A Logical and Unemotional Justification of Capital Punishment :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

A Logical and Unemotional Justification of Capital Punishment Just as the Pied Piper of Hamlin was paid to destroy the rat population, the state prisons are being forced to perform a similar action with what is an overflow of vermin. Taking either a "pro" or an "anti" stance is not something to be done lightly. Most people decide which side they are to take based on purely emotional reasons. Those who support capital punishment do so based on a hatred of the crimes committed, and a fear of similar crimes happening to them. This is not the way to reach a logical decision. Others abhor violence, and feel that two wrongs, namely murder and execution, do not make a right. (although in science, the language of logic, two negatives do make a positive.) Morality, fear, hatred, and ignorance often play a large part in important decisions, dooming society to enforce ridiculous laws, and leaving itself susceptible to rotting from the inside, out. First and foremost, it is important to put our version of capital punishment in an accurate, historical context. Since that dawn of civilization, through the laws of Moses, and the laws of Hammurabi, what you did, was done to you. The advancement of civilization is peppered with this same prevalent idea of reciprocity. To argue against these historic beliefs is to argue against the growth and development inherent in history. If at anytime this law of reciprocation had been ignored, chaos would have been re-introduced into society, creating a premature, and quick, decadence. In comparison, our law of capital punishment is a cake-walk. We do not hack off your hand when we think you take an apple. We do not burn out your eyes when you lust after another man's wife. We do not cut your tongue out and feed it to the lions if you verbalize the name of God. We offer you a trial by your peers, in which you must be proven without a doubt to be guilty. Then, you are locked in a penitentiary, where you can easily be granted an appeal. You exist incarcerated usually for many years, until your appeals have been defeated, the proof against you has been confirmed, and your crimes against humanity are of such a heinous nature that you have condemned yourself to a painless, quick, and easy death.

Computerized Library System Essay

Chromosomal aberrations are disruptions in the normal chromosomal content of a cell and are a major cause of genetic conditions in humans, such as Down syndrome, although most aberrations have little to no effect. Some chromosome abnormalities do not cause disease in carriers, such as translocations, or chromosomal inversions, although they may lead to a higher chance of bearing a child with a chromosome disorder. Abnormal numbers of chromosomes or chromosome sets, called aneuploidy, may be lethal or may give rise to genetic disorders. Genetic counseling is offered for families that may carry a chromosome rearrangement. The gain or loss of DNA from chromosomes can lead to a variety of genetic disorders. Human examples include: * Cri du chat, which is caused by the deletion of part of the short arm of chromosome 5. â€Å"Cri du chat† means â€Å"cry of the cat† in French; the condition was so-named because affected babies make high-pitched cries that sound like those of a cat. Affected individuals have wide-set eyes, a small head and jaw, moderate to severe mental health issues, and are very short. * Down syndrome, the most common trisomy, usually caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21). Characteristics include decreased muscle tone, stockier build, asymmetrical skull, slanting eyes and mild to moderate developmental disability.[51] * Edwards syndrome, or trisomy-18, the second-most-common trisomy.[citation needed]Symptoms include motor retardation, developmental disability and numerous congenital anomalies causing serious health problems. Ninety percent of those affected die in infancy. They have characteristic clenched hands and overlapping fingers. * Isodicentric 15, also called idic(15), partial tetrasomy 15q, or inverted duplication 15 (inv dup 15). * Jacobsen syndrome, which is very rare. It is also called the terminal 11q deletion disorder.[52] Those affected have normal intelligence or mild developmental disability, with poor expressive language skills. Most have a bleeding disorder called Paris-Trousseau syndrome. * Klinefelter’s syndrome (XXY). Men with Klinefelter syndrome are usually sterile, and tend to be taller and have longer arms and legs than their peers. Boys with the syndrome are often shy and quiet, and have a higher incidence of speech delay and dyslexia. Without testosterone treatment, some may develop gynecomastia during puberty. * Patau Syndrome, also called D-Syndrome or trisomy-13. Symptoms are somewhat similar to those of trisomy-18, without the characteristic folded hand. * Small supernumerary marker chromosome. This means there is an extra, abnormal chromosome. Features depend on the origin of the extra genetic material. Cat-eye syndrome and isodicentric chromosome 15 syndrome (or Idic15) are both caused by a supernumerary marker chromosome, as is Pallister-Killian syndrome. * Triple-X syndrome (XXX). XXX girls tend to be tall and thin and have a higher incidence of dyslexia. * Turner syndrome (X instead of XX or XY). In Turner syndrome, female sexual characteristics are present but underdeveloped. Females with Turner syndrome often have a short stature, low hairline, abnormal eye features and bone development and a â€Å"caved-in† appearance to the chest. * XYY syndrome. XYY boys are usually taller than their siblings. Like XXY boys and XXX girls, they are more likely to have learning difficulties. * Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, which is caused by partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4. It is characterized by severe growth retardation and severe to profound mental health issues. Cri du chat syndrome, also known as chromosome 5p deletion syndrome, 5p minus syndrome or Lejeune’s syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder due to a missing part ofchromosome 5. Its name is a French term (cat-cry or call of the cat) referring to the characteristic cat-like cry of affected children. It was first described by Jà ©rà ´me Lejeune in 1963.[1] The condition affects an estimated 1 in 50,000 live births, strikes all ethnicities, and is more common in females by a 4:3 ratio. Signs and symptoms The syndrome gets its name from the characteristic cry of affected infants, which is similar to that of a meowing kitten, due to problems with the larynx and nervous system. About 1/3 of children lose the cry by age 2. Other symptoms of cri du chat syndrome may include: * feeding problems because of difficulty swallowing and sucking. * low birth weight and poor growth. * severe cognitive, speech, and motor delays. * behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, aggression, tantrums, and repetitive movements. * unusual facial features which may change over time. * excessive drooling. * constipation. ————————————————- Genetics Cri du chat syndrome is due to a partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome number 5, also called â€Å"5p monosomy†. Approximately 90% of cases results from a sporadic, or randomly-occurring, de novo deletion. The remaining 10-15% are due to unequal segregation of a parental balanced translocation where the 5p monosomy is often accompanied by a trisomic portion of the genome. These individuals may have more severe disease than those with isolated monosomy of 5p. Most cases involve total loss of the most distant 20-10% of the material on the short arm. Fewer than 10% of cases have other rare cytogenetic aberrations (e.g., interstitial deletions, mosaicisms, rings and de novo translocations). The deleted chromosome 5 is paternal in origin in about 80% of de novo cases. Loss of a small region in band 5p15.2 (cri du chat critical region) correlates with all the clinical features of the syndrome with the exception of the catlike cry, which maps to band 5p15.3 (catlike critical region). The results suggest that 2 noncontiguous critical regions contain genes involved in this condition’s etiology. Two genes in these regions, Semaphorine F (SEMA5A) and delta catenin(CTNND2), are potentially involved in cerebral development. The deletion of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene localized in 5p15.33 may contribute to the phenotypic changes in cri du chat syndrome as well. people with cri du chat syndrome Down syndrome (DS) or Down’s syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is achromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy ofchromosome 21.[1] Down syndrome is the most common chromosome abnormality in humans.[2] It is typically associated with a delay in cognitive ability (mental retardation, or MR) and physical growth, and a particular set of facial characteristics.[1] The average IQ of young adults with Down syndrome is around 50, compared to children without the condition with an IQ of 100.[1][3] (MR has historically been defined as an IQ below 70.) A large proportion of individuals with Down syndrome have a severe degree of intellectual disability. Genetics Karyotype for trisomy Down syndrome. Notice the three copies of chromosome 21 Down syndrome disorders are based on having too many copies of the genes located on chromosome 21. In general, this leads to an overexpression of the genes.[54] Understanding the genes involved may help to target medical treatment to individuals with Down syndrome. It is estimated that chromosome 21 contains 200 to 250 genes.[55] Recent research has identified a region of the chromosome that contains the main genes responsible for the pathogenesis of Down syndrome.[56] The extra chromosomal material can come about in several distinct ways. A typical human karyotype is designated as 46,XX or 46,XY, indicating 46 chromosomes with an XX arrangement typical of females and 46 chromosomes with an XY arrangement typical of males.[57] In 1–2% of the observed Down syndromes.[58] some of the cells in the body are normal and other cells have trisomy 21, this is called mosaic Down syndrome (46,XX/47,XX,+21).[59] [60] Trisomy 21 Trisomy 21 (47,XX,+21) is caused by a meiotic nondisjunction event. With nondisjunction, agamete (i.e., a sperm or egg cell) is produced with an extra copy of chromosome 21; the gamete thus has 24 chromosomes. When combined with a normal gamete from the other parent, the embryo now has 47 chromosomes, with three copies of chromosome 21. Trisomy 21 is the cause of approximately 95% of observed Down syndromes, with 88% coming from nondisjunction in the maternal gamete and 8% coming from nondisjunction in the paternal gamete.[58] The actual Down syndrome â€Å"critical region† encompasses chromosome bands 21q22.1-q22.3.[61] Edwards syndrome (also known as Trisomy 18 (T18) or Trisomy E) is a genetic disordercaused by the presence of all or part of an extra 18th chromosome. It is named after John H. Edwards, who first described the syndrome in 1960.[1] It is the second most commonautosomal trisomy, after Down syndrome, that carries to term. Edwards syndrome occurs in around one in 6,000 live births and around 80 percent of those affected are female.[2] The majority of fetuses with the syndrome die before birth.[2]The incidence increases as the mother’s age increases. The syndrome has a very low rate of survival, resulting from heart abnormalities, kidney malformations, and other internal organ disorders. Signs and symptoms Children born with Edwards syndrome may have some or all of the following characteristics: kidney malformations, structural heart defects at birth (i.e., ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus), intestines protruding outside the body (omphalocele), esophageal atresia, mental retardation, developmental delays, growth deficiency, feeding difficulties, breathing difficulties, and arthrogryposis (a muscle disorder that causes multiple joint contractures at birth).[3][4] Some physical malformations associated with Edwards syndrome include small head (microcephaly) accompanied by a prominent back portion of the head (occiput); low-set, malformed ears; abnormally small jaw (micrognathia); cleft lip/cleft palate; upturned nose; narrow eyelid folds (palpebral fissures); widely spaced eyes (ocular hypertelorism); drooping of the upper eyelids (ptosis); a short breast bone; clenched hands; choroid plexus cysts; underdeveloped thumbs and or nails,absent radius, webbing of the second and third toes; clubfoot or Rocker bottom feet; and in males, undescended testicles. of choroid plexus cysts, which are pockets of fluid on the brain. These are not problematic in themselves, but their presence may be a marker for trisomy Genetics Edwards syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality characterized by the presence of an extra copy of genetic material on the 18th chromosome, either in whole (trisomy 18) or in part (such as due to translocations). The additional chromosome usually occurs beforeconception. The effects of the extra copy vary greatly, depending on the extent of the extra copy, genetic history, and chance. Edwards syndrome occurs in all human populations but is more prevalent in female offspring.[7] A healthy egg and/or sperm cell contains individual chromosomes, each of which contributes to the 23 pairs of chromosomes needed to form a normal cell with a typical human karyotype of 46 chromosomes. Numerical errors can arise at either of the two meiotic divisions and cause the failure of a chromosome to segregate into the daughter cells (nondisjunction). This results in an extra chromosome, making the haploid number 24 rather than 23. Fertilization of eggs or insemination by sperm that contain an extra chromosome results in trisomy, or three copies of a chromosome rather than two.[8] Trisomy 18 (47,XX,+18) is caused by a meiotic nondisjunction event. With nondisjunction, a gamete (i.e., a sperm or egg cell) is produced with an extra copy of chromosome 18; the gamete thus has 24 chromosomes. When combined with a normal gamete from the other parent, the embryo has 47 chromosomes, with three copies of chromosome 18. with edwards syndrome Isodicentric 15, also called idic(15), partial tetrasomy 15q, or inverted duplication 15 (inv dup 15), is a chromosome abnormalityin which a child is born with extra genetic material from chromosome 15. People with idic(15) are typically born with 47 chromosomes in their body cells, instead of the normal 46. The extra chromosome is made up of a piece of chromosome 15 that has been duplicated end-to-end like a mirror image. It is the presence of this extra genetic material that is thought to account for the symptoms seen in some people with idic(15). Individuals with idic(15) have a total of four copies of this chromosome 15 region instead of the usual two copies (1 copy each on the maternal and paternal chromosomes). The extra chromosome is rarely found in mosaic state, i.e. some of the cells carry the marker chromosome. However, mostly because of the marker’s instability and tendency to be lost during cell division (mitosis), some cells are completely normal with 46 chromosomes. Occasionally, cells may have more than one idic(15), resulting in 48 or 49 chromosomes in all or some of their cells. A similar clinical picture albeit to a milder degree could be expected in individuals that have the extra chromosome 15 material as an interstitial duplication; not as a marker chromosome; thus having 46 chromosomes.[1][2] Signs and symptoms Individuals with idic(15) have delays in language development and motor skills such as walking or sitting up. Other traits may include low muscle tone (hypotonia), seizures, short stature, and mental retardation. Distinctive facial features associated with idic(15) may include epicanthal folds (skin folds at the inner corners of the eyes), a flattened nasal bridge, button nose, and a high arched palate (roof of the mouth). Some individuals with idic(15) also have features of autism, such as problems with communication, social interactions, and repetitive and stereotyped behaviors (e.g., lining up toys, playing with a toy in the same manner over and over again, hand flapping, rocking back and forth). These are some mild features but with a severe person there may be more such as inability to talk at all. Genetics Generally, idic(15) is not inherited; it is said to appear de novo; in one member of the family, by chance. In most cases, the abnormal chromosome is generated in the mother’s germ cells; oocytes. This finding is due to ascertainment bias; i.e. cases with maternally derived idic(15) usually have clinical findings and attract attention but those with paternally derived idic(15) usually do not. Thus, established cases are usually patients with maternally inherited idic (15).[4] . The smallest markers appear to be harmless and they may go undetected. However, if they are large enough to contain a number of important genes, they may result in â€Å"idic(15) syndrome† which is characterized by mental retardation, autism and other neurological symptoms.[5] One of the regions responsible for the symptoms of idic(15)syndrome is the critical PWS/AS-region named after the Prader-Willi and/or Angelman syndromes. Jacobsen Syndrome, also known as 11q deletion disorder, is a rare congenital disorder resulting from deletion of a terminal region of chromosome 11 that includes band 11q24.1. It can cause intellectual disabilities, a distinctive facial appearance, and a variety of physical problems including heart defects and a bleeding disorder. The syndrome was first identified by Danish physician Petra Jacobsen,[1] and is believed to occur in approximately 1 out of every 100,000 births. Possible characteristics * Heart defects * Mild to severe intellectual disabilities * Low-platelets (thrombocytopenia) * Facial/skeletal (dysplasia) * Wide-set eyes caused by trigonocephaly * Folding of the skin near the eye (epicanthus) * Short, upturned nose (anteverted nostrils) * Thin lips that curve inward * Displaced receding chin (retrognathia) * Low-set, misshapen ears * Permanent upward curvature of the pinkie and ring fingers (camptodactyly) * Large great toes/Hammer toes Klinefelter’s syndrome, 47, XXY, or XXY syndrome is a condition in which a human has an extra X chromosome. While females have an XX chromosomal makeup, and males an XY, affected individuals have at least two X chromosomes and at least one Y chromosome.[1] Because of the extra chromosome, individuals with the condition are usually referred to as â€Å"XXY Males†, or â€Å"47, XXY Males†.[2] This chromosome constitution (karyotype) exists in roughly between 1:500 to 1:1000 live male births[3][4] but many of these people may not show symptoms. The physical traits of the syndrome become more apparent after the onset of puberty, if at all.[5] In humans, 47,XXY is the most common sex chromosome aneuploidy in males[6] and the second most common condition caused by the presence of extra chromosomes. Other mammals also have the XXY syndrome, including mice. Patau syndrome, also known as trisomy 13 and trisomy D, is a chromosomalabnormality, a syndrome in which a patient has an additional chromosome 13 due to anondisjunction of chromosomes during meiosis. Some are caused by Robertsonian translocations, while others are caused by mosaic Patau syndrome. The extra chromosome 13 disrupts the normal course of development, causing heart and kidney defects, amongst other features characteristic of Patau syndrome.[vague] Like allnondisjunction conditions (such as Down syndrome and Edwards syndrome), the risk of this syndrome in the offspring increases with maternal age at pregnancy, with about 31 years being the average.[1] Patau syndrome affects somewhere between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 21,700 live births.

Of Mice and Men †Character study of Slim Essay

Of Mice and Men is set in California during the 1930s. This is an important time in US history because it was the time of the Great Depression, which did not end until the start of the Second World War. During this period of failed businesses, harsh poverty and long-term unemployment, many migrant workers came to California from other parts of America in search of work. The ranch workers in the book are all examples of people who have been affected by the Great Depression, as most of them are itinerant worker. One of them being Slim, who I am to be analysing from the book, to see what contribution and importance he makes in this Novel. Slim is described as a highly skilled mule driver and the acknowledged â€Å"prince† of the ranch. Steinbeck describes Slim in much greater detail than any other character, which indicates to us that he is a very important character in the novella. The description is also very unusual because the story just stops for a while as Slim is being described over two pages. He’s the only character who seems to be at peace with himself. Steinbeck also describes him as something of a living legend â€Å"he moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty and master craftsmen†. There was gravity in his manner and a quiet yet so profound, that all talk stopped when he spoke, as I he had mystical powers. His hatchet face was ageless. Slim is not only respected for his skill as a ranch hand as they say ‘he could kill fly on the wheelers butt with a bull whip without touching the mule’ but he is also seen as a man who thinks things through especially before speaking when it says ‘his ear heard more†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ His ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought. His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love. Slim lingers in the shadow of his overwhelming description throughout the novel. He serves as the fearless, decision-maker when conflicts arise among the workers and wins the confidence of George, offering advice, comfort, and quiet words of wisdom. Steinbeck from the start makes Slim above the other men and this is continuous throughout the whole novel till the end of the story. Slim’s presence is first noted in the bunkhouse. Even though it is here that he is introduced in a proper manner, we are already aware of the fact that he is an agreeable and pleasant man through certain statements made by other characters previously. For example, Candy states that Slim is a â€Å"Hell of a nice fella†. Furthermore, we learn that he is a likable and attractive man on account of Curley’s wife, â€Å"Hi, Good-lookin'†. Steinbeck’s use of biblical light imagery immediately emphasizes the fact that Slim’s character signals a sense of hope and a way out of the darkness. For example, as the text states, â€Å"Slim reached up over the card-table and turned on the tin-shaded electric light. Instantly the table was bright with light, and the cone of the shade threw its brightness straight downward, leaving the corners of the bunkhouse still in dusk.† I think not only the description implies to the light and hope of Slim’ s character, but also the importance of Slim’s presence, as the light is the brightest at where Slim is, and darker as it gets further away from Slim. I think there is an underlying hint of Slim’s status as the â€Å"core† on the ranch. One of the most distinctive contributions Slim brings is when George confides in him about how he and Lennie travel round together. Slim is clever in the way he brings this topic up as he says ‘†funny how you an’ him string along together†. But he says it calmly and invitingly to George, also the tone Slim uses offers confidence to George to talk. Slim does not prey or resort to bullying tactics when extracting information about George’s past, rather he exudes a â€Å"calm invitation to confidence†. The effect of this is that George appears to feel comfortable and at ease, and he is able to expand his relationship with Lennie. George does not appear to hold back when describing the close and loving relationship he shares with Lennie. For example, George states, â€Å"Him and me was both born in Auburn. I knowed his Aunt Clara. When Aunt Clara died, Lennie just come along with me out workin’. Got kinda used to each other after a little wh ile†. . When George and Lennie arrive together at the bunkhouse people think it is strange for men to travel together. This shows that society is use to people travelling alone. So through Slim, Steinbeck uses him as a way of criticising society. With all of Slim’s God-like features it is hard for us to understand why he is there at the ranch until this scene as it opens up the story a little bit more. Slim’s calm and gentle presence allows George to reveal these intimate personal details about his shared history with Lennie. George also mentions the incident that took place at Weed and this shows how much integrity Slim has and how he now acquired Georges respect. It is as George’s voice takes on the tone of a confessor. The fact that George feels he is able to reveal these details to Slim allows the plot to appear more realistic. English Coursework Of Mice and Men The character of Slim, unlike the others doesn’t have any real ambition; he has nowhere to go and no American Dream. I think that Slim even with his wisdom and perfect like characteristics still, has nothing to call his own and will, by every indication, remain a migrant worker until his death. Slim differs from the others in the fact that he does not seem to want something outside of what he has, he is not fooled by a dream, and he has not laid any plans like the others. I personally think that Slim still has ideas and a dream inside but one that he has control over unlike the others. Slim just seems to have somehow reached the sad conclusion that dreams rarely work in a world full of obstacles. Slim is a contrast to Curley. Slim only uses his strength when it is necessary whereas Curley’s uses his openly. For example when Curley attacks Lennie for thinking that he is laughing at him, Slim wants to end the fight but George stops him. Slim only decides to jump in after Lennie attacks Curley. Afterwards Slim shows his cleverness when he thinks of a plan to keep George and Lennie on the ranch. When Lennie breaks Curley’s hand George says to Slim, â€Å"Slim, will we get canned now?’†¦Slim smiled†. George and the reader think that George and Lennie will be sacked but Slim makes a massive impression on the readers in this scene as he thinks of an intelligent plan. He says to Curley, â€Å"I think you got your hand caught in a machine.† Otherwise Slim would have told the truth and Curley’s would lose his pride. Slim’s plan is important because I think that nobody else would have thought of it as they all stood in shock. Both of the characters use their authority differently. Curley has authority because he is the boss’s son, while Slim has the friendship of all around him. Curley’s uses his power to bully people but Slim has on certain occasions used his against Curley. This happens when Curley pesters Slim about where his wife is. Slim says, â€Å"you lay offa me.† And Curley reply is, â€Å"I didn’t mean nothing†¦I jus’ thought you might of saw her.† Curley is threatened by Slim because he does not know what Slim is capable of. Whit said, â€Å"Nobody knows what Slim can do.† This shows that Slim has never lost his temper to the extent that it would end up in a brawl. This is an example of the wonderful power Slim possess in the ranch. Slim is quite unlike any other character in the novel. I feel that Steinbeck uses Slim to show the extent of the Great Depression. Slim comes across as being civilized and educated but as I have said earlier Slim is only a jerk line skinner and nothing more. We also get the impression that he will become nothing more. This shows that even characters of Slim’s status could not find work. Through out the book it is made to sound that Slim is the hero where infact it is more so the case that he is not the hero everyone else is just a failure.

The Market for Online Education

Introduction Traditional education is designed around face-to-face communication in a physical classroom. Educational institutions are required to pay for costly inputs, the costs of which are spread out over a limited number of students. It is no surprise then that this education delivery model has produced a 550% increase in the cost of tuition at U.S. universities since 1985 (Vella, 2012). In addition to this, most universities are run by non-profit trusts or governments, where there is little pressure to innovate and fully utilize the physical and intellectual resources of the institution. With this backdrop, online courses are offering low-cost learning alternatives, which are customized for needs of customers, and are available without regard to space and time for different groups of customers worldwide. Over time, attitudes of students and employers towards online education are also improving. Finally, new private companies are coming up to offer customized solutions often backed by cloud computing platforms, though they still lack the brand recognition of traditional universities. This paper will examine the limitations of traditional educational methods and explore sources of demand and supply of online education with a view towards how innovative business models such as crowdsourcing and technology infrastructures such as cloud computing are creating change in online education (Weld et al., 2012). Evolution of Online Education Traditional education delivery in thousands of universities globally is designed around transfer of knowledge from teachers to students via face-to-face, lecture based interaction in physical classrooms. At the outset, this imposes the limit of physical capacity of the classroom on the number of individuals who can enrol in the class. In comparison, recent advances in information and communication technologies have enabled alternative online education delivery mechanisms, which can optimize educational delivery in a cost-efficient manner for a large number of users. Online education can be defined as a new social process which utilizes digital technology to partially or fully substitute traditional classroom learning methods, optimized for learners without the barriers of a traditional educational setup (Hiltz & Turoff, 2006). Allen and Seaman (2013) define online education to include courses where at least 80% of the course content is delivered online. These courses are delivered ov er the Internet and include significant use of digital media, data storage and communication technologies such as computer-assisted instruction, group communications, use of immersive simulations, gaming and asynchronous learning networks, collaborative knowledge systems and use of wireless and handheld devices. Online education offers different sets of opportunities to different organisations and individuals. For existing educational institutions, it offers a way to increase enrolment or reach a different type of audience such as corporate training. For start-ups looking to shake up the education ‘industry’, it offers the opportunity to compete with traditional universities on different bases of competition, such as price, program duration or class timing. For others, it offers the opportunity for lifelong learning or the opportunity to learn from professors of top universities. Surveys show that the number of students taking online learning courses is on the rise. Allen and Seaman (2013) report that the total number of students in the U.S. taking at least 1 online course during 2012 has increased to 6.7 million, representing 32% of the total student population of 21 million students. In an endorsement of the online learning platform, 77% of academic leaders believe that online learning leads to better learning outcomes than face-to-face instruction. On the major obstacles that are holding back the growth of online education, the authors believe that most faculty members still do not have a positive view about online learning. 40% believe employers have reservations about online degrees. Product Offerings Online education is influencing different tiers of the market in different ways. Firstly, in traditional universities, more and more fully online classes are being developed, and technology is finding its way into more traditional classes as well. Many universities now offer online only classes for their students. In addition, universities such as Georgia Tech are creating tailor made degrees for corporations such as AT&T. This setup benefits the university which gets an extra revenue stream and also AT&T which gets high-end skills training for its employees on the job (Kitroeff, 2014). In addition, some new, non-traditional universities have also been set up. These online universities, such as the University of Phoenix, replicate the existing university model but without a physical campus, utilizing online content delivery. A different model has also been developed by some traditional universities such as MIT and Stanford. In partnership with private start-up companies such as Coursera and EdX, these institutions are putting together free classes open to global masses known as massive open online courses (MOOC). These courses are available to all the students in the world who have Internet access and some of these classes boast registrations in hundreds of thousands. Currently, nearly 3% of institutions of higher education in the US are offering MOOCs while another 10% are in the planning process of offering MOOCs (Allen & Seaman, 2013). Coursera is also expanding into China with its more than 1 million online learners (Larson, 2014). However, it is not clear how MOOC offerings will be financed (Anderson, 2012). The author points out that giving away content for free usually never turns out to be good business model. Suggestions for revenue generation include subscription and charging employers who want to hire successful students. Another issue is how to ascertain the identity and actual completion of work by a given individual. Udacity, another start-up has devised a solution by offering physical testing facilities in different countries where students can take certification exams in a supervised environment. While they are becoming increasingly popular, MOOCs offer limited customization. In comparison, some start-up education companies are exploring the idea of customized learning enabled by ‘crowdsourcing’. Crowdsourcing is a term which defines the development of an online community whose physically dispersed members may be called upon to provide results online to a given problem. One limitation of MOOCs is that grading assignments of hundreds of thousands of students requires using automated software, which can only grade multiple choice problems. This solution does not work very well in the humanities and social sciences. A crowdsourcing-based solution is to use peer evaluation for this purpose. These learning environments also deploy other technology enabled learning techniques such as using software to analyse common mistakes made by large groups with the highest frequency. Significant insights can be gained into human learning from observing such errors and analyzing their causes. Other automated software agents can crawl the web for useful resources pertaining to the course and collect it on a new website. Additional functionalities that can be offered by machine learning systems include services that link students with particular needs with tutors with skills suitable for teaching those subjects. Role of technology in the online education ecosystem Central to this paradigm shift in education is the Internet and technology revolution. A key enabling innovation in this regard is the development of a low-cost services model known as cloud computing. Cloud computing is an umbrella terms which describes how computers, servers, and applications and processes on those servers can be networked together in a distributed computing platform to create scalable infrastructure which enables users to connect from anywhere and using any device. Cloud computing may be considered an extension of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), which is a software design which makes it easy for computers on a network to cooperate. An institution or group of institutions that gets together to develop a cloud computing based platform needs to develop content and services that can reside inside the cloud since not all applications are cloud enabled (Mircea & Andreescu, 2011). Cloud computing is a way of designing a network in blocks, not all of which need to be owned or operated by one university. Instead some components of infrastructure, or the platform or the software or even the computing power itself may be owned and managed by service providers who allow the university to pay for them on an ongoing, pay-per-use basis (Matthew, 2012). Cloud enabled service delivery enables access to educational content by anyone, anywhere on a pay-per-use basis, thus enabling deployment of scalable educational services. If a substantial number of users exist, the cost per user and thus the fee charged to the user can be lowered substantially compared to traditional educational institutions (Moore, 2011). This can have several other advantages for institutions as well. For example, institutions can combine resources with others to share a cloud, and then focus on content creation to focus on their strength and outsourcing the IT services to a large degree. The new business models will begin with market need identification, and then deploying a solution to meet that need, offering a high return on investment (ROI). A major university offering a global MOOC would need a very different platform than a commercial service offering English as Second Language in China and cloud computing would allow each to have the right cost and infrastructure for the size of the opportunity. A lot of effort is going into the development of each of the elements of online education. These include digital books, grading software, intelligent software agents, cloud computing infrastructure and tablets. Amazon is also selling more digital books than paper books and it is now even possible for students taking online classes to rent their textbooks for limited time (Schuetze, 2011). Through its success, online education seems to be substituting traditional education (Mehaffy, 2012). This phenomenon has been labelled by Christensen & Eyring (2011) as the process of ‘disruption’. ‘Disruptive technologies’ are championed by new companies which do not compete with the incumbents along the existing bases of competition, but offer new and often low-cost product to a previously underserved group of consumers. Once successful in their niches, they increase volume, improve product quality and unseat incumbents in the high end of the market. Alternatively, disruption forces incumbents to change their business models. One of the reasons the education market seems ripe for disruption is the high cost of university education which makes the high-end of the market out of reach for many students. Some of the new business models in online education offer lower cost alternatives for those average students. In response, several mainstream universities are already considering lowering the residency requirement of their degrees to lower the total cost of earning them, while considering how to improve their online courses. While it may be too early to predict how successful they will be, for now the online education market seems set to grow globally. Conclusion In conclusion, it can be said that online education is a powerful business model because it can service large underserved segments of the education market at low average cost (Gaytan, 2007). It is a solution for those who could previously not afford the high cost of education or may only need to develop certain job related skills or they may be lifelong learners. Deployment of digital content and software over a cloud enabled distributed computing network is the first step towards infrastructure development required for online learning platforms. More high-quality content is required together with ingenious business models to take online education to the next level of success. Recommendations While they do not face any immediate threats, existing educational institutions will need to adapt their business models in order to not become obsolete. At a minimum, they should consider ways of reducing their cost without diluting the experience. Traditional universities have a strong competitive advantage – they offer a period of residence in an academic community. This is difficult to replicate for online institutions. Online universities should consider partnerships for revenue and content sharing with traditional institutions in order to build their brands quicker. Without brand acceptance, they will never be able to compete with traditional universities. Start-ups should focus on helping develop those innovations that increase the return on investment in new business models for educational service providers to encourage innovation and investment in technology supporting online education. Bibliography Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. 2013. Changing Course: Ten Years of Tracking Online Education in the United States. Sloan Consortium. PO Box 1238, Newburyport, MA 01950. Anderson, N. 2012. Elite education for the masses. The Washington Post, 4. Christensen, C. M., & Eyring, H. J. 2011. The innovative university: Changing the DNA of higher education from the inside out. John Wiley & Sons. Conn, S. S., & Reichgelt, H. 2012. Cloud Computing in Support of Applied Learning: A Baseline Study of Infrastructure Design at Southern Polytechnic State University. In Proceedings of the Information Systems Educators Conference ISSN (Vol. 2167, p. 1435). Gaytan, J. 2007. Visions shaping the future of online education: Understanding its historical evolution, implications, and assumptions. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 10(2). Hiltz, S. R., & Turoff, M. 2005. Education goes digital: The evolution of online learning and the revolution in higher education. Communications of the ACM,48(10), 59-64. Larson, C. 2014. Coursera’s plan for online education: Expansion in China. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved on 28 October, 2014 from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-27/coursera-ceo-richard-levin-plans-to-expand-the-company-in-china. Kitroeff, N. 2014. Why AT&T is investing in virtual school. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved on 28 October, 2014 from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-24/at-and-t-and-former-google-vp-back-georgia-tech-online-degree-program. Mathew, S. 2012. Implementation of Cloud Computing in Education – A Revolution. International Journal of Computer Theory and Engineering, 4(3), 473 – 475. Mehaffy, G. L. 2012. Challenge and change. Educause Review, 47(5), 25-42. Mircea, M., & Andreescu, A. I. 2011. Using cloud computing in higher education: A strategy to improve agility in the current financial crisis. Communications of the IBIMA, 2011, 1-15. Moore, J. C. 2012. A Synthesis of Sloan-C Effective Practices, December 2011. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 16(1), 91-115. Schuetze, C. F. 2011. Textbooks finally take a big leap to digital. The New York Times. Vella, M. (2012). Is higher education doomedFortune. Retrieved on October 28, 2014 from http://fortune.com/2012/07/18/is-higher-education-doomed/. Yuan, L., Powell, S., & CETIS, J. 2013. MOOCs and open education: Implications for higher education. Cetis White Paper. Weld, D. S., Adar, E., Chilton, L., Hoffmann, R., Horvitz, E., Koch, M., & Mausam, M. 2012. Personalized online education—a crowdsourcing challenge. In Workshops at the Twenty-Sixth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence.

Families in poverty in Australia Essay

One of the important global plan is to eliminate poverty by 2015 as per UN Millennium Development Goals. Every day approximately 30,000 children are losing precious lives due to living in precarious conditions. (Make Poverty History) It is high time to bring a big change in the lives of people who deserve to meet the minimum needs for living. Not just one nation or two whereas a collective effort of all people beginning from Australia to the remote parts of other nations, is required to completely eradicate poverty. Especially in Australia poverty is on the rise from 7. 6 per cent to 9.9 per cent between the period of 1994-2004 (Australian Fair Campaign) Poverty levels are at a higher rate when compared with the poverty line of UK and Ireland. In spite of the fact that Australia’s economy is growing, there are two million Australians living in poverty according to (ACOSS) Australian Council of Social Service. Australia is ranked 14th in the developed world for poverty (UN Human Poverty Index) â€Å"There are two many areas where Australia is falling behind other OECD nations† â€Å"Governments need to ensure the benefits of the economic prosperity are shared with all Australians†(ACOSS President Lin Hatfield Dobbs) The following indicate the status of people in Australia as on September 2001. (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (a) There were 672,500 unemployed (officially) (b) There were 563,500 underemployed (c) 800,000 would like to work more This paper picks an issue of families living in poverty especially belonging to Australia which is a renowned nation for tourism and rich in natural resources. What are the ground reasons for continuous existence of poverty in a nation where there are industries, clean environment and beautiful landscapes which encourage foreign tourists to choose Australia as a destination point to reside either as a tourist or as an immigrant. Similarly, there are reputed educational institutions and universities in Australia which if collectively notified that a greater number of foreign students enroll for career advancements in Universities of Australia than the domestic students of Australia. This gives out a fact that, people around the world select and consider Australia as one of the best nation to opt for to reside as an immigrant, as a tourist, as a foreign student or for expansion of business ventures. An overall view about Australia as a nation produces a fact that, it invites tourists of all cultures and backgrounds and offers a multi-ethnicity atmosphere to all its residents. In the order of pursuing other priorities of economic development of nation, Australia could possibly be giving a lenient view to its domestic citizens and families in providing jobs, medical health schemes which otherwise are provided at a lesser cost in the other parts of Europe, in order to take care of its citizens as a premium issue, which is very important economic aspect that resident families are cared and nurtured after all families make societies which in turn make a healthy nation. In order to find how well and happy families are, a poll opinion was considered by Brother hood of St. Laurence in Australia which revealed that a mindset of middle class economy is prevalent and poverty is always secondary (Stewart 1996). An analysis and understanding of poverty has basically two phases. (1) a phase of listening (2) a phase of dialogue. Brotherhood has considered the poll of general public, group discussions, politicians, academics, telephone interviews, business leaders, community leaders which included both qualitative and quantitative findings. Basing on the general public opinion, the following findings were the result of Brotherhood’s research on poverty in Australia. Firstly and quite observantly, Brotherhood stated that poverty is least rated at 5 per cent as compared to any other issue such as unemployment, education, health, environment and other chronic issues of narcotics and games of casino or betting. The other ratings are, drugs at 25%, unemployment at 17%, divide between rich and poor at 16%, education at 13%, health at 9%, environment at 9%, gambling at 7% and poverty at 5%. Poverty line as established by Henderson in 1973 explains that an income of $62. 70 is a benchmark which is a disposable income for a family of four. (parents + two children).

Articulate Thought Essay

â€Å"Articulate speech marks [people] out as [individuals] and in some settings, this can be rather dangerous because people are often suspicious and frightened of articulateness. † (Humanities). Articulateness describes a person’s ability to express an idea coherently. A well articulated idea, concept or opinion, does not use proof based on a fallacy to back up its view. When people speak or write articulately, they are able to convey a message to others in a way that cannot be distorted. It can even be said, â€Å"[a]rticulateness builds the human community. † (Humanities) Without the ability to understand each other there would be no way for a society to function. Each person would not be able to communicate a message from his or her thoughts to another person, thus any sort of teamwork would be impossible. It is the understanding of others’ ideas told to a person in a way more specific than basic gestures or grunts that allows humans to be more successful in groups than any animal. Properly expressed thoughts are the best way to communicate in any form of society, because failing to articulate properly often leads to misinterpretation. A lack of articulation, and thus a lack of complete understanding, leads to people being misinformed. Sometimes people in power use the ability to misinform others to their advantage. By deliberately explaining campaigns vaguely so that the general public does not fully understand, people in power, or people who wish to be in power, can skew facts in their favour. â€Å"We are taught to read and write so that we can obey the traffic signs and to cipher so that we can make out our income tax† (Humanities), but people are deliberately expected to maintain only a level of intelligence sufficient to allow them to participate in society at a minimal level. People are kept in a docile state so that they will not question generally accepted ideas proposed by the government. People are only provided with education to a level insufficient to challenge the inarticulate ideas of those considered superiors. The general public is expected to automatically respect the opinions of superiors, and the people considered more powerful in society are thus able to fool the unintelligent general public. If campaigns proposed by governments were explained articulately, the people would be able to understand the true intent and make fully informed decisions. Privileged to all of the information, the general public would be able to spot any deceptions and each campaign would be subjected to scrutiny. Inarticulateness is nearly as powerful a tool as true articulateness, in some respects. By extending the human capacity of knowledge further than allowed in fundamental schooling, it is possible to overcome the system that attempts to keep society unintelligent. People are able to absorb and think about ideas of others that they have not physically met or spoken to through reading well-written literature. The more people read and are able to understand literature, the more they will develop their own articulate ideas. â€Å"As we challenge ourselves to read more and more difficult literature, we become able to extend ourselves further† (Literature). Literature allows people to â€Å"[leap] over the boundaries that usually separate us from other selves and worlds† (Literature) and increase each person’s base of knowledge substantially. It is only with prior knowledge of a subject that humans are able to intelligently articulate their ideas. However, society is not quick to embrace the powers that articulate thought gives individuals. People do not wish to pick up books unless they are necessary for their immediate success in a submissive society. â€Å"A society like ours doesn’t have much interest in literacy† (Humanities). Governments work to keep society in a level of cautious unintelligence, and are hesitant to embrace articulate ideas because they are truly powerful things. Powerful and well articulated ideas often lead to change, and change is something most people are apprehensive of. People with individual thoughts are marked out and scorned by the masses, and in many less democratic countries than Canada radical thinkers are silenced by means of intimidation or imprisonment. â€Å"Understanding and articulateness lead to [government’s] destruction† (Humanities). The government, as we know it, the system that works in a way which is not always beneficial to the general public because society remains afraid to challenge, could not exist. A well-articulated idea that goes against the government can cause upheaval in society. If people were to act on those ideas and rebel against laws put in place by the government, any sort of order would be in a state of constant flux, moving from one extreme to another. Without radicals, there would be no forward movement in humanity. Radicals such as Aristotle, who believed that there was a proper way to think and that many of the things society automatically accepts as truths are nothing more than fallacy, were scorned during their lifetimes. Many scholars’ ideas were immediately dismissed because people were frightened of their ability to articulate ideas that were radically different from those commonly held. In society there is a nature ingrained into each person, a feeling that one singled from the group will be defenseless and vulnerable. This instinct may be a result of evolution, something that humans needed in order to survive. Now it could be said the need that humans feel to conform to a group because it is presumed safer, is holding society back. Radical thinkers move humanity forward. The need for acceptance, and the desire to fit in rather than stand out in a community is something common to each person. â€Å"Young adolescents today often betray a curious sense of shame about speaking articulately† (Humanities). There is an almost paralyzing fear shared by many people, most noticeably in school children but in adults as well, of not only public speaking but also even raising their hands in a classroom setting. A child asked to give a speech to a classroom of peers about a topic, to share ideas and opinions unique to that child, will often become frightened that his or her opinions will not be shared by the rest of the class. The need for acceptance is often greater than the need to articulate and stand out. People in many cases would rather believe and agree with an idea that they have valid reason to believe to be false in order to be part of a community than voice their own opinion and be rejected. Fallacies are a barrier created by the structure of society in order to discourage articulate thought. People are often afraid of articulateness because it conveys well-formed and direct ideas, something uncommon in society. Humans are naturally afraid of something that is unfamiliar to them. An intelligent individual who thinks differently from the masses, even if his or her idea is perfectly valid and conveyed in such a way that makes their reasoning clear, are often ridiculed because society tends to accept fallacies as proof of validity. An example of a commonly believed fallacy is Circulous probando, or â€Å"thinking in circles† (Think). This term created by Aristotle, â€Å"often entails joining an intellectual herd charging round and round† (Think). The drive that humans have, the instinct to stay equal with the group both in a physical sense and an intellectual respect, leads society to want to believe in fallacies. The notion that if â€Å"everybody thinks such and such; it must be so for the simple reason that everybody thinks it is so† (Think). is safe. If everyone in the group believes a fallacy, those people are all on the same level intellectually, and there is safety in numbers. No one in the group will be singled out. The more people believe in something, be it fallacy or truth, the more likely it is that other people will believe the same simply because it is commonly accepted. This way of thinking can be detrimental to a group of people, because if the group believes in commonly held fallacies over intelligent articulate thought. â€Å"The surest way to destroy freedom is to destroy the capacity to articulate freely. † (Humanities) Without articulate freedom, human society will never progress or evolve.

Neurotheology Vol I and Vol II Descriptions Essay

Neurotheology Vol I and Vol II Descriptions - Essay Example This includes perspectives from Darwinian evolution and neuroscience (studies in frontal, parietal lobes and temporal lobe epilepsy), neuropsychology, genetics, cognitive science, cellular biology, chemistry, physics, mindfulness, electromagnetic field effects, and varying perspectives from psychology like conditioning, attachment and learning theories. Other perspectives on science and beliefs are developing from neuroeconomics, neuropolitics, and neuroethics. Neurotheology acknowledges the complexity and diversity of human beliefs by providing a broad conceptual framework to encompass beliefs whether mystical or religious, economic or environmental, political or social, or some other. Beginning with an overview of what Neurotheology is and what it attempts to accomplish, the book will illustrate how Neurotheology proposes six belief dimensions, each of which encompasses different disciplines that posit particular understandings of brain (human physiology), mind, and beliefs from their own viewpoints, research commitments and program obligations. Having set the stage for a greater understanding of the science of neurotheology, the second volume in the series will present a more in-depth look at the various belief dimensions that comprise the focus of neurotheological studies. The first of these belief dimensions is the mystical, religious, spiritual and theological traditions and experiences of human existence. The second belief dimension is that of the scientific programs and psychological theories that are often pitted against the ideas of the first as if they were diametrically opposed. Historical and philosophical traditions comprise the third belief dimension. Anthropological influences are considered within the fourth belief dimension while the fifth belief dimension is concerned with technological