On the Meaningfulness of Socrates Life - Free Essay Example

To someone in modern society who does not study philosophy, the name Socrates is synonymous with the image of a well-known philosopher. Some will recognize him as a significant figure and contributor to ancient Greeces reputation as a cornerstone of philosophy. There are also many who disagree with his views, whether that be in his time, in ours, or in between. Its what ultimately resulted in his sentencing and execution (Plato 40). Were his actions during life meaningful enough to justify his death as a bold defense, or was it a mere shell of purpose and contribution? Answering this requires a description a meaningful life. Recently, Susan Wolf has provided such a description in her essay, The Meanings of Lives. Under her definition, it seems that Socrates life has meaning after all. To be considered meaningful, life cannot be inactive, as described by Wolfs description which of a person whose life is lived in hazy passivity (Wolf 3-4). The entire basis of his trial was that he was a bit too active for many Athenians liking. In opposition of what a normal citizen of Athens would occupy themselves with such as working, Socrates has chosen to question those around him, as he went to one of those reputed wise thought that he appeared wise to many people and especially to himself, but he was not approached another man (Plato 25). The sheer number of encounters and their nature brought him a myriad of unpopularity. A significant portion of the jury that was trying Socrates gave the verdict of guilty, then proceeded to also give him the death sentence (Plato 38, 40). Had he not engaged with and offended so many citizens of Athens, it would have been unlikely if not impossible for so much of the jury to vote against him. Some may be inclined to think he lived an inactiv e life because of his lack of economic contribution to Athens. To do so, however, would be to suggest that intellectual contribution is worthless in the face of material, which would be absurd given how much intelligence helped elevate the status of humanity to be the planets dominant species. Being active does not necessarily mean that Socrates life is meaningful if it can be characterized as [a life] whose dominant activities seem pointless, useless, or empty. (Wolf 4). There are arguments on both sides on whether what he did had any point, although there are indications of some resemblance of a goal or purpose. He sees his questioning of those that are less wise than him as a duty that has been enjoined upon [him] by the god, by means of oracles and dreams (Plato 36). He has a reason to do what he is doing because of what he believes to be divine compulsion. Outside of what only he believes in, Socrates also testifies that there are those that enjoy hearing those being questioned who think they are wise, but are not (Plato 36). In this sense, his activities were not empty because it was supposed to spread his ways. Because at least one purpose for his actions was identified, his life cannot be entirely pointless, even if the purpose is controversial. Still, its not enough for Socrates to have a goal. His actions must manifest in actual results, it will not do to be engaged in just anythingone must be engaged in a project or projects that have some positive value (Wolf 5) After Socrates trial, his close friend Crito tries to convince him to escape. One of the points made is that there are many who are willing to help him and would be distraught to see him die, including Simmias the Theban [who] has brought enough [money] for this very purpose. Cebes too, and a good many others (Plato 45). He has spread his way of thinking to others, and to such success that a significant number of people are willing to assist in this dire time. His very legacy is also a testament to his actions having positive value. In modern times, he is recognized as one of the most influential philosophers, giving rise to the tendency to question. This behavior is widespread in philosophy and is responsible for many future cultural and technological advances, such as the rejection of the churchs absolute authority. Some might disagree that he contributed positively because questioning is not inherently good. However, it would be wise to recognize that positive values do have moral properties, and thus do not have to be good. Although Socrates life fits Wolfs definition of a meaningful life, the definition itself can also be examined. The basic elements of Wolfs definition include an active life that engages in projects of positive value. The definition itself is sound in that, to be meaningful, a life should be making some sort of difference. This corresponds to positive value, and it trickles down from there. To have positive value, it must be the result of a project, and to engage in a project, one must be active enough beforehand to start one. The vagueness of the overall definition to include many interpretations is intended, because there is no one way to define meaning or this would be answered long ago quite easily. At the same time, the existence of a definition allows some, but not total, guidance to an answer. As such, the definition is integrally and logically sound. Socrates, in a simple view, was just a man who walked around and frustrated or baffled citizens around him. He was not the most exciting figure in history. However, to dismiss his life as meaningless despite his consistency and legacy would be erroneous.

Essay on Online Social Networking and Politics - 2683 Words

Introduction The internet is one of the most dynamic inventions in the history of mankind. It spreads knowledge and allows for rapid communication amongst untold numbers of people on a scale previously unimaginable. It has revolutionized countless aspects of the modern world, ranging from its effects on business practices and the economy to creating new forms of leisure activities and educational content. The multitude of ways the internet has affected the modern world is truly astonishing. Online social networking is a relatively recent phenomenon of the internet. Online social networks have permeated their ways into millions of peoples’ lives. People create digital identities of themselves, updating and maintaining their online†¦show more content†¦Dean trailed in the polls miserably, garnering support that was typically less than the margin of error. But Dean was a unique candidate. Part of his appeal was that he was not a traditional polished politician, but was an â€Å"outs ider† to the political game. The Dean campaign was not getting much media coverage (Trippi called them â€Å"dismissive†). The Dean camp felt the only way to succeed was to bypass the traditional means of building a campaign and â€Å"appeal directly to the American people† (Rampton, 2004). Joe Trippi brought with him a background of working for dot-coms in Silicon Valley, giving him significant exposure to the web. He noticed that while Dean trailed in the polls, the social networking portal Meetup.com (where users group up on a specific topic and propose meeting times at local venues) had 432 members for the Howard Dean group, more than any other political candidate. Trippi put a link to the Meetup.com portal on the Dean campaign site—membership leapt to 2,700, while the next closest Democratic candidate, John Kerry, had only 330 members (Rampton, 2004). These numbers would continue to grow: in January of 2004, just before the Iowa caucuses, Dean boasted 177,000 people registeredShow MoreRelatedPolitics, Power And Communication1633 Words   |  7 PagesUNIVERSITY Case Study Name: Jun Fu (Fu Jun) Student number: 130336769 Module: Com3077: Politics, Power and Communication Submission date: 18/04/2016 Word count: 1452 words I declare that this assignment is my own work and that I have correctly acknowledged the work of others. This assignment is in accordance with University and School guidance on good academic conduct. The iconic image on social media: how a single image transformed the debate on refugee and immigration An image ofRead MoreSocial Networking: An Important Aspect fo the Average American1571 Words   |  6 PagesSocial networking has proven to become an important aspect of the average American’s daily life. Statistics show that 73% of all online users utilize some form of social networking. 90% of Internet users aging from 18-29 years old have a social network. (pewinternet.org) There are two prominent stances on the social networking epidemic that has arisen over the years. Many hold the opinion that social networking is an invention to be taken advantage of. Yet, many also believe that social networkingRead MoreClassification Based On User Using Facebook Based Profile Implementation Essay1539 Words   |  7 PagesReasearch, Wagholi, Pune, india Abstract: Social Networking Portal like Facebook attracts more and more illegal activities. Social Networking Portal such as Facebook is developed and limitations of Facebook are removed by keeping watch on all types of activities performed on this Portal. Classification of user posts into different categories such as Politics, Education, Entertainment, Sports etc. is made based on analysis of post messages in this Social Network Portal. Interest of any friend canRead MoreHow Social Media Has Impacted Politics Essay1738 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction and Background Social media has become a major part of communication today. It has changed the way people find each other, share interest and ideas, not to mention how it has changed how companies advertise and communicate with their customers. Based on this year alone, social media has impacted politics in a major way. The goal was to reach the young generation by engaging in social media platforms by simply posting, commenting and video sharing [10]. Social networking sites has mobilized potentialRead MoreReflections on Social Media1008 Words   |  5 PagesReflection on Social Media Social media, in recent years has provided people with fast, convenient ways to communicate with other people from around the world. People can use social media to do research, communicate with others or do their work online and these services are usually free. However many people believe that there certain downsides to these conveniences. Social media has suffered some bad publicity from things like identity thefts, false profiles, and online predators. Nonetheless, social mediaRead MoreEssay about The Role of Social Media in American Society 1127 Words   |  5 PagesWhen analyzing the role of social media in American society, several questions come to mind. What is social media and are these social media and networking sites helpful to the people of America; can these sites be used to enhance or do they intrude in the relationships people have with others, and can they be integrated into their daily lives successfully. As the world becomes more and more technology friendly, the i nternet has transformed into a place that nearly everyone can go to get away. WithRead MoreSocial Networking Effects On The Socialization Of People1302 Words   |  6 PagesIn twelve years the social networking site has surely grown quite a bit from the site intended to allow Harvard students to connect with one another. Today, Facebook is a site filled with advertisements and cheaply made free-to-play games. Cat pictures and cheery posts that say, â€Å"Like/share if you love Jesus!† riddle the landscape of a service that is supposed to be actually connecting people. Things like this have led people to lose hope in online social networking. To some it seems likeRead MoreSocial Media And Its Impact On Our Lives Essay1099 Words   |  5 PagesIn a time where almost everyone owns a smartphone, social media and technology have evolved into a crucial part of daily life. Most people engage with social media without stopping to think what the effects are on our lives, whether positive or negative. Are we as a society becoming more concerned with Instagram followers than we are with the people we interact with face-to-face in our daily lives? It is worth researching the impact it has on our lives for both users and nonusers. According toRead MoreThe Positives Of Social Media1570 Words   |  7 PagesPositives in Social Media Social Media use is progressively increasing and has definitely become part of our everyday life. This is occurring because there are so many benefits to using Social Media. As we move along in life people worldwide are beginning to become more reliant on Social Media and different technologies. Social Media is defined as websites and other online applications that enable users or large groups of people to create and share content or to participate in social and professionalRead MoreSocial Media And Networking. Online Social Media Sites1285 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Media and Networking Online social media sites enable users to connect with other people who share similar interests. Members of the social networking world can post news, videos, pictures, and other content. The huge popularity of these social media sites has generated debate on a variety of issues, including safety concerns, privacy, and usage. A social network is â€Å"an online service or site through which people create and maintain interpersonal relationships† (Merriam-Webster 2017). Social

A Theory Of Human Motivation By Abraham Maslow - 911 Words

In my English 101 class, we as a class were asked to read the passage, â€Å"A Theory of Human Motivation,† by Abraham Maslow, and then write an analysis of the film, Homeless to Harvard: The Lizz Murray Story (The Analysis Assignment Instructions). We were told to use Maslow’s theory as an analytical tool and apply what he states in regards to human motivation to the characters in the film (201-205). Mr. Barrera, my English professor, helped with additional amplification and illustration in showing the connection of the film to Maslow’s theory. The study of this film has become a trigger in how I am able to compare Maslow’s theory in showing what motivates us and how to achieve it. The film did show me that there is nothing ever too impossible to achieve as long as we stay persistent in reaching our final levels of self-actualization and transcendence. By sharing this with you my hopes is to show that even though some claim that this is a failed theory, i t may not work for the many, but it has proven to work for the few. Abraham Maslow is an American psychologist that is known as â€Å"one of the most influential humanistic psychologist† and founder that put forward the discussion of the humanistic approach. His approach demonstrates the hierarchy of needs in order to achieve the top level of fulfilling ones personality. There are 8 stages of needs as shown in the figure provided by Education Psychology Interactive: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: â€Å"Maslow posited a hierarchy of humanShow MoreRelatedAbraham Maslow : The Theory Of Human Motivation1356 Words   |  6 PagesAbraham Maslow: The Theory of Human Motivation Abraham Harold Maslow was an American psychologist, born on April 1st 1908 in Brooklyn New York City, N.Y. Maslow is better known for the creating of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which I believe to be human motivation. This is considered to be a theory of psychological health predicted on fulfilling human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization. Maslow being ranked as the 10th most cited psychologist of the 20th century; from a book whichRead MoreA Theory Of Human Motivation By Abraham Maslow1157 Words   |  5 Pagesreason for the actions and behaviors they execute daily, those reasons are their motivations. These motivations are unique to the individual, as Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, wrote in his 1943 paper, A Theory of Human Motivation, in which he describes the hierarchy of needs, generalizing what every human requires for life. He describes these needs as a five-tiered hierarchy system and are what motivates each human in their life and is st ructured so that an individual cannot reach the nextRead MoreAbraham Maslow s Theory Of Human Motivation1670 Words   |  7 PagesAbraham Maslow Abraham Maslow was always visually examining the greater scope of human nature. Whereas most of his counterparts of his day seemed to be more concerned with a narrower scope, Maslow s own vision was far-reaching. His lifetime of revelations in motivation and personality transcended academic psychology, and extended into the major business fields of management and marketing. Maslow additionally explored how and individual perceives their existence and beginning to display signs ofRead MoreEssay on Maslow Hierarchy of Needs1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe Study of Maslow Hierarchy of Needs This essay study is about Maslows school of thought. Maslows hierarchy of needs is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels. I liked the way he differed from traditional psychologists. For example, he studied happy, high performing people to learn more about what they had in common. Maslows main contributions to psychology were the founding of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology in 1961. There were many occurrences during his lifetime thatRead MoreAbraham Maslow Life Span Development and Personality1082 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham Maslow Life Span Development and Personality Abraham Maslow was born April 1, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York. Abraham Maslow grew up in Brooklyn, New York, the first of seven children born to his Jewish parents who emigrated from Russia. His parents were uneducated, but they insisted that he study law. Maslow later described his early childhood as unhappy and lonely, and he spent much of his time in the library immersed in books. At first, Abraham acceded to their wishes and enrolled in theRead MoreBiography of Abraham Maslow867 Words   |  4 Pagesdepth and thoroughly as the ones above mentioned is Mr. Abraham Harold Maslow. Out of all psychologists in the known world, there has never been and never will be anyone who comes close to his ideas, thoughts, actions, and psychoanalyses of the human mind. Maslow was born on April 1, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the oldest of seven children born to his Jewish parents that emigrated from Russia. They had no education and wanted Maslow to get as much education as he could while living hereRead MoreA Comparison of Theorist1317 Words   |  6 Pagesmost talented theorists of the time. Abraham Maslow and B.F. Skinner are just two of the many theorists that have formed the organization in today’s classrooms. This paper will address the differences in the theories and the similarities. It will describe how each theory can be implemented in the learning environment of an early childhood classroom. Lastly, it will describe each theory that will be compared supported by research. Comparison of two Theories Operant Behavior Conditioning of BurrhusRead MoreMaslow s Motivation And Personality1604 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to Robert Frager, editor of the third edition of Maslow’s Motivation and Personality, the theorist Abraham Maslow was born in 1908 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the first of seven children born to Russian - Jewish immigrants. While Maslow’s father was uneducated, he pushed his son academically and encouraged him to become a lawyer. Maslow began his extensive education at City College of New York but later told his father that he did not want to study law. In 1928, after marrying hisRead MoreMaslows Essay1160 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham H Maslow was a psychologist who developed a theory that sought to explain human behaviour in terms of basic needs for survival and growth. (www.enotes.com. 2002). This paper will define Maslow’s theory (a ‘hierarchy of needs’) and explain how differences in priorities influence and inform upon consumer behaviour. Maslow developed his ‘hierarchy of needs’ in an attempt to describe patterns of human behaviour, and to try to understand the processes behind the actions of consumers. In essenceRead MoreAbraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Essay1019 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Abraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs is one of the first theories of motivation and probably the best-known one. It was first presented in 1943. in Dr. Abraham Maslow’s article A Theory of Human Motivation in Psychological Review, and was further expanded in his book â€Å"Toward a Psychology of Being†. Maslow tried to formulate a needs-based framework of human motivation. His research was based upon his clinical experiences with humans, rather than prior

Music During The 1920 S - 1609 Words

Music in the 1920’s The Jazz Age was a cultural movement that took place in America during the 1920 s (also known as the Roaring Twenties) from which both jazz music and dance emerged. This movement matched with both the equally phenomenal introduction of mainstream radio and the conclusion of World War I. The 1920s was the decade that marked the beginning of the modern music era. Some of the popular music genres were Jazz, Dance Bands, Blues, and Broadway. The decade marked the beginning of independent record companies, smaller operations that weren’t afraid to take a chance on music and artists that the bigger companies shied away from. After researching on the internet about the music in the 1920’s, I was fascinated by this topic and wanted to learn more about it. This topic in particular seems interesting to me because it gives me a better understanding about how people used to have fun back then and how music made people’s lives less stressful. It als o interested me the different types of music that were played in the 1920s such as Jazz, which became the most famous type of music during this particular time. In addition, what I’m interested in learning about music in the 1920s is who were some of the most famous singers and songs, how did people dance to the music, and where would people gather to have a good time. I also would like to learn about the person who created and inspired the Jazz music. During the 1920s, African American jazz culture had an amazingShow MoreRelatedLifestyles of the Rich and Famous in the Roaring Twenties Essay1015 Words   |  5 PagesRich and Famous in the Roaring 20’s The Roaring Twenties†, The Era of Wonderful Nonsense, The Decade of the Dollar , The Period of the Psyche, Dry Decade and the age of Alcohol and Al Capone†, these slogans are all ways to describe the 1920’s in just a few words. (The 1920s: Lifestyles and Social Trends: Overview) The 1920’s were a decade of parties, money, and extravagant lifestyles. The decade portrayed the American Dream of women, money, alcohol, music, and partying. In the twentiesRead MoreAdvancements During The Roaring Twenties Essay527 Words   |  3 Pagesthought to be full of prosperity, music, dancing, and happiness. The 1920’s are often referred to as the â€Å"roaring twenties,† but many histories purpose that this is not a correct interpretation of this time period. America may have not been good for the some of the lower class in this time period, but the 1920’s were fantastic for most of the middle and upper class living in urban cities. The advantages of this time period did outweigh the bad, which is why the 1920’s are called the â€Å"roaring twentiesRead MoreThis essay, 1920s vs 1960s, writen in AABB format, deals with the comparison of; general statistics, fashion styles of both men women, music, controversial issues.1502 Words   |  7 Pages1920s vs. 1960s Over the past century, people living in the United States have experienced many changes. As the times change, so do the people. In the 1920s, people acted differently then compared to the people in the 1960s. Yet, they both have one thing in common; they shaped our history. In the 1920s, about 106,521,537 people inhabited the United States. It was a rough period in our history, with about 2,132,000 people unemployed and murder, swindles, and racketeering as the most popularRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1138 Words   |  5 Pages The Roaring 20’s â€Å"There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired.† (F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby). This is a famous quote from Fitzgerald because this is what the 1920’s was about.The American Dream was about working hard for what you want and this quotes sums it up. Everybody in the 1920’s worked hard for what they had and wanted. The 1920’s was a time to remember. The 1920’s was known by so many names. For example the Jazz Age, Flappers, the ‘New† Women andRead MoreJazz During the 1920s1147 Words   |  5 PagesJazz During the 1920s The 1920’s was a time of innovation, creativity, and recklessness, causing a need for a new style of music. Jazz was fast-paced, upbeat, and very adaptive and it would go hand-in-hand with hedonistic lifestyle, truly giving the 20’s the title of The Jazz Age. Jazz is a style of music composed of various instruments. Originating in New Orleans, Louisiana it is believed that jazz rose up from the traditional African American style of dance music. As Jazz progressed itRead More Iron Jawed Angels Essays546 Words   |  3 PagesIron Jawed Angels Iron Jawed Angels is a film which portrays the womens suffrage movement during the 1920s. The film is a documentary and a drama which uses live action and music to deliver the sympathetic and distressful mood the film creates. An example of the distressful mood is when the suffragists refuse to eat when they go to prison. This shows how passionate and distressed the suffragists are to get the 19th amendment passed, which would give women the right to vote. The films messageRead MoreThe Essence Of The 1920 S1659 Words   |  7 PagesEssence of the 1920’s in The Great Gatsby â€Å"The Roaring Twenties was the period of great American prosperity which was built on shaky foundations.† For decades, the 1920’s have been interpreted as a period of economic prosperity and social change in which the novel The Great Gatsby was born. In the early 1920’s, the United States experienced a period of immense reorganization of social and economical life; therefore, this post- World War I era became referred to as â€Å"The Roaring 20’s†, â€Å"The Jazz Age†Read MoreFlappers Essay931 Words   |  4 PagesThe 1920s was a very special time for woman. Women started standing for up for themselves and making points to men that women can do just the same as them, and that women should be equal to men and have the same rights. That’s where flappers came from. Flappers were basically woman who stood out and did what they wanted. Womens rights were changed drastically because of flappers, now women are more equal to men. Flappe rs had a large impact on the American culture going from woman’s right, music andRead MoreThe Jazz Age Essay1472 Words   |  6 PagesThe era of the Roaring Twenties, was a time of great societal change. Many of these changes were greatly influenced by jazz music. During this time, the country was coming out of World War I and the attitude of most people was dark and dismal. Dance and music clubs became tremendously popular in an effort to improve the quality of life for many people. After experiencing the death and destruction caused by World War I, young men and women were ready for a change. They wanted to forget aboutRead MoreThe Similarities and Differences of the 1920’s and 1950’s898 Words   |  4 Pagesturbulent times in history have come the greatest ages of success and prosperity. The 1920’s and 1950’s are two eras that exemplify the spirit of triumph and wealth. In both decades, a nation thrilled by the victorious conclusion of war and the return of their loved ones from war entered into an age of capitalism and materialism, bolstering the economy and with it national pride. Some of features most common to the 20’s and 50’s were consumerism and the accompanying optimistic mindset, the extent to which

Foreign Clultures Example

Essays on Foreign Clultures Coursework FOREIGN CULTURES Over the years, demographics in the United s of America have been used to reveal quite a numberof developments in the country’s population. These trends are known to create a relationship between changes that relate to age, location, gender, marital status, employment status, race, religion and others. In most cases, the above stated trends are used to group people in different social roles.For instance, the current market demographic segmentation can be identified to consist of market divisions that are based on variables such as the above named trends. As expected, the demographic variables are considered the most popular ways of dividing consumer groups. These divisions can be linked to association of business and variables like income and age.Although it is easy to accept that the effects of the trends named above are unavoidable in the community, it is essential to realize that they can cause differences in the society. According to the second email, the people who have low education are associated with achieving low education. Furthermore, the email tries to bring some information about gender whereby most of the lowly educated employers are women.Race is a factor that has contributed to the success or failure of various individuals in the country (DeVita 23). For instance, the minority sub cultures are believed to acquire low quality education, resulting to low paying jobs. Concurrently, the people in that bracket end up living below the poverty line. Although Christianity has dominated in the United States of America, there is lack of equality. In America, the greatest cultural influence is identified with education achievement, income, and wealth.Work citedDeVita, Philip R. America as a Foreign Culture. New York: Wadsworth Publishing, 2001. Print.

Neonaticide free essay sample

For a woman to destroy the fruit of her womb would seem like an ultimate violation of the natural order. But every year, hundreds of women commit neonaticide: they kill their newborns or just let them die. Most neonaticides remain undiscovered , but every once in a while a janitor follows a trail of blood to a tiny body in a trash bin, or a woman faints and doctors find the remains of a placenta inside of her. The day you are born is the day you are most likely to be the victim of homicide. This cheerless statistic holds true whether you live in South Africa or any other part of the world. The perpetrator will almost certainly be your mother. Research has shown that she will most likely be under 25, unmarried, still living at home or in poor circumstances, either still at school or unemployed, emotionally immature and astonishingly secretive. We will write a custom essay sample on Neonaticide or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She has carried you to full term without telling a soul of your existence. And somehow the parents with whom she resides never suspect she is with child. Until of course it becomes obvious. Now that you are born, it’s not depression or psychosis that moves her to murder you. Mental illness rarely plays a part in this sort of killing. Nor is she overwhelmed by the feeling that life is simply too harsh for such a defenseless little creature for whom she cares a great deal. There is rarely great violence in the manner that she kills you, her new born child. She may simply abandon you to the elements. The only intense feeling she has is the desire to see you gone. She may even deny that you exist at all. This is the profile of neonaticide, the murder of a newborn in its first 24 hours of life, and a form of infanticide peculiar to industrialized countries. Two cases have riveted the public recently. Last November, Amy Grossberg and Brian Peterson, 18 year old college sweethearts, delivered their baby in a motel room and according to prosecutors, killed him and left his body in a dumpster. They will go on trial for murder next year and, if convicted, could be sentenced to death. In June, another 18 year old, Melissa Drexler, arrived at her high school prom, locked herself in a bathroom stall, gave birth to a boy and left him dead in a garbage can. Everyone knows what happened next; she touched herself up and returned to the dance floor. In September a grand jury indicted her for murder. How could they do it? Nothing melts the heart like a helpless baby. Even a biologists cold calculations tell us that nurturing an offspring that carries our genes is the whole point of our existence. Neonaticide, many think, could be only a product of pathology. The psychiatrists uncover childhood trauma. The defense lawyers argue temporary psychosis. The experts blame a throwaway society, permissive sex education and, of course, rock lyrics. But its hard to maintain that neonaticide is an illness when we learn that it has been practiced throughout history. And that neonaticidal women do not commonly show signs of psycopathology. Some argue that those who kill infants in the first twenty-four hours of the child’s life usually commit the act without any premeditation, acting in a state of impulsive panic and, as such, are no threat to society, making imprisonment unwarranted. Studies have shown that only 70 percent of mothers were charged with homocide and 30 percent were charged with unlawful disposal of a body. At the end of the day a human life was taken and this amounts to murder. You cant quibble over a more serious or a less serious charge, murder is murder! 30 years behind bars is fair but parenting classes and councelling can never justify the death of an innocent baby. I firmly believe that killing a baby is an immoral act, and we often express our outrage by calling it a sickness. But normal human motives are not always moral, and neonaticide does not have to be a product of malfunctioning neural circuitry or a dysfunctional upbringing. We can try to understand what would lead a mother to kill her newborn, remembering that to understand may help prevent further cases.

Information Systems Management and Strategy Educational Services

Question: Discuss about theInformation Systems Management and Strategy forEducational Services. Answer: Organization Overview AusEd Inc is a not for profit organization that is based out of Australia and provides various educational services and programs to the student all across the globe. A major section of the students that are engaged with the organization belong to Australia, Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific Islands. The organization is legally registered as not for profit higher education provider in Australia. Distance education programs that the organization offers can be studied by the students from anywhere in the world and the organization arranges for various modes of learning such as e-classes, one on one discussions with a lecturer online and many others. There are various other Information Technology and business educational programs that are offered at the bachelor and master levels. Sales, course delivery and operations are the three major areas that the organization deals with. Competitive Environment Online learning is one area that has increased with the advancement in the technology and digital innovations. There is also a shift that has been seen in the educational system over the past few years. There are many people who prefer distance learnings due to a number of different reasons such as job location, family issues and many others. It is because of the demand of such courses that many public and private firms have been offering the online educational services and programs to the students on a global platform. The primary domain in which AusEd Inc provides its courses is Information Technology and Business which is again a high on demand course that has a lot many providers in the market. There is an annual growth of over 8.7% that has been seen in this industry and thus the numbers of competitors are huge (Ibisworld, 2016). Assessment of Information Systems Maturity The three primary areas in which the organization functions are Sales, Course Delivery and Operations. There are a number of different Information Systems that are being currently utilized by the organization for various purposes (James, 2016). The organization has its two prime objectives as listed below. To enhance the income by expanding the source of funding To keep the cost associated with the non-core activities as low as possible (Norton, 2015) Existing Systems The company makes use of MYOB Mind Your Own Business as the accounting software that provides services such as accounting, tax related and many others to the small and medium scale businesses. The company also aims to make use of Moodle for learning management and Photo-Exam as an add-on to Moddle (Myob, 2016). Review of Current Information Systems There are a number of improvements that can be done to the existing Information Systems to achieve the objectives that are set for the organization. Cost Comparison of Accounting Software Packages in Australia (Carey, 2015) The cost associated with MYOB for the basic software package is more than many other accounting packages that can fulfill the needs of AusED Inc in terms of required accounting services. The organization can make use of Reckon or Xero as the accounting packages for reducing the cost that is involved (Afpbb, 2016). Emerging Information and Communications and Technology Social Media Integration Social media networking and integration is on a rapid increase in the current era. The same can be utilized for the achieving the first objective of the organization. This innovation in the field of ICT has come up as a disruptive innovation and has introduced a number of new values in the same field. The active presence of the organization on the social networking platforms and the advanced integration with the same would allow the expansion of the business network and will also be easy to manage. The management and administrative staff will also be able to understand the student preferences and choices in a better way by keeping a track of their likes, dislikes, choices etc. through social media platforms. This will allow better data analysis and will also make the administration to extract useful reports. NoSQL Databases AusEd Inc is a not for profit organization and the employees that are associated with the same are engaged in a number of different tasks and responsibilities. The organization may use NoSQL as the databases that are based on cloud computing techniques and are specifically designed to store and manage Big Data. The numbers of students that are associated with AusEd are increasing rapidly and therefore the necessity to store, manage and handle the data is also increasing. NoSQL databases will serve the requirement at a negligible cost as there are a number of open source databases that are commercially available (MongoDB, 2016). There will also be a number of advantages that these databases will offer to the organization such as it will be able to efficiently handle and manage large volumes of data along with enhanced features such as maintenance of logs, extraction of reports, data analytics, data statistics and many others. These databases can be easily used by a non-technical execu tive and the same will result in cost savings associated with operations and resources as well (Januzaj, Ajdari and Selimi, 2015). Opportunities for Competitive Advantage There are a number of opportunities that are present for the organization to gain competitive advantage with the development in the field of information systems management. Online learning and education is expanding rapidly in Australia along with other parts of the globe which will provide the organization to attract a huge number of students from various areas Information Technology and Systems is one area in education that has a huge demand among the students There are various modes of operations that can be used by the organization to provide quality education services and courses to the students Methods of Overcoming Resistance to Change There will be a number of changes that will be introduced in the organizational structure and policies with the modifications and advancements done to the information systems that are being utilized in the organization. These changes that will be introduced will be associated with the students as well as for the employees. These changes might impact the level of satisfaction for the students as well as the employees. It would be necessary for the organization to make sure that the changes are not resisted for long and are overcome quickly. These changes will be overcome by a series of defined steps to manage and handle the same. Preparation for Changes: The changes will be planned in this phase for preparation of the same to be managed and reinforced with ease. Management of Change: The changes will be managed and handled in this phase by streamlining them and arranging for various trainings for the users and employees by creating a training schedule. Reinforcement of Change: The changes will be reinforced, monitored and reviewed in this phase to make sure that the resistance to the same is completely overcome (Hedge, 2016). Leadership and Governance Structure It is necessary to have a required level of leadership and governance structure in the organization to make sure that the objectives of the organization are met and the activities performed by the employees are done correctly keeping all the ethical, legal, quality and technical considerations in to perspective. The management and leadership structure shall be cascaded in a number of different levels and shall be mapped to the team members and resources for communication purposes. The levels shall be divided as top level, middle level and low level management. The team members shall be made clear about their immediate and advanced points of contact in case of conflicts and disputes along with any other discussion that is required. Reviews, audits and monitoring of the activities are extremely important task of the leadership to maintain required governance and validate and verify the activities that are performed. The leaders of the organization must make sure that the timely reviews and monitoring is carried out to understand the progress of various projects and the adherence to the best standards and practices. There shall also be informal discussions that shall be conducted by the leaders so that the employees may not hesitate in bringing up the issues and problems in focus. It would aid the leadership to resolve the issues in a timely manner and would also reflect on the positive results. There are various leadership and management methodologies that have been defined and can be adapted by the leadership to understand and follow a defined process for the overall management. There are also a number of automated tools that are now available for free for the leaders for various leadership and reporting activities. These points shall be implemented in the organization to achieve effective and enhanced leadership and governance in the organization. References Afpbb, (2016). 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