Thursday, August 22, 2019
Psychoanalytic Perspectives of the Oedipus Mythology Essay Example for Free
Psychoanalytic Perspectives of the Oedipus Mythology Essay Patricide and incest form the thesis and message that Sophocles began with the creation of Oedipus the King. In the plays that followed, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone, Sophocles expounded upon what would become one of the most profound archetypes in psychoanalysis. To best interpret the Oedipus trilogy, a look will be taken into the construction of the plays themselves, followed by an interpretation of the plays’ parallels and the inception of the Oedipus Complex based upon a psychoanalytic perspective. To begin with, Sophocles wrote what became known as the Oedipus trilogy over a period of more than forty years which indicates the profound immersion that he plainly had in the Oedipus saga. Each play is a self-contained chronicle representing his dramatic theme of redemption from the sin of patricide and incest, and yet, the arch between the three Theban plays highlights the message that Sophocles refused to relieve himself from, and which consumed nearly his entire life. While this may seem of little importance to reading the Oedipus trilogy itself, Sophocles did not write them in the order represented in nearly every anthology. As David Grene notes, â€Å"as far as the legend is concerned, the story runs in sequence: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone†(p. i). Their order of conception, instead, went: Antigone, Oedipus the King, and then Oedipus at Colonus (p. i), which presents a few inaccuracies within the story itself (mainly with the character and actions of Creon, Jocasta’s brother). From this birth order, â€Å"the series, therefore, cannot have formed a [true or literal] trilogy†¦beyond the fact that each of the three plays deals with the situation in the Oedipodean family history, there is no unity of theme or treatment between them†(Watling). Moreover, â€Å"except for the obvious links of fact connecting them, each constitutes a fresh approach to a distinct and self-contained problem†(13). Roughly, this means that while most anthologies present the three Theban plays in a chronological order for the character Oedipus, the fact remains that each could be read without knowledge of the others and the same theme and message would be receivedâ€â€which, based upon Sophocles’ life-long obsession with the story, must have been his justification for the story that kept evolving. The reasoning behind the order and placement of the plays within anthologies is sound, however, because, while the stories may be self-contained, the arch of Oedipus is the link that literally turns the plays into a trilogy. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus, as prophecy had predicted, kills his father, King Laius, and marries his mother, Queen Jocasta, bearing at least four children in the process who, in the play Antigone, are revealed as Antigone, Ismene, Eteocles, and Polyneices. After learning of his horrible actions, Oedipus exiles himself as he had proclaimed would be the fate of the brute capable of murdering King Laius, and subsequently blinds himself in the hopes of finding redemption for his unforgivable sins. While Oedipus at Colonus is the second play in the anthologies, it is the literal ending for Oedipus. He is taken to the city of Colonus by his loving daughters, Antigone and Ismene, because, as he had learned from the oracle in Oedipus the King, he was meant to find his final resting place there. Moments before his end, Oedipus realizes that his sins of patricide and incest weren’t truly sinful because he committed the acts out of ignorance alone, and it is in this moment, and despite everything he has faced in his quest for redemption that Zeus absolves Oedipus of his sins and he passes, with peace, into the afterlife. In Antigone, Oedipus is little more than a plot reference to get the play started. His only mention is in the opening lines and is that, following his self-imposed exile from the city of Thebes in Oedipus the King, Oedipus had made a prediction that his sons would be arrogant enough to fight over his throne and kill each other. Thus the play begins with the deaths of Eteocles and Polyneices. The play itself follows the actions of Antigone and her husband Creon, who is the cause for much speculation from most scholars due to his not-so advanced age. As the timeline goes, Creon is Jocasta’s brother and would have been Oedipus’ senior by many years or, at the very least, would have been as old as Oedipus himself. As Antigone is Oedipus’ daughter, and Creon is said to be â€Å"a vigorous middle-aged father of a youthful son†(Watling, 13), scholars debate as to the accuracy of Sophocles’ character creation and question as to his motives in retelling the story in as many forms as he did, with an outstanding flaw. Creon’s deviation notwithstanding, it is the minor and insignificant role of Oedipus in the play Antigone that marks the main reason that most anthologies place Antigone last in the order of the Oedipus mythology, even though the timeline would, as Sophocles thought in writing them, place Oedipus at Colonus last, due to the play’s depiction of the last days of Oedipus’ life. This, in itself, is significant in understanding the psychological aspects of the Oedipus trilogy. Now, while readers will never know the true meaning behind the order of the Oedipus mythology, the fact remains that Sophocles wrote within an archetype and character arch with the intentions of presenting his dramatic themeâ€â€and it took three tries to get it out as he desired. What he created, however, demonstrates a truth about the self-discovery of the individual and the path to redemption that marks a significant aspect of the growth of the human being. To best define this journey, a psychoanalytic perspective will now be taken into Sophocles’ main theme and message. From an analysis of his work, Sophocles â€Å"shares [a] concern with finding truth in a world of appearances and is influenced, even if indirectly, by the new theories about language: the problem of the relation of words to reality, and the power of words to deceive, to win unjust causes, and to confuse moral issues†(Segal, 7). More, the plays are â€Å"almost certainly a response to events of [his] period. An unexpected, supernatural-seeming disaster suddenly sweeps away brilliant hopes; confidence in human reason and calculation is shattered, and greatness swiftly turns into misery†(9). Sophocles saw the rise and fall of powerful nations, and it makes sense that he would take what he had seen and created his rendition of events that had transpired in a literary form that he could show the world. And it is from this basis that scholars have debated over the purpose and parallels behind the two main cities present within the plays of Sophocles. Often, the city of Athens is compared to a man’s relationship with himself, whereas the city of Thebes represents the conflict between man and his father. Indeed, â€Å"the figure of Oedipus [is] a distillation of Athens at the height of its power, energy, daring, intellectual curiosity, and confidence in human reason†(Segal, 11). As the historical context of the city of Athens was surely an influence in Sophocles’ making of the Oedipus trilogy, a direct parallel from the destruction of Athens to the destruction of Oedipus the powerful leader can be drawn. More, â€Å"it is even possible that Oedipus’ search for who he really is reflects something of a communal identity crisis in a city that had undergone a massive transformation in a short time and had refashioned itself from a rather quiet, traditional aristocracy and tyranny in the sixth century into a radical, intellectualized democracy and a powerful empire†(Segal, 11). This parallel, of Oedipus to the grand city of Athens, does much to lend weight to Sophocles’ theme of destiny and the gods marking a path for man. For, as Athens rose in power, so too, it fell because it committed sins and transgressions to great to find redemption from along the way. As for the city of Thebes, there lies a direct correlation to Sigmund Freud’s theory of conflict between man and his father which represents a direct parallel to Oedipus’ exile from the city of his king-making. Freud suggested that â€Å"the play fascinates us so much†¦not because it dramatizes ‘the contrast between destiny and human will,’ but because ‘there must be something which makes a voice within us ready to recognize the compelling force of destiny’†(Segal, 59). From this theory, Freud defined that the â€Å"‘destiny’ is the universal necessity to which all of us (or at least all males) are subjectâ€â€namely, the wishes that remain from our buried animal nature to kill the father and possess the mother†(59). And it is this destiny upon which Sophocles created his foundation and archetype. As a basis for his theory, Freud determined that the oracle was a direct parallel to the subconscious mind, citing that â€Å"this disguising of Oedipus’ unconscious desires in the form of an oracle from the gods not only lets the unconscious become visible but also accounts for the feeling of guilt that we have about these unconscious desires, even though we are not guilty of any crime†(Segal 59-60). Even more, Freud speculated that â€Å"Oedipus’ eagerness to punish himself, with no attempt at self-defense, corresponds to the inner conviction of guilt that stems from these unconscious desires†(60). Because Oedipus immediately set out to punish himself and find redemption for his actions, despite the fact that he did them in ignorance, then, suggests that in his subconscious, Oedipus did indeed have desires to kill his father and physically and sexually possess his mother. For, as Freud theorized, in his actions following his revelation, Oedipus confessed his own guilt. If, perhaps, Oedipus had sought to defend himself on the basis that he didn’t know his father and certainly had no affections for his mother, having grown up the adoptive son of another, the theme may then have been interpreted differently. However, as Freud was so certain, there is much to be said about the actions of Oedipus in correlation to the guilt he felt. The subconscious mind had a profound impact on Oedipus, even though he knew nothing of the birth parents he was prophesized to destroy. For Freud, the archetypal constructs of the Oedipus mythology was so absolute that he dubbed it the â€Å"‘Oedipus Complex’†¦[which] denotes each person’s attitudes and behavior in his or her most intimate family relationships, especially to mother and father†¦[and, to mature into a normal adult, the child] must somehow come to terms with the residue of repressed infantile hatred and desire for his or her parents†(Segal, 60). The Oedipus Complex, in modern psychology, is applied to the study of actions in relation to the subconscious desires that exist in every child. Even more, Freud’s theory has become common in the vernacular of psychology to the extent that scholars use the term, perhaps, without even grasping the full meaning behind the cleverly, yet aptly, named psychosis. The Oedipus Complex is based upon two main ideals: that of the matriarchal relationship to the child and the patriarchal relationship. The two are separated by this relationship and define the growth and development of the child. Moreover, â€Å"matriarchal culture is characterized by the emphasis on ties of blood, ties to the soil and the passive acceptance of all natural phenomena†¦[while a] patriarchal society in contrast is characterized by respect for man-made law, by the predominance of rational thought and by the effort to change natural phenomena by man†(Armens, viii). To better define the difference, â€Å"in the matriarchal concept all men are equal since they are all the children of mothers and each one a child of Mother Earth. A mother loves her children all alike and without (limiting) conditions†¦the aim of life is the happiness of man and there is nothing more important or dignified than human existence and life†(viii). In this, to draw a parallel back to Oedipus, the child has (whether he realizes or understands it) a desire to be with the woman who created him because of her earth-mother nature. The desire of every man is to be with a woman who understands everything and will love unconditionallyâ€â€and that figure, from the start of life, happens to be the mother. However, â€Å"the patriarchal system, on the other hand, recognizes obedience to authority as its main virtue. The principle of equality is replaced by a hierarchical order in society and state, ruled by an authority just as the family is dominated by the father†(Armens, viii). It is because of this very concept that boys contain within them (whether known to the conscious mind or not) the desire to overthrow their father and become the leader of the hierarchy. More, men, by their very nature, contain the desire to become like their fathers, to achieve the power that they may possess, to be the biggest, strongest, fastest titan in the industry. With a full understanding of the Oedipus Complex, a final parallel can be drawn to the path of self-discovery that Oedipus’ entire life is consumed with. As Sophocles had directed, Oedipus â€Å"dramatizes the lonely path of self-discovery†(Segal, 13). And it is in this path that the true nature of Oedipus is revealed. For, the path that he must take is a perilous expedition, not only through the ascent of age, but in the self discovery that every man must achieve to live a fulfilling and successful life. However, it is on this path that Oedipus also meets the very destiny that his parents had hoped to terminate with their preemptive strike. In this, Oedipus is the â€Å"paradoxical combination of knowledge, power, and weakness†(13). He is strong as a king and husband, yet, when he learns the truth of his actions, he crumbles into a despair so deep that it consumes his entire lifeâ€â€and it isn’t a short one. Unequivocally, Sophocles began his thesis with the creation of Oedipus the King and introduced what would become one of the most profound archetypes in psychoanalysis. Throughout the trilogy, the archetypes that Sophocles presents â€Å"[become] a profound meditation on the questions of guilt and responsibility, the order (or disorder) of our world, and the nature of man†(Segal, 12). More, â€Å"the play stands with the Book of Job, Hamlet, and King Lear as one of Western literature’s most searching examinations of the problem of suffering†(12). In looking at the events that transpired throughout the three Theban plays, Sophocles’ main theme that, in any life, destiny and fate will create a man’s destiny; more, the gods have the divine right to tamper with a man’s destiny in the hopes that he will, one day, find redemption from his sins, is rendered by the Oedipus arch throughout the plays. Overall, the three Theban plays, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone, form the trilogy that founded the most profound archetype in literature and psychoanalysis. Sophocles created the character of Oedipus to highlight his theme of self-discovery and the path to redemption, making it clear that Oedipus, despite his ignorance, would repent until his final moments for his unforgivable sins. However, it is in those final moments that Oedipus finds true absolution and redemption for the subconscious guilt that placed the fantasy of patricide and incest into his desires. And, based upon a psychoanalytic perspective, the theory behind the Oedipus Complex renders the message and main theme of Sophocles’ Oedipus mythology. Works Cited. Armens, Sven. Archetypes of the Family in Literature. Seattle: University of Washington, 1966. Grene, David and Richmond Lattimore, Trns. The Complete Greek Tragedies, Vol II, Sophocles. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1959. Segal, Charles. Oedipus Tyrannus: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993. Watling, E. F. , Trns. The Theban Plays. Maryland: Penguin Books, 1947.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
“Faerie Queen Book II†& “In Cold Blood’s†Perception of Morality Essay Example for Free
â€Å"Faerie Queen Book II†â€Å"In Cold Blood’s†Perception of Morality Essay Morality has come to be a term to serve a relative purpose. Relative in the sense that the appreciation of the term morality has more often than not depended on the circumstances and what people may view or perceive to be moral. The two literary works subject of this paper are: Faerie Queen Book II by Edmund Spenser and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. It is worth noting that these two literary works are of different nature and subject. Still like all literary works and like all things that include human actions and involve human events. The object of morality though not emphatically stressed is being presented. The object of morality although not the main subject in any literary work can be examined. Through the series of acts that transpire throughout the story and the manner in which the author has decided to present them. The two literary works subject of this paper are independent of each other. One is contemporary while the other is a story from older times. A lot of differences can be gleaned upon careful examination of these two literary works. The most important difference however that this paper will seek to address is their difference in their presentation of morality and the kind of morality presented. In The â€Å"Faerie Queen Book II†the object and presentation of morality deals more with morality in the form of a quest. It presents morality involved in one’s quest he takes in life. Particularly on how one can rise above the occasion or on how one is able to succeed. The object of morality in the â€Å"Faerie Queen Book II†is more evident in the decision making of its protagonists. The literary work â€Å"In Cold Blood†has a different object and method of presentation of morality. In this literary work the main object of morality is the sanctity and value of life and the consequences of taking life away from someone. To be more specific it deals with morality in a setting where a crime of murder has been committed. This paper will proceed to compare the object and presentation of morality for both literary works. Through such comparison this paper will be able to discuss the representation of morality in both literary works. Representation of Morality will always be an integral part of any literary work (Thesis Statement). Faerie Queen Book II This literary masterpiece focuses on Book II of a series of VI books written by Edmund Spenser. Book II deals mostly on the quests and adventures of one of the main protagonists Guyon and the side stories of different characters like Arthur. This paper will not proceed to summarize the said book. Instead the parts where morality has been represented will be highlighted. This is in keeping with the very purpose of this paper. There are several verses in which the presentation of morality can be gleaned:            â€Å"But if that careless hevens,†(quoth she) â€Å"despise            The doome of just revenge, and take delight            To see sad pageaunts of mens miseries,            As bownd by them to live in lives despight;            Yet can they not warne death from wretched right.            Come, then; come soone; come sweetest death, to me,            And take away this long lent loathed light:            Sharpe be thy wounds, but sweete the medicines be,            That long captivated soules from weary thraldome free.            (Page 267, The Faerie Queene Book II, Edmund Spenser) The verse as cited above depicts the kind of representation of morality the â€Å"Faerie Queen Book II†shows us. As earlier contended the morality in this book is presented through the decisions made by the characters in such book. Here we can clearly see the casual surrender of one’s fate. A decision to surrender one’s fate represents the kind of morality this book wants to come across. Morality is represented through this decision making in which one surrenders to death. This representation of morality may not be acceptable to us since surrendering to death has never been moral. Still, the book tries to justify the same through showing us the difficult circumstances such character is in. The concept of virtue in this book is surrendered to the heavens. Morality in this book was not clearly defined or presented. It does not provide whether one act prove to be moral or not. It allows the decision of morality be adjudged by its readers. Throughout the book which follows the quest of Guyon and other characters like Arthur. The representation of morality is made through their acts, decisions and emotions on the events that transpire in their journey. Morality here is presented through stimulating the audience or readers leaving them to decide whether one act was moral or not. In Cold Blood â€Å"In Cold Blood†is a story of murder committed by Dick and Perry and their eventual attempt to escape justice through leaving. The morality presented in this literary work is one of more serious tone. The morality, as presented in this book is the sanctity of human life and the consequences one must take when they decide to take away life or in more common terms: commit murder. Murder for a long time is a concept that can easily be considered as an immoral act and it is indeed an immoral act. Unlike â€Å"Faerie Queen Book II†In cold blood is more factual in tone. The manner of its presentation is through a series of events that transpired. It is the more common contemporary type of story telling. The presentation of morality has been embedded in the way the story was told. Unlike the â€Å"Faerie Queen Book II†what is moral and what is not moral is more clearly depicted in this story. If in the â€Å"Faerie Queen Book II†morality was vague and one left to be adjudged by the readers. The contrary applies to the literary work â€Å"In Cold Blood†. The latter book specifically provides that a murder was committed and that it was immoral, it was wrong and it was a crime punishable by law. Clear indications were made as to the presentation of morality. This can be clearly seen through the statements made in the book: Feeling wouldnt run half so high if this had happened to anyone except the Clutters. Anyone less admired. Prosperous. Secure. But that family represented everything people hereabouts really value and respect, and that such a thing could happen to them well, its like being told there is no God. It makes life seem pointless. I dont think people are so much frightened as they are deeply depressed.†(In Cold Blood, Truman Capote) As clearly gleaned from the words of the book cited above a more definite and specific feeling of morality is expressed in this book. The representation of morality is much more obvious and emphasized that that of the â€Å"Faerie Queen Book II†. The morality in taking away life was not only for the murder. There was also an instance where the morality of taking the life of the murderers was mentioned: â€Å"Dewey had watched them die, for he had been among the twenty-odd witnesses invited to the ceremony. He had never attended an execution, and when on the midnight past he entered the cold warehouse, the scenery had surprised him: he had anticipated a setting of suitable dignity, not this bleakly lighted cavern cluttered with lumber and other debris. But the gallows itself, with its two pale nooses attached to a crossbeam, was imposing enough; and so, in an unexpected style, was the hangman, who cast a long shadow from his perch on the platform at the top of the wooden instruments thirteen steps.†(In Cold Blood, Truman Capote) Though the morality of taking the lives of the murderers was evident not even a place of suitable dignity was presented. Clearly defining what is moral and what is not. Conclusion In conclusion, in any literary work a sense of representation of morality is and will always be deemed written. The representation of morality may differ through it object and representation. Still as long as human acts are involved, as long as we deal with the event of one person’s life, morality will always be an object of any literary work. To date presentation of morality is relative for every literary work. Still, though seemingly impossible. A day may come when the relativity of the presentation of morality will be erased and a basic standard of morality just for everyone can be shared by all. Works Cited Spenser’s Faerie Queene Book II, Edited by Thomas J, Wise, Pictured by Walter Crane In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Information Systems, Not Computer Science
Information Systems, Not Computer Science The largest growth in most economies is coming from information industries. The success of such knowledge-based organisations lies in their information systems. Also, forced by technological change and globalisation of markets, many manufacturing industries are also placing increasing emphasis upon information systems. Information systems are more than just computer programs. Though information and communications technologies are playing an increasing role in meeting organisations information needs, an information system is a much more general concept. It refers to the wider systems of people, data and activities, both computer-based and manual, that effectively gather, process, store and disseminate organisations information 2.0 Information Systems not Computer Science Information systems, as a discipline, focuses on exploring the interface between management, information science and computer science. Computer Science focuses on information technology: software. Information Systems mediates the two opposing worlds of human activity systems and information technology 3.0 Information Systems and the Modern Organization 3.1 Outline Competitive Advantage and Strategic Information Systems Evolution of Information Systems Classification of Information Systems The Modern Computing Environment Managing Information Resources 3.2 Learning Objectives Describe Porters competitive forces model. Discuss strategies that companies can use to achieve competitive advantage in their industries. Describe strategic information system (SISs) and how information technology helps companies improve their competitive positions. Describe various information systems and their evolution. Learn major Information System classification schemes. Describe the emerging computing environments. Describe how information resources are managed and the roles of the information systems department and the end users 4.0 Competitive advantage and SIS Competitive Advantage: An advantage over competitors in some measure such as cost, quality, or speed, which leads to control of a market and to larger than average profits. 4.1 Competitive forces model A business framework, devised by Michael Porter, for analyzing competitiveness by looking at five major forces that might alter a firms competitive standing. 4.2 Porters five forces Model 4.3 Strategies for Competitive Advantage Cost Leadership. Produce products and/or services at the lowest cost in the industry. Differentiation. Offer different products, services or product features. Customer orientation. Concentrate on making customers happy so that they remain loyal. New markets. Discover new markets either as a means of expansion and growth, or with the goal of capturing market niches. Innovation. Introduce new products and services, add new features to existing products and services or develop new ways to produce them. Operational Effectiveness. Improve the manner in which internal business processes are executed so that a firm performs similar activities better than its rivals. Discussion: Which of these strategies can be enhanced by the use of IS/IT, and how? 4.4 Strategic Information Systems (SISs) Systems that help an organization gain a competitive advantage through their contribution to the strategic goals of an organization and / or their ability to significantly increase performance and productivity. 4.5 IS Related Organizational Responses Strategic Systems may provide advantages that enable organizations to increase market share and/or profits, to better negotiate with suppliers, or prevent competitors from entering their markets. Customer Focus is the idea of attracting and keeping customers by providing superb customer service. Can be enhanced by use of IS/IT. Made-to-Order. is a strategy of producing customized products and services. Mass Customization is producing a large quantity of items, but customizing them to fit the desire of each customer. E business and Ecommerce. Is the strategy of doing business electronically. Discussion: Which Information Systems would be strategic for: An university An online book store A car manufacturer? 5.0 Evolution of Information Systems The first business application of computers (in the mid1950s) performed repetitive, high volume, transaction computing tasks. The computers crunched numbers summarizing and organizing transactions and data in the accounting, finance, and human resources areas. Such systems are generally called transaction processing systems (TPSs). Management Information Systems (MISs): these systems access, organize, summarize and display information for supporting routine decision making in the functional areas. Office Automation Systems (OASs): such as word processing systems were developed to support office and clerical workers. Decision Support Systems: were developed to provide computer based support for complex, or no routine decision making. End-user computing: The use or development of information systems by the principal users of the systems outputs, such as analysts, managers, and other professionals. Knowledge Management Systems: support creating, gathering, organizing, integrating and disseminating of an organization knowledge. Data Warehousing: A data warehouse is a database designed to support DSS, ESS and other analytical and end-user activities. Intelligent Support System (ISSs): Include expert systems which provide the stored knowledge of experts to non experts, and a new type of intelligent systems with machine learning capabilities that can learn from historical cases. Mobile Computing: Information systems that support employees who are working with customers or business partners outside the physical boundaries of their companies; can be done over wire line or wireless networks. 6.0 Classification of Information Systems The two most common classifications are: Classification by breath of support Classification by organizational level. 6.1 Classification by Breath of Support Typical information systems that follow the hierarchical organization structure are functional (departmental), enterprisewide and interorganizational Functional information systems are organized around the traditional departments. Enterprise information systems serve several departments or the entire enterprise. Inter organizational systems connect two or more organizations. An organizations supply chain describe the flow of materials, information, money, and service from raw material suppliers through factories and warehouses to the end customers. IT provides two major types of software solution for managing supply chain activities: Enterprise Resource Planning ( ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM) 6.2 Departmental, corporate, and inter organizational IS 6.3 IT outside your organization 6.3 Classification by Organization Levels The typical enterprise is organized hierarchically, from the clerical and office worker layer, to the operational layer, the managerial layer, the knowledge worker layer and finally the strategic layer. 6.4 Levels in an Organization 6.5 The Clerical Level Clerical workers constitute a large class of employees who support managers at all levels of the company. Among clerical workers, those who use, manipulate, or disseminate information are referred to as data workers. These employees include bookkeepers, secretaries who work with word processors, electronic file clerks, and insurance claim processors. 6.6 The Operational Level Operational or first line managers deal with the day to day operations of the organization, making routine decisions, which deal in general with activities such as short-term planning, organizing, and control 6.7 The Knowledge Work Level They act as advisors and assistants to both top and middle management and are often subject area experts. Many of these professional workers are classified as knowledge workers, people who create information and knowledge as part of their work and integrate it into the business. 6.8 The Strategic Level Top-level or strategic managers (the executives) make decisions that deal with situations that may significantly change the manner in which business is done. 7.0 The Modern Computing Environment Computing Environment: The way in which an organizations information technologies (hardware, software, and communications technology) are organized and integrated for optimal efficiency and effectiveness. Legacy system: Older systems, typically those that process an organizations high volume transactions that are central to the operations of a business. 8.0 Managing Information Resources Information resources includes hardware, software, data, networks, applications etc. Management includes acquisition, introduction, support. Traditionally, department (ISD IS department) owns, manages and controls all resources End-user computing: employees use computers, write applications, manage data etc. Leads to fragmented management and need for cooperation between ISD and users Who is responsible for which resources? Includes financial responsibilities (contracts between users and ISD IT controlling) Discussion: What are the possible problems associated with: Complete control at ISD, and Complete control for end-users? Which factors in a company would lead to which outcome Chief Information Officer (CIO): sometimes member of top management, nowadays no longer technical, but strategic function IT Governance: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the leadership and organisational structures and processes that ensure that the organisations IT sustains and extends the organisations strategies and objectives. Framework for IT Governance: COBIT Control Objectives for IT and related Technologies Mandated for Turkish banks in 2006 Domains: Plan and Organize, Acquire and Implement, Deliver and Support, Monitor and Evaluate COBIT 9.0 The information system strategies implementation in UK companies 9.1 Strategic process formality Business strategy relationship % companies The ISS is a formal documented part of the business strategy 47.5 There is no formal documentation, but the ISS is related to specific strategic aims 41.8 The ISS is a departmental function, rather than a corporate function 6.4 The ISS is not seen as related to the business strategy 0.0 9.2 Success of strategies 9.4 Conclusion: Collective intelligence and knowledge management can become effective mechanisms to help avoid the disturbances leading to internal disequilibrium within the organisation. Collective intelligence and knowledge management can remediate the negative effects of the instability of environment. The information and knowledge become raw materials for the intelligent organisation; their management requires simple solutions. Life cycle for products and services is getting shorter; the markets are global, fragmented by the needs and exigencies of the clients. The organisational culture evolves according to the aggregate strategy. The role of knowledge manager is to invest in the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge, leaving the employees to capitalise their personal competence
Monday, August 19, 2019
Society’s Greatest Tragedy Essay -- Warfare
In 415 B.C.E., the Greek playwright Euripides created The Trojan Women, a play that is arguably one of the best studies of the horrific aspects of war ever written. In her analysis of the play, Professor C.A.E. Luschnig maintains, "[Euripides] has made the Trojan War stand for every war†¦ For war is society's great tragedy: victory is an illusion" (8). While the negative elements of war portrayed by Euripides can be found in all wars and even war’s victors must suffer their defeats, there is an even greater tragedy to society than war itself. War is but one result of the inherent evil nature of men and women and that evil nature, not war, is society’s greatest tragedy. The Trojan women of the play were Hecuba, the wife of the late King of Troy; Kassandra, Hecuba's virgin daughter; and Andromache, wife of the slain Hector and mother of Astyanax. Other vanquished women of Troy compose the chorus. The young child Astyanax was also from Troy. He represents the innocent victims of war. Also from Troy at the time of the play was Helen, the daughter of Zeus and Leda. She is central to the play and was the cause of the Trojan War, but was not a Trojan. The Greeks in the play are Talthybios, herald and friend to the commander of the Greek army, Agamemnon. In addition, Melelaos is the brother of Agamemnon and was the husband of Helen before she left Greece to be with Hecuba’s son. Agamemnon does not appear in the play but is central to the story. Gods in the play are Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Athena, the goddess of wisdom and justice. Because the Greeks have offended both gods by their actions, the gods conspire to punish the Greeks. The play focuses on the aftermath of the Trojan War and the time leading up to the departure of th... ... the combatants for each war must be made with historical perspective and will always be debated. It is certain, however, that a war fought to depose a madman bent on the annihilation of a race of people is more justifiable than a war fought to take revenge on a wayward wife and her new homeland. The desire to commit genocide is not the product of war but the result of the evil that reside in every man and woman. That evil is society’s greatest tragedy. War is simply a byproduct of that evil. Works Cited Curriculum Vitae: C.A.E. Luschnig." Letters, Arts & Social Sciences. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. Euripides. The Trojan Women. Trans. Diskin Clay. Newburyport, MA: Focus Classical Library, 2005. Print. Luschnig, C.A.E. "Euripides' "Trojan Women:" All Is Vanity." The Classical World 65.1 (1971): 8-12. Print.
The Age of Enlightenment Essay -- Enlightenment 2014
Science vs the Enlightenment vs Politics This essay argues that the Enlightenment is the most important concept among the three given in the title. The Age of Enlightenment was a period in early modern history when western societies, led by its intellectuals, made a marked shift from religion based authority to one of scientific reason. Prior to this period, the Church and the State were intricately interlinked; and the Enlightenment sought to sever states and politics from religion through the application of rational analysis based on scientific observation and facts. This movement traces its origins to the seventeenth and eighteenth century Europe. Similar undercurrents of progressive thought were seen in the New World as well, most notably from such intellectuals such as Tom Paine and other proponents of American independence (Porter & Teich, 1981). The Enlightenment has had a profound impact on the cultural evolution of Western Europe in particular and the whole of the continent in general. A landmark piece of scholarship that turned the tables in favor of scientific reason...
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Robert Penn Warrens All the Kings Men Essays -- Warren All Kings Me
Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men â€Å"If the human race didn’t remember anything it would be perfectly happy" (44). Thus runs one of the early musings of Jack Burden, the protagonist of Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men. Throughout the story, however, as Jack gradually opens his eyes to the realities of his own nature and his world, he realizes that the human race cannot forget the past and survive. Man must not only remember, but also embrace the past, because it teaches him the truth about himself and enables him to face the future. As he begins to understand the people in his life and their actions, Jack learns that one can rarely make sense of an event until that event has become a part of the past, to be reconstructed and eventually understood in memory. T.S. Eliot expresses this idea in â€Å"The Dry Salvages†: â€Å"We had the experience but missed the meaning, / And approach to the meaning restores the experience / In a different form, beyond any meaning / We can assign to happiness" (194). Only by deliberately recalling the past can one understand the metaphysical and spiritual significance of his experiences. For this reason, Jack cannot make sense of the fateful day of Willie Stark’s murder until â€Å"long after†¦when I had been able to gather the pieces of the puzzle up and put them together to see the pattern" (Warren 407). The pattern of the past reveals the pattern of fallen human nature, thus opening man’s eyes to his own folly and enabling him to grow in wisdom. Man must not only remember his past, but also choose to remember it as it really happenedâ€â€for, to again quote Eliot, â€Å"What might have been is an abstraction" (175). Fantasizing about an abstract, idealized past will never give success i... ...176). History provides a moral and spiritual point of reference for each new epoch. In All the King’s Men, Jack Burden the historian discovers that the past, honestly considered, does not deceive, nor do its vivid object lessons lead men astray. As Jack replays in his memory the actions of the characters (including himself) in the drama of his life, he grows to understand the roles played by those characters in his spiritual development, and to love them for their true nature. By contemplating the past in this manner, Jack builds out of truth and time a foundation that will raise him to stand strong in an uncertain future. Works Cited Eliot, T. S. Collected Poems 1909-1962. Harcourt: New York, 1963. Warren, Robert Penn. All the King's Men. New York: Grosset, 1946. Weaver, Richard. Ideas Have Consequences. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1948.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Alcoholism Problem Essay
Alcoholism is a chronic problem that includes difficulty in controlling drinking, having to drink consistently to get physical independence, being preoccupied with alcohol, and continually using alcohol regardless of problems it causes (Brick, 2004). Alcohol should not be legal in U.S. because it is impacts negatively on health, family, community and on a person’s education. Alcohol drinking is like taking a drug. It is a form of drug addiction and drug abuse. Alcoholism is a worldwide problem that affects many people. Drinking alcohol has negative short and long term effects. Alcoholism has been associated with adverse effects on health, family, community, and education (Marshall, 2000). However, the effects on a person depends on particular factors such as how often and how much alcohol is taken, a person’s age, gender, when a person begun drinking and how long they have been drinking, their health, and family history (Begleiter & Kissin, 1996). It is in this regard t hat alcohol should not be legal in the United States. Alcohol is addictive, and people become addicts end up spending a lot of money on alcohol. It means that when they spend all the money they have on alcohol, they forget their families, and are not able to support the community in anyway. Some resort to stealing to sustain their drinking habit. Alcohol addicts sometimes engage in robbery acts to get the money for drinks. Community becomes at risk of destruction with excessive alcohol consumption allowed. When many people engage in excessive consumption of alcohol, education becomes at risk. People drop out of school, and illiteracy level increase in the community. In addition, the progress and development of any community depends on the health of its people. Therefore, when alcohol puts the health of its members at risk, community suffers in the long run. Alcohol affects both female and male differently. Men who consume alcohol, daily have an increased risk of health risks. Such men can experience cancer and heart disease in the long-term and low energy to sexual difficulties in the short-term (Brick, 2004). Men are more likely to suffer from liver cirrhosis, and have higher chances of being diagnosed with high blood pressure. Nearly 26.6% of deaths among men of be tween 16 and 24 years old can be attributed to alcohol consumption. Men tend to be more dependent of alcohol (Marshall, 2000). Drinking too much alcohol damages a person’s body organs such as liver, brain, stomach, heart, and intestines. Brain is adversely affected because the brain cells die leading to loss of memory, learning difficulties, brain disorders, confusion, and problems with attention (Blane & Leonard, 1999). Liver is highly affected because of the great possibility of developing cancer in the liver, throat and mouth. The stomach may also acquire ulcers. Long-term drinking has also been linked to stroke and heart failure. The nervous system can also experience damage leading to behavioral and physical problems (Dasgupta, 2011). These problems affect health, family, community, and education in the long-term because of expenses associated with alcohol consumption, and possible treatment measures. Alcohol poses many effects on the body such as fertility. It reduces levels of testosterone. As a result, it could decline sperm quantity and quality, and lead to loss of libido. Alcohol is toxic to the testicles, and affects hormones. It could hamper production of sperms, hinder them from developing properly, and slow their movement towards the egg. Alcohol can also limit the liver from metabolizing vitamin A properly. It also depresses the nervous system, and could result in difficulty in getting and keeping erection (Peters, 2008). Many young adults do not realize that alcohol has a fattening effect. Alcohol can reduce the amount of fat that the body burns for energy. The human body makes several attempts to eliminate alcohol very fast as it cannot remain in the body for storage. The process takes priority over nutrient absorption and burning of fat. In the long-term, there could be a serious damage in the appearance. Other effects include loss of hair in the body, breast enlargement, and withering of testicles (Dasgupta, 2011). Alcohol has also been associated with worsening of skin disorders such as rosacae. Rosacae skin disorder is responsible for expansion of blood vessels in the face making it redder. Heavy drinking can cause the appearance of pus spots and red bumps. It has also been linked to inflammation, pain and swelling in the joints. The effect is common among men of between 30 and 60 years old (Hannigan, Spear, Spear & Goodlett, 1999). As mentioned earlier, heavy drinking increases the chances of heart disease, liver damage, bone disease, cancer, anxiety and depression, and type II diabetes. Heavy consumption of alcohol also caused inflammation on the pancreas and irritates stomach. These effects indirectly affect family, community and education (Peters, 2008). Women are not safe from alcohol either. The body of women takes much time to process alcohol compared to men. Women feel more effects of alcohol than men even when they drink the same amount. The fertility of women is at risk with heavy consumption of alcohol. Women are high risk of acquiring breast cancer, and adverse impacts of the menopause. Women are advised in several studies to avoid alcohol when trying to have a baby. Alcohol disrupts menstrual cycle in women, and limits their chances of conceiving. These are bad effects on the body, and not good for family and community in general. Therefore, alcohol should not be legal in the United States (Hannigan, Spear, Spear & Goodlett, 1999). While drinking less alcohol may make one look good, heavy consumption causes bad skin, tired eyes, and weight gain for both f emale and male. It also interferes with people’s sleep. Heavy consumers of alcohol often wake up and feel like they have not had enough rest. Alcohol dehydrates the body and skin. It deprives the skin of certain vital nutrients and vitamins. Hence, it is not good for health. Alcohol is also responsible for much divorce among couples due to fights in the family, and lack of finances for family upkeep (Dasgupta, 2011). Alcohol is depressant. It means that alcohol calms people down, and slows down some body organs. With only 0.05% level of blood-alcohol, a person begins getting dulled judgment, and his or her inhibitions get released. They then become clumsy and start having slurred speech with only a 0.10% blood-alcohol level. At 0.30% level of blood-alcohol, one nearly becomes unconscious. Any addition after that becomes extremely dangerous since at 0.45%, one can get into a coma. Brain shuts down from 0.70% and stop controlling the heart, breathing, and one may end up dead. Other short-term effects include blurred vision, blackouts and insomnia. These can lead to injuries, accidents, and even death. Drinking alcohol also causes hangover in the next morning, which is associated with nausea, headaches, heartburn, fatigue, thirst, and dizziness. There are many side effects of alcohol (Peters, 2008).Conclusion In conclusion, consumption of alcohol should be reconsidered in U.S because of its adverse effects on health, family, community, and education. Alcohol should only be taken when necessary. The side effects are adverse and continue to destroy people across the world. Therefore, alcohol should not be legal in the United States because it is impacts negatively on health, family, community and on a person’s education. References Begleiter, H., & Kissin, B. (1996). The pharmacology of alcohol and alcohol dependence. New York: Oxford University Press. Blane, H. T., & Leonard, K. E. (1999). Psychological theories of drinking and alcoholism. New York [u.a.: Guilford Press. Brick, J. (2004). Handbook of the medical consequences of alcohol and drug abuse. New York: Haworth Press. Dasgupta, A. (2011). The science of drinking: How alcohol affects your body and mind. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield. Hannigan, J. H., Spear, L. P., Spear, N. E., & Goodlett, C. R. (1999). Alcohol and Alcoholism: Effects on Brain and Development. Hoboken: Taylor & Francis. Marshall, R. (2000). Alcoholism: Genetic culpability or social irresponsibility: the challenge of innovative methods to determine final outcomes. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. Peters, A. R. (2008). Combined effects of alcohol and nicotine on subjective responses and cognitive functioning, Dissertation Abstracts International, 69-4
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