Essay on Moral Position - 1059 Words

Moral Position Dworkins moral position is reasons, foundation theory and self-evident. Moral position has to give good (articulate) reasons for moral position to be valid. Things like prejudices and emotions are not justifiable characteristics for a moral position. In Dworkins essay The Concept of a Moral Position, he elaborates on what a moral position really is, and what it isnt. Dworkin states that moral position cannot be based on prejudice or emotion. According to Websters dictionary, prejudice is the unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes of a hostile nature regarding a racial, religious or national group. Therefore a person cannot judge another based on these grounds of prejudice or emotion. The example†¦show more content†¦For example, if a man would say I hate homosexuals that would be considered as his personal emotion because he gives no justified reason for his statement aside from pure fear or inferiority. Yet he is still entitled to his own opinion under the first amendment. If the same man would also give a reason for his prejudice such as I hate homosexuals, because Im afraid they might do something to me it is his own justifiable reason but it is only justified to him and not to anyone else. Hence, making his moral opinion only his own and not societies moral opinion and his moral position is wrong which must be rejected. Moral position cannot be based on the beliefs of others. By relying on others moral position a person shows that he doesnt have his own views and values on the subject, and therefore his or her position is unjustified. It is a form of the advice we are given by others of be a leader and not a follower. For example if I say that I dont like Russian people because no body else likes them. That statement would not be a justifiable argument for the sake of morality, it would just be a reason for myself, which lack supporting evidence. It would just show that I dont have or formed my own opinion, and therefore I cannot give a good enough reason to prove my position, hence making myShow MoreRelatedEthics, Morals, Law And Position Of Leader1827 Words   |  8 PagesEthics, morals, law and position of leader Ethic is a set of principles and philosophy that governs the thought process pertaining to conducts of people in diversified field. It could be science, civic society, law order, politics, diplomacy or any personal matter between two individuals. Moral is more to do with differentiating right from wrong, setting standard for oneself for best behavior and learning from the past experience and applying them in present to achieve sense of self belief andRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis And Its Effect On The Moral Position Of The United States987 Words   |  4 Pageswas provided, the lies of Kruschev were exposed, and Robert Kennedy said, â€Å"I now know how Tojo felt when he was planning Pearl Harbor† (Kennedy, 25). 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With discourse marker ‘so’ signifying a consequential relation between the present messages with t he prior context, Manh stresses on the importance of friend selection (â€Å"just consider†, line 88). Moreover, the use of â€Å"people†Read MorePeter Singer And John Arthur s Views On Famine And Affluence1451 Words   |  6 Pagessupply themselves beyond the essentials puts us in a position that can be disputed: should we supply for others who cannot attain basic elements for survival? In a piece by Peter Singer entitled, â€Å"Famine, Affluence, and Morality,† Singer argues that Americans should prevent atrocious situations to arise but, we also should not sacrifice something of equal importance while doing so. 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Streams of Silver 4. The Conjuring Free Essays

string(44) " back into place after Sydney had departed\." A landmark of wonder marked the very center of the City of Sails, a strange building that emanated a powerful aura of magic. Unlike any other structure in all the Forgotten Realms, the Hosttower of the Arcane seemed literally a tree of stone, boasting five tall spires, the largest being the central, and the other four, equally high, growing out of the main trunk with the graceful curving arc of an oak. Nowhere could any sign of the mason be seen; it was obvious to any knowledgeable viewer that magic, not physical labor, had produced this artwork. We will write a custom essay sample on Streams of Silver 4. The Conjuring or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Archmage, undisputed Master of the Hosttower, resided in the central tower, while the other four housed the wizards closest in the line of succession. Each of these lesser towers, representing the four compass directions, dominated a different side of the trunk, and its respective wizard held responsibility for watching over and influencing the events in the direction he overlooked. Thus, the wizard west of the trunk spent his days looking out to sea, and to the merchant ships and pirates riding out on Luskan’s harbor. A conversation in the north spire would have interested the companions from Ten-Towns this day. â€Å"You have done well, Jierdan,† said Sydney, a younger, and lesser, mage in the Hosttower, though displaying enough potential to have gained an apprenticeship with one of the mightiest wizards in the guild. Not a pretty woman, Sydney cared little for physical appearances, instead devoting her energies to her unrelenting pursuit of power. She had spent most of her twenty-five years working toward one goal – the title of Wizard – and her determination and poise gave most around her little doubt about her ability to attain it. Jierdan accepted the praise with a knowing nod, understanding the condescending manner in which it was offered. â€Å"I only performed as I was instructed,† he replied under a facade of humility, tossing a glance to the frail-looking man in brown mottled robes who stood staring out of the room’s sole window. â€Å"Why would they come here?† the wizard whispered to himself. He turned to the others, and they recoiled instinctively from his gaze. He was Dendybar the Mottled, Master of the North Spire, and though he appeared weak from a distance, closer scrutiny revealed a power in the man mightier than bulging muscles. And his well-earned reputation for valuing life far less than the pursuit of knowledge intimidated most who came before him. â€Å"Did the travelers give any reason for coming here?† â€Å"None that I would believe,† Jierdan replied quietly. â€Å"The halfling spoke of scouting out the marketplace, but I – â€Å" â€Å"Not likely,† interrupted Dendybar, speaking more to himself than to the others. â€Å"Those four weigh more into their actions than simply a merchant expedition.† Sydney pressed Jierdan, seeking to keep her high favor with the Master of the North Spire. â€Å"Where are they now?† she demanded. Jierdan didn’t dare fight back against her in front of Dendybar. â€Å"On the docks†¦somewhere,† he said, then shrugged. â€Å"You do not know?† hissed the young mage. â€Å"They were to stay at the Cutlass,† Jierdan retorted. â€Å"But the fight put them out on the street.† â€Å"And you should have followed them!† Sydney scolded, dogging the soldier relentlessly. â€Å"Even a soldier of the city would be a fool to travel alone about the piers at night,† Jierdan shot back. â€Å"It does not matter where they are right now. I have the gates and the piers watched. They cannot leave Luskan without my knowledge!† â€Å"I want them found!† Sydney ordered, but then Dendybar silenced her. â€Å"Leave the watch as it is,† he told Jierdan. â€Å"They must not depart without my knowledge. You are dismissed. Come before me again when you have something to report.† Jierdan snapped to attention and turned to leave, casting one final glare at his competitor for the mottled wizard’s favor as he passed. He was only a soldier, not a budding mage like Sydney, but in Luskan, where the Hosttower of the Arcane was the true, secretive force behind all of the power structures in the city, a soldier did well to find the favor of a wizard. Captains of the guard only attained their positions and privileges with the prior consent of the Hosttower. â€Å"We cannot allow them to roam freely,† argued Sydney when the door had closed behind the departing soldier. â€Å"They shall bring no harm for now,† replied Dendybar. â€Å"Even if the drow carries the artifact with him, it will take him years to understand its potential. Patience, my friend, I have ways of learning what we need to know. The pieces of this puzzle will fit together nicely before much longer.† â€Å"It pains me to think that such power is so close to our grasp,† sighed the eager young mage. â€Å"And in the possession of a novice!† â€Å"Patience,† repeated the Master of the North Spire. * * * Sydney finished lighting the ring of candles that marked the perimeter of the special chamber and moved slowly toward the solitary brazier that stood on its iron tripod just outside the magic circle inscribed upon the floor. It disappointed her to know that once the brazier was also burning, she would be instructed to depart. Savoring every moment in this rarely opened room, considered by many to be the finest conjuring chamber in all the northland, Sydney had many times begged to remain in attendance. But Dendybar never let her stay, explaining that her inevitable inquiries would prove too much of a distraction. And when dealing with the nether worlds, distractions usually proved fatal. Dendybar sat cross-legged within the magic circle, chanting himself into a deep meditative trance and not even aware of Sydney’s actions as she completed the preparations. All of his senses looked inward, searching his own being, to ensure that he was fully prepared for such a task. He had left only one window in his mind open to the outside, a fraction of his awareness hinging on a single cue: the bolt of the heavy door being snapped back into place after Sydney had departed. You read "Streams of Silver 4. The Conjuring" in category "Essay examples" His heavy eyelids cracked open, their narrow line of vision solely fixed upon the fires of the brazier. These flames would be the life of the summoned spirit, giving it a tangible form for the period Dendybar kept it locked to the material plane. â€Å"Ey vesus venerais dimin doer,† the wizard began, chanting slowly at first, then building into a solid rhythm. Swept away by the insistent pull of the casting, as though the spell, once given a flicker of life, drove itself to the completion of its dweomer, Dendybar rolled on through the various inflections and arcane syllables with ease, the sweat on his face reflecting eagerness more than nerves. The mottled wizard reveled in summoning, dominating the will of beings beyond the mortal world through the sheer insistence of his considerable mental strength. This room represented the pinnacle of his studies, the indisputable evidence of the vast boundaries of his powers. This time he was targeting his favorite informant, a spirit that truly despised him, but could not refuse his call. Dendybar came to the climactic point in the casting, the naming. â€Å"Morkai,† he called softly. The brazier’s flame brightened for just an instant. â€Å"Morkai!† Dendybar shouted, tearing the spirit from its hold on the other world. The brazier puffed into a small fireball, then died into blackness, its flames transmuted into the image of a man standing before Dendybar. The wizard’s thin lips curled upward. How ironic, he thought, that the man he had arranged to murder would prove to be his most valuable source of information. The specter of Morkai the Red stood resolute and proud, a fitting image of the mighty wizard he had once been. He had created this very room back in the days when he served the Hosttower in the role of Master of the North Spire. But then Dendybar and his cronies had conspired against him, using his trusted apprentice to drive a dagger into his heart, and thus opening the trail of succession for Dendybar himself to reach the coveted position in the spire. That same act had set a second, perhaps more significant, chain of events into motion, for it was that same apprentice, Akar Kessell, who had eventually come to possess the Crystal Shard, the mighty artifact that Dendybar now believed in Drizzt Do’Urden’s hands. The tales that had filtered down from Ten-Towns of Akar Kessell’s final battle had named the dark elf as the warrior who had brought him down. Dendybar could not know that the Crystal Shard now lay buried beneath a hundred tons of ice and rock on the mountain in Icewind Dale known as Kelvin’s Cairn, lost in the avalanche that had killed Kessell. All that he knew of the tale was that Kessell, the puny apprentice, had nearly conquered all of Icewind Dale with the Crystal Shard and that Drizzt Do’Urden was the last to see Kessell alive. Dendybar wrung his hands eagerly whenever he thought of the power that the relic would bring to a more learned wizard. â€Å"Greetings, Morkai the Red,† Dendybar laughed. â€Å"How polite of you to accept my invitation.† â€Å"I accept every opportunity to gaze upon you, Dendybar the Assassin,† replied the specter. â€Å"I shall know you well when you ride Death’s barge into the darkened realm. Then we shall be on even terms again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Silence!† Dendybar commanded. Though he would not admit the truth to himself, the mottled wizard greatly feared the day when he would have to face the mighty Morkai again. â€Å"I have brought you here for a purpose,† he told the specter. â€Å"I have no time for your empty threats.† â€Å"Then tell me the service I am to perform,† hissed the specter, â€Å"and let me be gone. Your presence offends me.† Dendybar fumed, but did not continue the argument. Time worked against a wizard in a spell of summoning, for it drained him to hold a spirit on the material plane, and each second that passed weakened him a little bit more. The greatest danger in this type of spell was that the conjuror would attempt to hold control for too long, until he found himself too weak to control the entity he had summoned. â€Å"A simple answer is all that I require from you this day, Morkai,† Dendybar said, carefully selecting each word as he went. Morkai noted the caution and suspected that Dendybar was hiding something. â€Å"Then what is the question?† the specter pressed. Dendybar held to his cautious pace, considering every word before he spoke it. He did not want Morkai to get any hint of his motives in seeking the drow, for the specter would surely pass the information across the planes. Many powerful beings, perhaps even the spirit of Morkai himself, would go after such a powerful relic if they had any idea of the shard’s whereabouts. â€Å"Four travelers, one a drow elf, came to Luskan from Icewind Dale this day,† the mottled wizard explained. â€Å"What business do they have in the city? Why are they here?† Morkai scrutinized his nemesis, trying to find the reason for the question. â€Å"That is a query better asked of your city guard,† he replied. â€Å"Surely the guests stated their business upon entering the gate.† â€Å"But I have asked you!† Dendybar screamed, exploding suddenly in rage. Morkai was stalling, and each passing second now took its toll on the mottled wizard. The essence of Morkai had lost little power in death, and he fought stubbornly against the spell’s binding dweomer. Dendybar snapped open a parchment before him. â€Å"I have a dozen of these penned already,† he warned. Morkai recoiled. He understood the nature of the writing, a scroll that revealed the true name of his very being. And once read, stripping the veil of secrecy from the name and laying bare the privacy of his soul, Dendybar would invoke the true power of the scroll, using offkey inflections of tone to distort Morkai’s name and disrupt the harmony of his spirit, thus racking him to the core of his being. â€Å"How long shall I search for your answers?† Morkai asked. Dendybar smiled at his victory, though the drain on him continued to heighten. â€Å"Two hours,† he replied without delay, having carefully decided the length of the search before the summoning, choosing a time limit that would give Morkai enough opportunity to find some answers, but not long enough to allow the spirit to learn more than he should. Morkai smiled, guessing the motives behind the decision. He snapped backward suddenly and was gone in a puff of smoke, the flames that had sustained his form relegated back to their brazier to await his return. Dendybar’s relief was immediate. Although he still had to concentrate to keep the gate to the planes in place, the pull against his will and the drain on his power lessened considerably when the spirit had gone. Morkai’s willpower had nearly broken him during their encounter, and Dendybar shook his head in disbelief that the old master could reach out from the grave so mightily. A shudder ran up his spine as he pondered his wisdom in plotting against one so powerful. Every time he summoned Morkai, he was reminded that his own day of reckoning would surely come. Morkai had little trouble in learning about the four adventurers. In fact, the specter already knew much about them. He had taken a great interest in Ten-Towns during his reign as Master of the North Spire, and his curiosity had not died with his body. Even now, he often looked in on the doings in Icewind Dale, and anyone who concerned himself with Ten-Towns in recent months knew something of the four heroes. Morkai’s continued interest in the world he had left behind was not an uncommon trait in the spirit world. Death altered the ambitions of the soul, replacing the love of material or social gains with an eternal hunger for knowledge. Some spirits had looked down upon the Realms for centuries untold, simply collecting information and watching the living go about their lives. Perhaps it was envy for the physical sensations they could no longer feel. But whatever the reason, the wealth of knowledge in a single spirit often outweighed the collected works in all of the libraries in the Realms combined. Morkai learned much in the two hours Dendybar had alotted him. His turn now came to choose his words carefully. He was compelled to satisfy the summoner’s request, but he intended to answer in as cryptic and ambiguous a manner as he possibly could. * * * Dendybar’s eyes glinted when he saw the brazier’s flames begin their telltale dance once again. Had it been two hours already? he wondered, for his rest seemed much shorter, and he felt that he had not fully recovered from his first encounter with the specter. He could not refute the dance of the flames, though. He straightened himself and tucked his ankles in closer, tightening and securing his cross-legged, meditative position. The ball of fire puffed in its climactic throes and Morkai appeared before him. The specter stood back obediently, not offering any information until Dendybar specifically asked for it. The complete story behind the visit of the four friends to Luskan remained sketchy to Morkai, but he had learned much of their quest, and more than he wanted Dendybar to find out about. He still hadn’t discerned the true intentions behind the mottled wizard’s inquiries, but felt certain that Dendybar was up to no good, whatever his goals. â€Å"What is the purpose of the visit?† Dendybar demanded, angry at Morkai’s stalling tactics. â€Å"You yourself have summoned me,† Morkai responded slyly. â€Å"I am compelled to appear.† â€Å"No games!† growled the mottled wizard. He glared at the specter, fingering the scroll of torment in open threat. Notorious for answering literally, beings from other planes often flustered their conjurors by distorting the connotative meaning of a question’s exact wording. Dendybar smiled in concession to the specter’s simple logic and clarified the question. â€Å"What is the purpose of the visit to Luskan by the four travelers from Icewind Dale?† â€Å"Varied reasons,† Morkai replied. â€Å"One has come in search of the homeland of his father, and his father before him.† â€Å"The Drow?† Dendybar asked, trying to find some way to link his suspicions that Drizzt planned to return to the underworld of his birth with the Crystal Shard. Perhaps an uprising by the dark elves, using the power of the shard? â€Å"Is it the drow who seeks his homeland?† â€Å"Nay,† replied the specter, pleased that Dendybar had fallen off on a tangent, delaying the more specific, and more dangerous line of questioning. The passing minutes would soon begin to dissipate Dendybar’s hold upon the specter, and Morkai hoped that he could find a way to get free of the mottled wizard before revealing too much about Bruenor’s company. â€Å"Drizzt Do’Urden has forsaken his homeland altogether. He shall never return to the bowels of the world, and certainly not with his dearest friends in tow!† â€Å"Then who?† â€Å"Another of the four flees from danger at his back,† Morkai offered, twisting the line of inquiry. â€Å"Who seeks his homeland?† Dendybar demanded more emphatically. â€Å"The dwarf, Bruenor Battlehammer,† replied Morkai, compelled to obey. â€Å"He seeks his birthplace, Mithril Hall, and his friends have joined in his quest. Why does this interest you? The companions have no connection to Luskan, and pose no threat to the Hosttower.† â€Å"I did not summon you here to answer your questions!† Dendybar scolded. â€Å"Now tell me who is running from danger. And what is the danger?† â€Å"Behold,† the specter instructed. With a wave of his hand, Morkai imparted an image upon the mind of the mottled wizard, a picture of a black-cloaked rider wildly charging across the tundra. The horse’s bridle was white with lather, but the rider pressed the beast onward relentlessly. â€Å"The halfling flees from this man,† Morkai explained, â€Å"though the rider’s purpose remains a mystery to me.† Telling Dendybar even this much angered the specter, but Morkai could not yet resist the commands of his nemesis. He felt the bonds of the wizard’s will loosening, though, and suspected that the summoning neared its end. Dendybar paused to consider the information. Nothing of what Morkai had told him gave any direct link to the Crystal Shard, but he had learned, at least, that the four friends did not mean to stay in Luskan for very long. And he had discovered a potential ally, a further source of information. The black-cloaked rider must be mighty indeed to have set the halfling’s formidable troupe fleeing down the road. Dendybar was beginning to formulate his next moves, when a sudden insistent pull of Morkai’s stubborn resistance broke his concentration. Enraged, he shot a threatening glare back at the specter and began unrolling the parchment. â€Å"Impudent!† he growled, and though he could have stretched out his hold on the specter a bit longer if he had put his energies into a battle of wills, he started reciting the scroll. Morkai recoiled, though he had consciously provoked Dendybar to this point. The specter could accept the racking, for it signaled the end of the inquisition. And Morkai was glad that Dendybar hadn’t forced him to reveal the events even farther from Luskan, back in the dale just beyond the borders of Ten-Towns. As Dendybar’s recitations twanged discordantly on the harmony of his soul, Morkai removed the focal point of his concentration across hundreds of miles, back to the image of the merchant caravan now one day out from Bremen, the closest of the Ten Towns, and to the image of the brave young woman who had joined up with the traders. The specter took comfort in the knowledge that she had, for a while at least, escaped the probings of the mottled wizard. Not that Morkai was altruistic; he had never been accused of an abundance of that trait. He simply took great satisfaction in hindering in any way he could the knave who had arranged his murder. * * * Catti-brie’s red-brown locks tossed about her shoulders. She sat high up on the lead wagon of the merchant caravan that had set out from Ten-Towns on the previous day, bound for Luskan. Unbothered by the chill breeze, she kept her eyes on the road ahead, searching for some sign that the assassin had passed that way. She had relayed information about Entreri to Cassius, and he would pass it along to the dwarves. Catti-brie wondered now if she had been justified in sneaking away with the merchant caravan before Clan Battlehammer could organize its own chase. But only she had seen the assassin at work. She knew well that if the dwarves went after him in a frontal assault, their caution wiped away in their lust of revenge for Fender and Grollo, many more of the clan would die. Selfishly, perhaps, Catti-brie had determined that the assassin was her own business. He had unnerved her, had stripped away years of training and discipline and reduced her to the quivering semblance of a frightened child. But she was a young woman now, no more a girl. She had to personally respond to that emotional humiliation, or the scars from it would haunt her to her grave, forever paralyzing her along her path to discover her true potential in life. She would find her friends in Luskan and warn them of the danger at their backs, and then together they would take care of Artemis Entreri. â€Å"We make a strong pace,† the lead driver assured her, sympathetic to her desire for haste. Catti-brie did not look at him; her eyes rooted on the flat horizon before her. â€Å"Me heart tells me ’tisn’t strong enough,† she lamented. The driver looked at her curiously, but had learned better than to press her on the point. She had made it clear to them from the start that her business was private. And being the adopted daughter of Bruenor Battlehammer, and reputedly a fine fighter in her own right, the merchants had counted themselves lucky to have her along and had respected her desire for privacy. Besides, as one of the drivers had so eloquently argued during their informal meeting before the journey, â€Å"The notion of staring at an ox’s ass for near to three-hunnerd miles makes the thought o’ having that girl along for company sit well with me!† They had even moved up their departure date to accommodate her. â€Å"Do not worry, Catti-brie,† the driver assured her, â€Å"we’ll get you there!† Catti-brie shook her blowing hair out of her face and looked into the sun as it set on the horizon before her. â€Å"But can it be in time?† she asked softly and rhetorically, knowing that her whisper would break apart in the wind as soon as it passed her lips. How to cite Streams of Silver 4. The Conjuring, Essay examples

Total Quality Management Core of any Business

Question: Discuss about the Total Quality Management for core of any business? Answer: Introduction Customers are the core of any business. A business survives only if it meets the needs of consumers. The aim of this report is to measure the quality management procedures of Tesco Plc. The organization was found in the year 1919 with a simple mission of being a champion for customers and improving their quality of life (Tesco plc 2016). The core purpose of Tesco is Serving Britains shoppers a little better every day (Tesco plc 2016). The British multinational grocery and general merchandise retailer is headquartered in UK. Tesco values its stakeholders- customers, suppliers, communities and various others. Tesco understands its people by interacting with them and providing exclusive services to meet their requirements. Tesco binds the organizational structure with a culture of trust and respect (Tesco plc 2016). The company makes a significant contribution towards the world by reducing waste globally, providing affordable and high-quality food, providing high employment opportunitie s and faces challenges as a responsible corporate citizen (Tesco plc 2016). Total Quality Management (TQM) System In the words of Group CEO, Dave Lewis, Tesco believes in Doing the Right Thing (Tesco Plc 2015). Tesco does not prescribe any system of standards and establishes its set of quality processes. Tesco follows two main approaches for managing total quality- Full Customer satisfaction and Zero defects. The quality is checked throughout the supply chain- from the suppliers to the product placement in store. The product standards are the most robust in the industry (Tesco Plc 2014). Full Customer Satisfaction Tesco is a customer-oriented organization. Tesco creates psychographic profile of its customers. The organization not only enrols customers through the Clubcard Loyalty Plan but also engages them by inviting them to join suitable clubs. Tesco ensures customer satisfaction through product preferences, positive attitudes and price sensitivity. Tesco designs offer in a manner that suits the preferences of individual customers visiting the store. Tesco engaged its loyal customers as the company figures out the value being looked forward to by the customers (Mukerjee 2013). Zero Defects Tesco establishes quality audits at every point of the organization. After approving a supplier, Tesco arranges site visits and product surveillances by approved auditors. The program testing is divided into four categories- Chemical and microbiological testing, Authenticity testing, Contaminants Testing and Quality testing (Tesco Plc 2014). Each product goes through quality check at Tesco to provide value for money to customer and assure qualified product. These testing programmes cover all products ensuring Tesco to sell safe products to its customers (Tesco Plc 2014). Development and Use of TQM System Maintaining and improving quality at Tesco is achieved in several ways. Tesco is a retail chain store with several establishments in UK and foreign countries producing its products. For the same reason, Tesco gets to sell products manufactured by other companies. To meet the required standard quality of products, Tesco inspects each product from the point of origin to the point of sale. Food products and pharmaceuticals require high level of cleanliness in comparison to other products sold at Tesco. Therefore, the skilled workforce in the organization ensures that the people handling products requiring high sensitivity to cleanliness maintain hygiene for mitigating errors and complains. All the products are marked with the date of manufacturing and expiry to educate its customers. The products produced by the company as well as products for other companies are sold at Tesco. In case the products lie on the shelf for too long, the employees from quality assurance and improvement team make sure that the products are disposed of properly. The products on the shelf at Tesco need to be fresh. The majorly sold items at Tesco are groceries and meat products. Finding highly perishable products being shelved after a day is difficult. In most cases, the entire product quantity at sold within a day. The company follows a policy of removing defective products from the shelves as soon as they show signs of spoilage (Harris 2015). The company donates the perishable products for immediate use so that the food is not wasted. The quality and assurance team makes sure that the products meet standard requirements at all levels and are shelved. Tesco supports FareShare by providing food to more than 1,000 charities across UK. Tesco diverts all surplus fresh food items to support FareShare. The food items include chicken, fruits and vegetables (Smithers 2013). Tesco maintains its total quality concept through prevention, zero defects, getting things right, at first, continuous improvement and involving all aspects of the organization. Tesco satisfies its customers by following low cost policies. The human resources of Tesco play a critical role in the quality management of the products. The department stresses in ensuring product quality of service delivery. They ensure that the customers are treated with value and esteem while they interact with the company. Tesco devotes treating its associates and deserve respect in turn (Hu et al. 2015). The human resources team at Tesco ensures to motivate its employees so that bets products are provided to the customers. The raw materials used by the company are subject to standard testing. The company does not use products that do not yield expected quality. Selection of materials is a critical aspect and every product has to be tested to meet certain standards. Tesco also ensures speedy delivery of products for maintaining high quality of services. The store attendants are taught to provide efficient delivery services promptly. The company makes sure that the customers do not have to lose their precious time (Evans and Mason 2015). Level of Success of TQM System Tesco is renowned for the quality of products. Despite the success of Clubcard loyalty scheme, several discrepancies have been encountered in the operations of Tesco. The quality performance objective is the most prioritized objective above all other business strategic objectives (Connolly and Wall 2011). The company has a quality improvement team that deals with ensuring maintenance of quality in all the goods the company sells in its stores as well the services it provides to its loyal customers (Connolly and Wall 2011). It is reported that the strengths of Tesco are no longer good enough. There was a decline in operating profits. Tesco encountered various strategic challenges in UK. The competitors such as Sainsbury and Marks Spencer focus on improving quality. The Aldi stores in Germany not only provide low prices but convenience. Tesco established small outlets in high-traffic locations for full customer satisfaction. However, German consumers purchased quality products at lower prices at Aldi (Wells 2014). Despite multiple challenges, Tesco continues to rule the market share in UK as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Percentage Share of Total UK Grocery Market Source: (Wells 2014) Tesco uses low price strategies to provide best value to its customers. The brand was severely compromised according to the survey of shoppers (Davidson 2015). The company showed lowest overall customer satisfaction results and the brand image is tarnished. A study was conducted with 2000 customers in UK, and an amount of 250m was reported as losses (Davidson 2015). The criteria of price, range, quality, availability, promotions and range were outranked by other competitors such as Asda. Tesco ranked lowest in a list of grocery chains as stated in Figure 2 (Davidson 2015). Tesco was also outranked by other competitors in categories such as availability of items, cashier courtesy, checkout speed, specialty department service and ability to find items (Davidson 2015). Tesco supermarket was rated the worst grocer for store cleanliness. The brand value declined by 37% in 2014 (Davidson 2015). Figure 2: Composite Loyalty Index Source: (Davidson 2015) Tesco was also outranked by other competitors in categories such as availability of items, cashier courtesy, checkout speed, specialty department service and ability to find items as shown in Figure 3 (Davidson 2015). Tesco supermarket was rated the worst grocer for store cleanliness. The brand value declined by 37% in 2014 (Davidson 2015). Figure 3: Consumer Insights Source: (Davidson 2015) Tesco commits to set new benchmarks in food testing after the horse meat scandal. The customer confidence was lost after the discovery of horse meat in some of its products. Inquiry was ordered after horse meat was found in Tesco value beef burgers in January, prompting a Food Standards Agency (FSA) investigation (Molloy 2013). Tesco promised to set new benchmarks about food testing if the details are not present on the label. Tesco backed-up its commitment by stating that it would educate customers by providing information regarding the products sold at the store. The supply chain system would be reviewed ensuring visibility and transparency (Molloy 2013). Evaluation of impact Before TQM was introduced Tesco introduced Big Price Drop campaign for which prices of daily products slashed (Ruddick 2014). The campaign was criticized as it accentuated the negative perceptions of quality of the products. The low prices convinced people for cheaper products and not quality. The sales of Tesco declined rapidly as the customers lost trust in quality and prices. Tesco did not focus on improving quality while driving down prices. The consumers prefer to buy quality products over cheaper products. Tesco neglected in-store experience, longer shelves, well-designed store environment and other points of differentiation that fully satisfy customers (Ruddick 2014). The markets further reported that Tesco lost its human touch while it was busy expanding its market overseas. The organization failed to position itself between price and quality demands. Tesco also suffered from rising prices of fuel for powering its operations. Tesco tried to make the product range available for all the markets that made them lose its way (Curtis 2012). Both rich and poor want tighter and better quality and niche markets are tending to determine mass markets rather than mass markets crushing niche markets. Tesco was also reported to have poor customer service both in-store and online deliveries. The organization lowered its service levels for bringing the prices down. Tesco exposed its inhumanity of the hypermarket system. Tesco lost the edge and it brought around a serious question if the products were value for money (Curtis 2012). During the implementation For the maximum satisfaction of customers, Tesco introduced the Clubcard loyalty scheme that helped in surging up profits. UK households started redeeming Clubcard points and the organization pledged to pace up its expansion procedures. Tesco went beyond CRM initiatives for providing efficient quality products and services to its customers. Tesco initiated comment cards, research trackers and research techniques for engaging with its customers. The performance was tracked over time. The customers got a chance to accumulate points on the clubcard while presenting their opinions through other initiatives. The customer base for Tesco is large, and Tesco bridged the gap for introducing schemes for various market segments. The initiatives were well taken by the customers as they considered it high quality services. Tesco also changed its store formats based on the size and range of products sold. Customer demands were met with the introduction of various schemes, product range and product locations (Visser 2012). During development and potential future Tesco sales have been declining rapidly in the last two years with increased internet shopping. Tesco is losing its market share because nowadays, shoppers are questioning if the Clubcard is more helpful to the supermarket than to the shopper. Tesco benefits itself following the 6Cs of TQM- Commitment, culture, cooperation, continuous improvement, customer focus and control (Connolly and Wall 2011). Tesco dedicates a human resource management team to attend a meeting with total quality management. The quality improvement team is also charged with responsibilities for dealing with the loyal customers (Ruddick 2014). Tesco successfully adapts cost structure helping the consumers save money. Clubcard is a unique strategy followed by Tesco to keep up the competition in providing quality services to its customers. The clubcard also helps the customers in understanding the customer behaviours as they are recently switching from retail and merchandise stores to online and convenience stores (Ruddick 2014). Recommendations Based on the above research and analysis, some of the gaps are identified about customer satisfaction and defect free products. The recommendations are cost-effective from both individual and organizational perspectives. Several issues and concerns are provided about provision of high quality services and loyalty for Tesco. Some of the recommendations are listed as ahead. Tesco must improve the knowledge and understanding of customers by providing information regarding the product. Several models must be established for measuring customer satisfaction over time based on the range of products, prices, competitors information and preference (Visser 2012). Tesco may continue to satisfy its customers by continuing current business strategies such as Tesco loyalty programme. A few strategies such as a discount, better service to customers, ensuring quality products, commitment to staff, customers and environment must be taken. Marketing research may be conducted on a regular basis for identifying the expectations and demands of the customers (Croucher, 2012). A quality manager may be appointed additionally for analysing the current market trends, nature of competition and the quality standards followed by rivalries such as Aldi, Sainsbury and various others. The customer satisfaction survey would help in knowing the level of customer satisfaction. Online feedback processes may be initiated for the convenience of data collection (Keegan and Green 2015). Tesco may further enhance its effective leadership and managerial skills. The customer service may be improved through collective ownership. Considering the current market trend, Tesco must improvise its supply chain through online distribution. The website may be enhanced providing the visitors some options to surf easily. The website may also be provided with more filtering options and improve the quality of experience received by customers (Visser 2012). Free shipping may be provided by the brand. Daily checks at the factory and warehouse must be enhanced. The food and product checks may be signed off routinely by the retail manager. A rigorous audit programme may be arranged for managing the cross contamination risk, personal hygiene standards, and cleanliness at the stores, pest control measures, labelling and stock rotation procedures and management of waste. The Food Safety Risk Managers may provide stringent regulations for managing the quality of food products (Leng, Li and Liang 2015). Conclusion The above report assesses the total quality management at Tesco Plc. Tesco understands its people by interacting with them and providing exclusive services to meet their requirements. Tesco follows two main approaches for managing total quality- Full Customer satisfaction and Zero defects. Tesco ensures customer satisfaction through product preferences, positive attitudes and price sensitivity. The quality performance objective is the most prioritized objective above all other business strategic objectives. Each product goes through quality check at Tesco to provide value for money to customer and assure qualified product. Tesco as a company produces its products. Tesco is a retail chain store with several establishments in UK and foreign countries. Tesco also ensures speedy delivery of products for maintaining high quality of services. To meet the required standard quality of products, Tesco inspects each product from the point of origin to the point of sale. Daily checks at the fac tory and warehouse must be enhanced. Selection of materials is a critical aspect, and every product has to be tested to meet certain standards. Customer demands were met with the introduction of various schemes, product range and product locations. References Connolly, C. and Wall, T., 2011. The global financial crisis and UK PPPs.International Journal of Public Sector Management, 24(6), pp.533-542. Croucher, S., 2012.Tesco Trouble vs Sainsbury's Success: How Justin King is Winning the Supermarket Battle. [online] International Business Times UK. Available at: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tesco-sainsbury-results-shares-market-351707 [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Curtis, P., 2012.Why are we falling out of love with Tesco?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/reality-check-with-polly-curtis/2012/apr/18/tesco-retail [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Davidson, L., 2015.Tesco is Britain's least favourite grocer. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11661958/Tesco-is-Britains-least-favourite-grocer.html [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Evans, B. and Mason, R., 2015.The lean supply chain. Britain: Kogan Page Limited. Harris, S., 2015.Tesco Has A Brilliant Plan To Feed Thousands Of Homeless People. [online] The Huffington Post UK. Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/06/03/tesco-leftover-food-waste-charity-ceo-dave-lewis_n_7502092.html [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Hu, Q., Found, P., Williams, S. and Mason, R., 2015. Lean Thinking and Organisational Learning: How Can They Facilitate Each Other?.Measuring Operations Performance, pp.61-77. Keegan, W. and Green, M., 2015.Global Marketing. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Leng, M., Li, Z. and Liang, L., 2015. Implications for the Role of Retailers in Quality Assurance.Production and Operations Management, p.n/a-n/a. Molloy, M., 2013.Horse meat scandal: Tesco vows to 'open up supply chain'. [online] Metro. Available at: https://metro.co.uk/2013/02/16/horse-meat-scandal-three-more-plants-raided-by-fsa-officials-3480268/ [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Mukerjee, K., 2013. Customerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ oriented organizations: a framework for innovation.Journal of Business Strategy, 34(3), pp.49-56. Ruddick, G., 2014.Clubcard built the Tesco of today, but it could be time to ditch it. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/10577685/Clubcard-built-the-Tesco-of-today-but-it-could-be-time-to-ditch-it.html [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Ruddick, G., 2014.The answer to Tesco's problems lies in the past and with Sir Terry Leahy. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/epic/tsco/11183732/The-answer-to-Tescos-problems-lies-in-the-past-and-with-Sir-Terry-Leahy.html [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Smithers, R., 2013.Tesco to give surplus fresh food to FareShare to help charities. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/16/tesco-surplus-food-banks-fareshare-charities [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Tesco plc, 2016.Tesco plc. [online] Tesco plc. Available at: https://www.tescoplc.com/index.asp?pageid=10 [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Tesco plc, 2016.Tesco plc. [online] Tesco plc. Available at: https://www.tescoplc.com/index.asp?pageid=11 [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Tesco Plc, 2014.Product Safety. Trading Responsibly. [online] Available at: https://www.tescoplc.com/assets/files/cms/Resources/Trading_Responsibly/Product_Safety.pdf [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Tesco Plc, 2015.Our Code of Business Conduct. [online] Available at: https://www.tescoplc.com/assets/files/cms/Code_of_business_conduct_2015.pdf [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016]. Visser, W., 2012.Corporate Sustainability Responsibility. Cork: BookBaby. Wells, J., 2014.Why Tescos Strengths Are No Longer Good Enough. [online] Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2014/10/why-tescos-strengths-are-no-longer-good-enough [Accessed 15 Mar. 2016].

Paradigm Shift from Modernism to Postmodernism Ways of Thinking

Modernism is a school of thought that is believed to have begun during the period of Renaissance. This movement marked the age of Enlightenment in the early 20th century, as it led to rejection of traditional ideals and principles. This philosophical term looked for new perspectives to act as foundation for their knowledge, that is, it aimed at disapproving the irrational and subjective mind of man.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Paradigm Shift from Modernism to Postmodernism Ways of Thinking specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It supported personal ideologies on issues like religious beliefs; for instance, one does not have to accept an idea because it is religious. Self consciousness was meant to assist in criticizing an idea, then arriving at a conclusion at last. In modernism, one has to identify, evaluate, criticize, and understand a concept, then, choose without external interference. The need for premises/ reasons to attain truth remained fundamental during this time (Johnson, 2007). Notably, Karl Marx (1818-1883), Charles Darwin (1809-1882) and Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) were influential thinkers during the modern era. Specifically, Freud invented the subconscious part of the mind, the superego, which helps in analyzing how one thinks, in other words, evaluating the correctness of the thinking. Together with the superego, were the Id and the ego. In addition, this concept of the subconscious mind dimension analyzes how people think about realistic situations/ideas and how we view our selves. Our thinking starts with the Id, where we do anything necessary to satisfy the impending need for survival (Sigmund Freud n.d.). The next level is the ego, which keeps us with the reality of external world, that is, the world consists of others and, therefore, we are not alone. The ego helps us to adapt to the physical environment and store our experiences. The above theory that a nalyzes the human consciousness was called the Psycho-Analysis. From these dimensions, Freud insisted that things should not be construed to be true as they appear, the reality lies beyond what we can physically see. Therefore, to unearth the truth we have to conduct some complex and perverted actions.Advertising Looking for critical writing on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Clearly, modernism tried to eliminate subjectivity as a means of thinking and arriving at conclusions. Modernism tried to eliminate fixed concepts and ideas on varied issues; therefore, one has to have reasons to support his/her claims. Moreover, in Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams 1900, he reveals that dreams have displaced meanings and abstract symbols that calls for an in depth analysis and recollection in order to find the true meanings or complete validity. His proclamation that one only dreams whatever he/she encounters in life sh ows that a human being is largely a product of his/her environment and experience. Freud links how the brain functions with the nature of dreams. Therefore, one should reflexively be aware of these biases in order to free himself/herself from them and aim to be objective in his/her decisions. In general, the society becomes increasingly more reflective and self-aware of new ideas. Markedly, modernism movement instituted inquisitive minds in people. It begins with self-doubt, which reveals the methodology of justifying mind consciousness in accepting truth (Johnson, 2007). However, the control of unconscious and irrational desires of human beings is contradictive to the enlightenment philosophy that supports man’s reasoning as guidance to truth, yet human beings are essentially irrational beings. This weakness of Freud’s assertion led to criticism of some philosophers like Anouchka Grose. He disagreed with Freud’s Oedipus complex of socialization claiming that it was quite embarrassing as this act increases immoral behaviours and it is universally forbidden. The French scholar Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) supported the existentialism themes in the middle of the 20th century through his pieces of work that touched on nothingness, freedom, alienation and boredom (Mastin, 2008). His cornerstones were the self and ethical interests. Therefore, he reflected on understanding the existence of man by using phenomenological methods. He characterised the human condition with drastic freedom and groundlessness (Mastin, 2008). In his book, Being Nothingness, he outlines various forms of consciousness that lie beyond people’s experience, which involves investigating what is meant to be human. To be conscious means that one must be conscious of something; therefore, the definition depends on another thing.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Paradigm Shift from Modernism to Postmodernism Ways of Thinking specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In an in depth study of human, he comes up with two types of beings, which are ‘for-itself’ and ‘in-itself’. The later signifies autonomy and non-relational manner. This methodology gives one the power to create an extrinsic self identity. Sartre’s work gave people freedom of creating values for their own lives. On the part of the ego, Sartre acknowledges the existence of consciousness of the world and the ego. Sartre proposes a high levelled procedure of understanding human consciousness, involving pre-reflective and reflective level. He further agrees that people tend to construe that the self is never present prior to a reflective consciousness (Mastin, 2008). When a person thinks of anything, he/she forms a picture in the mind. In case the picture does not exist, then, there does not exist a universal structure thus the intention to be conscious is still unsuccessful. Ethically, Sartre noted that conscious proceedings are spontaneous; therefore, emotional consciousness is pre-reflective consciousness. As a result, voluntary act is different from the pre-reflective act; it has the will, which exists in the reflective act. This complex way of thinking discloses the key to understanding of the self, which has negating powers in it. Upon reflection, instability within the self is created, leading to the lack of self identity. Surely, the methodology supported a complex and valid distinction between two transcendence phenomena of beings (Mastin, 2008). The two analyses of ‘for-itself’ and ‘in-itself’ reveal what is meant by being a human. Sartre’s philosophical methods give people an unlimited freedom of making varied choices, which are not due to their bad faith. But, the freedom has limitations, social and physical constraints. The life of an individual is similar to a project that is unfolding as one makes choices amidst the challenges that constrain the freedom. In the end, a proper coordination of facts and transcendences help disclose an authentic man. One has to avoid pitfalls like bad faith and exercise his/her freedom diligently to continue understanding the nature of consciousness.Advertising Looking for critical writing on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Man is what he makes of himself; he then realizes his existence first before using his ‘will’ in making choices that he/she can be held responsible for (Existentialism is a Humanism, n.d.). Since man cannot change everything, that is, power to change things is limited, despair arises. In addition, the future is fully controlled by someone else. Postmodernism is a recent school of thought that claims that there is no clear reality that can be known objectively; it a relativistic approach that does not depend on absolute truth and objectivity. However, its way of thinking proved that reality can be experienced through objectivity. Manifestly, modernism highly objected subjectivity in arriving at decisions. However, postmodernism does not agree with most of modernity aspects. Postmodernism believes in New Age thinking in arriving at truth (Introduction to Postmodern Philosophy, n.d.). Notably, after the renaissance, the use of scientific method changed the perception of un derstanding the world. Then enlightenment (modernism) followed. The doubts on the ability to understand reality objectively by David Hume led to some instability in modernism. This in turn led to transition from modernism to postmodernism. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was instrumental in this transition, as he out rightly rejected Kant’s theory that believed that all people perceive the world (reality) similarly; he supported the objective truth. Philosophers had to first grapple with textual interpretation. On interpretation, the postmodernism philosophers agreed that objectivity cannot be applied in understanding the correct meaning of any written script. Therefore, meaning comes out through engagement in a dialogue with the original author. Again, there was a problem on whether language could objectively reveal the truth. Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) concluded that this could not happen as language development is socially habituated; therefore, the truth is socially constructed, just like language. Modernism recognised humans’ capabilities to find solutions that had been perennial since the medieval times. In addition, it respected human rights of expression. It did not also define the limits of objectivism and reasoning. Postmodernism, on the other hand, came up to correct the already existing imbalance; for instance, by convincing us that we have a limited potential to comprehend and change the universe. In essence, postmodernism corrects the problems, but it over-corrects the problems (Introduction to Postmodern Philosophy, n.d.). In the 20th century Michel Foucault (1926-1984) was among the great philosophical figures who defined the key issues of postmodernism. For example, a close scrutiny of the correspondence theory of truth that made people believe that scientific truths were equal to absolute truths was altered by removing the equivalency since no scientific researcher made an unlimited number of observations to show that such exceptions exist. Postmodernism, actually, helps man in knowing that knowledge acquisition and explanations have limits. This reveals the cause for the drastic shift from modernism to postmodernism. Further, it holds on the coherence theory of truth, which supports that an idea remains true to man if it also coheres with other internal perceptions that man holds about the world (Introduction to Postmodern Philosophy, n.d.). Nonetheless, scientists can still invent new methods of making people understand how the world works. For example, just as the discovery of the spherical nature of the earth was disapproved, early scientists believed that the earth is flat. Although postmodernism overreacts on the coherence theory, the philosophers were correct in summing up that correspondence theory has its boundaries, being contrary to what modernism held. Postmodernism promoted the willingness to borrow information from earlier movements and openness to diverse ideas from all places. It did n ot hold fixed definition to all terms. This movement promotes self-thinking, which can make people rebel following a defined curriculum and divert to their own understandings. Social epoch affects one’s way of thinking. For example, sociologists make assumptions that humans have room to make their own choices and that social forces can shape the behaviour of people within a society. Clearly, social environments influence the way one thinks and possible course of action. In the 18th century, Western Europe underwent social and technical changes that forever changed the whole world. For example, the invention of steam engine by James Watt in the year 1769 and invention of antiseptic barrier by Joseph Lister in 1865 impelled social changes in the entire world with the aim of solving some social and economic problems (Epochs in Philosophy and Socio-Economic Epochs, 2010). Remarkably, this social group altered people’s thinking towards looking for solutions to the then worl d problems since massive inventions took place during the 18th and 19th centuries. Later, industrial revolution took centre stage in Britain, which prompted rural urban migration of people to secure jobs in the newly created industries. This shows how social epoch affects the way of thinking of human beings in the entire world. From the historical perspective of the epoch, the global problems seem to be similar. A historical problem/issue will divert people’s attention in order to find solutions to it. For example, researchers on HIV/AIDS have been receiving support from other new researchers who aim at discovering the new drug that can cure the disease (Epochs in Philosophy and Socio-Economic Epochs, 2010). The research has influenced the thinking of doctors, medical lecturers and their students from a historical perspective. Both the social and historical epoch increases the thinking perspectives in the philosophical aspect, since every research has to be doubted, tested, u nderstood, and then approved/verified for application in its respective field. Lastly, philosophical theories also base their assumptions on the culture or history of any given group. References Epochs in Philosophy and Socio-Economic Epochs 2010, Problems of the History of Philosophy, http://leninist.biz/en/1973/PHP462/7.2-Epochs.in.Philosophy.and.Socio-Economic.Epochs. Existentialism is a Humanism n.d., alexvermeer.com — understanding and mastering our brains to do cool stuff, http://alexvermeer.com/%E2%80%9Cexistentialism-is-a-humanism%E2%80%9D-by-jean-paul-sartre/. Introduction to Postmodern Philosophy n.d., Postmodern preaching, http://www.postmodernpreaching.net/philosophy.htm. Johnson, L 2007, The Enlightenment to Modernism: A Brief Examination of this Revolution in Thought and Society, Socyberty | Society on the Web, http://socyberty.com/philosophy/the-enlightenment-to-modernism-a-brief-examination-of-this-revolution-in-thought-and-society/. Mastin, L 2008, Existenti alism: By Movement / School, The Basics of Philosophy: A huge subject broken down into manageable chunks, http://www.philosophybasics.com/movements_existentialism.html. Postmodernism: Philosophy n.d., Britannica Online Encyclopedia, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1077292/postmodernism. Sigmund Freud n.d., Letters, Arts Social Sciences, http://www.class.uidaho.edu/engl_258/Lecture%20Notes/freud%20dreams.htm. This critical writing on Paradigm Shift from Modernism to Postmodernism Ways of Thinking was written and submitted by user Mya K. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Scientific and Social Definitions of Race

Scientific and Social Definitions of Race Its a common belief that race can be broken down into three categories: Negroid, Mongoloid and Caucasoid. But according to science, thats not so. While the American concept of race took off in the late 1600s and persists even today, researchers now argue that there’s no scientific basis for race. So, what exactly is race, and what are its origins? The Difficulty of Grouping People Into Races According to John H. Relethford, author of The Fundamentals of Biological Anthropology, race â€Å"is a group of populations that share some biological characteristics†¦.These populations differ from other groups of populations according to these characteristics.† Scientists can divide some organisms into racial categories easier than others, such as those which remain isolated from one another in different environments. In contrast, the race concept doesn’t work so well with humans. That’s because not only do humans live in a wide range of environments, they also travel back and forth between them. As a result, there’s a high degree of gene flow among people groups that make it hard to organize them into discrete categories. Skin color remains a primary trait Westerners use to place people into racial groups. However, someone of African descent may be the same skin shade as someone of Asian descent. Someone of Asian descent may be the same shade as someone of European descent. Where does one race end and another begin? In addition to skin color, features such as hair texture and face shape have been used to classify people into races. But many people groups cannot be categorized as Caucasoid, Negroid or Mongoloid, the defunct terms used for the so-called three races. Take Native Australians, for instance. Although typically dark-skinned, they tend to have curly hair which is often light colored. â€Å"On the basis of skin color, we might be tempted to label these people as African, but on the basis of hair and facial shape they might be classified as European,† Relethford writes. â€Å"One approach has been to create a fourth category, the ‘Australoid.’† Why else is grouping people by race difficult? The concept of race posits that more genetic variation exists interracially than intra-racially  when the opposite is true. Only about 10 percent of variation in humans exists between the so-called races. So, how did the concept of race take off in the West, particularly in the United States? The Origins of Race in America The America of the early 17th century was in many ways more progressive in its treatment of blacks than the country would be for decades to come. In the early 1600s, African Americans could trade, take part in court cases and acquire land. Slavery based on race did not yet exist. â€Å"There was really no such thing as race then,† explained anthropologist Audrey Smedley, author of Race in North America: Origins of a Worldview, in a 2003 PBS interview. â€Å"Although ‘race’ was used as a categorizing term in the English language, like ‘type’ or ‘sort’ or ‘kind, it did not refer to human beings as groups.† While race-based slavery wasn’t a practice, indentured servitude was. Such servants tended to be overwhelmingly European. Altogether, more Irish people lived in servitude in America than Africans. Plus, when African and European servants lived together, their difference in skin color did not surface as a barrier. â€Å"They played together, they drank together, they slept together†¦The first mulatto child was born in 1620 (one year after the arrival of the first Africans),† Smedley noted. On many occasions, members of the servant class- European, African and mixed-race- rebelled against the ruling landowners. Fearful that a united servant population would usurp their power, the landowners distinguished Africans from other servants, passing laws that stripped those of African or Native American  descent of rights. During this period, the number of servants from Europe declined, and the number of servants from Africa rose. Africans were skilled in trades such as farming, building, and metalwork that made them desired servants. Before long, Africans were viewed exclusively as slaves and, as a result, sub-human. As for Native Americans, they were regarded with great curiosity by the Europeans, who surmised that they descended from the lost tribes of Israel, explained historian Theda Perdue, author of Mixed Blood Indians: Racial Construction in the Early South, in a PBS interview. This belief meant that Native Americans were essentially the same as Europeans. They’d simply adopted a different way of life because they’d been separated from Europeans, Perdue posits. â€Å"People in the 17th century†¦were more likely to distinguish between Christians and heathens than they were between people of color and people who were white†¦,† Perdue said. Christian conversion could make American Indians fully human, they thought. But as Europeans strove to convert and assimilate Natives, all the while seizing their land, efforts were underway to provide a scientific rationale for Africans’ alleged inferiority to Europeans. In the 1800s, Dr. Samuel Morton argued that physical differences between races could be measured, most notably by brain size. Morton’s successor in this field, Louis Agassiz, began â€Å"arguing that blacks are not only inferior but they’re a separate species altogether,† Smedley said. Wrapping Up Thanks to scientific advances, we can now say definitively that individuals such as Morton and Aggasiz are wrong. Race is fluid and thus difficult to pinpoint scientifically. â€Å"Race is a concept of human minds, not of nature,† Relethford writes. Unfortunately, this view hasn’t completely caught on outside of scientific circles. Still, there are signs times have changed. In 2000, the U.S. Census allowed Americans to identify as multiracial for the first time. With this shift, the nation allowed its citizens to blur the lines between the so-called races, paving the way for a future when such classifications no longer exist.​

An analysis of an aspect of human culture from an anthropological Essay - 1

An analysis of an aspect of human culture from an anthropological viewpoint - Essay Example A close observation of history proves that ethnicity does not always lead to conflicts in society. However, when certain situations arise, conflicts occur out of ethnicity. In fact, nationalism too is the result of this feeling of ethnicity. Nationalism occurs when one group feels that a nation is essential for them. This makes the people assemble their ethnic identity and shared historical experience in national terms. Thus, what happens over time is nationalism born out of ethnicity makes a submissive group into an ethno-political group. On 7th June 2001, Matthew Duss of Center for American Progress reported that Israel- Palestine conflict is still a hot-button issue in the Middle East politics. Here, it seems that a look into the above ideology of Eller will prove how ethnicity is converted into nationalism and then to conflict. For example, until the First Intifida, Palestinians were just a non-nationalist ethnic group. However, the 1967 Arab-Israel war played a major role in con verting the passive feeling of culture in Palestinians into an active political force. As the West Bank and Gaza Strip were occupied by Israel, many leaders including Yasser Arafat helped the conversion of Palestinian cultural traits into an active ethno-political group in the Middle East. From the above, it becomes evident that cultural traits are converted to ethnicity when a group begins to acknowledge differences between them and other groups. In addition, this ethnicity is converted into nationalism when an ethnic group begins to mobilize behind the idea of a nation. In simple terms, according to Scholars like Eller, once a group becomes self-conscious about their difference within society, which occurred in Palestinians as a result of the injustice inflicted upon them by their counterparts, there is the initiation of group mobilization. In the case of Israel-Palestine conflict, there are two groups; the Jews and the Palestinians. The Jewish people were already motivated and fu lly aware about the need to have their own nation as a result of the torture they faced in Western nations. It took some time for the Palestinians to acknowledge their need to have a separate nation as there were prior triggers that promoted this ethnic identity. From the point of group mobilization, the group is not merely an ethnic group; instead, it becomes a nationalist group. Now, a look into the history of Israel-Palestine conflict will justify the ideology. Palestine was a land which had no internal conflicts despite the presence of a multi-cultural society. The presence of Muslims in the population was 86%, that of Christians was 10%, and that of Jewish was 4%. Here, one should remember the fact that despite this multicultural presence, there was no feeling of ethnicity, or was not aroused by any cause. However, by the end of 1800, Jewish settlers from Europe, known as Zionists reached Palestine with the intention to make that place their homeland; still the place was calm f or a long time. As Hitler rose to power and Jewish activities were sabotaged in Western countries, more and more Jews reached Palestine openly expressing their interest in making Palestine their homeland. Here, the local populace got concerned, and, as a result, issues broke out. Soon, there was widespread violence throughout the region. As there was more and more violence, UN intervened and proposed an evidently unjustifiable solution; 55% of Palestine for Jews, and the remaining for Palestine. In 1947, war erupted between five Arab nations on the one side

World History. The risk to the Middle East and the US of a nuclear Essay

World History. The risk to the Middle East and the US of a nuclear Islamic Iran - Essay Example Speculation based on past history since the 1948 Israeli independence and first Arab Israeli war. Without question, a nuclear armed Iran would have serious implications for the region. In an article by Sanger (2010) it was postulated that in the case of China a containment strategy was utilized (Not actively engaging in a nuclear war but deterring its dangerous moves). Ultimately, at the moment most Americans are more worried about a trillion-dollar debt rather than the nuclear arsenal that the East Asian nation posses. However the debate rages of the risks associated a containment strategy with Iran. Over the years Iran has seen a significant increase in its domestic energy demands, which places a significant strain on the amount of oil that can be used for export. Under this guise, the nation has suggested that it would like the capacity to generate electricity thought the use of nuclear power plants. Whilst this may seem like an innocent enough proposition it remains the case that this action could bring with it a nuclear armament. According to Fathi (2005) it is the case that the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stated at the annual anti-Israel demonstration that â€Å"Israel must be wiped off the map.†