Ips Cells

Recently, there has been a debate about rather or not laws that govern induced pluripotent stem (IPS) cells differ from those currently in place for human embryonic stem (ES) cells. An IPS cell is created artificially from skin, fat and fibroblasts by reprogramming patient's own cells. Scientists believe IPS cells to be a promising source for treating diseases. An ES cell is created by destroying an embryo. Other scientists think ES cells will also be a promising source because it is composed of your own DNA, so the immune system won't reject the cell.While scientists would agree that the same laws should apply because they believe in finding a cure to diseases, other people would disagree. Some people would say that ES cells are unethical because scientists need a human egg donor, and they must destroy a human embryo. The laws should not be the same for ES cells as they are for IPS cells because the creation for ES cells are unethical. (learn. genetics. utah. edu) â€Å"Abortion is murder in the womb†¦ A child is a gift of God. If you do not want him, give him to me. ~Mother Teresa (gardenias4lina. com) An elementary scientific textbook called â€Å"Basics of Biology† gives five characteristics of living things; these five criteria are found in all modern elementary scientific textbooks: 1. Living things are highly organized. 2. All living things have an ability to acquire materials and energy. 3. All living things have an ability to respond to their environment. 4. All living things have an ability to reproduce. 5. All living things have an ability to adapt.According to this basic definition of life, life begins at fertilization, when a sperm unites with an oocyte. (prolifephysicians. org) Some people may disagree, but if they can teach this to elementary students, then adults, especially scientists should be able to understand. Also, by destroying an embryo, you are destroying a human life; not only destroying the life, but infringing upon the b asic rights. The basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled, often held to include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law.Other people find nothing wrong with destroying an embryo, murdering a human being. They think that from a medical and scientifical stand point, destroying one embryo to possibly cure a disease is worth it. The life they just took, may have found the cure without taking a life. The government spending money on creating ES cells, (which are time consuming, destroy the embryos and need a human egg donor)on something that a lot of people find unethical, and is even against religion is wrong.The United States is supposed to have seperation of state and church, therefore someone's tax dollars should not go towards something that their religion is against. Laws that govern IPS cells should differ from those currently in place for human ES cells. ES cells are unethical, and is against the religion of some people. Also, ES research is just as wrongful and disterbing as abortion. Scientists in the United States are not allowed to impregnate a women, but they are allowed to use â€Å"leftovers† from fertility clinics with the consent from donors.Human embryos are not â€Å"leftovers†, that is like saying the corps of your grandmother are â€Å"leftovers†; just because you took the life before it reached full maturity, doesn't make it a â€Å"leftover†. Abortion is legal for any women regaurdless of her age, and is allowed throughout the first six months of prgnancy, and for almost any reason after the six months as well. America is full of murders. If you were to look at a baby and say that you could kill it for no reason, you are sick!So, why would you do it before the baby gets a chance to live? Using an embryo to save a life does not justify taking a life. An eye for an eye: The notion that for every wrong done there should be a compensating measure of justice. (phrases. org. uk) Someone please find these embryos justice. Do not allow ES research, it is unethical. Citations citizenlink. com gardenias4lina. com learn. genetics. utah. edu phrases. org. uk prolifephysicians. org thefreedictionary. com

Why Nations Fail – Chapter 5 Summary

Levisalles Amaury Georg-August-Universitat Sommer Semester 2012 Gottingen WHY NATIONS FAIL D. ACEMOGLU & J. A. ROBINSON Seminar Paper CHAPTER 5 â€Å"I'VE SEEN THE FUTURE, AND IT WORKS†: GROWTH UNDER EXTRACTIVE INSTITUTIONS What Stalin, King Shyaam, the Neolithic Revolution, and the Maya city-states all had in common and how this explains why China's current economic growth cannot last.Resume of the Key Statements of the Chapter In this chapter, D. Acemoglu and J. A. Robinson explain how growth under extractive institutions is not sustainable in the long term and always leads to the collapse, in one way or another, of these institutions. The title of the chapter, â€Å"I've seen the future and it works†, is a quotation from the autobiography of Lincoln Steffens (1931). He was then speaking about the communist model that he had discovered on a diplomatic mission to Russia. The title of the chapter is of course ironic since it is well known that the Soviet System broke down in 1991.In this chapter the authors tackle different aspects of Extractive Institutions and explain throughout many concrete examples as to why the multiple facets of these institutions lead to the end of them. Extractive politi cal and economical institutions are â€Å"structured to extract resources from the many by the few† and â€Å"concentrate power in the hand of a few, who will then have incentives to maintain and develop these institutions† (page 430). Dictatorship is the best example of an extractive institution as in this case power is concentrated in the hands of very few, if not only the dictator himself.These types of institutions are mostly founded in authoritarianism and totalitarianism political systems (dictatorship being an authoritarianism type of system). The Soviet Model is the first system studied by Acemoglu and Robinson in this chapter. It is indeed one of the best examples in history to observe how growth evolves under extractive institutions and the problems that rise along this type of political and economical system. After coming to power via a massive purge of his opponents, Stalin decided to invest massively in the industry sector through huge government orders, e specially in the military and aeronautical sectors.In order to support all the needs of the workers, he implemented very high taxes on agricultural resources. However, the tax system in Russia at this time was very ineffective. He thus collectivized all the land to form state farms known as Kolkhoz. The incentives of farm workers were therefore much lowered since a large part of their harvests was taken away by the government. This led to a great famine during which six million Russians died (Davies and Wheatcroft, 2004).Even if the collectivization system was a total disaster, the growth in Russia still increased from 6% per year from 1928 to 1960, which at this time was a record. The growth happened through reallocation of labour and capital force. Indeed, the technology used at this 3 time in the country was really obsolete in comparison to Europe or the United States and only removing resources from agricultural to industrial work allowed Russia to benefit from very high growth for several years. However, rapid growth rate is one, if not the only possible achievement under Extractive Institutions.In fact, Russia's extreme growth slowed down from the 1960 and it had totally stopped by 1970. Unsustainable growth is explained by a lack of incentive for creative destruction, that means for technological change. For example, bonuses were given to companies meeting targets set by the government. Therefore, no one was eager to sacrifice resources to invest in future technologies since everyone wanted to reach targets. What is to be considered with the Soviet Model is that growth under Extractive Institutions is high but only in the very short term and that it is not sustainable at all.The lack of creative destruction and true economic incentives are the main factors responsible for it. The second part of the chapter is focused on how Institutional Innovations, e. g. centralization and political establishment, can accomplish some limited economic achievements, and how, in a certain situation, it led to the Neolithic Revolution. In 1620, a man named Shyaam provoked a political revolution and made himself king of the Bushong, an African people located near the river Kasai. On the other side of the river was another, the Lele.Contrary to the first one, they had no government and would live in villages without any real hierarchy (Douglas, 1962/1963 and Vansina, 1978). After his accession to power, King Shyaam implemented a pyramid of political institutions and with it, a tax and a legal system assured by a police and a â€Å"trial by jury† system. The king also decided to reorganize agriculture with the implementation of â€Å"an intensive mixed-farming cycle† (page 135). Thanks to all of this, the Bushong became much more prosperous than their neighbours and the situation is still the same today.Although King Shyaam was taking a large amount of resources from its people, since it was an Extractive Institution, they were still much richer than their nearby residents and were living in a secure state. As for the Natufians, they were considered as the first people to settle and established the bases for the Neolithic Revolution. Around 9600 BC came â€Å"The Long Summer† (Fagan, 2003), which allowed an expanding animal and vegetal population. Thanks to these abundant resources, the Natufians decided to settle down and later on, began farming. This change from a omadic to a sedentary life had been made possible by previous institutional changes.Even though the reasons are still unknown, it has been proved that a hierarchy had been established 4 among the Natufians. Since their group had a leader, they were able to settle and keep on having institutional innovations that were needed to live in a sedentary way. The important fact about the Bushong and the Natufians is that even with a limited amount of institutional innovation, a certain amount of economic prosperity can be reached. However this development is not very high but more importantly, it is not sustainable.The fourth and last society studied by Acemoglu and Robinson is the Maya and their City-States that existed about a thousand years ago. The goal of the authors here is to show us that as Extractive Institutions rise, some people take power and are envied by others. This situation can lead to the replacement of a leader by another but also to the end of a civilization, as it has been the case for the Maya. As the Natufians transitioned to Agriculture, so did the Maya. This agricultural emergence was made possible by the creation of Extractive Institutions.The Maya were in fact an extremely well hierarchically developed society. But since it was controlled by extractive institutions, it meant that a few people would be exploiting a large number and these inequalities always generate jealousy. The city-states were very prosperous and trade was very important at the time, however, lots of them would be at war against one anot her. And when it wasn't the cities that were at war, it would be the elites of a city that would fight each other for power. This situation of elite warfare was all the more the case when the king (k'uhul ajaw) of a city would die.At some point, in the city of Quirigua, when the last king died, the population simply deserted the city and the let it be invaded by the jungle. The main point to be remembered from the Mayan example is that when it is not the economic situation that kills extractive institutions, it is its political system. Because such a model makes lots of people envious, self-destruction by citizens from the same city or war between cities is ineluctable. We can therefore keep in mind that Extractive Institutions are able to achieve more or less high and rapid growth.However, this growth is unsustainable and sometimes very limited, mainly because of a lack of creative destruction and technological progress. This is mainly due to the resistance opposed by the Elite and the Government that fear these changes. Another feature of extractive institutions is that great inequalities among people arise since the state extracts much of the created wealth. Political instability is the last important aspect of these institutions as the position of elite is much envied by others. 5 Description of the Original Researches used By The AuthorsIn this second part, we will have a look at the original papers that the authors used to write their book and discuss them. The first case of the chapter, the Soviet Model, is based on three main books and on numbers and a quotation coming from 4 others. We shall here examine mainly the three principal writings used by the authors in their book. The first important paper is written by Joseph S. Berliner and is entitled â€Å"The Innovation Decision in Soviet Industry†. In this book, J. Berliner explains the process of innovation under the Soviet Model and how decisions about it are being taken.He provides an explana tion of how the economy under the Communist System works but above all, he focuses on the features that are being taken into account to decide the innovations that are to be implemented. What is to be understood as innovation in the Soviet Union is â€Å"whenever any enterprise introduces a product or process that has never been employed before†. As D. Acemoglu and J. A. Robinson point out in their book, the innovation system is more than inefficient. Indeed, the soviet economy is based on â€Å"the production of established products by mean of established processes† and therefore, innovation is not very conceivable.The second text is from Gregory and Harrison and deals with how the economy worked and how it was planned under Stalin's dictatorship. Following the opening of the economic archives under Stalin's era, it has been found that the system was extremely centralized. Even if power was delegated, all the decision makers feared repression from their superior in ca se of a bad choice. In the end, Stalin was making an incredible amount of decisions and everything was controlled from the very top, making the system inaccurate.We also learn that the communist control over the market, that should have replaced the invisible hand in a market-friendly economy, was totally inefficient. The central planning as Acemoglu and Robinson mention wasn't able to introduce true incentives because the whole market was built on government command and this is not sustainable in the long term as we saw when the Soviet Union fell. The last document used is a review by Levy and Peart of all the theories that had been made about the Soviet economic growth and how everyone was more or less way too overconfident about it.Like Samuelson (1948-1980), some Americans economists had predicted that the Soviet Union's economy was to overpass the United State's one. Indeed, when we    6 take a look at the consumption of the two countries, their part of investment of the GNP and their growth at the time, we could think that the US economy should have been overtaken by the Soviet's in a few years. However, the Soviet GNP was at the beginning only 60% of America's. More importantly, the Soviet investments were focused essentially on the military and the aeronautical sector. Therefore, the communist economy was not diversified at all, that is to say, not sustainable.For the second part of the chapter, we will have a look over three of the texts used in the studied chapter. As we can read in an abstract of Vansina's study about the Kuba kingdom, it is impossible to know the exact reasons that led a man to unite the Kuba people under his leadership. But what is sure is that King Shyaam a-Mbul a Ngoong, Shyaam â€Å"the Great†, has left an incredible legacy to its people. By creating a political, economical and social life, he simply allowed the Bushong people, one of the Kuba tribe, to have a prosperous and secured life compared to the other tribes.Th e reason why it is the Bushong and not the Lele, the Pende or another people that has benefited from these innovations is however unknown since there is no writing about it and the only memories that subsist are through oral histories. As Acemoglu and Robinson have written, Shyaam has revolutionized the culture of its people through the implementation of an agricultural cycle based on cultivating different crops in the course of the year. He also brought to its people a developed government built on justice, merit and loyalty.It is therefore proved that the institutional innovations led to a great development of the Bushong over the years, even if it was limited because of the Belgian colonization at the end of the 19th century. The second paper is about â€Å"The Emergence of Agriculture† and how we know that agriculture was developed after settling and not before. In his paper, Bruce D. Smith explains that agriculture did not appear in one day but in more or less 2 000 year s. Indeed, through archaeological researches, it has been proved that the plants cultivated 8 000 years ago were selected and had already been sorted.As we read in Acemoglu and Robinson's book, the Natufians had first selected the good crops and had then cultivated them. But in order to select them, the Natufians had to be settled, which proves that agriculture came after settlement. And with the rise of agriculture came other sciences such as math, astronomy or engineering that allowed the farmers to establish a calendar or effective irrigation system. The third book, which also confirms Smith's work is entitled â€Å"Village on the Euphrates: From Foraging to Farming at Abu Hureyra†. In this book, the authors take the village of Abu Hureyra as an example.This village was inhabited by Natufians from 11 500 B. C to 7 000 B. C and on the    7 archaeological site, scientists have found prior evidence that agriculture came after sedentarisation. Indeed, in the part of the vill age dating from more than approximately 9 000 years ago, bones of local hunted animals such as Persian gazelles have been found along with crops of wild vegetations. On the contrary, in the part of the village that existed after 9 000 B. C, bones of domesticated animals and plants have been found. This confirms once more the fact that agriculture appeared after settlement.For the third and last part of the studied chapter, we will take a look at two of the books used. The first one, â€Å"Chronicle of the Maya King and Queens: Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya†, is a great description of the complex hierarchy that ruled the Mayan empire for several centuries. The book explains the story of all the different dynasties that existed throughout the Mayan empire and how the cities made alliances in order to create kingdoms and then fought between each other in order to control the largest possible part of the Mayan empire.As we read in Acemoglu and Robinson's work, the wars between the Maya city-states played a big role in the collapse of its empire. In the second text, â€Å"The Fall of the Ancient Maya†, the reasons for the collapse of the Mayan empire are more deeply studied. One of the trigger factors of it was the long-lasting droughts that would sometimes occur for several months and which would severely weaken the populations. Another reason is that the King, who also occupied the function of high priest at the time, was responsible for all the sacrifices that were supposed to bring rain, good harvest and prosperity to the city.But this wouldn't always work and as we read in the fifth chapter. In the city of Copan for example, the king was overthrown and later on, the city abandoned. One of the reasons that Copan's king wasn't able to provide enough food for all its inhabitants is that the population was growing over time and the farming surface was diminishing. This made it impossible for all the people of Copan to be fed. This sit uation was not only observed in Copan but all over the Mayan empire. However, what seems to be the main reason for the Mayan collapse is the constant warfare that would occur between cities and even among them.It was believed, at the time, that the sacrifices that kings had to do to bring rain, food and richness, had to be from royal blood. That means that cities were not only fighting against each other in order to enlarge their kingdoms but also to capture the elites from other cities and ransack them to take all the precious resources and offer them as sacrifices to the gods. Therefore, lots of cities would find themselves without any government and thereafter, the elites would fight against each other to take the throne and the cities would be abandoned in the end. 8Opposition to the Theories of Acemoglu and Robinson For this third part of the seminar paper, we will use reviews from several writers and newspapers about â€Å"Why Nations Fail†. The first one is a review by Francis Fukuyama about the book but more precisely about the notions of extractive institutions and conversely, inclusive institutions. In his article, Fukuyama explains why he disagrees with Acemoglu and Robinson's theory about the â€Å"more inclusive, more growth† phenomenon. He criticizes the fact that Acemoglu and Robinson do not give a precise definition of extractive and inclusive institutions.Since these two opposed government systems are not well defined, it allows the authors to give the benefit of growth to the inclusive institutions and on the contrary, to blame the extractive institutions for the absence of growth. He puts forward the argument that nowadays, each government is a mix of extractive and inclusive institutions and it is therefore extremely difficult to precisely attribute the wealth or the poorness of a country to one of the two types of politico-economic systems.He also disapproves of the fact that inclusive institutions are called so as soon as th e people are able to have a role in the political life of the country, even if very limited. He takes England in the late 17th Century, as an example. He explains that it is absurd to call it an inclusive state since only 10% of the population could vote at the time. For him, an inclusive institution should be defined as such, if it is like a modern day democracy, among many other things.He regrets that the Potosi Mita of the Conquistador's America, the Caribbean's Sugar Plantation, the Argentinean’s Ranchers and today's Communist China are all put in the same category. As a counter argument against â€Å"more inclusive, more growth†, he takes the example of India today, which is considered as the biggest democratic republic in the world. The problem in India, as Fukuyama writes, is that the inclusive institutions are too inclusive. The problem with it is that the government is unable to make any important decision about â€Å"major infrastructure projects because of all the lawsuits and the protests†.We therefore see that an excess of inclusion makes the inclusive state inaccurate, as is exactly the same case with an extractive institution. With the explanation of the Roman Empire System, Fukuyama shows us an example of a stable politico-economic institution and his disagreement with â€Å"Why Nations Fail† 9 concerning extractive institutions. The changeover from an oligarchy to a monarchy brought a political stability to the Roman Empire that enabled it to become one of the biggest nations that ever existed. Furthermore, this change allowed the citizens to take part in political life.Even though the Roman Empire ultimately collapsed, it was the wealthiest country in the world for more than two centuries. Fukuyama here is sceptical about the global model developed by Acemoglu and Robinson. He thus disagrees that Extractive Institutions are always a source of political and economical instability. In the end, we can say that even if Fukuyama disagrees with a certain number of Acemoglu and Robinson's arguments, they all agree on the fact that the key to success, and therefore growth, is a mix of inclusive and extractive politics and economics.The second article that we shall study here is written by Matthew Yglesias. In his review, Yglesias asks himself why it is that some of the biggest differences of income exist between countries in the third world and developed countries. He wonders why citizens from Ethiopia earn ten times less than ones from Colombia where as at the same time, citizens from Colombia earn only four times less than ones from Sweden. According to Yglesias, a â€Å"wellexecuted programme of growth under extractive institutions would solve some of the world's severe problems†.He explains, in a later article, that Communism is the key to explaining differences of wealth in countries that are governed by extractive institutions. It is for him the reason why East Germany was much poorer th an West Germany, China than Taiwan or even North Korea and South Korea. We can therefore say that Yglesias is not in disagreement with Acemoglu and Robinson's theories but thinks that the comparisons should not occur between extractive and inclusive institutions but between extractive institutions themselves.The last article we will see is a review by The Economist about the book â€Å"Why Nations Fail† and the question of the elites. According to Buttonwood, Extractive Elites exist within inclusive institutions. He says that the financial system is one of them. They are being criticized because they take a considerable amount of resources and therefore prevent these resources being allocated to others sectors in which innovations could be made. As banks are the institutions that lend money to entrepreneurs to create new businesses, they have the power of decision about the creation of start-ups, which is to say, new ideas and innovations.If banks would lend the money each ti me, they would be fully considered as inclusive institutions, however, this is not the case. The principal purpose of a bank is to be profitable    10 and make the most amount of money possible. Therefore, they don't want to lend money each time and are seen in this way as extractive institutions as they will only give the money to concrete and profitable businesses. Another problem of the inclusive institutions is the social policies applied by some countries; employees from the public sector prefer keeping their secure jobs rather than creating or joining a new business.These employees do not only want to be sure to keep their jobs but also want to continue enjoying the many advantages that civil servants are given. This, in a way, is a form of non-creative destruction, or at least, non-innovation. It is of course a perversity of the social aids created by governments of inclusive institutions. However, it is a form of resistance to creative destruction, which is a core feature of extractive institutions. The Public Sector is therefore, along with the financial Sector, a kind of extractive elite.However, the article in The Economist explains well that the extraction of the Elite among inclusive institutions is limited and cannot be regarded as totally extractive. 11 Personal Point Of View For the last part of this review of the fifth chapter of â€Å"Why Nations Fail†, I will give my thoughts about the points that have been discussed previously in the essay and that are tackled in the chapter. With the first example that Acemoglu and Robinson develop in this chapter, they show us how the lack of innovation is a main feature of Extractive Institutions' failure.This lack of innovation is mainly due to the resistance of the Elite and a Government that fears being overthrown by the people, as they will be willing to keep the profits of their innovations. On this point, I totally agree with the argument, however, as we have seen with the Soviet Model, th at for more than 30 years they have been able to extract the best of what was available. That is to say that without, or with only very few technological innovations, the Soviet Union has been able to maintain a 6% growth rate per year.This is somewhat incredible since America, at the same time, could not do better even though they were benefiting from technological change. I think that what is to be learned here is that in general, and even more in today’s world, we do not use what we have to its full capacity. By this I mean that as soon as we create a new tool or a new technology, we get rid of it before having used all of its facets. And the advantage, maybe the only one, of a totalitarianism state is that it obliges the people to work with what they have and therefore, use their tools to the optimum. I don't want to be taken for an extremist here.I am not at all in favour of a totalitarian or an authoritarian system; I just think that the best of every system should be t aken, as there is something good within each one. In this case, it is the optimum and full use of the present technologies before moving on to other things. As we see with the second example, a certain degree of institutional innovations may bring a certain degree of growth. With the institutional innovations come also economic, social and political improvements. I think that what is to be considered with King Shyaam is that with a certain degree of rigidity, growth is enabled.Therefore, I would say, following Yglesias' point of view, that with a certain degree of extraction, when well executed, a certain amount of growth and achievements could be reached. I think that even if in the long term, extractive institutions are not good and viable, it can be a good way to start or to re-launch an 12 economy. Even if this is very difficult to achieve, I think that having extractive institutions at the beginning and then moving on towards more inclusive ones might be very good for the econo my of a nation.As Fukuyama describes with the Roman Empire, the System was clearly extractive since the power was in the hands of the emperor. However, citizens had much more possibility to take part in the political life of their cites and they had true incentives to work since they could make their fortunes, but above all, they could keep these fortunes. They would have to pay taxes but the notion of private property was real and if someone was trying hard to succeed, he could do so.The result was that the Roman Empire stood for more than 200 years and is considered as one of the biggest that has ever existed. A certain degree of political extraction can therefore definitely be good for a nation's growth. We can see, today, that the political parties are more often trying to destroy the other parties' ideas than trying to cooperate with them and find the best compromises. It is here that a certain degree of extractive politics could be good and could help countries take big decisi ons more quickly.I would like to finish here with the case of China. Acemoglu and Robinson are convinced that China will inevitably collapse, just like the Soviet Union did. I think that this might not be the case for four reasons. My first point is the difference that exists between China and the former Soviet Union. On the other hqnd, we know much more about China than we knew about USSR. What I mean here is that we know that China has a considerable fortune and that they are not spending money that they don't have, which was the case with Soviet Union.There is a much stronger transparency with China's economy than there was with Stalin's government. My second argument is that the economical situation from today is not the same at all compared to that of the twentieth century. And we have seen that even with the global economic crisis that occurred in 2008, China has succeeded in maintaining a growth rate of more than 8% and an average growth of 10% over the past three decades, wh ich is much more than USSR even though USSR's GDP was bigger than China's today.My third point is that China is opening its economy more and more; it is gradually moving towards an inclusive economy. China is for technological change and creative destruction. Since approximately a decade, China has opened itself to foreign investments and Shanghai is now sometimes considered as the future â€Å"New York†. Even if this economical change is very limited and extremely controlled by the government (any foreign company that wishes to establish itself in China must create a joint venture with a Chinese company),    13 changes are happening.We cannot therefore say that China is against creative destruction; it is just that it is an authoritarian country and changes cannot happen in one day. My last point is about the political power in China and the liberty of the people. It is, I believe, the only reason that might someday put an end to the Chinese regime. Even if the people who disagree with the Chinese government are very badly treated, they are still much more considerate than before thanks to the international relations that China maintains with other countries.That is to say, China cares more than before about how other countries view it. However, the People's Republic of China is still extremely repressing its dissidents. The population in China is step by step, gaining some freedom even if they are still very oppressed by the regime. In the last few years, the situation with Chinese workers has evolved and their wages or working conditions have considerably changed, especially after the suicide wave that touched the country in 2010.In the end, I would conclude by saying that China, if it succeeds in following its transition little by little to a more inclusive economy and moreover to a more inclusive political system, even if not reaching the point of a democracy, might not collapse as lots of economists are predicting today.

Debate Around Freedom Of Speech - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 652 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/05/13 Category Law Essay Level High school Tags: Freedom of Speech Essay Did you like this example? The idea of freedom of speech in an equal world makes perfect sense. But its not equal. We live in a diverse society where people of marginalized backgrounds are born disadvantaged because of their race, gender, class, sexuality, disability, etc. The problem with the freedom of speech debate is that its not actually about freedom of speech. When we look at many of the arguments for free speech today, especially around social media and posting online, many of those in defense of this amendment are in positions of privilege who have experienced little to no harassment in their lives. Theres a reason why online harassment disproportionately targets people of marginalized backgrounds. This trend is pointing to something more than just a freedom of speech issue. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Debate Around Freedom Of Speech" essay for you Create order Leslie Jones was attacked and threatened on Twitter with racist and misogynist comments after filming Ghostbusters with an all-female cast. These trolls argued that they were practicing their right to free speech. However, freedom of speech and hate speech are two different things. Hate speech is a form of oppression, and we should recognize when people use the free speech argument to defend it. Oppressive language against marginalized groups does the exact opposite of encouraging free speech. Its a silencing tactic. It actually limits the speech of people of marginalized groups. After the online harassment, Leslie Jones temporarily left Twitter. When her supporters criticized the tweets as abuse, trolls defended their right to free speech and encouraged them to get off the internet if you cant handle it. Whos free speech is really being threatened here? Look at what happens when marginalized groups do exercise free speech today. They get shut down with all lives matter or fired from the NFL for kneeling during the anthem or criticized for being too politically correct. Political correctness isnt about over-sensitive people with hurt feelings and oppressive language has bigger consequences than just offending someone. We should look at the bigger picture. The freedom of speech debate is actually about inclusivity. Society has normalized the views of people in positions of privilege. Lets not forget that the people who wrote the constitution and the English language were white men. So whats considered standard today doesnt actually include the views of marginalized people. When we start including their opinions and de-standardizing what has largely been the white male perspective, its often met with resistance and then cloaked behind the freedom of speech argument. When James Damore wrote a memo about women being biologically unfit to work in tech, Google fired him. He then sued Google, stating that its diversity policies discriminate against conservatives and that his firing was retaliatory. The workplace certainly complicates the free speech issue because while were encouraged to speak up, we dont necessarily have the choice to just remove ourselves from a harassment situation. On top of that, we likely have to see and interact with the same people everyday. Google and other companies make it an obligation to protect its employers from hostile work environments, so what we say at work has more serious consequences. But lets make it clear that Damore wasnt fired for his ideological views or for being a conservative. He was fired because his memo created a un-welcoming work environment for women, especially those he directly worked with. His statements about women were plain false, even denounced by scientists, and perpetuated gender stereotypes. Damore and supporters framed his firing as a limitation of free speech. In principle, freedom of speech is very well-intentioned. Diverse opinions and free expression no doubt have benefits to society. But lets look at each issue with a lens thats cognizant that we live in an unequal society and that the defense for free speech is being used to silence others. Changing our speech to be more inclusive, such as eliminating oppressive language, is not an attack on the 1st amendment. Its a step towards inclusion and equality.

Structure Configuration And Complexity - 907 Words

Structure: Configuration and Complexity Configuration Configuration (Burton, et al, 2011) of a firm is also commonly referred to as structure or architecture. It is frequently expressed and displayed in the form of an organizational chart. When a firm contemplates the structure, it usually isn’t from scratch, but a realignment or reorganization. When these things are considered, there are two major issues that must be considered in order to effectively form or reform the structure of the organization. how to partition a big task of the whole environment into smaller basic tasks of the subunits, and how to coordinate these smaller subunit tasks efficiently to achieve organizational goals. Configuration is determined by evaluating: Product/Service/Customer Orientation – Low or High Functional Specialization – Low or High The standards are: Simple – low functional specialization, low product/service/customer orientation Functional – high functional specialization, low product/service/customer orientation Divisional – low functional specialization, high product/service/customer orientation Matrix – high functional specialization, high product/service/customer orientation; this structure requires high information processing capacity to achieve efficiency and effectiveness In the case of PricewaterhouseCoopers Public Sector Practice (PwC PSP), we have a matrix configuration, which has features of both a functional hierarchy and a division hierarchy. In this type ofShow MoreRelatedComplexity Is Defined By The American Heritage Dictionary1438 Words   |  6 PagesComplexity is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary as the state or condition of being intricate or complex. Something that is complex is further defined as a configuration consisting of interconnected or interwoven parts that are complicated. Complicated is then defined as that which is difficult to understand or analyze. And finally by definition, to understand means to know through experience and comprehend the nature, significance or intended meaning within a causal framework. It isRead MoreAddressing Scenario752 Words   |  4 Pagesclass had a different maximum number of nodes. To overcome these issues and to improve flexibility for public ISPs to allocate many small networks to their customers, Classless Inter-Domain Routing evolved. CIDR creates a hierarchical addressing structure by breaking the network address into CIDR blocks, which are identified by the leading bit string, similar to the classful addressing just described. To understand the importance of DNS and how it functions within a Window Server 2008 networkingRead MoreChange Detection Essay848 Words   |  4 Pagescalculated and the amount and rate of change for each land cover classes analyzed. However, this cannot tell us further information about the process, pattern and structure or configuration and composition of urban sprawl. Therefore, the use of additional methods like spatial metrics is necessary to measure urban sprawl patterns and structures. 3.2.5 Reclassification This is a processes appropriate for spatial metric system to measure urban sprawl in FRAGSTATS. It is necessary to reclassify the classRead MoreDrupal Coding Standards Essay738 Words   |  3 Pagesseparate and devoted issues as well as patches. 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The fast pace of IoT development has produced a perplexing variety of device configurations, each with their own attributes, data structures, and particularitiesRead MoreWhat Is The Diffusion Synchronization Protocol957 Words   |  4 Pages†¢ Mini Sync It’s an extension of Tiny-Sync it finds the optimal solution with increas- ing complexity. The idea is to prevent the algorithm being used by some data points has come to give strict limits and only discards a data point if it is certain that this point will be useless.it has larger computational and storage costs, but increased precision. F. Time-Diffusion Synchronization Protocol This protocol proposed by Weilian Su and Ian F. Akyildiz [11] in 2005. In TDP, nodes agree on network-wideRead MoreEssay On Numerical Modeling Of Urban Flow923 Words   |  4 Pagesand air quality in urban environments. However, the complexity of real-world processes limits current numerical models to certain simplifications and assumptions. These assumptions, and their validity for the accurate representation of urban microclimate, depend on the \textit{parameters} and \textit{scale of interest}. In the \textit{microscale}, one of the common simplifications in modeling is regarding the urban morphology: idealized configuration of 2D or 3D street canyons are often used to representRead MoreQualities Of A Great Team And Look At Two Management Approaches1554 Words   |  7 PagesToday’s world is a complex web of connections and interdependencies. This complexity has also found its way on projects and management has had to respond to these new challenges by developing new appro aches to project management and team leadership. In this guide, we’ll look at what complex projects are about and why they are becoming increasingly common in today’s world. We’ll explore one of the best ways to manage a complex project by focusing on the team. We’ll discuss the qualities of a greatRead MoreThe Distributed Energy System ( Des )774 Words   |  4 Pagesdesign and management of DES, that could maximize the economic and efficient saving benefits, is still a complex and challenge task. In order to meet end-users’ energy demands, the DES design requires a reasonable determination of system structure and configuration by selecting appropriate equipment including their capacities and number. On the other hand, the optimal management of DES is demanded, and therefore, the operating strategies including operation status and load allocation of equipment needRead MoreTen Schools of Thoughts of Strategic Management1641 Words   |  7 Pagesclear plans or visions. Hence strategies must emerge in small steps, as an organization adapts, or learns . Basis: Education, learning theory. In short: Learn! If at first you dont succeed, try again. Contributions: Offers a solution to deal with complexity and unpredictability in strategy formation. More people can learn than just the leader. No need for omnipotent leader. Can be combined with the emergent view. Strong in complex conditions with continuous change. Strong in professional organizations

South Afric A Long And Bloody History - 1490 Words

Where the warm waters of the Indian Ocean meet the subtropical shoreline of South Africa’s eastern coast lies the Dhlinza Forest. Under the cool shade of the arching canopy, the stillness and stifling silence imparts a feeling of serenity: even its name alludes to this, meaning place of grave meditation in the Zulu language. Despite this apparent lifelessness, it is considered one of the greatest examples of unique biodiversity in all of southern Africa. Within the towering trees, under crackling leaf-beds and between the broken boulders live hundreds of species of animal, including rare and endangered birds, insects and reptiles. On the very edge of the Dhlinza forest lies the semi-rural town of Eshowe, named for the sound of the wind†¦show more content†¦He stretches; pushing the night-time stiffness from his muscles, and takes a moment of reflection to look around the bedroom he shares with his mother. The faded pastel wallpaper is peeling, revealing the gritty whi tewash that lies behind it. The single pane of glass in the window is covered in a network of hairline-cracks, like the web of some inverse spider. Absentmindedly, he aims a half-hearted kick at his prized football while he tries to recall his routine, but stops his foot just short of the ball’s bruised surface. Sibusiso’s insides feel like he has swallowed a lead weight, but he grits his teeth and gets his morning started. He bends down and snatches his crumpled white shirt and his dirty-grey trousers with the worn-out knees. He pulls them on and brushes the most visible grime off his front. There is a slightly misshapen ochre jug sitting by the door, filled with water the colour of river-mud. His mother must have drawn it from the well before heading out to her first job. He washes his face with the brackish water, not certain if all he is doing is spreading the dirt around more evenly. Eventually satisfied, he makes his way into the other room of the house, in searc h of breakfast. A hopeful investigation of the cupboards reveals nothing but stale air. Sibusiso shrugs. It’s just going to be one of those days. He loads his dog-eared textbooks into his ratty schoolbag. Eying the splitting seams, he makes a mental note to reinforce them somehow.

Threat and Safe Guard of an Accountants Interest-Free-Samples

Question: Discuss about the Threat and Safe Guard of an Accountants Interest. Answer: Introduction IESBA's (IFAC's) Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants gives an applied structure that requires an expert bookkeeper to distinguish, assess, and deliver dangers to consistence with the essential standards. The theoretical structure approach should help proficient bookkeepers to agree to the moral necessities of the IESBA Code, and to serve the general population intrigue (Ferrell and Fraedrich, 2015). Direction is given in a few zones: the recognizable proof of dangers; the assessment of the noteworthiness of those dangers; and the utilization of shields that may serve to decrease dangers to a worthy level. What's more there are conditions in which shields can't lessen a danger to a satisfactory level, and direction is given on this too. Every one of these focuses is examined beneath (Turley ,2015). Discussion The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants Consultative Advisory Group (CAG) is involved agents of controllers and business and universal associations who are occupied with the advancement of brilliant worldwide moral gauges. Through dynamic conference, the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants gets important open intrigue contribution on its plan, venture timetable, needs, and specialized issues. The IESBA Code of Ethics expects bookkeepers to stick to five basic standards: IntegrityAn expert bookkeeper ought to be direct and fair in performing proficient administrations. Objectivity of the paper is that an expert bookkeeper ought not to permit predisposition, irreconcilable situation or undue impact of others to supersede proficient or business judgments. Professional Competence and Due Care is that an expert bookkeeper has a proceeding with obligation to keep up proficient information and aptitude at the level required to guarantee that a customer or manager gets skilled expert administration in light of current advancements (West, 2018). An expert bookkeeper should act tenaciously and as per pertinent specialized and expert principles while giving proficient administrations. Confidentiality is maintained by an expert bookkeeper should regard the classification of data procured because of expert and business connections and ought not unveil any such data to outsiders witho ut legitimate and particular specialist unless there is a lawful or expert right or obligation to uncover. Classified data gained because of expert and business connections ought not be utilized for the individual preferred standpoint of the expert bookkeeper or outsiders. Professional Behavior is that an expert bookkeeper ought to conform to applicable laws and directions and ought to keep away from any activity that ruins the calling. A firm is financially dependent on a particular client Type of threat: The conceptual framework for IESBA dictates that the financial self-interest of the firm is being threatened to the independence of the existence of the particular firm. Evaluation of the potential consequences: At the point when the firm is found dependent it draws its expenses from an agreement and talks to an expansive extent of aggregate firm charges. The reliance on a customer and the tension about losing the work makes an inherent threat to dependence if the fees from that attest engagement is large portion of total firm fees. Similar situation arises when fees from a single client contributes to large proportion of the revenue from a particular partners business book (Ferrell and Fraedrich, 2015). There might be other cases also where the excessive fees are being charged inappropriately in response to the report which the client might want to compensate the biased auditor. The Various safeguards: Normally the fees that is collected from the audit client, if higher than the proportion of fees from the other clients constituting the larger portion then the safeguards which are recommended are Firstly The firm need to reduce the portion of dependence of that particular client. Secondly the firm should also give proper attention on the quality control reviewing the engagement with the client internally as well as externally. At the last it should consult a third party and take certain key audit judgments from them. The firm, its partners or staffs have a financial interest on the audit client Type of threat: The type of threat that the above situation creates is the undue influence of partners and staffs which is a threat to the firms existence. Hereby a threat to the code of conduct of the financial institution is substantially formed (Warren and Jones, 2018). Evaluation of the potential consequences: The consequences of this can be a threat to the financial existence of the firm as financial interest in the audit client can lead to misinterpretation fraud as well as misconduct of the code of ethics that is followed by the IESBA guidelines. This in appropriation can cause the dependence of the firm on its staff and other partners in case of any misconduct. The section includes audit engagements as well as review engagements of the clients books of accounts and financial statements, which will at times be manipulated by the client with the help of the partners and other staffs who have influence on the client. Recommendation of the various safeguards: To avoid the above circumstances, certain steps are recommended which will reduce or at times abolish such undue influences of the staffs or partners on the client. The internal and external quality control should be reviewed so that the management of the firm is proper. Key judgment should be attend from a third party on the check of the relationship between the client and the members of the audit farm The firm authority focusing on the significance of moral conduct and desire that individuals from bear witness to engagement groups act in people in general interest. There are family ties with the client and the firm Type of threat: The type of threat that is created for the firm is the threat of misinterpretation by the associated close relatives. The threat may or may not happen but there are always chances of such misinterpretation due to close relationship (Botzem, and Quack, 2015). Evaluation of the potential consequences: The consequences of such family ties or close relationships can be drastic at times. With relationship knots the company carries with itself a threat of biasness or undue influence of such family members on the ethical code of conduct of the accounting firm. This may lead to misinterpretation of the book of accounts which if recognized can prove to be a contempt towards the ethical code of conduct that is followed by the accounting firm while dealing with the regular work of the business enterprise. Recommendation of the various safeguards: Safeguards that can be recommended to avoid the undue influence of the clients family members or family members of the partners and the staffs of the firm, certain recommendation can be made. The firms have to take proper attention and control over the external quality reviewing the engagement of its staffs with the clients (Schipper, 2003) . Nonmember or non-staff individuals should be avoided to influence the code of conduct of the firm. Training should be provided with timely communication to all the staffs and policies should be made clear to them. The firm has been external auditors of the clients for many years Type of threat: The threat that is imposed in the above text is the familiarity threat, due to the closeness in relationship between the client and the firms a sense of sympathy grow while accepting work. This threat is found to be a threat towards the firms stability. Evaluation of the potential consequences: The audit firm when engaged in close relationship with the client, it can hinder the self-interest of the firm as familiarity threat is created in which the members of the firm may not be that sufficient to stay professional without showing any sympathy to the client. The similarity of the clients gets considered and there is a influence of those clients on the preparation of the financial statement which can possess a threat towards the existence of ethical code of conduct of the firm (Benston, Bromwich and Wagenhofer, 2006). Recommendation of the various safeguards: Few recommendation can be made to avoid the familiarity threats, some of them are The firm should have approaches and methods to actualize and screen quality control of engagements. The firm should have strategies and methodology that will empower the distinguishing proof of interest or connection between the firm or individuals from engagement group and customers. The firm should have techniques to screen and if vital, deal with the dependence on income from a solitary customer. Providing non audit service to audit clients Type of threat: The threat which is created by the above situation is both self-review threat and self-interest threat. Evaluation of the potential consequences: The audit firm which is giving or providing non audit administrations to review customers may create a self-survey or self-review threat. The risk that the situation brings in light if the fact that the service provided may influence exchanges recorded in the money related books of accounts on which the auditor should then express a conclusion (Barth, Beaver and Landsman, 2016) . In the same way the evaluator should express the self-intrigue danger created by the salary which the audit firm receives from the providence of non-audit work to the client (Holthausen, 2013). Accessing the hugeness of the dangers made could incorporate however they are not constrained to the thinking materiality of any adjusts, exchanges or revelations effected by the administration gave. The level of expense that is changed for giving such services can influence the ethical code of conduct of the firm. Recommendation of the various safeguards: Few recommendation to improve the presence of undue influence of clients by providing them the services other than the main services that the firms provide can be kept in check by making certain changes, some of them are: The firm should utilize diverse accomplishment and engagement groups with isolated revealing lines for the arrangement of the non-confirmation administrations to an affirmation customer. Certain approaches in systems should be implemented to disallow people who are individuals from an engagement group from improperly impacting the result of engagement. A disciplinary instrument should be set up to advance consistence with strategy and methodology. Conclusion Request containing requirements on ethics are a normal component of THE ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT OF ACCOUNTANTS and candidates should take after the particular substance and exam framework demonstrates gave in this article enhance their cognizance of this zone of the syllabus. In particular, answers should mimic the hypothetical structure approach to manage ethics by recognizing and illuminating the sorts of peril appear in a circumstance, evaluating the level of tremendousness of the hazard, and perceiving fitting insurances. In circumstances where risks can't be eased by the use of shields and an engagement be declined or pulled once again from, the technique for thinking for this should be doubtlessly elucidated. References Barth, M.E., Beaver, W.H. and Landsman, W.R., 2016. The relevance of the value relevance literature for financial accounting standard setting: another view.Journal of accounting and economics,31(1-3), pp.77-104. Benston, G.J., Bromwich, M. and Wagenhofer, A., 2006. Principles?versus rules?based accounting standards: the FASB's standard setting strategy.Abacus,42(2), pp.165-188. Botzem, S. and Quack, S., 2015. Contested rules and shifting boundaries: International standard-setting in accounting. Ferrell, O.C. and Fraedrich, J., 2015.Business ethics: Ethical decision making cases. Nelson Education. Holthausen, R.W., 2013. Testing the relative power of accounting standards versus incentives and other institutional features to influence the outcome of financial reporting in an international setting.Journal of Accounting and Economics,36(1), pp.271-283. Schipper, K., 2003. Principles-based accounting standards.Accounting horizons,17(1), pp.61-72. Turley, S., 2015. Developments in the framework of auditing regulation in the United Kingdom. InAuditing, Trust and Governance(pp. 223-240). Routledge. Warren, C.S. and Jones, J., 2018.Corporate financial accounting. Cengage Learning. Watts, R.L. and Zimmerman, J.L., 1978. Towards a positive theory of the determination of accounting standards.Accounting review, pp.112-134. West, A., 2018. After virtue and accounting ethics.Journal of Business Ethics,148(1), pp.21-36.

Zen Buddhism Essays - Yogacara, Buddhism, Mahayana, Nondualism, Zen

Zen Buddhism Buddhism's trek through history, politics, and America Zen, or Zenno (as it is known by the Japanese word from which it derives), is the most common form of Buddhism practiced in the world today. All types of people from intellectuals to celebrities refer to themselves as Buddhist, but despite its popularity today in America, it has had a long history throughout the world. "Here none think of wealth or fame, All talk of right and wrong is quelled. In Autumn I rake the leaf-banked stream, In spring attend the nightingale. Who dares approach the lion's Mountain cave? Cold, robust, A Zen-person through and through, I let the spring breeze enter at the gate." -Daigu (1584-1669, Rinzai) (DailyZen) Zen Buddhism's history begins where Buddhism's history began. It originated on the continent of Asia around 500 B.C.. The founder of Buddhism; Gotama Siddhattha, a former price in what is now known as India, is known as "The Buddha," which roughly translates to " one who is awake" (Merit 102). "At the age of twenty-nine, deeply troubled by the suffering he saw around him, he renounced his privileged life to seek understanding. After six years of struggling as an ascetic he finally achieved enlightenment at age thirty-five" (DailyZen). In 475 A.D. a Buddhist teacher, Bodhidharma, traveled to China and introduced the teachings of Buddha there. In China Buddhism mixed with Taoism, and the result was the Ch'an School of Buddhism, and from there Ch'an spread to Japan where it is called Zen Buddhism (DailyZen). The Buddhist Religion has always been passed down from teacher to student, and through the use of books and sacred works such as the Malind-panha, Pali Tipitaka, and the Pitaka series (Merit 102). These books and teachers taught students of the religion the philosophies of the practice. They taught of Satori, or enlightenment, which is the main goal of the Zen Buddhist, which is to achieve peace of mind despite external turmoil ( Archer ninety-six). One way to reach enlightenment is through meditation. Zaren is sitting in meditative absorption as the shortest yet most steep way to reaching enlightenment (Zen 233). The Buddhists stressed the fact that existence is painful. They believed that suffering was a result of false human attachments to things that were impertinent, "including the attachment to the false notion of self or 'I'(DailyZen)." They said that, " the conditions that make an individual are precisely those that also give rise to suffering. Individuality involves limitation; limitation ends in suffering (Buddhism eighty-six)." They taught that ridding themselves of these attachments they could end suffering (DailyZen). " This pure Mind, the source of everything, Shines forever and on all with the brilliance Of its own perception... If you students of the Way desire knowledge of this great mystery, Only avoid attachment to any single thing beyond Mind.-Huang Po (DailyZen)." As well with the philosophical side of the teachings were the basics of Guidance and ethics. "Buddhist philosophy is both a system of thought and a set of ethical norms (Buddhism eighty-six)." It offers practical guidance in everyday social affairs. Socially, the Buddhists have often been thrown into the political arena. Due to the nature of politics, where originally, "in Vietnam, the Buddhist Community was not politically activated until it was mistreated (Brittanica ninety-two), "the Buddhists have been divided into two groups. There is the moderate group that was led by Thich Tri Quang, that claimed political neutrality, but any of their movements for peace were seen as a weakness in the face of communism by the government of Saigon. And there are the militant Buddhists, who support upheavals. One such incident of upheaval was in 1963 when " the government (of Vietnam) forbade the flying of the Buddhist flag during the May eighth celebration of Buddha's birthday (Britanica ninety-two). "A riot erupted by Buddhists against their cruel treatment, but it was it was put down by heavily armed guards. Not only did the government serve as a political persuader for the Buddhists, but the Roman Catholic Church was excessively partisan against the Buddhists, and the Ngo Dinn Diem family had an anti-Buddhist policy. The militant Buddhists also organized a coup against the Diem regime on November first, 1962, but it too was put down. The Buddhists also protest in more passive ways, "since 1963 there have been over thirty self- immolations of monks in South Vietnam protesting the ruin of their country (Britanica ninety-two)." China Town in San Francisco, California, is where much of Buddhism started in the U.S.. By the mid 1850s many temples began to appear, "within