Reserach proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reserach proposal - Essay Example The postmodern media revolution could only aggravate the situation further with, especially since 9/11 disaster, misrepresentations and distorted images of Islam and Muslims gaining unprecedented and higher visibilities in the Western public spheres. However, despite the seeming ruptures this process of representation and misrepresentation has a definite historical and political backdrop embedded within huge cultural politics spanned across the centuries, ever since negotiations of different sorts had commenced between the Christian and Muslim cultures. This project attempts to study about western perceptions of Islam especially since the middle ages to the contemporary times and the surrounding cultural politics, both international and domestic. The specific objectives of the study are: 1. To deconstruct the meaning and understanding of Islam and Muslim culture at large as they are predominantly represented within the western culture – since the medieval to modern times. 2. T o throw light upon the historical and political backdrop and the cultural elements invariably involved in the production of knowledge about Islam and its culture in the west. 3. ... The attempt is precisely oriented towards exposing the hidden cultural politics behind stereotyping a whole culture and on what basis such stereotypes get reception and get reproduced over different periods of time. Contextualising the project and review of literature As I mentioned earlier the proposed project shall focus on the image of Islam in the West from the medieval ages to the present. The study is immensely significant since the â€Å"West must deal with Islam as a growing social, political and religious reality† (Quinn, 2008: 17). A significant development in the recent global politics, especially in the aftermath of the 9/11 incidents and the recent war on Iraq and the related events, is the emergence of a fungible notion of Islam and terrorism. Issues pertaining to Islam are already finding their place in the cutting edge of political, military and economic interests of the West. The terrain is much complicated, and still adds onto it, with the fact that a great d eal of ignorance about Islam and its culture in general is further manipulated by those in the political forefronts in the West to build upon a historically and culturally constructed notion of hostility and incongruity between Islam and Christian cultures. The images, representations, and perceptions of Islam are â€Å"abound in the academic and popular press† throughout the twentieth-century world (Mirza, 2007: 2). Perhaps with the intellectual and technological changes, together with the recent historical events in the contemporary Muslim world, greater attention to certain institution or faith such as Islam has become widely possible (Esposito, 1999: ix). Bassiri (2010) has traced this synonymous usage between Islam and terrorism back to the age of Reagan

Personal reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Personal reflection - Essay Example These will increase food production to a great extent that will satisfy a nation’s population. In my thought, a growth in the economy should provide sufficient wealth for the whole population. Mostly, this does not happen because the population the poor grows rapidly and they do not share in the increased industrial expansion. The tragedy of commons is a trap that involves the conflict between resources of individual interests and those of common good. The problem with arising from this measure in managing the human population is the assumption that commons need to be regulated both the international and national agencies. In my thought, it is not entirely possible to control the commons or convert them to private property. In most countries, there does exist a gap between the existing population and what is regarded as the optimal population. Reasons, why countries have sub-optimal population, vary both geographically and historically. Daly suggests that tradable permits are a measure that can be use to control the human population. The allusion to birth rights for income inequality is contrasted. In my opinion, the tradable rights to have children are the only means to manage the human population. Each girl should be given a license to allow her to have, say, two children. Tradable birth rights may be a better measure as couples who have more than two children will risk previous the economic

Negligence and duty of care

Negligence and duty of care Duty of care. Duty of care is the first element of negligence and therefore, in order to discuss further on duty of care, one would have to first define the tort of negligence. In Blyth v Birmingham Waterworks Co,[1] the courts defined negligence as an omission of something which a reasonable man would do and the doing of an act which a reasonable man would not do. In Heaven v Pender,[2] the courts held that the presumption of duty of care arises when one person is placed in a position with regard to another person or property, it is in ordinary sense that if he does not use reasonable ordinary care in his conducts, he would cause danger or injury towards the other person or property. Therefore, ordinary care is required to prevent the occurrence of such danger. In Stovin v Wise,[3] the courts explained that generally there is no duty to rescue a stranger from danger. The duty mentioned above is regarding duty that is imposed by law or in other words, it is a legal duty. Test to determine the standard of duty of care. There are a few test that is used in determining the existence of duty of care. The primary test is the neighbour principle established in the well-known case of Donoghue v Stevenson.[4] In this case, Lord Atkin laid down that the rule that you are required to love your neighbours becomes a law by itself and it requires one to take a reasonable care to prevent any acts or omissions that can be reasonably foreseen to be likely to cause injury to your neighbour. The question posed to this principle is regarding who is one’s neighbour in law. The courts held that neighbour in law is someone who is directly affected by one’s act or omission. It is a reasonable man’s test whereby the courts would have to determine whether a reasonable man would foresee that his conduct would affect the plaintiff adversely. If the answer to this hypothetical question is yes, then the plaintiff is considered to be his neighbour and he owes a duty of care to the neighbour.[5] It is essential to note here that the neighbour principle requires the defendant to be a foreseeable victim and thus, in order for the defendant to be a foreseeable victim, there has to be a close proximity. Therefore, the neighbour principle requires the plaintiff to be of a close proximity with the defendant. The plaintiff would not be a foreseeable victim if there is no proximity between the plaintiff and defendant. In the case of Home Office v Dorset Yacht Co Ltd,[6] the courts held that the principle laid down in Donoghue v Stevenson should be regarded as a milestone in determining whether there exist a duty of care. This principle significantly assist the development of the law of negligence. Prior to the case of Donoghue v Stevenson, there was vagueness in the law regarding civil liability for carelessness.[7] In an 1889 textbook, there was a list containing fifty-six various duties of care.[8] Therefore, the judgment in Donoghue v Stevenson brought an end to the chaotic situation and had introduced the law of negligence as a separate civil wrong. The next test used by the courts to determine whether duty of care is established is the Anns test laid down by the courts in Anns v Merton London Borough Council.[9] This is a two-stage approach laid down by Lord Wilberforce whereby the first is to determine whether there is a relationship of proximity between the alleged tortfeasor and the person who had suffered the loss. If it foreseeable that the carelessness of the tortfeasor would lead the other party to suffer damage, then a duty of care would on prima facie be established. The second stage of this test requires the court to take into account any considerations that may negate the said duty or to reduce and limit the scope or group of persons that the duty will be imposed upon. This two-stage approach in essence is to determine whether it is reasonable to foresee that the defendant’s act or omissions will cause any damage to the plaintiff. If it is reasonable to foresee that the defendant’s act would cause harm to the plaintiff, then there exist a presumption of duty of care.[10] This test receive heavy criticism in Governors of the Peabody Donation Fund v Sir Lindsay Parkinson Co Ltd.[11] The courts in this case held that the neighbour principle laid down by Lord Atkin should be proved before the duty of care is presumed to exist but the scope of the duty depends on the facts of the case. The courts should consider whether the duty of care imposed on the defendant is just and reasonable. In Curran v Northern Ireland Co-ownership Housing Association Ltd,[12] the learned judge, Lord Keith, held that the Anns test has been given more importance than it should have been given and held that the test need not be applicable in future cases in establishing the duty of care. The third test used in determining the duty of care is the Caparo test which is derived from Caparo Industries plc v Dickman.[13] In this case, there were three factors that is needed to be fulfilled to establish duty of care. The first is the courts must determine whether the damage caused is reasonably foreseen, the second is whether there is any policy to negate the duty of care and the third is whether it is just and reasonable. If this requirements are fulfilled, then duty of care is established.[14] It is important to note here that all three elements under the Caparo test needs to be fulfilled in order for duty of care to be established. Development in Malaysia. In Malaysia, the courts have used all of the above test. However, the test that is currently used by the courts is the three stage test which is the Caparo test. This can be seen in the case of Majlis Perbandaraan Ampang Jaya v Stephen Phoa Cheng Loon Ors.[15] In this case, the Federal Court had referred to the Caparo’s case do determine whether duty of care exist. The issue that arises in this principle is whether this principle only applies to economic loss or it may extend to all situations. The courts used the foreseeability test and held that this test applies to all situation. The courts only had to determine whether the duty of care which is imposed upon the defendant is just and reasonable. The courts went on stating that it would be rare for the outcome of the test to be not just and reasonable. This test is used in a more recent Malaysian case which is Projek Lebuh Raya Utara-Selatan Sdn Bhd v Kim Seng Enterprise (Kedah) Sdn Bhd.[16] In this case, the courts reiterated that the standard of care to determine negligence is that of the reasonable man and it is an objective test. Another recent case is the case of Jordan Saw Yu Huan v Low Suan Chuan Ors.[17] In this case, the high court applied the Caparo’s test and the courts were of the view that it was just and reasonable to impose such duty of care upon the defendants and held that the defendants in this case had breached such duty of care. Therefore, it is clear that the recent development in Malaysia regarding the standard of care required to establish duty of care is more inclined towards the three-stage approach which is commonly known as the Caparo’s test. The courts in Malaysia had followed the Caparo’s test because this test requires that the damage caused to the plaintiff to be reasonably foreseen by the defendant. The defendant would not owe a duty of care if he cannot reasonably foresee the damage. Therefore, this test more straight forward as compared to the other test laid down earlier. [1](1856) 11 Ex 781 at 784. [2](1883) 11 QBD 503 at 507. [3][1996] AC 923 at 930-931. [4][1932] AC 562 at 580 (HL). [5]Norchaya Talib, Law of Torts in Malaysia (3rd edn, Sweet Maxwell Asia 2011) 98. [6][1970] AC 1027. [7]Dato Mohd Hishamudin Yunus, ‘JUDICIAL ACTIVISM — THE WAY TO GO?’ [2012] 6 MLJ xvii. [8]Thomas Beven, ‘Principles of the law of negligence’ (1889). [9][1978] AC 728. [10]Norchaya Talib, Law of Torts in Malaysia (3rd edn, Sweet Maxwell Asia 2011) 100. [11][1984] 3 All ER 529 (HL). [12][1987] 2 All ER 13, 710. [13][1990] 1 All ER 568 (HL). [14]Norchaya Talib, Law of Torts in Malaysia (3rd edn, Sweet Maxwell Asia 2011) 106. [15][2006] 2 MLJ 389 (FC). [16][2013] 5 MLJ 360 (CA). [17][2013] 4 MLJ 137.

Did Israel Cause the Events of September 11? :: Threats to World Peace

I will never forget the strange mix of terror and happiness in my fathers voice the afternoon of September 11, 2001. Knowing his proximity to the World Trade Center(3 blocks), and seeing the terrifying images of the attack on the television screen, I rushed to a phone after class and tried desperately to make contact. The moments that followed seemed like forever. Because of the tie-up in the phone lines, it took about 15 minutes to get through to New York. When I finally did get through, I was relieved to hear his familiar voice. He seemed to feel lucky that he had been fortunate enough to make it out of the terror alive. At the same time, he talked about the difficulty he was already having in getting the horrific events he had witnessed out of his mind. He recounted seeing both Towers fall and the searing images of groups of human beings jumping out of burning buildings hand in hand. Those indelible images will surely stay with him and with us for a lifetime. This story illustrates just how personally the catastrophe has hit home for me. As an American, I believe it has changed the course of our lives, and there are several ways I see America going from here. Many individuals have called for peace, while others for an all out retaliatory strike. I don’t think the question is that simple. It is now up to our leaders to make these difficult choices which may change our way of life as we know it, and we are going to have to make some strong decisions as citizens in order to let them know what we believe needs to get done. I think we have to acknowledge that this event was not an isolated incident. It has made a direct impact on the way each and every American born in this era will live their life. I will never again feel safe while riding in an airplane and that prospect frightens me. If we are no longer safe to do the simple things such as take a trip or go to a ballgame, how can we feel that we are free? In the end, the point of all this seems not only to be an attack on our country, but rather an attack on our freedom.

Learning Theory and Behaviorism

Learning Theory and BehaviorismOctober 16, 2012 Wundt’s Structuralism: †¢ Goal was to analyze the structure of conscious experience into its elements and components and their associative relationships. It was a form of metal chemistry †¢ Developed of the technique introspection, which requires trained introspectionists to look inward and describe/analyze the contents of their experience to a stimulus word †¢ Edward Titchner brought structuralism to the U. S. Cornell university listing 1000’s of elements of consciousness William James: †¢ James studied with Wundt, but rejected a static description of the elements of the mind. James thought the mind and consciousness to be adaptive function that envolved just as any other adaptive function †¢ Therefore, proper study of the mind is to relate its characteristics to purposeful, adaptive behavior. †¢ Hence the rise of functionalism. James was professor of psychology at Harvard Principles of Psych ology: †¢ James wrote this Titles were stream of thought, memory, reasoning, emotion, will, effects of experience Edward Thorndike: †¢ In the late 1800s at Harvard, drawing from James and functionalism and also Darwin’s ideas of evolution of species and their adaption to environment, he studied the progress cats made in solving a puzzle by learning a desired that is instrumental in bringing about desired outcome †¢ Notion of stimulus-response (reflexive vs. rational) was already firmly in the thinking of leading philosophers at the time, in the field of education Ivan Pavlov: In 1904, Pavlov received the Nobel prize for his work on the chemistry of digestive juices in saliva †¢ His work with dogs required gathering large amounts of saliva for chemical analyses. Done through a tube surgically implanted in dog’s salivary gland and then simulating salvation with dried meat powder Unconditional†¦. †¢ Dried meat powder is an unconditional stimu lus 9UCS) in that it always triggers the response of salivating. We call the response unconditional response (UCR).Needs no learning †¢ Many pleasure, pain, and emotional responses and tastes and smells are unconditional Psychic Reflex: †¢ Pavlov and associates observed that dogs would often begin salivating before they were harnessed and before the meat powder †¢ Pavlov switched his path of study this psychic reflex †¢ Studies are among the most famous in psychology. Type of learning he describes is known as â€Å"classical condition† or â€Å"glandular conditioning† Conditional†¦. Stimulus in effect becomes a signal that the dog will be harnessed, presented with the meant, and will be salivating. †¢ The dog must perceive this connection. Its meaning and power as a signal depends on its reliability. Its meaning and power are conditional on its place in time and its frequency in the sequence, becoming conditional stimulus (CS). The psychic reflex becomes a Conditional response. Prior to perception of a connection to the UCS, all events are neutral in meaning with respect to UCS.Conditioning involves responding to a CS with a CR in anticipation of the occurrence of the UCS-UCR pair. Learning: †¢ Conditional response (CR) is the learned response to the conditional stimulus (CS) which gained meaning to the extent it anticipates the UCS-UCR pain. The CR is potentially a adaptive response, a preparatory response †¢ The UCS-UCR pair do not re-occur, then the power of the CS to trigger a CR is weakened. The CS no linger bring about the CR-extinction. Higher order conditioning: The CS must occur fairly closely in time to the UCS-UCR pain- interstimulus interval (CS & UCS) †¢ However once a CS has gained the power to anticipate the UCS, other neutral stimuli close in time to the CS will become conditioned. A CS signal the next CS, which signals the next CS and so on until the original CS signals the UCS-UCR pai n-higher order conditioning. Historical context: †¢ The pressure of universal education brought pressures for psychologists and educators to study the processes of learning †¢ Alfred Binet (advocate from France) developed a test to measure abilities so as to place students in the proper grade.Concepts of ‘intelligence’ and IQ soon followed †¢ Darwin’s theory of evolution suggests that as a species of human beings evolved from lower forms of animal life. Though the gap between animals and human life remained wide in terms of language, thought, and civilization, question was just how intelligent are animals, are they closer to humans are intelligent than animals lower †¢ Industrial revolution; post revolutionary Russia and USA saw an ability to take classless societies and make it a brighter and stronger future, training an efficient workforce.John B. Watson: 1878-1958 †¢ Studied animal intelligence. He sought to move psychology more toward the empirical, deterministic physical sciences †¢ Empirical, means of the senses of implying data used in the science is observable, public, and objectively measured. Determinism implies a search for theories of cause and effect, identification of Aristotle’s immediate cause Behaviorists in control: †¢ Reshaping human society in the US and Soviet Union Philosophical behaviorism: belief that consciousness was an epiphenomenon †¢ Methodological behaviors: belief that observable objective measures of behavior are better over introspective self-report Operant Conditioning: †¢ Skinner says the probability of a response to the correct stimulus is more or less equal to that of any other response to other available stimuli. If the response to a stimulus brings about desired consequence, then the sequence of stimulus-response more likely repeated. Trial and error is as en equal probability for all possible responses on Trial 1 Terms: †¢ Reinforcer: sequence o f stimulus-response consequence; makes stronger the bond between the stimulus and the response †¢ Operant or instrumental response: behavior which bring about the consequence †¢ Skinner prefers to understand reinforcement as that which changes the probability of the response to the stimulus Reinforcer vs. Reinforcement: Reinforce is an event, a consequence that follows the response to a stimulus and is perceived to be connected to the response †¢ Reinforcement is a state of being that arises from the act of consuming or enjoying †¢ Positive reinforce is a positive rewarding consequence to response to a stimulus; all is good and you’ll do it again †¢ Negative reinforer is a painful consequence to the response to a stimulus; decreases probability of the response to that stimulus †¢ In negative reinforcement sequence is stimulus, response, negative reinforcerm escape response(which removes negative reinforce) positive reinforce.Total package: negati ve reinforcement. Probability of an escape/avoidance response is increased and the 1st response is decreased. Primary and secondary reinforcer: †¢ Primary: natural; one that does not have to be learned.Satisfy biological needs like hunger, thirst †¢ Secondary: consequence whose value must be learned through experience; come through socialization and subsequent learning †¢ Primary positive reinforcer: satisfies a natural need (food if you’re hungry, water if thirsty) †¢ Primary negative reinforcer: causes physical pain and discomfort (injury, illness) †¢ Secondary positive reinforcer: satisfies social and psychological needs (good grade, smile, kiss) †¢ Secondary negative reinforcer: socially punishing (failing grade, public slander, rejection letter) Classical and instrumental combined: A primary positive reinforcer=unconditional stimulus that follows some behavioral conditional response to conditional stimulus. †¢ Conditional stimulus is a secondary positive reinforcer Contingency: †¢ connection between a stimulus, response, and a consequence. One perceives the stimulus and performs the response expected †¢ extinction: when stimulus no longer elicits a response b/c reinforcer no longer appears †¢ superstition: one perceives a contingency when in fact there is none †¢ helplessness: perceiving no contingency between a stimulus and a response nd any desirable consequence, making no response †¢ fixed ratio: pattern is predictable †¢ variable ratio: pattern is random Resistance to extinction: †¢ skinner defines strength of learning as how resistance the acquired response to a stimulus is to extinction †¢ variable ratio schedule maintains responding far longer than fixed ratio †¢ fixed interval schedule gives reinforcer tot the last response as a certain interval of time elapses Psychological and emotional disorders A behavioral analysis of psychological & emotional disorders inc ludes the assumption that the symptoms (inappropriate behaviors, thoughts, or emotions) are acquired in a learning environment (i. e. not due to genetics or physiological dysfunctions or unconscious conflicts). †¢ Behavior therapy tries to extinguish the inappropriate responses to stimuli & train appropriate responses. Behavioral analysis of a phobia †¢ Phobia = learned, â€Å"acquired fear† o Intense fear or anxiety reaction to an event, classically conditioned by exposure to frightening, threatening, or painful stimulus. Instrumentally conditioned escape/avoidance behavior that takes very few trials, maybe only one trial to learn Obsessive compulsive disorder †¢ Obsessive state = intense drive state, often accompanied by images, thoughts, memories, desires, etc. related to drive state an identity †¢ Compulsive = behavior that corrects for or deals w/ the threat to the driving identity. Ritualized by repetition & success at keeping anxiety at bay. †¢ Compulsive behavior may originate in two ways: o 1.Person once praised for something & now seeks praise to maintain good feeling o 2. Person once punished for something & thus becomes anxious when this event occurs and does whatever to avoid punishment Behavioral analysis of anxiety and conflict †¢ The conflict of drives, stimuli, responses & consequences will result in indecision, inefficiency, & anxiety. Dollard & miller list the following: †¢ An approach-approach conflict: where two mutually exclusive positive consequences follow a response to two similar stimuli.The greater the emotional importance of the choice & the greater the finality (or temporal impact) of the choice, the greater the conflict: o Choosing whom to marry vs. choosing which friend to call o Choosing a book to read vs. choosing a film to watch on a weekend night o Choosing a car/house to buy vs. choosing a brand of frozen pizza to buy in the store †¢ An avoidance-avoidance conflict: where two mu tually exclusive negative consequences follow a response to two similar stimuli. Resolved in a manner similar to approach-approach. Choosing to cope with knee pain or having knee surgery o Choosing to write a paper or study for a test o Choosing any math course †¢ An approach-avoidance conflict: where two aspects of the â€Å"same† stimulus are in contradiction, one positive, one negative. o Enjoying the company of a friend, who also tends to get loud & obnoxious at parties. The conflict arises when the friend asks you to go to the party with her/him. o Contemplating a trip to Europe, but you have a fear of flying Behavioral analysis of anxiety & conflict The tension in approach-avoidance conflict in interpersonal relationships often forces a person to create a â€Å"safe-zone† in which, on the one hand, the person is not so far away from the other such that one needs to approach, but yet, on the other hand, the person is not so close that one needs to avoid the o ther. †¢ Often the zone is defined or verbalized in terms of emotional involvement, interpersonal distance, intimacy, time together, mode of communication, etc. â€Å"were just friends†¦Ã¢â‚¬  meaning not lovers, cousins, or strangers. The safe zone evolves. It is negotiated b/t the two persons in the relationship to their mutual satisfaction, though true mutuality is often difficult to achieve. Also, conditions may change it over time, especially due to factors such as distance, other relationships, new info, etc. Depression †¢ Result of a generalized learned helplessness. †¢ Helplessness learned when most instrumental escape or avoidance responses to a primary or secondary negative reinforce fail to bring about relief through a cessation of the punishment, discomfort.Inactivity/apathy describe lack of instrumental responses; pain, numbness, sadness are the classically conditioned emotional responses. Dissociative disorder †¢ Dissociative disorders, such as dissociative identity disorder (split personality) involves learning a new repertory of behaviors, thoughts, & emotions that are appropriate (and therefore reinforced) in a new environment along side of a previously learned repertory of behaviors, thoughts and emotions that are appropriate in a different prior environment †¢ Prior environment associated w/ punishmentSchizophrenia †¢ double bind theory of schizophrenia: child raised in a home environment of confusing/contradictory messages from at least one volatile, toxic parent. The child’s behavior is not predictably right/good, wrong/bad. The child grows up never sure or relaxed, but stressed and anxious. Child emerges chronic mistrust of his or her ability to behave, think, etc. he/she learns to behave as if disconnected from reality B. F. Skinner †¢ wrote beyond freedom and dignity – we’re already living in a behavioral society.

Successful Marketing Strategy of Haagen-Dazs

â€Å"If you love her, then take her to Hagen-Dads†, the advertisement is familiar to people all around the world. Hagen-Dads has successfully created value for its customers. Aimed to make itself the represent of top-class ice-creams, Hagen-Dads tried to make the feeling of satisfaction and happiness its selling point. And this orientation proved to work well. In 1981 , Times referred to Hagen as ‘Rolls-Royce among ice-creams'. While there are some modification actually, Hagen-Dads focuses more on young ladies who are thirsty for romantic love than noble people.On the en hand, women usually cannot resist the entice of sweet food and romantic feeling . An the other hand, the orientation builds an emotional tie between its product and the customer. It is not Just ice cream is actually part of their dream. Due to its market positioning, most of its consumers of are lovers. For them, they are pursuing more than Just delicious ice cream . Lovers desire intimacy, the feeling of being loved and understood, and special experiences . So Hagen-Dads make Its Ice cream the symbol of romantic and fancy. The packaging of its product is all-sided.Firstly, the name of the brand ‘Hagen-Dads' sounds to be Nordic ,which actually Is American. Secondly, the ice cream has a unique look and name which create a noble impression. What's more ,Hagen-Dads has done something that most companies failed to do. That Is ,to make ‘ the pursuing of romantic' the spirit and culture of the company. The connotation Hagen-Dads are trying to deliver has been developing all the time . From the original one â€Å"If you love her ,then take her Hagen-Dads† ,then In 2004,†melt slow',and the 2009 one â€Å"melt together†. Hagen-Dads tries to deliver this usage to the customers-?to foster love In the spirit level l.And that's exactly what the couples are looking for today. Among the brands that are trying to create a romantic tale, Hagen-Dads successful makes Itself to be the leading one . Let Is even Impossible for others to copy or Imitate. We can encounter It In every corner of our life ,such as movies ,novels and so on. Hagen-Dads has definitely been a symbol of romantic love. In a word ,the key to the success of Hagen-Dads Is that It Is â€Å"FACING† Its customers Instead of back to them. It tries to find out what the customers really want and then successfully create value for them.