Frank Jackson Functionalism Essay - 1403 Words

In this essay, the main focus will be on functionalism and its theory from the philosopher Hilary Putnam. This essay will explain what functionalism is and will show examples of functionalism and how it is used in daily in people’s lifestyles. Putnam’s theory is a brilliant theory, but has its flaws, which will be explained in more detail down below. The philosopher Frank Jackson has an objection towards functionalism and theory of the mind as a whole. I do believe that functionalism can provide a complete account of the nature of mind, but Putnam has minor flaws in his theory and my reasoning’s come from Jackson’s theory, which will be down below to justify my opinion. Functionalism is the doctrine that makes something a thought, pain, or†¦show more content†¦Putnam uses the Turing Machine example to introduce the term Probabilistic Automata. Probabilistic Automata is one concept of the Turing Machine that introduces the mind states is just functional states. The functional state of Probabilistic Automata consists of sensory inputs and motor outputs. ‘Putnam demonstrates how the sensory inputs and motor outputs are a part of a machine table’ (Suarez, pp.24). He illustrates how distinctive states are related to one another and how sensory and motor outputs are ‘transitional probabilities’ that are given to a machine table (p.434, Putnam). Hilary Putnam s main argument and theory is â€Å"being in pain is a functional state of the organism† (p.434, Putnam). Probabilistic Automata means that all organisms are capable of feeling pain and it is able to identify when organism are in pain. The theory of functionalism is what allows each organism to ‘model mechanically’, and it is able to calculate mathematically different situations that are relevant to functionalism (Suarez, pp.33). In The Nature of Mind, Chapter 21, Putnam compares functionalism and the brain state theory, and then compares functionalism and behaviorism. When he is comparing the theories he gives examples why functionalism is a better theory. For example, Putnam says, â€Å"Consider what the brain-state theorist has to do to make good claims. He has to specify a physical-chemical such that any organism is in pain, if and only if it possesses a brainShow MoreRelatedWhy Functionalism Is A Better Theory Than Identity Theory1231 Words   |  5 PagesIn this essay, I am going to write a response to the objection raised by the functionalists towards identity theory. Identity theory is a form of physicalism; it states that a particular mental state is identical to a particular physical state of body and brain, for instance mental sensation such as pain is simply just the firing of C-fibres (Smart, 1959). This is a reductionist view as it reduces our psychological state to a materialistic and physical form. A prominent objection against identityRead MoreNationalism and Transnationalism in the Context of the European Union28567 Words   |  115 PagesErnest Gellner. Those authors are recognized as major theoreticians of this matter. Furthermore, in an attempt to redefine nationalism in the perspective of the transnational integration, additional theories by Rogers Brubaker, Hans J. Morgenthau, P. Jackson and J. Penrose, are reviewed. This requires a presentation of the historical and contemporary tendencies of the process of European Integration. Being aware of the fact that a literature on that subject has grown significantly in the last

Essay about Mackinder or Mahan - 2123 Words

Who is more useful for understanding contemporary Geopolitics: Mackinder or Mahan? Use a major power to illustrate your points. In the current century that we live, the world is becoming a smaller place from the effects of technology and globalisation. In the 19th and 20th century, the theoretical works of Mahan and Mackinder were drivers of geopolitical thought. Both theorists’ have a similar framework where they studied political power, military strength and how they were affected by geographic space. In the modern era, geopolitics is very similar to traditional thought, which is why these theorists, in particular Mahan, are arguably still applicable to contemporary geopolitics. The ideologies that are held together by Mackinder and†¦show more content†¦His second trident, grammar, provides the rules of preparing for warfare and naval readiness. It consists martially and operational in nature, through production and overseas markets and bases. Holmes and Yoshihara (2010) come to appreciate the relevance of Mahan’s logic, more than his grammar. The grammar of combat is out-dated, providing that the last fleet engagement was at the Leyte Gulf in 1944. An extremely relevant question regarding the United States’ need for an immediate fleet is extremely relevant. An interesting discussion made by Holmes and Yoshihara (2010) addresses the questionable issue about the United States needing to have high-end ships and criticises the mindset in which the nation has regarding contemporary geopolitics and outcomes for the future of naval warfare. Mahan used six principles that primarily affect a nations ability to become a powerful sea power: geographical position, physical conformation, extent of territory, size of the population, character of the people, and character of the government. Parker (2003) stated these conditions â€Å"were valid requirements for national power in the late 19th century, are valid requirements for national powerShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Mahans Advocacy For Sea Power Against Mackinders Views On A Nations Economic Prosperity And Security1709 Words   |  7 Pageswritings of Mahan and Mackinder are often portrayed as two purist theories opposing one another. Scholars pit Mahan’s advocacy for sea power against Mackinder’s insights into the benefits of land power and soon the real genius of both is lost. (For examples, see Dodds and Sidaway 292, 2004 and Colls 238-239, 2002 as cited in Dodds and Sidaway 293, 2004 and Holmes and Yoshihara 25, 2005). In truth, in almost every respect, Mahan’s and Mackinder’s views are complementary. While Mahan does emphasizeRead MoreList Of Abbreviations And Abbreviations10695 Words   |  43 Pagesand controlled the sea routes. This made them conquer most of Europe, parts of Africa and the Middle East for their own imperial growth. Centuries later, Sir Halford Mackinder (1904) came up with the ‘heartland’ theory which stated that,‘the more the vast lands a state acquired the more powerful the state would became.’ Alfred Mahan (1890) came up with the ‘sea power’ theory which stated that,‘by controlling the waters and all its sea routes, the more powerful the state would become’ (kivoto, 2012)

Case Stud of Apple-Free-Samples for Students- Myassignementhelp

Questions: 1.Review Apples supply chain for its iPhone product. What difference set it apart from its Competitors? 2.What are Apples key advantages in how it manages its supply chain Operations? 3.What are the challenges that Apple faces in the future, and what are the implications for its Supple Chain? 4.As Jessica Grant, what recommendations would you make to the companys vice-president, Phillip Duchene and why? Answers: 1.The entire supply chain system (internal and external) is strategically controlled by Apple concerning its subcontractors (example, Foxconn). The designers of designing department in Apple, persistently present in the factory premises of suppliers to translate the prototypes in mass production in effective manner. Subsequently, the products or devices of Apple are offered in a restricted number of configurations, and this aspect or feature allows the supply chain to be more responsive or supple(Crandall, Crandall, Charli, 2014). The capabilities as well as organizational processes of Apple are assimilated because the processes which are going to be carried out are determined through the capabilities. This facilitates Apple`s assimilated supply chain to trail the life cycle of iPhone for a period of one year. As due to the feature of perishable product, iPhone requires flexible processes and supply chain to outstrip it`s time to market. The difference which set part Apple from its competitors, as the competitors of apple have distinct accountability and RD department for each product segment, however there is high assimilation of information system, accounting processes and RD department in Apple. This assimilation facilitates in enhancing the information flow and innovations as well( Kerzner, 2009). Additionally, Apple use to invest enormously in RD. These strategic choices or high investments by Apple, makes it more expensive for its competitors to compete. 2.Apple avails benefits from the way it manages the operations of its supply chain. Apple use to create joint ventures with the suppliers for its products; this joint venture helps in producing the products which are required by Apple. For instance, Apple established relation with its suppliers or subcontractors and the designers worked with the suppliers to create the product more effective as the cohesive work done by the Apple designers and the suppliers facilitated in mass production by transforming the prototypes effectively(Segall, 2011). Another example related with the benefits which is related with managing the operation of supply chain is related with the logistics, as the queries of the customers related with error in product are solved by the company promptly and this create satisfaction among the customers which is one of the advantage for Apple which gained through managing its supply chain operations. 3.The challenges which are going to be face by Apple in future would be related to the sustained origination of its supply chain systems beside this Apple would also have to concentrate on the cost which incurs on the manufacturing of the products which are potentially worthless. Innovation is require in the products in order to draw the attention of the customers. In addition to this, Apple might also face the challenge related with overhead cost related with manufacturing of products(Hossenlopp, 2010). As, enormous investment is made by Apple in its research and development department. This investment is made by Apple with an objective for creating more developed product, but high investment in RD department could lead to increase the manufacturing cost of products and this can be a challenge for Apple in future, as the increase in manufacturing cost will lead to high price of the end product and this may not be accepted by customers(Li, 2014). Ethical issue can also be challenge i n future for Apple, as for production of products, company requires huge labor force. Subcontractors hire temporary labors and lay of the labors when the manufacturing process is finished. This might create ethical issue as the labors are not treated fairly and this situation could also draw the attention of public and may bring down the confidence of customers. The implications for the supply chain of Apple could be related with the product`s sales estimation. As, in case the estimation in sale goes wrong then it can affect a number of process and supply chain is one of them. Mistake in estimation of sales could lead to fluctuations as well as layoffs in its supply chain. 4.As Jessica grant I, would like to recommend Philip Duchene to clamp the percentage of stock of Apple unaffected in MXE`s portfolio in the meantime it would be better to reach at some conclusion after an additional investigation on product as well as technology development by Apple. Although the products offered by Apple are less innovative but the focus can be laid on the iPhone series as these series of product catch attention of the customers and in turn could enhance the benefit for the company. I would also like to recommend, to look at the companies which are doing business with Apple. As, the prices of the stock of these companies will depend upon the large order from Apple. Supplier companies which are doing business with Apple could be added to BXE`s portfolio, because of their high revenue generation from Apple. The companies (supplier companies) which are well doing business with Apple can be introduced to the portfolio of BXE as they could be helpful in promoting growth of the firm. References Kerzner, H. (2009). Project Management. John Wiley Sons. Crandall, R., Crandall, W., Charli. (2014). Principles of Supply Chain Management. CRC Press. Hossenlopp, R. (2010). Organizational Project Management: Linking Strategy and Projects. Management Concepts Inc. Lehmann, O. (2016). Situational Project Management: The Dynamics of Success and Failure. CRC Press. Li, L. (2014). Managing Supply Chain and Logistics. World Scientific Publishing Co Inc. Segall, K. (2011). Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success. Penguin UK.

The Great Global Warming Swindle Essay Example

The Great Global Warming Swindle Paper Position Paper: a Great Global Warming Swindle As far as could remember, since elementary it has always been discussed in my science class that greenhouse gases cause global warming and that carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. It has been like that for like Forever? My mother told me once that one time when she went to Baggie, snow fell. I really dont know if she was telling the truth but being a child, I believed her. When she told me that stow, I guess I was 5 years old. During those times, going out in the sun during 9 oclock in the morning is still safe and it wont bring you any harm. The suns rays were still friendly. Comparing those mimes to the present time, one would note that: there were lesser vehicles; electricity was not a major major commodity; we have more trees and forests; deforestation and kayaking were not that rampant Generally, we were living a simple, echo-friendly and less innovative kind of life. Nowadays, our way of life has improved but it had adverse effects. The one that has been greatly affected was the environment. As our way of living continues to improve, so does the temperature. The temperature improves in the way that it continues increasing. As men find ways in improving their way f living, they intentionally and unintentionally destroy the environment -? the increase in global temperature seems to go with it. Basing on what is happening today and on what had happened, it seems very logical that global warming may really be man-made. It seems to be caused greatly by mans activities. Man has been destroying the Earth and global warming is one of the indicators that it is indeed in the verge of destruction. But the point of A Great Global Warming Swindle? is that the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere is much greater than the amount of carbon oxide. So what? you may ask. We will write a custom essay sample on The Great Global Warming Swindle specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Great Global Warming Swindle specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Great Global Warming Swindle specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It matters because, as a matter of fact, water vapor itself is a greenhouse gas. This somehow piqued my curiosity. Was I wrong for believing that global warming is man-made? To feed mans curiosity there are two things, among all innovations and inventions, that were proven to be very helpful -? research and the internet. Though research in high school has deprived me of one factor essential in a persons biological growth -? that is sleep -? I did a little of it to support my stand by basing on the opinions of others. Here is a summary of what I have read from different sources Although the documentary was welcomed by global warming skeptics, it was criticized by scientific organizations and individual scientists (including two of the films contributors). The films critics argued that it had misused and fabricated data, relied on out-of-date research, employed misleading arguments, and misrepresented the position of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate They completely misrepresented me. My views were distorted by the context in which they placed them. I was misled as to what it was going to be about. I was told about six months ago that this was to be a programmer about how complicated it is to understand what is going on. If they had told me even the title of the programmer, I would have absolutely refused to be on it. I am the one who has been swindled (Professor Carl Hunch, Pure Propaganda -? The Great Global Warming. ) In other words, ICC does not initiate the warnings, but acts as an amplifier once they are underway. (Professor Asseverating, pure Propaganda -? The Great Global Warming. ) According to some, the documentary might have wrongly presented or misinterpreted the ideas of the scientists and the data they have gathered. They might have spread absurd arguments and have caused great confusion, especially to the viewers. To others, the documentary might have been enlightenment to what is really happening. But in the end, it is up for us to choose which side we are going to believe. It does not matter if you are the only one who seems to have a different view compared to others. Always remember, there are no wrong opinions Only those that oppose everyone elses.

Matewan essays

Matewan essays John Sayles Matewan is a brilliant drama set detailing the conflict between coal miners and anti-union forces in 1920. Though the movie is fictional, it is based squarely on the bitter and often bloody dispute that entrenched coal miners and operators against each other for more than 20 years. One of the major problems was that coal was becoming less and less profitable to mine, and it was the workers that were absorbing the market shortfalls. Worker abuse was unhindered by much government interference, and any inspectors that were sent to the mines were often paid off by the coal operators to ignore gross safety hazards. Something had to change, and this is where Sayles story of conflict begins. Contrasting dark and light, violence versus peaceful disobedience, evil against good, Sayles created war in Matewan. Through sound, cinematography, and mise en scene the film develops the embattled characters and the surrounding revolution. The exposition really establishes the mood of the film. It begins by following a coughing coal miner, covered in black soot, as he crawls around in damp dark mountain shafts. The miner is setting explosives and using verbal warnings to spread the word that dynamite is about to go off in the hole. For the first few minutes of the film Sayles really establishes the claustrophobia of the mines. The dark unsafe passages that make the audience immediately feel threatened by some unseen danger. It is a battle of man versus nature down in the mines and the sweat soaked char-coated men, no matter how much dynamite they set each day, seem to be losing the war. Danny Radnor, played by Will Oldham, passes the word that they have lowered the value of coal to 90 cents a ton. Danny asks imploringly, Sephus, what we gonna do? Rarely will we see the inside of a mine again until the conclusion of the film. It only took through the opening credits to establish that the mines are not...

How to Write an Extended Definition Essay on Environmental Science

How to Write an Extended Definition Essay on Environmental Science Environmental Science is a vast field and we helped you narrow your research down through our first guide 10 facts on environmental science for a definition essay. We are confident both guides will help you come up with interesting research pointers to help you build your research a step further. Our guide on 20 environmental essay topics for your college assignment must have surely been helpful to choose a topic, where we also showed you a sample essay on of the topics. Now that you’re all set, it’s time to show you how to write an extended definition essay on environmental science. Let’s go through it all step by step. Be Absolutely Ascertain about the Reason Behind the Definition of the Topic at Hand The reader needs to see the same level of importance when defining the topic; you won’t be able to achieve that if you aren’t clear yourself. Provide Various Contrasting Examples to Your Topic Through these comparative examples, your original topic will become clearer to the reader. With respect to the step mentioned above, you need to eliminate any assumptions about your topic that are incorrect through fair comparison. For example, an owl appears to be cute, ‘homely’ and a potential pet but contrary to popular belief, they are not home-friendly at all. Your definition can achieve more credibility if you can come up with a supposed test which makes sure that your assessment of the topic is correct. Further, refine your concept by creating subparts of your topic and then explain everything along with functions. The motive is to explain a concept; you have to explain it in your own words and therefore it being unique is the entire point of the essay. It should have a proper definition by function, it needs to have examples, it needs to have an easy-on-the-eyes structure, as well as the background of your topic and collective research. Don’t Miss Out on Relevant Details and Remain On-Point Your analysis of the topic needs to be thorough and it should go beyond the obvious. The reader is scanning your words carefully; don’t assume they know what you were thinking while writing. We urge you to give examples that further shed light on your concepts. The Examples You Use to Support Your Thesis Need to Come from Credible Sources Furthermore, you need to negate the topic by explaining in detail what it is and isn’t. If you can put in a function of your concept then that will make the essay even more credible. These functions need to elaborate how your findings can be used in the real world. By now you have the facts, the topics, a sample essay and a guide on how to write an extended definition essay on environmental science. We believe you are now ready to write your essay and wish you the best of luck.

Human communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human communication - Essay Example According to Saussure, a signifier is a label attached to an object under discussion, and the signified is the object or mental concept of the object. The two units form the sign, but no absolute rules connecting the signifier and signified exist. This creates an arbitrary relationship with the physical impression often contradicting the mental concept (Signs 2007). Toyota has applied this concept to the extreme with an advertisement that shows an idyllic country scene with a lush green landscape. The focus, however, is on one tree, entwined with almost naked human bodies ( Zero 2007). In this very visual ad, denoting, according to the accompanying text (which is so tiny, it is difficult to read), the need for balance between man and nature, the signifier, or label, is the title of the adZero Emissionsè ¬ ¡hich has no real connection to the pictorial aspect of the ad. Charles S. Peirce was a theorist of logic, language, communication and the general theory of signs. He expanded Saussures theories of signifier and signified, adding more theories to the communication process (Burch 2007). The scene in Toyotas ad follows Peirces concept of Icon, Index and Symbol. The object is zero emissions depicting its message of mans concern for nature, and the tree of life is an icon showing the connection and thereby creating the index. The symbol, however, is the arbitrary connection, the word TOYOTA printed in red . The word Toyota calls forth a picture of a car, which represents damage to the environment through harmful emissions. Toyota, however, in the text for the ad, promises zero emissions as a future goal. By combining visual and verbal, the company manages to create a positive image for its customers from an arbitrary connection, with a hybrid automobile representing the present global emphasis on green. The scantily clad men and women in the ad brin g to mind the Garden of Eden and this creates a mental image of

MTV Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MTV - Case Study Example Also, it must be noted that the management of the MTVI conducted massive changes in the scheduling and presentation of programs in order to meet the tastes and expectations of the local population. We understand all the details of the process in the course of this article. MTVI’s main motive to expand all through different continents was to position MTV as a No. 1 global brand in cable television and music broadcast. In its plans of introducing the channel in the Middle East, the channel’s management had to undertake rigorous research and analysis before announcing the launch. Whenever a channel plans to launch itself in the new territory, local producers and networks try to grab as much channel space as they can. Anything new is always welcome and MTV had a tough time deciding which local producers to rely on and which to reject. It started by measuring the major blocks that could create a rough ride in the establishment of the channel. They can be broadly classified into cultural sensitivity, program content, and political and social opinions which could create controversy and social turmoil. MTVI understood that it has to reflect and respect culture and this was highly important for the Arabian challenge. With the brains of Roedy, Singh and ABN’s Sayegh (Purkayastha, 5) behind the venture, right from the word go, MTV concentrated on creating the right balance between cultural aspects considered important to the Middle East and the outgoing spirit of program content that the channel is known to provide. In what has been termed as a litmus test for the channel in adapting its core principles to the concept of localization that it had adopted in the 90s, the Arabian market turned out to be the promise it was considered. As it is, the most important factor that attracts every global brand to the Arabian market is the market strength. MTV was well aware that outside

Proxy Server Essay Example for Free

Proxy Server Essay Annotations: This research paper is an extract from an about 100 pages enfolding diploma thesis of Martin Eisermann, student at the Fachhochschule Rosenheim (University of Applied Sciences), Germany. It contains the results of performance tests, accomplished with MS Proxy Server 2.0, MS ISA Server and Linux Squid Proxy. This work reflects the personal impressions and test results of the author, made with web performance testing software, described later in this document. The paper is a translation from German into the English language, so it might not be written with the best phraseology. Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, Windows XP, Internet Information Server (IIS), Web Application Stress Tool, Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server, Proxy 2.0 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries/regions. Other products and Company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of the respective owners. 1. Executive Summary This technical research paper contains the results of a performance test scenario with the Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) server, which should make clear, how good proxy servers can improve the speed of a web server. At the beginning, it describes the structure of the test scenario, with aspects of hardware and software. Then, a product will be chosen from a variety of different test tools, which compete with each other. The benefits and drawbacks of every product will be elucidated. The next chapter explains, which products will be compared with the MS ISA server and why they were selected. The following test results are representing the biggest section in this research paper. Finally, there is a short summary of the newly gained cognitions. 2. Test scenario To get an impression, how proxy servers can improve the performance of a network or of a single web server, the following scenario was build: 100 Mbit 100 Mbit Webserver (IIS 5.0) Proxy Server Workstations ill. 1 The workstations shown in illustration 1 are simulating the internal LAN (local area network) clients, which are among themselves connected with a fast Ethernet switch (100 Mbit). The web server, which is also connected with 100 Mbit, simulates the Internet. However, this network capacity is mostly not found in small and/ or middle enterprises, but for compensation, the web server is an outdated machine. The technical data of all components used for the tests is described in table 1. Technical data: System web server proxy server Workstations CPU Pentium AMD Duron Pentium II MHz RAM 200 800 400 96 MB 512 MB 256 MB OS Win XP Prof., IIS 5.0 variable Win NT 4.0 Prof. Tab. 1 3. Test tool selection In the Internet, it is not difficult to find programs, which can execute diverse performance tests for web servers. Many of them, especially if they are build for Linux, are free of charge, but if one likes to have graphical analysis it gets more difficult. Often one has to decide using a Microsoft Windows 32-bit application, which, in general, costs a lot of money. Another problem is the possibility to integrate a proxy server to the web testing tools. Most tools dont support that. Of course, this is comprehensible: which operator, who wants to test his web server performance, likes the results be influenced by a proxy? But in this scenario, it is absolutely necessary. Regarding this two product selection preconditions, there arent left a lot tools. Three remaining products are the WebPolygrah Benchmark Tool from Measurement Factory, Microsofts Web Application Stress Tool and the Web Performance TrainerTM from Web Performance Inc. On a first look, they all three seem to offer the wished functionality. a) WebPolygraph Benchmark Tool: The WebPolygraph Benchmark Tool is freely availably at http://www.webpolygraph.org. The tool was originally developed for Linux based systems, but in between there are also MS Windows 32-bit binaries downloadable. The actually available documentation in the Internet is not sufficient to set up a test environment quickly and without intensive knowledge of the product. More examples and more detailed descriptions would help a lot. A graphical user interface is not implemented, too. b) Microsoft Web Application Stress Tool Also freely available is Microsofts web testing utility, the Web Application Stress Tool. It is downloadable at http://www.microsoft.com. The documentation, which can be found in the Internet, is clearly structured and useful. The handling of the product is intuitive for experienced Windows users. The missing integration of a proxy server in its configuration setup, makes the tool nearly useless, but Microsoft offers a solution: one have to install the Microsoft Proxy Client (or the Microsoft ISA Firewall Client) on the machine, which is used to perform the web tests, then the tests are working suitable. There is only one more problem left, which will get clearer in the next few minutes: There is no proxy client or firewall client available for Linux! And because there is a Linux product in the test environment, the Stress Tool is not useful at last. c) Web Performance TrainerTM 2.4 Finally, the software product from Web Performance Inc. (http://www.webperformanceinc.com) fulfilled all preconditions: graphical user interface, proxy configuration, easy understandable, Internet based documentation. All installation problems and handling questions where answered fast and competent. The product handling is similar to the Web Application Stress Tool, but there are versions for both, Linux and Windows operating systems. The demo version only supports an amount of 25 users, but Web Performance Inc. offered a time limited 3000 user version, for the tests. At this point many thanks for that again. 4. Test specification The web content for the tests is completely static, that means pictures and html-files, No dynamic pages like asp or php were inherited. Reason: these pages are normally not cached in a proxy server. The amount of data used is about 4.8 MB. The test run time is determined to 30 minutes. Significant performance differences should be visible within this time. The Web Performance trainer v2.4 can increase the number of concurrent users by 25 every minute. So, at the end of the test, a maximum number of 750 users can poll the web server. 5. Choosing the proxy products If someone tests the speed of a web or proxy server, he would not now, if his results are good or bad, if he doesnt make a comparison with other products. For this reason, beside the ISA server, the Microsoft Proxy 2.0 and a Linux Squid proxy were other test candidates. The decision for MS Proxy 2.0 is easy to explain. It is the original product, Microsoft build the ISA server on. It also runs on Windows 32bit operating systems and Microsoft propagates, that the ISA server runs about 10 times faster. The Linux squid proxy is in the test field, because it has the same functionality like the MS proxy versions, but runs on a completely different platform. Another reason is, that Linux and squid are both freeware products and thats a big advantage. 6. The test results The most important results, if one tests the performance of web or proxy servers, are described with the data: Total Hits, Errors, Hits/sec and Bytes/sec. In all following diagrams, the colors are defined as follows: Total Hits Errors red Hits/sec Bytes/sec black yellow (with factor: 0,001 kB/sec) green 6.1 Web server (standalone) For a first view, the next two illustrations are showing the test results of the web server, without a proxy: Ill. 2 Ill. 3 While the 30 minutes test duration there were only 111.451 hits and 298.778 errors recognized by the Web Performance TrainerTM and only 470 users could by simulated at all. In the first minutes of the test, the amount of kilobytes per second is relatively high (~ 550) but from minute 11:00, they decrease to an average number of 165 kb/s. A stable result of only 50 hits per second can be metered. Already explained before in this paper, the used web server is an old computer, so these bad results are nothing to wonder. How good the results could get with proxy servers in front of it, will be shown in the next chapter. 6.2 MS Proxy 2.0 vs. MS ISA-Server In a first step, the two Microsoft products will be compared with each other. Already their total hits within this 30 minutes, differ a lot. The ISA-Server has about four times better results than it’s predecessor, while the total number of errors is just about three times higher. MS Proxy 2.0 – Total Hits: 206.953 – Errors: 74.572 Ill. 4 Ill. 5 MS ISA-Server – Total Hits: 781.851 – Errors: 232.879 So, the superiority of the new product is verified. Surprisingly, the count of errors of the MS Proxy 2.0 loose their nearly parallel growth with the total hits line in the 8th minute, and increase much slower in the next 22 test minutes. For this effect couldn’t be found a reason. MS Proxy 2.0 – Hits/Sec – kB/s Ill. 6 MS ISA-Server – Hits/Sec – kB/s Ill. 7 The comparison of the hits/s, shows that the MS Proxy 2.0 cannot exceed the previous peak values of the web server a lot, but holds them constantly (~ 550 kB/s at ~120 hits/s). Whereas the ISA server lies with it’s ~500 hits/s explicit over the MS Proxy 2.0. A ten times higher rate, shown in the small illustration 8 (submitted by Microsoft), cannot be proven. Ill. 7 6.3 Linux Squid vs. MS ISA server The second test candidate is the squid proxy server, based on the operating system RedHat Linux version 7.2. The software products can be downloaded freely from the Internet (http://www.redhat.com; http://www.squid-cache.org). The squid version, used for the test, is release 2.4 stable 1-5. Linux Squid – Total Hits: 1.335.949 – Errors: 303.204 Ill. 9 MS ISA-Server – Total Hits: 781.851 – Errors: 232.879 Ill. 10 This comparing test shows significantly, the higher performance of the squid proxy in opposite to the MS ISA server: it is nearly doubled. The amount of not completed requests is irrelevant higher. Further results like hits per second and kilobytes per second are making this even clearer. Linux Squid – Hits/Sec – kB/s Ill. 11 MS ISA-Server – Hits/Sec – kB/s Ill. 12 In the first six minutes, ISA and squid are competing with each other and are reaching values of 2.600 kb/sec. But then, the performance of the ISA server slackens and even decreases to an average value of 2.200 kb/s. Whereas the performance of the squid proxy reaches its limit not before the maximum possible network throughput rate (at 100 Mbit) of about 4450 kb/sec in the 9th test minute. Then the average value also decreases a little until circa 4300 kbytes per second. 7. Summary The squid proxy, running on a freeware product, is apparently the fastest proxy server within the three test candidates. Its normal implementation is not hard, if the corresponding administrator has little knowledge about Linux. On the other hand, which corporation is in the need of this high caching rates? Who has 750 users that make 1.35 million web requests in 30 minutes? So, if there is already a Windows based network, which perhaps already implemented a MS Proxy 2.0 server, there is no real need to change to a Linux proxy variant instead of updating to an ISA server. On further reason, to prefer the MS ISA server instead of the squid proxy in an existing Windows based network, might be, that all already implemented user groups can be left and later used in the ISA server configuration after an update. Implementing the authorization structure of a Windows 2000 or NT domain on a Linux computer is certainly possible, but probably not easy for a typical Windows Administrator. And implementing the users on two security

The Virgin Birth of Jesus Essays -- essays research papers

The Virgin Birth of Jesus Old Testament Fulfilled Prophecies The Virgin birth of Christ is an actual Historical fact. God came (in the sinless form of Jesus) into the earth "HE" created. No other event in the past has had so much impact out side of Calvary where Christ paid the price for our transgressions. Seven hundred years earlier, this was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah and it came about just as predicated in (Matthew 1:22, 23) In Isaiah 7:14, we take notice what the prophet Isaiah said about this male child or "Son". He prophesied that Jesus Christ would be born of a "Virgin." The word says "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and call his name Immanuel. The prophet Isaiah prophesied that this male child WOULD BE INCARNATE. (Isaiah 9:6) "For unto us a child is born unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, the prince of peace. THE GOSPEL INTRODUCTION OF JESUS I read about Jesus in the four gospels of the New Testament. In their narratives of his birth, Matthew and Luke call him the virgin-born Savior, the Lord Christ Jesus, the Holy One, the So of the Most High, the Son of God, and Immanuel, which means "God with us." Mark does not give us an account of Christ's birth, but he dows introduce him as Jesus Christ, the son of God. John, like...

American Government Exit-polls

As per exit polls in Texas are concerned, there were some interesting results that are worth noting regarding the trend of voting. The Democrat beat the Republicans by a substantial margin of close to one million votes with McCain garnering 4, 479, 328 or 55% and Obama 3, 528, 633 or 44%. The voting in terms of age Exit polls in Texas for President showed that of the 47% male voters, Obama got 39% while McCain had 59%, and of the 53% female voters Obama had 47% while McCain got 52%. What was interesting in this exit poll result was the trend in voting by age.Texas exit poll revealed that among ages 18-29 comprising 16% of the total votes, Obama earned 54% votes and McCain 45%. Among ages 30-44 (31% of the total votes), Obama had 46% and McCain 52%. Of ages 45-64 (39% of the total votes), Obama got 41% While McCain earned 58%. Finally at 65 and older (14%) Obama had a lowest 32% votes while McCain got a high 66% of the total votes from this age group. The exit polls in Texas reveal im portant things. 1. That most men in general in this state favored and voted for McCain giving him 59% over Obama with only 39%.2. That, women in general in this state only slightly favoring McCain giving him a slight edge over Obama at 52% compared to 47%. 3. Among voters ages 18-29 comprising 16% of the total votes, Obama gets the upper hand with 54% compared to McCain’s 45 % 4. But among ages 30-44 which comprised 54%, McCain was the stronger candidate. 5. The trend in the voting by age shows that McCain was the top choice among the older voters. Ages 45-64 comprising 39% shows McCain widening his lead over Obama at 58% to 41% 6.Exit poll among ages 65 and older shows Obama further down at 32% compared to McCain’s 66%. 7. That this voting trend favored McCain considering the age bracket of the voters getting older. 8. That obviously this voting trend in the age bracket point to the direction of racial prejudice. 9. The younger generation was more open to accept socie tal change through conventional leadership styles. 10. That voting by race reveals that voters in Texas votes based on racial preferences. II. A Letter to the PresidentDear Mr. President: In view of the exit polls in Texas, apparently younger generations voted for you in view of their being open mindedness on the issues affecting our society. However, the same exit poll reveals that Texas voters in general are partisan voters voting merely based on racial preference. I therefore urge that you give particular attention on this observation by showing considerable fairness among the people of Texas despite you loss by a margin of almost a million votes for future reference.I hope for your favorable response on the matter by paying a visit and extend the atmosphere of reconciliation. Sincerely: III. Question on the election trends I believed that the trends in the general election have changed dramatically from previous trends. The change that took place according to CREST (The Centre f or Research into Elections and Social Trends) has to do with voters’ attitude that influenced their preferences for the kind of leaders they wanted for their country.In that report, voters chose the leader/s, who could deal with personal issues such as healthcare, economy, social security, gas prices, war in Iraq, political corruption lobbyist, terrorism, taxes, immigration, and environment (Hardy). The voting attitude was greatly influenced by the current issues that affected their country. The new trend I believe will pass on history and will be seen in future presidential elections especially if Obama proves himself as the right president who could correct the inaccuracies in the society.This period is very crucial in the history of the United States and while the new trend in USA election brings remedy to their crisis, the trend will become the basis in choosing government leaders. Reference Hardy, F. W. (9 Jan 2008). Election Issues Excel in America: National Issues Shin e in New Hampshire Presidential Primaries. Suite101. com. http://us-elections. suite101. com/article. cfm/election_issues_excel_in_america President Texas. ElectionCenter2008. CNN Politics. com. http://edition. cnn. com/ELECTION/2008/results/individual/#TXP00

Why did relations between the Soviet Union and the USA change in the years 1970-1985?

* The 1979 soviet invasion of Afghanistan. * The ‘Zero Option' * Deployment of missiles in Europe * Strategic Defence initiative Between the years 1979 – 1985, relations between the Soviet Union and the USA, changed, and we can look at many reasons as to why this was the case. For example up until 1979, the superpowers were in a period of ‘Detente'. Detente was simply a period of extended Co-operation and agreement. So relations had slightly improved up until 1979. Sadly this improvement of relations came to a Holt, as the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The Soviets saw Fundamentalism as a great threat to the soviet system, and so the PDPA who were a communist party overthrew Afghan government. Before the invasion, Afghanistan seeked to improve relations with the USA, so by invading Afghanistan this would have, perhaps annoyed the USA. The USA however did heavily criticise the invasion, which only put more strain on relations. The way, in which the USA showed their annoyance and disapproval of the War, was to boycott the1980 Moscow Olympic Games. In reply to the USA boycott the Soviet Union were not present at the 1984 Los Angeles games. Clearly unrest between both Super Powers was emerging, and they showed this by their boycott of each Olympic Games. Had the Soviets not invaded Afghanistan you wonder whether the USA would have boycotted the games. In 1981 Ronald Reagan was elected president. By him becoming president, it only worsened things, as he was very supportive of anti – Communist forces in places such as Afghanistan. Reagan also proposed the ‘zero option'. This was basically the deployment of new US intermediate range missiles in Western Europe in return for soviet dismantlement of comparable forces. There are some Historians who think Reagan knew that Brezhnev would refuse, which meant he could therefore build bigger and greater weapons. This ‘zero option' only helped contribute to worsened relations a great deal, and by the Soviet rejecting ‘zero option' it gave Reagan the opportunity to accuse the Soviet Union of being an evil empire, but Yuri Andropov responded and called Reagan insane and a liar. Relations were now at a low, and it seems there is no co-operation, but accusations instead. The Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) commonly called Star Wars. It was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983 to use ground-based and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. The aim of SDI was to create a ‘defence shield' that would protect the USA from a full nuclear missile attack by the Soviet Union or other hostile nuclear powers. This would end reliance on offence-dominated deterrence (‘Mutually Assured Destruction') through a balance of terror. Diplomatically, Russia and fiercely opposed SDI, and the deployment of such a system would have been a breach of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missiles (ABM) treaty. This also meant that USA had done something which the Soviets were opposed to, which can only have also worsened relations. The ongoing worsened relations were not helped by the fact that throughout 1979-1985 there was no stability in the Soviet Union. Leaders kept changing meaning the Super Powers did not have the time to relate to each other and make an effort to improve relations. Say the minute a leader came in, and they actually agreed on something, then, that leader would die, and they would have to start again. On overall, all of the factors I have mentioned above all contribute to a worsening of relations between the Soviet Union and the USA. It seems that each thing happens one after the other and they are not positives steps. When Brezhnev was in charge, the war in Afghanistan was going on, and after his death, you might expect relations to improve, but then Reagan announces ‘zero option' and so on. So between the years 1979-1980 it seems that relations worsened, and the levels of trust between the USA and the Soviet Union worsened.

An Overview of Solstices and Equinoxes

An Overview of Solstices and Equinoxes The June and December solstices mark the longest and shortest days of the year. The March and September equinoxes, meanwhile, mark the two days of each year when day and night are of equal length. June Solstice (Approximately June 20-21) The June solstice begins summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. This day is the longest of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. North Pole: The North Pole (90 degrees north latitude) receives 24 hours of daylight, as it has been daylight at the North Pole for the last three months (since the March Equinox). The sun is 66.5 degrees off the zenith or 23.5 degrees above the horizon.Arctic Circle: It is light 24 hours a day north of the Arctic Circle (66.5 degrees north) on the June solstice. The sun at noon is 43 degrees off the zenith.Tropic of Cancer: On the June Solstice the sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north latitude) at noon.Equator: At the equator (zero degrees latitude), the day is always 12 hours long. At the equator, the sun rises daily at 6 a.m. local time and sets at 6 p.m. local time. The sun at noon at the equator is 23.5 degrees off the zenith.Tropic of Capricorn: In the Tropic of Capricorn, the sun is low in the sky, at 47 degrees from the zenith (23.5 plus 23.5).Antarctic Circle: At the Antarctic Circle (66.5 degrees south), the sun makes the briefest of appearances at noon, peeking at the horizon and then instantaneously disappearing. All areas south of the Antarctic Circle are dark on the June Solstice. South Pole: By June 21, it has been dark for three months at the South Pole (90 degrees south latitude). September Equinox (Approximately September 22-23) The September equinox marks the beginning of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. There are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at all points on the earth’s surface on the two equinoxes. Sunrise is at 6 a.m. and sunset is at 6 p.m. local (solar) time for most points on the earth’s surface. North Pole: The sun is on the horizon at the North Pole on the September equinox in the morning. The sun sets at the North Pole at noon on the September equinox and the North Pole remains dark until the March equinox.Arctic Circle: Experiences 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. The sun is 66.5 degrees off the zenith or 23.5 degrees above the horizon.Tropic of Cancer: Experiences 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. The sun is 23.5 degrees off the zenith.Equator: The sun is directly overhead the equator at noon on the equinox. On both equinoxes, the sun is directly over the equator at noon.Tropic of Capricorn: Experiences 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. The sun is 23.5 degrees off the zenith.Antarctic Circle: Experiences 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.South Pole: The sun rises at the South Pole after the Pole has been dark for the past six months (since the March equinox). The sun rises to the horizon and it remains light at the Sout h Pole for six months. Each day, the sun appears to rotate around the South Pole at the same declination angle in the sky. December Solstice (Approximately December 21-22) The December solstice marks the beginning of summer in the Southern Hemisphere and is the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. It marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. North Pole: At the North Pole, it has been dark for three months (since the September equinox). It remains dark for another three (until the March equinox).Arctic Circle: The sun makes the briefest of appearances at noon, peeking at the horizon and then instantaneously disappearing. All areas north of the Arctic Circle are dark on the December solstice.Tropic of Cancer: The sun is low in the sky, at 47 degrees from the zenith (23.5 plus 23.5) at noon.Equator: The sun is 23.5 degrees from the zenith at noon.Tropic of Capricorn: The sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn on the December solstice.Antarctic Circle: It is light 24 hours a day south of the Antarctic Circle (66.5 degrees north) on the June solstice. The sun at noon is 47 off the zenith.South Pole: The South Pole (90 degrees south latitude) receives 24 hours of daylight, as it has been daylight at the South Pole for the last three months (since the September equinox). The sun is 66.5 degrees off the zenith or 23.5 degrees above the horizon. It will remain light at the South Pole for another three months. March Equinox (Approximately March 20-21) The March equinox marks the beginning of fall in the Southern Hemisphere and spring in the Northern Hemisphere. There are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at all points on the earth’s surface during the two equinoxes. Sunrise is at 6 a.m. and sunset is at 6 p.m. local (solar) time for most points on the earth’s surface. North Pole: The sun is on the horizon at the North Pole on the March equinox. The sun rises at the North Pole at noon to the horizon on the March equinox and the North Pole remains light until the September equinox.Arctic Circle: Experiences 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. The sun is 66.5 off the zenith and low in the sky at 23.5 degrees above the horizon.Tropic of Cancer: Experiences 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. The sun is 23.5 degrees off the zenith.Equator: The sun is directly overhead the equator at noon on the equinox. During both equinoxes, the sun is directly over the equator at noon.Tropic of Capricorn: Experiences 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. The sun is 23.5 degrees off the zenith.Antarctic Circle: Experiences 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.South Pole: The sun sets at the South Pole at noon after the Pole has been light for the past six months (since the September equinox). The day begins on the horizon in the morning and by the end of the day, the sun has set.

Haitis Slave Rebellion Prompted the Louisiana Purchase

Haitis Slave Rebellion Prompted the Louisiana Purchase A slave rebellion in Haiti helped the United States double in size at the beginning of the 19th century. The uprising in what was a French colony at the time had an unexpected repercussion when the leaders of France decided to abandon plans for an empire in the Americas. With Frances profound change of plans, the French decided to sell an enormous parcel of land, the Louisiana Purchase, to the United States in 1803.   Haitis Slave Rebellion In the 1790s the nation of Haiti was known as Saint Domingue, and it was a colony of France. Producing coffee, sugar, and indigo, Saint Domingue was a very profitable colony, but at considerable cost in human suffering. The majority of people in the colony were slaves brought from Africa, and many of them were literally worked to death within years of arriving in the Carribean. A slave rebellion, which broke out in 1791, gained momentum and was largely successful. In the mid-1790s the British, who were at war with France, invaded and seized the colony, and an army of former slaves eventually drove out the British. The leader of the former slaves, Toussaint lOuverture, established relations with the United States and Britain, and Saint Domingue was essentially an independent nation. The French Sought to Reclaim Saint Domingue The French, in time, chose to reclaim their colony, and Napoleon Bonaparte dispatched a military expedition of 20,000 men to Saint Domingue. Toussaint lOuverture was taken prisoner and jailed in France, where he died. The French invasion ultimately failed. Military defeats and an outbreak of yellow fever doomed Frances attempts to retake the colony. The new leader of the slave revolt, Jean Jacque Dessalines, declared Saint Domingue to be an independent nation on January 1, 1804. The nations new name was Haiti, in honor of a native tribe. Thomas Jefferson Had Wanted to Buy the City of New Orleans While the French were in the process of losing their grip on Saint Domingue, President Thomas Jefferson was trying to purchase the city of New Orleans from the French, who claimed much of the land west of the Mississippi River. Napoleon Bonaparte had been interested in Jeffersons offer to purchase the seaport at the mouth of the Mississippi. But the loss of the Frances most profitable colony made Napoleons government begin to think it wasnt worth holding on to the vast tract of land that is now the American Midwest. When Frances finance minister suggested that Napoleon should offer to sell Jefferson all the French holdings west of the Mississippi, the emperor agreed. And so Thomas Jefferson, who had been interested in buying a city, was offered the chance to buy enough land that the United States would instantly double in size. Jefferson made all the necessary arrangements, got approval from Congress, and in 1803 the United States bought the Louisiana Purchase. The actual transfer took place on December 20, 1803. The French had other reasons to sell the Louisiana Purchase besides their loss of Saint Domingue. One major concern was that the British, invading from Canada, could eventually seize all the territory anyway. But it is fair to say that France would not have been prompted to sell the land to the United States when they did had they not lost their prized colony of Saint Domingue. The Louisiana Purchase, of course, contributed enormously to the westward expansion of the United States and the era of Manifest Destiny. Haitis Chronic Poverty Is Rooted in the 19th Century Incidentally, the French, in the 1820s, did try once again to take back Haiti. France did not reclaim the colony, but it did force the small nation of Haiti to pay reparations for land which French citizens had forfeited during the rebellion. Those payments, with interest added, crippled the Haitian economy throughout the 19th century, meaning that Haiti was never able to develop as a nation. To this day Haiti is the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere, and the countrys very troubled financial history is rooted in the payments it was making to France going back to the 19th century.

Write a topic of your choice involving either a federal or Florida Essay

Write a topic of your choice involving either a federal or Florida state administrative law agency - Essay Example This essay will set forth the relevant portions of the MPRSA as it applies to ocean disposals of dredged materials and present a case from California where the MPRSA mandated civil penalties for a commercial dredging company. As an initial matter, the primary purpose of the MPRSA is to prevent the disposal of any materials in the ocean, within American jurisdiction, unless that disposal has previously been authorized by a permit granted by the United States Army Corps of engineers with the subsequent approval of the EPA (MPRSA section 101(a); 33 United States Code section 1411). A permit, however, is not easy to obtain; more importantly, as stated by the governing statute and administrative regulations, violating the terms of an otherwise legal permit is also unlawful and will result in civil liability. As a general rule, a permit may be obtained only when the ocean dumping does not â€Å"unreasonable degrade or endanger human health, welfare or amenities, or the marine environment, ecological systems or economic potentialities† (MPRSA section 102; United States Code section 1412). The Code of Federal Regulations sets forth guidelines for determining whether a particular permit application ought t o be approved or denied; and, while both the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA are involved in assessing permit applications, the EPA is the superior administrative agency and its decisions override all other agencies (40 Code of Federal Regulations sections 225.1 & 225.2(c)). In short, the disposal of dredged materials in the ocean is prohibited, a permit application does exist, and there are very strict requirements for a permit to be approved. The MPRSA is enforced through section 105(a), which authorizes the EPA to assess a civil penalty not exceeding $50,000 per day for any violation. These violations may

The First Meditation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The First Meditation - Essay Example xperiences in order to decipher what is real and what is not and he theorises that the dreaming experiences he has been a manifestation of his waking experiences and that dreams cannot be formed without the latter. Descartes’ worry about not being able to distinguish between his waking and dreaming experiences can be a serious problem for scientific knowledge because there would be no means of making a distinction about what is true and what is false. The result of such a scenario is that a large number of scientific studies and thought, while being extremely popular in some schools, might turn out to be completely false. Moreover, the development of newer scientific theories would be much difficult since even the scientific thinkers will not be able to know whether their theories are based on reality or not. The result of Descartes’ worry would be that what are considered to be scientific facts might turn out to be the imagination of individuals and not based on realit y. Descartes speculates that perhaps an evil genius, or what he terms as a malignant demon, is the one who influences his dreams and makes him believe that what he sees in his dreams happened in reality. The evil genius works towards putting false images into his mind during his state of slumber and thus ensures that Descartes is unable to distinguish what is real from what is not and whether what he is dreaming actually took place in reality (Descartes 38). Therefore, Descartes is faced with two dilemmas, and one of these is whether life is based on foundations of falsehood and the other is whether life is influenced by an evil genius whose intention is to ensure that individuals are confused about reality and the dream experience. The result of these thoughts by Descartes is that he develops two different theories about reality and the foundation upon which it is built and whether there are other influences that might be at work in the formation of reality. The problem that is more d ifficult

Philosophy and the Future Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy and the Future - Assignment Example The last theory that he put forward was that a person should accept the fact of absurdism and in this way, he would lead a better life. The reason behind this is that a person knows that life has no meaning and in that way, he would live his life to the fullest. Absurdism is one philosophy which actually denies a proper meaning to life. Many philosophers have argued against this. If absurdism is a belief that is universally accepted then it can be argued that the meaning of philosophy itself is nothing because since life has no purpose then why should one actually assess its outcome and search for a way of living. Not believing in life would actually mean not believing in one’s own existence. A logical explanation to the meaning of life is essential and it must be considered. The meaning of life is one thing that a person must analyze so that he understands his own existence. It is something that a person derives from learning and knowledge. Absurdism is actually an easy way out that a person discovers when he denies his search of life. Absurdism is actually living a life of self-denial. Meaning of life can be understood on the basis of religion as is accepted by many. It can also be based upon the principles of utilitarianism which i ndicates that the purpose of leading a normal life is dependant upon the principle of happiness which indicates that a person performs those acts which would bring about the maximum happiness. Religion and utilitarianism teach a person about his own existence, about the purpose of life and the creation of a happy and healthy world. Human beings are finite beings. Despite that many philosophers have put forward the theory about the existence of God who as explained is an infinite, Supreme Being. This means that human beings definitely have the power to consider and examine the infinite being.  

Forrest Gump Essay Example for Free

Forrest Gump Essay Forrest Gump is a movie whose title is named after its main character, Forrest Gump. The main character is not a fast-witted fellow, who kills time in waiting for the bus by sharing the story of his life to anyone who sits with him on a bench in the bus stop. He always remembers the time when he met Elvis Presley, and also when his dear mother died. He shares stories about going to college and how he dealt with his new life in that new environment, and proudly tells strangers about how a scholarship grant has helped him enter college. He recalls stories about him entering the army. As a member of the army, he was sent to Vietnam. From this experience, he returned to his country of origin as a hero because in Vietnam, he was able to save his friends in the army. Since he was able to make himself a hero, he shares to strangers how many presidents of different countries he has already met. He also recalls how he got wealthy by setting up a business. He looks back to the days when he was very engrossed into professional ping-pong. He is telling people who sits beside him on the bench about his popularity which he got from running to and from one country to another, for three consecutive years (McCarthy, 1994). All these stories which Forrest Gump keeps on sharing to strangers seem different from each other. However, when one takes a better and closer look at it, the sum of Forrest Gump’s stories revolves around Jenny. Jenny is the one true love of Forrest. He falls in love with this girl so deeply that he never notices other girls. He thinks about her every now and then. He is too enamoured with too many thoughts about Jenny. Because Forrest Gumps life is not perfect, he loses Jenny along the way. Everything that Forrest does from that time on was towards finding Jenny. With much perseverance, and also even luck, he was able to find Jenny once again. They reconnect with each other. With this reunion, Forrest finds out that he and Jenny have a son together. Jenny, however, was almost dying all through the years. He is suffering from a disease which has no treatment or medication. Then again, even after knowing this, Forrest still decides to marry Jenny. After a very short period of time, Jenny dies from the incurable disease. What Forrest did was to raise their son even when Jenny was no longer around. He became a father to his son on his own (McCarthy, 1994). Forrest Gump, in this story, is a very good representation of the genre â€Å"innocent at large†. His snippets of wisdom are very sensible although they are very simple. He is also slow-witted. The way he looks portrays innocence because he is donning a buzz-cut hairstyle. The world around Forrest Gump is undeniably a stressful and a hectic one, but even if he is living in this kind of world, he is still able to look at the world in a good way. He still thinks that the world is a nice place to live in. While Forrest looks very innocent, viewers will still understand and see that he is not completely innocent, and that he also knows things. It simply goes to show that Forrest defies the stereotype of a hero. Heroes are expected to be man enough, to be smart, fit and almost perfect. Forrest still managed to be a hero despite all his imperfections. Jenny, on the other hand, was the opposite of Forrest. While she knew a lot about the world and was rich with experiences, she is constantly confused. She hooks up with boys she barely knows; she does drugs, and battles thoughts and attempts of suicide. She only decides to settle down with Forrest when she was almost dying, and this time, she sounded and acted more matured. Again, she defies the stereotype of smart people making smart decisions, since Jenny, being knowledgeable, being the women who taught Forrest how to read and write, is the same woman who always creates poor decisions (McCarthy, 1994). As a reader, it is easy to relate with Forrest Gump because there are times when wishes and dreams are achieved even without the conventional way of reaching it. It can be related to the many times people do not believe in what I can do or what opinions I am capable of making. It can also be as simple as doing everything in my power to buy my dream pair of shoes, or the book I have been meaning to read for the longest time, and even when getting them seems impossible, I end up having them land on my hands. The movie discussed many things about family, marriage and society. Throughout the entire film, we can see that Forrests mother is very supportive of him. She supported him even though a lot of people think that he has no future with his IQ that is below average. She pushed him to do normal things despite what other people say. She even went as far as to entertain the indecent wishes of the school principal just so Forrest can enter school. In all these examples, the role of the mother as a family member who supports other members is clearly shown. The film also explored the family theme in Lieutenant Dans determination to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors who died in battle. Lieutenant Dans only wish is to be killed in action and nothing else. This reflects the tendency of members of a family to follow the choices in life of fellow members. However, Lieutenant Dan failed to follow the footsteps of his ancestors because he was saved by Forrest. Marriage is discussed in the movie in the scene where Forrest proposes to marry Jenny. Forrest made it clear that she loved Jenny despite the fact that he is â€Å"not a smart man. † Upon learning that he has a child that also has his name, Forrest also gladly assumed the role of a father even though his intelligence is below average. In addition, Forrest and Jenny got married even if Jenny is already dying. These events show that marriage should be founded on the responsibility of each member and their love for each other (McCarthy, 1994). Society was also discussed in the film because it was shown that Forrest had to go through many challenges as he tried to accomplish things that normal people accomplish. His classmates didnt like him in the school bus and he was always bullied in school. His classmates even chased him with their pickup truck. Forrest was able to break through the challenges that society presented though through his talents and skills. Since he can run very fast, Forrest was able to go through college with a scholarship for playing football. His talent in ping-pong also allowed him to go to China and play with their leader. In the military, his fast rifle assembly skills made him look good in the eyes of his commander. While these instances are exaggerated, they do make it clear that it is possible to be accepted by society if you willingly share your talents and skills to other people. Critics absolutely love Forrest Gump. It sparked intense debate among critics about whether the film was promoting conservative or liberal values. Roger Ebert praised Eric Roths screenplay and Tom Hanks acting. Some critics though, did not like film. Entertainment Weekly and The New Yorker said that the film reminds them of Disney because the film tends to reduce history to a colorful theme park. Currently though, the film is considered a classic among many film critics. Forrest Gump is also rated very high in various movie review websites (McCarthy, 1994). I love the film because it is very touching and deep but is still interesting and funny. Forrest Gump is very inspirational because he achieved so many things in life despite the fact that he has a very low IQ. Its not only Forrest though who made his victories and successes possible but also the people around him: his mother, Bubba, Lieutenant Dan, and even Jenny. This shows that society also works to help us achieve our goals no matter what our skills are. I also like the film because it went through a long part of the United States history but it presented it in a comedic and sarcastic way. Since Forrest does not know the real depth of the issues that surrounds him, history looks less serious people would normally think. The film gives the impression that everything that has happened to the world, including the Vietnam War, can be viewed as ridiculous and probably unnecessary. Bubba died needlessly in battle just because he had to serve in the war. His dreams ended just like that and Forrest was willing to accept the death of his friend. Forrest Gump is a great movie that everyone must watch. If you want to dig deep into the emotions of people and the issues of society, this is an excellent film to watch. Truly, Forrest Gump is a classic that entertains and educates its viewers. Reference McCarthy, T. (July 11, 1994). Forrest Gump. Variety Online Magazine. Retrieved 18 December 2008 http://www. variety. com/index. asp? layout=Variety100reviewid=VE1117487968content=jumpjump=reviewcategory=1935cs=1p=0.

Edna O’Brien’s Country Girls Trilogy :: Country Girls Trilogy

Edna O’Brien’s Country Girls Trilogy   Ã‚  Ã‚   In all honesty, I chose to read The Country Girls Trilogy by Edna O’Brien because it was the only text that I could get my hands on. After reading it though, I’m glad I had the luck of choosing it. I realized, while reading the trilogy, that throughout my course of study, I have not read very many female authors. I may have read a few short stories along the way, but most books that I have read for classes and for pleasure have been written by men. I saw the difference in writing styles as I read the first paragraph of the book and immediately liked the change of pace and detail-oriented style. I also found that I really connected with the main characters, Caithleen and Baba, whose real name is Bridget. I found it interesting that I invested such interest in two characters whose personalities are so different from my own. Caithleen was the narrator in the first two books, and I found that I connected with her most because of her details and innocence. The t rilogy represents three phases of these women’s lives from their girlhood, to losing loves and the trials of marriage. Through it all, their interesting friendship changes according to the events in their lives until a sad and untimely end. I’m not sure that that I would want a friendship like Caithleen and Baba’s, but at least that had each other in the end, when the rest of the world seemed to have forgotten them. The excerpt in Colm Toibin’s anthology, The Penguin book of Irish Fiction, is from the first book in O’Brien’s trilogy called The Country Girls. For purposes of this paper, I will discuss the excerpt itself, and then the rest of the first book of O’Brien’s trilogy.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Excerpt from The Country Girls was taken from chapter fourteen. In this passage, Baba and Caithleen have just moved to Dublin to live on their own. They moved into a boarding house run by a German couple and the girls feel as if they are finally living their lives. Baba is in search of a rich man to take care of her so that she no longer has to deal with the little people in life. She drags Caithleen, who goes by Cait, to dances and bars in hopes of finding whatever she can get.

Counseling Class Final Exam Paper Essay

After this class and taking all the different assessments and inventories, my number one career choice as of right now is an Elementary School Teacher. The tests have actually helped me learn a lot about myself and helped me determine what certain fields of work I would succeed in. Being an Elementary School Teacher would be a fulfilling career, and would allow me to be creative and interact with children, which are two things that are very important to me. 2. On the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator, my four letter word was INFJ, which stands for introversion, intuition, feeling, and judgement (although my scores between extroversion/introversion and judgement/perception were a point off). According to the Myer-Briggs personality description, INFJs prefer occupations that involve the big picture, involve conceptual awareness, and lead to a better understanding of the spiritual, emotional, of future needs of people. They want their work to have impact or meaning and for it to bring them admiration and respect. Different occupations that seem to be attractive to INFJs include education consultant, English teacher, fine arts teacher, psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, scientist, and other occupations that allow INFJs an opportunity to make their own creative contribution. The list of occupations INFJs seem to enjoy include a lot of education type career choices, so elementary school education would be right up my alley, according to this assessment. Being an elementary school teacher would allow me to be creative and also allow me to help children learn, not only academically, but socially as well. My Holland Code was ISA which stands for Investigative, Social, and Artistic. Investigative people are known as â€Å"The Thinkers†. These are people who like to observe, learn, investigate, analyze, evaluate or solve problems. Artistic people are known as â€Å"The Creators†, They have artistic innovation or intuition abilities and like to work in unstructured situations using their imagination and creativity. Social people are known as â€Å"The Helpers† and are people who like to work with people to enlighten, inform, or help. Elementary education is a Social college major. According to the occupational scales on the Strong Interest Inventory, I scored a 56 for Elementary School Teacher, which means I share interests with women in that occupation and would probably enjoy the work. Teaching & Education was also number two on my tops five interest areas. The personal style scale reveals many different things. As for my work style, I prefer working with people, I enjoy helping others, and I am outgoing. In a learning environment, I prefer academic environments; I learn well through lecture and books, and I seek knowledge for its own sake. As for my leadership style, I am comfortable taking charge of and motivating others, I enjoy initiating action, and I express my opinions easily. I think being an elementary school teacher would be a good match for me, according to the Strong Interest Inventory. It would allow me to observe, investigate, and solve problems, as well as help and inform children, and it would also allow me to be creative; which fulfills all aspects of my Holland Code. My top five values according to the Work Values Inventory are Altruism, Way of Life, Prestige, Economic Returns, and Security. Altruism is present in work which enables one to contribute to the welfare of others. As an Elementary school teacher, I would definitely be contributing to the welfare of my students and helping them to blossom and thrive in academic and social settings. Way of Life is associated with the kind of work that permits one to live the kind of life she chooses and to be the type of person she wished to be. Elementary school teachers normally work nine months out of the year. Those other three months off would allow me to spend time doing other things I love, like vacationing or spending quality time with my family. Also, I plan on being a parent after I get married and find a stable job. My schedule would correlate with the schedule of my future children and allow me to spend more time with them, which is very important to me. Prestige is associated with work which gives one standing in the eyes of others and evokes respect. An elementary school teacher may not be the most prestigious job in the eyes of some, but it definitely is in the eyes of the students. When I was in elementary school, I admired all of my teachers greatly. Educating the next generation and giving them a solid foundation on which to apply further education, I believe, is a very respectable career. Economic returns is associated with work which pays well and enables one to have the things wanted. Elementary school teachers make a decent amount of money, and although it might not be the highest paying job, I’m willing to push this value to the side to fulfill the others and do something I would really truly enjoy. Confucius once said â€Å"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. † Security is associated with work which provides one with the certainty of having a job even in hard times. According to the Eureka program, there are very many estimated jobs in elementary education within the next 20 years and the estimated growth is above average. My top ten skills based on my skill assessment results were Integrity, Questioning, Synthesizing, Tact, Understanding, Dependability, Tenacity, Advising, Cooperating, and Investigating. As an Elementary School teacher, I think you definitely need integrity. Actually, i listed this skill as a Very Satisfying skill, and is also listed as a Very Satisfying skill for Elementary school teachers. I think as an Elementary School teacher you need to be able to synthesize many different elements into your lesson plans. As for tact (a keen sense of what is appropriate, and what to say or do to avoid giving offense), I think it is an important skill for every career choice. I listed tact as a Very Satisfying skill and many Elementary School Teachers listed tact as a Moderately Satisfying skill. Understanding and dependability are very important skills for any career choice and are especially important when working with younger kids. I listed dependability as a Moderately Important skill and many Elementary School teachers did as well. Advising could be a helpful skill while trying different methods of learning certain subjects. Also important if a student was seeking my help. Cooperating is an important skill, because as an Elementary school teacher, not only will i be working with children, but I will also be interacting with their parents and other teachers. 6. Going forward from this class, I plan on majoring in Liberal arts at either Cal State Fullerton or Cal State Long beach, and from there I plan on getting my teaching credentials and ultimately becoming an Elementary School Teacher!

Audio Lingual Method

1 GGGV 2044 METHODS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Semester 2 2009/2010 AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD: A DISCUSSION (INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT) LECTURER: DR. HAMIDAH BT. YAMAT @ AHMAD LISA KWAN SU LI A123040 TESL/2 2 1. 1 INTRODUCTION The Audio-lingual Method (ALM), by its very name – â€Å"audio† and â€Å"lingual† – refers to a language teaching approach that focuses on two aspects of language, namely listening and speaking.Unlike its predecessor, the Grammar Translation Method, which focuses on reading and writing skills, this approach chooses to emphasize on the first two stages in the natural order of language learning (listening, speaking, reading followed by writing) with the belief that learners who are better speakers and listeners consequently make better readers and writers. The ALM has a firm foundation in the theories of both structural linguistics and behavioural psychology, and thus incorporates techniques and strategies that advocate the conce pts and assumptions of language learning from both schools of thought.The structural linguistics view of language learning says that language is learned through awareness and specific attention to the patterns and structure of the language. One of the ALM’s main characteristics is its use of repetition and drills that draw learners’ attention to the patterns of the target language which are subsequently memorized and repeated to automaticity. Language learning from the view of behavioural psychology on the other hand, occurs by conditioning and habit formation of accurate responses to stimuli. The right response for a stimulus is modelled by the teacher beforehand and then drilled into the learners repeatedly until such responses become a â€Å"habit† that enables learners to successfully produce accurate responses without clues or prompting by the teacher. This discussion aims to further understand the Audio-lingual Method and explore the advantages and disadva ntages of employing it in the second language classroom. The author also puts out her recommendations for the use of the ALM in the second language classroom. 2. 1 HISTORY By the first half of the twentieth century, the Direct Method had lost its popularity in the U. S.However, it is believed that the decline of the Direct Method brought about the emergence of the ALM. As Brown (2001) puts it: â€Å"†¦ by the middle of the twentieth century, the Direct Method was revived and redirected into what was probably the most visible of all language teaching â€Å"revolutions† in the modern era, the Audio-lingual Method. † The U. S. educational institutions at the time still believed that a reading approach like the Grammar Translation Method was more practical than an oral one. Therefore the 1930s and 1940s saw the Grammar Translation Method going strong in all schools across the U.S. However, after World War II, the U. S. saw an urgent need for her to be orally proficien t in the language of her allies as well as foes. This led to a drastic change in 4 the current view of language teaching from a mere reading approach to one with a heavier emphasis on aural and oral skills. Special intensive language programs were developed by the U. S. army which came to be known as the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), or more simply, the Army Method. In the 1950s, the Army Method was renamed the Audiolingual Method. 3. 1 PRINCIPLES OF ALMSome of the main principles of language learning in the ALM are stated by Alkhuli 2005 (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Forum of Teaching and Studies). One of these principles is that the second language learning process should be similar to that of first language acquisition. This complies with the natural order of language learning which is listening, speaking, reading and finally, writing. It is believed that the learner first learns to speak what he has listened to, then read what he has spoke n, and write what he has read.Therefore, the ALM emphasizes on listening and speaking skills in order to facilitate the progress of reading and writing skills besides increasing communicative competency. Another principle is that the second language is best acquired by habit formation. A habit is created when an action is repeated and is subsequently produced 5 in response to certain stimuli almost without conscious activity. This is achieved via the repetitive pattern practices that are part and parcel of the ALM. Translation of the target language into the native language is considered harmful and will hinder acquisition of the second language.Such translations are believed to impede the mastery or control of the second language. When the target language is used in all circumstances in the classroom, learners learn to make direct connections between the vocabulary and its semantics in the target language itself, which is ideal for effective second language learning. However, these principles are merely assumptions. Counter-arguments include: second language learning is completely different from native language acquisition in many different aspects.In addition, the natural order of language learning that the ALM stresses on is irrelevant because the four language skills can be developed simultaneously rather than sequentially. The learning of a second language is not necessarily a process of habit formation where responses are elicited by stimuli, but also involves the cognitive. Finally, translation into the native language has proven a useful technique indeed in learning a second language, demonstrated in methods such as the Grammar Translation Method. 4. 1 MAIN FEATURES As aforementioned, the ALM follows the natural order of language learning.The use of repetitive drills is justified in shaping a new â€Å"habit† for learning the second 6 language. Stimuli-responses are expected and correct ones are immediately reinforced as conditioning, concurrent with the views of behavioural psychology. The native language also plays a minimal role in the ALM. Only the target language is used within the classroom by both teacher and learners. New material in the target language is also introduced in dialogue form, closest to a natural situational context for learners to gain communicative competence and skills.Modeling is done by the teacher whereby a particular structure of sentence is spoken and learners repeat the sentence, mimicking its sound patterns and intonation, and aiming for identicalness. Slips in learners’ pronunciation of words in the sentence are immediately corrected by the teacher to avoid formation of â€Å"bad habits†. Grammar rules are not taught explicitly but are expected to be induced by the learners through the various examples and patterns that are exposed to them during the lesson.Contrastive analyses are also done between the native language and the target language in order to draw learner’s attention to differences in pattern, structure and sound system of both languages. 5. 1 TECHNIQUES There are many techniques employed in the classroom that advocate the underlying principles (or assumptions) of the ALM, and are also based on the aforementioned two main schools of thought for the said method. 7 One of the main techniques used is of introducing new learning material in the form of a dialogue. A model conversation is analyzed, broken down and memorized through mimicry. Dialogues are seen as a natural conversational ontext that will aid learners in applying learned structures and vocabulary. Many drills are used in the ALM. The backward build-up drill (expansion drill) breaks down a difficult sentence into smaller parts. Usually the last phrase of the sentence is repeated by the learners and then parts are added on, or expanded, until learners are able to repeat the complete sentence without further trouble. Single-slot substitution drills require the learners to substi tute in cues given by the teacher into a particular slot in the sentence. Multiple-slot substitution drills on the other hand, require a higher level of competence from the learners.Learners must recognize particular slots within the sentence to substitute the cues given by the teacher, occasionally having to alter subject-verb agreements as well. Other drills include the repetition drill, chain drill, transformation drill and question-and-answer drill. (Refer to Appendix A) 6. 1 ADVANTAGES As compared to an extreme method like the Grammar Translation Method, where reading and writing are so stressed on that speaking and listening skills are neglected, ALM does develop the aural/oral skills of learners. Learners through the ALM are able to participate in situational contexts competently. 8In addition, learners are more aware of the phonetic aspects of the language. Through modeling and mimicry, learners pay more attention to proper pronunciation and intonation. Errors in pronunciati on are immediately dealt with, while correct responses are positively reinforced. Learners are sensitive to the intonation and are aware of their different functions of questioning, requesting, pleading etc. Through substitution drills, learners also learn to recognize the borders between the phrases that make up the sentence. They are also exposed to a variety of different sentences that have similar structures through repetition drills as well.Transformational drills help learners familiarize with question tags and their corresponding answers, affirmative and negative sentences and even active and passive ones. Such a wide variety of sentence and question structures serve to enhance learners’ communicative ability. 7. 1 DISADVANTAGES Although the drills that are the ALM’s distinguishing feature may be considered one of its strengths, they are also its weakness. Such drills leave no room for creativity, causing learners to lose interest or feel bored in the classroom. When learners lose their motivation, it negatively affects their progress in second language learning.New vocabulary learned is also limited in context. Instead, the sound system and grammatical patterns are emphasized on more. Learners are taught set phrases in gruel repetition in response to certain questions, where the form and structure are 9 highlighted. Consequently, learners are only drilled to respond correctly with answers that are expected of them without caring much for its meaning. For example, the set phrase, â€Å"Fine, thank you,† is taught as a response to the question â€Å"How are you? † which learners use even when they feel otherwise.This phenomenon is comparable to robots that have no cognition and only give particular responses to particular stimuli! There is rarely any variation in learners’ responses other than the ones that have been taught. Therefore, interaction and dialogue is very schematic and unnatural. In short, communicative com petence is still called to question. Learners of the ALM may be able to participate in conversations, but they are rarely spontaneous and it is observed to be rather a case of regurgitating the â€Å"right† responses in a certain situational context from memory.Should they not be able to recall the set phrases that have been learned, they are at a loss as to how to respond to the questions and conversational prompts of the other speaker. 8. 1 RECOMMENDATIONS From the discussion above, it is evident that although communicative competence is insufficient, the ALM drills provide learners with a multitude of structures and grammatical patterns that form the basic foundation for communication. The challenge is to help learners apply the knowledge they have gained to communicating effectively and in a natural manner. 10However, this cannot be done if drills are continuously insisted upon in the classroom. A degree of flexibility is needed on the part of the teacher to allow spontan eous and natural conversation to take place after drilling them as well. Unguided dialogue practice forces the learners to apply what they have been drilled with into a communicative setting, taking into consideration the meaning of the phrases learnt with relevance to the given situation. Model conversations can still be provided, but spontaneous ones allow for creativity and variety in responding according to the individual learner. Communication becomes more natural.With regards to learner motivation, the responsibility is shouldered by both the teacher and the learners themselves. The teacher needs to, again, be flexible and allow for elements not necessarily ALM-like to be incorporated into the lesson, if only for the sake of breaking the monotone. Drills can still be employed of course, but in more interesting ways like role play and physical activities. In essence, the teacher should be creative in her strategies with the aim of increasing the communicative competency of the learners rather than teach by the book. Learners as well, play a major role in their own learning progress.They should maintain a high level of self-motivation by actively participating in tasks and activities and being attentive at all times. 9. 1 CONCLUSION The ALM definitely has its pros and cons in a second language classroom. However, the disadvantages and negative implications can be overcome if a slightly more eclectic approach to second language teaching is taken. Some teachers may stubbornly hold fast to the rules of the ALM and refuse to stray from it. In such a case, the 11 objective of second language teaching should be questioned. Is one’s loyalty to the method or to the goal of aiding learners in achieving communicative competence?If it is the latter, it does not matter what method is used in the classroom as long as ultimately, learners gain valuable communicative skills. As Celce-Murcia illustrates (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Foru m of Teaching and Studies): â€Å"Today, language students are considered successful if they can communicate effectively in their second or foreign language, whereas two decades ago the accuracy of the language produced would most likely be the major criterion contributing to the judgment of a student’s success or lack of success. † (1991, p. 125)One single method should never be used exclusively in the classroom because it shall always remain flawed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine her teaching goals and appropriate methods to be used; where an eclectic one might better achieve those goals. Therefore, the teacher of a second language must be prepared to modify and adjust her methods to suit the different learning needs of the learners. 12 APPENDIX A Here are examples of the different drills used in the Audio-lingual Method: Repetition drill Repetition drill is the normal drill, usually used to teach the lines of the dialogue.Students are require d to repeat after the teacher’s model until they are almost identical. Chain drill The Chain drill uses maybe the first few lines of a simple dialogue. The teacher begins by addressing a student, or asking him a question. The student responds, then turns to the student beside him and asks him a similar question. The second student responds and the chain goes on until each student has participated. This allows for the teacher to check learner’s speech. Transformation drill The teacher may give learners a question, and the learners are then required to formulate an answer from the form of the question given, and vice versa.Or, an affirmative sentence is given and learners need to transform it into the negative. This can be used for teaching active and passive sentences, as well as direct and reported speech. Question-and-answer drill This drill allows for learners to practice answering questions accurately and rapidly. It can also be done the other way round, where the l earners form the questions on cue. 13 REFERENCES Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim. 2009. Re-evaluating the Effectiveness of the Audiolingual Method in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.International Forum of Teaching and Studies 5(2): 1-9. Britto, Rory. 2009. The Dissipation of Methods in ESL: Expanding to Fill the Void. The Journal of Education p. 75-84. Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, p. 13-37. Second edition. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Savignon, Sandra J. 2001. Communicative Language Teaching. Theory Into Practice 26(4): 235. Audio Lingual Method The Audio lingual method or the Army Method is a style of teaching used in language Instruction. It is based on behaviorist ideology, which professes that certain trait of living things, and in this case humans, could be trained through a system of reinforcement and correct use of a trait would receive positive feedback while incorrect use of that trait would receive negative feedback. So in the Audio Lingual Method, the instructor would present the correct model of a sentence and the students would have to repeat it. The teacher would then continue by presenting new words for the students to sample in the same structure. In audio lingual’s there is no explicit grammar instruction so that everything is simply memorized in form. The idea is for the students to practice the particular construct until they can use it spontaneously. In this manner, the lessons are built on static drills in which the students have little or no control on their own output; the teacher is expecting a particular response and not providing that will result in a student receiving negative feedback. As mentioned, lessons in the classroom focus on the correct imitation of the teacher by the students. Not only are the students expected to produce the correct output, but attention is also paid to correct pronunciation. Although correct grammar is expected in usage, no explicit grammatical instruction is given. Furthermore, the target language is the only language to be used in the classroom. This method is one of the three main ways to teach a foreign language. Along with â€Å"the direct method,† the audio lingual approach keeps the majority of the language instruction in the target language. Audio lingual teaching concentrates on drills that teach grammar while the direct method concentrates more on vocabulary. When the grammar of the target language is explained in the native language, the method is called communicative language teaching. The method relies on drilling, habit formulation, and the use of a language lab, which might remind you of your high school language class. Grammar is not taught outright, but instead language is taught in its correct grammatical structure. Although the method made sense for its original purpose and was successful in allowing basic communication. The method relies on drilling, habit formulation, and the use of a language lab, which might remind you of your high school language class. Grammar is not taught outright, but instead language is taught in its correct grammatical structure. Although the method made sense for its original purpose and was successful in allowing basic communication. The Audio-lingual Method is still in use today, though normally as a part of individual lessons rather than as the foundation of the course. These types of lessons can be popular as they are relatively simple, from the teacher's point of view, and the learner always knows what to expect. But it has been heavily criticized, especially by linguist Noam Chomsky. The rigidity of the method left little room for the spontaneity of free-flowing conversation, which made it difficult to use the language in the real world. Audio Lingual Method 1 GGGV 2044 METHODS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Semester 2 2009/2010 AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD: A DISCUSSION (INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT) LECTURER: DR. HAMIDAH BT. YAMAT @ AHMAD LISA KWAN SU LI A123040 TESL/2 2 1. 1 INTRODUCTION The Audio-lingual Method (ALM), by its very name – â€Å"audio† and â€Å"lingual† – refers to a language teaching approach that focuses on two aspects of language, namely listening and speaking.Unlike its predecessor, the Grammar Translation Method, which focuses on reading and writing skills, this approach chooses to emphasize on the first two stages in the natural order of language learning (listening, speaking, reading followed by writing) with the belief that learners who are better speakers and listeners consequently make better readers and writers. The ALM has a firm foundation in the theories of both structural linguistics and behavioural psychology, and thus incorporates techniques and strategies that advocate the conce pts and assumptions of language learning from both schools of thought.The structural linguistics view of language learning says that language is learned through awareness and specific attention to the patterns and structure of the language. One of the ALM’s main characteristics is its use of repetition and drills that draw learners’ attention to the patterns of the target language which are subsequently memorized and repeated to automaticity. Language learning from the view of behavioural psychology on the other hand, occurs by conditioning and habit formation of accurate responses to stimuli. The right response for a stimulus is modelled by the teacher beforehand and then drilled into the learners repeatedly until such responses become a â€Å"habit† that enables learners to successfully produce accurate responses without clues or prompting by the teacher. This discussion aims to further understand the Audio-lingual Method and explore the advantages and disadva ntages of employing it in the second language classroom. The author also puts out her recommendations for the use of the ALM in the second language classroom. 2. 1 HISTORY By the first half of the twentieth century, the Direct Method had lost its popularity in the U. S.However, it is believed that the decline of the Direct Method brought about the emergence of the ALM. As Brown (2001) puts it: â€Å"†¦ by the middle of the twentieth century, the Direct Method was revived and redirected into what was probably the most visible of all language teaching â€Å"revolutions† in the modern era, the Audio-lingual Method. † The U. S. educational institutions at the time still believed that a reading approach like the Grammar Translation Method was more practical than an oral one. Therefore the 1930s and 1940s saw the Grammar Translation Method going strong in all schools across the U.S. However, after World War II, the U. S. saw an urgent need for her to be orally proficien t in the language of her allies as well as foes. This led to a drastic change in 4 the current view of language teaching from a mere reading approach to one with a heavier emphasis on aural and oral skills. Special intensive language programs were developed by the U. S. army which came to be known as the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), or more simply, the Army Method. In the 1950s, the Army Method was renamed the Audiolingual Method. 3. 1 PRINCIPLES OF ALMSome of the main principles of language learning in the ALM are stated by Alkhuli 2005 (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Forum of Teaching and Studies). One of these principles is that the second language learning process should be similar to that of first language acquisition. This complies with the natural order of language learning which is listening, speaking, reading and finally, writing. It is believed that the learner first learns to speak what he has listened to, then read what he has spoke n, and write what he has read.Therefore, the ALM emphasizes on listening and speaking skills in order to facilitate the progress of reading and writing skills besides increasing communicative competency. Another principle is that the second language is best acquired by habit formation. A habit is created when an action is repeated and is subsequently produced 5 in response to certain stimuli almost without conscious activity. This is achieved via the repetitive pattern practices that are part and parcel of the ALM. Translation of the target language into the native language is considered harmful and will hinder acquisition of the second language.Such translations are believed to impede the mastery or control of the second language. When the target language is used in all circumstances in the classroom, learners learn to make direct connections between the vocabulary and its semantics in the target language itself, which is ideal for effective second language learning. However, these principles are merely assumptions. Counter-arguments include: second language learning is completely different from native language acquisition in many different aspects.In addition, the natural order of language learning that the ALM stresses on is irrelevant because the four language skills can be developed simultaneously rather than sequentially. The learning of a second language is not necessarily a process of habit formation where responses are elicited by stimuli, but also involves the cognitive. Finally, translation into the native language has proven a useful technique indeed in learning a second language, demonstrated in methods such as the Grammar Translation Method. 4. 1 MAIN FEATURES As aforementioned, the ALM follows the natural order of language learning.The use of repetitive drills is justified in shaping a new â€Å"habit† for learning the second 6 language. Stimuli-responses are expected and correct ones are immediately reinforced as conditioning, concurrent with the views of behavioural psychology. The native language also plays a minimal role in the ALM. Only the target language is used within the classroom by both teacher and learners. New material in the target language is also introduced in dialogue form, closest to a natural situational context for learners to gain communicative competence and skills.Modeling is done by the teacher whereby a particular structure of sentence is spoken and learners repeat the sentence, mimicking its sound patterns and intonation, and aiming for identicalness. Slips in learners’ pronunciation of words in the sentence are immediately corrected by the teacher to avoid formation of â€Å"bad habits†. Grammar rules are not taught explicitly but are expected to be induced by the learners through the various examples and patterns that are exposed to them during the lesson.Contrastive analyses are also done between the native language and the target language in order to draw learner’s attention to differences in pattern, structure and sound system of both languages. 5. 1 TECHNIQUES There are many techniques employed in the classroom that advocate the underlying principles (or assumptions) of the ALM, and are also based on the aforementioned two main schools of thought for the said method. 7 One of the main techniques used is of introducing new learning material in the form of a dialogue. A model conversation is analyzed, broken down and memorized through mimicry. Dialogues are seen as a natural conversational ontext that will aid learners in applying learned structures and vocabulary. Many drills are used in the ALM. The backward build-up drill (expansion drill) breaks down a difficult sentence into smaller parts. Usually the last phrase of the sentence is repeated by the learners and then parts are added on, or expanded, until learners are able to repeat the complete sentence without further trouble. Single-slot substitution drills require the learners to substi tute in cues given by the teacher into a particular slot in the sentence. Multiple-slot substitution drills on the other hand, require a higher level of competence from the learners.Learners must recognize particular slots within the sentence to substitute the cues given by the teacher, occasionally having to alter subject-verb agreements as well. Other drills include the repetition drill, chain drill, transformation drill and question-and-answer drill. (Refer to Appendix A) 6. 1 ADVANTAGES As compared to an extreme method like the Grammar Translation Method, where reading and writing are so stressed on that speaking and listening skills are neglected, ALM does develop the aural/oral skills of learners. Learners through the ALM are able to participate in situational contexts competently. 8In addition, learners are more aware of the phonetic aspects of the language. Through modeling and mimicry, learners pay more attention to proper pronunciation and intonation. Errors in pronunciati on are immediately dealt with, while correct responses are positively reinforced. Learners are sensitive to the intonation and are aware of their different functions of questioning, requesting, pleading etc. Through substitution drills, learners also learn to recognize the borders between the phrases that make up the sentence. They are also exposed to a variety of different sentences that have similar structures through repetition drills as well.Transformational drills help learners familiarize with question tags and their corresponding answers, affirmative and negative sentences and even active and passive ones. Such a wide variety of sentence and question structures serve to enhance learners’ communicative ability. 7. 1 DISADVANTAGES Although the drills that are the ALM’s distinguishing feature may be considered one of its strengths, they are also its weakness. Such drills leave no room for creativity, causing learners to lose interest or feel bored in the classroom. When learners lose their motivation, it negatively affects their progress in second language learning.New vocabulary learned is also limited in context. Instead, the sound system and grammatical patterns are emphasized on more. Learners are taught set phrases in gruel repetition in response to certain questions, where the form and structure are 9 highlighted. Consequently, learners are only drilled to respond correctly with answers that are expected of them without caring much for its meaning. For example, the set phrase, â€Å"Fine, thank you,† is taught as a response to the question â€Å"How are you? † which learners use even when they feel otherwise.This phenomenon is comparable to robots that have no cognition and only give particular responses to particular stimuli! There is rarely any variation in learners’ responses other than the ones that have been taught. Therefore, interaction and dialogue is very schematic and unnatural. In short, communicative com petence is still called to question. Learners of the ALM may be able to participate in conversations, but they are rarely spontaneous and it is observed to be rather a case of regurgitating the â€Å"right† responses in a certain situational context from memory.Should they not be able to recall the set phrases that have been learned, they are at a loss as to how to respond to the questions and conversational prompts of the other speaker. 8. 1 RECOMMENDATIONS From the discussion above, it is evident that although communicative competence is insufficient, the ALM drills provide learners with a multitude of structures and grammatical patterns that form the basic foundation for communication. The challenge is to help learners apply the knowledge they have gained to communicating effectively and in a natural manner. 10However, this cannot be done if drills are continuously insisted upon in the classroom. A degree of flexibility is needed on the part of the teacher to allow spontan eous and natural conversation to take place after drilling them as well. Unguided dialogue practice forces the learners to apply what they have been drilled with into a communicative setting, taking into consideration the meaning of the phrases learnt with relevance to the given situation. Model conversations can still be provided, but spontaneous ones allow for creativity and variety in responding according to the individual learner. Communication becomes more natural.With regards to learner motivation, the responsibility is shouldered by both the teacher and the learners themselves. The teacher needs to, again, be flexible and allow for elements not necessarily ALM-like to be incorporated into the lesson, if only for the sake of breaking the monotone. Drills can still be employed of course, but in more interesting ways like role play and physical activities. In essence, the teacher should be creative in her strategies with the aim of increasing the communicative competency of the learners rather than teach by the book. Learners as well, play a major role in their own learning progress.They should maintain a high level of self-motivation by actively participating in tasks and activities and being attentive at all times. 9. 1 CONCLUSION The ALM definitely has its pros and cons in a second language classroom. However, the disadvantages and negative implications can be overcome if a slightly more eclectic approach to second language teaching is taken. Some teachers may stubbornly hold fast to the rules of the ALM and refuse to stray from it. In such a case, the 11 objective of second language teaching should be questioned. Is one’s loyalty to the method or to the goal of aiding learners in achieving communicative competence?If it is the latter, it does not matter what method is used in the classroom as long as ultimately, learners gain valuable communicative skills. As Celce-Murcia illustrates (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Foru m of Teaching and Studies): â€Å"Today, language students are considered successful if they can communicate effectively in their second or foreign language, whereas two decades ago the accuracy of the language produced would most likely be the major criterion contributing to the judgment of a student’s success or lack of success. † (1991, p. 125)One single method should never be used exclusively in the classroom because it shall always remain flawed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine her teaching goals and appropriate methods to be used; where an eclectic one might better achieve those goals. Therefore, the teacher of a second language must be prepared to modify and adjust her methods to suit the different learning needs of the learners. 12 APPENDIX A Here are examples of the different drills used in the Audio-lingual Method: Repetition drill Repetition drill is the normal drill, usually used to teach the lines of the dialogue.Students are require d to repeat after the teacher’s model until they are almost identical. Chain drill The Chain drill uses maybe the first few lines of a simple dialogue. The teacher begins by addressing a student, or asking him a question. The student responds, then turns to the student beside him and asks him a similar question. The second student responds and the chain goes on until each student has participated. This allows for the teacher to check learner’s speech. Transformation drill The teacher may give learners a question, and the learners are then required to formulate an answer from the form of the question given, and vice versa.Or, an affirmative sentence is given and learners need to transform it into the negative. This can be used for teaching active and passive sentences, as well as direct and reported speech. Question-and-answer drill This drill allows for learners to practice answering questions accurately and rapidly. It can also be done the other way round, where the l earners form the questions on cue. 13 REFERENCES Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim. 2009. Re-evaluating the Effectiveness of the Audiolingual Method in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.International Forum of Teaching and Studies 5(2): 1-9. Britto, Rory. 2009. The Dissipation of Methods in ESL: Expanding to Fill the Void. The Journal of Education p. 75-84. Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, p. 13-37. Second edition. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Savignon, Sandra J. 2001. Communicative Language Teaching. Theory Into Practice 26(4): 235.