Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Propaganda and women during Essay Example for Free

Propaganda and women during Essay Propaganda was used in World War One to make sure that people only knew what the Government wanted them to. To make sure everyone thought the same way as the government all information was controlled. Newspapers were expected to print what the government wanted and the newspapers started using emotional headlines, even if they weren’t true. Some examples of these headlines are: -â€Å"Belgium child’s hands cut off by Germans† -â€Å"Germans crucify Canadian officer† Anyone caught spreading the truth would be arrested. Propaganda aimed at Women While the men were fighting it was left to the women to do the men’s jobs and treat injured soldiers. To get the women to do this propaganda was used. The Red Cross used pride in this poster to try and get women to join. Propaganda aimed at Men This poster uses pride to try and get the men to join the army, this poster is showing a man’s children asking him what he did in the war. The government are trying to say that if you fight in the war your family would be proud of you. Untrue stories â€Å"Monks in Antwerp were being forced to ring bells to celebrate the Germans invading the city. The monks refused to do this so were tied to the clappers of the bells and being used as human clappers which killed them.† This was untrue but a brilliant way for the British government to make people hate the Germans even more. German Newspaper headlines -English soldiers put plague germs in German wells. -German prisoners blinded by their Allied Captors. Women during WW1 While the men were fighting someone had to do their jobs so this usually fell to the women. Some of the jobs they were given were; nurses, working in munitions factories (which often turned their hair and skin yellow due to the chemicals), in public transport, as police women, ambulance drivers, fire fighters, in post offices, making weapons and farming. Towards the end of the war some women were being recruited into the army as cooks, clerks and electricians so that all the men could fight. Most women would still have to do the cooking, cleaning and other household chores as well as their day jobs. The women also knitted scarves, hats and gloves to send to the soldiers. This is not often recognised and they didn’t always get there but if they did the soldiers were grateful. The Womens Land Army In WW1 the German navy stopped food being imported to England and this made up 50% of the food eaten in England. In 1917 the harvest failed and there were not many reserves. Rations were put in place and the British made do. There was also a shortage of farm labourers as most men were out fighting. The government set up the land army which allowed women to become farm labourers which would not have been allowed before. By 1918 there were 23,000 Land girls that would milk the cattle, plough the fields and herd the cattle. The Land army stopped in 1919 as the men returned home and food was able to imported again.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Yield Management In The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay

Yield Management In The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay Yield management was practice over the last fifteen to twenty years. According to Kimes, the yield management principle was first developed in the airline industry. Yield management systems primarily used in service industries like hotels, restaurants, airlines, train. Generally, companies used yield management systems to maximize their revenue or yield. Smith, Leimkhuler, Darrow Samules (1992) defined yield management as a sophisticated form of managing supply and demand by acting at the same time on price and on available capacity. It is the best way to propose the best service on the best customer with the best price and at the best moment. According to Kimes (2002), yield management is methods that can help a firm sell the right inventory to the right customer at the right time for the right price. So, yield management can be defined as an approach to sell the same product at the same time to the customers by charging different prices. Yield management in hotel industry was evolved over the last ten years and many authors (Evangelista, 1999; Novelli, Schmitz Spencer, 2006) confirm that there is a notable tendency to use new technologies in hotel industry. Yield management in hotel industry is concerned about the number of rooms that should be sold and at what price should be charge to customers. The objective of using yield management in hotel industry is to maximizing revenue per every available room. Jaucey, Mitchell Slamet (1995) stated that yield management is an integrated, continuous and systematic approach to maximizing room revenue through the manipulation of room rates in response to forecasted patterns of demand. They suggest that yield management requires a close analysis of historical information to predict customers demand. Yield management is suitable to use in hotel industry because it fulfill some characteristics of these system. According to Kimes (1989), yield management can be used when the following conditions are met. There are fixed capacity; segmentation into different market segment is possible; the inventory of the product is perishable; the products can be sold in advance; fluctuating demand; low marginal sales costs and high marginal production costs. Once the hotel was built, it is difficult and expensive to increase the capacity. Therefore, the hotel manager must use the existing capacity in the best way in order to maximize room revenue. So, yield management systems can help hotel manager address this problem by predict the customers demand. To make the yield management systems work, the company must be able to segment their market into different types of customers. Hotel manager should have different marketing plans for every market segment. So, every customers need can be fulfill. Customers can be categorized and grouping together with those have similar characteristics, it is called market segment. There are three components of market segmentation. First, the characteristics of each customer group are defining and grouping. Second, implementing a demand model to customers and specify their attitudes about a reference transaction. The third component is their willingness to pay. Of course, hotel rooms are perishable inventory item. When a room is not sold for one night, there is no income for this room at that night. Hotel manager cannot put the room into inventory and use it at other time. Airlines and rental car industry also face the same problem. Some hotels sell most of their rooms in advance, but in some situation, reservations are made well in advance of the day desired. When the rooms are sold in advance, hotel manager faced with uncertainty. Some questions are appearing like charge a low rate price to the group of customers or wait the customer who willing to pay higher price appear? Are the customers who willing to pay higher price will reserved for the same rooms? So, these questions can be address by using yield management systems. Hotel industry is the industry which faces fluctuating demand patterns. Customers demand are varies in a year. Yield management system helps manager predict the demand fluctuation and manager can plan some strategies to maximize their revenue. For example, higher price can charge to customers during the peak demand like school holidays or public holidays; otherwise, manager can decrease the price during the slow time. Hotel industry also met the characteristic of low marginal sales costs. When a room was sold, it does not incur much more cost to sell another room. This is because the hotel and staff already at place. On the other hand, hotel industry faces high production costs. When all rooms were sold, and a customer wants a room, additional rooms are cannot simply built because the capacity was fixed. Yield management systems may result in many advantages to the company and give that company a competitive edge. Many studies have shown the positive effect on the performance of the company by using yield management systems. Esse (2003) shows that yield management allows a company to offer customers high contribution, which develops a much better performance. Apart from this, yield management systems also may results in some problem to companies. It could result in alienated customers. There are highly competitive in hotel industry, customers may not want to pay different price for the same room. So, they might feel unfair and go to the competitors who charge lower price. According to Kimes (2002), the customer perceives a product price as fair for the price of a good to increase if the costs increase in order to maintain profit. They however dont feel that increasing the price in order to increase the profit is a fair practice. To address the problem of alienated customers, Kimes (2002) suggest three solutions to it. First, the company giving the customer a higher reference price and then providing them with discounts. Second solution, adding additional services to the product and then increase the price. The third solution is selling the product as part of a package. The final solution is attaching restrictions to the discounts as to make the discounts be perceived as being fair. Employee morale problems may occur when the company use yield management. Yield management systems are more about guesswork of how many rooms to sell and what price to charge, but it also requires judgment from hotel employees. If the systems are not structure well to allow some latitude into the price setting, the people who will use it may be grow to resent the system. Besides that, yield management systems also can cause problem on incentive and reward systems. Yield management systems can cause problem for group sales department. Reward or incentive of salespeople in these department are depends on the amount of sales they make. When sales increase, their reward or incentives also increase. But a yield management system might indicate that the low rate price for a group sale is not beneficial. So, the incentive and reward systems must be changed. If not, the salespeople might think that the implementation of yield management is work against them. To ensure the yield management systems effective, an extensive training of all employees are needed. Every employee must understand the purpose of implementing the yield management, how it works, and what the effect of the system on their jobs. So, it needs a careful planning and training from top management. Finally, commitments from top management are very important. Without this, yield management systems will fail. So, the hotel manager must strongly commit to it, have the necessary data and have a strong information system. Hotel manager must fully understand the implications of implementing yield management systems on managerial aspect and able to make adjustment. http://www.turpade.org/docs/articulos/2008_OCT_Yield_Management.pdf http://www.timsmet.com/literature%20review.pdf http://www.cheaphosting4you.com/casadana.net/pgdh/CORNELL/Center%20for%20Hospitality%20Research%20-%20Reports/Basics%20of%20Yield%20Management.pdf http://www.yield4education.com/literature-review

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Free College Essays - The Character of Hester Prynne in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Character of Hester Prynne of The Scarlet Letter      Hester Prynne is a very well recognized character in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne.   She is a character about whom much has been written such as, Toward Hester Prynn, by David Reynolds, and The Scarlet A, Aboriginal and Awesome, by Kristin Herzog.   Reynold's essay dealt with Hester as a heroine, who is an artistic combination of disparate female types.   Herzog's essay dealt with the idea that Hester is both wild and passionate, as well as, caring, conservative, and alien.    Towards Hester Prynne, by David Reynolds, expressed Hester as a heroine composed of many different stereotypes of females from the time period Hawthorne was writing.   Hawthorne created some of the most skeptical and politically uncommitted characters in pre-civil war history.   Reynolds went on to say, His [Hawthorne's] career illustrates the success of an especially responsive author in gathering together disparate female types and recombining them artistically so that they become crucial elements of the rhetorical and artistic construct of his fiction (Reynolds 179). Hawthorne used ironies of fallen women and female criminals to achieve the perfect combination of different types of heroines. His heroines are equipped to expel wrongs against their sex bringing about an awareness of both the rights and wrongs of women.   Hester is a compound of many popular stereotypes rich in the thoughts of the time ...portrayed as a fallen woman whose honest sinfulness is found preferable to the future corruption of the reverend (Reynolds 183).   Hester was described by Reynolds as a feminist criminal bound in an iron link of mutual crime (Reynolds 183).   According to Reynolds, Hawthorne was trying to have his culture's darkest stereotypes absorbed into the character of Hester and rescue them from noisy politics by reinterpreting them in Puritan terms and fusing them with the moral exemplar.    Kristin Herzog had a somewhat different view of Hester in The Scarlet A, Aboriginal and Awesome.   She described Hester as both wild and passionate, and caring, conservative, and alien.   Herzog stated that The Scarlet Letter is a story set at the rough edge of civilization.   Hester is as much an outcast as any Quaker in the Puritan colony and she takes the colony's abuse laid upon her with a Quaker's dignity.   Herzog described Hester's Aboriginal characteristics as caring and conservative.   This aspect of Hester's femininity is not the only trait, however, which

Advertising and Childhood Obesity Essay -- Health, Diseases

According to the Centers for Disease Control (2007), the rate of obesity among children between the ages of six and eleven in the United States has increased about five times compared with the rate in the 1970s (Yu 87). There are over nine million children in the U.S. today between the ages of six and eleven who are considered to be obese (Yu 87). The real question is what is the exact cause of obesity in children today? Some people believe there is a link between the advertising children see on TV and obesity. There are many factors that lead up to childhood obesity. Children and adolescents, who are obese, are usually caused by several things. Both exposure to television food advertising and obesity are highly linked with the time children spend in front of the television, the parenting style and exposure to other kids of marking (Veerman). Here are some of the factors that may contribute to childhood obesity: lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits, genetics, social factors, media, and the environment. Advertising does not contribute to childhood obesity alone and solely targeting advertising as being the only factor will not make a huge impact on this ever-growing problem ("Childhood Obesity"). Some people argue that advertising is the only link but I will explain to you the reasons that I believe work together to cause the obesity epidemic. The first cause that I will be talking about is advertising. The television market spends 10 billion on advertising in the hopes of influencing children (Zimmerman 336). The most common product advertised on television is food ads. During Saturday morning cartoons children will be exposed to one commercial pertaining to food around every five minutes (Zimme... ...es and lead by example the kinds of food you buy for them. If they see you buying the healthy, nutritious foods than they will most likely buy them as well. If parents are more responsible, when it comes to teaching their children how to live a healthier lifestyle, we will probably see more of a decrease in childhood obesity. As I have explained there are many factors that contribute to childhood obesity. I don't think they the issue can be linked to just the advertising to children alone. I have told you about some of the other factors that combined together contribute to childhood obesity. They include but are not limited to advertising, convenience of fast food, genetics, the environment and one of the biggest contributions, parental influence. If you find your child heading in the direction of childhood obesity consider all the things I talked about.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Authoritarianism: Until the Resources Dry Out Essay -- Government Poli

History has known far more authoritarian regimes than any other form of government. Authoritarianism is a form of non-democratic rule defined by state power being centralized in a single person or a small group of people. Unlike democracies, these individuals in power are not dependent on the people for power. Thus, under authoritarianism, state leaders have little accountability to the public and there is little individual freedom. Additionally, authoritarian regimes are not bound by a constitution that might limit their power. Such democratic liberties such as the right to assembly, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press are highly controlled or non-existent. State policies are designed to maintain the power status quo in favor of the ruling group and perceived threats are marginalized or, in some cases, extinguished. Authoritarianism is more likely to exist in countries that have not yet experienced a high degree of modernization. This is because, without modernization, many of the fundamental institutions thought to be required for democracy are not yet thoroughly developed. These institutions include intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and the emergence of an economic middle class. In fact, it is highly correlated that a middle class is a vital requirement for the existence of democracy. However, modernization by itself does not always mean that the end result will be a democracy. For instance, if modernization occurs in some urban areas but lags behind in the rural areas it could be destabilizing to democratic institutions. Poverty is also strongly linked to authoritarianism although it alone is not a correlation. Authoritarian regimes would not survive if there was not at least a segment of the population that supp... ...ain control of the country’s wealth and resources. Authoritarian regimes use coercion and limit individual freedom to maintain their power. They are also able to keep a middle class from emerging by hindering economic development. In these regimes, when the resources run out they are no longer able to buy off the segments of the population, the elites, necessary to maintain that power. Resource rich, countries are able to sustain authoritarian regimes longer than those without. However, as evidenced by the eventual demise of the Soviet Union, even the most powerful of authoritarian regimes are vulnerable when the resources start to dry up. Works Cited O’Neil, Patrick H. â€Å"Essentials of Comparative Politics.† Third Edition. 2010 P. 142 P. 146 P. 146 P. 146 P. 146 P. 147 P. 143 P. 142 P. 147 P. 147 P. 144 P. 152 P. 153

Friday, August 2, 2019

Major Depressive Disorder: Theories and Therapies Essay

1. Major Depressive Disorder Definition and Symptoms Major Depressive Disorder may be diagnosed as one or more episodes of a Major Depressive Episode. Symptoms of a major depressive episode include depressed mood, diminished interest or pleasure in activities, weight changes, sleep problems, slowing of speech or agitation, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness and/or guilt, difficulties in thinking, concentrating, or indecisiveness, and thoughts of death, suicide, or suicide attempts. These symptoms are not due to another medical or psychological reason, and they cause clinically significant distress or functional impairment. 4th ed. , text rev. ; DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) The cause of depression is not completely understood. It is, most likely, a combination of reasons, which may include chemical imbalances in the brain, psychological, or environmental factors, and genetics. Severe life stressors, such as divorce, or job loss, often contribute to depression. In a twelve month period, 6. 7% of the U. S. population is depressed. Of those that are depressed, 30. 4% are severe, or 2. 0% of the total U. S. population. Lifetime prevalence in the U.  S. is 16. 5% of the population. (National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Prevalence) Women are 70% more likely than men to experience depression during their lifetime. (NIMH, Demographics) The National Institute of Mental Health also reports that Blacks are 40% less likely than Whites, to experience depression in their lifetime. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the total number of years a person may lose to illness, disability, or death. They have rated Unipolar Depression number one in diseases and disorders, with a loss of 10. years, well above heart disease and cancer. (NIMH, Leading Individual Diseases/Disorders) 2. Cognitive Theory and Symbolic Interaction Theory of Major Depressive Disorder Cognitive Theory (CT) Early negative experiences are overgeneralized and become a part of one’s schema. The theory, developed by Beck, asserts that one’s negative and dysfunctional view of one’s self leads to depression. Thought distortions, such as absolute thinking, selective abstraction, and personalization, set one up for failure, and perpetuate the negative thinking, leading to depression. Maladaptive thinking and behavior may be learned or caused by inexperience. Symbolic Interaction Theory (SIT) A person gives meanings to objects, experiences, and to self. Social interaction with others helps to define those meanings. Symbols and meanings develop and change over time. Self-conception comes from one’s social interactions with other’s, and how one believes the other person perceives them. If a person believes others are looking at them and judging them negatively, self perception is negative. Depression is caused by negative thinking and perceptions. Etiology: Compare and Contrast In both Cognitive Theory and Symbolic Interaction Theory, dysfunctional and negative thinking about self, form the basis for the depression. Both theories involve thoughts and feelings formed from internal and external stimuli. In both theories, beliefs are based on interpretations rather than reality. In CT, the depression is more self centered and self inflicted. It is more internally based and controlled, while SI depends more on negative external stimuli. Symbolic Interaction Theory adds the concept of interaction with others, while Cognitive Theory does not. Cognitive Theory suggests cognition and behavior are learned and built upon, while Symbolic Interaction Theory suggests thoughts and actions taking place in the present and are dynamic, changing according to the present experience. Dynamics: Compare and Contrast Cognitive Theory and Symbolic Interaction Theory both assert that beliefs about self will strongly determine the way the individual behaves. CT and SIT both assert that people process external information and then apply it to themselves. Both involve irrational thinking. In both theories, the epressed person makes thought leaps, assumptions that are not supported. In Cognitive Theory, one may assume that because they had a negative experience in one situation, it will always be experienced the same way. In Symbolic Interaction Theory one may assume that an interaction with a person, or certain types of people will always be the same. CT may involve a situation the person experiences alone or with others, while SIT naturally would include interaction with others. Cognitive Theory of Depression builds and grows stronger with each negative experience, while Symbolic Interaction is more in the present. The negative and distorted thoughts of a depressed person are reactionary. c. Motivation for change: Compare and Contrast In Cognitive Theory and Symbolic Interaction Theory, motivation for change would include the need for love, support, and interaction with others. We are social beings and need that interaction. Depression separates one from others because it becomes mentally and physically difficult to function. With that separation comes confirmation of the distorted, negative self beliefs. Ruminations drag the depressed person further away from truth (cognitive) and people (interaction). Major Depression is not an illness one can pull out of alone. Although it would be possible without professional help, it wouldn’t be possible without other people. There would be no purpose to change. In Cognitive Theory, motivation for change would include a positive self image and the ability to enjoy one’s life. Motivation for change in Symbolic Interaction Theory would include positive self image and enjoying one’s life, as well as rejoining society, and having a positive impact on others. 3. Major Depressive Disorder Interventions  According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) practice guidelines, acute phase treatment for patients with major depressive disorder may include pharmacotherapy, depression-focused psychotherapy, the combination of medications and psychotherapy, or other somatic therapies such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), or light therapy. The treatment chosen should depend on the severity of symptoms, other illnesses or stressors present, patient and doctor preference, and past treatment outcomes. In their study of depressed patients, Budd, James, & Hughes (2008) found that patients felt Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helped them more than any other therapy. Pharmacotherapy Antidepressant medication is generally the first treatment recommended for depression. Some of the first drugs used to treat depression were tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), such as Elavil. They affect the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin. They are used less often because of side effects. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as Narwal, were also used in early treatments for patients with treatment resistant depression. Because of food interactions and the need for dietary restrictions, these medications are also used less often. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac, work by increasing the amount of the neurotransmitter serotonin available to the brain. Seratonin and Norepinephrin reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as Effexor, increase the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmitters that can be used by the brain. Mirtazapine, a brand name is Remora, is a non-adrenegic and specific serotonergic antidepressant. Buproprion, found in the brand Wellbutrin, is a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor. All of these drugs may be used in the treatment of depression. (NIMH) Psychotherapy Psychotherapy, sometimes referred to as talk therapy, educates a patient about mental illness and provides tools, or strategies, to improve the patient’s mental health, as well as social functioning. There are several different types of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy for Major Depression is usually used in conjunction with medication. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Developed by Aaron Beck in the 1960’s, CBT helps the patient understand how thoughts can influence behavior. CBT helps a person focus on his or her current problems and how to solve them. The patient learns how to identify distorted or unhelpful thinking patterns, recognize and change inaccurate beliefs, relate to others in more positive ways, and change behaviors accordingly. (NIMH) Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) Interpersonal Psychotherapy was developed in the 1980’s, by Gerald Kerman and Myrna Weissman, to treat depression. (Markowitz & Weissman, 2012) Mood, and it’s relation to social circumstances, is examined, and the patient learns how to react positively to negative circumstances. It is time limited and has been proven to be an effective treatment for depression. (Markowitz & Weitzman, 2012) Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) Similar to CBT, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy focuses on changing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems. The therapy was developed by Albert Ellis, Ph. D. , in 1955. Ellis asserts, â€Å"It is largely our thinking about events that leads to emotional and behavioral upset. Working with the present in mind, the patient is encouraged to look at the negative thinking that leads to negative emotions and behaviors†. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy was developed by Drs. Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale. It is an eight-session program based on eastern spirituality. Developed for use in preventing depression relapse, it focuses on the patient’s awareness of personal thought patterns and emotions. Knowing the ruminations and self-critical thinking that precedes depression, the patient is taught how to divert the depression. (American Psychological Association) Somatic Therapies Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Electrodes are placed on specific areas of the brain that stimulate the brain continuously through a pulse generator implanted under the skin. A long term follow up study by Kennedy and his colleagues (2011), found social functioning and physical health continued to improve for up to six years after the treatment. The response rate was high at 60%, and the remission rate was 30%, based on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. (Kennedy et al. , 2011) Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation was first used in a study for treatment of depression in 1993, and approved by the FDA in 2008. The neural pathway, from the frontal cortex of the brain to the limbic area, is stimulated. This pathway is believed to be deficient in depressed patients. A pulsating, alternating magnetic field above the scalp sends an electric current through the brain. The electrical current flows to the cortex, depolarizing neurons, and sends signals to the limbic region. This procedure is preformed while the patient is awake. It produces minor twitches, has few side effects, and is non-invasive. The study I read showed a 65% improvement in symptoms. (George & Post, 2011) Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, is usually used on treatment-resistant depression. A seizure is produced by an electrical shock to the brain. This shock changes the chemical balance in the brain. A patient generally has several procedures a week at first. Procedures are reduced to once a week and then once a month. The amount of ECT needed varies with each person. Memory loss and other cognitive effects sometimes occur, but usually diminish with time. (National Institute of Mental Health) It is important that a skilled Psychiatrist perform the procedure because the effectiveness of the treatment depends on the accuracy of the physician’s skills. (Lisanby, 2007) Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Vagus nerve stimulation sends electrical pulses from a surgically implanted generator in the chest to the vagus nerve. Every few seconds a pulse runs through the nerve to the part of the brain that is thought to effect mood. (NIMH) Complimentary and Alternative Therapies The National Institute of Mental Health also lists St. John’s wort, S-adenosyl methionine (sometimes called SAMe), omega-3 fatty acids, light therapy, and acupuncture as complimentary and alternative therapies. Botox has also been studied as a treatment for depression, with the theory that suppressing frowning in a depressed person can decrease the depression. (Kruger, T. H. C. , et al. , 2012) 4. Theory and Treatment Links Cognitive Theory and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy a) Etiology Maintenance of depression by negative, automatic thoughts, and withdrawing from others, is the basis for Cognitive Theory. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for depression, the client is taught to replace negative cognitive thoughts and behaviors with positive ones. Sterling Moorey (2010) developed a maintenance model of depression with six cycles depicted as a â€Å"vicious flower†. It is a tool to help clients understand depression: what causes it, and how it is maintained, as well as cognitive and behavioral changes to ameliorate it. The links between Cognitive Theory and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can be seen clearly in the model as described below. b) Dynamics Testing negative thoughts and beliefs replaces automatic negative thinking. Problem solving and developing compassion replaces ruminating and self-attacks. Mood recognition replaces mood/emotions. Becoming physically active, and taking one step at a time, replaces withdrawal and avoidance. Experimenting with helpful behaviors replaces unhelpful behaviors. Motivation and physical symptoms are replaced by taking care of oneself and exercising. (Moorey, 2010) A link between Cognitive Theory and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is demonstrated when exercise is used as a treatment for depression. Exercise engages the patient mentally and physically. It changes behavior, increases health, and encourages interaction with others. It is positive change that can be used for intervention and prevention. (Martinson, 2008) c) Motivation for Change Cognitive Theory of Depression asserts that dysfunctional and negative beliefs about self causes and maintains depression. Gaining a positive self image based on cognitive behavioral changes will enable a depressed person to participate in, and enjoy life. Looking at difficulties and life events from a positive perspective, allows one to believe success is possible, and behave accordingly. Symbolic Interaction Theory and Interpersonal Therapy a. Etiology Looking at events from a dysfunctional and negative view, based on our interactions with others, perpetuates negative thoughts and feelings, according to the Symbolic Theory of Major Depressive Disorder. This was demonstrated in a study by Vranceanu, Gallo, and Bogart (2009). They found that women with depressed symptomatology reported more negative personal interactions and less positive support, than women who were not depressed. The negative reactions the depressed women received, may serve as reinforcers for dysfunctional beliefs. (p. 468) Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) links mood to the clients circumstances, helping the client to understand what triggers the depression. Often, negative circumstances involve a relationship, or some event that involves the client’s interpersonal functioning. (Markowitz and Weissman, 2012) Liverant, Kamholz, Sloan, & Brown (2011), showed there is a correlation between rumination and other forms of emotional suppression, such as avoidance and withdrawal. They found the more often emotional suppression was used, particularly rumination, the greater the intensity of sadness. b. Dynamics The negative thoughts and feelings the client has perceived from interactions with others, as well as personal relationship problems, are evaluated by the therapist. IPT is time-limited, and solution based. The therapist is understanding, supportive, and encouraging. Emotional acceptance of negative experiences may serve as a tool to reduce rumination, thus decreasing the symptoms of depression. (Liverant, et al. 2011) Interpersonal skills are taught so clients can learn to interact with others in more positive ways. c. Motivation for Change Motivation for change in both Symbolic Interaction Theory and Interpersonal Therapy is a return to a positive mood, the ability to enjoy life, and to interact with others in a positive way. Negative, dysfunctional beliefs attained through interaction with others, as demonstrated in Symbolic Interaction Theory, can b e changed by learning person skills to interact more positively with others, thus providing positive response and reducing depression.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism Essay

Abstract The paper presents the life of John Stuart Mill through his biography. A glimpse on his exceptional life as a child was also included in his biography. Likewise, his major contributions as a philosopher and economist were also discussed. Since John Stuart Mill was a proponent of utilitarianism, the paper focuses its discussion on Mill and utilitarianism. The views of John Stuart Mill on utilitarianism and how it differs from Bentham’s views were given much attention in the paper. The history of utilitarianism was also presented to show how utilitarianism evolved. The confusions of many people, regarding who the real founder of utilitarianism, was clarified through the history of utilitarianism. Introduction John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), is a British philosopher-economist, who is the son of James Mill. He is one of the best 19th century thinkers. In economics, he was influenced by the theories of Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Thomas Robert Malthus, and his Principles of Political Economy is a little more than a restatement of their ideas. He had a great impact on 19th century British thought, not only in philosophy and economics but also in the areas of political science, logic, and ethics. He was a proponent of utilitarianism. He systematized the utilitarian doctrines of his father and Jeremy Bentham in such works as Utilitarianism (1863), basing knowledge upon human experience and emphasizing human reason. In political economy, Mill advocated those policies that he believed most consistent with individual liberty, and he emphasized that liberty could be threatened as much by social as by political tyranny. He is probably most famous for his essay â€Å"On Liberty† (1859). He studied pre-Marxian socialist doctrine, and, although he did not become a socialist, he worked actively for improvement of the conditions of the working people. Utilitarianism is a philosophy which has been around for centuries, and is still active and popular in the modern world. It is important not only in philosophy itself, but in disciplines such as economics, political science, and decision theory. To some people, Utilitarianism seems to be the only ethical philosophy which is obviously correct. To others, it seems to be quite misconceived, even reprehensible. Biography of John Stuart Mill. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was a British philosopher, economist, moral and political theorist, and administrator. He was the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century. His views are of continuing significance, and are generally recognized to be among the deepest and certainly the most effective defenses of empiricism and of a liberal political view of society and culture. The overall aim of his philosophy is to develop a positive view of the universe and the place of humans in it, one which contributes to the progress of human knowledge, individual freedom and human well-being. John Stuart Mill was born on May 20, 1806 in Pentonville, London. He was the eldest son of James Mill, a Scottish philosopher and historian who had come to London and become a leading figure in the group of philosophical radicals which aimed to further the utilitarian philosophy of Jeremy Bentham. His mother was Harriet Barrow, who seems to have had very little influence upon him. Mill was educated by his father, with the advice and assistance of Jeremy Bentham and Francis Place. He was given an extremely rigorous upbringing, and was deliberately shielded from association with children of his own age other than his siblings. His father, a follower of Bentham and an adherent of associationism, had as his explicit aim to create a genius intellect that would carry on the cause of utilitarianism and its implementation after he and Bentham were dead. John Stuart Mill as a child was exceptional. At the age of three he was taught the Greek alphabet and long lists of Greek words with their English equivalents. By the age of eight he had read Aesop’s Fables, Xenophon’s Anabasis, and the whole of Herodotus, and was acquainted with Lucian, Diogenes Laertius, Isocrates and six dialogues of Plato. He had also read a great deal of history in English and had been taught arithmetic. At fifteen, John Stuart Mill undertook the study of Bentham’s various fragments on the theory of legal evidence. These had an inspiring influence on him, fixing in him his life-long goal of reforming the world in the interest of human well-being. At the age of seventeen, he had completed advanced and thorough courses of study in Greek literature and philosophy, chemistry, botany, psychology, and law. In 1822 Mill began to work as a clerk for his father in the examiner’s office of the India House. In 1823, he co-founded the Westminster Review with Jeremy Bentham as a journal for philosophical radicals. This intensive study however had injurious effects on Mill’s mental health, and state of mind. At the age of twenty-one, he suffered a nervous breakdown. This was caused by the great physical and mental arduousness of his studies which had suppressed any feelings or spirituality he might have developed normally in childhood. Nevertheless, this depression eventually began to dissipate, as he began to find solace in the poetry of William Wordsworth. His capacity for emotion resurfaced, Mill remarking that the â€Å"cloud gradually drew off†. In 1851, Mill married Harriet Taylor after 21 years of an at times intense friendship and love affair. Taylor was a significant influence on Mill’s work and ideas during both friendship and marriage. His relationship with Harriet Taylor reinforced Mill’s advocacy of women’s rights. He died in Avignon, France in 1873, and is buried alongside his wife. John Stuart Mill and the Classical School of Thought Classical economics starts with Adam Smith, as a coherent economic theory, continues with the British economists Thomas Robert Malthus and David Ricardo, and culminates in the synthesis of John Stuart Mill, who as a young man was a follower of David Ricardo. Among the classical economists in the three-quarters of a century, although they have differences of opinion between Smith’s Wealth of Nations and Mill’s Principles of Political Economy (1848), the members of the group still agreed on major principles. All believed in private property, free markets, and, in Mill’s words, that â€Å"only through the principle of competition has political economy any pretension to the character of a science. † They shared Smith’s strong suspicion of government and his ardent confidence in the power of self-interest represented by his famous â€Å"invisible hand,† which reconciled public benefit with individual pursuit of private gain. From Ricardo, classicists derived the notion of diminishing returns, which held that as more labor and capital were applied to land, yields after â€Å"a certain and not very advanced stage in the progress of agriculture steadily diminished. † Through Smith’s emphasis on consumption, rather than on production, the scope of economics was considerably broadened. Smith was optimistic about the chances of improving general standards of life. He called attention to the importance of permitting individuals to follow their self-interest as a means of promoting national prosperity. History of Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a fairly old philosophy, and major elements of it are even older. The best known, and most prolific, utilitarian philosophers were Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). In their time, utilitarianism was a significant philosophical movement in Britain, and the utilitarians were some of the leading social reformers of the time. John Stuart Mill, especially, is quite well known today. Many people seem to think, unfortunately, that utilitarianism began with Bentham and ended with Mill. This is quite wrong in two ways. First, Bentham was not the first utilitarian, although he did coin the word â€Å"utilitarianism†. Various pre-Benthamite philosophers were advocating utilitarian positions several decades before Bentham was born. Also, utilitarianism has a lot in common with ancient non-utilitarian philosophers, such as Mo Tzu and Jesus. Both of these people advocated a doctrine of universal love. These doctrines were not precisely stated enough to compare directly with utilitarianism, but they were definitely universalist and egalitarian, and had strong currents of consequentialism, welfarism, and (at least in the case of Mo Tzu) maximization. The second problem with the popular misconception is that there has been a great deal of development in utilitarianism since Mill. Some people are aware, for example, of the later developments of Preference Utilitarianism and Rule Utilitarianism. Mill is still usually regarded as the main resource on Utilitarianism, though. Part of the problem is that he wrote about it comprehensively, and there have been few good comprehensive books about utilitarianism since then. Modern utilitarianism is in many ways far more sophisticated than that of Mill. Most importantly, it has become connected with many developments in areas such as economics, political science, and decision theory. Utilitarianism has always enjoyed an essentially unique position as the only philosophy which applied to all areas of human endeavor in a reasonably straightforward endeavor, and committed to specific positions on how conflict between various interests should be resolved. In Mill’s time, utilitarianism was strongly linked to economics, although the two disciplines subsequently diverged. Today, Preference Utilitarianism as a theory underlies many ideas in the sciences, and has been formalized to a degree that Mill never dreamed of. The idea of utility maximization even has applications entirely outside of philosophy, such as its use in artificial intelligence to represent how a computer could make trade-offs between different goals. Utilitarianism today exists both as a powerful kind of formal reasoning, and as the philosophy which says that such reasoning should define the moral ideal in human affairs. Utilitarianism can even be formally derived from a set of four reasonable seeming axioms, something that no other major philosophy can claim. The modern state of utilitarianism in relation to other philosophies is actually quite unusual. Most philosophies exist in theoretical isolation, based on ideas which have little in common with ideas in other disciplines. Other disciplines, in turn, don’t have much formal contact with them. Most major philosophies have a significant presence in politics and social issues, with people explicitly referring to issues such as rights and equality when debating how society should be organized. Utilitarianism, on the other hand, exists mostly in the background of popular discourse. People who claim to follow other philosophies often make utilitarian arguments when it suits them, and utilitarian arguments are often used by people who wouldn’t claim to follow any specific philosophy at all. Many philosophers make sure to explicitly place their ideas in opposition to utilitarianism, as if it were always lurking in the background ready to pounce on the unsuspecting theory. In part, this may be because utilitarianism is a sort of philosophical hydra, growing a new position for each one that is dismissed. While specific utilitarian ideas are vulnerable to attack, the underlying sentiments have proven amazingly resilient and have evolved to remain entirely current. Throughout the twentieth century, many philosophers confidently predicted that utilitarianism had been devastated, and would soon fall out of favor – only to be disproved when it remained as popular as ever. Utilitarian perspectives have also been quietly adopted in domains ranging from economics, political science, and decision theory to cognitive science and artificial intelligence. This has given modern utilitarianism a powerful formulation like no other, and a strong applied tradition. The old questions of how to measure utility, and how to maximize it most effectively in practice, have been extensively researched outside of philosophy. The result of this is that while other philosophies often talk in general terms of how they should be applied, and have problems in resolving conflicts between various principles, utilitarianism is at the cutting edge of rigorously applicable principles. Which is still, it should be mentioned, far from perfect. John Stuart Mill on Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is the most influential moral philosophy in the last two centuries. Jeremy Bentham is the acknowledged founder of utilitarianism. He admitted however that he took over the principle of utility from David Hume. By stating categorically that there is an ultimate good – a summum bonum, John Stuart Mill, the most famous utilitarian, laid the foundation of his moral philosophy. According to Mill, all moral actions should be aimed at attaining this good. Mill insists that this good is happiness. According to the Greatest Happiness Principle, †¦ the ultimate end, with reference to and for the sake of which all other things are desirable – whether we are considering our own good or that of other people – is an existence exempt as far as possible from pain, and as rich as possible in enjoyments, both in point of quantity and quality†¦ ( Boyce, p. 36) Mill states his teological position by insisting that the rightness of an action is determined by the actual consequences. It cannot be done by simply examining the nature of the act alone. The real value of our actions depends on whether it promotes the good or not. The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals Utility or Greatest Happiness Principle holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness. Wrong, as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain, by unhappiness, pain and the privation of pleasure. (Boyce, p. 36) Mill differs radically from Bentham on two important points. He is vehemently against the purely quantitative treatment of the principle of utility. According to Mill, we have to admit that some pleasures are intrinsically superior to others. He disdainfully said: It is better to be a human being dissatisfied, than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, is of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question. The other party to the comparison knows both sides. (Solomon, p. 310 ) To confirm his point, Mill cites Epicurus (341-270 B. C. ) who also espoused the view that while the good life is the life of pleasure, he does not mean only bodily and sensual pleasure alone. These are higher forms like intellectual and spiritual pleasure. According to both philosophers some pleasures are intrinsically superior to others. When there are some issues that arise about the criterion for judging the quality of pleasure. Mill argues that: If I am asked what I mean by difference of quality of pleasures, or what makes one pleasure more valuable than another, merely as a pleasure, except its being greater in amount, there is but one possible answer. Of two pleasures if there is be one to which all or almost all who have experience of both give a decided preference, irrespective of a feeling of moral obligation to prefer it, that is the more desirable pleasure. If one of the two is, by those who are competently acquainted with both, placed so far above the other that they prefer it, even though knowing it to be attended with a greater amount of discontent, and would not resign it for any quantity of the other pleasure which their name is capable of, we are justified in ascribing to the preferred enjoyment a superiority in quality so far outweighing quantity as to render it, in comparison of small account. (Solomon, pp. 297-298). The example given by Mill is Socrates who is acquainted with both bodily pleasure and intellectual pleasure. If you ask which pleasure is more desirable, obviously, according to Mill, Socrates will choose intellectual pleasure. So the criterion for judging which pleasure is better than another must be made by a judge who has experienced both kinds of pleasures. Indeed, Mill is calling for an inter-subjective consensus of people who experienced both types of pleasure. The introduction of quality of pleasure added undue complication to Bentham’s quantitative calculus. The higher pleasure consists of the more intellectual, artistic and even spiritual, like reading poetry, speculating about the nature or the cosmos, enjoying of music and the visual arts etc. as opposed to the more sensual and physical, like eating good food, indulging in sex and other physical stimulation. It must be mentioned though, that Mill is not excluding the lower pleasure from consideration. But obviously, he personally prefers the higher pleasures. Remember that it is the pig that provides the model for lower pleasure; in contrast, it is Socrates who exemplifies the quest for higher pleasures. Mill’s proof on the soundness of the principle of utility: The only proof capable of being given that an object is visible is that people actually see it. The only proof that a sound is audible is that people actually hear it; and so the other sources of our experience. In like manner, I apprehend, the sole evidence is it possible to produce that anything is desirable that people do actually desire it†¦ no reason can be given why the general happiness is desirable, except that each person, so far as he believes it to be attainable, desire his own happiness. (Solomon, p. 319 ). This proof has been the subject of debate among utlilitarian scholars. According to Solomon, the most generous interpretation of Mill’s proof are the following: one’s own happiness or pleasure is the only thing desired by each person; the general happiness or the happiness of all is the only thing desired for itself by all; the only test of something being desirable is its being desired; the general happiness is the only thing desired in itself; and lastly, the only test of the rightness or wrongness of actions is their tendency to promote the general happiness (the greatest happiness for the greatest number). Summary and Conclusion John Stuart Mill, being a philosopher and an economist had a great impact in the 19th century british thought not only in the field of philosophy and economics but also in other areas of political science, logic, and ethics. His exceptional childhood because of his father’s rigorous training had injurious effects on his mental health, and state of mind. Nevertheless, his father was able to create a genius in him that would carry on the cause of utilitarianism and its implementation after the death of his father and Bentham. One of the important works of John Stuart Mill was Utilitarianism, which argues for the philosophy of Utilitarianism. This philosophy was primarily formed by Jeremy Bentham, but Mill’s father James Mill was also a proponent. Utilitarianism holds that actions are good in proportion to the amount of happiness produced and number of people happiness is produced in. Mill’s main innovation to Utilitarianism is the idea of a hierarchy of pleasures. Bentham had treated all forms of happiness as equal, whereas Mill argued that intellectual and moral pleasures and developments were superior to more physical forms of pleasure. His views are of continuing significance, and are recognized to be among the deepest and certainly the most effective defenses of empiricism and of a liberal political view of society and culture. The overall aim of his philosophy is to develop a positive view of the universe and the place of humans in it, one which contributes to the progress of human knowledge, individual freedom and human well-being. His views are not entirely original, having their roots in the British empiricism of John Locke, George Berkeley and David Hume, and in the utilitarianism of Jeremy Bentham. But he gave them a new depth, and his formulations were sufficiently articulate to gain for them a continuing influence among a broad public. References: ACUNA, A. E. 2001. Philosophical Analysis. 5th Edition. U. P. Department of Philosophy. Diliman, Quezon City. Autobiography by John Stuart Mill. http://www. utilitarianism. com/jsmill. htm. BOYCE, W. D. 1978. Moral Reasoning. University of Nebraska Press. London. MONTGOMERIE, I. 2000. A Utilitarian FAQ. http://www. ianmontgomerie. com /manifesto/utilitarian. SOLOMON, R. C. Morality and the Good Life. 1984. McGraw-Hill Book Company. New York. Webster’s Family Encyclopedia. 1999. Vol. 6. Archer Worldwide Inc. Great Neck, New York, U. S. A.