Examining The Importance Of System Investigation Information Technology Essay

Examining The Importance Of System Investigation Information Technology Essay Fact-finding is an important activity in system investigation. In this stage, the functioning of the system is to be understood by the system analyst to design the proposed system. Various methods are used for this and these are known as fact-finding techniques. The analyst needs to fully understand the current system. The analyst needs data about the requirements and demands of the project undertaken and the techniques employed to gather this data are known as fact-finding techniques. Tools, such as data and process models, document facts, and conclusions are drawn from facts. If facts are not collected, tools can ¿Ã‚ ½t be used effectively and efficiently. After gathering needed information of the system the analyst should record them in a proper way which is known as fact-recoding methods. What are the facts to be collected Any information System can be examined in terms of four building blocks:  ¿Ã‚ ½ Data: The raw material used to create useful info.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Processes: The activities that carry out the mission.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Interfaces: How the system interacts with people.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Geography: Where data is stored, processes interfaces happen. Fact-finding skills must be learned and practiced. Systems analysts need an organized method of collecting facts. They especially need to develop a detective mentality to be able to discern relevant facts. When do perform fact-finding  ¿Ã‚ ½ System Analysis Phase. ? Study Phase. ? Definition Phase. ? Selection Phase.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Design.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Post Implementation Review. Fact-finding techniques Various kinds of techniques are used and the most popular among them are, 1. Interviews. 2. On-Site Observation. 3. Investigation. 4. Questionnaire. 1. Interviews Interview is a very important data gathering technique. Analysts can use interviews to collect information about the current system form the potential users. Here the analysts discover the areas of misunderstanding, unrealistic exception and descriptions of activities and problems along with resistance to the new proposed system. Goal of interview  ¿Ã‚ ½ Find facts, verify facts, and clarify facts.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Generate enthusiasm.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Get end user involved.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Identify requirements. Steps involved  ¿Ã‚ ½ Set the stage for the interview.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Establish rapport; put the interviewee at ease.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Phrase questions clearly and succinctly.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Be a good listener; avoid arguments.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Evaluate the outcome of the interview. The interviews are of two types namely, Structured Interview Structured interviews are those where the interviewee is asked a standard set of questions in a particular order. All interviewees are asked the same set of questions. The questions are further divided in two kinds of formats for conducting this type of interview.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Open-response format e.g. Why are you dissatisfied with the current scheduling method?  ¿Ã‚ ½ Closed-response format e.g.. Are you satisfied with the current scheduling methods? Do you think that the manual scheduling procedure be changed with some automated procedure? Unstructured Interview The unstructured interviews are undertaken in a question-and-answer format. This is of a much more flexible nature than the structured interview and can be very rightly used to gather general information about the system. Here the respondents are free to answer in their own words. In this way their views are not restricted. So the interviewer gets a bigger area to further explore the issues pertaining to a problem. Advantages  ¿Ã‚ ½ Can motivate the interviewee to respond freely.  ¿Ã‚ ½ More feedback can be probed.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Can adapt or reword questions for each individual.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Extra information from body movement and facial expressions. Disadvantages  ¿Ã‚ ½ Time consuming.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Requires good communication skills.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Requires good interviewing skills.  ¿Ã‚ ½ May be impractical due to location constraints.  ¿Ã‚ ½ The interviewee may not answer/give appointment. 2. On-Site Observation On-site observations are one of the most effective tools with the analyst where the analyst personally goes to the site and discovers the functioning of the system. As an observer, the analyst can gain first hand knowledge of the activities, operations, processes of the system on-site, hence here the role of an analyst is of an information seeker. This information is very meaningful as it is unbiased and has been directly taken by the analyst. This exposure also sheds some light on the actual happenings of the system as compared to what has already been documented, thus the analyst gets closer to the system. This technique is also time-consuming and the analyst should not jump to conclusions or draw inferences from small samples of observation rather the analyst should be more patient in gathering the information. This method is however less effective for learning about peoples perceptions, feelings and motivations. Mainly observation categorized into two, Formal observation  ¿Ã‚ ½ Observation a person by him being noticed. Informal observation  ¿Ã‚ ½ Observing a person without him being noticed. Do ¿Ã‚ ½s  ¿Ã‚ ½ Obtain permission from appropriate supervisors or managers.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Prepare special forms to record data.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Determine who, what, where, why, when and how of the observation.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Takes notes immediately or after the observation.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Review the observation notes with appropriate individuals.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Also observe during low, normal, and peak periods of operations. Don ¿Ã‚ ½ts  ¿Ã‚ ½ Don ¿Ã‚ ½t interrupt the individuals work.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Don ¿Ã‚ ½t focus on trivial activities.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Don ¿Ã‚ ½t make assumptions. Advantages  ¿Ã‚ ½ Observation of people at work provides first hand experience of the way that the current system operates.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Data are collected in real time and can have a high level of validity if care is taken in how the technique is used.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Observation can be used to verify information from other sources or to look for exceptions to the standard procedure.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Baseline data about the performance of the existing system and of users can be collected. Disadvantages  ¿Ã‚ ½ The act of observation alters the behavior.  ¿Ã‚ ½ The act of made may not involve the difficulty and volume normally experienced during that time period.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Some task may not always be performed in the manner in which they are observed.  ¿Ã‚ ½ People may not let u see what you want to see. 3. Investigation Third fact finding technique is to thoroughly investigate the application and problems. The analyst has to read computer journals, reference books, internet white papers and case-studies for investigation. The Analyst can visit other companies or departments which have addressed similar problems. Advantages  ¿Ã‚ ½ Can save time if solution already exists.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Investigator can see how others have solved similar problems or met similar requirements.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Keeps investigator up to date with current developments. Disadvantages  ¿Ã‚ ½ Requires access to appropriate sources of information.  ¿Ã‚ ½ May ultimately not help in solving problem because problem is not documented elsewhere. 4. Questionnaire Questionnaires are another way of information gathering where the potential users of the system are given questionnaires to be filled up and returned to the analyst. Questionnaires are useful when the analyst need to gather information from a large number of people. It is not possible to interview each individual. Also if the time is very short, in that case also questionnaires are useful. If the anonymity of the respondent is guaranteed by the analyst then the respondent answers the questionnaires very honestly and critically. Just like the interviews and on the same lines questionnaires are of two types. Open-Response Based Questionnaires The objective of open-response questionnaire is to gather information and data about the essential and critical design features of the system. The open-ended question requires no response direction or specific response. This form is also used to learn about the feelings, opinions, and experiences of the respondents. This information helps in the making the system effective because the analyst can offer subsequent modifications as per the knowledge gained. e.g. What additional reports would you require from the System? Closed-Response Based Questionnaires The objective of closed-response questionnaire is to collect the factual information of the system. It gives an insight in how the people dealing with the system behave and how comfortable are they with it. In this case the respondents have to choose from a set of given responses. Thus the respondent can express their liking for the most favorable one from the possible alternatives. The closed questions can be of various types and the most common ones are listed below. e.g. 1. Yes/No Question Do you print reports from the existing System? (please circle the appropriate answer) Yes No 2. Multiple Choice Questions How many new surgery appointments do you obtain in a year? (please tick one box only) 3. Scaled Questions How satisfied are you with the response time of the patients ¿Ã‚ ½ records update? (please circle one options) Advantages  ¿Ã‚ ½ Can be answered quickly.  ¿Ã‚ ½ An economical way of gathering data from a large number of people.  ¿Ã‚ ½ If the questionnaire is well designed, then the results can be analysed easily, possibly by computer. Disadvantages  ¿Ã‚ ½ Good questionnaires are difficult to construct.  ¿Ã‚ ½ There is no automatic mechanism for follow up or probing more deeply, although it is possible to follow up with an interview by telephone or in person if necessary.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Postal questionnaires suffer from low response rates. Conclusion Interview is the most suitable fact-finding technique of gathering information for Victoria Hospital System. Because there are small numbers of people are working, hence result can be produced in a short period of time, easy to evaluate the result, more feedback can be a probed and new ides may arise. Fact-recording methods and standards The fact recording is a reverence for facts and knowing how to look for them. You do not go into data collection with a predetermined opinion of the design of the final procedure. You let the facts tell you what shape the procedure should take. But, you must be able to find facts and know how to record them. This is done by breaking down the procedure into steps and listing them in proper sequence, without leaving things out. The analyst keeps his or her attention on the subject being charted, follows its flow, step by step, and is not distracted by other subjects that could easily lead off onto tangents. The analyst becomes immersed in the data collection, one flow at a time. Record what is actually happening, not what should happen or could happen. When later you have them neatly organized and present them for study the facts will assert their authority as they tell their story. Software Standard A Software Standard is a standard, common format of a document, file, or data transfer accepted and used by one or more software developers while working on one or more than one software programs. Software standards enable interoperability between different programs created by different developers. Software standards consist of certain terms, concepts, data formats, document styles and techniques agreed upon by software creators so that their software can understand the files and data created by a different software program. To be considered a standard, a certain protocol needs to accepted and incorporated by a group of developers who contribute to the definition and maintenance of the standard. Developers prefer using standards for software development because of the efficiencies it provides for code development and wider user acceptance and use of the resulting application. The followings are computer and paper based fact-recording methods and standard documentation techniques, which are being used in software development.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Data flow diagrams  ¿Ã‚ ½ Context diagrams  ¿Ã‚ ½ Flow charts  ¿Ã‚ ½ Decision tables  ¿Ã‚ ½ Grid charts Data flow diagrams  ¿Ã‚ ½ Graphically describe the flow of data within an organisation  ¿Ã‚ ½ Composed of four basic elements represented by standard symbols: Basic data flow diagram Context diagrams  ¿Ã‚ ½ Show major data flows into and out of a system  ¿Ã‚ ½ Describe each subsystem as a process showing interrelationship of those subsystems and their relationship to main system  ¿Ã‚ ½ Depict logical flow of data in summary form  ¿Ã‚ ½ The starting point for studying any system  ¿Ã‚ ½ Depict the system at its highest level  ¿Ã‚ ½ Referred to as level zero data flow diagrams Flow charts  ¿Ã‚ ½ Document physical flows determined after logical data flows have been documented using data flow diagrams Flow chart symbols Advantages and disadvantages of flow charts Advantages  ¿Ã‚ ½ Enable any system to be represented in easily understandable manner  ¿Ã‚ ½ Overall picture of system easily seen  ¿Ã‚ ½ Highlight relationship among different parts of the system Disadvantages  ¿Ã‚ ½ Creation can be time-consuming  ¿Ã‚ ½ Numerous symbols can be confusing  ¿Ã‚ ½ Process may not be completely representable using symbols There are three types of flow chart, namely 1. System flow charts  ¿Ã‚ ½ Show the relationship between input, processing and output including data, documents and storage  ¿Ã‚ ½ Represent the relationship between various processes 2. Document flow charts  ¿Ã‚ ½ Emphasise the flow of documents between various people, groups and departments of an organisation. 3. Program flow charts  ¿Ã‚ ½ Show the detailed steps of a computer program  ¿Ã‚ ½ Show the logic and processing steps used to develop a computer program Decision tables  ¿Ã‚ ½ List the decision logic of a program flow chart in tabular form  ¿Ã‚ ½ Constructed with two main columns and two rows: ? First row is further divided into a number of rows of conditions ? Second row is further divided into a number of rows of actions The decision table tells us the following  ¿Ã‚ ½ if stock is not available and floor stock is not being sold, collect 10% advance  ¿Ã‚ ½ if stock is available but delivery is not within three days, collect 10% advance  ¿Ã‚ ½ if stock is available and delivery within three days, collect full value of sale  ¿Ã‚ ½ if stock is not available but floor stock is being sold within three days, collect full value of sale  ¿Ã‚ ½ if stock is not available but floor stock is being sold after three days, collect 10% advance Grid charts A grid chart is a type of chart that shows the interaction of two data points at the grid intersection of their respective axes.

William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Essay -- Shakespeare Tam

William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew In the beginning of â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†, some say Shakespeare portrays Katherina as a very shrewish figure. Others may argue that she is not shrewish but just a very strong willed person. At the end of the play some people say she is transformed into a very kind and gentle person, while again others will argue that she is not â€Å"tamed† but just putting on an act to â€Å"show up† her younger sister Bianca, whom has always been more beautiful and charming. Kate is â€Å"like a wasp, like a foal, like foal that kicks from his halter; pert, quick and determined, but full of good heart.† 1. This statement made by one author, shows clearly that he does not see her as shrew-like, even at the beginning of the play. The same author states that at the end of the play she has not really transformed, rather she has just fallen in love with Petruchio, in essence she is free from torment because she is no longer seen as the shrew.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of the play Kate is â€Å"consistently in opposition to everything around her†2, meanwhile â€Å"Bianca obeys so gently and with such sweet submission that it is obvious why she is Baptista’s favorite daughter†2. In the end of the play, the roles switch and Katherina is submissive to every word of Petruchio and Bianca resists the commands of her new husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kate’s first reaction to Petruchio, her â€Å"mad wooer†, is self-pity, and even her father feels that his treatment of her would â€Å"vex a saint†. He takes her away from the home she is used to, with servants and maids to wait on her hand and foot, to the country. There she is away from the luxurious town life and is cold, hungry and tired. She somewhat learns to watch her temper and obey Petruchio so that he will feed her so she can survive peacefully rather than miserably. I believe that his method of taming her is not cruel yet very effective. He shows her that she can get much farther and live life a lot happier if she is nice and â€Å"entreats† him rather than fighting him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One author (pattern in carpet) says that Shakespeare sees Katherine and Petruchio as in love at first sight. He says that their fights are partly like a game and partly a matter of egoism. He sees Katherine as â€Å"testing† Petruchio making sure he is â€Å"man† enough to put up with the worst of her and prove to be the husband she requires. Petruchio accept... ...y. She may be submissive to him, but at the same time, he is just as submissive to her. I think that he didn’t only tame her, but she tamed and controls him by craft and not violence. Katherina is not the only one in the play to undergo a transformation. Petruchio, in the beginning went to woo Katherina only for money. He was offered a dowry by Seignior Baptista to â€Å"get rid of† Kate so he could wed his younger daughter Bianca to one of her many suitors. By the end of the play, it is made clear that Petruchio too changed and had fallen in love with Kate. The relationship that they have at the end of the play is truly love. They both are willing to change to make each other happy and they both try in every way possible to make peace in their family. The ironic part of the play is that they both think that they have control over the other one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All in all Katherina undergoes a complete metamorphosis from the beginning of the play to the end of the play. She starts out a girl, acting like foal trying to kick free from her harness and ends up a submissive, sweet, gentle and kind woman, whom is controlled yet, controls her husband Petruchio, whom she ends up loving dearly. William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew Essay -- Shakespeare Tam William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew In the beginning of â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†, some say Shakespeare portrays Katherina as a very shrewish figure. Others may argue that she is not shrewish but just a very strong willed person. At the end of the play some people say she is transformed into a very kind and gentle person, while again others will argue that she is not â€Å"tamed† but just putting on an act to â€Å"show up† her younger sister Bianca, whom has always been more beautiful and charming. Kate is â€Å"like a wasp, like a foal, like foal that kicks from his halter; pert, quick and determined, but full of good heart.† 1. This statement made by one author, shows clearly that he does not see her as shrew-like, even at the beginning of the play. The same author states that at the end of the play she has not really transformed, rather she has just fallen in love with Petruchio, in essence she is free from torment because she is no longer seen as the shrew.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of the play Kate is â€Å"consistently in opposition to everything around her†2, meanwhile â€Å"Bianca obeys so gently and with such sweet submission that it is obvious why she is Baptista’s favorite daughter†2. In the end of the play, the roles switch and Katherina is submissive to every word of Petruchio and Bianca resists the commands of her new husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kate’s first reaction to Petruchio, her â€Å"mad wooer†, is self-pity, and even her father feels that his treatment of her would â€Å"vex a saint†. He takes her away from the home she is used to, with servants and maids to wait on her hand and foot, to the country. There she is away from the luxurious town life and is cold, hungry and tired. She somewhat learns to watch her temper and obey Petruchio so that he will feed her so she can survive peacefully rather than miserably. I believe that his method of taming her is not cruel yet very effective. He shows her that she can get much farther and live life a lot happier if she is nice and â€Å"entreats† him rather than fighting him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One author (pattern in carpet) says that Shakespeare sees Katherine and Petruchio as in love at first sight. He says that their fights are partly like a game and partly a matter of egoism. He sees Katherine as â€Å"testing† Petruchio making sure he is â€Å"man† enough to put up with the worst of her and prove to be the husband she requires. Petruchio accept... ...y. She may be submissive to him, but at the same time, he is just as submissive to her. I think that he didn’t only tame her, but she tamed and controls him by craft and not violence. Katherina is not the only one in the play to undergo a transformation. Petruchio, in the beginning went to woo Katherina only for money. He was offered a dowry by Seignior Baptista to â€Å"get rid of† Kate so he could wed his younger daughter Bianca to one of her many suitors. By the end of the play, it is made clear that Petruchio too changed and had fallen in love with Kate. The relationship that they have at the end of the play is truly love. They both are willing to change to make each other happy and they both try in every way possible to make peace in their family. The ironic part of the play is that they both think that they have control over the other one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All in all Katherina undergoes a complete metamorphosis from the beginning of the play to the end of the play. She starts out a girl, acting like foal trying to kick free from her harness and ends up a submissive, sweet, gentle and kind woman, whom is controlled yet, controls her husband Petruchio, whom she ends up loving dearly.

Why do we need to focus on the concept of secularism if we want to understand the role of religion in contemporary affairs?

Introduction Globalization in the 21st century has resulted in greater diversity of peoples and religious pluralism across the globe. Alongside a global resurgence in religion, this trend has engendered new patterns of interaction and shifting perceptions in the modern political and public sphere (Thomas, 2005; Hurd, 2008). This scenario poses a direct challenge to the modern political system internationally as it upholds secular politics as the universal foundation for international relations favoured for the stability and peace it engenders. Concern regarding the potential for social conflict and violence has heightened since the events of September 11, 2001 as well as the present tensions among secularist Western nations and religious states of Turkey and Iran. These challenges give the problem of religious pluralism much of its urgency (Thomas, 2005). Secularism refers to a movement that seeks for rejection, indifference, or exclusion of religion and religious considerations in contemporary a ffairs. In political terms it refers to the belief that religion should not play a role in government, education, or other parts of society in the quest towards the separation of and/or reduction of ties between religion and government (often referred to as the church and the state) (Taylor, 2010). This is deemed necessary to enable the protection of the rights of religious minorities among other positions in a pluralist society, and therefore to enhance democracy (Taylor, 2005). Given its success in Western democracies ending the sectarian violence in Europe and enabling the peaceful stable co-existence of various communities in the United States (Hurd, 2008), the concept is however viewed with disdain and suspicion in non-Western states and cultures especially those with predominant Muslim beliefs. This sentiment derives from the system’s assumption of moral high ground leading to its belittling of other cultures and alternative approaches; contempt for religion in public l ife; and the legitimizing of regressions of negotiations with regard to alternative approaches (Taylor, 1998). This paper explores the need to focus on the concept of secularism in order to understand the role of religion in contemporary affairs. The endeavour of this exploration is to find a solution to challenges in the dominance of secularism in the modern public and political sphere which engenders resistance and and portends violent conflict. Secularism’s meanings, history and transformations, its dominant varieties, as well as its strengths and limitations are focused upon in following sections. History of secularism Secularism is a political tradition which has continued to evolve over eight centuries sharing important relationships with religious traditions such as Judeo-Christianity with which it sustains complex ties, and Islam, its primary alter-ego with which it maintains a long-standing relationship (Philpott, 2000). The ‘secular’ notion has through time taken on a range of meanings with the earliest reference, saeculum, traced to the 13th century referring to a dualistic opposition within Christianity. Often with negative connotations, this term was used to distinguish ‘worldly’ clergy from those living in seclusion in monasteries (Taylor, 2010). The term gradually shed off its ‘Godless’ and profane connotation by the 16th century acquiring a new description of a transforming world. To secularize in the latter instance referred to the conversion from religious/priestly to civil possession or use. This process is described by Casanova (1994; 24) as th e ‘passage, transfer, or relocation of persons, things, function, meanings, and so forth, from their traditional locations in the religious sphere to secular spheres.’ Onwards from the 19th century, further transformation led secularism to assume its present recognition in current language which describes a movement†¦ ‘expressly intended to provide a certain theory of life and conduct without reference to a deity or a future life’ (Hurd, 2008). Secularists, therefore, refers to those of the belief that the church (the religious) and the worldly are in a continued historical contest, in which the world is gaining an upper hand irreversibly. Two characteristics of secularism are revealed in its relevance to international relations and the political sphere. Secularization’s earlier reference to the ‘acquisition or possession’ of land (church properties) and people, usually by state actors, entailed massive appropriation and expropriati on and often instigated religious wars (Asad, 2003). Despite secularization’s contemporary reference to the separation of the church and the state predominant in Western circles, its meaning and connotation in the above context (now overshadowed), is still retained in many non-Western contexts (Taylor, 1998). For instance, with particular regard to the Middle East, the principle of secularism has served to legitimize the suppression of local practices and political establishments. This has contributed to the hegemonic attempt to transform or to ‘take possession’ of the region in pursuit of contemporary Western ideals (Hurd, 2008). In the second instance, an important characteristic derived is secularism’s presumption to clearly distinguish between transcendental and temporal matters. In its definition of what is considered ordinary, or mundane, it by default assigns a place for religion with the secular notion only making sense relative to its religious co unterpart (Hurd, 2004). As Asad (2003; 192) argues, secularism defines itself as the foundation upon which the ‘religious’ is fashioned; the point at which dialogue on theology is hatched in the discourse of modernity. It thus assumes itself to be above the fray holding alternative approaches particularly those associated with religion in condescension and as threatening. These characteristics present distinct sets of problems: first, is its potential to jeopardize democratic politics given that groups or individuals dissenting to the secular approach are considered threatening to stability and are shut out of public deliberations. Secularists, for example, generally shun non-theistic public philosophies and are notably extremely wary of political Islam (Davie, 2003). This is the reason, for instance, politics of Turkey and Pakistan in support of a civic role for Islam and which involve non-secular and non-Western platforms and partiesare frowned upon and are worrisome to Western secularist ideals. They threaten the boundaries that secularists impose between the sacred and the secular (Banchoff, 2007). Dislike and disapproval consequent to this makes Western powers, regardless of their actual policies, to be perceived as backing the repression of Islamist parties which increases the potential for terrorism (Hurd, 2008; Bruce, 2003). Contrary to secularism’s self-representation, it has sometimes been associated with the unjust, domineering and violent yet within the movement, there is a predilection to associate religion with these negative traits in the public sphere (Taylor, 1998; Hurd, 2008). Secularism’s automatic linkage with democracy and public order is thus questionable. An indiscriminate secularism in an increasingly interdependent, pluralist and globalized world in which individuals and groups derive morality from different sources is prone to risks. These risks include potential uprisings from adherents and supporters of al ternative non-secular/non-Western approaches shut out from negotiations between religion and politics and in pursuit of public order (Banchoff, 2007; Davie, et al, 2003). Given secularism’s dominance in successful Western democracies, there is also a risk of blindness to its limitations. The following section describes two varieties of secularism and explores their implications for international politics and affairs in the public sphere which have been shown to be significant (Hurd, 2008). Laicism and international relations Laicism refers to the belief in the need to exclude religion from the public realm of politics and confining it to a space where it cannot threaten the liberties of â€Å"free thinking† citizens and political stability (Taylor, 1998). This belief forms the essence of present-day political thought. Through a complex and contested process, this approach attempts to limit and to regulate ‘religious’ disputes thus provide an authoritative and self-reliant public space (Philpott, 2000). The consequent separation of the church and state was intended to serve as a basis for provide the basis for cohesive politics and efficiency in the face of diversity and religious pluralism. Laicism relegates religion and associated beliefs to ‘things’ to be studied or an inferior culture conflicting with the ideals of modern living, politics and development (Hurd, 2008). Consequently, secularism has been described by some as having a strain of dogmatism given its propensi ty to validate a single authoritative basis of public ethics and reason (Taylor, 1998). The policing and constant delineation of this boundary poses challenges especially when society diversifies to contain substantial numbers of adherents of non-Judeo-Christian religions often suspicious of such endeavours (Hurd, 2008; Casanova, 1994). There are therefore calls for a more vibrant pluralist approach in the public sphere. Judeo-Christian secularism and international relations Through its acknowledgement of a place for religion in politics, this approach avoids the pitfalls that befall laicism. In its ‘common ground strategy,’ codes of political order and peaceful co-existence are agreed upon by members of a political community based on common doctrines (Taylor, 2010). However, these common set of values has its roots in Christianity which is a significant feature defining Western civilization (Philpott, 2000). It should be noted that many other religions around the world have complicated patterns of church-state relations as Christianity (Hurd, 2004). The challenge for global relations in this regard, is that secularism, however defined, ends at the boundaries of Western civilization which portends a fault line between the West and non-West ‘common grounds’ (Davie, et al, 2003; Thomas, 2005; Myers and Brodeur, 2006). Such a common ground exclusively dependent upon Western religious traditions is thus ill equipped to meet the dema nds of contemporary societies in and outside the West. In this regard, the common ground therefore becomes a representation of one among many parties or interests (Davie, 2003; Davie, et al, 2003; Philpott, 2000). With these limitations of the dual approaches of secularism, it is necessary in the interest of foregoing international relations and contemporary affairs to rethink the secular social reality. There might be need to approach secularism as among possible solutions to modern challenges associated with religion and public order. The secularization paradigm has served well as a model for the accommodation of religious pluralism and diversity in the public sphere, guiding decision-making in various contexts (Banchoff, 2007; Taylor, 2005). Yet consensus on secular public order is not universally shared and is sometimes viewed unkindly, with contempt, or out rightly rejected by those dominated and/or excluded as â€Å"religious†; those who disagree with the transcendental /temporal divide; and those who feel that their politics, culture and territory has been ‘taken over’ or is challenged through secularist justifications. Also included are those who feel closed out of public debate and discourse (Haynes, 1998; Casanova, 1994; Bruce, 2003). Secularism belittles non-Western alternatives in the negotiation of religion and politics, expressing contempt for religion in public life, particularly with regard to Islam, and legitimizes repression of negotiations of such alternative approaches. Through its insistence of neutrality and identification with rationality, freedom and the democratic, secularism engenders what is described by Honig (Hurd, 2008; Casanova, 1994) as resistances and remainders. The latter constitute those within secularism who seek to upset conventional assumptions about morality, rationality and good. Secularism strives to silence these by shifting them onto the category of the religious in clearly dangerous tendencies wit h potential to incite violence and counter-reactions (Hurd, 2008). At present, secularism lays claim to the right to define the role of religion in politics and in so doing closes off important debates regarding possible alternative moral bases and public order. This, in turn, makes secularists to be perceived as seeking to privatize and to define the political domain (Banchoff, 2007; Bruce, 2003). This engenders hostile responses and criticisms against its hegemonic objectives and aspirations from among the excluded with some resorting to extreme tactics to air their grievances (Banchoff, 2007; Haynes, 1998). Such eventualities are not solely attributable to extremist religious belief as commonly perceived (Thomas, 2005), but as shown can be in response to secularism’s fervent attempts towards the universalization of secular modernity through its specific model. In both its varieties, secularism occasionally acts as a belief intolerant of other beliefs, exhibiting a tendency to restrict political space (Taylor, 1998; Myers and Brodeur, 2006). It is widely agreed that secularism, including its clearly anti-religious variants, needs to be re-evaluated as a model for the organization of public life through the exploration of its implications for contemporary affairs. This is particularly needful with regard to states outside of historical Christendom and settler colonies upon which secularism is foisted upon (Davie, et al, 2003; Thomas, 2005; Hurd, 2008). It seems that secularism operates blindly with regard to its unforeseen implications and the consequences of its tendencies to pursue the universalization of its mores. Its zealous struggle against religious intolerance blinds it to its own inadequacies while it claims moral superiority and displaces violent and antidemocratic tendencies to the domain of ‘religion’ and religious fervour or unrestrained commitment (Taylor, 2005; Hurd, 2004). Though secularism purports to be external in the te rritorial contest between religion and politics, it is not as its history and nature locates it within the spectrum of theological politics (Philpott, 2000). Religion is an ingrained marker of collective identity and entails the submersion of ultimate meaning in people’s beliefs and practices, including social and institutional practices (Banchoff, 2007). There are social and political challenges posed by emergent religious pluralism inherent in the interaction among religious groups in society and politics. A clash of religious communities in the political arena may cause core pillars of democracy to falter: minority rights and majority rule (Banchoff, 2007; Bruce, 2003). Religious tensions may undermine effective government by the majority and, as well, dominant traditions may seek to constrain minority groups. However, a multiplicity of faith traditions presents not just challenges for governance and social cohesion but also opportunities for a more vibrant political cultu re and civil society. For instance, rising faith communities (especially Islam) are engaging democratic processes wherever they reside in the world, and secular majorities and established religious groups are also accommodative (not just resistant) to the new dynamic cultural and political landscape (Haynes, 1998). In foregoing discourse, this paper does not propose the reversal of secularism or the reinstatement of religion in the public sphere. In its stead, the secular ideas of democratic politics should be broadened to acknowledge positive contributions of other approaches such as the non-secular and the non-Western to pubic life and religion. There must be developed a space for continuous discourse among religious traditions, as well as among the religious and the secular so as to transcend the volatile limitations of the secularist approaches. This would also enable the incorporation of a non-hegemonic place for religion in politics addressing the conflicting legacy of secular ization in public sphere in the West and outside it. If this is not addressed, those excluded may eventually haunt and destabilize the same closures that bring about their exclusion. It is therefore imperative for the international community to consider the support of pluralistic democracy which inevitably might entail support for religious parties rather than propping up secularist political solutions. Minority voices in the new dispensation need to be heard. Remedy through the reconsideration of procedure is deemed insufficient given secularism’s prior assumption of itself as above the fray; marking its domain and associating itself with rational argument, tolerance, justice, common sense, public interest, and public authority (Davie, et al, 2003; Thomas, 2005). It thus derides religion as that which is not. Most secularists refuse to acknowledge the possible functioning of alternative non-secular and yet democratic models of order in the public sphere which could be legiti mate rivals to its dominance (Banchoff, 2007; Davie, et al, 2003; Taylor, 2005). Conclusion Focus on the concept of secularism affords us the opportunity to observe that the current foundation of international politics is far from being neutral or universal given its religious heritages and character to which it seems oblivious. Secularism’s self-confidence in its objectivity and neutrality which then drives its hegemonic aspirations may therefore be a threat to the preservation of global peace and security. It is thus argued that for value pluralism to hold, relations in contemporary affairs including the international public sphere (international relations) must distance themselves from secularist history and especially its connotations and negative perceptions. The secular foundation of modernity, particularly secularism’s assumptions concerning the inevitability of secularization, must be reconsidered and better relations among states and religions fostered in order to strengthen political interdependence and international freedom, as well as to forestall conflicts from conflicting values. The majorities must respect religious freedom but must also grapple with varied traditions such as Islam which incorporate different views of social obligation and personal responsibility – some which are at odds with dominant secular views. Therefore, the secular foundation must be exchanged with a post-secular project in which secularism and religion are considered on equal footing. References Asad, T. 2003. Formations of the Secular, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press Banchoff, T. (ed.) 2007. Democracy and the New Religious Pluralism, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bruce, S. 2003. Politics and Religion, Cambridge: Polity Casanova, J. 1994. Public Religions in the Modern World, Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press Davie, G. 2003. ‘The Evolution of the Sociology of Religion’ In: Michele Dillon (ed.), Handbook of the Sociology of Religion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 61-84. Davie, G., P., Heelas, and L., Woodhead (eds.) 2003, Predicting Religion: Christian, Secular and Alternative Futures. London: Ashgate. Haynes, J. 1998. Religion and Global Politics, London & New York: Longman Hurd, E. 2004, ‘The Political Authority of Secularism in International Relations’, In: European Journal of International Relations, Vol. 10, no. 2 Hurd, E, 2008. The politics of secularism in International Relations, Princeton: Princeton University Press. Myers, S. and P. Brodeur, (eds.) 2006, The Pluralist Paradigm: Democracy and Religion in the 21st Century. Scranton and London: Scranton University Press Philpott, D. 2000. â€Å"The Religious Roots of Modern International Relations.† In: World Politics 52 (January): 206-245. Taylor, C. 1998. ‘Modes of Secularism,’ In: R. Bhargava (ed.) Secularism and its Critics. Calcutta: Oxford University Press, pp. 31-53. Taylor, P., 2005. Freedom of religion: UN and European human rights law and practice. Cambridge: CUP Taylor, C. 2010. â€Å"The Meaning of Secularism,† In: The Hedgehog Review, fall. http://www.iasc-culture.org/THR/archives/Fall2010/Taylor_lo.pdf Thomas, S. 2005. Global Resurgence of Religion and the Transformation of International Relations, London: Basingstoke

Complex Moralities Essay

According to Aristotle, for a writer to create an interesting character it must be morally complex, meaning it must consist of not only good or bad morals, but both. Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame has a few examples of this trait in its main characters. Claude Frollo, the priest, shows moral complexity, as he is the novel’s antagonist but is also very compassionate in his feelings toward Esmeralda. Phoebus, who is a nobleman, a soldier, and the captain of the King’s archers, is also one to cheat on his fiance, Fleur-de-Lys de Gondelaurier, and later ignore his chance to save Esmeralda during her execution. Quasimodo is another quality example of moral complexity because while he remains loyal to Esmeralda in every way that he can, he also doesn’t hesitate in pushing Frollo off the ledge and murdering dozens of Truands. Moral complexity allows a reader to think about each character with more depth. Claude Frollo, Esmeralda, and Quasimodo all have positive as well as negative aspects to their personalities, which creates what Aristotle would consider to be interesting characters for this reason. In the beginning of the novel, Frollo shows his compassion and dedication when he takes in his younger brother, Jehan, and later adopts Quasimodo after his parents left him as a child. Though Frollo tried his best to mold scholarly individuals out of the young orphans they soon became symbols of his failure, as Jehan drinks and gambles his money away and Quasimodo’s deafness prevents almost any kind of learning. Frollo’s obsessive longing for La Esmeralda causes her to be hanged and Quasimodo to be tortured. It seems that everything he tries to do ends negatively, and that â€Å"by making himself a priest made himself a demon† (Hugo 282). No matter the effort he puts in to make Esmeralda love him, he only ends up causing her pain. His obsession leads him to do things he would otherwise never do. His compelling fixation with this infatuating gypsy girl leads him to stab Phoebus with a â€Å"dagger that only Esmeralda sees descend upon Pheobus, and raise again dripping† (Hugo 165). Frollo’s compassion and partially good intentions conflict with his actions and get him into predicaments. These characteristics of his contradict themselves, making him a morally complex character. Phoebus, who is supposed to be a gentleman, is not much more than a womanizer, however, he saves La Esmeralda from Quasimodo the night he attacks her. Phoebus does not love her, but leads her to think otherwise and tries to seduce her. As he spoke to the lost gypsy girl he confessed his apparent love â€Å"in one breath without making one single blunder,† suggesting that he had strung together the same exact words to many gullible and in love women just like Esmeralda. Hugo 167) When Frollo stabs Phoebus everyone is convinced he is dead but without bringing it to anyone’s attention, he recovers. Phoebus doesn’t speak up when La Esmeralda is sentanced to death for his murder because he doesn’t want to be associated with a gypsy girl and doesn’t want his fiance to find out about his relations with her. Even though he could have saved Esmeralda’s life, â €Å"he felt no great desire to make a personal appearance at the trial† (Hugo 199) With Quasimodo’s life, being soundless and confusing, he does not always make the right decisions. His thoughts and comprehensions are twisted but his heart is good. Near the beginning of the novel, Quasimodo began following Esmeralda and attacked her late at night. He was tried for it and was sentenced to being publicly whipped which later helped him realize that Esmeralda wasn’t like everybody else who made fun of him for his appearance, but she helped him and tried to understand him. For example after he was whipped for an hour all he asked for was water. Everyone listening to him laughed at him but Esmeralda gave him water. This is ironic because the reason that he was being whipped was because he attacked Esmeralda, yet she was the only one to show him sympathy and give him water. Quasimodo was so touched by her kind gesture that â€Å"from that eye, hitherto so dry and burning, was seen to roll a big tear, which fell slowly down that deformed visage so long contracted by despair† (Hugo 322). From then on Quasimodo became very loyal to Esmeralda. Though this is true, he turns on Frollo, the man who raised him and took him in when he had no one, because he is responsible for Esmeralda’s death. During Esmeralda’s hanging he couldn’t bare the rage, he â€Å"took a few steps back from the archdeacon, and then, rushing at him furiously, with his two huge hands, he struck the priest’s back and pushed Dom Claude into the abyss over which he had been leaning† (Hugo 300). Though his morals may not have been commendable, his heart and ntentions are genuine. Frollo’s bad decisions and confusing feelings, Phoebus’s corrupt loyalty but heroic stature, and Quasimodo’s twisted priorities but kind heart reflect true imperfection of the human spirit. Victor Hugo used Aristotle’s methods of giving a character moral complexity to make the reader more interested throughout the story. Neither Frollo, Phoebus, nor Quasimodo have co mpletely good or completely bad morals, but instead struggle with the decisions they face.

Term Paper Writing Mistakes

Term Paper Writing Mistakes Typical mistakes in writing term papers include the most simple of all things – spelling and grammar errors, but also include running with topics not associated with course materials, failing to cover essential aspects from the course, and topic sentences that are not explained in the material. Most students will make typical mistakes in writing term papers due to fear and concern for the work they must complete, particularly if the work is a large portion of the student’s grade. The first step in avoiding the typical mistakes in writing term papers is just to relax and think about what the course has covered. While thinking, write a short list of important things you have learned in the course and how they relate to each other. Also, remember to write the outline, the outline is there to help you stay on track while writing the paper. Begin very simply – Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. Following this, you can begin to add in the primary topic sentence and then topic sentences for each paragraph. Write at least three sentences for each paragraph – preferably four. Remember to provide evidence for your information from reliable sources such as textbooks and peer-reviewed sources. Finally, no matter how much trouble you have with your term paper, you can avoid the typical mistakes in writing term papers just by remembering to use your â€Å"Spelling Grammar† checker found in the review section of MS Word. This function will prevent the more common errors found in papers and even provide you with a clear knowledge of how many words you have written for the assignment. Your writing will take time to develop, most students will not have college level writing skills straight out of high school, but with time and practice, you can have these skills.

Why didn't the member states of the EU (European Union) simply create Essay

Why didn't the member states of the EU (European Union) simply create a United States of Europe after the Second World War - Essay Example By the time the war had finished, much of the continent lay in ruins. How was Europe to rebuild? This was a question on many peoples' lips after 1945. Some thought a massive federalist state, similar to the United States was the solution. Europeans could pool their wealth and have a single government. That idea fizzled. There was still too much distrust in the immediate post-war period for a United States of Europe to be created. What Europe chose to do instead was slowly, piece by piece, assemble a common market that would eventually keep the door open to a more federalist option some time in the future. Although some Europeans would have liked to have seen a federalist state in the aftermath of the war, there was simply too much distrust. On top of that, foreign armies occupied much of Germany. Each European countries priority was the rebuild itself before engaging on any political or economic experiment. The British scholar Alan Milward argues that the EC's founding fathers intend ed for their states to maintain sovereignty in the system. They did not want a federalist state. They felt that they should bind themselves together not to create a super-state but to compete in the international economy. In a sense, the initial institutions of the EC were designed to preserve national autonomy. As Dr. Milward said in his book The European Rescue of the Nation-State, "The reinvigorated nation-state had to choose the surrender of a degree of national sovereignty to sustain its reassertion . . .† (Milward 1992). The truth is that the people of Europe at this stage were still too nationalistic. They had survived a war that had hammered home their national identities. The heroes of the various resistance movements had all represented pure national ideals, and these men and women were heroes well into the 1950s. The truth is that the founding fathers of the EU were looking to maximize their trading power, not their political power. They wanted to regionalize Europe , not turn it into the United States. Over the years, regionalization has done a great deal to improve business productivity. It has generate wealth and been responsible for a great deal of social development. The leaders of the EU/EC were right to pursue it as the same can be said of the economic integration accomplished by Europe over the last twenty years. The comparative advantages Europe possesses were then main thing to be exploited, not the creation of a superstate (Case 1999). What a single country can do well, it often can do better with the help of its neighbours and friends. But there is much to be said for an integration that stops just short of federalism: this kind of integration is not just about economics: it is also about the cultural and social shifts that follow in the way of reducing tariffs, striking down boundaries and easing travel and communication. You do not need a federal state to do all of this, many Europeans believe. It is possible to create something d ifferent. That was the Europe many were satisfied with up until the 1990s. But then the push came for political reforms and more power being centralized in Britain. In a sense this was a betrayal of the founding father who always say a role for autonomous states at the heart of Europe. They did not want to create a United States of Europe and they knew that over-reach or excessive expansion can cause serious problems to under-developed institutions (Duff 2009). Changes involving integration need time. Today, as the EU looks to its frontiers, the temptation to expand is still there, but patience is need (Kaid 2008). The gains made by economic integration have worked wonders to increase economic integration, but they also bring risks which need to be considered too by policymakers. The United States of

My Sister's Keeper Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

My Sister's Keeper - Movie Review Example Kate Fitzgerald was diagnosed with a terminal form of Leukemia at an early age and was not expected to live past the age of 5 without a proper organ donor to help her out. With that in mind, her parents agree to conceive a genetically engineered child whose sole purpose in life would be to "help" her sister survive.The film tries to take a deeper and more intimate look into how the illness of one child can manage to rip a family part at its seams. Sara, played by Cameron Diaz is the overly affected mother who will do anything to save the life of her eldest daughter Kate.Keeping the above information in mind, I shall evaluate this movie based on the following criteria:- A possibility of the story actually happening in real life;- character and event portrayals in the movie as compared to the original book counterparts;Â   - current medical emancipation laws in the state of California in relation to the movie.All of the above questions or criteria will show us how the rights of a minor are just as important as the rights of an adult. Even more important because they rely on their parents to protect their rights.The movie was partly based on the story of the Ayala sisters, whose parents used the placental cord cells of second sister Marissa - Eve in order to put the Leukemia of older sister Anissa into remission. However, Marissa was not conceived as a designer baby the way Anna was in the movie. The movie, took reality one step further in order to create more dramatic tension between the players which, if you ask me, was a bit of an overkill since the topic of death and survival is already morose as it is.