Final Paper on Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Final Paper on Philosophy Essay In its known usage, the word Reality pertains to something that actually exists and which can be felt by the senses. Metaphysics, a branch of Philosophy, tries to discern reality from illusion, as it investigates on things that are real which could also be just illusions of what people want to be real—ideals. However, what can be sensed from the surroundings does not seem to be just mere illusions, as the body and the mind react to everything it senses. In Philosophy, reality usually pertains to existence since it is contrasted with nonexistence—those unreal—and mere possibilities—could be real but does not necessarily exist, unless discovered. To this date, there are still speculations about the Nature of Reality. It could be possible that people are living on their dream worlds, and not in reality (like in the Matrix movie). However, these people perceive their dream worlds as an equal of reality. Hence, they are still living in reality unless someone drags them out of that reality and into another level of reality, which is more real. 2. On a nutshell, the documentary film â€Å"Zen and Now† by Alan Watts points out that people should live in the Now which is actually the main principle of Zen philosophy. Unnecessary baggage could only hinder the person’s progress, in moving on with his or her life. Personal progress seems to be the undying aim of Zen philosophy as it promotes moving forward rather than shackling the self behind in the past. It also does not entail the idea of expecting what could happen in the future. The primary focus is the Now, neither the past nor the future. The principle of Zen pertains to establishing a harmony with the self before people could establish it with others and with the world. Hence, it should be quite simple to understand what Alan Watts wanted to convey. Living in the now is the best way to live life since it gets rid of the excess baggage that drags the person towards his or her sinkhole—the past. This baggage usually make up of the person’s regrets, basically anything negative about his or her past (events, personalities, and the like). 3. The Zimbardo film is about the Stanford Prison Experiment which was conducted by Philip Zimbardo. Basically, it entailed the role-playing of both prisoners and guards by participants who were screened before being accepted. As the film would show, the participants’ imagination grew out of hand, even with the presence of the research team. It may possibly be an act out of human nature, when these participants were given their respective roles. They acted as if it were the real deal; guards taking out their frustration towards the prisoners and prisoners would plan of escaping or creating riots within the prison. The role-playing seemed to unleash genuine human nature of many participants as some would show sadistic tendencies towards the prisoners. It also seemed that imagination initially played a part on this â€Å"unleashing† but it was more the work of the subconscious that guided these people to completely assume their respective roles. The environment, upon which a person belongs to, can have an astounding effect towards him or her. It can actually alter some of the person’s traits as it is part of human nature to adapt to certain environments. It also influences the person’s perception of his or her reality as some situations and conditions involved in the environment would affect the person. 4. The Milgram experiment entailed the testing of a person’s obedience to an authority who orders would instruct him or her to do unethical things that opposes with the person’s conscience. Many of the experiment’s participants were reluctant of administering a high voltage shock of 450 towards the receiver. As the result would show, the willingness of the participant to administer the 450-volts shock greatly conflicts with his or her conscience. They have to be coerced, threatened, or abused in order to successfully administer the shock; unless it served a higher purpose. Humans do not obey commands that can be classified as unethical, immediately. Human conscience seems to prevent the person to follow the commands without hesitation. The experiment could already be perceived as unethical because it entailed the electro-shocking of the learner by the teacher—the participant. The relationship between authority and conscience was tested in this experiment. Many of the participants were reluctant to follow the commands of the authority figure. They showed signs of disobeying the authority figure since they would believe that what they were tasked to perform is unethical. 5. Steve Pinker’s stand is to refurbish the current English Language that has been ravaged by various media influences, by reclaiming the respect for the English language. Every person is capable to speak grammatically but somehow they would choose to follow the English language that popular culture seems to promote (as mentioned, rockers, surfers, valley girls), as well as the standards proposed by Mavens which he utterly despises. As long as these two would continue to promote their version of English, then relearning proper grammar would be a hard task. The promotion of the proper usage of English will definitely be a tough road ahead for the likes of Pinker, as media and the mavens would continue to influence society. 6. Both the environment and free will play a significant role in shaping a person into what he or she can become in the future. Free will would involve decisions to certain situations that could actually be summoned by the person’s environment. However, free will would ultimately shape the person more significantly than the environment as it is his or her decisions that promote the development of the person. The environment could only play a minor role on the person’s development. It is the person’s free will that shapes his or her future. I believe on free will as the catalyst in shaping the person. Free will enables the person to participate with the environment like making the right decisions for certain situations wherein some are raised by the environment. A person could not and should not rely on fate in order to help him or her progress in life or move forward. It is all the work of free will that allows such change to occur within the person and his or her life. 7. Charlie Manson experienced social regression in his childhood life, as his mother rejected him a few times; at one point, even trading him for a pitcher of alcohol. In prison, he learned the teachings of Scientology (a cult led by L Ron Hubbard) and applied many of it to his own established philosophy that he and his followers believed in. The growing crisis of the racial tension between the whites and blacks made him fear that one day, the blacks will take over the whites’ position in society, upon which believing that the Manson family will then have control over the blacks and their society. The Manson philosophy (coded: Helter Skelter) was as destructive as it can be, as it involved spurring chaos in society. His followers were made to believe that they were following the commands of a Jesus Christ incarnate, as they were forced to do anything he commands. It was not fate that brought him into becoming the person that everyone feared in the past. It was his free will that spurred the numerous murders, ordered his â€Å"family† to commit these killings, and sent him to prison. Apparently, he did not have control over his free will as he did everything that seemed to please him. 8. There would be a noise created as it falls to the ground. However, it would not be heard by anything or anyone as there are no living creatures in the forest; unless one would consider the surrounding trees as living things (frankly speaking, they are). It is for certain that there will be noise created as the tree would come crashing down, but without a creature to hear the noise, then it would not be considered as noise in the first place. Two sides could be drawn up from this question: (1) There is a noise since it fell to the ground hard (I suppose it would be hard), and (2) there would not be a single noise as no living creature heard it. For (1), anything can make a noise, intentionally or unintentionally. So it is impossible for the tree to fall down hard silently. In (2), even if the tree creates a noise while falling down, who would be there to receive the sound and conclude it as a sort of noise? That seems to be the main problem here as most living creatures (if not, all) could hear sound. Then again, noise was created but nothing was able to receive it and conclude that it was noise. 9. The Sensory Transduction involves the detection and translation of any form of stimulus. It involves the five senses, making sensory transduction an indispensable part of people’s lives. It involves how people would interpret what they could sense. It may be possible for people to control the transduction of sensorial vibrations (usually associated with feelings), although it might require immense amounts of concentration and will power. The brain would translate these sensorial vibrations for the benefit of the individual; which he or she later translates into experience by how he or she reacts to the translated sensorial vibrations (by the brain). On the other hand, these sensorial vibrations may travel too fast for the person, enabling instinct to take its course in providing the individual how to react on the given situation; given that he or she already experienced the same condition before. I believe people could control the transduction of sensorial vibrations simply because they could choose what they want to sense. A child would close his or her eyes on the scariest parts of the horror movie simply because he or she does not want to get scared. However, it could also be considered that instinct comes into play when the person would fail to react to these transductions. 10. Universal reality is simply the existence of all things; the totality of time, space, and being. Yes, there is a Universal reality in people’s lives because everything around them exists and it will continue to exist until it is removed from time, space, and being. Basically, Universal Reality makes up everything that people could sense around them inside this chamber. People may be unaware of this fact but the Universal reality does not remain constant forever, as it could experience constant changes; changes that enable people to adapt to an altered perception of that supposed Universal reality. Somehow it is thought that all realities originated from a single source of energy or force, upon which all top religions considered as God—the universal being. Basically, the answer would be that there is an existing Universal reality as it entails everything that people would perceive as real and those that can be unreal—as some individuals could perceive them while others could not. Universal reality is all that exists in people’s realities. Hence, there is such a thing.

Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Oedipus and Fate :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Oedipus the King and Fate D.T. Suzuki, a renowned expert on Zen Buddhism, called attention to the topic of free will in one of his lectures by stating that it was the battle of "God versus Man, Man versus God, God versus Nature, Nature versus God, Man versus Nature, Nature versus Man1." These six battles constitute an ultimately greater battle: the battle of free will versus determinism. Free will is that ability for a human being to make decisions as to what life he or she would like to lead and have the freedom to live according to their own means and thus choose their own destiny; determinism is the circumstance of a higher being ordaining a man's life from the day he was born until the day he dies. Free will is in itself a far-reaching ideal that exemplifies the essence of what mankind could be when he determines his own fate. But with determinism, a man has a predetermined destiny and fate that absolutely cannot be altered by the man himself. Yet, it has been the desire of man to avoid the perils that his fate ho lds andthus he unceasingly attempts to thwart fate and the will of the divine.. Within the principle of determinism, this outright contention to divine mandate is blasphemous and considered sin. This ideal itself, and the whole concept of determinism, is quite common in the workings of Greek and Classical literature. A manifest example of this was the infamous Oedipus of The Theban Plays, a man who tried to defy fate, and therefore sinned. The logic of Oedipus' transgression is actually quite obvious, and Oedipus' father, King Laius, also has an analogous methodology and transgression. They both had unfortunate destinies: Laius was destined to be killed by his own son, and Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. This was the ominous decree from the divinatory Oracle at Delphi. King Laius feared the Oracle's proclamation and had his son, the one and only Oedipus, abandoned on a mountain with iron spikes as nails so that he would remain there to eventually die. And yet, his attempt to obstruct fate was a failure, for a kindly shepherd

Philippine History During the Japanese Occupation Essay

Pre-Spanish Times There are two theories on the origins of the first Filipinos, the inhabitants of what will later be called the Philippine Islands and eventually the Republic of the Philippines. See the Early Inhabitants of the Philippine Islands. In the beginning of the 3rd century, the inhabitants of Luzon island were in contact and trading with East Asian sea-farers and merchants including the Chinese. In the 1400’s the Japanese also established a trading post at Aparri in Northern Luzon. In 1380, Muslim Arabs arrived at the Sulu Archipelago and established settlements which became mini-states ruled by a Datu. They introduced Islam in the southern parts of the archipelago including some parts of Luzon and were under the control of the Muslim sultans of Borneo. They had a significant influence over the region for a couple of hundreds years. The Malay Muslims remained dominant in these parts until the 16th century. Philippine History During the American Era The Spanish-American war which started in Cuba, changed the history of the Philippines. On May 1, 1898, the Americans led by U.S. Navy Admiral George Dewey, in participation of Emilio Aguinaldo, attacked the Spanish Navy in Manila Bay. Faced with defeat, the Philippines was ceded to the United States by Spain in 1898 after a payment of US$ 20 million to Spain in accordance with the â€Å"Treaty of Paris† ending the Spanish-American War. On June 12, 1898, Filipinos led by Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence. This declaration was opposed by the U.S. who had plans of taking over the colony. And this led to a guerrilla war against the Americans. In 1901, Aguinaldo was captured and declared allegiance to the United States. On the same year, William Howard Taft was appointed as the first U.S. governor of the Philippines. The U.S.passed the Jones Law in 1916 establishing an elected Filipino legislature with a House of representatives & Senate. In 1934, the Tydings-McDuffie Act was passed by the U.S. Congress, established the Commonwealth of the Philippines and promised Philippine independence by  1946. The law also provided for the position of President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. On the May 14, 1935 elections, Manuel L. Quezon won the position of President of the Philippine Commonwealth. In accordance with the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934, The Philippines was given independence on July 4, 1946 and the Republic of the Philippines was born. Philippine History During the Japanese Occupation On December 8, 1941, the Japanese invades the Philippines hours after bombing Pear Harbor in Hawaii. While the forces of Gen. Douglas MacArthur retreated to Bataan, the Commonwealth government of President Quezon moved to Corregidor Island. Manila was declared an open city to prevent further destruction. After the fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942 and Corregidor, In March 1942, MacArthur & Quezon fled the country and by invitation of President Roosevelt, the Commonwealth government went into exile to Washington D.C. American and Filipino forces surrendered in May 6, 1942. Soon a guerrilla war against the Japanese was fought by the Philippine & American Armies while Filipinos were enduring the cruelty of the Japanese military against civilians. Prior to Quezon’s exile, he advised Dr. Jose P. Laurel to head and cooperate with the Japanese civilian government in the hope that the collaboration will lead to a less brutality of the Japanese towards the Filipinos. Rightly or wrongly, President Laurel and his war time government was largely detested by the Filipinos. In October 1944, Gen. MacArthur with President Sergio Osmeà ±a (who assumed the presidency after Quezon died on August 1, 1944 in exile in Saranac Lake, New York) returned and liberated the Philippines from the Japanese.

The Traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism Essay examples

Two religions’ that stood out the most I would have to say is Hinduism and Buddhism These two religions have been around for centuries. In Hinduism it means a way of Life, traditionally is followed by Indian descent. We learned in class that Hinduism is called â€Å"Sanatan Dharma meaning External Religion. In India majority of people that reside there are identified as Hindus. Predominantly, Hinduism is of India region. There are many names that are followed by Hinduism which to name a few are Sanatan Dharma which was stated above, Vedic religion, Agama Hindu Dharma just to name a few of many. (Dorma pg. 16) To mankind Hinduism is one of the oldest religions, which has a dated that goes far back as 2500 B.C., which has been argumentative.†¦show more content†¦The population for India is one billion today. Fulfilling the physical world according to Vedas there is no other God accept for Braham. If you are seeking wisdom Hindus worship Lord Ganesha, and looking for po wer worship Lord Hanuman, Lastly for money call on the goddess Laxmi. In Hinduism we cycle from birth to rebirth. In Buddhism teaching it is more observation in the way things truly is. They find it hard to connect with another. Buddhism is described as a religion that is practical, dealing with life in a more realistic. Buddhist are more practical to think that people are more than likely to suffer, or prone to suffering. Reluctantly in this religion they believe don’t kill, and engage in illicit sex. In Buddhist practice they believe in compete salvation by mediation following the path, which is called Lotus. Buddha knows of no â€Å"reincarnation† in the popular and animistic sense of the word: though many are â€Å"still under the delusion that Buddhism teaches the transmigration of souls† (Coomaraswamy p. 14) Buddha theory is the naturalist maintains that the states and events called mental exist only when certain organizations of physical things also occur and are not exhibited by those things unless they are so organized. (Coomaraswamy p.20). One of the most important Buddha books is called the Dhammapada, â€Å"Footprints of the Law†; it is a chart and guidebook for those who â€Å"walk in the Way of the Law† (dhammacariyamcaranti), which isShow MoreRelatedAncient Traditions Of Buddhism And Hinduism1260 Words   |  6 Pages The ancient traditions of Buddhism and Hinduism go far back in history and are both very revered and followed even up to today. They are similar in many ways but also very different in their worldviews and theology. The world is full of suffering and both Hinduism and Buddhism discuss ways to end that suffering through enlightenment. Buddhists believe in a place called nirvana, where suffering does not exist, and Hindus follow a path to reach liberation, or moksa. They both are a way to escapeRead MoreSimilarities Between Confucianism And Buddhism1124 Words   |  5 PagesConfucianism, Buddhism and Hinduism. While Hinduism is centered around a supreme being, Buddhism and Confucianism are centered around the teachings of a man. Each encourages moral behavior, ethical values, such as non-violence, charity, and a respect for the universe. To better understand the philosophical similarities and differences between Confucianism, Buddhism and Hinduism, it is important first to consider t he teachings of Buddha, Patanjali and Confucius in their historical context. Buddhism is aRead MoreThe Goals of Hinduism and Buddhism Essay1368 Words   |  6 Pages2. Hinduism and Buddhism are traditions that originated from the Vedic sacrifice practice, and they share a common foundation in their view of existence. What are the similarities, and very importantly, the differences in their respective focuses and goals? Also included in this topic: For a time, Buddhism became a dominant tradition in much of India, but then Hinduism rose to become the dominant tradition. There are relatively few Buddhists in India today, especially in comparison to the numberRead MoreWorld Religions Comparative Essay : Hinduism And Buddhism1399 Words   |  6 PagesReba Khoshabe Mr. Lombardi HRT3M 18 November 2015 World Religions Comparative Essay: Hinduism and Buddhism Evidently, all of the religions in the world have different beliefs. Beliefs are the basis of one’s behaviour. Everything an individual does, traces back to the beliefs they have about the world. Hinduism and Buddhism are two religions that originated from the same nation, India. Both religions share beliefs on different paths to enlightenment, beliefs on reincarnation, and both believeRead MoreReligion and Violence Essay examples1081 Words   |  5 Pagesconcluded that all religions have the goal of peace† . People who are outsider of a religious tradition can make many generalisations. In this essay it will discuss why some religious traditions in South East Asia oppose violence. In addition the rejections of violence have shaped and changed religious practices within Jainism, Hinduism and Buddhism. There have also been many generalisations about the above traditions. Moreover I will try and answer why non violence has become a generalisation and how itRead Mor eThe Concepts Of Hinduism And Buddhism1749 Words   |  7 Pages The Concepts of Hinduism and Buddhism (Name) (Course name) (Instructors name) (Date of submission) The Concepts of Hinduism and Buddhism Buddhism and Hinduism have common roots: both religions have arisen in India. However, over long history of its formation, Buddhism has absorbed traditions of many civilizations of the East. It was not just a religion. This teaching is about personal enlightenment and contemplation of spirit. This awakening of soul has no reference to God. AccordingRead MoreThe Dharmic Religions of Hinduism and Buddhism1220 Words   |  5 PagesAlthough both Hinduism and Buddhism both Dharmic religions and originate from similar cultural backgrounds, their individual beliefs regarding death and the afterlife differentiate from one and other. Both religions believe in the concept of reincarnation, but the difference lies in the process in which someone is reincarnated and subsequently where the individual stops the process of reincarnation and reaches the desired end point of the seemingly endless cycle. In Hinduism the concept of lifeRead MoreThe 4 Noble Truths And The Eightfold Path1478 Words   |  6 Pages Both initially originating in the Himalaya and written in Sanskrit, Buddhism and Hinduism are two of the main religions on the continent of Asia. Many believe that Buddhism first originated in Northern India in the 5th century B.C.E. when Siddhartha Guatama (the son of a king) rebelled against his father and went out into the world in hope of finding a way to end suffering . After trying many things, he eventually sat down beneath a bodhi tree to meditate. Supposedly by morning he wasRead MoreThe Study Of Buddhism And Hinduism1390 Words   |  6 PagesStudy of Buddhism and Hinduism Hinduism and Buddhism are both main religions in Ancient India, both share similar beliefs, but have many differences as well. The relationship between both religion is similar to those of Christianity and Judaism. Buddha was born into the Hindu tradition, similar to how Jesus was born into the Jewish faith. Both religions have goals of teaching happiness and have similar backgrounds and beliefs. Some argue that Buddhism is just another type of Hinduism, but othersRead MoreEssay on Two Religions-Two Paths: Buddhism and Hinduism805 Words   |  4 PagesBuddhism and Hinduism-- the core area of both is Northern India and each spread through the Indian subcontinent, yet both did not seem to expand with the same radius. Buddhism flourished and spread across central and eastern Asia; whereas, Hinduism generally stayed close to home, in India. The question now becomes why. The main area where these religions emerged is referred to as ‘religion hearths’, and these religions originated where large civilizations also did in Mesopotamia, the Nile, and the

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg - 830 Words

When it comes to the topic of addiction, most of us will readily agree that it is a miserable trait to possess. An addiction is a physical and psychological state of being that if not treated correctly could result into harmful wrongdoing. In The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, he recounts a story in which a fatigued housewife named Angie Bachmann lost all of her family’s assets, amounting to a million dollars due to a gambling addiction. Every habit has three components: a cue or a trigger of an automatic behavior to start, a routine the behavior itself, and a reward which is how our brain learns to remember this pattern for the future. According to Duhigg, â€Å"you cannot extinguish a bad habit, you can only change it† (63). Duhigg†¦show more content†¦Once the debt piled up and her cash flow decreasing, she then starts to blame the casino of feeding her addiction. In my opinion that is a poor move to make because not only would the casino lawyers crush her in court, they would try to file for absurd amounts of damages. That is why Bachmann should be held accountable for her mistakes or most addicted gamblers would follow the same route. Bachmann’s gambling addiction follows a simple cycle known as the habit loop. A habit loop, which explained earlier, is a cycle consisting of a cue, routine, and reward affect. Identifying the habit loop for addicts is a great way of finding ways in altering the addiction to completely get rid of it or to minimize the activity. The initial cue of the addiction was when she felt unappreciated by her kids or had a verbal disagreement with her husband. The routine was playing blackjack at the casinos, while generating conversations with random strangers. Finally the reward hopefully was winning the game or receiving money once cashing in the chips and having a sense of being good at something. Knowing Bachmann’s habit loop, we can infer that her problem can be adjusted in a way to minimi ze the amounts of money that are poured into the game and spending less time in a casino. Duhigg provides a solution for people who want to change their bad habits by informing them about the golden rule of habit change explained in The Power of Habit. Essentially theShow MoreRelatedThe Power Of Habit By Charles Duhigg756 Words   |  4 Pagesdecided their future, they decide their habits, and these habits decide their future. A habit is a learned behavior repeated regularly, requiring small or no reasoning. Habits are created, are not obtained by inheritance, habits can transform themselves in needs. In addition, habits are not unique to people, organizations, to be made up of people, have habits also. There are right, and wrong habits; right habits normally are called as virtues, and wrong habits are called as vices. Undoubtedly, virtuesRead MoreThe Power Of Habit By Charles Duhigg1232 Words   |  5 Pagesit isn t always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped,† Charles Duhigg writes in his book The Power of Habit. Whether a person rea lizes it or not, habits dictate their daily choices. Often, the choices made out of habit are not what the person really desires; they are just the easy way. They are a crutch†¦ something the person does out of ease or comfort without putting thought into it. At some point these habits started out as a conscious decision, but eventually they becameRead MoreThe Power Of Habit By Charles Duhigg978 Words   |  4 PagesMy Plan to Change My Habit In the Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains his theory of habit formation based on the habit loop. The habit loop is whenever a certain cue triggers your brain to go into a mode that automatically uses makes you follow certain patterns. This routine can be physical, mental or emotional. Then there is a reward, which helps your brain figure out if this particular loop is worth remembering for the future. We know a habit that we have good or bad is for a reason, butRead MoreThe Power Of Habit By Charles Duhigg1474 Words   |  6 Pagesit made her happy. She can’t blame anyone else for her actions besides herself; it is Angie’s fault for her addiction. Their are more better things to do besides sitting at a table and throwing away all your money. In the article The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, it read that, â€Å" it was 10:30am, her 3 daughters were gone, and Bachman had resorted again-taping a piece of paper over the kitchen clock to stop looking...When the clock hit twelve o’clock, she put on some makeup and nice dress and droveRead MoreThe Power Of Habit : Henry Molaison And Eugene Pauly1496 Words   |  6 Pagesleast one habit – whether it is good or bad – and unless someone else points it out, they almost never notice it. Such unconscious tasks exist thanks to â€Å"a nub of neurological tissue known as the basal ganglia† (Duhigg 13). However, scientists would never have learned that this part of the brain was responsible for the formation of routine were it not for two significant men: Henry Molaison and Eugene Pauly. In his book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Bus iness, Charles DuhiggRead MoreEssay 21098 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The Power of Belief in Habit Changing All of us have formed habits in our daily life. Even though some of these habits only exist in our subconscious and we cannot actually make sure whether they are real or only the conjectures. But it is undoubted that all of our behaviors are influenced by our desires on specific objectives. In the book, the power of habit, Charles Duhigg explained the definition of a habit as an effort-saving instinct. â€Å"When a habit emerges, the brain stops fully participatingRead MoreThe Habits Of The Habit1474 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Habit formation is the process by which new behaviors become automatic† (â€Å"Habit Formation†). These automatic behaviors can have self-destructive qualities, such as: overeating, smoking cigarettes, texting and driving, or aggressive behavior. Some unfortunate souls, they have overlapping self-inflicting habits. It may come as a shock when one realizes how many of their daily â€Å"decisions† are indeed habits that they have unconsci ously developed. Likewise, many people do not realize that when theyRead MoreA Study On Computer Science1402 Words   |  6 Pagesadvantage of users’ habits and human psychology to increase its revenue. Although this practice is the nature of the online marketing business to make profits, I totally disagree with this practice; Google should be clear in what data they receive from its users and sell to advertisers. In the book The Power of Habits, the author Charles Duhigg emphasizes how enormously our habits impact our daily lives. He indicates that 40 percent of our daily activities are a sequence of our habits (xii). AccordingRead MoreHarkirt Kaur. English 130- Levine . Essay 3. April 4, 2017.1548 Words   |  7 Pages Angie Bachmann’s Addiction Charles Duhigg in his book The Power of Habit talks about a woman named Angie Bachmann who is addicted to gambling. Bachmann of Iowa was a stay-at-home mom who found herself bored every day. She had nothing to satisfy her boredom because her husband was busy at work and the kids were at school. To treat herself one afternoon she decided to dress up and drive to a local casino. She gave herself strict rules. Duhigg states, â€Å"No more than one hour at the blackjackRead MoreThe Sweet Spot By Charles Duhigg Writers1444 Words   |  6 PagesThe profound authors Malcolm Gladwell, who wrote â€Å"10,000 Hours Rule†, Charles Duhigg writer of â€Å"How Habits Work†, and lastly Dan Coyle, who wrote â€Å"The Sweet Spot† all giving different perspectives on what is a possible route one could take to begin achieving mastery of a skill. Each kind of writing that is being presented by the authors use many different kinds of evidence to show the understanding of the topic of creating a habit, remembering the activities from memory, and lastly repetition and how

The Vulnerability of Children in the Era of the Holocaust

Children were especially vulnerable in the era of the Holocaust. The Nazis advocated killing children of â€Å"unwanted† or â€Å"dangerous† groups in accordance with their ideological views, either as part of the â€Å"racial struggle† or as a measure of preventative security. The Germans and their collaborators killed children both for these ideological reasons and in retaliation for real or alleged partisan attacks. The Germans and their collaborators killed as many as 1.5 million children, including over a million Jewish children and tens of thousands of Romani (Gypsy) children, German children with physical and mental disabilities living in institutions, Polish children, and children residing in the occupied Soviet Union. The chances for survival for Jewish and some non-Jewish adolescents (13-18 years old) were greater, as they could be deployed at forced labor. The fate of Jewish and non-Jewish children can be categorized in the following way: 1) children killed when they arrived in killing centers; 2) children killed immediately after birth or in institutions; 3) children born in ghettos and camps who survived because prisoners hid them; 4) children, usually over age 12, who were used as laborers and as subjects of medical experiments; and 5) those children killed during reprisal operations or so-called anti-partisan operations. In the ghettos, Jewish children died from starvation and exposure as well as lack of adequate clothing and shelter. The German authorities wereShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Film Amandla 1363 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican became the catalyst of the resistance against segregation. The freedom songs were constructed to stress the importance of the freedom of expression of those being discriminated against (Jolaosho). For example, near the end of the Apartheid era, the song â€Å"When You Come Back† was created by the famous Vusi Mahlasela. The song cries for the return of Nelson Mandela and describes the celebration that will occur when his freedom is returned to him. The lyrics say â€Å"our lost music will turn intoRead MoreEssay on The Short Life of Anne Frank by Gerrit Netten2196 Words   |  9 Pagestherefore questioning the documentary’s certainty seems futile. Apposed to this, Herman’s gripping film ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ tells the story of a young German boy, and his radical progression of knowledge surrounding the effects of the Holocaust. We see him interact with the ‘enemy’, an eight year old Jewish boy, who is confined to a life living behind a barbed wire fence, being forced to work amongst the others in captivity. As a way to introduce the audience, we initially see Bruno, theRead MoreMain Aspects of the Holocaust Essay8177 Words   |  33 PagesMain Aspects of the Holocaust This project looks back at many of the main aspects of the Holocaust. On most topics I have focused in on one particular event or place (like Auschwitz for the camps or Kristallnacht for the Nazi rise). I did this as I think the Holocaust has to be looked upon on a more personal and individual level to see how bad it was and you cant really do this by simply over viewing a certain topic. I have chosen to cover the main bog standard areasRead MoreMutually Assured Destruction: in Theory and Practice5272 Words   |  22 Pagescrossfire. The concept of MAD is not the complicated part; it is everything else that pertains to it that has baffled policy makers and theorists for generations. Mutually Assured Destruction is a complex but precarious balance that dominated the Cold War Era. The stability can easily be disrupted by actions taken by each sides leaders and the political philosophies behind them. Following the Cold War, resolution has been a slow process as citizen groups attempt to end the dependence of nuclear arms inRead More The End of the World Essay3567 Words   |  15 PagesRegardless of ones position along the spectrum, the possibility of nuclear war constituted a daily reality in the life of the average American in the nineteen fifties. Government agencies issued specifications for the household bomb shelter, school children experienced weekly drills teaching them t he most effective positions to brace themselves against the physical force of an atomic explosion, and true to form, the cinema presented society with various reflections of face of the nuclear potential orRead MoreThe Is A Fragile Thing On The Memories Of Elders- Alice Albinia Essay2950 Words   |  12 Pagesone feels a part of a cohesive unit. As already mentioned, culture serves to protect and nurture. But it is this culture which at times finds itselfinadequate to safeguard the rights of a few of its own. An example of this is are the unfortunate children who have become the victims of abuse. Child abuse by general definition is, the use of a child by an adult or a significantly older child or adolescent for sexual gratification1.Sometimes, a sex offender may receive gratification by just exposingRead MoreThe Cold War, Soviet Russia And The U.s.2500 Words   |  10 PagesThe Soviet Union had clearly attained their upper hand in the Space Race, achieving the launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite and Vostok 1 which brought the first human to outer space. The US government were also acutely aware of the vulnerability of their military forces as the Soviet Union were developing advanced nuclear weaponry with potential for mass destruction. Conscious of their technological inferiority in comparison, the U.S. sought after ways to demonstrate a technological competenceRead MoreWw2 and Its Influences in the Bosnian Genocide4761 Words   |  20 Pagesorigins of Different Identities in the Region 6 1.1 Theories 6 2. Nationalism 8 2.1 Spread of Nationalism during World War II†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 2.2 Post WW2 11 3. Targeting of a Distinct Group 12 3.1 Justification 13 4. Similarities in Holocaust and Bosnian Genocide 14 4.1 Similarities 15 Conclusion 16 Work Cited†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦..........................18 Introduction During the duration of the Bosnian War that took place in present day Bosnia-Herzegovina in SouthernRead MoreEssay about Horror and Tragedy in The Congo3980 Words   |  16 Pagesfocused through the lense of the Congo, is the subject of this paper. Primarily this paper will investigate the massacre of more than 10 million the Congolese by Leopold from 1885 and 1908. Although this is a massacre on the scale of the Jewish Holocaust dimensions, which began only thirty years later, little is told today about the injustices that took place. This event is not discussed within the standard litany of our world’s horrors because it exemplifies the worst of European colonial expansionRead MoreGlobalization and It Effects on Cultural Integration: the Case of the Czech Republic.27217 Words   |  109 Pagesglobalization actually is. With the growing debate of what when the globalization phenomenon began and it actual meaning, some social science theorists have come forth with the definition of globalization both from the classical and the contemporary era. 1.1 Definition of Globalization Walters says the Webster’s dictionary is the first major dictionary to mention the word globalization in 1961. The dictionary defines globalization as â€Å"to render global† or â€Å"the act of globalizing† cited in Malcolm

Auditng and Assurance Standards

Question: Discuss about the Auditng and Assurance Standards. Answer: Introduction: APES 110, Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants states that if an auditor accepts or enters into an arrangement wherein he is entitled to receive commission or acts as an agent or such other referral fees then it may create threats to self-objectivity as well as to the professional conduct. Section 240 of APES 110 clearly defines that if an auditor is to receive any such fees then he should inform the audit client about such fees in writing specifying in particular the calculation of such fees and the dealer from whom he has made such an arrangement (ncpa-scribo.com., 2012). The present situation clearly violates the ethical code of conduct by Peter if he keeps quite on such a commission which he is to receive from Computer Services limited. To rectify the said violation he should inform the client in writing about the same. As per the code of ethics, an auditor cannot disclose the contact details or any confidential information of his client to an outsider or a third party but for the requirement of law without prior permission from the client. Therefore in the present scenario the act performed by David Smith is in contradiction to the ethical code of conduct (ifac.org., 2006). He should have informed and taken due permission from his clients before sending referrals to Allied Insurance. Thus to rectify the said violation he should first ask the clients then forward the references. As per the professional standards, an auditor should act independently. Thus the firm of auditors should ensure that the one conducting the audit should not be entitled to do the accounting entries as well as it would affect the independence of the professional conduct. But if the firm takes adequate consent from the client then the same is permissible. But even after so the work done by the auditor should be reviewed by a senior personnel of the audit firm so that integrity and objectivity in performance of the work is maintained (icaew.com., 2011). Therefore as per APES 110, the staff of the audit section can help in inputting the data of the audit clients ad at the same time also be a part of the audit of the clients financials but only after the consent in writing from the client is obtained. Seeking professional work by advertising or marketing may create a conflicting scenario to the basic principles of professionalism. Section 250 of APES 110 states that marketing about ones professional stance should be done in a manner which does not bring disrespect or disrepute to the profession (APESB, 2010). Therefore comparing ones own work with that of the others in the same profession is not acceptable. In the situation mentioned, the conduct of Barry is bringing disrepute to the occupation. He is sending his management services work to the client which is unsolicited just to obtain that work which has been outsourced to somebody else is in contradiction to the code of ethics. Thus only if the client wants him to perform the said task, only then he is entitled to do so. Therefore Barry should immediately stop sending the management services capabilities to the client on a monthly basis. A self interest and a self review threat is created if an auditor of a company also acts as a director or holds any such other position in the company as per Section 290.146 of the APES 110. Threat can be as dangerous as it may put the company to a position wherein he may be unable to safeguard oneself against difficult problems. It does not matter whether the auditor acts as an honorary director or an active one, it would still create threat on the independence with which audit would be conducted. Therefore if Katrina NG is to act as a director then she will have to resign from the audit firm. A chartered accountant has the capability of performing the work of an auditor, tax professional, management services and such other non-audit services as well. But the same professional performing all the activities in a company poses a threat to his or her independence, objectivity and integrity(cimaglobal.com. 2015) Therefore in line with the above, Peter will have to resign from the work of an auditor before he can take up the other non-audit services. However if Peter wishes to perform both the tasks then as per the provisions of the Combines Code of Corporate Governance, the audit committee of the company will have to perform a vigilance over the non-audit services on a regular basis. For that the audit committee has to be sure of the fact that the integrity, objectivity and the independence are not being hampered. The conduct of Hornsby Auditors is not in accordance to the Accountants Code of Ethics. Reason being that an auditor is not permitted to seek work by giving colourful advertisements, detailing about the people employed and comparing the same with other firms. Further to this, they are not allowed to make statements which are in contravention to the laws and by laws set by the income tax of the country. Soliciting clients by mentioning things like help clients gets higher tax deduction than all others in the district is simply misleading in nature. However the code permits them to advertise their professional excellence in the journals and the newspapers of the institutes for obtaining clients. The act performed by Hornsby Auditors has bought disrespect to the profession as well as led to the violation of section 250 of APES 110. The AICPAs Code of Conduct states that an auditor can continue to audit the books of accounts of his client even if the fees of the previous year is yet to be settled. However the act also states that the report cannot be issued to the client until and unless the previous dues are cleared (ethicsboard.org., 2012). Therefore, David Cheadle has performed his work as per the code of ethics by starting the work of audit of current year. But at the same time he should release his audit report only after the previous years fees has been received. As a part of audit, an auditor should always obtain confirmation of balances from the debtors, creditors, financiers etc. The same is done so as to become sure of the correctness of the statement. Also as per the Auditing Standards it is a must to obtain the confirmation of the account balances from the major customers. The same is done simply because the auditor should be sure of the fact that the transactions are true and fair in all respect, the balance is correct and provision for the bad and doubtful debts are done accurately. However if the situation is such that the auditor is unable to obtain a confirmation from the customer directly then he may take recourse in performing alternative methods so as to satisfy himself about the correctness of the account balances. Therefore in this case the auditor should give a positive opinion as even if he could not obtain confirmation from the major customers yet was able to satisfy himself of the balances by adopting other alternatives. Thus he would not give any negative or adverse opinion on the same. ASA 200 states that an auditor should perform his work independently without any prejudice or influences. Expense which are more than 5% of the total expenditure should be checked in detail. Also if they find any thing unusual then they have full rights to check into the same in detail(auasb.gov.au., 2015). An auditor is entitled to give his opinion only after he is sure about the accurateness of the data presented by the audit client. In the present case the auditor is to give a negative opinion as he was not allowed by the client to observe the plant and machinery of the client in physical even though the said asset contributes to 20% of the entire asset base and is a major revenue generating component. The auditor cannot verify the impairment of the asset until and unless the same is checked in physical, the additions, deletions and its accounting all are very important for the correctness oft he balances stated at the balance sheet. Thus the auditor can try other methods to assure himself about the authenticity of the balance of plant and machinery. Even then if he is not satisfied then he should give an adverse opinion so as to protect himself from any litigations in future in case the company goes into liquidation. Contingent Liability and Asset are important elements of the financial statements which should be audited by the auditors. They are to ensure that the recognition, measurement and disclosure of the said element has been done with accuracy and as per the standards. The audit is important as such liabilities or assets (specially the liability) may have a significant impact on the going concern of the company. Therefore the disclosure of the same is important for the investors and other shareholders of the company as it would help them to make their decisions accordingly. An audit report is what the outsiders to the company trust upon, therefore elements of the financial statement which may impact the decision of the users should be checked in detail and contingent liability is one such element (aasb.gov.au., 2011). Thus even though the management would not want to make a disclosure with regards the same the auditor should make it a point to disclose it else give an adverse opinion on the same. Maintenance of the records of the sales and purchases in a retail segment is a necessity even if a major chunk is in cash. If the same is not done then auditing becomes a difficult affair. The auditor will not be able to perform his duties well thus in such a situation he would have to give an adverse opinion as the authenticity of the transactions cannot be verified. Basically the auditor should state clearly that since the records were not maintained appropriately hence no opinion can be stated about the performance of the company. Thus in this case he is to give a neutral opinion. An auditor starts the audit work by verifying the opening balances of the clients financial statement. The same is to be done by an old auditor as well as a new auditor. In case of an old auditor he may check the same from the copy of the audit report he possesses but for a new auditor the same can be checked only from the audit report given by the previous auditor. This is an indispensible part of the audit procedure therefore even if the client does not provide any information about the opening balances and the auditor is satisfied that there is no material misstatement even then the opinion stated by the auditor should be adverse. Simple reason being that if in future any discrepancy arises then he is in a safe position. Australian Accounting Standards (AAS) states that all the companies and the firms registered in Australia should maintain their books of accounts as per AAS but for some deviations and exceptions mentioned in the standard. Thus if the books are not maintained as per the standards then the auditor should ask the client to prepare the financials again as per the Australian Accounting Standards before he can audit the financials. Thus in the present scenario the auditor should ask the client to make the accounts again. If he does not agree to the same then he should give an adverse opinion stating that the accounts are not as per the standards thus there has been a violation of the Australian Accounting Standards. As per AASB 102 Inventories, the inventories should be valued using FIFO or weighted average method. Thus if any firm is valuing its inventory using LIFO method then they should change its method of valuation of inventory. Therefore in the present scenario the auditor should make the client aware of such a violation and ask to make adequate changes (aasb.gov.au., 2015). Even then if the client does not change the method of valuation then he should give an adverse opinion stating the impact on the financials of the company due to wrong valuation method of inventory adopted by the company. If at the time of audit, the auditor is sure that there is no material misstatement and teh financial statements are prepared in accordance with the Australian Accounting standards, yet he should give an adverse opinion since the clients continuation became questionable before the issue of the audit report because of exit of a major customer. Thus the going concern became questionable. Thus the auditor should ask the client to prepare his accounts on cash basis and state an adverse opinion about the continuity of the business (aasb.gov.au., 2012). References: APESB, (2010), APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, Available at https://www.apesb.org.au/uploads/standards/apesb_standards/standard1.pdf (Accessed 17th January 2017) auasb.gov.au., (2015), Auditing Standard ASA 200 Overall Objectives of the Independent Auditor and the Conduct of an Audit in Accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards, Available at https://www.auasb.gov.au/admin/file/content102/c3/ASA_200_Compiled_2015.pdf (Accessed 17th January 2017) aasb.gov.au., (2015), AASB 102 - Inventories, Available at https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/AASB102_07-15.pdf (Accessed 17th January 2017) aasb.gov.au., (2011), AASB 137 -Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets, Available at https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/AASB137_07-04_COMPoct10_01-11.pdf (Accessed 17th January 2017) aasb.gov.au., (2012), AASB 101- Presentation of Financial Statements, Available at https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/AASB101_09-07_COMPsep11_07-12.pdf (Accessed 17th January 2017) cimaglobal.com., (2015), Ethics code at a glance, Available at https://www.cimaglobal.com/Professionalism/Ethics/CIMAs-code-at-a-glance/ (Accessed 17th January 2017) ethicsboard.org., (2012), Revised Code of Ethics Completed, Available at https://www.ethicsboard.org/projects/revised-code-ethics-completed (Accessed 17th January 2017) icaew.com., (2011), Code of Ethics A., Available at https://www.icaew.com/en/membership/regulations-standards-and-guidance/ethics/code-of-ethics-a (Accessed 17th January 2017) ifac.org., (2006), Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, Available at https://www.ifac.org/system/files/publications/files/ifac-code-of-ethics-for.pdf (Accessed 17th January 2017) ncpa-scribo.com., (2012), CPA Independence When Prior Year Fees Have Not been Paid, Available at https://cpa-scribo.com/cpa-independence-when-prior-year-fees-have-not-been-paid/ (Accessed 10th January 2017)