Worldview as it Relates to Philosophy Research Paper

Worldview as it Relates to Philosophy - Research Paper Example Through experience and education individuals develop these perspectives and implement them as a means of living their daily existence. When considering myself I recognize that my worldview has changed drastically over the course of my life and has been greatly influenced by experience and philosophy. This essay considers my current worldview and the way my past worldview has been influenced and changed through philosophy. Before taking this course my worldview was strongly rooted in religious doctrines. Throughout the formative periods of my life I grew up in an environment that was strictly Christian. Within this environment my parents and most of my peers believed in the major tenants of the Christian religion. Growing up in this environment I learned to adopt most of the religious principles that are espoused by the Christian religion. In terms of the creation of the world I believed that Earth and the universe had been created by God. I believed in morals as they related to the c oncept of good and evil as established by the Bible. In these regards, morality was presented as an easily understandable concept – if an individual adhered to the law and the tenants of the Bible then they were a moral and good person. I also embraced a concept of the afterlife. If individuals adhered to the Biblical principles and allowed God into their life then I believed they would go to heaven. Conversely, if they disregarded these aspects, they would go to Hell. My relation to science and logic were complex. While I embraced the principle of science in an overarching sense, I came to believe that oftentimes science could be wrong or mistaken. Specifically, in terms of evolution and cosmology I believed that while scientists had approached the concepts of existence and biology with their greatest ability, they were ultimately flawed in their findings. I understood that that ultimately their current scientific investigations would be proven wrong and they would ultimatel y discover that God and Biblical principles were the true reality of existence. When I look back on my worldview during this period of my life I recognize that I was greatly influenced by my personal surroundings and parents’ influence. As I gradually became more exposed to new ideas and new people my worldview drastically changed. In large part, the philosophical ideas I was exposed to in this course shaped and sharpened my worldview in a variety of ways. One of the major notions that I came to recognize through my research in philosophy emerged in terms of Christian morality. While Christianity noted that there were easily understood concepts of good and evil, my exposure to philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche in Beyond Good and Evil led me to understand that moral actions couldn’t easily be broken down into concepts of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ but often involve a complex number of philosophical implications (Nietzsche 1993). Another profound such changes that I experienced occurred in my understanding and eventual embracement of scientific principles. As I previously indicated that I had believed science did not properly understand Christian understandings of the world, as I became exposed to more scientific thought I came to understand that in large part the principles behind such concepts as evolution are supported by substantial scientific research. In these regards, I learned to increasingly embrace the notion that many of the claims made in the Bible may be wrong. As I became exposed to earlier notions of mythology, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, which contains a flood story, I further came to recognize

An aging report - visiting the elderly Coursework

An aging report - visiting the elderly - Coursework Example I had interviewed an elderly male, 75 years old, widowed and still mobile with minimal assistance, living in an apartment with his son. Due to confidentiality of information, client’s identity was not stated.He does not take a bath everyday for he feels cold although he wanted to.He believed taking a bath everyday would actually help alleviate the roughness of his skin.When permission was sought to see his bed room for observation purposes Client X wore loose and free-flowing white t-shirt and pajamas. He indicated that his sleeping position needed frequent changing as advised by his doctor to avoid pressure sores. Likewise, it was also recommended to massage his bony prominences. Observing his physical appearance, one noticed that his nails were properly trimmed, he wore eyeglasses and dentures. Based on the following observations, the physical status and appearance of the client manifested changes expected of an elderly (Udan, 8). He can take care of his personal needs excep t in urination and meal preparation. His son’s wife provides him meals. He strongly believes that his wellness is due to his son’s commitment to bring him to the clinic for regular check-up. Expressing his outlook verbally was a difficult task for him. He revealed that lots of people feel bored because he spoke slowly. Aside from that, some people had to repeat their words or shout because of hearing impairment. As a consequence, I was advised to put some of my instructions in writing. When asked about his plans for the future, he projected a melancholy appearance as he averred, â€Å"I think there’s no future left for me. At this age, I only think of the time when I can no longer be with my son. Of course, everybody fears death. And if there’s something I dream and hope for, that is to see my grandchildren before I die and for my son’s family to have a better life.† Then, we talked about his activities and lifestyle for a week. He said that it is very routine and predictable. During weekdays, he would go out with his son in the morning to exercise his feet and legs. After that, they would go back to their house and spend the day for preparing for diverse tasks such as watching television shows, doing easy exercises, reading and undergoing light but entertaining activities that would enhance mental and motor skills. At night, he sleeps early but the quality of sleep is light, intermittent, with frequent waking. On Sundays, he looks forward to attending mass and sharing special dinner with his son’s family. With these activities, going out without a companion could not be possible because walking through the transportation area tires him a lot. Although he needed assistance in terms of mobility, he was never inactive. He also stated that in his age, he considered himself healthy. A wellness center for the elderly within the community assists in his health care. Using the five dimensions of person model, certain n eeds that an elderly should meet (Udan, 11-13) were proffered and manifested by Client X. Under physical dimension, Client X accepted that having gray hair and wrinkles were normal parts of aging. He acknowledged looking old and have learned to accept that fact. His strength and stamina decreased; most of the time, he needed assistance. â€Å"I told you before that I have difficulty hearing, but it doesn’t stop me from expressing my ideas,† he stated. Client X understood the risks of being prone to different diseases involving the vital organs (e.g., pneumonia, diabetes, kidney diseases) that rationalized regular check-ups and observing preventive measures. In terms of intellectual dimension, the client manifested the ability to remember. There were some lapses but he managed using a calendar note to assist in doing tasks. He acknowledged to have the ability to solve problems, make decisions despite being aware that learning new information takes time. â€Å"

The Nurse' Responsability in the Prevention of Medical Errors Essay

The Nurse' Responsability in the Prevention of Medical Errors - Essay Example In its report titled To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System (2000), the Institute of Medicine (IOM) noted that between 44,000 and 98,000 Americans die annually in U.S. hospitals owing to preventable medical errors. A medical error infers an adverse event that can be avoided given the current state of medical knowledge. IOM working definition of medical error details the failure of a planned action to be concluded as proposed or the application of a wrong plan to attain the aim. Errors in this sense incorporate problems in practice, products, procedures, and systems. There is no single unanimously acknowledged method of classifying medical errors. However, there are five distinct categorizations of medical errors. These include forms of healthcare given such as medication, surgery, and diagnostic imaging; severity of the injury encompassing minor discomfort, death, and serious injury. Other categorizations include legal definitions of issues such as negligence and malpractice ; the setting encompassing hospital, emergency room, nursing home, and intensive care unit, and persons involved such as a physician, nurse, pharmacist, and patient. Medical errors impede therapeutic outcomes and can cause severe illness or death. In addition, medical errors may lead to litigation against healthcare providers. Causes of Medical Errors The core causes of medical errors are multifaceted, and no single factor can be demarcated to be the principal origin of medical errors. However, medical errors mainly flow from factors like communication errors; for example, misinterpretation of the doctor’s prescription may lead to instances of medication mix-up, where the administered drugs detail closely similar names. In addition, medical errors may emanate from human errors stemming from overwork and burnout. Some medical errors are attributable to the long working hours that medical professionals cover. The onset of managed care has heralded the reduction of size of nursi ng staff, while compelling others to work mandatory overtime shifts. Other causes include increasing specialization and fragmentation of the healthcare sector. The number of people involved in patient’s treatment is commensurate with occurrences of medical errors. Furthermore, medical errors emanate from manufacturing errors, equipment failure, diagnostic errors, and poorly designed buildings and facilities (Westrick & Dempski, 2009). Steps or Measures that Nurses can take in order to Prevent Medical Errors Healthcare professionals such as nurses should guarantee the quality of treatment, although a significant share of responsibility lies with patients in avoiding medical errors. The single most significant way in which nurses can aid in prevention of medical errors is being active members of their healthcare team. Healthcare providers must work successfully in collaborative teams in order to enhance patient safety. Nurses should adopt stricter standards of acceptable error rates. This will be crucial in making significant strides in enhancing safety and minimizing error. The commitment towards enhancing the quality of medical care and associated processes is one of the steps that nurses should adopt to reduce errors. Nurses should also report medical errors in order to improve the process. Reporting of medical errors plays a crucial role in abating further errors

PIPE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

PIPE - Essay Example Yes, I do. Yes, they are burdensome to me and/ or my family. This is because I have not paid for them and they are accumulating. The debt is enormous hence I see them as a burden to me and/or my family. I may not have enough money to pay and thus will have to turn to my family for assistance. This is straining them financially. They include, renting an apartment, my car is paid off, my insurance is high, and my family has house loan plus three cars. Since my cards are not paid I have to deal with debt collectors sometimes. These financial relationships characterize my life. My financial life revolves around several factors. The factors are coping with credit cards, paying rent for my apartment, investing and others. I have to strive in order to meet these. Additionally, my family does have debts they are paying for hence hard for them to lend any kind of support towards me. Also, I am planning on how I will make my investments. I was thinking of approaching one of my bankers to make arrangements with them on this. Due to some risks that may occur, I have made arrangements with my insurance company on some of my

Cheating in College Essay Example for Free

Cheating in College Essay In the article, Cheating in College by Scott Jaschik published in Inside Higher Ed (September 2012), we look in depth as to why we as students sometimes cheat and are okay with it. A scandal took place at Harvard University that had to do with cheating, and what professors and educators could do about stopping students from doing so. Professors from various universities asked many questions regarding the article and seemed interested in helping with the matter. â€Å"Is cheating getting worse?† Jaschik answers back with several things. They had done a study to test how many students were cheating in 2010 and shows declining in cheating. They planned to do more tests in 2012. Students try and justify that cheating is okay because it’s simply â€Å"the real world† and believe they can use Internet for anything because it’s faster and easier. Studies found that students that have time management issues are the ones doing most of the Internet using and cheating, but also they argue that while asked to do something for an employer, they don’t have enough time to come up with original work and need factual information so it makes it okay. The article also compares information to generations before. â€Å"†¦students do not appear to be less aware of moral implications associated with cheating, but have convinced themselves that what they are doing isn’t cheating†. Students came up with excuses and rationalized choices that made morals become invalid and convince themselves that there is no other choice. Cheating on more written assignments rather than testing is the difference between cheating throughout the generations. Colleges are now trying to find ways to better educate students so they don’t cheat. They came up with an honor code to build more of an ethical  community and culture throughout the University. Not all universities have jumped onto the Honor Code idea, but they are finding new codes everyday to help with the issue of cheating in colleges. Cheating in colleges is an issue all around the United States, and coming up with ways to prevent the issues is what the article is trying to do. It’s trying to get educators to come up with a way, such as an honor code, to get cheating to stop on campuses.

Business Environment Analysis For Marks And Spencer Economics Essay

Business Environment Analysis For Marks And Spencer Economics Essay My chosen organisation is Marks and Spencer. Marks and Spencer has six main objectives. The main goal of any business is to increase profit. This is done by working out the total revenue that the business has made from selling and costs of its product. For any business to survive, profit must be earned. Like any other business Marks and Spencer needs to increase its sales. To do this they must fulfill what the customer needs and desires. To increase their sales Marks and Spencer needs to attract new customers by for instance aiming for the younger market whilst at the same time ensure that its loyal customers are kept satisfied with a supply of products which cater for their needs. Marks and Spencer also have the objective of earning market leadership. In order to do this, they must become more competitive. By meeting the wants and needs of more customers as well as by attracting more potential customers and offering better quality for affordable prices, Marks and Spencer can oust the competition and achieve a high standing status in the market. Offering a high quality service is also one of Marks and Spencers objectives. In their annual report they claimed that no one cares more about quality than they do and in fact Marks and Spencer are well known for this. Like other businesses another objective for Marks and Spencer is growth. For Marks and Spencer to survive and to be competitive, the issue of growth must be attended to. By growing, the business is expanding globally and thus achieves recognition in different countries attracting different pools of clientele. The last objective of Marks and Spencer is rewarding shareholders. It is important for a business to keep the shareholders content since they are a fundamental source of investment. Marks and Spencer needs to make profit in order to maintain share holders as well as attract further investment. Each of these objectives has its own importance, neglecting either one of them would surely bring the organisation to a halt. Marks and Spencer has created a set of six priorities in order to better meet the objectives it has set out. The organization aims to retain their leading position in the market whilst improving their performance in certain sectors which do not make as much profit as other areas, such as for instance the food sector. In this way they can continue to satisfy the current customers they hold whilst attracting potential customers by focusing on better promoting one of the branches of their business. Through the optimization of margins, controlling costs and expenditure and maintaining a strong balance sheet, Marks and Spencer can ensure a better calculation of its profits and losses and thus have a better chance of securing its place in the market through the composition of a well-planned market strategy. Finally and by no means as a last priority, Marks and Spenc er deems it necessary to enforce high ethical standards. Essentially the organization has to increase its sales since this is the only way in which it will be able to make a profit. It therefore has to invest in its products and ensure that these are marketed well as its ultimate goal is to attract customers and keep them from going to their competitor. It is of no surprise that driving their international business is not a first priority since ultimately I think they would be better off ensuring that the organization is functioning with utmost profitability before seeking to expand to other areas. 1b) External stakeholders play an important part in the achievement of the business, this is because they sell to and purchase from the company, but they are not employed by the company. They are considered stakeholders as they stand to gain from the company. Some external stakeholders of Marks and Spencer are customers, suppliers and the general public. One of the most essential stakeholders of a business is the customer. The customers of Marks and Spencer purchase the products marketed by the company resulting in a profit for the organization. Without customers the business would not survive. Suppliers are external stakeholders as they sell their products to Marks and Spencer in exchange for a price; thus both parties benefit from this relationship. Marks and Spencer need to take care of their suppliers to ensure that the suppliers continue to provide them with good quality products for a reasonable price, so that in turn Marks and Spencer provides its customers with the same good quality products at competitive prices. Another important stakeholder is the general public. The organization must take into consideration various factors when developing products as well as their production processes. The reason for this is the impact and influence which such process or product may have on potential and actual customers. Marks and Spencer have to ensure that their goods are environmentally friendly and are produced in an environmentally friendly way. Having a means of production which creates high health or environment hazards will result in a decline of people purchasing the product, or potentially purchasing from that organization, therefore, a lower amount of sales and consequently a reduction in profits. 2) There are several conditions that affect demand in an organization. A change in a customers income is one such condition. If the purchaser does not have a good income to maintain himself or his family, then he will definitely not have enough money to treat himself to something that he wants, conversely, if the buyer earns a good income, he would be more likely to spend. Thus the rise in income is directly proportionate to the demand and affects it in such a way that with an increase in income, the consumer will tend to purchase more products than he would if he earned a lesser amount. Marks and Spencers offers high quality products with good value, thus people earning an average wage would definitely afford their products. A second condition is when a substitute product changes its price. The increase in the price of one good will direct to an increase in demand for the competing product. Another condition is when a price of a complementary product changes. Here one considers supplies that are in complementary demand, such as the demand for video players and video films. If Marks and Spencer sells DVD players at a cheaper price, the likelihood is that more DVD players will be bought. This will lead to a growth in market demand for DVD films. The changes in weather also condition demand. The price of a product fluctuates when either demand or supply changes. For example in good weather the supply of grains and oil normally increases. Customers will tend to purchase more when products are more readily available and are at a lower price. One can also consider the scenario where the change in climate or weather increases the demand as is the case in the sale of umbrellas when rain is expected. Another condition is the changes in taxation on the product. The implementation of a tax by the government affects product prices in such a way that the organization will have to raise its price in order to be able to meet the tax requirement, cater for the expenditure incurred for the purchase of the product as well as keep a percentage of profit from the sale. Thus one must assess whether the business can pass some or all of the tax onto the customer through a higher price without negatively affecting the demand. Clothes and accessories are essential products in todays world and affect all levels of society indiscriminately. A condition that relates to their demand is changes to tastes and fashions. Companies try to influence the varying tastes and preferences of households in favor of their products with the help of a good marketing and advertising strategy. The influence which these advertisements have on the public brings about an increase in demand for their products. Marks and Spencer offers a wide range of variety in clothes. They offer a selection of inexpensive to extravagant and luxurious products that cater for every pocket. Another condition is a change in the population, such as growth. Due to the inelasticity of demand of a product such as food; which will continue to sell despite any increase in price; as the population grows so does the demand. Consequently this leads to growth in agriculture and the expansion of cultivated land. I think in this type of situation the only thing that Marks and Spencer can do is generate more products so as to cater for a bigger demand by the growing population. Marketing in itself is a condition which affects demand. Marketers must pursue constant research and should not rely solely on their own judgment to determine whether marketing decisions need to be adjusted. When considering price adjustment, the marketer must investigate the effects which a change in price is likely to have on target market demand for a product. Understanding how changes in price affect the market requires the marketer have a firm understanding of the concept of elasticity of demand. This entails an evaluation of the price and how it alone affects the overall demand. This assessment necessarily requires one to consider the manner in which competitors may react to the marketers price change by changing the price of their product. Thus one here anticipates the market reaction and how this will affect company revenue. Marks and Spencer continue to strive to meet customer demand; the expansion of their websites offering free delivery and online deals clearly illustrates this. Marks and Spencer have continued to endeavor to provide a better service by increasing the number of people in their trading teams in order to focus on bringing the right products to the right stores, to meet the ever-growing demands of the customer. 3a) A mixed economy is when both the private and the public sector take part in the production, distribution and all other economic activities within a state. The mixed economy permits the inclusion of private contribution in the field of production in a situation of competition with an aim of achieving profit. This mixture of free enterprise and government control has been looked upon from varying perceptions; some claim it is beneficial whilst others believe it has no impact or is detrimental to the economy of that state. An advantage of a mixed economy is that it assists in increasing over-all production in the nation.  Private and public segments work hard in order to bring about more production. People can take the initiative to start companies on their own, whilst deciding what to produce and the prices they will charge for the goods or services that they offer.  Ã‚  Another advantage is the use of government revenue through the payment of taxes, these organisations obtain benefits such as those provided by government services like social programs, subsidies and other government incentive programs. The benefits of mixed economies have been witnessed by the growth of some states into some of the leading markets in the world such as those of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Some disadvantages of a mixed economy are that businesses have to find their own niche in the marketplace for products, and that they have no control over the taxes they pay.  Companies often complain of tax rates being too high for the services and products they offer. Certain economists opine that in fact, mixed economies hardly ever accomplish the growth at which they are aimed. They also criticize the fact that the mixed economies do not make proper use of national resources. 3b) The current economic climate of the USA is a recession, as seen in the figure below. A recession is a phase of general economic turn down. This comes with a fall in the stock market, an increase in unemployment and a turn down in the property market. If a recession persists long enough it is often then classified as a depression. The last two depressions of the USA occurred in 1990-1991 and 2001, lasting eight months each and only two of the ten previous post-depression downturns lasted as long as a full year according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Tony Fratto, the Deputy Press Secretary for the White House emphasized on the need for the American Government to take the necessary steps to bring the economy back to its full force. He propounded on the importance of returning the financial and credit markets back to their normal state, and to try to re-establish the housing market. Mr. Fratto also held that in order to reach stability the states must necessarily take cognizance of the current unemployment situation. Although there is no singular cause, one of the principal reasons given to explain the current economic recession was the housing downturn that resulted in losses of multibillion dollars for one of the nations leading banks as early as 2006. Furthermore, June 2007 was recorded as a period with the lowest rate of home sales and in December of the same year, the recession was deemed to have started. In 2008 due to a reduction in the labour market, the costs of living rose along with the unemployment rate, leading to a reduction in the peoples savings. In 2009/2010 the global markets continued to shift, unemployment increased whilst profits, interest rates, expenditure and investment continued to descend rapidly. Various commentators have stated that the present recession is one of the extended downturns since the Great Depression of the 1930s. What is President Obama doing to try to get out of the recession? President Obama requested Congress to provide him with an economic package the value of which amounted to more than 800 Billion Dollars in order to be able to cope with the current economic crisis. As part of his economic policy the President engaged in a series of talks with the banking sector to introduce new banking policies for the benefit of its customers. Monetary and fiscal policies are being updated, special care being taken so as to reduce the present economic crisis. Many US economic policies are being promulgated by government to stabilize the financial sector. A motion was put forward for the modification of health insurance in order to ensure better health for residents and counteract the repercussions that poverty might bring upon the American citizens. The introduction of new inventions and ideas would help in the economic development of the continent and generate a new source of investment and income. Currently, one can see an immense expansion being demonstrated in the area of computing, aerospace, medical and military equipment. 4a) Price intervention in the context of the European Community refers to a point when the world market price falls below the EU price, the EU interferes to buy the surplus product, in order to keep the price high. Fifty years ago, the importance of the EU agricultural policy was to supply enough food to a Europe coming from a time of shortages, due to war. The EU policy seeks to facilitate the route for producers of all forms of food; such as crops, fruit and vegetables; in order to enable them to compete with other producers on both a European and a global scale. The EU nowadays helps farmers by giving them payments to keep their lands in good condition and to meet the environmental and animal welfare standards, as an alternative to paying famers to produce more. The Common Agricultural Policy with the help of the Community, purchases farm products after the market price falls below the agreed level so as keep itself from the accumulation of Butter Mountains and Wine Lakes. The advantages of price intervention in the EU through the Common Agricultural Policy are that it provides incentives and measures to raise productivity and ensure reasonable living standards for the agricultural society. It also promotes the stabilization of the market whilst ensuring availability of food products at reasonable and realistic prices. The disadvantages are that due to an increase in productivity leading to a surplus which can result in Butter Mountains. These cause an increase in the tax load on EU Member States due to a rise in the contributions each must make to the budget. I think that the European Unions Agricultural policy is a necessary tool which allows farmers to maintain their jobs whilst keeping agricultural produce at a stable price for everyone to afford and thus minimalising waste and expenditure. http://europa.eu/pol/agr/index_en.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4407792.stm 4b) Introduced in 1999, the European Economic and Monetary policy aimed to facilitate the free movement of goods, services, capital and labour. Full integration necessitates the harmonization of member states in certain sectors in order to achieve greater unity and symmetry. EMU in conjunction with other policies implemented by the European Community seeks to achieve this objective. Having the euro as a common currency has proved particularly useful during the recession because it provided more stability for countries within the Union by allowing them to deal with the economic crises in a strategic and co-ordinated manner. The benefits of being in the Euro-Zone are that goods, services and profits are easily moved across the national borders of the Unions member states. The Euro has gained strength over the years and now competes with strong-standing currencies such as the American Dollar. An additional benefit of the adoption of the EMU is that it is now becoming far easier to trade, travel and invest within the Union itself. However, in order to join the EMU, EU member states need to meet certain criteria. Every governments debt must be not exceed 60% of a countrys gross domestic product, the deficit must not be greater than 3% of the nations gross domestic product and the inflation rate must be reduced to below 3.2% and conversely government bonds producing 7.7%. Member States encounter certain additional problems when considering full integration with the European Union; these include dealing with tax, the application and transposition of different regulations affecting financial intermediaries along with security trading systems. In conclusion I would like to speak from my own personal experience as the citizen of one of the smallest member states in the Union. Malta adopted the Euro in 2008; the process of adjusting our economic and financial institutions to meet the established criteria was no easy one. The strive towards full integration is no easy task but so far has reaped many benefits, the only hope for the future is that it will continue to do so. http://lexicon.ft.com/term.asp?t=Economic-and-Monetary-UnionEMU http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/publication_summary12325_en.htm http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=LZQpGtQWjRL2yvLcRhXHT5tv3vQhW31Mcq3jhc1qYn14HWcGPT4g!631636653!610724718?docId=5001841397 Bibliography 123helpme, (2010) Marks and Spencer objectives, [Online] Available: http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=149330 [Accessed 2/1/10] Blurit, (2010) Mixed Economy [Online] Available: http://www.blurtit.com/q917361.html [Accessed 20/1/10] Economy Watch, (2010) Mixed economy, [Online] Available: http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/world-economic-indicators/mixed-economy.html [Accessed 20/1/10] HNC/D Module 1 Course Notes, RDI, 2005. MS Full Annual report and financial statements 2009 Directors report [Accessed 2/1/10] Net MBA Business Knowledge Centre, (2010) Price elasticity of demand, [Online] Available: http://www.netmba.com/econ/micro/demand/elasticity/price/ [Accessed 10/1/10] Trading Charts, (2010) How Supply and Demand Determine Commodities Market Prices, [Online] Available: http://futures.tradingcharts.com/learning/supply_and_demand.html [Accessed 15/1/10] Kevin Colby, News. Politics. Liberty, (2010) Americas Current Economic Condition, [Online] Available: http://kevincolby.com/2008/10/26/americas-current-economic-condition/ [Accessed 21/1/10] Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer, (2010) http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/01/news/economy/recession/index.htm http://www.economywatch.com/economic-policy/us.html http://www.economywatch.com/finance/public-finance/public-finance-and-public-policy.html http://www.unb.ca/news/view.cgi?id=1715 http://www.investorwords.com/4086/recession.html

The Lincoln Administration Pursuit of Freedom Essay -- essays research

The Lincoln Administration Pursuit of Freedom There are many ways to describe what freedom is; in fact Webster’s dictionary offers nine different explanations of what the word means. â€Å"A right or the power to engage in certain actions without control or interference,† is one of the most ubiquitous definitions. There are many ways to describe freedom and American history has portrayed it in very contradictory manners. In the late 1700’s, it was very obvious that America’s forefathers sought freedom as they based their revolution on the principal of emancipation but it was only a short while later that the freedoms of others within the country were being inhibited by slavery. Slavery inhibits civil liberties and in a land of equal opportunity, such as America, needed to be removed. Freedom and slavery have always been closely related but the issues that surround the terms have been handled very differently by the leaders of the nation. Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the USA, is a key fi gure against the oppression of people and an activist in the struggle to remove slavery and gain freedom for all. Freedom is an antonym of slavery. After years of fighting to gain independence and essentially freedom from the King of England, America became a slave endorsing entity. This era of American history is a bit of a paradox, why would people fight so hard for justice just to take away the freedoms of another people? In the United States, Slavery existed primarily in the southern states. In 1800, there were nearly 900,000 slaves in the U.S. only 40,000 of which were in the Northern states. It was in the south where large plantation owners bought people to perform grueling manual labor. These dark skinned people were literally worked to death on many occasions and rarely saw any form of retribution from their owners. Men, women and children alike had their civil liberties ripped from them at birth and were treated like misused animals for all of their lives. Many people believed that this treatment of African Americans was inhumane but sadly did not act to stop the brutal imprisonment. Many of society’s earliest leaders â€Å"regarded slavery as evil and inconsistent with the principles of the Declaration of Independence.† However they hesitated to take political action to prohibit the enslaving of people because many southerners saw the ownership of slaves was... ...tizens all within its borders. The suppression of one person’s rights while another is allowed to take advantage of those lost liberties no longer has a place in this world. Abraham Lincoln ensured an undivided country and abolished its reason for separation by reinstating the true meaning of the Declaration of Independence. Lincoln guaranteed freedom and justice to all of this country’s citizens as his forefathers who led the American Revolution had intended. Works Cited: Cox, LaWanda C. Fenlason. Lincoln and black freedom : a study in presidential leadership. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, 1981. â€Å"Liberty," Microsoft ® Encarta ® Encyclopedia 99. Microsoft Corporation.  © 1993-1998 â€Å"Lincoln, Abraham," Microsoft ® Encarta ® Encyclopedia 99. Microsoft Corporation.  © 1993-1998 â€Å"Slavery in the United States.† Microsoft ® Encarta ® Encyclopedia 99. Microsoft Corporation.  © 1993-1998 The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language. Fourth Edition Houghton Mifflin Company:  © 2000 Wightman Richard Fox, and James T. Kloppenberg, eds. A Companion to American Thought. Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, 1995.