Thursday, October 31, 2019

Los Angeles's Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Los Angeles's Globalization - Essay Example Such an activity draws together people from different regions and countries, bringing them into one common place; where the diversity of each participant and audience is experienced. The coming together of communities into a common operation of events that are of global characteristic is the essence of globalization. Contemporary and conventional infrastructure is a component of globalization. Similar architectural designs can be found in more than city, state or country (Johnson, 299). What this means is that a number of countries in that context have shared information, knowledge and skills to the way of getting things done. For instance, China-Los Angeles characteristic relationship between modern structures can represent an aspect of globalization. There are those unique designs and complex architectural developments that can be found in both China and Los Angeles. This aspect depicts an aspect of collaboration in creativity and share of technology in the infrastructure sector. T he only relationship that can lead to such observations is a high level of globalization in the context of the two analyzed scenarios. Concepts of globalization are not limited to any specific notion, motive or mode. Mass movements of people from one city to another, one state to another and from one country to another has been characteristic of the globalization process. Different communities are no longer limited to their native lands; they are getting access to the entire world as globalization heightens. It is in this regard that Jewish communities can be found all around the world, and most importantly in Los Angeles. In order to pump more sense into this, a festival like the Song Kran held in Los Angeles is a clear indication of just how much communities and more specifically individuals have evolved and revolutionized to fit into the dynamism of the world society (Moore 177). Assimilation of foreign traditions, customs and cultures are part of the ever changing world of today . Famous traditions and means of recognizing cultures throughout the world have taken another dimension altogether. Cultural practices that were once only specific to some groups in a given state are now found miles away, assimilated by another society. This just shows how the global trend is moving towards uniting the entire world population. Such is the case in Saigon town of Los Angeles. Chinese traditional designs of major entry points characterize this part of Los Angeles. This aspect presents a noticeable element of a globalized Los Angeles, in comparison to the rest of the world. Religious practices have not been left behind in the quest for globalization. These practices are establishing all over the world as people continue to interact and merge with others from different locations of the world. Los Angeles serves as a common basis for this interest through the availability of mosques. Los Angeles is not an Islam dominated city, but has taken into consideration the interest s of other communities in its development processes. Presence of mosques merges Islamic contexts into the city, allowing for unionism of diverse inhabitants of the city, both local and international (Samudio 108). Another similar aspect of this is the city-within-a-city notion of Los Angeles. Pure Korean activities are undertake right in the heart of Los Angeles, despite the physical, geographical and social differences evident

Monday, October 28, 2019

Understanding Business Research Terms and Concepts Essay Example for Free

Understanding Business Research Terms and Concepts Essay The first article discusses the overall Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people; and Building a Foundation for a better understanding. In this article you will find accompanying research on the generally health status of the LGBT community. A condition in order to review existing research on sexual-gender-minority health, this article presents research encounters accompanying with this particular study of LGBT populations. When research method along with data sources that would be used in the studding of these populaces and to determine the best overall reliable practice for directing this type of research on the health conditions on LGBT people, also finding a summary of key on research opportunities. With this topic the three overall important challenges are confronting the researchers attempt to gathering any type of effective and somewhat consistent data for describing the LGBT community and the basics on measuring their health. The first is defining the overall measures of sexual coordination and the gender distinctiveness. Next is overpowering the lack of enthusiasm from some LGBT individuals in order to identify themselves for the purposes of research. The third challenge is to obtain high-quality samples of relatively small populations. Although the â€Å"LGBT† acronym is generally applied to more or less lesbians, gay people, bisexual women and men, and also transgender people. These groups are pretty distinct and could also comprise with other subgroups based on ethnicity, race, age, geographic location, and other factors like socioeconomic status. These types of variations have been implicated for the purpose of health research, also including the need to capture sample sizes that are just large enough to help with the understanding of difference amongst certain subgroups. With the research method in all practical of each component the studies design has to be grounded on the deliberation of certain appearances of the people actuality studied, in order for the most actual method of the data received are to be  developed. When dealing with the LGBT studies the research needs to identify and choose the most effective methods to balance for the unique research that is explained above. Challenges with sampling requires careful precise of definition on the targeted population of its study. When you set up the target population be sure to set up as well the elements and what information is required overall and what limited estimates that would be required (ONM, 2001). Let just say for example, the targeted population is the LGBT in a particular state, geographic or the community area. If the supporters of this targeted populace are nominated into to a particular sample by random and unbiased mechanism and every individual within the target should have knowledge of being selected into this studies and the overall subsequent study model could be used to attraction implications and will simplify the target population, thus generating a â€Å"representative† of this targeted populace. Other items explain in this article are data collections using quantitative and Qualitative methods. In addition to choosing the most appropriate sampling frame that concerns major methodological concerns over the options of using quantitative and Qualitative methods. With research opportunity its beat that procedures need to be created for take full advantage of its usefulness obtainable data. I next article I came across was about Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice. It discusses how nursing is clearly becoming a bit more evolving towards a likable evidence-based practice regardless of the many obstacles that are processed. In today society trends are propelling around healthcare delivery system for the concentration on patient overall safety, its value, and overall distinction to create a managerial cultural within expectation for all teams members of healthcare. The landmark publications To Err is Human (Institute of Medicine, 2000) and Crossing the Quality Chasm (Institute of Medicine, 2001) have served as the impetus for all healthcare professionals to consider their practice patterns. The quest for Magnet designation has propelled nursing leaders to evaluate whether the care delivery models they use incorporate evidence-based practice, and there is integration of research and evidence-based practice in clinical and operational processes (Turkel, Reidinger, F erket, Reno, 2005). To embed these values among a nursing staff, clinical staff participation in the  process of nursing research is critical, as well as the use of evidence to drive nursing interventions (Clark, 2006). I have noted that the research generally process of methodical inquiry to create and develop acquaintance within a self-control or profession. I have also learned that research validates and refinances of existing knowledge and develops new knowledge (Burns and Grove, 2007). With nursing research priorities exists to provide a certain high quality of nursing care for any individual in need of any type of healthcare promotions, also health sustain along with health-restoring strategies. Is show’s how the overall consequence of this type of research activity for a typical nurse would be ultimately and put its knowledge increased to work along with its healthcare delivery! Something else I have found about research priorities is that; frequently set up by groups that will fund its research just to reassure nurse researchers and to possibly devote time and money within in those types of areas! Looking at its study designs tells the researcher how data would be collected. It’s noted that the researcher indicates a method founded on a question along with the current levels of knowledge about the issues at hand to be studied. The concept like caring, pain and unhappiness are of principal importance (Speziale and Carpenter, 2007); this design provides a dimension of understanding and adds to the traditional quantity method. For an overall general understanding Nurses of just about every level should really critically read these types of research journal articles. It also explains the types of levels and evidence that exists and it many forms. Perhaps you can see that the most obvious form would be the journal article that helps to describe a single research study. It states that certain subject has been extensively studied; other research articles with more information may also be wide-ranging as well. Previous to EBP, the readers were responsibly for original reports to evaluate and to agree if any of the supporting documentation could be used in a practice setting. References: http://phoenix.summon.serialssolutions.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/search?s. q=business+problem+is+researched+using+a+qualitative+design+and+the+other+using+a+quantitative+design AAPOR (American Association for Public Opinion Research) Best practices. 2010. [October 22, 2010].https://www​.aapor.org/Best_Practices.htm. Aaron DJ, Chang YF, Markovic N, LaPorte RE. Estimating the lesbian population: A capture-recapture approach.Journal of Epidemiology Community Health. 2003;57(3):207–209. [PMC free article] [PubMed] Almeida J, Johnson RM, Corliss HL, Molnar BE, Azrael D. Emotional distress among LGBT youth: The influence of perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation. Journal of Youth Adolescence. 2009;38(7):1001–1014.[PMC free article] [PubMed] Austin SB, Conron K, Patel A, Freedner N. Making sense of sexual orientation measures: Findings from a cognitive processing study with adolescents on health survey questions. Journal of LGBT Health Research. 2007;3(1):55–65.[PubMed] Clark, M. L. (2006). The Magnet Recognition Program and evidence-based practice. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 21, 186–189. Check Document Availability Bibliographic Links [Context Link] Greenhalgh, T. (2006). How to read a paper: The basics of evidence-based medicine(3rd ed.). Oxford, England: Blackwell Publishing. [Context Link] Institute of Medicine. (Ed.). (2000). To err is human: Building a safer system.Washington, DC: National Academies Press. [Context Link] Institute of Medicine (Ed.). (2001). Crossing the quality chasm: A new health system for the 21st century. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. [Context Link]

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Effect of Market Structures on Business

Effect of Market Structures on Business Market Structure Introduction There are diverse categorizations of markets and the structure of a business which denotes in which categorization it will descend into. Markets are separated as per to the business what it offers to the precise market. Structure of Business is established by the composition of market characteristics, and these aids to establish level and region of competition. The features in a market with the majority concentrated center on the numeral of purchasers and retailers, plane in which a product has a substitute, entry and exit easiness price, and the elevation of common dependence. These constituted variables are categorized in the subsequent market structures: perfectly competitive markets, monopolistically competitive markets, monopolies, and oligopolies (Colander, 2010). This paper is going away to talk about regarding the variety of market structures that will assist the local mayor recognize the structures of the several businesses in the city. Market structures Consecutively to recognize the diverse market structures, every structure requires being defined and discussed. The primary structure to be conversed is about perfect competition. This is a perfect structure that does not actually subsist in the real market, however; is used as a hypothetical model to evaluate additional structures to. Perfect competition is prominent for its elastic demand perfectly curves. Goods Price is like that the firm will simply construct normal profits (zero economic profits) in the extensive run. There is open entry and exit into the market in a market of perfect competition. Instances of a perfectly competitive market would be gas and milk. There might be a lot of suppliers of products, and if one dealer desires to raise their price superior than the price the market establishes, consumers will go away somewhere else to acquire the thing in need. Additional traits could comprise: no barriers of entry and exit, profit maximization, zero costs of transaction , homogeneous products, and ideal factor mobility.Devoid of the restraints of exiting and entering the market fresh businesses will not have an effect on the homogenous product market. At a clearing price of market a firm would be competent to put up for sale as much merchandise as it prefers while creating a profit. This might denote that there is equilibrium of market. With standard revenue superior to average cost the curve of demand will continue to be elastic. A monopolistically competitive market can be described as having a abundant amount of equally manufacturers and customers, customer’s inclinations for buying products is recognized; endurance in this locale consists of the seller endeavoring to differentiate specific products from competitors. A monopolistically competitive market might continue restrictions with entry and exit, the market is fundamentally assorted in nature, and a market of this might direct to the enhancement of non-price competition. Monopolistic Competition elucidates an industry compiled of a huge number of sellers. Each one of these sellers tenders a distinguished product, which is a service or good that has genuine or expected traits that are diverse from those of additional goods or services.[ Amacher (2011)] This is to pronounce that the similar product is being tendered even though it is revealed to be enhanced or better to the competitor products. A big example of this might be gas stations. Althoug h Chevron and Texaco are revealed as having better fuel owing to the cleaning additives owned inside the fuel, Aragon, Shell, and also Costco tender fuels with the similar quantity of detergency at a lesser price. The subsequent market structure is of an oligopoly. Oligopoly is a structure market that manages a product and is controlled by a minute number of firms that operate on one’s behalf. Prices positioned on products by each firm comprised are close up to matching since if one firm endeavors to alter the price, this will source further firms to do the similar thing. A major characteristic of a market structure of oligopolistic in the industry is the mutual dependence of firms. The function that oligopoly participates in the economy is that if the firm slashes prices, then further competing firms will counterpart the reductions of price. If the firm increases its prices of its goods, then further firms will not counterpart the price raise. There are only some different firms in an oligopoly market that powers 90% or of the market. Airline industries are a big instance of this. A number of further instances of this would be companies of cell phone in addition to companies that might form an alliance like the industry of oil. A monopoly comprises of a firm that has the throttlehold on a market. Any firm that has a structure of monopoly will have the majority control over price for its goods. The firms that function in competitive structures will have no power above their prices. Management of Price is when a firm has the capability to direct the products prices. Ownership of Public is not ordinary in monopolies and there are no takers of price. A monopolist makes certain the price for a product or service will certainly add to profits.There is no suitable alternate in this market to the merchandise being offered. Even though one may think that a product may perhaps be sold at any price enviable, which is not the case. Monopolies will in actual fact determine the rate that sells the majority products at an enviable rate. This lets the monopoly to maintain probable competitors out of the ring while making profit above the long-run. One instance of this would be utility company. Although there are no substitutes for customers, the government strides in and offers regulation of price to make certain that rates stay reasonably priced. It is in the paramount interest of the monopoly to stay rational, consequently conservation of the business. The Deutsche Telekom Company in Germany became tremendously avaricious with their phone service. The government strides in and separated the company initially backed by the government into 6 new subsidiary companies. Deutsche Telekom lost their grip on the power of monopoly that they owned. Market structure Real-life example A local market structureof a real-life example is the bakeries in the city. Even though there are 3 bakeries to select from, they all seize alike prices and the products are substitutable crosswise one another. This is an instance of a monopolistic competition. The market can with no trouble be moved in and out of and every firm is contending to sell the similar product as if it is superior or unique to the other. High entry barriers High end barriers renders to the subsistence of elevated start-up costs or additional hindrances that avert fresh competitors from effortlessly entering a region of business or industry. Barriers to entry benefit existing companies previously working in an industry since they guard an instituted companys revenues and profits from being carved away by fresh competitors. (Investopedia, 2013) An instance of this barrier would be a Credit Union. Consecutively to approach into the banking business, there requires being a considerable backing of cash together with the building capital, security systems, a vault, and the capability to contend on the open exchange market. In addition the capital barrier those positions in the means of such a business, there are as well official restrictions inflicted by the government. In additional firms such as in avionics, there are intellectual property and patent laws rights that might position as a high end barrier. Competitive pressures With high barriers of entry a number of the competitive pressures to markets are the capability to lessen the product price so low that a forthcoming firm cannot contend. There might as well be incidences of validity and consents to operate. A lot of monopolies support government officials which in turn aid to guard the firm by rejecting needed lawful documents and permissions to contend in the business. If a firm start-up were to effort to approach into the industry of airline they would not merely have to surmount the several millions of dollars required to sustain the jets, operating costs, and pay roll, however; they would as well require to have admission to terminals and be in conformity with the FAA. If they are not awarded sanction access through the FAA then they will by no means be competent to function and establish contending in the market. If they direct to sever through all of that, then the bigger airlines merely lesser the costs forcing the start-up firm into liquidation. Price elasticity of demand The demand of price elasticity in every market structure and its outcome on pricing the products inside the market’s structure diverge crosswise each market structure. Much or the cause is owing to competition and the proximity of substitutes accessible. For example a monopolistic competition has an demand of elastic against inelastic. This is since there are a lot of competing companies promoting the similar items. Consequently if the demand continues the same, however; one company lessens the rates severely, then that company will sell a great deal additional of its items even as the respite suffer sales. The price shifts crosswise the board in an oligopoly market all the way through the small number of companies that direct the market. All prices vary together comparably a great deal like an airline industry. If a cartel is structured, then the item turn out to be even additional inelastic. This is apparent with OPEC. In spite of whether or not the oil price rises or falls, the fuel demand will continue comparatively the same. A monopoly is as well additional of a structure of inelastic market. This is owing to the lack of competition. On the other hand, if not the firm is selling a total necessity, the price cannot be driven to irrational amounts as profit of long term will crash. There will be an equilibrium initiated that lets the firm to vend the items at a position that will make the most of profit over the continuing of the company. Role of the government The government roles have an effect on each of the market structure’s capability to price products in the course of numerous angels. One such way is the tax that it might place on a product for instance a sin tax. This tax is shoved from the firm to the buyer thus elevating the price of the product. If the item is elastic then the demand above the long-run will reduce. An additional way that the government influences each of the market structures capability to cost items is to inflict regulations on equally the manufacture and cost of an item. Farmers countenance this predicament for items for example wheat and grain. Even as they are proficient to grow far extra bushels a year, the government controls the quantity grown consequently as not to overflow the market out. This assists in regulating the price of goods diagonally the trade markets. Effect of international trade International trade have an effect on every market structure by regulating the quantity of a item that penetrates into one nation from another and with any tariffs initiated unto the item incoming into a country. Limiting the quantity of an item that is permitted into a nation is recognized as a quota. A quota will control or throttle the quantity of the item which is the identical as restricting supply. In view of the fact that supply is lesser the price of demand will raise. This denotes that the customer eventually ends up paying a great deal more for a desired good as it turn out to be additional restricted and desirable. Tariffs are initiated on goods as they flood in and do not control the quantity of an item. A fraction of a tariff will approach back as income for the government. Even though several price increases would ensue to the consumer, the elasticity of the item would not be as rigorous as the supply and demand level would stay constant. [Hubbard, R. OBrien, A. (2010) ] Conclusion In conclusion this paper has dealt with a variety of structures of market that will aid the local mayor recognize the structures of the lot of businesses in the city. The subsequent structures of market were dealt: monopolistic competition, perfect competition, monopoly and oligopoly. For each one of these topic structures of market characteristics were discussed. A real-life market structure in the local city was recognized with relative to the market characteristics. Subsequently, the paper discussed how high entry barriers into a structure of market effected profitability of long-run of the firms. Pressures of Competition that are existent in markets with high barriers to entry were clarified. Then the paper conferred the price elasticity of demand in every market structure and its outcome on pricing of its items in every market. Subsequent to that an explanation of how the function of government affects every market structure’s capability to price its items was offered. In conclusion, the outcome of international trade on every market structure was discussed. References Microeconomics principles and policies. Amacher, R., Pate, J. (2013). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Economics (7th ed.). Colander, D. C. (2008). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection. Differentiating between Market Structures University of Phoenix. (2008). [Multimedia]. Economics (3rd ed.). Hubbard, R. OBrien, A. (2010). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Barriers to Entry, (2013), retrieved from Investopedia http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/barrierstoentry.asp

Thursday, October 24, 2019

job description :: essays research papers

Medical Bookkeeper Reports to:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Department: Classification:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Division: Date:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Approved: JOB FUNCTION: This bookkeeper position is responsible for pricing of surgeries and other services provided by the physicians and also for telephone collections and patient inquiries. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pricing: a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Obtains chart from secretary. b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reads the operative report, applies appropriate fee schedule, posts to the batch, secures physician approval of any changes, follows through on the necessary changes, and posts into the system. c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prepares a monthly written report of the physicians' totals. d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Educates new physicians to the Clinic pricing system. e.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prices new surgeries by comparing with fees from other clinics. f.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Provides an estimate of surgery charges to patients. g.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Enters new patient accounts on computer. h.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Posts all daily charges. i.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creates and maintains up-to-date procedural manuals for each physician as these procedures affect and are affected by this position. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Collections: a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Performs all collection functions for the Clinic, including working with the insurance companies and the patients. b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Turns over collectables to the collection agency with the approval of the physicians and the Business Manager. c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Checks with attorneys on the status of legal patients every three months. d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Calls patients and insurance companies for collections. e.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inquires monthly about the 90-day-and-older accounts from the computer. f.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Obtains the necessary statements from the computer and performs write-offs. g.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Locates patients who have moved. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patient Inquiries/Patient Relations: a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Locates charts and X rays. Copies them and sends them to other orthopedic physicians as requested. b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Updates patients' personal data. c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Occasionally enters an insurance number for a new patient when it is phoned in. d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Requests itemized statements through the computer daily in response to patient requests. e.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With regard to cycle billings, assists the Bookkeeper–Computer in disassembling and preparing them for mailing three times a month. f.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Receives telephone calls from patients inquiring about their accounts. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other Duties: a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Opens mail, posts payments, and balances. b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Handles miscellaneous mail, such as insurance rejections, statements for patients, etc. c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Helps Bookkeeper–Computer balance at the end of the month and assists in finding errors. ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Functions as a backup for the Bookkeeper–Computer. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Performs other duties as required and assigned by the Business Manager. Challenges Unique to this Position: The fee practices of each of the physicians and the interpretation of charges differ to some degree, and this bookkeeper must be able to recognize possible areas of difficulty and take appropriate steps.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Most Opposition to Abortion Relies Essay

A Defense of Abortion Author(s): Judith Jarvis Thomson Source: Philosophy and Public Affairs, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Autumn, 1971), pp. 47-66 Published by: Blackwell Publishing Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/2265091 Accessed: 10/01/2010 00:54 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR’s Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www. jstor. org/page/info/about/policies/terms. jsp. JSTOR’s Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www. jstor. org/action/showPublisher? publisherCode=black. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor. org. Blackwell Publishing is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Philosophy and Public Affairs. http://www. jstor. org JUDITH JARVISTHOMSON A Defense of Abortion’ Most opposition to abortion relies on the premise that the fetus is a human being, a person, from the moment of conception. The premise is argued for, but, as I think, not well. Take, for example, the most common argument. We are asked to notice that the development of a human being from conception through birth into childhood is continuous; then it is said that to draw a line, to choose a point in this development and say â€Å"before this point the thing is not a person, after this point it is a person† is to make an arbitrary choice, a choice for which in the nature of things no good reason can be given. It is concluded that the fetus is, or anyway that we had better say it is, a person from the moment of conception. But this conclusion does not follow. Similar things might be said about the development of an acorn into an oak tree, and it does not follow that acorns are oak trees, or that we had better say they are. Arguments of this form are sometimes called â€Å"slippery slope arguments†-the phrase is perhaps self-explanatory-and it is dismaying that opponents of abortion rely on them so heavily and uncritically. I am inclined to agree, however, that the prospects for â€Å"drawing a line† in the development of the fetus look dim. I am inclined to think also that we shall probably have to agree that the fetus has already become a human person well before birth. Indeed, it comes as a surprise when one first learns how early in its life it begins to acquire human characteristics. By the tenth week, for example, it already has i. I am very much indebted to James Thomson for discussion, criticism, and many helpful suggestions. 48 Philosophy ; Public Affairs a face, arms and legs, fingers and toes; it has internal organs, and brain activity is detectable. 2 On the other hand, I think that the premise is false, that the fetus is not a person from the moment of conception. A newly fertilized ovum, a newly implanted clump of cells, is no more a person than an acorn is an oak tree. But I shall not discuss any of this. For it seems to me to be of great interest to ask what happens if, for the sake of argument, we allow the premise. How, precisely, are we supposed to get from there to the conclusion that abortion is morally impermissible? Opponents of abortion commonly spend most of their time establishing that the fetus is a person, and hardly any time explaining the step from there to the impermissibility of abortion. Perhaps they think the step too simple and obvious to require much comment. Or perhaps instead they are simply being economical in argument. Many of those who defend abortion rely on the premise that the fetus is not a person, but only a bit of tissue that will become a person at birth; and why pay out more arguments than you have to? Whatever the explanation, I suggest that the step they take is neither easy nor obvious, that it calls for closer examination than it is commonly given, and that when we do give it this closer examination we shall feel inclined to reject it. I propose, then, that we grant that the fetus is a person. from the moment of conception. How does the argument go from here? Something like this, I take it. Every person has a right to life. So the fetus has a right to life. No doubt the mother has a right to decide what shall happen in and to her body; everyone would grant that. But surely a person’s right to life is stronger and more stringent than the mother’s right to decide what happens in and to her body, and so outweighs it. So the fetus may not be killed; an abortion may not be performed. It sounds plausible. But now let me ask you to imagine this. You wake up in the morning and find yourself back to back in bed with an unconscious violinist. A famous unconscious violinist. He has been found to have a fatal kidney ailment, and the Society of Music Lovers 2. Daniel Callahan, Abortion: Law, Choice and Morality (New York, 1970), p. 373. This book gives a fascinating survey of the available information on abortion. The Jewish tradition is surveyed in David M. Feldman, Birth Control in Jewish Law (New York, i968), Part 5, the Catholic tradition in John T. Noonan, Jr. , â€Å"An Almost Absolute Value in History,† in The Morality of Abortion, ed. John T. Noonan, Jr. (Cambridge, Mass. , 1970). 49 A Defense of Abortion has canvassed all the available medical records and found that you alone have the right blood type to help. They have therefore kidnapped you, and last night the violinist’s circulatory system was plugged into yours, so that your kidneys can be used to extract poisons from his blood as well as your own. The director of the hospital now tells you, â€Å"Look, we’re sorry the Society of Music Lovers did this to you-we would never have permitted it if we had known. But still, they did it, and the violinist now is plugged into you. To unplug you would be to kill him. But never mind, it’s only for nine months. By then he will have recovered from his ailment, and can safely be unplugged from you. † Is it morally incumbent on you to accede to this situation? No doubt it would be very nice of you if you did, a great kindness. But do you have to accede to it? What if it were not nine months, but nine years? Or longer still? What if the director of the hospital says, â€Å"Tough luck, I agree, but you’ve now got to stay in bed, with the violinist plugged into you, for the rest of your life. Because remember this. All persons have a right to life, and violinists are persons. Granted you have a right to decide what happens in and to your body, but a person’s right to life outweighs your right to decide what happens in and to your body. So you cannot ever be unplugged from him. † I imagine you would regard this as outrageous, which suggests that something really is wrong with that plausible-sounding argument I mentioned a moment ago. In this case, of course, you were kidnapped; you didn’t volunteer for the operation that plugged the violinist into your kidneys. Can those who oppose abortion on the ground I mentioned make an exception for a pregnancy due to rape? Certainly. They can say that persons have a right to life only if they didn’t come into existence because of rape; or they can say that all persons have a right to life, but that some have less of a right to life than others, in particular, that those who came into existence because of rape have less. But these statements have a rather unpleasant sound. Surely the question of whether you have a right to life at all, or how much of it you have, shouldn’t turn on the question of whether or not you are the product of a rape. And in fact the people who oppose abortion on the ground I mentioned do not make this distinction, and hence do not make an exception in case of rape. 50 Philosophy ; Public Affairs Nor do they make an exception for a case in which the mother has to spend the nine months of her pregnancy in bed. They would agree that would be a great pity, and hard on the mother; but all the same, all persons have a right to ife, the fetus is a person, and so on. I suspect, in fact, that they would not make an exception for a case in which, miraculously enough, the pregnancy went on for nine years, or even the rest of the mother’s life. Some won’t even make an exception for a case in which continuation of the pregnancy is likely to shorten the mother’s life; they regard abortion as impermissible even to save the mother’s life. Such cases are nowadays very rare, and many opponents of abortion do not accept this extreme view. Moreover, in killing the child, one would be killing an innocent person, for the child has committed no crime, and is not aiming at his mother’s death. And then there are a variety of ways in which this 3. The term â€Å"direct† in the arguments I refer to is a technical one. Roughly, what is meant by â€Å"direct killing† is either killing as an end in itself, or killing as a means to some end, for example, the end of saving someone else’s life. See note 6, below, for an example of its use. 51 A Defense of Abortion might be continued. i) But as directly killing an innocent person is always and absolutely impermissible, an abortion may not be performed. Or, (2) as directly killing an innocent person is murder, and murder is always and absolutely impermissible, an abortion may not be performed. Because unplugging you would be directly killing an innocent violinist, and that’s murder, and that’s impermissible. † If anything in the world is true, it is that you do not commit murder, you do not do what is impermissible, if you reach around to your back and unplug yourself from that violinist to save your life. The main focus of attention in writings on abortion has been on what a third party may or may not do in answer to a request from a woman for an abortion. This is in a way understandable. Things being as they are, there isn’t much a woman can safely do to abort herself. So the question asked is what a third party may do, and what the mother may do, if it is mentioned at all, is deduced, almost as an afterthought, from what it is concluded that third parties may do. But it seems to me that to treat the matter in this way is to refuse to grant to the mother that very status of person which is so firmly insisted on for the fetus. For we cannot simply read off what a person may do from what a third party may do. Suppose you find yourself trapped in a tiny house with a growing child. I mean a very tiny house, and a rapidly growing child-you are already up against the wall f the house and in a few minutes you’ll be crushed to death. The child on the other hand won’t be crushed to death; if nothing is done to stop him from growing he’ll be hurt, but in the end he’ll simply burst open the house and walk out a free man. Now I could well understand it if a bystander were to say, â€Å"There’s nothing we can do for you. We c annot choose between your life and his, we cannot be the ones to decide who is to live, we cannot intervene. † But it cannot be concluded that you too can do nothing, that you cannot attack it to save your life. However innocent the child may be, you do not have to wait passively while it crushes you to death. Perhaps a pregnant woman is vaguely felt to have the status of house, to which we don’t allow the 53 A Defense of Abortion right of self-defense. But if the woman houses the child, it should be remembered that she is a person who houses it. 1 should perhaps stop to say explicitly that I am not claiming that people have a right to do anything whatever to save their lives. I think, rather, that there are drastic limits to the right of self-defense. If someone threatens you with death unless you torture someone else to death, I think you have not the right, even to save your life, to do so. But the case under consideration here is very different. In our case there are only two people involved, one whose life is threatened, and one who threatens it. Both are innocent: the one who is threatened is not threatened because of any fault, the one who threatens does not threaten because of any fault. For this reason we may feel that we bystanders cannot intervene. But the person threatened can. In sum, a woman surely can defend her life against the threat to it posed by the unborn child, even if doing so involves its death. And this shows not merely that the theses in (i) through (4) are false; it shows also that the extreme view of abortion is false, and so we need not canvass any other possible ways of arriving at it from the argument I mentioned at the outset. 2. The extreme view could of course be weakened to say that while abortion is permissible to save the mother’s life, it may not be performed by a third party, but only by the mother herself. But this cannot be right either. For what we have to keep in mind is that the mother and the unborn child are not like two tenants in a small house which has, by an unfortunate mistake, been rented to both: the mother owns the house. The fact that she does adds to the offensiveness of deducing that the mother can do nothing from the supposition that third parties can do nothing. But it does more than this: it casts a bright light on the supposition that third parties can do nothing. Certainly it lets us see that a third party who says â€Å"I cannot choose between you† is fooling himself if he thinks this is impartiality. If Jones has found and fastened on a certain coat, which he needs to keep him from freezing, but which Smith also needs to keep him from freezing, then it is not impartiality that says â€Å"I cannot choose between you† when Smith owns the coat. Women have said again and again â€Å"This body is my body! † and they have reason to feel angry, reason to feel that it has been like shouting into the wind. Smith, after all, is 54 Philosophy & Public Affairs hardly likely to bless us if we say to him, â€Å"Of course it’s your coat, anybody would grant that it is. But no one may choose between you and Jones who is to have it.We should really ask what it is that says â€Å"no one may choose† in the face of the fact that the body that houses the child is the mother’s body. It may be simply a failure to appreciate this fact. But it may be something more interesting, namely the sense that one has a right to refuse to lay hands on people, even where it would be just and fair to do so, even where justice seems to require that somebody do so. Thus justice might call for somebody to get Smith’s coat back from Jones, and yet you have a right to refuse to be the one to lay hands on Jones, a right to refuse to do physical violence to him. This, I think, must be granted. But then what should be said is not â€Å"no one may choose,† but only â€Å"I cannot choose,† and indeed not even this, but â€Å"I will not act,† leaving it open that somebody else can or should, and in particular that anyone in a position of authority, with the job of securing people’s rights, both can and should. So this is no difficulty. I have not been arguing that any given third party must accede to the mother’s request that he perform an abortion to save her life, but only that he may. I suppose that in some views of human life the mother’s body is only on loan to her, the loan not being one which gives her any prior claim to it. One who held this view might well think it impartiality to say â€Å"I cannot choose. † But I shall simply ignore this possibility. My own view is that if a human being has any just, prior claim to anything at all, he has a just, prior claim to his own body. And perhaps this needn’t be argued for here anyway, since, as I mentioned, the arguments against abortion we are looking at do grant that the woman has a right to decide what happens in and to her body. But although they do grant it, I have tried to show that they do not take seriously what is done in granting it. I suggest the same thing will reappear even more clearly when we turn away from cases in which the mother’s life is at stake, and attend, as I propose we now do, to the vastly more common cases in which a woman wants an abortion for some less weighty reason than preserving her own life. 3. Where the mother’s life is not at stake, the argument I mentioned at the outset seems to have a much stronger pull. â€Å"Everyone 55 A Defense of Abortion as a right to life, so the unborn person has a right to life. † And isn’t the child’s right to life weightier than anything other than the mother’s own right to life, which she might put forward as ground for an abortion? This argument treats the right to life as if it were unproblematic. It is not, and this seems to me to be precisely the source of the mistake. For we should now, at long last , ask what it comes to, to have a right to life. In some views having a right to life includes having a right to be given at least the bare minimum one needs for continued life. But suppose that what in fact is the bare minimum a man needs for continued life is something he has no right at all to be given? If I am sick unto death, and the only thing that will save my life is the touch of Henry Fonda’s cool hand on my fevered brow, then all the same, I have no right to be given the touch of Henry Fonda’s cool hand on my fevered brow. It would be frightfully nice of him to fly in from the West Coast to provide it. It would be less nice, though no doubt well meant, if my friends flew out to the West Coast and carried Henry Fonda back with them. But I have no right at all against anybody that he should do this for me. Or again, to return to the story I told earlier, the fact that for continued life that violinist needs the continued use of your kidneys does not establish that he has a right to be given the continued use of your kidneys. He certainly has no right against you that you should give him continued use of your kidneys. For nobody has any right to use your kidneys unless you give him such a right; and nobody has the right against you that you shall give him this right-if you do allow him to go on using your kidneys, this is a kindness on your part, and not something he can claim from you as his due. Nor has he any right against anybody else that they should give him continued use of your kidneys. Certainly he had no right against the Society of Music Lovers that they should plug him into you in the first place. And if you now start to unplug yourself, having learned that you will otherwise have to spend nine years in bed with him, there is nobody in the world who must try to prevent you, in order to see to it that he is given something he has a right to be given. Some people are rather stricter about the right to life. In their view, it does not include the right to be given anything, but amounts to, 56 Philosophy & Public Affairs and only to, the right not to be killed by anybody. But here a related difficulty arises. If everybody is to refrain from killing that violinist, then everybody must refrain from doing a great many different sorts of things. Everybody must refrain from slitting his throat, everybody must refrain from shooting him-and everybody must refrain from unplugging you from him. But does he have a right against everybody that they shall refrain from unplugging you from him? To refrain from doing this is to allow him to continue to use your kidneys. It could be argued that he has a right against us that we should allow him to continue to use your kidneys. That is, while he had no right against us that we should give him the use of your kidneys, it might be argued that he anyway has a right against us that we shall not now intervene and deprive him of the use of your kidneys. I shall come back to third-party interventions later. But certainly the violinist has no right against you that you shall allow him to continue to use your kidneys. As I said, if you do allow him to use them, it is a kindness on your part, and not something you owe him. The difficulty I point to here is not peculiar to the right to life. It reappears in connection with all the other natural rights; and it is something which an adequate account of rights must deal with. For present purposes it is enough just to draw attention to it. But I would stress that I am not arguing that people do not have a right to lifequite to the contrary, it seems to me that the primary control we must place on the acceptability of an account of rights is that it should turn out in that account to be a truth that all persons have a right to life. I am arguing only that having a right to life does not guarantee having either a right to be given the use of or a right to be allowed continued use of another person’s body-even if one needs it for life itself. So the right to life will not serve the opponents of abortion in the very simple and clear way in which they seem to have thought it would. 4. There is another way to bring out the difficulty. In the most ordinary sort of case, to deprive someone of what he has a right to is to treat him unjustly. Suppose a boy and his small brother are jointly given a box of chocolates for Christmas. If the older boy takes the box and refuses to give his brother any of the chocolates, he is unjust to -him, for the brother has been given a right to half of them. But 57 A Defense of Abortion uppose that, having learned that otherwise it means nine years in bed with that violinist, you unplug yourself from him. You surely are not being unjust to him, for you gave him no right to use your kidneys, and no one else can have given him any such right. But we have to notice that in unplugging yourself, you are killing him; and violinists, like everybody else, have a right to life, and thus in the view we wer e considering just now, the right not to be killed. So here you do what he supposedly has a right you shall not do, but you do not act unjustly to him in doing it. The emendation which may be made at this point is this: the right to life consists not in the right not to be killed, but rather in the right not to be killed unjustly. This runs a risk of circularity, but never mind: it would enable us to square the fact that the violinist has a right to life with the fact that you do not act unjustly toward him in unplugging yourself, thereby killing him. For if you do not kill him unjustly, you do not violate his right to life, and so it is no wonder you do him no injustice. But if this emendation is accepted, the gap in the argument against abortion stares us plainly in the face: it is by no means enough to show that the fetus is a person, and to remind us that all persons have a right to life-we need to be shown also that killing the fetus violates its right to life, i. e. , that abortion is unjust killing. And is it? I suppose we may take it as a datum that in a case of pregnancy due to rape the mother has not given the unborn person a right to the use of her body for food and shelter. Indeed, in what pregnancy could it be supposed that the mother has given the unborn person such a right? It is not as if there were unborn persons drifting about the world, to whom a woman who wants a child says â€Å"I invite you in. † But it might be argued that there are other ways one can have acquired a right to the use of another person’s body than by having been invited to use it by that person. Suppose a woman voluntarily indulges in intercourse, knowing of the chance it will issue in pregnancy, and then she does become pregnant; is she not in part responsible for the presence, in fact the very existence, of the unborn person inside her? No doubt she did not invite it in. But doesn’t her partial responsibility for its being there itself give it a right to the use of her 58 Philosophy ; Public Affairs body? 7 If so, then her aborting it would be more like the boy’s taking away the chocolates, and less like your unplugging yourself from the violinist-doing so would be depriving it of what it does have a right to, and thus would be doing it an injustice. And then, too, it might be asked whether or not she can kill it even to save her own life: If she voluntarily called it into existence, how can she now kill it, even in self-defense? The first thing to be said about this is that it is something new. Opponents of abortion have been so concerned to make out the independence of the fetus, in order to establish that it has a right to life, just as its mother does, that they have tended to overlook the possible support they might gain from making out that the fetus is dependent on the mother, in order to establish that she has a special kind of responsibility for it, a responsibility that gives it rights against her which are not possessed by any independent person-such as an ailing violinist who is a stranger to her. On the other hand, this argument would give the unborn person a right to its mother’s body only if her pregnancy resulted from a voluntary act, undertaken in full knowledge of the chance a pregnancy might result from it. It would leave out entirely the unborn person whose existence is due to rape. Pending the availability of some further argument, then, we would be left with the conclusion that unborn persons whose existence is due to rape have no right to the use of their mothers’ bodies, and thus that aborting them is not depriving them of anything they have a right to and hence is not unjust killing. And we should also notice that it is not at all plain that this argument really does go even as far as it purports to. For there are cases and cases, and the details make a difference. If the room is stuffy, and I therefore open a window to air it, and a burglar climbs in, it would be absurd to say,†Ah, now he can stay, she’s given him a right to the use of her house-for she is partially responsible for his presence there, having voluntarily done what enabled him to get in, in full knowledge that there are such things as burglars, and that burglars 7. The need for a discussion of this argument was brought home to me by members of the Society for Ethical and Legal Philosophy, to whom this paper was originally presented. 59 A Defense of Abortion burgle. † It would be still more absurd to say this if I had had bars installed outside my windows, precisely to prevent burglars from getting in, and a burglar got in only because of a defect in the bars. It remains equally absurd if we imagine it is not a burglar who climbs in, but an innocent person who blunders or falls in. Again, suppose it were like this: people-seeds drift about in the air like pollen, and if you open your windows, one may drift in and take root in your carpets or upholstery. You don’t want children, so you fix up your windows with fine mesh screens, the very best you can buy. As can happen, however, and on very, very rare occasions does happen, one of the screens is defective; and a seed drifts in and takes root. Does the person-plant who now develops have a right to the use of your house? Surely not-despite the fact that you voluntarily opened your windows, you knowingly kept carpets and upholstered furniture, and you knew that screens were sometimes defective. Someone may argue that you are responsible for its rooting, that it does have a right to your house, because after all you could have lived out your life with bare floors and furniture, or with sealed windows and doors. But this won’t do-for by the same token anyone can avoid a pregnancy due to rape by having a hysterectomy, or anyway by never leaving home without a (reliable!army. It seems to me that the argument we are looking at can establish at most that there are some cases in which the unborn person has a right to the use of its mother’s body, and therefore some cases in which abortion is unjust killing. There is room for much discussion and argument as to precisely which, if any. But I think we should sidestep this issue and leave it open, for at any rate the argument certainly does not est ablish that all abortion is unjust killing. 5. There is room for yet another argument here, however. We surely must all grant that there may be cases in which it would be morally indecent to detach a person from your body at the cost of his life. Suppose you learn that what the violinist needs is not nine years of your life, but only one hour: all you need do to save his life is to spend one hour in that bed with him. Suppose also that letting him use your kidneys for that one hour would not affect your health in the slightest. Admittedly you were kidnapped. Admittedly you did not give 6o Philosophy & Public Affairs anyone permission to plug him into you. Nevertheless it seems to me plain you ought to allow him to use your kidneys for that hour-it would be indecent to refuse. Again, suppose pregnancy lasted only an hour, and constituted no threat to life or health. And suppose that a woman becomes pregnant as a result of rape. Admittedly she did not voluntarily do anything to bring about the existence of a child. Admittedly she did nothing at all which would give the unborn person a right to the use of her body. All the same it might well be said, as in the newly emended violinist story, that she ought to allow it to remain for that hour-that it would be indecent in her to refuse. Now some people are inclined to use the term â€Å"right†in such a way that it follows from the fact that you ought to allow a person to use your body for the hour he needs, that he has a right to use your body for the hour he needs, even though he has not been given that right by any person or act. They may say that it follows also that if you refuse, you act unjustly toward him. This use of the term is perhaps so common that it cannot be called wrong; nevertheless it seems to me to be an unfortunate loosening of what we would do better to keep a tight rein on. Suppose that box of chocolates I mentioned earlier had not been given to both boys jointly, but was given only to the older boy. There he sits, stolidly eating his way through the box, his small brother watching enviously. Here we are likely to say â€Å"Youought not to be so mean. You ought to give your brother some of those chocolates. † My own view is that it just does not follow from the truth of this that the brother has any right to any of the chocolates. If the boy refuses to give his brother any, he is greedy, stingy, callous-but not unjust. I suppose that the people I have in mind will say it does follow that the brother has a right to some of the chocolates, and thus that the boy does act unjustly if he refuses to give his brother any. But the effect of saying this is to obscure what we should keep distinct, namely the difference between the boy’s refusal in this case and the boy’s refusal in the earlier case, in which the box was given to both boys jointly, and in which the small brother thus had what was from any point of view clear title to half. A further objection to so using the term â€Å"right†that from the fact that A ought to do a thing for B, it follows that B has a right against A 6I A Defense of Abortion that A do it for him, is that it is going to make the question of whether or not a man has a right to a thing turn on how easy it is to provide him with it; and this seems not merely unfortunate, but morally unacceptable. Take the case of Henry Fonda again. I said earlier that I had no right to the touch of his cool hand on my fevered brow, even though I needed it to save my life. I said it would be frightfully nice of him to fly in from the West Coast to provide me with it, but that I had no right against him that he should do so. But suppose he isn’t on the West Coast. Suppose he has only to walk across the room, place a hand briefly on my brow-and lo, my life is saved. Then surely he ought to do it, it would be indecent to refuse. Is it to be said â€Å"Ah, well, it follows that in this case she has a right to the touch of his hand on her brow, and so it would be an injustice in him to refuse†? So that I have a right to it when it is easy for him to provide it, though no right when it’s hard? It’s rather a shocking idea that anyone’s rights should fade away and disappear as it gets harder and harder to accord them to him. So my own view is that even though you ought to let the violinist use your kidneys for the one hour he needs, we should not conclude that he has a right to do so-we should say that if you refuse, you are, like the boy who owns all the chocolates and will give none away, self-centered and callous, indecent in fact, but not unjust. And similarly, that even supposing a case in which a woman pregnant due to rape ought to allow the unborn person to use her body for the hour he needs, we should not conclude that he has a right to do so; we should conclude that she is self-centered, callous, indecent, but not unjust, if she refuses. The complaints are no less grave; they are just different. However, there is no need to insist on this point. If anyone does wish to deduce â€Å"he has a ight† from â€Å"you ought,† then all the same he must surely grant that there are cases in which it is not morally required of you that you allow that violinist to use your kidneys, and in which he does not have a right to use them, and in which you do not do him an injustice if you refuse. And so also for mother and unborn child. Except in such cases as the unborn person has a right to demand it-and we were leaving open the possibility that there may be such cases-nobody is morally required to make large sacrifices, of health, of all other interests and concerns, of all other duties 62 Philosophy & Public Affairs and commitments, for nine years, or even for nine months, in order to keep another person alive. 6. We have in fact to distinguish between two kinds of Samaritan: the Good Samaritan and what we might call the Minimally Decent Samaritan. The story of the Good Samaritan, you will remember, goes like this: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him he had compassion on him. And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, â€Å"Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.(Luke I0:30-35) The Good Samaritan went out of his way, at some cost to himself, to help one in need of it. We are not told what the options were, that is, whether or not the priest and the Levite could have helped by doing less than the Good Samaritan did, but assuming they could have, then the fact they did nothing at all shows they were not even Minimally Decent Samaritans, not because they were not Samaritans, but because they w ere not even minimally decent. These things are a matter of degree, of course, but there is a difference, and it comes out perhaps most clearly in the story of Kitty Genovese, who, as you will remember, was murdered while thirtyeight people watched or listened, and did nothing at all to help her. A Good Samaritan would have rushed out to give direct assistance 63 A Defense of Abortion against the murderer. Or perhaps we had better allow that it would have been a Splendid Samaritan who did this, on the ground that it would have involved a risk of death for himself. But the thirty-eight not only did not do this, they did not even trouble to pick up a phone to call the police. Minimally Decent Samaritanism would call for doing at least that, and their not having done it was monstrous. After telling the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus said â€Å"Go, and do thou likewise. † Perhaps he meant that we are morally required to act as the Good Samaritan did. Perhaps he was urging people to do more than is morally required of them. At all events it seems plain that it was not morally required of any of the thirty-eight that he rush out to give direct assistance at the risk of his own life, and that it is not morally required of anyone that he give long stretches of his lifenine years or nine months-to sustaining the life of a person who has no special right (we were leaving open the possibility of this) to demand it. Indeed, with one rather striking class of exceptions, no one in any country in the world is legally required to do anywhere near as much as this for anyone else.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Personal Statement Ideas

Personal Statement Ideas It has come time for you to write your personal statement, but where should you begin? We’ve gathered ideas for personal statements that will get your wheels turning and your pen writing! These personal statement ideas will help you draft the ideal statement for your college application and leave you in a shining light. Ideas for Personal Statement When you are beginning to think about how to write your personal statement, you might become overwhelmed with all the possibilities and where you should start. A personal statement for college is how you will explain what sets you apart, and how you are the right choice for the newest addition to the course. Even if you are not familiar with the specific format of a personal statement for college, you can go ahead and brainstorm ideas about what you want to include. Ideas for a personal statement draft can include: Articulating the Self Creating a thinking family tree Framing the sentences of purpose In order to draft your personal statement, take some time over a period of a few days to jot down notes. In your notes, write down anything and everything you have achieved, experienced, or currently do. Especially pay attention to anything that will be relevant to the course you want to study as well as the career path you intend to take. After all, any ideas for personal statement can be used as long as they are relevant to your personal journey and/or the course you want to pursue. To take a further look of the above examples on how to generate ideas for a personal statement, we have expanded the above examples in a step-by-step guide. ARTICULATING THE SELF Divide a sheet of paper into three columns: Traits, Values, and Key Moments Think about someone who knows you really well, a close friend or family member. Write down any negative and positive traits they would use to describe you and do not be afraid to write down the negative parts! For example, you might include: impatient, bold, creative, messy, etc†¦ In the second column, Values, write down everything that is important to you. Expand on ideas such as family, friends, or love and find the root of why these things are important to you. Does someone always have your back? What strong routines does living with your family make it so special? Everyone will have similar aspects of life they value, but the little differences will help you stand out. In the final column, take twenty minutes or so to think about your memories before jotting anything down. These key moments can be large or small, but they should be moments in your life that helped define who you are today. These moments should be when you felt the most alive. Describe one or two of these moments in a few paragraphs with a purpose of showing the reader how you felt and what you experienced. Taking the time to describe the moment in as much detail as possible will help you find your voice. The more moments you describe, the easier it will be to trace a pattern of similarities within the key moments of your life. They will show who you once were, who you are now, and who you aspire to be. And the more you write, the more confident your voice will be. CREATING A THINKING FAMILY TREE This exercise is more difficult but it is recommended to help you with your personal statement. Everyone of us has been influenced by individuals in our life that are not our family. To help discover yours, draw out a family tree or find a template to use. Once you have your family tree, start to fill in the blanks of who your intellectual or spiritual ‘family’ members are. For example, if you are directly influenced by a singer or author, she could be your intellectual ‘mother’. Naming all the individuals who make up your ‘thinking family tree’ will help you articulate your priorities and how you’ve learned to make your way in the world. These influences can directly transfer to creating your personal statement. FRAMING THE SENTENCES OF PURPOSE Being direct and specific can oftentimes be the best brainstorming activity. Some questions you can answer to help trigger ideas for a personal statement could be: What mistakes have you made that have taught you something about yourself? When have you been so involved in an activity that time seemed to melt away? Make a list of honest ideas, books, theories or movements that have impacted your life. How do your current commitments reflect your values? Where or when in your life do you seem to waste the most time? When do you find that you do your best and most creative work? Explain how you are you a typical product of your generation and/or culture? How can you deviate from what is considered normal? Personal Statement Topic Ideas When it comes to writing a personal statement, you need to be sure to include personal statement ideas for college. This specific format is expected to be used when you submit your personal statement with your college application. Personal statement topic ideas that you can use are: Telling your personal experiences that are relevant to the course of interest. Tell your readers why you are interested in the course. Share what you have done outside the classroom. This could be anything from your work experience, volunteering, conferences you have attended (that are relevant to the course). Explain why your personal experiences are relevant to the course. Explain why and how your personal experiences will be relevant to your future career. Demonstrate any transferable skills. Show the readers you are a critical thinker. Explain your long-term plan. What will you be doing in five years? Ten years? Any real world applications you have done or used that are relevant to the course. Keep a positive and enthusiastic tone in your writing. Remember, your personal statement is exactly that, personal! Share your story and anything that can help you stand out, and the admissions boards will be excited to learn more about you!

Monday, October 21, 2019

Bases of American Civilization essays

Bases of American Civilization essays What were the bases of Civilization in America? (Revised 10/9/01) Migration of the European and Asian Homo sapiens across the tundra land bridge, presently the Bering Strait between Alaska and Siberia, is said to be due from increasing population pressures(p. 198), and the pursuit of mammoths, mastodons and other large game. Civilization in America was separate from the classical world of Asia, North Africa and southern Europe, and progressed on its own, without the help of any previous civilization. The ancient huntersthe first evident humans around 9500 B.C.E.basis of social organization revolved around kinship, a basis commonly present in many future groups. The seclusion and isolation of these groups have some believing the people of America developed agriculture, domestication of some animals, weaving, ceramics, a number system, religious ideas, complex societies and urbanization. Environmental change, disappearance of large game and stabilization of the sea coast became a few underlying factors for the cultures; transition to agriculture and a sedentary way of life created dependency on agriculture, beginning a process resulting in 3 systems: complex social, political and economical. Sedentary populations who could produce surpluses attained the status of a complex society, forming a base for hierarchical societies. Chieftains or rulers, over large territories, indicated civilizations with highly developed religious and political systems and monumental architecture. (p.203) The Olmecs, the mother civilization of Mesoamerica (p.205), developed cultural tradition, urbanism, complex religion, the beginning of writing, and so much more, influencing many expanding societies. Teotihuacan, the first classic city, contained a large urban center, population of 200,000, residential districts, religious artifacts, and a political empire, which covered parts of Me...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Essay Gerontology and Time

Essay Gerontology and Time Essay Gerontology and Time -1- The Normal Aging Process Introduction Society has taught us all kinds of â€Å"things† regarding aging, including the process of aging and â€Å"normal† changes that occur. Most of what we hear from others comes in the form of â€Å"myths† of normal aging. Knowledge of these myths makes aging a fearful, unhappy approaching event for many of us. However, it should be the sight of a new beginning. Understanding the aging process; what, why, and how changes occur; and strategies to prepare ourselves for these changes gives new life and appeal to a very special time in all our lives. There is a growing appreciation that everyone does not age in the same way or at the same rate. Many of the changes that occur from aging result from a gradual loss. These losses often begin in early adulthood, but thanks to the ability of our organs to adjust and maintain health, the actual loss is not experienced until it is fairly extensive. Most organs seem to lose function at about one percent a year, beginning around age 30. Interestingly enough, the majority of these changes are not seen until after age 70. The biggest difference in the rate of aging and organ efficiency lies in the presence of disease and/or the ability of the body to adapt to external stress. Changes that occur with aging fall into three categories: physical, psychological, and social. As changes begin to happen in one area of a person’s life, most likely the other two will be affected as well. There is a wide variation among individuals in the rate of aging and, within the same person, different organ systems age at different rates. However, we all experience common changes to some degree. How we age can be a result of our diet, exercise, personal habits, and psychosocial factors. An important fact to remember is that biological age does not equal chronological age. -2- Physical Changes Decrease in Physical Strength, Endurance, and Flexibility Muscle strength and flexibility decrease with age. A major reason muscles tend to become weaker is that there is less lean muscle mass and they shrink from lack of use. It happens whether a person is young or old. As muscles are not used, they don’t work as well. The capacity to assure strenuous effort gradually declines. You eventually become less able to walk as far or lift as much as you used to. This is because skeletal muscles atrophy (shrink with age). Conditioning is the most dominant factor influencing this rate of decline. Decline in Efficiency of Body Organs Functioning of all body organs is not as efficient as before. Examples include: â™ ¥ The heart becomes a less efficient pump. It requires more oxygen to do the same work it used to do with less oxygen. When you reach your fifties, there also is an increased thickness and hardening of the arteries causing blood pressure to rise slightly and then level off. â™ ¥ Other problems associated with heart disease can cause blood pressure to continue to rise to a point of needing medication. Taking medication as ordered is very important when you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, even if you â€Å"feel fine.† Generally, high blood pressure affects the organs inside without giving us any physical warning signs. This is the danger of not being treated and maintaining proper medical care which could result in a stroke and/or heart attack. â™ ¥ Lungs become less elastic, and do not expand as well; thus, less oxygen gets into them. Smoking makes this problem worse at a much earlier age in people that smoke versus those who do not. â™ ¥ As you age, it takes longer for your kidneys to get rid of waste products. These substances tend to remain in the body for a longer period of time. This is particularly the case with medications. â™ ¥ -3- â™ ¥ Urinary incontinence is not a normal change with aging. Not being able to â€Å"hold your water† is due to many other problems, such as enlarged prostate, weak muscles, limited fluid intake, or constipation. Your

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Strategic Choice and Evaluation - Apple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Choice and Evaluation - Apple - Essay Example These strategies are adopted by the firm to achieve better performance help the firm to deliver a better than average performance. Cost leadership A business firm following cost leadership strategy aims at beating its competitors by producing at the lowest cost in the entire industry. The producer can now produce at a large scale and at a very low cost, thereby, enjoying huge economies of scale. The producer exploits the economies of scale which allows the company to maintain competitive pricing (Richardson & Dennis, 2003). Differentiation Under differentiation strategy the company focuses on the products that it offers for sale. It aims at making the products unique by identifying specific product dimensions, which are found to be most valued by its customers. The company develops its marketing strategies in such a manner that it would be able to satisfy the demand of its customers to the most desired level and therefore receive premium price due to the uniqueness of these products (Thompson & Martin, 2010). Focus Focus strategy is followed by a firm when selects one or multiple segments within the single in industry in which it operates (Dinitzen, 2010). The company aims at optimizing its product and marketing strategies to cater to these segments in the most efficient way, such that, it might gain competitive advantage over all other firms that competes with the particular firm. Focus strategy can be applied by the firm by following either of the following strategies; creation of cost advantage within a targeted segment (cost focus) or development of a differentiation strategy within a targeted segment (differentiation). ... follows the differentiation strategy in order to achieve competitive advantage over its competitors in the technology service industry. Differentiation makes its products (or services) unique. By following this strategy, Apple can make its products different from the products or service offerings of its competitors and makes the products of this company highly appealing to its customer base. However, the fact that the company has become one of the most successful companies in the world and that the customer preference for this company is significantly high compared to the rest of the companies in this market, is established by a number of internal and external factors. Performance of the company with regard to these factors has led it to the current level of success. These factors are environment of the industry, customer service, market segmentation and nature of products or services offered to the target market and its global presence. The company’s innovativeness makes its products as well as technology services shine among the crowd of modern technology industry. There are certain negative sides or risks of following the differentiation strategy. Companies that pursue differentiation strategy can command a price that is higher than the prices of similar products offered in the market by other firms. The differentiation factor allows the firm to command this premium price. It eventually increases per unit sales for the company and also improves loyalty of the buyer. Differentiation is the right strategy to follow only when the target market segment has customers with specific needs, but, are not adequately served. Also, the differentiation strategy focuses on bringing premium price for the firm. This implies that the strategy would be

Friday, October 18, 2019

Walmart case study ( growth strategy) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Walmart ( growth strategy) - Case Study Example It has started doing this by seeking investors in those nations as well as utilizing e-commerce to compete with other businesses as well. The strategy may take a while but it is on the right path according to the leaders in charge of the international markets (Banjo, 2014). Lastly, there is the ecosystem growth strategy that is aimed at linking the Walmart supercenters with their smaller stores and even offers delivery after ordering through the mobiles (DePillis, 2013). This will compete with the dollar stores and ensure to retain their customers in the lower chain while not compromising their high-ended customers. This is also still in the initial stage of development but it sounds like a growth strategy that will bring them back into the limelight and help bring up their sales once again. Banjo, Shelly. â€Å"Wal-Marts Strategy to Jump Start Growth in China.† The Wall Street Journal, August 5th, 2014. Retrieved from: http://online.wsj.com/articles/wal-marts- strategy-to-jump-start-growth-in-china-1407252531 DePillis, Lydia. â€Å"Here’s Walmart’s new strategy for being your everything.† The Washington Post, October, 17th, 2013. Retrieved from:

Humane Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Humane Society - Essay Example Local groups handle the actual care giving process such as looking after animal housing, the animal adoption process and even euthanasia when it is required as an act of mercy (Wikipedia, 2008). 3. Relating to the audience: Even in our neighborhoods and cities, shelters are provided for animals and these shelters include municipal and private shelters which provide a wide variety of facilities. From life time care facilities for animals that are without homes to the temporary homes for animals. However, a municipal shelter is run by the government and it is funded by taxpayers such as you and me. The employees of such shelters are civil servants. Their basic function is defined in municipal codes, which means to pick up wandering and irritant animals and then reunite them with their owners. 5. Private shelters: work with funded from private donors and provide a safe home for lost and misplaced animals. Their basic task is to find homes for such animals. Employees of these shelters work as volunteers and may even be professional vets who go about caring for such animals. Many of the private shelters do wonderful work by placing animals in good homes. However, some may have to kill the animals that cannot be adopted since there is never enough room in such places. The animals that have to be euthanized often are those who have constant health situations e.g. diabetes, or a disability which makes them difficult to offer for adoption. 6. These are called â€Å"no kill† Shelters. No Kill is a widespread movement for animal shelter improvement. It is advocated by Winograd with a simple policy of not to euthanize animals. Such kinds of policies are known as â€Å"no kill.† The phrase No Kill is distinct by practices whereby an animal may be killed in order to ease the suffering of the animal or if the animal is unmanageable. However, animals are not killed just because there is not enough room in the shelter (Encyclopedia Britannica,

Economic essay on Inernational monetary fund report

Economic on Inernational monetary fund report - Essay Example In between 2001 to 2005, The international portfolio assets of United States grew from $2.3 trillion to $ 4.6 trillion. Finding also revealed a decline in home bias and increased investments into alternative vehicles such as hedge funds. It also revealed official sector growth in asset management by Emerging Market official sector and sovereign wealth funds, at the end of year 2005, managing assets predicted to have more than $ 6 trillion. Individual banks, hedge funds, insurance and pension funds face unreliable constraints that affect their investment allocation as they have different objectives. As openness to foreign intermediaries has been growing worldwide, emergence of conglomerates combining banking, securities, assets management etc in one organization have also been made possible by deregulation. Mature market economies and emerging have been affected by institutional globalization. The upward trend has been observed since 1995 in the ratio between global cross-border capital flow and world GDP. Oil producer countries have become large investors in financial instruments, such as bonds and equities. Sovereign wealth funds make such investments directly or by placement of funds with external investment managers. Market estimates reveal that these funds manage over $ 1.4 trillion. Consolidation of the industry has been directed by Merger and Acquisition (M & A); ongoing securitization and the expansion of derivatives markets has allowed institutions to transfer within and across the borders. Institutional globalization affects both, emerging and mature markets economics because some emerging market – based financial institutions operate on international level. We shall be discussing

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Managerial Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managerial Economics - Essay Example Rationality is considered as an important aspect of the behavioural theory (Simon, 2001). There is a distance between the behaviour and rationality and they are connected by the concept of decision making. A decision making process is common in an organization where the managers have to take various decisions in order to achieve the mission of the organization (Ethiraj and Levinthal, 2004). The aim for this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of bounded rationality and the critical analysis of how the heuristics creates biasness towards decision making. The research would offer a scope to have a detailed analysis of bounded rationality as explained by Herbert Simon. According Herbert Simon (1961), rationality in behavioural characteristics of a person considers a relation of efficacy between the presumed end and the means to reach them (Kahneman, 2003). According to the researcher, the human beings lack in their rational behaviour due to the different aspects that is the rationality requires knowledge as well as understanding of the situation. However, the decision makers cannot be always called as rational because since they are likely to take decisions based on the available data and are unable to incorporate new information within their decision making process. According to the researcher, the organization must have a clear organizational goal so that the employees can work hard in order to achieve the goal (Simon, 2001). The organizations would have benefits for developing the organizational goals that helps in the organizational decision making process. It is said when the organizational members experience bounded rationality, managing the situations becomes much more difficult and the organizations are supposed to use both formal and informal control mechanisms in order to make the employees perform rationally (Simon, 2001). A theory of rational behaviour involves both the rationality of the individual as well

Patriotism in War Films Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Patriotism in War Films - Research Paper Example A flower seller, a nurse, a sales man, doctor or teacher all can be patriots if they obey the laws designed by the government of that country. However, patriotism does not mean to stand by the president or other government official if their plans for the government are against the rights of the country. A country is formed from the people residing in it therefore love for one’s country automatically leads to the love for the citizens of that country. When there is love between the citizens and they stand united to protect the rights of each other against the evil eyes on them, such countries succeed because of the will power to fight for themselves and for their country. Ways to Awaken Patriotism in a Person There are various ways to awaken the feeling of patriotism in a person. Some of those ways are through patriotic movies, novels or documentaries. Another way could be to celebrate the events when important steps or actions were taken to protect the country’s territo ries from intruders or for instance when the country achieved independence after fighting vigorously for it and losing a lot of precious lives. These events can take place in schools and publicly to inform and teach the youth about the sacrifices people had given for their country and to remind the elders of the difficult situations the country had to face when they were young. Patriotic movies can very beautifully play the role of increasing or developing patriotism. Such movies are based on war against enemy countries and involve the army, navy or the air force. Movies present close resemblance to the events which occur in wars at the border front and allow the audience to experience it with their eyes what it is like to be on the border front. The audience feels as if they are present in that situation or wish to be present with the military officers to play their part in preserving the honor of the country. Patriotic war films encourage the youth to enroll in the military becaus e the youngsters are very enthusiastic about their country. They believe what they see. In patriotic war films they get inspired by the personality of the officers and soldiers. The discipline portrayed by them inspires the youngsters and the aged alike so much that one just wants to stand up for them and salute them even though they are just actors portraying the character of the real heroes, the heroes who leave their families and safe boundaries of their houses to secure the future of their people and the next generation to come. The only way to be a true patriot is by being sincere with the country. The citizens must keep their personal interests behind and be more concerned about the demands of the country. A country is a home land; it is not just a piece of land with a collection of mountains, rivers and valleys. A country is a heritage of one’s dreams, aspirations, culture, traditions and religion. A country provides a platform for fulfilling one’s dreams and ho pes for the future. So horrifying is the image of someone not having a nationality, no country to call their own; where ever that person will go people will see him as an intruder; that person will not be loyal to any country he visits because he would be like a traveler without a home. The love for home cannot be compared to anything in the world. Patriotism is an active virtue. A true patriot, who loves his country dearly, will

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Economic essay on Inernational monetary fund report

Economic on Inernational monetary fund report - Essay Example In between 2001 to 2005, The international portfolio assets of United States grew from $2.3 trillion to $ 4.6 trillion. Finding also revealed a decline in home bias and increased investments into alternative vehicles such as hedge funds. It also revealed official sector growth in asset management by Emerging Market official sector and sovereign wealth funds, at the end of year 2005, managing assets predicted to have more than $ 6 trillion. Individual banks, hedge funds, insurance and pension funds face unreliable constraints that affect their investment allocation as they have different objectives. As openness to foreign intermediaries has been growing worldwide, emergence of conglomerates combining banking, securities, assets management etc in one organization have also been made possible by deregulation. Mature market economies and emerging have been affected by institutional globalization. The upward trend has been observed since 1995 in the ratio between global cross-border capital flow and world GDP. Oil producer countries have become large investors in financial instruments, such as bonds and equities. Sovereign wealth funds make such investments directly or by placement of funds with external investment managers. Market estimates reveal that these funds manage over $ 1.4 trillion. Consolidation of the industry has been directed by Merger and Acquisition (M & A); ongoing securitization and the expansion of derivatives markets has allowed institutions to transfer within and across the borders. Institutional globalization affects both, emerging and mature markets economics because some emerging market – based financial institutions operate on international level. We shall be discussing

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Patriotism in War Films Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Patriotism in War Films - Research Paper Example A flower seller, a nurse, a sales man, doctor or teacher all can be patriots if they obey the laws designed by the government of that country. However, patriotism does not mean to stand by the president or other government official if their plans for the government are against the rights of the country. A country is formed from the people residing in it therefore love for one’s country automatically leads to the love for the citizens of that country. When there is love between the citizens and they stand united to protect the rights of each other against the evil eyes on them, such countries succeed because of the will power to fight for themselves and for their country. Ways to Awaken Patriotism in a Person There are various ways to awaken the feeling of patriotism in a person. Some of those ways are through patriotic movies, novels or documentaries. Another way could be to celebrate the events when important steps or actions were taken to protect the country’s territo ries from intruders or for instance when the country achieved independence after fighting vigorously for it and losing a lot of precious lives. These events can take place in schools and publicly to inform and teach the youth about the sacrifices people had given for their country and to remind the elders of the difficult situations the country had to face when they were young. Patriotic movies can very beautifully play the role of increasing or developing patriotism. Such movies are based on war against enemy countries and involve the army, navy or the air force. Movies present close resemblance to the events which occur in wars at the border front and allow the audience to experience it with their eyes what it is like to be on the border front. The audience feels as if they are present in that situation or wish to be present with the military officers to play their part in preserving the honor of the country. Patriotic war films encourage the youth to enroll in the military becaus e the youngsters are very enthusiastic about their country. They believe what they see. In patriotic war films they get inspired by the personality of the officers and soldiers. The discipline portrayed by them inspires the youngsters and the aged alike so much that one just wants to stand up for them and salute them even though they are just actors portraying the character of the real heroes, the heroes who leave their families and safe boundaries of their houses to secure the future of their people and the next generation to come. The only way to be a true patriot is by being sincere with the country. The citizens must keep their personal interests behind and be more concerned about the demands of the country. A country is a home land; it is not just a piece of land with a collection of mountains, rivers and valleys. A country is a heritage of one’s dreams, aspirations, culture, traditions and religion. A country provides a platform for fulfilling one’s dreams and ho pes for the future. So horrifying is the image of someone not having a nationality, no country to call their own; where ever that person will go people will see him as an intruder; that person will not be loyal to any country he visits because he would be like a traveler without a home. The love for home cannot be compared to anything in the world. Patriotism is an active virtue. A true patriot, who loves his country dearly, will

Prisoner’s Education Essay Example for Free

Prisoner’s Education Essay Should prisoners be allowed access to online education at community colleges?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Distance education for prisoners is a good solution for instructional problems that were noted among prisoners. Lack of education would mean lack of the basic skills to create a better life and find a better paying job. Lack of education would mean lack of information and understanding about economics, business structure and social or community life. Failure to understand the environment will most likely result to challenge behavior. And that challenge behavior will grow to worst if one’s situation won’t change from worst to better in a given time. Access to education is very important to prisoners provided that the kind of subjects or coursework they are allowed to take will be limited and subject to higher approval.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Attitudes may change for the better but there is a big possibility that some prisoners may proved to be real problematic that a monitored coursework is better so access to education materials and information may also be limited and does not put the society or the police force at risk. It is advisable that a series of psychological test will be performed to the prisoners in order to assess and determine their potential and their ability to handle intellectual programs like distance learning. Internet access must also be limited to the sessions and all the homework will be done at the library of the correctional facility. Proper monitoring eliminates any potential risk in the system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although there are a lot of learning and training programs provided by community colleges, prisoners access and allowed opportunities must be limited and carefully studied. The offender’s attitude can be determined on how they take the distance education delivery system. This formal education will make them earn a degree while in prison. What is important is that they get out of prison with a diploma (Wilson Ruess 173) and is ready to face the challenges of the labor market. Lower educational level does not compel these people to commit crime but it is indeed a great factor that influenced the person’s decision making process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I firmly believed that prisoners are victims of their own environment and experiences. People and environment interaction have the ability to make and unmake people. Education will attempt to enhance basic skills and their ability to learn and assess certain situations that may be good or detrimental to their being and the well being of their community. Know that a person of limited options has much to tackle within himself in terms of self confidence or low regard to self, frustrations to alleviate life and the absence of voice in society. A person who does not understand the pathology of addiction and experience what acceptance to society and good life is will never grasp the meaning of being good to live a good life. He does not have any idea of what a good life is. He was so used to being bad he does not even know the meaning of good.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yes, for me prisoners need to be given the chance to access distance learning education in a limited coursework and selected programs that involves no risk at all. Police work or study of law is simply a no go or they may be able to study the system well. Prisons and correctional institutions should take advantage of technology to educate their prisoners. Technology has just given correctional institutions a very flexible and easier channel for the education of its prisoners. The only way to bring a nation down is to stop educating its people. The only way to improve the economy of a nation is to begin educating its people and giving them the skills needed and required by the labor workforce.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I am certain that education is not to be regarded as their second chance. Education is to be regarded as the responsibility of the state and the community to help the person obtain the basic skills for survival and obtain comprehensive knowledge that will make him understand life, society and morality. The No Child Left Behind Act was very effective. Well then let us consider those who were already an adult when the Act was initiated. We are not to leave behind any member of the community. We are not to disregard their needs and discriminate them because of their challenge behaviors. They are a challenge to the state and to the society. And the only way I find that will bridge the gap of talking between an uneducated man and a moron is education. It helps sharpen the intellect to understand policies, law and their moral obligation to safeguard the well being of other people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We eliminate an enemy of the state by providing a structured online education. Structured is not brainwashing, structured means appropriateness of the courses that they are allowed to avail. Prisoners of higher age who are not adept to technology may be taught on how to make wise investments online. The process may be simpler and they only have to study the market fluctuations. Teach them to be entrepreneurs and keep them busy with school work. The key is teaching them to adapt the new lifestyle behind bars. Education is an opportunity for change not only for the prisoners themselves but for the state. This way the state will be able to increase the population of its professionals even behind bars. Society is not to condemn prisoners but they are to help them out of compassion. Negative reactions would mean no acceptance and outright denial of their ability to seek for a better life. Negative reactions solicit rebellion and feeling of abandonment which will result to commission of more crimes. I certainly agree that the only way to eliminate crime is to educate the person committing the crime. Works Cited Page Wilson, David and Ruess, Anne. Prison(er) education: Stories of change and transformation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Winchester, UK: Waterside Press, 2000.