WeberDurkheimMarx and how they account for religio Essay Example For Students

WeberDurkheimMarx and how they account for religio Essay nHow do we account for religion its origin, its development, and even its persistence in modern society? This is a question which has occupied many people in a variety of fields for quite a long time. At one point, the answers were framed in purely theological and religious terms, assuming the truth of Christian revelations and proceeding from there. In the 18th and 19th centuries, a more naturalistic approach developed. Instead of needing to believe in the truth of the religion, what was required was just the opposite: intellectual detachment and a suspension of belief. Three people who ended up doing just that were Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber.Marx studied philosophy in Berlin under William Hegel. Hegels philosophy had a decisive influence upon Marxs own thinking and theories. According to Marx, religion is an expression of material realities and economic injustice. Thus, problems in religion are ultimately problems in society. Religion is not the disease, but merely a symptom. It is used by oppressors to make people feel better about the distress they experience due to being poor and exploited. This is the origin of his comment that religion is the opium of the people. People do not have an objective view of the world; they see it from the restricted point of view of their own positions.(p.35) At times I may seem to be focusing more on economic rather than religious theory, but that is because Marxs basic stance is that everything is always about economics. We will write a custom essay on WeberDurkheimMarx and how they account for religio specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now According to Marx, humans even from their earliest beginnings are notmotivated by grand ideas but instead by material concerns, like the need to eat and survive. This is the basic premise of a materialist view of history. At the beginning, people worked together in unity and it wasnt so bad. But eventually, humans developed agriculture and the concept of private property. These two facts created a division of labor and a separation of classes based upon power and wealth. This material organization of society is what Marx calls class consciousness. This, in turn, created the social conflict that drives society. All of this is made worse by capitalism which only increases the disparity between the wealthy classes and the labor classes. Confrontation between them is unavoidable because those classes are driven by historical forces beyond anyones control. Capitalism also creates one new misery: exploitation of surplus value. For Marx, an ideal economic system would involve exchanges of equal value for equal value, where value is determined simply by the amount of work put into whatever is being produced. Capitalism interrupts this ideal by introducing a profit motive a desire to produce an uneven exchange of lesser value for greater value. Profit is ultimately derived from the surplus value produced by workers in factories. A laborer might produce enough value to feed his family in two hours of work, but he keeps at the job for a full day in Marxs time, that might be 12 or 14 hours. Those extra hours represent the surplus value produced by the worker. The owner of the factory did nothing to earn this, but exploits it nevertheless and keeps the difference as profit. Economics, then, are what constitute the base of all of human life and history generating division of labor, class struggle, and all the social institutions which are supposed to maintain the status quo. Those social institutions are a superstructure built upon the base of economics, totally dependent upon material and economic realities but nothing else. All of the institutions which are prominent in our daily lives marriage, church, government, arts, etc. can only be truly understood when examined in relation to economic forces. It should be clear now that religion is one of those social institutions which are dependent upon the material and economic realities in a given society. It has no independent history but is instead the creature of productive forces. As Marx wrote, The religious world is but the reflex of the real world. Marx asserts that religion is only dependent upon economics, nothing else so much so that the actual doctrines of the religions are almost irrelevant. This is a functionalist interpretation of religion understanding religion is not dependent upon the content of beliefs, but what social purpose religion itself serves. Marx believes that religion is an illusion whose chief purpose is to provide reasons and excuses to keep society functioning just as it is. Just as capitalism takes our productive labor and alienates us from its value, religion also takes our qualities our highest ideals and aspirations and alienates us from them, projecting them onto an alien and unknowable being called a god. Religion is meant to create illusory fantasies for the poor. Economic realities prevent them from finding true happiness in this life, so religion tells them that this is OK because they will find that true happiness in the next life. For Marx, the problem lies in the fact that just like an opiate drug fails to fix a physical injury it merely helps you forget your pain and suffering, religion also does not fix the underlying causes of peoples pain and suffering instead, it helps them forget why they are suffering and get them to look forward to an imaginary future when the pain will cease instead of workin g to change circumstances now. Even worse, this drug of religion is being administered by the same oppressors who are ultimately responsible for the pain and suffering in the first place. Emile Durkheim continued with Marxs theories in his book The Elementary forms of Religious Life that was published just a few years before his death, in 1912. As Marx had argued that every class had its own conscious view of reality, Durkheim went further to demonstrate that even the most basic social ideas as time, space and God can be seen as creations of society. Durkheim suggests that there is not one reality but many and that this reality only exists because of the symbolic creations of humans and their rituals. Durkheim studied the aboriginal tribes of Australia in an effort to understand religion. He concluded that religion always involves a distinction between things that are sacred and things that are profane. Durkheim uses the example of the totem pole that functions to hold the tribe together. The totemic animal, Durkheim believed, was the original focus of religious activity because it was the emblem for a social group, the clan. He thought that the function of religion was to make people willing to put the interests of society ahead of their own desires. All members of the tribe gather together to perform periodic totem rituals, it is these rituals that set the rules for social order. It is forbidden to kill or harm the totem animal and it is therefor forbidden to kill or harm ones fellow tribesmen who name themselves after the totem. In the modern Christian religion, Durkeim argues that the moral commandments such as The Golden Rule and The Ten Commandments are primarily social rules. These rules regulate humans behavior toward eachother and serve to maintain a sense of social unity. People do not follow these rules out of their fear for heaven or hell but for their desire to be accepted by society. If they participate in the religious rituals they will feel a sense of belonging, whereas those who break the rules and avoid the rituals suffer from social isolation. To Durkheim, God is merely a symbol of society. .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 , .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 .postImageUrl , .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 , .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119:hover , .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119:visited , .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119:active { border:0!important; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119:active , .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119 .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .udc5af292879c736e8e901ba71e7c6119:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Confucianism EssayMax Webers sociology is the foundation of scientific sociology of religion in a sense of typological and objective understanding. Rejecting Karl Marxs evolutionary law of class society, or Emile Durkheims sustained law of moral society, Weber established the understanding sociology of the subjective meaning of religious action or inaction. He argued that the transformation of religion allowed for social changes where people could now work together to gain economic wealth. In a primitive society there were many gods, those kinsmen who worshipped the same household god as you could be trusted but those strangers who worshipped a different god were aliens an d could not be trusted. The rise of the great world religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, separated the idea of the natural world from the idea of the spiritual world. Instead of gods and spirits, people become widely concerned with the idea of heaven and hell. Weber argues that the idea of a universal God allowed for laws based on consistent general principles. Religion itself can also develop in new directions. (P.133) In primitive religions one prays to the gods to make his crops grow or kill off enemies. In the event of a natural disaster the kinsmen would believe that the gods were angry with them and continue to hold ceremonial sacrifices until the weather was better. It was this fear of the gods that kept the primitive kinsmen from trusting anyone else. In this new spiritual realm, the righteous individual who follows all the rituals and laws of his religion can still hope for salvation even if his has bad fortune. The ideas of good and evil can develop separately from the ideas of wor ldly success and failure.(P.134)In Webers writing The Protestant Ethic he discusses the role that religion played in the rise of capitalism. This new religious breakthrough opened many of the doors to industrialization: laying the basis for a moral community of trust underlying peaceful commerce; rationalizing the legal system; motivating people to remake political, social, and economic institutions in keeping with an imperative to transform the world more closely to the ideal.(P.134) Religion was now responsible for uniting and enlarging a community who could live together in peace with the same moral and ethical code of conduct. Weber believed that the Protestant ethic broke the hold of tradition while it encouraged men to apply themselves rationally to their work. Calvinism, he found, had developed a set of beliefs around the concept of predestination. Followers of Calvin believed that one could not do good works or perform acts of faith to assure your place in heaven. You were e ither among the elect (in which case you were in) or you were not. However, wealth was taken as a sign by you and your neighbors that you were one of the Gods elect, thereby providing encouragement for people to acquire wealth. The Protestant ethic therefore provided religious sanctions that fostered a spirit of rigorous discipline, encouraging men to apply themselves rationally to acquire wealth. This naturalistic approach to religion represented a fundamental paradigm shift in how religion was to be viewed. Instead of requiring clergy in order to understand religion, the requirement became facts and information and research. Whether you agree with the evaluation of the social function of religion as Marx did, that religion was the opium of the people, as Durkheim did that religion was what made moral society hold together, or with Webers The Protestant ethic, it is obvious that religion played a key role in the development of society. 1- Collins, Makowisky; The Discovery of SocietyHow do we account for religion its origin, its development, and even its persistence in modern society? This is a question which has occupied many people in a variety of fields for quite a long time. At one point, the answers were framed in purely theological and religious terms, assuming the truth of Christian revelations and proceeding from there. In the 18th and 19th centuries, a more naturalistic approach developed. Instead of needing to believe in the truth of the religion, what was required was just the opposite: intellectual detachment and a suspension of belief. Three people who ended up doing just that were Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber.Marx studied philosophy in Berlin under William Hegel. Hegels philosophy had a decisive influence upon Marxs own thinking and theories. According to Marx, religion is an expression of material realities and economic injustice. Thus, problems in religion are ultimately problems in socie ty. Religion is not the disease, but merely a symptom. It is used by oppressors to make people feel better about the distress they experience due to being poor and exploited. This is the origin of his comment that religion is the opium of the people. People do not have an objective view of the world; they see it from the restricted point of view of their own positions.(p.35) At times I may seem to be focusing more on economic rather than religious theory, but that is because Marxs basic stance is that everything is always about economics. According to Marx, humans even from their earliest beginnings are notmotivated by grand ideas but instead by material concerns, like the need to eat and survive. This is the basic premise of a materialist view of history. At the beginning, people worked together in unity and it wasnt so bad. But eventually, humans developed agriculture and the concept of private property. These two facts created a division of labor and a separation of classes based upon power and wealth. This material organization of society is what Marx calls class consciousness. This, in turn, created the social conflict that drives society. All of this is made worse by capitalism which only increases the disparity between the wealthy classes and the labor classes. Confrontation between them is unavoidable because those classes are driven by historical forces beyond anyones control. Capitalism also creates one new misery: exploitation of surplus value. For Marx, an ideal economic system would involve exchanges of equal value for equal value, where value is determined simply by the amount of work put into whatever is being produced. Capitalism interrupts this ideal by introducing a profit motive a desire to produce an uneven exchange of lesser value for greater value. Profit is ultimately derived from the surplus value produced by workers in factories. A laborer might produce enough value to feed his family in two hours of work, but he keeps at the job for a full day in Marxs time, that might be 12 or 14 hours. Those extra hours represent the surplus value produced by the worker. The owner of the factory did nothing to earn this, but exploits it nevertheless and keeps the difference as profit. Economics, then, are what constitute the base of all of human life and history generating division of labor, class struggle, and all the social institutions which are supposed to maintain the status quo. Those social institutions are a superstructure built upon the base of economics, totally dependent upon material and economic realities but nothing else. All of the institutions which are prominent in our daily lives marriage, church, government, arts, etc. can only be truly understood when examined in relation to economic forces. It should be clear now that religion is one of those social institutions which are dependent upon the material and economic realities in a given society. It has no independent history but is instead the creature of productive forces. As Marx wrote, The religious world is but the reflex of the real world. Marx asserts that religion is only dependent upon economics, nothing else so much so that the actual doctrines of the religions are almost irrelevant. This is a functionalist interpretation of religion understanding religion is not dependent upon the content of beliefs, but what social purpose religion itself serves. .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 , .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 .postImageUrl , .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 , .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1:hover , .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1:visited , .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1:active { border:0!important; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1:active , .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1 .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .udcdd97efcf7b4ff10d67e94cc10529f1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bill of rights EssayMarx believes that religion is an illusion whose chief purpose is to provide reasons and excuses to keep society functioning just as it is. Just as capitalism takes our productive labor and alienates us from its value, religion also takes our qualities our highest ideals and aspirations and alienates us from them, projecting them onto an alien and unknowable being called a god. Religion is meant to create illusory fantasies for the poor. Economic realities prevent them from finding true happiness in this life, so religion tells them that this is OK because they will find that true happiness in the next life. For Marx, the problem lies in the fact that just like an opiate drug fails to fix a physical injury it merely helps you forget your pain and suffering, religion also does not fix the underlying causes of peoples pain and suffering instead, it helps them forget why they are suffering and get them to look forward to an imaginary future when the pain will cease instead of working to change circumstances now. Even worse, this drug of religion is being administered by the same oppressors who are ultimately responsible for the pain and suffering in the first place. Emile Durkheim continued with Marxs theories in his book The Elementary forms of Religious Life that was published just a few years before his death, in 1912. As Marx had argued that every class had its own conscious view of reality, Durkheim went further to demonstrate that even the most basic social ideas as time, space and God can be seen as creations of society. Durkheim suggests that there is not one reality but many and that this reality only exists because of the symbolic creations of humans and their rituals. Durkheim studied the aboriginal tribes of Australia in an effort to understand religion. He concluded that religion always involves a distinction between things that are sacred and things that are profane. Durkheim uses the example of the totem pole that functions to hold the tribe together. The totemic animal, Durkheim believed, was the original focus of religious activity because it was the emblem for a social group, the clan. He thought that the function of religion was to make people willing to put the interests of society ahead of their own desires. All members of the tribe gather together to perform periodic totem rituals, it is these rituals that set the rules for social order. It is forbidden to kill or harm the totem animal and it is therefor forbidden to kill or harm ones fellow tribesmen who name themselves after the totem. In the modern Christian religion, Durkeim argues that the moral commandments such as The Golden Rule and The Ten Commandments are primarily social rules. These rules regulate humans behavior toward eachother and serve to maintain a sense of social unity. People do not follow these rules out of their fear for heaven or hell but for their desire to be accepted by society. If they participate in the religious rituals they will feel a sense of belonging, whereas those who break the rules and avoid the rituals suffer from social isolation. To Durkheim, God is merely a symbol of society. Max Webers sociology is the foundation of scientific sociology of religion in a sense of typological and objective understanding. Rejecting Karl Marxs evolutionary law of class society, or Emile Durkheims sustained law of moral society, Weber established the understanding sociology of the subjective meaning of religious action or inaction. He argued that the transformation of religion allowed for social changes where people could now work together to gain economic wealth. In a primitive society there were many gods, those kinsmen who worshipped the same household god as you could be trusted but those strangers who worshipped a different god were aliens and could not be trusted. The rise of the great world religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, separated the idea of the natural world from the idea of the spiritual world. Instead of gods and spirits, people become widely concerned with the idea of heaven and hell. Weber argues that the idea of a universal God allowed for laws based on consistent general principles. Religion itself can also develop in new directions. (P.133) In primitive religions one prays to the gods to make his crops grow or kill off enemies. In the event of a natural disaster the kinsmen would believe that the gods were angry with them and continue to hold ceremonial sacrifices until the weather was better. It was this fear of the gods that kept the primitive kinsmen from trusting anyone else. In this new spiritual realm, the righteous individual who follows all the rituals and laws of his religion can still hope for salvation even if his has bad fortune. The ideas of good and evil can develop separately from the ideas of wor ldly success and failure.(P.134)In Webers writing The Protestant Ethic he discusses the role that religion played in the rise of capitalism. This new religious breakthrough opened many of the doors to industrialization: laying the basis for a moral community of trust underlying peaceful commerce; rationalizing the legal system; motivating people to remake political, social, and economic institutions in keeping with an imperative to transform the world more closely to the ideal.(P.134) Religion was now responsible for uniting and enlarging a community who could live together in peace with the same moral and ethical code of conduct. Weber believed that the Protestant ethic broke the hold of tradition while it encouraged men to apply themselves rationally to their work. Calvinism, he found, had developed a set of beliefs around the concept of predestination. Followers of Calvin believed that one could not do good works or perform acts of faith to assure your place in heaven. You were e ither among the elect (in which case you were in) or you were not. However, wealth was taken as a sign by you and your neighbors that you were one of the Gods elect, thereby providing encouragement for people to acquire wealth. The Protestant ethic therefore provided religious sanctions that fostered a spirit of rigorous discipline, encouraging men to apply themselves rationally to acquire wealth. This naturalistic approach to religion represented a fundamental paradigm shift in how religion was to be viewed. Instead of requiring clergy in order to understand religion, the requirement became facts and information and research. Whether you agree with the evaluation of the social function of religion as Marx did, that religion was the opium of the people, as Durkheim did that religion was what made moral society hold together, or with Webers The Protestant ethic, it is obvious that religion played a key role in the development of society. 1- Collins, Makowisky; The Discovery of SocietyHow do we account for religion its origin, its development, and even its persistence in modern society? This is a question which has occupied many people in a variety of fields for quite a long time. At one point, the answers were framed in purely theological and religious terms, assuming the truth of Christian revelations and proceeding from there. In the 18th and 19th centuries, a more naturalistic approach developed. Instead of needing to believe in the truth of the religion, what was required was just the opposite: intellectual detachment and a suspension of belief. Three people who ended up doing just that were Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber.Bibliography:

Communicable Diseases H. I. V. and A.I.D.s

Communicable Diseases H. I. V. and A.I.D.s Introduction A communicable disease is a disease transmitted through people, animals, and surfaces and is carried by micro organisms. They are transmitted through blood contact, close contact with an infected person or through body fluid contact of an infected to a healthy person. These diseases include Malaria, HIV-AIDS helps, whooping cough, and Mumps among others (Lengauer, Altmann, Thielen Kaiser, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Communicable Diseases: H. I. V. and A.I.D.s specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper concentrates on HIV-AIDS; it will evaluate what measures are in place as well as the effects that the disease has on human life. H. I. V. and A.I.D.s H. I. V. is the virus that is responsible for causing A.I.D.S, a person who has the virus is at the risk of developing A.I.D.S. The virus is transmitted when body fluids of an invested person come into contact with those of an uninfected person. Once the virus gets into the body, it manifests and multiplies itself when hiding in the blood cells. The cell in the body that it attach itself to is the white blood cell. Before the virus can be detected in the body system, it stays for at least three months. A.I.D.S on the hand is the final stages of H.I.V. When the virus has â€Å"blown out† and having affected the white blood cells to a point that they can’t protect the body any more, optimistic diseases take advantage and affect the person; these optimistic diseases may be tuberculosis or pneumonia, they infect the body and since the body immune system is weak, it cannot fight the infections and the most probable resultant is death (Bebea, 2006). Data Findings, Evidence-Based Intervention, and a Plan to Ensure Quality Health According to 2008 UNAIDS statistics, there were 33.4 million infected people in the world with Africa having the majority. It goes further to say that since 1981; the disease has kill ed over 25 million people and created over 14 million orphans (See appendix for the statistic). Treatment and Care Currently there are no drugs that cure HIV. However, there have been drugs that have been developed to boost the immune system of the body and thus assist the body in fighting the disease. They are called ARVs, antiviral drugs. Their aim is to help the body fight the diseases that come as optimistic to the body weak system. Other than those drugs, the diseases that attack the body are cured in the normal way like in the case of a healthy person. Physicians are developing immunization medicines but not much success has been achieved. The second approach to take care of the disease is by creating a massive public awareness. This will assist the public to take preventive measure which include, abstaining from having sex, being faithful to one spouse, and finally use of condoms when having sex as a preventive measure (Brown Qaqish, 2006).Advertising Looking for res earch paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Environmental Factors Related to the Disease Sexual intercourse; there are different modes of sexual intercourse that human beings interact in; they are heterosexual, homosexual, and lesbianism. In all the above sexual intercourse, there involves the mixing of body fluids of the concerned parties. If one of them is having the virus it is transmitted to the other one during this process. Blood transmission in case of blood transmission, the blood of one person is given to another, this is in medical situations, and there have been circumstances where blood that is already invested with the disease is given to a patient, though this is a rare case, it spreads the virus. Parental transmission this is when the child gets the virus from the parent when breast feeding. Usage of contaminated instruments or syringes- this happens when one uses instruments that ha ve already been used by a person who has the virus, this is common in drug users when they inject themselves the drugs that they are using; if one of them is contaminated he/she can transmit the virus to the others during this period (Turner, D. et al, 2005). The Influence of Lifestyles, Socioeconomic Status, and Disease Management The disease makes an individual weak to a point that he cannot be productive person in his country. It is a disease that requires management in terms of medicine and a special diet. When a person is infected most are the times that he faces negative discrimination and thus he is not able to fully participate in nation development. His social economic status depletes. When managing the disease it takes the efforts of the government and peoples concerned to manage the disease. This calls for government resources being directed to such programs like awareness campaigns and drug development/purchasing (Basavapathruni Anderson). Gaps and Methods for Linking T o Other Resources to Meet Needs That Are Not Locally Available For the Population People have not fully understood the fact that the disease can be managed and the person suffering from it need not be discriminated. In places like jobs and public offices there should be no discrimination since when one manages his condition well, he can stay a healthy life like any other person (Turner, 2005). Recommendations to Expand Communities’ Programs When HIV-AIDS was first recorded in the world, the campaigners portrayed it as a killer disease. This shaped the minds of the people to believe that when one is sick, the next step is death. This is not true as it can be managed. What can be done is to erode that belief through more campaigns to enlighten people (Bebea, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Communicable Diseases: H. I. V. and A.I.D.s specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion HIV-AIDS is an ailm ent (communicable) that is spread through body fluids from infected individuals. The disease has no cure but can be managed using immune boosting medicines. The infected have a weak body and undergo stigmatization that hinders their productivity. As medicine and immunization are developed, more awareness need to be done to reduce its spread. Reference List Basavapathruni, A and Anderson, K. (December 2007). Reverse transcription of the HIV-1 pandemic.  The FASEB Journal  21  (14): 3795–3808 Bebea, I. (2006). Fighting H.I.V./AIDS; The Balm in Gilead challenges clerics. Network Journal, 13(4), 10. Retrieved from Ethnic NewsWatch (ENW). (Document ID: 1007376031) Brown, T. and Qaqish, R. (2006). Antiretroviral therapy and the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis: a meta-analytic review.  AIDS (London, England)  20  (17): 2165–2174. Lengauer, T., Altmann, A., Thielen, A. and Kaiser, A. (2010). Chasing the AIDS virus.  Communications of the ACM  53  (3 ): 66.  doi:10.1145/1666420.1666440 Turner, D. et al. (2005). Substitutions in the Reverse Transcriptase and Protease Genes of HIV-1 Subtype B in Untreated Individuals and Patients Treated With Antiretroviral Drugs. Journal of the International AIDS Society 7 (2005): 69. Academic OneFile. Web. UNAIDS. (2008). Worldwide HIV AIDS Statistic, end of 2008. Retrieved from https://www.avert.org/global-hiv-and-aids-statisticsAdvertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Appendix Global HIV/AIDS estimates, end of 2008 The latest statistics of the global  HIV and AIDS  were published by UNAIDS in November 2009, and refer to the end of 2008. Estimate Range People living with HIV/AIDS in 2008 33.4 million 31.1-35.8 million Adults living with HIV/AIDS in 2008 31.3 million 29.2-33.7 million Women living with HIV/AIDS in 2008 15.7 million 14.2-17.2 million Children living with HIV/AIDS in 2008 2.1 million 1.2-2.9 million People newly infected with HIV in 2008 2.7 million 2.4-3.0 million Children newly infected with HIV in 2008 0.43 million 0.24-0.61 million AIDS deaths in 2008 2.0 million 1.7-2.4 million Child AIDS deaths in 2008 0.28 million 0.15-0.41 million More than  25 million  people have died of AIDS since 1981. Africa has over  14 million  AIDS orphans. At the end of 2008, women accounted for  50%  of all adults living with HIV worldwide In developing and transitional countries,  9.5 million  people are i n immediate need of life-saving AIDS drugs; of these, only  4 million  (42%) are receiving the drugs. Source: avert.org/worldstats.htm

Analyse the Strategic position of IMAX Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analyse the Strategic position of IMAX - Essay Example This paper aims to analyze the current situation of IMAX and present alternative solutions to their problems. The paper involves Porter’s five forces analysis of the movie production and distribution industry. The second part enumerates and evaluates the corporate strategies of the company which are focused differentiation and growth. It has been examined that the strategies employed by the company were effective in achieving their objectives. It is the recommendation of this paper that the company prepares itself to for acquisition. The company cannot survive on its own in the film industry as they face the issues on debt and sustainability. IMAX is an entertainment technology company that generates revenues from long-term theater system lease and maintenance agreements, film production and distribution, and theater operations. It is involved the different processes of large-format film business. The company has a movie library of 226 films that were either produced by IMAX or other independent filmmakers or studios. The company has generated total revenues close to $116 million by 2007. At the end of 2008, the market capitalization is $125 million with 295 theaters showing IMAX movies in 40 countries. (IMAX Corp, 2008) An industry analysis is completed in Section 2.1 where Porter’s five forces were employed. The analysis covers competition between industry rivals in the Motion Picture and Video Distribution market segment where IMAX generates its revenues and profit. The threat of new entrants is also scrutinized for the industry. Furthermore, the bargaining powers of suppliers as well as consumers are studied with regards to its effect on the company. The threats of substitutes are investigated which are considered as alternative and indirect competition of the business. Section 2.2 attempts an internal and external analysis of IMAX which is patterned on the SWOT analysis. The growth and success of the movie industry is the

Analysis of Men Of Horror Movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analysis of Men Of Horror Movie - Essay Example Although Carl Brashear attains a chance at the navy school, in his New York Times article, Scot proves how education in a racism world does not favor him. His instructor, Billy Sunday, fails him and he ultimately opts to help his parents on the farm. He never despairs in his dream but hopes of success I future. He remains focus in attains his dream position as a master diver. Even when he hurts his leg during his training, he does not use this as an excuse but takes hurt in his mission. The article Jet, present how an aspiring doctor, who later becomes Carl Brashear’s wife, offers to sponsor his education and he uses this opportunity to prove his talent to the nation. However, his efforts do not get approval since another person rejoices his success. This depicts ignorance of the nation and lack of humanity. Despite all destitutions that come in his way, he perseveres and triumphs them all. His instructor ends up having a U-turn in his life. He faces demotion in work due to the success he offers Carl Brashear and ultimately ends up drinking and living a reckless life. In conclusion, although life is full of vicissitudes, an individual has to persist and have hope for the future. Persistence and determination in life are what gives a person the heart and strength to move forward in life. In order to succeed in life, an individual should set a goal and focus on achieving it no matter the consequences or hardships to face. Racial discrimination as a factor that deprives an individual the opportunity of achieving the desired goal should be banned in society.     

Importance of Information Systems in Transforming Businesses. Cloud Essay

Importance of Information Systems in Transforming Businesses. Cloud Computing - Essay Example The integration of information systems has helped developers to be able to understand the needs of organizations and people who create, process, filter and distribute data using hardware and software networks. According to (Dimitris 2010), cloud computing services have an ability to assemble wide networks because they are vital tools that manage software applications. Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud, also called Amazon EC2, is an example of a web service that helps cloud computing developers manage cloud computing with ease (Agmon 2014). The service helps one to configure cloud computing capacity with minimal difficulties. The service developed by Amazon helps developers easily set up cloud computing services that will benefit their needs and be in a position to manage it well (Buyya et al, 2011). Since the inception of cloud computing, users have known its benefits and this has been noted by an increase in usage. The Amazon EC2 is an effective application when the user modifies the application to suit their organization functions (Agmon 2014). The services provided by Amazon EC2 are inexpensive and easy to use and compete favorably in the market space (Chee 2010). Information systems play a major role to facilitate cloud computing. The concept of cloud computing involves data and information not being stored at a static place, according to (Tarrant, 2014). This implies that the applications and software’s which are involved with cloud computing operate on the web these software’s have to be sophisticated, so that they can be accessed by users from different locations and still perform to their best.

Promote Effective Whistle Blowing Philosophy Essay

Promote Effective Whistle Blowing Philosophy Essay To promote effective whistle-blowing, Singapore had establish a framework under the Singapore Code of Corporate Governance where one guideline stated that the AC (audit committee) should review the policy and arrangements by which staff of the company or other persons may raise concerns about possible improprieties in matters of financial reporting or other matters. Arrangements for such concerns to be raised must also in place and independently investigated, and for appropriate follow-up action to be taken. The existence of a whistle-blowing policy should be disclosed in the companys Annual Report, and procedures for raising such concerns should be publicly disclosed as appropriate. Implementing such procedures can promote whistle-blowing as it legitimize whistle-blowing and provide formal channels for resolving complaints (Near and Miceli, 1995). This essay will explore several ethical points of views to justify if employees should have the duty to whistle-blow on unethical or illegal acts: utilitarianism, an ethical framework which focuses on the outcomes or results of actions deontology; an ethical theory which is concerned moral actions. Utilitarianism is defined as the ethical tradition which directs us to make decision based on overall consequences of our action (Hartman and Desjardins 2008). Weeks and Nantel (1996) also claims that an one acting on utilitarianism considers the maximum benefits towards its beneficiaries. An action is considered good or right if it results in more good consequences over the bad ones (Beauchamp and Bowie, 1997: 22). Therefore, a utilitarian would attempt to actions that will maximize net social bene ¬Ã‚ ts as a result of their actions (Lamsa, 1999: 346). Bentham (1781) claims that human beings are utilitarian by nature. Bentham (1781) says that when reasoning a moral decision from a utilitarian view, a highly sophisticated hedonic calculus which constitutes of seven considerations, are involved. These considerations comprises of intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity, purity, fecundity and extent. The category extent measures the degree of our moral decisions impacting others . Hence, it is consistent that utilitarian calculations are used to consider the well-being of others as a heavily weighted factor in determining a course of action (Bentham, 1781). Deontology On contrary to utilitarianism, deontology is maintains that the morality of an action is based on series of rules and principles, rather than the consequences of the action. According to Kant (1780), to act in a morally right way, one should act from duty, regardless of the consequences (Kitson and Campbell, 1996: 13). Kant (1780) argues that the good will of a person cannot be determined by the consequences of the act of willing as good consequences could be resulted by accident from an action motivated by bad intentions, whereas bad consequences could be resulted from an action with good intentions. He claims that a person with good will acts out of respect for the moral law as they feel they have a duty to do so. Kant suggested that an action is only morally right if you were willing to have everyone act in a similar way in a similar situation (Lamsa, 1999: 347). Kant believed that actions should respect underlying moral law; a persons motives should re ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ect recognition o f a duty to act and that morality provides a rational framework of rules, which constrains and guides people (Beauchamp and Bowie, 1997: 33; Kant, 2000: 54-5). So should employees have the duty to whistle-blow? Both ethical theories of utilitarianism and deontology discusses whistle-blowing in the context of moral duty. Whistle-blowers acting on the theory of utilitarianism would consider about the likely outcomes of their decision and will only blow the whistle if the rewards outweigh the costs (Southwood, 2001) whereas for those who are acting on the theory of deontology will blow the whistle if they think is morally right as moral obligations are irrelevant with the consequences. Using Benthams utilitarian perspective, one can argue that the negative effects of whistle-blowing can outweigh the rewards. So while an individual aims to disclose the unethical behaviours of an organisation so as to prevent the organisation from further wrongdoings, one would have to consider, as Bok introduced, the three types of conflicting loyalties; conflict between public interest of various sorts, conflict between loyalty and the organisation and the colleagues, and lastly the conflict between recognition and retaliation to the whistle-blower. The first conflict is the conflict between the public interests. Potential whistle-blowers would have to consider if stepping forward is in fact for the public interest. They would measure the extent of the threat and also consider if their actions would improve. The second conflict is their loyalty to the organisation and their peers. The employees, as human beings, will naturally form relationships with their colleagues and their loyalty, respect, commitment and emotional ties will also be developed for their workplace. Hence, by enforcing a duty for employees to whistle-blow would override their loyalties and organisation. The last conflict is the recognition and retaliation of whistle-blowing. In most cases of whistle-blowing the whistle blower stands alone against the majority; the organisation, their colleagues, the government and even their family. Hence, there would likely be a high potential of the whistle-blower suffering retaliation, such as losing their job, being called a rat or mole in the organisation and even suffer punishment as their organisation did if they were to be involved in the wrongdoings as well. Other severe consequences include affecting others such the whistle-blowers family, their close peers and even the entire organization. These negative consequences can be damaging in many ways; psychologically, sociologically and otherwise. Such scenario can be related to a real case occurred in Singapore. In 2005, in the Singapores National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Scandal, ex-Chief Executive Officer, T.T Durai, as well as other board of directors, were charged for misusing of public funds under the Prevention of Corruptions Act by the Police. However, before the scandal, accusations had already been about T.T Durai squandering and misusing of the funds for his own personal needs. The first two whistle-blowers, one of them being a volunteer of NKF, were summoned to court separately for defamation when both claimed that T.T. Durai had been travelling in Singapore Airlines first-class cabin. Both had to pay an undisclosed amount of damages to NKF and offer an apology as well. A cure-suffering father of one of the whistle-blower passed away upon learning about the law suit. The third whistle-blower was sued by NKF when she circulated an e-mail accusing the foundation of paying their staffs high bonuses instead of helping the poor and needy. She also warned the public about donating to the foundation. In results of her action, she had to pay a lump sum of S$50,000 in damages to NKF and also publish a public apology on local newspapers. After the scandal was exposed, though T.T Durai and the board members involved had been punished by the law, the three whistle-blowers had already suffered major negative consequences. Not only did the whistle-blowers not achieve their goal in disclosing the organisations illegal behaviour, they suffered serious punishment under the law and one of them even lost a family member indirectly as a result of his actions. Given the severity of the consequences of whistle-blowing, is it realistic for an individual to fulfil a duty to blow the whistle on unethical or illegal behaviour? On the other hand, whistle-blowers acting on the deontological perspective are considered moral agents. This holds true according to Kants theory of deontology as the intention of the whistle-blowers are for the well-being of the organisation. Whistleblowing addresses the issues of benevolence. The issues of benevolence involved in whistleblowing stem from the positive effects whistleblowing can have on others since whistle-blowers, by disclosing information about organisational wrongdoing, might warn society about organizational crimes or danger and thereby prevent further wrongdoing. However if an organisation were to impose a policy that employees have a duty to whistle-blow, they will lose such moralities and moral responsibilities and also limit their autonomy as well. While organisations introduce such policies to strengthen autonomy of the employee, it would also indicate that employees would be held accountable if they fail on their duty to whistle-blow. Therefore implementing duties to whistle-blow will turn autonomy into a liability. This would also create other imposed responsibilities for the employee as they are held responsible for what they have or have not done in relation to what they know or ought to know. Whistle-blowing policy would turn into a management tool for organisations to control their employees behaviour. This would result in employees not able to bring their whole-selves to work and thus limit the autonomy. Also, implementing such policies can protect organisations as they can shift responsibilities and blame to individual members. Individuals acting on deontological principals can also be regarded as a Good Samaritan. According to Fabre (2002), a Good Samaritan has the moral and legal obligation to help others in peril; hence this would fit in to the framework of Kants goodwill theory. A Good Samaritan characteristics, which according to include the absence of a special relationship and the absence of a professional or contractual obligation to help those in need. A Good Samaritan, explains Fabre, is a stranger who is not particularly qualified, professionally, to help, and who happens to be at the critical place, at the critical time (2002, 129). McCabe (1984) raise the objections and problems that arise with the duty to rescue. These problems are also applicable to whistleblowing and need to be addressed if the duty to whistleblow is implemented. The first objection relates to the situation where numerous people are in a position to rescue but nobody does so. Who will then be held liable for the failure to rescue? A problem with organizational whistleblowing and the potential duty to rescue is that it almost always involves a number of people who are in a position to rescue. Organizational activities and actions generally involve a number of people who know or ought to know about them. A second issue raised by McCabe is the risk of harm to the rescuer which is related to Good Samaritan laws. The risk of harm to whistleblowers is substantial as they are often harmed psychologically and financially despite any whistleblower protection that may apply to them. The last objection that McCabe mentions is the issue of a negligent rescue. What if the rescuer is well meaning but inept and causes harm to the party he is trying to rescue? In terms of whistleblowing this may occur when the whistleblower is ill informed or mistaken and damages the organization by claiming that it has misbehaved when that in fact was not the case. Conclusion In this essay the likely consequences of implementing whistle-blowing as a duty for employees are explored. It is possible that if such policies were to be introduced, as employees are going to be held responsible if they were to fail their duty to whistle-blow, they would be obliged to blow the whistle regardless if the employees might suffer more severe negative consequences than the rewards they can achieve. While they have the well intention of preventing the organisation from further wrongdoings, they might suffer backlash and the consequences might not only affect the individual, but also to their family and even the organisation itself. They enable people at work to be moral agents, who are responsible for their behaviour, and have the autonomy to behave as their conscience dictates them. However, implementing these policies may also turn responsibility into liability and increase the control of people by organisations, holding them responsible for what they do or fail to do, thus further institutionalising the organisation man or woman. This possibility makes whistleblowing policies a management tool to make people at work liable for what they do or fail to do. This second possibility also shifts responsibility of organisational behaviour to employees, making them responsible not only for reporting organisational wrongdoing but for organisational wrongdoing. They also need to be examined in terms of likely consequences, and effect on people and organisations moral behaviour and responsibility.

Using Computers in My Work :: Exploratory Essays

Using Computers in My Work What comes to mind when you hear the word computer? When I realized what profession that I wanted to go into I didn’t realized just how much computers will affect me. I decided around the age of sixteen or seventeen that I wanted to become an executive protection specialist, also known as a bodyguard. I never really gave it much thought about it. After putting some thought into it I discovered that computers in general, especially laptops, will play an important part in a bodyguard’s daily day to day business in the near future. But there are some disadvantages of using laptop computer also. There are many advantages for using a laptop. One, you can make out a detailed itinerary anywhere that your client may take you, let it be on an airplane or in a limo. Second, with the small size, the laptops that are on today’s market, they can almost go anywhere and everywhere that you could possible imagine! With an Internet connection, at your hotel, you would have instant connection readily available to the World Wide Web without having to monkey around with a conventional computer desktop that would consist of having to haul around the big tower, monitor, and speakers. This could be an important asset being able to check out what going around different parts of the county or even in a specific part of the world if your client is heading that way. You then could be notified about any potential trouble spots. Another example could be if you’re away with your client for a long period of time, you could use the laptop and Internet capability to keep in touch wit h family and friends. Since there are so many computer manufacturers out on the market these days this causes the price of the laptops to go down and the quality to go up. Even having the same capacity of the desktop computers. Nevertheless, with all the great thing about laptop computers, there is a negative aspects as well.