Legitimizing Final Causes :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites The word "telos" in ancient Greek meant: "goal, target, mission, completion, perfection". The Greeks seem to have associated the attaining of a goal with perfection. Modern scientific thought is much less sanguine about teleology, the belief that causes are preceded by their effects. The idea is less zany than it sounds. It was Aristotle who postulated the existence of four types of causes. It all started with the attempt to differentiate explanatory theories from theories concerning the nature of explanation (and the nature of explanatory theories). To explain is to provoke an understanding in a listener as to why and how something is as it is. Thales, Empedocles and Anaxagoras were mostly concerned with offering explanations to natural phenomena. The very idea that there must be an explanation is revolutionary. We are so used to it that we fail to see its extraordinary nature. Why not assume that everything is precisely as it is because this is how it should be, or because there is no better way (Leibnitz), or because someone designed it this way (religious thought)? Plato carried this revolution further by seeking not only to explain things - but also to construct a systematic, connective epistemology. His Forms and Ideas are (not so primitive) attempts to elucidate the mechanism which we employ to cope with the world of things, on the one hand, and the vessels throu gh which the world impresses itself upon us, on the other hand. Aristotle made this distinction explicit: he said that there is a difference between the chains of causes of effects (what leads to what by way of causation) and the enquiry regarding the very nature of causation and causality. In this text, we will use the word causation in the sense of: "the action of causes that brings on their effects" and causality as: "the relation between causes and their effects". Studying this subtle distinction, Aristotle came across his "four causes". All, according to him, could be employed in explaining the world of natural phenomena. This is his point of departure from modern science. Current science does not admit the possibility of a final cause in action. But, first things first. The formal cause is why a thing is the type of thing that it is. The material cause is the matter in which the formal reason is impressed.

School Violence Essay -- Bullying in Schools

School violence has become a matter of increasing concern in recent years. With the occurrence of incidents such as Columbine, more schools are becoming aware of and concerned with a rise in teenage/school violence. Violence is a broad term to define but in it’s simplest terms, can be defined as â€Å"a verbal, visual, or physical act intended to demean, harm, or infringe upon another’s civil rights,† (Kopka, 175). In 1977, the National Alliance for Safe Schools was founded by Peter Blauvelt. This organization was formed with the intent of providing technical assistance, training and research to school districts concerned with increasing incidents of â€Å"serious, disruptive student behavior,† (Kopka, 36). The NASS conducts seminars, workshops, and school security assessments to help schools prevent and deal with violence in our schools. These security assessments are useful to schools as they provide school administrators with an accurate assessment of their preparedness to deal with a security issue. Then in 1983, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention began working in violence prevention by coordinating activities and programs for Public Health Service. They first seek to define the problem through surveillance and assessment methods. Then they develop and test intervention methods for their effectiveness in dealing with the problem. In the mid-1980s, violence was first defined as a public health issue. â€Å"As violent acts become increasingly prevalent in our nation’s schools, violence among youth is now recognized as a major public health issue that must be addressed by administrators, educators, family and community members, lawmakers and health care professionals,† (Kopka, 1). This declaration sparked the... ...ontinues intervention through the 12th grade,† (Kopka, 18). Many schools implement programs to assist in violence prevention and counseling such as: peer-mentoring, conflict resolution, early intervention, dating-violence intervention, gang and drug prevention and peer leadership and mediator programs. School violence is becoming more and more of a serious issue in our nation’s schools. It interferes with a healthy learning environment and only has negative effects on both it’s victims and perpetrators. And although no school is immune from violence, schools can better prepare themselves to deal with incidents by educating themselves (both students and staff) and offering prevention programs as well as assistance for victims. School violence is an issue that effects the whole school and community and the first step to dealing with it is recognizing it.

Health Promotion Essay

According to the World health organization (WHO), health promotion is defined as the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. It moves beyond a focus on individual behavior towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions. (World Health Organization, 2014) Nurses play a pivotal role in health promotion that include disease prevention, follow-up treatment, patient education and behavioral changes in respect to their health. Health promotion by nurses have led to positive outcomes including patient awareness, knowledge of diseases process, self-management, and improved quality of life. (Kemppainen, Tossavainen, & Turunen, 2013) This paper will focus on health promotion in the nursing practice through literature review, the evolution of nursing roles and responsibilities in health promotion, the implementation methods for health promotion that encompasses all areas of nursing, and the three levels of health promotion prevention. Pr imary Prevention Primary prevention is the first level of health promotion. The goal is to protect healthy individuals from acquiring a disease or experiencing injury before it occurs. Primary interventions used by nurses include but are not limited to education about nutrition, the importance of daily exercise, seat belt and helmet use, dangers of tobacco and other related drugs, routine exams, screenings, immunizations, and identifying potential hazards in the work place. (Institute for work and health, 2009) The concept of primary prevention is traditionally used in reference to physical health but in the article, â€Å"Education in primary prevention in psychiatric-mental health nursing for the baccalaureate student†, it focuses on the concept of primary prevention in reference to mental health. This can be difficult for nurses because mental and emotional problems are related to complex emotional and behavioral factors. For primary prevention the focus for nurses is on providing interventions to groups before a crisis situation could occur. The focus from this article was on implementation of preventative programs for target groups. Alcoholism prevention, prevention of child abuse, and child care for the populations of elementary and junior high school children. Rape prevention, loss or bereavement, drug or alcoholism prevention, and teen-age  pregnancy prevention for adolescents. Parenting, child-birth classes, child abuse prevention, stress management for young adults. Reproductive and sexual concerns for middle aged adults. Sensory loss, rape prevention, loss of loved ones for elderly patients. (Welch, Boyd, & Bell, 2009) Secondary prevention The next level of health promotion is secondary prevention. These interventions used by nurses are used after the patient has an illness or is at serious risk. The goal is to recognize the disease process at its earliest stage and slow or stop its progression. Interventions include medication compliance for example: reminding patients to continue their low-dose aspirin to prevent further heart attacks, TIA’s, or strokes. Regular exams and screenings are recommended for those patients at risk. (Institute for work and health, 2009) In the article,† Primary and secondary tobacco prevention†, primary prevention focused on education and prevention of experimentation and use. Secondary prevention is used for individuals who are currently using tobacco products. Interventions used are successful cessation courses, evidence-based treatment of tobacco dependence, pharmacotherapy, individual and group counseling. This is utilized at the earliest stages of tobacco addiction to help patients quit and remain smoke free. (Tingen, Andrews, & Stevenson, 2009) Tertiary prevention The last level in health promotion is tertiary prevention. These interventions focus on the management and care of patients with disease and the prevention of further deterioration while maximizing the quality of life. (Institute for work and health, 2009) Tertiary prevention is used when managing long-term health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Some examples of tertiary prevention include programs for cardiac or stroke patients, support groups, and pain management programs. In the article, â€Å"Tertiary prevention for individuals: Healing the wounds†, prevention is focused on healing. Primary and secondary preventions were used in the treatment of stress but with all the interventions stress continues to occur in most individuals. Tertiary treatment was designed to return those individuals suffering from high levels of stress back into  their home or work environment and minimize the recurrence of stress. Tertiary prevention relies on both help from the individual and help from other medical professionals. It reaches out for additional assistance from employers and outside resources to ensure appropriate programs are available. (Quick, Wright, Adkins, Nelson, & Quick, 2013) Evolution of nursing roles and responsibilities Health promotion used by nurses is commonly associated with the general principles of basic nursing. Patient education is a regularly used intervention used by nurses in an everyday setting. Health educators are taught health promotion, interventions, state regulations, specific policies, and they must have the ability to apply this education to their patients. Because of the growing diverse population, nurses must become more patient-focused health promoters. While general education is still used, the different patient groups require different health promotional needs. (Kemppainen, Tossavainen, & Turunen, 2013) Implementing health promotion skills is a must for all nurses. The most important skill is effective communication. They must be able to encourage their patients and their families to have an active participation in their treatment planning. The patients must feel comfortable expressing their feelings about their plan of care. Nurses can help their patients by leading by example. This can be achieved by being healthy role models, living healthy lifestyles, and through positive and caring attitudes that promote health and well-being. Nurses must also possess skill-related competencies including teamwork, time management, data collection, critical thinking, and interpretation of information given from a variety of sources. (Kemppainen, Tossavainen, & Turunen, 2013) Conclusion In conclusion, health promotion is more important than ever. Health promotion includes primary, secondary, and tertiary preventions. These include education, practice, research, and reinforcement that teaches patients how to prevent and manage diseases. The future of nursing focus on keeping individuals healthy. Nurses must have a strong understanding of health promotion in order to communicate to a variety of groups. As the population grows and becomes more educated through primary prevention overall health of  the population will improve. References Institute for work and health. (2009). What researchers mean about primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. Retrieved from Institute for Work & Health: http://www.iwh.on.ca Kemppainen, V., Tossavainen, K., & Turunen, H. (2013). Nurses’ roles in health promtion practice: an integrative review. Oxford journals. Quick, J., Wright, T., Adkins, J., Nelson, D., & Quick, J. (2013). Preventive stress management in organizations. American Psychological Association, 183-198. Tingen, M., Andrews, J., & Stevenson, A. (2009). Primary and secondary tobacco prevention in youth. Annual review of nursing research, 171-193. Welch, M., Boyd, M., & Bell, D. (2009). Education in primary prevention in psychiatric-mental health nursing for the baccalaureate student. International nursing review, 126-130. World Health Organization. (2014). Health Promotion. Retrieved from World health organization: http://www.who.int/topics/health_promotion

Compensation and Benefits Essay

Compensation and benefit plans are crucial to the achievements of the company. Job seekers look for the best job opportunity and compensation and benefits play a major role in the decision-making process. Compensation involves how employees are paid, hourly or salary, and benefits involve the type of medical, dental, vision and various plans offered such as a 401K for retirement. Organizations typically maximize in productivity with their business practices by providing benefits to their employees. Benefits usually attract candidates with paramount talent and experience that will lead the firm to the competitive advantage. Compensation and benefits may be a measurement tool for the effects of productivity, company growth, and success. The effects could indirectly change the recruitment and retention of labor. The allusion of the plan is for workers to believe the compensation plan is reasonable and fair (Cascio, 2010). Managers should incorporate cross-training to engage employees to excel in performing their job duties at the highest levels for the best outcome (Cascio, 2010). The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) established in 1938 set the standards for exempt and non-exempt positions. The FLSA ascertains the standards for minimum wage, recordkeeping, overtime pay ,and the standards for youth workers and how it affects worker in the private sector according to local, state, and federal guidelines. Effective July 24, 2009 non-exempt workers will receive no less than $7. 25 per hour. Exempt staff will not receive overtime pay; however, non-exempt workers will receive one hour and half of pay after 40 hours per week when required to work overtime. Management positions, such as administrative and professional staff, sales personnel, and IT staff classified as exempt.

Anthem Essay

Anthem Essay No â€Å"I† and no â€Å"you†, just â€Å"we. † How could we live in a world like that? Ayn Rand’s book shows a twisted and different form of collectivism. Everyone is told what they have to do for the rest of their future. Children are not even allowed to know who their parents are and are never given the chance to meet them. Although, only one shines in the society that no one else may see until now. Equality finds it difficult to find individualism in his life and in the rules of his society. Equality eventually finds individualism in escaping, to a haven of his own, from his odd society. Equality can then find peace with himself and can live in a more individualistic life in his newfound house with â€Å"The Golden One† in the forbidden and Uncharted Forest. This forest had been banned because no one had â€Å"known† what was beyond the tree line. Equality had experienced many emotions but the three major ones experienced by Equality are individualism, self-confidence, and trust; these quotes need to be explained. To begin, the first quote states, â€Å"To be free, a man must be free of his brothers† (Rand 101). In this chapter, Equality describes how he feels about his past society. He also now gives himself a new name, Prometheus, after the god who had taken light from the heavens and had brought it to man. He then named, â€Å"The Golden One†, Gaea who was the mother of Earth and of all gods. Equality then explains to us how we must not be tied down by our friends or peers. We should be allowed to make our own choices, even though some peers may not accept this decision, we should be allowed to live independently. Freedom should only be taken away by one’s self, or if someone has committed something so sinister that he or she’s rights and freedoms should to be taken away. Anyone’s freedom should be preserved as should everyone else’s freedom. Equality feels he is the only one with his head on straight now and that he is the only one that can slowly turn this confusing world around. The next quote states, â€Å"It is the mind which thinks, and the judgment of my mind is the only searchlight that can find truth† (Rand 94). This quote is from chapter eleven in which during this chapter Equality describes how he is done with the word â€Å"we† as it is destructive to society, to a certain point. At this point of the story, Equality is describing the aspects of his mind and how it will help him find his new world and where to start his own society over, in a sense. He believes only his mind can find truth because his old friends are still absorbed in the collectivist society that Equality can’t stand anymore. He wants to become a one of a kind in history and to create a name for himself that everyone will remember. He will not only follow in his old societies footprints but will instead follow his anestrous ways of society. Equality also feels that it is necessary to find truth in his life about past life before the collectivism era and society had started. The ancestral ways that had individuality and creativity. The world was colorful with life then. Equality’s life is now so dull and boring. Equality wants to start his own society where he believes that everyone is to be treated equally, hence his name. He doesn’t believe that people should be chosen for what they do for a living and rather let them choose what they would like as a living. Equality realizes he can turn this world around but he needs to trust himself to do that because it will take time. The last quote, from chapter twelve, states, â€Å"And we thought we could trust this being who looked upon us from the stream, and that we had nothing to fear with this being† (Rand 80). Equality is explaining how all humans thought they could trust themselves running that collectivism society that he had so gratefully left. He realizes he had everything to fear from the twisted society that he lived in. Equality had trusted himself enough to completely let go of his old society, to leave everything behind and adopt a new culture. He must have trusted himself immensely to have done this. He also realizes humans are much too smart to govern that society and wonders if they were just too afraid to contradict their government or just did not trust themselves to try and overthrow it. Equality realizes he should be confident in himself. He is a very headstrong person and is not persuaded so easily. That is why he had left his society in the first place. Equality would like to live as an individual where he would not work together for the common good, as a group, but where he alone will work as an individual in his new society that he will soon create. Ayn Rand’s novel puts Equality in a great position to start his new life with his new family. Ayn Rand’s story gives hope to all who want not to be conquered by their government and to have a say in what they believe in. If your government or society doesn’t like what you have to say, then it shows you can also walk right out the door if you don’t like what is happening. When you become a collectivist, you lose your individuality and almost become a slave and or a robot to the government and society. You lose your creativity and lose your ability to function as a citizen. The novel shows individuality in people and that all people don’t think alike even though they may be told to, you cannot stop a person from thinking what they want to. In conclusion, three quotes discussing individualism, self-confidence, and trust were described more widely and in depth.

A Good Life Does Not Have to Be Complex.

Arsh Atwal A Good Life does not have to be Complex April 6/2013 A good life is defined differently for everyone. Our parents, friends, and the media all comprise a vision that we see as the best way of experiencing our lives. Hen determining what is a good life, there are many evident things that come to mind that would be a part of a good life for everyone. Having an active healthy existence, feeling safe and secure in your life, and being happy are the most likely answers to the question of a good life. Health is an essential part to a good life, as is morals and beliefs.A good life is defined by how people interpret the term happiness. Most peoples lives are based on their morals and beliefs. People believe money is the root of all evil, allowing things of lesser value make them feel they are living the good life. An example of this would be when people purchase an apartment and being just as content as if they would have gotten a big spacious house. However, some also believe wea lth is needed to effectively live a good life when you are seeking happiness through things that make you individually well off.An example of this would be buying the newest car rather than a cheaper car. Pursuing happiness through morals can sometimes be dreadful. Happiness can be found in daily life. However, as peoples living standard rises, many people don’t content simple life, they always will want more. Having happiness does not mean how wonderful the house you live in is. While people are looking for something that they think can make them happy, their life becomes too complex. People will never be happy for what they have now.Although material things can make life more interesting, they will not make you feel the real happiness and have good life. Being simple everyday is what makes people happy. A happy family is a healthy and loving family. Having support of each other during good and bad times, is very important because it relives stress. Less stress means better health. Loving your family brings and keeps happiness inside the home. No support or love in a family leads to meaningless household, this can divide family members into not caring.Keeping family close by eating meals and going on trips together makes a great loving family, which is part of a good life. A good life is not a specific way of life for every person. For each person, the meaning of a good life is different. Whatever way of life a person is comfortable and happy with counts as a good life for that person. It is hard to say that only one way of life is a good way of life because each person prefers different things and wants different things

Intellectual Property Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intellectual Property - Essay Example A creative piece of work (i.e. music, art, writing, film, or computer software) always belongs to its creator. Additionally, these creative works, ideas, expressions and inventions are very precious for their inventors and must be protected however these ideas or thoughts are not known as intellectual property. In addition, everything in computer is a collection of bits (the binary code), which are used by the computers to perform different operations. Thus, in scenario of computer everything in digital format such as music, images, video and text can be duplicated not immediately once however an infinite number of times. In addition, there is no limit to boundary the value of duplicate copies. Moreover, in scenario of computer, a duplicate is also considered original. In this way, the binary realism of digital media pretenses challenging issues intended for how works are utilized (and reused), as well as the rights and jobs of producers and consumers under existing rules and regulations. Additionally, the one of the most influential qualities of the internet is its reach (to reach without any boundary). Since internet has the capability to extensively dispense digital works quicker as well as less expensively as compared to old traditional methods. In addition, internet has offered the power to communicate with millions of people throughout world. On the other hand, with the internet, information owners have small control over the distribution and utilization of their works. Moreover, lot of customers ignorant or confused by expansive license contracts or prepared to release them as excessively restraining or inequitable, move toward the internet with the extensive trust that each item they come across is in the public domain (Rappa, 2009) and (Reynolds, 2003). U.S. Chamber Strategy The U.S. Chamber of Commerce encourages the implementation of market based as well as technological systems and ways for digital intellectual property defense. However, these systems, laws and solutions should be kept away from expensive government policies and should allow the citizens to access these contents. Seeing that, the innovation and investment depend on the powerful intellectual property safety for businesses. Therefore, the United States Chamber counters the capability of state entities, like that universities, in order to utilize their legitimate protection from lawsuits to break unreservedly upon the intellectual pr operty of others. Thus, by making effective use of supreme resistance, states jointly deject the research as well as development of modern internet supported systems, applications, products and services. In this scenario, the United States Chamber offers a wide-ranging federal policy that defends intellectual property from all kinds of breaches. This strategy includes following points (U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 2011) Support vigorous implementation of intellectual property laws, locally as well as internationally. Encourage the solutions and suggestions offered by business sector in response to new copyright protection challenges. Offers funds for the United States Trademark and Patent Office. Inform the congress for legislation in order to defend content owners from misappropriations by state entities From the above discussion it is clear that the intellectual property outlines workings of the mind, for instance, films, art, inventions, books, formulas and music. A number of key in tellectual property and information technology issues are discussed below: (Reynolds, 2003) and (WIX, 2011) Plagiarism is the way of acknowledging others’