteristic By Michael Clark 83787877

Descartes Dream Argument Essay

How do we know we are not dreaming some particular experience we are having, or we are not dreaming all our experience of this world? When we dream we imagine things happening often with the same sense of reality as we do when we are awake. In Descartes dream argument, he states there are no reliable signs distinguishing sleeping from waking. In his dream argument, he is not saying we are merely dreaming all of what we experience, nor, is he saying we can distinguish dreaming from being awake. I think his point is we cannot be for sure what we experience as being real in this world is actually real. When Descartes remembers occasions when he is dreaming, he falsely believes he is awake. Reflecting on this, Descartes thinks he cannot ever tell whether or not he is dreaming. How can he know he perceives his hands right now? Maybe, it is all just a dream. If it were just a dream everything would seem to be the same. In order to have knowledge the suggestion he is dreaming is false, he somehow has to have some knowledge of being awake. I believe his dream argument could be formed in this way: 1. When we are dreaming we are not in a good position to tell whether we are actually dreaming or awake. 2. Any experience you are having right now could also mean you are dreaming. In other words, you can’t possibly know you are dreaming even if it is a dream. 3a. For each of your experiences, you can’t tell whether your experience is a dream or not. (You can’t tell which of your dreams is a waking experience or a dreaming experience). 3b. For all you know, all of your experiences may be dreams. (You may be walking around in a dream, never having any walking experiences) Most philosophers think the dream argument supports both conclusions, but many philosophers also think this argument is strong enough to support 3a but not 3b. It is not really clear whether Descartes is arguing for the stronger claim or the weaker claim. It could be 3b, the weaker claim, is enough to support his purpose. Maybe he does not need a stronger claim to prove his theory. The last step in Descartes argument says if he cannot tell whether he is dreaming, then how can he trust any of his senses telling him about the environment? To know anything about the external world on the basis of his sensory experiences, it seems like Descartes would have to know those experiences are not all just a dream: To know anything about the external world on the basis or your sensory experiences, you have to know that you are not dreaming. I believe the things in my dreams must have been patterned after real things. So, even if I might be dreaming now, I know the world has colors, things that take up space, have shape, quantity, and a place in space and time. Now if you pull premises 1-4 together, we get the result of the conclusion: 5. Therefore, you can’t know anything about the external world based on your sensory experiences. In an interpretation of Descartes Dream Argument, premise 1 supports premise two and premise 3a and 3b support premise 4. So let us take a look at premise 2, 4, and the conclusion. This looks like the valid inference rule, such as modus ponens. P ? Q P__________ Therefore, Q However, that is not what is exactly happening in the dream argument. For premise 4 says to know you would have to know you are not dreaming. But premise 3 says you cannot know you are dreaming. In order for Modus Ponens argument to work, it would have to contain the premise: â€Å"I know I am dreaming. † Since Descartes cannot actually declare he is dreaming, it will not work. So there goes the premise of the argument. The most Descartes can say in his argument is â€Å"you can’t tell whether you experience is a dream,† premise two states â€Å"You can’t possibly know you are dreaming,† to premise 3, â€Å"you can’t tell if you are dreaming† to the conclusion, â€Å"You can’t know anything. † In order for Modus Ponens to work once again Descartes would have to know he was dreaming. As stated above he cannot state his position as if he is dreaming, so there goes the premises argument. So if this is not a valid argument, then perhaps there is a way to revise my interpretation on Descartes’ Dream argument so it turns out to be a valid rgument. Can we make the argument valid by changing premise 4? 2. Any experience you are having right now could also mean that you are dreaming. In other words, you can’t possibly know that you are dreaming even if it really is a dream. 4. I know that I am dreaming. Therefore, you can’t know anything about the external world based on your sensory experiences. This is now valid but is Descartes actually dreaming? Lets try switching around premises one. 1. If I cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams, then I cannot believe anything based on images as true. . I cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams. 3. Therefore, I cannot believe as true anything based on images. The argument is now valid again. But the question remains, whether the argument is sound and all the premises are true. A dream is a dream because its external conditions make it a dream and not because of a sense perception. If I am asleep and having an image of a body, than I am dreaming. If I am awake and having an image of a body, then I am not dreaming. Usually I am having a sense perception, but it could also be a hallucination. Dreaming is a certain kind of state. The only way to know you are not dreaming is to know you are not in a state of being asleep and having mental images, sounds, etc. No amount of images, sounds, can tell me I am in the state of being asleep and having images, sounds, etc. before my mind. If premise 2 is true, you can never be certain you are dreaming, as opposed to having sense perception. For instance, I can never step outside of myself to check what state I am in. It is indeed possible I could be dreaming. Descartes, however, has a very different kind of reply to the dream argument. He does not challenge premise 2 at all, instead he challenges premise one: If I cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams, then I cannot believe as true anything based on images, etc. Descartes states in meditation one, â€Å"Nevertheless, it surely must be admitted that the things seen during slumber are, as it were, like plain images, which could only have been produced in the likeness of true things, and these general things —eyes, hands, head, and the whole body,–are not imaginary things, but are true and exist. This statement is actually very clear because the reply is the contents of dreams (Mt. Everest, other people, houses, etc) must come from reality. We get images through the world that we live in, so even if I am dreaming, I know there are mountains, people, and houses. They must exist in order to have dreams like the ones I have. If the world was different then I would have different kinds of dreams. † In Descartes final thoughts he admits it seems to be possible I am now dreaming even though no one could know anything about the world around us. I think Descartes point to be made throughout the dream argument is we are able we are not dreaming if we are to know an external world around us. If we are to know our external world around us, then we would have a better understanding of why we dream. It would also give us a better understand to distinguish from being awake to dreaming. It seems to me the point throughout his dream argument the point he is trying to make is we cannot be sure of what we experience as being real in the world is actually real. Descartes may have not made his point to be valid or true, but made us think outside the box, there are other possible choices to why we experience these thoughts when we dream.