Monday, September 30, 2019
Ethics and Business Essay
The chief executive officers of any existing company are liable to meet the expected objectives as layed down by the shareholders of the company. The most significant of all factors of production is manpower basing the fact on the potential manipulation of this factor. All the other factors of production tend to assume a stable status of manipulative capabilities. The ultimate goal of any company is to maximize profits, which is only achievable through a coherent ethical considerations of personnel issues in the company. The employees of any existing company are hardly the consumers of goods and services of that respective company but rather beneficiaries in terms of wages and benefits. In a situation where the company in located in specific area where the living standard of surrounding community is high, it faces dire danger of satisfying the living requirements of the potential employee. In contrast, the right policy as regards the location of such a company should be towards the less developed area yet laying marketing strategies that would yield successful and profitable disposal of the goods and services, the outcome of products of that company. Factors that may cause the rise in the cost of production: The appropriate remunerations packages and benefits of the employees is a matter of crucial concern in any company. There exists a direct relationship between the required remuneration packages and benefits for employees and the level of development of the area from which the employees reside. If the company cannot meet the expected standard of living of the employees as dictated by the living level, the morale and motivation of the employees is unachieved. This may result to poor levels of production and strikes to the extreme negative side (Cory 2004 p 45-49) The nature of the area may also require some stringent measures of safety regulations. These measures may be costly both in terms of time and money. The safety measures, which are internal to a company, raises the production cost of the company. The extra margin is of crucial significance towards uplifting the companyââ¬â¢s profits for the benefit for the shareholders (Cory 2004 p57-59) Environmental regulations have a similar trend of a direct relationship between the location of an enterprise and the environment. An expensive system of waste disposal is required of the company because the environment requires special expensive disposal facilities (Cory 2004 p 67-69) A positive moral decision in relocating the company or retaining the company to the current location is necessary. Moral decision-making Several factors should be considered in the decision making process to come up with a moral and ethical solution. Finding facts is very crucial which should be followed by an appeal to values. Dealing with moral issues have different approaches. According to Utilitarian Approach, ethical actions qualifies to be moral only when they strike a balance of good over evil (Cory 2004 p 101-104) The greatest good for the greatest number of people is the qualification of an ethical action. The choice of the action is determined by the greatest benefits and the least harm. The effect of each action benefits and harm should be the guide to choice among the various courses of actions available (Cory 2004 p 98-99) According to the Rights Approach ethical actions are based on the ability of a person to choose what actions are beneficial for their lives while respecting the moral rights of others (Cory 2004 p 102-103) The fairness of justice approach is based on Aristotleââ¬â¢s teachings that ââ¬Å"equals should be treated equally and unequals treated unequallyâ⬠(Cory 2004 p 115-117) Issues of favoritism on one side and discrimination on the other are of crucial importance in the course of action. The Common Good approach explains an ethical action of an individual is being of good and beneficial to the community. The action should achieve healthcare, public safety, peace, legal justice and clean environment (Cory 2004 p 83-85) For the full development of our humanity we should strive towards certain ideals. This is the ethical framework of the Virtual Approach. Character traits or attitudes inherent in individuals aid the highest potential development. Example of these virtues that help us to pursue our ideals includes honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control and prudence (Cory 2004 p 77-78) They become the characteristics of a person once acquired which is crucial to individual action that are consistent with moral principles (Cory 2004 p 64-67) Through the use of the five approaches of dealing with moral problems, the most important ethical considerations are highlighted as a basis for deliberations. Possible relocation areas Mexico: Labour, health, safety and environment factors are favourable in a number of border cities in Mexico. The wages are extremely low, and $ 3 per day compared to $15 per hour in America and this is a cause of employeesââ¬â¢ resignations. However, labour turnover is high. There is also a high toxic chemical exposure tolerance and less strict environmental laws. However, due to high instances of birth defects that raise protest from health groups the plant relocation may be subject to adverse publicity. Cory 2004 p 104-105) Philippines: to the advantage of the company labor costs in Philippines is $1 per day while safety, health and environment regulation are similar to those in Mexico. Opposition against the effects of safety, health and environment hazards such as cancer and birth defects are silent. South Africa: there are positive conditions but less favourable economic terms. South Africa as compared to Mexico and Philippines. Labour cost is $10 per day and a possible future pressure to increase the package due to the existence of a strong labour union movement. Health and safety measures and exposure to toxic chemicals are fields that have not been ignored. Cory 2004 p 106-107) These are the actual facts concerning the possible relocation sites for Electrocop Company in the US. The facts will require some ethics or morality to come up with a final decision. This involves analysis of any conflict of negative effect to people, animals and environment, institutions and society. The outcome of the decision to people and the community and any possible stakeholders should also be explored while making consultations to the relevant persons. The final decision should be the one the most good effects to the people and least harm. The rights and dignity of stakeholders should be withheld. Common goodness should be promoted and a full participation community. Society Company or family uplifted. The option of choice should enhance the character development of valued individual, professional or societal traits. All these perspectives are significant in taking the most appropriate option. Conclusion The chief executive officer of Elecrocorp is exposed to options of relocation in Mexico, Philippines and South Africa from the United States. The current site of operations is a threat to perpetual progress of the plant and faces a close down in the near future. Although it is a major employer, the risk of closure is of no benefit to its employees. In consideration of balance between continued business operations and ethical moral effects of its relocation, South Africa offers the best alternative site to its current site in the US.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Biol 130 First Midterm Notes
Unit 1 ââ¬â Introduction to the Cell Robert Hooke ââ¬â built the first microscope (30x magnification); viewed slices of cork called cellula (little rooms). Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek ââ¬â worked with glass huge improvement in quality of lenses nearly 300x magnification became possible first to observe: * single-celled organisms ââ¬Å"animalculesâ⬠* protists from pond water * bacteria from his mouth ââ¬â ââ¬Å"father of microbiologyâ⬠* blood cells * banded pattern in muscle cells * sperm from â⬠¦ 1830s ââ¬â Compound microscope ââ¬â improved magnification and resolution and allowed visualization of objects less than 1 ? . 1000-1500x magnification Beginning of Cell Theory Robert Brown (botanist) ââ¬â noticed that every plant cell contained a round structure called it ââ¬Ëkernelââ¬â¢-nucleus Matthias Schleiden (another botanist) ââ¬â all plant tissues are composed of cells; embryonic plant always arose from a single cell Theodor Schwann (zoologist) ââ¬â similar observations in animal cells; recognition of structural similarities btw plants and animals! * Cell Theory formulated by Schwann Cell Theory 1. all organisms consist of one or more cells 2. he cell is the basic unit of structure for all organisms 3. added 20 years later: all cells arise only from pre-existing cells fact (scientific) ââ¬â an attempt to state our best current understanding, based on observations and experiments(valid only until revised or replaced) Steps in Scientific Method 1. make observations 2. use inductive reasoning to develop tentative explanation (hypothesis) 3. make predictions based on your hypothesis 4. make further observations or design and carry out controlled experiments to test your hypothesis 5. nterpret your results to see if they support your hypothesis Theory ââ¬â a hypothesis that has been tested critically under many different conditions andby many different investigators . using a variety of different approa ches. By the time an explanation is regarded as a theory it is widely accepted by most scientists in the cell * the ââ¬Å"solid groundâ⬠of science: evolution, germ theory, cell theory *If a theory is thoroughly tested and confirmed over many years by such large numbers of investigators that there is no doubt of its validity â⬠¦ it may eventually be regarded as a law.Gravity, laws of thermodynamics, laws that govern behaviour of gases ââ¬ËStrandsââ¬â¢ of Cell Biology 13 cytology 1600s Hooke looks at cork Leeuwenhoek looks at lots of things 1800s Brown notes nuclei bio-chemistry synthesis of urea in lab fermentation done by cells! glycolysis Krebs cycle every cell comes from a cell Schleiden & Schwann formulate cell theory electron microscopy stains & dyes genetics Mendel, pea plants DNA chromosomes chromosome theory 1930s DNA double helix DNA sequencing Dolly the sheep! nano-technology! genetic code Light Microscopy:Bright field ââ¬â light passes through specimen , contrast is slow and specimen is hard to see Phase contrast ââ¬â contrast is changed by changing light in microscope DIC ââ¬â uses optical modifications to change contrast between cell and background ââ¬â due to density differential Staining ââ¬â stain used to visualize cell and components, only some stains can be used on living cells 14 bright field phase contrast DIC unstained (sperm cells) stained blood cells tissue ââ¬â small intestine Fluorescent Microscopy ââ¬â fluorescent dyes bind to protein or DNA to see where they are in cells ââ¬â tracks movement Electron Microscopy(Scanning & Transmission):SEM ââ¬â scan surface of specimen to form image by detecting electrons from outer surface. Good surface images TEM ââ¬â forms image from electrons passing through specimen therefore fine details of internal organelles 16 SEM TEM Basic Properties of Cells: * are highly complex and organized * atoms molecules macromolecules (organelles ) enclosed in plasma membrane * use the same ââ¬Ëgenetic programââ¬â¢ Central Dogma * DNA RNA protein * are capable of reproducing themselves * must first replicate genetic material acquire and use energy (ââ¬Å"bioenergeticsâ⬠) and carry out a variety of chemical reactions (ââ¬Å"cellular metabolismâ⬠) * have many processes that are highly conserved at the molecular level * membrane structure, genetic code, ATP synthesizing enzymes, actin filaments, eukaryotic flagella, â⬠¦ * engage in many mechanical activities * transport of materials in/out, within * assembly and disassembly of structures * motility / movement * respond to environmental signals * move away or toward stimuli * respond to hormones, growth factors, etc * are capable of self-regulationââ¬Å"homeostasisâ⬠most evident when control systems break down; defects in DNA replication, DNA repair, cell cycle control Two Classes of Cells ââ¬â karyon = nucleus Prokaryotic Cells: lack of nucleus, NO CYTOSKELET ON(very small), membrane bound organelles. Mostly unicellular. Bacteria and Archaea. Single, circular strand of DNA(fewer proteins). Cell wall in addition to PM 1-10 uM in diameter. 2 types: 1. Eubacteria ââ¬â all have cells walls except for mycoplasma(resistant to antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis). Mycoplasma(smallest) Cyanobacteria (largest and most complex). 2.Archaeabacteria ââ¬â all have cell walls and are known as extermophiles, occupy broad range of habitats, halophiles=salty, acidophiles=acid, thermophiles= hot. Eukaryotic Cells: 10x larger than prokaryotic cells, membrane bound nucleus/organelles. More complex DNA due to histones/proteins. 4 groups: 1. Protists- very diverse group ââ¬â mostly single cells; algae, water molds, slime molds, protozoa 2. Fungi ââ¬â single cell(yeast) or multi-cellular(mushrooms) and have cell walls. Heterotrophs; depend on external source of organic compounds 3. Plant cells- multi-cellular and have cell walls. . Anima ls- multi-cellular, no cell walls and are heterotrophs Cytoplasm ââ¬â everything between plasma membrane and nuclear membrane, includes all membrane-bound organelles (except nucleus) Cytosol ââ¬â only fluid component Endomembrane system ââ¬â internal membranes that are either in direct contact or connected via transfer of vesicles (sacs of membrane). including: nuclear envelope / membrane, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, vacuoles Nucleus ââ¬â stores genetic information Endomembrane System ââ¬â creates intracellular compartments with different functions.Endoplasmic reticulum (ER; rough, smooth), Golgi apparatus, lysosomes. Mitochondria ââ¬â generate energy to power the cell Chloroplasts ââ¬â capture energy from sunlight, convert to carbohydrate Cytoskeleton ââ¬â regulates cell shape, movements of materials within the cell, movement of the cell itself Flow of Traffic in EMS ââ¬â Rough ER: synthesis of proteins for ââ¬â ex port (secretion) ââ¬â insertion into membranes ââ¬â lysosomes Golgi apparatus: collection, packaging & distribution Lysosomes * cell ââ¬Ëstomachsââ¬â¢ have enzymes that can digest â⬠¦ * all 4 classes of biological macromolecules worn-out organelles (mitochondria replaced every 10 days) * material brought into cell by phagocytosis Phagocytosis ââ¬â plasma membrane engulfs smaller molecule and then called phagosome. Lysosome takes it in and digests, small particles are releases into the cytoplasm. Autophagy ââ¬â lysosome digests a damaged organelle, small particles are released into cytosol. mitochondria (all eukaryotic cells) and chloroplasts (plant cells): * contain DNA that encodes some (but not all) of their own proteins * have unusual double layers of membranesOrigin of Eukaryotic Cells: Endosymbiont Theory * once believed that eukaryotes evolved gradually, organelles becoming more and more complex * now accepted that early eukaryotes originated as preda tors * certain organelles (mitochondria, chloroplasts) evolved from smaller prokaryotes engulfed by larger cell * later chloroplasts and the ability to perform photosynthesis Symbiosis ââ¬â Mutual Advantage advantage to host cell: * aerobic respiration (aerobic bacteria mitochondria) * photosynthesis (cyanobacteria chloroplasts) advantage to bacteria: * protected environment supply of carbon compounds from host cellââ¬â¢s other prey Evidence Supporting Endosymbiont Theory mitochondria and chloroplasts â⬠¦ * are similar size to bacteria, reproduced by fission like bacteria * have double membranes, consistent with engulfing mechanism * have their own ribosomes, which resemble those of prokaryotes rather than eukaryotes in terms of size, composition and sensitivity to antibiotics * have their own genomes, which are organized like those of bacteria last but not least: * are genetically similar to proposed ââ¬Ëparentââ¬â¢ bacteria rather than ukaryotic cells Cytoskeleton important in: * cell shape * cell motility * movement / position of organelles * movement of materials within cell * movement of chromosomes during mitosis Cytoplasm in a living cell is never static * cytoskeleton is constantly being taken apart and rebuilt * organelles and vesicles are racing back and forth * can cross the cell in ~ 1 second * unattached proteins moving randomly, but rapidly * can visit every corner of the cell within a few seconds * contents of cytosol are in constant thermal motionCommon to all cells: * selectively permeable plasma membrane * genetic code; mechanism of transcription and translation * ATP for the transfer of energy and metabolic pathways Model Organisms 45 Unit 2a ââ¬â Intro to Cellular Chemistry Most Common Elements in Living Organisms: * C H O N ââ¬â make up 96% ââ¬â also P and S are common too * Exist as complex macromolecules and simpler forms like water and carbon dioxide nucleus ââ¬â dense core in centre, consists of protons and neutrons electrons ââ¬â continually orbit the nucleus # of protons ââ¬â defining feature of an element = atomic number ââ¬â # protons + # neutrons = mass of an atom = mass number ââ¬â by default, an atom is ââ¬Ëneutralââ¬â¢, with # protons = # electrons ââ¬â electrons influence reactivity of an atom â⬠¦ Atomic mass = atomic number + # of neutrons (electrons are neglected because mass is so small) Isotopes ââ¬â same number of protons but different number of neutrons in the same element Anion ââ¬â gain electron and are negatively charged Cation ââ¬â lose electron and are positively chargedOutermost ââ¬Ëvalenceââ¬â¢ shell influences an atomââ¬â¢s reactivity * electrons in outermost shell valence electrons * unpaired valance electrons determine the number of bonds an atom can make * atoms with filled valance shell = most stable, atoms that are closest to filling are most reactive * elements abundant in organisms have at least one u npaired valence electron Some Definitions: covalent bonds ââ¬â two or more atoms share pairs of valence electrons * strong bonds of biological systems non-covalent bonds, including * ionic bonds * hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) * hydrophobic interactions olecule ââ¬â group of atoms held together by energy in a stable association compound ââ¬â molecule composed of two or more different types of atoms Types of Covalent Bonds * electrons shared ââ¬Ëequallyââ¬â¢ * non-polar covalent bond * can be single (like H2), double (O2) or even triple, depending on number of electrons shared * electrons not shared equally * polar covalent bond * one of the atoms has a stronger pull on the electrons than the other * pull on electrons = electronegativity * water is the most abundant molecule in biological organisms * human body is ~70% water water as a solvent can dissolve more types of molecules than other molecule known * the polarity of water is key to its role in biology hydrogen bon ding ââ¬â electrical attraction between electronegative atom and partial positive of hydrogen hydrophobic ââ¬â no affinity for water ââ¬â ââ¬Å"water fearingâ⬠hydrophilic ââ¬â affinity for water ââ¬â ââ¬Å"water lovingâ⬠Acid-base Reaction substance that gives up (donates) protons acid (increases [H+] in solution) substance that accepts protons base (decreases [H+] in solution) chemical reaction that involves transfer of protons acid-base reaction * most olecules act as either an acid or a base * water can be both (both gives up and accepts protons) weak acid: very few molecules dissociated (acetic acid, water) strong acid: readily gives up protons (hydrochloric acid) when pH = pKa species is 50% ionized Carbon is the most important element in biology carbon atoms give biomolecules their shape but other atoms attached to carbons determine their reactivity * critical H, N, O containing attachments called functional groups *learn orgo functional groups for this courseMacromolecules * large, organized molecules that are typically created by polymerization * biological macromolecules (biomolecules) provide the structure and carry out the activities of a cell 4 groups: * carbohydrates(polysaccharides) * lipids(fats) * proteins * nucleic acids * monomers of groups are different ââ¬â chemical reactions used to make the chains are similar Overview of Macromolecules 3 Proteins ââ¬â more functions than any other group of macromolecule * enzymes ââ¬â catalysis; accelerate chemical reactions transport ââ¬â through cell membranes, in circulation * support ââ¬â cytoskeleton, fibres of cartilage, hair, nails * signalling / regulatory ââ¬â hormones, membrane proteins, intracellular messengers * movement- of the cell itself ââ¬â contractile proteins, flagella ââ¬â within the cell ââ¬â motor proteins * defense ââ¬â antibodies, complement proteins Proteins are Polymers * amino acids are connected in linear polymers of a specific sequence * 20 genetically encoded amino acid monomers to pick from * string of amino acids (AAs) = peptide or polypeptide polypeptide folded and coiled into a specific conformation = protein * sometimes 2 or more peptide chains (subunits) combine to form mature, functional protein Amino Acid Structure AAs are ionized under physiological conditions ionization increases solubililty, facilitates interactions with each other and other solutes, increases reactivity (zwitterions) 7 non-ionized ionized R group unique to each AA oxygens tend to pull electrons away, making it easy to lose proton gains a proton Amino Acid Side Chains ââ¬â R Groups: * nonpolar ââ¬â hydrophobic R groups no charged or electronegative atoms to form H bonds * insoluble in water * R groups bury themselves with the peptide chain to ââ¬Ëhideââ¬â¢ from water * polar side chains ââ¬â soluble in water * uncharged ââ¬â but partial charges can form H-bonds * charged ââ¬â gr oups containing acids or bases ââ¬â highly soluble in water AA are linked together by covalent peptide bonds: carbon from carboxyl group is linked to N terminus of amino group. R groups and central Cââ¬â¢s do not participate in the bond. Condensation Reaction ââ¬â making the chain Hydrolysis ââ¬â breaking the chain Polypeptide chain: side chains extend from peptide-bonded backbone * chain is flexible ââ¬â can rotate at single bonds on either side of peptide bonds * so side chains are not all projecting to one side! * chains can be from 2-3 to thousands of AAs in length * backbone is directional, convention is to number AA ââ¬Ëresiduesââ¬â¢ starting at N terminus this is the primary sequence Sickle Cell Anemia ââ¬â disease in which red blood cells are abnormally shaped. Caused by single point mutation which results in substitution of single amino acid in one chain of hemoglobin protein Protein Structure:Primary Structure ââ¬â unique sequence of amino acids Secondary Structure ââ¬â Folding into elements of structure, hydrogen bonding between amino acids(R groups not involved). 2 shapes: alpha helix and beta pleated sheet(parallel and antiparallel). * learn more Tertiary Structure- interactions of elements of secondary structure forming a global fold, folded into these unique shapes by ionic bonds (electrostatic),hydrogen bonds, disulphide bridges, hydrophobic interaction, van der waals ââ¬â dipole-dipole(all non-covalent except for S-S). Order of amino acids determines final shape.Maintain globular shape even if very weak. Quaternary Structure ââ¬â more than one polypeptide chain put together to form the final functional protein, linked by covalent and non-covalent interactions. Protein Domain ââ¬â segment of polypeptide that forms a compact, stable and independently folding structure. Often the building blocks for larger, more complex proteins. Disulfide bonds * covalent stabilization of protein structure found i n secreted proteins (destined for a more hostile extracellular environment) * formed in ER (oxidizing environment)Once folded, do proteins ever unfold? changes in physical or chemical conditions (pH, salt concentration, temperature) disruption of H-bonds, ionic bonds, disulfide bridges, etc that maintain the proteinââ¬â¢s shape protein ââ¬Ëdenaturesââ¬â¢ or unfolds Possible to renature Do proteins ever fold incorrectly? any mutation that leads to a missing or incorrect amino acid can lead to incorrectly folded protein WHY 32 Possible outcomes: mutation ââ¬â leads to incorrectly folded protein * protein never functions properly loss of function protein folds properly at first but unfolds under certain conditions eventually loss of function * protein misfolds AND is deposited in insoluble aggregates within cell * loss of function and disruption of other aspects of cell activity * many human diseases now known to be associated with misfolded proteins . Alzheimers, cystic f ibrosis, type II diabetes, retinitis pigmentosa, Parkinsons, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, some cancers *read about catalysts and enzymes in Janelleââ¬â¢s notes, page 8-9 Nucleic Acids: Information Polymers * deoxy ribo nucleic acid (DNA) sequence of subunits in DNA polymer directs RNA synthesis * ribo nucleic acid (RNA) * RNA directs ordering of AAs in a peptide chain * information stored as DNA sequences enables living organisms to pass on hereditary information * also allows each cell to pass on hereditary information to the next generation of cells Monomers of Nucleic Acids: Deoxyribo nucleotides ââ¬â phosphate + deoxyribose + nitrogenous base(A,C, G, or T) Ribo nucleotides ââ¬â phosphate + ribose + base (A,C,G, or U) Nucleic acids are linear (unbranched) polymers of nucleotides * each nucleotide consists of three parts: * a nitrogenous base a (5-carbon) pentose sugar * a phosphate group Purines = A&GPyramidines= C,T and U * Ribose + base = nucleoside * Ribose + base + phosphate = nucleotide Functions of Nucleotides * monomeric units of RNA and DNA * important signal molecules within cells * cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) * important agents in energy transfer reactions * cleave off phosphate group to release stored energy * act as coenzymes ââ¬â organic non-protein molecules required for enzyme function * usually adenine-containing nucleotides combined with B vitamins 8 condensation reaction 5ââ¬â¢ end ââ¬â beginning of chain. Chains always built 5ââ¬â¢ 3ââ¬â¢.Look at above example phosphate group is 5ââ¬â¢ 3ââ¬â¢ end ââ¬â where new bases can be added Polymerization rxnââ¬â¢s are endergonic: * making phosphodiester bonds requires energy * energy comes from addition of 2 phosphate groups. * Activated nucleotides = nucleotide triphophates The most famous phosphorylated nucleotide â⬠¦ adenosine triphosphate = ATP 11 adenine 4ââ¬â¢ 5ââ¬â¢ 5 6 1 2 3 9 4 8 7 1ââ¬â¢ 3ââ¬â¢ 2ââ¬â¢ O P CH2 O O Oââ¬â P O O Oââ¬â P O ââ¬âO Oââ¬â OH OH O NH2 N N N N ribose adenine + ribose (= adenosine) Secondary Structure of DNA: two strands of DNA align in ââ¬Ëantiparallelââ¬â¢ arrangement with bases facing inwards. H-bonds form between bases. P P P P P P P P C C G G AA T T P O O O O O O O O O O O C G OH P Note: 3 H-bonds between C and G, 2 between A and T. Only space in the sugar phosphate backbone is for Pyramidine and Purine to bond together. Features of DNA Double Helix * stabilized by H-bonds between complementary bases and hydrophobic interactions between bases * entire molecule water-soluble because charged phosphates backbone face outward * major and minor grooves are significant in regulation of gene transcription Higher Order DNA Structure: DNA molecules can adopt higher order structure ââ¬â Allows for compact packaging and strict regulation of gene expression RNA vs DNA like DNA: sugar-phosphate backbone covalently linked by phosphodiester bonds * 4 different bases unl ike DNA: * uracil (U) instead of thymine (T) * pairing is A-U, C-G * sugar is ribose instead of deoxyribose * hydroxyl group makes ribose much more reactive * RNA is much less stable than DNA Secondary Structure of RNA: like DNA: * H-bonds form between complementary base pairs unlike DNA: * most of the time, this base-pairing is between bases on the same strand * leads to formation of ââ¬Ëstem and loopââ¬â¢ structures with single-stranded regions and double-stranded antiparallel regions * H-bonding is spontaneous, stabilizes the molecule final molecule is single-stranded * Complex folds can result in some RNA having catalytic activity Carbohydrates * Group of molecules that contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio: (CH2O)n Only monomers are in this ratio, oligomers you lose water * Monomer=monosaccharide * Dimer=disaccharide * Trimer=trisaccharide/oligosaccharide Types: 1. Monosaccharides ââ¬â simple sugars 2. Oligosaccharides ââ¬â small chains (oligo=few) * Attached to proteins ââ¬â glycoproteins * Attached to lipids ââ¬â glycolipids 3. Polysaccharides ââ¬â very long sugar chains Typical Structural Features of Sugar Monomers: carbonyl group (either ketone or aldehyde) * lots of -OH groups * vary in length of carbon skeleton (C3, C5, C6, â⬠¦) ââ¬â triose, pentose, hexose * isomeric forms (glucose, fructose, galactose) * identical chemical groups arranged differently * monosaccharides often form rings in solution Isomers ââ¬â same atoms, different arrangements structural isomer ââ¬â identical groups but bonded to different carbons stereo (optical) isomer ââ¬â identical groups bonded to same carbons but in different orientations sixteen different hexose structures possible, all with formula C6H12O6 C OH C OH OH H C OH H HO C H C O H C OH H H C OH H C OH H C OH H HO C H H C OH H structural isomer stereo- isomer H C C O HO C H H C OH H C OH H HO C H H C OH H fructose glucose galactose *arrangement of hydrox yl groups make a big difference in biological function Disaccharide ââ¬â 2 sugar monomer: * glucose + fructose = sucrose(table sugar) * glucose + lactose = lactose * glucose + glucose = maltose Formation of disaccharides by condensation reactions. monomers are linked when C1 of one monosaccharide binds to a C on another ââ¬â often C4 geometry of bond different depending on hether OH group of C1 is in ? or ? position which C of other sugar is involved in linkage 7 C1, ? C4 ?-glucose ?-glucose maltose, ? -1,4 glycosidic bond ?-galactose ?-glucose lactose, ? -1,4 glycosidic bond (glucose has flipped over) C1, ? C4 Polymerization to build Polysaccharides starch both are storage forms for energy starch ââ¬â plants; glycogen ââ¬â animals both consist of ? -glucose monomers linked by ? -1,4 bonds both coil into a helix (due to geometry of linkages) starch is mixture of unbranched amylose and branched amylopectin glycogen is highly branched lycogen Structural Polysaccharide in Plants: Cellulose 9 polymer of ? -glucose, joined by ? -1,4 linkages each glucose is flipped relative to adjacent ones allows for H-bonding between adjacent strands extremely stable most abundant organic molecule on earth parallel strands joined by H-bonds Structural Polysaccharide in Animals: Chitin a component of cell walls of fungi, exoskeletons of arthropods (insects, crustaceans), radulas of molluscs, beaks of cephalopods second most abundant organic molecule on earth like cellulose, joined by ? 1,4 linkages but rather than glucose, monomer is N-acetylglucosamine like cellulose, also strengthened by H-bonding btw strands 10 Structural Polysaccharide in Bacteria: Peptidoglycan component of bacterial cell walls the most complex CHO so far! two different alternating monomers linked by ? -1,4 bonds chain of amino acids attached to one of the sugars ââ¬â peptide bonds instead of H-bonds (stronger) Significance of how monosaccharides are linked: * ? -1-4 linkages of starch and glycogen readily hydrolyzed * ? 1-4 linkages in structural polysaccharides very resistant to enzymatic degradation For example: enzymes that digest cellulose (cellulase) produced only by certain classes of bacteria, fungi and protozoa Difference between glycosidic bonds from peptide and phosphodiester bonds: in common: * condensation reactions different: * peptide and phosphodiester bonds always occur at the same position within their monomers * each sugar monomer has several hydroxyl groups, and geometry of glycosidic bonds is highly variable Functions of Carbohydrates: Structural: * cellulose, chitin and peptidoglycanCell-cell recognition: * membrane proteins covalently bonded to oligosaccharides Energy Storage * ? -1,4 ââ¬âlinkages of starch and glycogen are readily hydrolyzed to release stored energy Lipids * group of carbon-containing compounds that are largely non-polar / hydrophobic * significant proportion of a given lipid molecule is hydrocarbon * the only macromolecul e that is not a polymer major groups of lipids in cells: * fats / oils ââ¬â energy storage * sterols * cholesterol ââ¬â membrane component * steroids ââ¬â hormones * * Phospholipids * major component of biological membranesFats (Triacylglycerols, Triglycerides) * form that fat is stores in apidose tissie * glycerol with 3 fatty acids attached * the link between glycerol and fatty acid = ester bond: condenstation rxn (liberates water) * hydrophobic * fatty acid(carboxylic acid with long hydrocarbon tail) Saturated Fatty Acid ââ¬â have maximum number of hydrogen atoms on each atom; straight and flexible because of only single bonds Unsaturated Fatty Acid ââ¬â contain at least 1 double bond. The double bond is rigid and creates a kink in the chain. The rest of the chain however is free to rotate about C-C bonds.Cis ââ¬â H on the same side of double bond; donââ¬â¢t solidify easily Trans ââ¬â H on the opposite side of the double bond. Hydrogenation ââ¬â making a fat saturated/more solid at room temperature to improve shelf life therefore less healthy. Sterols ââ¬â group of steroids based on cholesterol(important component of cell membrane) Phospholipids : * 1 glycerol, 2 fatty acids, 1 phosphate group(polar head group) * Amphipathic = hydrophilic and hydrophilic regions ââ¬â their most important feature with respect to biology Micelles ââ¬â sphere with hydrophobic tails ââ¬Ëhidingââ¬â¢ in centre . Can only occur with relatively short tails Lipid Bilayer:Universal Structure for all Biological Membranes composition varies with: type of organism (prokaryote vs animal vs plant vs â⬠¦) type of cell within organism (muscle, liver, sperm, egg, â⬠¦) type of membrane within cell (plasma membrane, Golgi, ER) inner versus outer layer different patches or ââ¬Ëdomainsââ¬â¢ within a particular membrane Fig 11-4 two closely apposed sheets of lipids, studded with proteins lipids serve as permeability barrier protei ns perform most of the functions carbohydrates (sugars) attached to protein and lipids in a non-random manner *all membrane lipids are amphipathic Lipid bilayers form spontaneously: hydrophobic molecules would exclude water, clustering together to minimize energy cost of organizing water molecules * form large droplets or surface film * amphipathic molecules are subject to conflicting forces * solved by formation of bilayer * energetically most favourable stable, spontaneous * lipid bilayers are â⬠¦ * closed ââ¬â no free edges * self-sealing * important feature for cell fusion, budding, locomotion Fluid Mosaic Model * The plasma membrane is described to be fluid because of its hydrophobic integral components such as lipids and membrane proteins that move laterally or sideways throughout the membrane.That means the membrane is not solid, but more like a ââ¬Ëfluid'. * phospholipids are constantly moving spinning in place; travelling laterally within ââ¬Ëleafletââ¬â¢ * phospholipids are occasionally ââ¬Ëflippedââ¬â¢ to the opposite leaflet during membrane synthesis but they rarely ââ¬Ëflopââ¬â¢ back * even proteins cruise slowly through the membrane! Membrane fluidity ââ¬â how easily lipid molecules move within a membrane leaflet Alignment of phospholipid tails * tightly packed tails membrane more viscous, less fluid * freely moving tails higher fluidity What aspects of phospholipid composition influence this? length of fatty acids * from 14-24 carbons, 18-20 carbons most common * degree of saturation of fatty acids # double bonds * typically one saturated fatty acid and one with one or more double bonds Cholesterol: * under physiological conditions, cholesterol makes membrane stiffer ââ¬â less fluid * cholesterol can make up to 50% of plasma membrane lipid in some animal cells Regulation of Membrane Fluidity: ââ¬â fluid state must be maintained for normal cell function strategies for maintaining membrane fluidity: * chang e composition of membranes * alter phospholipids desaturate fatty acids (to deal with cold) eg cold water vs warm water fish * change length of FA chains (yeast, bacteria) * adjust amounts of cholesterol (animals) these mechanisms have been demonstrated in: * pond fish dealing with dramatic day / night temp differences * cold-resistant plants * extremophile bacteria living in hot springs * winter wheat preparing for autumn ^ polyunsaturated FAs * sperm reduce their cholesterol just before fertilization â⬠¦ Functions of Lipids: * storage of chemical energy * signal molecules * vitamins * wax coating on leaves * biological membranes
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Character of Lady Macbeth Essay
In the course of this essay I will discuss the character of Lady Macbeth and the change in her character throughout the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. We see her as being ambitious and ruthless at the start. Looking at her and Macbeths character she is the dominant one in the relationship. After a while we start to see a change in her character as she lacks strength and ambition, isnââ¬â¢t in charge or control of her relationship with Macbeth. She is being kept out of new plans in which Macbeth is making decisions alone. Firstly, Lady Macbeth appears in Act 1 Scene 5. She is in her and Macbethââ¬â¢s castle. She receives a letter from Macbeth and reads it. In this letter, he is telling her about his encounter with the witches. ââ¬Å"They met me in the day of success: And I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge.â⬠(Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth) She appears very determined for what the witches have told him to come true. She hopes the witches prophecy about Macbeth becoming King of Scotland will happen and then for her to be Queen. ââ¬Å"Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou promisedâ⬠(Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth) We can see that Lady Macbeth is scared as she says that Macbeth is too kind and loyal to murder to become King. ââ¬Å"Is too full oââ¬â¢ the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.â⬠(Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth) Also, she talks about Macbeths strong sense of honour and how heââ¬â¢s not the type of man to lie or cheat. ââ¬Å"Thou wouldst thou holily ; wouldst not play false.â⬠(Act1 Scene 5 Lady Macbeth) Lady Macbeth doesnââ¬â¢t want to wait around for her Macbeth to become King to just happen. She wants Macbeth to kill his cousin, the recent King, Duncan, and also anyone else who tries to get in their way. She hopes Macbeth will come home soon so that she can convince him to do anything to become King. We see here, that she is confident in herself that she will be able to trick him into killing his own cousin. ââ¬Å"Hie thee hither that I may pour my spirits in thine ear, and chastise with the valour of my tongueâ⬠(Act1 Scene5 Lady Macbeth). A servant then comes to tell her that Macbeth and the other lords are on their way, and Duncan will be spending the night in their castle. Lady Macbeth, straight away, sees this as an opportunity to murder Duncan. She starts to call dark spirits upon her to take away her womanly kindness. ââ¬Å"Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts unsex me hereâ⬠( Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth). When she finishes calling on the spirits, Macbeth arrives. Lady Macbeth tells him his letter has given hope for their future. She asks when Duncan is leaving and when Macbeth says in the morning, she says heââ¬â¢ll never see tomorrow. ââ¬Å"O, never shall sun that morrow see.â⬠(Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth ââ¬â Macbeth). She then tells Macbeth her plan to kill Duncan. She tells Macbeth she will do all the planning. We also see, that Lady Macbeth is ruthless. She will let nothing get in her way of becoming Queen. It shows she is the dominant one in their relationship as she makes all the decisions and plans. We next see Lady Macbeth in Act1 Scene 6. All the lords, Macbeth, Duncan, his two sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, Banquo, Lennox, Macduff, Ross and Angus are all at Macbethââ¬â¢s castle. Lady Macbeth arrives and greets Duncan. ââ¬Å" All our service in every point twice done and then done double, were poor and single business to contend.â⬠(Act1 Scene6, Lady Macbeth ââ¬â Duncan). Duncan thanks her with a gratitude for letting him stay. He also apologises for the hassle heââ¬â¢s causing her. ââ¬Å"Heroin I teach you how you shall bid god ââ¬Ëield us for your pains, and thank us for your trouble.â⬠(Act 1 Scene 6, Duncan ââ¬â Lady Macbeth) When Duncan meets Lady Macbeth he is humble and generous, thanking her for letting him stay, but he doesnââ¬â¢t know that she is planning to kill him. In this scene , lady Macbeth is seen as the perfect hostess. We see how well she can play casual and switch between high emotion and cool composure. In Act 1 Scene 7, we see her talking with Macbeth, in the castle. At the start, we see Macbethââ¬â¢s soliloquy about his indecision of the murder. ââ¬Å" If it were ââ¬Ëtis done, then were well it were done quickly.â⬠(Act 1 Scene 7) Lady Macbeth arrives and Macbeth tells her that he doesnââ¬â¢t want to go ahead with the murder. He has won honour on the battlefield and doesnââ¬â¢t want to kill an innocent. ââ¬Å" We will proceed no further in this business, He hath honoured me of late, and I have bought gold en opinions from all sort of people.â⬠(Act 1 Scene 7, Macbeth ââ¬â Lady Macbeth). Lady Macbeth seems to be very unimpressed with what Macbeth has said. She then tricks him into continuing on with the murder as she questions his bravery. ââ¬Å" With thou esteemsââ¬â¢t the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem.â⬠(Act 1 Scene 7, Lady Macbeth ââ¬â Macbeth). What she says seem to work. Again in this scene, we see Lady Macbeth as the dominant one. She easily convinces him back into their plan to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth waits in a chamber near Duncanââ¬â¢s bedroom. Macbeth goes off to murder Duncan. Lady Macbeth had got the chamberlains drunk so they wouldnââ¬â¢t see any of the murder. Lady Macbeth says that the chamberlains make a joke of their jobs by falling asleep. ââ¬Å"Do mock their charge with snores, I have dragged their possets.â⬠(Act 2 Scene 2 , Lady Macbrth) Lady Macbeth starts to get very agitated and tense. We first see this when she hears an owl. She thinks Duncanââ¬â¢s guards have woken up and caught Macbet h, even though Macbeth has came into the room. ââ¬Å"My father as he slept, I have doneââ¬â¢t- My husband!â⬠(Act 2 Scene 2, Lady Macbeth) Macbeth had brought the daggers back with him, the one he killed Duncan, Lady Macbeth sees them and panics. ââ¬Å" Why did you bring these daggers from the place?â⬠(Act 2 Scene 2 , Lady Macbeth ââ¬â Macbeth). Lady Macbeth has to bring them back to bring them back to the chamber. When she comes back she tells Macbeth that they need to hurry to their bedroom so they donââ¬â¢t get caught. ââ¬Å"I hear a knocking at the south entry, retire we to our chamber.â⬠(Act 2 Scene 2, Lady Macbeth) As Macduff enters to awake Duncan in this scene, he discovers that Duncan is murdered. Lady Macbeth enters after hearing the bell ringing. She asks what is happening. ââ¬Å" Whatââ¬â¢s the business, that such a hideous trumper.â⬠(Act 1 Scene 3, Lady Macbeth ââ¬â Macduff). Macduff doesnââ¬â¢t want to tell Lady Macbeth what happened , as he thinks she wonââ¬â¢t cope . ââ¬Å"O , gentle lady, tis not for you to hear what I can speakâ⬠(Act ââ¬Å" Scene 3, Macduff ââ¬â Lady Macbeth). Lady Macbeth response doesnââ¬â¢t sound very convincing as she replies. ââ¬Å"What, in our house?â⬠(Act 2 Scene 3, Lady Macbeth ââ¬â Macduff) When Lady Macbeth says he has murdered the chamberlains, Lady Macbeth faints. We donââ¬â¢t know if sheââ¬â¢s acting here or being serious. We see irony in this scene, as she is behind the murder but acts as she knows nothing. Lady Macbeth is in the palace and is talking with a servant. She asks the servant if Banquo has left the castle. He tells her that Banquo will be back in the evening. She then tells the servant to ask Macbeth to meet with her as she wants to talk. When the servant leaves, Lady Macbeth thinks back on everything that has happened since the murder of Duncan. ââ¬Å"Noughtââ¬â¢s had, allââ¬â¢s spent, where our desire got without content.â⬠(Act 3 Scene 2, Lady Macbeth) In this scene, we see Lady Macbeth as alone. Becoming king and queen, her and Macbeth lost everything. She now appears to be isolated from her husband. All she can do now is gain access to Macbeth by means of a formal request.
Friday, September 27, 2019
A critical assessment of marketing analysis tools Essay
A critical assessment of marketing analysis tools - Essay Example The intention is to evaluate, develop as well as disseminate the competitive advantages for an organization. In the current study two competitive strategies have been critically evaluated. Porterââ¬â¢s five forces model The configuration of porterââ¬â¢s five forces differs from industry to industry. In commercial aircraft market, rivalry is strong among dominant producers Boeing and Airbus as bargaining power is strong, while threat of substitutes and threat of entry and supplier power is less. In sector of Movie Theatre, substitute entertainments forms are proliferated as power of distributors as well as dominant movie producers are important. The competitive force which is strongest determines industry profitability and becomes crucial for strategy formulation (Porter, 2004) Economy has become more dynamic as well as volatile, and strategies require moving beyond conventional ideas of positioning and competition while understanding profitability and industry competition (Port er, 1980; Hubbard and Beamish, 2011). In order to describe the five basic forces of competition, economist and professor, Micheal E. Porter created a model which can be considered by companies while developing and implementing business strategies (Porter 2008). The various forces constituting micro level external environment were supplier power, threat of new entry, customers or buyer power, substitute power as well as competitive rivalry (Grant, 2011). The overall configuration and strength of the above forces differ by sector, and these forces determine overall potential for profitability and attractiveness. With the decrease in the intensity, attractiveness and productivity of the industry becomes higher. The goal of business managers is to determine and evaluate the factors, drivers or sources which influence these forces so that they can be shaped to favour the strategy implementation process. New entrants introduce themselves in the market with new capacities. They are interes ted in gaining share in the market and pressurise the pricing strategy and tend to shake the established restructuring as well as industry competition. The influence of these threats depends on how strong is the industry barrier, strategic decisions influencing the industry and overall incumbent reaction (Bain, 2001). Other factors which influence these treats include product differences, economies, switching costs of buyer, brand identity, ease of distribution, capital requirements, government policy, expected retaliation as well as cost advantage. The height of entry barriers has been constantly proven as one of the most critical predicator to overall industry profitability (Frank, 2008). Suppliers have the bargaining power to control and limit profitability of the industry by increasing prices or reducing the services or product qualities. Thus, industry participants find it difficult to achieve profit from increased costs. Various factors influence the supplier power. these can be supplier input differentiation, concentration of supplier in the industry, selling volume of supplier products and its relative importance, information available about supplier products, profitability of the suppliers as well as presence of supplier substitutes. Other factors include forward integration of important suppliers, costs to suppliers relative to overall purchases as well as supplier incentives. Customer or buyers also exert some power in the market. They have the power of bringing down prices of products or services. They can look for better quality as well as intensify internal competition among brands. All of these can result in decrease in the supplier as well as industry profitability. factors which influence the power of buyers include importance of the volume of purchases,
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Wireless Intrusion Detection Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Wireless Intrusion Detection Systems - Essay Example One of the common wireless intrusion methods is known as ââ¬ËWardrivingââ¬â¢. Normally, this is done by using a Windows laptop running Wardriving software, for example NetStumbler, and equipped with an IEEE 802.11b adapter and external aerial. The ââ¬ËWardriverââ¬â¢ moves near the wireless network area expecting to detect IEEE 802.11b signals that have spilled out onto the area around. NetStumbler search for beacon frames from the access points (APs) and processing these beacon frames, it is feasible to resolve the encryption strength, channel, and type of hardware used. The Wardriver may also get other details of the network such as the Service Set Identifier (SSID). Usually, this is done as a hobby and such hobbyists may combine the data with Global Positioning System (GPS) information to generate geographic maps of wireless networks in the area and their configurations. There are different softwareââ¬â¢s available for Wardriving, basing on the platform used. As a ma tter of fact, active software like NetStumbler, dStumbler, and MiniStumbler transmit probe request frames to extract responses from APs (Wright, 2002). This helps their probability of detecting APs. Another popular intrusion method is the Linux program AirSnort, most commonly used tool for WEP key extraction. Intruder by means of AirSnort would clandestinely gather wireless network traffic of the intended network. AirSnort can find out the WEP key of the network by processing the weak frames collected. There is also possibility of denial-of-service (DoS) attack on the network.
Strategy (Business) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Strategy (Business) - Essay Example Johnson & Scholes (1999) define stakeholder as, ââ¬Å"Stakeholders are groups or individuals who have a stake in, or expectation of, the organisationââ¬â¢s performance.â⬠Stakeholders all have power, someone has a formal power invested in a position of authority or it could be the social power of being able to persuade others to support or oppose the policies of the organization. For example NGOs and social watch groups often exert such a power on the company forcing the organization to adopt or abandon some decisions. For example an oil producing company has to remain watchful for any pollution in the seabed, a construction company has to make sure that it doesnââ¬â¢t spread too much of building material on the lanes and bylanes, blocking the easy movement of general public. People with higher power could be the companyââ¬â¢s most useful supporters or most dangerous opponents, depending upon the prevailing dynamics. Different companies have different set of stakeholders with different levels of power structures. Shareholders (medium and big): This type of shareholder is interested in better dividend rates as well as better performance and public relations of the company. He keeps an eye on macro as well as micro level factors. Banks and Financial Institutions: Banks and Institutions are not only interested in better showing, but they also wish the company to diversify in more areas, open more facilities as that involves more business for banks and Financial Institutions (FIs). Customers: Customers want value for their money; they can wield pressure by way of asking for better quality at reasonable prices. They need to be pampered by the company, otherwise there is an inherent danger of their opting for alternative products or the products of rival companies. Lower level Employees: These stakeholders are interested in their salaries at the end of the month, not involving themselves in the strategic decisions. They
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
The Children Act 2004 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
The Children Act 2004 - Essay Example It would be convenient to talk about the background of Children Act 2004 before moving forward towards its analysis. The primary aim of this Act was to make provisions for instituting a Childrenââ¬â¢s Commissioner. The main idea behind this move was to appoint person with appropriate authority who could efficiently handle matters related to childrenââ¬â¢s social protection. After that the Act concentrated on making more efficient procedures for the protection that local authorities provide ââ¬Ëtoââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëforââ¬â¢ children. It was also aimed at family proceedings, child minding, private fostering, adoption of review panels, day care, child safety order, reasonable punishment, publication of material containing inappropriate child content and disclosure by the Inland Review of Information to provide better care for children of Wales. In September 2003, the nation witnessed the tragic news of the death of Victoria Climbià ©. As this heart-breaking news got national attention, the government put out the Every Child Matters green paper besides a formal reply to Lord Laming, who was investigating the matter of the poor childââ¬â¢s tragic death. Lord Lamingââ¬â¢s report was an eye opener for many authorities. The report pointed out so many gaps in child protection system that shouldnââ¬â¢t have been there. The more significant aspect of the report was the lack of ââ¬Ëjoined-up reportingââ¬â¢, which was the reason that even the professionals were unable to get an insight to the childââ¬â¢s life. The green paper recommended some crucial reformations that enjoyed full support of the legislation. Lord Lamingââ¬â¢s report highlighted crucial failures in the health, social services and the police departments that on12 occasions, Victoria had a chance to live but that chance couldnââ¬â¢t be avail because there was privation of information sharing. That is why the
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Musi History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Musi History - Essay Example It is evident that Ravel is not seen here as a minimalist. Rather, he scores points for being able to work within a theme. Ravel's beginning brings one to a cheery internal place. The middle of the piece becomes somewhat frustrated and slightly complicated with a few swirls of menacing notes, but they largely subside within a few bars of music. Ravel's minuet then comes to a peaceful close. Ideally, this piece is suited for lounge music at a wedding hall, because it has the elegance and grace that one might expect in fine dining music. Ravel's "Minuet" begins in the tone of "piano," a light tone. The notes in Ravel's arrangement generally stand alone, for the most part. It seems like it would be a relatively moderately difficult piece to play on the piano, though not impossible. Ravel's piece changes its loudness briefly to "mezzo forte" (medium loudness) but retreats to "pianissimo," which is very soft. As "Minuet" ends, he is on the softer side of the scale. In Claude Debussy's "Hommage Haydn," he winds all over the place, but it is with definite purpose-ultimately having a beginning, a middle, and an end. He starts out slow, being very intentional as to the path on which he is going to bring his listener. There is a light, airy feel to the music, as though one were sitting at the kitchen table at breakfast on a bright, sunny morning. All at once Debussy takes the listener by storm on a crescendo of sounds with several changes in scale in the background, until there is a groundswell of competing audio, which includes a darker tone to the music. This is the climax. Ultimately, however, this darker tone is resolved within the last half-minute or so of the piece, and the listener is once again allowed back into the realm of the sunny kitchen dreamscape. "Hommage Haydn" is a piece that begins in doux et expressif, "sweet and expressive," and in the tone of "piano," which is a light tone. In the piano piece, there are quite a few notes which must be held down to carry over to the next note, which indicate, at least at the beginning, a slowness to the piece. Very soon, however, quicker notes appear, and one can tell that the piece eventually moves faster. Ultimately it slows down again by the end. There are differences and similarities between these two pieces that tell volumes about Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy, their musical styles, and perhaps their philosophies as composers. Ravel's "Minuet" is a charming piece that could be used as chamber music or in some other entertainment venue, because, to be frank, of its blandness. Although it is an exceptional piece of music, it does not stray much from being background music that one might hear played by a pianist at the dinner party of a well-to-do socialite. "Minuet" begins cheerfully, as does "Hommage." That is about where the songs' similarities end. Debussy's "Hommage" goes on to have a frightful crescendo come from out of nowhere in the middle of the piece, which strays from the sensible, plodding and timed nature of "Minuet." These piano pieces speak a great deal to both Ravel's and Debussy's sense of style as
Monday, September 23, 2019
Commonwealth v Schnopps Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Commonwealth v Schnopps Case - Essay Example Schnopps was convicted by a jury on murder in the first degree and was thus sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment. On appeal against his conviction, Schnopps argued that the trial judge failed to instruct the jury on voluntary manslaughter. The appeal court sided with Schnopps argument and opined that: ââ¬Å"Instructions on voluntary manslaughter must be given if there is evidence of provocation deemed adequate in law to cause the accused to lose his self-control in the heat of passion, and if the killing followed the provocation before sufficient time had elapsed for the accused's temper to coolâ⬠. (Commonwealth v. Schnopps, p.180) Basing voluntary manslaughter on the theory of provocation implies that an act of killing must have been committed in ââ¬Å"a sudden transport of passion or heat of blood, upon a reasonable provocation and without malice, or upon sudden combatâ⬠. (Commonwealth v. Garabedian, (1987) p. 313) The success of Schnopps appeal for a co nviction of voluntary manslaughter due to provocation establishes the principle that where there is reasonable evidence to show that a defendant had been reasonably provoked and had killed as a result of that provocation, a direction of voluntary manslaughter should be given to the jury. However, as established in Commonwealth v. Schopps, if enough time elapsed after the provocation to enable a cooling of temper, the act of killing could not be defended under the theory of voluntary manslaughter based on provocation.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Is the Use of the Death Penalty Justice and Is It Fair Essay Example for Free
Is the Use of the Death Penalty Justice and Is It Fair Essay It is fair to say that capital punishment is under attack, particularly in the South where it is most commonly practiced. Not only have serious criticisms been raised by scholars in criminal justice, criminology and related disciplines, but newspapers have published scathing news reports suggesting that innocent people have been sentenced to death and even executed, and alleging racial discrimination in capital punishment practice. According to Robinson (2011), four basic facts establish the realities of American capital punishment. The first is that capital punishment is practiced in most but not all United States jurisdictions. Specifically, there are 34 states with the death penalty, and 16 without. The federal government also maintains capital punishment, as does the military, but the District of Columbia does not carry out executions. However, of these death penalty jurisdictions, only nine regularly carry out an execution, meaning they have averaged at least one execution a year since 1976 when capital punishment was reinstated; thus only about one-quarter (26%) of death penalty states (nine of 34) and 18% of all states in the country (nine of 50) average one or more executions per year. Further, only one state has carried out at least ten executions per year since 1976, Texas. In fact, only about 10% of counties with the death penalty imposed a death sentence between the years 2004 and 2009. Justice is typically defined as administering and maintaining what is just or right. Robinson (2011) says that there are three broad issues discussed and debated by scholars of justice theory: freedom, welfare, and virtue. Some justice theorists argue that what matters most for deciding what is right or just is freedom; whether individual rights are respected and protected. Another school of thought is the egalitarian libertarians. These scholars suggest that what matters most for justice is equality of opportunity in society and taking care of the least advantaged citizens. Other justice theorists focus on welfare, or general well-being and happiness of people in society. They argue that what matters most for justice is the welfare of society, or its overall happiness. Finally, other justice theorists argue that what matters most for justice is virtue, or moral goodness and righteousness. The purpose of the death penalty is incapacitation, deterrence, and retribution. Incapacitation is understood as removing the ability of offenders to commit future crimes. Incarceration is the typical form whereas execution is the ultimate form. Deterrence refers to creating fear in would be offenders through punishment to prevent future crimes. Capital punishment can only be aimed at preventing crime by would-be murderers, general deterrence, since it cannot create fear in murderers who have already been executed, specific deterrence. Retribution refers to righting or rebalancing the scales of justice through punishment in order to achieve justice for crime victims. Executions are often depicted as retribution for the crime of murder, as well as a source of closure for murder victimsââ¬â¢ families. Robinson (2011) claims that criminologists and capital punishment scholars overwhelmingly indicate that the death penalty fails to achieve these goals, mostly because of the rarity of death sentences and executions. Logically, if death sentences and executions were more common, capital punishment would be more likely to achieve these goals. Yet we also know that the more frequently the death penalty is used, the greater the costs associated with the policy, including not only additional financial costs but also a greater risk of convicting, sentencing to death, and executing the innocent. This ultimately has great significance for the ââ¬Å"justiceâ⬠of capital punishment. Van Den Haag (1986) says that the death penalty is an effective form of deterrence because it is feared more than life imprisonment. Many of the convicts under death sentence appeal their sentence and try to get it reduced to life imprisonment. Van Den Haag argues that even though there is no factual evidence that the death penalty deters would be criminals more than life imprisonment, the fact that more people fear the death penalty makes it a better deterrent. Reiman (1985) agrees with Robinsonââ¬â¢s view that the use of the death penalty is not successful as a deterrent. He gives four main reasons that refute Van Den Haagââ¬â¢s argument. His first reason is that although people fear the death penalty more than life in prison, nobody wants to spend life in prison either. People do not have the mentality that they can commit a crime because they will ââ¬Å"onlyâ⬠get sentenced to life in prison. Although the person will be alive, they will have all freedom taken from them, which after awhile, can be seen just as horrible, if not worse, than death. Reimanââ¬â¢s second point is that if a person is contemplating committing a crime, they are already facing an enormous risk of being killed in the process. Roughly 500 to 700 suspected felons are killed by police in the line of duty every year and many Americans own their own guns. When taking that into account, it does not seem very likely that the would be criminal will be able to commit the crime without at least being injured by the police or the would be victim. His third reason against Van Den Haagââ¬â¢s view is that using the death penalty is hypocritical. The law states that a person cannot take the life of another, but when they do, their punishment could be death. It is not possible to say murder is illegal and then have it as a possible punishment. He argues that not having the death penalty better exemplifies that idea that murder is wrong. His last point is that it is illogical to practice the death penalty simply because it is feared more than life imprisonment. He says that people would fear death by torture more than lethal injection, so does that mean we should begin the practice of death by torture because more people are afraid of it? Unless it can be proven that the death penalty is a better deterrent than life in prison, Reiman (1985) argues that the death penalty should be abolished. Robinson (2011) says that as for the issue of innocence, there is little doubt that people are wrongly convicted of murder every year and that a handful are even sentenced to death. More than 130 people have been freed from death row during the era of ââ¬Å"super due processâ⬠that began in 1976 when the US Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment. Wrongful convictions often occur due to honest errors such as mistaken eyewitness testimony and faulty forensic evidence, but when they occur due to issues such as: false confessions, lying informants, government misconduct, and ineffective defense counsel. There is also little doubt that innocent people have even been executed, although most of the known cases are from prior to the era of super due process in capital sentencing. There remain at least eight widely known cases where men have been recently executed despite serious doubts about their actual guilt. On the issue of executing the innocent, Van Den Haag (1986), makes the argument that the advantages of using the death penalty as a punishment outweigh the unintended losses. He states, ââ¬Å"Miscarriages of justice are offset by the moral benefits and the usefulness of doing justice (139). His argument is that mistakes have and do occur in innocent people being sentenced to death, but the benefits of using it are more important. It would be more of a detriment to society to stop the use of the death enalty than it is when an innocent person is executed. In regards to race, Americaââ¬â¢s death penalty has always been plagued by serious racial biases. Little evidence remains of the historic discrimination by race of defendant, although state-specific anecdotal evidence suggests blacks are still occasionally discriminated against, especially when accused of killing whites and when juries are overwhelmingly white. Robinson (2011) says that most experts now point to a ââ¬Å"race of victimâ⬠effect, whereby killers of whites are far more likely to be sentenced to death and executed than killers of other races and. For example, a comprehensive study of race and the death penalty in North Carolina showed that killers of whites were more than three times more likely to receive death sentences than killers of blacks. In the state, 80% of those people executed since 1976 killed white people; only about 40% of North Carolina homicide victims are white. Further, a study of capital punishment practice in the state from 1999 to 2006 found that blacks who killed whites were 14 times more likely to be sentenced to death than whites who killed blacks. Also, there were six executions of blacks who killed whites during the time period, yet zero executions of whites who killed blacks. Van Den Haagââ¬â¢s (2011) stance on the distribution of the death penalty being discriminatory is that ââ¬Å"punishments are imposed on persons, not on racial or economic groupsâ⬠(138). The death penalty is not specifically issued to certain races. It depends on the crime that the person committed. Van Den Haag also says, ââ¬Å"Justice requires that as many of the guilty as possible be punished, regardless of whether others have avoided punishment. To let these others escape the deserved punishment does not do justice to them, or to society. But it is not unjust to those who could not escape itâ⬠(139). Van Den Haag does not view the fact that black people or other minorities receive the death penalty more than whites as being unjust. However, what is unjust is the white people who were not sentenced to death when they should have been. Given these important empirical realities of the death penalty, the next issue to address is which of them are relevant for the ââ¬Å"justiceâ⬠of capital punishment practice. As noted earlier, it depends on which theory of justice is being referred to. Libertarians ask whether capital punishment respects liberty or freedom. The most important question for egalitarians is whether capital punishment practice is equal or applied in an equal fashion. For utilitarians, the most important question is whether capital punishment increases overall utility or happiness in society. Finally, for virtue-based theorists, the question is whether capital punishment respects and promotes our values, our moral goodness, and whether it is the right thing to do. The questions above do not have universal answers. Everybody will have his or her own opinions on whether the death penalty respects a personââ¬â¢s freedom or whether it is the right thing to do. Reiman, Robinson and Van Den Haag all made successful and convincing arguments so it is hard to determine one view as more convincing than the other. It comes down to a personal choice and what a person chooses to believe as to whether the death penalty is fair and a proper form of justice.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Crisis Intervention Helpers Qualities Social Work Essay
Crisis Intervention Helpers Qualities Social Work Essay In general, most of us will agree that not everyone is suitable to be a crisis helper because there is no one trade that can suit for all. I personal feel that it is irresponsible to give a conclusion of whether is everyone suitable or not to be a crisis helper before exploring what qualification or characteristic does a crisis helper require. Hence, in this essay, I would like to briefly discuss about the definition of crisis, resources for crisis intervention and the qualities of a crisis helper before giving my conclusion. Crisis Definition Although there are many definitions of crisis, Richard. K. James presented 6 in his book, Crisis Intervention Strategies. They are: 1) Crisis is because people important life goals face obstacles. 2) Crisis results from impediments to life goals that people believe that they cannot overcome through customary choices and behaviors (Caplan, 1964, p. 40). 3) When people know that they have no responses to handle their situation, the situation is consider a crisis. 4) When, due to a situation, one cannot control his life consciously and it immobilizes him, a crisis is formed (Belkin, 1984, p. 424). 5) Crisis is a state of disorganization in which people face frustration of important life goals or profound disruption of their life cycles and methods of coping with stressors. (Brammer, 1985, p. 94). 6) Crisis develops in four distinct stages: (a) a critical situation occurs in which a determination is made as to whether a persons normal coping mechanisms will suffice; (b) increased tension and disorganization surrounding the event escalate beyond the persons coping ability; (c) demand for additional resources (such as counseling) to resolve the event is needed; (d) referral may be required to resolve major personality disorganization (Marino, 1995). Kristi Kanel uses Trilogy definition to reflect the three essential parts of a crisis. The three parts of a crisis are these: (1) a precipitating event; (2) a perception of the event that causes subjective distress; and (3) the failure of a persons usual coping methods, which causes a person experiencing the precipitating event to function it a lower level than before the event. ( Kanel, p. 1) Through Richard and Kristi crisis definitions, we realize that crisis can be a situation that has disrupted a person life cycle or a person having malfunction coping mechanism. Situation that person A has considered as a crisis may not be a crisis to person B because everyones coping ability is different. The situation that causes Person A to be stressful and anxious may not create the same degree of stress and anxiety for person B; hence, for a crisis worker to handle a client successfully, he needs to have sharp analysis and quick reponse. The eventual goal of a crisis helper is to help the client to return to a precise level of functioning. As a result, although anyone who is trained can be a crisis helper, he may not handle the situation well due to crisis versatility. Crisis Intervention Helpers Qualities The first step in cultivating the skills needed to help people in crisis is to construct a definition of crisis. Crisis worker must tune into a clients level of mastering reality in order to set up realistic goals and problem- solving strategies. In Lindemanns (1944) work with survivors of the Coconut Grove nightclub fire of 1943, he discovered that premature cessation of the expression of feelings is harmful. Therefore, it is essential for crisis workers to allow clients to express emotional actions. However, crisis workers must also ensure that the expression of these feelings is not harmful to the client or others. Crisis workers must be aware that whether the expression of emotional reactions to crisis events is it healthy (Myer, 37) Crisis workers must be willing to share the clients pain. Empathy that demonstrates to clients shows crisis workers understand their frame of reference in the crisis situation. (Myer 38) Care must be used to guard against allowing crisis workers personal issues to influence the assessment process. For example, a crisis worker, while a child, may have seen his or her mother abused by the father or another person. As a result, the crisis worker may become angry whenever abuse is an issue. Being a crisis helper, he must not handle the clients situation personally; therefore, the ability of assessing the client thought and action is important. Assessing clients cognitive and behavioral reaction to a crisis can be troublesome for crisis workers. Simply knowing that a client has seemingly done nothing or has made several unsuccessful attempts to resolve the crisis is not enough. Crisis workers must see beyond the content of what clients report to truly understand clients reaction. (Myer 86) Too often, crisis workers have difficulty distinguishing their perceptions from clients perceptions of the crisis. ( Myer 57) After knowing clients cognitive reactions and the life dimension that is affected by crisis, it helps crisis workers target their intervention efforts. However, crisis workers must also evaluate the severity of clients reactions in order to determine if this area should be addressed first and how direct the intervention process should be. ( Myer 73) Ethical and legal concerns are particularly relevant in the assessment of behavioral reaction because during the assessment process clients may disclose information about child or elder abuse, sexual abuse of minors, suicidal ideations, intent to harm someone else, or other equally disturbing material. Crisis workers can be caught off guard hearing this information; once it is disclosed, what are they to do? ( Myer 86) Certain personality traits may interfere with coping and also with accepting intervention. Some people have problems accepting help or being strong. Others are paranoid or avoid conflict. These people present challenges to counselors, in contrast to clients who are open and trusting. According to Kanel, there are factors for a crisis helper to determine whether a crisis presents a danger to his client or his client needs additional help. A trained crisis helper not only needs to be psychologically trained, his personality and experiences can also be a great asset during crisis intervention. Thus, not everyone can be a crisis helper well. Resources for Crisis Intervention Work Not everyone who experiences a stressor in life will succumb to a crisis state and no one is certain why some people cope with stress easily whereas others deteriorate into disequilibrium. ( Kanel, 7). But, Kanel writes that material resources, personal resources, and social resources seems to determine the level of an individual coping mechanism after a crisis. ( Kanel, 7) Material resources are money, shelter, food, transportation, and clothing. Money may not buy love, but it does make life easier during crisis. For example, a poorer woman with minimal material resources [money, food, housing, and transportation] may suffer more in a crisis than a woman with her own income and transportation. A woman with richer material sources has the choice of staying at a hotel or moving into her own apartment. She can drive to work; she can afford to pay for counseling sessions. ( Kanel, 7) After her material needs are met, the woman can begin to work through the crisis. Her personal resources, such as ego strength, previous history of coping with stressful situations, absence of personality problems, and physical well-being will help determine how well she copes on her own and how she accepts and implements intervention. ( Kanel, 7) Ego strength is the ability to understand the world realistically and act on that understanding to get ones needs and wishes met. Many times a crisis worker will be called on to be the clients ego strength temporarily (as when a person is psychotic or severely depressed) until the client can take over for himself or herself. These clients can neither see reality clearly nor put into action realistic coping behaviors. They need someone to structure their behavior until the crisis is managed successfully, often with medication, family intervention, and individual counseling. Social resource Conclusion Some clients may display extreme emotion to a minor incident; others may exhibit an almost undetectable affective reaction to a significant crisis. In addition, people react differently to different crises. Just because a client reacts with anger in one crisis does not mean that he or she will react with anger in another crisis (Myer 52). Client may be overwhelmed by the situation and find it difficult to vocalize any feelings; perhaps, they may vent their anger to the crisis worker. If the crisis worker is not prepared, he or she may be bewildered by the clients display of feelings. Hence, the intensity of the clients emotional expression may result in the crisis worker feeling uncomfortable and out of control (Myer, p. 37) According to Myer, crisis worker need to be prepared to face clients raging screaming or sobbing uncontroably. During crisis intervention, crisis workers must use their knowledge of human behavior, sensitivity to cultural norms, and their clinical experience to make sound judgments. As a result, I agree that it is not everyone suitable to do crisis intervention work because not everyone can handle intensity of the job scope.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Essays Papers
Heart of Darkness Setting: The author placed the novelââ¬â¢s setting on a stream boat on a river near London. "The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest" (1). Then the narrator tells his story in a flash back which he tells about Marlowââ¬â¢s experiences in the African jungle specifically on the Congo river. The majority of the story is told in flash back about the voyage in to the heart of darkness. Characters: The central character is obviously Marlow. He is a man of modesty and courage, which are not stereotypical traits of a sailor which he has become. The book focuses morally on his personal character and then describes to the norm of the rest of the world. The character that Marlow becomes obsessed with later is Kurtz. He is a mysterious dark man who made money trading ivory down the Congo river. "'In the interior you will no doubt meet Mr. Kurtz.' On my asking who Mr. Kurtz was, he said he was a first-class agent" (85) here Marlow is talking to a captain and first finds out about Kurtz. Later he finds out that he transports ivory. Among other insignificant characters on the boat deck of the Nellli were a lawyer and an accountant. Their role seemed as only to be and audience to Marlow and the other unnamed narrator. Point of View: The point of view is from Marlow, but the tale is told from a nameless observer. This is the reason why the novel is in third person, and Marlowââ¬â¢s is refereed to also in third person. Marlow sat cross-legged right aft, leaning against the mizzenmast. He had sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and, with his arms dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol. (69) Also the previous quote shows a honest virtue by being compared to as someone to look up to. Action: The story begins with Marlow and four other characters on a boat in the Thames river. The story line then goes into a flashback, and tells Marlowââ¬â¢s story of his adventures in the Congo. He has a connection to become a steam boat captain, but when he arrives at the first station he finds out that his boat is at the bottom of the river. Also Marlow has to rise the boat and repair it with inferior tools.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Retinitis Pigmentosa Essay -- Health, Diseases, Vision Loss, Blindnes
The study proposed herein aims to accomplish the following: To determine the optimal exposure, gamma, contrast, and brightness corrections necessary to increase the perceived contrast of images by individuals affected by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and to determine the optimal image overlay of input signals corrected at both high and low thresholds such that perceived contrast is maximized. Additionally, this study will develop an I/O system of minimal necessary size responsible for image processing following image acquisition from micro cameras that will output post-processed image data onto small, high resolution LCD/LED screens contained in a wearable binocular device similar to commercially available home theater glasses. Lastly, this study aims to expose a cohort of individuals affected with Retinitis Pigmentosa to a series of images, environments, and scenes typically difficult for RP affected individuals to observe and distinguish due to color similarities and decreased contrast and brightness; and subsequently assess the effectiveness of the wearable prosthesis based on the accuracy of object identification both with and without the device. SIGNIFICANCE: Vision loss affects millions of people worldwide. According to a 2002 survey by the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 37 million individuals worldwide are totally blind, with 124 million having low vision. The WHO defines low vision and blindness as varying degrees of loss of visual acuity and visual field loss, relative to the better eye, with optimal correction. Blindness affects both genders, with individuals over 50 comprising 82% of the blind population. Causes of blindness vary, with approximately 60% being due to cataract and refractive errors which are... ...and RP1 (Ziviello 2005). More complex mechanisms for RP development have been suggested, such as mutations in carbonic anhydrases. Because photoreceptors have high metabolic needs, acidic metabolites resulting from aerobic and anaerobic respiration, such as lactic acid, are produced in large quantities by these cells, and as such necessitate removal to maintain pH homeostasis (Alvarez 2007). This is inherently troublesome due to the avascular nature of the retina. This function is instead performed by the choriocapilaris, and is reliant upon the activity of multiple enzymes such as carbonic anhydrase four (CA4). CA4 thereby helps to maintain pH homeostasis which is critical to the health and proper functioning of the photoreceptors, with CA4 mutations compromising this regulatory ability, resulting in photoreceptor degeneration, and subsequently RP (Alvarez 2007).
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Repetition, Diction, and Simile in Cormac McCarthyââ¬â¢s The Crossing Essay
Repetition, Diction, and Simile in Cormac McCarthyââ¬â¢s The Crossingà à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à In Cormac McCarthyââ¬â¢s novel The Crossing, there is a dramatic sequence described by the narrator.à The author uses many different techniques to convey the impact of the experience on the narrator.à Some of these such techniques are: repetition, diction, and simile. à à à à à Of the aforementioned techniques, the most obvious is repetition.à The author uses the word ââ¬Å"andâ⬠a total of thirty-three times.à However, the simple usage of the word is not what is to be noticed.à It is the placement of the word that is interesting.à In sentences in which there is mention of the wolf, the word ââ¬Å"andâ⬠is used twenty times.à This amount is 150% higher than the amount of times the author chose to include the word ââ¬Å"andâ⬠in sentences which did not mention the wolf. There are times in which it would be just as easy, if not easier, for the author to leave out the word ââ¬Å"andâ⬠.à For example, McCormac could have said: ââ¬Å"he touched the cold, perfect teethâ⬠.à However, ââ¬Å"andâ⬠was again squeezed in for the purpose...
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Moral Status of Animals in the Ancient World
Moral status of animals in the ancient world Main articles: Moral status of animals in the ancient world and Human exceptionalism Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam. The Book of Genesis echoed earlier ideas about divine hierarchy, and that God and humankind share traits, such as intellect and a sense of morality, that non-humans do not possess. Modern views of humans treatment of animals can be traced back to the ancient world. The idea that the use of animals by humansââ¬âfor food and clothing is morally acceptable, springs from many sources. There is a hierarchy based on the theological concept of ââ¬Å"dominion,â⬠in Genesis (1:20-28), where Adam is given ââ¬Å"dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. â⬠Although the concept of dominion need not entail property rights, it has, over the centuries, been interpreted to imply some form of ownership. 8][10] Other parts of the Bible strongly protest the abuse of animals, such as Balaam and the talking donkey in Numbers 22:28-33 [11] or the merciful command in Deuteronomy 25:4 to allow an Ox to feed whilst it treads the grain [12]. In the New Testament, the dove is used to represent the Holy Spirit of God in Matthew 3:16[13] and in Revelations 14:1,17:14 and John 1:29,[14] Jesus is described as a lamb; these two animal s are still depicted in some churches with respect[15][16], thus showing ancient influence in modern religion. At the same time, animals have been considered inferior because they lack rationality and language, and as such are worthy of less consideration than humans, or even none. [8][10]. Aristotle considered animals to have no rationality, but that they had a soul. [edit]17th century: Animals as automata [edit]1641: Descartes Further information: Dualism (philosophy of mind) and Scientific Revolution Descartes' remains influential regarding how the issue of animal consciousnessââ¬âor as he saw it, lack thereofââ¬âshould be approached. 17] ââ¬Å"[Animals] eat without pleasure, cry without pain, grow without knowing it; they desire nothing, fear nothing, know nothing. ââ¬â Nicolas Malebranche (1638ââ¬â1715)[18]â⬠The year 1641 was significant for the idea of animal rights. The great influence of the century was the French philosopher, Rene Descartes (1596ââ¬â1650), whose Meditations was published that year, and whose ideas about animals informed attitudes well into the 21st century. 17] Writing during the scientific revolutionââ¬âa revolution of which he was one of the chief architectsââ¬âDescartes proposed a mechanistic theory of the universe, the aim of which was to show that the world could be mapped out without allusion to subjective experience. The senses deceive, he wrote in the First Meditation in 1641, and ââ¬Å"it is prudent never to trust wholly those who have deceived us even once. [19] ââ¬Å"Hold then the same view of the dog which has lost his master, which has sought him in all the thoroughfares with cries of sorrow, which comes into the house troubled and restless, goes downstairs, goes upstairs; goes from room to room, finds at last in his study the master he loves, and betokens his gladness by soft whimpers, frisks, and caresses. There are barbarians who seize this dog, who so greatly surpasses man in fidelity and friendship, and nail him down to a table and dissect him alive, to show you the mesaraic veins! You disc over in him all the same organs of feeling as in yourself. Answer me, mechanist, has Nature arranged all the springs of feeling in this animal to the end that he might not feel? ââ¬â Voltaire (1694ââ¬â1778)[20] â⬠His mechanistic approach was extended to the issue of animal consciousness. Mind, for Descartes, was a thing apart from the physical universe, a separate substance, linking human beings to the mind of God. The non-human, on the other hand, are nothing but complex automata, with no souls, minds, or reason. They can see, hear, and touch, but they are not, in any sense, conscious, and are unable to suffer or even to feel pain. 17] In the Discourse, published in 1637, Descartes wrote that the ability to reason and use language involves being able to respond in complex ways to ââ¬Å"all the contingencies of life,â⬠something that animals clearly cannot do. He argued from this that any sounds animals make do not constitute language, but are simply automatic responses to external stimuli. [21] [edit]1635, 1641, 1654: Fi rst known laws protecting animals Richard Ryder writes that the first known legislation against animal cruelty in the English-speaking world was passed in Ireland in 1635. It prohibited pulling wool off sheep, and the attaching of ploughs to horses' tails, referring to ââ¬Å"the cruelty used to beasts,â⬠which Ryder writes is probably the earliest reference to this concept in the English language. [22] In 1641, the year Descartes' Meditations was published, the first legal code to protect domestic animals in North America was passed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. [23] The colony's constitution was based on The Body of Liberties by the Reverend Nathaniel Ward (1578ââ¬â1652), a lawyer, Puritan clergyman, and University of Cambridge graduate, originally from Suffolk, England. 24] Ward listed the ââ¬Å"ritesâ⬠the Colony's general court later endorsed, including rite number 92: ââ¬Å"No man shall exercise any Tirrany or Crueltie toward any bruite Creature which are usuallie kept for man's use. â⬠Historian Roderick Nash writes that, at the height of Descartes' influence in Europe, it is significant that the early New Englanders crea ted a law that implied animals were not unfeeling automata. [25] The Puritans passed animal protection legislation in England too. Katheen Kete of Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut writes that animal welfare laws were passed in 1654 as part of the ordinances of the Protectorateââ¬âthe government under Oliver Cromwell, which lasted 1653ââ¬â1659ââ¬âduring the English Civil War. Cromwell disliked blood sports, particularly cockfighting, cock throwing, dog fighting, as well as bull baiting and bull running, both said to tenderize the meat. These could frequently be seen in towns, villages, in fairgrounds, and became associated for the Puritans with idleness, drunkenness, and gambling. Kete writes that the Puritans interpreted the dominion of man over animals in the Book of Genesis to mean responsible stewardship, rather than ownership. The opposition to blood sports became part of what was seen as Puritan interference in people's lives, which became a leitmotif of resistance to them, Kete writes, and the animal protection laws were overturned during the Restoration, when Charles II was returned to the throne in 1660. [26] Bull baiting remained lawful in England for another 162 years, until it was outlawed in 1822. edit]1693: Locke John Locke argued against animal cruelty, but only because of the effect it has on human beings. Against Descartes, the British philosopher John Locke (1632ââ¬â1704) argued, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education in 1693, that animals do have feelings, and that unnecessary cruelty toward them is morally wrong, butââ¬âechoing Thomas Aquinasââ¬âthe right not to be so harmed adhered either to the animal's owner, or to the person who was being harmed by being cruel, not to the animal itself. Discussing the importance of preventing children from tormenting animals, he wrote: ââ¬Å"For the custom of tormenting and killing of beasts will, by degrees, harden their minds even towards men. ââ¬Å"[27] [edit]18th century: The centrality of sentience, not reason Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued in 1754 that animals are part of natural law, and have natural rights, because they are sentient. [edit]1754: Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712ââ¬â1778) argued in Discourse on Inequality in 1754 that animals should be part of natural law, not because they are rational, but because they are sentient: ââ¬Å"[Here] we put an end to the time-honoured disputes concerning the participation of animals in natural law: for it is clear that, being destitute of intelligence and liberty, they cannot recognize that law; as they partake, however, in some measure of our nature, in consequence of the sensibility with which they are endowed, they ought to partake of natural right; so that mankind is subjected to a kind of obligation even toward the brutes. It appears, in fact, that if I am bound to do no injury to my fellow-creatures, this is less because they are rational than because they are sentient beings: and this quality, being common both to men and beasts, ought to entitle the latter at least to the privilege of not being wantonly ill-treated by the former. [28]â⬠[edit]1785: Kant ââ¬Å"Animals â⬠¦ are there merely as a means to an end. That end is man. ââ¬â Immanuel Kant[29]â⬠The German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724ââ¬â1804), following Augustine, Aquinas, and Locke, opposed the idea that humans have duties toward non-humans. For Kant, cruelty to animals was wrong solely on the grounds that it was bad for humankind. He argued in 1785 that humans have duties only toward other humans, and that ââ¬Å"cruelty to animals is contrary to man's duty to himself, because it deadens in him the feeling of sympathy for their sufferings, and thus a natural tendency that is very useful to morality in relation to other humans is weakened. ââ¬Å"[30] [edit]1789: Bentham Jeremy Bentham: ââ¬Å"The time will come, when humanity will extend its mantle over every thing which breathesâ⬠(1781). 31] Four years later, one of the founders of modern utilitarianism, the English philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748ââ¬â1832), although deeply opposed to the concept of natural rights, argued with Rousseau that it was the ability to suffer, not the ability to reason, that should be the benchmark of how we treat other beings. If rationality were the criterion, many humans, including babies and disabled people, would also have to b e treated as though they were things. 32] He wrote in 1789, just as slaves were being freed by the French, but were still held captive in the British dominions: ââ¬Å"The day has been, I grieve to say in many places it is not yet past, in which the greater part of the species, under the denomination of slaves, have been treated by the law exactly upon the same footing, as, in England for example, the inferior races of animals are still. The day may come when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those rights which never could have been witholden from them but by the hand of tyranny. The French have already discovered that the blackness of the skin is no reason a human being should be abandoned without redress to the caprice of a tormentor. It may one day come to be recognized that the number of the legs, the villosity of the skin, or the termination of the os sacrum are reasons equally insufficient for abandoning a sensitive being to the same fate. What else is it that should trace the insuperable line? Is it the faculty of reason or perhaps the faculty of discourse? But a full-grown horse or dog, is beyond comparison a more rational, as well as a more conversable animal, than an infant of a day or a week or even a month, old. But suppose the case were otherwise, what would it avail? the question is not, Can they reason? , nor Can they talk? but, Can they suffer? [33]â⬠[edit]1792: Thomas Taylor Despite Rousseau and Bentham, the idea that animals did or ought to have rights remained ridiculous. When Mary Wollstonecraft (1759ââ¬â1797), the British feminist writer, published A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792, Thomas Taylor (1758ââ¬â1835), a Cambridge philosopher, responded with an anonymous tract called Vindication of the Rights of Brutes, intended as a reductio ad absurdum. Taylor took Wollstonecraft's arguments, and those of Thomas Paine's Rights of Man (1790), and showed that they applied equally to animals, leading to the conclusion that animals have ââ¬Å"intrinsic and real dignity and worth,â⬠a conclusion absurd enough, in his view, to discredit Wollstonecraft's and Paine's positions entirely. 34] [edit]19th century: Emergence of jus animalium [edit]Legislation The first known prosecution for cruelty to animals was brought in 1822 against two men found beating horses in London's Smithfield Market, where livestock had been sold since the 10th century. They were fined 20 shillings each. Further information: Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822, Cru elty to Animals Act 1835, Cruelty to Animals Act 1849, and Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 ââ¬Å"What could be more innocent than bull baiting, boxing, or dancing? George Canning, British Foreign Secretary in April 1800 in response to a bill to ban bull baiting. [35]â⬠Badger baiting was outlawed in England by the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835. Painting by Henry Thomas Alken, 1824 The 19th century saw an explosion of interest in animal protection, particularly in England. Debbie Legge and Simon Brooman of Liverpool John Moores University wrote that the educated classes became concerned about attitudes toward the old, the needy, children, and the insane, and that this concern was extended to non-humans. Before the 19th century, there had been prosecutions for poor treatment of animals, but only because of the damage to the animal as property. In 1793, for example, John Cornish was found not guilty of maiming a horse after pulling its tongue out, the judge ruling that he could be found guilty only if there was evidence of malice toward the owner. [36] From 1800 onwards, there were several attempts in England to introduce animal welfare or rights legislation. The first was a bill in 1800 against bull baiting, introduced by Sir William Pulteney, and opposed by the Secretary at War, William Windham, on the grounds that it was anti-working class. Another attempt was made in 1802 by William Wilberforce, again opposed by Windham, who said that the Bill was supported by Methodists and Jacobins who wished, for different reasons, to ââ¬Å"destroy the Old English character, by the abolition of all rural sportsâ⬠and that bulls, when they were in the ascendant in the contest, did not dislike the situation. 37] In 1809, Lord Erskine introduced a bill to protect cattle and horses from malicious wounding, wanton cruelty, and beating, this one opposed by Windham because it would be used against the ââ¬Å"lower ordersâ⬠when the real culprits would be property owners. [38] Judge Edward Abbott Parry writes that the House of Lords found the proposal so sentimental that they drowned Erskine out with cat calls and cock crowing. [39] [edit]1822: Martin's Act Further information: Badger baiting, Bull baiting, and Cockfighting ââ¬Å"If I had a donkey wot wouldn't go, D' ye think I'd wollop him? No, no, no! But gentle means I'd try, d' ye see, Because I hate all cruelty. If all had been like me, in fact, There'd ha' been no occasion for Martin's Act. ââ¬â Music hall ditty inspired by the prosecution under Martin's Act of Bill Burns for cruelty to a donkey. [40] â⬠In 1821, the Treatment of Horses bill was introduced by Colonel Richard Martin, MP for Galway in Ireland, but it was lost among laughter in the House of Commons that the next thing would be rights for asses, dogs, and cats. 41] Nicknamed ââ¬Å"Humanity Dickâ⬠by George IV, Martin finally succeeded in 1822 with his ââ¬Å"Ill Treatment of Horses and Cattle Bill,â⬠or ââ¬Å"Martin's Actâ⬠, as it became known, the world's first major piece of animal protection legislation. It was given royal assent on June 22 that year as An Act to prevent the cruel and improper Treatment of Cattle, and made it an offence, punishable by fines up to five pounds or two months impriso nment, to ââ¬Å"beat, abuse, or ill-treat any horse, mare, gelding, mule, ass, ox, cow, heifer, steer, sheep or other cattle. ââ¬Å"[42] Any citizen was entitled to bring charges under the Act. 43] The Trial of Bill Burns, showing Richard Martin with the donkey in an astonished courtroom, leading to the world's first known conviction for animal cruelty. Legge and Brooman argue that the success of the Bill lay in the personality of ââ¬Å"Humanity Dick,â⬠who was able to shrug off the ridicule from the House of Commons, and whose own sense of humour managed to capture its attention. It was Martin himself who brought the first prosecution under the Act, when he had Bill Burns, a costermongerââ¬âa street seller of fruitââ¬âarrested for beating a donkey. Seeing in court that the magistrates seemed bored and didn't much care about the donkey, he sent for it, parading its injuries before a reportedly astonished court. Burns was fined, becoming the first person in the world known to have been convicted of animal cruelty. Newspapers and music halls were full of jokes about the ââ¬Å"Trial of Bill Burns,â⬠as it became known, and how Martin had relied on the testimony of a donkey, giving Martin's Act some welcome publicity. [40][43] The trial became the subject of a painting (right), which hangs in the headquarters of the RSPCA in London. 44] Other countries followed suit in passing legislation or making decisions that favoured animals. In 1882, the courts in New York ruled that wanton cruelty to animals was a misdemeanor at common law. [23] In France in 1850, Jacques Philippe Delmas de Grammont succeeded in having the Loi Grammont passed, outlawing cruelty against domestic animals, and leading to years of arguments about whether bu lls could be classed as domestic in order to ban bullfighting. [45] The state of Washington followed in 1859, New York in 1866, California in 1868, Florida in 1889. 46] In England, a series of amendments extended the reach of the 1822 Act, which became the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835, outlawing cockfighting, baiting, and dog fighting, followed by another amendment in 1849, and again in 1876. [edit]1824: Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ââ¬Å"At a meeting of the Society instituted for the purpose of preventing cruelty to animals, on the 16th day of June 1824, at Old Slaughter's Coffee House, St. Martin's Lane: T F Buxton Esqr, MP, in the Chair, It was resolved: That a committee be appointed to superintend the Publication of Tracts, Sermons, and similar modes of influencing public opinion, to consist of the following Gentlemen: Sir Jas. Mackintosh MP, A Warre Esqr. MP, Wm. Wilberforce Esqr. MP, Basil Montagu Esqr. , Revd. A Broome, Revd. G Bonner, Revd G A Hatch, A E Kendal Esqr. , Lewis Gompertz Esqr. , Wm. Mudford Esqr. , Dr. Henderson. Resolved also: That a Committee be appointed to adopt measures for Inspecting the Markets and Streets of the Metropolis, the Slaughter Houses, the conduct of Coachmen, etc. etc, consisting of the following Gentlemen: T F Buxton Esqr. MP, Richard Martin Esqr. , MP, Sir James Graham, L B Allen Esqr. , C C Wilson Esqr. , Jno. Brogden Esqr. , Alderman Brydges, A E Kendal Esqr. , E Lodge Esqr. , J Martin Esqr. T G Meymott Esqr. A. Broome, Honorary Secretary [40][43] â⬠Further information: Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Richard Martin soon realized that magistrates did not take the M artin Act seriously, and that it was not being reliably enforced. Several members of parliament decided to form a society to bring prosecutions under the Act. The Reverend Arthur Broome, a Balliol man who had recently become the vicar of Bromley-by-Bow, arranged a meeting in Old Slaughter's Coffee House in St. Martin's Lane, a London cafe frequented by artists and actors. [40] The group met on June 16, 1824, and included a number of MPs: Richard Martin, Sir James Mackintosh, Sir Thomas Buxton, William Wilberforce, and Sir James Graham, who had been an MP, and who became one again in 1826. They decided to form a ââ¬Å"Society instituted for the purpose of preventing cruelty to animals,â⬠or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as it became known. It determined to send men to inspect the Smithfield Market in the City of London, where livestock had been sold since the 10th century, as well as slaughterhouses, and the practices of coachmen toward their horses. [40] The Society became the Royal Society in 1840, when it was granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria, herself strongly opposed to vivisection. [47][48] [edit]1824: Early examples of direct action Noel Molland writes that, in 1824, Catherine Smithies, an anti-slavery activist, set up an SPCA youth wing called the Bands of Mercy. It was a children's club modeled on the Temperance Society's Bands of Hope, which were intended to encourage children to campaign against drinking and gambling. The Bands of Mercy were similarly meant to encourage a love of animals. [49] Molland writes that some of its members responded with more enthusiasm than Smithies intended, and became known for engaging in direct action against hunters by sabotaging their rifles, although Kim Stallwood of the Animal Rights Network writes he has often heard these stories but has never been able to find solid evidence to support them. 50] Whether the story is true or apocryphal, the idea of the youth group was revived by Ronnie Lee in 1972, when he and Cliff Goodman set up the Band of Mercy as a militant, anti-hunting guerrilla group, which slashed hunters' vehicles' tires and smashed their windows. In 1976, some of the same activists, sensing that the Band of Mercy name sounded too accommodating, founded the Animal Liberation Front. [49]
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