Hume vs Kant: Causality

Hume s ultimate goal in his philosophic endeavors was to undermine abstruse Philosophy. By focusing on the aspect of reason, Hume shows there are limitations to philosophy. Since he did not know the limits, he proposed to use reason to the best of his ability, but when he came to a boundary, that was the limit. He conjectured that we must study reason to find out what is beyond the capability of reason. Hume began his first examination if the mind by classifying its contents as Perceptions. Here therefore [he divided] all the perceptions of the mind into two classes or species. First, Impressions represented an image of something that portrayed an immediate relationship. Secondly, there were thoughts and ideas, which constituted the less vivid impressions. For example, the recalling of a memory. From this distinction, Hume decreed that all ideas had origin within impressions. From the distinction of perceptions, Hume created his microscope in order to trace all ideas back to impressions. He did this to search for the limits. If an idea could not be traced back to its impression, it was too abstruse. Hume separated the objects of human reason into two categories. First, the relation of ideas, which represented all that is a priori. Secondly, he created the category of matters of fact. Matters of fact made up the a posteriori piece of the spectrum of reason. Matters of fact are contingent, meaning they could be otherwise. In order to go beyond the objects of human reason, Hume proposed that reasoning was based upon cause and effect. Causal relations help us to know things beyond our immediate vicinity. All of our knowledge is based on experience. Therefore, we need experience to come to causal relationships of the world and experience constant conjunction. Hume stated that he shall venture to affirm, as a general proposition which admits no exception, that the knowledge of this relation is not in any instance, attained by reasonings a priori, but arises entirely from experience. (42) Unfortunately, our experience of constant conjunction only tells us about the past. Rationally, that is all it tells us. We can expect the effect to follow the cause, but it is not a sufficient basis to assume the effect will come from the cause in the future. These things are contingent- they could be different. The connection between these two propositions is not intuitive it is always inferred. Hume asserted that the future will resemble the past. This is the assumption underlying all our ideas of causality. If the future does not resemble the past, then all our reason based on cause and effect will crumble. When Hume proposed questions such as Is there any more intelligible proposition then to affirm that all trees will flourish in December and January, and will decay in May and June? (49), Hume demonstrates that it is not a relation of ideas that future will resemble the past; it is possible that the course of nature will change. Therefore, what happens in the future is neither a relation of ideas, nor a matter of fact. It is impossible, therefore, that any arguments from experience can prove this resemblance of past to future, since all these arguments are founded on the supposition of that resemblance. (51) Now Hume proposed that all inferences come from custom, not reasoning. Through custom or habits, we have become accustomed to expect an effect to follow a cause. This is not a rational argument. This argument centers on the theory of constant conjunction, which does not fall under either fork of reason. All inferences from experience, therefore, are effects of custom, not reasoning. (57) Hume analyzed the idea of causality by emphasizing the three demands that can be verified through observation. First he argued the aspect of constant conjunction. In this aspect, the cause and effect must be spatially and constantly existent. Secondly, he asserted that it must have temporal priority, in that, the cause had to precede the effect. Lastly, the event must have a necessary connection- we must develop an understanding of why a cause produces a certain effect. Hume s critique of causation is that we cannot see it, we must infer it. For example, two billiard balls, one moving toward the next demonstrate temporal priority because one ball is moving first. Secondly, constant conjunction occurs because the balls exist together spatially and constantly. But, there is no necessary reason why this happens. Hume asserted that we can imagine a world in which the effect would be different. He then concluded that we can t get an impression of a necessary connection, we can only experience constant conjunction and temporal priority. Experience only teaches us how one event constantly follows another, without instructing us in the secret connection which binds them together. We therefore conclude that reason is a limited faculty and that we have no reason to trust our common methods of argument or to think that our usual analogies and probabilities have any authority. (83) In conclusion, Hume asserted that since we do not have any impression of necessary connections, it is our expectation that believes the effect will follow the cause. The appearance of a cause always conveys the mind, by a customary transition, to the idea of the effect. (87) Since we are trained to expect the impression of necessary connection, the idea of it comes from our minds. Therefore, our belief in necessary connections of the universe is based on a rational facts. Immanuel Kant, a philosopher after Hume, sets out to reform metaphysics. Kant believed that if Hume was right, metaphysics would be impossible. But, Kant was unwilling to surrender to Hume s skeptical argument, so Kant sets out to do a critique in order to explore the possibilities and reform metaphysics. Kant begins his critique searching for a priori knowledge within philosophy. Kant began to search for the a priori principles that were rationally deductible in order to explain why we perceive the things we cannot perceive. Kant believed that the only way that we could get to things necessary and universal was through a priori. Kant found that the concept of the connection of cause and effect was by no means the only concept by which the understanding thinks the connection of things a priori, but rather that metaphysics consists altogether of such concepts. (8) Kant began to examine pure a priori reason by establishing his critique. He stated that there are boundaries and contents. He set out to find what is inside the limitations and what is outside. Kant examined the three bodies of knowledge: math, physical science and metaphysics. Kant said that science must have necessity and universality. This places math and science within reason. Kant first divided judgement into two kinds of knowledge- analytic and synthetic. In the Prolegomena, Kant criticized Hume for having regarded mathematical judgements as analytic. Had he realized that they were synthetic, Hume would have been able to conclude that some synthetic judgements can be made a prior. Kant concluded that math and science fell under a priori synthetic judgements. This gives us universality, but it also tells us something. For Kant, knowledge must be necessary and universal qualities must come from a priori synthetic judgements. They have to tell us something we don t know, something completely independent of experience. This idea of Kant s, completely contradicts Hume. Hume had asserted that anything based on empirical facts had no necessity, and therefore was contingent. Hume also stated that empirical facts couldn t give us universality either, because we can t know future will resemble the past. Kant stated that all Hume s beliefs centered upon the fact that nothing but experience could furnish us with such connections. For Hume, all science was empirical, and we could only know what happened so far. In contrast, for Kant, he said that scientific laws claim necessity and universality. It is only from a priori that we get universality and necessity. Kant then continued his critique to decipher if metaphysics is possible. Kant separated the faculties of the mind and the way it thinks into three distinctive categories. First, he stated that math was exhibited through intuition. The forms of intuition were a priori and had two capacities. First, intuition gave us space and time through pure intuition, and sensory data through empirical intuition. Then, Kant set up a metaphysical distinction between numena and phenomena. Numena represents the things in themselves, while phenomena represents the things for us. In this dichotomy we have no access to numena. The only way we can get to things outside us is through intuition, but intuition has these forms. This shows our limitations. Mathematics is not applicable to numena. We can have mathematical knowledge of phenomena. From this we can infer we have inter-subjective knowledge. Kant has given us universal and necessary knowledge in the phenomenal realm. Kant points out that the error may arise owing to an illusion, in which [he proclaim] to be universally valid what is merely a subjective condition of the intuition of thing and certain only of all objects of senses, namely for all possible experience. (39) Kant has just suggested that the error and base for all metaphysics is not distinguishing between phenomena and numena. Finally, Kant explained that everything is a distinction of phenomena and numena. We receive necessity and universality through this distinction and also from the projection that phenomena comes from certain a priori aspects. Therefore, the future will resemble the past, because we make it resemble the past. Kant used understanding, the second faculty of the mind to explain causality. As the understanding stands in need of categories for experience, reason contains in itself the source of ideas. (76) The function of understanding is thinking, and thinking must use concepts to be an objective thought. The presence of this objective thought verifies its actuality. Therefore, causality, for Kant, was the way in which mind puts together experiences to understand them. Kant found many problems within Hume s account. Through his endeavors to prove that metaphysics is possible, and his analyzing of causality, Kant solved the problems he saw within Hume s account. Specifically, in the Prolegomena, Kant stated that Hume justly maintains that we cannot comprehend by reason the possibility of causality. (57) Kant also attacked Hume s ideas by describing Hume s treatment of the concept of causality to be a bastard of the imagination, impregnated by experience. (5) Kant succeeded in re- establishing the objectivity of causality, a task that Hume had rejected as impossible.

Descrimination of Women Essay

Have you ever thought why people are different from each other? There are many differences such as intelligence, opinions, appearances, personalities and genders. Genders represent the differences and also similarities between men and women. Equality of women and men has been disputed for many years. Some people consider that this kind of equality is impossible because of their physical properties while others say the exact opposite. But no matter what they say, both sexes differ from each other greatly in some respect. In the past years, men used to be considered superior, so men were more important and valuable in the society than women. The stories Desiree’s baby and Trespass are focused the racism and discrimination by men on women. There we can see the both male demonism and racism which are very extremely harass women’s feelings. The both stories â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† and â€Å"Trespass† shows the relationship between men and women in different ways. Desiree’s Baby is the unfortunate story of a young woman who falls victim to both social and racial inequality by a man. The story is going around a husband and a wife. There is a clear undertone to the relationship between them. Both authors’ works focus on the choices and pressures that both of the main characters endure throughout the stories. Both females were powerless against their male society. The author Chopin takes a deep look into the personal thoughts and desires of her characters, especially married woman Desiree in the â€Å"Desiree’s Baby†. Socialized into thinking that African ancestry, the brand of slavery, is abominable, Armand suddenly hates his wife Desiree and the baby because of their tragic flaw, their African blood, which dramatically destroys his role as husband and father. When one’s racist nature eradicates unexpectedly the role of loving and caring for his or her relatives, the family system collapses miserably, thereby tracing a sense of seamless dismay, distress, and despair. On the other hand, the girl, Carla facing different problems in different ways by some boys and the society in Trespass. Carla struggles with the greasy qualities of language throughout this story. She struggles to understand the language style and struggles to describe to the police the relatively simple image of a man masturbating. Although she sees the image intensely in her head, she acks the tools to put it into communicable form, in either English or Spanish. The sexual content of the experience is no less an obstacle than her poor English. She realizes she has no word for genitalia in any language, although the policemen are able to follow her euphemistic substitutions easily enough. Her effort reveals the massive distance that a personal experience must cross in order to be comprehended by others, a fact we often take for granted, and which the policemen do not seem to sympathize with. In Desiree’s Baby, Desiree is asked to take her child and leave her husband Armand. Armand no longer loves his wife, because their son is not white. As Desiree explains the situation to her mother in a letter, she is lost and confused. â€Å"My mother, they tell me I am not white. Armand told me I am not white† (Chopin 6). Without Desiree knowing, it is Armand who is the cause of her son being black. Desiree’s character is strong, but very ignorant as to her family history. When Armand blames her for making the child not fully white, she has no rebuttal for she knows not where or who she came from. Desiree is a gentle and caring young woman for has a lot of heart and love for her family and friends. It is very sad that Desiree will never know the truth about why her child is mixed. If we take a look at the Trespass, the defining quality of the policemen is their indifference to her difficulties putting the image into words. Carla compares the policemen’s faces to images in a movie she is watching. The figure of speech suggests that the true drama is occurring in Carla’s mind as she confronts the imperfect bridge that language throws over the terrifying gulf between individuals. When the boys on the playground use ugly words to describe her new body, she feels almost as if they have the power of spells to create the body itself. Their language may not be literally magical, but it has the power of metaphor; it comes to define her body for her, rather than allowing her to come to her own private understanding of her sexual being. The discrimination and sexuality are equally incomprehensible, hostile, and inescapable for Desiree and Carla. The both stories mainly focused on the mentality of the two females who were struggled due to the inequality. Over the past years both gender had the big gap to understand each other; it is due to the concept of the racism and discrimination. Moreover the relationship between men and women has been changing since the world has developed. Social differences are the most studied characteristics between men and women. Both have unlike social distinctions. Women have more interaction than men among members of a group. Also, women develop more friendships than men. Men and women have peer pressure differences. For example, Men are disposed to follow their friend’s behavior, and more prejudice about what the group thinks about them than women. Men and women have adaptability differences.

Matthew Mazzotta Essay

In John Milton Cooper Jr’s â€Å"Why Wisconsin? The Badger State in the Progressive Era† he talks about why Wisconsin was the leading state in the progressive movement and if it was just by a freak accident or not. Wisconsin became known as the laboratory of democracy around this time period by leading the reform movements that became known as progressivism. Many people like to accredit this to its people’s naturally bright, creative, forward looking attitudes. Yet there was no good reason why Wisconsin should have been the state to take the lead with this movement. Urban reforms are what first made an impact in the change in Wisconsin’s laws. There were many municipal reforms in many of the larger cities and towns but none of them ever grew into full-fledged movements that made it to other cities and states. Wisconsin took the lead in this movement in 1900 when Robert M. La Follette won the governorship at the head of an insurgent republican party that wanted to reform railroad taxation, railroad regulation, and the direct primary. From that moment on Wisconsin would remain at the head of the movement. The timing of this was one of the big factors that contributed to Wisconsin’s success. There were state wide reform movements appearing all over the mid-west, Ohio or Michigan may have beaten Wisconsin to the punch if it wasn’t for La Follette’s election at that time. Historians like to say that a person does not a movement make. But without La Follette Wisconsin probably would never had advanced as far as it did. Another fact that helped Wisconsin enter the reform as early as it did was its relative weakness of the conservative business allied elements that held power in the Republican Party, there was no political machine that ran the state. So clearly Wisconsin’s leading role in the progressive movement was not all due to one man, but that doesn’t make La Follette’s impact in the state any less real. Wisconsin became the lead in this movement by being the first to enact laws on a state level, which would never have happened so fast if it wasn’t for La Follette.   Between his elections he made sure to keep his name out there in the people’s minds by tirelessly speaking about reform issues, he also contacted likeminded leaders in counties and towns across the state and kept their names in an elaborate filing system, talking with them through frequent letters and meetings. La Follette’s followers called themselves â€Å"progressives† one of the first times the word that would become the signature for this era was used. Thanks to Muck-raking journalists who were pointing to La Follette and his state as shining examples on how to make things better, Wisconsin become renowned as the flagship state for reform. The progressives in the state would have times where the â€Å"Stalwarts† took control of the state but after a few of those times the progressives help on to control for over 20 years. So in conclusion, there were many reasons why Wisconsin was the leading state in the reform policies of the progressive era. Some of the reasons are directly related to people and their actions, and some are thanks to good luck and amazing timing. La Follette was the main reason that Wisconsin was able to do so well for itself, his amazing charisma unrelenting drive for changed is what pushed Wisconsin to pass all the reform laws that’s it did so early in the era. Yet if La Follette didn’t get elected when he did Wisconsin may have been lost in the confusion because other states would have beat them to the punch. Another reason why they did so well was because of their lack of a strong political machine that ran the state making it easy to pass laws and change things that have been the same in the state for so very long. So all in all La Follette was the main reason that Wisconsin was the flagship of the progressive movement, but he had plenty of help from luck, good ti ming, and amazing circumstances.

Manufacturing Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Manufacturing Process - Essay Example One thing that I found interesting and unique is the upgrading to vision sensor applications system technology from sensor technology. The main aim of upgrading was reduction of expenses related with an unfinished manufacturing processes as well as increasing the manufacturing effectiveness and efficiency within the factory. Additionally, J&J installed a vision system aimed at maintaining the standards of each product the company manufactures. Their slogan thus goes, â€Å"We never pass defect to customers.†Secondly, I was also amazed by team work at J&J. Thus J&J’s engineering team collaborated well with their Servo Dynamics in studying, planning, implementing as well as integrating the vision system with the factory first.J&J has also effectively managed in resolving sensor error problem .This has effectively reduced the manufacturing downtime by rate to zero percent (Shreefal, 2008). Following the success of vision technology systems, J&J is seriously pondering extending putting in place vision systems in the manufacturing lines of the rest of the products so as to manage high demand from the market. Maintenance of has always been, continues to be J&J’S key and first

Written Assignment 3 - Bank of America Corporation

Written 3 - Bank of America Corporation - Assignment Example Purchasing countrywide financial and Merrill lynch can be termed as an unwise decision taken by the company (Richard, 2013) as they did this while the economy faced a financial crisis. Therefore, the company failed to make sound decisions relating to its operations. Bank of America serves as the largest consumer bank in the United States of America. It has a large number of members, both locally and internationally. Being a global company allows it to reach a wider group of customers, thus increasing its competitiveness. More to these, the company deals with a multiple of activities. The activities include consumer and small business banking, corporate banking, credit cards, mortgage lending, and asset management. The various activities contribute to the success of the company as losses in one segment can be countered by profits in another sector. More to this, the law suit against the company exposes it to negative publicity, which may lead to greater losses of the company. The bank also faces a financial shortage, which makes the running of the organization difficult. According to the company’s balance sheet for this period, the company experienced a decrease in its cash resources by $12912 million, its fixed assets dropped by $1194 million, while the noncurrent assets increased by $42804 million. The debtors of the company increased by $3708 million. This shows that the company’s operations became worse from 2009 to 2010. More to these, the liabilities of the company grew by $44806 million, thus depicting financial difficulties for the company. In terms of shareholding, the number of preference shares reduced by more than half within this period, but the ordinary shareholding increased marginally. However, the company received a decline in the amount of total equity from 2009 to 2010. Given the need to retain, and attract more customers to the company, the bank should focus on promoting the convenience of

Case Study Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Report - Case Study Example Apart from these provisions, there are other  Individual  indispensable needs such as education that social environment should  offer: counseling therapy at times of psychological turmoil, security, independence, and family, makes the proceeding of the list. A person achieves a state of peace and psychological stability when he or she has the advantage of accessing all these needs. In the case of the 21-year-old Simon, it is apparent that he has traveled through a chain of disappointing case scenarios in life that had altered his thinking and relationships with those he cared for including his mother (Gambrill, 2006). Simon’s problems did not commence when he quit his job. As a counselor, I can trace his troubles from childhood stages when he witnessed the tragic event of a divorce of his parents. Divorce has extremely adverse effects on children. In fact, it has been argued and established that divorce affects children caught up in such marriages with the intense trauma that surpasses that of the parents. Effects of divorce can manifest in adulthood even 20 twenty years later. Divorce instills feelings of despair and rejection. He must have felt rejected since childhood and to make the matters worse, the events of maltreatment kept on recurring in his life experiences. Subconsciously, he was building blocks for protection, which is normal for every ego. Community plays a vital role in an individual’s development since it provides the social environment that nurtures a person’s social growth (Rosen & Proctor, 2013). The community determines whether a person will develop socia l or social attributes. Definitely, the environment begins with the family set-up, which is the primary determinant given it poses as the immediate social environ for every individual. Feeling instilled in one’s persona at home can reflect secondary environs. For instance, a student who has issues at home can project those

Division in the nineteenth-century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Division in the nineteenth-century - Essay Example For example, Stephen Dedalus identifies (like his father) with Parnell, the fallen champion of Irish independence (â€Å"Home Rule†), yet he later rejects the Gaelic nativism and nationalism of his college friend Davin. Write an essay that analyzes and illustrates the hybrid postcolonial attitudes toward Irish politics, language, and culture in Portrait. The Christmas dinner scene, Stephen’s conversation with the dean of studies, or his exchanges with Davin are examples of passages you might consider. You havent defined what "hybrid attitudes" are and I dont understand what this sentence means:   "These hybrid attitudes Stephen encounters throughout the novel only help Stephen strive for his own identity and escape the connection the Irish have made with the dominant culture---the English."   I dont know what "hybrid attitudes" could "help Stephen strive for his own identity and escape the connection . . . with .   . the English," which contradicts the whole idea of postcolonial hybridity.   First youd need to tell us what "hybrid attitudes" you mean (Im not aware of any).   The Christmas dinner scene, for example, doesnt show us a hybrid culture; it shows hostility between two different political/religious causes (which youd have to name and explain before wed undestand them):   theyre not "hybrid" in themselves.   Im not sure youre understanding what the question says about "hybridity your statement isnt true: Stephen *cant* "escape the connection . . . with . . . the English."   That he cant escape it is what makes *his* identity hybrid and postcolonial.   And the "attitudes" youre discssuing below arent hybrids:   Mr. Casey  is a Parnellite who  favors Irish independence  (the "native" side); Dante, because of her Catholicism, is anti-Parnellite and therefore sides with British political interests (the "imperial" side).   Both scenes are relevant and yes the xmas dinner

HRM practice in USA and Russia Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HRM practice in USA and Russia - Coursework Example Culture plays a significant role in terms of designing human resource management practice. HRM practice in Russia is highly distinct from that of USA. Socio-political nature and cultural context are different in these countries. This study shall be divided into two segments. In first part human resource management practices in Russia and USA will be analyzed and the second part shall deal with influencing factors affecting human resource management practice. Human resource management practice in United States is unique since the country focuses on acquiring talented individuals on board. The recruitment system which is implemented by the country is neither position based nor career based. Direct application procedure is utilized while recruiting for public sector. External applicants can easily apply for different organizational positions. In context of recruitment, no diversity policies are encouraged but more preference is given specifically to military veterans. Incentives or bonuses are formulated by agencies whereas pay-scale is structured by the government. Employment cost index is responsible for calculating base salary and there is no negotiation encouraged at collective or individual level. Salary level is adjusted on basis of seniority positions. Promotions at all possible staff level is on basis of qualifications. Performance appraisal scheme or experience is not considered to be vital factors when it comes to promotion (Paau we, 2004). Job postings are available to all employees and HR department or assessment centres are solely responsible for selection of applicants. Hierarchical grades are not taken into consideration while giving promotions. Coaching sessions are also hosted for promotion of disabled, women or other minority section. Internal mobility level is stable within United States. Training programs are organized for all team members

Congressinal committee hearing simulation Essay

Congressinal committee hearing simulation - Essay Example On provision of temporary work visas, the bill aims at increasing the availability of a workforce that is non-immigrant with the main aim of reinforcing the existing workforce. I therefore suggests adoption of the bill on the basis that it would commit resources necessary to streamline and modernize current immigration legal systems.Similarly,the bill apart from playing a pivotal role in securing the borders would make regulations tough but not punitive program for guest workers in the United States. The bill covers the business and labor aspects that take into consideration future plights of the workforce. It entails the chances of those under worker program being considered for permanent residence application. Under this tittle, issuances of both permanent and temporary visas are covered. It incorporates aspects of AgJOBS and DREAM ACT. This is to cover undocumented people and workers on agricultural sector respectively (Eule 22-25). Eligibility and requirements The bill is compreh ensive under with its guidelines on those who are eligible for immigrant programs and details of requirements. Workers will need to apply for visa considerations if they have been the United States for at least six years. The applicants need to have a clean integrity records and must have not been convicted in more than three occasions. In the same line, applicants should be admissible under the prevailing legislations. However, this group will not be privileged to benefit from Medicaid, affordable care act, and food stamps. It is recommended that those who have had their application pending for the past five years or even more be considered. The nature of the bill and the fact that it directly influences the revenue collection needed by the various State governments motivates me to vote for the guest worker visa program bill. The other reason is that, security concerns with the bill in terms of border security is a matter that can easily be kept in check by the immigration regulati ons with least interference from the new bill. The decision to vote for this bill is purely because of its general and long-term benefits to the state and even to the guest workers. The sensitivity of the bill therefore pushes me to vote without putting many considerations on party lines but purely on personal conviction.Similarly, the issue of temporary visas would make those who previously stayed and work illegally in the United States come up and apply for the temporary visas. This is because there security and stay in the United States would have a legal backing even if it is temporary. It is my contribution that the six-year period placed as the least number of years to qualify for work visa application be amended. Six years is a long time based on the individual’s contribution to the state. These years should therefore be reduced to three. If such an amendment is effected, then it would encourage influx of gifted expertise from other states. This would in turn facilitat e further revenue to the United States government that could be in return invested in other sectors. Additionally, the amendment plays a pivotal role in filling workforce deficits in areas such as the agricultural and economic sector (Eule 71-73).

Climate Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Climate Change - Research Paper Example This issue is extremely important because it can cause a lot of damage to human beings if nothing is done about it in the future. It can have life-threatening ramifications should nothing be done about it immediately. Methane is another very important greenhouse gas, large quantities of methane is produced by domesticated animals which again directly affects the environment. Coal mining and oil drilling are other activities which produce methane in abundance; these activities are done on a daily basis producing unimaginable quantities of methane. These important things must be understood to be really able to restore the normal climatic conditions, there is a lot of pollution everywhere these days, the most populated countries like India and China release alarming amounts of harmful gases each day, this must be put to an end soon to ensure that there are no calamities in the future. â€Å"Electricity is the main source of power in urban areas. All our gadgets run on electricity generated mainly from thermal power plants. These thermal power plants are run on fossil fuels (mostly coal) and are responsible for the emission of huge amounts of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.† (Causes of Climate Change) â€Å"Much of the world’s economy is underpinned by carbon – the ‘fuel’ in fossil fuels. ... Deforestation is certainly one thing which we must refrain from doing, there are other activities like mining, running air conditioners the whole day and so on, these activities release harmful gases into the environment which in turn cause climate change. It is high time to reduce these activities gradually so that we do not face the wrath of Mother Nature. ii. Carbon dioxide emission can be drastically reduced by using solar energy and LPG, LPG is being used in some countries and some others use solar energy but it is important to cut down the carbon dioxide emission otherwise it is all doom and gloom for us. iii. The most important thing is to ensure that Co2 emission is reduced drastically, the next important thing is to ensure that no deforestation takes place. Cutting down on methane is also very important. Other things include cutting down on wastage like running air conditioners for fewer hours so that it emits harmful gases for a limited hours. These things can bring about a lot of positive changes. iv. â€Å"Climate change may result from both natural and human causes. The importance of human causes has been increasing during the past few decades.† (Global Warming Facts) Global warming and climate change are very closely related concepts; the depletion of the ozone layer is expected to cause a lot of damage. Skin cancer is one of the biggest fears should the ozone layer be depleted further. â€Å"Livestock lead rice-growing, gas-flaring, and mining in global emissions of this highly potent greenhouse gas. Options for reducing methane emissions go beyond reducing beef and dairy consumption. These mitigation strategies also include reducing methane emissions from mines, gas production facilities, and

Asian American Literature Essay Example for Free

Asian American Literature Essay The stereotype created of Japanese men as military foes combined nationalism with racism. Since their physique has always been considered small, the danger from the Japanese was perceived to come from the Japanese Superman, possessed of uncanny discipline and fighting skills. Films, often punctuated with racial slurs, were quick to paint Japan’s treachery in battle, its brutality, and disregard for international rules of war. These stereotypic images carried over to Japanese-American men outside the context of the war. Pearl Harbor and the war years enabled Hollywood to revive the yellow peril characteristics and the fear of miscegenation. By the end of the war, Americans had learned to associate brutality and treachery with a Japanese face. Caricatures of the Japanese were found in the cartoons of the period. Warner Brothers, Looney Tunes, created a duck version of â€Å"The Jap† who had glasses, buckteeth and cries â€Å"oh sorry, sorry, sorry† (with slurred r’s). They also created â€Å"Tokyo Jokio† and â€Å"Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips. † The buck-toothed Japanese became a standard cartoon figure. Max Fleischer created a Popeye the Sailor cartoon entitled â€Å"You’re A Sap, Mr. Jap†, which is a song Popeye sings over and over. This cartoon showed the Japanese deceiving Popeye, causing him to cry out righteously: â€Å"Double-Crossing Japanese† The portrayal of women during this period fared no better. The common stereotype was the â€Å"Dragon Lady,† â€Å"Geisha Girl,† and â€Å"Tokyo Rose,† who had a penchant for White men, dressed in tight dresses, and bodies on display. They are sly, cruel, exotic sex objects, or subservient and hardworking. Shirley Geok-Lin Lim, in â€Å"Feminist and Ethnic Literary Theories in Asian American Literature† comments on how â€Å"the image of Japanese-American women usually remains on the margin, invisible, mute or constrained to limited stereotypic images of passion. † The media played on these stereotypes to sell misleading images to audiences, who wanted entertainment that was different from their normal lives and were willing to see and accept anything exotic. The stereotypes of Japanese and Japanese-American women were pervasive in the media because the media perpetuated these stereotypes through their portrayal of Japanese and Japanese-Americans. Unfortunately, for some, they still carry over in the perceptions of the American people. Japanese-Americans are challenging the stereotypical images of the past and have made a voice for themselves in American society. They are fighting against the persistent racism and sexism against themselves by establishing a unifying identity as Americans and monitoring the media’s representations. Although ethnic stereotyping is less common today than it was in the last century, it persists. The images are not so obviously offensive; consequently, many people do not recognize them as stereotypes. In terms of dramatic expression, then, the Japanese film labors under a heavy burden. If it portrays emotion within the traditional Japanese framework, it may achieve authenticity, but the effect is antiquated. If it portrays emotion within the Western framework, it comes across as meretricious and unconvincing. Films that try to blend the two modes often end up antiquated and unconvincing. Yet in animation, which lacks visual realism and features de-Japanized characters to begin with, the expression of emotion paradoxically takes on a more convincing sense of reality. This may explain why most of the serious and ambitious film efforts have used the vehicle of anime. Given the serious dramatic deficiency, Japanese live-action films can no longer tackle any serious or profound subject matter. In the context of contemporary Japanese film, then, anime often conveys a greater sense of reality than live-action films. The thin, insubstantial reality of animated film, that is to say, is more alive — literally, more animated — than the flesh-and-blood reality. And if anime is perceived as more real (i. e. , closer to physical reality) than live-action, this means that, increasingly, anime embodies the Japanese consciousness of reality. The Japanese conception of reality is undergoing a process of animation. The rise of anime as well as manga is a cultural by-product of modern Japans tendency to promote modernization and Westernization while rejecting its history and traditions. A medium that fuses elements of East and West, and lacks a clear national identity, could be considered international in a certain sense, and this is doubtless a major reason why anime has so many fans overseas. But the current state of affairs, in which anime represents the mainstream of Japanese cinema, is by no means desirable, inasmuch as it signifies an ever-widening gap between physical reality and peoples conception of it.

Asher Farms Essay Example for Free

Asher Farms Essay Political – In class the major political topic that we focused on was possible affects on the industry if immigration laws became stricter. This industry is highly dependent on cheap labor. If all of a sudden there were not enough workers in the industry there would not be enough chicken available to meet the demand. Economic – Evident from the case, the chicken market is heavily influenced by currency fluctuation. This is because 15% of the total poultry production is exported and therefore changes in the price of the dollar can make chicken much more expensive in other countries or it can have a reverse effect. Social – Over the past couple of decades there has clearly been a shift in the amount of different types of meat products that are consumed. Those who watch their what they eat are more likely to eat chicken for the high protein benefits and minimizing some of the harmful affects of red meat. Technological – There had been a strong push for more efficient technology to be produced in this industry. The technology developments range from the machinery that does some of the work to new genetic engineering of the food that the chickens eat. These advancements allowed for the growth of the chicken industry without and slowdowns. Legal – Animal rights advocates have had major impacts on the ways that chickens can be processed. The conditions that the chickens live in could cause some legal problems in the future in different animal rights groups wanted to make changes. Environmental – Spread of disease always seems to be a major concern in the food industry. Contamination is very possible and could potentially cause huge problems. The FDA would like to minimize the possible affects of any type disease from spreading such as salmonella or other bacteria’s that are harmful. I feel that all of the business risks identified in question 1, the PESTLE acronym, all have the same potential to impact the risk of material misstatements on the financial statements. These business risks would all put revenue, cost of goods sold, wage expenses, and certain discloses at risk for being misstated. This would require more substantive tests to provide more reliable evidence that the financial statements are correctly stated. Obtaining knowledge about the client’s industry helps to highlight practices unique to that industry that may have an effect on the client’s financial statements. The auditor should obtain knowledge relating to the client’s business before commencing the audit. Understanding the client’s business provides information regarding events and transactions that may affect the client’s financial statements. Just like an auditor is not responsible to provide absolute assurance that the financial statements are correct, an auditory does not have the responsibility to identify or assess all business risks because it would be not efficient, timely, or costly to do so. As discussed in question 1, some examples of business risks that should be considered include; immigration concerns, currency fluctuation, health changes, technological development, and the spread of disease. An example of a business risk that might not lead to a risk of material misstatement in the financial statements that we discussed in class was opening new locations and growing the business.

The Conditions Under Deviant Behavior Problems Criminology Essay

The Conditions Under Deviant Behavior Problems Criminology Essay The conditions under which deviant behavior exists have presented an enduring question for researchers. Within the literature the majority of definitions of deviance share one commonality: that social norms and values subjectively label behaviors as deviant. Similar to the number of theories of deviance there exist a number of motivations why individuals choose to engage in deviant behavior. Existing theories-general strain, anomie, labeling, control, and learning-examine these factors and attempt to clarify the hows and whys of deviant behavior. The most common factors which facilitate individual deviance include personal strain, social disorganization, a lack of self-control, and the perception that the benefits for engaging in deviance outweighing the potential costs. Because of these variations there is currently no universally-accepted theory of deviance. Introduction An urgent question in contemporary social sciences is how and why certain behaviors, attributes, or classes of individuals come to be defined as deviant.  [1]  Since social groups make the rules, deviant behavior results from individuals who fail to adhere to said rules. When behaviors are defined as deviant it is assumed that they will either promote or inhibit individual motivation to engage in such acts and will evoke certain social responses which serve to influence subsequent behavior by those within said society.  [2]  A number of theorists attempt to identify a commonality to the different types of deviant behavior. The underlying theme is that this type of behavior offends societys normative order and deviance becomes a theoretical construct of this consensus. There exist a number of theories which seek to define how individuals and their behavior are identified as deviant. Definitions of and Motivations for Deviant Behavior Despite a wide variety of definitions of deviance there is consensus that deviance refers to behaviors or attributes manifested by specified kinds of people in specified circumstances that are judged to violate the normative expectations of a specified group.  [3]  This consensus perspective serves to promote collective agreement as to what core values, norms, and goals should be. Behavior that falls outside of the specified parameters are deemed deviant. The degree of deviance is directly correlated to the perceived serious of the punitive response it elicits. Many questions abound as to individual motivations to engage in deviant behavior. Fundamentally, if one anticipates that satisfaction will ensue from engaging in the behavior then he will do so. Hirschi (1969) asserts that the motivation for deviance is always present and that research should examine the circumstances which permit individuals to act on these motivations.  [4]  In another view, Merton (1938) argues that societal strain increases motivation for deviance in order to achieve certain unattainable culturally-sanctioned goals.  [5]  Where the majority of individuals will embrace conformity as a response to strain others resort to deviance. Similarly, Tittles (1995) control balance theory assumes that individuals have a strong need to exercise control over themselves and to escape having control exerted over them by others while Katz (1988) argues that the motivation to deviance occurs to protect ones self esteem, encourage a desired reputation, establish autonomy, [ or] demonstrate competence, for example.  [6]   These theories all share the presumption that deviance is motivated by the need to adapt to psychological distress which results from the failure to achieve desired goals through conventional means. Accordingly, when pushes, or psychological impulses which compel an individual to engage in deviant behavior, and pulls, or the attraction of deviant opportunities, interact then motivation for deviance increases.  [7]  Deviance results from individuals motive to engage in deviant behavior being stronger than the motive not to amidst the existence of the opportunity to do so. Theoretical Foundations There are two primary types of theories to explain deviance: structural and processual. Structural theories are labeled sociological theories while processual ones are termed social psychological theories due to the differences in goals and scope.  [8]  Structural theories emphasize the relationship of deviant behavior to particular structural conditions within society and attempt to explain why deviance is higher in certain areas, such as those with lower socioeconomic status.  [9]  On the other hand, processual theories seek to describe the processes by which people engage in deviant behavior by attempting to explain the conditions which lead to the commission of deviant acts.  [10]  With respect to scope, structural theories address the epidemiology, or distribution in time and space of deviance and processual theories focus upon the etiology, or specific causes, of deviance.  [11]   Specific Theories of Deviance General Strain Theory (GST) GST addresses the interrelatedness of strain and its emotional response, individual coping mechanisms, and deviance.  [12]  As a theory it focuses not upon strain itself but upon individual responses to strain and seeks to identify those characteristics which enable non-deviant responses amid strain. Sharp, Brewster Love (2005) argue that certain types of strain create certain actions which influence delinquent behaviors. Anger, for example is an emotional response which has a high likelihood of encouraging deviant behavior. Therefore, where there is a strain-particularly one perceived as unfair-low social control creates pressure which, in turn, causes deviant behavior.  [13]  Research indicates that gender is a strong predictor of strain-induced deviance with males more overt in their responses than females who tend to internalize strain. GST has been used considerably in the study of juvenile deviance. Repeated exposure to stressful life experiences has been found to both escalate and accelerate juvenile delinquency and depending upon when during ones life-course trajectory the strain occurs different implications ensue. The literature suggests that involvement in delinquency begins to increase during early adolescence, peaking around age 16 and 17, and followed by a decline in such behavior.  [14]  Agnew (1997, 2006) claims that this life-course trajectory highlights that adolescence is a period of high transitions, that adolescents perceive their environment as negative more so than adults, and that there is an increased propensity for juveniles to react to adversity through deviant behavior.  [15]  The lack of useful coping mechanisms in juveniles makes it difficult to react to strain more effectively. Anomie Theory According to anomie theory-much like GST-deviance results from social disorganization in that elements in society promote deviant behavior by making such behavior a feasible adjustment to society. Where the earliest form of this theory hypothesized that anomie results from a failure to achieve positively-valued goals Agnew (2001) expanded upon this theory by including that anomie can also result when positive stimuli are removed and when negative stimuli are applied.  [16]  One criticism of anomie theory is that it assumes universality in what should be defined as deviant and how most individuals should behave; however, in reality, deviance is a relative concept so this universality is erroneous.  [17]   Labeling Theory Labeling theory presents an interactionist perspective to the study of deviant behavior by stressing the importance of the processes through which society labels a particular act as deviant and the subsequent negative social sanctions which influence the individual to engage in further deviance.  [18]  Becker (1973) claims that deviance is a consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an offender.  [19]  Therefore, while the act or the person may not be inherently deviant, existing social controls create deviance by defining acts that the majority believes to be so and, consequently, labeling individuals who engage in such acts as deviant. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy by amplifying the very phenomenon that it is intended to suppress.  [20]  Of primary importance is that subsequent events serve to reinforce the deviance because an individual internalizes the label attached to him by societys stigmatizing and creates secondary, or tertiary, deviance. The labeling itself serves to ensure that every society has a percentage of deviants which is critical to maintain the majority consensus.  [21]   Control Theory Control theory is similar to anomie and social disorganization theories to the degree that deviance results from the lack of social controls on individual restraint to engage in deviant behavior.  [22]  Durkheim (1933) asked why people conform to social norms instead of why they engage in deviant behavior. Under this theory it is assumed that everyone would engage in deviant behavior if given the chance, that a small amount of social controls will increase deviance, and that there exists a central value system which defines deviance in society.  [23]  There are four components of an individuals societal bond which serve to prevent deviance: attachment to specific groups through affection, respect, and socialization; commitment to accepting conforming behavior; involvement in non-delinquent behavior; and a belief in the dominant value system of any particular group.  [24]  When social bonds are reestablished or strengthened then the deviant behavior ceases. Accordingly, individuals who engage in deviant behavior do so due to low self-control. Under this theory low self-control is comprised of six personality traits: anger, impulsivity, preference for simple tasks, risk-seeking, being more physical than mental, and being self-centered.  [25]  Gottfredson Hirschis (1990) self-control theory asserts that inadequate child-rearing results in lowered self-control which facilitates a predisposition to engage in deviant behavior.  [26]  They also claim that individuals who engage in one type of deviant act will commit other deviant acts. Learning or Socialization Theory These theories suggest that deviance is a learned behavior similar to how non-deviant individuals learn conforming behavior. By attempting to distinguish variations in behaviors theorists assume that differences in rates of deviance among various groups can be determined. One of the most widely-cited learning theories is Sutherlands (1947) differential association theory which postulates that deviant behavior results from normative conflicts in neighborhood structures, peer group relationships, and the organization of family in society.  [27]  The fundamental tenets of Sutherlands theory are that criminal behavior is learned, that learning is a result of personal interaction, that primary learning occurs in intimate group settings, that people learn that socially-normative attitudes are either favorable or not, that deviant behavior results when conditions favorable to deviance exceed those unfavorable to violating the law, and that deviant behavior cannot be explained by general needs and values.  [28]  Accordingly, an individual learns various motives which are favorable to engaging in deviant behaviors as well as rationalizations and techniques for achieving them. While the behavior may be defined as deviant to the rest of society, within a particular individuals in-group the behavior may adhere to the groups norms. Akers (1985, 1989) expanded upon Sutherlands work by adding that deviance results when a person learns definitions that portray some conduct as a desirable, even though deviant, action.  [29]  If an individual is rewarded for a deviant act by his in-group then he becomes socialized to continue the behavior under the expectation of similar positive experiences for subsequent acts. Other Theories Deterrence theory asks whether the expectation of certain, severe, and swift punishment for engaging in deviant behavior would deter such behavior.  [30]  Rational choice theory addresses an individuals anticipated cost-benefit ratio of acting on deviant impulses. A greater expected or perceived benefit increases the likelihood that the individual will commit the act. Finally, conflict theory asserts that the development of formal social controls and laws are legitimized by the more powerful societal groups.  [31]   Conclusion The wide variation of social psychological theories of deviant behavior seeks to answer why individuals become motivated to engage in deviant behavior, how behaviors and attitudes are defined as deviant, what factors facilitate deviant behavior, why some deviant behavior is escalated, and what consequences exist.  [32]  Despite the number and variety of theories of deviance the commonality is that this concept is a socially-defined construct utilized to maintain a societys normative values. The disparities in definitions of deviance among societies make it difficult to establish an all-encompassing theory to explain the existence of deviant behavior in contemporary society.

Essay --

The History of a Pià ±ata A pià ±ata is known to be a container that is made of a few different materials. They are mostly made of pottery, cloth or paper machà ©. Pià ±atas are usually decorated, filled with candy and toys so that when they are broken during a celebration or ceremony, the goodies burst out for everyone to enjoy. Pià ±atas come in a lot of different colors and shapes. When the pià ±atas were first made, the Chinese pià ±atas were in the shape of an ox or cow and used for the New Year celebration. Today, pià ±atas come in many shapes, colors, designs and even characters. Some people believe that the pià ±ata’s origin is not Spanish, it is Chinese. For the Chinese, it was decorated with real symbols and the colors that were used for the pià ±ata were mainly used to bring good weather for the next season. During that time, the contents of the pià ±ata were not toys and candy, but instead five different seeds. It is now known to have a meaning for Christian’s during the celebration of Lent in Spain. The pià ±ata can be easily made with using only few materials such as cardboard tubes from pap... Essay -- The History of a Pià ±ata A pià ±ata is known to be a container that is made of a few different materials. They are mostly made of pottery, cloth or paper machà ©. Pià ±atas are usually decorated, filled with candy and toys so that when they are broken during a celebration or ceremony, the goodies burst out for everyone to enjoy. Pià ±atas come in a lot of different colors and shapes. When the pià ±atas were first made, the Chinese pià ±atas were in the shape of an ox or cow and used for the New Year celebration. Today, pià ±atas come in many shapes, colors, designs and even characters. Some people believe that the pià ±ata’s origin is not Spanish, it is Chinese. For the Chinese, it was decorated with real symbols and the colors that were used for the pià ±ata were mainly used to bring good weather for the next season. During that time, the contents of the pià ±ata were not toys and candy, but instead five different seeds. It is now known to have a meaning for Christian’s during the celebration of Lent in Spain. The pià ±ata can be easily made with using only few materials such as cardboard tubes from pap...

Personality Theories Essay -- essays research papers Freud Psychology

Personality Theories   Table of Contents Freud Jung Adler Rogers Maslow Humanistic strengths and weakness Psychodynamic strengths and weakness Some similarities of both Web Resources Freud Biography Biography Sigmund Freud was born May 6, 1856, in a small town -- Freiberg -- in Moravia. His father was a wool merchant with a keen mind and a good sense of humor. His mother was a lively woman, her husband's second wife and 20 years younger. She was 21 years old when she gave birth to her first son, her darling, Sigmund. Sigmund had two older half-brothers and six younger siblings. When he was four or five -- he wasn't sure -- the family moved to Vienna, where he lived most of his life. A brilliant child, always at the head of his class, he went to medical school, one of the few viable options for a bright Jewish boy in Vienna those days. There, he became involved in research under the direction of a physiology professor named Ernst Brà ¼cke. Brà ¼cke believed in what was then a popular, if radical, notion, which we now call reductionism: "No other forces than the common physical-chemical ones are active within the organism." Freud would spend many years trying to "reduce" personality to neurology, a cause he later gave up on. Freud was very good at his research, concentrating on neurophysiology, even inventing a special cell-staining technique. But only a limited number of positions were available, and there were others ahead of him. Brà ¼cke helped him to get a grant to study, first with the great psychiatrist Charcot in Paris, then with his rival Bernheim in Nancy. Both these gentlemen were investigating the use of hypnosis with hysterics. After spending a short time as a resident in neurology and director of a children's ward in Berlin, he came back to Vienna, married his fiancà ©e of many years Martha Bernays, and set up a practice in neuropsychiatry, with the help of Joseph Breuer. Freud's books and lectures brought him both fame and ostracism from the mainstream of the medical community. He drew around him a number of very bright sympathizers who became the core of the psychoanalytic movement. Unfortunately, Freud had a penchant for rejecting people who did not totally agree with him. Some separated from him on friendly terms; others did not, and went on to found competing schools of thought. Freud emigrated to England j... ... capacity for a psychologically healthy human evolutionary process. These theorists are upbeat and positive about life and seem to have genuine empathy and liking for their fellow humankind. There were also some large theoretical differences observed among the theorists. 1. When is personality fixed ? Adler argued basic personality was fixed at age five, and Jung thought that the thirties and forties were an important time of intense personality development. 2. What is the goal of the personality theorist ? Cattell was in the traditional "understand and control" camp of psychology, while Carl Rogers argued it is pathological to try to control other peoples behavior. 3. What is the role of the client during treatment ? Here, we have seen somewhat of an evolution in treatment philosophy. Early theorists such as Jung and Freud were very directive in their therapy, and controlled much of the interpretations of thoughts and behaviors. More recently, theorists have tried to make the cl ient a full partner in the research, even to the point of having the client suggest solutions. Web Resources www.webster.edu www.mccc.edu www.reference.com www.wynja.com www.rpi.edu classweb.gmu.edu

Religion Through Spiritual Explorations in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre

Religion Through Spiritual Explorations in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre In Jane Eyre, religion is embraced through a series of spiritual explorations. Bronte portrays Jane's character and zest for religion by revealing Jane's transitions from Gateshead to Lowood, Lowood to Thornfield, and Thornfield to Moor House. Jane ultimately rejects everyone of these organized styles of worship. However, that does not mean that she rejects all their beliefs. She is forever changed by each experience and they have helped mold her view on religion and her relationship with God. Each location plays a significant role in the development of Jane's perspective on religion. Jane struggles to acquire true faith in God, which will help her overcome the obstacles of her nomadic life. Within Jane Eyre, Bronte shows a feeling of anti-Catholicism through the character of Jane?s cousin, Eliza Reed. The novel portrays Eliza as a picture of rigidity: Two young ladies appeared before me; one very tall, almost as tall as Miss Ingram,--very thin too, with a sallow face and severe mien. There was something ascetic in her look, which was augmented by the extreme plainness of a straight-skirted, black, stuff dress, a starched linen collar, hair combed away from the temples, and the nun-like ornament of a string of ebony beads and a crucifix. (Bronte 228) Eliza had certainly taken on the ritualistic side of Catholicism. (Rife) She is described as a busy person, but "it was difficult to say what she did: or rather, to discover any result of her diligence" (Bronte 234). Bronte had the same feelings toward the Catholic faith. Charlotte and many other English Protestants viewed Catholics as people who worshipped idols diligently, yet d... ...r himself. (Cashwell) As we can see, Jane is obviously affected by her experiences at each of these different stages in her life. At Lowood she learned the strict adherence to the religious and moral values that were taught there. Even though she may not have agreed with all of them, they molded her views on morality, shown in her experiences with Rochester. She also learned of sacrifice through St. John, who sacrificed true love for the greater good of his religious calling. Bronte deals with quite a few religious topics and pretty much finds something wrong with each form of Christianity. Jane finally finds a personal relationship with God, and even though she may not agree with one of the forms of organized Christianity, she finally fells a spiritual inner peace. Works Cited: Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1996.

Hamlet presents indecision with decisive craft Essay

Hamlet was written approximately in 1600, during the Elizabethan era, the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Although the head of church and state was a woman, it was predominantly a patriarchal society. The monarch held a policy such as male-preference primogeniture which allows a female to succeed if she has no living brothers and no deceased brothers who left surviving legitimate descendants. Prior to her death, she announced that James I of Scotland would also become James VI of England. Elizabeth announced this to her people in order to avoid catastrophic political and social ramifications. Incest was ripe amongst European royalty, and still is still relevant nowadays. Queen Victoria earned the affectionate nickname, â€Å"Grandmother of Europe†, this royal incestuous behaviour is also evident in Hamlet. Although, adultery and incest is forbidden in the Bible and deemed punishable by death; the Elizabethan audience would have been outraged by the idea of incest and adultery. Although it does not state or there being sufficient evidence that Gertrude was committing adultery with Claudius, considering their hasty marriage shortly after his death, one can certainly allude to the possibility. Being a prince brings with it certain responsibilities and a sense of honour. Hamlet is trapped in a moral dilemma, does he kill the king and avenge his father or does he choose to follow his Christian and royal obligations? Ultimately, Hamlet proves to be indecisive by deliberating which course of action he should take when confronted by an issue. He deliberates due to his strong sense of moral beliefs and code of honour, so therefore is acting wisely when thinking before he acts. However, this does not make him an indecisive character, but rather a wise and logical one. Unfortunately, the conflict that exists between his sense of honour and moral correctness causes a conflict of emotionally driven consequences. Many critics believe Hamlet to be an indecisive character. On the contrary, Hamlet is a decisive character, Hamlet simply make decisions that lead to indecision. However, this does not make him indecisive. When Hamlet encounters the ghost, Hamlet learns that his father was murdered by his uncle, Claudius, â€Å"The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown†. Hamlet takes an oath to avenge his father’s murder and informs Horatio of his â€Å"antic-disposition†. Hamlet needs to feign madness in order to avoid suspicion from Claudius, this is a decisive decision. Hamlet has lost his father and also to a certain extent his mother, he finds out that his father was murdered by his uncle and he has lost the thorn to his Kingdom. The grief Hamlet experiences must be traumatic, although acting upon grief is extremely dangerous; this could possibly be why Hamlet waits until he can think clearly and productively before taking his revenge, Hamlet is a well-educated and civilised man whom contemplates his thoughts before taking action which are demonstrated throughout the play e. g. his soliloquies. Claudius is now king, if Hamlet attempted to murder him he would surely be executed on an account of the highest possible treason; regicide, which would surely not be justice. Hamlet needed to be smart about how and when to bring about the revenge. He not only needed to kill Claudius but he needed to ensure his and his father’s legacy while destroying Claudius’s in the process, surely unveiling the truth and exposing him as a â€Å"damned villain† would be more satisfying and greater justice than merely killing him. However, in doing so Hamlet has metaphorical blood on his hands, in the process of avenging his father many innocent people die including Ophelia and Gertrude. Also on his quest for revenge another revenge plot unfolds, Laertes revenging Polonius’s murder. Many critics consider Hamlet’s delay simply as a plot device claiming if Hamlet had taken revenge earlier then the play would have been extremely short, this is clearly not true since Hamlet makes it clear to the audience that he himself is aware of his inaction, Shakespeare would not have included this if not to make a clear point, one could also say it is used as a device simply to arouse tension and suspense, while this may be somewhat true I think it is only a minor contribution to the delay, I think the delay has more to do with Hamlet’s morality and his character and the conflicting factors and characters (i. e. Claudius as king and being married to his mother). Some critics believe the delay is nothing more than cowardice; however this proves to be incorrect as Hamlet appears most heroic in certain stages of the play such as killing Polonius and the duel with Laertes. Many critics claim the reason for Hamlet’s delay is due to Claudius being king and therefore it is difficult for Hamlet to take his revenge due to his status and tight security. However, there are times in the play where Hamlet has unguarded access to Claudius, such as when Claudius is praying. Freudian critics such as Ernest Jones and Sigmund Freud claim Hamlet’s mysterious procrastination is a consequence of the Oedipus complex: the son continually postpones the act of revenge because of the impossibly complicated psychodynamic situation in which he finds himself. Though he hates his fratricidal uncle, he nevertheless unconsciously identifies with him-for, having killed Hamlet’s father and married his mother, Claudius has carried out what are Hamlet’s own unconscious wishes. In addition, marriage to Hamlet’s mother gives the uncle the unconscious status of the father-destructive impulses towards whom provoke great anxiety and meet with repression. While it is impossible to prove this theory due to the subconscious nature, some could rebuke this by claiming Shakespeare did not clearly make this a concept in Hamlet, if he had chosen to do so then surely he would have made it more identifiable for the audience. It is certainly true that Hamlet feels betrayed by his mother for disgracing his father’s good name by marrying his brother so shortly after his death, however to claim that Hamlet had different motives for killing Claudius other than revenging his father and bringing about justice to the Danish court is extremely vague and questionable. If Hamlet kills Claudius, certainly it should be classified as justifiable homicide, not only has Claudius committed murderer, but he has also committed regicide and fratricide and could Hamlet not say he was simply acting in self-defence since Claudius sent him to England to his deathbed. It is important to note that Hamlet does not mind if he lives after he has got his revenge, the ‘to be or not to be’ soliloquy contemplates whether to commit suicide or not, whether to take action upon his uncle or not, therefore from these soliloquies we can gather that the idea of death did not so much as fright Hamlet, rather the idea of death without fulfilling his purpose. Hamlet claims that fear of the unknown after death and the idea of going to hell are what stop him from committing suicide, however I believe this is simply an excuse not to take the cowards way out, I believe the real reason for him not committing suicide is due to his desire and need for his revenge upon Claudius. Hamlet’s death in the play, is somewhat similar to that of Jesus Christ, who had to die for the sins of humanity, perhaps this is why Christ is personified as such of a hero because he ended his life in sacrifice to God for us, similarly Hamlet did not just want to kill Claudius for the sake of avenging his father, he also wanted to bring justice to the Danish court and to get rid of the corruption on behalf of Denmark and her people, ultimately he kills Claudius and dies himself in the process and in return for his bravery, he has remained an iconic hero for centuries. Since the theme is revenge and justice, surely Hamlet had to die considering he is also now a target for revenge; it would have been highly hypocritical if Shakespeare had let Hamlet have lived after killing an innocent person, even if he was a â€Å"wretched, rash, intruding fool†. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern betrayed Hamlet, they were aware of Hamlet’s upcoming death sentence and they did not do anything to try and prevent it, therefore I believe Hamlet was justified in sending them to their deaths instead. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are contrasting characters to Hamlet, their indecision led to their deaths and although Hamlet eventually dies as well he, at least he fulfilled what needed to be done. Does not everybody die eventually any why? Perhaps one could say that the pirates arriving gave Hamlet an excellent opportunity to escape was the will of God, destiny even. Considering these points, I do not believe Hamlet was an indecisive character. He made many decisions in the play, although he made some decisions that led to indecision however still with the focus of eventual revenge e. g. Hamlet decided to make the players perform the play â€Å"The Murder of Gonzago† in order to see evidence of Claudius’s guilt himself, â€Å"the play’s the thing wherein i’ll catch the conscience of the king† this leads to the waiting of the play’s performance but Hamlet did this to ensure without a doubt that Claudius was guilty of murder. Hamlet exclaims to his mother, â€Å"I essentially am not in madness but mad in craft†, Hamlet’s ‘craft’ ultimately leads to Claudius’s death, and although so does it to many other innocent characters in the play and himself, perhaps what Hamlet needed was to be decisive quicker in order to prevent innocent blood from being spilt. Perhaps this was Shakespeare’s message all along, when to take action and when to not, to achieve a balance between decision and indecision and to know when the appropriate time is to act. At the end of the play when Hamlet is dying, he is in the middle of Horatio and Fortinbras, Horatio symbolises the scholar and Fortinbras symbolises the warrior. Hamlet successfully achieved to be both scholar and warrior.

Creativity in classrooms Essay

The reason why student complain of boredom and lack of variety in the classroom is, because of the lack of engagement, inability to make choices, and the lack of voice in the classroom. The biggest reason most students does not engage in classroom activity is because of the criticism they get from their teachers when they try to express their feels about something. Most teachers tend to focus more on quantity instead of quality, they focus more on how it’s being said instead of what’s been said. An evidence that supports this can be seen in the book Rethinking School- Teaching Standard English in our School by Linda Christensen pg 130. â€Å"When more attention is paid to the way something is written or said than to what is said, students’ words and thoughts become devalued. Student learn to be silent, to give as few words as possible for the teacher criticism. † Meaning, due to the criticism of teacher students tend to talk less to avoid been judged. In this this evidence one can clearly see that the criticism of teachers has a very big impact on us students in such a way that it makes us feel like what we have said is wrong, or bad, or stupid; due to this feels we tend to be less engaging in the class activity to avoid been judged. This problem can be avoided if teachers know when to correct, and how to correct a student mistake. When correcting a student don’t make them feel stupid or dumb for saying what they said but instead, let them know that you understand what they trying to say, and if you want to correct them, say something like, Here is another way to say what you just said, or you could say something like instead of using that vocab you could say this instead. By doing this, you are making the student feel more comfortable in making mistakes and also creating an atmosphere of growth in the classroom. Another reason students complain of boredom is due to the inability to make choices. Students are been told what to do and how to do it instead of allowing us to explore our interests. When we explore our interests, we are given an opportunity to bring in a unique set of perception and abilities that can be cultivated to expand our understanding. Different students have different ways of learning. For example, if we are giving a project in class to write an essay about a particular topic, some students will feel strong about writing an essay because they love writing essays, while other students wouldn’t feel strong because writing an essay isn’t their strong area. Instead of writing an essay they probably want to give a presentation, write a poem, or do other things and still answer the question which is the project. However, we are not been giving the privilege to do so because we are been told what to do and how how we are expected to do it. This method isn’t healthy for our education because those teachers are eliminating our ability to make choices which puts a limitation to our creativity or in some cases kill our creativity because we are being told indirectly our uniqueness isn’t important. This problem can be stopped/avoided by letting us do what we are more comfortable with, and by letting us explore different ways of ways of answering questions instead of enforcing us to answer the question the same way as everyone else,because we can’t grow from doing the same thing all the time. Lastly, another reason why students complain of boredom in PSA is due to the lack of voice in the classroom. The biggest reason students feel silenced is because, most classrooms tend to be more teacher-centered instead of student-centered. Most teachers love to do all the talking in the classroom which is unhealthy for the education of the students because it stifles the capacity of students to be active learners. Another reason why students lack voice in the classroom is due to some teachers inability to welcome/deal with controversies. Some teachers tend to avoid controversial issues such as racism, sexism, abuse, because they are not comfortable in sharing their own opinions on these issues with students. The inability of those teachers welcoming controversial topic and saying their opinion doesn’t only affect the student, but it also affects the teacher in such a way that they wouldn’t have the confidence in critiquing their own curriculum and method. Students voice can be regained by making them feel comfortable in sharing their ideas,and also creating an atmosphere of freedom by letting conflict and discussion unfold in classrooms. By doing this, students wouldn’t only learn to find their voice, they will also learn to be tolerance of others opinion and beliefs. Student boredom is a very big issue not only in Highschool, but also in college because at one point in time every students would have experienced either the lack of engagement, inability to make choices, or the lack of voice in the classroom. These problems can all be avoided by the simply creating an atmosphere of freedom in the classroom, meaning making students comfortable in making mistakes, nurturing our creativity by making us explore our interests, and making us comfortable in sharing our own opinion about controversial issues. By doing this, it will increase students maturity by making them tolerance of others beliefs and opinion, and it also makes us deeper inquirers because our ability to respond to controversial issues will make us voracious.

Education policies Essay

Education is so important in any given society. For this reason, it forms a major part of any government’s plans. The plans that any government wishes to implement as regards their education system is determined by existing policies. Factors which influence formulation of policies form the subject of this discussion. For orderly presentation, the essay is divided into three chapters namely the introduction, the main body and conclusion. The introduction gives definitions of key terms used in the essay as well as conceptual frame work, the main body outlines and discusses major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving their independence and lastly the conclusion draws a summary of the essay. 1. 1 Statement of essay purpose This essay aims at discussing the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after their achievement of independence. The essay will outline these factors and later give a detailed discussion of each factor. 1. 2 Definitions of terms In order to make this discussion meaningful, it is imperative that definitions of key terms that are involved are done. The key terms involved in the discussion are education, policy and independence. The definitions of the terms are as given below Education. According to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Culture Organisation (1975:1), education is defined as â€Å"organised and sustained communication designed to bring about learning† Thus education in this context involves a lifelong process by which an individual is incorporated into the group and made capable of behaving in the ways expected by the society for an individual of a particular age, sex or status. Education can take place formally, non formally and informally. However, in this context the emphasis is on formal education. Policy  A policy is defined as a deliberate plan of action which is put in place to guide decisions and achieve intended outcomes. Policies differ from rules or laws. Rules or laws are established to compel or prohibit certain behaviours while policies guide actions towards desired goals. This discussion, however, focuses on education policies. Bartlett and Burton (2012:134), define an education policy as the â€Å"rafts of laws and initiatives that determine the shape and functioning of educational systems at both national and local levels. Therefore, education policies give direction to the functioning of an education system. Independence This is defined as the freedom from being governed or ruled by another country. African countries in this discussion acquired the freedom to rule themselves from colonial mast 1. 3 Conceptual Framework Blackmore (1999), states that there are three models of policy making namely popular participation, decree and delegation models. This discussion will refer to these three models in outlining and discussing the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving their independence. These models are discussed in detail below. (a) Popular Participation Policy making model. (b) In this model, everybody is given an opportunity to contribute to the formulation of policies. People in African countries were given opportunities to make suggestions on changes to make to the education system. For example, Zambia’s educational reforms of 1977. (c) Decree Policy Making Model In this model, the head of state makes pronouncements on the direction to be followed in a given education system. (d) Delegation Policy Making Model This involves appointing a commission to review the education system of a given country. For example the Onide Commission was appointed to review the education system of Kenya in 1963. Policies are made with respect to the findings of the commission. CHAPTER TWO 2. 0 Main Body This chapter outlines and discusses the major factors that influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. These factors are as given and discussed below. Education for Economic Development The consideration given to education as an important vehicle for economic development is one of the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Investment in formal education was considered as an essential precondition for economic growth. African countries learnt lessons from developed countries that a high basic platform of education was a catalyst to rapid economic development. There was a belief among developing countries that the modernisation, industrialisation and wealth of developed countries were the direct consequence of their educational systems. Coombs (1970) argues that during the 1960s education in developing countries was regarded as a sort of intellectual yeast which would ferment and transform pre industrial societies by promoting knowledge, skills and attitudes which were favourable to economic and social development. Therefore, education policies in African countries after the achievement of independence were directed at promoting education pro vision expansion in order to achieve meaningful development. In fact an argument is advanced by Anderson (1965), that analysis of evidence from major developed countries such as Britain, France, United States of America and Russia that in general terms, a thresh hold male literacy rate of 40 percent was required before there be any significant take off of economic development. To this end, African countries directed their policies on education after attaining independence towards increased access to education in order to reach the required thresh hold of literacy. Therefore, in the 1950s and 1960s, demand and plans for investment in formal education by African countries increased. Education was regarded to be a principal weapon in achieving economic growth. To this end rapid quantitative expansion of the education system became the order of the day in newly independent African countries. Man power Shortages. After attaining independence, African countries were confronted with shortage of manpower in various sectors of the economy. As a result of this scenario, they experienced economic stagnation. Man power shortages were heavily felt in technical and managerial fields. Thus, education policies in most African countries were directed towards resolving the man power shortages experienced. This situation was evident from what obtained in Kenya. As Eshiwani (1993:26), observes ‘’at independence in 1963, Kenya found herself with a high shortage of skilled manpower to run the economy. In order to solve this problem, a commission was appointed to advise the government on the formulation and interpretation of national educational policies. † Therefore, it can be stated that man power planning in newly independent countries of Africa gave a direction to the formulation of education policies. Consequently, the governments of newly independent countries of Africa saw it paramount to expand the education systems of their countries in order to produce more graduates from the education system that would fill the manpower gaps which were experienced in various sectors of the economy. Most technical and managerial jobs at independence in most African countries were occupied by foreigners. Therefore, the aim of most African governments was to decolonise the education systems, produce more output from secondary and higher education so that manpower to participate in national development could be realised. Fafunwa (1974), Contends that education development in African countries like Nigeria was treated as a national emergency for the reason of curbing manpower shortages in crucial areas of the economy. In order to meet the requirements of manpower in various sectors of the economy, the policies of African countries after independence were directed at increasing school enrolments, especially at the post primary level. Rapid expansion of secondary and higher education was considered as a pre requisite for sustainable economic growth. Enhancing education as a basic human right Newly independent African countries were confronted with a task of providing to every child their basic, essential right to education. The kind education that was to be provided was supposed to be relevant to the child in his or her African setting. For this reason, most newly African countries had massive capital and recurrent budgets towards the financing of primary education for all. The provision of education especially at elementary level to citizens of newly independent African countries was prompted by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights in which education is enshrined as a basic human right. As Bishop (1989:1), postulates, â€Å"Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. †Therefore, from the foregoing, newly independent African countries were compelled to provide education especially primary education on the grounds of human justice and equity. The newly independent African countries were supposed to consider primary education as the birth right of every child. This was due to the fact that education was seen as an effective way to give all children regardless of sex or family background an equal start in life. Furthermore, the leadership of newly independent African countries considered education to be the great equaliser that would help to narrow the wide disparities which were apparent in conditions of living in rural and urban communities. Before the attainment of independence, education in most African countries was a preserve for the elite. In order to correct this, African leaders made radical changes to their education systems to make them more accommodative to everyone. As Carmody (1994:23), contends â€Å"As in most African countries, from the early days Africa’s leaders viewed education as a powerful, often the most powerful vehicle for social transformation. Thus, as the UNIP government assumed power, among its immediate priorities were the elimination of racial segregation in schools and expansion of education provision. Tuition and boarding fees were abolished. † A point was also made by Bishop (1989), which in the days of the 1950s and 1960s massive expansion of education provision was regarded as the best means available for rooting out old prejudices and socio economic injustices. Therefore, education was regarded as basic human right which everyone needed to enjoy as provided in the foregoing arguments. In the pursuit of providing universal primary education, newly African countries set for themselves benchmarks. For example, the Addis Ababa conference on the development of education in Africa held in 1961 recommended that primary education was to be universal, compulsory and free by 1980. The conference further recommended that secondary education was to be provided to 30 percent of the children who completed primary school. Similarly, the conference of Arab states which met in Tripoli in 1966 also set 1980 as the target date for achieving universal primary education. To this end, it can be argued that one of the factors that influenced the formulation of education policies of African countries after achieving independence was related to the consideration that education was a basic human right which every citizen of a given country was supposed to enjoy . Hence, massive investment in the provision of education was undertaken by African countries after attaining independence in order to promote the achievement of universal primary education. As Court and Kinyanjui (1978:14), comment on the provision of Universal Primary Education in Tanzania. â€Å"President Nyerere had the choice of expanding the number of classes at grades V to VII so that those children entering primary education received seven years of schooling instead of four†. It can be concluded from the foregoing statement that the decision was arrived at because it enabled finances to be spent on the provision of 7 years of education to one child which helped him or her to become a useful member of society. African countries aimed at improving the access to education by increasing the number of school places which was facilitated by expanding already existing schools as well as construction of new schools in different parts of their countries. Promotion of Modernisation. African countries formulated their education policies with respect to the purpose of attaining modernisation. In order to influence modernisation in their countries, there was massive investment in education. This was a result of the belief that schooling would assist in the inculcation of modern ideas and attitudes. Bishop (1989), postulate that evidence seemed to indicate that schooling influenced the development of modern traits and ideas. To this end, schooling had some impact on modernisation. This was manifestated in higher levels of modernity among urban people and lower modernity among rural people. Consequently, many African leaders in newly independent countries felt modernisation of attitudes and behaviours was an important pre requisite for their countries’ development. According to Carmody (1994), education should socialise a nation’s population into modern values, attitudes and personalities. For this reason there was more emphasis on the expansion of education systems in newly independent African countries in order to enhance the access levels. Increased access to education meant increased modernity levels within a given country. In studies which were conducted be Inkeles and Smith (1974), indicate that education was the single most variable for modernisation. The studies indicate that each year of schooling improved a person’s score on their modernity scale by about 2 points. Education was also very effective in the development of positive attitudes and values. For this reason, formulation of education policies in newly independent African countries was influenced by the idea of modernisation. Modernisation was to be attained by every citizen in the newly independent African countries through education. Ensuring Citizens’ Political Participation The citizens’ participation in political affairs of their countries could be seen as one of the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Political participation of citizens of a particular country was linked to the notion of modernisation. This was due to the fact that knowledge was regarded as power. For this reason, many political leaders of African drafted educational policies which were responsive to the promotion of political participation of citizens in nation matters. This was highly evident in the content of education which was offered to the citizens . Again this could only be realised through the wide spread of education in African countries which most leaders promoted through the expansion of the education system. Cowan (1965), stressed that any political principle which governed education policy in independent African countries was supposed to regard as a top priority the provision of an education that would establish the most vigorous form of self government and independence. Therefore, extending schooling to a larger population would make more people politically and socially conscious and more active in the process of nation building. Thus, if equal political rights were to be enjoyed by everyone then everyone ought to have at least an adequate primary school education to participate more fully in the political process of their country. Promotion of Social Equality and Removal of Divisions The attainment of social equality is among the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Education was regarded as an instrument of social equality which was critical in the upbringing of social responsibility. Therefore, education policies which were put in place by African countries after attainment of independence were directed towards the promotion of social equality within their countries. Consequently, more and more school places were created in most parts of African countries to bring about the issue of equality within their countries in the provision of education services. Equality in the provision of education was called for as it ensured that child was provided with varied and challenging opportunities for collective activities and corporate social services. Furthermore, Eshiwani (1993), points out that the promotion of social equality in the formulation of education policies in African countries after achieving independence helped young people to acquire positive attitudes of mutual respect which enabled them to live together in harmony and to make a positive contribution to the national life. This contribution to national life was not supposed to be extended to every part of the country, hence the need of social equality in the provision of education. Respect and Development of Cultural Heritage The formulation of education policies in African countries after achieving independence was influenced by the need for promoting respect and development of cultural heritage. Education policies were directed towards the promotion of respect, fostering and developing the rich cultures which African countries have. For this reason, policy formulation as regards this situation was clearly addressed in the content of education which African countries were to provide to their people. The content of education was adapted to the culture of the people in any particular African country. In support of this assertion, Eshiwani (1993), states that the commission which was assigned to review Kenya’s education system in 1963 recommended that Kenyan schools were to respect the cultural traditions of the people of the country, both as expressed in social institutions and relationships. Similarly, Damachi et al (1978), reports that education policies in African countries after attainment of independence were influenced by the need to enhance every aspect of human development which included the promotion of cultural heritage. Consequently, African countries were to state clearly their language of instruction in their education system both at lower and higher levels. This was done with the sole aim of promoting the preservation of cultural heritage and national unity. To this end the education policies which most African countries drafted after the attainment of independence were geared towards learners understanding of past and present cultural values and their valid place in contemporary society. Education for Self Reliance The education policies of African countries were influenced by the need for the curriculum offered to respond to the attainment of self reliance. Thus the recipients of such education were supposed to engage themselves in self employing activities. The curriculum of African countries emphasized practical subjects in order to ensure the acquisition of self reliance by learners. It was realised that the kind of education which was offered in some countries in Africa was too bookish and academic. The education system in most African countries separated manual work from learning. Thus theory was separated from practice. This situation further alienated young people from their societies. Therefore, education reforms in most African countries were inevitable so as reverse this trend. As Bishop (1989:116), reports â€Å"By the mid 1950s it was being argued once again that schooling should be reformed principally through curriculum reform to include more practical and vocational studies’’ Similarly, Carmody (1994), reports that Zambia’s First National Development Plan pointed to the need for increasingly relating secondary education to the needs of the country by diversifying the secondary school syllabus into technical and commercial fields and giving a new place to agriculture. Therefore, it can be pointed out that education policies in African countries were supposed to address the concept of self reliance. Academic schooling was to be placed side by side with technical and vocational training in African countries. Improvement of Education Efficiency The education policies of most African countries after achieving independence were influenced by the need of improving the efficiency of the education systems. In education systems of African countries, it was felt that there was no correlation between inputs and out puts as well as between costs and returns. Education policies were centred on the need of making the systems of education to be more efficient. That is, the education systems were supposed to achieve their output at the lowest cost and also get the greatest return for a given cost. According to Bishop (1989), most education systems in African countries after achieving independence were inefficient, particularly at secondary and higher levels. The inputs such as expenditure per student or teacher training did not seem to have the effects on test scores which educators anticipated. Therefore, education policies were designed in a manner that would make the education systems in newly independent African countries to be more efficient. Additionally, education in many African countries was dysfunctional. It relied heavily on rote learning and led to an inappropriate reverence for paper qualifications. Furthermore, most curricular in African countries were irrelevant to pupils’ future lives and created an imbalance with many school leavers unemployed. Consequently, African countries formulated policies which were aimed at addressing the challenges which were faced in education systems. Education as a means of fostering international consciousness Education policies in African countries were influenced by the need to foster international consciousness in learners. Education policies as complimented by the content of education provided to learners was supposed to ensure that positive attitudes towards other countries as well as the international community were upheld. This was emphasized because no country existed as an island. Each country depended on others for its prosperity. Therefore, it was essential that learners were provided with education that would instil international consciousness for the purpose of promoting cooperation among countries. CHAPTER THREE. 3. 0 CONCLUSION Education policies in African countries after their achievement of independence were influenced by a number of factors. Some of the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries included manpower shortages, recognition of education as a basic human right, consideration of education as a tool for development, modernisation, improving education efficiency, need for citizens’ political participation, and promotion of international consciousness among learners as well as self reliance. Changes in education policies were inevitable due to the fact that African countries experienced change in government. A change in government is associated with an ideological shift, thus aspects of the education system in a given country  will be in a continual state of reformation. Hence, changes occurred in education aspects such as content, teaching methodologies, assessment and structure. REFERENCES. Anderson, C. A (1974), Education and Development Re considered, Newyork: praeger Publishers. Bartlett, S and Burton, D (2012), Introduction to Education Studies, Los Angeles: Sage Publishers. Bishop, G (1989), Alternative Strategies for Education, London and Basingstoke: Macmillan Carmody, B (1994), The Evolution of Education in Zambia, Lusaka: Book World Publishers. Coombs, P. H (1970), The Need for a New Strategy of Education Development, Paris: UNESCO. Court, D and Kinyanjui, K, K (1978), Development Policy and Education Opportunity: The Experience of Tanzania and Kenya, Paris: Macmillan. Cowan, J. O (1965), Education and National Building in Africa, London: Macmillan Damachi, U. G, Routh, G and Abdel, R. A (1978), Development Paths in Africa and China, London and Basingstoke: Macmillan. Eshiwani, G. S (1993), Education in Kenya since Independence, Nairobi: East African Education Publishers Fafunwa, A. B (1974), History of Education in Nigeria, London: Macmillan Press. Inkeles, A and Smith, D (1974), Becoming Modern, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.