Decartes argument on the existence of God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decartes argument on the existence of God - Essay Example Descartes thought the only way to attain true knowledge was to depend only on human reasoning while disregarding the role of the senses, if any. â€Å"His philosophy refused to accept the Aristotelian and Scholastic traditions that had dominated philosophical thought throughout the Medieval period; it attempted to fully integrate philosophy with the ‘new sciences’; and Descartes changed the relationship between philosophy and theology. Such new directions of philosophy made Descartes into a revolutionary figure† (Baillet 1693). For this revelation, he is now universally celebrated as the father of modern philosophy. Through this works regarding the development in thought, he was also known as the founder of modern day mathematics and scientific method. In forming his ideas, Descartes wrote many books, including his most well-known, â€Å"Discourse on Method†, first published in 1637, concerning the nature of knowledge and human existence. â€Å"Discourse o n Method† is divided into three sections Descartes described and named ‘meditations.’ It is in the third of these meditations that Descartes reflected upon the true nature of God and determined that He is indeed real and exists more than just in people’s minds. ... â€Å"In this item of first knowledge, there is simply a clear and distinct perception of what I am asserting; this would not be enough to make me certain of the truth of the matter if it could ever turn out that something which I perceived with such clarity and distinctness was false. So I now seem to be able to lay it down as a general rule that whatever I perceived very clearly and distinctly is true† (Descartes, 1637). One of the first notions that he professed in this line of thinking was that he had a fundamental idea that God exists. Descartes’ reasoning that God did indeed exist outside just the mind of man he had to have had a causation of some type because he had previously proven that nothing comes from nothing. Descartes rationalized that this cause must be based at least as much in reality as the idea. However, since he did not think himself infinitely perfect, of course, Descartes rationalized he could not have thought of this idea all on his own therefore there must be an remote cause that is infinitely perfect. Only God is infinitely perfect so God must indeed exist. â€Å"Descartes assumes that we have an idea of God as an actually infinite being, not just a being that is as great as we can imagine by extending the finite perfections of a human being. For this reason, it is impossible for us to have constructed our idea of God through an extension of the idea we have of ourselves or any other finite creature† (Rutherford, 2006). The second argument Descartes’ used to prove God’s existence emanates from his own ability to envision something perfect despite himself being imperfect. This second argument starts with the understanding that he exists – again, â€Å"I

University-industry research relationships Essay Example for Free

University-industry research relationships Essay The growth of university-industry research relationships in biotechnology has raised questions concerning their effects, both positive and negative, on universities. A survey of over 1200 faculty members at 40 major universities in the United States reveals that biotechnology researchers with industrial support publish at higher rates, patent more frequently, participate in more administrative and professional activities and earn more than colleagues without such support. At the same time, faculty with industry funds are much more likely than other biotechnology faculty to report that their research has resulted in trade secrets and that commercial considerations have influenced their choice of research projects. Although the data do not establish a causal connection between industrial support and these faculty behaviors, our findings strongly suggest that university-industry research relationships have both benefits and risks for academic institutions. The challenge for universities is to find ways to manage these relationships that will preserve the benefits while minimizing the risks. Industrial support of university research in biotechnology A 1984 study of biotechnology companies reveals that nearly one-half of all such firms fund research in universities. Industry may support as much as one-quarter of all biotechnology research in institutions of higher education. These investments seem to be yielding substantial benefits to involved firms. Per dollar invested, university research is generating more patent applications than is other company research. Research relationships do pose some risks to traditional university values such as openness of communication among scholars. These risks may be greater in relationships involving small firms. The data also reveal that government is now, and seems likely to remain, the principal source of support for university research in biotechnology.

Organized Retail Current And Future Prospects

Organized Retail Current And Future Prospects The word Retail comes from the French retaillier which means to cut a piece of or to break bulk. Retail involves activities whereby products or services are sold to consumers in small quantities as per their requirements. The retail sector in India is evolving and undergoing transition. Early consumers use to visit kirana stores for their daily necessities but with the advent of retail formats with products under one roof, consumers were attracted to it. Retail formats have trained staff that cater to consumer requirements and is more organized. Organized retailing provides consumers an experience characterized with comfort, style and speed. It provides consumers more control, convenience and choice. Organised retailers have a network of retail outlets that are managed by professionals. CURRENT SCENARIO IN ORGANIZED RETAIL India is a hot spot for many retail giants due to its vast middle class population and untapped retail markets. The retail industry in India has seen a transition. An annual growth of 25% is expected in India. In the last few years, India has witnessed a tremendous growth. Change in consumer profiles and demographics, increase in the number of international brands in the market, government policies, urbanization, credit availability, improved infrastructure, increasing investments in technology and real estate are the factors responsible for the retail boom in India. The retail sector has provided employment to people in rural areas and contributes to 10% of its GDP and 8% employment. In India 3% of the market is organized whereas 97% of the market consists of mom and pop stores. The retail sector is gradually increasing. Retail sector can be broadly classified into food and groceries, textile and clothing, consumer durables, footwear, jewelry and watches, furniture and furnishing, c atering services, books, music and gifts, mobile handsets and others. Retail managers make complex decisions in selecting their target markets and location. Determining want merchandize and service to offer to consumers. The distribution channels to be used are another important step for the retailers. They have to make complex decisions on training and motivating sales associates and on deciding how to price, promote and present merchandize. Retail in India is not at the same pace as other Asian counterparts but is gearing up. India has a secured a great position in the international market. India provides huge scope for companies due to its demographic composition. These companies bring different products and target different consumer segments. Global Retail Development Index has positioned India as the foremost destination for retail investment and business development. This is due to the large population comprising of the age group 20-34 having high purchasing power, which has c aused high increase in demand in the urban market. Thus causing growth in the retail business. TRENDS IN RETAIL Demographic Increase in disposable income India becoming a popular destination for foreign retailers India revamping its retail sector 24% growth in departmental sales annually Growing population of double income individuals Use of information technology Rural markets as emerging markets for retail Organised retail largely present in urban areas Successful in cities due to consumer buying behaviour CHALLENGES IN ORGANIZED RETAIL SECTOR Retail sector in India is going through a transitional phase and has faced many challenges. Some of the challenges faced are as follows: 97% of the market is unorganized comprising of mom and pop stores. It has low cost, negligible real estate and labour cost, little or no taxes to pay. Consumers for generations to generations tend to visit these mom and pop stores and have gained favorability. Organized sector has huge expenses and need to keep the prices low to match the traditional store prices The organized retail sector is not recognized as an industry. Thus being unable to get finances and thereby affecting growth and expansion plans. Investing in real estate is very expensive. Retailers have to pay large amount to build retail formats. The rent or lease to be paid is high. The high lease or rent reduces profitability. High stamp duties that need to be paid by retailers. The stamp duties vary from state to state. Lack of infrastructure poses a challenge to retailers. Poor roads and transportation. Lack of cold storage in food and grocery segments. Retailers often face multiple taxes in different states. Value added tax system. Approval of foreign retail in India is not an automatic process. Regulations enforced on purchasing real estate. Local laws. Tax policies that favor small businesses. Poor supply chain and information technology infrastructure. Lack of skilled and trained work force. Low levels of skill in retail segment. Rapid price change. Threat of products becoming obsolete. Threat of low margins OPPORTUNITIES IN ORGANIZED RETAIL SECTOR Organized retail provides product visibility and a platform for customer interaction. It helps in launching new products and its variants Helps is market penetration and expansion. It has wider product range and fast delivery process. Due to urbanization, consumers can be catered to through a single retail outlet. Nuclear families have to earning members which increases the available disposable income. Due to lack of time consumers want everything under one roof. Retail outlets have various payments modes like cash payments and payments through credit or debit card. Retail outlets have proper infrastructure, air conditioning, well maintained buildings, trained staff, electronic machines, parking facilities and categorical display of goods. It provides customer an experience and enhances customer engagement. Organized retail provides employment opportunities to skilled. Semi-skilled as well as unskilled individuals. It contributes to social- economic development of the country. Due to emergence of retail outlets, there is a lot of competition. Thus retailers offer discounts, promotional events, festival offers etc. It reduces supply chain management process FUTURE PROSPECTS The retail industry in India is growing more and more rapidly. The retail sector in the small towns and cities is expected to increase 50-60%. The factors that play a crucial role in shaping the future of the retail sector are as follows: Due to the increase in the income of an average individual, the purchasing power is increasing. There is improvement in the infrastructure and thus is contributing to market growth. With liberal policies formulated by the government, foreign investors can enter the Indian market and make investment. As Indian consumers are evolving through purchase of different products and services. The national and international brands are benefitting. The internet has made it easy for international brands to understand Indian consumers and influence them before entering into the market. Due to internet penetration in the remotest markets, consumers are aware of global products and service offerings. With well developed retail, large areas of land lying ideal in prime location with governmental and non-governmental agencies can be used to set up large retail formats and cater to the requirements of the consumers. Major tourist destinations have well organized retail sectors. Thus, well established retail sectors can attract tourist to the city and promote it. Realizing the need gap is important in the retail sector. Use of decision support system by retailers. Use of technological innovations to provide real time information of products sold, thus managing inventory levels. Building store brand by creating footfalls and converting them into sales.

The Experience Of The War In Korea Essay examples -- Personal Narrativ

The Experience Of The War In Korea The Korean War was a trying time for America. The nation was getting involved in a war that had little or no possibility of a fortunate outcome. The Korean people were divided among how the country should be run. A uniform system of government looked like it may never come to be. In order to protect one of its vital interests as well as to prove to the rest of the world that America didn’t stand for communism, the United States began taking up arms. The war would prove a most difficult task to achieve successfully. In fact, it was almost impossible to continue fighting what seemed to be far from a worthy sacrifice of American lives. It was January 10, 1950 when Robert Marrara of Arthurdale, WV, among thousands of other men, were drafted and sent to California for basic training. Robert is 5’9" tall with wavy, silver hair and a structure that shows just how strong of a man he is for being 72 years old. Of Italian descent his parents immigrated here and he was one of several children. They lived in poverty, as most of America did, through the thick of the Great Depression. He attended electrical school after college didn’t seem right for him. He is a genius by all standards but is far too modest to admit it. His experiences are enough to fill days full of stories and the personal interview he gave was a treat. Robert recalls how difficult coping with the situation in Korea was, but also how he welcomed the challenge: "It was tough and, you know, but I really, I have to say that I did enjoy being, because my knowledge was – my previous training before I got in the army – was the very thing I needed to do the job I was assigned to do. And because I could do it in such a good way – and you ... ... a  ¾ inch electric drill and I took a crank with me and I made a shaft for that drill so that it could drive that engine and start those engines with that electric drill and that 20 minutes or 25 minutes after I got back over to the quartermaster, I had all them engines running with that electric drill. From that time on, during the whole summer and fall when they had ice and ice cream I got it delivered to my tent. They delivered me ice two times a week and they’d deliver ice cream one time a week. A three-gallon can for my carburetor-ignition repair section." Throughout the interview Robert emphasized the value of his work during the war just as he values the war effort itself. Overall, those who died did so for a worthy cause (Marrara, Personal Interview). America backed its promises to defend South Korea, even though the effort could be viewed as ill decided.

Institute of Management Accounting’s

Institute of Management Accounting’s (IMA) mission is to provide a forum for research, practice development, education, knowledge sharing, and the advocacy of the highest ethical and best business practices in management accounting and finance. The IMA has strongly enforced ethics since it’s inception. Their ethics committee was one of the first committees established in 1919, at their very first meeting. It was call ‘The Standard of Ethical Conduct for Management Accountants. This shows that the IMA is extremely serious when it comes to the professionalism required by it’s members. This guideline has been revised twice, once in 1979 and then again in 2005. Upon the last revision, the code of ethical conduct became the IMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice. All members must take an oath and adhere to the Institute of Management Accounting (IMA) Standards of Ethical Professional Practice. The are four main principles of this code of ethical conduct. They are: I. Honesty II. Fairness III. Objectivity IV. Responsibility It is the responsibility of every accountant to comply with these standards to avoid any type of disciplinarian action. According to the IMA each member must be professional. Many of the areas of professionalism to be maintained includes a commitment to education. This is the section of the IMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice that requires all accountant members to stay abreast of the many laws, regulations and technical standards. Due to our everyday landscape and the continual changes in accounting, taxes, etc. , the IMA has a continuing education (CE) requirement. All accountants must take a certain amount of CE classes so that they’ll be able to provide sound advice to their clients. This does not only keep them knowledgeable, it also keeps them aware of their professional limitations. Another part of an accountant’s responsibility is to respect the confidentiality of their clients. They must maintain a high level of scrutiny to make sure that not only do they always perform ethically and within the law, but they must also make sure that all of the activities of their subordinates are legal. This requires a great deal of integrity. To have integrity. The official definition of integrity is: Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code. This is the basis of IMA’s existence. Aristotle once said, ‘We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but rather we have those because we have acted rightly. It is obvious that there is no room for error when it come to the IMA’s code of ethical conduct. An accountant must be ethical when discussing any financial reporting, including advice and recommendations. He needs to assess the financial state of the company to the best of his ability. It is his duty and responsibility to be forthcoming with ALL revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities and let the chips fall where they may. In essence, they must be fair and objective. The IMA’s ethics guidelines have been used by other companies and organizations in some shape, form or fashion for many years. This tells you that this ethical guideline, in particular, is something that crosses all lines. It is very easy to live your life with these principles. As a matter of fact, the IMA expects their members to behave in their personal life and community with the ethical professionalism that is required in their profession. As a student, I can, have and will continue to use every single one of these principles. It is quite obvious that there are many ways to access information with the advent of the internet. Therefore, students today have access to many things that were not available 30 or even 20 years ago. It now takes a great deal of commitment to honesty to maintain one’s integrity. As a student, I too, must maintain that sense of integrity. I believe integrity is the basis of the entire IMA’s Statement of Profession Ethical Conduct. Let’s see how this can is relevant to me as a student. To remain honest in this society is becoming more rare that the norm. It is imperative that I maintain my sense of honesty throughout my education. As a student, there are a variety of ethical decisions to be made at any given time. I will have to make an ethical choices every single day. By being honest and accountable with my decisions, I will actually take away a higher and more thorough learning experience. As a student there are many opportunities for fraudulent behavior up to and including plagiarism. There are many students who are motivated by the consequences of their dishonesty and others who are only motivated by the end result. In other words, they would do it, if they knew for sure that they wouldn't get caught. Those are the students that are lacking in integrity. Personally, my motivation is the consequence of losing out on the education of a lifetime. I’m a Clarity Coach. I help people see their life with clarity. In doing so, I expect to be true to myself. If I can’t see things clearly, and I can only do that by being honest with myself, then how do I expect to help others get to the next level in their life. I am motivated by my passion for knowledge. I want to know more and I want to learn more. I can only do these by adhering to my personal code of ethics. To be competent is to be knowledgeable. One gains a sense of knowledge by learning. The only way to learn is to perform as a student. As a student, there are certain guidelines that you must adhere to. Every university has their own set of rules and regulations. One obvious rule is to enroll and perform in classes. This must be done to continue to develop my knowledge and skills. If that doesn't happen, either party (you or the university) can decide look at other options. You can make the choice to leave or your school can make that choice for you. In reference to me, I must do everything possible to learn what’s put before me to successfully perform in the business program, in other words, I must be competent. There are several reasons to maintain a sense of confidentiality. By revealing privileged information, we can have a substantial impact on other individuals. Anything that precludes another individual from gaining the perceived level of education from taking a course, is quite frankly, unethical and illegal in respect to the inferred rule that everyone is allowed an education. There are several advantages of maintaining confidentiality, the most important one is promoting the opportunity to learn. There is an inherent sense of confidentiality that I must observe hen it comes to the sharing of curriculum assignments, research papers, and a host personal information. In a class environment, you may find out personal information just by the nature of classroom interaction, as well as group projects. Again, it is imperative not to disclose any confidential information acquired during these interactions unless expressly authorized to do so. It is also a huge part of the learning experience for the instructor to maintain a sense of confidentiality to their students. A breech could impact that students interaction, absorption of the information and prevent them from seeking assistance when/if needed. If a professor is confidential with a students information and/or private dealings, they actually strengthen that relationship and foster continued learning and trust in that student. I'm sure it could have a huge impact on my classroom performance. I have to maintain a sense of fairness and objectivity at all times, when it comes to responding to my classmates, group members and professors. I need to be mindful that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, including myself. However, I need to express it in a fair and balanced manner. When we consider the challenges that have been faced by many of our major corporations and accounting firms, along with the S&L catastrophe from years ago, we quickly see how ‘creative’ financial managers can put us all at risk of losing what we’ve worked so hard for, at any given time. If only these companies were committed to the guidelines of the IMA, we could have quite possibly had a very different ‘corporate climate’ all together. It’s quite possible that major ‘financial disasters like Enron and WorldCom would have been unthinkable and therefore non-existent. It is also quite obvious that the IMA’s Statement of Ethical Professional Practice is relevant for so many corporations, organizations and even individuals like me. Today, with the advent of the internet, there are so many ways to compromise your integrity. Students today have access to many things that were not available 30 or even 20 years ago. I can honestly say that it takes a great deal of commitment to honesty to maintain one’s integrity. As a student, every day I make the choice to live my life with integrity.

Possessive of Proper Names Ending in S

Possessive of Proper Names Ending in S Possessive of Proper Names Ending in S Possessive of Proper Names Ending in S By Maeve Maddox Should one write â€Å"Jesus’ name† or â€Å"Jesus’s name†? Which is correct, â€Å"Travis’ friend† or â€Å"Travis’s friend†? The questions on the use of the apostrophe to form the possessive keep coming. This post is about how to form the possessive of a proper name that ends in -s. Most stylebooks agree that the rule for forming the possessive of a singular noun ending in -s is formed by adding ’s: the boss’s birthday the bus’s wheels the witness’s testimony When it comes to forming the possessive of a proper name that ends in s, guides disagree. Some stylebooks recommend a single apostrophe for Biblical or classical names like Jesus and Achilles, but ’s for names like James and Charles; others say, â€Å"Treat all names ending in s the same.† The Chicago Manual of Style once recommended a single apostrophe to form the possessive of Biblical or classical names: Moses’ tent Achilles’ helmet Jesus’ name Some guides still recommend this usage, but CMOS has changed its policy in a spirit of consistency; now it recommends that all proper names ending in -s form their possessive by adding ’s: Moses’s tent Achilles’s helmet Jesus’s name Travis’s friends Dickens’s novels Descartes’s philosophy Franà §ois’s efforts Tacitus’s Histories Kansas’s legislature Euripides’s tragedies the Ganges’s source Equally consistent, the Associated Press Style Book opts for a single apostrophe for all proper names ending in -s: Moses’ tent Achilles’ helmet Jesus’ name Travis’ friends Dickens’ novels Descartes’ philosophy Franà §ois’ efforts Tacitus’ Histories Kansas’ legislature Euripides’ tragedies the Ganges’ source The New York Times style manual generally agrees with CMOS, but adds this wrinkle: Omit the  s  after the apostrophe when a word ends in two sibilant soundsseparated only by a vowel sound:  Kansas’ Governor;  Texas’ population;  Moses’ behalf But when a name ends with a sibilant letter that is silent, keep the possessive  s:  Arkansas’s Disagreement on the issue of apostrophe s vs. plain apostrophe goes all the way to the Supreme Court. Justice Clarence Thomas believes that the possessive form of a name like his should be formed by adding only an apostrophe: â€Å"Justice Thomas’ opinion.† Referring to the case Kansas v. Marsh (2006), Thomas wrote â€Å"Kansas’ statute,† but his colleague Justice Souter wrote â€Å"Kansas’s statute.† If you write for publication, how you treat the possessive of proper names that end in -s will be determined by your employer’s house style. If you are free to choose which style to follow, keep in mind that the writer’s goal is to convey thoughts as clearly as possible to readers. Style guides exist to assist writers in this goal, but it seems to me that there are problems with the recommendations of all three guides mentioned above. I prefer the guidelines given in the Penguin Guide to Punctuation: A name ending in s takes only an apostrophe if the possessive form is not pronounced with an extra s. Hence: Socrates’ philosophy, Ulysses’ companions, Saint Saens’ music, Aristophanes’ plays. The reasoning behind this rule is that as we don’t say [sok-ru-teez-iz], there’s no reason to write â€Å"Socrates’s.† Punctuation is supposed to aid readers, not puzzle them. It’s no help to readers unfamiliar with English pronunciation to mislead them into trying to say [dick-inz-iz], or [u-rip-uh-deez-iz] by writing â€Å"Dickens’s novels† or â€Å"Euripides’s plays.† The bottom line is that stylebooks do not agree on whether to write â€Å"Jesus’ name† or â€Å"Jesus’s name,† â€Å"Travis’ friend† or â€Å"Travis’s friend.† Writers not bound by a specific style manual must make their own decision and be consistent with it. Personally, I’d write â€Å"Jesus’ name† and â€Å"Travis’s friend† because I would say â€Å"[jee-zus] name† and â€Å"[trav-is-iz] friend.† Related Post: Charles’s Pen and Jesus’ Name Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire YouAnyone vs. EveryoneTypes of Plots