Review of Xinzhong Yaos Book Introduction to Confucianism...

In Introduction to Confucianism, Xinzhong Yao strives to convey a balanced understanding of the Chinese / East Asian tradition of Confucius as it has evolved over the last 2500 years from ancient times to contemporary relevance, from the classics into practice and all within a single book. Yao aims to distinguish his presentation of the subject matter from previous introductions that have taken a more historical approach. He writes for a western audience and for students who are assumed new to Confucianism while also appearing to address his peers and anticipated critics. He draws from his experience of teaching Confucianism in a university setting and includes excerpts of academic articles that he has previously published. His†¦show more content†¦There is no consensus among Confucians regarding the meaning and function of Heaven, and explaining the concepts of religion, immortality and evil for example, require Yao to act as a bridge between the east and west. Overall , he does a good job at explaining these definitions. From the outside, Yao exposes these ideas as resistant to the western constraints of categorization. When viewed from the inside within the Confucian Way, the contradictions that the western eye may observe do not present a problem. Yaos detailed explanation of Harmony as the most important virtue added to my understanding but also presented me with some challenges. Confucianism has no clear distinction between Heaven and humanity and the relationship between Heaven and humans is perceived through The Way of Harmony. Harmony is indeed a central theme within Confucianism and on all levels of relationships and society (individual, familial, governmental, and spiritual). Some of the traditional ideas concerning the roles of women and children and the obligations of people in the name of harmony were particularly unsettling for me. Yao navigates through this messy territory by trying to stick to his double investigation. At times, he seems to lean towards a defense or rationalization of the ways Confucianism has been misused. Still, he does acknowledge the role of Confucianism in contributing to these applications, but only

Comedic Violence in The Medea, The Oresteia, and Antigone...

Comedic Violence in The Medea, The Oresteia, and Antigone Almost no Greek tragedy escapes the use of violence. The Medea, The Oresteia, Antigone, and other classic works of Grecian tragoidia all involve huge components of violence in many prominent places, and for all of these stories, violent action is an integral part of the play. Medea, especially, is a character worthy of note in this regard; her tumultuous life can be plotted accurately along a path of aggression and passionate fits, and her bloody history lends tension and ascendance to the cathartic events of the gripping Medea. In contrast to this turbulent streak of brutality in Grecian tragedy stands the world of Greek comedy. Violence in comedy is just as much a part†¦show more content†¦In comparison to this is Lysistrata, a comedy in which violence is not shown to be an answer that works. In this story, however, the overarching dilemma is the existence of the Peloponnesian War. For Euripides, violence is a question and a centerpiece of intrigue, yet it is not the root of the plot. Aristophanes, on the other hand, chooses to investigate gender relations and the concerns of daily life by using a hollow context of violence that ostensibly motivates the actions of the characters while avoiding center stage as an issue of any weight in the play itself. At first glance this analysis seems wrong: it appears that Lysistrata is very much concerned with violence. After all, Aristophanes intended to write an anti-war piece. However, while this statement is technically true, it is only a skin-deep realization. In actuality, Lysistrata herself is not anti-war in the sense of being ideologically opposed to war; she is anti-war only insofar as she detests the Peloponnesian War. And yet, although the Mede is at our gates, / You ruin Greece with mad intestine wars. / This is my first reproach to both of you, (Aristophanes 1132) says Lysistrata to the assembled Spartan and Athenian ambassadors. In this passage, the fiery woman establishes her stance and proclaims that she is mainly upset over the fact that the current war is more a civil war than a war against actual enemies. Her core

Homeless What has been done to decrease the proble Essay Example For Students

Homeless What has been done to decrease the proble Essay m Homeless: What has been done to decrease the problem? One of the largest growing concerns in Toronto is the constantly increasing number of citizens who are finding themselves living on the streets. With the decrease in the number of available jobs, the population of homeless people has literally boomed. My questions are not as simple to answer as they may appear. Why is a large portion of our community forced to live on the streets? What has be done to decrease the problem? These are the questions I will confront in my essay. With the economical wealth attributed to the name Canada, one would have to wonder why there is a homeless situation at all. This problem is especially evident in Canadas wealthiest city, Toronto. When it comes to the affairs of the people, it is the government who should intervene. When I look at what the government has done with regard to the homeless problem, I have to doubt that everything is being done to eradicate it. The United Nations implemented a universal declaration of human rights. Article 25 Section 1 of this declaration states: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services, and to the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. This is a step in the right direction. However, this is not enough. These rights are subject to the discretion of the government of the country who decides to obey these universal rights. How much is adequate? The government, both at the federal and municipal levels, is currently working on new spending cuts. These cuts also include spending on welfare, unemployment and social services that are geared towards helping the homeless. Spending cuts can be seen as a necessity to maintain the country economically, but the reason for having a government in the first place is to take care of the people. How can this be done when money is being taken away from those services that are necessary to uphold this obligation? Simply put, it cannot. Those obligations are served by nonprofit organizations who depend on government grants to maintain a standard of care for those who need the services. The blame cannot be placed only on the government. Such a system of assistance depends on its beneficiaries to be honest and have some integrity. Many recipients of these services attempt to cheat the system. With no will to search for work many of these recipients remain at home and reap the benefits of their weekly cheques. This causes the government to create other services to control the amounts of money being distributed to those people. This process is costly and would be unnecessary if all of the recipients decided to take an honest approach to this service. What can the government do to decrease the homeless population? Although there is no quick and easy answer to solve this difficult problem, Toronto has the means to attempt economical ways to research and come up with ideas to solve it. Here in Ontario we have many excellent universities and colleges with equally excellent students who are taking courses in the political sciences. If the government were to cooperate with these universities and colleges and have them work in conjunction with the current research groups, then the answer to decrease the homeless population would be effectively answered. The government would encounter little expense and at the same time give the students a chance to implement what they are learning into real life situations. Everyone benefits from this idea and there are no losers. .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe , .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe .postImageUrl , .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe , .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe:hover , .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe:visited , .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe:active { border:0!important; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe:active , .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucb14bc9aad13ebeb3b0fcb3f36fdeefe:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Electronic Arts Strategic Management Essay In conclusion I think that our homeless problem could eventually be rooted out entirely if everyone were to take part in the care of their fellow neighbour. If we were to stop being self-centered and start thinking about the other person who has less than us, I am sure that we would benefit from it. It isnt all that hard. A few advertisements on the television and radio, a little push from our societys .

Work Place Diversity an Example by

Work Place Diversity To tap potentially significant contributions inherent in diversity while displaying the fundamental attitude of respect and value of individual is the key to socio-economic success. Introduction The employment landscape has forever undergone evolution attributed to rapid technological change, globalization, the demand for skills and education, an aging workforce and greater ethnic diversification in the labor market. Diversity today reflects not only the traditional view that once focused primarily on gender and race but reflects upto the broader perspective of the workplace diversity. In the workplace, diversity is evolving from compliance to inclusion. The changing perception of workplace diversity, elements of an inclusive corporate culture, the business case, and human relations leadership are the factors elemental in maximizing the benefits of a diverse workforce in a changing market place. (Nancy, 2005). Need essay sample on "Work Place Diversity" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Diversity Explored There is a vast range the concept diversity from personality and work style to all of the visible dimensions such as race, age, ethnicity or gender, to secondary influences such as religion, socio-economics and education, to work diversities as management and union, functional level and classification, or proximity to headquarters. Diversity in the USA was first based on assimilation approach. Compliance is important in diversity. Todays impetus behind workplace diversity is that of inclusion in the business. The collaboration of cultures, ideas and different perspectives brings greater creativity and innovation resulting to improved organizational performance. There are different schools of thought such as assimilation and differentiation. Todays paradigm is integration and learning. Companies promote equal opportunities and value cultural differences, using talents of all employees to gain diverse work perspective. (Nancy, 2005). An Inclusive Corporate Culture Reflects societal values in the workplace. There should be a level playing field with everybody treated with dignity and respect. The benefits of employee and organization are achieved with growth opportunities, flexibility and adaptation. Diversity programs help to ensure the creation, management, valuing and leveraging of a diverse workforce achieving organizational effectiveness and competitiveness. Demographic changes affecting the labor pool and available talent are major drivers in the business case. Relations and talents in the workplace determine the flow of information between colleagues, work teams, customers and suppliers. (Nancy, 2005). There are good reasons to tie workplace diversity to organizational strategic goals and objectives: greater adaptability and flexibility in a rapidly changing market place; attracting and retaining best talents; reducing turnover, absenteeism and low productivity costs; return on investment from various initiatives, policies and practices; gaining and keeping new market share with expanded diverse customer base; and increased sales and profit. A single action should have direct impact on financial performance. Workplace diversity has both direct and indirect links. In direct links involves expansion of customer base with a work force that is reflective to the clients. Indirect link involves having access to and retaining talent from a worldwide labor pool hence gaining competitive edge in the global market marketplace. Positive improvement in the corporate culture, employee morale, retention and recruitment of employees has a competitive advantage in a company. (Nancy, 2005). Development of external partnerships with minority communities and suppliers leads to good will and reputation as an employer of choice. The knowledge of the minority employees assist the teams of a company dealing with sales and marketing to reach the minority groups with funds to purchase its products and services. One of the top economic trends is expansion into the global marketplace. Measuring the return on investment of diversity makes good business sense, which is considerable in areas such as; organizational culture, demographics, productivity, accountability growth and profitability. The determination of return on investment hard and soft data must be converted to monetary value. (Nancy, 2005). Workplace diversity challenges can be considered within three interrelated categories; attracting and retaining talent, greater diversity among employees and training. Working in a diverse organization requires diversity competences including human resources, although not all human relations professionals are experts in diversity. Better experience in team building, change management, conflict resolution and cross-cultural communication is the expected contribution of human resources in workplace diversity. An organization that best utilizes full potential of all employees intentionally and thoughtfully aligns workplace diversity with strategic business goals. Successful workplace diversity initiatives hinge on committed leadership, goals/targets of measures of effectiveness, strong diversity professionals, employee investment and ties to performance evaluation, as well as data to identity, quantity and communicate progress and challenges. (Nancy, 2005). Workplace diversity is positively correlated with globalization since all the initiatives of the process reflect in one way or another aspects of globalization. In essence, a principle for increasing global connectivity, integration and interdependence in the economic, social, technological, cultural and ecological spheres is evident. There is also a sense of unitary process inclusive of many sub-processes such as enhanced economic interdependence, increased cultural influence, rapid advances of information technology and geographical challenges, that are increasingly binding people with the biosphere more tightly into one global system. Conclusion Diversity progress may enhance productivity through effective good leadership and management practices. Recruiting diverse people, management that is accountable for diversity, leaders who demonstrate commitment to diversity, rewarding people who contribute in the areas of diversity and training and educating to increase awareness and help employees understand how diversity can impact business results have great impact on overall perceived of diversity initiatives. Best performance outcomes occur when diversity is found across entire organization skills. Reference Nancy R. Lockwood SPHR, GPHR, HR. 2005. Workplace Diversity: Leveraging the Power of Difference for Competitive Advantage.

Changing America essays

Changing America essays The 1920s, one of the most important eras in American history. It carried high prestige because of the fact that the 1920s changed everything, from the way people thought about themselves to the way people had fun and kept themselves entertained. It was an era that had drastic changes in political attitude, economic attitude, and cultural values. The topics addressed in chapter 12 reflect a changing America in that American values and attitudes all changed due to the new wave thinking brought on by the 1920s. The first major change in American society was the change that occurred in Americas political attitude. The most major change in political attitude was due to Americans newfound hatred of immigrants. Because the 1920s instilled a sense of national pride and nationalism many Americans were against immigrants. People did not like immigrants because of the fact that they felt they were un-American and gave America a bad name. Since the 1920s made people feel important because of new found income and entertainment, it made people believe that any time there was a problem in America it was not because of an American. Therefore a lot of the blame was placed on immigrants. So in order to keep America American the government put heavy restrictions on immigrants. One of these restrictions was the Act of 1921, which limited the amount of immigrants entering the United States from Europe. Then in 1924 the American government decided to lower the amount of European immigrants and exclude all Asian immigrants. Another occurrence in the 1920s that explains the changing political attitude was Prohibition. Prohibition was a law that was passed through a new Amendment that outlawed the consumption and sale of alcohol. This was yet another attempt by the American government to eliminate all things that they felt brought America down. Even though Prohibition decrea ...

Judiciary in England and Wales is not Reflective of Society Research Paper

Judiciary in England and Wales is not Reflective of Society - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that diverse compunctions of the judiciary have higher capacitates of responsiveness to experiences and needs of different legal system subjects. On the other hand, such a judiciary appears reflective of various cultures and backgrounds of the nation served. Another feature of diverse judiciaries is that they are more accountable and responsible for articulating issues of complex legal democracies. Proper co-existence with other forms of government necessitates the inclusion of gender as a judicial diversity dimension. However, gender is a major issue in analyzing the composition of the judiciary of England and Wales. This paper aims at assessing existing literature on the ethnic and gender composition in the English and Wales’ judiciary. The essay will also illustrate the previous efforts of the government in achieving diversity in the judiciary.  Gender is a critical dimension of judicial diversity illustrated by the proportions of positions awarded to the males and females on the judiciary. There are different ways of rationalizing judicial diversity where judicial appointments follow policy and law that promotes equal opportunities. The judiciary needs to show sensitivity to the experiences and needs of the different elements of legal systems where the judiciary requires an illustration of diversity for service as well as diverse judiciary with increased accountability of legal democracies. The current preclusion the gender incorporation dictates the alternative dimension regarding judicial diversity. Features of judicial initiatives towards achieving ethnic and gender diversity are assessed through qualitative and quantitative perceptions and experiences of judicial bias.

Energy Sources In the 21st Century Research Paper

Energy Sources In the 21st Century - Research Paper Example lly and it is a mixture of hydrocarbons primarily methane and other higher alkanes in various proportion and it also contains nitrogen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide in lesser proportions. It is found in deep underground formations of natural rock along with other hydrocarbons like coal, methane clathrates, etc. (b) Natural Gas Reserves According to a recent assessment by the Potential Gas Committee the reserves of natural gas in the US have increased by 26 percent by the end of 2012 than it used to be in 2010. Now the present estimated reserve is 2,384 trillion cubic feet. The reserves of the natural gas in the US are primarily located in Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, Federal Offshore, Alaska, California, and North Dakota and Texas is the largest reserve (Cathy Proctor, 2013). Extracting natural gas from the ground is a complicated and expensive process. The gas is odorless and colorless requiring extra precautions. Extracting the gas from deep underground decreases the pressure in the reservoir and decrease in pressure might cause sinking of the above ground affecting ecosystem, water and sewer systems, water ways, foundations, etc. The process used to release the natural gas from low-permeability reservoir is called hydraulic fracturing or "hydrofracking". Water is forced inside the shale to release the natural gas which breaks or fracks the shale for releasing the gas. Sand and chemicals are added to the frack fluid for reducing friction and combating corrosion. It is a challenge to deal with fracking fluid (Cathy Proctor, 2013). (c) Transportation The reserves of the natural gas in the US are primarily located in Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, Federal Offshore, Alaska, California, and North Dakota and fortunately most of them are close to either major cities or... This essay stresses that the major sources of energy in the United States are fossil fuels like oil, natural gas and coal which are used for generating electricity, driving cars and other vehicles, running industries, etc. The fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy which constitute for major consumption while renewable sources such as solar energy or wind energy contribute marginally to the total energy consumption in the United States. This paper makes a conclusion that extracting natural gas from the ground is a complicated and expensive process. The gas is odorless and colorless requiring extra precautions. Extracting the gas from deep underground decreases the pressure in the reservoir and decrease in pressure might cause sinking of the above ground affecting ecosystem, water and sewer systems, water ways, foundations, etc. The process used to release the natural gas from low-permeability reservoir is called hydraulic fracturing or "hydrofracking". Water is forced insid e the shale to release the natural gas which breaks or fracks the shale for releasing the gas. Sand and chemicals are added to the frack fluid for reducing friction and combating corrosion. It is a challenge to deal with fracking fluid. natural gas can help in solving some major environmental issues like Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Smog, Air Quality and Acid Rain, Industrial and Electric Generation Emissions, Pollution from the Transportation Sector - Natural Gas Vehicles. Etc.