Anti Transcendentalism in the Literary Works of Edgar Allan Poe 1 Essay

Anti-Transcendentalism in the Work of Edgar Allan Poe Life and death are concepts that are widely known by men and women of all cultures. Many pieces of literature are written about these topics since they are well known but not everyone understands the meaning of living and dying. Death seems to be the tougher of these two concepts to be discussed. This is most likely due to the fact that once a person dies they are gone forever. While many individuals can say that they have experienced life to the fullest, not many, or any at all, can say that they have experienced death and lived to talk about that experience. As a result, literary authors use metaphors and personification to bring their readers closer to understanding death and life. Transcendentalism became a philosophical movement in the 1820s and 1830s that suggested a belief that spirituality was greater than a basic human experience, such as living life without the need for materialistic items, therefore experiencing the full form of what life has to offer. While many authors and poets grasped this philosophy, such as Henry David Thoreau, other literary figures disliked the transcendental movement and wrote their work against its viewpoint. Edgar Allan Poe is well known for horrifying the topic of death in most of his literary works. Poe had a history of using the fear of death 1 Patel and relating it to the effect it had on the human soul. He used the experiences in his life as a precursor to his short stories and poems. Edgar Allen Poe’s experience with illness and death, expressed in his literary work, contributed to his stance as an anti- transcendentalist. Edgar Allan Poe was born to two stage actors, David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Poe, on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Even in his early life, Poe faced a difficult life. After his father abandoned him, and his mother dying shortly after, a rich merchant by the name of John Allan, and his wife, adopted Poe. With his new adoptive parents, he left the States lived in Scotland and London for five years. Poe attended private schools as a child where he was gifted in literature. This was the first step to his writing poetry. Even though he strived academically, he isolated himself from his peers. Poe then continued his studied at the University of Virginia, where he studied classical and modern language. However, to his inability to cover his cost of living, which his adoptive father refused to pay for, Poe resorted to gambling for his source of money, causing him to acquire massive amounts of debt and withdrawing from the university. As a stepping-stone to change his life, Poe enlisted in the army, where he published his first book of poetry. Poe began to write more and more works of literature through his young adult years. However, even though his poems and short stories were becoming well known, Poe had a difficult time earning a living through being a writer. This lack of 2 Patel financial assistance caused him to move in with his aunt, and niece, Virginia Clemm, who he soon after married. Through the years of 1837 and 1845, Edgar Allan Poe became a well renowned author and poet, publishing countless poems and short stories. However, after the death of his wife, Virginia, in 1847, due to tuberculosis, Poe’s health also became to depreciate from his constant use of alcohol. Soon after, Poe died a mysterious death, which many speculate to be because of his excessive alcohol abuse. (â€Å"Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-1849), An Introduction to,† 220-221) As seen through his life, Edgar Allan Poe faced a difficult life, which clearly reflects in his short stories and poems. As mentioned earlier, Poe was against the transcendental movement that swept through the early Unites States. The movement mainly flourished in the mid-1830s. The transcendentalist movement was first recognized and founded by Harvard-education ministers, in their attempt to go against Unitarianism. The philosophy and belief transcendentalists follow is to be in reflection of god (â€Å"American Transcendentalism, An Introduction to,† 1). There were many figures of the transcendentalist movement that were influenced by its concept. One of the most important figures of American Transcendentalism was Ralph Waldo Emerson. His essays were directly related to the philosophy it follows. Many other authorial figures were influences by transcendentalism, including Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Emily Dickinson, and Edgar Allan Poe. An author defending the 3 Patel transcendentalist movement claims, â€Å"They believed that the man is not perfect and what they emphasized was the evil present in the world and nature. What they wrote illustrated the idea that human beings are not always moving toward truth and righteousness, beauty, and justice† (Manzari 1800). Though the transcendentalist movement was prominent to Poe, it influenced him in a negative way, where he was predisposed to write against the movement, rather than favor it in his literary work. Just like Emerson, Thoreau wrote a â€Å"spiritual autobiography† called Walden; or, Life in the Woods (2). The autobiography explained how Thoreau lives secluded in the woods from the materialistic world he lived in, becoming one with nature’s beauty and all it had to offer. In â€Å"An Introduction to American Transcendentalism†, the article states, â€Å"Moreover, that influence has been traced by numerous critics from the nineteenth century to the present day in such characteristics of American Literature as its emphases on nature, innocence, and individualism. † The following quote from the article suggests that the transcendentalist movement influenced literature as it’s seen today. This statement is indeed correct since the movement influenced most of the pieces written by Edgar Allan Poe. Through his horrific childhood, Poe was well experienced in writing about death since most of his work revolves around it. Poe remains firm on his stance as an anti- transcendentalist. One of his most famous works is a poem called â€Å"The Raven†. The ballad is about a young man who is torn by the death of the woman he loved, and mourns for her dearly. The poem shows a direct and clear sense of negativity and sorrow in its 4 Patel tone (Magistrale 29). It seems as though Poe is openly mocking transcendentalism in his poem. The narrator of the poem suggests supernatural forces and a hostile natural world. According to transcendentalism, there is nothing more pure and innocent than nature. However, according to â€Å"The Raven†, nature is shown to be threatening, the complete opposite of transcendental belief. Another short story Poe had written is directly related to the topic of death. â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† is about a deadly illness that takes over the country called Red Death. The Red Death had already killed half of the country, and was coming for the wealthy prince who had shut his doors to his kingdom, trying to save himself from the death, while his kingdom collapse to death’s knees. However, this did not stop the Red Death from entering the prince’s castle and killing them all as a faceless masked person. The moral of the story is that no one can escape death, not the rich or the poor. Mortality is a concept many people fail to understand. Though death is all over, it is hard to grasp that people only live for a certain amount of time while death creeps through continuous generations of the world. The theme in Poe’s â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† is the concept of mortality and the fear of death. Death is everywhere in the story, and the use of allegory and personification brings the awful disease alive, sweeping through the nation and seizing all of its victims. The Red Death in the story was perceived to be about tuberculosis in reality. Since Poe had death all around him due to this disease, it only 5 Patel makes sense why it would have affected his writing, as well as on his stance on transcendentalism. Poe dealt with death most of his life, from his wife and mother dying of tuberculosis to his adoptive father’s untimely and distant death (â€Å"Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-1849), An Introduction to,† 220-221). In his eyes, he likely did not see living transcendentally as a belief since there was more death in his life than life itself. Poe also used the natural world and the supernatural in his poem â€Å"Annabel Lee†. The poem mentions nature everywhere, the sea being the biggest example of this, as well as the wind and clouds and starts. Though it would seem these parts of nature would be calming to him, Poe shows it to be a little scary and threatening in the ways he described these parts of nature. The narrator of the poem is slightly obsessed with how and why Annabel died, much like how Poe may have been distraught by his wife’s untimely death when she was succumbed by tuberculosis (â€Å"Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-1849), An Introduction to,† 220-221). Poe suggests in the poem if death is the end of a loved one, or if the love continues after death. A little brighter than his other stories and poems, Poe still clenches to the concept of death in this poem as well. There is no doubt that his work mostly revolved around fatality and mortality, the complete opposite of the transcendental belief (â€Å"Poe As Poet. † 2001). Poe shows his stance as an anti-transcendentalist through most of his work, giving a different viewpoint than the common belief in spirituality than the he lived. 6 Patel Poe writes another story that directly related to his viewpoint on transcendental belief. â€Å"Never Bet the Devil Your Head† was a clear attack on transcendentalism, the narrator calling it a â€Å"disease. † He uses Toby Dammit as an example of what this â€Å"disease† can do to an individual, seeing as Dammit succumbed to death. As a cruel joke, the narrator sends the bill of Dammit’s funeral to the transcendentalist, but they refuse to pay since they do not believe in the concept of evil (Allen Poe, â€Å"Never Bet the Devil Your Head†). This piece that Poe writes was a direct satirical story written about transcendentalism. In an essay that Poe wrote, called â€Å"The Philosophy of Composition†, Poe states, â€Å"It is the excess of the suggested meaning- it is the rendering this the upper instead of the under-current of the theme- which turns into prose (and that of the very flattest kind), the so-called poetry of the so-called transcendentalists† (â€Å"Poe’s Philosopy of Composition,† 1880). He mocks the transcendentalists in this piece of his work as well, directly stating them in his essay. Edgar Allan Poe mostly wrote his literary works about death and fatality. It seems as though death was all around him, from his adoptive father’s untimely death to the illness that succumbed his mother and wife. Nonetheless, this highly affected the tone and style of his short stories and poems that he has written. Almost all of his literary works have mentioned the supernatural world, mortality, and fear, all things that transcendental believers consider to be unexpressed over their belief in the natural world and God. Though he was not condescendingly against transcendentalism altogether, he 7 Patel was more so against the idea they believed it in the literary world, and that it should affect the way these authors and poets incorporated it in literature. There are many ways literature can we written, from mystery to the topic of love. Poe dealt with so much fatality in his life that it affected the way he created his work. Death is among all human beings, so why not embrace it the way Edgar Allan Poe has. Work Cited 8 Patel â€Å"American Transcendentalism, An Introduction to. â€Å" Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Janet Mullane and Robert Thomas Wilson. Vol. 24. Detroit: Gale, 1989. 19th Century Literature Criticism Online. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. â€Å"Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-1849), An Introduction to. † Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Kathy D. Darrow. Vol. 211. Detroit: Gale, 2009. 19th Century Literature Criticism Online. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. â€Å"POE’S PHILOSOPHY Of COMPOSITION. † The New York Times [New York] 1 Aug. 1880: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. Magistrale, Tony. Student Companion To Edgar Allan Poe. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2001. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 20 Apr. 2015. Manzari, Alireza. â€Å"Contextual American Transcendentalism. † Theory and Practice in Language Studies 2. 9 (2012): 1792-801. ProQuest Literature Online. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. Poe, Edgar A. Never Bet the Devil Your Head. N. p. : n. p. , n. d. About. com. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. Poe, Edgar A. â€Å"Poems For Further Study. † The Norton Introduction to Literature. By Kelly J. Mays. 11th ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2014. 601-04. Print. 9 Patel â€Å"Poe As Poet. † Scholastic Scope 50. 5 (2001): 13. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 May 2015.

Human History of the Grand Teton Essay

Human history of the Grand Teton region dates back at least 11,000 years, when the first nomadic hunter-gatherer Paleo-Indians would migrate into the region during warmer months in pursuit of food and supplies. In the early 19th-century, the first Caucasian explorers encountered the eastern Shoshone natives. Between 1810 and 1840, the region attracted fur trading companies that vied for control of the lucrative beaver fur trade. U.S. Government expeditions to the region commenced in the mid 19th-century as an offshoot of exploration in Yellowstone, and the first permanent white settlers in Jackson Hole arrived in the 1880s. Efforts to preserve the region as a national park commenced in the late 19th-century and in 1929, Grand Teton National Park was established, protecting the major peaks of the Teton Range. The valley of Jackson Hole remained in private ownership until the 1930s, when conservationists led by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. began purchasing land in Jackson Hole to be added to the existing national park. Against public opinion and with repeated congressional efforts to repeal the measures, much of Jackson Hole was set aside for protection as Jackson Hole National Monument in 1943. The monument was abolished in 1950 and most of the monument land was added to Grand Teton National Park Grand Teton National Park is named for Grand Teton, the tallest mountain in the Teton Range. The naming of the mountains is attributed to early 19th-century French speaking trappers—†les trois tetons† (the three teats) was later anglicized and shortened to Tetons. At 13,775 feet (4,199 m), Grand Teton abruptly rises more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m) above Jackson Hole, almost 850 feet (260 m) higher than Mount Owen, the second highest summit in the range. The park has numerous lakes, including 15-mile (24 km) long Jackson Lake as well as streams of varying length and the upper main stem of the Snake River. Though in a state of recession, a dozen small glaciers persist at the higher elevations near the highest peaks in the range. Some of the rocks in the park are the oldest found in any U.S. National Park and have been dated at nearly 2.7 billion years.

Cadbury Communication Mix Essay

What is the communication mix of Cadbury? The marketing communications mix consists of five major modes of communication 1. Advertising – in the case of Cadbury, advertising is used to build a long-term image of the product – Cadbury must therefore through its media posture be the market champion and carry the brand message – Television is the advised primary medium of communication as it has mass reach, a favourable image, high prestige value and is attention getting – Cadbury also advertise through magazines, radio, promotions, online etc – Consumers might believe that a heavily advertised brand must offer good value – The ‘taste’ of Cadbury’s chocolate has long been the focus of Cadbury’s advertising. This has been supported by the slogan ‘a glass and a half of full cream milk in every 200 grams’, accompanied by a picture of milk pouring into the Cadbury’s Dairy Milk chocolate block. The image has become an integral part of the packaging design and has been featured in magazines, and on buses and trains, billboards, and of course television. 2. Sales promotions – Cadbury use sales-promotion tolls to draw a stronger and quicker buyer response – It can be used for short-run effects to dramatise product offers – The Go Another Cadbury promotion encourages customers to purchase  promotionally marked Cadbury products for a chance to win free chocolate bars. This is just one of the many Cadbury promtions. 3. Public Relations – The thought behind public relations, is that it provides advertising to a large audience as well as generates a welcoming community likeness about the company – Well-thought-out programs coordinated with the other promotion-mix elements can be extremely effective – Cadbury are committed to a strategy of â€Å"growing community value around the world† and are focussing on investments in the principal areas of education and enterprise, health and welfare and the environment. Cadbury recognise that prosperous, educated and socially inclusive communities are central to its success. Cadbury are proud of their investment in the community and the contribution made by employees around the world. Creating value in the community is part of their heritage and integral to achieving the core purpose of working together to create brands people love. – Some of the major events and projects that Cadbury support are the Students In Free Enterprise, Foodbank, Variety Club, Melbourne Cup Carnival, Royal Show, World’s Largest Annual Easter Egg Hunt and the three time AFL premiership champion Brisbane Lions Personal Selling – is the most effective tool at later stages of the buying process, particularly in building up buyer preference, conviction and action. Direct Marketing – use of mail, telephone, fax, e-mail or internet to communicate directly with or solicit response or dialogue from customers – in the case of Cadbury this deals more with customers such as supermarkets to help with the set up or organisation of promotions, displays or location Which media seem to be the most important and for which marketing purpose? CDM is undeniably the leader brand of not only the Cadbury’s basket but also the chocolate segment as a whole and is in a sense almost generic to the category in the country. CDM must therefore through its media posture be the brand champion and carry the brand message. With half the advertising spends of Cadbury’s, CDM must build on the brand equity through a premium marketing strategy that reflects in the media communication and positioning as well. This would translate to large and continuous brand presence. Television is the advised primary medium of communication as it has mass reach, a favourable image, high prestige value and is attention getting while having low cost per exposure for a high absolute spend. The media will go hand-in-hand with the advertising in reaching the expanding target audience the brand is reaching out to. Herein, the media must also supplement the youthful exuberance and rebelliousness of the advertising communication. Caution should be maintained not to dent brand equity while increasing penetration in smaller towns by using locally targeted media channels in a manner that will allow capitalisation of the ‘premiumness’ of the brand. A strategic brand n the Cadbury’s inventory, it is the only brand facing competitive ad spend from Nestle in its sub-category and so must build on its strengths and plug its weaknesses within its restrictions. The target audience is well defined and an entirely different gamut with regard to communication strategies including media vehicles. The primary target is school-going children and though mothers as buyers are enticed by the advertising message of ‘goodness of milk’ it is primarily the children who act as influencers and are to be spoken to through the advertising and consequently the media. The media again acting as a support of the advertising proposition and being a high-visibility strong presence and  recall value brand with the TG. A comparatively tight budget calls for media innovation, which may include reaching out directly to schoolchildren via direct marketing strategies to supplement other media channels. This can be kept in mind while considering the implementation of the media posture. Cadbury’s communication, like its brand personality is a reflection of the relationship it shares with its consumers. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk is the brand leader and in effect the mouthpiece of the Cadbury’s range, through which it successfully attempts to remain the almost generic leader of the category, defining its own territory and the segment it operates in. Media priority therefore is CDM, which is the brand image and should therefore be the prime-mover in retaining top of the mind recall through its advertising and media channels. Cadburys has identified these brand values and adjusts its advertising strategies to reflect these values in different markets. Its strategy can vary from increasing brand awareness, educating potential customers about a new product, increasing seasonal purchases, or as is currently the case in the ‘Choose Cadbury’ campaign to highlight the positive emotional value of the brand. After identifying brand values the marketing manager must match these to the specific market. For this reason it is important to identify possible segments that have specific needs, and to highlight appropriate brand values that will promote the brand in that market. The Cadbury product range addresses the needs of each and every consumer, from childhood to maturity, from impulse purchase to family treats. For example an analysis of the ‘gift’ sector highlights the importance of developing innovative products to address specific markets. Cadbury designs products to coincide with Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s, Mother’s and Father’s Day and other calendar landmarks. Cadbury use marketing strategies such as the ‘Choose Cadbury’ strategy to encourage a link between chocolate and these events ensuring there is a Cadbury chocolate product suitable and available for every occasion. The confectionery market is full of brands that need to fight for our attention. The role of advertising is to keep a brand in the mind of the consumer. We are constantly presented with countless brand images and messages on a daily basis. During the lifetime of a brand, companies will develop marketing strategies that communicate brand identity and core values to gain our attention. In order to keep its product competitive and contemporary, these messages need to change over time. Cadbury provides one of the most successful examples of how an advertising message can be modified from one campaign to the next to attribute new values to a brand giving consumers more reasons to buy Cadburys. Healthy brand equity or brand strength is critical in an impulse-driven, competitive market. Advertising plays a key role in maintaining this strength. Cadbury employs all types of advertising from the internet to posters, from TV, radio and cinema to print media. This same creative message is then communicated through point of sale, merchandising, package design and public relations. The ‘Choose Cadbury’ Marketing Strategy The ‘glass and a half ‘, corporate purple and flowing script has become synonymous with Cadbury: these design elements have been used to great effect in developing the connotation of goodness that this imagery suggests. In the 1980s another vital attribute – taste – was highlighted. Regardless of national preferences about how chocolate should taste (e.g. dark chocolate is traditionally more popular in Europe whereas Australians prefer creamier milk chocolate) the implication was clear – Cadbury offers taste and texture that appeals to all. In the 1990s further emphasis was placed on ‘taste’. The strapline ‘Chocolate is Cadbury’, which was built upon previous brand values and allowed Cadbury to stake its claim and taking ownership of the word ‘chocolate’ and the chocolate eating experience. Earlier this year, Cadbury introduced a new global marketing strategy called ‘Choose Cadbury’. This strategy came about as a result of extensive research into consumer behaviour and perception. It is a campaign that perfectly illustrates how a brand can evolve and how different messages can be  communicated without losing the core strength and brand values that are already established. The classic icons have played a major role in establishing the look and feel of how Cadbury’s advertisements should look through successive campaigns. These key ‘look and feel’ icons were heavily researched to ensure that the messages they impart are always relevant to the Cadbury consumer. In depth customer research is conducted to ‘test’ these messages. Research results confirmed that colour recognition of dark purple is strongly associated with Cadbury. Its logo is readily recognised and scores a ninety six per cent recognition level alongside other global brands such as Coca Cola and McDonalds. The glass and a half symbol, which plays a key role in the current ‘Choose Cadbury’ strategy, continues to communicate the quality and superior taste of Cadbury’s chocolate. The central message of the ‘Choose Cadbury’ strategy hinges on the established glass and a half symbol. Is the glass half full or half empty? Cadbury suggests that the glass is always half full appealing to our emotions. Therefore, in choosing Cadbury we are taking a decision to embrace the positive. This optimistic metaphor is, according to consumer testing in the UK and Australia, well understood amongst consumers. In this ‘Choose Cadbury’ campaign, the product ingredient of milk has been elevated from a practical, rational platform to an emotional one Cadbury can deliver on optimism, happiness and a feel-good factor. If a brand can do all this, the decision to purchase this brand over all other chocolate brands seems to be logical and inevitable. The ‘Choose Cadbury’ strapline is a call to action designed to motivate us. We are not expected to simply absorb the advertising message, we are being called upon to make a conscious purchase decision. We are reassured that the Cadbury product will remain unchanged, (Cadbury is Chocolate and it still tastes good), but we are given more reasons to remain brand loyal (Cadbury is Chocolate – feels good i.e. positive, uplifting, mood enhancing, providing enjoyment and happiness). At no stage in the evolution of the Cadbury brand has there been as much reliance on taking ownership of the emotional side of eating chocolate as there is now. Owning the emotional territory for chocolate helps Cadbury to  elevate its product in the mind of the consumer. With the ‘Choose Cadbury’ campaign consumers are being offered both logical and emotional reasons to buy a Cadbury product as a first option on every occasion.

Usa department of lapor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Usa department of lapor - Essay Example The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is one of the organizations that have a well-established culture that makes it unique. The culture in DOL is such that there are clear guides on the relationship between the employees and management within the organization. There are clear channels of communication where employees become part of the major decisions of the organization. This enhances the smooth flow of activities in the organization, which is one of the paybacks of a strong organizational culture. DOL has also extended its concern to the external environment. People identify the organization with its contributions towards the eradication of social vices in the society through the process of job creation (United Sates Department of Labor, 2012). Individuals from outside the organization use culture to value the actions of an organization. Therefore, the culture in DOL enhances the values of cooperation, motivation and care for the society. Artifacts of an organization’s culture are the visible characteristics that one can observe in the organization. One of the most visible artifacts in DOL is the success of the organization in meeting its objectives. DOL’s culture has helped it to achieve its objective of improving the social welfare of the workforce in the United States. The culture enhances motivation of employees, which increases their productivity and the overall performance of the organization. Therefore, the culture of the United States Department of Labor has contributed towards its

DUI class eassy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

DUI class eassy - Essay Example However, Americans still drink alcohol and drive despite the DUI prevention efforts through DUI laws. This is so as alcohol is deeply rooted in the American culture and way of life. Considering this, there is astonishingly large gap in scientific knowledge regarding the drinking under the influence among the American citizens (Bracken, 2012). It is for this reasons that I have decided to undertake a course in DUI laws. Through this class, I intend to partake in the implementation and formulation of traffic policies within my country. More so, I intend to undertake research on the inconsistencies between law and ethics. Personally, I have been a victim of drunk driving and the incidence nearly landed me in prison. I drove through a police checkpoint before the officers stopped my car and requested me to pull to the side of the road. At first, I was hesitant since I felt that this type of laws should not be applied in a free country. I saw this inspection as an invasion of my privacy and a collapse of American democracy. Before I could explain my case, the officers requested me to get out of the car and asked me several questions before they suspected me of drunk driving. Nonetheless, I was adamant that I had not taken any alcohol. According to my own understanding, being drunk is a personal issue and levels of drunkenness vary across different individuals. Before this incidence, I considered drunk driving an imposition that is meant to invade or violate people’s privacy. The officers requested me to undertake certain tests such as balancing my body on one leg before I took a breathalyzer tes t. Through these tests, the officers concluded that I was drunk and that I had violated the drunken driving laws according to state’s regulation. I was detained in the police station for the night. In addition, my driving license was confisiticated. Although I had never had any

Math Lesson PLan (Measuring Angles) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Math Lesson PLan (Measuring Angles) - Essay Example Students with autism perform better in a predictable environment (Ernsperger, 2002). Special signals will be developed which the student can use to draw attention of the teacher if he needs help. These instructions will not disturb the class and will also shield the child from undue attention (Mcminn, 2006). Frequent feedback is essential in order to ensure proper learning. To facilitate this, the student will be questioned repeatedly and his understanding will be tested to ensure he remains on the right track. As frequent questioning in the classroom can be disruptive, special session will be given to the student. Once the students draw two lines intersecting with each other, they will be taught that the point at which they intersect is called as the vertex and angles are formed when two lines meet at the vertex. Students will now be encouraged to give examples where angles are important. They will be asked to give examples from everyday lives. Ask each student to give one example of an angle. This will ensure that students understand what angles mean and what their importance is. The teacher will then distribute an angle worksheet to all the students. This worksheet will include the following – definition of angles, how angles are measured, and 3 categories of angles: acute angle, obtuse angle, and right angle and their definitions. The worksheet to be distributed in shown in appendix A. Special worksheet will be distributed for the student with visual impairment which is readable for him. The worksheet will also serve as class notes which can be given to student suffering from SLI, ESL and hearing impairments. The teacher will then draw the three types of angles on the whiteboard – acute angle, obtuse angle and right angles and explain each and every point mentioned in the worksheet clearly and precisely. While explaining these points, the teacher will face the students at all

Physical Chemistry Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Physical Chemistry - Lab Report Example Technically, incorporation of lead into the brass increases the mechanical properties the alloy. On the other hand, substantial concentration of copper imparts germicidal and antimicrobial properties into the brass alloyi. In laboratory settings, methods used to quantitatively determine the amounts of heavy elements in alloys include Gravimetric analysis, Anodic Stripping Voltammetry, and Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy among others. Each of these quantitative determination methods possesses particular advantages, setbacks, and accuracy and precision levels. In the experiment, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy was used to measure the amounts of lead and copper in brass. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy is a versatile quantitative technique capable of analyzing presence of over 70 elements. Technically, this technique functions by exploiting the atomization properties in form of electronic transition of elements’ atoms in gaseous phases. After atomization, light absorption level of atoms is detected and Beer’s law of absorbance vs. concentration is used to determine the quantity of analytes in the atomized samples. Besides Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy, the experiment employed Gravimetric analysis in the determination of lead in brass. Despite being one of the oldest methods in quantitative analysis, the gravimetric technique remains accurate and precise when used for determination of metals with insoluble salts like lead. Finally, the experiment employed Anodic Stripping Voltammetry in determination of copper. Anodic Stripping Voltammetry relies on the electric conductivity of analytes, and is specifically suited for quantitative analysis of minute traces of heavy metalsii. Subsequent sections of this lab report contain procedural steps, results and discussions pertaining to application of the three aforementioned quantitative determination techniques. Based on theoretical procedures provided, stock solutions of unknown brass,

FRS 5 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

FRS 5 - Case Study Example The principle of FRS says that legal characterisation of the transaction should not be affected. The principle of the FRS 5 can be discussed through two factors. 1) Features of more complex Transactions. The link between the transactions should be created as that the commercial effect can be made out, considering the entire series. It should be ensured that with the separation of legal title, exposure of the risk inherent in the benefits can also be possible. Inclusion of the option is also necessary. There are certain transactions, those are accompanied by an option instead of commitment to the original owner or to the owner to repurchase or to the buyer to resell.2) Assessing commercial effect by considering the position of other parties. While assessing the commercial effect, it is important to consider the position of the related parties to it along with the motives of agreeing to its apparent expectation. It is important to have commercial logic to all of the related parties irr espective of whatever the substance of transaction is. Regarding the recognition of an item in the balance sheet, there are two conditions that it has to fulfil after meeting the definition of assets or liabilities. Those conditions are as follows: If there is an appropriate evidence of the benefit of future inflow or outflow along with the sufficient evidence of the existence of the item.The item should be measured by the monetary aspects.. Basically, FRS 5 has two key paragraphs which indicate the disclosure required for the complex transactions.

Leadership Styles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Styles - Assignment Example The leadership style is based on the situations and challenges faced by the organization and requirements of people who are involved in the group. That means a leader must be flexible in his style. For instance, in the event of a crisis in an organization, it is most likely that an authoritarian leadership will be beneficial. If a decision is very hard and complex like development plans, handling risks, etc we need different ideas, experiences, and different areas of expertise and inputs from everybody. In such cases, democratic leadership style will be beneficial. If increasing the motivation and encouragement of the creativity of workers is important, a leader should adopt laissez-faire leadership style. In short, a leader must know which style he has to adopt to deal with the situation. Whatever it is the main objective of the leader and the group is the profit maximization of the company. For this, either the leader has to change his own approach or he must have the ability to ch ange the situations to suit him. Your leadership style; advantages and disadvantages I fall in the category of democratic leadership style. Democratic leadership style is the most suitable leadership style in today’s business environment. The advantages and challenges of this leadership style in today’s business environment are described as below:- Advantages 1. Today’s business environment demands higher contribution in terms of innovation creativity. Innovation and creativity does not always come from a single person. It might require sharing of ideas. Therefore, a democratic leadership style helps to gather ideas and opinions from a group of people. 2. As competition is higher, financial rewards are not the only reason behind an employee’s commitment to an organization. An important role is played by motivation and job satisfaction. A democratic leadership style will help to improve the motivation of employees are they feel that their opinions are bein g accepted. 3. Achieving the common goal as an entire group is very much important for an

The Metaphysics of John Stuart Mill in Relation to Philippine Government Essay Example for Free

The Metaphysics of John Stuart Mill in Relation to Philippine Government Essay This is a discourse that is made for metaphysical study that brought enlightenment with the two different paradigms that explicate the essential attribution to the implication of the self to the Filipino. I would like to acknowledge the help of some people who made this research possible Dr. Segundo Sim for his direction, assistance, and guidance particularly in his recommendations and suggestions have been invaluable for the research. I also wish to thank Sir Garnace, who has taught me techniques of writing. Special thanks should be given to my classmates and colleagues who helped me in many ways. Finally, words alone cannot express the thanks I owe to my family for their encouragement and assistance. Abstract Although philosophical inquiries regarding the notion of the self bombarded through different elucidation of philosophers still encompasses the internal aspect of within as a metaphysical commitment which regard to the notion of the East and West paradigm. This paper aims to elucidate in comparative way the essential contribution of the philosophies of two different paradigms with the essential thought of metaphysical assertion. It entails the significance towards metaphysical endowment as a very profound distinction and similarities thru a bi polar elucidation regarding the concept of David Hume’s commencement of the self as no self at all, that everything underlies within the notion of impression, and that the self is no self at all. In Nishida Kitaro’s commencement he explicitly determined the stance of the self in the pure experience towards a nihilistic point of view which he determined that a self is a Basho or place, as an empty self. Towards the two philosophies of the self as a metaphysical genealogy intertwine the metaphysical through ethical relation of the centripetal morality of the actuality and the potentiality of the being ness of the Filipinos. Chapter 2 Introduction This paper aims to expose in a comparative way the ideas of Scottish philosopher David Hume and Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro both studies talks about the metaphysical understanding a propos notion of the Self and the repercussion to the centripetal morality of the Filipinos. A comparative way of explicating not leading to a chauvinistic elucidation but an affirmative thought between the two. Both thoughts consider the metaphysical attribution of the Self in a necessary relation determining the pursuit of the self or a person and the extraordinary conception of causation of beings. The unravel spirit of formulating thoughts regarding the diversity of the concept is a view of exhilarating the close door in a new light of horizon. The ideas of two different paradigms, the East and West have in a way the same conception that will elucidate their affinity and even the diversity will be serve somehow as an enlightenment, a determinant factor of a fascinating point of view of life in the meadow of philosophizing in a prolific manner. This will somehow shows a connection that will outpour the transcendental understanding of the self of an individual and the intertwining part towards morality. Thou, it implied denotes the bond within the necessary connection of the two paradigm will surely enlighten the reader in the spirit signification of a merely self of a person into a selfhood act to forsake what is the reality of the inter connection that purports the two representation and the metaphysical connection of the self and the pure experience as a notion that is necessarily for the convenience essentiality of this paper. The relationship of the self to metaphysics is the being of man that constitutes the whole embedded part of the ontological and transcendental aspect of one’s own essential attribute in the world. Man is a Self determining being, the place of the self to reality serve as a teleological concept, thou not genuine still emerge the possibility of the impossibility that takes place in the being ness capable of living. The teleological character of the unity we ascribe to the self is further illustrated by the puzzles suggested by the â€Å"alternate and multiple† personalities a connection of the past life to a new life as being the expression of aims and interests which were at least implicitly and as tendencies already present though concealed in the old connotation that will lead to uplift the individual self. The self implies and has no existence apart from a not self and it is only the contrast with the not self that’s aware of it self as a self. The feeling of self is certainly not an inseparable concomitant of all our experience. Self consciousnesses are source of weakness and moral failure. While we are steadily engaged in the progressive execution of a purpose we lose ourselves in the work, it is only upon a check that we become self conscious. Self consciousness in the bad sense always arises from a sense of an incongruity between the self and some contrasted object or environment. This paper will elucidate the two philosophies of the great philosophers which regard to self Theoretical Framework. The researcher uses a theoretical framework to explain the concept of Nishida Kitaro and David Hume’s notion of the Self and its relation to the Centripetal Morality of Filipinos. The researcher will elucidate the two paradigm enable to have a grasp in the two different philosophies of the East and West and how they are connected to the centripetal morality of Filipinos. And through discussing what are the two diverse fields of a metaphysical philosophy the researcher will explicate the essential correlation towards the moral aspect in effect to the morality of Filipinos. Statement of the problem 1. What is the problem of the Self according to Nishida Kitaro? 2. What is David Hume’s concept of the Self? 3. What is the implication of their Metaphysical philosophies of the Self to the centripetal morality of the Filipinos? Thesis Statement The Metaphysical philosophy of Hume and Nishida is a manifestation of a life, a life that embedded a direct way of viewing the external exemplification to substantiate the discourse between the two, through the ordinary. An internal co relation to the external out view of the self towards the life of the Filipinos will surely afflict the individual of a person towards the being ness as an uninfringeable essential factor of one’s own self. There is no definite line of demarcation between self and not-self the self on its side consisting of me and the not self is social, the self on its side consisting of me and the not-self of other men. The self is essentially a thing of development and as such has its being in the time process. The nature of the experience is the concept of the self is based. The self is never identical with anything that could be found completely existing at any one moment in the mental life. Self is essentially an ideal and an ideal which is apprehended as contrasted with present actuality. They ought and the must also know nothing of the feeling of self. Review of Related Literature Kant’s concept of the self Kant’s concept of the self is a response to Hume in part. Kant wished to justify a conviction in physics as a body of universal truth. The other being to insulate religion, especially a belief in immortality and free will (Brooks 2004). In the Inaugural Dissertation of 1770, Kant corrected earlier problems of a non-material soul having localization in space. Kant used inner sense to defend the heterogeneity of body and soul: â€Å"bodies are objects of outer sense; souls are objects of inner sense† (Carpenter 2004). In Kant’s thought there are two components of the self: 1. inner-self 2. Outer-self (Brooks 2004). There are two kinds of consciousness of self: consciousness of oneself and ones psychological states in inner sense and consciousness of oneself and ones states via performing acts of apperception. Empirical self-consciousness is the term Kant used to describe the inner self. Transcendental apperception or (TA) is used in two manners by Kant for the term. The first being a synthetic faculty and a second as the â€Å"I† as subject. One will note that logically this function would occur in inner sense (Brooks 2004). Kant states that all representational states are in inner sense include all spatially localized outer objects. The origin or our representations regardless if they are the product of a priori or outer objects as modifications of the mind belong to inner sense. Kant presents apperception as a means to consciousness to one’s self. Inner sense is not pure apperception. It is an awareness of what we are experiencing as we are affected by thought (Brooks 2004). Brooks cites three types of synthesis. Kant claimed, there are three types of synthesis required to organize information, namely apprehending in intuition, reproducing in imagination, and recognizing in concepts (A97-A105). â€Å"Synthesis of apprehension concerns raw perceptual input, synthesis of recognition concerns concepts, and synthesis of reproduction in imagination allows the mind to go from the one to the other. † (Brooks 2004). Unity of experience and consciousness are integral to the concept of the self. Transcendental apperception has function to unite all appearances into one experience. This is a unity based on causal laws. There is a synthesis according to concepts that subordinates all to transcendental unity. According to Kant the contents of consciousness must have causal connections to be unified (Brooks 2004). Kant argues that in the present progressive one can be aware of oneself by an act of representing (Kant 1789). Representation is not intuitive but a spontaneous act of performing or doing things. Man knows that by doing and fulfilling activities that these impressions cannot be simply sensations resulting from the senses. Representation fulfills three acts. An act of representing can make one conscious of its object, itself and oneself as its subject; the representational base of consciousness of these three items. Becoming conscious of our selves is simply an act of representation and nothing more (Brooks 2004). Kant postulates that there is a plurality of representations that gives rise to our view of self as a â€Å"single common subject†. This concept requires a constant undivided self. This concept is a continuation of global unity that spans many representations, one does not have to be conscious of the global object but of oneself as subject of all representations (Kant 1787). Kant’s self has a unity of self reference, â€Å"When we are conscious of ourselves as subject, we are conscious of ourselves as the â€Å"single common subject† [CPR, A350] of a number of representations. † (Kant 1787). Here Kant confirms that the impressions we perceive have one single common aim and that is the self as subject of these experiences. Kant postulates both senses as empirical but with the object of inner self being the soul. Transcendental apperception is a priori. Kant maintains the use of intuitive faculties of intuition and synthesis in inner self where innate material unites the spatially located objects from the outer self. Here, this permits a downward deductive operation to act from Kant’s theology while preserving an inductive operation from the sense world of our experience. The Essential Self through the Essence and Existence With the concept of rationality, we found ourselves moving from questions about pure reality and back to questions about ourselves and our own activities. In deed with the concept of subjective truth, we found a renewed emphasis on personal questions, questions about self rather than questions about the world. What is the self? What is to be a person? What do you know when you ‘know your self? What is someone telling you to be when he or she tells you ‘just to be yourself†? Real self, a self that does not vary from context. Philosophers have called the real self the essential self that is the set of characteristics that defines a particular person. The experience of our real, or essential, self is familiar to us in a great many circumstances. Self as Consciousness What am I? A thing which thinks. What is a thing which thinks? It is a thing which doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses, which also imagines and feels. The theory that the essential self of self identity is the mind or self consciousness can be traced back to ancient times, but its best known defender is the philosopher Descartes, who presented a simple but elegant argument that the individual self is the first thing that each of us can know for certain and that this self, which is indubitable is nothings else but the thinking self, the self that is aware of itself. Kierkegaard: The Passionate Self It is impossible to exist without passion, unless we understand the world exist in the loose sense of a so called existence. Eternity is the winged horse, infinitely fast and time is a worn out nag; the existing individual is the driver, that is to say he is such a driver when his mode of existence is not an existence loosely so called; for then he is no driver but a drunken peasant who lies asleep in the wagon and lets the horses take care of themselves. To be sure he also drives and is a driver; and so there are perhaps many who also exist. The Self as an Open Question If self identity is defined by our answer to the question who am i? One possible answer is nothing yet, nothing definite. If one sees the self not as an inner soul which is in us from birth, but rather as a product of our actions and thought, then self identity is something to be earned, not an already existing fact to be discovered. The existentialist Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980) would say that all of those theories which take the self to be found in consciousness are misconceived, the self is not simply thinking, not is it memory of past. The self lies always in the future; it is what we aim toward as we try to make ourselves into something. But this means that as long as we are alive there is no self at least, no fixes and finished self. The self is an open question. What this means is that there is no real self other than the self that we make for ourselves. Kierkegaard’s language all choices are subjective truths, true for the person who makes them but not necessarily true for anyone else. The self is what each of us chooses for ourselves, our protection into our future, our intentions to become a particular kind of person. But as we never wholly achieve this for even when our ambitions are fulfilled we can always change our mind, formulate new ambitions, and so on the self never really exists in full. It is always at best. Alternative Conceptions of Self as Consciousness Plato has defined self in terms of rational thought as opposed to mere thinking, which can be rational or irrational. The Self in Contextualized Action (Shaun Gallagher and Anthony J. Marcel) We identify two forms of self-consciousness, ecological self-awareness and embedded reflection, that (1) function within the kinds of contextualized activity we have indicated, and (2) can be the basis for a theoretical account of the self. Both forms of consciousness are closely tied to action and promise to provide a less abstract basis for developing a theoretical approach to the self. To get clear about philosophical problems, it is useful to become conscious of the apparently unimportant details of the particular situation in which we are inclined to make a certain metaphysical assertion. (Wittgenstein) The self that we are does not possess itself; one could say that it happens' (Gadamer) Overt action is indivisible . . . . It is the whole individual who acts in the real environment (Neisser) Surprising and seemingly counter-intuitive results are not uncommon when philosophers, psychologists, and neuroscientists, employing a variety of first- and third-person approaches, search for an adequate model of the self. At least one philosopher equates the self with a momentary existence so that we are said to live through a large number of consecutive momentary selves (Strawson 1997). Other philosophers, introspectively exploring the stream of consciousness, fail to find anything at all that resembles a self (Hume 1739). When faced with a range of questions about self (questions pertaining to identity, experience of self, nature of self, and so forth) most theorists approach the topic in a manner that is abstract or detached from behavior and/or action normally embedded in contextualized situations. We also want to suggest that most of the controversies, problems, and paradoxes concerning the notion of self are the result of searching for the self within these abstract perspectives. We suggest a different starting point and strategy for developing models of a self which is more contextualized within the realm of action. First, we want to be clear that although this paper is centrally concerned with the nature of the self, there is a necessarily related issue that we address, namely, the question of access to the self, and whether there can be certain forms of self-consciousness that are not abstractions from contextualized situations. The promise of a sound basis for the development of a theoretical conception of a contextualized self is only good if in fact there are reliable forms of contextualized self-consciousness since the primary method for getting a grasp on the self is through first-person self-experience. Beyond this, however, the question of access is essentially linked with the question of the nature of the self. Access (self-consciousness) is constitutive of self. Second, we wish to be clear that in sketching an approach to a conception of a self in contextualized action, we do not assume that there is only one kind of self or that an explanation of the contextualized self will be an explanation of every sense of self. Other approaches, such as the Meadian analysis of a socially constituted self, or the notion of an autobiographical self, can reveal important and valid conceptions of self. The Ethical Self What we want to call embedded reflection is not the same as the hyper reflective or introspective consciousness we identified in previous sections as a form of abstract, de contextualized behavior. We may state the difference in this way. Embedded reflection is a first-person reflective consciousness that is embedded in a pragmatically or socially contextualized situation. It involves the type of activity that I engage in when someone asks me what I am doing or what I plan to do. In such reflection I do not take consciousness or the self as a direct or introspective object of my reflection; I do not suddenly take on the role of a phenomenologist or theorist for the sake of answering the question. Rather I start to think matters through in terms of possible actions. I treat myself (I discover myself) as an agent. In such situations, my attention is directed not in a reflective inspection of consciousness as consciousness, but toward my own activities in the world where my intentions are already directed. Often my aim in such reflection is not to represent my self to myself, as if it were a piece of furniture in my mind, but to continue certain actions or to explain myself in terms of my action. What is the Self? The Numerical Self (Claro R. Ceniza) Two dimensions of identity of things; their generic and specific identities, on the one hand, and their numerical identities on the other. The generic and specific identities of object refer to their identities as classes, the generic identity having references to the larger class to which an entity belongs, and the specific identity referring to the lowest class to which the individuals belongs and this for our purposes could be the individuals itself. Generics identities may be arrange in a hierarchy of higher and higher classes, the highest class to which an individual belongs being called its SUMMUM GENUS that is in highest class. We may speak of identity in the sense of numerical identity. The numerical identity refers to the identity of individuals with itself. Numerical identity refers to the identity of an individual neither in terms of the classes to which it could belong nor to its properties, but to its history’s individual. For things, spatio- temporal continuities the general criterion although there are exception to this. For humans, memory is perhaps the ultimate criterion, although for ordinary cases. Spatio-temporal continuity is often regarded as adequate. Numerically one and the same. Another example is dotted lines obviously. These are not spatio-temporally continuous, but dotted lines may often be numerically distinguished from each other. With human the continuity of memory is more important than spatio-temporal continuity. When a person writes his bio-data, he more often than not to refer to his numerical identity and recounts his personal history and achievements as an individual. The greater importance of a continuous memory train as the more significant criterion for the numerical identity o persons is shown by the fact that, whether ones believes in it or not, the concept of reincarnation would be impossible, if not for the fact that the possible continuity of memory could be taken as more basic for The numerical identification of an individual, than spatio-temporal continuity, since clearly there is no spatio-temporal continuity between death of a previous embodiment and the birth of the next, spatio –temporal continuity is often considered adequate for the numerical identification of persons. We may regard the numerical identity of a person as his objective self. It is one’ self as seen by others, and as one sees himself objectively as part of a community of persons. What is the Self? The Generic Self The generic self of a person is the class or classes to which the person belongs, according to the way the custom has established these classes relative to him. Thus, a person may be classified as a father, a citizen, a teacher, husband, adult, etc. These classifications and the way he behaves accordingly are important to a person’s self-identity and self-identification and they usually determine his normal behavior, and what others expect. Confucius recognized the importance of role-playing in the society. He said that we all play roles in society- perhaps many roles for each one of us. A harmonious society is one where everyone plays his role at it should be played, according to the name given to that role. A person’s actions should be in accordance with the role or roles that he plays. A person is his roles, He may add to it the unique way he plays it well. Chapter 3 Methodology The researcher will use the comparative way of explicating the metaphysical philosophies of Nishida vis-a-vis Hume and the interrelation of the two philosophers to the centripetal morality of the Filipinos. All the materials are gathered from different libraries and internet research. A documentary abstraction guide will be used by the researcher as an instrument in gathering data. The researcher is able to come up to this topic because the essential part of being ness lies within the self, starts within the self before outpouring with the whole, a part that embedded the necessary significant towards metaphysical aspect to the paradigm of ethics. This study only discusses the definition, exposition of the comparative field of the East and West paradigm. For the philosophical metaphysics of Nishida and for Hume, the main idea regarding the two philosophers purports the essential connection imply with the centripetal morality of Filipinos. Analysis of Data. The first level of discussion will discuss the metaphysical philosophy of Nishida and Hume. The second level of discussion will discuss the comparison and contrast, difference and similarities, of the Philosophers metaphysical thought and the relationship to the centripetal morality of Filipinos. Chapter 1 introduces the study. Chapter 2 discusses the different concepts philosopher regarding the self. Chapter 3 presents some concepts of the self and Nishida’s as well as Hume’s in relation to centripetal morality of Filipinos. Presentation and Analysis of Problems 1. What is the problem of the Self according to Nishida Kitaro? Nishida practiced Zen meditation in his early years and most of his work can be seen as an attempt to explore this experience. One of the fundamental questions that is considered between subject and object. His solution to the polarities of mind body, self world, me-other is to posit an original ground of existence that goes beyond such distinctions. In his first work, Zen No Kenkyo he writes variously on his topic: When one experiences directly one’s conscious state there is as yet neither subject nor object, and knowledge and its object are completely united, this is the purest form of experience. Why is love the union of subject and object? To love something is to cast away the self unite with that other. As emphasized in basic Buddhist thought, the self and the universe share the same foundation, or rather, they are the same thing. Nishida proposed a new thesis: that of ultimate reality as mu no basho, the place of absolute nothingness. Nothingness here corresponds closely to Nagarjuna’s concept shunyata or emptiness. This nothingness is not an absence of God or the self but an absence of quality, division or concept of all of the things which we need in order to define the separate existence of the ego self. By not being anything in particular, we are everything. Nishida eliminates the psychological terminology that had characterized his earlier work. Nishida’s Basho is a radically new concept. By imagining the self as Basho or place rather than as a point, consciousness or presence we move away from all ideas of individuality. Nishida sees in the extinguishing of the ego-self in the Basho the birth of the self as Basho. The basho has the power to unify the contradictions which underlie all existence, to effect the continuity of the discontinuity. In terms of Western logic, the basho violates the principles of contradictions and identity. Nishida claimed that the contradictions at the heart of everything were what caused the constant change and motion we observe in the universe. Only in the mu no basho are these dynamic oppositions reconciled. As a Buddhist, the ultimate good for Nishida is the realization of the true self, the Buddha nature. As a Zen Buddhist, Nishida argues that this realization should take place in he active world. His concept of acting intuition illustrates this the physical world of actions is expressive of the inner creativity of the basho. Only by living fully as historical individuals will the power of the self as Basho be made manifest. Nishida reminds us that â€Å"To study oneself is to forget oneself. To forget oneself is to realize oneself as all things. † For much of Japanese philosophy, in order to know our true self we must let go of the subject-object dichotomy with which we have been taken conditioned. We must let go of the voice of intellect in our pursuit and let our intuition open us up and allow awakening. In this awakening, not only do we awaken to our self, but we awaken to all reality. Before we look more closely at some Japanese Buddhist teachings, let us review some of ideas from the Neo-Confucian school. What can be constructed as the extreme positions with regard to the nature of the self? Self is an object or some thing Self is nothing Nishida Kitaro attempted to steer a path between these two extremes. For Nishida we cannot truly know the self if we take it to be either the subject or object of our knowing process. That is to say, the self is a place, or basho, that gives rise to knowledge. The self is neither the subject of an experience nor the object of knowing. The self is the experience discussing Nishida, Nishitani described this rapport between experience and self, â€Å"of which it is said not that there is experience because there is a self, but rather that there is a self because there is experience. † This confirms the long standing Buddhist teaching of no self. The actual self is a process. To this process, Nishida assigned a term, koiteki chokkan, acting intuition. Basho literally means â€Å"place† or â€Å"field† and suggests an all embracing environment within which all activity occurs. Because it is all embracing, this place o field is without boundaries and without a center of reference. Imagine an infinite circle without a circumference and without a center. As Yuasa stated: The basho is a fundamental restriction on being’ existence; without it, no beings can exist in the world. Even though basho is without boundaries, boundaries are in practice erected. They are constructed by our empirical self, or ego. Our empirical self, however, is not our true self, but instead the self as subject, a self –referential point of view whereby all else becomes the object for the empirical self. On other words, whereas Basho is a primordial field of oneness, discrimination now results from the construction of boundaries. The discriminating self, as subject, is not the true self. The genuine self, for Nishida and in line with Buddhist teachings, is thus a â€Å"self that is not a self. † This is why Nishida claimed that the self â€Å"lives by dying. † This is also why Nishida emphasized the faculty of intuition, not in a passive but in an active sense. It is through this active intuition that self realizes itself. Discursive, analytical knowledge is sufficient. For instance, consider the example of viewing a mountain. From one perspective the â€Å"I† is imbedded in a world of subject-object and mountain is the object of my knowledge. From another perspective, I realize the essential unity of all things. In this case, there is no subject-object duality, and the mountain is no longer separate from me. This native intuition maintains both perspectives at the same time. When this secret is mastered, living is dying and vice versa. Apparent contradictions are resolved. For Nishida, the self constitutes a unity of contradictions. Living is dying and dying is living. The opposition we normally pose between life and death is embraced in the Basho of self. We die and live at each single moment. This is the singular Buddhist truth of no substantiality; it reflects the paradox of our existence. When seem from our ordinary perspective, this paradox of life and death gives way to anxiety. When viewed from the perspective of the Basho of self, the paradox is embraced: My very existence is, therefore, an absolute contradiction, and it is this very realization that enables me to become truly self conscious. My individuality is my mortality, and my true nothingness is my immortality. I am a contradictory self, and my awareness of this is the ground of my religious awareness. Reality as Pure Experience, Nishida’s view is reminiscent of Zen Buddhism; he promotes Zen teachings using philosophical categories. Now Zen points directly to reality – what exists in its immediacy? Nishida viewed reality in much the same way; he directly pointed to pure experience as ultimate reality. Reality is that which underlies all our so called â€Å"experience. † We conventionally live in our ideas or images of the real, rather than in the real. Reality is the pure experience, which is the basis for conceptualization once conceptualization through reflection occurs, the experience becomes indirect. Reality remains the same unaffected by reflection. Reflection however gives birth to apparent modes of reality that are not in themselves truly real. When Nishida declares that reality is â€Å"pure experience† this means that reality within the present moment. Reality as Absolute Nothingness, all this is further sustained by his teaching concerning the primacy of â€Å"nothingness† over being. â€Å"Absolute nothingness† is another phrase he ascribes to this pure experience. It is crucial to be aware that this â€Å"nothingness† is not the same as nihilism. Rather absolute nothingness transcends the opposition between being and nonbeing by embracing them. The term transcend can be misleading; it can give the impression of something beyond the realm of experience. The term immanent is also to be avoided because it may lead to the impression of being immersed in our world if experience. Each of these terms implies the other. They each set up a dichotomy betwee.

Good Communication Skills: Problem Solving

Good Communication Skills: Problem Solving In the secondary school setting, well-developed communication skills are an essential component of effective classroom management. They enable teachers to develop mutually respectful reciprocal interactions with students that serve to augment classroom experiences and outcomes. Various features and methods of communication may be used to enhance interpersonal exchanges, promote effective problem-solving and expedite conflict resolution. These are the vital building blocks that serve to build trust and understanding. Moreover, the many factors involved in effective communication assist greatly in facilitating warm reciprocal student/teacher relationships and productive learning environments which in turn, foster positive behaviour and learning outcomes. (Arthur-Kelly, Lyons, Butterfield Gordon, 2003) Many secondary school students perceive this time period to be especially challenging. Developmentally, such students are experiencing considerable upheaval as they begin to negotiate the maze to emotional, social, physical and cognitive maturity. The secondary school years are further complicated as adolescents begin to consolidate their sense of identity, strive for greater autonomy and freedom and their social networks expand. These momentous changes may cause many students to flounder and struggle both behaviourally and academically. Fortunately, through the use of effective interpersonal communication techniques teachers are able to build respectful, reciprocal relationships that bolster secondary students throughout this tumultuous journey. (Martin, 2010) Interpersonal communication is a complex practice that involves transmitting and receiving messages. Spoken words are used to convey meaning but the often overlooked non-verbal components of communication are of equal importance and comprise at least 50% of message content. Such components include eye contact, paralinguistics, positioning and posture, facial expressions, gestures, proximity and touch, personal appearance and communication setting. These factors have enormous potential to interfere with and distort the meaning of intended messages. As such, it is of paramount importance that teachers avoid making rushed interpretations of student non-verbal behaviour and also pay attention to the congruence of their own non-verbal communication. Actions tend to speak louder than words so incongruous non-verbal communication has the potential to seriously undermine message integrity and cause student confusion. (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003) As stated by Charles (2000, pp. 48-49) To a surprising degree, how you communicate determines your effectiveness as a teacher. Relationships are built on communication and easily destroyed by it. Because so much of communication has the potential to be misunderstood it is essential for teachers to employ strategies that minimise the chance of this occurring. One particularly effective method is the use of active listening (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). Active listening is not merely hearing but a much more purposeful action that involves being attentive, endeavouring to understand communicated concerns and emotions, clarifying through appropriate questioning and supporting problem solving (Weinstein, 2007). During active listening, the recipient of the message interprets what has been said and accurately reflects this back to check understanding of the speakers concerns and associated feelings. This process enables the speaker to feel acknowledged, supported and confident that they have been understood. It encourages the speaker to continue expressing, clarifying and garnering support to work through issues constructively (Geldard Geldard, 2007). By using the active listening technique, teachers send a strong message to students that they genuinely care. Congruently, caring, and especially student perception of such, is an important prerequisite for establishing the healthy relationships that promote positive behaviour and academic outcomes (DeSantis King, Huebner, Suldo Valois, 2006). 4 Several other communication processes may also be used to enhance the active listening process and to convey genuine concern and caring to students. These include making appropriate eye contact by altering posture to match the level of the speakers, using congruent facial expressions, employing minimal verbal cues and persevering with active listening until the speaker feels ready to conclude (Weinstein, 2007). Open questioning is also important. This involves the formulation of questions that require more than a negative or affirmative response. Such questioning is particularly useful to bring to light previously unconsidered issues and also to clarify information. Additionally, it is an effective way of encouraging ongoing conversation (Geldard Geldard, 2007). The combination of the abovementioned strategies effectively facilitate clear expression and enhance listening accuracy during conversations. In secondary classroom situations, however, it is often necessary to ensure that interference whilst conveying messages is eliminated as efficiently as possible. In these situations, assertive communication is an asset (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). During assertive communication, the rights of both the speaker and the listeners are upheld, thus reducing interference. This method of communicating is neither passive nor aggressive. Rather, communicating assertively means expressing messages in a no-nonsense manner that is straightforward, honest and inoffensive (Mohan, McGregor, Saunders Archee, 2008). One such way of communicating is through the use of I statements. I statements are a practical method for allowing the speaker to convey their message and simultaneously make their needs known without impinging on the rights of others. They are often particularly valuable as they alert the listeners to the speakers faith in their cooperation without any associated threatening connotations (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). Assertive statements are generally stated in three parts, to describe specific behaviours, to outline feelings associated 5 with such behaviour and to illustrate the effects of such behaviour. They send a clear message to the recipient without risk of offense (Mohan et al., 2008). Spoken calmly, I messages operate to provide valid, comprehensive feedback to students about the effects of their behaviour in a respectful, non-intimidating way (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). Despite the demonstrated efficiency of communication processes such as active listening and assertive communication, in secondary classrooms, the potential for conflicts and unresolved problems remains ever-present. Because of the stress and anxiety that is often associated with the dramatic changes experienced by adolescents, that they may at times act with confusion as they try to articulate their thoughts and feelings. This may precipitate seemingly inappropriate words and actions that may need careful negotiation to decipher and resolve (Brown, 2005). Negotiation is a problem-solving communication skill that incorporates active listening and assertive behaviour. Essentially, negotiation involves using mutual respect and communication devoid of interference by such contaminants as high emotive states (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). In negotiation, six steps are used to facilitate problem-solving. The first step involves problem identification using I messages, open questioning and active listening. Step two necessitates the identification of possible problem-solving options. This is facilitated through the collaborative listing of suggestions which are freely expressed and are neither evaluated nor censored (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). In step four, this process is refined as stakeholders are provided with the opportunity to delete any previously generated options that they find entirely unacceptable. Subsequently, in step five the adolescent selects their most favourable option which they believe is most likely to be successful and an agreement to implement this is established. Step six completes the procedure and involves agreeing on a time period before the results of the solution are reviewed. During the review process, permanent 6 implementation may be decided upon or in the case of an unsatisfying outcome the negotiation procedure will be repeated (Arthur-Kelly et al., 2003). Walsh (2004) alludes to the fact that during adolescence, emotional regulation is still undergoing development. This is one explanation for what appears to be ill-mannered, impulsive and angry behaviour that is periodically demonstrated by adolescents. Understanding by secondary teachers that adolescents will at times make social errors is extremely judicious and has enormous potential to be relationship building, setting the stage for cooperation (Brown, 2005). Consistent, considered action on the part of the secondary teacher leads to the building of trust that is integral to respectful relationships. Likewise, appropriate and effective communication builds mutual respect and is the foundation of all positive learning environments (Brown, 2005). All classroom learning occurs in the context of interpersonal interactions and this reciprocal arrangement wields a potent influence over the learning environment and associated student achievement. Effective communication between teachers and students has a reciprocal effect. Resultantly, it stands to reason that such interpersonal interactions are a vital component of positive classroom environment and associated enhanced behaviour and learning outcomes (Goh Fraser, 2000). Much research exists to support the notion that positive relationships between students and teachers enhances learning environments, leading to improved behaviour and favourable learning outcomes (den Brok, Levy, Brekelmans Wubbels, 2006; Fraser Walberg, 2005; Urdan, Schoenfelder, 2006). More particularly, student motivation, learning and degree of compliance are predominantly shaped by their perception of their relationship with their teacher (den Brok, Levy, Brekelmans Wubbels, 2006). During the turbid secondary school years students care a great deal about establishing positive relationships with their teachers and the level of support this provides. As such, they respond 7 with far greater enthusiasm, pronounced engagement and augmented effort, both behaviourally and academically, when they perceive that their teachers care about them (Urdan, Schoenfelder, 2006). By using effective communication skills, teachers are equipped with the tools to impart this powerful belief in their students, thus leading to respectful reciprocal relationships, positive learning environments and associated behavioural and academic growth. 8