Are different patterns of communication in men and women Innately Essay

Are different patterns of communication in men and women Innately different - Essay Example The genetics of men and of women differ, in the same way; their brains perceive their communication thus the exhibition of different communication patterns between them. The different patterns are explained by various factors which are intertwined with the genetics of the respective gender in ways such as. The men are there to listen much and not to talk much while the women talk much and listen less, the men listen with a goal to achieve a solution at the end while women talk to heard and not necessarily to achieve a solution to a problem. The men usually compartmentalize their issues when it comes to communicating while women uses the big picture, this means that a man can be able to separate issues relating to different aspects of their lives as they communicate while women cannot be able to separate them. In other words, they use all the small chunks of information, from family, to relationships and to work and they speak about them, another pattern that can be observed in the co mmunication patterns are that women talk so much in a given period while men actually speak so little (Gray, 2015). All these variations in the communication patterns are innate in that the men can hardly adjust and the women can also hardly adjust. Neuroscience has gone a great way to try and explain the innateness of the communication patterns in the men and women to this date. First, the neuroscientists and researchers have assumed two aspects which are innate and can affect the communication patterns of men as well as of women. These factors includes the larynx which is a biological anatomical organ of the human body and the second one which can explain the observed difference is the corpus callosum in the brain of these subjects (University of Pennyslavia, 2010). To begin with, the larynx is a part for the body in the throat which affects the patterns of communication. This is an

Smart Form Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Smart Form - Assignment Example The current approach of using a combined qualitative and quantitative research methodology is not capturing the most elusive aspects of offender’s motivations, their own attitudes. Previous studies indicate that female offenders choose to relapse for associative and belongingness needs while men continually seek to assert dominance and defiance through drug abuse (Pelissier, Jones, 2005). The methodology needs to include an attitudinal scaling component that captures how the women offenders perceive the trigger events and conditions that lead to relapse. Evaluate the weaknesses of your project at this time. Indicate areas to be improved before starting your project and areas that cannot be improved. Give reasons for not redesigning to address any of the limitations identified. The ideal evaluation methodology consists of the use of experimental designs, quasi-experimental, and qualitative evaluations. Because of time constraints in the completion of the change project, this was not feasible. Data was extracted from one organization, and therefore it may be hard to generalize the success of the change project. Also, there was not an adequate sample of participants in the relapse prevention workshops. Other agencies with varying client populations, and mandatory versus voluntary participation could have been included. According to Babbie (2007), the problem of internal validity refers to the possibility that the conclusions drawn from experimental results may not accurately reflect what has gone on in the experiment itself. Sojourners’ Place currently houses 10 women residents, with the remaining beds going to men. There are approximately 50 beds in total at the facility. Data analysis occurs after the completion of data collection. It will be analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative data will include the use of inferential statistics or descriptive statistics while the qualitative data will be analyzed using an inductive

Science Empiricism Rationalism

Science Empiricism Rationalism The term social science is a misnomer which masks the necessarily different epistemic methods and ontological realities consistent with natural and social realms respectively. Critically appraise this claim In this essay I intend to dispute the notion that the term social science is a misnomer. Firstly, I will define social science, and then focus on the differences between rationalism and empiricism without whose existence there would be no epistemology. Empiricism will receive more attention due to the fact that that it has become the dominant epistemic approach, systematically and rigorously expressed through its offspring, ie ,materialism, sensism, positivism and naturalism. Second, I intend to allow ontological realities to manifest themselves through Kants articulation as both an empiricist and a rationalist. This will dispel uninteresting dichotomies and allow one to stand back, as it were, from ones own analysis of the topic. EPISTEMIC APPROACHES WITHIN THE NATURAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES:Rationalism and Empiricism. According to Marshall social science is a general label applied to the study of society and human relationships†¦The designation of an area of study as a social science usually carries the implication that it is comparable in many ways to a natural science (1994 :493). The implication here is that natural and social reality can be studied in the same way because both realities consist of relationships between facts, eg, cause and effect. Note should be taken of the fact that rationalists and empiricists, despite their different approaches in their quest for knowledge, have both contributed immensely to the birth of different academic disciplines to which even modern day intellectuals subscribe. More interesting is that each of the two epistemic approaches claims their method of enquiry gives birth to valid information or certainty. According to Hamlyn rationalism ,whose founder is Descartes is an epistemological doctrine that puts weight on reason or understanding, as distinct from the senses or sense perception(1987:134).On the other hand empiricists believe the only source of knowledge is experience. John Locke held the view that the scope of our knowledge is limited to, and by, our experience(Stumpf,1983:254). RATIONALISM (i)Descartes: This philosophical movement was initiated by Descartes and carried on with varying degrees of thoroughness by Spinoza and Leibniz†¦(Hamlyn, 1987:134). A rationalist relies on logic and principles of reasonableness in order to arrive at a conclusion. One would clarify this by giving an example popularized by Rene Descartes that it is only in relation to thinking that I am certain that I exist(Hamlyn,1987:138).Descartes continues to maintain that existence must be a property of a being who is conceived of as possessing all attributes in perfection (Hamlyn,1987:141).Kant opposed this view citing experience was not a property of a thing in the way that Descartes supposes. Leibniz went further by maintaining that existence depends on whether that conception is coherent or involves a contradiction(Hamlyn,1987:140).One can partly agree with Descartes view that existence is a property of a being, but to say that its creator is perfect is a product of human imagination. Perfection, by th e way, remains an imaginary construct when taking into account the context in which Descartes states his case. For example, in order for one to be declared perfect, one has to adhere to the standard guidelines which should be followed in order to create a particular thing or use a previous model as a yardstick or even improve on it. It is ones belief that rationalism has not been a dominant epistemic approach. Kant and Locke, for example, have imbibed both epistemic approaches. To take it further most modern day individuals employ both approaches in their daily activities. (ii)Spinoza There was also another rationalist called Spinoza in whose views rationalism received its most systematic and rigorous expression. His main work was called ethics. According to Stumpf ethics is concerned with actions that can be labeled right or wrong, good or bad, desirable or undesirable, worthy or unworthy. Also, ethics, is concerned with ones personal responsibility, duty, or obligation for his behaviour(1983:1)His concern with ethics should be understood in its proper context in that both the means and goals of social science investigation are intrinsically bound up with ethical considerations, especially when conducting research involving human subjects, eg., protection of privacy through informed consent. According to Hamlyn Spinoza provides †¦a striking contrast with Descartes ,who had little concern with things ethical(1987:149).Spinoza felt that there are three kinds of knowledge, ie, knowledge of vague experience- when we generalize from casual and confused experience. The second kind is identified with reason, and the third one is intuition(Hamlyn,1987:152).The second and third kinds of knowledge reflect a rationalist view in that they are necessarily true, and reason regards things as necessary (iii)Leibniz According to Stumpf Leibniz was dissatisfied with the way Descartes and Spinoza had described the nature of substance because he felt they had distorted our understanding of human nature(1983:246).Spinoza defines substance as that which is in itself: I mean that the conception of which does not depend on the conception of another thing from which it must be formed(Stumpf,1983:241).Leibniz on the other hand takes it that substance as a basic form of existence must be absolutely simple ,for if it were complex it would be secondary to whatever it is composed of (Hamlyn,1987:159).This means that Leibniz and Spinoza somehow agree that substance should not depend on anything other that itself to exist. But one would argue that their view has defied logic in that every entity or substance is an offspring or a product of a particular thing. It is interesting that Leibniz, despite being a rationalist, sought empirical evidence to defend his principle that no two substances can differ solo numero (Hamlyn, 1987:162-163). He pointed to considerations that tree leaves are all different, and subscribed to similar evidence which was assessed through the newly invented microscope. EMPIRICISM According to Comte, empiricism is an epistemological doctrine that all knowledge proper must be subject to canons of verification in terms of experience(Hamlyn,1987:275). Marshall (1994:149) defines empiricism as a term often used, loosely, to describe an orientation to research which emphasizes the collection of facts and observations, at the expense of conceptual reflection and theoretical enquiry. This implies that knowledge must undergo rigorous interrogation so as to be sure that it has not defied science. Empiricism presents itself in four ways: Materialism, sensism, positivism, and naturalism. (i)Materialism: According to Marshall materialism means a range of metaphysical positions (philosophical views about the fundamental nature of reality)†¦Whereas in classical times matter had been opposed to form, the dominant early modern contrast was between matter and spirit or mind(1994:315).Thinking of societies in terms of physical or material properties may be called materialism. We must also explain nature in terms of materialism. (ii)Sensism According to Knight all materialists are of course sensists†¦Locke as one the empiricists, derives all simple ideas from external experience (sensations), all compound ideas modes, substances) from internal experience (reflection) (1999:1-see bibl.12 ).One can argue that sensism is problematic in that perceptions and judgements may differ with different individuals, leading to incessant speculation. (iii)Positivism The acknowledged founder of positivism was the French philosopher and social scientist Auguste Comte. He also came up with the invention of the term Sociology.In the context of positivism, positive facts are things that can be observed or measured. Positivists argue that only that which can be observed and measured can be studied†¦(Le Roux et al,1986:174).This means that positivists regard grounding as very important in positive facts. An example would be Durkheims statement that there is a relationship between social integration and suicide(Haralambos,1980:496).This is real in that integration of people from various backgrounds, with different cultures can cause tension , alienation and personality disorganization According to Keat and Urry several conventionalist philosophers of science have been influenced by the later writings of Wittgenstein, and realist philosophy of science has partly been developed from the standpoint of scientific realism, a position which is opposed both to logical positivism and also to the movement of analytical philosophy inspired by Wittgenstein, Ryle and Austin(1980:6).It must be understood that although the realist and the positivist share amongst others a conception of science as an empirically-based, rational and objective enterprise, there is an important difference between explanation and prediction. Keat and Urry say that, for the realist, a scientific theory is a description of structures and mechanisms which causally generate the observable phenomena, a description which enables us to explain them(1980:5) It is worth mentioning how these varying accounts of positivism and realism expose knowledge as an elusive concept. After ones acceptance of positivism as irrefutable conception of the natural science, realism demands that we discover the necessary connections between phenomena, by deconstructing the observable phenomena. According to Keat and Urry†¦we must get beyond the mere appearances of things, to their natures and essences(1980:5).In a nutshell one can say that we have to peel away layers of constructed meaning to reveal the underlying layers of meaning that were suppressed or assumed in order for the phenomenon to take its actual form. Focus will be on three empiricists: (i)John Locke:(1632-1704) According to Hamlyn, the purpose of Locke is to enquire into the original, certainty, and extent of human knowledge, together with the grounds and degrees of belief, opinion and assent, without meddling with the physical consideration of the mind(1987:168-169).This implies that he is concerned with the limits of human understanding and one is bound to believe that Locke does not want any kind of social construct to be attached to this process, so as to give it independence. According to Kenny, Locke is forever talking about ideas(1994:129).This is evident in his first book entitled Of Innate Notions which contains a sharp attack on the notion of innate ideas. Hamlyn says Locke is concerned with two things: (i)whether there is innate knowledge of principles; and (ii)whether what he sometimes calls the materials of that knowledge; the ideas on which the knowledge is based, are innate. That distinction between knowledge and ideas affects the whole Essay(1987:169).One might assume that Lockes preoccupation or obsession with ideas was prompted by his intellectual rival, Descartes, who according to Kenny wrote that an infant in its mothers womb has in itself the ideas of God, itself, and all truths which are said to be self-evident, it has these ideas no less than adults have when they are not paying attention to them, and it does not acquire them afterwards when it grows up(1994:128). One can argue that innate ideas do exist, and they mature with time because exposure to externalities. The outside world will decide on their validity. Marshall says that Peter Berger and Thomas Luckman, in The Social Construction Of Reality(1966), view social processes as a dialectic of externalization and internalization(1994:167).According to Stumpf, Lockess fellow empiricists Bacon and Hobbes had urged that knowledge should be built upon observation (1983:254).This means that knowledge should be a product of scientific enquiry. Locke discarded the notion that we all came here with a standard stock of ideas built into the mind(Stumpf,1983:257).He said the origin of his ideas is experience, and experience takes two forms, sensation and reflection. What he elucidated was that we cannot have the experience of reflection (mind taking note of its operations) until we have had the experience of the sensation (ideas). (ii)George Berkeley: (1685-1752) Berkeley was influenced by Locke although according to Kenny, his importance in philosophy is largely as a critic of Locke(1994:140).His principal criticisms focus on three heads: the notion of abstract general ideas, the distinction between primary and secondary qualities, and the concept of material substance(1994:140).Because of Berkeleys criticism, Lockes empiricism is reduced into a unique form of idealism. 1.ABSTRACT IDEAS Lockes view that words represent ideas and general words correspond to abstract general ideas has come under attack from Berkeley. Locke says in his Essay, that according to the representational theory, a general idea is a particular idea which has been made general by being made for all of a kind, in the way in which a geometry teacher draws a particular triangle to represent all triangles(Kenny,1994:140).There is also what Kenny calls the eliminative theory, according to whom the general idea is a particular idea which contains only what is common to all particulars of the same kind. Berkeley is interested in how Locke combines features of the two theories. According to Kenny, Berkeley says it takes pains and skill to form the general idea of a triangle-for it must be neither oblique nor rectangle, neither equilateral, equicrural nor scalenon, but all and none of these at once(1994:140).One can say that eliminative theory and representational theory are two sides of the same coin in that in eliminative theory, the idea becomes a general idea when the unwanted group is eliminated. With regard to the representational theory, an idea becomes a general idea when all subscribe to it. Kenny accuses both Locke and Berkeley of using the word idea to mean to mean indifferently a sense-experience, an image, a secondary quality, or a concept(1994:140). IDEAS AND QUALITIES We must move from the premise that one of Berkeleys views is that distance is not something immediately perceived but something constructed from certain orderly relations of the ideas of different senses in the mind. According to Shand, the equating of ideas with sensible things, which thereby makes sensible things mind-dependent, eliminates each of the following forms of skepticism produced by materialism and Cartesianism(1993:132): (a)The existence of sensible things. The problem is solved because the skeptic cannot drive a wedge between ideas if the objects of sense are ideas. (b)The nature of sensible things. Science aspires only to map the regular correlations between ideas ,that is between phenomena. (c)The existence and nature of God. The problem is eliminated by making God indispensable. Gods existence is seen as the real cause of those ideas that are not caused by our imaginations and as the sustainer of those ideas we do not actually perceive, the supposition that God does not exist is refuted by almost every experience we have. (d)How matter and spirit can interact. This problem is eliminated by denying the existence of material substance; then the problem of interaction between spirit and matter simply does not arise(1993:132-133) The implication here is that Berkeley believes that anything that can be sensed actually exists. THE CONCEPT OF MATERIAL SUBSTANCE (i) One should also note that Berkeley is an opponent of materialism. According to Shand, Berkeley it is impossible for matter to have only primary qualities such as extension, solidity, movement. He believes that we cannot conceive of a shape which is no colour, and therefore the conception of matter required for materialism is impossible. He instead suggests that all matter should have all secondary qualities, from which primary qualities cannot be separated (1993:133).One can assume that he is referring to qualities such as weight, sound, taste and identity. To say that every matter must be able to move is not accurately correct in that not all matter is a living organism; (ii) Berkeley says that what exists has got to be a product of something. In his own words he argues that it is a logical contradiction to talk of conceiving of a thing which exists unconceived (Shand,1993:133).But Shand sees this as a fallacious argument in that it is not possible for A to be conceived of, and at the same time both exist and be a thing unconceived, but that does not mean at some other time A could not exist as an unconceived-of A, thus there is nothing contradictory in A existing unthought about (1993;133).This means that A does not necessarily have to be thought about in order to exist. (iii) Berkeley argues that if secondary qualities (colour, taste, heat, sound, etc.) are ideas in the mind, as Locke does, then the same applies to primary qualities (shape, size, motion, solidity),for these two vary with the observer (Shand, 1993:133).Colour is arguably not an idea in the mind because one can see it. It is not clear whether, according to Berkeley, secondary qualities also include things that one cannot touch. (iv) This argument pertains to pain and heat. Berkeley holds the view that when we are close to the, heat is felt as pain in the mind, and when we are a distance away the heat is merely felt as warmth (Shand,1993:133-134).The argument here is that since the pain is not in the fire, then it must be in the mind. (v) Berkeley compares the notion of matter with what Locke has to say about substance in general. Locke suggests that substance is characterized by being the support of all qualities, the qualities cannot subsist alone. But Berkeley argues that an attempt to give substance a positive characterization is impossible, since to do so would attribute qualities to it. This would render substance a qualityless something. Although Berkeley sees this as a perfectly flawless argument, he believes that no materialist would suggest that matter is qualityless (Kenny,1994:134).This would mean that substance and qualities cannot exist in the absence of the other. DAVID HUME (1711-1776) He is said to have carried empiricism to its fullest expression. He believed the scientific method could lead us to a clear understanding of human nature and in particular the workings of the human mind(Stumpf, 1983:270-271).Some commentators find it difficult the precise position of Hume. The difference with Hume was that if we used the scientific method to determine truth, we must according to Stumpf, accept the limits of knowledge(1983:272).Probably he was expressing doubt about the efficacy of scientific enquiry in clarifying pertinent issues. According to Hamlyn, the doctrine that every simple idea is derived from simple impression is the center-point of Humes empiricism, and that it is crucial for his philosophy(1987:190).Both Hume and Locke opine that impressions are of sensation but disagree on reflection because Humes account seems different from Lockes. He (Hume) holds the view that impressions are distinguishable from ideas by their superior force and vivacity(Hamlyn,1987:190).This might be the case because of the complexity of impressions. Hamlyn sees this as a very important principle, and one which Hume inherited from Berkeley which is :one cannot distinguish between impressions and ideas by reference to anything outside them, only by internal properties such as their liveliness(1987:190).One can simplify this by making reference to pain. The only person who feels the pain is the one who is hurt and nobody else. One cannot for example, merely look at the husband and confirm that the wife is feeling pain , nor can the husband know how much pain is felt by the wife. NATURALISM According to Knight, naturalism consists essentially in looking upon nature as the one original and fundamental source of all that exists, and in attempting to explain everything in terms of nature(1999:1). What this means is that all events find their satisfactory experience within nature itself. There are two traditions that claim to understand the problem of naturalism. These are the naturalist and anti-naturalist traditions. The former claims that the sciences are (actually or ideally) unified with positivist principles. For the latter the subject matter of the social sciences consists essentially of meaningful objects, and their aim is the elucidation of the meaning of these objects(Bhaskar, 1979:241). A naturalist traditions association with positivist principles means that it relies on measurement and observation in order to study a phenomenon. The anti-naturalist tradition, one would argue, looks beyond observable phenomena by enquiring as to what the object is made of. Bhaskar argues that the two disputants ironically share a common error in accepting an essentially positivist account of natural science, or at least an empiricist ontology. One would argue that there is nothing wrong in adopting a positivist approach when interrogating natural science, because essentially positivism deals with things that can be observed and measured. It must be understood that there is a fundamental contrast between social and natural science. With regard to the latter the discovery of intelligible connections in its subject matter is not equally the goal of natural scientific explanation(Bhaskar,1979:2). Instead this applies to social science. It is argued that the recent developments in the philosophy of science permit a reconsideration of the problem of naturalism(Bhaskar, 1979:3). These could be the varying views brought about by the naturalists and anti-naturalists. For example, Winchs anti-naturalism depends on empiricist theories of existence and causality. Now Bhaskar argues that if science employs a causal criterion for ascribing reality and causal laws are tendencies, his contrast collapses(1979:3). This means that if causal laws apply to science, then it applies top both natural and social science, and more important is it has become a tendency; Bhaskar defines naturalism as the thesis that there is (or can be) an essential unity of method between the natural and social services. It has two species: reductionism which asserts that there is an actual identity of subject matter as well, and scientism, which denies that there are any significant differences in the methods appropriate to studying social and natural objects, whether or not they are actually (as in reductionism) identified (1979:3).What is noteworthy is that these factions of naturalism talk in universals almost to a point of denying an opposite view the right to existence. In a nutshell, science is just whatever scientists do, and it is expected of them to differ in the way they solicit knowledge. ONTOLOGICAL REALITIES Marshall defines ontology as anyway of understanding the world, or some part of it, must make assumptions(which may be implicit or explicit) about what kinds of things do or can exist in that domain, and what might be their conditions of existence, relations of dependency, and so on(1994:367).He goes on to say the core of the philosophical project of metaphysics is to provide an ontology of the world as a whole. One will note that by focusing on the world as a whole, there will be a systematic arrangement of the relations between the social and natural sciences. Focus will be on Kant because he is both an empiricist and rationalist. KANT We must move from the premise that Kant is both an empiricist and a rationalist, in that he tried to reconcile rationalism empiricism by arguing that while knowledge itself comes from experience, the mind uses reason to structure knowledge(Prof. McLeary, see bibliography-No.11).Kant is described as a person who was more interested in science than philosophy, with the aim of making it truly scientific(Kenny, 1994:167).This shows that he really is both an empiricist and a rationalist in that he felt philosophy should also undergo the same rigorous interrogation as other academic disciplines, including the natural sciences. According to Kenny the distinction between a priori and a posteriori is central to Kants undertaking. A priori knowledge which is independent of all experience†¦In addition to a priori knowledge there is also empirical knowledge, knowledge derived from experience which Kant calls knowledge a posteriori'(1994:167).With regard to a priori knowledge, one can cite space as an example because yet one knows it exists. A posteriori refers to things we have seen, or touched or even felt. According to Shand, knowledge for Kant, as for Leibniz, had to be necessary and universally valid(1993:161).We are tempted to believe that if information was not universally accepted as fact, then it would not be regarded as knowledge. Kenny says Kant regarded all of mathematics as belonging to this realm: arithmetic and geometry were synthetic, since they extended our knowledge widely beyond pure logic, and yet they were a priori, deriving not from experience but from intuition(1994:168).This is an interesting philosophical statement in that two contradictory phenomena are combined to produce something qualitatively new, independent of experience, an understanding of which does not require one to be taught or even think hard.coeb ebr seebebw oreb ebk ineb foeb eb! Kant says there are two pure forms of sensible intuition, serving as principles of a priori knowledge, namely space and time(1994:169).It must be noted that both time and space can never be touched. After having asked himself what time and space were, he then came up with the answers. He made a distinction between a metaphysical exposition of an a priori concept and a transcendental exposition. Marshall defines metaphysics as a philosophical project which devises theory of the nature or structure of reality, or of the whole world. Transcendentalism is the belief that God stands outside and independent of the universe of which he is a creator(1994:325538). Kant says that the metaphysical exposition of space and time tells us that space and time are presupposed by, not derived from, experience; that we can imagine space and time without objects, but not objects without space and time, and that there is a single space and a single time, infinite in each case(Kenny, 1994:169).We are bound to believe that objects would not exist if space was non-existent, and that they have time within which they can exist. The transcendental exposition of the concepts of space and time shows how we can know truths about space and time which are not analytic and yet are a priori(Kenny, 1994:169). The implication here is that we do not necessarily have to experience a thing in order to know that it exists. CONCLUSION It has become apparent that social enquirers happen to tamper with the supposed objective enquiry by allowing their personal values to feed into their conclusions. Accepting that matters of value are matters of fact, their values must be correct. The mushrooming of social study over the last 100 or 150 years was partly inspired by the notion that social study was a matter of searching for general laws(Pratt, 1978:72).General laws, one would argue, are rather required by the natural sciences. With regard to social science, a particular kind of human behaviour cannot always be attributed to a particular kind of a problem. Suicide, for example, is not seen by every person as a solution to marital problems. Also, capital punishment does not necessarily deter potential murderers. Within natural science it is usually possible to use rigorous investigative techniques by bringing the objects under study into the laboratory. It is not as easy with humans, because one has to get approval from eg, the individuals themselves or the ethics committee. In a nutshell, we cannot employ the methods of the natural sciences in understanding the social world. This is evident in Winchs statement that †¦whereas the scientist investigates the nature, causes and effects of particular real things and processes, the philosopher is concerned with the nature of reality as such and in general(Hindess,1977:3).The two methods are inextricably intertwined despite their different approaches in their quest for valid knowledge and ability to predict. To declare social science a misnomer is arguably inaccurate in that both epistemic and ontological enquiries are social products employed in pursuit of knowledge for the benefit of society. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Bhaskar, R. 1979. The Possibility of Naturalism:A Philosophical Critique of the Contemporary Human Sciences. Atlantic Highlands, N.J. :Humanities Press. 2. Hamlyn, D.W. 1987. A History of Western Philosophy. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. 3. Haralambos, M Holborn, M.1980. Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. London. University Tutorial Press. 4. Harris, E.E. 1969. Fundamentals of Philosophy. George Allen Unwin Ltd. Great Britain. 5. Hindess, B.1977. Philosophy and Methodology in the Social Sciences. Sussex : The Harvester Press. 6. Keat, R Urry, J.1980.Social Theory as Science. Boston :Routledge Kegan Paul. 7. Kenny, A.1994. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Western Philosophy. Great Britain :Oxford University Press. 8. Le Roux,T., Romm,N. Uys, T.1986. Sociology.Pretoria : Unisa. qtiSgzkEX Visit coursework de in de fo de for de more hypothesis de Do de not de redistribute qtiSgzkEX 9. Marshall, G.1994. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Sociology. Great Britain :Oxford University Press. 10. Pratt, V. 1978. The Philosophy of the Social Sciences. New York: Methuen Co. 11. Shand, .J.1993.The philosophy and Philosophers. Harmondsworth :Penguin Books. 12. Stumpf, S.E.1983. Philosophy :History and Problems. New York. McGraw Hill, Inc. 13. Philosophy of Science, 2001.Philosophical Schools. http://mrrc.bio.uci.edu/se10/schools.html. 14. Catholic Encyclopedia.2002. Empiricism. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05407a.htm.

Actuarial Malpractice Essay -- Actuary

Actuarial Malpractice Actuaries are recognized for using mathematics in certain ways to estimate the financial obligations of a company. These approximations directly affect the company’s financial situation and outlook for the year. As any other professional occupation, standards must be followed to ensure the validity of the work being done. Risks of malpractice may arise if actuarial principles are not followed carefully. Actuarial malpractice has become a rising concern in holding actuaries liable for their work, where in previous years it was unheard of. For most professionals, designations must be acquired through a series of training and schooling. In the United States, actuarial candidates have the opportunity to be a part of the following organizations: the Society of Actuaries, the Casualty Actuarial Society, the Conference of Actuaries in Public Practice, and the American Academy of Actuaries. Each of these societies has specific requirements in the realm of passing exams and attaining work experience in the actuarial field. According to William Hager in The Emerging ...

Dream Company Essay

Technology has taken an uprising since the late 20th century to our world today. Everyone essentially owns some sort of technological device from cellphones to computers. Companies like Microsoft, Xerox and Canon have made our lives simpler and possibly much easier, but there was another company waiting to override the norm and push an industry giant to its limits. Apple Incorporated followed an unconventional path to its recent success in the computer industry, despite being consistently dominated by Microsoft. Apple Inc. s a multinational corporation headquartered in Cupertino, California that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, personal computers and portable digital music players, and mobile communications devices and sell a variety of related software, services, peripherals, and networking solutions. Its best-known hardware products are the Mac line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad. Its software includes the OS X and iOS operating systems, the iTunes, the Safari web browser, and the iLife and iWork creativity and production suites. The company was founded on April 1, 1976, and incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. on January 3, 1977. The word â€Å"Computer† was removed from its name on January 9, 2007, reflecting its shifted focus towards consumer electronics after the introduction of the iPhone. Apple is the world’s second-largest information technology company by revenue after Samsung Electronics and the world’s third-largest mobile phone maker after Samsung and Nokia. Fortune magazine named Apple the most admired company in the United States in 2008, and in the world from 2008 to 2012. However, the company has received criticism for its contractors’ labor practices, and for Apple’s own environmental and business practices. As of November 2012, Apple maintains 394 retail stores in fourteen countries as well as the online Apple Store and iTunes Store. It is the second-largest publicly traded corporation in the world by market capitalization, with an estimated value of US$ 414 billion as of January 2013. As of September 29, 2012; the company had 72,800 permanent full-time employees and 3,300 temporary full-time employees worldwide. Its worldwide annual revenue in 2012 totaled $156 billion. In May 2013, Apple had made it to the top ten of the Fortune 500 list of companies for the first time, taking the 6 position, 11 places up from the previous year Innovative Products Currently, Apple’s iPhone is the yearning of the modern man. Top-notch product design, an intuitive user-interface as well as fancy multimedia internet based services may contribute to its unique market position. Therefore, if not yet accomplished, many software developers are considering getting into the iPhone platform ASAP, serving the market Industry Leaders  For the past three years Apple has been known by fortune as the world’s most admired company. They are known for elegant product design, innovation, customer loyalty, brand-building marketing, and secrecy. Apple Inc. is considered to be as the industry leaders in innovation, design, versatility and customer satisfaction. The products that they introduce every single year a re the best in the challenge. The contenders may have products that are highly dreamed on by them but at a days end more people tend to shine into Apple’s products. The vision that Apple has to make their wonderful products is carried by none. Their products like the iPhone changed the entire mobile industry. iPhone was innovative that many people as well as the rival companies such as Nokia, Samsung and many other companies were mesmerized by the innovation and technological leap the Apple had achieved by introducing this product. Perks For the past three years Apple has been known by fortune as the world’s most admired company. They are known for elegant product design, innovation, customer loyalty, brand-building marketing, and secrecy. The financial statement projected that the company will continue to grow because of their product design to meet the consumer needs. The company has seen an increase in demand of products and service. Based on the company historical and projected future earnings and cash flow growth rates, any person who is looking for a smart short to medium term investment, Apple stock would be the right decision. Its steady growth in earnings and dividends can be viewed as acquiring moderate to risky equity. On December 29, 1994, Apple inventory increased to $1 billion. That was the inventory turnover for Apple. Their total revenue rose from $9. 8 billion in 1996 to above 19. 3 billion in 2006, which is a substantial increase of 96. 43% (Shlinds, 2007. ) On July 19, 2011 Apple, announced financial results for its fiscal 2011 third quarter ended June 25, 2011. The company earned quarterly revenue of $28. 57 billion and earned a quarterly net profit of $7. 31 billion. Those billions of dollars in sales had much to do with the sales of the Macs, iPhone, and iPad. The company sold 3. 95 million Macs during the quarter, a 14% unit increase over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 20. 34 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 142% unit growth over the year-ago quarter. They sold 9. 25 million iPads during the quarter, a 183% unit increase over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 7. 54 million iPod, a 20% unit decline for the year-ago quarter (www. apple. com. ) Macs, iPhone, and iPad sold in numbers greater than the company expect, but the sales from the iPod decreased. Even though the iPod sales dropped, it has dominated the market digital media player and managed to maintain in the United States. This is Apple best quarter ever with revenue up 82% and profits up 125%. Their cash flow has increased 131% year-over-year, with operations of $11. 1 billion. In December 2010, the cost of goods sold of $16. 4 billion was 61. 5% of revenue. The income statement continued to grow at rates rarely seen at a large company. The company continues to deliver to the marketplace and stimulate customer demand for new programs, products, and technological innovations. The company dominant leadership in virtually every product category it competes is an obvious proof of innovation and well-executed market. However, despite its market leadership, Apple management has traditionally under-promised, yet over-delivered on earnings quarter after quarter. This has been the primary means for the stock’s sudden ascent in recent years. Companies that grow faster than the operating cash-flow it generates are usual suspects when it comes to balance sheet maneuvering. Liquidity obviously is not a problem for Apple, but this forces the analysts following the company to scramble and keep raising their targets each time Apple consensus. Cash flow quality and earnings structure better reflect the correlation between stock price and the financial statement. Apple sales growth has been inclining, while Resource and Development spending (excluding previously capitalized software and technology acquired in acquisitions) as a percentage of sales has been declining. Any stock has the potential to be successful, but under-utilized assets or small allocations to develop innovative products which drive future profits would not be helpful on returns on assets/investments. Apple has no competition. Apple creates computers, phones, tablets, music players, operating systems, television set-top boxes, lifestyle and productivity software, professional media software, and wireless routers. They also sell movies and music, and they have an application store that so far has not been challenged. Nokia, Samsung, Sony might compete with Apple hardware, but they depend on Microsoft operating system. Microsoft makes operating system for computers and phones, and they produce office and other software similar to Apple’s, but they lack in hardware. Google with the Android, is not even a single operating system. It is a multitude of operating system versions on multiple devices. If Apple wants to change something on a device, either hardware or operating system, it can just do so. If Nokia, Samsung, or Sony wants to change their operating system, they would have to recieve confirmation from Microsoft. If Microsoft wants to advance their technology, they need buy-in from hardware makers. They make their profits from business-to-business, which mainly consists of selling licenses to its operating system to computer manufacturers and office suites for enterprises. That is not to say that they do not sell to consumers. They have consumer only product lines as the Xbox gaming console, and of course, home user also buy Windows and Office. On the other hand, Apple is primarily a consumer company, and makes most of its profit selling hardware products. This makes the target of Apple’s site much clearer for marketing, selling, and providing support for its products to consumers. The rest of the technology can only play catch up. A quote from Wayne Gretzky who said, â€Å"Good hockey players play where the puck is. Great hockey players skate to where the puck is going to be. Most of the tech industry is struggling to get where the puck was, (Raymond Meyers, 2011. ) In the previous paragraph I mention Apple did not have any competition, but if I had to choose two it would be Microsoft and Google. Apple leads Microsoft and Google in the S&P 500 in this illustration: Apple $401. 82 -$10. 32 (-2. 50%) Google $520. 66 -$18. 54(-3. 44%) Microsoft $ 25. 06 -$0. 93(-3. 50%) Microsoft is steady declining. Microsoft launched windows Vista; Windows users vigorously had rejected that upgrade. Fewer than 10% of windows users had switched and nearly 5% of windows PCs in use were running windows versions older than XP. Mobile device are steady increasing, which Apple has complete control over. Mobile operating systems account for nearly 3% of all Internet. The percentage of Internet usage on mobile devices has been doubling every eight months. The many tasks that PC handled are taking over by mobile devices. Microsoft was ahead almost as long as people were using PC, but technology has advanced into mobile devices. May 26, 2010 illustrated from mobile devices, Microsoft and Apple were about even at a Market cap of $223 billion, but Apple had increased rapidly to $306 billion, while Microsoft decreases to $212 billion. Apple site is generally more user friendly than Microsoft, and offers a much better experience to consumers who use it to check out the latest Apple products. Apple website is much smaller in scale than Microsoft’s site. Apple uses many of white space and subheadings to make everything more readable, yet they keep their website simple by not overusing too many different text. Microsoft hosts many different sites under the Microsoft. com brand, creating a whole ecosystem of sub-sites. Microsoft biggest problem is consistency. There is no global navigation, and there are not many visual clues that tell the user that this is a Microsoft site. Unlike Apple, where the whole site shares one unique visual that mirrors that of their hardware and software, thus creating a powerful brand. Google Android has become the closest smartphone that can stand up to the iPhone dominance. In this graph is shows the sale between smartphones: | Apple has more than three hundred retail stores in ten countries, in addition to an online store that offers its products to the customers across the globe (Apple Inc, 2011). This global network allows the company to develop and launch the products in it markets of America, Asia, and Europe. The company is officially listed as number one company that provides wide range of technology related products in the world after surpassing Microsoft. The company has more than 45,000 employees working on full-time basis and around 3,000 employees worldwide. It was noted that the company had earned the annual sales of around $67 billion US dollars from its worldwide operations (Apple Inc, 2010). The company is listed as one of the most admired companies in the United States and in the World for four consecutive years (Fisher, 2008 Colvin, 2009 Fortune, 2010). Apple products like Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod are manufactured in the United States, but the company is outsourcing the production of some of its product parts to the various international and national supply chain partners. For example, iPod are outsourced to its subcontractor in Hong Kong from where it is sent to the outsourced production plant of the company (Linden et al, 2007). The company saves money by outsourcing, but on the other hand, it increases the downsizing and unemployment rate in the United States. Price, place, promotion strategies, product performance, the quality, and reliability of the product, innovative designs as well as the availability of up-to-date software services are factors that can impact the business and profitability of Apple. The focus on manager at this point is the expansion of its smartphones and other media and communication devices. The competitors of Apple have numerous of resources that they can offer the business and consumer products and services similar to Apple’s products at a low price range. Decrease the price on Apple products by creating resources from other companies will attract more customers.

Key influences on the emergence of symbolic interactionism

Idealism Scottish Moralist Functional Psychology Darning's Evolution Pragmatism German Idealism: it is if the view that humans create the worlds they inhabit. That is human being occupy a world of our own making. It further argues that forms and perception have no existence prior to their objects. That is we create form and perception as we create symbolic material object. They believe that meaning is formed out of interaction. Scottish Moralist: It focuses on how the mind and self are social products.One of the theorists is Adams smith who talked extensively about role taking. Functional Psychology: Functional psychology argues that communication is the process which makes society. They are of the view that language makes the society possible because only human possess language they are active beings who do not passively respond to stimuli. Darning's Evolution: It argues that there Is novelty to human activity that perpetually defies both determinism and confident predictability. Th e evolution concept of process and emergence bestowed on some ideas such as behavior is a result of an adaptation to environment.Pragmatism: pragmatism are of the view that human beings are active creative agent and not passive. They argue that the world people live In Is the one they had In hand that Is shaped by them. They further argue that subjectivity does not exist prior to experience but it rather flows from It.