Britian during the First World War and The Social and Welfare

First World War How did women contribute to the war effort? Suffragist and suffragette member took men's places In Jobs when the men went overseas to fight. Hundreds and thousands of women were employed In munitions factories, in the transport system (conductors on buses and trams), employed as laborers on farms, as nurses and in offices a secretaries and receptionists. This was a crucial part of the war effort as it kept the country going. How were civilians affected by the war?During the war the government: Rationed food Civilian land was taken over by the government for food production diluted so people wouldn't get drunk British summertime was also introduced Beer was This was all under the Jurisdiction of the Defense of Realms Act (DORA) which was Introduced by the government In 1914. British summertime was Introduced so there were longer hours meaning that people could work for longer. Under DORA people could not discuss military affairs. How effective was Government propaganda during the war?A form of censorship was adopted in war time Britain, the government only allowed retain things in newspapers to be printed. Soldier's letters from the front were also censored. Posters were published to encourage the civilian morale. What was the attitude of the British people at the end of the war towards Germany and the Paris peace conference? During the war there were millions of deaths of soldiers on the front, and many permanently maimed by the war. The civilians were angry and wanted Germany to pay: a headline from a newspaper was ‘make Germany pay.British Depth study: social and welfare reform What were working and living conditions like for the poor in the 1 sass? Pollution: there was a large amount of pollution in cities due to the amount of coal burnt Overcrowding: large amounts of people were moving into cities to find Jobs, low wages and high rents meant families found the smallest places to live Disease: there were major epidemics all around Londo n due to overcrowding, low standard housing and poor quality water supplies Waste disposal: litter filled the streets along with horse manure. Human waste flowed into sewers and then Into the rivers.The free school meals were not compulsory but by the end of 1914 a large amount of he population were getting one good meal a day The pensions act meant that many of the elderly were kept out of the work house but it was refused to people who had never worked before Many of the Jobs that were in the exchange act were temporary or part time and the amount of Jobs available didn't increased The national insurance act was a good safety net for people who had fallen ill or were unemployed however they had to pay money out of their wages and wasn't enough for the whole family to live on Free medical treatment was only available to the wage earner

Global Warming Essay

Introduction Usually when people think of global warming they think of hotter weather. This is not necessarily correct. Global warming is not something that happens over one season but happens gradually overtime. The term global warming is a bit deceptive because it leads people to believe the temperatures will get hotter, this is not the case. Climate change impacts the hydrology and biology of our planet. This can cause stormier, dryer and even in some cases, colder weather. (Maria Trimarchi, 2014) Cultural Relativism When we think of global warming we typically just think about how the climate change is affecting our society. We do not stop and think how the changes affect other under-developed cultures. The article discusses how many under privileged countries die a lot sooner because of climate change. Something that developed countries would not see as quickly. (Sarah DeWeerdt, 2013) Understanding that the carbons and methane we use here in the United States not only affects our air quality and climate control but can have effects in Africa and other countries. The article discusses how the changes in weather from really dry heat to instant down pours of rain affects the agriculture. (Sarah DeWeerdt, 2013) This not only means the region experiencing this change is burdened by the increase and decrease in the climate, but countries doing import and export exchange is also affected. Ethiopia already experiences social and economical problems; climate change will make this country suffer even greater problems. National Geographic states the country already loses thousands of people a year due to effects from the climate. If global warming continues the effects would be catastrophic. (Alan Corbis, 2007) Mechanical Social Solidarity The term social solidarity refers to how a society unifies as a whole in aspects like interests, standards, objectives and sympathies. (Book Reference) Society can take a mechanical or organic approach to this philosophy. A mechanical solidarity society shows high emphasis on religion, society’s interest and has relatively low population rates. An example of this population group would be small tribes in Africa, Ethiopia and South America. Organic Solidarity is the complete opposite. They focus more on secular religion, material possessions, and high population and are human-oriented. The biggest example is America but you could also list China and Japan under this category. (Webster’s Dictionary) The article discusses how global warming is caused by omissions of carbon and methane into the atmosphere. (Sarah DeWeerdt, 2013) Our bigger organic solidarity societies are causing the global warming problems for the mechanical societies. It is unfortunate that we are not only ruining the environment for ourselves but we are also ruining it for innocent bystanders. Ethiopia being one of the poorest countries is being the most hurt by our materialist greed. They do not have the resources to even try and make a difference. Conflict Theory Conflict theories put emphasis on social, political, or material inequalities of a social group. Conflict theories draw attention to power differentials, such as class conflict and generally contrast historical ideologies. (Book reference) Understanding conflict theory is important to see how developed countries are hurting and hindering the development of under-developed countries. Until we draw a full understanding of this, a resolution cannot occur. The article discusses the differences and challenges under-developed countries face compared to developed countries. The risk of disease like Malaria is higher because of contamination and the inability to vaccinate. The United States faces mosquito problems but we do not have the issues of contaminated water. Plus our country also has vaccines to protect our  population unlike most parts of Africa and other countries. (Sarah DeWeerdt, 2013) The article discusses the dry temperatures will cause an increase in mosquitoes and the risk of contracting a disease from insects will increase. Vaccines are a concern but also the inability to control the insect contamination. Major countries have preventatives to control the reproduction of insects. Smaller countries do not have the means to control this growing problem. (Sarah DeWeerdt, 2013) If global warming continues to increase, so will the dangers all from all the effects. Conclusion Our planet as a whole must come up with a solution that protects everyone from the effects of global warming. The countries that pose a risk of losing the most are the ones that do not have the resources to contribute much to the solution. These are also the countries that do not contribute to the problem. Generating lower carbon and methane technology is a must. We need our government and other high power governments to increase federal funding to programs that help in promoting this technology. REFERENCES Corbis, A. (2007). Global Warming Effects. National Geographic. Retrieved on April 24, 2014 from http://www.environment.nationalgeographic.com/global-warming/gw-effects DeWeerdt, S. (2013). Climate Change, Coming Home: Global warming Effects on Population. World Watch. Retrieved from http://www.worldwatch.org/global-warming Trimarchi, M. (2014). Top 10 Worst Effects of Global Warming. Discovery. Retrieved on April 24, 2014 from www.discovery.com/topics/worst_effects_global_warming

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Discussion - Assignment Example In 1850, he showed three paintings at the Combined Salon in Paris. These paintings included The Stone Breakers, The Huge Burial at Ornans and The Peasant of Flagey. The three paintings presented a depiction of rural life and their stylistic execution was in such a way that they would look post†Romantic’ [Prof. Moore (1), pg.1]. The Huge Burial at Ornans for instance was a major source of hullabaloo. It was a very large painting measuring 3.1 metres by 6.6 metres. The painting depicted the burial of his great uncle at the town of Ornan in September 1848. Gustave in this piece of art presents a real funeral scene. One can clearly see the tranquility and calmness in the painting. Unlike other artists of his time, Gustave did not glorify the setting with flamboyant portrayal of descending angels with God sitting on the throne in the clouds above. This clearly indicates his desire to portray reality. At the foreground, an open grave awaits the coffin while the funeral procession is approaching from the left. Unlike other historical narrative paintings who used models, He uses the actual villagers who were at the ceremony including his sister and mother. This proves his love for realism, which was a major factor that contributed to the â€Å"rise of modernism.† In his portrayal of realism, he encouraged o ther artists to put an end to the norm of creating illusionary images and instead create real images, which represented real life situations. Edouard Manet is another artist who played a major role in the â€Å"rise of modernism.† He was born in Paris, France on 23 January 1832. Manet entered into the studio of Thomas Couture together with his friend Antonio Proust. In 1956, he opened his own studio and stopped working in Couture’s studio. As a young and enthusiastic painter, Eduoard Manet abandoned the teachings he had learnt from Thomas Couture and began painting in his own style. He followed his own

Water and sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Water and sustainability - Essay Example conomy and population over the past decades has brought tremendous cost to the nation’s environmental sustainability (Liu, Jianguo, and Wu Yang 650). Although both China and the USA are economically developed, the simultaneous effects of the industrialization, agricultural growth, and urbanization coupled with the declining ground and surface water quantity are some of the crucial problems facing water sustainability in China. This paper therefore, explores the comparison of water sustainability between China and USA while taking keen interest on the problems of the water sustainability in China and the solutions. The USA’S EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is committed to the promotion of the sustainable practices that helps ensuring that the citizens continue enjoying the benefits of the safe and clean water. As a result the tap water in the USA relatively cleaner as compared to that of China. The tap water in U.S is generally good. In the 2006, 89.3% of the nation’s community water system were in total compliance with EPA. Unlike China, most of the water systems in the USA that are out of compliance are the small systems in the small towns and rural areas partly because most of the public water systems are generally small ones. Another reason for the cleaner tap water in the USA is that the drinking water in the U.S is regulated by the federal and state laws and codes that sets Maximum Contaminant Levels for some of the pollutants and the naturally occurring constituents. The federal and state laws and codes are tasked with the determination of the various operational req uirements, public notifications of the standards, provision of guidance to the state primacy agencies and publish the consumer confidence reports (Liu, Jianguo, and Wu Yang 650). Unlike China, the laws in the US such as Safe Drinking Water Act ensure quality of the drinking water is high. The public water systems in the US must comply with the laws to ensure that the water is safe.

MPH503 - Infertility and Public Health Module 5 - SLP Essay

MPH503 - Infertility and Public Health Module 5 - SLP - Essay Example The classroom contains 20 care giving professionals with different socio –economic backgrounds. Participants have different IQ level and motor sensory skills Because of this the presentation of the class should satisfy all the participants. External environment provides immense help for the participants and the use of audio visual facilities make the more appreciative. Discussion method is suited for this context and this give the opportunity to share personal views. Lecturing and video conferencing are essential strategies in this context. Paper presentation is another instructional strategy in this context because the subject requires examples and statistical data. Case study reports are essential tool in this study and participants should presents case study reports about the persons who suffered with infertility problem. The following instructional tools are useful; The workshop begins with a brief and effective introduction and this help the listeners to enter the topic easily. Then the performer analyses the topic infertility and its causes and gender differences. After the introduction performer presents various research reports and documents about the topic. Then he invites participants for open discussion. The use of LCD projector and internet are very useful in this second face of the workshop. Presentation of the case study reports helps the participants more about social, religious, family issues related with infertility. The third face of the work shop includes discussion about various topics such as Causes of infertility, psychological and physiological impacts, possible treatments, public concepts about infertility treatments and gender difference in infertility. Researches often mentioned the fact that many people have suffered with infertility and its social impacts. Most of the physicians and health professionals argued that infertility is one of the

Foundation of managing and organising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Foundation of managing and organising - Essay Example Both big and small decisions need to be made on a daily basis and the people in charge must always have the right capacity to make the right decisions (Heizer & Render, 2004). In the case of the Junction Hotel, it is realized that a number of economic challenges are presently facing the operations of the organization. According to the rational theory, people generally organize activities out of rational motives. Through the application of rational organization, it is seen that efficiency is increased since people are focused on achieving goals an objectives. In this case, costs are brought down as much as possible. In any case, there is no particular style of leadership that is best for all situations. Different situations and environments will normally call for different approaches. The ability to manage an organization effectively largely depends upon the experience and skills of the managers in addition to the type of environment prevailing within the organization. A good leader s hould have the ability to switch from one style of management to another depending on the people and the work in the organization. The role of management at the Junction Hotel basically covers most of the operations realized in conventional organizations. In modern organizations, managers usually influence all phases of the organization. ... In the basic sense, the role of managers involves directing the organization towards the realization of goals. All organizations usually have goals or objectives to accomplish and the managers must therefore use the resources within the organization to achieve these goals (Terry, 2011). In this regard, the hotel manager at Junction Hotel is not simply expected to manage the organization. Management has to find solutions, innovate and create opportunities within and outside the organization. In this respect, organizational managers should be well versed in all the core aspects relating to effective management. Many major organizational failures across the world are usually linked to some miscalculation on the part of the management. An organization is a collection of different people bearing different skills, ideas and behaviors. Managers should therefore harness and utilize this diversity to the benefit of the organization. All managers must have the focus of directing the organizati on towards the attainment of its objectives. The role of managers in contemporary organization usually revolves around three functional areas: interpersonal role, informational role and decisional role (Certo & Ross, 2007). Interpersonal role refers to the interaction of the manager with people within and outside the organization. In most cases, the duties of the manager are symbolic and ceremonial in a way. It therefore calls for effective interaction with all parties in the organization in order to create a harmonious working environment which is crucial for the success of an organization. For instance, manager should attend social functions and award certificates to the outstanding employees. In the same way, the manager should act as a leader

Critical Book Review on saint Augustine - confessions Essay

Critical Book Review on saint Augustine - confessions - Essay Example Augustine lived a hedonistic lifestyle in his youth and hence developed a close relationship with a young woman who remained his concubine for fifteen years and got a son by her named Adeodatus. By the age of thirty, Augustine had carved an enviable niche for himself in the Latin world. Bishop Ambrose was the key person to have changed Augustine’s outlook on life. It was in the summer of 386 AD, that Augustine became inspired after reading the â€Å"Life of Saint Anthony of the Desert† and that’s when he decided to convert back to Christianity, become a priest, follow celibacy and devote himself to God. â€Å"Confessions† written by Saint Augustine, gives us a vivid account of the pagan life he had led as well as his spiritual transformation as a devout Christian. The word â€Å"Confessions†, take on two meanings – one is to confess ones sins before God and the other is to acknowledge the truth about God. Therefore â€Å"Confessions†, can be taken as praise and glory to God Our Father. Augustine takes us on a mysterious pilgrimage from paganism to the state of grace relying on God’s strength and magnanimity. As in the words of Augustine, â€Å"they shall praise the Lord who seek him† (8) for â€Å"those who seek shall find him† (9) and â€Å"finding him shall praise him†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..(10). This is precisely what happened to Augustine. In Book One, when recalling the trouble he gave to his mother and those who looked after him as an infant. He recalls to mind how as a boy going to school he hated learning and used to get flogged by his elders. He was also given to gluttony, relentless lies to his parents and tutors and craved dishonest victories, often pilfering things from his parents to trade with other children the baubles they were willing to sell. He is disgusted by his own ways and cries out in despair to the Lord saying, â€Å"Oh, God! Woe to the sins of men! When

Race, ethnicity, gender identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Race, ethnicity, gender identity - Essay Example large number of Asian and Hispanic immigrants migrating to the American sub continent, which is perceived as an alternative avenue of economic attainment, has led to an emergence of an ethnic economy. Besides, the availability of cheap labor and better knowhow at substantially lower prices has led the companies to hire people from every corner of the world. Also the jobs that were initially considered as a â€Å"man’s domain† no longer exist. Companies today do not shy away from hiring the fairer sex in areas where men were given more prudence, as talent is what counts in this fast paced world. The gender gap too has narrowed leading to a culturally diverse work environment. However, this has brought along with it several far reaching repercussions. In a bid to hire cheap and efficient labor several companies today, are increasingly hiring people from all corners of the world, sometimes replacing foreigners in place of the indigenous workforce. This, in turn has led to discrimination on various grounds including gender, ethnicity and race. In spite of the fact that the work environment is increasingly becoming culturally diverse, many organizations still look for the heterosexual male worker usually belonging to the culturally dominant group, as an able candidate for the job. The rest of the work force, who do not conform to the said definition, are subjected to discrimination on various grounds, including age (senior citizens), gender, race, ethnicity, sexual preference, as well as physical disability. In the United States and several other developed countries, there exists widespread discrimination against women especially of the African American descent. They are often subjected to restricted occupations and their occupational mobility is seldom high as regards their positions or levels in the organization. This could be attributed to the popular perceptions about their competence, among their white counterparts, which apparently isn’t too encouraging.

Culture and Identity Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Culture and Identity - Literature review Example To understand the significance of the representations of media and the culture is also the need to examine how culture and identity is defined and how this may be affected by media perceptions or conflicts. The question of how the media changed or portrayed culture through 7/7 events can then be understood by building a sense of how culture and identity fit into a given society. Defining Culture and Identity The concept of culture and identity is one that is based on perception and the way in which one interacts within society. Identity begins with an individual and how the one person understands their own realities, experiences and expressions. The personalities, behaviours and the association which one has with others become the main attributes of identity. The concept of creating labels at an individual level becomes the main component that is associated with personality and identity and changes the way that most associate with others. This begins with the psychological relationsh ip one has to the labels and the desire to be a specific identity. This mental decision then creates an attraction to specific groups and segments in society. It is the similarities that are a part of the individual and that create a relationship to others that creates the sense of culture, or belonging to a group that has the same identity (Postmes, Jetten, 12: 2006). As the concept of identity begins to form in groups, the culture is formed with specific behaviours and ideals. Physical, mental and behavioural similarities often relate to the group that has formed and which creates a culture. However, the similarity is that each individual believes there is a similarity within themselves that is reflected in the group, either physical or through behaviour. Acculturation and adaptation combine with this at a different psychological level to create a set of relationships that can work toward the same identity. For instance, religious changes, adapting to physical presence that is exp ressed by the group and associating with mannerisms are able to add into the reflection of the culture. The conceptualization of a culture from different perspectives creates the main changes that are a part of the group (Berry et al, 303: 2006). The process of building culture becomes associated with the basis of psychological relationships which are created and the defining of behaviours and interactions which are comfortable to various individuals. The reflection that is seen then becomes a part of a minority or majority group. If the comfort is from ethnicity or race, then defined behaviours are also known to associate with this. The relationship between the individual and a segment of society becomes important in defining the way in which the individual perceives their own identity and how this integrates into the building of various groups. When looking at the definition of culture, it can be seen that individual identities that find similarities integrate to create groups and segments within a given society. Communication and Culture The concept of culture and the way in which this is expressed becomes based on various levels of communication used among groups and to show identity. The communication is not only based on the language and basic affiliation with a culture. There are also purposes that are used behind the cultural connotations and

American Fast Food in Korea Essay Example for Free

American Fast Food in Korea Essay 1. Base on market information for Asia Pacific, we can made conclusion that business future in Asian region has to have bright future. With 33% of the worlds GDP and 50% of its population, Asia has emerged as a rapidly growing force in the global economy. Due to the cultural diversity, regulatory controls, growing base of consumer power and its own set of business rules, the multinational corporations (MNCs) find it challenging to enter the Asian market successfully. Most MNCs are reassessing their existing strategies or formulating new strategies to sustain their growth (4). With regional exports exceeding $1. 3 trillion, the East Asia and Pacific region’s share of trade in GDP is the highest in the world. (Global Development. Finance Report. 2006). The economy of South Korea has grown in the last 35 years. Per capita GNP only $100 in 1963, exceeded $20,000 USD in 2005. South Korea is now one of the worlds largest economies (as of 2006, it is 14th in the world according to GDP). (2). If we will compare Korean market to East Asian countries (Exhibit 1 p. 12). From report I have strong understanding that mane fast-food market in any Asian countries is in big cities. Let’s check urban population level in all Asian countries. Based on Exhibit 1 we can clearly see that Korea has one of the best Urban Population level-total population level 47. 6 million and urban population is 82%. Check GDP and GNI level. We can see that Korean level one of the highest in the Asia. Nominal GDP (2005 est. ): $811. 1 billion. GDP growth rate: 2003, 3. 1%; 2004, 4. 6%; 2005, 4. 0%. Per capita GNI (2004): $14, 162. (5). In 1997 Korea had some serious economic crises and faced sever difficulties. After some structural reforms in Korean government, economy starts to recovery. Already In 2001 Korea was 13th largest economy in the world with GNP of $398 billion. So based on all information from above I can make conclusion that Korea has good future and it is one of the most promising market in Asian region. 2. Porters Five Forces have become a yardstick for assessing industry profitability. They are ?Buyers/customers power ?Suppliers power ?Rivalry among competitors ?Threat of new entrants ?Threat of substitute products I will try to analyze each one, for Korean fast food market. Buyers ‘power. The power of buyers is the impact that customers have on fast food industry. Buyers could be powerful in different circumstances. I believe that in our case we can say that buyers are concentrated. As I could explain earlier, main per cent of population in Korea are in the big cities. Its give us good idea that for fast food industry in this region will be easier to delivery product to the customers. Buyers purchase the significant proportion of output. Suppliers power. A fast food industry require raw material for there business-labor, components. It leads to buyer-supplier relationship between the fast food industry and the firms that provide it the raw materials used to create products. Suppliers are powerful if they are concentrated- it will be really expensive to switch the supplier. From another side suppliers are week if it will be many suppliers with standard product on the market Korean agriculture sector includes forestry and fisheries. National products are rice, vegetables, fruit, root crops, barley; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs, fish. About 20% of the land used for agricultural busyness (5). From here we can understand that for fast food companies will be easy to find or switch the suppliers without problems for there businesses. Threat of new entrants. The possibility that new firms may enter the industry also affects competition. In theory any firm should be able to enter and exit market. And if free entrance and exit exists, than profit always should be nominal. There are some barriers of entry. Easy to entry if: little brand franchise; access to distribution channels; common technology. On Korean market steal not allot firms with brand franchise. And it is big requirement in new choices for customers. It let us know that it will be easy to enter to the market. Threat of substitute products. Product price elasticity is affected by substitute products-as more substitute become available, the demand becomes more elastic since customers have more alternatives. A close substitute product constrains the ability of firms in an industry to raise prices. In our case we can see example of some firms, Lotteria and McDonalds, who easy change there recipes for Korean customers which needs more healthy national ingredients for there food. Rivalry among competitors. In pursuing an advantage over its rivals, a firm can choose from several competitive moves: changing prices; improving product; creatively using channels of distribution; exploiting relationship with supplier. For firm who will try to enter Korean market, I would say more realistic and more helpful move will be to improve products. Improving quality of materials, quality of services, and probably quality of food preparation technology (healthier environment), will be most important key to success on the Korean fest food market. 3. Urban Koreans eat out frequently. Fast paced lifestyles are driving Koreans to choose western-style fast-food, but healthy eating is a concern. These factors are driving a fast growing market for sandwich store franchising (3). Another important factor is that about 75%-80% fast food customers are young people whose age less than 20 year old. It is mean that â€Å"along with westernization of Korean taste, western chain gained in popularity†. In the past, people seeking a fast meal would have been satisfied by fast-food giants like McDonalds or Burger King, but it is changing. Consumers are seeking different choices. This new requirements has opened doors for a steadily growing market for fresh and healthy sandwich businesses. Lotteria is a local hamburger franchiser and is the fast-food market leader in Korea. From 2002 to 2003 Lotteria experienced a sharp sales drop of 40%. However, a strong contrast was seen in the South Korean sandwich market, as its $41. 20 million1 market value in the second quarter of 2003 doubled to $82. 40 million in the fourth quarter. This dramatic growth is forecast to continue, and the anticipated market value for 2004 is $117. 71 million (3) Besides Lotteria, the local franchisers include Sandday, Sandpresso and Sand Food. In response to the aggressive foreign companies, they are also coming up with strategies to secure their position within the market, and the competition is about to heat up. Based on all this information I would say that fast food business in Korea growing and this will continue until people need more choices. 4Globalization is the key to sustained growth for Yum Company! Brands, the world’s biggest quick-service restaurant company headquartered in the United States and managing five fast food brands KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, AW and Long John Silver’s. Demand for fast food is rising because lifestyles are changing,’’ said Allan, who leads overseas operations outside of the U. S.and China, in a recent interview with The Korea Times. More Koreans are being time pressured than they were historically. This trend is happening here. The number of people eating ready made food is continuing to increase. ’’(Graham Allan, president of Yum! Restaurants International. 11. 06. 2006) (6). As a socially responsible company, the 51-year-old executive said Yum will provide more optional dishes to health-conscious consumers amid a well-being spree in the nation, but will not abandon its traditional concept of great taste. ’’ Under his leadership, Allan said he will target an annual growth of 10 percent or more in operating profits. There are about 250 Pizza Hut delivery outlets in the nation, which are set to expand to over 400. Korea makes up about 5 percent of Yum’s international division sales, which amount to some $11 billion half of the group’s overall system sales. If I were business consultant, I would recommend starting making money on Korean fast food market. The new trend is propelling growth in the franchising market. It is anticipated that the market will experience intense competition for the next couple years. New fast food companies should be able to take advantage of the situation and enter the market without much difficulty, while it is still at an early stage of development. Reference page: 1. http://www. iff. com/Internet. nsf/0/B7A5C7E9B662B52685256D02006683DA 2. http://www. answers. com/topic/economy-of-south-korea 3. http://ats. agr. ca/asia/3879_e. htm 4. www. berkeleyabc. org/2006/ 5. http://www. state. gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2800. htm 6. http://times. hankooki. com/lpage/biz/200611/kt2006110617463411890. htm.

Is Abortion Considered The Taking Of Human Life Philosophy Essay

Is Abortion Considered The Taking Of Human Life Philosophy Essay An abortion refers to the premature termination of a pregnancy. (Thiroux Krasemann 2009, p254). Many ethical issues arise from abortion, however the main ones to be discussed are regarding whether or not abortion is considered the taking of human life, and whose decision is it to determine whether or not they should be permitted. Ultimately, the most significant concepts surrounding abortion relate to the Value of Human Life and The Principal of Individual Freedom. The Value of Life refers to the idea that our lives are a basic possession. Every person experiences their own lives in a unique way, and no-one can truly live anothers life. Each individual must be treated as unique, however this does not discard the concept that ending of a human life cannot be justified, rather it is believed it should not be ended without very strong justification. Consequently, it is deemed morally wrong to end a persons life against their will. The Principal of Individual Freedom basically states that as individuals, we must possess the freedom to choose our own ways and means of being moral within the framework of the other four principals. Because no person or situation is exactly like another, there must be some freedom for those people to deal with these different circumstances in a manner that best suits them (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Pro-Life and Pro-Choice There are two extreme views concerning abortion, and these are the ones of pro-life (against abortion), and pro-choice (permit abortion). The first view is that of Pro-Life, who ultimately believes that the conceptus has an absolute right to life, and this is where the Value of Life Principal arises. There are certain key stages in the conceptuss development which reinforce this belief, these include the following; By the third week, the embryo is developing various parts and a week later its heart begins to beat. Continuing to week five, divisions of the brain occur and the development of eyes and limb buds appear. By the seventh and eight week, sexual characteristics can be recognised, there is some lower brain anatomy and the fetus has developed some reflex reactions. Therefore, since ultimately their genetic view that life begins at conception, abortion is associated with murder, as it is the act of taking human life. Pro-lifes arguments are based on the value of life, that is, the right to life is absolute, especially the right of unborn life and its innocence. Thus, every unborn child should be regarded as human and receive all rights deserved from the moment of conception onwards (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Whether we believe that the fetus is a person or not, its debatable that a woman has some sort of ethical responsibility to the fetus. Also, abortions further along in the pregnancy are even more heavily concerned with the assumption of taking a human life because they feel there is something very human about the fetus as its development has continued (Ethics of Abortion 2010). There are a number of other issues concerning abortion, for instance, the medical and psychological effects of abortion on women are harmful, the dangers of pregnancy are almost irrelevant because of technological advances therefore abortions are unnecessary, there are alternatives to an abortion such as adoption, and the belief that women must accept full responsibility for their actions and innocent life cannot be sacrificed if they fail to do so through their own carelessness. Even when it comes to rape, destruction of innocent unborn human life is still not justified. (Thiroux Krasemann 2009, p262). Pro-life believe that if women want complete control over their body, then control should include using contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Therefore, if a woman fails to use these measures and falls pregnant, she must bear the responsibility and consequences for her actions, rather than sacrificing human life (Women Issues 2010). The second extreme view is that of Pro-Choice, who are greatly in favour of abortion on request by the woman. Pro-choice believe that woman have absolute rights over their bodies, and the conceptus is part of a womans body until birth. (Thiroux Krasemann 2009, p272). Therefore, how can the conceptus be considered a human life before birth? This is where The Principal of Individual Freedom arises, where people should have a choice to determine what is best for them in their own circumstances. The argument continues with concerns of those fetuss which have been diagnosed with deformities, and therefore pro-choice believes that deformed children should not be brought into the world because of their burden on the health care system and ultimately society. This is also relative to children who are unwanted. Why bring a child into the world who is unwanted? What benefit does that place on the mother and also society? Especially if a woman is potentially an unfit mother, what kind of life would that leave for the child? (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Adoption is considered an alternative to abortion by pro-life, however adoption is not always a solution and certainly are not as honourable as depicted. There are a number of adoption agencies that are down-right inhumane and surely no place for young children. In addition, when pregnancy results from rape or incense, the woman should never have to go through the birth because of the circumstances of the conception. Forcing a woman to go through the pregnancy as a result of such a violent act will just cause more psychological harm, and the child may be neglected and a reminder of the trauma endured (Women Issues 2010). It is difficult to relate to why people choose abortion if you dont have personal experience, or are personally associated with someone who does, therefore who are you to say they cannot have one? Pro-life are basically asking us to consider real life situations rather than vote on abstract potentially uninformed beliefs. (The Sydney Morning Herald 2010). Ultimately, abortion must be totally a matter of the womans choice and private decision and no one else should be able to interfere (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Utilitarianism Applied to Abortion Utilitarianism refers to the ethical theory that everyone should perform that act or follow that moral rule that will bring about the greatest good (or happiness) for everyone concerned. (Thiroux Krasemann 2009, p42). When concerning abortion, it would seem to best apply the rule-utilitarianism, which refers to setting up a series of general morals and rules which can be applied to every moral question based, and when followed, yield the greatest good (Abortion: Ethical Analysis 2010). When this is applied to abortion, it can be argued that abortion is a completely ethical entity that will provide the most amount of happiness for the majority of people. This is reinforced by the statistics from the related newspaper article, which states, A survey of 1050 Australians investigating attitudes to early and late abortion published in the Medical Journal of Australia shows remarkably strong public support for women being able to access abortion at all stages of pregnancy, including after 24 weeks. (The Sydney Morning Herald 2010). An example of this view, is relative to a woman who may end up being an unfit mother to a child. If a 16-year old drug-addict were pregnant, would it not be in everyones best interest protect the child from the possibility of psychological and physical abuse, and ultimately a suffering lifetime? Pro-life views the situations concerning the fetus, where an abortion causes pain to the fetus and ultimately results in killing. However, from a utilitarian viewpoint, this focus on the fetus is unnecessary because its believed that the suffering involved can be avoided by an early abortion, that is before the fetus can develop the capability to undergo pain. Generally, the suffering of the fetus cannot be considered a strong argument against abortion (Utilitarian Org. 2010). In contrast, another view of utilitarianism is that the future life of the fetus would have had a probable balance of happiness over suffering, which is a definite argument against abortion, although not a dominant one. Another contrasting aspect is concerned with population size. If population decreases, utility will prescribe reproduction in order to increase it once again. This would create a shift will create the greatest of happiness to the most people. In this case, utility will generally oppose abortion. As a result of the views of a utilitarian, a general prescription either for or against abortion is extremely difficult to justify, as each case has its own significant and specific features (Utilitarian Org. 2010). Kants Categorical Imperative Kants Categorical Imperative basically emphasises that an act is immoral if the rule that would authorise it cannot be made into a rule for all human beings to follow. (Thiroux Krasemann 2009, p58). This is the belief that an act is considered to be moral solely because it adheres to a rule, therefore creating some sort of moral authority (Inquisitive 2010). A relative aspect of this theory concerns killing another human being. According to Kant, a person cannot kill another person being without violating a moral absolute. Therefore, killing is immoral and contradicts the Categorical Imperative, because essentially the meaning of life is to live (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Kant also believes there must a universal morality that must be capable of being applied to every situation without exception (Inquisitive 2010). When Kants Categorical Imperative is applied to abortion, it is looking for the moral authority. According to this theory, Kant would state that, abortion is murder, rather than if you have an abortion, you are committing murder. However, Kant also believes in Good Will, which emphasises in doing the right thing, and consequences are irrelevant (Inquisitive 2010). Therefore, who is it to say that abortion is not doing the right thing under certain circumstances? In a number of different circumstances, as noted before, there are a number of situations where abortion may be the best and/or right thing to do. This may be relevant to women who are in danger if they continue with the birth, and the safer option would be to have an abortion. However, through this theory it is believed that if we condone abortion, then we are ultimately suggesting that killing is moral. Consequently, Kant is in favour that killing is moral and only under extreme consequences can it be justified (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Conclusion In conclusion, the issues surrounding abortion are vast and there will always be those strongly opposed and in favour of the practice of it. With Kants Categorical Imperative, if everyone considered that abortion is moral, then we are condoning that essentially murder is moral. However, this encroaches on the rights we have as humans. Ultimately we believe we have control over our own bodies, therefore, who is it to say what we choose and believe is the best in our own interests? In my personal belief, I am ultimately on the side of pro-choice, as there could be detrimental effects if it ever became illegal. From a moral view, it is seen to be killing another person, however, there are certain circumstances that abortions are necessary or would be the best option concerning those involved. Especially with the circumstances of rape, I believe no one has the right to force an unwanted pregnancy that resulted from a traumatic experience. In addition, The Principal of Individual Freedom has the most effect as we all have our individual lives and what we consider to be most beneficial to us, should ultimately be established and not influenced or forced otherwise.