Management Innovation and new technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Innovation and new technology - Essay Example The concept of innovation is as old as the history of earth as men have always tried to improve things in their surroundings for the comfort and ease. However, from the history of world businesses, we can see that in the run towards an â€Å"innovated product† companies often lead towards customer frustration and dissatisfaction resulting in lower sales and loss of customer trust. There are various examples in the past where companies define the ultimate objective to launch an innovative product and did not give much thought to the process and need of it. This lack of understanding of product innovation becomes one of the major reasons of product sales downfall (Light Minds Ltd, 2005). Many economists believe that with the increasing business competition, managers and executives often overestimate the need of their consumers. A new and innovative product is often more complex to use and more expensive (Gottfredson & Aspinall, 2005). Advancement in a product line needs better m achineries and plentiful of company’s resources which eventually the consumer has to bear. Often the advancement made by companies is just to give the feeling of ‘new’ and is not as per the need of the customer (Rosenthal, 2099). The recent example of Facebook Timeline is relevant to highlight in this regard. It was introduced to give a new and fresh look to the users so to increase the time they spend on Facebook. Result shows that the objective was merely achieved as it increases the complexity of the product (Choney, 2011). Therefore, keeping the perspective of consumers is a key element in the success of product innovation process (Light Minds Ltd, 2005). Case Study of 3M The case of 3M’s Post-it Notes can be analyzed to justify that product innovation is not just a one-off event, but a complex organization process. The idea of adhesive notepad seemed great initially, but it turned out to be a below average invention, which the consumer kept daunting f or years. The notepad went through several stages of innovation; each time the company offering something new in the product but failing to generate a massive sale every time (Nayak & Ketteringha, 1994). The issue was not meeting with the customer’s need and innovating, what might be better but not the requirement. This explains the core concept behind product innovation. Another lacking in the product was in its limited usage. People did not feel the need of having an adhesive bulletin board rather than a simple board. This brought the executives of 3M to the conclusion that this product has no future in the market (Nayak & Ketteringha, 1994). It was at this crucial time that one of the executives of the company, Spencer Silver, thought that the sticky pad can be given another try to make it more viable for people’s use. As product innovation is a summed product of the facts of previous sales and consumers’ demand, he carried a decent research to find the ways to optimize the use of the adhesive notepad. He explored the marvelous concept that an innovation does not always need to be complicated; it can come through simple means too. He used the same ingredients that were used in the notepads, but with different proportions and combinations, out of which one gave a new result. The learned people around and scientists were all conservative with their approach. Their thinking phenomenon was restricted by their knowledge of chemical properties and reactions of ingredients. However,

Sex Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Sex Education - Essay Example Sometimes, when children ask where babies come from, parents would respond that babies come from storks and would stop at that explanation. Seeing that there is not enough information about sex and sexuality from the family, a teen would turn to other sources of information such as the television, movies, music, magazines, the internet, friends and even boyfriends and girlfriend. The television, movies, and music most of the times treat sex and sexuality as something that can be done anywhere, with anyone, and can be done without any responsibilities. Most of these media sources also show sex and sexuality as a way to be cool, is equal to showing affection to someone, and can be done without worry-free and without risks. Some even exaggerate about sex and sexuality and as a result they send off the wrong information. Some examples of these false information are having more than one sexual partner is alright, protection against sexually transmitted diseases is not necessary, you look cool and you become a hunk when you have had sex with lots of girls, having sex with someone you had just met is cool and acceptable, and o ther false beliefs about sex and sexuality. Magazines and the internet are also the same with television, movies and music. However, magazines and the internet are more popularly known to have been used for improper information about sex and sexuality that at times these materials are classified as illegal. In magazines and the internet, sex and sexuality is simply naked bodies of men and women and no scientific or academic explanation can be obtained from these sources. Though some magazines and some sites from the internet are educational and can be sources of proper explanation for sex and sexuality, those providing incorrect information are more common than those that give the right information. Some false information we get from magazines and the internet

Raleigh’s Guiana Essay Example for Free

Raleigh’s Guiana Essay In 1594, Sir Walter Raleigh was sent to Guyana, present day Venezuela. While in Guiana, he captured a Spanish aristocrat named Sarmiento de Gamboa. In Guiana, Sarmiento de Gamboa told Raleigh of the legend of El Dorado, which is a golden kingdom, supposedly hidden in South America. Sir Walter Raleigh was interested in finding El Dorado, but he was more interested in a real English foothold on the American continent that would be an effective challenge to Spanish power in the area. He felt that El Dorado would be an ideal base for England. His fleet set sail in 1595. When they arrived to South America, Sir Walter Raleigh and his men traveled up the Orinoco and Caroni Rivers, as well as Cumana, Trinidad, and the Venezuelan Coast. The expedition was more of a misfortune and it achieved little, but in 1596 Sir Walter Raleigh returned to England to write The Discovery of the Large, Rich and Beautiful Empire of Guyana. (Britannica) In† The Discovery of the Large, Rich and Beautiful Empire of Guyana, Sir Walter Raleigh provides a convincing argument for colonizing the Guyana. His first argument was that Guiana might have wonders and riches for England to use. â€Å"In Guiana itself I never saw marcasite; but all the rocks, mountains, all stones in the plains, woods, and by the rivers sides, are in effect thorough-shining, and appear marvelous rich; which, being tried to be no marcasite, are the true signs of rich minerals, but are no other than El madre del oro, as the Spaniards term them, which is the mother of gold, or, as it is said by others, the scum of gold. Of divers sorts of these many of my company brought also into England, every one taking the fairest for the best, which is not general.† (pg. 1203) In other colonies gold was found, after exploring Guiana, Raleigh still felt may be gold in Guiana. That is one of the reasons; Raleigh felt England should conquer Guiana. The Spanish conquered the Incas and Aztecs and other lands in both North and South America. By conquering the Americas the Spanish found gold, silver, sugar, and other econo mically profitable items. These profitable items made Spain have a successful economy with a great deal of money, assets, valuable natural resources and expensive materials. Raleigh felt that if England had a colony in the Americas England would have a stronger economy than Spain. His second argument plays towards the English beliefs towards the Native Americans. He describes the Amazonians as blood thirsty and cruel, which is what some English people believed Native Americans were. â€Å"It was further told to me, that if in the wars they took me prisoners that they used to accompany with those also at what time soever, but in the end for certain they put them to death: for they said to be cruel and blood thirsty, especially to such as offer to invade their territories.† (pg. 1206) In order to promote the colonization of a land, Raleigh had to appease the English nobles who believed Native Americans were blood thirsty and cruel. Although, Sir Walter Raleigh believed that the Native Americans were important people who should be respected. His third argument is Guiana has a good defense against the enemies. Sir Walter Raleigh felt it would be a perfect military fortress for England, as well as an outpost. â€Å"Guiana hath but one entrance by the sea, if it hath that, for any vessels of burden. So as whosoever shall first possess it, it shall be found inaccessible for any enemy, except he come in wherries, barges, or canoes, or else in flat-bottomed boats†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 1210) Raleigh wanted a secure position in the Americas in which the English can effectively challenge the Spanish. During this time, the English and the Spanish were colonizing in the Americas, Africa, and Asia to build their empires. Spain was colonizing rapidly and the English were also trying to economically benefit from the â€Å"New World.† Raleigh felt El Dorado’s formidable design would help the English defeat the Spanish and he felt El Dorado was in Guiana. His final argument is the Spanish are cruel to the Native Americans and that is something England doesn’t promote. â€Å"For he cannot but know how his predecessors, yea, how his own great uncles, Guascar and Atabalipa, sons to Guiana-Capac, emperor of Peru, were, while they contended for the empire, beaten out by the Spaniards, and that both of late years and ever since the said conquest, the Spaniards have sought the passages and entry of his country; and of their cruelties used to the borderers he cannot be ignorant.† (pg. 1211) Sir Walter Raleigh believed that the Spanish’s policies towards the Native Americans were outrageous and the Queen should assist the Native Americans. Earlier in his life, Sir Walter Raleigh commissioned a writer named Richard Hakluyt to describe the â€Å"the Americas as a promised land of honey, venison, palm trees, wine, sassafras (a cure for VD), gold and red copper. Hakluyt saw America as a panacea for unemployment. Prisons could be emptied of criminals who could then be transported to this New World. He insisted the Spanish genocidal policies were an outrage and that the Queen should give every assistance the Native Americans.† (Britannica) Sir Walter Raleigh never got Queen Elizabeth’s approval for a settlement in Guiana, but he provided a persuasive argument for colonizing Guyana. His arguments in The Discovery of the Large, Rich and Beautiful Empire of Guyana† were Guiana has wonders and riches, the Native Americans are conquerable, Guiana has a good defense against the enemies, and the Spanish are cruel to the Native Americans and that is something England doesn’t promote. Although, Sir Walter Raleigh’s main reasons for conquering Guiana, modern day Venezuela, are gold and gaining a military fortress, he also was interested in helping the Native Americans.

The Issues Surrounding Disability Social Work Essay

The Issues Surrounding Disability Social Work Essay There is a lot of discussion of how disability is described. The literal meaning of disability is difficulty with ability. This implies some form of mental or physical impairment that can manifest problems with mobility or awareness. According to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, disability impairments can include sensory impairments such as hearing or sight, mental impairments such as depression or learning difficulties and physical impairments such as wheelchair users. People with disabilities may face problems, and not only because of their particular impairments but by social factors such as attitudes, stigma and physical obstructions, for example, ease of access to buildings or transport. The description of disability has varied over the years but the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 describes it as, he/she has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day to day activities Thompson and Thompson (2008) state that historically, people with disabilities were considered tragic, different or in some way devious. They were not allowed to work, mix with others or travel and many were placed in asylums. Ingstad and Reynolds, (1995) claims that, media representation of disability often relates to insanity and evil. This is evident in such things as super hero movies, where the bad character is often portrayed as physically deformed or mentally unstable. However, throughout history there have been people with impairments that in todays society would have been viewed as disabled, Franklin D Roosevelt, four times president of the United States, had polio. The poet Lord Byron (mad Lord Byron), who was born with talipes, known then as a club foot, and whose name today is still synonymous for someone dashing, Byronic. Admiral Nelson, known for his great naval victories against the Napoleonic French and particularly the battle of Trafalgar, he is not viewed as disabled although he was blind in one eye and only had one arm. In todays society he would have been seen as a disabled seaman. But when we look at these people we do not see their disabilities, we see heroes, great leaders and writers. Did society just look past their impairment and just see their achievements?. (Ingstad and Reynolds, 1995). According to Finkelstein (1980), people with disabilities have existed in comparatively large numbers throughout the world and in different societies for centuries. What is also evident is that the cultural understanding and responses to impairment and disability have varied and still do. There is a real cultural stigma towards people that have any sort of physical or mental difference to the norm. This can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman times. Finkelstein (1980) goes on to say that, all though the degree of bias has varied from time to time, peoples perceptions of impairment and disability have remained much the same since the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century. The start of the industrial revolution introduced the concepts of urbanization and paid labour. This brought new problems for people who were unable to compete for work. After being scrutinised and labelled by doctors and other professionals, these people were put in to hospitals or asylums where they remained for very long periods and sometimes indefinitely. This kind of treatment carried on throughout most of the western world and all through the first half of the twentieth century. Drake (1999), states that the Eugenic legacy, which looked at the assumptions of human mental characteristics, was in some way influential in forming a different outlook on impairments. Drake continues, the Eugenic legacy came to a logical conclusion during the systematic murders in the Nazi death camps of thousands of disabled people considered undeserving of life, worthless and a burden on society. In the 17th century impairments or disabilities were seen as punishments from God, and explained by using religion, superstition, or myths and legend. Some of these beliefs remain to this day such as the belief that a disabled person must have been evil in a previous life and is now being punished. (Campbell and Oliver 1995) I remember in 2003 former England manager, Glenn Hoddle was sacked from his position for saying that disabled people are paying for sins they committed in a previous life. But in other religious cultures in societies, disability may be seen as being chosen by god. (Campbell and Oliver 1995) Cultural values and Society can be responsible for imposing disability on someone with impairments. This is mostly done unintentionally or by misinterpretation but it results in excluding people with some form of impairment from participating in society. Therefore it is understandable that disabled people will see themselves, as an oppressed group. To understand this, there has to be a definition between the person with the impairment and the social construction, called disability. (Oliver 1996) What this means is that todays society defines the impairment as it is seen, i.e. the lack of a limb or limbs, organism or motor functions of the body that are not working properly, and the disability as the restrictions and disadvantages that go with it. Oliver, states that, We see disability as the disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by a contemporary social organisation which takes little or no account of people who have physical impairments and thus excludes them. (Oliver 1996, p22) The common view today, according to Campbell and Oliver (1995) is that a persons impairment is the cause of their disability and that their disability is a medical problem that has to be overcome. This refers to the medical model approach which focuses on prevention and cure. In many countries this has caused a growth of prosperous and costly industries involved with disability comprising voluntary organisations, drug companies, private businesses, charities and government institutions. These will be staffed by an army of professionals including support workers, doctors, nurses, occupational therapists and social workers. This attitude can have a negative effect on the way society see people with impairments and will result in stigmatisation. In addition to this, if society sees the impairment as the problem, surely it is logical to see that these problems must be cured or fixed in order for them to fit in to normal society. The outcome is that, people with disabilities are labelled as disabled people this may look like a play on words but what this shows is that the disability is seen before the person. Society sees people with disabilities as, not normal, this implies abnormal, and further reinforce the stigmatisation and stereotyping of people with disabilities being seen as inadequate and dependant. Are some people with disabilities more vulnerable than others According to Hales (1996, p152) Prejudice is a negative attitude towards particular groups of people based on negative traits assumed to be uniformly displayed by members of that group Hales uses the example, that it is commonly assumed, that younger people with learning disabilities have no interest in forming long term relationships, an adult sex life or having children. Hales describes this as issue as being social attitude rather than the physical disabilities faced by the people themselves. It is difficult to say if some people with disabilities are more vulnerable to discrimination than others as there are so many factors to consider. Cost for example. Barnardos (2011) state that, the costs involved in bringing up a child with a disability is much greater than raising non disabled children. Barnardos also state that, it may not just be the higher cost of living, no qualifications and unemployment that are causing discrimination. But the fact that living in deprived communities where the understanding of disability is lower than the more affluent areas. One fifth of children with disabilities live in poverty stricken areas, resulting in social exclusion, discrimination and causing multiple oppressions. (Barnardos (2011). Marginalisation and exclusion refers to people with disabilities not being included in everyday life. This includes non equality in the work place. (Barns and Mercer 2003) state that, while some benefits such as disability living allowance (DLA), are in place to help people cope financially with social and work factors, it can also have an adverse effect by highlighting a dependency on benefits. This again can lead to stigmatisation and oppression. New labour recognised this problem and developed the welfare to work policy in 1997. The government documented that unemployment for people with disabilities was far higher than it was with non disabled people. A high percentage of people with learning disabilities live in poverty. 24 % of working age people with disabilities do not have formal qualifications. (HM Government 2011) The government recognises a link between unemployment and social exclusion. In 1989 the government set up the social exclusion unit (SEU) to improve the educational prospects for children with disabilities. Although this was a step in the right direction, it is worth noting that the minister for education at this time was David Blunkett, who is classed as a person with a disability. (Dan 2005) When people think of disability they think of the obvious such as wheelchair users. There are some things put in place for people with physical disabilities. Examples of these are wider doors, ramps, higher power points, lower light switches, audio and visual aids, lowering busses and disabled parking (Hales 1996). But in my opinion people with learning disabilities seem to be less understood. Therefore, I feel that, it can be argued that people with learning disabilities are more vulnerable to discrimination than other. Why do some people reject the disability label and some accept it? According to Barnes (1991), some people will accept the disability label, feeling that they are not able to cope in society and they are in a sort of limbo, waiting for a cure and the hope that one day they may get fixed. This may be because they have been conditioned by a non disabled society to accept their lot in life; they are broken and need a cure. Some disabled people will obviously want a cure and will actively help in working to find one, thus giving their life some meaning and a reason to belong. Some need to succeed in order to belong, some need to belong in order to succeed. (Hill Country Disabled Group) According to Clapton Fitzgerald (1997) this stems back to the medical model of disability that perceives impairment as something that has to be fixed, i.e. a person is disabled because of their individual impairment so consequently they will require medical interventions to give them the skills to adapt in our non disabled society.   There are disadvantages to being labelled as disabled. But there can also be advantages. In my experience, in having dyslexia, (which was discovered while I was at university), I am classed as a disabled student. I do not see myself as being disabled as there are no physical signs of dyslexia and it is something I have lived with all my life without knowing. Initially, I resented the disability label, but in accepting it, I received the help I need to complete my course. Some of my fellow students see such a label as stigmatising, and even though they have similar pattern of difficulties, they did not want to seek help for fear of being labelled. There are the people who see disability as a social problem put on them by a non disabled society that impairs physically disabled people. It is argued that no one has made a specific distinction between biological impairment and social disability. (Clapton Fitzgerald (1997) This is seen as the key to the British social model of disability and was originally devised by disabled rights activists in the 1970s. This move forward was developed by disabled people and their own experiences of living with impairment in Western society (UPIAS 1976) The social model has been widely acknowledged and developed by disability rights groups all over the world. It is now the foundation and the principle way of thinking in regard to policy-making for countries as diverse as Japan, South Africa and the USA. The social model of disability is not complicated; it just highlights the cultural, economic and environmental barriers experienced by people who are seen by others as impaired. According to Barnes (1991), these barriers can include: education problems, communication issues, problems within the working environments, insufficient disability benefits, social support services, inaccessible transport, housing and public buildings and the devaluing of people labelled disabled by negative imagery and representation in the media such as films, television and newspapers. From this viewpoint it is easy to see why some people will reject the label of being disabled and see their disability as a failure by society to accommodate their personal and combined needs within the confines of conventional society. (Barnes 1991) What can be done to effectively counter discrimination? Oliver (1990).explains that, peoples perceptions of disability and rehabilitation are changing. The 1960s saw the start of this change with politicians, policy makers and social workers realising that the world can no longer look at the disability issue as an individualistic medical problem, (Barnes and Mercer 2003). One of the reasons for this is that people with any form of impairment, be it cognitive or physical, are seen as abnormal and labelled as disabled. The fact is, that these people represent a growing segment of the global population and must be treated as equals. In brief, this means that the social model of disability is a tool to help us recognise the disablement caused by societys preconceptions of people with disabilities and help improve policy making. (Oliver 2004) Ten years ago, Glasby and Littlechild (2002), stated that, what is needed to effectively counter discrimination is to move away from government run professional services. They foresaw a need for greater investment in user led initiatives, especially regarding direct payments. This should give thousands of disabled people across the UK a better chance of achieving real independent living. Glasby and Littlechild go on to say that this could be achieved by setting up a new national body working directly with the National Centre for Independent Living (NCIL). Along with the distribution of direct payments, this new organisation could produce a standardized assessment for direct payments, reducing mistakes and making it easier for service users. Barns (2004) explained that, such an organization could also monitor local user groups that provide services for direct payment users. This would also give this new organisation the opportunity to benefit from a wealth of experience and expertise that has been developed by disabled people for over twenty years. (Barns 2004) The problem at this time was that, the government authorities were reluctant to implement direct payment policy for a number of reasons. Nowadays, direct payments are offered as a matter of course. During my third year placement in social services, It was actively encouraged to offer this service, in fact, I could not complete a unified assessment without doing so. We also recognise organisations such as the Rowan. This is a registered charity that provides direct Payment and Personal Budget support for service users. The Rowan has a vision of, A society that is fully inclusive in which the barriers, whether environmental, attitudinal or institutional, that prevent disabled people from having equality of opportunity have been removed. (The Rowan Organization 2012) As social workers we have the training to act in a non discriminatory way. We follow guidelines in our codes of practice such as, upholding public trust in social services and not unlawfully discriminating service users. Anti discriminatory practice is fundamental to the practice of good social work. It is important not to assume what difficulties people have with their disabilities. This in itself is a form of oppression, as only people with disabilities will know what its like to face disability discrimination. I feel that one of the most important roles as a social worker is advocacy. This will ensure that the voices of peoples with disabilities are heard. Legislation is main area that can help fight discrimination and oppression. The Equality Act 2010 enforces a duty on employers to make adaptations that will aid disabled people in the work place. This act also makes it illegal to treat people differently because of their disability. According to Barns (2003), the equality movement and looking into the problems of disablement has brought forward the concept of independent living. This concept was first used in the United Kingdom during the 1970s, after being adopted by disability activists in the USA. These activists called themselves the ILM or independent living movement. This movement was partly developed within campuses of American universities and partly from the on-going efforts of the disability activists who were attempting to influence, not only US disability legislation in the 1960s. But also, peoples discriminating perceptions of disabled people. Disability Wales ran a campaign from April 2010 to March 2011. This was called independent living now. This highlighted six main calls to action that disabled people had deemed essential in further development of Independent Living. These are: 1. Improved access to information, advice, independent advocacy and peer support services for all 2. Availability of accessible and supported housing to meet individual requirements 3. A comprehensive range of options and genuine choice and control in how personalized care and support is delivered 4. Improved access to Person Centered Technology (aids equipment) 5. A barrier free transport system, including all modes of transport 6. Enabling access, involvement and social, economic and cultural inclusion for all disabled people. This concept of independent living is a broad one and is usually associated with younger and middle aged people with physical and sensory conditions. But this concept does apply to everyone in the disabled population. This includes people with high support needs and people with cognitive conditions such as learning disabilities and mental illness (Barnes 2003). Because of this, independent living does have some criticisms. My own experience of working with a young man who had learning disabilities was not very successful. This person was granted independent living and was given his own flat. The problem was that all his friends did not have any kind of impairment. This was causing real problems as they were encouraging him to spend his disability allowance on alcohol and having parties at his flat. In turn this was causing problems with the neighbours because of the constant noise. This also resulted in him not having any money for food and being drunk most of the time. This was caus ing him to have health problems, which resulted in him being returned home to his parents. Conclusion In concluding this assignment, I have discussed why there is disability discrimination both from an historic and societal point of view and how people are disabled by these views. I have also discussed the different levels of vulnerability and who I feel are the most vulnerable in our society. In addition, I have covered why some people accept the disability label whilst others reject it, and what can be done in the hope of effectively countering disability discrimination. 3249 words Acts Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Equality Act 2010

Essay --

Question 2 a Unified Process would be an appropriate choice for this project. Way of Thinking – Unified Process is a predictive and adaptive approach of software development methodology based on object oriented principles. (Satzinger & Others, 2005) It is use case driven approach focused on developing the system incrementally by delivering the captured functional requirements in iterations. (So-Young & Ho-Jin, 2005) Creating different artifacts throughout the development process eliminates the possibility of undefined requirement and miscommunication. (Rational, 1998) Modularity embedded in the process allows developing and delivering of system in components. Maintaining software quality and requirement changes are integral part of process. (Daoudi & Nurcan) (ISQA 8220 Notes) Way of Working – UP is use case driven methodology developing system iteratively and incrementally thereby adding flexibility to process. This flexibility allows us to quickly react and afford frequent changes during development process. (Satzinger & Others, 2005) (Daoudi & Nurcan) Each iteration is a small part of project needed to be developed under four phases – Inception, Elaboration, Construction and Transition. UP defines six disciplines in each phase to better manage iteration. These are - Business modeling, requirements, design, implementation, testing and deployment. (Satzinger & Others, 2005) Every iteration carry out different activities form all discipline and deliver an increment at the end of iteration. Each increment developed during iteration consists of added functionality as compared to previous increment. So, iteration itself is capable of accommodating any design or requirement modification. (Satzinger & Others, 2005) (ISQA 8220 Notes)... ...fied Process also relies on extensive documentation, tight control, re-usability and effective modeling. (Rational, 1998) At PrintAndCopy, current IT department is moderately sized and they rely totally on structured development methods that provide extensive documentation but structured development methods lacks flexibility. Also, structured methodologies are not cost and time effective. So, avoiding a major change in their current development practices yet adding more flexibility in development process UP would be best suited. UP will also allow IT team to re-use the existing developed components contributing to reduction in overall time and cost. (Satzinger & Others, 2005) Also, most of the IT employees are remotely located. This further aids to employee flexibility as this approach does not require frequent team and client meetings like scrum. (ISQA 8220 Notes)

With Reference To At Least Four Different Poems, Explore How Cultural E

With Reference To At Least Four Different Poems, Explore How Cultural Identity Is Represented By The Various Poets The four poems I have selected to focus on all portray a cultural identity in their own unique way. 'Wherever I hang' and 'The Fat Black Woman Goes Shopping', are both written by Grace Nichols, a poet of Guinean background. I have also chosen to explore 'Dream Variation' by Langston Hughes as well as 'Half-Caste' by John Agard. I have chosen this selection of poetry because I feel that each poem has great merit in successfully challenging the racial disparities of the modern world. Grace Nichols unsurprisingly tends to base her poems around the inequality between the black and white communities; this is reflected in her poem 'Taint'. The poems I have chosen to investigate by her are 'The Fat Black Woman Goes Shopping' and 'Wherever I hang'. I chose to include these poems because they are in contrast to many of her other poems and it's content mainly comments on how white and black lifestyles differ rather than her usual theme of black persecution. The other two poems I have chosen by the two different poets both concentrate more on black discrimination like 'Taint' and are more similar to that poem, in this respect, than the two poems I chose by Grace Nichols. Langston Hughes writes a detailed analysis of the desires of the average Black man in his poem "Dream Variation". Hughes was related to John Mercer Langston, who was the first Black American to be elected to public office, in 1855. Born into a family with a strong sense of culture but a desire to be accepted, it is foreseeable that his poem reflects his aspiration of cultural freedom. Hughes uses representative imagery to portray... ...e wants to live she will live despite all obstacles-despite all cultural differences. The four poems use various methods to convey their points, overall the most effective being the humorous approach. Grace Nichols most effectively conveys her cultural identity via her sarcastic and amusing method of writing. This encourages the reader to think more deeply about the poem and understand the idea of culture identity, which could help acceptance of various cultures in Britain. Despite this, I personally feel "Half-Caste" is the most striking poem, stirring emotions deeper than mere amusement. The poem allows us to understand how people of mixed race must feel when this term is used and the implications of such a word. Although fairly aggressive, this poem conveys most constructively the message of the necessity for acceptance, to whoever the reader may be.

John Locke and Immanuel Kant Essay

We are here concerned with the relationship between the human mind, somatic-sensory perceptions, objects of perception, and claims of knowledge arising from their interaction, through the philosophies of John Locke and Immanuel Kant. Confounding the ability to find solid epistemological ground, philosophers have, generally speaking, debated whether ‘what’ we know is prima facie determined by the objective, as-they-are, characteristics of the external world 1(epistemological realism) or if the mind determines, as-it-is, the nature of objects through its own experiential deductions (epistemological idealism). The purpose of this paper is to use the synthetical approach of Immanuel Kant, who utilizes a logical schematization of cognition along with experience (transcendental idealism), in the attaining of knowledge, to criticize Locke’s claims against innate ideas, and subsequently, origin and attainment of knowledge. In the first part of this paper, I will explain the major differences which distinguish epistemological realism and idealism. This disambiguation of philosophical jargon is to allow the reader to understand why the debate exists, how it impacts what human’s claims as ‘knowledge’, and whether or not the debate has any contemporary philosophical importance. This last feature is a relevant aspect of the debate since ‘knowledge’ applies to a great many areas of human life, including, but not limited to, the sciences, morality and ethics, and aesthetics. In the second part of this paper, I will outline Kant’s idealism, otherwise known as, transcendental idealism. This section will lay out the terminology in Kant’s epistemology which will act as a backdrop for comparing and contrasting the theory of Locke. This section will also describe the foundation of Kant’s epistemological claims. As mentioned in the introduction, the mind, the somatic-sensory perceptions, and objects of perception are to be accounted for in the debate between idealism and realism. Thus, the second part of the paper will conclude with an understanding of how knowledge arises under the rubric of Kant’s transcendental idealism. The third part of this paper is then dedicated to providing an account of Lockean innate knowledge and its place in our epistemological enquiry. It is presumed that several deficiencies, to be discussed, are apparent in Locke’s epistemological realism without the use of innate ‘ideas’. These deficiencies, however, are percolated only in light of the Kantian juxtaposition for which this section serves the purpose. In the final part of this paper, I will conclude that while Locke’s epistemological theories h ave had a great influence on the progress of epistemology, especially as a critique against rationalism, the idea of no innate ideas impressed upon the mind prior to experience ultimately leads Lockean realism to base claims that all knowledge arises solely from experience as inexhaustively question-begging without Kant’s transcendentalism. Dealing with the problems of realism and idealism can be seen in humans as young as three years old. Although it may not be so apparent to parents at the time, when a child asks, â€Å"How do you know that? † they are challenging the method in which a person uses to ‘know’ what they know. However, children, like philosophers, might not be satisfied with the first answer and continue with a meta-inquiry: â€Å"How do you know that? † While this interrogative approach to understanding the world can be frustrating it does illuminate a particular problem in reasoning, generally. That is, at some point we are forced to answer, vacuously, â€Å"I know, because I know. † However, the persistent child philosopher can rebut with, â€Å"How do you know that you know? The problems intrinsic to the line of questioning above demonstrate a broad epistemological problem. To solve the problem philosophers have sought out ways in order to make ‘what we know’ or explaining ‘how we know’ a bit more reliable or certain. That is, to provide an answer to our inquisitive three year old that breaks the meta-inquiry of knowable certitude. Knowledge, however, is a little tricky because there is an identity problem between the world and the ideas, or tho ughts, in our minds. In making claims of knowledge we must presume certain things are true. To say that you know something assumes that you (1) believe the world represented in your mind is exactly as it is whether you perceive it or not and what we have to say about the world must correspond to the way the world is perceived, (2) the world gives us information about objects, which can be accurate, but our minds are the final decision makers about the nature of those objects which can lead to skepticism, or (3) there is nothing stable about the appearances of the world as presented to our minds, and what we know is solely the product of collective reflection, otherwise known as easoning. In the context of my thesis, it could be argued that if a set of instructions were provided, such as innate ideas in the mind, these three broad, epistemological viewpoints would be narrowed down to one. The first assumption, (1), is the philosophical position known, broadly, as epistemological realism. The second assumption, (2), is more of a dualism in that it is believed there is enough perceived objectivity in the world to have some certain knowledge of it, but it is still subjected to our experiential bias (intuition plays a more integral role in this doctrine). This is a kind of realism in that certain properties about the objects we perceive are unalterable or indisputable since they would retain those characteristics whether or not they are observed. The third position is epistemological idealism. This position holds, generally, that knowledge is not a product of the nature of objects, but instead, derived from the nature of the mind. In other words, the certainty of knowledge is granted through the nature of the mind found within the species deliberating over certain claims. As mentioned, the debate between idealism and realism does have, beyond satisfying the curiosity of toddlers, implications in other areas of philosophy. It is not the focus of this paper, but an example that illustrates potential problems is that of ethics and morality. In epistemological realism, it may be the case that certain acts produce pain in humans, but there is nothing, it is alleged, which a person can point to in the world that would verify this (kind of) pain as bad, good, rightly, wrongly imposed. In other words, epistemological realism holds that we can know facts about the way the world is because our mind is receptive and capable of reproducing them accurately in our minds, but it is another thing to try to extrapolate from these facts/experiences a particular value/meaning to attach to prescriptive claims. In the extreme case, an epistemological realist might claim that all rules of morality are completely made up and merely appeal to our feelings about facts, but we cannot know for certain. As for idealism, morality appears as a less problematic discourse since the very proprietor of knowledge is that which is arbitrating over moral disputes. However, the kind of facts and/or values which moral claims arise, for idealists, are of a strictly theoretical nature and can be said to carry as much empirical or logical certainty as those doubted in the case of realism. At best they are egocentric and/or egotistic. Even in contemporary debates, which diverge subtly from the philosophies this paper examines, the entailment of moral truths from realist or idealist doctrines remains unsolved. In some cases, such as Marxist philosophy, there can be a real confusion about which doctrine actually prevails. The Communist rule of Stalin and Mao is arguably a perversion of epistemological realism for what was actually and indiscernibly expressed as an idealist project. It was in the Critique of Pure Reason that the philosopher Immanuel Kant attempted to settle the problem of epistemological certainty and skepticism. Recalling the relationship between the mind, objects of the world, our perceptive apparatuses, and knowledge, Kant opens up the Critique of Pure Reason with two allusive statements[1]: (1) â€Å"†¦no knowledge our ours is antecedent to experience, but begins with it. † (2) â€Å"†¦though all of our knowledge begins with experience, it by no means follows that all arises out of experience. † Situating these two phrases within the context of realism and idealism requires parsing out the some key phrases within these statements. The first key phrase or term is â€Å"begins. † Kant tells us that â€Å"knowledge begins with experience. † That is, in order to say â€Å"I know,† one must first have an object which makes some kind of sensory impression on the mind. [2]â€Å"For how is it possible,† Kant asks, â€Å"that the faculty of cognition should be awakened into exercise otherwise by means of objects which affect our senses†¦so to convert the raw material of our sensuous impressions into a knowledge of objects? It is, therefore, objects in the world that first supply us with the â€Å"raw material† for ‘beginning’ the process of attaining knowledge; the term ‘process’ is important here, because the two statements above allude to two different kinds of knowledge. It is not the case, claims Kant, all knowledge is a direct derivative of compounding impressions of raw data. For Kant, and this point lays the foundation of idealism, the mind plays a much more integral role in determining how those impressions are arranged in pre-conscious faculties. This difference plays an important role in the realism/idealism debate since the relationship between the minds’ functioning and knowledge claims depends upon disassociating two different kinds of demonstrations: (1) a method of proving what is known, (2) the acquisition of knowledge. More specifically, the debate between realism and idealism must in some ways reconcile itself with knowledge claims that are a priori and/or a posteriori. The former refers to rationalized knowledge which is universal, necessary and independent of experience (though this last condition, as we will see, is not so clear in Kant’s idealism). The latter is empirical knowledge which is acquired directly through our sensory perception and is validated by the relationship between what is stated and the way the world appears to be. For example, the claim that ‘snow is cold’ is a posteriori since the concept of ‘cold’ is not directly related to ‘snow’ independent of human experience. What is a priori knowledge is the fundamental subject of Kant’s transcendental idealism. According to Kant, a priori knowledge is not just about a method of proof, but also about how we attain a priori knowledge. As mentioned above, Kant is concerned with not only the knowledge that comes from experience, but also knowledge that arises from experience. That is, Kant seeks to settle how a priori knowledge, knowledge that lends epistemological certitude regarding to certain claims, is attained and verified without relying on facts about an external world. It is here that we see explicitly how a priori knowledge and epistemological idealism are integral and linked to the realism/idealism discussion; a priori knowledge is attained through a logical rationalization of concepts about objects that does not require a direct experience of them. In other words, a priori knowledge is knowledge which, according to Kant, begins with experience, but does not necessarily arise from that experience. To unpack this influx of these epistemological connections, it will be instructive to begin with what Kant calls the Transcendental Aesthetic. There is, states Kant, an arrangement to the mind which makes experience possible. This arrangement, or what Kant calls ‘schematism’ not only makes experience possible, but it also limits the scope of possible experiences. To refocus, Kant’s position is that space and time are the two most fundamental conditions for having an experience. All objects which are presented to the mind are done so, necessarily, in time and in space. It is important to recall that objects of perception/experience make impressions on the mind which is done through any or all of the five senses. This means that space and time, in order to be objects of the external world, must possess the property of being sensible. But if space is the condition for which objects are experienced, then space can only exist because space exists (this kind of paradox is addressed in the Antinomies). The same applies to time. Kant, therefore, purports that space and time are mere formal conditionings of objects via the minds operation providing, at the same time, the possibility of experience and experiential limitations. The upshot for Kant is that he loses nothing with this claim. The reality of space and time, as external objects, would lend no more validity to knowledge claims since the properties of space and time are necessary conditions for experience. Thus, making knowledge claims do not change whether space and time are properties of realist or idealist doctrines. In addition, Kant avoids the paradoxes which arise from claiming space and as objects of external reality by placing them as antecedent conditions for experience, as is needed, in the mind. This leads us to what Kant calls ‘synthetical’ claims a priori. By placing objects in space and in time there are going to be properties pertaining to the relations of objects to other objects and properties of objects that will follow the logic of being so represented. When Kant says that knowledge can arise from experience he is referring to the synthetical claims a priori which are determined by the logic of space and time as formal conditions for experiential representations. This is how Kant is able to famously answer how ‘every change has cause’ is necessary without realist fact. Kant admits that change is something that must be experienced, but change is an experience in space and in time. Since time is represented as a succession or the proceeding of an object through/from time t1 to time t2, and change is a relation of cause and effect, and since a cause cannot be its effect (see the paradox of space and time being the conditions of their own existence above), then once we are able to experience an event as ‘change’ in relation to an object (in time and space), we can, and with no further experience, strictly use the concepts of ‘cause’, ‘event’, and ‘change’, to make the a priori claim that ‘every change has a cause’; note, not just a change, or some changes, but every change has a cause. In other words, because of Kant’s transcendental idealism, we are logically justified in attaching certain knowledge of properties and relations in and between objects beyond what is provided by what we know a posteriori.