The Human Mind Essay Example for Free

The Human Mind Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Computers are everywhere and the processors for personal computers these days are more powerful. In the last decade, we have witnessed the advancement of computer in the areas of movies and entertainment, multimedia arts, science and technology, business and industries, health, sports, and education. Humans have created the very useful and powerful machines that have made our lives convenient. However, there are shades of controversies and arguments claiming the superiorities and abilities of either the human brain or the computer’s processor. Humans have created and developed a great machine and the capabilities of their creations have gone beyond our imagination. Human Mind and Computer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People created computers and software that functions like the human mind. The human brain processes information similar to a computer. It receives information, scrutinizes it, stores it, and remembers past knowledge to work out problems rationally. Since the human mind possesses all the memories of past events and memories of everything that has happened in our life, we can use it to recall the information that we need. For instance, while you are driving, you hear an old familiar music on the radio that you have not heard for a long time. You are thinking of the name of singer who sung the song and suddenly you recall the name of the singer and the lyrics of the song. The human brain is sometimes faulty and does not always work they way we want it to but our memory comes back while we may be thinking of something completely different. This problem is due to the organization of memory in the human mind. The human brain stores millions of memories but it has no idea where they are located (New York University Office of Public Affairs, 2008). The information in the brain is retrieved not by knowing where it is, but by using cues or clues that hint at what we are looking for (ibid.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gelgi (2000) wrote that consciousness or the understanding process is the most important factor that differentiates the computer from the human mind. He further stressed that the computer can compute the data given but it cannot understand what it is. It can perform any operation for which it is programmed but it cannot evaluate nor make its own judgments (Priddy, 1999). A good example of this statement can be applied in statistical analysis where the researcher feeds the raw scores into the computer to determine the results of the survey. The computer will yield either a â€Å"1† or â€Å"2† that may represent â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† respectively but it cannot provide a descriptive analysis of the data. The computer simply follows instructions; hence it does not have a mind. Searle (1980) claimed that the mind is not a computer program because computer programs has a syntax and human minds have semantics and is not an algorithm. Humans obtain information through the senses and they have the ability to read and interpret facial expressions (Technology Research News, 2006). Because of our ability to pick up gestures and understand body language, we tend to disregard the use of verbal expression. When we see a person smile, nod, and raise his eyebrows, we can interpret this as a sign of greeting or saying â€Å"hi† or â€Å"hello† in non-verbal manner. A computer is a powerful machine that is capable of repetitive and logical functions but it cannot be compared to the human brain as it cannot communicate with us in a manner we are accustomed to (ibid.). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Computers are extensions of the human mind and body. The complexities of the human brain in terms of thinking process and its multitude neuron network structures cannot be duplicated by machines that are controlled and created by human beings. Computers are effective tools that has made our lives more comfortable but it does not have the capability to think, feel, interpret, and decide like human beings. References Gelgi, F. (2000). Can AI be more advanced than the human mind? Retrieved July 4, 2008 from http://www.public.asu.edu/~fgelgi/ai/ai_mind/ai_mind_ess.htm. New York University Office of Public Affairs (2008). Human mind product of chaotic evolutionary path, NYU psychology professor concludes in new book. Retrieved July 5, 2008 from http://www.nyu.edu/public.affairs/releases/detail/2087. Priddy, R. (1999). The mind-computer analogy. Retrieved July 5, 2008 from http://home.no.net/rrpriddy/lim/13.html. Searle, J.R. (1980). Minds, brains, and programs. Retrieved July 5, 2008 from http://members.aol.com/NeoNoetics/MindsBrainsPrograms.html. Technology Research News (2005). Pattern recognition: computers and human communications. Retrieved on July 4, 2008 from http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2005/030905/HIW_Pattern_Recognition_030905.html.

Anonymity in Theories of Crowd Behaviour

Anonymity in Theories of Crowd Behaviour Darrin Paul Explain the place of anonymity in theories of crowd behaviour. Is it always associated with a ‘loss of self’ (Dixon and Manhendran, 2012) Social psychology provides much information with regards to collective behaviour and the interaction of individuals within a crowd. It has been observed that an individual’s behaviour can be influenced and therefore altered when they become part of a large group or crowd. Dixon and Manhendran (2012, p.3) ‘state that anonymity shapes crowd behaviour’; to evaluate the effect of anonymity on collective behaviour, psychological and social processes need to be examined. Dose anonymity render individuals powerless to control their actions, resulting in primitive regressive behaviour as proposed by Le Bon (1895). Or is a loss of self, were crowd participants cease to identify themselves as individuals a factor of anonymity. Other theories such as social identity theory address the issue of identity and how people perceive themselves and others in a crowd, what they conform to and how they express their identity. Does anonymity within crowds inevitably lead to aggressive or antisocial behaviour or does it influence identity salience and group norms as well as strategic factors and power relations (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012)? Early research regarding collective behaviour of groups was proposed by Le Bon, he developed his theory of crowds in the latter years of the nineteenth century. Le Bon was of the opinion, that when people joined large relatively unstructured social groups, they engaged in spontaneous and atypical regressive behaviour. Le Bon proposed that crowds are ruled by a collective mind or ‘group mind’ were individual rationality is lost to a hypnotic state in which group members experience unconscious primitive instincts devoid of reason and culture. Due to an unconscious process known as contagion individuals become influenced by ideas, feelings and emotions generated within the crowd, which spreads rapidly throughout creating a collective mass, leading to a ‘loss of self’. The physical presence of others creates a sense of anonymity were the individual can feel masked, diminishing their sense of responsibility from social and moral norms, thus generating a sense of unaccountable power form their presence within the crowd. Freedman and Perlick (1979) studied the effects of laughter on crowds; they showed that mood and behaviour are likely to spread through the group via contagion (Dixon and Manhendran, 2012). Deindividuation theory proposed by Festinger, Pepitone and Newcomb (1952) is a translation of Le Bon’s theory. They defined clear antecedent variables such as anonymity and group immersion that lead to subjective changes in the individual. Deindividuation is defined as a loss of personal identity or loss of self were crowd members merge and become anonymous, rather than separate distinct individuals. This leads to weak constraints against impulsive behaviour and hence an inability to monitor or regulate the immediate demands of the group. Deindividuation theory differs from Le Bon, in that it challenges the concept of a group mind, it dose not propose that group members lose their mind to the collective mind, instead it’s the loss of self that effects the social context leading to a loss of control. The effect of anonymity releases the individual from internal moral restraints, generating behaviour that is impulsive, irrational and regressive (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012, p.6). Festinger et al found that males in a group, who remembered the least amount of information that was individuating, were more likely to show hostile, aggressive behaviour towards their parents (Dixon and Manhendran, 2012). Zimbardo (1969) further developed deinviduation theory, especially in relation to the association between anonymity and aggression. He believed that crowds provide a cloak of anonymity which diffuses personal responsibility for the consequences of an individuals actions. A loss of individual identity produces a reduced concern for social evaluation. Zimbardo carried out a study to support his theory; he dressed up some of his subjects in overalls and hoods and left the others in their own clothes with large name tags so they could be identified. The results appeared to support his theory, when asked to administer electric shocks in a, learning experiment, participants who had been deindividuated in hoods and overalls, gave shocks for longer periods, suggesting that anonymity had intensified aggression.Recent studies would also support Zimbardo’s findings; Silke (2003) found that statistics of paramilitary attacks in Northern Ireland showed that the severity of attacks increase d with high levels of anonymity when the perpetrators were disguised (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). However other studies have shown that anonymity does not necessarily lead to acts of aggression or anti-social behaviour. Gergen, Gergen and Barton (1973) observed strangers in mixed gender groups in well or dimly lit rooms. Their observations revealed that participants engaged in acts of physical and emotional intimacy which created feelings of sexual arousal. It would indicate that the social context of a group can produce cues that influence whether anonymity produces negative behaviour. In relation to Gergen et al’s results, Johnson and Downing (1979) replicated Zimbardos 1969 experiment giving half the subjects Ku-Klux-Klan outfits and half a nurses outfit, were each group was either anonymous or not. Results showed that participants in the anonymous nurse condition reduced the amount of shocks given compared to those in the other conditions. Zimbardo also replicated his experiment with Belgian soldiers and found that the anonymous group shocked less, the exact opposite to his previous results. These results would suggest that aggressive, anti-normative behaviour, is not always the outcome and that deindividuation may involve a desire to conform to situational group norms rather than a disregard for social regulation (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). Diener (1980) observed there was a problem in expressing the relationship between deindividuation and anonymity. He proposed that anonymity does not directly lead to deindividuation and a loss of self, but a loss of self awareness. The ability to remain self focused increases the ability for self regulation and individuation, he believed that the above studies made participants become more self-aware and therefore less likely to engage in aggressive behaviour. As with most theories deindividuation has been open to criticism regarding it’s mostly lab based studies that don’t allow more naturalistic studies to increase ecological validity, taking into consideration the insider viewpoint of participant meaning and purpose. The over emphasis of aggressive anti-normative behaviour ignores the positive normative outcomes of crowds and that social norms from the immediate environment, can be the basis of controlled, meaningful behaviour (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). Social identity theory adopts the concept of social identification, individuals identify with the social identity of the crowd and conform to normative group behaviour through conformity of shared group norms. The theory states that during crowd membership and other deindividuating settings, ‘the individual does not simply experience a loss of self, but makes the transition from an individual identity to a more collective sense of self’ (Dixon and Mahendran, p. 13). This shift in the sense of self is a key difference when compared to deindividuation theory. Unlike Le Bon’s concept of contagion, individuals through inductive categorisation respond to cues from group representatives that define the beliefs, attitudes and objectives of the group, resulting in behaviour that is regulated by social standards. Individual identification of intergroup relations, also effects to what extent an individual will conform to the emergent, spontaneous and normative cues of the g roup (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). Reicher (1984) adopted an internal crowd perspective by examining testimonies of the St. Pauls riots which occurred in Bristol in1980 and found that black and white youths identified with one another due to police and social injustices, creating a collective social identity which created an intergroup struggle against authority. In Reicher and Stott’s (2011) study of the 2011 London anti police riots, observed that participants were not seen as anonymous, but part of a community that knew one another. They argue that ‘rioters did not experience a loss of identity or self but rather a shift to a collective shared identity which gave their actions purpose and meaning’ (as cited in Dixon and Mahendran, 2012, p.19). They also point out that violence was not indiscriminate but targeted at police and symbols of authority (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). Stott (2012) points out in his audio interview that the ability of crowds to express their identity is very important, especially when that ability is suppressed by police. He points out that dialogue and engagement are vital aspects of communication that are essential in creating perceptions of legitimacy in policing. This brings into consideration the influence of power relations on crowd behaviour, Holloway (1012) states that ‘it is a two way dynamic rather than something exercised by the powerful on the powerless’ (p. 47). Social identity theory outlines that manipulation of anonymity affects the power that the in-group has in expressing aspects of group norms that are deemed anti-normative by the out group, in this case the police (Dixon and Mahendran, 2012). There has been a significant amount of research and studies carried out into collective crowd behaviour; resulting in evidence that membership of a crowd alters human behaviour and the psychological state of an individual. Although Le Bon’s work lacks empirical evidence it was hugely influential on crowd behaviour and the role of anonymity in understanding the psychological dynamics of crowds. But as Reicher points out he exaggerates the violent and irrational nature of crowds. Deindividuation theorists can show evidence for loss of self and the relationship between anonymity and increased intensity of aggression, however as Deiner (1980) and Prentice-Dunne and Rogers show, deindividuation does not necessarily lead to a loss of self and anti-normative behaviour. Social identity theory provides evidence of the role of social identity in collective crowd actions that express group norms, but does not see the role of anonymity as a negative aspect of crowd relations. It would app ear that further research is required to develop a more comprehensive theoretical model than can explain the relation between anonymity, and identity in group relations. Word count: 1625 References: Dixon, J., Mahendran, k. (2012). Crowds In Hollway, W., Lucey, H., Phoenix, A., and Lewis, G. (eds). Social Psychology Matters (p.1-22). Milton Keynes: The Open University. Stott, C. (2012). Assessment of the 2011 riots. Milton Keynes: The Open University.

Cal Poly: Building for Sustainability? :: University Issues Essays

If you walk up Poly Canyon Road and take a left, crossing Brizzolara Creek, you will come to the agriculture portion of main campus. The abbotoir stands next to the bull pen and the creek. The bridge crosses a fish ladder to aid the salmon back up the creek to where they can spawn. If you continue walking you will come to a reservoir with pumps and machinery used by engineering students. On the other side of the reservoir, there is a small bird sanctuary and beyond are fields that are often full of students learning how to survey the land. Behind you a stand of trees blocks out the bustle of campus life and in front of you the fields are ringed by beautiful mountains. But this is all about to change. The abbatoir is going to be moved and the fields will become the concrete foundations of a new residential complex: Student Housing North. Student Housing North is a huge residential development that was approved and added to the Master Plan in 2001 and is projected to be completed in stages beginning in 2007. The complex will be comprised mainly of apartment style upper class housing but will also include restaurant and retail spaces. The plan is to double the number of students living on campus. The project will include two new parking structures in order to support the increase of students. A lot of controversy surrounds this aspect of the new project. The development aims to reduce traffic and congestion because 2,700 students will be living on campus instead of commuting to school everyday. But the problem is that Student Housing North is going to sit right next to Brizzolara Creek, an environmentally sensitive area, and a new bridge will have to be built to accommodate the road leading to the complex and the new parking structures which will have a negative influence on the creek. But on the other hand it will reduce the number of commuters and will create a living and learning community. The plan includes a village center with shops and dinning facilities so the inhabitants will not feel the need to drive off campus.

College Life :: Dialogue Essays Personal Narratives

College Life College life is going to be good. I have a nice cabin on the lake with a gorgeous view. I am staying with a good friend from back home. My neighbors are awesome. I am away from my parents, and I am on my own. What more could you ask for? "Well, maybe it isn't that great," I thought. "I am two hundred miles from home, and away from all of my friends." "So, aahh, what should we do?" I asked. "I don't know," replied Travis. "I think college life might be harder than I thought," I said. "Don't worry," he said, "you'll make it." "I know I'll make it, but it is hard to meet people," I said. "Not to mention I am away from my family and friends." "Is school hard for you?" he asked. "No, not yet," I said. "I haven't really had to do anything so far." "All I do is take notes and listen to lectures." "I haven't even had a test so far." "Two weeks and you haven't had a test yet?" he asked. "Nope!" I replied. "I haven't even had homework yet." "You suck!" he exclaimed. "Then why are you whining about how hard school is?" "I don't know," I replied. After the conversation, I thought about what he said. I could be over re-acting a little bit. I just got through my first two weeks of classes. "I guess it ain't that bad," I thought. "No homework." "I can handle this." With a new week, came my first real homework assignment. We have to write a two to three page narrative paper on something we know. And in this paper, we have to show specific examples of how we know it. Not to mention a second part of it that I don't understand. "Oh no" This sounds impossible," I thought. "I am lost." "I don't know where to begin." "How am I ever going to get through this?" I walked up to the teacher to ask a question, when I heard him say to another student, "What do you know how to do?" She replied, "I don't know." "Well, do you play sports?" He asked. "Yes." "What sports?" "Taekwondo," She replied. "See, you know that," he said. "Use that for the topic on your homework." "I guess I won't ask him a question anymore," I thought. Thinking the girl knew what to do, I walked out with her, hoping to get a better grasp on the assignment.

The Illuminati Essay -- Government, Masons

In a system that claims to be democratic, a question of its legitimacy remains. Does the American public really have the power that the government says that we do? Conspiracies concerning the government have always been the center of many discussions and arguments. Cases like the Kennedy assassination, to even Elvis stories have gained a lot of attention. One conspiracy that has missed the public eye is the existence of the Illuminati. The word Illuminati derives from the Latin word Illumine, which means, â€Å"To be enlightened.† (The history of the Illuminati. Myron Fagon Epic Tree Video, 1964). They feel that they are superior and possess a higher level of intellect. Their goal is create a one-world government, which is known as the â€Å"New World Order.† (Still, Willam T. New World Order: The ancient Plan of Secret Societies. Fresno, California: Expression Publishing P. 23) Their means by achieving this exists through the media and the money system. In the followi ng paragraphs I will prove the existence of the Illuminati, the part that our government in conjunction with the world governments play in the â€Å"plan;† and how the Masons tie into this conspiracy. (The history of the Illuminati. Myron Fagon Epic Tree Video, 1964) The Illuminati has existed since ancient times. The ancient Africans were part of this elite group. Through times and generations, the Illuminati has re-incarnated itself. (Debarros, Jason. Personal Interview. 4 Apr. 2000.) This reincarnation took place in 1776 by German Adam Weinsap. Adam Weishaupt was a professor of canon law at the University of Ingolstadt. He started the Order of the Illuminati on May 1, 1776, originally calling it the Order of â€Å"Perfectibilists.† His plan was to use the Grand Orient Lodges of Europe as a filtering mechanism through which to screen out talent and build a hierarchy of inner circles. (The history of the Illuminati. Myron Fagon Epic Tree Video, 1964) The word Illuminati was viewed as an â€Å"evil† term and was never used during the 1800’s. (The history of the Illuminati. Myron Fagon Epic Tree Video, 1964) As time went on, power was gained. What many do not know is that the Illuminati was behind this killing of the Rominovs, the Czar of Russia along with his family. (Carr, William Guy. Pawns in the game San Fransisco: Imation Publishing 1977) This occurred because the Czar learned of the Illuminati’s plan. What m... ...i? Why did the Masons give us this statue? Why is the Money system set up in the same way across the world? Why is our Nation’s capitol embedded with Masonic and Satanic symbols? And furthermore, why did the US senate not ratify the Treaty of Varona once it was brought to their attention? These are questions that everybody needs to examine. The US government has always been covering their tracks and many pieces to our historical puzzle have not fit. Now they do, and as the picture comes into focus, the American public needs to take a deep look at how society and politics work, and look beneath the surface. Works Cited: Morey,Robert. The Truth About the Masons. Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1993 Austin, S; â€Å"The End†: Priority Records 1998 Carr, William Guy. Pawns in the game San Fransisco: Imation Publishing 1977 Cooper, William. Behold a Pale Horse. Arizona: Light Technology, 1991. The History of the Illuminati. Myron Fagon: Epic Tree Video,1964 Daubert, Joyce. Personal Interview. Oct. 1999 Still, Willam T. New World Order: The ancient Plan of Secret Societies. Fresno, California: Expression Publishing Debarros, Jason. Personal Interview. 4 Apr. 2000

Working Mothers and Its Effect to Children

Mothers’ involvement in the labor force displays significant increase in the last decade as well as reliance to non-parental child care. Considering the traditional view of motherhood and parenting, this condition raises the question regarding children’s welfare while their mothers are engaging in professional work. Such question is generally not a new one. Various studies have engaged on researches about children’s welfare in relation of their parent’s behavior for many years now. However, there are still no conclusive results particularly in answering the question whether a condition where a mother is working part or full-time result in a worse condition for the welfare of the children in comparison to a condition where the mother is constantly at home. This question is also in line to questions whether enhancement in working hours has particular effects to children’s condition. In this paper, I will address the issue by reviewing the proponents and opponents of the sentiment that ‘working mothers causes negative affects toward their children’ and present my own opinions and arguments to the discussion. I. Summary of Positions The proponents of the sentiment are supported by the traditional view of mother hood and parental roles. Thus, they generally become the more popular side of the debate in social studies. In empirical perspective, proponents of the sentiment uses numerous studies which relate children’s behavior to parental behavior and discover that children with working parents at different ages performs poorer than other group of children in several cognitive and social tests and observations (Brooks Gun, 2002, Aizer, 2002). One study revealed that infants in the age of one to three years old will have a poorer cognitive performance when their mothers are working in their babies’ first year of life. Another study indicated that adolescence who spend more time unsupervised by their parents will have poorer academic performance and more likely to engage in socially poor behaviors. The opponent of the sentiment uses the flaws of the researches above. Most of the studies that generated acceptable results were studies about how children would be negatively affected by poor care or poor environment. One study even results in the increase in children’s academic performance as their parents gained better jobs which mean longer working hours. Opponents of the sentiment argued that it was not the fact that the mother is working that negatively affected children’s welfare and development, it was the fact that the children was placed on worse care than their parents while their parents were at work. In the basis of this argument, better jobs would result the ability to provide better care for the children while their parents are working, and thus would not necessarily result negative effect for the children (Conger 1994, Dearing, 2001). II. Statement of Position My personal position in this matter is based on logic and empirical studies. Although traditional sentiment and our intuition let us to believe that working mother would obviously resulted poorer care of the children, there is no actual proof of the sentiment. Statistical researches have so far failed to conclude in positive that working mothers do cause negative effects toward their children. Some have clustered results and some even produce the opposite of the sentiment. In short, I stand in negative that working mothers generate negative effect toward children. Another reason of my standpoint is the consideration that children’s welfare consist of various factors rather only few. Researches who attempt to find correlation between children’s welfare and parental behavior are mostly concern over children’s cognitive abilities and academic performance. Few actually consider the social and actual psychological and physiological effect of working mother toward the children. On the contrary to the discussed sentiment, a study revealed that there is no correlation between children’s poor dietary quality to the mother being active in professional work (‘Working Mothers, 2005). There is also no statistical correlation between the development of children’s behavior to the fact that their mothers are working or not (Anderson, 2003). Most of the cases where children having poor cognitive and physiological development and academic performance, and their mothers are working, displayed other factors behind the ‘working mother’ factors. They were these other factors, like poor environment, poor and unprofessional care given by the people in charge of the child while the mother was working, poor education and insensitive mothers, which causes the negative effect toward the children (Brooks-Gun, 2002). III.Multicultural Application The state in which the sentiment is popular is different in different cultures. In Europe and the United States, working mothers are considered more common phenomena. There are fewer concerns over the issues of child care by working mothers especially with the availability of professional caretaker services. Within these cultures, the fear over neglected children is also less due to the presence of various studies revealing that there is no actual evidence that working mothers generate children with poorer state of mind, body and soul. In other cultures, especially more traditional ones, the sentiment has a stronger existence. Some cultures even consider the sentiment as a general truth. In these cultures, leaving the child in their growth stages are considered taboo rather than generating adverse effect toward children. The consideration is influenced by socio-cultural thinking rather than scientific thoughts. However, if researches are to be conducted within these countries, the result would be in the advantage of proponents of the sentiment. This is caused by the state of the culture which may not be able to provide alternative care (beside the birth mother) with similar or better quality. Furthermore, beliefs and cultural suggestions contribute to making the sentiment a reality within these countries. IV. Critical literacy Despite the popularity of the sentiment that working mother has negative effect on children, statistical researches revealed otherwise. A study even revealed that children at the age 10-12 displayed increased cognitive and academic performance as their parents’ working hours increased. The researcher believes that this odd result has several explanations. The first is the fact that increased working hours means better pay and increased ability to provide better care or assistance to children’s daily life and education. The second is considering the psychological effect on children as they watch their parents achieving success is life. In some families, parents’ achievement is considered to have a significant influence that boosted children’s self esteem and efforts (Conger 1994). This strengthened my argument that most researches neglected psychological factors in children’s development as they define the correlation between working mothers and negative effects toward children. V. Civil Literacy A large portion of working mother throughout the world has no choice but to engage in professional work. Thus, getting the truth out about how working mothers affected children’s conditions and development is very much important because it will influence the lives of these women and their families. In the developed world where people have more access to researches and studies, it is more possible for working mothers to understand the risks that they might face and how to reduce them. In the developing world on the other hand, this sentiment might lead to poorer condition of children and the entire family because mothers are not allowed to engage in professional work and bring in financial contributions. VI.Science Literacy Researchers discovered that in the age of 3, children whose mother are working in the first year of the children’s life have poorer cognitive performance compare to children’s whose mother are not working. However, similar results are not discovered when researchers observe other stages of children’s life and age. Some argued that in further ages, the test instrument is no longer able to take into account various factors that influences the children cognitive behavior and therefore, unable to display conclusive results (Brooks-Gun, 2002). In my opinion, this is just scientific evidence that there is no actual justification to the sentiment that working mothers negatively affects their children VII.Values Literacy Scientific and cultural discussions are not one and the same. In most occurrences, their encounter generated contradictive opinions regarding the same phenomenon. This is also the case within this particular discussion. Culturally speaking, mothers are the natural caretaker of children at any age. Going against this sentiment is not something many of us would agree with, especially in a more traditional society. Nevertheless, in the latest decade, we have witness a change of culture, especially in the United States and the European countries. The change was first caused by necessities and later become a trend. Today, there are many women who voluntarily choose to work rather than stay home with their children all day. Therefore, I personally believe that culture can be gradually shaped by altered way of thinking in the community. VIII. Conclusion In conclusion, despite the growing new trend, I believe that being a working mother can be a necessity rather than a choice. In light of this condition, it is necessary for us to justly identify whether being a working mother means generating negative effect toward one’s children. Researches showed that there are no actual correlation between a mother who actively engage in professional and the negative effect suffered by children. On the other hand, other studies revealed that factors like mother’s insensitiveness, poor environment, poor quality of the caretaker and other factors are the ones who actually have a negative effect toward children’s cognitive performance, academic performance and dietary quality. Bibliography Aizer, Anna. 2002. ‘Home Alone: Supervision After School and Child Behavior’. Center for Research on Child Wellbeing, Wallace Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 Anderson, Patricia M., Kristin F. Butcher, Phillip B. Levine. 2003. â€Å"Maternal Employment and Overweight Children†, Journal of Health Economics, 22(3), 477-504. Brooks-Gun, Jeanne. Han, Wen-Jui. Waldfogel, Jane. 2002. ‘Maternal Employment and Child Cognitive Outcomes in the First Three Years of Life: The NICHD Study of Early Child Care’. Child Development, July/August 2002, Volume 73, Number 4, pages 1052-1072. Conger, R. D., & Elder, G. H. 1994. ‘Families In Troubled Times: Adapting to Change in Rural America’. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine DeGruyter. Dearing, E., McCartney, K., & Taylor, B. A. 2001. ‘Change in family income-to-needs matters more for children with less’. Child Development, 72, 1779-1793. ‘Working Mothers do not Adversely Impact on Children’s Diets’. 2005. Sci Tech. Retrieved July 11, 2007 from

Business Ethics Reflection Essay

A few years ago, my company decided to hire a man of Middle-Eastern decent to fill an open project engineering position. The gentlemen exemplified what the company wanted and needed in an employee. He had the educational requirements, work history, and years of experience in our manufacturing field. He shined during the interview process and stood head and shoulders above the other candidates. My company wasted no time making the man a reasonable offer and he gladly accepted soon afterwards. Within a few months after his arrival, the gentleman was tasked to lead a project to install an aseptic blend operation. The aseptic blend operation had some strict personal hygiene requirements. One critical requirement was no employee could don a beard when working in the blend area. Ironically, the gentleman sported a full lengthy beard in which he wore proudly as part of his Middle Eastern culture. Eventually, an unexpected ethical dilemma was on the rise. My company was caught between asking the man to shave his beard, assign another engineer to the project, or amend the requirement. After a few weeks of laboring over this problem, my company decided it would be in the best interest of all parties involved to allow the man to keep his beard and still lead the project. To do so, my company researched and was able to source large aseptic-acceptable beard nets. The gentleman was open to the idea of wearing the beard nets and the project was completed on time. The virtue, value, and moral conceptual issues in this ethical dilemma were also of interest. In terms of virtue, this man’s character was never in question. He was neither right nor wrong but was simply adhering to his cultural ways. In terms of values, the man’s personal values differed from those of the company’s. The man valued his culture and held it in high regard. As a result, he made a choice to sport a beard that signified his culture and ancestry. On the other hand, the company initially valued their policies. Yet, the company eventually decided to change them to honor the man’s values. Morally speaking, the virtues and the values of the company  and the man were not aligned thus causing an ethical dilemma. Neither of the two was right or wrong but simply had different beliefs. There were several ways in which external social pressures influenced business ethics in this situation. For example, when local Middle-Eastern delegates found about this ethical issue they became irate. They threatened to boycott the company’s products, protest outside of the company, and pursue a lawsuit. The local ACLU, The American Civil Liberties Union, spoke up against the company’s policies as well. Although they didn’t threaten any actions, their mere presence was enough to sway the company to change its policies. Finally, social pressure form the many Middle-Easterners within the community, county, and state weighed heavily on the company. These external social pressures along with internal pressure from employees were too much for the company to ignore. Again, as a result, the company amended its aseptic operation polices. If I was a company and was faced with the same dilemma today, I would have arrived at the same solution. Personally, in this situation, it would be better to amend a policy by finding suitable solutions, than it would be to stand firm. The company did the right thing by finding and purchasing acceptable beard nets rather than fight a lengthy battle in the judicial system and the court of public opinion. Therefore, I would have done the same thing today. If I was the gentleman in this situation, I would have done exactly what he originally did; stand firm and work towards to solution in which all parties are satisfied. I would not have decided to cut my hair because that would have violated my cultural values and personal value system. In the end, the solution was amicable to both the gentleman and the company. This ethical dilemma, although rectified in a reasonable fashion, brought to light other policy issues within the company. As a result, the company hired an ethical officer who oversees all policies, rules, and procedures. Also this individual helps orientate new hires who cultural ways and values are not easily recognized. This has helped the company become more cultural diverse and more cognizant of others who values differ from the majority of  the workforce References: * Managing Business Ethics * L. Trevino & K. Nelson * 2007