Ethics in Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethics in Cinema - Essay Example For this reason, if a person conducts an act that reflects the right motive and good consequences it is normally perceived as flourishing moments and success. However, this does not mean that the consequences will not be there. In this case the paper seeks to analyze relativism and absolutism in the films Crimes and Misdemeanors and A Clockwork Orange. There has been a conflict between objective theory and relativist theory in ethics. However, there is a clear distinguishing explanation which describes the absolutist theory as the degree of right and wrong from an objective point of view which should not change according to culture. Relativism is defined according to the Mariam Webster dictionary as a theory that knowledge is relative to the limited nature of the mind and the conditions of knowing. The same dictionary also defines relativism as a view of ethical truth which may vary to personal conviction, cultural characteristic and differing religious beliefs (Gardiner). Deontological reasoning states that certain things are wrong and right in themselves if they possess the intrinsic value. On the other hand relativist theory states that there is no universal valid moral principle. This is because we come from different cultures and that all the principles will therefore vary depending in the culture or age. This is a teological argument which means that there is no such good in itself. However, if an action deem good to you and bad to me, then there is no need for both of us finding out the truth. From the film Crimes and Misdemeanors the author says, â€Å"It’s a fundamental difference in the way we view the world. You see it as harsh and empty of values and pitiless. And I couldn’t go on living if I didn’t feel it with all my heart a moral structure, with real meaning, and forgiveness, and a higher power, otherwise there’s no basis to live†

Alabama Department of Corrections Research Paper

Alabama Department of Corrections - Research Paper Example Introduction Alabama Department of Corrections is the agency responsible for the confinement of convicted inmates in the state of Alabama (Donal, 9). Throughout the history of the agency, it operated a farming system where the prisoners were deployed to the farms as laborers. This effectively ended in 1870, from when the prisoners were rendered idle. The agency seeks to confine, manage and rehabilitate the inmates, while providing them a suitable environment and eventually re-introducing them into the society (Donal, 11). Planning in this agency is made through the publication of monthly plans and statistical reports. Through planning, the department of planning and research produces an annual fiscal report, develops monthly management reports and prepares and analyses models for projections of the agency operations (Donal, 22). The agency evaluates the states and the national correctional standards and aligns their standards to these requirements. The agency has a research and plann ing division that oversees the planning functions of the agency. The accounting division is responsible for making the projections of the agency’s annual operational budget. These two divisions are the ones responsible for all the planning, publication and release of the reports prepared by the agency. All the reports have to be analyzed and approved by the higher departmental authority before they are released (Donal, 17). Discussion Problem solving and decision making in the agency follows a well pre-determined procedure. At the helm of decision making is the commissioner of the agency, who is responsible for most of the decisions affecting the agency, including the appointments to key positions of the agency (Donal, 34). It is the authority of the commissioner to determine the qualifications of the deputy commissioners, associate commissioners and other employees of the agency. Subject to the laws issued by the state and the federal government, the commissioner then appoin ts some individuals to fill in these positions. The commissioner is also bestowed with the decision making regarding the appropriate divisions that the agency should have (Donal, 45). Decisions regarding the operations of the divisions are made by the respective divisional directors. While the accounting division’s director determines the budget for the annual operations of the agency, the research and planning division determines the reports that should be published. However, all the decisions made by the divisions and their directors are subject to the approval of the higher office of the commissioner (Donal, 38). The agency follows well laid bureaucratic models of human relationships, where by one individual is answerable to the other depending on the position they hold in the agency. For example, an associate commissioner of the agency will serve in the positions as required by the commissioner of the agency (Donal, 50). Another example of such bureaucratic relationships is that of the deputy commissioners and the commissioner. The commissioner determines what role the deputy commissioners are to undertake in the agency. He also determines the roles that the employees of the agency should play (Donal, 52). Yet another demonstration of the bureaucratic nature of the relationships in the agency is the procedures that reports should follow before they are r

Answer questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 23

Answer questions - Essay Example Males that are good hunters control their hunting groups and interact a lot with fertile females. The genes for goo hunters get passed on to other generations due to increased possibility of mating with fertile females (Van, pg.198). 2: read page 205 â€Å"The Mother/Infant Bond and Social Learning† and answer the following question: What do the monkeys raised without a mother tell us about the importance of parenting among primates? Are primates purely instinctual, or do they need to learn complex behaviors? Parenting among primates plays a crucial role in shaping the basic skills of the babies. The monkeys that did not grow up with a mother could not interact well with others, and they lacked basic mothering skills towards their young ones. Primates are not purely instinctual, and they need to learn the complex behaviors. The surrogate ‘mothers’ in the story did not provide any practice for the young monkeys to emulate; this letter made them behave negatively towards others (Wrangham, pg. 205). The chimpanzees used the knuckle-walking style of locomotion when on the ground. They mostly utilized the proximal finger joints of their hands while walking on quadrupedal but not the palms of their hands. The chimpanzee in the video portrayed minimal differences between them and other subspecies. Their bodies are more robust build than the bonobos, and they seem to have slight sexual dimorphic features. The grooming handclasp in the video shows that the Chimpanzee live in a fission-fusion society. Like other animals, they move and do their activities in groups mostly because they want to avoid the predators. The group size of the Chimpanzee keeps on changing in size and composition all through the year in addition to their activities

Financial Analysis of Netflix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Analysis of Netflix - Essay Example In 1999, monthly subscriptions model was introduced and the reputation of the firm grew as a flat- fee rental with no due dates and late fee. Netflix has to its credit the personalized movie recommendation system which suggests choices to users based on their previous purchases. Also mentionable is the fact that Netflix user base has increased every year from the date its conception by over 50% from past years till 2005. After 2005, the number of subscribers continued to increase but at lower rates. (Netflix, 2012) Netflix also partnered with certain electronics companies to make streaming possible on the PS3, TVs with internet connections, Xbox 360, Apple iPhones, iPads, iPods and other internet connected devices. (Netflix, 2012) Researches showed that in 2011, 61% of the digital video market clintele belongs to Netflix. (Stambar, 2011) in 2011, Netflix is the highest revenue earner in the United States. (Frankel, 2012) This data clearly shows that as of right now, Netflix is a mark et leader. INCOME STATEMENT (Business Week, 2012)    31-Dec-08 31-Dec-09 31-Dec-10 31-Dec-11 Revenues 1,364.70 1,670.30 2,162.60 3,204.60 TOTAL REVENUES 1,364.70 1,670.30 2,162.60 3,204.60 Cost of Goods Sold 910.2 1,079.30 1,357.40 2,039.90 GROSS PROFIT 454.4 591 805.3 1,164.70 Selling General & Admin Expenses 249.4 286.6 358.3 520.6 R&D Expenses 89.9 114.5 163.3 259 Other Operating Expenses -6.3 -- -- -- OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES 332.9 401.2 521.6 779.6 OPERATING INCOME 121.5 189.8 283.6 385.1 Interest Expense -2.5 -6.5 -19.6 -20 Interest and Investment Income 9.2 4.8 2.7 2.8 NET INTEREST EXPENSE 6.7 -1.6 -16.9 -17.2 Other Non-Operating Income 0.1 -- -- -- EBT, EXCLUDING UNUSUAL ITEMS 128.4 188.2 266.7 367.8 Gain (Loss) on Sale of Investments 3.1 1.9 1 0.7 Other Unusual Items, Total -- 2.1 -- -9 Legal Settlements -- 2.1 -- -9 EBT, INCLUDING UNUSUAL ITEMS 131.5 192.2 267.7 359.5 Income Tax Expense 48.5 76.3 106.8 133.4 Earnings from Continuing Operations 83 115.9 160.9 226.1 NET IN COME 83 115.9 160.9 226.1 Talking about the income statement of Netflix, the trend of revenues has certainly taken a great boost since 2006 from 1365 million dollars to 3205 million dollars in 2011. Growth in revenue certainly is a positive sign for any company. Netflix has achieved huge numbers during the four years. The cost of sales has also risen but looking at the overall gross profit margin, we see a rising trend. Expanses look pretty much under control and would not had been a point of concern for Netflix. The change in the income statement which was very obvious was the interest charges which rose by big number from (1.6) in the year 2008 to (16.9) in 2010 and (20) in 2011. This means that Netflix has taken huge amount of loans in 2010 and have retained them in 2011 as well. In the income statement, we can also see that the investment’s income earned has also decreased since 2006. This means that Netflix have taken out all the investments it had made outside its compa ny. Net income also shows a positive growing trend. From the income statement, we can say that Netflix is growing and has profitable numbers. BALANCE SHEET (Business Week, 2012)    31-Dec 31-Dec 31-Dec 31-Dec Currency in Millions of US$ 2008 2009 2010 2011 Assets             Cash and Equivalents 139.9 134.2 194.5 508.1 Short-Term Investments 157.4 186 155.9 289.8 TOTAL CASH AND SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS 297.3 320.2 350.4 797.8 Prepaid Expenses 26.5 26.7 62.2 56 Deferred Tax Assets, Current -- -- 2.2 10 Restricted

Road Pricing is Inefficient but Fair Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Road Pricing is Inefficient but Fair - Essay Example Introducing marginal cost pricing in the London transport sector does not guarantee an efficient outcome when there are externalities or distortions in other (related) sectors in the economy, which are not priced according to marginal cost. Marginal cost pricing has proved difficult to implement in the UK. Such form of pricing would require highly differentiated pricing systems in time and space, which would be expensive to provide and confusing to drivers [7]. From these factors, it is clear that first-best pricing is not very relevant from a practical perspective.A second-best charge can be defined as the optimal road charge when the true optimum (first best charge) is unavailable due to constraints on policy choice. The theory of second best says that a policy that would be optimal without such constraints may not be second-best optimal if other policies are constrained. Unfortunately, this also poses problems. In order to compute a second-best road charge, a fair amount of inform ation is still required, including marginal congestion costs and the exact tax constraints [5].The problem of traffic congestion in London still remains and a solution is required. There is an externality that creates an imperfection in an already imperfect market. A similar problem arises with environmental pollution. We will look at the London Congestion Charging Scheme and its proposed extension as its test-example. We find that the welfare gains from a congestion charge depend crucially on the location. of where the charge applies and charge level and our results are only valid for the set of boundaries that have been proposed by Transport for London (TfL). If the model we use covered a different area, traffic flows and times savings would be different. The political economy of such decisions is not always guided by any efficiency principles, but rather by political forces and lobbies. The final result will be the combination of different pressure and political groups and this m ay or may

Critical Analysis Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Critical Analysis Worksheet Essay Perform a critical analysis of each reading using critical thinking techniques from this week’s readings. Respond to the following based on your critical thinking analysis of the â€Å"Common Core† and â€Å"The Battle Against Common Core Standards† readings. 1) Define the term conclusion. Aside from being the obvious result or closing, a conclusion is also â€Å"a proposition concluded or inferred from the premises of an argument† as defined by dictionary.com. This means, the conclusion is a final logically reasoned deduction. 2) What is the conclusion of each article? The conclusion from the â€Å"Common Core† perspective is that students will learn the essentials for success in college and business prior to graduating high school. The conclusion for those that are in â€Å"The Battle Against Common Core Standards† is that implementing these standards is politically motivated and not in the best interest of students. See more: how to write an analysis 3) Define the term premises. The premise is the basis of support for a given conclusion. 4) What premises support the conclusions in each article? Those working against common core implementation cite government control due to the funding provided to school districts and lack of proof that the system works as basic reasons for their conclusions. Those in favor of common core cite better prepared graduating students, a more educated workforce, and standardization amongst students. The article indicated that if districts had to define their own educational standards, they would start  by seeking out â€Å"common core standards.† 5) How convincing is the conclusion of each article? Explain your answer. I was more convinced by the arguments in favor of implementing common core standards. I noticed more bias in Smith’s article against common core implementation. I was more convinced by Sell’s article because of the objectivity. 6) Define the term biases. A bias is â€Å"a particular dendency or inclination, especially one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a quesiton; prejudice† according to dictionary.com. Anything that prevents someone from objectively drawing a conclusion is a bias. 7) What biases did you observe in each article? Why do you think they are biases? While the â€Å"Common Core† article objectively defined common core and explained its function all of the sources cited were supportive of implementing common core standards. The article would state the opposition and then Sell would quote someone in favor of common core. Smith’s title alone lets you know that this is an opposing argument. The article is politically motivated. Throughout the article, Smith discusses democratic initiatives and state’s â€Å"relinquishing their right to control.† 8) What might be the sources of the biases in each article? Personal expertise is the initial bias. Perhaps they have a child that has fallen below common core standards. Living in a state that has already implemented common core values, I have dealt with standardized tests as both a student and parent. While I was able to pass them with ease, I have witnessed students taken them multiple times to no avail. Those politically motivated are driven by funding and votes. It’s hard to determine if their focus is genuine or if ulterior motives are present. I recognize my personal bias with regard to choosing or opposing common core. References Bias. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from \ Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bias Conclusion. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conclusion Premise. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved November 14, 2014, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/premise Sell, M. (2013). Common core. McClatchy Tribune Business News [Washington]. Smith, H.K. (2013, March). The battle against common core standards. FreedomWorks, Retrieved from www.freedomworks.org Link to the article: http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/rousseau/the-battle-against-common-core-standards

Adam Smiths Theory of Self-Interest

Adam Smiths Theory of Self-Interest Adam Smith is a fascinated moral philosopher and an expert of economic. He left two famous books. I can still get much enlightenment when I read his words in this modern society. His mainly research are on morality and economy. This essay will focus on how self-interest motivates individuals in these two aspects and what role does self-interest plays in the developing society. Having found this complex question, we should have a general understanding of what is self-interest? Many people may confound self-interest and selfish. Adam Smith thought people will do whatever good to themselves when they burned and selfish is a human’s natural action. (Smith Moral ex.) But actually those two words have huge differences. Selfish describe a kind of person who just care about himself of herself. They ignore others feeling or benefit as long as they can get something good from what they did. This is really a negative influence which we should abandon it. ‘Self-interest or self-love is derived from the selfish passions, but self-love is not identified with selfishness, because self-love, like other interests, can be virtuous (the virtue of prudence) or evil (greed or avarice).’ (Werhane, PH 1989, p. 671) Self-interest looks like selfish on the surface but indeed it can make an interaction between people. ‘To the selfish and original passions of human nature, the loss or gain of a very small interest of our own appears to be of vastly more importance, excites a much more passionate joy or sorrow, a much greater desire or aversion, than the greatest concern of another with whom we have no particular connection.’ (Smith Moral ex. 8). Everyone who chase them own profits and don’t do harm to others’ benefits in the meantime is called self-interest. Thus help other is helping themselves in fact and the more you get better the more you are willing to help others, which is a kind of huge power to make our society improve, so our society will become much more harmonious and plentiful eventually. That why Adam Smith said: ‘His interests, as long as they are surveyed from this standpoint, can never be put into balance with our own; can never restrain us from doing whatever may tend to promote our own self-interest.’ (Smith Moral ex. 8) On the other hand, although Adam Smith believes self-interest may make people seems selfish, but it will bring sympathy to them as well. Smith said: ‘The man of the most perfect virtue, the man whom we naturally love and admire the most, is he who joins, to the perfect command of his own original and selfish6 feelings, a real appreciation of the original and sympathetic feelings of others.’ (Smith Moral ex. 7) It is a natural when people burn, which let people take others feeling and their happiness or sadness into them own business, even though he derives nothing from it except the pleasure of seeing it. (Smith Moral ex. 1) Smith thinks sympathy is kinds of sense which will make their emotion fluctuate with others feeling which can resolve the conflict between individual interests and social interests. ‘The man who feels the most or the joys and sorrows of others, is best fitted for acquiring the most complete control of his own joys and sorrows.’ (Smith Mo ral ex. 5) Furthermore sympathy not only means share feelings but understands and contain as well. We can acquire the same feeling when we in the similar circumstance that others had thus we will have a deeply communication with them. They will see the phase called help other is helping me. ‘Smith argues, sympathy, coupled with reason, imagination, and our natural desire for â€Å"what ought to be approved of† provide the conditions that enable us disinterestedly or impartially to examine and to approve or disapprove a motive, character, or action.’ (Werhane, PH 1989, p. 677). So what prompted the ordinary people on many occasions to sacrifice their interests for others bigger benefits? It is not a noble and grant human natural, it is a strong motivation; a self-satisfied; a self-interest! (Smith Moral ex. 11) Smith thought everybody burn with self-interests they only want to do the things good to themselves, which is the prime motive for human’s active. People help others want to achieve their own goal indeed so they will become better when they help others. ‘He will be more likely to get their help if he can interest their self-love in favoring him, and show them that it is for their own advantage to do what he requires of them.’ (Smith Wealth ex. 3) In this case the more individuals chase their benefits the more they motivate the whole society’s progress and the society include all walks of life will achieve a universal prosperity finally. Just as Smith argue that: ‘He is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an outcome which was not part of his intention.’ (Smith Wealth ex. 6) Each individual is thought to be able to perceive his or her own best interests; they act so as to gain pleasure or happiness in whatever way they choose.’ (Heywood, A 2003, p48)This is something that can be a win-win. ‘By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectively than when he really tries to promote it.’ (Smith Wealth ex. 6) So self-interest is a kind of catalytic of improving society to a great extent in this case. ‘In principle, individuals always seek their own economic advantage; and, in principle, they act strictly rationally to achieve this goal.’ (Skirbekk, G Gilje, N 2001, p 250) Smith call this the law of natural which is free competition actually, this invisible hand is a kind of power which make the market fairer. It is important to make a division of labor in the market; I think the competition is the direct reason which causes this phenomenon. ‘It is the necessary, though very slow and gradual, consequence of a certain tendency in human nature which has in view no such ultimate outcome; [this is] the tendency to deal, barter, and exchange one thing for another.’ (Smith Wealth ex. 1) Smith thought it is the division of labor that increases the productivity. Everyone can just accomplish his part of job; he can focus on his own business. There is an idiom called practice makes perfect, so the efficiency of the whole market must be improved. It is a kind of exchange, just as Smith said: ‘give me that which I want, and you shall have what you want. That is the meaning of every such offer†¦. we expect our dinner, but from their concern for their own interest.’ (Inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations extracts 6). People always have much more inter est in their own business than the society profits. ‘It was the conduct of individual human beings that led us into this mess, and it is the behavior of individuals as well as the structuring of systems that has to change.’(Garton Ash 2014) So as we can find from here it is self-interest that motivate people to work; to do those economic activities. Moreover, what is the simplest method to reach this boundary? Smith thought is the freedom and non-interventionism. It doesn’t mean no-government, their function is limited to the administration of justice, and they are night watchman. ‘He attacked economic protectionism: the government should meddle as little as possible in trade and industry.’ (Skirbekk, G Gilje, N 2001, p 249) So Smith strongly recommended creating a free-market. ‘In an ideal free market resting on private property, no individual can coerce any other, all cooperation is voluntary, all parties to such cooperation benefit or they need not participate.’ (Friedman 2014, pp. 122-126). He opposed the state intervention in the economy, because he thought the market will automatically adjust. This is what he called ‘the invisible hand’, it will help people maximum their own profits and the society will make progress with individuals in the meantime. So it can make a combine b etween self-interest and public-interest. When the businessmen work hard to do their own business this ‘invisible hand’ will let them to choose the best-fit for the society. This is also help other is help ourselves. ‘Altruism is relegated to no more than delayed self-interest, so, for example, the more we create a good reputation, the more we can exploit it for economic advantage.’ (Hutton Schneider 2014, pp. 13-17.) So as the analyses I have presented above, we can clearly find that self-interest is the necessary and sufficient condition of our society’s thriving and prosperous. The better market can’t leave self-interest, which means they can’t exist without each other. Smith described that the conflict between self-interest and public-interest can be solved by combining them. They made each other! Thus if everyone can motivated by their self-interest, they will try them best to acquire the profits, which can motivate our society’s economy and make the market much more efficient and fairer ultimately.