Monday, September 30, 2019

Webster Case

The case suggests that the performance evaluation data (PAS, personnel audit, and the impressions and opinions of the group members) had several problems. From the perspective of the decision-making biases, analyze how the characteristics of the performance data were likely to affect the decisions made by the Carter group. In your analysis, cite specific problems with the data and how they relate to the decision-making biases that we discussed in class.PAS†¢Loss aversion: Webster had a culture that promoted employee loyalty at all costs. â€Å"In more than one instance, Webster had kept an employee long after alcoholism had impaired his or her effectiveness, primarily because of top management’s feeling that the person had no other place to go.† This culture affected the type of feedback granted in the PAS process and skewed the data to show better employee performance on the evaluations than Webster was actually experiencing.†¢Illusion of transparency: Take R ay Pearson as an example, â€Å"Though is performance had been unsatisfactory for at least the last 10 years, he was not given any negative feedback unit the fall of 1974.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Anchoring: Webster rank and file suffered from anchoring in the inflated results of their evaluations. Imagine how Ray Pearson’s would have assessed himself he were not overconfident in his performance (which, unfortunately for Ray, was likely a result of his managers’ unwillingness to give truthful feedback).†¢Sampling on the dependent variable: the participation in the PAS evaluation process is poor at best. It could be possible that – notwithstanding the transparency issues – only the good performers submitted evaluations and the poor performers avoided the process altogether.Personnel audit†¢Illusion of transparency bias: while the audit doesn’t create this bias, Jack Bryant’s process fails to effectively resolve discrepancies between a subordin ate’s perceptions of her performance and her manager’s evaluation of performance.Group opinions†¢Confirmation bias: Again, the group has been immersed in a culture that prioritizes years of service over performance. Cecil Stevens leads the discussion with using seniority as the first criteria to make separation decisions. The group likely confronted confirmation bias towards weighting that criterion more heavily when weighting the other criteria (e.g. performance, potential, etc.).†¢Escalation of commitment: Take for example the counter-intuitive message given to Bob Carter by Ike Davis (superior). â€Å"These men have too much service to be treated as you have proposed.† It seems to me that despite Carter’s reasoned desire to demote individuals, the organization â€Å"doubled-down† on its message of loyalty as the most important consideration in making personnel decisions.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Explore the techniques used Essay

Explore the techniques used by Carol Ann Duffy to create contrasting â€Å"voices† by comparing two of the persona poems. In the poem â€Å"Fraud†, Duffy takes on the persona of an historical figure and creates a voice for it. She writes from the point of view of this character. In doing so, Duffy portrays the feelings and emotions of that character as she sees them. The character in â€Å"Fraud† is a Jewish man whose family were all killed in the Nazi holocaust. His name was Jon Ludwick Hoch, who later changes his name to Robert Maxwell. This was so that he could escape his past and what he left behind when he left Slovakia and to help him fit in when he moved to England. A way in which a â€Å"voice† is created in this poem is through use of the language, this marks it so you can tell it can only come from this specific character. The language is very direct and factual, giving no alternatives. â€Å"What was my aim? To change from a bum a To a billionaire. † The language exposes a lot about this persona. It shows that he was intelligent and cunning and knows what he is talking about. The character is not self pitying like that of the persona in Havisham,but condsending. The two characters through the use of different voices in each poem are portrayed as once being very vulnerable but now have become hardened by time. â€Å"Poverty’s dumb. Take it from me Sunny Jim. † This quote is from â€Å"Fraud† this shows how the voice is dominating and condescending. When looking at the poem you can immediately see that the line length is generally short, with no more than fourteen words per line and no less than two. This may be a method in which the personas thoughts are expressed, very rapid and direct thoughts. A lot of the lines end with â€Å"M†, for example â€Å"scum, slum. † This â€Å"M† sound is crude and suggests that the â€Å"voice† is similar to that of a whining and spoilt child. Which, in turn, when you research the real life character, says a lot about the person. He Lots of words in the poem are mono syables which gives a heavy beat to the end of the line. The character speaks in colloquial language, using a lot of slang words; this gives us an immediate opinion of the character. There is a frequent use of curse words this gives you the impression that the character is very direct not only in his conversations with people but with his whole out look to life. Words such as â€Å"Mother fucker† are swear words, but when used in this context in the play it gives a depth to the character. Through Duffy’s use of words we as readers can learn more about the character she is portraying/ A device that Duffy has used in this poem and with a lot of previous poems is the use of ellipsis. For example, the man speaks elliptically, his attitude towards things and he doesn’t explain himself. This shows that his character is â€Å"Shady â€Å", he elliptically refers to contemporary things. When he is talking about God, he talks elliptically about a lesbian sex show. â€Å"Then there’s Him- for whom I paid for a butch and femme To make him come. † To create the contrasting voice in this poem, Duffy uses the above techniques. But what techniques are used in another of her persona poems Havisham? Havisham is a character taken from literature and given a voice by Duffy. The woman in question is the tragic Miss Havisham from Charles Dickens’s novel â€Å"Great Expectations. † Some history to the character in Havisham is; she was jilted at the alter by her lover whom she was due to marry. She never really recovered from that day. Inside her house she kept the wedding feast as it was, at this point rotting and rat infested. She wore her once beautiful wedding dress, now reduced to blackened rags. The point is, she wanted to keep everything exactly the way it was the day of her wedding, in hope that her lover would come back to her. Clearly from the outset there is still bitterness for the love she lost unsuspectedly. The first literary device used in this poem, in the first line is an oxymoron when referring to her lover. This suggests what she once felt for him, and what she thinks of him now. An oxymoron is a contradiction, so it begs the question, how can he be both of these things? â€Å"Beloved sweetheart bastard. † As in Fraud, there is a use of elliptical language which leaves the reader asking themselves questions about the character and what she is referring to. â€Å"Not a day since then I haven’t wished him dead . Prayed for it So hard I have dark green pebbles for eyes, Ropes on the back of my hand I could strangle with. † Who is he? When was â€Å"then†? To make this more effective and dramatic, Duffy uses a metaphor to try and convey what it feels like. What it feels like when she is saying how much she has longed for him to be dead. Her eyes are compared to â€Å"dark green pebbles†. This has all sorts of connotations, what does a dark green pebble feel like? The first thing that comes to my mind is that it is referring to how she has become cold and almost unhuman. This is what he has reduced her to. Another metaphor is employed in the same stanza when she talks about the ropes on her hands. Of course, she does not literally have ropes on her hands; its connotations are that of veins. The veins on her hands are bulging, through the stress she has been put through. This poem is full of rage and anguish, unlike Fraud where the main tone was demeaning of others. The woman in this poem is extremely self pitying and is completely self absorbed over what this man did to her. She is lonely and lost, grieving for her lost love. This poem is not normally structured; it does not flow as most poems do. In the first two stanzas there are two or three words, then a full stop. This method is to give that line a more dramatic and edgy feel, to set off the enigmas in the poem. â€Å"Spinster. I stink and remember. † â€Å"Beloved sweetheart bastard. † Both of the personas in these poems are not happy or jubilant in any way, they are depressing figures that eventually come to their end. The point is that similar methods are used to create the two contrasting voices. The way in which you use them and the language used is what really determines the creation of a contrasting voice and persona.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Demographic Transition Theory Essay

DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION THEORY INTRODUCTION Demographic transition theory is the theory that societies progress from a pre-modern regime of high fertility and high mortality to a post-modern regime of low fertility and low mortality. The theory is explained by a model which is an idealized picture of demographic change. The aim of the theory is to explain why a society moves from high mortality and fertility to low mortality and fertility. Demographic transition is the actual change from high mortality and fertility to low mortality and fertility. There are many causes of why societies move from high mortality and fertility to low mortality and fertility and these are best explained by the demographic transition model. As societies move from pre-industrial time to postindustrial periods population density changes due to change in values, technology, ways of living and many other variables. ASSUMPTIONS The demographic transition theory shares the same assumptions as the Neo Malthusian theory that economic development lowers fertility which is evident in the model that as societies move from pre-industrial to postindustrial the number of births are lowered. It also assumes that the only way of controlling population growth is through the use of contraception. CRITICS The transition theory is claimed to be the direct outcome of European countries the observation have taken place a long time ago and is outdated. This statement is true because the theory and model predicts what European countries have gone through not what all countries and nations would go through. The theory is only based on birth and death and does not include other aspects of population dynamics such as external migration STAGES OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION This theory has been known to have four stages but a fifth stage has recently evolved and it currently has five stages and these explain mortality and fertility. STAGE ONE: HIGH FLACTUATING This is has high birth and death rates and population growth is is small. Reasons for high birth rates: High death rates and infant mortality encourages more births Lack of family planning Children are viewed as source of income Reasons for high death rates: Diseases as there are no proper medicines Famine due to few people Lack of education Lack of health care STAGE TWO: High birth rate and declining death rate. The total population begins to expand rapidly Reasons for high birth rates: Religious beliefs People used to having many children Reasons for declining death rates: Improved hygiene Improved sanitation Improved food production and storage STAGE THREE: Falling birth rate and continuing to fall death rate. Population growth slows down Reasons for decreasing birth rate: Women are working as it’s the industrial period Improvement on contraceptive technology Change in valuation of women beyond motherhood Presences for smaller families as they are cheaper to maintain Reasons for decreasing death rates: Better healthcare Improved sanitation STAGE FOUR: Low birth and death rates and population growth is small and fertility continues to decline. Reasons for low birth rates: Family planning Improved status of women Change in personal lifestyle Reasons for low death rates: Improved healthcare Improved quality of living STAGE FIVE: Death slightly exceeds death rate and this causes population decrease.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Cross cultural Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cross cultural - Essay Example up of different ethnic groups like â€Å"Baganda 16.9%, Banyakole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%, Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%, Bunyoro 2.7%, other 29.6% (2002 census)(cited from CIA.com† Official language: The official national language is English. English is used for all the official purposes in the offices, courts of Law and is part of curriculum at grade schools. The preferred native languages are Ganda or Luganda, Niger Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan Languages, Swahili and Arabic. Literatcy rate for total population is 66.8%. Literacy among man is higher 76.8% than woman 57.7%. Nearest neighbours: Uganda is landlocked by its neighbouring countries. It has Kenya at its East, Sudan at North, Democratic Republic of Congo at West, Rwanda at Southwest and Tanzania at south. It shares its border with Kenya and Tanzania through Lake Victoria. Major trade resources: The country is rich in its natural resources like other African countries. It has mineral deposits of copper and cobalt and reserves of crude oil and natural gas. Economy is largely based on Agriculture sector. The fertile soil and regular rainfall provides appropriate condition for numbers of agricultural products especially coffee, tea and cotton. The export commodities are coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horticultural products and gold. The import commodities are capital equipments, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies and cereals. The natural gas resources are untapped. Political structure: The country is a republic nation. President is chief of state and head of government. President is appointed from the elected legislators by the cabinet. Election takes place in every five year term. President is elected through the popular vote. Due to the presence of different ethnic groups, the culture of Uganda is very diverse. There are sixty five indigenous communities. The communication style in Uganda changes according to the cultural preferences of

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Benefits of Private and Montessori School Systems Versus the Research Paper

The Benefits of Private and Montessori School Systems Versus the Public School System - Research Paper Example Both public and private schools are good for the children, but they have certain differences which can be important factors while deciding the schools for the children. Public schools are those which are governed by the state, where all the decisions regarding the school would be taken by the state and the government. Private schools are those which are privately owned, the owner of the school or the board of trust would decide anything regarding the school and its benefits. Even the Montessori schools are owned by an individual or a group, and which is privatized. These schools have different features, facilities, and structure of the system, and these factors influence the education of the children (Dronkers & Robert, â€Å"School Choice in the Light of the Effectiveness Differences of Various Types of Public and Private Schools in 19 OECD Countries.†) Thesis Statement There are certain differences in the public schools and the private schools, regarding the benefits, struct ures, education system and size among others, primarily due to the difference in ownership. Both the schools are delivering education to the children of the world, and both public and private schools are helpful to them. Both of them have focused on the same objective, but in different ways. In relation to the topic of the paper it can be stated that both the public and private schools are effective and beneficial to the children, and it depends upon the students, their locations, their affordability and adaptability to decide which schools to join. However, the private and the Montessori schools are providing better educational system as compared to the public schools, which can facilitate the students to gain dynamic learning skills. In the paper, the major objective would be to highlight the benefits of the public as against the Montessori and private schools and compare them to show how they are related to the educational system of the world. Argument School is a place where chi ldren get their first lessons regarding, the world, its people, life, environment and manners among others. A school is just not for gaining bookish knowledge; it also gives the children a scope to develop themselves in every manner. The more facility a school gives a child the more exposure that child gets. In many places in the world, children are still not getting proper education. In many of the places children are not going to school due to the lack of awareness and due to the less number of affordable schools for them. In few places the children are not getting the opportunity to go to school because of the differences in their nature, color, religion, race and cast among others. These factors are the obstacle in the educational system, and both private and public schools are facing these obstacles. Private and public both the schools are beneficial to the children, but private schools are a little better than the public schools. The public schools are governed by the state, w here all the decisions regarding the school, students and exams are taken by the government. In the private school, the ownership is privatized and an individual or a group can be the owner of a private school. Private school has no such direct connection with the government. The owner or the board members are responsible for taking any decision regarding the sch

The Voluntary Service of Citizens in the Armed Forces Essay

The Voluntary Service of Citizens in the Armed Forces - Essay Example Many nations, including the United States, although reliant on voluntary service still do reserve the right to impose a draft. The debate on whether a draft should, at some time, be reinstated is often a discussion drawn between positive (â€Å"what is†) and normative (â€Å"what ought to be†) considerations: the distinction between whether it is economically feasible, objectively necessary, or ultimately practical and whether it is morally justifiable, philosophically contradictory (for a country committed to freedom like the United States), or politically oppressive. To make the argument for or against the draft, a discussant must address both aspects of the issue. Put in this context, the practice of conscription is at once positively and normatively unjustifiable: not only does it create an inferior fighting force, making it ineffective at accomplishing its goals, but it is a severe violation of the individual’s freedom that a government exists to protect. On the normative side, the military draft (or conscription) is a defining feature of totalitarian regimes, having been imposed by and large in the totalitarian countries and their dictators throughout history. Napoleon and Bismarck serve as two examples of despots willing to sacrifice individuals for the state. Having been instituted by these aggressive leaders and countries, the military draft carries with it aggressive force. By â€Å"aggressive force†, one means the force applied to countries other than one’s own, and not in self-defense. It is doubtful, after all, that in the event of a large-scale invasion of a country, that the country will have to force its citizens to fight to save their own lives unless of course it is ruled by a dictatorial regime unworthy of its citizens’ defense. One cannot consistently hold that individuals have rights to self-determination and individual liberties and yet that the state has the right to make them null and void.  

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Human Diseases Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Diseases - Research Paper Example Bradykinesia or slowly voluntary movement is one of the major symptoms of this disease. Tremors are seen in the hands, fingers, and forearm of the patients when the limb is at rest. Rigidity, poor balance, and Parkinsonian gait are some other common symptoms seen along with this disease (Parkinson’s disease: Hope through research). Currently, physicians suggest levodopa combined with carbipoda for the patients. The patients with advanced PD are given rasagiline along with levodopa. In some case, surgery is necessary if the patient does not respond to drugs. Recently, US Food and Drug Administration has approved a deep brain therapy for this disease. A number of community resources such as National Parkinson Foundation and American Parkinson Disease Association work toward the mitigation of PD related problems. II. Subdural hematoma Subdural hematoma is a condition when blood is accumulated underneath the dura mater which surrounds brain and spinal cord. Usually, severe head in juries cause subdural hematoma and it is called acute subdural hematoma. Sometimes, even minor head injuries may cause subdural hematomas if the injuries go unnoticed for many days to weeks; this condition is called chronic subdural hematomas. Confused speech and difficulty with balance are the major symptoms of this disease.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

How did Jesus compare and contrast with other miracle workers Essay

How did Jesus compare and contrast with other miracle workers - Essay Example In the above question, why not the same bad did not occur to others is an inherent pessimism. When that pessimism is absent, one can understand that the good happened for many as a miracle. Hence, a positive attitude with just a limited criticism is necessary to receive a happening as a miracle. Now the question comes about the nature of the miracle and the miracle workers. Before and after Jesus there are miracle workers and World recognizes Jesus as the most famous one. The most important miracle about Jesus is that he rose to life three days after crucifixion, which is extra-human in nature. This is the most contrasting thing that differentiates Jesus from other miracle workers. The comparison of Jesus with other miracle workers is that many of the miracle workers like Moses have lead the distressed and downtrodden to the path of light and created awareness in them. Another thing that is common about the miracles is the increase of faith of followers on the miracle workers (Sander s Theresa, 2000). The important aspect about Jesus that contrasts him with other miracle workers is his birth. Christians believe that he is son of God. This tag is not available with other miracle workers and they bore the title of prophets, servant of god or saints. No other miracle worker is named as son of the god and this is the important miracle (if it is so), that contrasts Jesus with other miracle workers. ... The incident and the miracle that made him disappear in person from the earth was a contrast as well. The resurgence of Jesus after crucifixion is also a contrast from other miracle workers' disappearance. In addition to that, the miracles of Jesus lead the Jews to rebel against the kings or the kings felt so (Bockmuehl, Markus Editor, 2002). In addition to above, another important aspect about Jesus is that the miracles and activities of him resulted in a divine identity. One of the most contrasting aspects about Jesus is that the followers of Jesus characterized him and historians did not condemn him as a messiah, which is absent in case of other miracle workers. Another contrast about Jesus and other miracle workers is that the miracles of Jesus have moral background and other miracle workers have shown miracles in the context of saving their followers from enemies or natural calamities. Miracles of Jesus also have that nature up to some extent, but his miracles possess a nature of inculcating morality in his subjects. Thus, he preached through his miracles, which is not present to that extent in other miracle workers (Bockmuehl, Markus Editor, 2002). Moreover, the miracles of Jesus healed the followers and thus gave an interpretation to the healings. Jews in the day of Jesus felt that the world is open and it is possible for God or an extra ordinary person like Jesus to perform extra ordinary events (miracles). The origin of the events is the ability of the extra ordinary person or the god. Thus, Jesus has contrast with other miracle workers, as his miracles are foundation for the notion that he has been sent by god. However, in case of miracles of other miracle workers after Jesus, the origin of miracles is Jesus or

Monday, September 23, 2019

Human Devoloped Theories Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Devoloped Theories - Research Paper Example Diverse human development theories have been developed to predict, explain the different stages of the development. The paper will do an introduction to the key concept of the human development theory, the research evidence and the contemporary issues of the cognitive and psychosocial theories of the human development. The cognitive theory refer to ego development that is understanding of how the child emerges and shapes a personal identity with goals, beliefs and strategies for achieving goals within the constraints of the society. On the other hand, the psychosocial theory describe development stage that are assumed to be build upon accomplishment of the earlier stage that help to identify factors and processes that are likely to contribute to the observed decline in self-esteem of the children. These theories are outlined in turn, their similarities and differences are noted, and common criticisms are discussed to help understand the importance of each theory. The theories use stage models with similar concepts but organize them in different ways; the psychosocial theory has eight development stages that show how the child develop at each stage; on the other hand cognitive theory has four development stages that discuss the mental development of the child. Finally, the dominant stage in the two theories, the adolescent stage, is described, and some vital areas of the stage and the research based on it are mentioned.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Social Change and Modernization Essay Example for Free

Social Change and Modernization Essay An example of this can be seen with the unforeseen impact certain inventions had on society such as cars and airplanes. Social change is controversial. Some inventions are celebrated by some while condemned by others. Some social changes are more significant than others, such as cars and planes as opposed to hair and clothing styles. Mothers Against Drunk Driving is an Alternative Social Movement because they target a small group of people displaying a specific behavior. Alcoholic Anonymous is a Redemptive Social Movement because they help certain people redeem their lives. The Civil Rights Movement is a Reformative Social Movement because they seek limited change in society yet target all of society as participants in their movement. The Communist Party is a Revolutionary Social Movement because their aim is to transform all of society and gain exclusive control of a government. Modernization is the process of social change begun by industrialization. The key features of Modernization are a decline in small, cohesive communities where each person had a defined place, usually identified by kinship. Modernization caused people to see their lives as an unending series of options where they were able to take control of their lives instead of feeling that their lives were shaped by forces beyond their control (Britannica, 2012). Modernization changed societies where strong family ties and religious beliefs emphasized conformity and discouraged diversity into societies promoting rational thought and a scientific view of the world. Modernization changed societies where people focused on the past to people who are forward-looking and optimistic that technology will changed their lives for the better. An example of modernization was seen with the invention of the telephone where people no longer had wait weeks for mail to arrive at a destination and could have instant exchanges of information between small communities the rest of the world. The migration of people from small towns to cities where people were forced to be more accepting of different cultures, religions and ethnicities. The television brought the world into people’s living rooms. People were exposed to different examples of people who had nothing but then took charge of their lives to make something of themselves. The invention of the computer allowed people who did not have immediate access to information and schooling a resource to take charge of their life, obtain education that could change a career of lifestyle.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Ferranti Effect

The Ferranti Effect As the length of the line increases specially in extra high voltage (EHV) lines, beyond 200km, we observe a phenomenon called Ferranti Effect in no load or low load conditions. This is due to the fact that as the line length increases the capacitance of the line increases, and the shunt capacitance generates the reactive power in the line. Since there is no load or low load to consume that excessive power, this results in excessive reactive power in the line and hence the receiving end voltage gets higher than the sending end voltage. This rise in voltage may well go beyond the operative ratings of the terminal and hence might give rise to many cascading events damaging the equipments. The continuous increase of the voltage of transmission, line length and number of sub-conductors per bundle has emphasized the importance of the excessive line MVAR in EHV systems as well as associated voltage and reactive controls. During the line charging volt-amperes of the line which have exceeded the inductive VARs consumed and operation at light loads, there is an undesirable voltage rises along the line. This voltage rise in turn demands a much higher insulation level, which poses a great problem. Moreover, if the insulation against these over-voltages were to be provided in the system, then the cost of the line becomes enormous. To overcome this phenomenon, shunt reactors are required to be installed at optimized location to absorb the excessive reactive power. Though this solution has a financial cost, but this is inevitable, since the load is a random variable and the generation of the power cannot be exactly planned for sudden tripping off of the loads. Aims and objectives: The aim of this thesis project is to investigate the Ferranti effect for long length transmission lines using PowerWorld simulations on a radial system. The following are the key objectives covered in this project. Impact by varying Line lengths: Investigate the system behavior regarding Ferranti effect with different transmission line lengths. This was done by investigating the profile of the effect for long length lines and hence distributed models were considered for this analysis. 2-Impact by varying loading levels: Since Ferranti effect is the phenomenon where receiving end voltage (Loads) is lower than sending end, it was important to look into the loading factor by varying the loading levels for different line lengths. 3- Investigation for optimum load levels to avoid effect: A series of experiments were done to find the minimum values of load required for varied line lengths in order to avoid Ferranti Effect and to contain the terminal voltage near 1p.u. 4- Minimum ratings for reactors for compensation: With a varied number of simulations and experiments, the minimum ratings of required reactors have been realized in order to maintain optimized terminal ratings at receiving end. Scope of thesis: This thesis will commence with an overview of the problems encountered with EHV long transmission line. This would be followed up by a literature review that covers the research of useful background theories. The result from the performed simulations will be discussed in detail. Finally, some recommendation for future works in this area of research. Chapter 2. INTRODUCTION TO TXN LINES: The electric lines which are used to carry electric waves are called transmission lines. The transmission line parameters like inductance and capacitance are not separable unlike the lumped circuits. The transmission parameters are distributed all along the length of the transmission line. Hence the method of analyzing the transmission lines is different from analyzing the lumped circuits. In the analysis of the transmission line, only steady state currents and voltages are concerned. The analysis includes the measurement of current and voltages at any length of the line, when a known voltage is applied at one end of the transmission line. The end at which the voltages are applied is called sending end and the end at which the signals are received is called receiving end of the transmission line. 2.1-transmission line parameters: For the analysis and design of transmission lines, it is important to have knowledge of electric circuit parameters, associated with the transmission lines. Various electric parameters associated with the transmission lines are as below, 1-Resistance: Depending upon the cross sectional area of the conductors, the transmission lines has resistance associated with them. The resistance is uniformly distributed all along the transmission line. Its total value depends upon the total length of the transmission line. Hence its value is given per unit length of the transmission line. It is denoted as R and is given in ohms per unit length. 2- Inductance: When the conductors carry the current, the magnetic flux is produced around the conductors. It depends upon the magnitude of the current flowing throw the conductors. The flux linkages per ampere of the current, gives rise to the effect called inductance of the transmission line. It is also distributed all along the length of the transmission line. It is denoted as L and measured in Henry per unit length of the transmission line. 3- Capacitance: The transmission lines consist of two parallel conductors or single line w.r.t earth separated by dielectric like air. Such conductors separated by an insulating dielectric produce a capacitive effect. Due to this, there exists a capacitance associated with the transmission line which is also distributed all along the length of the conductor. It is denoted as C and measured in Farads per unit length of the transmission line. 4- Conductance: The dielectric between the conductors is not perfect. Hence a very small amount of current flows through the dielectric called displacement current. This is nothing but leakage current and this gives rise to the leakage conductance associated with the transmission line. It exists between the conductors and is distributed all along the transmission line. It is denoted as G and measured as mho per unit length of the line. Thus the four important parameters of the transmission line are R, L, C and G. as the current flows from one conductor and complete the path through other conductor, the resistance of both the wires is included when specifying the resistance per unit length of the line. These line parameters are constant and are called the primary constants of the transmission line. Revisit snaps(4-16(1)) 2.2-performance equation of long transmission line: kundar book We can analyze the performance of the line on per phase basis. The relationship between current and voltage along the one phase of the line in terms of distributed parameters can be seen in the FIG below = series impedance per unit length/phase. = shunt admittance per unit length/phase. = length of the line. The voltages and current in the figure are the phasors representing sinusoidal time varying quantities. For a differential section of the line of length at a distance from receiving end, the differential voltage can be given as . hence (2.1) The differential current flowing through shunt admittance can be given as Similarly (2.2) Differentiating eq 1 and 2 yeilds (2.3) and (2.4) Now for the general equation for voltage and current at distance x from receiving end, if the receiving end voltage and current are known, can be given as (2.5) (2.6) Whereas this is called characteristic impedance. and = = this is called propagation constant. The constant and are complex quantities. The real part of propagation constant () is called the attenuation constant , while the imaginary part is called the phase constant . Now the first term in eq.5 increase in magnitude and advances in phase as the distance increases. This term is called incident voltage. While the second term in eq.5 decreases in magnitude and distorts in phase from receiving end towards sending end, this term is called reflected voltage. At any point along the line the voltage is the sum of incident and reflected voltage. The same is true for eq.6 . If a line is terminated at its characteristic impedance , then there is no reflected voltage and the line is called a flat line or infinite line. For a typical power line, G is practically zero and R Zc = = (2.7) = = (2.8) If losses are completely neglected the is a real number and is an imaginary number. Similarly for a lossless line eq.5 and 6 can be simplified as (2.9) (2.10) The voltage and current vary harmonically along the line length. A full cycle of voltage and current along the line length corresponds to 2 radians. If is the phase shift in radians per meter, the wavelength in meters is (2.11) 2.3-Equivalent circuit representation of long transmission line: A line with length more than 160km is considered a long transmission line and the parameters are assumed to be distributed uniformly along the line as a result of which the currents and voltages would vary from point to point. Let us consider the figure below series impedance per unit length shunt admittance per unit length length of the line total series impedance total shunt admittance The elemental equivalent of the above figure can be redrawn as follows. For analysis purpose we take receiving end as reference for measuring the distance. Assume we have an elemental length at the distance of x from the receiving end. If the voltage and current at distance x are and, so at the distance of so the voltage and current becomes + and + respectively. 2.12 By manipulating above equations Similarly 2.13 With above can be written as 2.14 And 2.15 By differentiating eq 2.14 2.16 The solution of eq 2.16 is 2.17 From eq 2.14 and 2.16 2.18 Where is the characteristic impedance and is the propagation constant. Eq 2.17 and 2.18 can be written as 2.19 2.20 If receiving end voltage and current are known then Substituting above values in eq 8 and 9 Again substituting values of A and B in eq 2.19 and 2.20 2.21 2.22 Since and are the voltage and current at any point distance x from receiving end as evident from expression and (magnitude and phase) are functions of distance , receiving end voltage and receiving end current , which means that they vary as we move from receiving end towards sending end. Now the quantities and are complex For a lossless line; When dealing with high frequencies or surges normally the losses are neglected and the characteristic impedance becomes surge impedance. Due to large capacitance and lower inductance in the cables the surge impedance values can be very low. For = = the real part of propagation constant () is called the attenuation constant , while the imaginary part is called the phase constant . Eq 2.11 can be written as 2.23 The first term in the above expression is called incident voltage wave and its value increases as x is increased. Since receiving end is our reference end and as x increases the value of voltage increases meaning the magnitude of voltage decreases as it travel towards the receiving end. Thats why the first part of expression is called incident voltage and the second is called reflected voltage for the similar reason. Same can be said about the current expression as well. Voltage and current expressions can be rearranged as below 2.24 And for current 2.25 For , and 2.26 2.27 The above derived quantities are related by the general equations 2.28 2.29 Where are such that Compairing the coefficients of above expression with eq 2.28 and 2.29 From this it is clear that 2.3.1-Equivalent representation: Considering the same two terminal condition with sending and receiving end voltage and current, the network can be represented as figure below. From the above network we can derive the following expressions 2.30 2.31 By comparing eq 2.30 and 2.31 with eq 2.26 and 2.27 2.32 2.33 2.34 2.35 From eq 2.33 we can derive We can conclude from this that to get the series impedance should be multiplied with . Now to get the shunt arm of equivalent circuit we substitute in eq 2.32 Here is the total shunt admittance. So to get the total shunt arm of the equivalent th eshunt arm of the nominal should be multiplied with , so the equivalent circuit can be drawn as below. 2.3.2 Equivalent representation of long line: A similar derivation of equivalent circuit can be, the equivalent circuit can be represented as Figure below. By analyzing the circuit following expression can be extracted 2.36 2.37 Comparing eq 2.36, 2.37 with 2.26, 2.27. 2.38 2.39 2.40 2.41 Now using eq 2.40 for shunt branch of equivalent circuit we get, Therefore its evident that to get the shunt branch of equivalent circuit, we have to multiply with the shunt branch of nominal circuit. For series impedance eq 2.40 is substituted in eq 2.38, which gives So here we get the factor for multiplication with nominal circuit to get equivalent circuit impedance. And the resultant circuit can be drawn as figure below. 2.4-Fundamental requirements in ac power transmission: Bulk transmission of electrical power by ac in possible only if the following two fundamental requirements are satisfied. Major synchronous machines must remain stable in synchronism: The major synchronous machines in a transmission system are the generators which are incapable of operating usefully other than in synchronism with all the others. And this also is the fundamental of stability. Voltages must be kept near to their rated values: The second main requirement in ac transmission is the maintenance of correct voltage levels. Power systems are not inherently tolerant of abnormal voltages even for short periods. Undervoltage: this is generally associated with heavy loading and/or shortage of generation, causes degradation in the performance of loads. In heavy loaded systems, undervoltage may be an indication that the load is approaching the steady state stability limit. Sudden undervoltages can result from the connection of very large loads. Over voltages: this is a dangerous condition because of the risk of flashover or the breakdown of insulation. Over voltages arise from several causes. The reduction of load during certain parts of the daily load cycle causes a gradual voltage rise. Uncontrolled, this overvoltage would shorten the useful life of insulation even if the breakdown level were not reached. Sudden overvoltage can result from the disconnection of loads or other equipment, while overvoltages of extreme rapidly and severity can be caused by the line switching operation, faults and lightning. In the long transmission line this would limit the power transfer and the transmission distance if no compensating measures were taken. Chapter 3 compensated/uncompensated lines 3.1-Charging current in lines: Despite being able to avoid wire resistance through the use of superconductors in this thought experiment, we cannot eliminate capacitance along the wires lengths. Any pair of conductors separated by an insulating medium creates capacitance between those conductors: (Figure ) Voltage applied between two conductors creates an electric field between those conductors. Energy is stored in this electric field, and this storage of energy results in an opposition to change in voltage. The reaction of a capacitance against changes in voltage is described by the equation i = C(de/dt), which tells us that current will be drawn proportional to the voltages rate of change over time. Thus, when the switch is closed, the capacitance between conductors will react against the sudden voltage increase by charging up and drawing current from the source. According to the equation, an instant rise in applied voltage (as produced by perfect switch closure) gives rise to an infinite charging current. However, the current drawn by a pair of parallel wires will not be infinite, because there exists series impedance along the wires due to inductance. (Figure below) Remember that current through any conductor develops a magnetic field of proportional magnitude. Energy is stored in this magnetic field, (Figure below) and this storage of energy results in an opposition to change in current. Each wire develops a magnetic field as it carries charging current for the capacitance between the wires, and in so doing drops voltage according to the inductance equation e = L(di/dt). This voltage drop limits the voltage rate-of-change across the distributed capacitance, preventing the current from ever reaching an infinite magnitude: Equivalent circuit showing stray capacitance and inductance. The effect of capacitance of an overhead transmission line above 160km long is taken into consideration for all calculations. The effect of the line capacitance is to produce a current called charging current. This current will be in quadrate of the applied voltage. It flows through the line even if the receiving end is open-circuited. The charging current of the open circuit line is referred to as the amount of current flowing into the line from sending end to receiving end where there is no load. In many cases, the total charging current of the line is determined by multiplying the total admittance of the line by the receiving end of the voltage. This would be correct if the entire length of line has the same voltage as that of receiving end voltage. However this method of finding the charging current is sufficiently accurate for most lines. The actual value of the charging current will decrease uniformly from its maximum value at sending end to the minimum value at receiving end. Due to the charging current, there will be power loss in the line even the line is open circuited. 3.2-Surge Impedance Loading (sil pdf) As power flows along a transmission line, there is an electrical phase shift, which increases with distance and with power flow. As this phase shift increases, the system in which the line is embedded can become increasingly unstable during electrical disturbances. Typically, for very long lines, the power flow must be limited to what is commonly called the Surge Impedance Loading (SIL) of the line. (dr) or SIL is defined as the amount of power delivered by a lossless transmission line when terminated by a load resistance equal to surge or characteristics impedance. Surge Impedance Loading is equal to the product of the end bus voltages divided by the characteristic impedance of the line. Since the characteristic impedance of various HV and EHV lines is not dissimilar, the SIL depends approximately on the square of system voltage. A transmission line loaded to its surge impedance loading: (i) Has no net reactive power flow into or out of the line, and (ii) Will have approximately a flat voltage profile along its length. (dr) with load at the receiving end equal to SIL. Volts (3.1) It is clear from the equation that voltage magnitude at any point along the transmission line is constant with the magnitude equal to the receiving end voltage. Also, at SIL the general expression for current can be rewritten as . Amperes (3.2) Using (3.1) and (3.2), the complex power flowing at any point along the transmission line can be calculated as. (3.3) Hence, the amount of real power flowing along a lossless transmission line loaded at SIL is constant as expected. Also, noticed that the reactive power flowing in the line is zero. This point is crucial in understanding the phenomenon called Ferranti effect. When the line is terminated at SIL the net reactive power needed to deliver the real power by keeping the voltage constant is zero. In other words, the reactive power internally produced by shunt capacitance is just sufficient to fulfill reactive power required. However, when the loading conditions change from SIL or moderate loading to light load to heavy load, there will be imbalance in reactive power required to transmit the real power. In the absence of devices to control and compensate for reactive power, situation could result in lack or surplus of reactive power. Hence, create a low or high voltage profile, respectively in the receiving end of the transmission line. Typically, stability limits may determine the maximum allowable power flow on lines that are more than 160 km in length. For very long lines, the power flow limitation may be less than the SIL as shown in Table 0-1. Stability limits on power flow can be as low as 20% of the line thermal limit. Typical stability limits as a function of system voltage are given in table below: 3.3-The uncompensated line on open circuit: tjmiller The lossless line that is energized by the generators at the sending end and is open circuited at the receiving end is described by following equation with . 3.4 And 3.5 Voltage and current at the sending end can be given as 3.6 3.7 and are in phase, which is in consistent , with the fact that there is no power transfer. The phasor diagram shown in the figure. The voltage and current profiles in equation 1 and 2 are more conveniently expressed in terms of . 3.8 Phasor diagram of uncompensated line on open-circuit Voltage and current profile at no load condition. The general form of these profiles shown in fig 3.5 above. For a line 300km in the length at 50Hz, 3600 60 per 100km, so à °Ã‚ Ã…“ ½=6*3=180. Then and based on the SIL. The voltage rise on open circuit is called Ferranti Effect. Although the voltage rise of 5% seems small, the charging current is appreciable and in such a line it must all be supplied by the generator, which is forced to run at leading power factor, for which it must be underexcited. The reactive power absorption capability of a synchronous machine is limited for two main reasons The heating of the ends of the stator core increases during the under excited operation. The reduced field currents results in reduced internal emf of the machine and this weakens the stability. Note that a line for which à °Ã‚ Ã…“ ½=à °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ½Ãƒ °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¼=à °Ã‚ Ã…“†¹/2 has a length of ÃŽÂ »/4 (one quarter length wavelength, i.e, 1500km at 50Hz) producing an infinite voltage rise. Operation of any line approaching this length is completely impractical without some means of compensation. In case of the sudden open-circuit of the line at the receiving end, the sending end voltage tends to rise immediately to open-circuit voltage of the sending end generators, which exceeds the terminal voltage by approximately the voltage drop due to the prior current flowing in their short circuit reactances. 3.4-Compensated transmission lines: Reactive power compensation means the application of reactive devices To produce a substantially flat voltage profile at all levels of power transmission. To improve stability by increasing the maximum transmissible power, and/or To supply the reactive power requirements in the most economical way. Ideally the compensation would modify the surge impedance by modifying the capacitive and/or inductive reactances of the line, so as to produce a virtual surge impedance loading that was always equal to the actual power being transmitted. Yet this is not sufficient to ensure the stability of the transmission, which depends also on the electrical line length. The electrical length can itself be modified by the compensation to have a virtual à °Ã‚ Ã…“ ½shorter than the uncompensated value, resulting in an increase in the steady state stability limit This consideration suggests two broad classification scheme, Surge impedance compensation and line length compensation. Line length compensation in particular is associated with series capacitors used in long distance transmission. Another compensation is called compensation by sectioning, which is achieved by connecting constant voltage compensators at intervals along the line. The maximum transmissible power is that of the weakest section but since this is necessarily shorter than the whole line, an increase in maximum power and , therefore , in stability can expected. 3.4.1-Passive and active compensators: Passive compensators include shunt reactors and capacitors and series capacitors. They modify the inductance and capacitance of the line. Apart from the switching, they are uncontrolled and incapable of continuous variation. For example, shunt reactors are used to compensate the line capacitance to limit voltage rise at the light load or no load condition. They increase the virtual surge impedance and reduce the virtual natural load Shunt capacitor may be used to augment the capacitance of the line under heavy loading. They generate reactive power which tend to boost the voltage. They reduce the virtual surge impedance and increase . Series capacitors are used for line length compensation. A measure of surge impedance compensation may be necessary in conjunction with series capacitors, and this may be provided by shunt reactors or by a dynamic compensator. Active compensators are usually shunt connected devices which have the property of tending to maintain a substantially constant voltage at their terminals. They do this by generating or absorbing precisely the required amount of corrective reactive power in response to any small variation of voltage at their point of connection. They are usually capable of continuous variation and rapid response. Active compensators may be applied either for surge impedance compensation or for compensation by sectioning. In compensation they are capable of all the functions performed by fixed shunt reactors and capacitors and have additional advantages of continuous variability with rapid response. Compensation by sectioning is fundamentally different in that it is possible only with active compensators, which must be capable of virtually immediate response to the smallest variation in power transmission or voltage. The table below summarizes the classification of the main type of compensators according to their usual functions. 3.4.2-Shunt compensation: Shunt reactors are used to limit the voltage rise at the light load or no load conditions. On long transmission they may be distributed at intermediate substations in shown in figure below voltage and current profile of shunt compensated system at no load. Consider the simple circuit above in figure, it has a single shunt reactor of reactance at the receiving end and a pure voltage source at the sending end. The receiving end voltage can be given as 3.9 3.10 Equation 7 shows that and are in phase, in keeping with the fact that the real power is zero. For receiving end voltage to be equal to sending end voltage , must be given by 3.11 The sending end current can be given as 3.12 using equation 3.9 and 3.11 3.13 Since , this means that the generator at the sending end behaves exactly like the shunt reactor at the receiving end in that both absorb the same amount of reactive which is evident from equation below. 3.14 Chapter 4 Ferrenti effect 4.1 Ferranti effect: A long transmission line draws a substantial quantity of charging current. If such a line is open circuited or very lightly loaded at the receiving end, the voltage at receiving end may become greater than voltage at sending end. This is known as Ferranti Effect and is due to the voltage drop across the line inductance (due to charging current) being in phase with the sending end voltages. Therefore both capacitance and inductance is responsible to produce this phenomenon. Another way of explaining Ferranti effect is based on net reactive power flow in the line. It is known that if the net reactive power generated in lie is more than the reactive power absorbed, the voltage at that point in the line becomes higher than the normal value and vice versa. The inductive reactance behaves like a sink in the line whereas the shunt capacitance generates the reactive power. If the line loading corresponds to the surge impedance loading, the voltage is same everywhere as reactive power absorbed in the line is equal to the reactive power generated. If the loading is less than SIL, generated power is more than generated power absorbed, therefore, the receiving end voltage is higher than sending end voltage. The capacitance (and charging current) is negligible in short line but significant in medium line and appreciable in long line. Therefore this phenomenon occurs in medium and long lines. Represent line by equivalent model. And the vector diagram can be given as OM = receiving end voltage Vr OC = Current drawn by capacitance = Ic MN = Resistance drop NP = Inductive reactance drop Therefore; OP = Sending end voltage at no load and is less than receiving end voltage (Vr) Since, resistance is small compared to reactance; resistance can be neglected in calculating Ferranti effect. From model, For open circuit, no load, There fore Or Or By neglecting resistance The quantity is constant in all line and is equal to velocity of propagation of electromagnetic waves (= 3 ÃÆ'- 102 km/sec) By substituting the values in the above derived equation And And finally From the above equation So or Receiving end voltage is greater than sending end voltage and this effect is called Ferranti Effect . 5.1, fig 4.10,4.6,4.4,4.2,4.1,3.5,3.4,2.1 Chapter 5 results and discussion Results and discussions: To simulate for my analysis, a radial system in the following figure was modeled as test system. Practical industrial data was acquired from Queensland Electric Commission which follows the Australian standard for conductors and enforces the transmission and distribution company to follow the standards. This acquisition was important to incorporate for more realistic analysis and observe the phenomenon as it is appeared in the real life transmission systems. Conductor types for the simulation were chosen from the provided list

Friday, September 20, 2019

What it takes to be a teacher

What it takes to be a teacher What It Takes To Be a Teacher Choosing a career is a challenging, exciting, and perhaps even a threatening task for most today (Morales, 1994, para. 1). â€Å"You may have a clear idea about a career youd like to pursue. Then again, you might not have a clue† (Mariani, 2011). In todays society there are thousands of careers to choose from. Woman, as well as men are open to career options from Computer Engineering to Teaching. As our society begins to advance there are many careers which can one day be taken over by more advanced technology, such as computers. Teaching however, is a career that will always be in demand. Teachers are responsible for teaching fundamentals which are needed in everyday life. Not only is teaching a promising career, it is also a rewarding and beneficial career. Pursuing a career as a teacher is very demanding, however, it can be a rewarding career. â€Å"Teacher: one whos occupation is to instruct† (Merriam-Websters, 1993, p. 1059). The teaching process can be broadly defined as the transmission of knowledge (Morales, 1994, para. 14). Teaching developed into a profession after the early 1800s when the first teacher training was founded in Europe ( The World Book Encyclopedia, 2011, p. 68). Since the 1800s, teaching has long evolved and become extremely important to society. Whether in elementary or high schools or in private or public schools, teachers provide the tools and the environment for their students to develop into responsible adults (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). Teaching is a career which I have always found interest in. A puzzling question comes to mind: Why would anyone choose to teach in this day and age when there is such a wide range of careers from which to choose and when becoming a teacher is being made tougher and tougher? ( Morales, 1994, para. 3). For me the answer to this question is simple. Teaching is a rewarding, and beneficial career. There is so much more to teaching then showing students how to read, and write. According to the United States Department of Labor (2009) Teachers play an important role in fostering the intellectual and social development of children during their formative years†. The path to becoming a teacher will require years of schooling. The traditional route to becoming a public school teacher involves completing a bachelors degree from a teacher education program and then obtaining a license (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). Aspiring secondary school teachers most often major in the subject they plan to teach, while also taking a program of study in teacher preparation (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). Along with years of schooling, â€Å"Every state requires a public elementary and high school teachers to obtain a teaching certificate before teaching in that state† (The World Book Encyclopedia, 2011, p. 68). As technology continues to grow and people become more knowledgeable the requirements to becoming a teacher are gradually becoming more difficult. Evidence of tougher certification requirements is widespread. State legislators are mandating teacher accountability by passing laws that make it more difficult to enter the teaching profession ( Morales, 1994, para. 4). Being able to teach is not the only skill teachers need to have in order to land a teaching position. In addition to being knowledgeable about the subjects they teach, teachers must have the ability to communicate, inspire trust and confidence, and motivate students, as well as understand the students educational and emotional needs (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). Although teaching may look simple there are many responsibilities a teacher holds. They plan, evaluate, and assign lessons; prepare, administer, and grade tests; listen to oral presentations; and maintain classroom discipline (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). Teachers also hold another responsibility as stated by April Whatley, â€Å" Teacher educators are those individuals responsible for the development of future teachers† (2009). When one decides on becoming a teacher they must first realize there are certain job conditions they will be forced to work with on a daily basis. â€Å"Teachers may experience stress in dealing with large classes, heavy workloads, or old schools that are run down and lack modern amenities† (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). A positive aspect of being a teacher is the hours and vacations you receive. Unlike any other job most teachers work normal 40 hour work week, but have two months of paid vacation. â€Å"Many teachers work more than 40 hours a week, including school duties performed outside the classroom† (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). During the summer teachers have the advantage of a long vacation. â€Å"Most teachers work the traditional 10-month school year, with a 2-month vacation during the summer† (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). Teachers salaries range widely depending upon where one works, how much they work and what degree they hold. â€Å"Median annual earnings of kindergarten elementary, middle and secondary school teacher ranges from $47,100 to $51,180† (Krasna, 2010). Throughout the day teachers deal with students who can often cause stress when they become disobedient. There are also other factors that teachers deal with on a daily basis that can cause stress, such as grading large amounts of work. â€Å"Teachers may experience stress in dealing with large classes, heavy workloads, or old schools that are run down and lack modern amenities† (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). Throughout most of the day teachers are working with students. Teachers are sometimes isolated from their colleagues because they work alone in a classroom of students† (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). Like any other career there are many positive and negative aspects to becoming a teacher. One large advantage is all the paid vacation time a teacher has. All the extra time a teacher has allows them to pursue other things. â€Å" During the vacation break, those on the 10-month schedule may teach in the summer sessions, take other jobs, travel or pursue personal interests† (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). Being a teacher also has its disadvantages, â€Å"One challenge is that there isnt always a clear answer to the questions people face† (Krasna, 2010). In todays society it is becoming more difficult to land a job as a teacher. The credentials to become a teacher becoming more difficult. Although, it is getting more difficult to land a job as a teacher, teaching is a career that will always be needed, regardless of what time period one is in, or where they are located in the world. Schools in the United States and Canada hire new teachers each year. Some opportunities occur because experienced teachers retire or leave to pursue other career paths† (The World Book Encyclopedia, 2011, p. 68). There are many opportunities to increase you position as a teacher. â€Å"Master of education programs typically prepare their recipients to be elementary secondary or special education teachers and can offer courses in teaching methods , curriculum and instruction , classroom management and mathematics† (Krasna, 2010). According to the U.S. Department of Labor (2009) With further preparation, teachers may move into such positions as school librarians, reading specialists, instructional coordinators, and guidance counselors. Teachers may become administrators or supervisors. In some systems, highly qualified experienced teachers can become senior or mentor teachers, with higher pay and additional responsibilities. They guide and assist less experienced teachers while keeping most of their own teaching responsibilities. Being a teacher is an extremely beneficial career, although, it is definitely a career that is harder then it looks. Throughout all the research I have done, I have come to realize this is definitely a career I want to pursue and commit my studies to. There are many benefits to becoming a teacher. Teachers impact many lives and help many people. To attain my goal of one day becoming a successful teacher I will need to earn my degree in teaching. I hope to one day be able to lend the world my knowledge, and be considered a teacher. â€Å"Teaching offers inner rewards; a sense of having contributed to the betterment of humanity, a sense of having made a difference in this ever-changing world† (Morales, 1994, para. 14).

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Fly Away Peter :: essays research papers

Dear Journal Jim, Jim, Jim - thinking about the senseless murder of Jim by men who never knew him or disliked him except for his nationality. I began to realise that the world is changing everyday and I can’t stop it. I started to stroll down the undulating dunes of the gold coast towards the vast desolate beaches. My feet sunk down into the sand and the thousands of tiny white sand grains slipped down into my shoes. I reached the pounding shore and lay my equipment on the ground. Jim, Ashley and I where completely different people in terms of our social standing’s but our undying love and compassion for the birds brought us together. Nothing could take that from us. All I could think of is, â€Å"What am I doing,† on this sphere they call Earth, â€Å"why am I here† and more importantly why was Jim taken off this planet. Is life a metaphor for something bigger and if so, what is it? There is some comfort that I feel knowing that Jim has gone to a better place, a place that he knows is a sacred haven. As I looked at the perfectly formed white and peaceful dunes stretching endlessly along the coast I think of how transcendental and peaceful the beach is compared to where Jim was before he died. When I think about the waste and lives that this war has ravaged, I feel like yelling out. I contemplate about how upset Jim’s father was when I saw him and I couldn’t bear it, I felt like breaking down and weeping.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The waves are the most perfect creation of God; the ocean is one huge swell that rushes towards of beachfront, searching for a special place were they might show their power and life purpose. They may spend a lifetime roaming the ocean and when they finally reach the shore, their force spent and not even a single man may see it, and if so, is it a wasted wave? The power, force and beauty of those waves last only a few seconds and yet how many humans appreciate those seconds. These thoughts that were roaming around in my head made me think of Jim and his life. To me, Jim’s life was a short but significant one. Where he touched so many of us, but mostly Ashley’s and I. Whenever, I think of the first time I met Jim, I visualise a man who seemed so confident and always had his own firm opinions. Fly Away Peter :: essays research papers Dear Journal Jim, Jim, Jim - thinking about the senseless murder of Jim by men who never knew him or disliked him except for his nationality. I began to realise that the world is changing everyday and I can’t stop it. I started to stroll down the undulating dunes of the gold coast towards the vast desolate beaches. My feet sunk down into the sand and the thousands of tiny white sand grains slipped down into my shoes. I reached the pounding shore and lay my equipment on the ground. Jim, Ashley and I where completely different people in terms of our social standing’s but our undying love and compassion for the birds brought us together. Nothing could take that from us. All I could think of is, â€Å"What am I doing,† on this sphere they call Earth, â€Å"why am I here† and more importantly why was Jim taken off this planet. Is life a metaphor for something bigger and if so, what is it? There is some comfort that I feel knowing that Jim has gone to a better place, a place that he knows is a sacred haven. As I looked at the perfectly formed white and peaceful dunes stretching endlessly along the coast I think of how transcendental and peaceful the beach is compared to where Jim was before he died. When I think about the waste and lives that this war has ravaged, I feel like yelling out. I contemplate about how upset Jim’s father was when I saw him and I couldn’t bear it, I felt like breaking down and weeping.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The waves are the most perfect creation of God; the ocean is one huge swell that rushes towards of beachfront, searching for a special place were they might show their power and life purpose. They may spend a lifetime roaming the ocean and when they finally reach the shore, their force spent and not even a single man may see it, and if so, is it a wasted wave? The power, force and beauty of those waves last only a few seconds and yet how many humans appreciate those seconds. These thoughts that were roaming around in my head made me think of Jim and his life. To me, Jim’s life was a short but significant one. Where he touched so many of us, but mostly Ashley’s and I. Whenever, I think of the first time I met Jim, I visualise a man who seemed so confident and always had his own firm opinions.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Influence of Emerson’s Self-Reliance on Gilman’s Yellow Wall-Paper

Influence of Emerson’s Self-Reliance on Gilman’s Yellow Wall-Paper      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The great writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, "trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string" (p. 1033). How surprised he would be to find out that a half century later this type of idea would culminate in a growing restlessness among American women unsatisfied with their lives and with their roles in society - a society dominated by men with little or no place for women outside the home. One of these female writers who helped lead the battle for domestic and social reform was Charlotte Perkins Gilman. One of her more particularly forceful works is "The Yellow Wall-Paper," meant to highlight the submissive and highly undervalued role women play in marriages at the time. Through this work, Gilman expressed her inner frustrations with the servitude women had to endure in their marriages during that time period, and she advocated her own brand of Emersonian non-conformity for women. By taking such a profoundly dismal outlook on married life, Gilman hoped to inspire other women to seek new roles not only in the domestic, but also public, arena. "The Yellow Wall-Paper" represents to a large degree what the feminist movement of the late 19th century was about, and by analyzing both the story and context of its creation, it becomes apparent the type of interpretation Gilman made of Emerson's work "Self-Reliance."    Although "The Yellow Wall-Paper" focuses on a wife's sudden decline into madness, the story brings forth a very important issue - that of women's roles not only in domestic life, but in society as well. It becomes abundantly apparent even from the first few lines of the story that the wife's views concern her place in the marr... ..." written nearly half a century earlier, but wished to apply it to women in order to achieve a similar greatness through liberation. Evidently, both authors have achieved their goals and have become literary founders of a new American image created during the 19th century, but transcending the boundaries of time even today. Works Cited and Consulted Boller, Paul. American Transcendentalism. New York: Capricorn Books, 1974. Emerson, Ralph. Self-Reliance. Ed. George McMichael. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1985. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Yellow Wallpaper. New York: Feminist Press, 1973. ------. The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: An Autobiography. New York: D. Appleton-Century, 1935. Kasmer, Lisa. "Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 'The Yellow Wallpaper': A Symptomatic Reading." Literature and Psychology. 36, (1990): 1-15.      

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A Thousand Splendid Suns Essay

â€Å"Come. There is a way to be good again,† said Rahim Khan to Amir. In the novel the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Amir, the main character, expresses his thoughts and actions due to his baneful choices. The tribulations he faced were all repercussions of the sin committed by his disdainful youth. His sins ravaged the early stages of his life and gave him a troublesome memory full of guilt. As the novel progressed, Amir attempted to disengage the memory of his sin and forget about it. Amir soon faced the long over due road to redemption. Khaled Hosseini’s novel the Kite Runner is about redemption, and that the lifelong pursuit of happiness will never be fulfilled without it. At a young age Amir and Hassan were best friends, even though Amir was roughly expressing it. Amir and Hassan enjoyed many activities together as Khaled expressed in his novel: â€Å"I spent most of the first twelve years of my life playing with Hassan. Sometimes, my entire childhood seems like one long lazy summer day with Hassan, chasing each other between tangles of trees in my father’s yard, playing hide-and-seek, cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, insect torture†¦ We saw our first Western together, Rio Bravo with John Wayne, at the Cinema Park†¦,† stated Amir. Amir stated all these â€Å"friend-like† activities, yet witnessed the sexual abuse administered by Assef and his goons on Hassan without a peep from his mouth. At this point Amir’s lust for obtaining the kite, so he could finally enjoy love from his father had over come his friendship. That temporary love given to Amir by his father was enough for Amir to attempt to get rid of Hassan permanently, which worked. Amir’s sin committed in his early years set the stage for the rest of his life, for he would seek redemption for his acts. Many years passed, Amir was on his own now in America, with his wife Soraya that could not bare children. Amir received a call from Rahim Kahn who was dying and wanted a last visit from Amir. Amir had jumped at the chance to visit an old friend/father figure and flew to see Rahim. Little did Amir know he was about to face all of the tribulations he had seemed to forget of his past ten fold. Rahim Khan reveals â€Å"Hassan, Amir’s childhood friend, the presumed son of the family servant was in reality, Amir’s half-brother, his father’s illegitimate son with Ali’s wife. † He also reveals that the prolonged redemption is just around the Taliban by saving Amir’s half-nephew Sohrab (Hassan’s son) from Kabul. Amir was in a state of confusion, he expressed his plead to Rahim: â€Å"I can’t go to Kabul,† I had said to Rahim Khan. â€Å"I have a wife in America, a home, a career, and a family. † But how could I pack up and go and go back home when my actions may have caused Hassan a chance at those very same things (talking to himself)? I wished Rahim Khan hadn’t called me. I wished he had let me live on in my oblivion. But he had called me. And what Rahim Khan revealed to me changed things. Made me see how my entire life†¦had been a cycle of lies, betrayal, and deceit. ‘There is a way to be good again’ he’d said. Thus started Amir’s road to redemption. Amir searched through Kabul for Sohrab and an orphanage leader had stated that Sohrab had been sold to a Taliban leader. The Taliban Leader who showboated John Lennon glasses and conducted the stoning ceremony at halftime of the soccer game was the man that Amir had to speak with. As Amir conversed with the Taliban lead he learned of his cruel ways of massacring the Hazaras. Then the Taliban leader revealed, â€Å"What did you think? That you’d put on a fake beard and I wouldn’t recognize you? †¦ I never forget a face. Not ever. † The Taliban revealed himself as Assef, Amir’s childhood enemy. Assef created an ordeal stating that if Amir were to overcome him in a blood brawl, then Sohrab would be Amir’s boy to take. Assef completely demolished Amir by breaking several ribs with his brass knuckles. Amir was barely able to stand, but he withheld the beating for he knew that destiny had brought him to this moment. The moment came when Sohrab had pierced Assef’s eye and he and Amir escaped. Amir had finally accomplished his self-turmoil and had almost completed his redemption by saving his half-brother’s son, and almost dying for him. Amir knew that he had to adopt Sohrab when they got back to a safe haven. This caused some trouble with the embassy for they required legal documents of the orphaned child. Sohrab believed that there was no possible way for him to come to America and he did not want to return to an orphanage, so he attempted suicide. Amir had gone through a father’s worst nightmare when he thought his soon to be adopted son would die. Sohrab survived though, leaving a reckless, unrighteous Muslim, self- centered Amir behind. Amir’s pursuit of happiness was fulfilled as he and his son were flying kites in America. He had redeemed himself as he said to Sohrab, â€Å"Do you want me to run that kite for you? †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦A nod from Sohrab†¦ â€Å"For you, a thousand times over,† and a smile cracked open on Sohrab’s face.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Can Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde be seen as a commentary on Victorian Society? Essay

In the Victorian times of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, keeping an impeccable image and social profile is of great concern to upper middle-class professionals. But behind the strict rules of their society lie desire, temptation and curiosity. Robert Louis Stevenson focuses on three professionals, two doctors and a lawyer, who are representative of this contradictory aspect of Victorian society. They both value the faà §ade of a proper life and have a secret side that contradicts it. Doctor Jekyll can be seen as portraying a victim of desire. He is a wealthy, successful and well-liked doctor, describing himself as â€Å"fond of the respect of the wise and good among [his] fellowmen†. Yet those qualities set aside, he is consumed by a darker, more evil side. Though he craves to set it loose, he is embarrassed by it and feels the need to hide it: †Many a man would have even blazoned such irregularities as I was guilty of; but from the high views that I had set before me, I regarded them with an almost morbid sense of shame†. The pressure that Jekyll endures to adapt to the rules of society and therefore to suppress his desires and evil impulses provokes the decision to split his contradictory sides in two, thus to create a separate Hyde to embody the negative elements. He hopes this will allow him to appear to follow a righteous path, while allowing Hyde and therefore his more unacceptable impulses to also be freed: â€Å"If each, I told myself, could be housed in separate identities, life would be relieved of all that was unbearable; the unjust might go his way, delivered from the aspirations and remorse of his more upright twin; and the just could walk steadfastly and securely on his upward path, doing the good things in which he found his pleasure†. â€Å"Separated† from Hyde, we see that Jekyll has actually become the victim and lost control. Jekyll is repulsed by Hyde and admits he is â€Å"pure evil†. When Hyde dominates, however, Jekyll asserts he is â€Å"conscious of no repugnance, rather of a leap of welcome†. Even when Jekyll attempts to suppress Hyde completely, Stevenson depicts him as the weak link: his inner demon tempts him and drags him back to falling into desire. Hyde becomes uncontrollable, as evil is, and eventually comes to permanently replace Jekyll. Stevenson uses Edward Hyde to convey a range of ideas about the nature and power of evil as well as about our response to it. Hyde raises a fear and deep repulsion in other people, as seen in Enfield’s story of the door. â€Å"I had taken a loathing to my gentleman at first sight† Enfield claims, suggesting that Hyde’s mere physical appearance brings out the worst in people. Hyde, as asserted by Jekyll, is purely evil and is constantly compared to Satan or a primitive creature. He is described by Jekyll as having â€Å"ape-like spite† and by Enfield as being â€Å"really like Satan†. These connotations suggest that Hyde is actually the original nature of man, repressed over the years by the bonds of civilization. Of all the characters, he is the only one who does not care about society and thus is a free man. Yet even though Hyde is presented as being the worst creature that could possibly exist, he carries out his evil in a way that a person enduring the pressures of Victorian society can relate to. This is represented by Hyde’s house in Soho, a neighborhood where respectable people went to indulge their secret sides. It is never said what Hyde does in Soho both in order to suggest sin that needs to be hidden from the eyes of society, but also to allow a reader to imagine the unacceptable behavior in question: it makes the text more universal in being less specific. The dangers of a boundless freedom are equally depicted in Hyde’s character. As the story progresses, his evil becomes greater. He kills Sir Danvers Carew possibly for the simple reason that he is a purely good, well-loved man; pure evil hates pure good. Jekyll later relates that â€Å"with a transport of glee, [he] maul[s] the unresisting body, tasting delight from every blow† showing the pleasure Hyde takes in his act. As Hyde has no limits, he does immoral things without even seeming to realize the extent of his actions. After trampling â€Å"calmly† over a girl, he leaves her â€Å"screaming on the ground† as if nothing has happened. Stevenson uses an old man and a young girl as both of Hyde’s victims to underline the fact that Hyde acts upon his impulses and chooses his victims as they come, no pattern can be found in his choices. Yet despite having painted Hyde as vile and primitive, he surprises others in his interactions with his good manners and education. This puts forth the connection between Jekyll and Hyde. Though Hyde is considered as purely evil, he retains a part of Jekyll, which comes out when dealing with people Jekyll knows: he uses terms such as â€Å"I beg your pardon† and uses the polite title in front of people’s namesThis is also the case when Hyde writes the note to Lanyon, by the hand of Henry Jekyll, suggesting that no matter how much more powerful Hyde is than Jekyll, there is still a part in Hyde where Jekyll dominates. Stevenson uses the character of Lanyon as a lens through which the reader sees Jekyll. Though Lanyon plays only a minor role in the plot, his thematic significance extends beyond his few appearances. Like Jekyll, he is a doctor, but their scientific paths diverge years before the novel begins. Lanyon believes in a ‘Victorian science’ which is a material science that only leads to useful purposes and shuns unacceptable research such as Jekyll’s metaphysical science which Lanyon describes as â€Å"unscientific balderdash†. As Lanyon is a fellow professional, it is appropriate that he be the one to witness Jekyll’s transformation. His account and description are credible as he is a doctor and he sees the materialization of Hyde into Jekyll in a technical way, observing every detail with the eye of an expert. Because of their scientific differences, though, initially Lanyon doesn’t comprehend the reasons why Jekyll would do such a thing. These differences show us how much Jekyll has diverged from the rules of society and the importance of anyone finding out about Jekyll’s experiments. Lanyon also plays a major thematic role in exploring curiosity, its dangers and for the novella’s consequences. He has a natural desire for knowledge, seen in his occupation of scientist – he is a doctor, a medical researcher. This pushes him to be curious enough to test the boundaries of the rules of Victorian society. Hyde offers him a choice: either walk away without knowing the reason behind all Jekyll/Hyde had asked him to do or watch Hyde transform into Jekyll: â€Å"Will you be wise? Will you be guided? Will you suffer me to take this glass in my hand and to go forth from your house without further parley? Or has the greed of curiosity too much command of you†. According to Victorian rules, the right decision would be to pick the first option, yet Lanyon, consumed by curiosity and dying for answers, picks the second. This decision, though it brings Lanyon answers, also leads him to his downfall. He is so terrified by the knowledge of what Jekyll/Hyde have shown him that he chooses death over living with such unbearable truth; he says to Utterson, â€Å"I sometimes think if we knew all, we should be more glad to get away†, symbolizing that knowledge has a price and he finds death preferable. Utterson, on the other hand, symbolizes the perfect Victorian gentleman. The first impression he makes on people is negative; he is said to be â€Å"cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary†. Yet his loyalty towards his friends makes him â€Å"somehow lovable†. Even when Utterson is convinced that Hyde is involved in various criminal activities, he keeps the facts to himself to save Jekyll’s social profile. He considers Hyde as â€Å"the ghost of some old sin, the cancer of some concealed disgrace: punishment coming, pede claudo, years after memory has forgotten and self-love condoned the fault†. Utterson himself does not have anything to hide from society as he leads a life of regulated routine, dominated by his adherence to most principles. â€Å"It was his custom of a Sunday, when this meal was over, to sit close by the fire, a volume of some dry divinity on his reading-desk, until the clock of the neighboring church rang out the hour of twelve, when he would go soberly and gratefully to bed†. Utterson is a man in control of his feelings and desires. For example, he prefers to drink moderately and in the company of his friends; friends keep you secure. In the end, Utterson’s Victorian sense of conformity and his loyalty to friends come together. This can be seen when he is summoned by Poole to Jekyll’s home and sees all the servants â€Å"huddled together like a flock of sheep†. Instead of being frightened, he searches for a coherent reason to explain the odd incidents related to Jekyll. Yet again, when Poole claims that his master has been replaced by someone else, Utterson tells him that Jekyll is simply â€Å"seized with one of those maladies that both deform and torture the sufferer†. Though Utterson suspects this is not the truth, he claims it is to not interfere with Jekyll’s life. Utterson can also be seen as the character that inspires the most trust. His devotion to his friends makes him their primary confidant. This can be seen first through Lanyon, who decides to reveal what he knows about Jekyll to Utterson, when he has told no one else. Next, we can see this through Poole, who comes immediately to Utterson to seek help about his master, knowing that Utterson will make the right decision. Finally, Jekyll’s full statement to Utterson proves that he is the one whom everyone seems to trust. When Utterson receives Lanyon’s letter, he is told to only read it once Jekyll is dead. Utterson proves that the trust of others is well founded, as he is dying to know the cause of Lanyon’s sudden death, but he complies with the request. Though Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an entertaining page turner and successful popular novella, it can also be seen as representing strong criticism of Victorian society. As a horror story, it also represents more generally the fears of a society’s sins being revealed. As we analyze these different characters, we realize that the upper-middle class professionals were bound to strictness, repression and self-preservation by the society they had created. The denial of the existence of primitive, more instinctive elements of man leads to a suppression of part of man’s true nature in Victorian society. Jekyll, by unleashing this other true nature, reveals the greatest fears of society: the unknowable, the uncontrollable.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Socrates – Wisest Man

â€Å"Wisest is he who knows that he does not Know. † This was one of the statements attributed to Socrates who is regarded as one of mankind’s greatest teachers and the wisest man who ever lived. He was also considered as one of the most enigmatic figures in the history of philosophy. Socrates was a very ugly individual. He was potbellied, had a bulging eyes and a snub nose. He did not write anything down. Everything that we know about him was because of Plato and other philosophers like Xenophon who discussed Socrates in their dialogues. What is surprising is that he acquired the stature of being one of the most influential person in the history of philosophy without writing a single philosophical article. (The Bluffer’s Guide to Philosophy, p 10) This essay aims to prove that Socrates was indeed the wisest man who has ever lived in this world. In the third subsection, I aim to present my arguments and reasons why I think Socrates is the wisest man who has ever lived. In the fourth subsection, I aim to present the antithesis to my arguments. In the concluding part, I aim to synthesize all the arguments taking into consideration the antithesis. II. Sophists To understand Socrates however, it is important that a discussion be devoted to the so-called Philosophers during his time. They were known as the Sophists. The Sophists were famous during his time. They were not Athenian citizens but they wandered from city to city to deliver their lectures on philosophy for a fee. Philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle criticized the Sophists for professionalizing the commercializing education. Sophists: The Origin of Western Philosophical Ethics) Socrates was very critical against the Sophists. It is said that Socrates defended philosophy and the society against the Sophists. Michael Curtis, in the Great Political Thinkers: Volume 1, asserted that : â€Å"Socrates criticized the Sophists as a group for professing false knowledge, not in the sense of misleading or incorrect information, but in not penetrating sufficiently t he significance of the subject they were treating. †(Curtis 26) One of the leading Sophists was Protagoras. They theorized that universal principles do not exist and if ever they existed man is not capable of knowing them. The Sophists therefore advocated a philosophy of relativism. Jostein Gaarder in ‘Sophies World’ attributed the statement â€Å"Man is the Measure of all things† (Gaarder 49) to Protagoras. He meant that man has no capability of knowing what is good or bad which is universally valid for anyone regardless of place and time. To know whether an act is good or bad will entirely depend on that particular individual. If an act is good for him, then it is considered good. Thus whether an act is good or bad will have to be considered in relation to man’s needs. (Gaarder 50) III. Socrates as the Wisest Man Socrates should be considered the wisest man because he changed the method of education. Emphasizing the value of education he discussed with his students for free. He did not charge a large sum of money to his students unlike the Sophists who commercialized the education of the youth in Athens by exacting from them fees in exchange for conducting lectures. He should be regarded as the wisest man in the world because of his method of teaching which is called the Socratic Method. Socrates compared his method to a midwife. Midwifery is defined as the art & practice of attending upon women in childbirth (Midwifery). A midwife does not herself give birth to the child but she merely helps in the child’s delivery. Socrates used the same method. He did not teach students by giving lectures because for him knowledge must come from within. True knowledge according to Socrates is a two-way process. It cannot come from the teacher alone. Plato in his work Theaetetus discussed the similarity of Socratic method with the art of midwifery, to wit: â€Å"Well, my art of midwifery is in most respects like theirs; but differs in that I attend men and not women, and I look after their souls when they are in labor, and not after their bodies, and the triumph of my art is in thoroughly examining whether the thought which the mind of the young man brings forth is a false idol or a noble and true birth. † (Theaetetus) The Socratic Method consists of two processes. Socrates argued that the first step to acquiring knowledge is to clear the mind of all the biases and prejudices. There must be a humble acceptance and confession of ignorance. Socrates once said that there is only one thing that I know and that is that I know nothing’ (Gaarder 53). True knowledge will only be acquired after one has accepted his ignorance. The second step will be the maeiutic process. The term came from the Greek word â€Å"maieutikos’ wherein Socrates attempted to draw out of the students’ mind the knowledge. Socrates then engaged his students in a debate. Socrates questioned his students the purpose is to get the foundations of the views and opinions of his students until a contradiction in their views is discovered. Thus, in this process Socrates hoped to destroy the incorrect propositions and assumptions and develop and improve the correct propositions. Socrates should be considered the wisest man who ever lived because he stressed the dangers of ignorance. According to Socrates, ignorance consisted in not knowing that there exists universal principles and that man is capable of knowing them. True knowledge consisted in knowing that universal principles exist. Socrates thus sought to liberate the people from the relativist philosophy of the Sophists. For Socrates, to uphold the Sophists view society will be in chaos. For who will now determine which act is good or bad for the society. A person can therefore perform any act which he deems right for himself regardless of its effect on other people. In contrast, Socrates argued that there exist universal norms and principles which are valid regardless of place and time. Socrates argued that â€Å"Knowledge is Virtue†. He argued that man is inherently good. He will not purposely do evil. If one knows what is good then man will do good. If ever man does evil it is because he does not know any better or because his knowledge is imperfect or inadequate. Thus, Socrates explains the great problem of evil: evil which is mostly moral evil is due to ignorance or the limitation and imperfection of man’s perfect knowledge. This is affirmed by Garth Kemerling in his essay â€Å"Socrates† â€Å"Socrates argues here that knowledge and virtue are so closely related that no human agent ever knowingly does will : we all invariably do what we believe to be best. Improper conduct, then, can only be a product of our ignorance rather than a symptom of weakness of the will. (Kemerling) IV. Socrates is not the Wisest Man If there are people who believe that Socrates was the wisest man some people believe that he is not the wisest man because of his erroneous assumption that knowledge will rid the world of evil. Lack of knowledge is not the only propeller that drives man to do evil. I think Socrates may have failed to consider the power of instinct and passions that are capable of making man commit evil. It cannot be denied that against all wisdom and common sense man still is forced to commit evil. Some people have been gifted with the greatest minds in the world but they still commit crimes and lead immoral lives. Consider the terrorist attacks our countries have experienced. The attackers instead of using their intelligence to avoid violence are spearheading the attacks against our country. V. Conclusion The philosophy of Socrates was unique for his time. He went against the prevailing tide and told the Athenian people that if they continue to believe the Sophists, Athens was headed for destruction. The objection that man despite its knowledge continuously commits evil is precisely because of the limitation and imperfection of his knowledge. The terrorists thinking that they have noble cause commit these atrocious acts not knowing that they are committing a grave and serious evil. Socrates taught us all to reexamine ourselves and our deeply cherished belief. He invited us to question every belief, opinion and subject them to scrutiny. Most of the time we get too involved with what we thought we knew where in fact we know nothing about it. It is time for us to free ourselves from our biases and prejudices. Biases and prejudices if left unexamined could shape our lives without us knowing it. They affect how we see the world and how we respond to it. Liberating ourselves from our own biases and prejudices will help us better understand our lives and our place in this world. Socratic philosophy is in reality an invitation for us to â€Å"know ourselves†. It is because of this reason that I think Socrates is the wisest person Socrates inspires us to once more see the world from the eyes of the child. Most of the time we are so used to the world that we begin to accept things as they are. What could be worse than a man lives his life full of biases and prejudices. ‘An unexamined life is not worth living. ’