How the Reccession Has Effected the Fast Food Sector

The business I have chosen is KFC as KFC is a worldwide business and very popular inside of the fast food industry behind fast food giants McDonald’s and burger king and operates in over 110 countries throughout the world as it is a worldwide business it will be affected in different ways in different places. Here are some factors which could have affected them in the recession: People have less disposable income As of the recession many people have less disposable income to spend on fast food as will be sticking to the essentials and their individual necessities in order for them to live.Many people were made redundant in the recession which will have of impacted KFC’s business as not a lot of people will be buying their products. Also if people have less money than they will pick the cheaper brand which will impact less on their spending or they will just cut out fast food all together this will impact KFC as it will be drawing less customers as the week goes on which will force the organisation to buy cheaper and lower quality products to sell the public which will make them lose customers as well as the quality wouldn’t be what it used to be. Unemployment increasesAs the unemployment rate throughout the world increases then less people will not have a sufficient amount of money to spend on high brand fast food restaurants and will have to cut out the spending for fast food altogether as it can be very expensive and overpriced. Unemployment will affect KFC as well as they will be getting rid of people in a way to decrease their main costs in the business in order for them to continue being one of the top high priced fast food restaurants in the fast food market becoming one of the top 5 fast food restaurants in the world behind the fast food giant which is McDonald’s and Burger King.Reduce in profit As KFC is a well-known American fast food restaurant which sells worldwide they sell millions or products globally. The loss of profi t will make them have to reduce all of the costs inside of the business for example: lower the amount of employees in the business to cut the cost of the wages to lower the risk of a loss in the business and also lower the quality of the produce used in the products as the price of the raw materials have gone up.As the price of the raw materials go up then the business will be release a lower quality product which will make them lose their customers if they continue to sell a product which does not meet the customer’s needs which will make them go down in the market and will make customers go to KFC’s main competitors for example McDonald’s.

Bias in Womens Sports Essay

The world of sports is strictly dominated by a male hegemonic structure, which is not exactly welcoming to the thought or idea of sharing this love of sports with the opposite sex. The term hegemony is defined as the dominance of one state or group of individuals over the others. Although women have shown a passionate interest for sports, their ability to join this culturally powerful organization as respected professionals has not been completely accomplished. They have been given opportunities to participate in athletic areas that are not the most culturally popular venues within American culture (i. e. golf, gymnastics, swimming, and tennis), but their inception and respected entrance into the American conglomerates of the sports world (i. e. basketball, baseball, and football) have been favorably denied. Men suffocating treasure their superior domination of this cultural superstructure and fear the idea of allowing the opposite sex entrance into their precious stratum. Men’s ultimate trepidation is sports not being only their secret possession. Women have passionately fought to prove themselves as strong enough, knowledgeable enough, and tough enough to survive in the historically constructed system men have carved out: the association of sports and the manner in which it operates. Although their desperate attempts have allowed them to chip through the first few layers of this concrete barrier in which they are faced with, their attempts to delve deeper to ultimately reach the core of its existence has been a disappointing failure. Despite the increase in female athletes participating in sports at a college and professional level, the use of female athletes as product endorsers has been limited. Some female readers like my wife has suggested that there may be an obvious media bias against female athletes and other problems related to how women’s lack of being feminine is portrayed to the public. I feel that women athletes don’t get enough recognition compared to male athletes in the media, and how they don’t appear as profitable product endorsers in magazines or commercials as men. Only five percent of media coverage is devoted to women’s sports (Adams ;amp; Tuggle, 2004). The time media spends to publish these articles of women athletes are significantly less; compared to their male athlete. Many companies choose not to endorse women athletes (Grau, Roselli, and Taylor, 2007). Men’s sports journalists tend to focus on coverage of team sports for men, while women’s sports coverage usually is focused on individual sports. In several articles, the media defends its biases claiming that it is what the public wants, and not all viewers are interested in women’s sports. I feel the number of women playing professional sports has drastically increased over the past decade, but the media’s news coverage of women’s sports has not increased with this movement of women in sports. On ESPN Live news radio, they have mentioned over the last ten years, there has been almost no change in the percentage of national airtime that was designated for women’s sports. Only about one in ten sports articles and TV sports stories include women while eighty-two percent of television sports stories cover men’s sports. Women make the cover of magazines or sports pages less than fifteen times a year (Huffman, Tuggle, ;amp; Rosengard, 2004). According to Adams and Tuggle (2004), in 1995, the length of men’s television sports stories were a little over a minute, where stories covering women’s sports were only about forty seconds. With two professional sports leagues, it was assumed that the coverage of women’s sports would increase, but this is not reality. The coverage of women’s sports on the television show, ESPN’s Sports Center, has actually decreased. In 1995, Sports Center aired about 730 stories on men and only about 30 on women. The ratio was 25:1. In 2002, 780 stories covered men’s sports. Only 16 stories were about women and the ratio was more than 48:1. ESPN did dedicate a weekend to women in sports. During this time, Sports Center only aired three stories that included a woman; the other 60 were about men. Kian, Vincent, and Mondello (2008), found that about seventy-five percent of the New York Times and USA Today’s articles covered men’s basketball. Less than one percent of the articles included both men and women, and twenty-four percent focused on just women’s basketball. Huffman, Tuggle, and Rosengard (2004) analyzed several universities’ coverage of women’s sports. Though forty-one percent of the college athletes are female, seventy-three percent of the sports newspaper articles focused on male college students. Eighty-two percent of television sports stories were dedicated to male athletes. In both newspaper articles and television stories, baseball was covered the most. Men’s basketball was twice as likely as women’s softball to be covered. Less time has been devoted to women’s sports coverage, and when it is, it is usually an individual sport compared to women’s team sports. This is a great example of The Elaboration Likelihood Model. It states that there are two routes through which persuasive messages are processed. My central route would be to provide and give examples of the statistical analysis increase in audiences viewing women’s sports, and it would be a good investment. In these modern times, women are more successful and looking for role models of strength and beauty, like a successful empowering female athlete. Celebrity women athletes can be positive catalysts in selling apparel and have great news worthiness. In my opinion, the media seems to favor women’s individual sports compared to women’s team sports. Out of 16 Sports Center stories that covered women’s sports, 12 were individual sports. Only two were about women’s basketball, though it was almost the end of the WNBA season (Adams ;amp; Tuggle, 2004). In the 1960’s, there were less articles on women’s Olympic sporting events compared to articles published in the 1990’s of the same genre. In 1996, 36 years later, NBC announced that woman’s team sports would be emerging. Even with this big announcement, NBC only aired a few minutes of a women’s soccer team winning the gold medal over China. They did not even have a reporter available at the women’s gold medal winning softball game. Over half of the women’s Olympics sports covered were individual sports. These sports included swimming, diving, and gymnastics. Serena Williams, a tennis player and Marian Jones, a track athlete, are the only females that have been on the cover of ESPN Magazine in the course of five years. Female athletes in individual sports are twice more likely to be in magazines than as those who play on team sports. In several related magazines like Sports Illustrated for Women, female’s models are dressed as athletes rather than real athletes and being pictured posing with props like soccer balls, to add more sex appeal to the magazine. Some journalists say this is because women’s individual sports are considered more feminine than the team sports like basketball and soccer where women look frazzled and sweaty (Grau, Roselli, and Taylor, 2007). Men’s sports are still the ones that bring in the big bucks for ticket sales and popularity. Seventy percent of the NCAA division athletic budget goes to men’s basketball and football. For every dollar that is spent on women’s sports, three dollars of the same budget is spent on men’s. For example, male coaches in almost every instance are paid more than female coaches (Huffman, Tuggle, and Rosengard, 2004). Women athletes are given much fewer multimillion dollar endorsement contracts than a male athlete. In 1998, 200 female athletes from many sports signed various endorsement contracts. The NFL alone had 250 players that signed deals with Nike. Over 400 male athletes from football, basketball, and soccer had endorsement contracts with Reebok that same year (Grau, Roselli, ;amp; Taylor, 2007). If the viewers wanted to see more of women’s sports, then the network would great fully air what the viewing audience would like to see. During an ESPN television show, Town Meeting, a female viewer in the audience asked the Senior Vice President and Manager of editing, why does ESPN not report more on women athlete’s and women’s sports? I can remember David Shaw turning to look at her directly in the face and saying â€Å"ESPN’s job is to report and cover the news and sports that our viewers are interested in†. He leaned forward and reiterated that their goal as a sports broadcast network was to get the highest rating possible, and they must air the sports news the public wants and will watch. Mr. Shaw also mentioned that the network cannot generate interest in women’s sports without solid data of interest, and if that is what they want to see they need to make this interest known. I feel some diehard male sports fans have a sense of Cognitive Dissonance theory. They think that it’s not cool to cheer for women’s sports, it’s not as exciting or fast paced as men’s sports. The theory of cognitive dissonance in social psychology proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance by altering existing cognitions or adding new ones to create a consistent belief system. An example of this would be the conflict between wanting to watch women’s sports and knowing that media doesn’t have interest ; a person may try to change their feelings about the odds that they will actually suffer the consequences, or they might add the constant element that sticking to your guns is worth short term benefits. The network does air WNBA games on ESPN and ESPN2, but they seldom air highlights. Christina Brenamen, a commentator for ESPN, said that she feels the network doesn’t care and not to expect any changes anytime soon (Adams ;amp; Tuggle, 2004). Grau, Roselli, and Taylor (2007) found that many companies do not use female athletes as endorsers of their products, because they think that the average female consumer does not identify with female athlete, like males do with men athletes. Some of the companies assume that the average female consumer do not fallow women’s sports. They also suggest that some female athletes are too masculine and therefore do not have sex appeal. Angelini (2008) surveyed many individuals asking views about watching men’s sports vs. women’s sports. He wanted to uncover the stereotypes that individuals have on sports. Most of the participants believed that women’s sports were not as thrilling or exciting to watch as men’s sports. Those who participated in the study were asked to watch several sports clips while their heart rate was analyzed. After the clips were watched they were asked to answer recognition questions about what they had seen. Both male and females scored higher on the recognition questions after viewing female athletes. If the heart rate increased while the participant was watching the sport, it was determined that their arousal was high. If their heart rate was stable or deceased while watching the clip, it was determined that the participant was not aroused. Though most participants said that they were more aroused when watching the men’s sports, their heart rate actually determined that their arousal rate when watching women’s sports was the same as men’s at the beginning of the clip. Toward the end of the clips of men’s sports the arousal rate actually decreased. Angelini (2008) determined that because of the way the media depicts female athletes, the public thinks that men’s sports are going to be more exciting, through with extensive physiological research determined there are really no major differences. Since Universities viewed basketball as too masculine for women to play, and did not want to represent the women athletes of their school. The NCAA did not hold a women’s Division 1 tournament until 1982. In 2004, a women’s Division 1 championship game received the highest national television rating of any women’s or men’s basketball game that had ever been on a cable channel, up to that point. After analyzing two national newspapers and two sports web sites, during the 2006 NCAA and women’s sports tournaments, five main themes seemed to emerge from all of them. One, women’s basketball players were often compared to men. Two, men were never compared to women. Three, the female athletes were often said to be experienced players because most of them had grown up playing against boys. Four, the fathers of the athletes were interviewed more often than the mothers, because of their athletic ability. Finally, gender was mentioned as a main topic compared to the articles than men’s sports. In every article men’s basketball was reported before women’s. I would assume that there would be fewer gender biased remarks from the writers, but this was not the case. Even though writers have a little more time to evaluate on what is being written, unlike live television commentary, biases often still emerged (Kian, Vincent, ;amp; Mondello, 2008). Though the number of women playing sports has drastically increased, the media coverage has not kept up. The women’s sports covered typically are more feminine and individual like swimming, gymnastics, tennis and golf. Those sports activities are viewed as more masculine, like basketball, soccer, and softball, received significantly less media coverage. The media blames society and society blames the media for the differences in gender bias of sports (Grau, Roselli, ;amp; Taylor, 2007). It is unknown if television networks such as ESPN actually do research on what people would like to watch. They do not know that fifty percent of women say they watch television sports regularly and forty-six percent of men say that watch some women’s sports (Adams, ;amp; Tuggle, 2004). The 2004 NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball championships received the highest rating of all college basketball before then. One would think that after this evidence of interest, women’s basketball would receive greater attention. This is a great example of Evaluation Dimension in which our inner systems (beliefs, attitudes, values, etc. all support one another and when these are also supported by external evidence, and then we have a comfortable state of affairs. We also have a very strong need to believe we are being consistent with social norms. Like in the case of following other sports fans that are interested in women’s sports. When there is conflict between behaviors that are consistent with inner systems and behaviors that are consistent with social norms. A fitting Example would be the potential threat of social exclusion often sways us towards the latter, even though it may cause significant inner dissonance. Take for example, if I would approach my fantasy football team and said; â€Å"can we create a team in women’s sports†, that would really start some conflict within my group dynamic? I feel more research needs to be conducted to determine if it is really the public that is biased, or is the media just fallowing the same trend that they always have, and they just choose to report sports in the same standardized way. If we start to challenge the idea that masculinity defines sports at the cultural level. I believe that we will one day be able to develop an ideology that teaches and defends this innovative idea of gender quality throughout the educational process. The ultimate goal being that the foundation of sports promotes and abides by the system of gender equality at the professional level of women’s sports.

LDL Cholesterol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

LDL Cholesterol - Essay Example Therefore, it is not easy for anyone to know whether they are in danger or not. As a matter of caution, people are advised to have their cholesterol levels assessed regularly. These checks are conducted through ‘lipoprotein profile’ blood tests (National Cholesterol Education Program, 2005). The total level of cholesterol is significant in determining the risk of CHD in any individual. The total cholesterol level is computed by adding bad (LDL cholesterol), good cholesterol (HDL) and triglycerides. The difference between LDL and HDL is that LDL contributes to the build up and blockage of arteries, whereas; HDL prevents cholesterol build within arteries. Comprehensive assessment of cholesterol levels requires a lipoprotein profile test. However, where this is not possible one can still get a general idea on the probable level of their cholesterol and risk level. Cholesterol measures are done in milligrams (mg) per deciliter of blood (dL), and any levels above 200mg/dL or below 40mg/dL require that a lipoprotein profile be conducted (National Cholesterol Education Program, 2005). The levels of HDL should be preferably higher (at least 60 mg/dL) because of the positive role of protecting against CHD. However, levels below 40 mg/dL should be worrying because this level is below minimum and could be a risk because it increases chances of CHD (National Cholesterol Education Program, 2005). The risk of getting CHD is determined by multiple factors including cholesterol levels, lifestyle and pre-existent conditions such as diabetes (National Cholesterol Education Program, 2005). The risk of developing CHD is determined by considering the risk factors, which are scored against the scale established in the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). The FRS is made up of a number of scoring systems for determining the probability of an individual to get CHD. The first step entails assessing the number of risk factors that an individual possesses. Each

Drug and Alcohol Abuse on the Police Force Essay

Drug and Alcohol Abuse on the Police Force - Essay Example d other drugs to some extent, the greatest reason being on-the-job stress – they consume them as a way of helping them deal with the stress that is related to being on their kind of job (occupational stress) (Hensaw, Murphy & Morse, 10). Genovese and Genovese who also support this point indicate that there exists a strong sub-cultural more amongst police officers, which encourages drinking both for stress-reduction as well as social purposes. In Iraqi, where addiction has increased in the course of three decades of economic hardship and war, the year 2010 saw an increase in the numbers of members of the security force who became reliant on drugs or alcohol. This raised concerns regarding a considerable problem of addiction among the armed services of this country as the insurgency continued being a strong force and as American troops prepared to depart towards the end of last year. Military and police officials in Iraqi confess that in some parts of Iraq, as many as 50% of their colleagues use drugs or alcohol while on duty. These include high-ranking officers. There is no way of knowing the correct number of the members of the security force who are dependent on drug and alcohol. However, interviews with scores of health officials, police officers, soldiers, drug dealers, pharmacists and political leaders in the country reveal that drug and alcohol abuse among the military, police and security force has become progressi vely more common and seems to have grown considerably. Although those who confess to using alcohol and drugs while on duty admit that they cause erratic behavior, they state that working at checkpoints for long hours, perpetual fear and observing the horrible deaths of their colleagues make the use of alcohol and drugs less an option than a necessity. Some senior Iraqi army and police officers declared that they were reluctant to take punitive action against drug abusers because they were usually among their most courageous fighters (Williams &

Farming societies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Farming societies - Essay Example In simple farming societies economic activities are not separated from religious, political and social aspects (Walrath and Prins 51). The economic system of a farming society largely depends on production, distribution and consumption of goods. However, there many types of economic systems which include: traditional and modern, industrial and non-industrial, and small scale and large scale economies. In the small scale societies that are non-industrial, land and other valuable resources are usually controlled by groups of related people and individual ownership of land is rare to find. The division of labour is done according to gender and age of the members of the society. Simple farming societies also practice specialization of arts and crafts, although, production is carried out only for the quantity required at that moment. Most of the goods produced are consumed by those in the group that produces them. This is different from the economic organization of large scale industrial and post industrial societies (Walrath and Prins 59). ... The exchange of goods and services is also done as a ritual or for prestige purposes (Walrath and Prins 86). This is where distribution of goods is done by the governments or the religious elite who collect and allocate resources. Locations of exchange of goods and services are designated in certain areas. Here, people meet friends and strangers, find entertainment and trade goods. However, in industrial societies, exchange is indirect, impersonal and mediated through money or capital assets in form of shares and stocks. Moreover, in the digital age, trade can be conducted on the internet with personal contact. The major characteristic among farming societies is Cooperative work groups regardless the society’s industrial capability. For instance, in cases the work group involves the whole community a festive mood permeates the work. In most societies, cooperation basically starts at the household level. Through cooperation, farming societies are able to allocate duties of prod uction and distribution, as well as, allocation of goods and resources. There is great diversity in the types of specialized tasks that are performed. However, although specialization has increased in the farming societies, modern technologies have influenced them such that division of labor on the basis of gender has become less relevant. In modern farming societies, each member is knowledgeable on all aspects of work although specialization is still maintained (Walrath and Prins 43). According to Walrath and Prins, Simple farming societies are firmly rooted in the cultures of people in their communities (101). This culture is passed on from the older generation to the younger generation. By doing this, the younger members of the farming society,

H.J.Heinz Marketing Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

H.J.Heinz Marketing Strategy - Case Study Example The paper shall examine these with specific reference to the initiatives launched by the company and recommendations will be given about the issues that can be changed within the company. Heinz has established a name for themselves in the food industry through their pricing strategies. Usually, the company studies markets in its respective environs and then looks for a way in which it can stay ahead of that competition. Their prices are normally sufficient enough to attract clientele, while at the same time maintaining a level of profitability and competition within its respective regions. Numerous marketers acknowledge the fact that when sufficient value has been added onto a product, then its pricing becomes a secondary factor in convincing clients to purchase the item. For instance Heinz ketchups contain additional ingredients such as garlic and other flavours that can be used to enhance its overall taste and hence its value. This is the reason why consumers became loyal to the brand. In addition to the latter, pricing is also largely determined by the strength of the brand. For instance, when one considers some of the goods offered by the company, it can be seen that some of them may be much higher than what their competitors sell them for. However, because of the strong brand name, some people who are loyal to the Heinz brand may be willing to pay a little extra for the commodity as long as it comes from the H. J. Heinz food company. (Grant, 2005) Heinz pricing strategies are also largely affected by their geographical proximities. For instance, the largest pickle manufacturing Heinz factory is located in its headquarters within the United States. Consequently, some countries that may be in need of this product but are far from the United States will have to include the additional costs that come along with shipment and the like. Heinz usually incorporates a lot of in-store discounting in its product offering. Most of the time, this is done through a range of grocery stores or it also deals with a series of hyper stores too. The company realises that in order to boost their sales at the last point of contact with the consumer, there is a need for one to establish a mechanism that will encourage this kind of initiative. (Balakrishnana & Coyne, 1995) Perhaps the most important aspect in Heinz's marketing strategy is the strength of its products. First of all, Heinz is largely known for its "fifty-seven-varieties" advertisement and logos. The company has invested thoroughly in offering a range of food items such as pickles, sour onions, tomato sauce and many other varieties. The number fifty seven does not signify the exact number of products available under the Heinz name because these products are much more than this. However, the number is meant to indicate just how diverse the company's product offerings are and also, to capture consumer's attention. (Mc Gahan, 2004) The major strategy behind Heinz's product strategy over the past three years has been to streamline their product offering. The company realized that in order to offer better quality products, it would be more helpful for them if they categorised their items. This was the reason why the company decided to offer all their products under three major brands that included; Sauces Ketchups Baby food Convenience meals The company was determined to grow this category by buying out other companies that had specialised in some of their weak categories such as the

What Does it Mean to be Competent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

What Does it Mean to be Competent - Essay Example The undertakings are enormous and the intensity to excel is at its best (Kincheloe 1999). This is an element of discerning success which the vocational education seekers have envisaged for their own selves with regards to their very future domains. What is even better is the fact that they know that short term educational drives would turn them into instantly successful business personnel, which would ultimately help their own cause in the long run. Vocational education is an interesting mode of learning and one that aims to build new frontiers, explore new basics and learn a thing or two about the different realms that the vocational education seekers have their hands firmly grasped upon. It was until the 20th century that formal provision of vocational education remained confined to some specific trade areas. Among these, the automobile vendors like a mechanic and a welder remained supreme. They received vocational education in order to become successful at their trade first hand. It gave them the much-needed niche as well as a point of advantage when they were compared with the educated fraternity who also knew much the same trade. The builders, joiners, mechanics and welders were specialized in their trade and hence given the respect that they deserved (Jennings 1995). This was transferred to other areas of business with the passage of time. However, one aspect that remained ingrained with these welders and mechanics was that they were from the lower socio-economic classes and hence not paid according to their labour and hard work that was put in, day in day out. There was a sense of  stigmatization within the society when it came down to these professionals, wh o attained vocational education with regards to their respective work domains. In the olden times, vocational education was directly linked with apprenticeship and hence there is reason enough to believe that the two were used in an interchangeable fashion.

People who care about the Earth Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People who care about the Earth - Term Paper Example Compared to other biogas plant system, for example, the one that uses dung and sewerage, the system that uses food waste is pro- active since a small amount of food waste produces a lot of energy and only in a shorter period of time compared to the other conventional biogas system that uses dung and sewerage which requires up to over one month to complete the reaction and produce electrical energy (Pimm and Thomas 14). To be precise, two kilograms of food waste takes around 24 hours to complete the reaction after which approximately 500g of energy are produced in the form of methane. This invention of ARTI Biogas plant clearly indicates that it is the most efficient biogas system as it produces results with over approximately 800 times as efficient compared to other biogas systems (Bill 50). A brief history of people who invented the solar system includes Alexandre Edmond, who was instrumental in explaining how electricity can be harvested from sunlight (Frankham, David and Jonathan 46). Russell Ohl came later and invented the solar cell. The panel composed of particular metals which would emit electrons after being hit by direct sunlight. The electrons then flow through a conductor that then creates electricity. The use of solar power through the use of sunlight is increasingly efficient since it generates a lot of electricity without posing a threat to the universe through waste emissions and pollution. Solar panels are also considered efficient since they have a long lifespan meaning that it is quite reliable (Bill 56). Another individual who has contributed to conserving the planet is Tom Krimigis. Tom spent over 45 years of inventing and exploring the solar system. Tom even went ahead and won an achievement trophy, the National Air and Space Museum’s Trophy, which is currently the highest museum’s honor. Tom was highly instrumental in coming up with

Slang and Its Relation to Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Slang and Its Relation to Society - Essay Example Slang words or phrases were met with aversion and displeasure, as opposed to nowadays when people find no hesitation in using slang expressions in everyday conversations. Some used to believe that words like gambler and conundrum should be forbidden1. During the Middle Ages, where there was a great deal of difference in pronunciations between many regions, was when the word ‘slang’ actually came into being. It was unlike the slang we use today because then it only represented the various ways in which the people delivered their speech in the same language. Then in the 16th century, the English Criminal Cant came into being, which was the language mostly used by convicts, and was more close to the slang we use today. Gradually, this form of communication became popular and was believed to be a language without reason or order2. But as time passed, slang began to develop. Scholars such as Walt Whitman regarded anything that sounded new, as slang. It gained popularity and w as no longer deemed as the language of thugs or foreigners and also caught the attention of popular writers. In today’s world, slang is mostly used by subculture groups whose members want to appear distinct from others. They use certain codes and terms which are regarded as slang and can only be understood by the people belonging to their group. It separates them from the common population and somehow deepens their affiliation with the group. By using their own informal way of conversing, they feel a sense of belonging and attachment to the other members. Each subculture group has its own slang. Whether it’s the doctors, lawyers, teenagers or criminal, all of them have their own way of communicating with each other, and it acts as a distinguishing factor between them. Medical slang is the kind used by doctors and their staff, to converse among themselves, without letting the patient or other people know what they are talking about. ‘What’s up?’ is a n extremely popular slang used widely by people of all ages? It is used to merely learn what the other person is up to. Slang has become significantly popular among criminals and drug dealers. As they have to keep their conversations restricted and private in the presence of other people, an extensive list of slang phrases has been created by them to replace the standard terms. In Oliver Twist of Charles Dickens, the conspirator is named Fagin. Therefore from then on, Fagin has become parallel to a partner in crime. Gamblers and dealers have also come up with their own slang expressions. A gambler might use various terms to notify his fellow team player of the current status of the game or what move the person will be making next. Slang has been described as verbal invention keeping in mind the cultural framework3. Although slang has gained popularity over time, even today it has mixed views amongst the masses. Some consider as useful and applicable in almost any situation, while ot hers consider it as rebellious. People who support slang often consider it as a reflection of the intelligence and witticism of the person who uses it and senses it as a clever variation in the standard language. Other people, however, criticize the use of slang and believe that it ruins the impression one person has on the other.

The Theory of the Forms as Portrayed Throughout Plato`s Dialogues Essay Example for Free

The Theory of the Forms as Portrayed Throughout Plato`s Dialogues Essay Prologue to Plato’s Theory of Forms Plato’s Theory of Forms suggests the dichotomy between the material world and the world of ideas. In the Republic, Plato clearly delineates the difference between the two by first arguing that the material world, or the world which we live in, is not a perfect world and one that is full of error. On the other hand, the world of ideas is the perfect world. In such world, the Forms exist. The forms are the perfect entities upon which the structure or the essence of the material objects in the world are based. That is, the forms serve as the foundation not only of the physical structure of the objects in the world but also of the true composition of things apart from their corporeal composition. The forms correspond to the â€Å"blueprints† of the worldly objects. The argument of Plato that the forms are the bases for the essence and, hence, the composition of things consequently implies the argument that the forms have a higher degree of significance than the worldly objects. Part of the reason to this is the notion that without these forms the corresponding corporeal objects in the material world will not come into existence. Thus, the primacy of the forms is held with significant value throughout the philosophy of Plato. Moreover, Plato argues that one cannot exactly derive the essence of things in the material objects themselves for the reason that these objects do not inherently have in them their â€Å"essence†. Although to a certain degree one may be inclined to claim that the worldly objects manifest the essence they intrinsically hold through the use of the sense, Plato thinks otherwise. One reason to this argument is the Platonic belief that our senses cannot give us a full and accurate account of the nature of things. Though our senses of perception may provide us with immediate perception on the objects which are within the proximity of our consciousness, Plato contends that our senses are so limited that we cannot actually grasp in full detail what it is that these objects hold in themselves. Further, even if we are able to sensibly acquire the sensory manifestation of these objects, it remains that we are still bereft of the essence of these objects because they do not have in them the essence that provides for the very structure of their existence. However, we must be reminded that Plato suggests that man essentially holds within him the genuine form of knowledge and the understanding of the world. This is what man basically possesses within him, something which is so intrinsic that it cannot have been originally from beyond man himself. Further, knowledge for Plato is a type of recollection wherein each individual is reminded of the forms through his or her sensory experience of the objects in the world. In his allegory of the cave, Plato further strengthens his claim on the primacy of the forms and the failure of the conventions set forth by the senses to provide us with the knowledge on the essence of things. Citing that human beings are like prisoners in a cave who have not seen the â€Å"reality† of the objects that they merely perceive as shadows, Plato goes on to argue that we ought to be relinquished from such a fixed state. Consequently, once man finds himself liberated from the chains that have tied him down inside the cave, he then can begin to ascend out of the cave and into the world â€Å"outside†. The transformation does not easily arrive at a point of full realization for the reason that man’s eyes will apparently be hurt by the light coming from the sun. Thus, it can be emphasized that Plato suggests that the process of acquiring true knowledge is one which is not an easy task and may hurt the sensibilities of man. Part of the reason to this is the fact that man throughout the course of his life has been so acquainted with the seeming knowledge of things given to him through convention that he tends to easily accept what is offered by his senses without even beginning to question the validity of these sensory experiences. Nevertheless, Plato holds that our sensory experiences also hold an initial role in the process of realizing genuine knowledge. It is through our very experiences that we get immediate understanding of the empirical existence of objects and that these events serve as the starting point of the far more noble task of obtaining true knowledge beyond the confines of human convention. For the most part of Plato’s theoretical framework on the essence of objects and the acquisition of true knowledge, one can begin to assess these concepts in terms of their validity through logic. That is, if indeed what we are merely able to grasp through sensory experiences are those which are simply based on the corporeal existence of objects and not strictly on their â€Å"essential† level, the question remains as to how exactly will we, as human beings, be able to arrive at true knowledge. Or far more importantly, the more fundamental question is on how we can be able to even begin the â€Å"painstaking† task of gaining the essence of things. If we are to adopt Plato’s scheme in arriving at the understanding of the forms in the world of forms, one should critically assess the measures that must be done and the goals that must be met in the long run. Having this as guidance will lessen sensory deterrence to the task of grasping the forms. In conclusion, Plato’s theory on the distinction between the world of forms and the visible or material world is one which sharply demarcates the limits of the senses. It brings into light the argument that human beings, as essentially endowed with sensory capabilities, cannot escape the error brought forth by the limits of the senses. Nevertheless, even with the imperfectness of man’s senses, one has no other starting point in advancing a grander goal than through these basic senses. The world of ideas may or may not actually exist, but the far more important question is whether indeed the material world cannot provide us the essence of things and that beyond the sense everything is in perfect state. Socratic Forms Socrates believes that correct answers to ‘What is F?’ questions specify forms; forms are the objects of definition where, as we have seen, definitions are real definitions. The ontological correlates of real definitions are real essences, non-linguistic universals that explain why things are as they are. Anything that is gold, for example, has the real essence of gold and is gold precisely because it has that real essence. So, as Socrates says, the one thing by which all Fs are F is a form (Euthyphro 5d1–5; Meno 72c7). Or again, he says that the form of piety is some one thing, the same in (en; Eu. 5d1–2; cf. Ch. 159a1–2, 158e7) everything that is pious; it is that feature of things by which they are pious. On the account I have been suggesting, Socrates offers an epistemological argument for the existence of forms: the possibility of knowledge requires explanation, and this, in turn, requires the existence of forms—real properties and kinds. He also offers a metaphysical one over many arguments for the existence of forms: the existence of many Fs requires the existence of some one thing, the form of F, in virtue of which they are F.[i] David Armstrong has usefully distinguished between realist and semantic one over many arguments.21 Realist one over many arguments posit universals to explain sameness of nature; if a group of objects are all F, they are F in virtue of sharing a genuine property, the property of F. (A predicate nominalist, by contrast, would say that they are all F because the predicate ‘F’ is true of them all; we need not postulate a genuine property that they all share.) Semantic one over many arguments posits universals to explain the meanings of general terms and, indeed, universals just are the meanings of those terms. On the account of Socrates that I have provided, he offers not a semantic but a realist one over many arguments. For, as we have seen, he wants to know not the meanings of general terms, but the properties in virtue of which things are as they are. If forms are properties whose range and nature are determined by explanatory considerations rather than by considerations about meaning, then they are not meanings, if meanings are taken to be something other than properties conceived in realist fashion. But might Socrates view forms as meanings, and take (some) meanings to be properties? He presumably would do so if he accepted a referential theory of meaning. However, it has been cogently argued that Socrates takes the virtue terms to be non-synonymous but co-referential, so he cannot consistently accept a referential theory of meaning.[ii] But is Socrates inconsistent? Or does he confusedly view forms not only as properties but also as meanings, where meanings are taken to be something other than properties? It is difficult to be sure, since he does not discuss semantic questions. But so far as I can see, he does not suggest that forms play any semantic role.[iii] If Socrates relies on a realist one over many arguments, then he presumably takes every property to be a form. To be sure, he does not explicitly say how many forms there are; as Aristotle says, Socrates is primarily interested in the virtues. But he never suggests a principle that restricts forms to a subclass of properties; and he sometimes explains why each of the virtues is some one thing, and so a form, by appealing to quite heterogeneous sorts of cases.[iv] Although Socrates seems to believe that every property is a form, he is not committed to the view that every predicate denotes a form. For, again, forms are explanatory properties, and not every predicate denotes an explanatory property. In addition to suggesting that Socratic forms are universals conceived as explanatory properties, and that on Socrates’ view knowledge of them is necessary for having any knowledge at all, Aristotle also claims that Socrates did not take forms to be either non-sensible or separate. I turn now to these claims. One might argue that Aristotle is wrong to say that Socrates did not take forms to be non-sensible; on the ground that Socrates routinely rejects answers to ‘What is F?’ questions that are phrased in terms of behavior or action-types. Moreover, at least in the case of the virtues he seems to favor accounts that are phrased in terms of certain states of the soul and these, it might be thought, are not observable. It might then be tempting to infer that Socrates believes that a correct answer to a ‘What is F?’ question must specify a non-observable property, a property not definable in observational terms. However, although Socrates regularly rejects answers to ‘What is F?’ questions that are phrased in observational terms, he never says that they fail because they are so phrased. They fail, as we have seen, because they are too narrow or too broad, or because they are not explanatory; but Socrates does not link these failures to the fact that the answers are phrased in observational terms. He leaves open the possibility that although the proposed accounts fail, some other account phrased in observational terms might be satisfactory. This, however, is enough to vindicate Aristotle if he means only that Socrates does not explicitly say that forms are non-sensible, and so in that sense is not committed to the claim that they are; and that seems to be all Aristotle means.[v] What, now, about separation? Discussions of separation are difficult, partly because ‘separation’ is used differently by different people. I shall follow Aristotles lead and say that A is separate from B just in case A can exist without B—that is, just in case A can exist whether or not B exists or, equivalently, just in case A exists independently of B.[vi] Separation so defined is a modal notion; if A is separate from B, A can exist whether or not B exists. (Hence A can be separate from B even if A never actually exists when B does not.) Separation so defined is also a relational notion: to be separate is always to be separate from something. In the case of forms, the relevant ‘something’ is sensible particulars (Met. 1086b4, 8).[vii] So Socratic forms are separate just in case they can exist whether or not there are any corresponding sensible particulars. If forms are universals, then to say that they are separate is to say that they can exist uninstantiated by the corresponding sensible particulars.[viii] Socrates never explicitly says or denies that forms are separate; nor do his ways of characterizing forms seem to commit him one way or the other. He says, for example, that forms are in things (e.g. Eu. 5d1–2). But to say that forms are in things is only to say that various sensible have them, i.e. have the relevant properties. It does not follow from the fact that sensibles have properties that those properties are not separate, i.e. cannot exist unless some corresponding sensible particulars instantiate them.[ix] Other evidence seems equally indeterminate. This, however, is enough to vindicate Aristotles claim that Socrates did not separate universals, i.e. forms, if, as seems to be the case, he means only that Socrates is not committed to separation.[x] I close my discussion of Socrates by considering two further claims about forms—that they are self-predicative and that they are paradigms. Although Aristotle does not mention these claims in connection with Socrates, they are important in understanding both Plato and also Aristotles criticism of him in the Peri ideÃ… n; and we can get a better grip on Plato’s version of these claims if we look first at Socrates’ version. Socrates believes that the form of F cannot be both F and not F; that is, it cannot suffer narrow compresence with respect to F-ness. It can avoid being both F and not F in one of two ways: by being neither F nor not F, or by being F without also being not F. Although the evidence is meager, Socrates seems to favor the latter option; he seems to believe, that is, that the form of piety is pious, the form of justice is just, and so on. He thus seems to accept self-predication (SP), the thesis that any form of F is itself F.[xi] It no doubt sounds odd to say that the form of justice is just, and it may not be correct to do so. But the claim is more intelligible than it may initially appear to be. We have seen that Socrates says that various action-types and character-traits are F and not F—endurance, for example, is both courageous and not courageous. He does not mean that endurance is courageous or not courageous in the very same way in which a person might be; the property of endurance, for example, does not itself stand firm in battle. Rather, endurance is courageous and not courageous in so far as it explains why some things are courageous and why other things are not.[xii] Socrates believes, that is, that if x explains y’s being F, then x is itself F, though not necessarily in the very same way in which y is F; rather, x is (or may be) F in a sui generis way, simply in virtue of its explanatory role.[xiii] We can understand self-predications along the same lines. Forms are properties; the form of justice, for example, is the property of justice. Socrates believes that it is the single feature by which all and only just things are just; it is the ultimate source or explanation of what is just about just things, and it never explains why anything is not just. Socrates does not mean that it is just in the very same way in which Aristides was; he means that it is just simply in virtue of its explanatory role. On this view, Socrates has unusually generous criteria for being included in the class of Fs; something can be a member of the class of Fs by being the source or explanation of something’s being F in the ordinary way. We might well object to these criteria; but they do not commit Socrates to the view that the form of justice, for example, can win moral medals.[xiv] On behalf of this account of self-predication, it is worth noting that we readily predicate (e.g.) ‘justice’ in the ‘ordinary’ way of categorically different types of things—of, for example, people, acts, institutions, laws, and the like. So perhaps predicating it of the property of justice is not as radical a departure from ordinary usage as it may initially seem to be. Further, we have seen that Socrates is not shy about revising our pre-analytic beliefs; so perhaps one new belief he wants us to acquire is that the form of F is itself F. We have seen that Socrates believes that the one thing by which all Fs are F is the form of F; he also takes this one thing to be a paradigm (paradeigma, Eu. 6e4–5), so that by looking to it (apoblepein eis; Eu. 6e4) one can know of any given thing whether or not it is F. Plato and Aristotle use paradeigma in a variety of ways. Often, for example, they use it simply to mean ‘example’.[xv] Aristotle once calls his own forms paradigms (Phys. 194b26 = Met. 1013a27), by which he seems to mean that they are the formal—structural or functional—properties of things; as such, they are explanatory natures. But as we shall see, he believes that Platonic forms are paradigms in a different, and objectionable, sense. When Socrates says that forms are paradigms, he seems to mean only that they are standards in the sense that in order to know whether x is F, one must know, and refer to, the form of F. For x is F if and only if it has the property, i.e. form, of F; so in order to know that x is F, one needs to know what F is and use that knowledge in explaining how it is that x is F. (So paradigmatism and self-predication are closely linked. The form of F is F because it explains the F-ness of things; forms are also paradigms in virtue of their explanatory role.) I shall call this weak paradigmatism. As I interpret Socrates, he introduces forms for epistemological and metaphysical, but not for semantic reasons. Further, Socratic forms are universals in the sense that they are explanatory properties. The fact that they are self-predicative paradigms does not jeopardize their status as explanatory properties; on the contrary, they are self-predicative paradigms because they are explanatory properties. Compresence, Knowledge, and Separation Why does Plato take the compresence of opposites to require the existence of non-sensible forms that escape compresence? Aristotle rightly says that the reasons are metaphysical and epistemological. The metaphysical reason is especially prominent in the famous aitia-passage in the Phaedo (96a ff.), where Plato lays out criteria for adequate explanations. In his view, if x is F and not F, it cannot explain why anything is F; it cannot, in other words, be that in virtue of which anything is F. Since some sensible properties of F suffer compresence, reference to them does not explain why anything is F, and so they cannot be what F-ness is. Since explanation is possible, in these cases things are F in virtue of a non-sensible property, the form of F. So Plato concludes that ‘if anything else is beautiful besides the beautiful itself, it is so for no other reason than that it participates in the beautiful’ (Phaedo 100c4–6). Or again, it is not because of ‘bright color or shape or anything else of that sort’ (100d1–2) that anything is beautiful; rather ‘it is because of the beautiful that all beautiful things are beautiful’ (100d7–8). For sensible properties suffer compresence in so far as bright color, for example, is sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly. In Plato, the Socratic view that the form of F is the one thing by which all Fs are F becomes the view that forms are aitiai, causal or explanatory factors—at least in certain cases, things are as they are because they participate in non-sensible forms that escape compresence. This metaphysical reason for positing forms has epistemological repercussions. For like Socrates, Plato thinks that knowledge requires explanation;[xvi] since he believes that in at least some cases explanation requires reference to forms, he also believes that in these cases one can have knowledge only if one knows the relevant forms. Since knowledge in these cases is possible, there must be forms. This epistemological reason for positing forms is especially prominent in Rep. 5–7, where Plato asks the ‘What is F?’ question and assumes that one needs to know what F is in order to know anything about F—where, as with Socrates, the knowledge at issue is knowledge as it contrasts with belief, and where definitions are real definitions.[xvii] The sight-lovers believe that we can answer the question ‘What is beauty?’ by simply mentioning the many beautifuls (ta polla kala, 479d3)—sensible properties like bright color. For in their view each such sensible property explains some range of cases. Bright color, for example, explains what makes this Klee painting beautiful; somber color explains what makes this Rembrandt painting beautiful; and so on. Against the sight-lovers, Plato points out that each such property suffers compresence since (e.g.) some brightly colored things are beautiful, others are ugly. In his view, if x is F and not F, it cannot explain why anything is F; so no such property can explain why anything is beautiful. Further, in his view as in Socrates’, we can explain why Fs are F only if F-ness is some one thing (479d3), the same in all cases; so F-ness cannot be a disjunction of properties. It is therefore a single non-sensible property, the form of F. This is required, in Platos view, by the possibility of knowledge. Like Socrates, then, Plato posits forms as universals whose existence is necessary for explanation and so for the possibility of knowledge. He also agrees with Socrates that F-ness itself cannot be not F. Unlike Socrates, however, Plato insists that forms are non-sensible. A related difference is that Socrates countenances a form for every property. But as Plato points out in, for example, Rep. 7 (523–5), only some predicates have sensible instances that suffer narrow compresence—‘thick’ and ‘thin’ are such predicates, but ‘finger’ is not. Like Socrates’ arguments for the existence of forms, Plato’s argument from compresence posits forms to explain, not the meaningfulness of general terms or linguistic understanding or even belief, but the possibility of explanation and knowledge. Indeed, the sight-lovers in Rep. 5 have rather sophisticated beliefs even though they do not countenance forms. Similarly, in Rep. 7 (523–5) sight can identify examples of thick and thin things, of hard and soft things; what it cannot do is define thickness and thinness, hardness and softness. For it is confined, naturally enough, to sensible properties, but in Platos view one cannot define thickness and thinness and so on in such terms.[xviii] Nor does the argument from compresence take forms to be particulars. Like Socrates, Plato assumes that a correct answer to a ‘What is F?’ question will specify the property of F. His interlocutors generally seem to agree; at least, their answers are typically phrased in terms of properties (e.g. bright color). The dispute between Plato and his interlocutors is about the nature of various properties: the sight-lovers take them to be sensible; Plato takes them to be non-sensible forms. The argument from compresence takes forms to be the basic objects of knowledge—one must know them in order to have any knowledge at all. It does not follow that forms are the only objects of knowledge. Nor is it clear why the fact that something suffers compresence should make it unknowable. Since bright color is both beautiful and ugly, it cannot be what beauty is; but it does not follow that we cannot know that bright color is both beautiful and ugly, or that something is brightly colored. Yet it is often thought that Plato takes sensibles to be unknowable, and it is often thought that Aristotle interprets Plato in this way. I have argued elsewhere, however, that Plato is committed only to the claim that forms are the basic objects of knowledge, in the sense that in order to know anything at all one must know them; he leaves open the possibility that if one knows them one can use that knowledge in such a way as to acquire knowledge of other things. It is tempting to suppose that Aristotle agrees. To be sure, Met. 1. 6 and 13.4 can be read as saying that Plato takes whatever changes to be unknowable. But perhaps Aristotle means only that Plato takes whatever changes to be unknowable in itself, independently of its relation to forms, so that whatever changes cannot be the basic object of definition or knowledge. Met. 13. 9 seems congenial to this interpretation. For Aristotle says there that ‘it is not possible to acquire knowledge without the universal’—a claim that plainly leaves open the possibility of knowing more than universals. Further, although he repeats the claim that Plato thinks that sensibles are always changing, he does not say that in Platos view that makes them unknowable. So perhaps Aristotle means to commit Plato only to the claim that forms are the basic objects of knowledge. The argument from compresence shows that forms are different from both sensible particulars and sensible properties. But it does not show that forms are separate, i.e. that they can exist whether or not the corresponding sensible particulars exist. Difference does not imply separation. Yet it is sometimes thought that Plato, both in fact and in Aristotles view, argues in this invalid way. The Metaphysics passages, however, do not saddle Plato with this invalid argument. Met. 1.6 says only that flux (i.e. on my interpretation, compresence) shows that forms are different (hetera; cf. Phaedo 74a11, c7) from sensibles; separation is not mentioned. In 13.4, Aristotle says that Plato separated forms; but he does not say why Plato did so. He mentions separation not as the conclusion of an argument, but simply as a distinguishing feature of the Platonic theory. In 13.9, however, Aristotle explains (III (1–6); see sect. 2) that Plato inferred from the flux of sensibles that there must be forms conceived as non-sensible universals that are the basic objects of knowledge and definition. He adds (III (8–10)) that Plato took forms to be substances, i.e. basic beings; since substances must be separate, forms are separate. Aristotle seems to believe, then, that the ‘flux argument’ shows only that forms are non-sensible universals that are the basic objects of knowledge and definition; that forms are separate follows only with the aid of further premises. These further premises give Plato a valid argument for separation. I think Aristotle is right not to claim that Plato argues from the flux of sensibles to the separation of forms; at least, Plato never does so explicitly.[xix] But is Aristotle right to say that Plato takes forms to be separate, if for other reasons? It is difficult to be sure. For one thing, Plato never says that forms are separate; he never, that is, uses any form or cognate of ‘chÃ… rizein’ of forms, at least not in the relevant sense.[xx] Nor do any of his explicit arguments imply that forms are separate. In the Timaeus, however, Plato seems to be committed to separation. For he says there that forms are everlasting and that the cosmos is not everlasting; there has always been a form of man, but there has not always been particular men. It follows that the form of man existed before the cosmos came into being, and so it existed when there were no sensible particular men; hence it can exist whether or not they do, and so it is separate. Now in the middle dialogues Plato sometimes says that forms are everlasting. But he does not say that the cosmos is not everlasting, so the Timaeus route to separation is not mentioned.[xxi] Indeed, nothing said in the middle dialogues seems to me to involve clear commitment to separation. None the less, separation fits well with the tenor of the middle dialogues, and the casual way in which separation emerges in the Timaeus perhaps suggests that Plato takes it for granted. So I shall assume that Aristotle is right to say that Plato separated forms, though it is important to be clear that Plato never argues, or even says, that forms are separate. Aristotle argues that since forms are separate, they are particulars (13. 9). Since he also takes forms to be universals, he concludes that forms are both universals and particulars. But as I (following Aristotle) understand separation, the claim that forms—universals—are separate is simply the claim that they can exist whether or not any corresponding sensible particulars exist. Why does Aristotle take this to show that forms are particulars? The answer is that he believes that universals exist when and only when they are instantiated; in his view, only substance particulars are separate (see e.g. Met. 1028a33–4). So he claims that if forms are separate they are (substance) particulars because he accepts the controversial view that universals cannot exist uninstantiated. He is therefore not convicting Plato of internal inconsistency: he means that Platos views do not square with the truth. He sees that Plato introduces forms simply to be universals; that they are particulars results only if we accept the controversial Aristotelian assumption, which Aristotle takes Plato to reject, that universals cannot exist uninstantiated. Aristotles complaints about separation therefore rely on one of the argumentative strategies as he intrudes into Platonism assumptions he accepts but that he thinks Plato rejects. Once we see that this is what Aristotle is doing, we can see that although he claims that forms are particulars, there is a sense in which he agrees with me that they are, or are intended to be, only universals. References: Allen, R. E. Platos Parmenides. Oxford: Blackwell, 1983. Beck, Maximilian. Platos Problem in the Parmenides. Journal of the History of Ideas.8 (1947): 232-36. Brandwood, Leonard. The Chronology of Platos Dialogues. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. Cornford, F. M. Plato and Parmenides. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1939. Fowler, H. N. Plato-Statesman. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1925. Gadamer, Hans-Georg. The Idea of the Good in Platonic-Aristotelian Philosophy. Trans. Christopher Smith: New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986. Guthrie, W. K. C. A History of Greek Philosophy. Vol. 5: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1978. Miller, Mitchell H. Platos Parmenides: The Conversion of the Soul Reprint ed: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1991. Miller, Mitchell, Jr. The Philosopher in Platos Statesman. The Hague: Nijhoff, 1980. Nussbaum, Martha. The Fragility of Goodness. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1986. Plato. Euthyphro. Apology. Crito. Phaedo. Phaedrus Trans. H. N. Fowler: Loeb Classical Library 1999. . Great Dialogues of Plato. Trans. W. H. D. Rouse. Reissue ed: Signet Classics, 1999. . The Republic. Trans. Desmond Lee. Ed. Rachana Kamtekar. 2nd ed: Penguin Classics, 2003. . Theaetetus. Kessinger Publishing, 2004. Rochol, Hans. The Dialogue Parmenides: An Insoluble Enigma in Platonism? International Philosophical Quarterly.11 (1971): 496-520. Sayre, Kenneth. Platos Late Ontology. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1983. [i] Plato never uses the phrase ‘one over many’ (hen epi pollÃ… n; hen para polla). But he contrasts the one and the many, and he sometimes says that forms are para various things. (Parm. 132a11–12 has epi toutois au pasin heteron; 132c3 has some one thing which is epi pasin.) [ii] See Penner, ‘The Unity of Virtue’, and Irwin, PMT, ch. 3. See also C. C. W. Taylor, Plato: Protagoras (Oxford, 1976), 103–8 (though Taylor is less sure than Penner and Irwin are that Socrates is clear about the difference between sense and reference; see pp. 106–7). In ‘Plato on Naming’, Philosophical Quarterly, 27 (1977), 289–301, I in effect argue that Crat.—which contains an extended discussion of names, and of language more generally—does not involve a referential theory of meaning, or confuse sense and reference. If Crat. articulates Socrates views, then it provides further evidence that he is not committed to a referential theory of meaning and does not confuse sense and reference. By contrast, Vlastos, ‘The Unity of the Virtues’, 227, claims that neither Socrates nor Plato ever distinguishes between sense and reference. [iii] White, Plato on Knowledge and Reality, 9, agrees that semantic considerations are not ‘wholly explicit’ in the Socratic dialogues, but he believes that Meno 72–4 and Eu. 5c8–d5 suggest such considerations ‘less openly’. On the account of these passages that I have defended, however, they are not semantic. For both passages concern the ‘What is F?’ question, which asks not for the meaning of ‘F’, but for a real definition of F. Perhaps in mentioning the Meno passage, White has in mind 74d5–6, where Socrates tells Meno that since he calls various things by the name ‘shape’, Meno should be able to tell him what shape is. But Socrates seems to mean only that since Meno thinks that there are various shapes, he should be able to tell Socrates what shape is—it is the fact that the name applies to something, rather than the fact that there is such a name, that suggests that shape is something. To say that if a name, ‘F’, applies to something, there is such a thing as F-ness does not imply that every general term denotes a property or form, or that forms are the meanings of the terms to which they correspond, or even that forms are relevant to explaining the meanings of general terms. [iv] In La. 192ab, for example, Socrates argues that just as speed is some one thing, so too is courage. In Meno 72a–74a, he argues that just as being a bee is some one thing, so too is virtue. [v] Allen, by contrast, thinks that Met. 1. 6 ‘implies that Socrates identified the objects of definition with sensibles, which is another way of saying that he did not distinguish Forms from their instances’ (Platos Euthyphro, 134; cf. 136). But Met. 1. 6 says only that Socrates did not take them to be non-sensible, which leaves open the possibility that Socrates did not take them to be sensible either—he was uncommitted either way. Even if Aristotle means that Socrates took the objects of definition to be sensible, it would not follow that he thought that Socrates did not distinguish them from sensible particulars (which is what Allen seems to mean by ‘instances’). For Aristotle believes that there are not only sensible particulars but also sensible or observable properties or universals (see Ch. 2.4). And in Met. 13. 9, he commends Socrates for acknowledging the existence of universals as entities distinct from particulars, since ‘it is not possible to acquire knowledge without the universal’ (1086b5–6). If Aristotle claims both that Socrates recognized the existence of universals and also that he took them to be sensible, then the sensibles at issue here should be sensible universals rather than sensible particulars. [vi] I take ‘A exists independently of B’ to be equivalent to ‘A can exist whether or not B exists’. To say that A is separate from B is compatible with saying that B is separate from A. If A is separate from B but B is not separate from A, then A is not only separate from but also ontologically prior to B. Ontological priority implies separation, but separation does not imply ontological priority. [vii] In these two passages, ‘kath’ hekasta’ and ‘aisthÄ“ta’ denote only particulars.. [viii] Hence the claim that forms are separate is weaker than the claim that they can exist uninstantiated tout court. If forms can exist uninstantiated, they are separate, but the converse is not true. [ix] If Socrates believes that a form can exist only if it is in something, then he rejects separation; for the view that he believes this, see Vlastos, Socrates, 74; cf. pp. 55–66, 72–80. (By contrast, in ‘The Unity of the Virtues’, 252, Vlastos says that Socratic forms or universals are not ‘ontological dependencies of persons’; this seems to say that they exist independently of sensible particulars, in which case they are separate.) But although Socrates assumes that forms are in things, I do not see that he commits himself to the view that they would not exist unless they were in things. [x] By contrast, Allen, Platos Euthyphro, 136, argues that Socrates separated forms. [xi] See e.g. Prot. (330c3–e2, where justice is said to be just, and piety pious); HMa. 291d1–3 (beauty ‘will never appear ugly to anyone anywhere’—though even if it never appears ugly, it does not follow that it appears beautiful); Eu. 5d1–5 (the eidos of piety is pious) and, possibly, Eu. 5d1–5 (but cf. Vlastos, Socrates, 57 n. 48); Lys. 217ce. As I go on to suggest, commitment to self-predication also seems to be tacit or assumed elsewhere. [xii] More precisely, Socrates believes that endurance no more explains why one thing is courageous than why another thing is not. For in his view the only real—or, at least, the ultimate—explanation of anythings being F is the one thing by which all Fs are F. But it will be convenient to speak as I do in the text. [xiii] To say that if x explains ys being F, it is itself F, though perhaps in a different way from the way in which y is F, is not to say that x and y are F in different senses of ‘F’. To illustrate the difference between different ways of being F and different senses of ‘F’: horses and cows are animals in different ways, but ‘animal’ means the same in ‘Horses are animals’ and in ‘Cows are animals’. ‘Seal’, however, means something different as applied to the seals in a zoo and the Great Seal of the United States; see S. Peterson, ‘A Reasonable Self-Predication Premise for the Third Man Argument’, Philosophical Review, 82 (1973), 451–70 at 464. I elaborate on this point below in discussing Plato on SP; see also Chs. 10, 15, and 16. If xs explaining ys being F is a sui generis way of being F, then Socrates view of self-predication is not refuted by the fact that e.g. saccharine tastes bitter but makes other things taste sweet. Nor does saccharine therefore suffer narrow compresence of opposites, since it is not both sweet and bitter in virtue of some one and the same aspect of itself. It is sweet because it makes other things taste sweet; it is bitter because of its own taste. [xiv] C. C. W. Taylor interprets Socrates notion of self-predication in a somewhat similar way, saying that ‘if justice is seen as a force in a man causing him to act justly, it is by no means obviously nonsensical to describe it .  .  . as just’ (pp. 119–20; contrast pp. 112–13). See also Irwin, PMT 306 n. 6. However, they seem to think that Socrates takes the form of justice, for example, to be just in the very same way in which a person is just. [xv] In Plato, see e.g. Ap. 23b1; Gorg. 525c6–7; So. 251a7; Phdr. 262c9; Pol. 277d1; Laws 663e9. In Aristotle, see e.g. Top. 151b21, 157a14, 15. [xvi] For Platos insistence that knowledge requires an account, see Phd. 76b4–6, Rep. 531e4–5, 534b3–6, Tm. 51e3. Passages in which Plato asks the ‘What is F?’ question also assume that knowledge requires an account; for he believes that one needs to know what F is in order to know anything about F, and knowing what F is involves knowing an account of it. For references to places where Plato asks the ‘What is F?’ question, see below and the next note. (In all these passages, the relevant sort of account involves explaining the natures of the relevant entities; but see n. 17.) [xvii] For references to the ‘What is F?’ question, see e.g. Rep. 523d4–5, 524c11, e6. In Rep. 5 Plato infers from the fact that the sight-lovers do not know what beauty is that they know nothing about beauty; this assumes that one needs to know what F is in order to know anything about F. I discuss Rep. 5 further in Ch. 7. For a more detailed discussion, see my ‘Knowledge and Belief in Republic V’, Archiv fà ¼r Geschichte der Philosophic 60 (1978), 121–39, and ‘Knowledge and Belief in Republic V–VII’, in S. Everson (ed.), Companions to Ancient Thought, i: Epistemology (Cambridge, 1990), 85–115. [xviii] Rep. 523–5 is sometimes thought to concern not definitions of properties but identification of examples. For some discussion, see Irwin, PMT, ch. 6, esp. 318 n. 26, and 320–1 n. 39. I discuss this matter further, though still briefly, in ‘The One over Many’ and in ‘Plato on Perception’, Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, supplementary volume (1988), 15–28. [xix] In Phd. 74a9–c5, for example, he infers from the fact that sensible equals are equal and unequal that there must be a form of equal that is different from, non-identical with, sensible equals. Separation is not mentioned. [xx] Neither Tm. nor the middle dialogues use any form or cognate of ‘chÃ… rizein’ of forms. In Parm., Plato says that ‘similarity itself exists separately (chÃ… ris) from the similarity we ourselves have’ (130b4); Vlastos, Socrates, 259–61, takes him to mean that forms exist independently of sensibles, i.e. can exist whether or not they do. However, in the just preceding lines Plato asks: ‘Have you yourself, as you say, distinguished in this way, on the one hand, separately certain forms themselves, on the other, separately, in turn, the t hings which participate in them?’ (130b1–3). Here he suggests, not that forms exist independently of sensibles, but that they can be distinguished separately from them, just as sensibles can in their turn be distinguished separately from forms. 130b4 seems to illustrate this general point by way of a particular example; it does not make a new point about existential independence. [xxi] Actual uninstantiation is sufficient but not necessary for separation. My point is that unlike Tm., the middle dialogues are not clearly committed to this particular sufficient condition. Rep. 10 has a form of bed. If it is everlasting, presumably it has not always been instantiated, since presumably there have not always been sensible beds, in which case it is separate.

Dell Supply Chain Case Study

Dell Supply Chain Case Study SUBMITTED BY: GROUP #7    Neeraj Joshi Raman Mangat Gagan Introduction Dell organization was built up in November 4, 1984. It is an American multinational data innovation company situated in Round Rock, Texas, United States, that creates, offers and backings PCs and related items and administrations. The organization is one of the biggest innovative enterprises on the planet, utilizing more than 103,300 individuals around the world. The name of its founder   is Michael Dell. He was the most youthful CEO to direct an organization to a Fortune 500 positioning. It generates an income of USD 63.07 billion yearly. The company manufactures desktop computers, notebook computers, network servers, work stations, storage products and customization of each product with the suppliers being Microsoft for windows, Intel for microprocessors, Nvidia for graphics chips and Sony for the monitors. As discussed in the case study, Dell keeps up a decent connection with the provider (supplier) and help them to center on the innovative capacities to support initiative segments in the light of the fact that in the realm of quick change in the innovation , research and development expenses are roughly significantly higher for a company to keep up monopoly in their segment. This is the reason that suppliers are asked to keep a lot sizes and stock as low as reasonably be expected. Dell always focus on its customer research and use that research to help suppliers and itself. As far as inventory details and new orders are concerned, Dell has build a web page , where suppliers can view order details and can plan how much and when to provide the product to dell based on actual demand of the consumer, which will decreases the bullwhip effect on supplier end. The main motive of the dell is to work with supplier as a team and to reduce the customer order line and to keep moving the supply ch ain. At that point with the joint efforts of the whole provider`s, Dell can provide a large variety of alternatives to their clients and can work to accomplish a quick throughput. FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE If we see on the distribution side dell is mainly dependent on direct sales through internet, in order to enhance income by offerings large varieties of desktops, notebooks and enterprises products. All these are displayed on companys websites and customers can directly purchase from it. Even customers can place order from anywhere at any time. On comparing online and retail dell computer purchase, online is cheaper because of the brick and mortar model. In dell company whenever the new product is manufactured at the same time it is introduced over the company`s website. Whereas the competing companies firstly produces the product and then introduce the product after it reaches the retail store for selling. That is why Dell has an advantage of introducing new product early in the market, said to be first mover advantage. DELL OFFERS A BETTER MATCH TO DEMAND AND SUPPLY Dell company has designed its manufacturing and assembling process in such a way that product is manufactured in a couple of minutes. In this way earlier production can be postpone and new product can be manufactured according to the order received and once new product is manufactured, the postpone production again starts. As it offers modularity and tight scheduling. Whereas the other companies sell their products through retailers and wholesalers and they find impossible to postpone production. ENJOY CASH FLOW ADVANTAGE The best part is that due to direct sales dell company eliminates the extra cost and margins lead by retailers and wholesalers. Point to note that dell operates at negative working capital as it receive it payments before it pays its suppliers and enjoy cash flow advantage . DRABACKS On the darker part, Dell company bear a high shipping cost then selling their product to retailers and wholesalers. In this way dell has to bear shipping cost for each product when ordered by customers, whereas other companies bear large shipment via tucks to warehouses and finally then to retailers which is less expensive per unit. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. How has Dell use its direct sales model and build to order model to improve its supply chain?    Ans:   Dell Companys path of action is to enhance technological capabilities to compete and enjoy continuous   leadership. Special Web pages are designed to encourage suppliers to meet customers demand by driving down lead times, lot sizes and inventories. Focussing on their distribution path, Dell offers variety of its component, virtually through the internet leading to increase in their revenue. Customers can choice their products based on their value choice. Customers can select products during any time by recommending product configurations or customizing them and also based on their purchase history and current needs. Direct Sales and build to order model are use by   the Dell to build supply chain by synchronizing the process from the starting to its completion. Dell produce products on the basis of their customers order and execute accordingly after receiving the payment. No Products are produced prior to customers order and based on the order procurement starts. So first step of the company si to do research of customers preference and then based on it, a design is made which is displayed on the web site. Integration of suppliers is done through web page, which displays the orders that are not yet executed, giving suppliers the vital information to structure their plan based on the requirement. These models have been proved exceptionally useful by drastically decreasing the overall process timing to a couple of hours in comparison to months. Increase in cash flow is also witnessed as the payment is received by the company before making the payment to their suppliers. 2. How has Dell exploited the direct sales model to improve operations performance? Ans: Dell produce products for the customers who have value for choice from different part of the world. Internet played a key role in the success of the direct sales model. The Products with high life cycle in an industry face difficulty to compete with dell, who enjoys advantage of early market. Dell introduces the first model to customers in form of a new product. Suppliers are directly linked to the orders, so that they know the quantity of components to be manufactured and shipped. The compression of supply chain give Dell a competitive advantage. Depreciation and write off of inventories costs are reduced as Turnover rate of inventory is 60 times per year. Negative cash conversion cycle is operated by Dell by using Direct sales model. Money is received by the company in advance to pay to its suppliers for the components. No stocks are kept and orders are executed based on the customers choice. Sale Price and orders of the product are received by the company, simultaneously, cus tomer also receives the product accordingly to their preference within a short span of time. 3. What are the main disadvantages of Dells Direct Sales Model? Ans: The disadvantage of Dells Direct Sales Model is the shipping cost and customer support service cost ,which the company has to bear after the sale is done. Dell bears the direct cost of shipping, as it deals directly with the customer and where retailers have no role to play. Other companies produce and send the products in bulk in comparison to Dell, who delivers small orders individually to   customers. Dell bear all the related transaction costs from receiving the order to its execution and after sale services. Direct Sales Model enjoys advantage of cost on the side of production but brings a disadvantage of cost on the side of support. 4. How does Dell Compete with a retailer who already has a stock? Ans: The strategy adopted by Dell to compete   with retailers, who already has a stock is by providing low price to customers, which is a result of low fixed cost. It also givies customers a chance to customize their product, according to their needs, by giving them virtual display over the internet, whereas in stores the supplies are limited. Dell Produce the products within hours and supplies to the buyers within a couple of days. 5. How does Dells supply chain deal with the Bullwhip effect? Ans: Supply Chain should be consistent to avoid Bullwhip effect in order to fulfil the demand accurately and within time with accurate forecasting of demand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dell constructed web pages where suppliers can forecast the demand of components by viewing the stock   available and avoiding the problems related to unnecessary components and products.

The Limits of Science Essay -- Philosophy Papers

Does science have any limits? Scientists say no. Philosophers are divided in their response. The humanities say that science is not "humanitarian," and thus not metaphysically deep. In response, scientists and some philosophers contend that science is the best knowledge we have about the world. I argue that science is limited by its form. Science has no object that derives from the human form. Everything that is incomparable to the dimension of the human body is reducible to notions that are commensurable to that body. This phenomenologically clarifies some of the most important discoveries in contemporary science. The Special Theory of Relativity shows the dependence of space and time on the accounting system. Quantum mechanics displays the limits of observation (Heisenberg) and logical indefiniteness by compelling the creation of a macropresentation of micro-objects and gets around logic (Feyerabend) through the principle of additionality. Experimental science has come out as an ar tificial projection of human expansion, not as a reflection of the transcendent order of the world itself. "The life world" successfully takes the place of "the objective world" of modern rationality. Does Empirical Science have any limits? This question is not so interesting for the contemporary philosophy of Science. Not like the questions of reality, objectivity, rationality. I believe, that these questions could be elucidated by answering the question of limitness, or, of form of Science. Does Empirical Science have any limits? The answer of the scientists is No: Science is unlimited. There are no scientifically unresolvable questions, they have sense. The answer of the philosophers is not clear, but it is close to No. It is shown not only i... ...rld. And now, at the issue of this study, occurs a question: Does the pre-scientific grasping of the world through logic, space and time really need the "reinforcement" which the experimental science proposes? Notes (1) Gherdjikov, S. Limits of Science. Sofia, Extreme Press, 1995. (2) See Heelan, P. Space-perception and the Philosophy of Science. Berkeley-Los Angeles-London, University of California Press, 1983. (3) See McTagart, J. The Nature of Existence. Northampton, J. Dickens & Co., 1968. Paragraphs 303-351. (4) Hempel, K., Oppenheim, P. Studies in the Logic of Explanation. N. Y., 1970. (5) Gerdjikov, S. A Matrix Model of Scientific Explanation.-International Congress "Logic and Methodology of Science." Proceedings. Moscow, 1987. Vol. 6, p. 367- 368. (6) Popper, K. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. Hutchinson of London. London, 1959.

TRAINING Essay -- essays research papers

This is an outline of the recommended training program I designed for my self, based on my current needs assessment. I discovered that I would like to improve my managerial skills, improve my communication skills, and improve time management in order to become a successful business analyst. In my opinion in order to make these needed improvements in my career I will need to further develop myself professionally. I am currently taking classes towards my Bachelor of Arts degree in management information systems, and I have targeted April 2005 as a start date for additional training. The following are subjects that were identified during my needs assessments:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stress management  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dealing with difficult employees  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Understanding budgets  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Time management  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership skills  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Project management Listed below are the courses I recommend for my career advancement. Each course is designed to give maximum results in minimum time. I have listed the courses with some of the major specifications of each course, and a brief explanation of why the course will benefit my career growth. I have set a twelve to eighteen-month timetable, with courses being taking approximately every other month. Stress Management for women:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attack stress at its source by learning the 7 major causes of st...

Innocence in William Blakes The Divine Image Essay -- Blake Divine Im

Innocence in Blake's The Divine Image  Ã‚      Blake was both a poet and an artist and he created many Illuminated works which combined the two. These forms, each powerful in their own right are even more so when used together as in "The Divine Image." In analyzing this piece I will be looking at the elements and principles of art, the corresponding ‘elements and principles' of poetry and how they support one another to convey William Blake's idea of Innocence. Elements are the fundamental building blocks used in either art or poetry. In art they are line, shape/form, value, texture, colour (which I wasn't able to deal with in this case as the only reproduction was black and white) and space. In poetry one might classify the elements as word choice, word placement, scansion or meter, capitalization and punctuation. Principles are what are produced by putting the elements together. In art they are focal point, movement, subordinate area (background or setting), contrast and repetition. Interestingly in poetry several are similar, namely movement, contrast and repetition. Other things one might classify as principles of poetry are rhyme, line treatment, and tone. Of all the elements of art I will be dealing with, line and shape are by far the most important. All the figures are outlined and the vines running throughout the picture constitute line as do the letters. Line is also essential in the creation of value as this was printed on a press and all the ink is the same value. To create changes in value Blake used different densities and numbers of lines. The only texture in this work is a sort of implied texture that comes with creating value through a build up of line; some areas tend to acquire a ridged look. The use o... ... contrast of the living and the fire but neither the vine nor the figures are consumed. This presents an image of innocence similar to that of the Lion and the Lamb. Both the poem and the image serve to re-enforce each other as they present the freedom, harmony, and safety found in the state of Innocence. It seems fitting that these together would be called an Illumination as they help shed light on Blake's true meaning. Works Cited and Consulted Blake, William. Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Intro. Geoffry Keynes. New York: Oxford University Press, 1967. Easson, Kay. "The Art of the Book." Blake in His Time. Essick and Pearce ed. 1978. (35-51). Frye, Northrop. "Poetry and Design in William Blake." The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism. 10 (Sept., 1951) 35-42. Mellor, Anne. Blake's Human form divine. U of California P Berkeley; 1974.

A Study on the Effects and Treatment

Alcohol related mishaps and accidents remain the largest concern of society and in response to this more and more sectors of society have been implementing rules to curb the negative effects of teenage drinking.   There is no doubt that society has seen the negative consequences of teenage drinking.In a national probability sample of 4,023 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, it was found that 15% of the sample used alcohol, 10% used marijuana, and 2% reported hard drug use in the past year (Farrell, 2006, p 284)).   This means that the problem of underage or teenage drinking is even more prevalent than other substances.Although some alcohol consumption among adolescents is considered normative, there is great concern for the number of teens who are exhibiting signs of alcohol abuse or dependence with 7% of the above sample meeting diagnostic criteria for alcohol, marijuana, or hard drug abuse or dependence.Trends in alcohol use reported in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in dicate that binge drinking (five or more drinks on one occasion during the 30 days prior to the survey) has shown little variation over the past several years, ranging from 31.3% in 1991 to 33.4% in 1997 to 31.5% in 1999 (Eaton, 2005, p. 79).Drinking continues to be a problem among youth and needs to be targeted specifically.   This drinking problem has led to a number of problems such school absenteeism and failure, depression, risky behaviors (especially driving under the influence), addiction, and death.This brief discourse, shall tackle the issue of alcohol abuse in teenagers as well as the possible treatments that can be done.   It shall also provide an etiological perspective of the problem in order to show the different factors that affect teenage alcoholism.Working as a school counselor for this age group, I agree with the American Academy of Child and Adolescents Psychiatry’s Report (2007) which states that the following groups are most at risk for alcohol abuse: 1) teenagers with a family history of addiction, 2) teenagers suffering from depression, 3) teenagers suffering with low self-esteem, and 4) teenagers that have academic problems.It has been shown that from the following groups the teenagers with a history of alcohol have higher rates of alcohol addiction with over 42% of the sample size coming from that background.The next group is that of those who were drinking because they were upset with a rate of 40% while the rest admitted that they usually drink because of low self-esteem and peer pressure which accounts for 25% of the teenagers (Farrell, 2006, p.284).   The number of teenagers that drink due to academic problems has steadily been on the rise since 1998 and is now at a rate of 25% of the teenagers.   From the list, one could argue that most teenagers have been in one or more of its categories at one time in their lives.Etiological Approach:The article, Etiology of Alcoholism Reconsidered, is an insightful article that p rovides a biophysical analysis of the problem.   Alcohol related mishaps and accidents remain the largest concern of society and in response to this more and more sectors of society have been taking steps to understand the nature of the problem.   One such approach is the biophysical approach conducted by Vailliant and Milofsky on the Etiological Approach to Alcoholism.It is theorized in the study conducted by Vailliant and Milofsky that there are other factors that must be considered when studying the problem of alcoholism.   According to the authors, there are personality and childhood influences that must be examined in order to arrive at a better understanding of the problem.In the study conducted, Vailliant and Milofsky studied many different factors and collected different types of date including ethnicity, heredity, psychological instability, childhood and adult personality variables, and family background (Vailliant and Milofsky, 1982, p43).   The data that was colle cted from all of this was then used to quantify the variance of each of the different etiological factors.It was from the data analytic strategy that Vailliant and Milofsky were able to draw the conclusion that whenever there are correlations that exist between alcoholism and certain behavioral patterns or symptoms, it is usually alcoholism that is the cause of such behavior or symptom rather than it being the result (Vailliant and Milofsky, 1982, p483).Alcoholism is, according to the authors, not so much a disorder whose etiological causes are personality and behavior but rather, it is a precedent for such behaviors.   It was also noted from the study that â€Å"premorbid antisocial behavior† is a major contributor to the etiology of alcoholism.Another important finding in the article is the fact that while Vailliant and Milofsky greatly downplayed the role of child antisocial behavior, it played a significant role in most of the categories.As with the other etiological fa ctors, it has been shown that there are correlations that have been overlooked or underrepresented in the study conducted by Vailliant and Milofsky.   As such, this has led to the theory of Zucker that in order for there to be an accurate etiological study, there must be a study that is conducted over â€Å"developmental time† and inclusive of â€Å"different levels of data† since it is only through this process that a proper understanding can be arrived at (Zucker 1986).There are, however, still certain researchers who argue that this study was not significant in that it failed to account for certain factors or relationships such as that of antisocial behavior and personality factors which was thought to be underestimated in the study.   This does not detract, however, that the study process used presented an angle that was quantifiable and perhaps accurate of the etiology of alcoholism.