Problem of Evil Essay Example for Free

Problem of fell EssayThe traditional line of condemnable e liquefys when people believe in and deliberate for the existence of a divinity fudge who is both omnipotent and wholly keen. fit to Mackies study (1955), few of the solutions to the problem of savage could stand up to criticism. Today, some(a) unity suggests an alternative perfection is not perfectly good, save maxim e veryy cool. By cool he means to be free from tenseness or violence. Since graven image is maximally cool, he is not so much concerned about either eliminating wretched or maximizing virtue than promoting coolness. This divinity appears to be logically valid, but this essay will show that the existence of such god is impossible.First, we should ask this if God aims to promote coolness, why would he bother to create evil? It is clear that evil is not cool, given that evil creates tension and violence. It may be replied that God is maximally cool and thus creates anything based on his will an d is not concerned with what happens to his creation afterwards. This reply is arguing that God created some cool thing which later consequently turned into the bad evil. thusly, the fact that uncool evil exists implies that God cannot make this uncool evil to be cool again, which contradicts with the insert that God is omnipotent.Secondly, good is also uncool. According to most theists, good is defined to be opposite to evil and thus evermore fights to expel evil (Mackie, 1955), so that good is in constant tension and possible violence with evil. Though the God in argument is claimed to be not perfectly good, this God is fluid good to a certain degree. Then he will still fights against evil and on that pointfore is not always cool. This runs us to conclude that this God cannot be maximum cool. This guy in defense of the existence of a maximally cool God might argue that uncool is necessary as a counterpart to cool.It seems lifelike and necessary to take up why thither sho uld be uncool things if God is maximum cool. He might argue that if there were no uncool, there could be no cool either, in that if there were no violence or tension to be created and involved in, there could be no violence or tension to be free from. It might be that out of randomness, God created evil that generates tension and good that engages in tension against evil. To detach from involvement in tension or to destroy tension might create some other tension and may incur violence. If God were to eliminate uncool things that he created, he would enter a tension surrounded by cool and uncool.Then, it would be uncool to make uncool things cool. Because God is maximally cool, he will not enter such tension and hence he leaves good and evil as uncool as they be. By claiming that cool cannot exist without uncool, this guy shows that God cannot create cool without simultaneously creating uncool. This sets a limit to what God can do, which involves 2 possibilities either God is no t omnipotent or that omnipotence has some limits. If it is the original case, then we can deny the existence of a God who is omnipotent and maximally cool. If it is the second case, one may argue that these limits are logically im first step.However, according to Mackie (1955), some theists hold the get word that God can do what is logically impossible, while numerous theists maintain that God created logic. This leads us to the conundrum of omnipotence, where we consider whether an omnipotent being can bind himself. According to Mackie, although we can avoid the paradox of omnipotence by putting God outside time, we cannot originate that an omnipotent God binds himself by logical laws. Therefore, it is a bad approach to prove the existence of a maximally cool and omnipotent by claiming that cool and uncool are counterparts to each other.To trade unionmarize, if a God is omniscience, then he must know the existence of uncool. If he is omnipotent and maximum cool, he will prom ote coolness to the maximum. However, we observe that there are uncool things which are against Gods will to promote coolness and which God cannot make them cool. Therefore, a God that is omniscience, omnipotent and maximally cool cannot exist. Works Cited J. L. Mackie, Evil and Omnipotence, Mind, New Series, Vol. 64, No. 254. (Apr. , 1955), pp. 200-212. In Pascals Wager, Pascal concludes that tenability acquires people to make for for god. He bases his argument on mainly three premises.The first premise is his construct of the decision matrix of rewards. The second premise suggests that we are readful by rationality to assign positive and not in mortalsimal probability to God existing. The third premise states that we are required by rationality to perform the act of possible maximum expect utility. This essay will argue that Pascals Wager does not demonstrate solid prudential reasons for us to believe in God, by showing the third premise is not necessarily true. We consider t hat it is not in all cases that we are required by rationality to maximize expected utility.In Pascals Wager, we impart one life to wager for God and obtain infinite expected utility. Paying finite kernel to play a game with infinite expectation appear to be at our interests and can therefore serve as a prudential reason for us to wager for God. However, in certain cases, this perform could be regarded as absurd and alternatively, and to the contrary, taking intuitively sub-optimal actions would actually maximize the expected utility. For example, the St. Petersburg paradox could be representative of this kind of situations. In the St. Petersburg game (Martin, 2011), we keep throw offping a funds until we get a coin.The native bet of flips, n, yields the prize which equals $2n. There are infinite sum of flips possible, so we put up infinite number of possible consequences. The expected payoff of each consequence is $1 and therefore the expected value of the game, which equal s the sum of the expected payoffs of all the consequences, will be an infinite number of dollars. Then, intuitively we will be uncoerced to play the game as long as we only need to pay a finite number of dollars, given that the expected value of the game is infinite. However, Hacking (1980) suggested that few of us would pay even $25 to enter such a game. If we were to pay $25 for the game, half of the time we receive $2 and one quarter of the time the game pays $4, so the probability to break-even is less than one in twenty five. Still, because of the very small possibility of the number of flips to be greater than $25, the expected payoff of the game is larger than the $25 payment. According to standard Bayesian decision theory (Martin, 2011), we should play this game. Then again, because of the very small possibility of getting high enough payment, it is very likely that we will need to flip a coin longer than our physical possibility.In that sense, it will be absurd to pay this finite amount and flip longer than physical constraints for the infinite expected payoff. Therefore, it is not always true that rationality will require us to perform the act that yields maximal expected utility. In the St. Petersburg game we experiment infinitely many trials which yield infinite expectation. In Pascals wager, we have a single-trial which also yields infinite expectation. It seems natural for Pascal to assume that expectation is a good guide to solve this decision problem.However, according to Hajek (2012), we need to take variance into consideration to make better decision, because in this one-time shot, a large variance could lead us to an outcome which is much worse than the expectation. When the variance is small, it is probable to get an outcome close to the expectation. However, the pass on the distribution of outcomes spreads out, the more likely it is to get a bad outcome, and the less compelling the third premise seems to be. Assuming that the expectatio n of wagering for God is infinite, we can calculate the variance of the outcomes of the wager.Given the infinitely good of the good outcome and the status quo of the bad outcome, the variance is infinite. In the case of an infinite variance, due to our risk-aversion, we might be better off choosing to minimize variance than maximizing our expected utility. Indeed, if f2 is made as low as possible, the variance of wagering for God would be much greater than wagering against God. If the probability of the probability of receiving infinite good, is made as low as possible, the resulted variance might make we deviate much further away from the expected utility in an undesirable direction.Both cases above could happen, and if they do, we would feel less compelled by our rationality to maximize our expected utility because the large variance could lead us to a situation that is much worse than expectation. To summarize, Pascals premise three is not necessarily true. This premise says that we are required by nationality to maximize expected utility where there is one available. However, the St. Petersburg paradox suggests that rationality does not always require us to maximize our expected utility. Furthermore, in consideration of large variance, expectation might not be a good measure of choiceworthiness (Hajek, 2012).Without the validity of premise three, we cannot draw the conclusion that rationality requires us to wager for God. Therefore, Pascals wager does not solidly demonstrate that we have prudential reasons to believe in God. Works Cited Hajek, Alan, Pascals Wager, The Stanford Encyclopedia of philosophy (Winter 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed. ), URL = http//plato. stanford. edu/archives/win2012/entries/pascal-wager/ Martin, Robert, The St. Petersburg Paradox, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2011 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . Hacking, Ian, 1980, Strange Expectations, Philosophy of Science 47 562-567. According to Pollock (198 6), you might be a heading floating in a bathtub filled with nutrient fluid. You do not realize that you are a virtuoso in a vat because this brain is wired to a computer program that produces stimulation in brain to cause experiences that are qualitatively indistinguishable from normal experiences of being a human being. The problem lies exactly in that whether you are a brain in a vat or not, everything seems to be the same to you.Many philosophers have attempted to prove that you are not a brain in a vat and their approaches seem to be valid. Among those, Moores argument and Putnams argument are two influential but different approaches. This essay tries to show that you cannot use either of these arguments to prove that you are not a brain in a vat. trance going through Moores argument seems to be an easy way to show that you are not a BIV (brain in a vat), it is not problematical to show how this approach is flawed either. By Moores argument, first you open your eyes and fo rm perceptual knowledge that you have pass on.Then you deduce that you are not a BIV which does not have hands and thereby you come to know that conclusion. However, it should be argued in the first place that your senses are not reliable. As Descartes argued in Meditations (1986), while you might form the perception that you are wearing a dress in the dream, you are actually undressed in your bed. The flaw in the logic of this approach can be demonstrated in the following analogous story. You see an empty nut case on a table. The glass looks orange and in fact it is. You form perceptual knowledge that the glass is orange.You deduce that it is not neutral and filled with orange juice. You thereby come to know that the glass does not appear orange to you because it is pale with orange juice filled in it. By assuming that there is orange juice in the glass, you establish that the glass does not appear orange to you because it is colorless with orange juice filled in it. Here the p roblem is that there is no orange juice and you are trying to prove there is orange juicy by assuming its existence. For the same token, if you are a BIV, then the hands that you get the picture are hands* produced by one feature of the computer program.The premise asserting that you form a perception of hands is assuming that you are not a BIV and therefore can form a perceptual knowledge of hands. This is begging the question because we want to prove that we are not BIV. Therefore, you cannot prove that you are not a BIV by going through Moores argument. Another famous discussion is Putnams semantic arguments. One problem of this approach is the narrow scope of the arguments. Putnam started his arguments by drawing analogy between the mental image of a Martian and that of a BIV.Claiming that Mars does not have tree, Putnam established that BIVs utterance of tree has a different denotive from the referent of a non-BIV speaking of a tree. While it is possible that you have always been a BIV since you come into being, so you have never seen a tree that a non-BIV sees. It is also possible that you have lived certain part of your life as a non-BIV and then at some point you are made into a BIV. For example, if you recall in The Problems of Knowledge (Pollock, 1986), by the time that Margot tells Mike that he is a brain in a vat, he has been a brain in a vat for three months.According to Margot, Henry, or the brain in a vat that Mike sees, receives a fictitious mental life that fuses perfectly into Henrys past life. To merge perfectly, the language and its referents that the computer generates for Henry must be indistinguishable from those before his envatment. Similarly, if Mike has been speaking side of meat up until three months ago when he was envatted, his utterance of Margot after envatment must have the same referent as the one he had before. It must be that now his words retain the same side referents to the same contents in order to achieve a perfect merge (Brueckner, 2012).This perfect merge makes brain* in a vat* the same as BIV, which means whether you are BIV or not, you always speak English rather than vat-English. Because there are no differences in the languages between BIV and non-BIV, the semantic arguments have nowhere to start in this case. Unless you know with certainty that all BIVs have been BIVs since they came into beings, you cannot use semantic arguments to prove that you are not a BIV. To summarize, Moores arguments appear to be an easy solution to the problem of knowledge, but these arguments are begging the question and therefore cannot refute the brain-in-a-vat hypotheses.It seems that Putnams arguments are more compelling, but still they fail to rule out all possible versions of the brain-in-a-vat hypotheses. Therefore, you cannot prove that you are a non-BIV by apply either of these arguments. Works Cited Descartes, Rene. Meditations on First Philosophy. Indianapolis Bobbs-Merrill, 1960. Print. Pollock, John L. Contemporary Theories of Knowledge. Totowa, NJ Rowman Littlefield, 1986. Print. Brueckner, Tony, Skepticism and capacitance Externalism, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed. ), URL = .

Sylvia Gregorio Essay Example for Free

Sylvia Gregorio EssayAs a trainee Im happy for the output that I have made. After a long education and great efforts just to make sure that this documentation were done very well, and when this portfolio were done all the degenerate that I had were relieved. I would like to thank first of all to god that gave me strength and their guide. Then to Sir Sherwin Sapin for broad us freedom and time to work this output, to my family and friends that gave me all their support, and to all employee of Experiment Station (IRRI). What have I learned from the experience? (Non-IT and IT)I have learned a lot in my facts of life regarding in IT with the big participation of the Experiment Station unit of measurement. My first job at the Experiment Station Unit is Unexpected. Im really not expecting that the first sidereal day of my training was mentally painful. My supervisor asked me if I weed make a chopine for their system. And what program language I am using. Then I tell I can crea te a several program in Visual staple fibre 6.0. Then she decided to give me a job and at that day Im not expecting that she assigned me to analyze the flow and flow process of a system. At first I am regretful and I ask myself, what is this? Why I tell to her that I can create a several program even though I really create a simple program but this is not a simple work it is totally mental painful. Well I had no choice at that day I had no idea what Im going to do with that kind of work.I am thinking and thinking and thinking. What appearance should the system have? How does the system can help the users and how did I going to start to create a system? Its seemed that my job here is really an IT related. And in the next other days little by little I execute a form. Im searching for the codes and designing it step by step. Until every passing day I I have always an additional usefulcodes, forms, layouts, and objects that completed my database system. Its sp pleasure to me when I a lways added a new useful tool for it but eventually like I said it not easy to create a database system. You need a focus on it and fortunately by my diligence and perseverance I presented the system that Ive made even if it is a simple system.The immenseness is it is useful, helpful and reliable to the users my supervisor was so proud at me specially me myself. Because Im fetching the name of my school thats wherefore I have the responsibility to promote it thats why Ive done my best to do what my supervisor assigned to me. When I always staring at the system that Ive done I always remember the unforgettable moments that Ive done in IRRI. At first it is mentally painful but eventually you also benefit on it. aside from making a system they were expecting that I have a great advantage in calculator technology. Thats why they always give me an activity in power point, excel, ms word, ms access, blushing mushroom and Im also installing a software sometimes.Because my profession is computer related I am always assigned at the computer field activities. When it comes from Non-IT job like paper works, means works and many more Im also doing this activities like file arranging, file updating, inventory, hodometer reading, seeds repacking, scanning, printing, laminating, phone call answering and many more.IntroductionThis Report is a compilation of all documents and experiences of the cogitate in Information Technology students namely John Lester Banasihan during his Training at the International Rice look into Institute (IRRI). This Report tells to the reader what they have done and what they have learned during his On-The-Job-Training. It tells the reader how memorable this training experience. It also tells the reader what he can recommend for the improvement of On-The-Job-Training Program and his advice to those who will take their OJT in the near future. This Report contains four chapters first chapter is History, Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives and also The Background of the Company where they took his OJT. Second Chapter, His Weekly promotion Report. Third Chapter is the assessment of OJT and the lastChapter is all the Pertinent Documents.

Gun Control Persuasive Paper Essay Example for Free

Gun Control Persuasive Paper EssayA hoagy hold in law is any law that restricts the use, purchase, or possession of any firearms (Conservapedia). These laws ar implemented to slenderise the use of firearms to authorized members of a states government. Each state in America has its aver laws regarding gun control however, among all, California has the plasteredest laws, scoring 81 out of a 100 (OMara). Gun control laws are necessary in a state because they decrease violence, increase governments bulwark in the state, and decrease the lethalness of other crimes. Gun control laws set up reduce violence and crime. In the coupled States, 67% of crimes in 2010 were committed with firearms (Rogers, 2007). This means that majority of crimes committed in America had guns and other firearms involved. If firearms are prohibited in the state, then in theory, crime rates will go dget by 67%. Guns have the ability to take someones life. Having that said, disallowing the use of guns ca n non solely decrease crime rates, but lower causalities as well.Ozanne-Smith et al (2004) arrived at a similar remnant in a study conducted in Victoria, Australia after examining the trend in the firearm-related deaths in the context of strong legislative reform. They found the followingSignificant and dramatic declines in rates of firearm related deaths occurred in Victoria and Australia after periods of strong legislative reform. Statistically significant reductions in firearm related suicides were ascertained after legislative reforms. In 2000, rates of firearm related deaths were less than two per 100 000 cosmos for Victoria and Australia compared with 10.4 per 100 000 population for the United States. In Victoria, reductions in the numbers of registered firearms of 25% and of licensed shooters of 15% were seen over the four years between 199798 and 200001 (Ozanne-Smith, 2004).Prohibiting civilians from using guns can increase the effectiveness of the law of nature in ones state. When a person owns a gun, in theory he can protect himself and therefore does not need protection from the police. Thus, he becomes independent. However, if a person is not allowed to own a gun, he becomes to a greater extent dependent upon the government for his safety and the police and the government now becomes more aware of the importance of their task in protecting their state.Lastly, the restriction of firearms can decrease the lethalness of crimes other than take and homicide. Often times, minor criminals like thieves and robbers commit their crimes with a firearm, when in reality the commission of their crime does not require it. They simply use the guns for self-defense. As a result, they are more likely to kill their victims kinda than just stealing from them. Therefore, they not only steal, but they kill as well. The prohibition of firearms can diminish a criminals ability from committing another crime by decreasing the probability of hit and homicide.However, firearms have its benefits as well. But if the aforementioned is not used in the right way, it will cash in ones chips to serious consequences including death. Thats why gun control laws are implied in a state to vex and prevent the misuse of such firearms.

Technology in Classrooms Essay Example for Free

Technology in Classrooms EssayTablets. Smartph wholenesss. Smart visiting cards. The biggest issue society exit have to side in the near future is effectively incorporating technology into public schools. thither is a mass of brisk equipment being thrown haphazardly into classrooms. But do t each(prenominal)ers know how best to use it, or ar they left drowning, trying to determine how to avoid the increased number of savant distractions that inevitably accompany it? This is the newest ch eachenge. How overmuch is too much?Technology has the potential to revolutionize the classroom if utilize correctly, but it could also be s incessantlyely detrimental to the reading of our students. Initially, the most difficult part is considering all of the possible uses for the new equipment. A tablet, for instance, is usually used for playing games, checking email, and using social media. For some subjects, it is easier to relate these uses productively to the curriculum than it is for others. A common example is English versus math.In an English class, a tablet throw out be used for projects, researching information, working collaboratively with other students via email, social media, or both. In a math class, this same tablet appears to be more of a hindrance than a help. Typing math symbols is more effort than its worth, games eer seem more interesting than learning the lesson, and there arnt usually research projects about algebra. scorn these obvious barriers however, tablets commode actually become a useful tool in all classrooms.There are many apps that send word aide in learning, and more are being created every day. cistron Factory, Picturing Fractions, and Khan Academy can all be helpful in a math classroom, especially on a review day. Khan Academy is especially useful for students, as it has coherent lessons for several different subjects, and many levels within each. There are apps for teachers as rise up, including some for supervise stud ents progress and aides for planning lessons. All in all, having tablets in the classroom for student use can be exceedingly beneficial. What about smartphones?Many students carry an iphone, an Android, or some similar device with them daily. How can they be used in the classroom? Several teachers choose not to deal with them at all because they can be such a distraction. Texting, checking social media websites, and playing games can interfere with learning, so these teachers suffice phone surrender, requiring students to place their phone in a designated container at the beginning of class each day and only retrieve them at the very end. While this does seem to help students focus, there moldiness be a way to use the phones productively instead.The same apps convenient for tablets are also obtainable for smartphones, so students can make use of online flashcards for studying, or watch video tutorials. Some students can school text faster than they can write, so taking notes on a smartphone could be potentially easier. If a student misses class and needs to copy that days notes, the camera feature can come in very handy. These phones can even record a lecture, eliminating the need for the old fashioned tape recorder still used by some college students. This recording can then be easily overlap with the class for those who are auditory learners.Instead of fleeing from these handy little devices, perhaps it would be better to embrace them in classrooms. Finally, there are new tools for the teachers. Just as document cameras eliminated the necessity for the overhead projector, smartboards are becoming more and more common replacements for the document camera. Not so long ago, a whiteboard that duplicate as a touch-screen computer was completely out of the question. They seemed like some technology to be acquired in the far distant future, akin to flying cars and teleportation machines.Now, theyre quickly working their way into classrooms, and its clock to consider how to practically apply them. Not all teachers have a class set of tablets or laptops at their disposal, but a smartboard is a good alternative. These interactive whiteboards can be used in many ways. First, they eliminate the need to scan notes onto the computer with a smartboard, notes can be immediately deliver to a folder on the desktop. This means no more scanners required in classrooms, as well as less hassle for teachers.Next, they can be used for lectures. The ability to switch between webpages and political platform windows with just a tap is priceless. Teachers are now able to switch over to an interactive visual on a website, then back to the notes, and then over to a short video, all without ever leaving the front of the classroom, and students can do the same while giving presentations. Allowing students to work examples on the board has always enhanced learning, and now these tactile learners can interact with problems even easier.In a physical science c lass, projectile motion can be easily demonstrated on the whiteboard by switching to an net profit window with a simulator and adjusting variables such as height, weight, and velocity to see the effects on distance and time. No more confusing diagrams drawn by non-artistic physics majors A geometry class could also discover 3D shapes more easily this way. The possibilities are endless. It just takes a little exploring to discover everything these interactive whiteboards can do for us, and that is a task the teachers are going to have to tackle soon.Technology is everywhere, and upcoming generations will be more immersed in it than ever. In the next decade or two, it is time to embrace it in schools. So many students could be benefitting from it if teachers would keep an open mind instead of becoming overwhelmed by the battery of new programs and equipment they find themselves trying to adapt to. Education is such an important topic because these students will one day grow up to le ad the country. The teachers job is to provide them with the best education possible to prepare them for the challenges they will face as adults in their lives and careers.

Need for collaborative projects in business courses Essay Example for Free

Need for collaborative visualises in ancestry railss EssayGroup stick outs be integral to the line of credit curriculum and great deal be physical exertionful in bob uping students skills and abilities as managers. However, faculty encounter some(prenominal) problems with assort projects, including assessing students struggles, aiding good communicating and coordination among members, and making sure the project is a truly collaborative effort. engineering whitethorn aid in addressing these problems electronic lay downion control planks and confabulate rooms, for example, dope assistant faculty and students get up quislingism and increase the office of throng members.Keywords Discussion boards, masticate rooms, collaborative encyclopaedism, student projects INCREASED spheric COMPETITION and former(a) changes in the business environment over the last several(prenominal) years fuddle led organizations to restructure themselves. One aspect of that restru cturing is a time outing of responsibility and decision making descending(prenominal) and a movement toward self-directed rick teams (Cohen, 1993). To prep ar students to thrive in this environment, we obviously command to educate them effective team construct and communication skills.This article describes two tools that fuck suffice accomplish this line of work, the electronic watchword board and the chat room. These jackpot foster interdependence in pigeonholing projects and deeper, active skill. First, we discuss the need for and hits of collaborative projects, the problems of group work, and the role of technology in such projects. We then propose recommendations for incorporating these electronic tools in business communication manakines. Need for Collaborative Projects in occupancy Courses.As many researchers get under unmatchables skin noted, the structural shift towards teams occurring in many organizations should be reflected in the schoolroom (Bobbitt, Inks, Kemp, Mayo, 2000). victimisation groups in class thus prep atomic number 18s students to work collaboratively in the business environment go promoting collaborative acquirement in the classroom itself. The start-off benefit of group work in the classroom is that it teaches students how to work collaboratively in the business environment.Business organizations repeatedly advert that the increased use of teams in the accredited world has increased students need for exposure and experience with teams (Buckenmyer, 2000). Companies that use teams creatively spend many hours and dollars training individuals to work in teams and training managers to manage teams. Through works in groups, students jackpot provoke their abilities in setting goals, delegating work, and dealing with conflict (Colbeck, Campbell, Bjorklund, 2000). They chamberpot overly improve their communication, leadership, problem solving, and technical skills.All of these skills ar highly rated by recr uiters and employers and will help graduates admit the demands and rigors of the workplace (McN everyy, 1994). The second benefit of group work is that these projects promote collaborative accomplishment. University educators need embraced cooperative learning methods as ways to engage students and to foster cooperation (Ravenscroft, 1997). Researchers wee-wee found that the values of Generation X ar highly individualistic, visu all toldy-oriented, and aligned with information technology, not with the sharing of information (Buckenmyer, 2000).Thus, group course projects, with kosher guidance, can help these students learn to deal efficaciously with other(a)s. Group work learning can be an splendid way of supporting(a) the development of higher cognitive skills in students (Thorley Gregory, 1994) and can be effective raze for relatively quiet group members. When groups work well(p), students consistently f atomic number 18 better in class, on tests, and in attitudes towa rds the teacher and each other (Jones Brickner, 1996).The quality of learning is improved by peer support, with students gaining experience in communication, negotiation, organization, and parturiency management. Cooperative methods mother been recognized as effective ways to motivate students to become actively involved in learning. The collaborative group project readys a gathering that allows students to take an active go on towards their own discipline. The security of working within a group provides an excellent entree into the progression to case-by-case and autonomous learning (Maguire Edmondson, 2001).Problems with Group Projects The many benefits of collaborative projects, however, are often offset by problems. First, a common problem is the failure of the group to work together effectively. Students may exert an individual effort but are unable to coordinate their efforts effectively with their group members to achieve any kind of interactive benefits (Tullar, Ka iser, Balthazard, 1998). Group members need to be contributing their ideas, questioning and learning from each other, and building on the efforts of the other members.For collaborative learning to occur, students must coordinate the diverse skills and abilities of their group members to address a complex task (Tullar et al. , 1998). A second problem is that often group members simply divide a project so that each individual writes a portion. Then, just before the project is due, the students bring in their disks and combine files without set up their efforts or talents effectively. Third, group work often leads to unequal pieces of members, resulting in hitchhikers and workhorses (Cottell Millis, 1993).These hitchhikers, besides called free riders and social loafers, can cause problems in the workflow of the group, as they do not do their fair share. Members of the group welcome difficulty addressing the free-rider problem and documenting the problem and their efforts to solve it (Gremler, Hoffman, Keaveney, Wright, 2000). The issue becomes one students word against anothers as the teacher tries to cook fair individual grades. Finally, group projects are often assigned without the allocation of class time for groups to develop cooperative skills or to become cohesive (Michaelsen, 1992).There is limited time in class to discuss both the needed topics and the mechanics of group management. In many cases, groups decent on evenings and weekends when faculty members are not available for assistance. Additionally, many group members are geographically and temporally dispersed, which makes organizing opposite group checkings difficult. The map of applied science in Enhancing Collaborative Learning Active and cooperative learning approaches will be counterproductive unless they are thoughtfully implemented and well supported. confabulation tools like raillery boards and chat rooms can be effective in inter-team collaboration as well as in faculty-student communication. These tools can help ease the problems discussed in the previous section. By solving these problems with technology, faculty can address three learning goals empowering students, improving their communication skills, and developing their ability to work collaboratively. Finally, these technological communication tools project teaching opportunities by allowing faculty to be more accessible to students and to track students efforts better.Addressing Group Project Problems Internet-based tools can be a awing help in coordinating team efforts, particularly when the team is geographically (whether by a few miles or a few thousand miles) or temporally dispersed (Kaiser, Tullar, McKowen, 2000). With technology, groups can meet either synchronously, using chat rooms, or asynchronously, using threaded countersign boards, in which group members add together to the group discussion at times convenient to their schedules over a defined time period.These tools modify every one in the group to talk at the same time or at their convenience by typing their comments into the forum that instantly distributes their comments. Additionally, strong personalities have greater difficulty dominating the group as everyone has equal access to the floor. Students may feel more comfortable presenting ideas this way than in a face-to-face meeting, and the quality and professionalism of their ideas may be higher, knowing that their participation is being monitored.The discussion forum also gives all students ample time for reflection so students responses are often more thoughtful than those in face-to-face situations. Studies have illustrated this level of increased and more evenly distributed participation from students in computer-supported groups (Tullar et al. , 1998). Addressing Learning Goals Projects provide opportunities for experiential learning, that is, students apply what they have learned to real-world situations and thus develop decision-making skills. But in doing so, projects often produce worry as students struggle to determine what answer the instructor wants.However, with these projects, whether it be a case, a report of a business issue, or a business plan, faculty are typically not searching for one right answer, but rather are concerned with the process that students use in solving problems. learn students to ask the right questions is thought to be more important than giving students the right answers. In the real world, there is neither one right answer nor is there a sage on a stage that can direct students to the right answer. Students need to learn how to find and to support the answers for themselves.The use of electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can aid student learning in the struggle by dint of the project process. Thus, three learning goals can be addressed through the use of electronic discussion boards and chat rooms with experiential group projects (1) empowering students to become active participa nts in their learning, (2) increasing students communication skills in describing and solving problems, and (3) enhancing students abilities to collaborate and work with others in developing their own resources in solving problems.To achieve these goals, education must involve interactivity among instructors, students, and the materials, and electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can enrich that interactivity. Providing Additional inform Opportunities Another advantage of these tools is the opportunity for faculty to participate in the discussions and e-mails. Faculty can use these tools to demonstrate concern for students and to provide additional accessibility and feedback.In fact, the transactional distance encourages faculty to maintain a facilitative role rather than an authoritative role (Moore, 1993). Finally, these tools make it easier for faculty and students to keep track of what everyone has said as there is a written record (Kaiser et al. , 2000). Students have the opportunity to reorganize and reshape their understanding of course content. The Web-based tools allow thoughts to be captured for future examination, elaboration, and extension. The end result is usually more robust and thoughtful discussions.In fact, threaded discussions can extend the time that both instructors and students invest in the course (Bruce Hwang, 2001). Recommendations for Using These Tools numerous universities are starting to use various computer course tools or platforms to promote online learning. These platforms, such as BlackBoard or WebCT, can be employ to design either Web-based or Web-assisted courses. For several years, we have used discussion groups and chat rooms in Web-based classes but have also found that communication can be enhanced in traditional classes through use of these tools.Since more business organizations are using electronic tools, such as Lotus Notes, to facilitate group meetings, using them in the classroom helps students further prep are for their careers. However, the wise faculty member will be advised that these tools should be used judiciously. Therefore, based on our experience, the following suggestions are made to faculty who are considering the use of Web-based tools. Discussion Boards teachers and students can compose and aim messages electronically on electronic discussion boards.Both public and insular discussion forums can be implemented. With many work out platforms, such as WebCT, faculty can set up public forums to start threaded discussions for the class to which the students can respond electronically. Students can use these public forums to post questions to which the entire class can respond, such as for help in finding information for the project. A project normally seems easier when the instructor is discussing it in class and few questions arise. However, students questions occasionally occur after class or on weekends.The discussion board allows the opportunity for students to post prob lems asynchronously and to receive input from the class. The burden is no longer on the instructor to solve every problem as it occurs but is on the students to work with each other as well as with the instructor in solving problems. This is a tremendous lesson for students to learn to deal with problem solving in the real world. When an employer gives an employee a project or task to do, he/she expects the employee to do it on his/her own and not ask for assistance from the employer every step of the way.Students have to learn to be problem solvers on their own, and the use of electronic discussion boards helps develop that skill. The professors role is to help get the conversation started. For example, the instructor can post a question on the public project discussion board asking at which sites people are having success finding information for the project. The students can then respond. Those students who respond in a useful manner will be rewarded, such as with a participation grade. Those students or groups who do not respond can be asked on the discussion board for their input.When students see the progress other students are making, they may be spurred to work harder. Additionally, the faculty need to check the discussion board frequently to see if any misinformation is being spread, to ensure netiquette is being practiced, and to summarise the conversation as needed. Finally, faculty can take questions that the students ask individually and request that the students post them on the discussion board. In that way the instructor only has to respond once, and similar inquiries can then be referred to that response.This will eve ntually build a culture in the class where the instructor is not seen as the sole source for information, and the students learn to work with each other in solving problems. Additionally, instructors can create secret forums to be used to divide students into groups for class exercises or for the use of asynchronous coordinatio n of group projects in which group members cannot all meet at the same time. The instructor can visit these public and private forums to track group progress, to encourage students to help each other to solve problems, and to provide assistance as needed after the students have tried first on their own.In the private group forums, the students are encouraged to use the board to organize group meetings, to post their research findings, and to post drafts of their work for their group members to see and make comments. The professor can encourage individual group members to post their contributions to the paper to the private forum for the other members to see and post suggestions. This would increase group collaboration in a manner that can be documented. After the group has collaborated on a draft of the project, the instructor can offer suggestions.Finally, instructors should consider requiring the groups to post progress reports on their efforts periodically during the term. These progress reports describe what the group has accomplished, what the groups plans are, if there are any problems, and if there are, how they are being addressed. The instructor should provide guidelines as to what the groups should have accomplished by the progress report dates so the students can determine if they are on track. While these reports could be leadted on paper, doing it through the discussion board makes it easier for group members to be aware of what has been submitted. Chat Rooms.With chat rooms, students can meet electronically at the same time no matter where they are, as long as they have Internet access. Each group can have its own chat room, with the instructor joining in from home or slur in one of several ways. The group can meet first and then have a designated time when the instructor logs in to answer questions. The instructor can will when the questions are answered or give the group time to discuss among themselves and then check back later. For project work, it is important that instructors periodically meet with student groups to answer questions, address problems, and provide guidance.The chat room may be a useful tool in meeting with students out of class. The students can meet with the instructor for a practice chat to get the students comfortable with the technology. The instructor can request that the groups meet with him/her several times during the term to discuss their progress. These meetings can be either in the office during office hours or during designated chat office hours, such as on Sunday nights when the instructor is at home. With traditional classes, groups should have the option to meet in person with the professor, particularly early on in the project.For those students who cannot come during office hours, the chat room provides an excellent way to interact, although instructors may want to set clear boundaries or proper(postnominal) hours for when they are willing to meet in the chat room. When the instruc tor is meeting with groups via chat, patience is needed. It can be confusing when everyone is typing in questions. While the instructor prepares an answer to one question, several more students questions can appear. The instructor needs to make it clear that he/she will discuss questions in the order in which they appear.On the other hand, there may be times when the chat room is silent while the students are preparing their questions. The instructor may want to prompt to see if there are any other questions but should give the students some time if needed. Finally, no one should log off until everyone has finished. Someone may be in the middle of preparing something to post and the silence is seen as the end of the session, or someone may have left the room for a minute and has come back to find an empty chat room. Therefore, a practice chat session may be helpful with these issues. Grading Student physical exercise of Discussion Boards and Chat RoomsGrading student responses in b oth the discussion forum and chat room can present challenges. Many times there may be a group grade for a project that is then adjusted for the individual students grade base on his/her contribution to the groups project. Additionally, students may be individually graded for their participation in the course. Some students will initially faint-hearted away from using the discussion board, as they would prefer to do things the way they always have and do not want to learn a new technology. Other students, particularly those who are too shy to speak up in class, may welcome this new opportunity.It is up to the instructor to provide the incentive to become involved. While a positive attitude may help the instructor in encouraging students, making posts part of their grade, such as a portion of their participation grade, probably ensures the best results. Instructor can grade the posting on several issues clarity of thought/grammer, quality of comments/critical thinking, and useful ness/participation in responding to other posts. In evaluating the group projects to determine individual grades, instructors often have students submit group evaluations.The information on these evaluations can be substantiated or compared to what has occurred on the groups private discussion forum and what has been documented in the progress posts. If a group member is not contribution, it is the responsibility of the group to choke this the instructor and to attempt to deal with the problem before the final project is submitted. The use of the discussion board and chat room can be a tremendous help in tracking a groups activities. This puts more responsibility on the students to document and address the issues before it is too late.It also aids instructors in making fairer assessments of individual efforts. To better manage the communication tools, instructors should set up clear guidelines for grading, such as describing how many new posts and response posts are required per we ek, as well as how often the students are expected to check the discussion board. For example, the professor may want each group to submit a bi-weekly progress report on its project. The instructor may also want to review netiquette as well as set limits as to how many posts students can make on public forums to avoid elicit the discussion board.The instructor needs to stress that it is the quality of the posts and not the quantity that counts and provide students with feedback to encourage its proper use. Finally, the instructor can also utilize student management tools that are included in the computing platforms like WebCT to determine when and how many posts the students are making. Additionally, search commands can be used to find all the posts one student has made in order to track an individual students progress. Conclusion Teamwork and group meetings are entrenched elements of an increasingly global environment.As a result, business faculty must prepare their students, as f uture managers, to collaborate with groups effectively. Electronic meeting tools, such as discussion boards and chat rooms, can bout a key role in that training. These tools can enhance and empower student learning and collaboration as well as increase communication and problem solving skills. By collaborating more effectively in school, students will be better prepared to collaborate effectively in the workplace (Kaiser et al. , 2000). These tools also offer additional teaching benefits. They are very useful in documenting student effort and accountability for fair contribution.They also provide a means for faculty to be conveniently accessible and to provide feedback outside of class time. Additionally, electronic tools help students learn to develop their own resources. These tools then can be a tremendous aid for faculty to address group project problems, to help their students achieve learning goals, and to provide additional teaching opportunities to interact with their stude nts. Thus, by using electronic discussion boards and chat rooms, such as with group projects, faculty can effectively enhance their students collaborative learning.References Bobbitt, L. M. , Inks, S. A. , Kemp, K. J. , Mayo, D. T. (2000). Integrating marketing courses to enhance team-based experiential learning. daybook of Marketing Education, 22(1), 15-24. Bruce, S. M. , Hwang, T. T. (2001). Web-based teacher preparation in visual impairment Course development, teaching, learning and quality assurance. Journal of Visual Impairment Blindness, 95(10), 609-622. Buckenmyer, J. A. (2000). Using teams for class activities Making course/classroom teams work. Journal of Education for Business, 76(2), 98-107. Cohen, G. (1993).New approaches to teams and teamwork. In J. R. Galbraith E. E. Lawler, III (Eds. ). Organizing for the future (pp. 194-226). San Francisco Jossey-Bass. Colbeck, C. L. , Campbell, S. E. , Bjorklund, S. A. (2000, January/February). Grouping in the dark What colleg e students learn from group projects. The Journal of Higher Education, 71(1), 60-83. Cottell, P. G. Millis, B. (1993, Spring). Cooperative learning structures in the instruction of accounting. Issues in Accounting Education, 8, 40-59. Gremler, D. D. , Hoffman, K. D. , Keaveney, S. M. , Wright, L. K. (2000).Experiential learning exercises in services marketing courses. Journal of Marketing Education, 22(1), 35-44. Jones, J. D. , Brickner, D. (1996). Implementation of cooperative learning in a large-enrollment basic mechanics class. ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings CD-Rom. Kaiser, P. R. , Tuller, W. L, McKowen, D. (2000). Student team projects by Internet. Business Communication Quarterly, 63(4), 75-82. Maguire, S. , Edmondson, S. (2001). Student evaluation and assessment of group projects. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 25(2), 209-217. McNally, J. (1994). Working in groups and teams.In L. Thorley R. Gregory (Eds. ). Using group-based learning in higher education (p p. 113-120). London Kogan Page. Michaelsen, L. K. (1992). Team learning A comprehensive approach for harnessing the power of small groups in higher education. To Improve the Academy, 11, 107-122. Moore, M. (1993). Theory of transactional distance. In D. Keegan (Ed. ). conjectural principles of distance education (pp. 22-38). New York Rutledge. Ravenscroft, S. P. (1997). In support of cooperative learning. Issues in Accounting Education, 12(1), 187-190. Reeves, T. (1996). Relevant readings.Technology in teacher education From electronic tutor to cognitive tool. Action in Teacher Education, 27(4), 74-78. Thorley, L. , Gregory, R. (Eds. ) (1994). Using Group-based Learning in Higher Education. London Kogan Page. Tullar, W. L. , Kaiser, P. R. , Balthazard, P. A. (1998). Group work and electronic meeting systems From boardroom to classroom. Business Communication Quarterly, 61(4), 53-65. Address correspondence to Jacqueline K. Eastman, Department of Marketing/Economics, College of Bus iness Administration, Valdosta State University, Valdosta GA 31698 (e-mail emailprotected edu).

The Meaning of Life Essay Example for Free

The Meaning of manner EssayThe Meaning of Life is an repeat from Richard Taylors book Good and Evil A New Direction, with this book Mr. Taylor was thought to convey adopted a radical subjectivist view of ethics. In this excerpt he explains why existence and emotional state is meanless and he sheds light into the importation of career. Throughout his explanations Richard uses an example from an ancient Greek myth. The myth is some Sisyphus a Greek man who off rarityed the gods and was sentenced to roll a large stone up a hill for and of eternity. Richard starts his explanation of the Meaningless of Existence with the hollows of Sisyphus.Sisyphus is oblige to roll a stone up a hill, when it is near the top the stone forget roll back down and he is forced to roll it up again, totally to have it f solely once more to be rolled up again and again for all of eternity. It is Sisyphus punishment that we will focus on. Sisyphus is the picture of a mindless, pointless toil of a significationless existence that is absolutely never redeemed(Taylor, Richard). He has lost all intention in living except to roll a stone it is a never ending incubus that he will never awaken from.Taylor gives other examples of meaningless tasks, a relay styles race with a precious gem transported back and forth in a never ending cycle, and a gibe hole only to be refilled with the same earth. The points to all this is that all these tasks are pointless and without meaning. The story could be different and Sisyphus can have meaning if he circumstance were different, if Sisyphus rolled stone to the top and all the stone stash away into a wonderful and enduring temple, he would have some meaning to his labors.If the gods as an after thought made it so that Sisyphus only will and desire was to roll stone, then Sisyphus would perhaps take enjoyment in his task. This change in his perception does not change his task at hand it only changes his perspective. His is still condem ned to an eternity of meaningless and pointless labor. Therefore the existence of Sisyphus is meaningless, the labor that he performs leads him nowhere, and everything that he does is in vain.The world would be the same with or without his presence. The next section deals with the meaningless of life, he begins this section by explaining what meaningless and meaningfulness is Meaningless is essentially eternal pointless and meaningfulness is therefore the opposite. (Taylor, Richard) for this section he cites ugly blind worms in a New Zealand cave. These worms have the soul purpose of waiting, feeding, transforming into winged adults only living a day or two, mating, laying eggs and finally dying.This example shows us the meaning of life, an endless cycle that accumulates to nothing, and the point of living is evidently nothing but life itself. (Taylor, Richard) We as human being differ form this only a little. We have goals that we work for once they are completed we ring off aft er another goal, all this work goes to family and home, only to beget others who will follow in the same foot steps in a cycle. Even though we are stuck in a cycle of endless meaningless toil we look to religion, universal justice, brotherhood or any expression of ever lasting good that we may aim for.The last part of this excerpt is the meaning of life we return to the story of Sisyphus who in this example has completed his beautiful tower and is now faced with ageless boredom, before he was faced with the nightmare of pointless activity now he is faced with the the pits of eternal absence and boredom. This leads into his explanation that the meaning to our lie withs is our own wills, our deep interest is what we find ourselves doing(Taylor, Richard). Even though our existence is short and our toils fade we can hold memories of the past.The point of living is to continue what we are doing because bountiful up and doing nothing would be no salvation. The resolution to this exc erpt is that we bouncing life because our will is to live and build castles for our children so they can build castles for theirs. This question of living has puzzled philosophers for centuries, I have besides come across this question, with my reasoning I could not figure it out, for if, immense philosophers couldnt then how could I?Mr. Taylors views are interesting and some of what he says does make sense. The myth of Sisyphus is the focal point of Richard Taylors reasoning the meaning of life he explains Sisyphus eternal punishment in detail. Richard also gives other scenarios of Sisyphus task, if his labors accumulated into a beautiful tower or if he was some how made to enjoy rolling stones. I agree that in a way all ours lives are like that of Sisyphus toil.A cycle of endless toil, we work towards our little goals and glimpse of happiness, which are sure to fade over time. The meaningless of life is explained in the second section Richard uses two insects to show the meanin gless of life, the glow worms and the cicadas. Richard states that there is no meaning to life because it is an endless cycle of pointless and meaningless events. At the moment our goals may seem a great deal of importance in our lives but in the end all our toils are pointless and meaningless in the end.I understand this point in his explanation but I disagree, I hypothesise a person can find meaning in every ting they do. It is true that this meaning doesnt last forever but the pleasure we take from everyday life and experience is intumesce worth it. I dont remember that everything is meaningless in life just because we all travel by in the end. I believe that its not the end of ones life that is important its the journey that one takes through life. It is the accumulation of everyday happiness that makes our lives worthwhile.There is an old saying that the end of a journey is not important, it is the lessons we learn along the journey that counts. In the last section of the e xcerpt is the meaning of life, Richards explains that we live life because of our own will. I also agree with this, living life with a purpose and a will is much better compared to living a life of doing nothing and boredom because we know it eventually ends. I have very optimistic views of human life I believe that everyones life has a meaning and a purpose.If a person is dying of cancer and has only a few months left, but a doctor performs an operation and saves him, he will have meaning to live again and he will cherish the rest of his life, sure he will die eventually but presently he will be grateful to live and he will give the doctor a reason to continue what he is doing. In my opinion the reason we live is for experience, we live to learn and experience new things. Like that old saying about the journey and the end, it is the wait on of the journey that is important. We live life not thinking about our deaths, we live it for the experiences that each day brings.

Prettie Brianna Essay Example for Free

Prettie Brianna EssayName_______________________________________________Date_____________________________ 1. Show the social familyes in ancient China from most important (top) to to the lowest degree important (bottom).2. Why did the amount of land owned by each aristocrat decrease all over time? Each aristocrat divided his land among his sons so each generation owned a smaller fraction of the original land3. How did farmers in ancient China increase the amount of fecund farmland? They built terraces into the mountain slopes4. What three (3) farming methods helped farmers in ancient China grow much food?a. Terrace farmingb. irrigationc. pest control5. How do you write the number 328 using the Chinese numbering system?______________________________________________________________________________6. What is the English number for ? ______________________________________________________________________________7. Which philosophy encourages followers to concentrate on duty and hum anity? Confucianism8. Which of ancient Chinese philosophers do you think would be most popular in the world directly? Explain why you chose this philosopher. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9. Why did Hanfeizi believe that people needed laws and punishments? To force them to do their duty10. divulge the conception of filial piety?Family members placed the needs of the head of the family above thei r own11. Why did numerous aristocrats favor the philosophy of Legalism? It emphasized force and power and did not require leaders to show kindliness or understanding to their subjects12. Compare the three main classes of Chinese societyChinese SocietyAristocrats Farmers Merchants stain owners and nobles Paid aristocrats for their land use Provided goods and services to landowners Upper class Middle class Lowest class13. How did Daoism differ from Confucianism?Confucianism encouraged people to work hard to improve the world while Daoism taught that people should pay off up their concerns about the world and seek inner peace Supposed you could interview Confucius about his concept of duty. Write five questions (Q) you might ask him about the subject. Also include how he might declaration (A) 14. Q__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________