A good life according to Saint Augustine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A good life according to Saint Augustine - Essay Example here wealth and power are believed to be symbols of a good life, do everything in our power to acquire them and secure them in our lives but in doing so the line that distinguishes good from evil blurs and raises questions inquiring into the validity of condemning all evil acts that are executed to achieve a good cause. Queries also arise concerning the nature of happiness attained from such acts and whether this happiness is actually what we need for a good life. â€Å"All wicked people, just like good people, desire to live without fear. The difference is that the good, in desiring this, turn their love away from things that cannot be possessed without the fear of losing them. The wicked on the other hand, try to get rid of anything that prevents them from enjoying things securely.† (Augustine pg 7-8) Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, in the above reference, significantly clarifies an important basis for the argument he has presented in his book â€Å"On the Free Choice of the Will† i.e. the choice given to human beings to choose right over wrong and do good over evil as a system to judge what acts are condemnable and what not. However despite this apparent freedom, we often feel compelled to practice certain acts that are otherwise considered evil, in order to achieve a desired good. In that sense and in the absence of the justification that the law humans create condemns rightly only acts that are evils, an exemplary murder of his master by a slave who wishes to live without fear is perceived as a good rather than the evil it is commonly taken to be. (Augustine pg 6 -7) However our inner sense of justice signals that such a perception is not right and may create havoc in society as all evil acts may be traced to the satisfaction of one desire or the other, all of which promise to the individual a life of happiness, security and comfort. Thus the initially simple question of whether free will is a good or evil has brought the reader to challenge everything

Contemporary Issues in Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Contemporary Issues in Finance - Essay Example According to financial reports the latest changes in financial markets and prices would be predict greater volatility in the market for the future years. There are also predictable oscillations and changes in credits and investments by companies suggesting a general trend towards major changes in financial markets, and fluctuations in currencies and investment flows as also fluctuations in bonds and prices. Regulation of financial institutions (Allen, 2001) and markets is a necessity along with formulation of proper monetary policies so that there is some stability in the market. This website suggests several issues - the changes in the financial markets in the last few years and the necessary measures that are required to bring in financial stability in the world markets. The focus is on the housing sector and sub prime mortgage issues that have recently crumbled many major banking institutions. The structural changes in financial markets have produced changes in the value of securities and investments and with changes in credit demands, business and households will go through economic expansions and certain financial institutions seem to be pressurized in meeting up those demands. Recent changes in financial nature of markets suggest volatility and fluctuations possibly due to rapid globalization a

Overrepresentation Of Minority Students In Special Education Programs

Overrepresentation Of Minority Students In Special Education Programs Overrepresentation or disproportionality of minority students in special education programs is an ongoing problem that has plagued our nation for several decades. Overrepresentation can occur in many areas but is most prevalent when considering a students ethnicity. Disproportionality refers to the extent to which membership in a given à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ group affects the probability of being placed in a specific disability category (Oswald, Coutinho, Best, Singh, 1999, p. 198). For example, government reports have revealed that African American students constitute over 14% of the school-age population yet they represent 20% of the students placed in special education (Losen Orfield, 2002). Klinger et al., (2005) reported that African American students are twice as likely than White students to be labeled as mentally retarded, one time more likely to be labeled as learning disabled, and over one and half times as likely to have an emotional or behavioral disorder. Disproportionate representation of ethnic and racial minorities has historical connections to educational segregation and discrimination. Dunn (1968) first raised concerns about this issue in the sixties. He described the disproportionate number of minority students being labeled as mentally retarded and placed in self-contained classrooms which raised significant educational and civil right concerns. Ferri and Connor (2005) have also maintained that disproportionality has historical roots. After schools were integrated in 1954, following the Supreme Courts decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the number of African American students placed in special education programs increased. Students were being grouped or placed according to their academic ability. This practice resulted in many African American students being grouped together in low ability tracks and many were subsequently referred for special education services. Hence, over referring African American students for special education became another way to resegregate students of color. Some people would argue that placing a student in special education would greatly benefit the student because he or she would receive more individualized attention to address their disability and other needs. However, disproportionality often presents negative implications for minority students. Once African American students are identified as having a disability, deemed eligible for special education services, and placed in a special education setting; they are more like to remain in special education classes throughout their years in school. They are more likely to receive a watered down curriculum that is not as rigorous as the curriculum that the students in general education receives. These students are segregated from their general education peers when placed in more restrictive settings. Disabled students are often stigmatized and treated differently by other students in their schools. Lastly, to further exacerbate the problem, overrepresentation may also cause some students t o be misclassified or inappropriately identified as having a disability. Disproportionality is a complex problem that has been linked to multiple factors depending on the school and/or school district. Probable causes of disproportionality include psychometric test bias, socio-demographic factors, unequal opportunity in general education, and cultural mismatch between teacher and student (Skiba, et. al, 2008). Research has also suggested that bias at the prereferral stage of the special education eligibility process is a cause for disparity of African American students being placed in special education (Darley Gross, 1983). As a former special education teacher, I have participated in several meetings with a purpose of deciding which placement is appropriate for a student previously identified as having a disability. On several occasions, I have asked the referring general education teacher his or her reasons for referring the student for special education services and was surprised to receive such vague and potentially bias explanations. For example, on e teacher told me that she referred a student for behavioral issues because at times, he was stubborn and refused to do his work. Another teacher told me that she referred a student because he presented challenging behaviors such as talking out without permission and he often contradicted the teachers answers or explanations to the class which infuriated the teacher. When questioned further about the interventions used before referral, the teachers response were more ambiguous and peppered with a lack of knowledge of appropriate intervention strategies. The purpose of this study is to determine the personal characteristics of the general education teachers that have the greatest influence on their decision to refer minority students for special education. The study will address the following research questions through a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative research: To what extent if any, does a general education teachers years of experience, teaching level, training in classroom management and intervention strategies, education level, ethnicity, age, and gender impact disparity at the prereferral stage of the special education eligibility process? What impact does a general education teachers efficacy and perceptions of minority student characteristics bias their referral of minority students for special education services? What is the placement rate of the students being referred for special education services by the general education teachers? This study will focus on the students being referred for academic and/or behavioral issues because these are the main reasons why minority students are referred for special education services. As a result of this study, I hope to be able to extend the available literature on potential teacher bias during the prereferral stage of the special education process. My ultimate goal is to decrease the numbers of African American students being referred for special education services when the referral is not warranted or questionable. Conceptual Framework Disproportionality is a widespread problem that continues to affect minority students. Patterns of consistent disproportionality are evident and have been studied extensively for years. Oswald et al. (1999) examined the magnitude of overrepresentation by analyzing extant data from the 1992 Elementary and Secondary School Civil Rights Compliance Report to describe the extent of disproportionate representation of African American students labeled as seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) and mildly mentally retarded (MMR). They also wanted to determine the extent to which economic, demographic, and educational variables at the district level were associated with disproportional identification for this ethnic group. Zhang and Katsiyannis (2002) used data extracted from three federal government publications to find out whether or not there have been any recent improvements or changes in overrepresentation of minorities in special education. Although, there has been some debate concerning how disproportionality should be measured and the extent of the problem, overrepresentation continues to occur with no definitive causes. Researchers have also been unsuccessful in ident ifying real solutions to eradicate this phenomenon. Previous studies have examined many aspects of disproportionality including bias in problem solving and the social process of student study teams and teacher efficacy and student problem as factors in special education referral. Yet, research is somewhat limited and has mainly focused on the magnitude and possible causes of disproportionality. There appears to be a gap in the literature when examining personal factors that affect the general education teachers decision to refer a student for special educations services. This study will fill this gap by examining factors that influence referral and subsequently results in disparity. An in-depth analysis of teachers efficacy and perceptions of minority students will also be examined to determine if these factors impact disproportionality. The cognitive theory of social learning coined by Alfred Bandura will inform my approach to understanding the phenomena of disproportionality with regards to teacher efficacy. Teacher efficacy will be analyzing to determine its role in the prereferral stage of the special education process. I will examine the general education teachers belief that he or she may or may not be capable of bringing about desired changes in their students. Teacher efficacy will take account of two dimensions, judgments and personal beliefs. Disproportionality will also be approached from an ecological perspective framework to understand how special education referrals are influenced by personal characteristics of the referring teacher. The teacher factors that will be explored will also note the influence of ascriptive characteristics, characteristics that cannot be changed such as age, gender, ethnicity, etc., on disparity.

Are Religion And Science One? :: essays research papers

Is it possible that in our search for some basic reality, we humans may discover that although religion and science have always seemed to be in different places, the conclusion they will ultimately reach will be the same thing? What is God? Energy, Spirit, Universal Consciousness, Singular, Unilateral? According to David Hume, God is not different from the order that exists in the universe1. Training our thoughts along this line, one might doubt the commonly held view that Science and Religion are entirely different and exist at the opposite ends of a spectrum. Science is based on observation. Religion on the other hand makes arguments analytical in nature (like the Ontological Argument by Anslem) and requires some unquestioned faith. In spite of leading us through somewhat different paths, both try to find the basic stuff2. The goal thus in both cases is to determine the constituents of what form the reality. The routes though may not seem similar. In the essay, The Dynamic Universe, Fritjop Capra explores the philosophies on which various eastern religions like Hinduism, Taoism and Buddhism are based upon. He is of the view that the world is conceived in terms of movement, flow and change2. He then cites the examples of sub-atomic physics and the field of galaxies and heavenly bodies. Science studies them as units, which are in a state of constant motion. By doing this, he tries to class Science as well as Religion under the same heading, which is concerned with finding the basic reality. The next question that comes to the forefront then is what is the thing that we are after? What constitutes this reality that we all are in pursuit of? A scientist might call this as the order in the universe or the Energy, which is diffused in the world we live in. Religions like to call this ultimate reality as God. The order that the scientists describe implies a mind working behind it. This entity capable of setting an order in the universe is nothing but what religion defines as God. Science and Religion then appear to be tied up like two versions of the same notion. God, I feel, is the ultimate quest for which both these allegedly opposite views are after. His physical form is not visible to us. But his existence could be argued using aposteriori arguments based on the observation of what is around us.

Has the World Treated Me Fairly or Unfairly? Essay

Everyone has a different perspective on fairness of the world, people would say that the world has been fair, unfair, or both to their lives. I stand where I believe the world has been fair to my life. Living in Saipan gave me a lot of opportunities and great moments. I received great education and got a chance to share passion with other good people. Everyone gets a chance to enjoy their lives, and I think that so far I have gotten that chance. I can say I had lucky breaks. I got to travel the world with the people who share a common passion and interest with me. Looking back, I received all that I could but sometimes I regret not taking the given opportunities which could have left a different impact in my life. Unlike the mainland, we do not have much facility, resources and a great economy. Despite of lacking needs, I received great education from great educating minds. It was my fortune to enroll in a school that provided musical education, a school concert band program. Even in a bad economy, our high school band (which I was in) got invited to the New York Music Festival and got a chance to play on the world’s most prestigious stage of Carnegie Hall. Unfortunately, because of band I had to give up my chance to take AP classes due to conflict in class schedule. I had to think it over twice by giving up something I love for another great opportunity, or keep this opportunity that was given to me and start fresh. I know it was a given chance for me, but then I chose band because by that time, band has become a big part of my life. Through my dedications in music I was able to enjoy doing what I love with my friends and family, traveling to places like New York, Guam, and London. If this was not my luck break, I don’t know what is. During my last year in high school I joined the â€Å"We the People† team which was a class/club that was formed to compete in the â€Å"We the people national competition†. I wasn’t even interested in this class because I know that I am not a great public speaker, nor even interested in the law. As time passed, I got more interested in my subject and tried harder every day. I interacted more with my teammates and learned to be a better public speaker. As by default, we won the finals in the CNMI and what great news, we got to go to the national finals that will be held at Washington D.C. It felt like it was worth the time I had put into this program, and my team. This was a chance for me to improve myself in many ways. I got a unique education from a Supreme Court judges and law clerks, not everyone gets a chance to even enter the Supreme Court. This was a precious chance for me to prove myself to the world and show the people what I got. Everyone can be lucky. If there is an opportunity, don’t miss it. Take those opportunities when they are given to you even if you have to give something up, there is always going to be another opportunity waiting for you. You can make yourself a lucky person if you try hard. When there’s something that you want, go strive for it and achieve it. Don’t be afraid to see what’s there waiting for you ahead. As it came to the end of my senior year, everything felt like as if thing were moving in life speed. 4 years has gone by so fast! When I look back into it, I pretty much had a great high school life. My parents are great people, I have great friends, just thinking about being here gave me so many opportunities, or should I say I am a lucky person? Living in Saipan, I received great education and got a chance to share passion with other good people. Everyone gets a chance to enjoy their lives, and I think that so far I have gotten that chance. I can say I had lucky breaks.

Han Dynasty Women

Finally , they gained control over their own lives by maintaining propriety and the rules Of society. In order to better understand the role of women during the Han Dynasty, it is first important to understand the context of the society in which they lived. The Ha n Dynasty was a time of great growth and development for Chinese history. Much of society w as dictated by Confucian ideals, including the way the people related to each other. Confucius g's five relationships dictated the way that people related to each other, including the ay that women were expected to interact with people in their life.Confucianism also influence De the ideals the society tried to achieve, such as filial piety and virtue. Ritual and tradition was important to the higher society. This time period is characterized by it's Confucius nature, and t his helps to explain the position of women in regards to the rest of society. First, women were expected to be respectful and submissive to their husband s, but t his respect was returned in the respect each person was expected to have toward their mother. The five relationships of Confucius dictated that a woman submit to their husband .This meant that in all things, the wife should put her husband first. It was not acceptable to be a anything but loyal to his decisions and his condition. For example, Lie Hissing, a Han century biogas peer, wrote a short biography Of the Widowed Wife Of Wee.