Minimum Wage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Minimum Wage - Essay Example Based on research and statistics, it should be said that minimum wage rates, when increasing rather than remaining steady, have broad negative consequences to state and federal economies. THE EVIDENCE Some of the highest state-issued minimum wage rates are Vermont at $8.46, Washington at $9.04 and Oregon at $8.80 (Parrott, 1). The intention of these increases was to improve poverty rates and also stimulate more consumption in the economy. However, a very recent news article indicates that the unemployment rate in Oregon has increased to 8.9 percent in September, up almost a whole percentage point in August (Foden-Vencil, 1). In Washington state, the unemployment rate rose from 8.3 percent in June to 8.6 percent in September (PSBJ, 1). In Vermont, the unemployment rate rose from 4.7 percent to five percent in August (CT Post, 1). Why is this significant? The New England Public Policy Center indicates that rises in the minimum wage rate make it more inviting for business owners to cut employee benefits in an effort to offset higher payroll costs. A current study discovered statistically that when minimum wage rates increase by 20 percent, business-sponsored health care offerings to employees also decrease by four percent (NEPPC, 8). Because many business owners do not like to carry the stigma that is usually associated with social judgment for non-compliance to corporate social responsibility, they will often reduce hours of existing employees rather than slashing health care benefits (NEPPC, 8). All of these efforts are intended to prevent significant capital losses that occur when the minimum wage rates increases, especially important for small business owners without a strong cash or market position. Three of the states having the highest minimum wage rates also all have increases in the unemployment rate at the state level. According to the National Center for Public Policy Research, minimum wage hikes actually cause job losses in the long-term (NCPPR, 1). Th is is because it is usually the small business owner that offers jobs at a minimum wage, however small businesses make up the majority of businesses currently operating in the United States. At the same time, small business owners are experiencing inflationary increases in their supply chain, cost of health care provision, distribution and transportation for finished products, and utility costs. Therefore, significant spikes in minimum wage cannot be offset except through investment and hedging strategies, which is something that small business is not in a position to consider. Texas is one example of a state with a low minimum wage, in-line with the federal rate of $7.25. This state saw a very modest increase in unemployment from July to September, however, the unemployment rate was nearly 100 percent stable from 2010 through most of 2012 (ycharts.com, 1). Unlike other states with significant wage increases and sharp increasing spikes in unemployment, Texas seems to defy the direct relationship between wage increases and unemployment rises. The same is true for Ohio, which also maintains a rate of $7.25, and this particular state saw modest drops month after month in 2012, with a currently stable rate of 7.25 percent, down from over 10% in 2010. This implication in this case, when compared to higher rates, is quite obvious. At the federal level, minimum wage also has negative consequences when it is raised. It should however, to prevent bias from the analysis, recognize that higher wage increases provide

Exegesis on Request of James and John in The Bible :: essays research papers

Exegesis on the Request of James and John 10:35-45 The context call of Christian discipleship is from chapters 8:22 – 10:52 these chapters are devoted to informing us of the disciples following Jesus and includes to miracles. These miracles emphasize that the disciples at this stage have no real knowledge or belief of the mystery of the son of man or his destiny and theirs. This passage â€Å"the request of James and John† is placed after â€Å"a third time Jesus foretells his death and resurrection†, and before â€Å"the healing of the blind Bartimaeus.† â€Å"A third time Jesus foretells his death and resurrection.† This is third passion prediction of Jesus addressing to his disciples about his fate and destiny to die, it also happens to be the most graphic and vivid described than the other two. It opens with Jesus and his disciples on the road to Jerusalem, and his disciples following him were afraid. Jesus took them aside and begins describing his death and resurrection. The cause of the disciples fears it that they do not know Jesus’ destination or his predictions. The disciples are blind in their understanding of Jesus’ Messiahship, their interpretation of a messiah is typical in all the other Jews minds. That God promised a messiah in the line of David, and would lead the Jew’s to victory in every battle, and fight it for them. In this sense the disciples expect that Jesus is going to throw out the foreign aliens (Romans). However it is through suffering, dying and the resurrection that the real truth or message of Jesus is revealed. â€Å"The healing of Blind Bartimaeus† 10: 46-52 This is the last healing miracle on the gospel of Mark. The Blind beggar addresses the Jesus as the son of David recognizing him as the messiah, and as â€Å"Jesus† as well. Unlike all the other miracles in the gospel Jesus does not try to silence the man but has already accepted the fact that he will die. The disciples throughout the gospel have shown antagonistic traits such as, fear doubt and a displacement of trust in Jesus. They have come up with ideas that will assure their own advancement. Bartimaeus recognizes Jesus as the son of Man, God’s messiah and followed Jesus on the road. This passage is placed here to highlight the disciple’s failure of not knowing the true meaning of the kingdom of God. Jesus teachings are not laws but an invitation into the kingdom of God through suffering and serving.

English Term Paper Essay

I. Introduction: Technology is people using tool, resources, and processes to solve problems or extend their capabilities. Technology has existed as long as people have existed. It is always changing and never tends to stand still. Through the use of technology, a student can easily get the corresponding feedback for his works. He makes use of technology in getting correct answers and start solving again. The integration of technology results to a more student-centered education. It serves as an instrument on gaining access and manipulating information where students become actively involved in the process of learning. It is very obvious that the people especially students of our generation are now attached to computers, specifically to those computer games that are famous nowadays. Instead of reading books or browsing the net for school reports, we can’t deny that student tends to go online or play the computer first. Computer games are video games played on a general-purpose personal  computers rather than a dedicated video game console or arcade machine. It is very evident that a lot of students are developing bad habits that are caused by those computer games with violence as the main theme of the game. Most of the time, students keep on spending large amount of time in front of the computer doing unnecessary things, specifically playing computer games which usually leads into being a computer addict. Addiction is the continued use of a mood altering substance or behavior despite adverse dependency consequences. Computer games addiction has no physical component or objective diagnosis, but many of the consequences are similar to alcoholism or drug addiction. This type of addiction mostly affects the behavior of a person which may lead to a more serious case. Computer games addict mostly isolate themselves from normal human contacts. They change a lot and begin to ignore the others. An addict sometimes gets bankrupted or broke due to spending a lot for their vices. They also begin to be detached from their own families and violence is being spotted already. II. Objectives and Questions: This research aims to: 1. Know different computer games that the students are getting addicted to. 2. Identify the effects of computer games to the studies of the students. 3. Provide or suggest different ways to avoid computer games. This research aims to answer the following questions: 1. What are the effects of computer games to the studies and characters of the students? 2. What are the possible solutions that can help the students avoid computer games? 3. What are the different computer games that the students are getting addicted to? 4. What are the ways to prevent computer addiction? 5. Why can’t students resist playing computer games? III. Significance of the Study: In this study, we can help the students know the effects of computer games to their study habits and also their daily lives. Also to let them know the effects of getting addicted to it, the time they spent in front of the computer may be reduced. The time for more productive activities will be recognized and study habits may be more successful. We also wish to let people learn in this study to control their computer addiction and let them have the knowledge to know the advantages and disadvantages of computer games. IV. Scope and Delimitation This study only covers students from the high school department of St. Mary’s College of Meycauayan, school year 2012 – 2013. Our group will be doing surveys from random students of the said department. This research only aims to help students reduce or prevent their unwavering love for those computer games which somehow distracts their study habits. We do hope that this research could help them. V. Terminologies 1. Technology – a capability given by the practical application of knowledge 2. Addiction – is the continued use of a mood altering substance or behavior despite adverse dependency consequences, or a neurological impairment leading to such behaviors. 3. D.O.T.A – Defense of the Ancients (DotA) is a multiplayer online battle arena mod for the video game Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, based on the â€Å"Aeon of Strife† map for StarCraft. The objective of the scenario is for each team to destroy the opponents’ Ancients, heavily guarded structures at opposing corners of the map. 4. Violence – the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against a person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation. Chapter II: Review of Related Literature I. Related Literature â€Å"Nowadays, Googling and Facebooking are the most common daily activities in our society. 16 out of 16 first year students surveyed by the researchers at Mapua Institute of Technology said that they always do Googling and Facebooking. The huge time that collegestudents waste increases.Computer Addiction 4Students aside from doing school project also try to update with  the celebrity gossips andvisit the sites where they can easily find news about favorite celebrities and reading magazines.Sometimes they are obsessed with glamorous life of celebrities that make them forget what they should do as students. The addicted students always feel anxious or depressed when their computer time is shortened and they also easily become angry when being disturbed(Derevensky & Gupta, 2004). Students tend to surf the net first and gather many info on news,celebrity gossip, and organizing data, which is too much that not all of the information can beused (Derevensky & Gupta, 2004). Internet addiction disorder refers to the problematic use of the Internet, including thevarious aspects of its technology, such as electronic mail (e-mail) and the World Wide Web(American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Students nowadays do have a known disorder, whichis the IAD (Internet Addiction Disorder). They may not be able to know that they have thisdisorder until they realized that playing or using computer is more prioritized than doing schoolworks. Students get so obsessed with online gaming like Defense of the Ancient, Left for Dead,Cabal, etc. that they tend to sacrifice their academic sides just to go to computer shops and play,not noticing the time while using the computer (Sharples, 2009;Self-Help: Computer Addiction,2008). According to the survey conducted by the researchers at Mapua Institute of Technology, 9out of 16 students are at risk of being hooked with the computer games and have academicfailure for the first quarter of school year 2009-2010. They make conscious efforts just to be withtheir computers and continue failing. Also for the fact that they miss events or opportunities withfamily and friends also with non-computer related tasks because of the time spent on theComputer Addiction 5computer.† â€Å"Computer games addiction is not a physical disease or mental illness. It does not have an entry of its own in the DSM-IV. It describes a behavior that has become increasingly familiar with the rise of computer game popularity. A person with this type of addiction sets aside practically all other activities in favor of playing computer games almost endlessly.†

Medieval Childbirth and Baptism

The concept of childhood in the middle ages and the importance of the child in medieval society is not to be overlooked in history. It is fairly clear from the laws designed specifically for the care of children that childhood was recognized as a distinct phase of development and that, contrary to modern folklore, children were not treated as nor expected to behave as adults. Laws regarding the rights of orphans are among the pieces of evidence we have that children had value in society, as well. It is difficult to imagine that in a society where so much value was placed on children, and so much hope was invested in a couples ability to produce children, children would regularly suffer from a lack of attention or affection. Yet this is the charge that has often been made against medieval families. While there have been—and continue to be—cases of child abuse and neglect in western society, to take individual incidents as indicative of an entire culture would be an irresponsible approach to history. Instead, let us look at how society in general regarded the treatment of children. As we take a closer look at childbirth and baptism, well see that, in most families, children were warmly and happily welcomed into the medieval world. Childbirth in the Middle Ages Because the foremost reason for marriage at any level of medieval society was to produce children, the birth of a baby was usually a cause for joy. Yet there was also an element of anxiety. While the childbirth mortality rate is probably not as high as folklore would have it,   there was still a possibility of complications, including birth defects or a breech birth, as well as the death of mother or child or both. And even under the best of circumstances, there was no effective anesthetic to eradicate the pain. The lying-in room was almost exclusively the province of women; a male physician would only be called in when surgery was necessary.  Under ordinary circumstances, the mother—be she peasant, town-dweller, or noblewoman—would be attended by midwives. A midwife would usually have more than a decade of experience, and she would be accompanied by assistants whom she was training. In addition, female relatives and friends of the mother would frequently be present in the birthing room, offering support and good will, while the father was left outside with little more to do but pray for a safe delivery. The presence of so many bodies could raise the temperature of a room already made warm by the presence of a fire, which was used to heat water for bathing both mother and child. In the homes of the nobility, gentry, and wealthy townspeople, the birthing room would usually be freshly-swept and provided with clean rushes; the best coverlets were put on the bed and the place was turned out for display. Sources indicate that some mothers may have given birth in a sitting or squatting position.  To ease the pain and to hasten the process of childbirth, the midwife might rub the mothers belly with ointment. Birth was usually expected within 20 contractions; if it took longer, everyone in the household might try to help it along by opening cupboards and drawers, unlocking chests, untying knots, or even shooting an arrow into the air. All of these acts were symbolic of opening the womb. If all went well, the midwife would tie off and cut the umbilical cord and help the baby take its first breath, clearing its mouth and throat of any mucus. She would then bathe the child in warm water or, in more affluent homes, in milk or wine;  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹she might also use salt, olive oil, or rose petals. Trotula of Salerno, a 12th-century female physician, recommended washing the tongue with hot water to assure the child would speak properly.  It was not uncommon to rub honey on the palate to give the baby an appetite. The infant would then be swaddled snugly in linen strips so that his limbs might grow straight and strong, and laid in a cradle in a dark corner, where his eyes would be protected from bright light. It would soon be time for the next phase in his very young life: Baptism. Medieval Baptism The primary purpose of  baptism  was to wash away original sin and drive all evil from the newborn child. So important was this  sacrament  to the Catholic Church that the usual opposition to women performing sacerdotal duties was overcome for fear an infant might die unbaptized. Midwives were authorized to perform the rite if the child was unlikely to survive and there was no man nearby to do it. If the mother died in childbirth, the midwife was supposed to cut her open and extract the baby so that she could baptize it. Baptism had another significance: it welcomed a new Christian soul into the community. The rite conferred a name on the infant that would identify him throughout his life, however short it might be. The official ceremony in the church would establish lifelong ties to his godparents, who were not supposed to be related to their godchild through any blood or marriage link. Thus, from the very beginning of his life, the medieval child had a relationship to the community beyond that defined by kinship. The role of godparents was mainly spiritual: they were to teach their godchild his prayers and instruct him in faith and morals. The relationship was considered as close as a blood link, and marriage to ones godchild was prohibited.  Because godparents were expected to bestow gifts on their godchild, there was some temptation to designate many godparents, so the number had been limited by the Church to three: a godmother and two godfathers for a son; a godfather and two godmothers for a daughter. Great care was taken when selecting prospective godparents; they might be chosen from among the parents employers, guild members, friends, neighbors, or lay clergy. No one from a family that the parents hoped or planned to marry the child into would be asked. Generally, at least one of the godparents would be of a higher social status than the parent. A child was usually baptized on the day he was born. The mother would stay at home, not only to recuperate, but because the Church generally followed the Jewish custom of keeping women from holy places for several weeks after giving birth. The father would assemble the godparents, and together with the midwife they would all bring the child to the church. This procession would frequently include friends and relatives, and could be quite festive. The priest would meet the baptismal party at the church door. Here he would ask if the child had been baptized yet and whether it was a boy or a girl. Next he would bless the baby, put salt in its mouth to represent the reception of wisdom, and exorcise any demons. Then he would test the godparents knowledge of the prayers they were expected to teach the child: the  Pater Noster,  Credo, and  Ave Maria. Now the party entered the church and proceeded to the  baptismal font. The priest would anoint the child, immerse him in the font, and name him. One of the godparents would raise the baby up from the water and wrap him in a christening gown. The gown, or crysom, was made of white linen and might be decorated with seed pearls; less wealthy families might use a borrowed one. The last part of the ceremony took place at the altar, where the godparents made the profession of faith for the child. The participants would then all return to the parents house for a feast. The entire procedure of baptism mustnt have been a pleasant one for the newborn. Removed from the comfort of its home (not to mention its mothers breast) and carried out into the cold, cruel world, having salt shoved into its mouth, immersed in water that could be dangerously cold in winter -- all this must have been a jarring experience. But for the family, the godparents, friends, and even the community at large, the ceremony heralded the arrival of a new member of society. From the trappings that went with it, it was an occasion that appears to have been a welcome one. Sources: Hanawalt, Barbara,  Growing Up in Medieval London  (Oxford University Press, 1993). Gies, Frances, and Gies, Joseph,  Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages  (Harper Row, 1987). Hanawalt, Barbara, The Ties that Bound: Peasant Families in Medieval England (Oxford University Press, 1986).

Nullification Crisis of 1832 Precursor to Civil War

The nullification crisis arose in 1832 when leaders of South Carolina advanced the idea that a state did not have to follow federal law and could, in effect, nullify the law. The state passed the South Carolina Act of Nullification in November 1832, which said in effect that South Carolina could ignore federal law, or nullify it if the state found the law to be damaging to its interests or deemed it unconstitutional. This effectively meant the state could override any federal law. The idea that states rights superseded federal law was promoted by South Carolinian  John C. Calhoun, vice president in Andrew Jacksons first term as president, one of the most experienced and powerful politicians in the country at the time. And the resulting crisis was, to some extent, a precursor to the secession crisis that would trigger the Civil War 30 years later, in which South Carolina also was a primary player. Calhoun and the Nullification Crisis Calhoun, who is most widely remembered as a defender of the institution of slavery, became outraged in the late 1820s by the imposition of tariffs that he felt unfairly penalized the South. A particular tariff passed in 1828 raised taxes on imports and outraged Southerners, and Calhoun became a forceful advocate against the new tariff. The 1828 tariff was so controversial in various regions of the country that it became known as the Tariff of Abominations. Calhoun said he believed the law had been designed to take advantage of the Southern states. The South was largely an agricultural economy with relatively little manufacturing. So finished goods were often imported from Europe, which meant a tariff on foreign goods would fall heavier on the South, and it also reduced demand for imports, which then reduced demand for the raw cotton the South sold to Britain. The North was much more industrialized and produced many of its own goods. In fact, the tariff-protected industry in the North from foreign competition since it made imports more expensive. In Calhouns estimation, the Southern states, having been treated unfairly, were under no obligation to follow the law. That line of argument, of course, was highly controversial, since it undermined the Constitution. Calhoun wrote an essay advancing a theory of nullification in which he made a legal case for states to disregard some federal laws. At first, Calhoun wrote his thoughts anonymously, in the style of many political pamphlets of the era. But eventually, his identity as the author became known. In the early 1830s, with the issue of a tariff again rising to prominence, Calhoun resigned his position as vice president, returned to South Carolina, and was elected to the Senate, where he promoted his idea of nullification. Jackson was ready for armed conflict―he got Congress to pass a law allowing him to use federal troops to enforce federal laws if necessary. But ultimately the crisis was resolved without the use of force. In 1833 a compromise led by the legendary Sen. Henry Clay of Kentucky was reached ​on a new tariff. But the nullification crisis revealed the deep divisions between the North and the South and showed they could cause enormous problems―and eventually, they split the Union and secession followed, with the first state to secede being South Carolina in December 1860, and the die was cast for the Civil War that followed.

Essay on Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King...

Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail, was very persuasive to a wide variety of audiences. Not only did he directly address the writers of the newspaper article, but included fellow African Americans with their struggle to gain acceptance. What makes this letter persuasive, is the amount of examples and situations described by Martin Luther King Jr. King also gains credibility by citing these sources without a history book, using only his own intellect that shows that he is not just your average man. Martin Luther King Jr. directed his letter to the white clergymen of Birmingham, in a response to their newspaper article criticizing him for his actions. At the†¦show more content†¦Martin Luther King uses historical examples to prove his point, using logos which most intellectuals can understand, and then uses examples for any African American can understand. In paragraph 16, King talks about St. Thomas Aquinas and his definition of an unjust law. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.(King, Pg.3) In Paragraph 21, In the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake.(King, Pg.4) He discusses Nebuchadnezzar and how people in that time refused to obey his laws because they were unjust, just as he did in Birmingham. Socrates, the Boston tea party, early Christians who gave their lives for their religion. These historical events gave King an edge in his persuasiveness. Now he isnt just someone who has broken laws, now he is now just like all other famous ancient historical figures. However he also addresses his Negro brothers in paragraph 14, when he describes what its like to have to tell your children that they cant go somewhere or do something because they are black, or what it is like to watch as your family is beaten or lynched in front of your eyes. He is directing this at theShow MoreRelatedMartin Luther King Jr., â€Å"Letter f rom Birmingham Jail†3011 Words   |  13 Pages[Date] Martin Luther king Jr., â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† Outline 1. Introduction i) Argument about â€Å"Justice and injustice† ii) Religious appeals in King’s latter iii) Paragraph fourteen of King’s latter 2. Discussion 3. Conclusion Introduction The pressure of racial segregation was reaching a boiling point in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. After being arrested for his part in the Birmingham Campaign, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote an open letter in responseRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr : Letter From Birmingham Jail Essay1678 Words   |  7 Pages Martin Luther King Jr: Letter from Birmingham Jail Hao Ran Hu SUNY Broome Hao Ran Hu Global History Professor St.Clair 2016 Martin Luther King Jr: Letter from Birmingham Jail One of the interesting Documents in World History is the ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ by Martin Luther King Jr who was born as Michael King in 1929 in Atlanta. His parents were partRead MoreLetter From Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King Jr.1259 Words   |  6 PagesLetter from Birmingham Response The Letter from Birmingham jail was written on April 16th, 1963 by Martin Luther King jr. Martin was a prominent leader and protester in the fight against racism. King was put in jail for protesting in the streets without a permit and that is where he read the letter. The letter was written as response to the Letter from the Eight Clergymen. Their letter called for the end of the peaceful protests which were lead by King and his supporters. During the time the letterRead MoreThe Letter From Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King Jr.990 Words   |  4 PagesThe Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. is written to the injustices of the African Americans by the white man supremacy, and to address the direct actions African Americans were making to change the people’s perspective. The books that have been read in this class reflect the same injustices that Martin Luther King Jr is addressing in his letter. The main point of this letter is to address the direct actio n being taken by the African Americans and how they sacrificing everythingRead MoreLetter From A Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King Jr.920 Words   |  4 PagesIn his â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail,† Martin Luther King Jr. makes appeals to ethos, logos, and pathos to convince the clergymen that colored people have been waiting for too long for political, economic, and social justice and freedom. He argues that it’s unfair to promise someone, or a group, for a change and not fulfill that promise. Along with demonetizing and/or belittling a person to the point where they don’t feel as important or as worth as they should; making them feel hatred and angerRead MoreLetter From Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King Jr. Essay1683 Words   |  7 PagesIn â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a response to clergymen defending his actions that placed him in a jail in Birmingham, Alabama. King did not respond to all the criticis m that crossed his desk, but this time King felt he was compelled to respond. This obligation King felt was due in part to men with good will and intentions stating that his actions were â€Å"unwise and untimely† (Pg. 835). King’s purpose in writing â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† was to defend the strategyRead MoreLetter From Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King Jr. Essay1211 Words   |  5 PagesA Letter’s Purpose In â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† by Martin Luther King Jr. writes specifically to southern clergy men but also expands to anyone who opposes the civil rights movement. He informs his audience about the purpose of the civil rights movement and its importance to black and white people in terms of living as equals in a more peaceful society. King urges the public to understand the purpose of peaceful protests and the civil rights movement. He also wants people to understand the hardshipsRead MoreLetter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr. Essay938 Words   |  4 Pages Is it not ironic that Martin Luther King Jr. s, â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†, which testifies to his struggle for Civil Rights; not only contradicts the time Martin Luther King wrote it in, but also echoes the same sentiments of today’s moral causes and laws? . Dr. King (*) then known as Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the Letter to Birmingham in response to his fellow clergymen’s criticisms of him being locked up for his actions in Birmingham’s Civil Rights protest. The letter’sRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr. s Letter From A Birmingham Jail1157 Words   |  5 PagesMartin Luther King Jr.’s â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† is directed towards the clergymen, although America is his audience, King had come to Birmingham to address the segregation problem in the United States. He refuses to stay silent, even though people told him to wait for the change to happen. King is a part of the Southern Christian Leadersh ip Conference that has many organizations across the South. He felt that he has a right to be in Birmingham because his organizations have connections withRead MoreEssay on Letter From Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.742 Words   |  3 PagesDr. Martin Luther King Jr. one of many great influential speakers wrote a life changing letter after being arrested for peacefully protesting African American rights. While sitting in jail Dr. King received a letter from clergymen questioning his motives and timings for being in Birmingham. In a response Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. writes a â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† vividly expressing physical and emotional purposes for his presence in Birmingham, AL. First, in the â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†

Tree of Knowledge Free Essays

The Tree of Knowledge It is important for society to find a reliable source of knowledge, as it is a powerful factor which helps society to attain success. As a good example of the significance of knowledge for society, the Tree of Knowledge from the Garden of Eden represents, not just a source of absolute knowledge, but how desperately human nature seeks that perfect source. However, the Tree of Knowledge does not exist in the real world. We will write a custom essay sample on Tree of Knowledge or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thus, society is facing a problem of finding the most effective way to produce accurate knowledge because mistaken knowledge has no value. In his essay â€Å"The Hive,† historian and writer Marshall Poe points out two sources for knowledge: social consensus and experts. In the past, it was hard to gather knowledge efficiently due to equivocation, and experts were considered to be the most reliable source of knowledge. But today, the Internet has provided society with the convenient environment for finding and storing information. In his essay, Poe discusses the phenomenon of the web-site Wikipedia as an example of a successful effort in collaborative knowledge, which is produced during the process of communication and negotiation by society and experts concerning the information regarding an object of study. A professor at Harvard University and author of â€Å"Reporting Live from Tomorrow,† Daniel Gilbert suggests relying on the experiences of others, whom he calls â€Å"surrogates,† in order to obtain more reliable knowledge. Collaborative knowledge is based on society’s collective experiences. It is meant to accumulate and constantly update information from society. On the other hand, experts are a key for progress in society as they perform deeper research about a subject. Therefore, in order to produce reliable knowledge, society must consult with experts, while experts should consider the experiences of other people when conducting their research. It might seem at the first sight that the only reliable source of knowledge are experts, as they have more intense and prolonged experiences through practice and education in a particular field. Therefore, it is a common belief that in order to obtain true knowledge, society has to rely on the competence of experts. In his essay, Poe says that one of the criticisms of Wikipedia in its early stage was the point that â€Å"unless experts were writing and vetting the material, the articles were inevitably going to be inaccurate† (Poe 275). However, human history provides evidence that refutes this statement by proving that what once was considered as absolute knowledge was later questioned. For example, in the 18th century, Isaac Newton’s laws of motion became a revolution in a scientific world and for the next 200 years they remained incontestable until Albert Einstein introduced his ideas that revealed shortcomings of Newton’s theory. Thus, society cannot blindly rely on the conclusions of experts because, at their core, they are like all other people who â€Å"pass along [their] beliefs in an effort to create people whose minds think like [theirs]† (Gilbert 171). According to Gilbert, â€Å"almost any time we tell anyone anything, we are attempting to change the way their brains operate – attempting to change the way they see the world so that their view of it more closely resembles our own† (Gilbert 171). Experts attempt to do same thing, but their reputation in society gives their ideas an advantage to be successfully transmitted and accepted as knowledge. Still, accuracy of this knowledge might be questionable in the future. In order to understand how society decides if a certain idea or belief can become knowledge, it is important to look at the process of producing knowledge. Individuals generate personal beliefs from their own views. However, these views are based on already existing socio-cultural knowledge. Afterwards, using shared language, individuals bring their ideas and beliefs to society by making public statements. Further, these beliefs may become knowledge through social interaction, communication, discussion, clarification, and negotiation. According to Gilbert, â€Å"any belief †¦ that increases communication has a good chance of being transmitted over and over again† (Gilbert 173). Therefore, social interaction is a medium that allows ideas to become a part of collaborative knowledge. However, in his essay, Gilbert points out that while â€Å"accurate beliefs give [society] power, which makes it easier to understand why they are so readily transmitted from one mind to another,† false beliefs have a great chance to be propagated if they â€Å"happen to promote stable societies †¦ because people who hold these beliefs tend to live in stable societies, which provide the means by which false beliefs propagate† (Gilbert 173). Thus, even false ideas may become knowledge if society decides so. Such decisions might lead to absurd conclusions that have no value for society. According to Poe, â€Å"the community decides that two plus two equals four the same way it decides what apple is: by consensus †¦ [but] if the community changes its mind and decides that two plus two equals five, then two plus two does equal five† (Poe 275). In other words, society has an ability to make judgments of truth and falsehood, and knowledge produced by social consensus can be misleading and inaccurate. Nevertheless, inaccurate knowledge, sooner or later, will be revealed and questioned by society because the primary purpose of knowledge is to serve the needs of society and help it to improve and grow. Individuals, as well as the whole society, can only attain success and progress if they have a reliable source of knowledge. It is a strong incentive that makes people search for truth. In his essay, Poe points out that people who contribute into Wikipedia have â€Å"no interest other then truth in doing all this work† (Poe 277). Today, the vast interconnectedness of the Internet makes it possible for individuals from all over the world to share their experiences and ideas on the global level. Thereby, collaborative knowledge can be constantly negotiated, updated, and renegotiated, and its quality may improve just like â€Å"the quality on articles [in Wikipedia] generally increases with the number of eyeballs† (Poe 276). As the process of producing collaborative knowledge improves its reliability, efficiency, and fecundity with the new era of Internet technologies, it creates a very valuable database for experts, who can use collaborative knowledge as a resource of information and experiences collected by society for expertise. According to Gilbert, â€Å"humanity is a living library of information about what it feels like to do just about anything† (Gilbert 171). Every individual possesses a great deal of unique accumulative knowledge that he or she gained throughout life. That is why experiences of other individuals should be taken into account by experts in order to produce more accurate and objective knowledge. Today, in the Internet environment, it has become much easier to find surrogates with particular experiences. Experts should consider these experiences during their research and constantly update their data and information based on collaborative knowledge. On the other hand, the fact that the Internet has gained so much popularity in society might make people neglect the role of experts in the process of producing knowledge. Since it has become relatively easy to find surrogates in the virtual environment and ask them directly about their experiences, collaborative knowledge might be sufficient enough to fulfill society’s needs as a dependable source of knowledge. In his essay, Poe points out that given the right technology, large groups of self-interested individuals will unite to create something they could not produce by themselves† (Poe 267). Wikipedia is a good example of this phenomenon. â€Å"Instead of relying on experts to write articles according to their expertise, Wikipedia lets anyone write about anything† (Poe 264). Based on a large number of individuals who are constantly working on improving articles and people’s tendencies to strive for truth, Wikipedia could become the end of the search for a reliable source of knowledge. However, it is important not to underestimate the role of experts in society. In his essay, Gilbert noticed that, if you ask a child what to do when an individual is hesitating about making some decision, the child will say that â€Å"[he or she] should ask the teacher† (Gilbert 170). Throughout all human history, experts were called in for advice on their respective subject because of their extensive knowledge or ability based on research, experience, or occupation in a particular area of study. Their knowledge and experiences are already unique, simply because experts spend more time studying the subject than an average person. It explains the fact that most innovations in human society were made by experts. Moreover, by collecting and systematizing experiences of other individuals, experts serve as surrogates for society as well. Overtime, results of their research projects accepted as knowledge become a part of social consensus. Thereby, expertise is still very important and must be taken into consideration by society as a source of knowledge. In order to be completely reliable, knowledge requires absolute certainty, as opposite to belief or opinion about which there is more doubt. However, as a process of social communication, knowledge is never absolute. Although its character is to be taken as final truth, knowledge remains as a subject of possible future questioning, reinterpretation, and negotiation. The Tree of Knowledge, as a source of true knowledge, is an unattainable aim for society. Neither expertise nor collaborative knowledge alone can be considered as the best way to produce knowledge. Only their collaboration can bring the most reliable results. Today, the Internet helps to speed up the processes of communication, storage, and negotiation of information that play a significant role in producing collaborative knowledge and positively affecting its quality. Thus, referring to society’s collaborative experience, experts can produce more objective and reliable knowledge. Works Cited Gilbert, Daniel. â€Å"Reporting Live from Tomorrow. † Emerging: Contemporary Readings for Writers. Ed. Barclay Barrios. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 169-189. Print. Poe, Marshall. â€Å"The Hive. † Emerging: Contemporary Readings for Writers. Ed. Barclay Barrios. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 264-277. Print. How to cite Tree of Knowledge, Papers