Study of Knowledge Essay Example

Study of Knowledge Essay Example Study of Knowledge Essay Study of Knowledge Essay Epistemology – The Study of Knowledge Jeff Castro PHI 200 Dr. Akins February 4, 2013 Epistemology – The Study of Knowledge The study of knowledge has always been the journey toward truth and understanding. Epistemology deals with the creation and distribution of knowledge in certain areas of inquiry. Humans should be free to gain, study and question knowledge and claims without repercussions in any social, cultural or religious setting. As we move forward in our understanding of life, religion and nature, we have changed our way of thinking through philosophy. We are less ignorant and uneducated about the truths of the world and how we as human beings perform in it. Knowledge and the confirmation of knowledge can be confirmed by propositional and procedural knowledge or knowledge by acquaintance. Propositional knowledge is expressed in declarative sentences or indicative propositions of one’s knowledge based on the known or knowing that. If someone says â€Å"all birds have feathers† they are stating or asserting a proposition that is factual or somewhat factual. Procedural knowledge is the knowledge used in the performance of a task, such as knowing how to replace brakes on a vehicle. It is learned knowledge through doing that act. Knowledge by acquaintance is experience based knowledge learned through casual interaction, such as knowing a place or person well (Mosser, 2010). Knowing for certain is always questionable because everything can be challenged. For the three identified ways of attaining knowledge, the most challenged one is propositional knowledge. Propositional knowledge receives the most skepticism because of the statements it brings forward, like â€Å"I believe that†, â€Å"I know that† and â€Å"I think that† (Steup, 2005). These statements are based on one’s beliefs, thoughts and ideas which can be questioned. If knowledge is based on one’s beliefs or opinions it will bring challenges, but remember an individual’s ideas based on beliefs or opinions should respected. We are certain of the other two due to experiencing or performing acts to solidify the knowledge. But then still can be questioned because of different procedures or experiences can still result in a different or validation of an outcome or answer. To justify what we really know is inherited, learned or experienced. We cannot really be certain of our knowledge because we can be tricked or limited by our sense that provides us this information to confirm or deny what we know or learn. Knowledge at one point is imperfect, but the truth at that point and is reinforced by the progress of science to be an absolute truth to some degree and as Vladimir Lenin says, There is no impassable boundary between relative and absolute truth. (Bogdanov, 1908). The normal order of the world is how we perceive it through our senses. It can play tricks on us and deceive through illusions that the mind receives from sight, sound, taste and touch. How humans recognize what is real and not real through their senses is known as empiricism (Mosser, 2010). Empiricists view that there is no such thing as innate knowledge, but instead knowledge is received from experience. On the argument side you have rationalism which view knowledge to be innate. It argues that the knowledge of God, mathematics and science cannot be explained by the senses (Mosser, 2010). But this does contradicts how we learn, because without the senses how do we learn mathematics, science or the knowledge of God (the bible). Innate knowledge is derived from the mind, but requires other things to support or build the mind, the senses. Let’s break down the five senses (vision, sound, touch, smell and taste) and try to understand what can be limited and why. Vision can be received or altered based on the ability to distinguish objects, the depth or field, color, contrast, or even color blindness. Sound can be affected by the volume or pitch that is received by the ears. Touch can be affected by your haptic perception and how sensitive one’s outer skin is. Smell and taste can be affected by our bad habits (smoking and drinking), disease or medications. So the limitations of one’s senses can fool and be limited by our own doings and by the aging process (Gwizdka, 2010). Cognitive relativism is the idea of the knowledge we hold of the real world requires assistance from our mental/mind to build and support and that things being the truth or false are relative to a society, group or individual. I also realize that there are cognitive bias, notational bias and culture bias, which prevents us from seeing or analyzing something objectively with our senses (empiricism) which we cannot discount. So to really assert a position of truth would depend on who interprets it based on moral, ethical, or social view (Slick, 2012). Friedrich Nietzsche developed perspectivism which supports cognitive relativism in that there are many possible perspectives to determine any possible assessment of the truth to be determined. This means that there is doubt and uncertainty about how we see the world and the truth about it based on perspectives. The limits to human perception or cognition are bounded by each individual and how they can comprehend or process what they are receiving. The processing of the knowledge can be expanded upon through the use of one’s innate knowledge. We limited ourselves based on what we only know and what is in front of us. If we can make sense of the world beyond what our senses take in we would be much better off, but remember it is all based on one’s perspective of faith, ideas, thoughts and knowledge. Skepticism is originally was defined as someone who simply looked at things and now it is someone who doubts claims. Skepticism forces claims to be justified (Mosser, 2010). When assessing epistemology on the bases of what is known and the unknown we will still question everything for it is uncertain that we really know the truth about something. Yet there will still be limits on what we question because some are based on faith, which is an individual’s belief in their religion. There are several types of skepticism: moral, religious, metaphysical and scientific. Each identifying a particular area to question or doubt, but what I find most questionable or intriguing are the religious skepticism or theological skepticism which examines faith-based claims and scientific skepticism or empirical skepticism which uses the scientific method of examining claims. Religious skepticism does not mean one would be either an Atheist or Agnostic. These skeptics question religious authority, but are not anti-religious just because they question specific or all religious beliefs or practices. One of the first religious skeptics was Socrates, he questioned the legitimacy of the beliefs during his time of the existence of various gods and this led to his trial and execution. Scientific skepticism seek proof through deductive argument before accepting any knowledge in any area, such as health claims, environmental claims, parapsychology, etc. Carl Sagan originated scientific skepticism and was a world-famous astronomer and astrophysicist well known for supporting the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI) and questioned that there was more than earth in our and other vast universes. There is also a sub-set of scientific skepticism which is call activist skepticism who seek to expose or prove false publicly what they see as the truth behind extraordinary claims (Klein, 2000). Socrates claimed that he knew one and only one thing: that he knew nothing, which was in line with being a Pyrrhonist. He questioned everyone who claimed to have knowledge, hoping to learn from them, but he never claimed that gaining knowledge was impossible and never claimed to discover any knowledge. As such proof of never recording anything to prove or disprove his knowledge (Mosser, 2010). Sagan wrote in his publications â€Å"Too much openness and you accept every notion, idea, and hypothesis- which is tantamount to knowing nothing. Too much skepticism- especially rejection of new ideas before they are adequately tested- and you’re not only unpleasantly grumpy, but also closed to the advance of science. A judicious mix is what we need. (Sagan, 1995). Both men were skeptics who believed in questioning and challenging claims and exhibited a fascination with discovery. I believe it is in our nature to question everything to ensure we have validated the claim, but as Sagan has stated there is a fine line before tilting it too far to the left or right. I believe the two skepticisms try to get at the answer of how humans came to being. The religious skeptic will question all religions by comparing claims and questioning why to find the ultimate truth of our existence and our true meaning. The scientific skeptic will require proof in the way of science before accepting knowledge to be true (Munchin, 2011). By taking the two and trying to analyze and form a more complete set of questions to develop a more sensible truth or theory behind the human existence would possibly help me understand or rationalize the questions of â€Å"why† and â€Å"how† in my mind. But I understand there are limits to what I chose to believe as my ideas or perceptions (Shogenji, 2011). The decision between right and wrong is relative to one’s society or cultural background. Relativism in the Muslim world would be a death sentence (honor killing) and we would see it as radical relativism. It is easily defendable in their culture and country because it is viewed as a norm or way of life, but not so within most other countries. It is all about perspective because we to at one time burned people at the stake for being witches. Ignorance and lack of education or knowledge made it defensible and accepted at that time. So is radical relativism defensible, it is all about an individual’s or country’s perspective, religious beliefs and culture to decide one way or the other (Mosser, 2010). The basic understanding of philosophy and how it affects our lives is sometimes transparent to most people because they only do without thinking. We have gotten so busy with our tethered lives we do not take the time to question why something is true or not, we move around like mindless beings. Epistemology gives us that way to question and seek knowledge to validate truth and to hope to truly understand the â€Å"why† and â€Å"how† of our lives and everything in and around us. Humans should be free to gain, study and question knowledge and claims without repercussions in any social, cultural or religious setting. But this is an ongoing battle to be free from repercussions or persecution of our thoughts, ideas and actions when publically projected. Some countries and cultures still lash out in the way of medieval and barbaric manner at anything that does not fit their way of life and interactions, but it is all relative and it still falls within the study of philosophy. Choosing to accept this or not, based on beliefs, ideas and religion is your choice, but to understand and have a greater degree of insight of knowledge and truth is true epistemology. References Bogdanov, A. (1908). Absolute and Relative Truth, or the Eclecticism of Engels. Retrieved from: marxists. org/archive/lenin/works/1908/mec/two5. htm Gwizdka, J. (2010). Human Perception Cognition. Retrieved from: http://comminfo. rutgers. edu/~jacekg/teaching/ITI230_HCI/2006_4f/lectures/Lecture3. pdf Klein, P. (2000). Contextualism and the Real Nature of Academic Skepticism. Retrieved from: jstor. org. proxy-library. ashford. edu/stable/pdfplus/3050570. pdf? acceptTC=true Mosser, K. (2010). A Concise Introduction to Philosophy. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Munchin, D. (2011). ‘Is theology a science? ’ Paul Feyerabend’s anarchic epistemology as challenge test to T. F. Torrance’s scientific theology. Retrieved from: http://search. proquest. com. proxy-library. ashford. edu/cv_756002/docview/894110952/fulltextPDF/13C00235777679CB0A0/4? accountid=32521 Sagan, C. 1995). Wonder and Skepticism, Vol 19, Issue 1. Retrieved from: positiveatheism. org/writ/saganws. htm Shogenji, T. (2011). Internalism and Externalism in Meliorative Epistemology. Retrieved from: http://search. proquest. com. proxy-library. ashford. edu/cv_756002/docview/1111853938/fulltextPDF/13C06554AFF58193594/1? accountid=32521 Slick, M. (2012). Cognitive Relativism. Retrieved from: http://carm. org/secular-movem ents/relativism/cognitive-relativism Steup, M. (2005). Epistemology. Retrieved from: http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/epistemology/

Danie Theron as a Hero of the Anglo-Boer War

Danie Theron as a Hero of the Anglo-Boer War On the 25th of April 1899 Danie Theron, a Krugersdorp attorney, was found guilty of assaulting Mr W. F. Monneypenny, the editor of The Star newspaper, and fined  £20. Monneypenny, who had only been in the South Africa for two months, had written a highly derogatory editorial against the ignorant Dutch. Theron pleaded extreme provocation and his fine was paid by his supporters in the courtroom. So starts the story of one of the Anglo-Boer Wars most illustrious heroes. Danie Theron and the Cycling Corps Danie Theron, who had served in the 1895 Mmalebà ´gà ´ (Malaboch) War, was a true patriot - believing in the just and divine right of the Boer to stand against British interference: Our strength lies in the justice of our cause and in our trust in help from above.1 Before the outbreak of war, Theron and a friend, J. P. Koos Jooste (a cycling champion), asked the Transvaal government if they could raise a cycling corps. (Bicycles had first been used by the US army in the Spanish War, 1898, when a hundred black cyclists under the command of Lt James Moss were rushed in to help with riot control in Havana, Cuba.) It was Therons opinion that using bicycles for dispatch riding and reconnaissance would save horses for use in combat. In order to gain the necessary permission Theron and Jooste had to convince the highly skeptical burghers that bicycles were as good, if not better, than horses. In the end, it took a 75 kilometre race from Pretoria to the Crocodile River Bridge2 in which Jooste, on a bicycle, beat an experienced horse rider, to convince Commandant-General Piet Joubert and President J. P. S. Kruger that the idea was sound. Each of the 108 recruits to the Wielrijeders Rapportgangers Corps (Cycle Dispatch Rider Corps) was supplied with a bicycle, shorts, a revolver and, on special occasion, a light carbine. Later they received binoculars, tents, tarpaulins and wire cutters. Therons corps distinguished themselves in Natal and on the western front, and even before the war had started had provided information about British troop movements beyond the Transvaals western border.1 By Christmas 1899, Capt Danie Therons dispatch rider corps were experiencing poor deliveries of supplies at their outposts on the Tugela. On the 24th December Theron complained to the Supplies Commission that they were severely neglected. He explained that his corps, who were always in the vanguard, were far from any railway line where supplies were unloaded and his wagons regularly returned with the message that there were no vegetables since everything had been carted off to the laagers surrounding Ladysmith. His complaint was that his corps did both dispatch riding and reconnaissance work, and that they were also called upon to fight the enemy. He wanted to offer them better sustenance than dried bread, meat and rice. The result of this plea earned Theron the nickname of Kaptein Dik-eet (Captain Gorge-yourself) because he catered so well for his corps stomachs!1 The Scouts Are Moved to the Western Front As the Anglo-Boer War progressed, Capt Danie Theron and his scouts were moved to the western front and the disastrous confrontation between the British forces under Field Marshal Roberts and the Boer forces under General Piet Cronje. After a long and hard struggle up the Modder River by the British forces, the siege of Kimberly had finally been broken and Cronje was falling back with a vast train of wagons and many women and children - the families of the Commandos. General Cronje almost slipped through the British cordon, but eventually was forced to form a laager by the Modder near Paardeberg, where they dug in ready for a siege. Roberts, temporarily indisposed with the flu, passed command to Kitchener, who faced with a drawn-out siege or an all-out infantry attack, chose the latter. Kitchener also had to deal with rearguard attacks by Boer reinforcements and the approach of further Boer forces under General C. R. de Wet. On the 25th of February, 1900, during the  Battle of Paardeberg,  Capt. Danie Theron bravely crossed the British lines and entered Cronjes laager in an effort to co-ordinate a breakout. Theron, initially traveling by bicycle2, had to crawl for much of the way, and is reported to have had a conversation with British guards before crossing the river. Cronje was willing to consider a breakout but felt it necessary to put the plan before a council of war. The following day, Theron sneaked back to De Wet at Poplar Grove and informed him that the council had rejected the breakout. Most of the horses and draught animals had been killed and the burgers were worried about the safety of the women and children in the laager. Additionally, officers had threatened to stay in their trenches and surrender if Cronje gave the order to breakout. On the 27th, despite a passionate plea to his officers by Cronje to wait just one more day, Cronje was forced to surrender. The humiliation of surrender w as made much worse because this was Majuba Day. This was one of the main turning points of the war for the British. On the 2nd of March a council of war at Poplar Grove gave Theron permission to form a Scout Corps, consisting of about 100 men, to be called the Theron se Verkenningskorps (Theron Scouting Corps) and subsequently known by the initials TVK. Curiously, Theron now advocated the use of horses rather than bicycles, and each member of his new corps was provided with two horses. Koos Jooste was given command of the Cycling Corps. Theron achieved a certain notoriety in his remaining few months. The TVK were responsible for destroying railway bridges and captured several British officers. As a result of his endeavors a newspaper article, 7th April 1900, reported that Lord Roberts labeled him the chief thorn in the side of the British and had put a bounty on his head of  £1,000, dead or alive. By July Theron was considered such an important target that the Theron and his scouts were attacked by General Broadwood and 4 000 troops. A running battle ensued during which the TVK lost eight scouts killed and the British lost five killed and fifteen wounded. Therons catalogue of deeds is vast considering how little time he had left. Trains were captured, railway tracks dynamited, prisoners freed from a British jail, he had earned the respect of his men and his superiors. Therons Last Battle On the 4th September 1900 in the Gatsrand, near Fochville, Commandant Danie Theron was planning an attack with General Liebenbergs commando on General Harts column. Whilst out scouting to discover why Leibenberg was not at the agreed position, Theron ran into seven members of Marshalls Horse. During the resultant fire fight Theron killed three and wounded the other four. The columns escort was alerted by the firing and immediately charged up the hill, but Theron managed to avoid capture. Finally the columns artillery, six field guns and 4.7 inch navel gun, were unhitched and the hill bombarded. The legendary Republican hero was killed in an inferno of lyddite and shrapnel3. Eleven days later, the body of Commandant Danie Theron was exhumed by his men and later reburied next to his late fiancà ©e, Hannie Neethling, at her fathers farm of Eikenhof, Klip River. Commandant Danie Therons death earned him immortal fame in Afrikaner history. On learning of Therons death, De Wet said: Men as lovable or as valiant there might be, but where shall I find a man who combined so many virtues and good qualities in one person? Not only had he the heart of a lion but he also possessed consummate tact and the greatest energy... Danie Theron answered the highest demands that could be made on a warrior1. South Africa remembered its hero by naming their School of Military Intelligence after him. References 1. Fransjohan Pretorius, Life on Commando during the Anglo-Boer war 1899 - 1902, Human and Rousseau, Cape Town, 479 pages, ISBN 0 7981 3808 4. 2. D. R. Maree,  Bicycles in the Anglo Boer war of 1899-1902. Military History Journal, Vol. 4 No. 1 of the South African Military History Society. 3. Pieter G. Cloete, The Anglo-Boer War: a chronology, J.P van de Walt, Pretoria,351 pages, ISBN 0 7993 2632 1.

Public Administration Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Administration - Case Study Example The experiment showed that limiting members of each crew would be more efficient and less costly. The replacement would involve the use of more advanced equipment that would require less of human labor. The most important information that helped a great deal during the whole procedure was the use of number of residents representing the city. It helped to identify all aspects of the city and the character of garbage deposition throughout the city. It gave a clear picture that is important in predicting and planning for the city. Another important aspect is the use of time and population as the basic data unit. During the experiment, certain assumptions made lead to its success. The garbage cans used are of average capacity from each home. Therefore, the amount of garbage is of the same capacity from each home. Another assumption is the residents willingly cooperating with the staff and following every instruction as required. Methods of analysis used to evaluate the methods were the same in all scenarios. The study used tables to represent and analyze the data collected. The study considered the total average weight collected in five days, time taken to access seven hundred and thirty units in the street, time taken to access five hundred and sixty five units in the alley, labor costs and price of equipment. The next step is conversion of the data to the total city population to give the overall picture. In the method one and two, were not effective as it was prone to a lot of time wasted. The methods could not allow for maximum garbage collection. Although method three and four were quite efficient, the cost of maintenance of the modified rear-loading packer would cost the town a lot. Method 5 proved to be very efficient and economical. The side-loaded vehicle eased the work and it improved every individual’s responsibility in garbage collection. The cost of modification and purchase the trucks in method 4 in a spurn of 20 years is

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Business - Essay Example Japan is experiencing an intensive change as a result of its aging population and decrease in labour force. The country has faced challenge from deflation from previous years, but due to the help of government and political factors, the country is gradually gaining economic advantages at present. In this paper, major business sectors of Japan will be discussed. Socio-economic and political issues have a serious impact on the business growth, GDP growth along with economic development of the country. The growth of business has an impact on population of the country, which has been discussed in this paper as well. 2.0 Principal Business Sector of Japan Japan is one of the highly developed nations in the world. Since resources are limited in the country, companies import raw materials and process them to finished products. Fishing industry in Japan is a growing business sector because a huge amount of marine resources are available in the country (Kids Web Japan, n.d.). Manufacturing in dustries is a key sector in business of Japan. The development of manufacturing industries has been in the first rank. The country is one of the world’s leading shipbuilders. Majority of ships are exported along with large oil tanker in the world (Country Studies, 2011). Automobile business sector is one of the core industrial sectors of Japan. The country is also considered as one of the top automobile producers. Advanced technology of Japan in the design of buses, motorcycles, bicycles and high-speed trains are the major factors in the business growth of transport industry. Chemical in addition to petrochemical industry are primary business sectors. Semi-conductor business of Japan developed in size and thereby stimulating profits. Automotive products comprise of 16.9% of the entire value of manufacturing shipment of Japan and manufacturing industry comprises of 36.3% of combined shipments (Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, 2010). Figure 1: Major Manufacturing Sec tor in Value Terms Source: (Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, 2010). Japanese computer manufacturers (JCMs) play a leading role in the technology as well as business sector of Japan. As a core competence, JCMs have absorbed and mastered expert system technology (Feigenbaum, 1993). 3.0 Socio-Economic Issue and Political Issue Relating to Future Business Growth, GDP Growth and Economic Development Socio-economic issues of Japan have tremendous impact on the economic development of the country. The economic development of the country is facing challenges due to decrease in birth rate as well as aging population. At domestic and global level, socio-economic development can only be achieved by dealing with global warming along with environmental issues. A variety of economic activities are conducted on the assumption that environmental issues need to be properly addressed. Japan produces about 90 percent of global warming gases that originate from sources of energy. Japan has i ncorporated an approach to the issues of energy as well as global warming and they are responding to waste management issues by means of â€Å"3 Rs† (reduce, reuse and recycle). On the supply side, a point of competitiveness suitable for an advanced industrial economy is essential to achieve economic development in Japan. The government is assisting the efforts of companies to

A metaphor is a literary Essay Example for Free

A metaphor is a literary Essay A metaphor is a literary device that is used by writers as a descriptive alternative to the use of adjectives, similes or other methods to describe the nature of the object described. Metaphors describe an item as if it were another item, drawing parallels between the subject of the description and the object actually being described. (Sucham, 7) In writing about organizations, there is a standard set of metaphors typically engaged. As organizations are typically complex systems, the use of metaphor to describe their design and process is a common tool for elucidation of the subject. (Sucham, 8) Commonly, the metaphor applied to organizations is that of the living organism. (Sucham, 8) It is possible to draw parallels between many of the elements of a living being and those of an organization, such as a large business. (Sucham, 9) The central component of any complex organism is the brain. (Levine, 244) The brain is responsible for receiving the environmental and internal input from the organism and its surroundings, formulating functional explanations for the phenomena, plotting a course of action, and conveying the instructions to the other parts of the organism to execute. (Levine, 245) In a large organization, the brain is represented by the company’s president and/or board of directors. (Levine, 245) Like the brain of the organism, this element of the organization receives and interprets information, formulates plans, and issues directives throughout the organization. (Levine, 246) As in an organism, any damage or defect in the brain will severely damage the functionality of the organization. (Levine, 246) As blood is the essential element of the circulatory system, so is money essential to the organization. (Blunck, 422) Like blood, money must flow into and out of the various parts of the organization in order to ensure their health. (Blunck, 423) An interruption of blood flow can compromise organs in an organism; an interruption of capital can do the same for an organization. (Blunck, 423) As is the case with the organization, in most organisms, a disproportionate amount of blood is required to maintain the brain. (Blunck, 424) A marketing division of a company acts as the sensory input mechanism for an organization. (Blunck, 426) Like the eyes and other senses, market research gives the executive â€Å"brain† important information about its environment. (Blunck, 426) The marketing department can produce information about what elements in the organizational environment are, or could potentially cause harm to the organization. (Blunck, 427) Similarly, the senses offer the brain information about environmental threats or opportunities for advantage or growth. (Blunck, 427) Like the senses, the marketing department of an organization can be a key element in targeting important priorities for the organization. (Blunck, 427) In communicating these observations and findings to the brain/executive, marketing can give useful information as to the course of action most beneficial for the organization or company. (Blunck, 428) Human resources and training departments can serve an organization in a manner similar to how the digestive system serves an organism. (Blunck, 429) Like the digestive system, HR takes material from outside the organization and brings it to the inside of the organization. The department is vital in ensuring that those items taken into the organization will help build it to be strong and healthy. (Blunck, 430) The HR system also expels waste and armful elements from the organizational body by terminating the employment of unusable or toxic personnel. (Blunck, 430) Training is another component of the HR digestive track. Training takes the raw components taken in by HR and shapes them into products that can be of immediate and direct use to the organizational organisms. In organizations, as in organisms, a great deal of conversion is necessary to turn the â€Å"food† of the organism into the nutritional components that contribute to the growth and health of the organization. (Blunck, 430) The Information Technology department of any organization acts as the central nervous system. A complicated and often delicate structure, IT is vital in the area of communication within the organization. (Blunck, 431) As in an organism, IT or nerve failure can result in negative consequences that can be as trivial as minor discomfort in a small area, or as massive as corporate paralysis. The decision-makers in an organization rely upon the information conducted to it by the IT nervous system, and are unlikely to act in the absence of information. (Blunck, 431) If they choose to do so, the results are often catastrophic. A breakdown of the nervous system can similarly cause the components of an organism to behave in a destructive or non-productive manner. (Blunck, 431) Nerve damage can result not only in paralysis, but also in flailing, intermittent shutdowns, and other destructive activities to the organism. As a metaphor for a large organization, the living organism is useful and apt. Certainly, as with any literary device, it is possible to abuse the metaphor to the extent that it no longer applies, but in the case of the organization, the interaction of the components and parts is sufficiently complex to be described as an organism. (Sucham, 12) Successful organizations, like healthy organisms, rely upon a delicate balance and good performance of several elements, each of these vital to the â€Å"health† of the overall construct. Work Cited Blunck, P. (1994) â€Å"From a Rational Structure to a Socio-Technical System: A Whole-Mind Metaphor for Organizational Change†. A Review of General Semantics, Vol. 51, No. 4. Pg. 422-431. 1994 Levine, D. (1995) â€Å"The Organism Metaphor in Sociology† Social Research, Vol. 62, No. 2. pg. 244-271. 1995. Suchan, J. (1995) â€Å"The Influence of Organizational Metaphors on Writers Communication Roles and Stylistic Choices† The Journal of Business Communication, Vol. 32, No. 1. pg. 7- 13. 1995

Holocaust vs. Native American Genocide Essay -- nazis, weapon, european

The term genocide brings awful things to mind. For most, it probably directs their attention towards the Holocaust; this was definitely a gruesome and obvious example of genocide, but there are many others with great similarities that are not very well known. One of these is the decimation of the Native American population by the European settlers and the atrocious things that were done to them such as the trail of tears following the Indian Removal Act of 1830 during the settling of North America. The Holocaust might be the most well known but there have been many other incidents in history just as abhorrent. The Holocaust and Native American Genocide are different in weapons used and the motives for killing but similar in intent, effects and selection of the persecuted. The weapons used by the Nazis and European Settlers were very different. The Nazis directly stated the outcome they thought necessary, which was what they called the â€Å"final solution† (â€Å"Holocaust†). This was the termination of all of the races they believed inferior to themselves. This â€Å"final solution† was administered through concentration camps, extermination camps and â€Å"Einsatzgruppen† which were military units sent to mass exterminate groups of people persecuted under the Nazi Regime (â€Å"Holocaust†). The soldiers of these camps and extermination groups used firearms and other weaponry to do their jobs, while European settlers were usually more indirect in the way they killed Native Americans. The largest contribution to the deaths of the natives is known as a â€Å"virgin soil epidemic†, where a disease spreads especially quickly the first time it is introduced to an area (Lewy). One of the diseases that clai med the most lives was small pox, which was distri... ...locaust." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. . "Victims of the Nazi Era: Nazi Racial Ideology." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 05 May 2014. Lewy, Guenter. "Were American Indians the Victims of Genocide?" History News Network. History News Network, Sept. 2004. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. . Stanton, Gregory H. "Genocides and Conflicts." World Without Genocide. World Without Genocide, 7 May 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. . "Settlement." Settlement. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2014.

Massimo Vignelli Essay

In this modern day of computers and information technology, creating and designing an amazing object or place will be much easier due to the graphic design programs that are available to help modern day artist and designers. Nevertheless, it still involves the knowledge, skills, and experience of the designer. The talent of the designer to recreate a detailed yet beautiful design for a particular object is the one that are being paid for. One of the respected and successful designers in New York is Massimo Vignelli. He dedicated his life in designing and almost involved in various areas that requires his skills in creating and organizing beauty out of nothing. This well-known designer was born in Milan, Italy. He took up his bachelors’ degree in architecture at the Milan Polytechnic from 1950 to 1953 before completing it at the Universita di Architettura in Venice where he met his wife, Leila Vignelli. Massimo Vignelli’s first professional work was at Venini where he used to be a glassware designer. He taught at the Chicago Institute of Design from 1958 up to 1960 while his wife, Leila, worked as an architect for Skidmore, Owing and Merrill in New York. With their intention to still be connected to their homeland, they returned to Milan and open a practice institution for design which was named Leila and Massimo Vignelli Office for Design and Architecture. In 1965, Vignelli came to Chicago where he arranged a meeting with Ralph Eckerstrom, once a design director at Container Corporation of America (CCA) and a good friend. In this meeting came the idea of establishing a new design firm. Then, Unimark International was born with its co-founders Vignelli and Eckerstrom. With their similar viewpoints and principles in design, Vignelli and Eckerstrom took the challenge in the corporate design world. The firm’s vision: combining American marketing techniques with European modernist design within the same organization, creating an international firm that would get its strength through the best designs in the world, refinement of communications and educating the American design market. The beginning of Unimark International would not be successful without the people who believed in the concept of the two founders. Among those people who join the team of Vignelli and Eckerstrom were Bob Noorda, Larry Klein, James Fogelman, Robert Moldafsky, and at that time the respected design specialist Herbert Bayer. In 1971, Massimo Vignelli together with his wife, Leila Vignelli, founded the Vignelli Associates in New York. At the early years of the design firm, they have attained many corporate projects from Knoll, American Airlines, Bloomingdales, Xerox, Lancia, Cinzano, United Colors of Benetton, International Design Center New York and Ford Motors. Additional contracts from Venini, Steuben, and Sasaki for glassware design were also taken by the firm. Vignelli Associates was also responsible for the design of the showrooms of Artemide and Hauserman. Soon, Vignelli put his attention in designing furniture for Sunar, Posenthal, Morphos and Knoll. Among the well-known works of Vignelli are the Handkerchief Chair and Paper Clip table of Knoll. With the reputation of the Vignelli as a designer of versatility with illustrious design characteristic of clean work and the reputation of using bold lines and pure color in their design, they took the responsibility in designing the New York Subway signage. The Vignelli Associates first design the subway in 1968. Vignelli together with Bob Noorda planned to make a signage based on simple principle of delivering the necessary information to the people through the use of the Helvetica Medium which was then an exotic medium from Switzerland. The New York Standard Medium was used in the design due to the unavailability of the first proposed medium. After four years, Vignelli proposed a new design of the New York subway that replaced his previous work. This time, no more obscured angle of train routes instead all angles are set to 45 and 90 degree angle. Each stop was represented by a dot and each train line was represented by a color. The final work was a beauty of design art yet it still taken geographical correctness. Internationally, Massimo Vignelli’s works were published to various museums and art galleries. Among the notable museums and galleries that houses Vignelli’s work are the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York. His works can also be seen at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Montreal and at Die Neue Sammlung in Munich. He also became a lecturer in design at premier universities in the United States. Vignelli assumed many positions in various organizations in the US. These include the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and the Alliance Graphique Internationale as president in both organizations. He was also the past vice president of the Architectural League in the US and a member of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). Vignelli’s work was also been aired worldwide through the two feature-length television programs. A Europe tour of his work between 1989 and 1993 allow some places to discover and see his magnificent art works. Vignelli received many awards and appreciation for his art works. Among Vignelli’s many awards are as follows: Gran Premio Triennale di Milano (1964), Compasso d’Oro (1964, 1998) from the Italian Association for Industrial Design, Industrial Arts Medal of the American Institute of Architects (1973), Visionary Award from the Museum of Art and Design (2004), and the most recent is the Architecture Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2005. His latest work was the e-book entitled â€Å"The Vignelli Canon† which was released in January 2009. The copy of this modern version of Vignelli’s work can be downloaded for free from his website. References Art Directors Club biography, portrait and images of work. Retrieved April 5, 2009 @ http://www.adcglobal.org/archive/hof/1982/?id=255 â€Å"Massimo Vignelli of vignelli associates†. Designboom (2000). Retrieved April 6, 2009 @ http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/vignelli.html Unimark International. Retrieved April 6, 2009 @ http://www.unimark-international.com/beginnings1.html#beginnings1