The Traditional Pedagogical Method of Learning Assignment

The Traditional Pedagogical Method of Learning - Assignment Example Teachers have to provide motivation and further encourage the student to continue exploring and questioning the matter. It is important for the students to learn to apply what the teacher has delivered as information. This educational goal can be achieved if they learn how to think abstractly. The teacher has to equip them with the tools to critically evaluate situations and problems and then determine by themselves the solution. This happens when the teacher uses strategies and concepts that build skills required for productive collaboration. Students have to construct their own meaning despite the directions and teaching methods of the teachers (Science for all Americans 1990). Through the principles of learning and teaching, the learning environment also encourages students to develop their independent and interdependent learning abilities. The teachers should establish an atmosphere where the students can learn both individually and with each other. Such tasks can be beneficial especially for young students who still orient themselves in the educational setting. Learning usually occurs when students have the opportunity not only to express their ideas but also to get feedback both from their peers and teachers (Science for all Americans 1990).

Guest Speaker Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Guest Speaker - Lab Report Example This age is where baby boomers are retiring from work and the new generation will need to fill in those spaces. Leadership is also required because of the changing socio political atmosphere. Scarcity of resources aside, many problems raise heads because of uneven population distribution and poverty stricken areas. There is also a trend among people where they don’t take up the responsibilities and become answerable. This attitude has been given the acronym of ‘NIMBY’, short for ‘never in my back yard’. Due to rapid changes in technology, leadership becomes even more important as people need to be guided and directed about what to do and how to do. There is so much available on the internet, access to information has improved considerably therefore people are more aware of their laws and governments than ever before. Media also plays a vital role in leadership and government procedures. Administrations now work in glass houses, even minor mistakes are exposed through journalism and media. Lastly, there is an anti-tax attitude among people. There are always some percentages of people who are resistive to changes in legislations, no matter what kind of changes. Mr. Alexander E. Briseà ±o identified ten basic principles of leadership that he has followed throughout his career. Accurate and sound judgment is very important for a good administrative leader. Most of the decisions are made regarding costs and revenues, therefore correct judgment is vital. The leader needs to communicate his performance measures to his team and co-workers for a goal to achieve; correct judgment will make that possible. Empowering people is also crucial as it saves time on both sides of the bargaining counter. Efficient customer service seals the perfect deal. Having the knowledge of what is being done is required in every profession but for a leader,

Technological Change And Manufacturing Process Innovation Business Essay

Technological Change And Manufacturing Process Innovation Business Essay Due to market research and marketing analysis about what consumer needs or wants, company has to develop new product and services or improve them with the creation of new idea, design or technology to satisfy consumer. Also to compete with other competitors to be first to introduce one new product, industry needs to constant innovation. For example in 2010, because of low barriers to entry to New Zealand banking market, the banking industrys initiative to innovate their products and services such as make easier for customers to switch banks and competitive interest rates and it leads to high customer satisfaction ratings and increase in profits. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3objectid=10845099 Competition in an industry is always affected by rivals racing to be first to introduce one new product or product enhancement after another Product innovation is the development of new products, changes in design of established products, or use of new materials or components in the manufacture of established products. Thus product innovation can be divided into two categories of innovation: development of new products, and improvement of existing products. New product development describes the complete process of bringing a new product or service to market. There are two parallel paths involved in the process: one involves the idea generation, product design and detail engineering the other involves market research and marketing analysis. Improvement of existing products includes, but is not limited to, improvements in functional characteristics, technical abilities, or ease of use. 2. Marketing innovation Introduce of new ways to marketing products like costing, packaging and promotion, can attract buyers interest, and increase industry demand and product differentiation which can lead company to change the competitive positions of rival firms. For example, companies like Dell; they use one-to-one marketing strategy for customers to customize their products based on what they need to satisfy them more. It shows that marketing innovation can sustain business growth without introducing new products. the introduction and implementation of new marketing methods, like costing, packaging and promotion etc.///////Introduce of new ways to market products, can spark a burst of buyer interest, widen industry demand, increase product differentiation, and lower unit costs-any or all of which can alter the competitive positions of rival firms and force strategy revisions. Innovation is very important to sustain business growth and innovation new products should be strong enough to enter into market place 3. Technological change and manufacturing process innovation Development in technology manufacturing process can make industry to produce high quality product at lower cost which can lead to higher industry profitability. As the increase in technological changes, lots of companies automate their manufacturing processes which can leads to increase production and reduce expenses. However, it also has disadvantage such as loss of many factory job so CEO has to consider carefully about implementing this strategy to not to have conflicts between labor forces. Advances in technology can dramatically alter an industrys landscape, making it possible to produce new and better products at lower cost and opening up whole new industry frontiers. 4. Changes in who buys the product and how they use it change in buyer demographics and how consumer use the products can change how customers make purchasing decisions, where customers purchase the product and how customer consider value. And it can cause more competition between other competitors. Shifts in buyer demographics and the ways products are used can alter how customers perceive value, how customers make purchasing decisions, and where customers purchase the product. 4. Increasing globalization Even though globalization has benefits to developing country, it also brings negative effect such as eliminates jobs, lower wages, and exploits workers on standards of living in some country. Therefore some countries are now trying to restrict globalization. Due to globalization, lots of global company like Apple or Samsung tries to manufacture their product in low-wage country to export and import at a very low cost. It can be benefit to developing country. However, it will decrease manufacturing jobs in developed countries. Moreover, because of low-wage in developing country, wages for employee in developed country is underestimated. Even though, the standard cost of living is higher than what they earn. Lastly, there were some serious social issue about Nike that they treated workers in low-wage country very badly, people were working in terrible environment with very low-wage. According to this, global company only thinking about utilize labor force because of low wage without co ntribute toward productivity in developing country. Question 3 b) Some people view the increasing globalization as a threat to many local markets and see it as it makes poor people become poorer and wealthy people become wealthier because profit is unevenly distributed. But Increasing globalization can be beneficial and may develop many countrys economy, politics, culture and environment. It also made the world easy to exchange information all over the world which makes global company to exchange faster or use knowledge efficiently to cope with rapid changes in global market. Because of globalization, global companies like Apple, Samsung or Nike are trying to manufacture their product in low-wage country to export and import at a very low cost. And to do that, they have to build their facilities, training staff and develop good relationship in country which can offer solutions for unemployment and trade problems. It also brings new production methods and management techniques. Moreover it also spreads out new types of technology faster. The company has to adopt new technology to increase their quality of products and sales. Due to globalization, new technology spreads out the world faster which makes company to satisfy their customer expectations efficiently. It is beneficial and may develop many countries economy, politics, culture and environment. And it could also bring happiness to customer by satisfying their needs. But some people view the increasing globalization as a threat to many local markets They see it as it makes poor people become poorer and wealthy people become wealthier. But if people understand globalization in a different way, it might help and develop the economy of many countries. Growth of modern electronic communication, made the world easy to transmit information all over the world Globalization offers solutions for trade problems and unemployment in many countries It also spreads out knowledge, new types of technology and cheaper economic polices It also brings new production methods and management techniques. Products can be exported and imported at a very low cost. It can be perceived either as a problem or an opportunity. Nike has spent the last four years building facilities, training staff, and developing relationships in China Question 4 1) Value Chain Analysis Value Chain Analysis is tools for managers to check that company is utilizing their resources effectively and efficiently to produce benefits for the company or wasting their resources unnecessarily during operations. By analyzing primary activities and support activities of companys operations can figure out their competitive advantage. Moreover, it helps to find ways to give satisfaction to customers. Primary activities for Dell Inbound logistics Dell stores the component for computers until they need for them on production and assembly line. So suppliers are located close to the factory plants to reduce costs. Dell relies mostly on their suppliers and they are using just in time deliveries with their suppliers with good relationship. Also they let suppliers to deliver items like monitors and speakers directly to the customers to reduce inventory costs. Here goods are received from a companys suppliers. They are stored until they are needed on the production/assembly line. Goods are moved around the organization. Dell relies mostly on its highly reliable supplier, where Dell streamlines its operation and relies on its computer monitor supplier to ship directly to the customer. As long as its supplier retains its leadership position, Dell would collaborate with it to achieve mutual success. 1. All those activities concerned with receiving and strong externally sourced materials 2. Just in time ordering 3. Close to suppliers Operations The offer customization option for customers to satisfy exactly what they need and all the goods are manufactured with (build-to-order) system to reduce expenditure on stock and cost. This manufacturing process is their main competitive advantage to grow business. This is where goods are manufactured or assembled. Every Dell system is built to order. Customers get exactly what they want. Dell uses knowledge gained from direct customer contact before and after the sale to provide award-winning reliability and tailored customer service. 1. The manufacture of products and services- the way in which resources inputs are converted to outputs 2. Build-to-order 3. Customizations options Outbound logistics Dell delivers the finished good to their customers directly which can makes them to communicate easily with customers and build good relationship. This direct model gives them benefits such as finding out sales trends and understands what customer need or what customer dont want. When Dell introduced the direct model, its competitors were selling computers to end consumers via distributors. Dell, on the other hand, sells directly to consumers and is continuously communicating with them and benefiting, especially in two areas, seeing sales trends and learning about unmet customer needs. The company also relies on customers knowledge of what they want to purchase and when they want to complete the transaction to drive the direct business model. Dell leverages this source of customer knowledge by making it as easy as possible for a customer to place a customized order electronically. 1. All those activities associated with getting finished goods and services buyers 2. Close to customers 3. The monitor example 4. Room for improvement 5. Evening delivery Marketing and sales Dell offers online-sales or telesales directly with customer and without any retailers. Advantage of direct model is that the company can continuously in contact with its customers which helps them to get an idea of how to innovate their sales and marketing strategy and they also can reduce cost on researching market trends. Dells direct to customer model solve the problem for additional capital for marketing and sales. By selling directly to consumer it eliminated retailers along the way. One advantage of this kind of system is that the firm is continuously in contact with its customers and they are benefiting in two areas concerning sales and marketing, seeing sales trends and learning about unmet costumer demands. 1. Essentially an information activity- informing buyers and customers about products and services 2. China/ credit card/ shop essential 3. What about people who dont computers 4. Improve a lifestyle brand Services Dell provides Dell provides installation services by Dell experts as well as 24/7 online support for large businesses and institutions as well as for small businesses and home PC users. Asset recovery and recycling services in an environmentally friendly manner are offered. PC support services in case of malfunctions and protection services against accidental damage are provided. Dell spent dollars training well-educated business segment managers provide state-of-the art advice to customers. The company also initiated a collaborative customer-solution teams that collaborate with customers to fulfill any unmet customer needs. Because of the nature of work of Dells employees they are continually being inspired to stay abreast of technology threats and opportunities that may alter the competitive landscape in the future. 1. All those activities associated with maintain product performance after the product has been sold 2. Service a poor 3. People dont lick offshore support, usually stressed when they call and this adds to their stress 4. If something goes wrong the pc has to return in the past Supporting activities for Dell Procurement It is on this activity that Dell is weak because Dell do not enjoy protected by trademark or patent or copyright technology. The technology being used in the industry is shared by all industry players. 1. Sourcing and negotiating with materials suppliers 2. Lowering the bargaining power of Intel and Microsoft Human resource management Dells mission statement is to be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve. Dell employees, direct salespeople, help-desk operators, engineers, and the like all have to be knowledgeable and customer focused to ensure Dells continued competitiveness. 1. Those activities concerned with recruiting, developing, motivating and rewarding the work force of a business 2. Potential for spinning it off as a separate business unit 3. Hosted payroll Technology development Technology is an important source of competitive advantage. And here is one strength of Dell for the firm enjoys better access to technology. Dell introduces the latest relevant technology much more quickly than companies with slow-moving indirect distribution channels. 1. Activities concerned with managing information processing and the development and protection of knowledge in a business 2. Lagging behind in technology research and development Infrastructure Dell revolutionized the traditional value chain of computer manufacturing industry by introducing the direct to customer model. Dell also employed a global business consultancy, to help it develop a set of metrics to judge business-unit performance. By doing so, daily decision making were more efficient. The chief financial objective that steered managerial evaluation at Dell was return on invested capital (ROIC). Which leads to no inventory build-up, Dell turns over inventory every six days on average, keeping related costs low. 1. Concerned with a wide range of support systems and functions such as finance, planning, quality control and general senior management 2. Reacting to problems by change in senior management Operation to meet adding value, improve quality, add efficiency and increase profit Receiving and distributing raw material Converting raw material into a finished product Identifying customers and distributing the product Supplier relationship process Sharing data with suppliers Investment Privileged suppliers Long time relationship with suppliers Sending latest news about new products or services by email to build good relationship with customers. . Question 4 2) Benchmarking †¢ In todays competitive marketplace, all firms are seeking ways to improve their overall performance. One such method of improvement, recently adopted by many firms, is benchmarking. Benchmarking is a technique used to evaluate internal business processes. In this analysis, managers determine the firms critical processes and outputs, baseline those processes, then compare the performance of each process against a standard within the industry. Dell offers similar products, serves different customers, and use different strategies to achieve their goals. Dell can learn from the competition. The most effective way to learn about the industry is by benchmarking world-best practices. This practice has been successful for Dell in the past and should be a continuing evolution of benchmarking annually.

New Social Movements, how they arose and affect us. Essay -- essays re

What factors account for the rise of new social movements and what effect have they had on contemporary society? We are all familiar with the stories of suffragettes burning their bras, and environmental enthusiasts breaking into labs and liberating rats back to the wild. But what caused women to abruptly rip of their pinnies, tell dad dinner’s in the dog and start running around without appropriate underwear? What caused contented homemakers to leave the cosy warmth of their gas fires in favour of chaining themselves to trees? And are such people an eccentric minority, or have they profoundly affected the way we live and think in the western world today? To address these questions I will begin by defining New Social Movements (or NSMs). To follow I will break down a few movements in more detail, first discussing what they stand for, and then examining how they originated and matured. In the latter section I will try to determine the scope and boundaries of their influence on contemporary society. Quite strict guidelines have emerged as to what a New Social Movement is, and the kind of characteristics a political movement must have to classify as an NSM. Dalton and Kuechler suggest: ‘A set of opinions and beliefs in a population that represents preferences for changing some elements of the social structure and/or the reward distribution of society’. However, by this definition anyone with any concern for any aspect of pollution, nuclear power, the quality of life and many other issues is a member of the social movement. Most writers agree there are more definitive ways of identifying an NSM. ‘They have ideological, organisational and tactical aspects.’ (Lovenduski and Norris, 1996) The ideological side is the most ambitious and romantic: ‘ . . . social movements are challengers which seek to change the agenda of the system in which they work. They advance ideas which, to be realised, would require fundamental and widespread change in policies and in values – change which may be partially achieved through government action and legislation, but can not be wholly achieved in this way. They raise issues which question the dominant values that constitute the political culture of their society, and hence have a ‘political’ and ‘cultural’ dimension. They aim to change people attitudes on a personal as well as public level.’ The organisational side is ... ...provided the opportunity for extreme growth and broader and deeper support networks – which led to international organisations and further networking. The shift in the government’s position regarding society and its decision in favour of their causes justified and stabilised NSMs. There is now a sway towards socialism and libertarianism as in the new millennium we demand our individual rights and equality, but whether NSMs caused this or were a manifestation of it difficult to be sure about. Most likely they are mutually supporting pillars, but it is undeniable that NSMs have had a profound effect on our society and expectations. Our culture now accepts the diversity inherent in people and has a more citizen orientated set of interests with a dedication that gives our generation today the impression it has always been the way. A far cry from the slavery and the legal inferiority of women of not so long ago. NSMs have forced a new caution regarding technological and industrial progress, and they have modified the priorities, structure, and position of government. They have liberalised our attitudes towards the family, sex, drugs, film and literature, for better or for worse.

War Is Peace, Freedom Is Slavery, Ignorance Is Strength

1984 For as long as governments have existed, the people they ruled feared them. This fear and the desire to improve these governments have let to countless different attempts to perfect government. From the most liberal democracy to the most crushing dictatorship, governments have all faced some shortcomings. Because of the faults inherent in all governments, various types of governance have been the topic for many authors. The late novelist Ayn Rand wrote many books on the trouble that a socialist government could bring and espoused the virtue of individualism. She felt that by allowing government to limit our individual freedoms, we were sentencing ourselves to a certain death. She wrote that â€Å"We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force† (Rand). Rand realized that a government with too much control would not be able to help but overreach. Although George Orwell died seven years prior to the publication of Ayn Rand’s most well known novel Atlas Shrugged, he held the same fear of an all-powerful government. Orwell felt that with the new technology appearing during his life and the ever-increasing power of government, the politicians could choose to rule every facet of the citizens’ lives. The novel 1984 is a depiction of what Orwell thought would happen if a totalitarian regime were left unchecked by the people. He paints a stark picture of this dystopia in 1984 by the masterful use of both symbolism and irony. Orwell lets almost no time pass before he introduces symbolism and irony into his story. He begins his novel by saying that â€Å"it was a bright, cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen† (Orwell 1). By saying that it was a bright day in April, Orwell gives the reader a sense that there is hope. April, a month in the spring, is a symbol of a new beginning and is a classic literary tool for showing the beginning of a novel. Orwell’s mention of a bright day is another reference to the hope still present in the lives of the characters. Had Orwell stated that the day was dark or dim, it could have given the reader an entirely different outlook on how the characters lives might turn out. Despite these two optimistic symbols, Orwell also throws in two very ominous symbols in the same sentence. The reason for doing this is to set a tone of irony that carries through the rest of the book. In addition to describing the day as bright, Orwell also portrays it to be cold. This is his subtle way of informing the reader that not everything is well in the characters’ lives. Orwell also found it important to tell the readers that the clocks were striking thirteen, an ominous number for many cultural civilizations. An example of this is in Christianity where Judas, the thirteenth person to be seated at the last supper, later betrayed Jesus. (Mark 14. 10-11) The development of the plot of 1984 is riddled with examples of irony. Orwell practically spells out the irony for the reader when he writes, â€Å"Even the names of the four Ministries by which we are governed exhibit a sort of impudence in their deliberate reversal of the facts. The Ministry of Peace concerns itself with war, The Ministry of Truth with lies, The Ministry of Love with torture, and the Ministry of Plenty with starvation† (Orwell 178). This is an important example of irony because it is used to show the complete disconnect from the morals and principles of a free society. The main character, Winston Smith, is somewhat of an ironic character himself. He is not the typical protagonist. Most protagonists are strong, burly and brave, while Winston is slight and has an ulcer on his leg. Winston is employed in the â€Å"records† department of the Ministry of Truth. Despite its noble name, The Ministry of Truth is actually the branch of government that revises the past to make the lies of the present true. In fact, Winston’s job is to rewrite history to meet current priorities. Another dominant example of irony is the Party’s slogan: â€Å"WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH† (Orwell 17). The slogan is an example of superficial verbal irony. However, upon closer examination, it sheds more light on Orwell’s intent. By stating that â€Å"war is peace†, Orwell sends distinct messages to two vastly different groups. To the proles, the commoners, â€Å"war is peace† can be read at its most literal meaning, that there can one day be peace by defeating the enemy and securing victory. Despite the simple understanding the proles have of the slogan, those in the Inner Party, the group of people in charge of Oceania, have a much more devious understanding of it. To them, the slogan represents the shell game that they play with the common citizen. Much like the street gambler taking bets on which shell the rock is under, the Inner Party assures that the citizenry is focused on whatever country Oceania is fighting, rather than on the leaders of the country. This claim is further supported on page 161 where Orwell describes the futility of the wars that are being fought. â€Å"None of the three superstates ever attempts any maneuver which involves the risk of serious defeat† (Orwell 161). Rather than try to end the wars, they continue fighting to keep the minds of the working class occupied with hate. The leaders in 1984 saw that it was not advantageous to advocate a strict moral code because it limited their ability to control the populace. Saul Alinsky shows a later example of this type of thinking in the book Rules for Radicals. Alinsky, a community organizer, outlined a set of rules for people to follow as a deceptive means of gaining and maintaining power. He saw that in order to maintain power, things such as morals and ethics needed to be flexible. One of his most important rules was that â€Å"generally, success or failure is a mighty determinant of ethics† (Alinsky 15). It is a safe assumption that if Alinsky’s rules were available to the Inner Party, they would know exactly how to use them. Some of the strongest examples of irony in 1984 are the characters in the Junior Anti-Sex League. The name is typical of an organization in a dystopian society that seeks to demonize anything that makes one group seem above another. Much like the Ministry of Love that handles the prisons and discipline, the Junior Anti-Sex League is a paradox as well. Actually, the members of the league are very promiscuous. One of the main characters involved in the Junior Anti-Sex league is Julia. It is ironic that while on an excursion with the Junior Anti-Sex League, she discovers the place where she and Winston first begin their affair. When Orwell describes her, he talks about â€Å"her sweet supple waist, which seemed to ask you to encircle it with your arm† (Orwell 17) and describes the scarlet sash around it. It is ironic that Orwell would go to such great lengths to describe Julia as an attractive feminine character, since she is a member of the Junior Anti-Sex League. Typically, those associated with groups that espouse feminism try to downplay their ladylike characteristics. It is also ironic that the sash around her waist is scarlet. Scarlet is a color most associated with passion and love, concepts that the Junior Anti-Sex League did not agree with. One of the key tenants of the Junior Anti-Sex League is chastity. When using symbolism, most authors choose the color blue in order to convey a sense of â€Å"loyalty, fidelity, constancy, and chastity† (Jaffe). This is why The Virgin Mary is typically painted wearing blue. An example of symbolism, prolific throughout the story, is that the lives of the characters are in â€Å"telescreens†. A telescreen is a device that â€Å"received and transmitted simultaneously† (Orwell 6), and allowed Big Brother to keep an eye on the people. The telescreens directly symbolized the pervasive nature of a totalitarian government’s desire to control the populace. Throughout his life, Orwell had experiences that helped shape his view of these government types. As a young man, Orwell worked as a peace officer in Burma. There, he saw the way the British government treated the native Burmese people. Orwell became outraged with the inhumanity that pervaded the British Imperial and eventually published two of his most famous essays, â€Å"A Hanging† and â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† (Brunsdale 7). Orwell was also able to see the horrors committed by the Soviet Union, â€Å"where an estimated seven million perished in 1940 alone† (Tolstoy 283). Because of his life experiences, Orwell used the telescreens as a metaphor for how governments abuse their power, and to shed light on his distaste for totalitarianism. As the story progresses, Winston finds an antique shop. Among other things, Winston purchases a glass paperweight. Inside the glass is a piece of coral. Orwell describes the paperweight as a â€Å"heavy lump of glass, curved on one side, flat on the other† with a â€Å"strange, pink, convoluted object that recalled a rose or a sea anemone† (Orwell 80). Winston is impressed by how large the coral appears to him and feels that it has a sense of permanence and importance. â€Å"Winston’s [paperweight] has a piece of coral embedded in it, and he examines it intently, surprised that anything so delicate could survive in a brutal age† (Shelden 431). The paperweight is important for two reasons. One is to show how little the people know of how old something is. The paperweight is the cheap type of nick-nack that would be found in a gift shop at a hospital or a truck stop. However, the man at the antique store estimates that it â€Å"wasn’t made less han a hundred years ago† and how he â€Å"can remember when a thing like that would have fetched eight pounds† (Orwell 81). The other indicates that the paperweight represents the spirit inside of Winston Smith. When Smith is finally captured (ironically at the antique store where he felt he was safest from The Party and their telescreens), the agents of the Party shatter the glass and reveal how small and insignificant the coral inside the glass actually is. This truly upsets Winston and signals the beginning of the crushing of his spirit and the inevitability of a Party victory. The game of chess is also used by Orwell to show the plight of the characters in 1984. Chess, in its simplest form, is a strategy game where the object is to capture the king. The pieces are typically black and white. In literature, this is considered a metaphor for good (white) versus evil (black). Chess is also used as a metaphor in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, along with many other pieces of classic literature. In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses the chess game to show how Prospero’s daughter has cunningly built alliances and manipulated people with the skill of a great chess player. She exclaims, â€Å"the strongest piece is the queen; and the combat always ends with the cry, ‘Checkmate! ‘† (Frans van Dijkhuizen). This signifies her triumph over Prospero. In 1984, Orwell complicates things by using his unique style to give the reader a better understanding of Winston’s life. Orwell tells the reader that the citizens of Oceania receive chess problems daily in their newspapers. In these problems, the citizen is assigned the black chess piece. Rather than use white as the color attached to the protagonist, he assigns white to the Party. This symbolizes the irony that, although the reader knows the Party is evil, the lines have been skewed for the characters in 1984 by the indoctrination into their society. This uncommon twist shows that in the eyes of the Party, they hold the moral high ground. As the game plays out, Winston ends up losing the problem to the party and recalls, â€Å"in no chess problem since the beginning of the world has black ever won†(Orwell 238). This symbolizes the â€Å"fragility of life and the imminence of death† that permeates all of the characters’ lives. Bowker 370) George Orwell’s novel 1984 has left an indelible mark on pop culture and will probably be studied for years to come. It is uncanny to see how some of his predictions have come true. It is also telling of the impact that 1984 has had on society; words and phrases like â€Å"Newspeak† and â€Å"Orwellian† are now part of the English language. â€Å"His very particular perspective on the world, his ability to see how whole systems function and the threat they pose, and to portray them in the most limpid of prose in all their comedy and horror – that vision is instantly recognized as ‘Orwellian’† (Bowker 434). [Orwell] revealed in the starkest way the threat which not only totalitarianism offers to individual freedom and thought, but also science unconstrained by morality† (Bowker 434). While many authors have used symbolism and irony in their works, perhaps none have used them as masterfully as George Orwell did in 1984. Works Cited Alinsky, Saul. Rules for Radicals. Vintage ed. New York, NY: Random House, Inc. , 1989. Print. Bowker, Gordon. Inside George Orwell: A Biography. 1st ed. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. Print. Brunsdale, Mitzi. Student Companion to George Orwell. 1st. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Print. Frans van Dijkhuizen, Jan. â€Å"Prospero's Dream. † The Tempest and the Court Masque Inverted. Web. 17 Nov 2009. . Jaffe, Eric. Dictionary of Symbolism. 2001. University of Michigan, Web. 19 Nov 2009. . Orwell, George. 1984. New York, NY: Penguin Putnam Inc. , 1950. Print. pagename=arc_ayn_rand_the_nature_of_government>. Rand, Ayn. â€Å"The Nature of Government. † Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights. Web. 16 Nov 2009.

Criticisms of Plato’s Theory of the Forms Essay

Plato’s theory of forms, also called his theory of ideas, states that there is another world, separate from the material world that we live in called the â€Å"eternal world of forms†. This world, to Plato, is more real than the one we live in. His theory is shown in his Allegory of the Cave (from The Republic, Book VII), where the prisoners only live in what they think is a real world, but really it is a shadow of reality. According to Plato, to the prisoners in the allegory and to humanity in the material world â€Å"truth would be literally nothing but shadows† and he believes us to be as ignorant as the people in the cave. Plato followed the belief that in order for something to be real it has to be permanent, and as everything in the world we live in is constantly changing, he assumed there must be something else. In his eternal world of forms, there is an ideal form of every object there is in this world. Plato answers the question â€Å"what is beauty?â⠂¬  by discovering the essence of true beauty. The reason one recognises something has being beautiful is because we have an innate knowledge of something that is beauty, i.e. we know of the form of true beauty in the eternal world of forms, and everything we see compares to that. Something is only beautiful if it shares characteristics with the form of beauty in the other world. The most important form is the form of the good, portrayed by the sun in the allegory of the cave. Aristotle was Plato’s main critic and was once a pupil of Plato. Aristotle and many other philosophers who came after Plato criticised Plato’s view that these ideal forms had an independent existence. Many people believe that there must be something to which we compare all objects and something that makes something what it is and not something else. But that doesn’t mean that it exists separate from our bodies. Plato does not prove, or even try and prove that these perfect forms are self-evident. It is Plato’s disability to prove this that causes people to criticise his theory. As Aristotle was one of his pupils, he does not totally reject Plato’s theory but argues that it may not be the only logical reason towards how something is classified. Another criticism made by Aristotle. Linked to the previous one is that Aristotle does not believe that there can be an ideal form of Disease, or  Dirt, or anything bad. If these things are unwanted then how can there be a perfect form of these? A perfect form of disease would be one that does not harm anybody, and doesn’t cause death or suffering. Some concepts fit Plato’s system in better ways than others. For example, mathematical concepts are easier for us to understand than others. How are we to know what the ideal dog is like? Is it tall, short, fat, or skinny? The perfect form of a circle fits into his theory as we know what a perfect circle would be like. It is hard to believe that there is a perfect form of a piece of paper, or a plastic bag. But, as can be seen, this criticism is again not totally dismissing Plato’s theory but is finding loopholes in it. Another problem with his theory, which is again related to the last, is how far the ideal form relates? Plato does not make it clear whether the perfect form in the other world is very specific or whether it isn’t. If we take for example a dog; is the form in the eternal world of forms just an ideal animal, or an ideal dog? Perhaps it goes further to the breed of dog, or even whether it is male or female. As Plato doesn’t elucidate this, we could go on and on until we have a form of every animal, so a shortsighted, over-weight, female dog. This means that the forms are no longer universal and therefore end up having no meaning. If both Aristotle and Plato were aiming to reach the highest from of the good then they should both agree on how to reach it. Plato claims that the highest form of the good is like the sun, â€Å"seen only with an effort†, and is the one thing that makes other things the way they are as it is â€Å"the universal author of all things†¦and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual†. Goodness is something that cannot be defined, when asked, different people have different ideas about what is good, or right and wrong, whereas if everybody was asked to point to the sun they all would. This disproves his theory as not everybody has a true understanding of the Form of the Good. Plato fails to set out his theory clearly and allow the reader to realise it is a theory. Nowhere in his dialogues does he state that he is describing a theory of forms, and so people may have misunderstood his writing s and he  may not have meant it to be a theory at all. He has elements of his theory in many different dialogues and is inconsistent. In Book I of the Metaphysics Aristotle claims that Plato had a â€Å"system† to the effect that â€Å"the many sensibles which have the same name exist by participating in the corresponding Forms.† This quote from Aristotle’s work suggests that Plato did have a theory of forms but this is not believed by all people. None of these criticisms totally disallow Plato’s theory but argue against it and suggest other possibilities. Although there are many critics of Plato there are also many people who follow him, and even in this day and age Plato’s ideas are understood and followed and he has ended up being one of the most influential philosophers although his Theory of Forms is slightly over the top and hard to understand. To a certain extent these criticisms are valid, but in other ways they are not. In my opinion they are valid as far as criticisms are concerned but are not valid if they are meant to oppose Plato’s theory. In my view they are invalid to go up against Plato’s theory of forms because they do not supply us with any other options but simply point out the flaws of his arguments. For example, Aristotle’s criticism that these ideal forms do not have to exist independently from this material world is valid. But he does not give us a reason why it is impossible for them to be self-evident or explain to us how they could exist in this world. This causes the criticisms to be less valid in my view as there is no significant reason for Plato’s theory to be untrue. Likewise with the second criticism about how there cannot be an ideal form of dirt. I believe there can be. Just as good things can have ideal forms, bad things also must have something to which we compare them. The form would produce a definition of disease and there is no reason why this cannot exist. When Plato talks about something ideal, he does not mean it is ideal in the context we want it and need it, but just that it is the form to which we will compare things and it is the perfect form of a bad thing. Although people criticise Plato’s because it is hard to believe that there is an  ideal form of some things that aren’t mathematical concepts, it doesn’t mean they are not true just because we don’t understand it. I therefore, do not think that this criticism is valid, as I do not see a reason why it cannot be true. One criticism I do think is valid is that Plato does not make it clear about whether the ideal form is of a certain animal, a species or breed. But, Plato may not have thought it necessary to make this clear to us as he may have thought it obvious. This, however, is really giving Plato the benefit of the doubt, and so I think this is a valid criticism. Even if Plato and Aristotle were both aiming for the same thing, in my view it does not mean they have to do it in the same way. Aristotle did believe many of the things Plato taught him, but just expanded his ideas a bit more. I do not believe this to be a valid criticism as there are always many ways to reach an end and not everybody has to follow the same path to reach their goal. Plato criticises his own theory a few times but eventually reaches answers to the things he criticised. This can either cause other people’s criticisms to be more valid or less valid depending on the way you look at it. Often, when people criticise their own work before somebody else does, it lowers the value of the criticism as it shows Plato already knew people would criticise him for that. On the other hand, it makes me think that there is reason to criticise if he himself criticises his theory. This causes later criticisms of his theory to be more valid. There are many reasons for the criticisms to be valid, and many why they are not. I personally think that most of them are not valid and if even nowadays many people believe Plato’s theory then there must be some truth in it. Bibliography *Foundation for the Study of Religion – Libby Ahluwalia *Plato – R.M.Hare *Philosophy: an Introduction – Mel Thompson *Encarta – Plato