Act utilitarianism vs Rule utilitarianism Essays

Act utilitarianism vs Rule utilitarianism Essays Act utilitarianism vs Rule utilitarianism Paper Act utilitarianism vs Rule utilitarianism Paper Essay Topic: Utilitarianism Although Utilitarianism as a whole is a complicated and flawed ideology, Rule Utilitarianism (the more sympathetic concept of the two) tends to be more plausible than Act Utilitarianism. However Rule Utilitarianism is not without its own flaws that critics of JS Mill indicate. Critics of JS Mill say that Act Utilitarianism is more plausible because with Rule Utilitarianism, moral laws conflict, for example, the right to be free from hunger and want seems logical but destroying the rainforests to provide food goes against other Utilitarianism principles, whereas in Act Utilitarianism, according to Sidgwick, it is possible that an act may be moral and immoral at the same time. For Sidgwick, when making a moral decision you must respond to the immediate consequences of your actions but not the long term effect, as it isnt possible to be certain about the long term effects. Critics of Bentham and Sidgwick however would say that Rule Utilitarianism is more plausible because Rule Utilitarians believe that it is the quality of an act that is more important and not the greatest good for the greatest number as suggested by Bentham. Mill also believed that without individual liberty, societys happiness is not possible, which makes Rule Utilitarianism more plausible as it coincides with human rights whereas Bentham thinks that Human rights are ridiculous. According to Bentham, Act Utilitarianism is more plausible because it provides the greatest goo for the greatest number through the use of the hedonic calculus. By using the Hedonic calculus, one is able to maximise pleasure and minimise pain. The Hedonic calculus Is the test for all practical decisions and is an easy way to provide the greatest overall happiness for all sentient beings such as humans. The concept of the Hedonic Calculus for philosophers such as Mill, Brandt and Austin was far too complex and they considered it to be an impossible ideal to apply the hedonic calculus when making all decisions, especially when there is not time to carefully think about making a decision. Furthermore, Act Utilitarianism consider maims to be rules of thumb that can be disregarded in certain circumstances, whereas rule Utilitarians believe all moral laws must be obeyed. Rather than following the Hedonic Calculus, Rule Utilitarians instead made a set of general rules selected on the basis of whether they will maximise general good or welfare in society. These general rules apply the Principle of Utility so it is easier to apply them in everyday life, therefore making moral decision making a much easier and less complicated situation. In conclusion, Both act and Rule Utilitarianism have their flaws but overall, Rule Utilitarianism is more plausible than Act Utilitarianism because through Rule Utilitarianism it is easier to apply rules and moral laws and one focuses on the quality of happiness rather than the quantity, which can often lead to impractical decision making (for Act Utilitarians.)

Your 2018 guide to asking for a promotionÂÂ

Your 2018 guide to asking for a promotion   New year†¦new job title? Many of us look upon a new year as a time for new opportunities, from setting and achieving new personal goals to exploring new passions and hobbies and reaching new professional milestones- including moving up the career ladder. Most of us have an ultimate professional goal that we one day wish to fully achieve, and many of us have plotted out a series of steps on our career ladder that will hopefully get us there. With the ushering in of a new year, we often hope that we’ll be able to take a bold step forward toward our goal- which means getting a promotion at work.Of course, in a perfect world, we’d never have to actually ask for a promotion- our bosses would simply recognize our undeniable talents and contributions over and over, resulting in a series of promotions. But for most of us, this is more of a pleasant dream than a tangible reality, and waiting for this to happen is like waiting for a sack of money to drop out of the sky and i nto your lap- not the most efficient use of your productive work years.The truth is, most of us who want a promotion are going to have to ask for one, which can be among the most stressful, anxiety-inducing, and nerve-wracking experiences we subject ourselves to. Asking for a promotion is no simple task, especially if you’re relatively new to your company or industry and may still be proving yourself. According to a recent article published by Forbes, â€Å"Asking for a promotion can be one of the most stressful experiences in your career- especially in today’s uncertain economy. Why?  Because you know you’re putting yourself at some level of risk†¦It should be no surprise that, in comparison to only a few decades ago, today’s average employee has larger workloads- and more (and better) competition to contend with. Add to this the highly evolved social and political networks one needs to master, and you have one tough road to travel†¦to move from employment offer to promotion without a single misstep is unlikely, and mistakes happen often enough.†Yes, the mere thought of asking for a promotion may send you into a panic and have you reconsidering the entire idea, but fear not! In the professional world fortune often favors the bold, and if you attack the â€Å"promotion situation† smartly and with a solid game plan, you can really increase your chances that things will go your way when you pop the big question!Use the following strategies to help you stack the deck in your favor, and to avoid the biggest mistakes most people make when gearing up to asking for a promotion.Read the signs.The first crucial step to determining if now is a good time to ask for a promotion or if you’re better off waiting is to â€Å"take the temperature† of the company. Was 2017 a good year, or were there lots of struggles and challenges? Did your company meet or exceed its annual goals, or did it fall short? Have th ere been a great deal of layoffs or employee turnover recently, or do things feel relatively stable. Or better yet, are signs of growth and new innovation in the air? It isn’t difficult to envision which of these scenarios are more conducive to asking for a promotion, so try to figure out if now is the right time for you to make the big ask.Also, be sure to take your own workplace temperature. Was 2017 a â€Å"hot† or â€Å"cold† year for you as an employee? Did you achieve or surpass your goals? Many of us have clearly defined performance metrics, which are often reviewed regularly with our bosses (often annually), so determining if 2017 was a good year for you shouldn’t be too difficult. If you had a banner year in 2017, then perhaps now is the perfect time to go after that promotion. If you struggled a bit over the year, perhaps it’s wiser to wait a few months and really work hard to establish yourself as a valuable employee before taking the pl unge.Build a good case.In many instances, asking for a promotion is like interviewing for a new job, and you’ll likely have to â€Å"make a case† for yourself- not just for why you deserve a promotion, but also, and perhaps more importantly, for how your company will benefit from promoting you. This is your opportunity to resell yourself to your company- this time in a new role with greater responsibility.So, approach the situation like you did when you first interviewed with the company. Convince them that you’re the perfect person for this new position and that your background, experience, and skill set are the perfect mix to handle the job effectively. You want them to think that promoting you will ultimately benefit the company’s bottom line.Choose your moment.Pop quiz: Do you think your chances for getting a promotion will be better when you ask your boss after a particularly tense and stressful morning or in the middle of a terrible workplace crisis , or when your boss is in a good mood, relaxed, and hopefully open to new ideas? Not the most difficult quiz, right? Well, you’d be surprised by how many unfortunate employees, who are so nervous and desperate to get the promotion question over with, just blindly jump in and ask their bosses for a promotion without determining if the timing is right. Not a good move. Don’t make this easily avoidable mistake.Mind the details.Perhaps just as important as the things you’ll say when asking for a promotion are the supporting details- the tone you use, the outfit you decide to wear when you ask, and your body language and facial expressions. You’ve already successfully interviewed with the company before, so you have a good idea of what works and what doesn’t. The key here is to take this opportunity seriously and to bring your â€Å"A game† when you do decide the time is right to ask for a promotion. Dress well, use a confident and positive tone, and make sure your body language reflects your best possible self.If it goes your way†¦If the stars align, things go your way, and fate looks favorably on you, then congratulations! Graciously and humbly accept your promotion and new role and be sure to use this as an opportunity to prove to your bosses that they made the right call- don’t forget, at some point in the future you might be facing the promotion question once again, and you want to make sure that you have a solid case for why it’s once again well deserved.If it doesn’t go your way†¦Putting yourself out there by asking for a promotion and meeting rejection can be incredibly difficult. If you don’t get the promotion you were looking for, you may leave the meeting with a wide range of conflicting emotions. The key here is to not do anything rash. Instead, listen carefully to the reasoning you were given for the decision. Was it based on something completely out of your control, or did it include things that you can work on? Were you given a timeline to make improvements and revisit the promotion question?Take the information you were given during the discussion, consider it carefully, and weigh your options for moving forward. The key here is to not consider this the final step on your career ladder- you’ll have many more professional opportunities in the future!Asking for a promotion can be a stressful experience- but it doesn’t have to be! Use the strategies provided here to ensure that when the time is right and you decide to ask for a promotion that you’re putting your best foot forward and setting yourself up for success.

Child Rearing in America Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Child Rearing in America - Case Study Example According to Annette Lareau, the central factors of family life cohere to form a cultural logic of child rearing which stresses the intensive nurturing of children in the contemporary social situation. "In this historical moment, middle-class parents tend to adopt a cultural logic of child rearing that stresses the concerted cultivation of children. Working-class and poor parents, by contrast, tend to undertake the accomplishment of natural growth. In the accomplishment of natural growth, children experience long stretches of leisure time, child-initiated play, clear boundaries between adults and children and daily confrontations with kin." (Lareau, 2003, p 3). Christopher Davis was born and brought up as the son of middle-class parents and his birth and nurturing demonstrate the state of affairs with child rearing in the contemporary America. Christopher Davis was born in 2004 while his mother, Susan, was eighteen years of age and was pursuing her Bachelor's degree. All through her pregnancy period, Susan attended college and she never dedicated time for the nurturing of the baby. ... The family under investigation belonged to middle-class Blacks and their experience with child rearing suggests the influence of class difference on the shaping of individuals in the families. "It is the class differences and how they are enacted in family life and child rearing that shape the ways children view themselves in relation to the rest of the world." (Lareau, 2003, p 4). Therefore, the paper undertakes an essential qualitative analysis of the case of Christopher Davis in an attempt to achieve a deeper knowledge of issues to educational practice. The research problem in this qualitative research case study is the issues connected with child rearing and the example of Christopher Davis illustrates these issues most effectively. The case study reported in the paper primarily focuses on parental involvement, child-rearing practices and academic achievement on the basis of the specific case of Christopher Davis. Research Design and Methods This research study undertakes an analysis of the specific case of Christopher Davis who confronts several pertinent issues of child rearing. The subject of this qualitative research case study Christopher Davis (Chris) who is son to Susan and John and they live in Brooklyn, New York. Chris has 2 bothers that look up to him. Christopher Davis is the perfect selection for an analysis of the pertinent issues concerning child rearing as he faced some of the most important nurturing problems in his short life. The research reported in this paper undertook personal interviews with the family of Chris. A reflective analysis of the life experience of Chris in his development and education suggests that child rearing is one of the most essential

Business Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Policy - Essay Example It is thus dynamic in nature so that the organization earns above average returns (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2001, p. 6). Strategic management is a broad canvas, which includes strategic analysis, strategic implementation and control. It encompasses all functional areas within an organization. This paper aims to address these issues in the context of finance and marketing. For evolving appropriate corporate policies, it is imperative to do a competitive analysis. This will be done by using the SWOT and Porters five forces. SWOT analysis helps to understand internal environment of the company in terms of its relative strengths and weaknesses, and also external factors in terms of opportunities and threat. Further, as the company intends to enter into emerging markets, its global competitiveness will be examined by using the model suggested by Porter (1985), which includes five competitive forces, which determine the competitiveness of a product in a market. These forces are industr y competitions, potential entrants, substitutes, byers, and suppliers.

RRQ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

RRQ - Essay Example After the end of the war, the southern states passed laws that the black codes which allowed the Africans in America rights such as, owning of property, legalized marriage and they were also allowed to have access to courts (Farr 236). On the other hand, they repudiated the right to testify and attend in the panel of adjudicators in the state militia or beginning to work without endorsement from the former employer. Carter supports his argument about Americans crisis of confidence, in that during the past three years he spoke about national concerns, the energy crisis reorganizing the governmental, national economy and the various issues of war and especially peace (Farr 234). He insisted on how the government should be doing to make sure the nation’s dreams and vision are accomplished (Farr 347). Carter says that in order for the nation economy, to flourish the government has to curb the entire crisis and focus on the national

Reflection Paper: Socialization and Self-Identity

Reflection Paper: Socialization and Self-Identity Introduction I grew up in an average middle class family, whereby I attended a public primary school during early years of my life. Life was quite simple in primary school because almost all pupils were friendly and there were no social divisions both in class and outside. However, life was different when I went to high school, with the existence of a caste system that drew distinct boundaries between the middle class students who were well behaved and the lower class students associated with rudeness and truancy. Socialization in Relation to Self Identity According to Styker (1980), sociological approach to self identity is based on assumption of an existence of a relationship between oneself and the society, whereby the self influences the society through individual actions thus creating groups, networks and institutions. Likewise, the society influences self through shared meanings and language that enable someone to engage in social interactions and reflect upon himself/herself as an object. My primary school life was greatly shaped by society within a conducive environment that never encouraged social divisions among pupils but embraced a unified community, where everyone seemed to conform to norms and regulations of the school. This is further supported by social identity theory that emphasizes on identity as being embedded in a social group or category rather than role behavior (Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, Wetherell 1987). Life in high school was quite different from that of primary school as I had to identify with either the middle class students who conformed to school regulations or identify with the lower class students, who were truant, rude and cared less about school rules and regulations. This called for need to reflect, evaluate and plan accordingly in order to bring out my future state and achieve consciousness with respect to my own existence in school. Initially, I was torn between the two cliques of students because much as I desired to perform well in school, I also wanted to drink, smoke and do the crazy things that teenagers do. After critical self evaluation, I found myself striking a balance between the two sets of students and had two different sets of social lives. I could occasionally identify with the middle class students who were well behaved when I needed to study and equally strike a balance in being popular with the truant group, especially when I needed to smoke, drink and m isbehave. Such decision came after some crisis (Mercia 2008). According to Marcias identity status theory, ones sense of identity is largely determined by choices and commitments made in respect to personal and social traits. Focusing on adolescent development, Mercia (2008) points out that adolescent stage consists neither of identity resolution nor identity confusion, but rather the degree to which one has explored and committed to an identity in a variety of life domains from education, religion, relational choices and gender roles among others. Marcias theory of identity achievement argues that two distinct parts form an adolescents identity, namely; crisis and commitment. He defined a crisis as a time of upheaval where old values or choices are being reexamined and further argues that the end outcome of a crisis leads to a commitment made to a certain role or value. Living comfortably with the two sets of students explains the notion that there are as many different selves as there are different positions that one holds in society as well as to different groups responding to self (James 1890). This brings out my overall self that has multiple identities, with each identity being tied to aspects of the social structure (Burke 1980). When associating with the truant group of students, the only things we did and discussed were those relevant to the group such as planning how to misbehave, where to drink, smoke and do other things that were against school rules. On the other hand, identifying with disciplined group of students restricted me to discuss and do things that were relevant to identity of the group such as class assignments and group discussions. This boosted my psychological well being as well as social skills that enabled me to fit well in school society as supported by Thoits (2001), who argues that greater psychological well- being all ows individuals to actively acquire multiple role identities over time. Furthermore research has proved that making roles and accumulating role identities equally fosters greater psychological well being. Being able to identify and associate with two sets of students in high school can be attributed to identity theory. Stryker (1980) describes identity theory as a micro- sociological theory that links self attitudes or identities to the role- related behavior of individuals. It takes into account individual role relationships and identity variability, motivation and differentiation. This implies that my behavior in any of the two groups was dependant on shared responses and behavioral expectations emerging from social interactions. Exchange theory further supports my interaction with two sets of students as it views commitment as being influenced by repeated exchange agreement, which generate emotional connection among group members in the form of satisfaction (Lawler Yoon 1996). Socialization in Relation to Academic Performance Ability to identify with the disciplined set of students gave me satisfaction, both academically and psychologically as learning requires diligence and obedience, qualities that are widely associated with feminists. On the other hand, associating with truant group of students gave me the excitement and drive to enjoy my teenage life as well as performance of masculinity, which is associated with the highest social status in state schooling environment, a status that I could only achieve through identifying with truant group of students (Fine 2003 Renold 2006). I was an extrovert, popular with my peers and a high academic achiever. Friends were my most enjoyable aspect of school and I accentuated communication and relationships with friends, while maintaining good heterosexual relationships that invested more in emotional instead of physical aspects of the relationships within the two sets of friends. Research has shown that high achievement in class does not necessarily constitute classroom isolation and unpopularity, thus students identified as high achieving are equally popular. Based on this observation, it can be argued that high academic achievement is not impending the popularity of a student and the sociability of a student may indicate that strong social skills contribute to high academic achievement as was my case (Jackson, 2006). Francis, Skelton Read (2010) indicate in their research that sociability of students results to increased levels of confidence for boys and girls regardless of their social class, pointing out that high performing students are often highly aware of their high academic achievement and this achievement awareness preoccupation delineates the notion of giftedness. I was able to excel academically because I was comfortable with my perceived high academic ability and I never underestimated my achievement in relation to my peers, unlike what most girls do. Being vividly aware of my own authenticity, I managed to construct my popularity based on my intrinsic merit factors such as friendliness, sociability and kindness. I was actively engaged in class work and worked hard, completing all assignments even in challenging conditions. Furthermore, I was an enthusiastic participant in class and was always ready to execute given tasks during classes. I was in good terms with teachers and this added value to my performance of attitude. My talks and actions frequently dominated during my days in high school as I was loud, assertive and at the center of events, unlike my low achieving and less popular peers, who were more extrinsic and obsessed with factors such as good looks. I however considered myself good looking and fashionable in appearance during those days. My physical attractiveness and stylish clothing enhanced my classroom relationships and contributed greatly in bringing a balance between my popularity and academic achievement. This i s in agreement with Butler (1993) and Kehily (2006) who indicate that physical appearance facilitates and contributes to sociability, confidence and sometimes academic excellence. My performance enhancing qualities are in agreement with self categorization theory that describes how people define themselves at group level as well as at an individual level, considering group and individual identities to be different levels of self categorization and more distinct from each other as opposed to social identity theory (Hogg and Terry 2000). Employing this theory gave me an opportunity to have unlimited range of identities based on context and convenience to achieve desired objectives based on targeted achievement with any particular kind of behavior. In their contribution to social identity theories, Lucey and Reay (2002) observe that academic success and excellence cannot exist without failure, supporting the fact that some students must be marked as failures for others to be identified as successful. This explains my academic excellence and equally explains poor performance for some of my peers. Conclusion Human beings are social beings and need each other to coexist, a fact supported by the existence of social theories of identity, which explain personal, interpersonal as well as group relationships. As a teenager and a student, social theories of identity worked to my advantage as I managed to strike a balance between different categories of social groups in favor of my performance and social life. I lived well in high school because I could use social theories to manipulate situations for the sake of a peaceful and harmonious existence, while at the same time quenching my curiosity for exciting teenage experience. If well used, social theories can bring success to ones academic performance and fruitful relationships that support peaceful coexistence within a given society.

Bay Of Pigs :: American America History

Bay Of Pigs The story of the failed invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs, which is located on the south coast of Cuba about 97 miles southeast of Havanna, was one of mismanagement, poor judgment, and stupidity ("Bay of Pigs" 378). The blame for the failed invasion falls directly on the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) and a young president by the name of John F. Kennedy. The whole intention of the invasion was to assault communist Cuba and put an end to Fidel Castro. Ironically, thirty-nine years after the Bay of Pigs, Fidel Castro is still in power. First, it is necessary to look at why the invasion happened and then why it did not work. From the end of World War II until the mid-eighties, most Americans could agree that communism was the enemy. Communism wanted to destroy our way of life and corrupt the freest country in the world. Communism is an economic system in which one person or a group of people are in control. The main purpose of communism is to make the social and economic status of all individuals the same. It abolishes the inequalities in possession of property and distributes wealth equally to all. The main problem with this is that one person who is very wealthy can be stripped of most of his wealth so that another person can have more material goods and be his equal. The main reason for the Bay of Pigs attack on Cuba was the change to communism. On January 1, 1959, Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista fled the country for the safety of the Dominican Republic (Goode, Stephen 75). Fidel Castro and his guerrilla warriors overthrew the old government dictated by Batista. During the next couple of weeks, Castro established a new government and on February 16, he was officially declared premier (Finkelstein, Norman H. 127). The United States accepted this new regime as a relief from the harsh, corrupt, and unpopular government of Batista. Soon after everything settled down, Castro and his men made a rapid move to change their political course. He announced his transformation to Marxism-Leninism and avowed his friendship with the Soviet Union (Goode, Stephen 75). These events upset the United States and there were concerns about Castro becoming too powerful. One reason was the friendship with the Soviet Union because Cuba was receiving armed forces to expan d and improve its army.