Poor management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Poor management - Essay Example The company opened a famous research centre, the Xerox Palo Alto Research Centre or Xerox PARC. Until the end of 1970, Xerox dominated the market with am amazing monopoly. Its market share was 90% and this led to a confidence about it surviving new competition in the market. By the 1980's Xerox's market share declined from 90 percent to 43 % due to the competition from Ricoh, Sharp, Cannon, Kodak and IBM. Facing a downturn in office-equipment outlays, tougher rivals, an accounting scandal, and management turnover, Xerox saw sales drop drastically. By the year 2000, Xerox's share price had fallen below $4, from a high of $64 a year earlier. In year 2001, Xerox experienced a net loss of $293 million. That was down 1% from the year before and 20% off its peak of $19.4 billion in 1998. The rapid change of the technology sector makes most of the technological companies suffer. This is a common phenomenon in technological companies were the buzz phrase is "The technology is obsolete by the time you hear about it"! With a rapidly evolving technological market, complacency is the first causative factor for decline. The office equipment industry is a technology driven industry. The fast development of hardware and software as well as mass consumption often brings down the prices rapidly. There has been increasing cost pressures and price competitions in this industry. Xerox being in the office equipment industry is susceptible to a lot external environmental factors as well. With the globalization, bringing the world closer together and opening up the arena to more acquisitions and mergers companies have now more dynamic product lines brought upon by consolidation of the companies. The ever-changing global economy brings both opportunities and threats. Deregulation of the trade economies and lowering import barrier for goods offer more incentive to more players. Xerox was also affected by the economic uncertainties and the recession of early 90's and early 2000's. These contributed to lesser capital spending which influenced its overall profitability. The uncertainty in the economy created significant challenges in driving revenue growth, especially in the technology sector where customers were delaying capital spending. Failure to move into digital age products Xerox, which was using the digital interface in its research center failed to see that it was the heartbeat of the future. It was one of the great fumbles of all time. In the 1970s, Xerox Corp.'s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) developed the technologies that would drive the personal computer revolution. ''By 1979, we had it all--graphical user interfaces, mice, windows and pull-down menus, laser printing, distributed computing, and Ethernet,'' recalls M. Frank Squires, a PARC founder in 1970 and now chief administrative officer of Sematech Inc., the chip-industry consortium in Austin, Tex. Xerox had the PC and networking businesses firmly hooked--but didn't try to reel them in. It did not even patent PARC's innovations. Management was too preoccupied with aggressive competition from Japan in its core copier business, says CEO Paul A. Allaire. ''If we had been good, we could have done both. We probably should have,'' he admits. Instead, PARC's technologies became the foundations for such icons as Apple Computer Inc. and 3Com Corp. Apple co-founder Steven P. Jobs visited

Influence of the Personal and Professional Background Statement

Influence of the and Professional Background - Personal Statement Example I used to design PowerPoint presentations for monthly divisional gatherings with top-level manage besides supervising, coaching and training lower level staff. From January 2012-March 2012, I worked as the Registration coordinator and public relations assistant in Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference. While in this position, I organized events, acted as a link between our company and the governmental body, assisted at the lounge of Qatar Armed Forces chief staffs, recruited, oriented, and trained volunteers. From January 2011- December 2011 I served as the executive assistant to the project director of 20th World Petroleum Congress (QMDI (QF JV) & Qatar Petroleum). I managed the organization's information and communications apart from supervising and training clerical staff. August –December 2010 I worked as the administrator and human resource coordinator of Qatar Real Estate partners and Qatar Sotheby’s International Realty where I helped in t he resolution of specific disciplinary as an arbitrator between the manager and employee. From sep.2006-sep. 2008, I was the cabin attendant for the Qatar Airways Airline-Doha Qatar with chief responsibility of ensuring safety and security among other duties. I have also been a sales executive at Bin Hindi Est. Hugo Boss-Baldessarini in Dubai from ec.2005 –Aug.2006. Aug.2005-1ug.2005 I worked as the retail advisor for Wanadoo France telecom in Tunisia. Educationally, I have certificates in teamwork skills, English business communication, executive secretarial skills cabin attendant from Qatar civil aviation, safety, security and air restraint. I have had recommendations from various personalities recognizing me as extremely creative, smart Microsoft office operation, reliable, ambitious, and elegantly professional.

Teaching And Learning Activities Essay Example for Free

Teaching And Learning Activities Essay Introduction There are many teaching and learning activities which are used to achieve lesson plan aims and objectives. The choice will depend upon a number of factors, such as the domain and level of objective. For example, the most appropriate activities to learn a motor skill is through demonstration and individual practice whereas to gain knowledge and understanding a lecture, group debate and question and answer sessions activities are more appropriate (Reese and Walker p137). Reese and Walker (pg 140) states that Honey and Mumford (1986) published the manual of learning styles which identified four main learning styles: Activists whom, enjoy the present, like the immediate experience and respond to short term issues Reflectors whom, prefer to think about things and explore all aspects before coming to a conclusion. Theorists whom, like principles, theories, models and systems. Pragmatists whom look for new ideas and are keen to experiment We as teachers therefore need to think about what teaching strategies the students prefer, particular in a class which consists of a mixture of activists, reflectors, theorist and pragmatists. The group size is another important factor to consider when choosing a learning activity. Different strategies/ activities are more appropriate for different group size. At one extreme a group may consist of only one student. In such circumstances methods such as projects or assignments, and tutoring may be more suitable whereas for small groups of between 5 and 20 students, a discussion method is suitable. A group between 10 and 20 the approach often adopted is what is traditionally called classroom teaching (Reese and Walker pg 137) which consists of a mixture of methods. Groups greater than 20 students, suitable strategies could be lecture and demonstration. Generally, students learn in different ways: an approach that is appropriate to one student may not be appropriate for another. Some people learn better in a group through the interaction with both the teacher and other students. We must therefore realise the importance of varying learning activities for our students (Reese and Walker, pg 138). The aims and objectives of this assignment are to: a) Review the range of teaching and learning activities available to promote open access and widening participation. Review the range of resources available within the organisation for a selected curriculum area b) Prepare, use and evaluate one of teaching and learning activities and resources. c) Evaluate one of the activities selected. d) Analyse the strengths and challenges of the selected resource and how it has supported learning. Teaching and Learning Activities As discussed by Petty (pg 15) there are two approaches to guide the choice of activities, the mnemonic EDUCARE (table 1.1) and CIA (table 1.2). Educare is a suitable guide when learning is focused on acquiring specific skills whereas CIA is a more indirect approach to arranging corrected practise if learning is not focused on acquiring specific skills. EDUCARE E Explanation, student needs to understand why the skill is required D Doing-Detail via demonstration or case study, for example U Use, practise skill C Check and correct practise A Aide-memoire, student requires reminder- for example notes, handout R Review and reuse, of earlier work so that old learning is not forgotten E Evaluation. Table 1.1 (Petty, pg15) CIA C Content, Clarify topic content to an appropriate depth and breadth I Ideas, Determine contents main: concepts, factors, evidence, viewpoints etc A Activities, Create questions and activities where students must reason with the key ideas Table 1.1 (Petty, pg 357) I apply both approaches depending on the subject area, in some instances EDUCARE may be a more suitable guide for a topic in chemistry whereas CIA is suitable for a topic in biology. For the training aspect of my job the CIA approach is more appropriate because the trainees teaching are not acquiring specific skills. My current role at Thermo Electron Corporation involves training clients on how utilise sophisticated equipments and teach chemistry classes and assist biology classes voluntarily at St Helens College. The training sessions runs for 2 days 09:00 to 16:30 every three months. The number of clients range between 5 and 12 with different scientific backgrounds and various levels of experience with the equipments. The next training session will be on April 25th and 26th for 8 clients. The total number of training hours is 15. I have a training manual from the former trainer which I follow for each training session. The training sessions involves audio, visual and kinaesthetic teaching styles. I use OHP, handouts and demonstrations. The organic chemistry and physiology course duration is 16 weeks (from January 2006 to May 2006). The chemistry are 3 hours in the evenings, 5 students in total of mixed gender, aged 16-19, and all students are currently employed by United Utilities and come on the course on day release basis from their employers. Their main reason for being on the course is for qualification purposes to improve career prospects and the recommendation by their employer. The physiology classes are 3 hours per week, 18 students in total, mixed gender and age ranges 16-19. Most are straight from secondary school others are repeating the units. I currently assist the tutor to set-up practical session. The teaching and learning activities (particularly in a classroom environment) that I use in order to promote open access and encourage participation include Ice-breakers, group activities (games, quizzes), brainstorming sessions and discussions. The ice-breakers and informal introductions allows learners to know each other and usually reveal what the learners bring to the group; such as, questions, experience (good or bad, personal and academic), and varied levels of knowledge of the subject. The activities I use more frequently are group activities. I split the group into 2 or 3 group (depending on activity and the no. of attendees) to carry out matching card games, electronic games or to partake in a quiz. Matching cards game. The maximum number of students on the evening organic chemistry course is five, for this reason they all work in a group. I prepare two sets of cards, one set with question and the other set with answers. During the lesions the students are told to arrange the seating so as to work in a team. They are then presented with the cards are given a period of time in which to complete the task. Electronic games. The students work individually. Prior to the lesson I research subject-related game on the internet. The last game found had a game show type theme, who wants to be a millionaire type format. The more questions you answer correctly the closer the chances of winning à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1Million! Class Quiz The class is arranged again in a game show setting, split into two groups. The team that gives the highest number of answers correctly wins the game. These activities prove favourable for the students, it makes the learning process fun and interesting, at the same time encouraging teamwork and participation. The group activities also gives me the opportunity to observe social interaction; study learners relationship with one another; gain an insight to their character and; identify confident, reluctant, dominant and quieter characters. I would definitely reuse this method as it is a very effective learning method. Although the activities have proven successful there are areas of improvement. Such introducing more different types of games; setting tasks so that at the right level for all students; setting different tasks for different students; stretching activities for students/groups whom finish early; check students work by moving systematically round the class; looking over their shoulders and possibly; asking students to self-check or peer-check. For tasks such as the Matching cards game it ensures that no one is completing the tasks incorrectly, and would allow the tutor to manage the tasks more effectively (Petty, pg 170). Resources A resource, as defined by Reece and Walker is a support to teaching strategies which assists learning. The resources I often use to present materials and teach are WB, handouts, OHP, and the Internet. Aside the Whiteboard, the resource I use most often are handouts (see attached example of my lesson plan). The handouts are distributed at the start of the lesson. The handouts are combinations of worksheets and information handouts. They include text, Q A sections and diagrams from the internet or/and textbooks relevant to the topic for that session. The worksheets (incomplete handouts) have gaps which the students are expected to fill-in during the lesson and on occasions complete for homework The source of diagrams and texts are always referenced, for copy-write purposes and to encourage the student do own research/study. The diagrams are colourful illustrations; and the text is often printed on coloured paper in order to differentiate between different aspects. The students are talked through the handouts and asked to answer the questions or fill-in the gaps individually (occasionally in groups). I find this resource a very effective visual aid for learning; it is simple, to the point and interesting. The main advantages of visual aids as discussed by Petty are; they gain attention; they add variety and interest; they aid conceptualisation, many ideas are understood visually rather than verbally; they aid memory, I find that the students find visual information easier to remember than verbal information and lastly; they show you care, going to trouble of preparing visual aids shows students you take their learning seriously. The resources weakness on the other-hand is that the learner tends not to read the handouts that are why it is good practice to include incomplete handouts at the start of the lesson. Completion of the handout can form the focus of the learning (Reece and Walker pg 212). I evaluate the chosen aid by asking my students their opinion about the suitability and whether they assisted learning. The feedback is generally positive, especially about the bright coloured papers! Teaching methods Petty (1998 pg 121) states that in order to make an informed choice of teaching method and in order to be adaptable and have a variety of activities for lesson planning, the teacher must know what teaching methods are available; what are the strengths and weaknesses of these methods; what purpose each of them can serve and; how each should be used in practice. I choose resources that are best suited to my teaching methods. Depending on the topic my methods can include one or more of the following; audio, visual, activities, demonstrations and discussions. For example the white board, handouts and cards are resources best suited for brainstorming/discussion and group activities. According to Reese and Walker (pg 138) we as teachers need to consider how to provide the experiences so as to make learning as easy and quick to possible. Two possible approaches are; to design a teaching programme where the content is carefully derived from an analysis of the students personal, social/or vocational needs, and which is implemented by the tutor in controlled and organised manner; the second approach starts from the experience of the student. It then depends upon the student identifying and accepting a need to learn. The teaching methods which allow this second approach to be implemented will be project work derived from students current experience, discussions, activities designed to provide opportunities for specific learning outcomes, and the learning of specific problem-solving techniques. Reference Petty, G. Teaching Today, second edition, 1998, pages 121-166 and 315-333. Reece, I. and Walker, S. Teaching, Training and Learning. A practical guide, fourth edition, 2000, pages 6, 49-57, 531-533.

The Preservation of Free

The Preservation of Freedom Essay This paper, using work from JP Sartre and Nikolai Berdyaev, will attempt a detailed explanation of existentialism relative to the formula, â€Å"existence before essence,† the defining creed, so to speak, of the existentialist movement. With Sartre, the central idea is freedom leads to torture and pain. For Berdyaev, creativity is the antidote to this pain. Creativity is to Berdyaev what Marxism became to Sartre, a way out. It seems only rational to treat these two famous existentialists as complimentary to each other. The purpose behind existentialism, in its widest meaning, is to preserve freedom in the 20th century, a century saturated with totalist movements that sought to make the human person a mere cog in a larger machine: capitalism, Leninism, Hitlerism and even globalism seek ends and goals outside the person, in the name of abstract historical forces that the individual person will help bring about (Flynn, 2006, 1-11ff). Existentialism is a rebellion against the 20th century for that reason. Philosophy should concern itself with the individual, not with â€Å"social forces† or â€Å"historical destiny. † 1. In the work of JP Sartre, freedom is not a destiny, but the fundamental fact of mankind. This fact cannot be denied. Ideology, theology, metaphysics and even psychology are means of denying this freedom, blaming other people, structures and social life or even history for the problems deriving from the choices that individuals make. This is the essence of Sartre: freedom is a curse, but a worse curse is denying that freedom in the name of some other end, some end dictated by â€Å"historical forces. † In the 21st century, such problems have not been solved, and the ego is as under siege as it has always been (Flynn, 2006, 67-69). For Sartre, freedom, ego and consciousness are one in the same object. What typifies all of these three is instability. What typifies bad faith is the desire to end this instability by attaching one’s ego to ideological objects that purport to â€Å"solve† the problem of human, historical existence. Instability and a lack of both satisfaction and community are the two hallmarks of freedom and the human condition. It is absurd precisely in that there is no solution. But if ego, consciousness and freedom are all one object, what does that mean for human behavior? It means that man is the choices he makes. Man is self created. But in this creation, man is fully responsible for what he has become in this struggle. There are no excuses. The specific argument from Sartre looks like this: a. Man is absolutely free. This means that consciousness can abstract from any object in space, or any object that exists in the consciousness of the individual itself. These are also one and the same thing. b. This means that objects exist only for consciousness. It matters not if some objects exist in themselves or not (a concept dealt with more below), but rather only that they exist for the person in question. Objects exist, then, only to the extent they are objects of consciousness, not whether or not they exist in themselves. But this further means that man creates himself, and that he creates the objects in consciousness. c. So if man is freedom, and objects exist only to the extent they exist for consciousness (and hence derive from the person, not from the outside world), then man not only creates himself, but also the world outside the self. What this leads to is torture. This is because, as man is responsible for what she becomes, and can make no excuses for this, there are no real guides, and hence, there is 100% responsibility with 0% knowledge of what is right and wrong. This is another reason life is absurd (McCulloch, 1994, 17. ) But the human person is aware that there are objects that come into consciousness, but sometimes, objects appear to be â€Å"outside† the ego’s control. In other words, that objects seem to be â€Å"brute givens,† objects in space that harm the person’s freedom in that they seem to control themselves. This is another form of torture, in that the ego is aware of its complete freedom, and yet is confronted with other objects (especially other egos) that seem to resist our control. But, like Hegel, this slowly begins to develop into some inchoate idea of community, but this is far into the future. In our case, this confrontation only really has two choices, neither of which is really pleasant: first, love. Love is unpleasant in that it is the appropriation of the other, the absorption of the other into one’s world. This is similar to Hegel’s slave/master dialectic that eventually leads to the consciousness of some form of primitive community. But for Sartre, while community is possible, it can only be reached through pain and torture. But the second way of dealing with other egos is sadism: domination, the master/slave dialectic of Hegel. In this latter option, the other ego is not seen as manifesting pure freedom, but rather being a mere object. But given the epistemology above, the object is space is what consciousness/freedom makes it, and hence, objectification or love has no moral basis, it is merely two ways of dealing with â€Å"facticity. † Both are consistent with existentialism and the idea that freedom exists prior to objects. This is another and more accurate way of saying â€Å"existence before essence. † (Sartre, 2007, 22) But the phrase â€Å"existence before essence,† by now, should be clear that both words of this couplet are misnomers. There is really no stable existence in that existence is pure freedom. The ego is free in a radical sense of being determined by nothing (including internal reasons), but, given this, there is no essence either. Freedom is not a thing that can be analyzed. It is a state, the state of all human existence (or at least, of mine). From this, one can conclude that there is no â€Å"creation,† no real external world, and hence, no god to create it (Jones, 1980, 235-236). What I am confronted by in the world are objects that seem to restrict my freedom, and I am to dominate them one way or another, either through love or though objectification. It seems that both of these are one and the same thing: both are objectified, the beloved object and the objectified object. Both of these options are about objectification and absorption: the beloved is taken into the world of the lover without regard to the beloved’s ideas of the matter, and the victim of the sadist is also an object, an object through which the ego expresses its domination over all objects presented to it. Putting it more directly, man has only an adversarial and alien existence on earth. There is no intrinsic purpose to human life and what is worse, that postulating kinds of purposes are always the best examples of bad faith and intellectual dishonesty (Levy, 2003, 166ff).

The Life And Issues Of The Corinthian Community Religion Essay

The Life And Issues Of The Corinthian Community Religion Essay Paul wrote to Corinth, a community plagued by internal divisions, social and ethnic distinction, and a diversity of congregations. Regardless of whatever the circumstances may be, the apostle confronts the problematic issues boldly and with authority. Nevertheless, controversy still burns brightly today, on these issues just as they did in the early church, rendering it ideal subject matter for theological and hermeneutical consideration. Accordingly, the purpose of this essay is to reconstruct the life and issues of the fledgling Corinthian church and to determine firstly, whether Paul really understood the issues at hand, and secondly the effective of Pauls response in the Corinthian community to his call at the time. This essay will address the life and issues of the Corinthian community as recorded in the book of I Corinthians. This book narrates how the apostle Paul heard of the Corinthian Christian communitys troubles and responded with this letter to remedy their situation, heal their divisions, and answer their questions. Paul confronted them with their sin and need for corrective action and clear commitment to Christ. The stance taken here is that Paul did understand the life and issues of the Corinthian community and the effectiveness of his response was positive and appropriate for the time. The reconstruction of the life and issues of Corinth are assessed here through the three major problems facing the community, and one specific issue for each of those problems. The three major problems facing the church in Corinth related to the church, the members and the authority. Of the numerous issues within these three groupings the specific issues addressed here are the Lords Supper, marriage and women. Corinthian church was founded by Saint Paul approximately twenty years after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The apostle loved the Corinthian community with fervour and frustration for it was a vibrant and confused church. An extensive description of its establishment is recorded in Acts 18. Moreover, two of the longest letters in the New Testament, 1 and 2 Corinthian, are specifically addressed to it.  [1]   The first epistle written to the Corinthians was penned by Paul from Ephesus in reply to reports brought to him by two emissaries, and possibly Apollos (16:12). The arrangement of the letter indicates a response determined by the issues put to Paul (7:1). The correspondences content is acquired via the subject matter being introduced through a formula (peri de), latter repeated in (7:25; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1; 12). Notably, Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to address exceptional issues, rather than to demonstrate common principles, or to give an expose of Christian practice.  [2]   Neyrey states: By his own admission, Paul thought and behaved like a typical, first-century Jew in the Eastern Mediterranean (Phil. 3:4b-6). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Paul was clearly socialized into a Jewish and Pharisaic world. On the micro level, his cosmos consisted of biblical, temple, and pharisaic tradition. On the macro level, Paul shared with other first-century Mediterranean Jews certain cultural perceptions about the cosmos, a symbolic universe (Berger Luckmann1966). These perceptions inform all of his letters, colour the way he experienced reality, and structure the way he behaved. Those who would understand Paul ought also to share his perception, both on the micro and macro level.  [3]   There were various issues related to the community in Corinth. The three main problem areas were: a) the church, b) the members and c) authority. Problems within the church were notably related to mission, baptism, the Lords Supper, body life, love, worship and prophecy. Problems with members related to intellect, freedom, giving, sex, suffering and death. Problems with authority related to leaders, women and apostles.  [4]  Of these aforementioned problems and issues three are dealt with here. They are problems relating to the life and issues of the Corinthian Christian community at the time relative to (1) the Lords Supper, (2) sexual morality and (3) the role of women. (1) Problems within the church notably the Lords Supper. (1 Cor. 11:17-34) Paul had heard of scandalous behaviour in the Corinthian community worship relative to the Eucharist. The purpose of the Eucharistic gathering was to take part in the Lords Supper, as enacted by Jesus with the disciples. Regrettably, some of the Corinthian Christians were behaving in a way which denigrated the significance of the event.  [5]   This was as a result of class feelings and distinctions manifesting in the community (cf. James 2:1-4) with private cliques and affluent individuals initiating proceedings without waiting for others to eat. Gluttony, unsociable behaviour and drunkenness were becoming a familiar occurrence. To rebut this Paul reminds them that such conduct makes the professed reason for their joining in communion invalid and pointless.  [6]  Their actions constituted a contradiction to Church meaning and jeopardised the welfare of all. As such, Paul clearly perceived and understood this issue in the Corinthian community at the time. Furthermore, the intention of the Lords Supper was as a common meal, and Pauls condemnation relates to the Corinthians contradicting this principle (11:20-21). Thus, the Christians of Corinth would be better served by eating in their own homes rather than feigning a pretentious a unity repudiated by their behaviour. Pauls intention is not to censure gluttony and drunkenness, but to emphasize an egocentric apathy which is the antithesis of love.  [7]   Pauls denunciation is explicit as the Corinthians behaviour held communion in contempt (v.22) and could not being allowed to persist. Pauls remedial approach is by way of an explanation of the Eucharist. Paul showed how love is necessary for the Eucharist to have meaning and this love commences in their personal community relationships with one another, particularly the poor.  [8]   Relevant to this point, Murphy OConner notes that: The unity for the church is something more than physical juxtaposition in a determined space. It is a vital sharing of life and the Corinthians cannot deceive themselves that they enjoy this if the physical life of the poor is endangered because they do not have enough to eat.  [9]   (2) Problems with members notably sex. Pauls severe reprimand on sexual immorality defiling the church is presented in (5:1-6). From the start the Christian stance to the widespread unseemly Corinthian sexual practices and thought was one of uncompromising opposition, for sexual negligence was endemic with first-century Greeks. However, the Corinthians view of their emancipation in Christ was such that they felt inclined towards a different approach to other Christians, yet this was one which permitted even worse evils than the Greeks.  [10]   Paul condemns such sexual sin in the strongest of terms (6:9-20) because the troubles in the Corinthian church were basically related to sexual conduct.  [11]  Moreover, prostitution and immorality were invasive with marriages in Corinth in a dilemma and Christians unsure how to respond. Accordingly, Paul gave meaningful and practical solutions.  [12]   Pauls instruction can be separated into heterosexual and homosexual activity outside of marriage. Paul refuted the argument assuming that as Christians were not bound by food laws then the same applied to sexual laws (6:13). Pauls unyielding and persuasive argument said that it is fundamentally impossible to compare the two, as in Christian terms the word body means much more than animal tissue. Paul maintained that body is the self and he marshalled numerous arguments to sustain this position.  [13]   Pauls argument is bases on six facts: (a) that our body matters to God (1:63), (b) our body will be raised (6:14), (c) our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (6:19), (d) our body is harmed by immorality(6:18), (e) fornication for a Christian is a rebellious act of independence, and most importantly (f) that our body belongs to Christ (6:19-20). Paul concludes by counselling to shun immorality (6:18) and emphasising that the body is for the Lord and should be kept that way, with this possibility only accessible through the power of the Holy Spirit.  [14]   Relative to homosexuality, Paul gives scant attention to the issue however he makes the point that it is basically unacceptable for Christian practice (6:9-11) and that it can be changed (6:9-11). His premise is that homosexuality is immoral and an unattainable avenue to Heaven. Paul refers to Genesis and the image of God residing mutually in the male and female (Gen.1:27).  [15]   (3) Problems relating to authority and women. Paul is considered by many to be a misogynist (a man who hates women). Nevertheless, Pauls overall attitude to women was reflective of the time and culture. However, Jesus teachings were revolutionary relative to the role and rights of women, and Paul embraced this new perception afforded to women.  [16]   The situation of women in Corinthian society indicates that women were held in low esteem in Hebrew, Greek and Roman culture. A womens authority was severely limited in that she was subject to the authority of her father or husband, could not inherit property, could not testify in a court of law, or claim right to education. Moreover, the temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, prostituted a thousand women in its service further demeaning their social status. Such was the state of affairs of women in Corinth at that time and the problem faced by Saint Paul.  [17]   Conversely, Christianity engaged women in church and community work, women such as Mary, Tryphaena and Tryphosa who worked hard in the Lord (Rom.16:12). They are found labouring with Paul in spreading the gospel (Phil.4:3) and supporting in various ways. For women both to pray and prophecy during public worship (1 Cor.11:5) was acceptable by Paul, despite being a contradiction to the customs of the time.  [18]   The fact that Paul was clear on the position of women in the church and that they were equal with all others is clarified in Galatians (3:28). For Paul men and women had complete equality of standing before God (1 Cor. 11:11). Unquestionably, the revolutionary teaching of Jesus had systematically permeated into the heart of Paul, the rabbi and apostle of Jesus. However, an issue on which Paul disagreed with women was regarding womens headdress (11:5). By dispensing with the customary covering for their heads many of women within the Corinthian church were defying tradition. It appears they viewed their action as having religious importance as the particular circumstance on which they chose to exhibit their uncovered heads was at worship. Their unconventional behaviour was obviously an expression of a new found freedom related to the Christian faith.  [19]   Undoubtedly, this was an assertion of feminine freedom found within the context of the new faith. To these women the covered head was symbolical of their subordination to men, and ceased to be acknowledged by them under conditions of worship. Paul differed with them on this point of headdress despite acknowledging womens right to speak in church under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This Paul ruled as an exception to the silence he otherwise imposed on them (ch.14:34), nevertheless he considered it did not excuse them from covering their heads.  [20]   Having considered problems within the church relating to the Lords Supper, sex and women there is, however, a further dynamic for reflection when appreciating the circumstances that occasioned I Corinthians. That dynamic is a developing conflict between the church in Corinth and Paul himself. Watson notes Gordon Fees observation that the language and style of I Corinthians are especially rhetorical and combative. Paul is taking them on at every turn à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ he is attacking and challenging with all the weapons in his literary arsenal.  [21]   While Paul is undoubtedly seeking to right both their theology and practices in a comprehensive way, it is clear that Paul needs to defend his apostolate. Moreover, the fact remains that the Corinthians had written to the apostle seeking his advice. This proves that he remains an authority figure in their eyes, understanding and appreciating their lives and issues. Hermeneutically, Corinth reflects realistically on our contemporary Christian community situation. The problems and issues addressed by St.Paul are still relevant to society and the church today. The text offers a splendid observation of Paul the church cultivator and pastor utilizing his theology for the service of the church. Green notes: The spread of abuses and problems at Corinth enable us to share the apostles perspective on a large number of issues of contemporary importance to the church. The whole correspondence throbs with life and love. However, there are difficulties associated with Corinthians that keep it a closed book to most church members today. The Corinthian issues are considered too awkward to tackle, such as tongues, prophecy and veiled women.  [22]   Naturally, this appraisal would be stalled at the outset if Pauls solutions to these problems relate simply to antiquated issues, For example, if First Corinthians rests on the necessity of the Lords Supper, sexual practices or the wearing veils to worship then the ethical instruction of Paul may well be relegated to archaic morality. Fortunately, however, the ethic of Paul is a protest against that very kind of literalistic and legalistic teaching. His concern with the practical should not be construed as a banal particularise. Rather, the concern with particulars rests on the conviction that basic ethical concerns are relevant o every aspect of human conduct.  [23]   Providentially, however, Pauls ethic is an objection to such literalistic and legalistic teaching. His concern with the practical should not be negatively construed but rather his concern with facts supports his conviction that fundamental ethical issues are pertinent to all facets of human behaviour. Pauls analysis and response to these commonplace issues offer theological considerations of merit. Repeatedly throughout First Corinthians Paul commences with a common concern, probes its depth for theological understanding, and applies theological principles for the practical application Christian life.  [24]   Pauls theological ethic can only be fully understood in relation to its application and relevance. First Corinthians may be applied as here as a fundamental source for investigation because the tension between the practical and theological are constantly sustain. Here the Christocentric character of Pauls thought is clearly expressed with Pauls answers founded on the rock of Christ. In conclusion it has been seen how Paul confronted the Corinthians Christians regarding their sins and shortcomings, exhorting them not to merge with the world or accept its false values and erroneous lifestyles. The root causes of these errors may be seen in an assimilation of the gospel to Hellenism however a more plausible reason is the human inclination to reshape God in our own image. Paul was well aware of what and why he was doing it when he wrote to the church of God at Corinth (1:2). The apostles purpose in writing to the Corinthians is clearly reproving. Paul wants them to know that he is concerned with the assembly and tells them what they should and not do in explicit terms. In addressing the issues relating to the Lords Supper, marriage and women (as with the other issues) Paul exhibits a clear understanding of the facts. This is received through the reliability of the sources and Pauls own background and worldly experiences. His adroit and forthright response addresss the situation squarely and accurately warranting an effective outcome. Paul makes it clear that his actions have no self advantage but that his writing is a command of the Lord (14:37). Pauls letter to the Corinthians offers the contemporary reader a window into a real and struggling early Christian community that challenged the Corinthians to allow the gospel to engage them in the reality of their daily lives. Likewise, the contemporary reader is challenged to allow the gospel message to engage them in the very realities of daily life and to celebrate their oneness in Christ when the church gathers for Eucharist and spiritual communication.

Rhetorical Reading Essay -- essays research papers

Rhetorical Reading Essay(Revision)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since they started pouring the concrete for the dam Lake Powell has been a center of controversy. From nature preservationists to ancient ruins advocates the subject has been heated and intense. On the other hand, those who support Lake Powell are just as avid and active in their defense of the reservoir. One of the former, Edward Abbey, sets forth his plea, hoping it does not fall upon deaf ears.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abbey attempts in his article to help the reader visualize Glen Canyon before it was dammed up. He uses a lot of pathos to help the reader â€Å"feel† the beauty of the previous Glen Canyon and the ugliness of the present. His article seems to be written not to the supporters of Lake Powell, but to those who side with Abbey, perhaps in an attempt to strengthen their resolve to do something about their beliefs. Abbey advocates the draining and naturalizing of the reservoir, allowing it to regress back to its natural state. Although the author is very talented at using connotations and figurative language, he focuses too much on pathos and a 20th century view of nature and lacks sufficient logos and ethos. This essay while very passionate is poorly done. The author, Edward Abbey, admits that he is a â€Å"butterfly chaser, googly eyed bleeding heart and wild conservative†(Abbey, 144). His constant appeals to nostalgia and tree hugging are repetitive and long-winded. However, as mentioned above, he is an expert in figurative language and connotation. Right from the beginning Abbey uses a great metaphor comparing Glen Canyon to the living heart of the canyon lands, and throws in another about the Colorado River being golden. He tries to form a beautiful picture of what Glen Canyon used to be like by sharing an experience that he and a buddy had almost 50 years ago. Although picturesque and ideal, we all understand that change is a natural part of both mankind and nature and that all things have an end. Later in the article Abbey uses more great connotations and points out that the reservoir has had negative effects on the environment in that area. â€Å"†¦Debris brought down into them by desert storms, no longer carried away by the river, must unavoidably build up in the area where flood meets reservoir†(147). And later, â€Å"Anyone who has tried to pilot a motorboat through a raft... ...birds, 800 different mammals and more that a dozen reptile species (Lake Powell). And anyone who has been there will ask, if there is a slight lack of insects, which I am not sure there is, how is that a bad thing? This hardly seems the sterile, lifeless scene that Abbey paints for us and is simply one of the many examples of omission he uses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I feel that although Abbey means well in trying to preserve the natural form and environment of Glen Canyons, he is unable to see that many, many more people are out enjoying the beauties of Lake Powell than ever graced the shores of the Colorado River in that area. This is what people want. Abbey poorly surmises that the majority of people agree with his viewpoints, â€Å"I am not alone, for I belong to that ever-growing number of Americans, probably a good majority now, who have become aware that a fully industrialized, thoroughly urbanized, elegantly computerized social system is not suitable for human habitation†(Abbey, 144). If that were so Lake Powell would have been drained and dry decades ago. The truth is that with few exceptions, people like Lake Powell just the way it is.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Schizophrenia :: essays research papers

Schizophrenia is a class of disorders characterized by fundamental disturbances in thought processes, emotion, or behavior. It is also known as a "split mind"; the person is in a world that has nothing to do with everyday experiences. One to one and a half percent of the U.S. population will be diagnosed with it sometime over the course of their lives. Schizophrenia has a pattern of unique and predictable symptoms. There are two main types of symptoms: positive and negative symptoms. The positive symptoms are delusions or hallucinations; negative symptoms are deficits in behavior or an inability to express emotion. But what exactly are these symptoms and are they easy to detect? The more obvious types of symptoms are the positive. One characteristic that is often experienced is delusions, which are known as thoughts with meanings that are unrealistic. For example, people with this disorder tend to believe that they are someone else in disguise such as Elvis or Jesus. Another type of delusion is the delusion of grandeur, which is when an individual believes that they are more important than they actually are. A less common but very real type of delusion is a delusion of persecution, which is when an individual is convinced that others are plotting against him. But even more severe is perceptions known as hallucinations. Hallucinations are perceptions that can not possibly be real because there is nothing external to support them; however, to the person affected, they can be heard, seen, or even felt. Some individuals may see objects change shape or size, which is not very unusual for someone with schizophrenia. On some occasions, individuals claim to hear voices in their heads, telling them to do or say certain things. These voices appear to be so real, that in some instances individuals where known to have committed suicide because that's what the voice told them to do. Less obvious than the positive symptoms but equally serious are the negative symptoms. It is very common for a person to show flat affect, which means they show little or no emotional reaction. If someone shows a person with this disorder an extremely funny movie or a very sad picture, they are unlikely to even smile or shed a tear. People with schizophrenia also refuse to participate in basic everyday activities. They may refuse to eat or wash themselves. Some other symptoms that are less common are disorganized speech and catatonia.