Monday, August 24, 2020
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Gay and Lesbian Parenting Essay Example For Students
Gay and Lesbian Parenting Essay In the most recent decade there has been an ascent n the quantity of lesbians and gay men shaping their own families. Many do this through appropriation, child care, managed impregnation, and different methods. Today, scientists have evaluated that the quantity of youngsters living with one gay or lesbian parent is six to fourteen million. Some have portrayed this present period as a lesbian and gay time of increased birth rates. Be that as it may, lesbian and gay guardians face numerous social and lawful deterrents (Lambda Legal Defense and Educational Fund, 1997). Previously, generally gay and lesbian guardians lived mysterious and defensive lives. Not exclusively did gay guardians need to confront their coming out issues and division from life partner, yet in addition face coming out to their youngsters. Since an ever increasing number of lesbian and gay families decide to have youngsters, they are likewise progressively out about whom they are. This implies they are appearing in fruitfulness centers for data about endeavoring pregnancy, they are coming to reception organizations expressing plainly the idea of their family, they are going to lawyers for data on second parent same-sex appropriation, and they are going to PTA gatherings and youth baseball match-ups with a similar eagerness as different guardians (Lev, 2002 p.2). A large number of the kids parented by lesbians and gay men were destined to them when they were in a hetero relationship or marriage. Frequently, when the childs non-gay parent finds the sexual personality of the other parent, the individual in question may endeavor to confine their child rearing jobs. Different difficulties have been brought upon by different family members or government offices, therefore causing bias towards gay and lesbian guardians and denying care and appearance rights (Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, 1997-2002). The kid guardianship and appearance legitimate gauges fluctuate from state to state. For instance, twenty-one states have allowed second-parent selections to lesbian and gay couples. This empowers the youngster to have the equivalent chance of having two legitimate guardians, particularly on the off chance that one bites the dust. Today, most of states no long deny authority or appearance dependent on sexual direction. Presently, courts apply the idea wellbeing of the youngster, with regards to choosing cases dependent on this. In this manner, ones sexual direction can't be the reason for denying or restricting guardian kid connections, in many states (The American Civil Liberties Union, 1999). In spite of the fact that things appear to be going along to an ever increasing extent, ones sexual direction may have downsides. A couple of states, which depend on the legends and generalizations, have utilizes ones sexual direction to deny authority, selection, appearance and child care. For instance, Florida and New Hampshire have laws that preclude lesbians and gay men from receiving kids. A few cases have indicated how ones sexual direction is utilized to their detriment, for example, in Sharon Bottoms case. In an infamous 1993 choice, a court in Virginia removed Sharon Bottoms two-year old child essentially in view of her sexual direction, and moved authority to the young men maternal grandma. What's more, Arkansas has quite recently received an approach denying lesbians, gay men, and the individuals who live with them, from filling in as non-permanent parents (American Civil Liberties Union, 1999, p.1). Issues of child rearing are not by any means the only challenges that gay and lesbian guardians face. Others incorporate the privilege to a lawful marriage, which empowers them to have indistinguishable rights and laws from other gender couples. The Netherlands turned into the first to give legitimate union with same-sex couples on April 1, 2001. These marriage licenses are just offered to its lawful residents and inhabitants. No other state or nation on the planet permits same-sex relationships. Albeit numerous places of worship wed same-sex couples, stylized relationships give no polite laws and convey no lawful advantages or obligations. Same-sex couples are viewed as legitimate outsiders, in this manner, Federal laws with respect to marriage doesn't cover them. It despite everything stays unsure when same-sex couples will have the option to get a legitimate marriage permit. Suits for legitimate relationships started in the United States in 1971 (Partners Task Force for Gay and Lesbian Couples, 2002). .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f , .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f .postImageUrl , .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f .focused content zone { min-stature: 80px; position: relative; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f , .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f:hover , .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f:visited , .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f:active { border:0!important; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f .clearfix:after { content: ; show: table; clear: both; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f { show: square; change: foundation shading 250ms; webkit-progress: foundation shading 250ms; width: 100%; darkness: 1; progress: mistiness 250ms; webkit-change: murkiness 250ms; foundation shading: #95A5A6; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f:active , .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f:hover { haziness: 1; progress: obscurity 250ms; webkit-progress: obscurity 250ms; foundation shading: #2C3E50; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f .focused content territory { width: 100%; position: rela tive; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f .ctaText { outskirt base: 0 strong #fff; shading: #2980B9; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: intense; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; content enhancement: underline; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f .postTitle { shading: #FFFFFF; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: 600; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; width: 100%; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f .ctaButton { foundation shading: #7F8C8D!important; shading: #2980B9; fringe: none; outskirt range: 3px; box-shadow: none; text dimension: 14px; text style weight: striking; line-tallness: 26px; moz-fringe sweep: 3px; content adjust: focus; content embellishment: none; content shadow: none; width: 80px; min-tallness: 80px; foundation: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/modules/intelly-related-posts/resources/pictures/straightforward arrow.png)no-rehash; position: total; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f:hover .ctaButton { foundation shading: #34495E!important; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f .focused content { show: table; tallness: 80px; cushioning left: 18px; top: 0; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f-content { show: table-cell; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; cushioning right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-adjust: center; width: 100%; } .ucf2b2a65e856065831cf528d0a37f53f:after { content: ; show: square; clear: both; } READ: No Future Essay Albeit same-sex couples stay in the battle for their privileges to be lawfully hitched, probably the best decision originated from the Vermont State Supreme Court on December 20, 1999. Their last decision expressed that, Same-sex couples must be .
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
National Honor Society Scholarships Essay
National Honor Society Scholarships Essay The National Honor Society is an American organization with chapters in high schools in all 50 states, several U.S. territories, and Canada. The National Honor Society was established in 1921 as an organization that would recognize and foster academic achievement while developing other characteristics essential to citizens in a democracy. Through this activity, the society supports and recommends the use of a multi-faceted definition of character known as the âSix Pillars of Character.â A person of character demonstrates the following six qualities: respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Schools are encouraged to take this model, modify it to meet their local needs, and utilize it frequently in the work of their chapter (therefore you may encounter with such variations of it as national junior honor society or national technical honor society). According to the National Honor Society Constitution, the purpose of this organization shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools. National honor society application process and requirements More than just an honor roll, NHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character. NHS of leadership and success pomotes and provides leadership development opportunities to prepare and empower students to serve their schools and communities. Membership in NHS is both an honor and an obligation. The application part consists of several steps to complete: The first part of the application process students select five separate criteria points for leadership and provide with specific examples as to how they have met each of the criteria points. At least four of the five examples must come from the school setting, and no more than one example can come from outside the school setting. This information should be documented in the application materials proving that the criteria have been met in each chosen area. As the second part of application process goes next, the candidates will be asked to write a short essay to define their character criteria. Writing an essay even though may seem challenging is a substantial part of everyday student life. The biggest problem students usually struggle with is finding research paper topic. The main difficulty is that topic is the most important element of the whole essay for your application process. The success of your paper depends on the topic for 90% and the last 20% is for structuring and formatting it. Thus, there are few of good practices on how to write a good application essay. Treat writing an essay as an opportunity, not a burden. Use it to tell us a part of your story, add few examples that presents some situations or events happen in your life which helped you to get stronger, build up your personality and played crucial part in your personal development. If youre recounting an event, take it beyond the chronological storytelling. Include some opinion and donât try to add as much event as you can remember. Be short: tackling too much tends to make your essay too watered down or disjointed. Donât be afraid to reveal yourself in your writing and be comfortable showing your vulnerability. The essay is called to show who you are and how you think. Thus, try to write thoughtfully and with authenticity. Show that you are the one who believes in what you are saying versus the one who is simply saying what others want to hear. Make sure your thesis is clear to you and to the reader, It should indicate where youre going and what youre trying to communicate. Proofread your essay and get the feedback on it. But keep in mind to limit the number of people who review your essay as too much input could bring it to the point where your voice is lost in the writing. The third part of application process states that the student has met the service criteria needed to enter the society by completing community work. Each school provides different hours to meet, but in average it is around 20 hours. Once candidate is selected, members have the responsibility of continuing to demonstrate the qualities of superior scholarship, community service, responsible leadership, and character. After completing the selection process, the Faculty Council to the NHS chapter recommends ceremony where they promise to uphold the four ideals of the Honor Society-Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Character. To sum up the above is it important to say that joining the ranks of the National Honor Society is a dream of every conscientious and ambitions student, and writing an entrance essay is an important step on the way to this goal. The essay must present achievements and aspirations of an applicant student in concise and compelling manner. Taking into the consideration the history of NHS, embodying its values and following the steps of the admission process, you will be well-prepared for it. Thus, our advice is to follow the hints for the application essay writing above and make a difference by your writing. After all, writing is a talent, you may be an excellent student yet need a little assistance in putting your deeds into accurate wording. In order to create a good story of your academic perseverance and community activities and become a part of the NHS community, you have to have a strong and powerful essay to reveal who you really are and donât forget to participate in volunteer activities, apply for college scholarships and you will be the perfect candidate to be considered to join NHS organization.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Is GMO Harmful or Beneficial to Us - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1260 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/02/15 Category Health Essay Level High school Tags: GMO Essay Did you like this example? Genetic engineering technology is the core of modern biotechnology. Since the birth of the first transgenic plant in the 1980s, genetic engineering has been rapidly and widely developed and applied in various fields. At the same time, genetic engineering has brought profound revolution to the field of food. Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Is GMO Harmful or Beneficial to Us?" essay for you Create order Genetically modified food refers to the introduction and expression of exogenous genes into target organisms through gene recombination technology. The food produced in this way, including agricultural products and food additives, is collectively referred to as genetically modified food. The advantage of GMO is that it makes our life more convenient. At present, many people have questioned the toxicity of genetically modified foods, the problem of allergic reactions, nutritional problems, resistance to antibiotics, and environmental threats. Objectively speaking, every new thing has its growth process. We should treat it objectively and critically. In my opinion, we should look at genetically modified food scientifically, instead of just refusing it. GM foods can be broadly divided into three categories :(1) Gm plant foods. Such as genetically modified corn and soybean are more kinds of genetically modified food, mainly for improving the nutrition, anti-insect, anti-virus, anti-herbicide and anti-adversity survival of food, reducing the production cost and increasing quality of crops, and improving the yield per unit area. (2)Genetically modified animal food. Transgenic fish and meat, for example, it is mainly used for by introducing proper exogenous genes and modify its own to ââ¬Å" reduce the degree of crosslinking of connective tissueâ⬠in order to improve the meat of animals and get a good flavor and nutritional value which meet the needs of the consumers.(3) genetically modified microbial food. For example, through genetic modification of the preparation of microbial fermentation, wine, beer, soy sauce, this kind of food is produced by the use of genetically modified organisms. Though there are always people spread th e idea that GMO is toxic but So far, there is no evidence can prove that genetically modified food will affect peopleââ¬â¢s health on short term at least. It will only affect oral argument. From 1998 to 2009 there was negative news about gm food. From the ââ¬Å"approval in the United States of star alliance genetically modified corn for animal feedingâ⬠, to the ââ¬Å"proliferation of weeds around genetically modified rape in Canadaâ⬠, to the ââ¬Å"contamination of other species genes by genetically modified corn in Mexicoâ⬠, more and more facts have shown that the safety of genetically modified food deserves everyones attention. The organization for economic cooperation, the world health organization, and World food and agriculture organization (FAO),and other international authority said that the transgenic species may set a biological cause unintended consequences, it is this unintended consequences instructions for the safety of this product is not decided ye t, international consumer association also suggests that so far there is no evidence that genetically modified food is harmful or safe. There are indeed reports of GM food hazards, which are not repeated in this article. We only analyze the advantages of genetically modified foods. Genetically modified food brings us benefits indeed. Increase crop yield, solve the problem of food shortages, reduce environmental pollution. One of reason the crops failed is Salt, drought, pests and diseases, which is also responsible for yield production. Nowadays, scientists combine a variety of anti insect, drought and salt tolerance genes into crops by the development of genetic and DNA technology. By getting excellent properties of the new strain of genetically modified (gm), it greatly reduces the production cost and increases the production at the same time. Many scientists expected to use genetic modified to solve the problem of food shortages all around the world with the booming of population. At the same time, the environmental pollution due to pesticide or fertilizer can be reduced hugely by the application of transgenic technology such as hybrid rice. Extend the life of fruit and vegetable products. Traditional vegetable and fruit preservation techniques, such as refrigeration, coatings, preservation, storage costs with severe defects, time, and freshness preservation, often result in softening, over-ripening, decay, and deterioration, causing heavy losses. The direct production of shelf-stable fruits and vegetables has become a reality through genetic engineering techniques. For example, adding an anti-freeze gene for marine fish grown in the Arctic to an ordinary eggplant will allow it to be stored longer in the winter and greatly extend the shelf life. At present, commercial and transgenic tomato storage has been produced at home and abroad. Related research has been extended to strawberries, bananas, mangoes, peaches, and watermelons. Improve the taste and quality of food. In order to change the taste and extend the shelf life of the food, food company may add additives illegally to make sure the food ââ¬Å"looks goodâ⬠. However, additives and preservatives sometimes contain harmful ingredients which most of the leads to cancer. Genetic modified food can solve the problems better. The taste of food, nutrition and bactericidal properties change or transfer some of the characteristics of certain genes. Take milk as an example, gene replacement technology can change the specific the composition of milk and increase milk production. Furthermore, in order to provide plants food for some animal nutrition and taste, scientists also transfer animal genes to these plants which give them some special characteristics. Thus, Transgenic technology could improve the quality of the animal food and give human a new aspects of knowing things. And att present, the transgenic fish, chicken and pig research have made great success. Use genetically modified technology to produce foods that are good for health and disease resistance. The newly developed genetically modified rice from European scientists is found to be rich in vitamin A and iron, which helps to reduce iron deficiency anemia and vitamin A. Incidence rate. And another Japanese scientists have successfully cultivated new rice that can lower serum cholesterol levels, reduce the possibility of arteriosclerosis by using genetically modified technology. In conclusion, GMO bring us lots of benefits. Without this benefit, we cannot imagine how will the world be. There is indeed some negative news about genetically modified foods. But this does not justify our refusal to use GM food. Everyone has their own right to choose. In Africa, people often try their best to supply food, and genetically modified foods can greatly increase the production of food and allow more people to live. Since humans can develop genetically modified foods, it is believed that humans can gradually discover the potential dangers of genetically modified foods in the future, modify and improve these shortcomings, and make them safer and healthier. People should take a scientific view of genetically modified foods, maintain an optimistic attitude towards genetically modified foods, and conduct in-depth research on genetically modified foods. This will allow genetic technology to perform its best. References: Feuillet, Catherine. ââ¬Å"Figure 2f from: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic Revision of Rochefortia Sw. (Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7720. Https://Doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e7720.â⬠doi:10.3897/bdj.4.e7720.figure2f. Huso, et al. ââ¬Å"IMPACTS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) TRAITS ON CONVENTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES.â⬠AgEcon Search, ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/23491?ln=en. Bredahl, L. Journal of Consumer Policy (2001) 24: 23. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010950406128 Suzie Key, Julian K-C Ma, and Pascal MW Drake, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. Vol 101, Issue 6, pp. 290 29, June 2008, https://doi.org/10.1258%2Fjrsm.2008.070372 Charu Verma, Surabhi Nanda, R. K. Singh, R. B. Singh, Sanjay Mishra. A Review on Impacts of Genetically Modified Food on Human Health. The open nutraceutical journals, 2011, 4: 3-11,https://benthamopen.com/TONUTRAJ/home/ Maclean, Norman (2003) Genetically modified fish and their effects on food quality and human health and nutrition. Trends in Food Science Technology, April 2003
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Annotated Bibliography Florida State Department of Health...
Annotated Bibliography Bibliography Florida State Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, (1996). Components of quality HIV/STD prevention human sexuality education. Report of the HIV/STD prevention human sexuality task force. Tallahassee, FL: This article focuses on what comprises an effective and efficient preventative education program as it relates to HIV/STD prevention relative to sexual activity. Techniques of teaching are taught to reinforce the behaviors and activities that lead to the spread of HIV and AIDS. Francis, S. A., Lam, W. K., Cance, J. D., Hogan, V. K. (2009). Whats the 411? Assessing feasibility of providing African-American adolescents with HIV/AIDS prevention education in a faith-based setting. Journal of Religion Health, 48(2), 164-177. This article focuses on the use of faith-based education to educate African-American youth on the topic of HIV and AIDS prevention up to and including drug use and sexuality activity as opposed to a more secular approach. Jones, P. R., Sheppard, M. A., Snowden, C. B. (2010). Impact of poison prevention on the knowledge and behavior of seniors. American Journal of Health Education, 41(3), 139-146. This article focuses on avoiding seniors engaging in behaviors and activities that can lead to poison-related death. The most common culprit is over-use or mis-use of medication but this article explores that and several other dimensions. Kann, L., Brener, N., McManus, T. (2012).
The Design Argument â⬠as Level Free Essays
string(80) " the oxygen content has remained at 21% which is perfect to sustain human life\." Outline the Key Concepts of the Design Argument [21 marks] The design argument is also referred to at the Teleological Argument stemmed from the Greek work ââ¬ËTelosââ¬â¢ meaning end or purpose. It is an ââ¬ËA posteriorââ¬â¢ argument (from experience) based on our empirical senses and it is synthetic meaning that it is from observation. The argument is also inductive meaning there a number of possible conclusions. We will write a custom essay sample on The Design Argument ââ¬â as Level or any similar topic only for you Order Now The main basis of the Teleological argument is based on a designer commonly known as ââ¬Ëthe classical God of theismââ¬â¢ (hereafter referred to as God) The outline of the design argument is that the universe has order and purpose and is regular, the complexities of the universe demonstrate some form of design, a design requires a designer, and this designer is God. This however is an inductive leap meaning that the Design argument is valid but not sound. The key concepts of the argument are that the universe has order, there are laws and regularities, the universe has purpose, and therefore the objects in the universe appear to work towards and end or purpose. The universe has benefit, meaning that it provides all that is necessary for life and more and finally, the suitability for human life, as the Universe provides ideal environments and conditions for human life to exist and flourish. Like the cosmological argument, the design argument goes back to Plato, who stated that the human body, with all its particles and elements, must owe its origin to ââ¬Ëthe royal mind soul and mind in the nature of Zeusââ¬â¢. The theory of the Design argument was first put forward by Socrates who was a Greek Philosopher who lived in 400 BC, one of the main strengths of Socrates proposing this theory is this means it is a Pre Christian idea and also that it has withstood the test of time. Socrates said ââ¬ËWith such signs of forethought in the design of living creatures how can there be any doubt that they are the work of choice or design. ââ¬â¢ Thomas Aquinas who lived in the 13th century furthered the idea of Socrates Design Argument; he wrote a book called the ââ¬ËSumma Theologicaââ¬â¢ and was strongly influenced by Aristotle. Aquinas rejected the possibility of an infinite regress of movers and causes to explain the existence of movers and causes to explain the existence of mutable beings. Aquinas proposed 5 ways to prove the existence of God, the unmoved mover, the uncaused case, Possibility and Necessity, Goodness Truth and Nobility and the Teleological Argument. He called these the fifth way and is ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢from the governance of thingsââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢. Aquinas also proposed the theory of design qua regularity, ââ¬ËThat we call Godââ¬â¢. Aquinas maintained that since such behaviour patterns rarely change, and their end result is beneficial, there must be a purpose to them, and if non-rational beings can work towards such a goal, something must be directing them to do so. ââ¬ËNow whatever lacks knowledge cannot move towards an end, unless directed, and this being we call God. ââ¬â¢ He also championed the Analogy of the arrow directed by the archer showing that in order for something to end somewhere, there must be someone causing the movement, the arrow could not have ended us on the board on its own. William Paley, an 18th Century Philosopher continued to develop the principles of the Design argument, showing many more extended features to Socrates original concept. Paley championed the theory of design qua purpose and that a design requires a designer. ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢The world is too complex and well-designed to have come about by chance. It seems to have been planned by an intelligent mind for a special purpose. ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ For Paley, the world is like a machine made up of intricate parts, all of which worked towards an end for the benefit of the whole. Paley proposed the analogy of the watch and the watch maker. ââ¬â¢Suppose you had never seen a watch before. One day when you are out walking, you find one on the ground. You would instantly see how complex it is. ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ His theory was that if you came across a watch then it is so intricate therefore it must have been designed. Therefore the universe is so fine-tuned that there must have been a designer for thi s too. It is obvious that both are not there by chance. Another analogy for this is the eye is designed so well for the purpose of seeing. A designer gave each part of the universe a special purpose. Paley makes the inductive leap to say that this designer is God. The Anthropic principle is a key feature of the Design argument and suits the theory of Design qua Regularity proposed by F. R. Tennant showing that science and religion are one in the same. He argues that human life flourishes on earth, therefore there must have been a supreme designer, that designer being God. Tennant accepts the scientific reasoning of evolution as a fine balance of ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢fine tuningââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ and Godââ¬â¢s chosen way to support life. Tennant also argues that ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢the world could so easily have been chaoticââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ and that ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢the universe is not chaotic, nature is the outcome of intelligent design. ââ¬â¢ Others argue that the earth runs so smoothly and everything works together therefore ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢The world is compatible with a single throw of a dice and common sense is not foolish in suspecting the dice has been loadedââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ cited by Vardy. James Lovelock of the 20th century furthered the anthropi c principle in ways of the Gaia Hypothesis, ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢engineering on a planetary scaleââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ cited by Vardy. He suggests that the oxygen content in the air, the salt content in the sea and the temperature of the earth are all precise in order for human life to flourish. If the oxygen content in the air were to be 12% less no fire would be able to burn, if the oxygen content were 25% more, then no fire would ever go out, however over the last 25 million years, the oxygen content has remained at 21% which is perfect to sustain human life. You read "The Design Argument ââ¬â as Level" in category "Argumentative essays" One other person who championed the idea of the Anthropic principle is Arthur Brown from the 20th century, he says that science shows the way in which a designer chose to design, â⬠The ozone gas layer is mighty proof of the creators forethoughtâ⬠¦ Just the right thickness and exactly the correct defence, gives evidence of a plan. ââ¬Ë However there are two type of Anthropic principle, the weak Anthropic principle states that conditions on the earth were such that human life adapted to the conditions, for example evolution. The strong anthropic principle revolves around conditions being set up for human life to be introduce d, for example a Babyââ¬â¢s nursery being all ready for the baby to be introduced into it. In 1986 Freeman Dyson said ââ¬Å"in the universe there are many accidents of physics and astronomy that have worked together for our benefit, it almost seems as if the universe knew we were coming. The weak anthropic principle however states that human life adapted to the conditions of the earth, for example, by way of evolution. This does not eliminate that Evolution means that there was no divine power involved, in the 19th century Archbishop Temple stated ââ¬Å"The doctrine of evolution leaves the argument for an intelligent creatorâ⬠¦ stronger than it was before. â⬠In the 20th century, Tennant worked alongside Taylor in proposing the aesthetic principle which observes that the universe possess a natural beauty that goes beyond that which is necessary to live. For example art, literature, music all contribute in making the world a nicer place for us to live, we would be able to live without these things however F. R Tennant observes that ââ¬ËNature is not just beautiful in places it is saturated with beautyâ⬠¦ from an intelligent point of view beauty seems to be superfluous to have little survival value. ââ¬Ë Another example of the aesthetic principle is shown within people and the example of Weary Dunlop, cited by Vardy. Weary Dunlop was an Australian Doctor during World War II who cared for thousands of injured soldiers who showed endless compassion and love. This example shows that humans are not selfish, leading to an intelligent designer creating some humans to have beauty beyond what is necessary. Franciscan Theology also supports the aesthetic principle and stresses the idea of beauty and the beauty within creation; this therefore leads to a direct pointer of Godââ¬â¢s nature, showing an omnibenevolent and numinous experience. In the 20th century Richard Swinburne furthered the argument of God due to that of Design, by developing the argument of probability as a key concept. He furthered a statement made by Socrates, ââ¬Ëwith such signs of forethought in the design of living creature, how can there be doubt that they are the work of choice or design. ââ¬â¢ Swinburne suggested that the evidence of design and the order in the universe increases the probability of the existence of God. He states that a belief in God is compatible with science. This is due to the theory that without a designer the universe could have been chaotic, the universe seems to be governed therefore order is present, order is more probable and the probability for design is much greater than that of chance. Swinburne uses the parable of the card shuffling machine to show that if a man was locked in a room with 10 card shuffling machines and unless the ten machines all chose an ace of hearts from each of the packs, he would die, however the machine chooses an ace of hearts from each pack. Swinburne says it would not be adequate for the victim to claim that no explanation of the draw is required here. You would have expected the card machines to have been designed that way as the chances of this happening are seemingly almost impossible. Swinburne uses this parable to even say that ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢the very succession of science is showing us how deeply ordered the natural world isââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ and that ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢science provides strong grounds for believing that there is a deeper cause in that order. ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ Harold Morowitz thought that the chances of the universe being ordered in such a way would be the equivalent of throwing four billion penny pieces into the air and all of them landing ââ¬Ëheads upââ¬â¢. William Ockham developed the theory of Ockhamââ¬â¢s razor, and even though not specifically to do with the design argument, he states that ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢the simplest explanation is usually the best explanationââ¬â¢. Fred Hoyle continued Swinburneââ¬â¢s probability as a way of explaining a need for a designer by proposing that the probability that the universe developed by chance is much the same as if a whirlwind flew threw and junkyard and assembling a Boeing 747. Even though Kant rejects the idea of the design argument he even states that ââ¬Ëit is the oldest, the clearest and most accordant with the common reason of mankindââ¬â¢ and that ââ¬Ëthis proof always deserves to be mentioned with respectââ¬â¢. b. Comment on the view that the strengths outweigh the weaknesses [9 marks] The teleological argument contains many opponents who have found weaknesses within its theory. Epicurus, a Greek Philosopher devised the Epicuran Hypothesis, stating that the universe has come about only by chance and that a number of particles floating around in space, at some point these particles formed together to create a universe, due to there being enough time for the combination of particles to make a universe. He rejects Swinburneââ¬â¢s theory of probability and believes that the chaotic state, by chance, led to order. Sarah Tyler explains this theory in ways of monkeys and typewriters in saying that if an ââ¬Ëinfinite number of monkeysââ¬â¢ were to be given an ââ¬Ëinfinite amount of typewritersââ¬â¢, in time they would eventually ââ¬Ëproduce the entire works of Shakespeareââ¬â¢. However, in my opinion, judging by Epicuran Hypothesis and then Swinburneââ¬â¢s theory of probability, I believe that the strength of Swinburneââ¬â¢s argument outweighs that of Epicurus. Neither can be proven however with what humans know today, Swinburneââ¬â¢s development somewhat seems more probable in explaining how the universe began. I believe that the strengths in this case outweigh the weaknesses of the design argument. The main critic of the Design argument was David Hume in the 18th century, who was an empiricist, therefore based all his arguments of proof. He does not reject the idea of God, however fails to make the inductive leap from having a designer to that designer being God. He says that ââ¬Ëthe world was only the first rude essay of some infant deity who abandoned it afterwards. ââ¬â¢ Hume believes that if there is a God that this God is not necessarily what humans assume him to be, if he is even still in existence. Hume also believes that there could have been a ââ¬Ëco-operative of lesser god. ââ¬â¢ For example a man who claims he builds his own house does not actually build it but requires others to do the work for him, e. g. a carpenter, electrician. Hume states that humans ââ¬Ëassumeââ¬â¢ what is going on outside the world and beyond, yet we cannot know. Another rejection of the design argument from Hume is that he says the world around us is not perfect yet religious believers claim that God is perfect and unlimited in every way, therefore if a perfect God designed the world, why isnââ¬â¢t it perfect? Hume then furthered his rejection of the Design argument by refuting the use of analogies by saying that they are unsound because God is beyond human understanding therefore anyone who uses Analogies is supporting anthropomorphism and likening God to a human or object, therefore making God less divine. Hume also says that the world is natural like an animal or vegetables, it is organic and it grows changes and moves. Hume continues to say ââ¬Ëthe world is more organic than mechanicââ¬â¢, likening the world to a carrot. Hume does have many more criticisms on the Design Argument however his main problem with it is due to the inductive leap. Other criticisms of his include not assuming the laws of cause and effect. In my opinion, Humeââ¬â¢s argument for the weaknesses of the design argument is a very strong argument as he considers the theory of God when proposing his ideas. No other person has been able to challenge Humeââ¬â¢s criticism that if the world is not perfect then God cannot be omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient, leading to a gap in the inconsistent triad of God. In my opinion I think that this weakness does have an impact on all other strengths as it is the only one hat I can definitely say is a valid argument and makes sense to me. Another person who opposes the Design argument is J. S. Mill in the 19th century, who furthered the work of Hume and goes contrary to the idea of the world being an ordered, beautiful and harmonious place. He looks at the problem of suffering and that as there is so much in the world, this goes against the idea of an all loving, all powerful God. He states that if the re were a designer God, he would have control over cosmic forces. ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢Go straight to their end without regarding whom or what they crush in their road. ââ¬â¢ In my opinion, this weakness is fairly strong as the problem of evil demonstrates a limited God. A God that is wholly good or wholly powerful would not have created evil therefore it has to be one or the other. JS Mill personally believes that this God is good but not all powerful. Charles Darwin of the 19th century, wrote the book ââ¬ËOrigin of Speciesââ¬â¢ is another person who refutes the design argument and provided an alternative explanation for the design of world without reference to God, this is the theory of evolution and natural selection, ââ¬Ëthe survival of the fittest. However, I believe that Darwinââ¬â¢s theory of evolution is a weak argument against the existence of a God as it can also be placed into the category of the weak anthropic principle as the way God chose to introduce human be ings; however we adapted to the conditions over time. Therefore I believe that Paley as a proponent of the design argument, his theory of there being a designer to design the universe is a much stronger argument than Charles Darwinââ¬â¢s theory of Evolution as there is no explanation as to where evolution began in the first place, so ultimately no conclusion. Richard Dawkins of the 20th century argues that Natural Selection give the appearance of design however we are mistaken into believing that this shows there must be a designer. He opposes Swinburne and Tennant and Taylor and says that nature is random, meaning the world was formed by chance. He says that ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢Biology is Godââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ and people are lazy therefore made up this ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢God of the Gapsââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢. He says there is ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢no more evidence for God then there is the Easter Bunnyââ¬â¢ and that ââ¬Ëlife has no purposeââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËGod is a superfluous hypothesisââ¬â¢. I believe that this weakness to disprove the Design argument is weak as there is no evidence and is trying to disprove one of the earliest theories by comparing it to the Easter Bunny, therefore I feel that this weakness does not outweigh any of the strengths. A. J Ayre as another opponent said ââ¬Ëunless we can say what the world is like without design we cannot conclude designââ¬â¢. Kant furthered this by saying the world could be chaotic but we perceive it as being ordered. To conclude this argument, the design argument is a religiously ambiguous and Paul Davies makes this clear by stating ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢this is really a question of your threshold of conviction. It has to be a matter of personal taste whether you regard the accumulated evidence as compelling enough to want to make that inductive leap. ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ The design argument is eschatologically verifiable. Many people however still are not convinced yet do not reject the argument fully, for example John Wisdomââ¬â¢s parable of the Gardener showing that everyone has different opinions on how the world was designed and has been maintained. John Lesley also says that ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢if rocks had made by God stamped on them we would know it is made by God ââ¬â they donââ¬â¢tââ¬â¢ therefore we canââ¬â¢t know for sure. In conclusion to the question of strengths and weaknesses I feel that for me, the strengths, even, though there may be fewer than weaknesses, their principles outweigh the number of weaknesses. I personally think that the design argument cannot thoroughly prove the existence of God; however it gives a clear indicator to a designer. How to cite The Design Argument ââ¬â as Level, Essays
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Mandrake Dolls free essay sample
Identity is a theme expressed frequently in the various parts of the book. Not only that but the way the book Mandragora portrays the theme of identity is the most pivotal part of the novel and this essay. The first way the novel portrays the theme of identity is through the mandrake dolls. The evil, possessed dolls, go on an evil tear and through that takes the victims identity. The fact is that if your identity is taken, you canââ¬â¢t control yourself anymore. This is seen when Tam Dubh takes control of Adam various times throughout the novel.In contrast the other possessed mandrake dolls take the identity of Mike and Richard, telling them do their dirty deeds for them. They then convince Mike and Richard to commit suicide, showing that if your identity is taken, you are basically hopeless and useless. The second example of how identity is portrayed is when Adam and Catriona start seeing each other. We will write a custom essay sample on Mandrake Dolls or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They learn a lot not only about each other but also about themselves, and their own identity. Adam learns things about Catriona like her personalities and the fact that she once had the guts to go skinny-dipping.He also learns more about himself, through the fact that he is now more confident as a person and also more informed about himself. The final thing that portrays the theme of identity is the way Adam and Catriona goes and looks back on a diary written a hundred year ago, and translates it to something they can understand. They learn and understand more their own unique identity. It is Adam who, after seeing the visions set up by Tam Dubh, realises how similar Margaret and Catriona really are- in both appearance and personality.This is through looking at the diary and also through the spiritual help of Tam Dubh. Catriona finds out about her family tree from letters from the past and Adam Colquhounââ¬â¢s Bible. Using these she also finds a deeper sense of identity in Adamââ¬â¢s family and her own. She and her mother Barbara are both quite shocked when they find out that they are actually related to Margaret Colquhoun, and both of them cry when they find out how sad the deaths of Margaret and Jamie were.This shows that they have a strong sense of their identity and really care about the sense that they are related to a ââ¬Ëfamousââ¬â¢ ancestor. To conclude, it is through he supernatural atmosphere, created through the dolls and diary entries that they hint at the theme of identity. The mandrake dolls take and control identity, while the diary entries, morph and add to our identities. Both these techniques are incorporated into the novel really well and express the theme of identity in a flowing and integrated manner
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Cats and Dogs â⬠and Horses, Oh My!
Cats and Dogs ââ¬â and Horses, Oh My! The passions and activities in our lives, including our pets, offer writing opportunities. Our friend jokes and calls us Cat Whisperers because of feral cats abandoning kittens on our doorstep. Through the years, weââ¬â¢ve learned many lessons about rescuing feral kittens, and that experience turned into articles, childrenââ¬â¢s stories and an ebook. A member of my writing group argued that she couldnââ¬â¢t write about animals, because she wasnââ¬â¢t a veterinarian. A degree isnââ¬â¢t necessary to write about furry ââ¬â or nonfurry critters. Being an animal lover, or an animal parent, gives you knowledge to turn into articles. These publications are for lovers of cats and dogs: CATSTER and DOGSTER magazines (used to be Cat Fancy and Dog Fancy): catster.com/ and dogster.com/ Email Catster: confess@catster.com and Dogster: vicky@dogster.com Length: 800-1,000 words. Payment varies. CATS USA MAGAZINE: catchannel.com/magazines/catsusa/writers-guidelines.aspx Length: 1,800-2,400 words. Payment varies. Cats and dogs are not the only pets. I met Mea Stone, owner of Stonywoods Farm and became enchanted with her angora goats. The story of how she started her small hob For animals of the more agricultural type, try these publications: HOB hob Feature articles: 2,000-2,500 words. Payments: $300 and up. News-oriented articles: 500 words maximum. Payment varies. BACK HOME: http://backhomemagazine.com/guidlines.htm Word count varies. Payment $35 per printed page. COUNTRY MAGAZINE: country-magazine.com/contributor-guidelines/ Material considered on speculation. Pays $250 for stories one page or longer. (A page is 400-500 words.) For horse stories, I visit an author friend who owns a horse. Sheââ¬â¢s a romance writer, and her stories are western themed, complete with cowboys and horses. Try one of these publications for equine articles: APPALOOSA JOURNAL: appaloosajournal.com/editorial-submissions/ Features: 1,500-1,800 words. Articles: 600-800 words. Pays $200 $400. THE HORSE: thehorse.com/pages/freelance Articles: 250-1,800 words. Payment varies depending on article length. HORSE ILLUSTRATED: Magazine: horsechannel.com/horse-magazines/horse-illustrated/submission-guidelines.aspx Print articles: 1,000-2,000 words. Pays $200-$475. Online articles: 500-1,200 words. Pays $25 for news items, $50 for 500-1,000 words (tips, personal columns), $75 for 750-1,200 words including quotes and photos/videos. Broaden your horizons. Who are your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers? Do they have exotic pets or fascinating stories to share? Try these publications for exotic animals: REPTILE MAGAZINE: reptilesmagazine.com/Submit-A-Picture-or-Story-to-Reptile-Magazine/Writers-Guidelines/ Feature articles: 2,000-2,500 words with good photos. Generally pays $500. Shorter articles with fewer photos pays $350. Rates can vary. AQUARIUM FISH INTERNATIONAL: fishchannel.com/writers-guidelines.aspx Pays generally 15 cents per word. Offers a package deal for useable photos. Younger readers enjoy stories with and about animals. Try your hand at childrenââ¬â¢s stories. Highlights pays on acceptance for fiction and non-fiction pieces. HIGHLIGHTS https://www.highlights.com/contributor-guidelines Fiction and nonfiction: 800 words maximum. Pays $150 up. Rebus stories: 120 words maximum. Pays $100 up. Do your neighbors have unusual pets? Ferrets? Potbellied pigs? Back yard chickens? Have your coworkers mentioned humorous stories about their animals? Horror stories? Experiences they tell around the water cooler? Do they foster abandoned opossums? Raise turtles to sell to reptile shops? Have a boa that escaped one day? Are story ideas blossoming that you can submit to any of these publications? What experiences can turn into money? Whether you clean up after cats and dogs, even horses or goats, or listen to tales from those who do, animals can become stories that add to your revenue.
Sunday, March 1, 2020
How to Encourage Your Child on Test Days
How to Encourage Your Child on Test Days As the About.com test prep expert, I often get emails from parents asking for help with things like studying with their children, test prep techniques, easing test anxiety and more. Recently, I received an email from a mom who wanted nothing more than to encourage her daughter on test days. She could perceive - although nothing was said - that something wasnt quite right with her child on days when she had a presentation or test to take. She wanted to support her daughter in the kindest way possible.Ã Read the email she sent to me and the response I offered her to help her child feel the best she possibly could on test days.Ã Hi Kelly, How can I be more encouraging to my daughter on test days? She hasnt said that shes worried or anything, but I can just tell that something is up with her when she has a quiz or exam. Is there an activity we could do in the morning on the way to school? Kind regards, ~~~~~~~ Dear ~~~~~~~, If your daughter needs encouragement on test days, perhaps shes experiencing some test-taking anxiety, which can stem from different emotional places. To find out whats bothering her, start a conversation on the way to school since you drive her there every morning. Its a great time to have a conversation since the pressure is low - you have to watch the road and she can look out the window if she doesnt want to make eye contact. Ã Use a statement like, I can tell youre feeling discouraged about something. Is it the test? Would you like to tell me your feelings about it? This kind of conversation starter gives her some wiggle room if shes not up to chatting, but more than likely, shell open up about her worries if theyre test-related because you may have a solution for her. So probe a bit. Does she have a fear of failure? Is she worried about disappointing you or her teacher? Does she feel like shes not prepared? Once you know the root of the discouragement, you can encourage her by sharing your own experiences and boosting her self-esteem. Start by discussing moments in your life when youve been similarly discouraged. (Fear of failure during a new job? That time you felt unprepared for your finals in grad school?) Talk about the ways you overcame it to go on to complete the task you needed to do. Or, tell her about your failure. Its good for a kid to see that her parent is always perfect. Tell her what you learned from failing.Ã Then, boost her confidence with heartfelt praise. Describe one of her strengths; maybe shes a great shot in basketball or a creative writer. Show her how she can use those skills on test day. Scoring two points in hoops requires concentration, and since shes already good at that, she can use her powerful focusing skills to zoom in on the right answers. Being a creative writer means she can think outside the box. Confidence in one area can cross into others, especially if you help build the bridge. Most importantly, let her know that her score will never impact your love for her. Youll love her just as much whether she bombs the test or aces it. Even if she knows it already, hearing you say that she has your devotion regardless of her actions may help calm her anxiety if shes been telling herself something different. All my best to you, Kelly
Friday, February 14, 2020
Choose any topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Choose any topic - Essay Example For two past consequetive weekends he had been held up and had not been able to travel and see his family. He missed his daughter Lynn who was turning twelve the next day . John had every reason to be home with his family. His wife at home had left work earlier and arrived at home, instructed the househelp on the chores she needed done. When Lynnââ¬â¢s father called to inform her of his inability to be with them over the weekend, she had been jovial taking it as an opportunity to mingle with her friends at a Friday party. She had hurriedly rushed to the shower and dressed her best. Her friend Nadia had come pick her up. She had departed telling her maid she had was going back to work to finish some pending tasks. Jane had preferred working from her office given the ample atmosphere it gave her than at her home office in which Lynn could come nugging her for little odds and ends. Had Jane known what was laying ahead for her, she would not have made such a blunder. Jane and Nadia st omped into the red saloon car and driven off to a club where Nadia had planned to introduce her to this tall handsome guy. Around 10.00 p.m., John had hastily arrived at the bus station, managed to get the last bus headed to his home town. His attempts to call Jane had been futile since she had switched off her cell phone. John mysteriously found himself on sit number thirteen. An odd number indeed. He had thought superstitiously to himself. The bus went at breakneck speed, but still John found it too slow. He knew he would reach his home town around midnight and he dreaded robbery that was frequent due to insecurity of the town. He wondered how he still felt so bad about his seat number. He could have changed the seat, but had brushed off the idea as baseless mere superstitious thoughts that would reflect awkwardly off him. John slept intermittently along the way. He had reveries of sweet dreams that alternated with nightmares. At a point he had woken up with a jolt, shaking and
Saturday, February 1, 2020
A critical analysis of marketing strategy in the UK financial services Essay
A critical analysis of marketing strategy in the UK financial services sector. An empirical study - Essay Example According to Lazer (1971:209), ââ¬Å"Given good intelligence, executives should eventually be able to scan markets, call for additional information through consoles, assess marketing alternatives more adequately, and adjust to dynamic market condition more readilyâ⬠. It then requires that marketing strategies are structured to come abreast with the vicissitude of the time, for it to be successful and effective. THE United Kingdom financial services sector have in recent times adopted marketing strategies that are aligned with the information technology driven age. The conducting of business are embarked through e-marketing and to a great extent the UK financial institutions have adopted strategic alliance as an option of jointly pulling of their resources with organizations that share the same business orientation and prospects with them. ââ¬Å"Markets face daunting challenges in an increasingly complex markets place. Market research information technologies have provided new tools to guide marketing resource allocation, but these technologies have added complexity to the marketerââ¬â¢s worldview. Compounding the challenge is the range of stakeholders that must be addressed: prospects, customers, shareholders, channels partners, market alliance partners, and vendorsâ⬠(Cook & Talluri, 2005:244). In recent years the spate of strategic alliance in UK financial institutions are on the increase. According to Gup & Marino (2003), the United Kingdom financial institution recorded 401 alliances in Europe. Almost half of these strategies alliances occurred in 1998 and 1999. As a substitute to outright merger financial institution have prefer strategic alliance. In the same view, Proctor (2000), argues that the 21st century is seeing the development of strategic alliances and networks where firms work together towards shared goals and collaborate in their operations. The financial services sector plays a significant
Friday, January 24, 2020
Belly Dancing Essay -- Art, Dancing
Hate doing crunches? Do they strain your back and neck muscles? Try belly dancing, it gives you better benefits than the average crunch with less pain. In addition to the physical and emotional benefits, belly dancing also has an impact on child birth and ones creativity in an entertaining manner. The physical benefits of belly dancing are, being able to become healthier, and in better shape. Being out of shape can also affect a personââ¬â¢s emotional-state. Participating in belly dancing can benefit ones self-esteem, and help their emotional well-being. Ones emotional-state can take a toll for the worst or the best when trying to become pregnant. Belly dancing is said to help the chances of a woman trying to become pregnant. Belly dancing also helps the birthing process, and can also help your pelvic muscles after pregnancy. Being pregnant can affect ones choice in attire. Belly dance allows one to become creative through the choreography and also their attire. Belly dancers bri ng out the most of their creativity while performing on stage. Belly dancing is very beneficial to ones physical and emotional state and could also help with the birth process; therefore it should be applied as a creative and entertaining form of daily exercise. Belly dance has physical and health benefits, remember; ââ¬Å"A healthy heart is a happy heartâ⬠. According to Pina Coluccia ââ¬Å"Belly Dancing strengthens the heart muscle and stimulates circulationâ⬠(Coluccia 84). Belly dancing is considered an aerobic or cardiovascular exercise. ââ¬Å"Belly dancing can be considered a cardiovascular exercise, because it has similar effects as jogging or cyclingâ⬠(Coluccia 84). Kanina says ââ¬Å"Most of the students that attend my belly dancing classes, use belly dancing as a form o... .... The creativeness of belly dancing is brought out by what the women or men wear, and also where they are performing, and what style of belly dancing they are performing. If a woman is pregnant and is performing she could wear a dress and hide her belly, or she could emphasize her belly and wear a bra and a skirt. Belly dancing depends on the person; if they want to be more physically fit it is a good form of exercise. If a person wants to boost their self-esteem level practicing belly dancing will allow them to come in touch with their spiritual self. Also if a woman wants the birth process to be an easy belly dancing practices the birthing dance or movement. Belly dancing is very beneficial to ones physical and emotional state and could also help with the birth process; therefore it should be applied as a creative and entertaining form of daily exercise.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
An Introduction to Genre Theory Essay
An Introduction to Genre Theory Daniel Chandler 1. The problem of definition A number of perennial doubts plague genre theory. Are genres really ââ¬Ëout thereââ¬â¢ in the world, or are they merely the constructions of analysts? Is there a finite taxonomy of genres or are they in principle infinite? Are genres timeless Platonic essences or ephemeral, time-bound entities? Are genres culturebound or transcultural?â⬠¦ Should genre analysis be descriptive or proscriptive? (Stam 2000, 14) The word genre comes from the French (and originally Latin) word for ââ¬Ëkindââ¬â¢ or ââ¬Ëclassââ¬â¢. The term isà widely used in rhetoric, literary theory, media theory, and more recently linguistics, to refer to a distinctive type of ââ¬Ëtextââ¬â¢*. Robert Allen notes that ââ¬Ëfor most of its 2,000 years, genre study has been primarily nominological and typological in function. That is to say, it has taken as its principal task the division of the world of literature into types and the naming of those types ââ¬â much as the botanist divides the realm of flora into varieties of plantsââ¬â¢ (Allen 1989, 44). As will be seen, however, the analogy with biological classification into genus and species misleadingly suggests a ââ¬Ëscientificââ¬â¢ process. Since classical times literary works have been classified as belonging to general types which were variously defined. In literature the broadest division is between poetry, prose and drama, within which there are further divisions, such as tragedy and comedy within the category of drama. Shakespeare referred satirically to classifications such as ââ¬Ëtragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comicalhistorical-pastoralâ⬠¦ ââ¬Ë (Hamlet II ii). In The Anatomy of Criticism the formalist literary theorist Northrop Frye (1957) presented certain universal genres and modesà as the key to organizing the entire literary corpus. Contemporary media genres tend to relate more to specific forms than to the universals of tragedy and comedy. Nowadays, films are routinely classified (e. g. in television listings magazines) as ââ¬Ëthrillersââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëwesternsââ¬â¢ and so on ââ¬â genres with which every adult in modern society is familiar. So too with television genres such as ââ¬Ëgame showsââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ësitcomsââ¬â¢. Whilst we have names for countless genres in many media, some theorists have argued that there are also many genres (and sub-genres) for which we have no names (Fowler 1989, 216; Wales 1989, 206). Carolyn Millerà suggests that ââ¬Ëthe number of genres in any societyâ⬠¦ depends on the complexity and diversity of societyââ¬â¢ (Miller 1984, in Freedman & Medway 1994a, 36). The classification and hierarchical taxonomy of genres is not a neutral and ââ¬Ëobjectiveââ¬â¢ procedure. There are no undisputed ââ¬Ëmapsââ¬â¢ of the system of genres within any medium (though literature may perhaps lay some claim to a loose consensus). Furthermore, there is often considerable theoretical disagreement about the definition of specific genres. ââ¬ËA genre is ultimately an abstract conception rather than something that exists empirically in the world,ââ¬â¢Ã notes Jane Feuer (1992, 144). One theoristââ¬â¢s genre may be anotherââ¬â¢s sub-genre or even super-genre (and indeed what is technique, style, mode, formula or thematic grouping to one may be treated as a genre by another). Themes, at least, seem inadequate as a basis for defining genres since, as David Bordwell notes, ââ¬Ëany theme may appear in any genreââ¬â¢ (Bordwell 1989, 147). He asks: ââ¬ËAre animation and documentary films genres or modes? Is the filmed play or comedy performance a genre? If tragedy and comedy are genres, perhaps then domestic tragedy or slapstick is a formulaââ¬â¢. Inà passing, he offers a useful inventory of categories used in film criticism, many of which have been accorded the status of genres by various commentators: Grouping by period or country (American films of the 1930s), by director or star or producer or writer or studio, by technical process (Cinemascope films), by cycle (the ââ¬Ëfallen womenââ¬â¢ films), by series (the 007 movies), by style (German Expressionism), by structure (narrative), by ideology (Reaganite cinema), by venue (ââ¬Ëdrive-in moviesââ¬â¢), by purpose (home movies), by audience (ââ¬Ëteenpixââ¬â¢), by subject or theme (family film, paranoid-politics movies). (Bordwell 1989, 148) Another film theorist, Robert Stam, also refers to common ways of categorizing films: While some genres are based on story content (the war film), other are borrowed from literature (comedy, melodrama) or from other media (the musical). Some are performer-based (the Astaire-Rogers films) or budget-based (blockbusters), while others are based on artistic status (the art film), racial identity (Black cinema), locat[ion] (the Western) or sexual orientation (Queer cinema). (Stam 2000, 14). Bordwell concludes that ââ¬Ëone couldâ⬠¦ argue that no set of necessary and sufficient conditions canà mark off genres from other sorts of groupings in ways that all experts or ordinary film-goers would find An Introduction to Genre Theory acceptableââ¬â¢ (Bordwell 1989, 147). Practitioners and the general public make use of their own genre labels (de facto genres) quite apart from those of academic theorists. We might therefore ask ourselves ââ¬ËWhose genre is it anyway? ââ¬Ë Still further problems with definitional approaches will become apparent in due course. Defining genres may not initially seem particularly problematic but it should already be apparent that it is a theoretical minefield. Robert Stam identifies four key problems with generic labels (in relation to film): extension (the breadth or narrowness of labels); normativism (having preconceived ideas of criteria for genre membership); monolithic definitions (as if an item belonged to only one genre); biologism (a kind of essentialism in which genres are seen as evolving through a standardized life cycle) (Stam 2000, 128129). Conventional definitions of genres tend to be based on the notion that they constitute particular conventions of content (such as themes or settings) and/or form (including structure and style) whichà are shared by the texts which are regarded as belonging to them. Alternative characterizations will be discussed in due course. The attempt to define particular genres in terms of necessary and sufficient textual properties is sometimes seen as theoretically attractive but it poses many difficulties. For instance, in the case of films, some seem to be aligned with one genre in content and another genre in form. The film theorist Robert Stam argues that ââ¬Ësubject matter is the weakest criterion for generic grouping because it fails to take into account how the subject is treatedââ¬â¢ (Stam 2000, 14). Outlining a fundamental problem ofà genre identification in relation to films, Andrew Tudor notes the ââ¬â¢empiricist dilemmaââ¬â¢: To take a genre such as the ââ¬Ëwesternââ¬â¢, analyze it, and list its principal characteristics, is to beg the question that we must first isolate the body of films which are ââ¬Ëwesternsââ¬â¢. But they can only be isolated on the basis of the ââ¬Ëprincipal characteristicsââ¬â¢ which can only be discovered from the films themselves after they have been isolated. (Cited in Gledhill 1985, 59) It is seldom hard to find texts which are exceptions to any given definition of a particular genre. There are no ââ¬Ërigid rules of inclusion and exclusionââ¬â¢ (Gledhill 1985, 60). ââ¬ËGenresâ⬠¦ are not discrete systems, consisting of a fixed number of listable itemsââ¬â¢ (ibid. , 64). It is difficult to make clear-cut distinctions between one genre and another: genres overlap, and there are ââ¬Ëmixed genresââ¬â¢ (such as comedy-thrillers). 2 Specific genres tend to be easy to recognize intuitively but difficult (if not impossible) to define. Particular features which are characteristic of a genre are not normally unique to it; it is their relative prominence, combination and functions which are distinctive (Neale 1980, 22-3). It is easy to underplay the differences within a genre. Steve Neale declaresà that ââ¬Ëgenres are instances of repetition and differenceââ¬â¢ (Neale 1980, 48). He adds that ââ¬Ëdifference is absolutely essential to the economy of genreââ¬â¢ (ibid. , 50): mere repetition would not attract an audience. Tzvetan Todorov argued that ââ¬Ëany instance of a genre will be necessarily differentââ¬â¢ (cited in Gledhill 1985, 60). John Hartley notes that ââ¬Ëthe addition of just one film to the Western genreâ⬠¦ changes that genre as a whole ââ¬â even though the Western in question may display few of the recognized conventions, styles or subject matters traditionally associated with its genreââ¬â¢ (Oââ¬â¢Sullivan et al. 1994). The issue of difference alsoà highlights the fact that some genres are ââ¬Ëlooserââ¬â¢ more open-ended in their conventions or more permeable in their boundaries ââ¬â than others. Texts often exhibit the conventions of more than one genre. John Hartley notes that ââ¬Ëthe same text can belong to different genres in different countries or timesââ¬â¢ (Oââ¬â¢Sullivan et al. 1994, 129). Hybrid genres abound (at least outside theoretical frameworks). Van Leeuwen suggests that the multiple purposes of journalism often lead to generically heterogeneous texts (cited in Fairclough 1995, 88). Norman Fairclough suggests that mixed-genre texts are far from uncommon in the mass media (Fairclough 1995, 89). Some media may encourage more generic diversity: Nicholas Abercrombie notes that since ââ¬Ëtelevision comes at the audience as a flow of programmes, all with different generic conventions, means that it is more difficult to sustain the purity of the genre in the viewing experienceââ¬â¢ (Abercrombie 1996, 45; his emphasis). Furthermore, in any medium the generic classification of certain texts may be uncertain or subject to dispute. Contemporary theorists tend to describe genres in terms of ââ¬Ëfamily resemblancesââ¬â¢ among texts (a notion derived from the philosopher Wittgenstein) rather than definitionally (Swales 1990, 49). An individual text within a genre rarely if ever has all of the characteristic features of the genre (Fowler 1989, 215). The family resemblance approaches involves the theorist illustrating similarities between some of the texts within a genre. However, the family resemblance approach has been criticized on the basis that ââ¬Ëno choice of a text for illustrative purposes is innocentââ¬â¢ (David Lodge, cited in Swales 1990, 50), and that such theories can make any text seem to resemble any other one (Swales 1990, 51). In addition to the definitional and family resemblance approach, there isà An Introduction to Genre Theory another approach to describing genres which is based on the psycholinguistic concept of prototypicality. According to this approach, some texts would be widely regarded as being more typical members of a genre than others. According to this approach certain features would ââ¬Ëidentify the extent to which an exemplar is prototypical of a particular genreââ¬â¢ (Swales 1990, 52). Genres can therefore be seen as ââ¬Ëfuzzyââ¬â¢ categories which cannot be defined by necessary and sufficient conditions. How we define a genre depends on our purposes;à the adequacy of our definition in terms of social science at least must surely be related to the light that the exploration sheds on the phenomenon. For instance (and this is a key concern of mine), if we are studying the way in which genre frames the readerââ¬â¢s interpretation of a text then we would do well to focus on how readers identify genres rather than on theoretical distinctions. Defining genres may be problematic, but even if theorists were to abandon the concept, in everyday life people would continue to categorize texts. John Swales does note that ââ¬Ëa discourse communityââ¬â¢s nomenclature for genres is anà important source of insightââ¬â¢ (Swales 1990, 54), though like many academic theorists he later adds that such genre names ââ¬Ëtypically need further validationââ¬â¢ (ibid. , 58). Some genre names would be likely to be more widely-used than others: it would be interesting to investigate the areas of popular consensus and dissensus in relation to the everyday labeling of mass media genres. For Robert Hodge and Gunther Kress, ââ¬Ëgenres only exist in so far as a social group declares and enforces the rules that constitute themââ¬â¢ (Hodge & Kress 1988, 7), though it is debatable toà what extent most of us would be able to formulate explicit ââ¬Ërulesââ¬â¢ for the textual genres we use routinely: much of our genre knowledge is likely to be tacit. In relation to film, Andrew Tudor argued that genre is ââ¬Ëwhat we collectively believe it to beââ¬â¢ (though this begs the question about who ââ¬Ëweââ¬â¢ are). Robert Allen comments wryly that ââ¬ËTudor even hints that in order to establish what audiences expect a western to be like we might have to ask themââ¬â¢ (Allen 1989, 47). Swales also alludes to people having ââ¬Ërepertoires of genresââ¬â¢ (Swales 1990, 58), which I would argue would also be likely to repayà investigation. However, as David Buckingham notes, ââ¬Ëthere has hardly been any empirical research on the ways in which real audiences might understand genre, or use this understanding in making sense of specific textsââ¬â¢ (Buckingham 1993, 137). Steve Neale stresses that ââ¬Ëgenres are not systems: they are processes of systematizationââ¬â¢ (Neale 1980, 51; my emphasis; cf. Neale 1995, 463). Traditionally, genres (particularly literary genres) tended to be regarded 3 as fixed forms, but contemporary theory emphasizes that both their forms and functions are dynamic. David Buckingham argues that ââ¬Ëgenre is notâ⬠¦ simply ââ¬Å"givenâ⬠by the culture: rather, it is in a constant process of negotiation and changeââ¬â¢ (Buckingham 1993, 137). Nicholas Abercrombie suggests that ââ¬Ëthe boundaries between genres are shifting and becoming more permeableââ¬â¢ (Abercrombie 1996, 45); Abercrombie is concerned with modern television, which he suggests seems to be engaged in ââ¬Ëa steady dismantling of genreââ¬â¢ (ibid. ) which can be attributed in part to economic pressures to pursue new audiences. One may acknowledge the dynamic fluidity of genres without positing the final demise of genre as an interpretive framework. As the generic corpus ceaselessly expands, genres (and the relationships between them) change over time; the conventions of each genre shift, new genres and sub-genres emerge and others are ââ¬Ëdiscontinuedââ¬â¢ (though note that certain genres seem particularly long-lasting). Tzvetan Todorov argued that ââ¬Ëa new genre is always the transformation of one or several old genresââ¬â¢ (cited in Swales 1990, 36). Each new work within a genre has the potential to influence changes within the genre or perhaps the emergence of new sub-genres (which may later blossom into fully-fledged genres). However, such a perspective tends to highlight the role of authorial experimentation in changing genres and their conventions, whereas it is important to recognize not only the social nature of text production but especially the role of economic and technological factors as well as changing audience preferences. The interaction between genres and media can be seen as one of the forces which contributes to changing genres. Some genres are more powerful than others: they differ in the status which is attributed to them by those who produce texts within them and by their audiences. As Tony Thwaites et al. put it, ââ¬Ëin the interaction and conflicts among genres we can see the connections between textuality and powerââ¬â¢ (Thwaites et al. 1994, 104). The key genres in institutions which are ââ¬Ëprimary definersââ¬â¢ (such as news reports in the mass media) help to establish the frameworks within which issues are defined. But genre hierarchies also shift over time, with individual genres constantly gaining and losing different groups of users and relative status. Idealist theoretical approaches to genre which seek to categorize ââ¬Ëideal typesââ¬â¢ in terms of essential textual characteristics are ahistorical. As a result ofà their dynamic nature as processes, Neale argues that definitions of genre ââ¬Ëare always historically relative, and therefore historically specificââ¬â¢ (Neale 1995, 464). Similarly, Boris Tomashevsky insists that ââ¬Ëno firm logical classification of genres is possible. Their de- An Introduction to Genre Theory marcation is always historical, that is to say, it is correct only for a specific moment of historyââ¬â¢ (cited in Bordwell 1989, 147). Some genres are defined only retrospectively, being unrecognized as such by the original producers and audiences. Genres need to be studied as historical phenomena; a popular focus inà film studies, for instance, has been the evolution of conventions within a genre. Current genres go through phases or cycles of popularity (such as the cycle of disaster films in the 1970s), sometimes becoming ââ¬Ëdormantââ¬â¢ for a period rather than disappearing. On-going genres and their conventions themselves change over time. Reviewing ââ¬Ëevolutionary changeââ¬â¢ in some popular film genres, Andrew Tudor concludes that it has three main characteristics: First, in that innovations are added to an existent corpus rather than replacing redundant elements, it is cumulative. Second, in thatà these innovations must be basically consistent with what is already present, it is ââ¬Ëconservativeââ¬â¢. Third, in that these processes lead to the crystallization of specialist sub-genres, it involves differentiation. (Tudor 1974, 225-6) Tudor himself is cautious about adopting the biological analogy of evolution, with its implication that only those genres which are well-adapted to their functions survive. Christine Gledhill also notes the danger of essentialism in selecting definitive ââ¬Ëclassicââ¬â¢ examples towards which earlier examples ââ¬Ëevolveââ¬â¢ and after which others ââ¬Ëdeclineââ¬â¢ (Gledhill 1985, 59). The cycles and transformations of genres can nevertheless be seen as a response to political, social and economic conditions. Referring to film, Andrew Tudor notes that ââ¬Ëa genreâ⬠¦ defines a moral and social worldââ¬â¢ (Tudor 1974, 180). Indeed, a genre in any medium can be seen as embodying certain values and ideological assumptions. Again in the context of the cinema Susan Hayward argues that genre conventions change ââ¬Ëaccording to the ideological climate of the timeââ¬â¢, contrasting John Wayne westerns with Clint Eastwood as the problematic hero or anti-hero (Hayward 1996, 50). Leo Baudry (cited in Hayward 1996, 162) sees film genres as a barometer of the social and cultural concerns of cinema audiences; Robert Lichter et al. (1991) illustrate how televisual genres reflect the values of the programme-makers. Some commentators see mass media genres from a particular era as reflecting values which were dominant at the time. Ira Konigsberg, for instance, suggests that texts within genres embody the moral values of a culture (Konigsberg 1987, 144-5). And John Fiske asserts that generic conventions ââ¬â¢embody the crucial ideological concerns of the time in which they are popularââ¬â¢ 4 (Fiske 1987, 110). However, Steve Neale stresses that genres may also help to shape such values (Neale 1980, 16). Thwaites et al. see the relationship as reciprocal: ââ¬Ëa genre develops according to social conditions; transformations in genre and texts can influence and reinforce social conditionsââ¬â¢ (Thwaites et al. 1994, 100). Some Marxist commentators see genre as an instrument of social control which reproduces the dominant ideology. Within this perspective, the genre ââ¬Ëpositionsââ¬â¢ the audience in order to naturalize the ideologies which are embedded in the text (Feuer 1992, 145). Bernadette Casey comments that ââ¬Ërecently, structuralists and feminist theorists, among others, have focused on the way in which generically defined structures may operate to construct particular ideologies and values, and to encourage reassuring and conservative interpretations of a given textââ¬â¢ (Casey 193, 312). However, reader-oriented commentators have stressed that people are capable of ââ¬Ëreading against the grainââ¬â¢. Thomas and Vivian Sobchack note that in the past popular film-makers, ââ¬Ëintent on telling a storyââ¬â¢, were not always aware of ââ¬Ëthe covert psychological and socialâ⬠¦Ã subtextââ¬â¢ of their own films, but add that modern film-makers and their audiences are now ââ¬Ëmore keenly aware of the myth-making accomplished by film genresââ¬â¢ (Sobchack & Sobchack 1980, 245). Genre can reflect a function which in relation to television Horace Newcombe and Paul Hirsch referred to as a ââ¬Ëcultural forumââ¬â¢, in which industry and audience negotiate shared beliefs and values, helping to maintain the social order and assisting it in adapting to change (Feuer 1992, 145). Certainly, genres are far from being ideologically neutral. Sonia Livingstone argues, indeed, that ââ¬Ëdifferent genres are concerned to establish different world viewsââ¬â¢ (Livingstone 1990, 155). Related to the ideological dimension of genres is one modern redefinition in terms of purposes. In relation to writing, Carolyn Miller argues that ââ¬Ëa rhetorically sound definition of genre must be centered not on the substance or form of discourse but on the action it is used to accomplishââ¬â¢ (Carolyn Miller 1984, in Freedman & Medway 1994a, 24). Following this lead, John Swales declares that ââ¬Ëthe principal criterial feature that turns a collection of communicativeà events into a genre is some shared set of communicative purposesââ¬â¢ (Swales 1990, 46). In relation to the mass media it can be fruitful to consider in relation to genre the purposes not only of the producers of texts but also of those who interpret them (which need not be assumed always to match). A consensus about the primary purposes of some genres (such as news bulletins) ââ¬â and of their readers ââ¬â is probably easier to establish than in relation to others (such as westerns), where the very term ââ¬Ëpurposeââ¬â¢ sounds too in- An Introduction to Genre Theory strumental. However, ââ¬Ëuses and gratificationsââ¬â¢ researchers have already conducted investigations into the various functions that the mass media seem to serve for people, and ethnographic studies have offered fruitful insights into this dimension. Miller argues that both in writing and reading within genres we learn purposes appropriate to the genre; in relation to the mass media it could be argued that particular genres develop, frame and legitimate particular concerns, questions and pleasures. Related redefinitions of genre focus more broadly on the relationship between the makers and audiencesà of texts (a rhetorical dimension). To varying extents, the formal features of genres establish the relationship between producers and interpreters. Indeed, in relation to mass media texts Andrew Tolson redefines genre as ââ¬Ëa category which mediates between industry and audienceââ¬â¢ (Tolson 1996, 92). Note that such approaches undermine the definition of genres as purely textual types, which excludes any reference even to intended audiences. A basic model underlying contemporary media theory is a triangular relationship between the text, its producers and its interpreters. From the perspective of many recent commentators, genres first and foremost provide frameworks within which texts are produced and interpreted. Semiotically, a genre can be seen as a shared code between the producers and interpreters of texts included within it. Alastair Fowler goes so far as to suggest that ââ¬Ëcommunication is impossible without the agreed codes of genreââ¬â¢ (Fowler 1989, 216). Within genres, texts embody authorial attempts to ââ¬Ëpositionââ¬â¢ readers using particular ââ¬Ëmodes of addressââ¬â¢. Gunther Kress observes that: Every genre positions those who participate inà a text of that kind: as interviewer or interviewee, as listener or storyteller, as a reader or a writer, as a person interested in political matters, as someone to be instructed or as someone who instructs; each of these positionings implies different possibilities for response and for action. Each written text provides a ââ¬Ëreading positionââ¬â¢ for readers, a position constructed by the writer for the ââ¬Ëideal readerââ¬â¢ of the text. (Kress 1988, 107) Thus, embedded within texts are assumptions about the ââ¬Ëideal readerââ¬â¢, including their attitudes towards the subject matter and often their class, age, gender and ethnicity. Gunther Kress defines a genre as ââ¬Ëa kind of text that derives its form from the structure of a (frequently repeated) social occasion, with its characteristic participants and their purposesââ¬â¢ (Kress 1988, 183). An interpretative emphasis on genre as opposed 5 to individual texts can help to remind us of the social nature of the production and interpretation of texts. In relation to film, many modern commentators refer to the commercial and industrial significance of genres. Denis McQuail argues that: The genre may be considered as a practicalà device for helping any mass medium to produce consistently and efficiently and to relate its production to the expectations of its customers. Since it is also a practical device for enabling individual media users to plan their choices, it can be considered as a mechanism for ordering the relations between the two main parties to mass communication. (McQuail 1987, 200) Steve Neale observes that ââ¬Ëgenresâ⬠¦ exist within the context of a set of economic relations and practicesââ¬â¢, though he adds that ââ¬Ëgenres are not the product of economic factors as such. The conditions provided by the capitalist economy account neither for the existence of the particular genres that have hitherto been produced, nor for the existence of the conventions that constitute themââ¬â¢ (Neale 1980, 51-2). Economic factors may account for the perpetuation of a profitable genre. Nicholas Abercrombie notes that ââ¬Ëtelevision producers set out to exploit genre conventionsâ⬠¦ Itâ⬠¦ makes sound economic sense. Sets, properties and costumes can be used over and over again. Teams of stars, writers, directors and technicians can be built up, giving economies of scaleââ¬â¢ (Abercrombie 1996, 43). He adds that ââ¬Ëgenres permit the creation and maintenance of a loyal audience which becomes used to seeing programmes within a genreââ¬â¢ (ibid. ). Genres can be seen as ââ¬Ëa means of controlling demandââ¬â¢ (Neale 1980, 55). The relative stability of genres enables producers to predict audience expectations. Christine Gledhill notes that ââ¬Ëdifferences between genres meant different audiences could be identified and catered toâ⬠¦ This made it easier to standardize and stabilise productionââ¬â¢ (Gledhill 1985, 58). In relation to the mass media, genre is part of the process of targeting different market sectors. Traditionally, literary and film critics in particular have regarded ââ¬Ëgenericââ¬â¢ texts (by which they mean ââ¬Ëformulaicââ¬â¢ texts) as inferior to those which they contend are produced outside a generic framework. Indeed, film theorists frequently refer to popular films as ââ¬Ëgenre filmsââ¬â¢ in contrast to ââ¬Ënon-formula filmsââ¬â¢. Elitist critics reject the ââ¬Ëgeneric fictionââ¬â¢ of the mass media because they are commercial products of popular culture rather than ââ¬Ëhigh artââ¬â¢. Many harbor the Romantic ideology of the primacy of authorial ââ¬Ëoriginalityââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëvisionââ¬â¢, emphasizing individual styleà and artistic ââ¬Ëself-expressionââ¬â¢. In this tradition the An Introduction to Genre Theory artist (in any medium) is seen as breaking the mould of convention. For the Italian aesthetician Benedetto Croce (1866-1952), an artistic work was always unique and there could be no artistic genres. More recently, some literary and film theorists have accorded more importance to genre, counteracting the ideology of authorial primacy (or ââ¬Ëauteurismââ¬â¢, as it is known in relation to the emphasis on the director in film). Contemporary theorists tend to emphasize the importance of the semiotic notion of intertextuality: of seeing individual texts in relation to others. Katie Wales notes that ââ¬Ëgenre isâ⬠¦ an intertextual conceptââ¬â¢ (Wales 1989, 259). John Hartley suggests that ââ¬Ëwe need to understand genre as a property of the relations between textsââ¬â¢ (Oââ¬â¢Sullivan et al. 1994, 128). And as Tony Thwaites et al. put it, ââ¬Ëeach text is influenced by the generic rules in the way it is put together; the generic rules are reinforced by each textââ¬â¢ (Thwaites et al. 1994, 100). Roland Barthes (1975) argued that it is in relation to other texts within a genre rather than in relation to lived experience that we make sense of certainà events within a text. There are analogies here with schema theory in psychology, which proposes that we have mental ââ¬Ëscriptsââ¬â¢ which help us to interpret 6 familiar events in everyday life. John Fiske offers this striking example: A representation of a car chase only makes sense in relation to all the others we have seen ââ¬â after all, we are unlikely to have experienced one in reality, and if we did, we would, according to this model, make sense of it by turning it into another text, which we would also understand intertextually, in terms of what we have seen so often on our screens. There is then a cultural knowledge of the concept ââ¬Ëcar chaseââ¬â¢ that any one text is a prospectus for, and that it used by the viewer to decode it, and by the producer to encode it. (Fiske 1987, 115) In contrast to those of a traditionalist literary bent who tend to present ââ¬Ëartisticââ¬â¢ texts as nongeneric, it could be argued that it is impossible to produce texts which bear no relationship whatsoever to established genres. Indeed, Jacques Derrida proposed that ââ¬Ëa text cannot belong to no genre, it cannot be withoutâ⬠¦ a genre. Every text participates in one or several genres, there is no genre-less textââ¬â¢Ã (Derrida 1981, 61). Note *In these notes, words such as text, reader and writer are sometimes used as general terms relating to ââ¬Ëtextsââ¬â¢ (and so on) in whatever medium is being discussed: no privileging of the written word (graphocentrism) is intended. Whilst it is hard to find an alternative for the word texts, terms such as makers and interpreters are sometimes used here as terms non-specific to particular media instead of the terms writers and readers. 2. Working within genres John Hartley argues that ââ¬Ëgenres are agents of ideological closure ââ¬â they limit the meaning-potentialà of a given textââ¬â¢ (Oââ¬â¢Sullivan et al. 1994, 128). Robert Hodge and Gunther Kress define genres as ââ¬Ëtypical forms of texts which link kinds of producer, consumer, topic, medium, manner and occasionââ¬â¢, adding that they ââ¬Ëcontrol the behavior of producers of such texts, and the expectations of potential consumersââ¬â¢ (Hodge & Kress 1988, 7). Genres can be seen as constituting a kind of tacit contract between authors and readers. From the traditional Romantic perspective, genres are seen as constraining and inhibiting authorial creativity. However, contemporary theorists, evenà within literary studies, typically reject this view (e. g. Fowler 1982: 31). Gledhill notes that one perspective on this issue is that some of those who write within a genre work in creative ââ¬Ëtensionââ¬â¢ with the conventions, attempting a personal inflection of them (Gledhill 1985: 63). From the point of view of the producers of texts within a genre, an advantage of genres is that they can rely on readers already having knowledge and expectations about works within a genre. Fowler comments that ââ¬Ëthe system of generic expectations amounts to a code, by the use of whichà (or by departure from which) composition becomes more economicalââ¬â¢ (Fowler 1989: 215). Genres can thus be seen as a kind of shorthand serving to increase the ââ¬Ëefficiencyââ¬â¢ of communication. They may even function as a means of preventing a text from dissolving into ââ¬Ëindividualism and incomprehensibilityââ¬â¢ (Gledhill 1985: 63). And whilst writing within a genre involves making use of certain ââ¬Ëgivenââ¬â¢ conventions, every work within a genre also involves the invention of some new elements. An Introduction to Genre Theory As for reading within genres, some argue that knowledge of genre conventions leads to passiveà consumption of generic texts; others argue that making sense of texts within genres is an active process of constructing meaning (Knight 1994). Genre provides an important frame of reference which helps readers to identify, select and interpret texts. Indeed, in relation to advertisements, Varda Langholz Leymore argues that the sense which viewers make of any single text depends on how it relates to the genre as a whole (Langholz Leymore 1975, ix). Key psychological functions of genre are likely to include those shared by categorization generally ââ¬â such as reducing complexity.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Essay on Humas Overcoming Nature - 1487 Words
Humas Overcoming Nature Humans have always tried to exert their control over nature. Throughout history, humans command over nature has wavered from a confidant to a skeptical viewpoint. As time passed, humans believied in their ability to conquer nature slowly diminished to a point where nature ruled without a doubt. Now, in the twentieth century, however, people believe once again that the human population can overcome nature. Up until the sixteenth century, people believed that God could explain all actions. In general, science did not really exist. People simply looked to the Bible for reassurance about then unexplainable phenomenon. With the development of a scientific method and the industrial revolution, people began toâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Perhaps the best result of humanà s control over nature is the diseases that have been combated. At the turn of the century, infectious diseases were the leading cause of death in the United States [2]. Common childhood illnesses such as mumps, measles, whooping cough, tetanus, typhoid, polio, and even the bubonic plague can be treated today with some form of medicine. Throughout the centuries, doctors and scientists have tried to discover a way to cure these common diseases. Incredibly researchers uncovered the minute particles of viruses and developed vaccines with the help of another twentieth century invention, the electron microscope. These inventio ns allow the present generation to experience a lower infant mortality rate and a longer life. With this discovery, humans began to believe that nature was decipherable. Another aspect of science that decidedly controls nature is cosmetology. Doctors who perform cosmetic surgery obviously alter the phenotype of humans. The essential genotype and DNA of a person are not changed; however, humans not only control, but also abuse and manipulate nature with their nips and tucks. Pope John Paul II makes an excellent point, saying, If human life is at enormous risk today, it is not because of the truth discovered through scientific research but because of the deadly applicationsShow MoreRelatedOverview of Hrm93778 Words à |à 376 Pagesof the organization who are responsible for making organization wide decisions and establishing the plans and goals that affect the entire organization. Managerââ¬â¢s Roles: a. Interpersonal roles â⬠¢ Figureheadââ¬âduties that are ceremonial and symbolic in nature â⬠¢ Leadershipââ¬âhire, train, motivate, and discipline employees â⬠¢ Liaisonââ¬âcontact outsiders who provide the manager with informa tion. These may be individuals or groups inside or outside the organization. b. â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ Informational roles Monitorââ¬âcollectRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words à |à 1573 PagesPerformance Appraisal? 569 Case Incident 2 Job Candidates Without Strong SAT Scores Need Not Apply 570 S A L 18 Organizational Change and Stress Management Forces for Change 578 Planned Change 580 577 Resistance to Change 580 Overcoming Resistance to Change 582 â⬠¢ The Politics of Change 584 CONTENTS xix Approaches to Managing Organizational Change 584 Lewinââ¬â¢s Three-Step Model 584 â⬠¢ Kotterââ¬â¢s Eight-Step Plan for Implementing Change 586 â⬠¢ Action Research 587 â⬠¢ Organizational
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