Assisted Suicide free essay sample

Physician-assisted self-destruction is the proviso by a physician, consciously and lawfully, to a patient who has aptly requested it, of the agencies for that patient to stop his or her ain life ( McCuen 10 ) . Large sums of deadly drugs such as barbiturates and C monoxide, are inhaled to painlessly do decease. Normally a doctor, household member, or a friend fulfills person s petition for aid in deceasing. Normally it involves a terminally sick patient who wishes to decease but is non capable of suicide. He may necessitate a physician to give a deadly injection or prescription or a household member to assist him set up another agency of self-destruction. In the instance of assisted self-destruction, the patient, while having aid, entirely performs the concluding, death-inducing act ( Wekesser 12 ) . Physician-assisted self-destruction is ethical and should be legalized.There are three types of aid-in-dying, the first being active mercy killing, which involves painlessly seting one to decease for merciful grounds. We will write a custom essay sample on Assisted Suicide or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A physician gives a deadly dosage of medicine to the patient. Passive mercy killing involves non making something to forestall decease, when a physician does non utilize an unreal inhalator for a terminally sick individual to remain alive ( Encarta 1 ) . Involuntary mercy killing, a individual asks to decease ( by either active or inactive mercy killing ) . Nonvonuntary mercy killing refers to stoping the life of a individual who is non mentally competent to do an informed petition to decease, such as a comatose patient ( Encarta 1 ) . Euthanasia and assisted self-destruction are different, because in aided suicide the patient brings it upon himself or herself and really causes his or her decease with the aid of another individual normally a doctor.Like other civil rights, this controversial issue did non come about all of a sudden. Throughout history mercy killing has been accepted in some signifiers by assorted groups or societies ( Encarta 1 ) . Helping others in deceasing or seting them to decease was common in some state of affairss, in ancient Rome and Greece. If a kid was born with major birth defects it was ethical to set it to decease. Besides in some societies voluntary mercy killing for the aged was a usage. However, as Christianity developed and grew powerful in the West, mercy killing became morally and ethically detestable and was viewed as a misdemeanor of God s gift of life ( Encarta 1 ) . Passive mercy killing is permitted in some subdivisions of Islam, Christianity and Judaism. In many states there are limitations on mercy killing, and it has non rather been adopted yet.The United States and Canada have strict Torahs sing active and inactive mercy killing. At the petition of a patient to stop vital intervention, it is legal for the physician to make so. Now that there is advanced engineering, legal rights have expanded small by small. On June 26, 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that provinces may go on to censor the pattern of doctor assisted self-destruction ( Humphry 295 ) . About half the provinces of America have a specific jurisprudence prohibiting aid in self-destruction, and the other half could prosecute under general homicide positions. The jurisprudence must alter, so that any patient, in audience with household, friends and confer withing physicians, may voluntarily take to stop his or her life easy when there is no reasonable hope for anything but ceaseless wretchedness.In France, mercy killing is treated as homicide. However, some Gallic physicians specialize in assisting the patient to decease, the double-effect process that aims at easing enduring but does non intentionally do decease ( Bloyd 111 ) . In Great Britain, mercy killing and assisted self-destruction are treated as a homicide, besides. The Netherlands has legalized voluntary mercy killing. Most instances are assisted self-destructions performed by the patient s private doctor, who must confer with with another doctor before the act ( Bloyd 112 ) . The Netherlands is fundamentally the lone state in which assisted self-destruction has been legalized.Physician-assisted self-destruction is ethical. A legitimate, universally valid codification of medical moralss no longer exists: What has traditionally base on ballss for moralss among physicians is a obscure organic structure of unwritten regulations of vague beginning that slackly prescribes professional etiquette among themselves and for their relationship with patients ( Wekesser 49 ) .The Hippocratic Oath is a theoretical account for the ethical, natural pattern of medical specialty. Doctors need this to be sworn in as an official physician, this sacred curse was on occasion mentioned in medical schools and seldom studied by the bulk of physicians. Some neer officially took the curse or even administered it. This alone makes suspect the faithful curse s importance or connexion to modern medical pattern. Human self-respect ennobles free reign to the ability of adult male to believe things over, to make up ones mind, and to use self-control, to go his ain maestro. It is the sense of worth that comes with holding the freedom and duty to do judgements about what is proper and improper ( Wekesser 50 ) . The people who want their agony ended normally enjoy life, love life, and their feeling for life is a strong as anyone s, but the hurting is excessively great to digest. Besides, for many people, merely cognizing how they are traveling to be killed is in itself great comfort and frequently extends lives. Once a individual knows how to do his or her issue and has the agencies, he or she will frequently renegociate the conditions of deceasing ( Wekesser 20 ) . Thousands of deceasing patients in America would be comforted to cognize that, if and when their agony becomes unbearable, a human optio n is available to them. Many believe that it is inevitable, that such an agreement will come. There are merely excessively many patients who do non wish to pine away in such hopeless state of affairss and will take the steps to prevent such pointless agony, non to advert the many doctors who believe that the current degree of agony is barbarian ( Wekesser 20 ) . Helping another dice in carefully sing fortunes is portion of god medical specialty and besides demonstrates a lovingness society that offers euthanasia to hopelessly ill people. The 1 who is enduring should hold the right to state when the hurting has become an intolerable adversity but if he is unable to make up ones mind, so closest friend or household member should make up ones mind.Diing Canis familiariss, cats and other animate beings are put to kip out of compassion, human existences should be shown the same consideration. It seems that worlds should be put to kip merely as sick Canis familiariss and cats, but that is non the manner society is. Worlds should be treated better than animate beings but if a individual wants their life terminated so they should hold that pick. The proposition is that people are being treated the same manner as animate beings. The euthanasia criterion assumes an equivalency between the moral value of the life of an animate being and that of a human being. Animals such as Canis familiariss are abandoned or unwanted, and they are killed more frequently for that alternatively of being ill or injured. An illustration is that, when a Equus caballus has a broken leg, it is legal to be changeable, but to state that a likewise injured individual could be killed to set him or her out of wretchedness would neer be accepted. Animals are killed for nutrient, athletics, intents of population control, or, at times out of compassion. Most favored lovers who have put a loved sick or injured pet to kip hold done so because they did non desire their beloved friend to endure. Many have besides chosen mercy killing for their animate being because they did non desire to pass the clip, attempt and money to supply their sick pet with healing int ervention, hurting control, and or palliation that would materially cut down their agony without killing them ( Smith 209 ) . For worlds though, this is non the instance ; people should make all they can to maintain person alive but when the hurting is intolerable, decease is sometimes the best manner out.There is non difference between pick in abortion and pick in mercy killing. By abortion being a pick, mercy killing additions the same public credence that they perceive presently exists for the right of a adult female to end her gestation. Choice is pick, accepting a moral equivalency between abortion and being personally killed by a physician. In both fortunes, there is a life being taken. Assisted self-destruction has largely the same commissariats ; it should besides be a pick.This issue and the adult male who has pioneered and personalized it, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, is truly all about freedom. This is non all about the right to decease, since decease comes to everyone. It is about denying that the province has any right to oblige guiltless, competent grownups to needlessly endure ( Wekesser 91 ) . The province of free society prevents a doctor from utilizing his or her preparation and expertness to measure each patient and where medically appropriate ease the patient free because his or her life has turned to intolerable hurting and torment. If a individual is non able to lend to society and is non in intolerable hurting, they have the right to populate. Assisted suicide affects people who can non bear to populate in the status that they are in.It is non a offense in America to watch person kill himself and make nil to halt it, or killing enemy soldiers in war. These facts province that killing a individual is non ever and needfully regarded as incorrect, it merely depends on the fortunes. Therefore, a individual can give the deceasing patient the perfectly indispensable gift of being present at the deathbed, because cipher should hold to decease entirely, and the presence of a lovingness friend reduces the opportunity of the ego rescue being botched ( Clement 16 ) .There is much to be done in the kingdom of civil autonomies. When a method of self-deliverance is available to the hopelessly ailment who wish it, the method is guaranteed to be painless and certain. When 1 has the confidence that privateness will be purely respected, and when 1 has been guaranteed that friends and household whose presence and aid are desired will non be implicated as felons. A step of independency and control is gained in lives.Assisted self-destruction is ethical and should be legalized, because advocates emphasize fortunes in which a status has become overpo weringly onerous for a patient. Pain direction for the patient is unequal, and merely a physician seems capable of conveying alleviation. Society should admit the rights of patients and to esteem the determinations of those who elect mercy killing ( Encarta 3 ) .The function of the doctor is to make what is best for the patient, and in some utmost state of affairss this may include rushing decease upon the voluntary petition of deceasing. When desirable life has been exhaustively exhausted and every attempt has been made to forestall the inevitable, aided self-destruction should be made lawfully possible for the merciful, to demo clemency to the deceasing who request intercession to stop their agony. Doctors may protest that they are perpetrating to continue and heighten life, non to stop it intentionally. If the function of the doctor is defined entirely in footings if healing, so of class, this excludes helping person to decease ( Smith 45 ) . This is the incorrect manner to travel about specifying the range and bounds of the physician s proper map. In some utmost fortunes, the best service a doctor can render may be to assist a individual hasten decease in order to alleviate unbearable, unneeded agony that makes life intolerable, as judged by the patient. This would be an expansion of the physician s function, non a contradiction of it. Assisted Suicide free essay sample A discussion on the legal and ethical issues of assisted suicide. This paper examines the issues involved in assisted suicide.The writer describes the difference between physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. The writer explains that physician-assisted suicide is carried out with the consent of a competent and terminally ill patient. Euthanasia, on the other hand, is basically mercy killing. The writer discusses personal opinions and views concerning the die with dignity issues. When we think of assisted suicide, most of us immediately think of Dr. Jack Kevokian, the retired pathologist who was sentenced to two terms of imprisonment in 1999 for helping a man suffering from a terminal disease to die (Humphrey 2002). Assisted suicide is a very passionate issue of debate in this country. There are numerous ethical and moral considerations aside from the legal aspects of the practice. The topic is as controversial as abortion and capital punishment. Most everyone has a deep-rooted belief one way or the other, they are either for or against, few ride the middle ground. We will write a custom essay sample on Assisted Suicide or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It has been my observation that those in favor of pro-life are more likely to favor capital punishment and oppose assisted suicide, and those in favor of abortion and assisted suicide are more likely to oppose the death penalty. It is indeed a passionate issue and will continue to be debated for years to come.

The Awakening Essay †The Victory of Death

The Awakening Essay – The Victory of Death Free Online Research Papers The Awakening Essay The Victory of Death Not only do fictional characters in literary works of art mask their true inward life with their outward faà §ade. Everyday, our society puts on many faces, their business face, their friendly face, happy face, and a face for a date, even a face of indifference. Why? We all know the answer to that, as a matter a fact we all have different answers (or the same). It is either to hide or protect, or deceive. In The Awakening, Kate Chopin uses elaborate diction and intricate details to show the juxtaposition of Edna Pontellier’s outward and inward character to portray the necessity for equality between sexes. For one, through the effects of light and the absence of it, Chopin uses this sense of sight to metaphorically symbolize the two different sides Madame Pontellier has in her novel. Whereas the shadows, the darkness, represented the forbidden desire for a woman (Edna) to have independence and be competent with men, the light was the epitome of reality. The use of darkness is apparent in page 52 when she casts down her â€Å"glittering circlet† in the darkness of her room with an explosion of hatred of the suffocating chains of marriage, her marital duties and obligations. Towards the end of the novel when she was at the beach on page 115 â€Å"gleaming with the million lights of the sun.† The choice to use million, an overwhelming number fits with Madame Pontellier’s overwhelmed emotion and the realization that she can not go on trying to clutch at the hems of independence. Chopin uses light as the social hierarchy and the reality that women are subordinate and de pendent to men during her time. Meaning cooking for the men as they bring home the paycheck, looking pretty for them and accept that their opinion does not matter as much as the men’s. However, the night time is when she shows her desires, her rebelling to break from the chains of social conformity. As Edna Pontellier moves back into the city after summer has passed two different sides of her finally emerge to the surface, as if each side were two separate people. Edna as a mother, can be referred from the behavior of her children on page 7 â€Å"if one of the little Pontellier boys took a tumble†¦at play, he was not apt to rush crying to his mother’s arms for comfort,† that she was distant with her children, only raising them half heartedly. It’s apparent that there is a lack of loving connection that ‘normal’ mothers would have with her offspring, and yet she doesn’t care about the whispers behind her back of how she takes care of them. Juxtaposing with Edna as a mother, her artist persona symbolizes her yearning disparity for independence. Unfortunately for her boys, Madame Pontellier holds her amateur profession as a painter much higher than her kids. The surfacing of becoming a painter also signifies the surfacing of her outward appearance in her attempts to actually be independent, independent from her husband and social conformity. In the end, she escapes by swimming out into the seductive â€Å"abyss of solitude.† This was, in essence, a paradoxically triumphant ending to her life, for even though she kills herself, it was the only choice that she made wholeheartedly and independently. Also, by ending her life she has the victory that no one except herself controls her soul, her being. It is out in the depths of the sea where her inward questioning meets in harmony with her outward veneer. Research Papers on The Awakening Essay - The Victory of DeathTrailblazing by Eric AndersonThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyMind TravelThe Fifth HorsemanAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionHip-Hop is ArtThe Spring and Autumn

Choose your own Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Choose your own - Coursework Example People moving up and down and deliveries taking place, that would later work against us. The assignment given to us humiliated my comrade, Benson, and he questioned the mission as we boarded the cargo ship. I was very attentive and picked every step since I could be cannon-folder in no time. It was difficult making my way out into the yard using the walls for cover. I had lost all hope and my dignity was at an all-time low. Benson had talked, complained and was tired; it was time for him to see things develop without commenting or uttering any word. It was time to move out and carry our heavy guns on our shoulders. This is an experience that I could not believe to be going through in real life. The gun-strap was heavy, but I was optimistic about getting relieved once I started using it eventually. From my standpoint, I could see two guards standing at ease under a swathe of lamplight, and they were very tired calling for a reprieve on deaf ears. Sadly, these soldiers dropped down and cried as they hit the floor. I developed sympathetic feelings towards them and concluded they did so because of humanity. I was traumatized by the activities going on at the port and knew that one day, I would be dead, and my family back home will never hear any more from me. My ears were filled with the noise and sounds of the port; I become paranoid forcing me to hide behind a huge iron door for my security. I started feeling lonely since I could no longer see Benson, the only person I banked on for my strength and survival. The death of our people and opponents was rising and the developments thrilled me. The initiation of weapons of mass destruction was a loss to humanity since people were claiming their fellow human beings. â€Å"What a terrible day,† I cast the day because I never expected to see the entire taking place. It was frightening, and I was in solidarity with my fellow men. Although I had my gun with me, a gun given without my consent, it was impossible using it

How do cultural factors influence a Multi National Company's decisions Essay

How do cultural factors influence a Multi National Company's decisions on location selection and organizational structure for it - Essay Example Transformation firms that differ significantly from national and international firms are making the later firms, are making them accountable to global markets and economic settings. Because of globalization effect, the state ability to regulate its economic activities is declining rapidly, while global markets increase in their dominance over national economic policies. These policies have to be aligned in a way that guarantees multinational companies and competitive advantage. Globalization has created ways for opportunities for increasing number of businesses to cross their countrywide borders and enlarge their market share, lessen expenses, as well as improve proficiency. Multinational companies are going global mainly because, of market saturation in the parent country; they look for new markets to bit competition. The multinational companies take advantage of the economies of scale in the targeted country to increase their business by gaining more stable profits. This as a resul t has led to increased growth of international movement of products and services rapidly. Cultural factors influence a Multi-National Company's decisions on location selection Cultural factors affect both the brand appearance and affect the structural organization of the company ranging from the management of workers, the sales of the product and the gratification of the consumers. Organizational structure has to be adjustable so that it can meet the cultural aspects in areas with varied cultures. According to research, culture comprises of a set of dogmas, moral principles, language, customs as well as laws apprehended in mutual by a country, a society, or other distinct group of individuals (Haleblian, McNamara and Davison, 2009). Currently, with many refugees in various nations worldwide, there is a wide range of cultural diversity, religious views, traditions as well as ethics, reflecting the dispersed basis of the people. Organizational culture is referred to as a pattern of mu tual understanding s around which action is organized. Alternatively, it can be taken to imply a scheme of knowledge, of standards for remarking, considering, appraising, and acting that serve to associate human societies to their environmental settings. From statistics, there has been an increase in developments in the area of transport and communications, which have made the universe a global community. Accordingly, there has been a reduction of trade barriers because of the presence free trade zones in a significant number of nations (Beamish and Lupton, 2009). However, despite the fact that there has been the lessening in trade blockades to entering new global markets, there are still various complications. Managers who deal with multinational organizations currently encounter an exterior setting that is rapidly altering multilayered, unreliable and dynamically competitive. Multinational organizations can help in the creation of competitive benefits; although only under particul ar conditions. It is of great significance to note that, issues that relate to diverse groups within the workforce are complex and delicate to handle. Therefore, this means that without substantial understanding of the diverse organizational and socioeconomic as well as cultural factors, multinational corporations may not flourish in taking full benefit of the existing resources and chances (Porter, 1998). Therefore, the practices of

Radiality as a Comprehensive Behavioral Model Essay

Radiality as a Comprehensive Behavioral Model - Essay Example The origins of the radiality as a foundational cultural model in the domain of spatial relationship may be traced to the island nation of Tonga (Bennardo 2009). Tongan language has only 3 linguistic representations of spatial relationships. This makes it a simpler study than languages with many more because correlation interpretation is reduced to fewer permutations. The concept of radiality impacts other realms of understanding within anthropology. It correlates with understandings of religious belief (Bennardo 2009). It explains theories about spatial navigation and material possessions. It also helps in our comprehension of kinship patterns. This method of interpretation contributes no less to our understanding of social relationships. It seems cognitive processes of language production and interpretation manifest in gross behavioral patterns. Methods of radiality modeling result in a broader understanding of social relationships with respect to language (Bennardo 2008). Looking for a cultural model of social relationships in Tongan, investigators collected linguistic, experimental, and social network data. They focused on the core concept of the model where 'Ofa is giving, either giving help from higher to lower or giving duty or respect from lower to higher. Surveys were formulated to study spatial linguistic correlations to cognitive beliefs. Three semi-structured interviews were used (Bennardo 2008). One was about how individuals perceive social relationships between others where participants answered questions about the existence and composition of groups in their village, their island, and country. Another was about individual personal relationships where participants answered questions about their relationships to other people in the village. Still, another was about indirect social relationships where participants told a story that occurred in their village that they thought represented village life. From 60 interviews of about 24 hours of audiovisual recordings verbal coders went to work. They conducted statistical analyses of words to uncover certain obviates. They applied methods of metaphor and keyword analysis to identify specific correlations (Bennardo 2008). Metaphor analysis included certain priorities: first to identify metaphors, second to sort them by type and identify key words, and third to locate organizational principles. Key word analysis included four words that appeared during the metaphor analyses: 'Ofa 'love'; Fatongia 'duty'; Kavenga 'lighter duty'; Faka'apa'apa 'respect.' The results of these tests yielded the following information about Tongan culture. Researchers found a number of relevant cognitive behavioral principles as a result of their statistical analysis. It seems society is hierarchical to the Tongans (Bennardo 2008). Individuals are located at different levels of the society's ladder. 'Ofa 'love' links these individuals to make them a whole. The king and elite are connected with the Divine as evident in the shininess of their bodies. This work has provided a greater understanding of language and relationships in Tongan society. How does radiality impact our understanding of social relationships It does so by providing a method of understanding for describing how language influences cognition and social behavior. Its pragmatic value is evident in its contributions to behavioral

Luxury Goods: Definition and literature

Luxury Goods: Definition and literature Chapter 2: Literature Reviews 2.0 Definition of Luxury Goods The word ‘luxury can be defined as state of life in which has uses things that please the senses or pleasing to have but not essential. â€Å"A good attains the label as a â€Å"luxury† when it has a particular design, quality, performance or durability that is remarkably superior to the comparable substitutes† (Snapshot of U.S Luxury Good Market, 2007). Dubois, Laurent and Czellar (2001) and Survanasuddhi (2007) stated a definition of the nature and characteristics of the concept of luxury. The six facets are excellent quality, very high price, scarcity and uniqueness, aesthetics and polysensuality, ancestral heritage and personal history and superfluousness. Luxury goods are rising in popularity especially as consumers buying behavior is becoming more symbolized. Consumers feel that by owning luxury products can express their personality and set them apart. Thus, â€Å"luxury goods have been defined as goods for which the mere use or display of a particular branded product brings prestige on the owner, apart from any functional utility† (Nia and Zaikowsky,2000) The term ‘prestige was defined as it consists of consumers motivations for chasing technical superiority, uniqueness, signaling wealth and status well as aesthetics appeal (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999). ‘Prestige and ‘luxury are used synonymously in the VIgneron and Johnsons research. Vigneron and Johnson (1999) categorized three types of prestige brand as upmarket brands, premium brands and luxury brands, respectively in an increasing order of prestige. Hence, it was expected that people would have different perceptions of the level of prestige for the same brands, and that the overall prestige level of a brand would consider the prestige perceptions from different people. Source: Vigneron and Johnson (1999) â€Å"Luxury brands can be described as premium priced brands that consumers purchase for their psychological values (symbolic and hedonic), and not predominately for their economical and functional value† (Nueno and Quelch 1998; Stegeman, 2006). However, the definition of luxury goods or brands cannot be fully recognized. The definition of luxury will be different and may not be the same for another researcher. Chadha Husband (2006) definition limits itself in that it only pertains to luxury fashion goods instead there are other luxury goods that are also both universally available and accepted as luxury. The definition of luxury brands have been defined as fashionable and high quality consumers goods made by reputed luxury brands which contained wearable fashion goods such as handbag, wallet, shoes and belt (Chadha and Husband, 2006; Heinemann, 2008). Fashion can be reflection of the social, economic, political and artistic forces of the time. Accoding to Gao, Norton, Zhang, To (2009), â€Å"luxury fashion goods are apparel, accessories, handbags, shoes, watches, jewellery, and perfume for which use or display of particular branded products brings prestige to owners, apart from any functional utility†. Snapshot of U.S Luxury Good Market (2007) stated fashion group represent the major product sector in the luxury goods market. It is important to know that the survey showed that â€Å"one sixth (16%) of the worlds consumers claim to buy designer brands† (ACNielsen, 2008). For this research, the term luxury goods can be defined as the brands that are defined as luxurious in the annual â€Å"Consumer and Designer Brand Report 2008† by the global Nielson firm which the survey is the largest and it identified the following goods as the luxury fashion goods. Calvin Klien Giorgio Armani Celine Ralph Lauren Louis Vuitton Ferragamo Diesel Burberry Chloe Chanel Versace Marc Jacobs Christian Dior Prada Gucci Givenchy DKNY Emporio Armani Valentino Hermes Fendi Yves Saint Lauren Max Mara The fashion goods that show above are not the only goods that are stated as luxury in this research. Consumers allow to evaluate and include other brands which they think is luxury fashion goods for them. Furthermore, there are many opinions and views of luxury from different leaders viewpoint stated in KPMG research (Managing Luxury Brand Growth, 2006). Luxury is explained in the table below as following: Leaders Name and Company Definition 1. Guy Salter * Private Investor, Deputy Chairman of Walpole, the British Luxury goods organization Because luxury matters in a way that didnt matter before. Increasingly, luxury is big business: the luxury segment is growing and according to most projections it will continue to grow for the next ten to fifteen years. 2. Belinda Earl, * Jaeger Groups chief executive * Jaeger is a luxury British brand renowned for designing stylish, innovative and superb quality womenswear, menswear and accessories. None of us are in the business selling necessities; luxury is the business of creating and satisfying desires. 3. Richard Purdey of gun makers James Purdey and Sons * Famous British gun maker of London, and the name is synonymous with the very finest sporting shotguns and rifles. Purdeys hold or have held numerous warrants of appointment as gun and rifle makers to the British and other European royal families. A real luxury brands has got to have total integrity. It has to be the buyer that says ‘this is luxury. 4. Theo Fennell * Theo Fennell is the jewellery maker by using his name for his company ‘Theo Fennel in London Luxury is something that everyone wants and nobody needs. 5. Joseph Wan of Harvey Nichols * CEO of retailer Harvey Nichols * Harvey Nichols is an international luxury lifestyle store, renowned both in the UK and internationally for the breadth and depth of its exclusive fashion merchandise. It offers many of the worlds most prestigious brands in womenswear, menswear, accessories, beauty, food and home. Luxury is about history. A luxury brand is a lifestyle concept and to be sustainable it has to have history, including a history of quality merchandise and of real luxury customers.. 6. Raphael le Masne de Chermont, of Shanghai Tang * Executive Chair of Shanghai Tang * Shanghai Tang is the first luxury brand emerging design from Chiana It is not in the price, it is in the pleasure you give to the customer. It is to do with creativity, a harmonious aesthetic with attention to details. 7.Christian Hafner * Head of Branding at Swarovski Luxury is about history, authenticity, depth and being a partner. Buying a luxury product is like a love affair. 2.1 Generation Y Generation Y are also referred as the Millennial Generation or Generation Next or Net Generation describes the demographic cohort following Generation X. Its members are often referred to as Millennials or Echo Boomers. According to Shareef Mahdavi (2008), Generation Y is the term used to describe children of the Baby Boomer generation, typically born between 1977 and 1995. McCrindle (2008) described the generation Y born in between 1980 and 1994. They are also referred to as ‘Millenials and ‘Echo Boomers in the western society, especially American Society. Generation Y are individuals who born between 1977 to 1994 that have a free spending spirit and consist of 71 million 8 to 25 year olds (Horovitz, 2002; Sriviroj 2007). The wealthiest groups of people are between the ages of 19 to 25 year olds who are either employed in full time jobs or part time work even though there are group amount of generation Y consumers. The greatest purchasing power in the Generation Y college student takes place within the part-time student, who spends over $400 monthly on discretionary purchases while often maintaining full-time employment (Gardyn, 2002). Those who are either part time or at full time work are college students (Martin Turley, 2004). Students always work as part time work to find extra funding for their excessive spending during the university holidays or breaks. There are average 80% of students attending college or university are employed (Martin Turley, 2004). The financial knowledge of the average Generation Y consumer also earns them the awareness and respect of marketers even though their spending power alone is enough reason to pay significant attention to this group of consumers. The financial knowledge of the average Generation Y consumer also earns them the respect of marketers today. Generation Y consumers have a remarkable amount of disposable income due to the increasing of greater level in the economy over the past decade (Martin Turley, 2004). Besides that, the research suggested that â€Å"Generation Y has more discretionary income than the previous generations and prefer to spend it on themselves rather than others. A reason for this may be because they are starting families later in life and therefore are able to spend their income on themselves without having to worry about others† (Angela Hughes, 2008) The important of this group of consumers has taken on the greater level of meaning for marketer. â€Å"While the Baby Boomers grew up with television advertising influencing how they were marketed to and how they bought products, Generation Y has many different mediums that they grew up with, which is what makes marketing to them so much more difficult† (Angela Hughes, 2008). Marketers are playing the large part influence consumers behaviour through the knowledge of fashion. The reason is that teenagers are concerned about fashion value more than any other age groups (Koester and May,1985; Sriviroj 2007). One of the most influencers is the media because of media consist of a wide range of technology such as television, internet, mobile phone and DVD. (Angela Hughes, 2008, Sriviroj 2007). The internet has permanently changed the way that this generation shops by giving the information about products than the companies give the consumer. According to Angela Hughes (2008), he in ternet is also a powerful tool for this generation in spreading opinions about products to their peers. The largest differences between Generation Y and those that preceded them are Generation Ys tremendous awareness and confidence. Generation Y is more likely than any previous generation to look up information before purchasing a product. Generation Y is more desirable to own the products that they know their peers will accept just to show they are part of the group. On the other hand, in the research of Sriviroj (2007) stated that television is strongly influence these generation which affect them as they will reflect their perceptions in â€Å"reality† as they have seen in television world. â€Å"Of the paid advertising channels of online, outdoor, newspaper, magazine, radio, TV and Theatrical, TV and newspaper are the most trusted media† (Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey, 2009). â€Å"Generation Y is poised to take over as the largest and most lucrative consumer group for marketers, a position that has long been held by the Baby Boomer generation† (Angela Hughes, 2008). In order to understand the generation Y consumers, it is important to think about factors that motivate these individuals towards the purchasing of luxury goods. 2.2 Social Influence Previous research shows that group influences play an important role in influencing the purchase decisions (Brinberg and Plimpton, 1986; Martin and Bush 2000; Mascareches and Higby, 1993). The group members have been recognized as determinant of behavior. The fact that the people act in accordance with a frame of reference produced by the group to which they belong is a long accepted and sound premise (Merton and Rossi, 1949). However, many individuals did not behave like the majority of people in their recognized group (e.g., social class or educational level).The casual observation showed perplexing contradictions between group membership and behaviors. According to Merton and Rossi (1994), â€Å"a partial solution was found in the concept of â€Å"reference group†, which recognizes that people frequently orient themselves to other than membership group in shaping their behaviors and evaluations and that reference groups can perform a diversity of functions.† Reference groups are generally defined as â€Å"actual or imaginary institutions, individuals, or groups conceived of having significant relevance upon an individual‟s evaluations, aspirations, or behavior† (Lessig and Park, 1975; Pertina, Prybutok, Zhang, 2008). Besides that, reference group also can be defined as â€Å"a group of people that significantly influence an individuals behavior† (Bearden and Etzel, 1982). Reference group are important because they make the individual aware to a specific goods or brands and influence individuals to adopt attitude and behaviour that are consistent with the norm of the group. The normative and informative social influences are the most widely accepted influence. Normative social influence is based on the tendency to conform to the expectation of others while informational influence is based on the desire to make informed decisions and optimize the choice (Stephen Yang and He, 2009; Khan and Khan, 2005). Berden and Etzel (1982) examined that the reference group influence by product and the brand purchase decision. Previous research studied group influences in marketing strategy and consumers purchasing behaviour. Specifically, three types of group influences are studied which is information, utilitarian and value expressive influences (Stephen Yang and He; Bearden and Etzel, 1982; Makgosa and Mohube, 2007; Pertina, Prybutok, Zhang, 2008). Informational influence is reflected when an individual perceives enhancement of knowledge and ability to cope with environment when using information from opinion leaders, experts, or product users. Utilitarian influence manifests through the process of compliance with those who can exercise reward or punishment power. Value-expressive reference group function is based on the identification process whereas an individual who associates oneself with a group to enhance self-concept adopts this groups consumption patterns. Reference groups have been found to specify what the desirable and undesirable goods are (Bristol and Malengburg, 2005; Khan and Khan, 2005). Many researchers have argued that individuals are more susceptible to reference groups influence when the goods is conspicuous and publicly consumed (Bearden and Etzel, 1982; Makgosa and Mohube, 2007; Batra, Homer, Kahle, 2009; Morris and White, 2009). The influence of a reference group on consumer behavior can be done in one of two ways, either directly or indirectly. In the research Stephen Yang and He (2009), reference groups refer the group that individual has frequent contact with (such as family members, work associates, classmates, friends, etc.). These group is refers to the groups used by an individual to direct one purchasing behaviour in particular situation. These are generally referred as direct reference group (Schiffman and Kanuk, 1994). On the other hand, it included â€Å"the groups that does not have the membership in or direct contact with, such as certain expected groups or people in a certain social level (Stephen Yang and He, 2009). Based on the work of Khan and Khan (2005), the direct reference group influence was illustrated as â€Å"families, friends, co-worker, formal social groups and other leisure groups†. This differs from the indirect reference groups comprise of â€Å"individuals and groups t hat influence consumers purchase intentions without having and direct contact such as celebrities and sport personalities† (Khan and Khan, 2005). 2.2.1 Direct Reference Groups Direct reference groups can be defined as direct contact from the individual or groups with the consumers. With the reference from †¦.., it showed that families, friends, co-worker, formal social groups and other leisure groups are under this categories. A person has several reference groups for various subjects or different decisions normally. For example, â€Å"a woman may consult one reference group when she is purchasing a car and a different reference group for lingerie† (Consumer Behaviour, no date).These direct reference groups are the one who frequently contact with the consumers, It can be seen that the groups views from direct reference groups whether purchase the goods in order to be like group members, believing in group members decisions or a sign of wanting to fit in the group. The previous researchers have carried out the investigations on how the role models (parents, relatives, peers) influence teenagers purchase intentions and behavior (Martin and Bush; Subramanian and Subramanian, 1995)) and how parents and peers influence various products and brands purchase decisions (Bearden and Etzel, 1982). Researcher has shown that overt family communication can and often does influence younger consumers attitudes toward purchases and their consumption patterns (Martin and Bush). Consumers always do not feel confident enough to evaluate alone. They will consult a friend or partner by inviting them along to a potential purchase can enhance the process. â€Å"Having a peer present meant that shop assistants become largely irrelevant and that evaluation of a brand centered largely on initial peer reaction to fit, style and price-based decisions† (Guy W.Mullarkey, 2001). â€Å"It is also interesting to note that of all the three direct reference groups, friends tend to exert the greatest influence where individuals purchase brands because they identify themselves with their peers† (Khan and Khan, 2005). From the numerous researches that have been done, direct reference groups influence make an immediate impact to the consumers. Therefore, it can be concluded that direct reference groups play a significant role in providing relevant information, deemed necessary to make a purchase and conform the group norm. 2.2.2 Indirect Reference Groups Indirect reference groups is the group that influence consumers purchase decisions without having any direct contact with the consumers such as celebrities and sport personalities. Khan and Khan (2005) defined celebrities as â€Å"individuals who are well known to the public for their advertisements in areas other than product class endorsed† and that they represent â€Å"an idealisation of life†. In luxury goods industry, it will be much easier by connecting the brand to a celebrity and is even viewed, in some instances, as a necessity. This is because a luxury goods company is in the business of building and selling dreams, and nothing is more helpful in making such dreams concrete and thus more believable in the eyes of the consumer, than communicating it through a famous personality. Celebrities are being increasingly used in marketing communication by marketers to lend personality to their products in India (Matrade Chennai, 2005). Young consumers especially the generation-Y like advertisement more if they are attracted or admire the celebrities. Positive feelings toward the celebrities and the brand itself will develop more from the young consumers. â€Å"Research indicates that celebrity endorsements can result in more favorable advertisement ratings and product evaluations and can have a substantial positive impact on financial returns for the companies that use them† (Silvera and Austad, 2004). Besides that, previous research indicates that celebrities exert influence on consumers purchase intentions and decisions (Martin and Bush, 2000). â€Å"Celebrities have also been found to enhance persuasiveness of messages and lead to actual purchases† (Khan and Khan, 2005). For example, Madonna and Demi Moore for Versace—beautiful, successful, mature women in their 40s, transgressive, independent, non-conformist, sexy, etc. (Roncaglia and Brevetti, 2006). In conclusion, even there is no direct contact with consumers; indirect reference groups have the strong influence to the generation-Y which affects their brand choices toward the luxury goods. 2.3 Perceived Conspicuous Value Vigneron and Johnson (1999) defined five values of prestige behaviour combined with five relevant motivations, and from these identified five different categories of prestige consumers. According to his study, particularly emphasized the role of interpersonal effects on the consumption of prestige brands, and derived three main effects: Veblen, Snob, and Bandwagon. â€Å"The Veblen, snob and bandwagon effects are evident with consumers who perceive price as the most important factor, with a higher price indicating greater prestige. They usually buy rare products and in this way emphasise their status† ((Husic and Cicic, 2008). In addition, the study also conducted by Vigneron Johnson (1999) included the conceptualized framework on two main personal effects: Hedonist and Perfectionist. â€Å"Hedonists and perfectionists are more interested in pleasure derived from the use of luxury products, and less interested in the price than quality, product characteristics and performance. These consumers know what they want and use their own judgment while price exists only as proof of quality† (Husic and Cicic, 2008). Perceived conspicuous value which known as Veblen effect is the consumption of the luxury product is viewed as a signal of status and wealth, whose price, expensive by normal standards, enhances the value of such a signal. (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999). Several researchers demonstrated that price of product have a significant aspect in consumers opinion of quality (Vigneron Johnson, 1999). The price of the product is use to judge quality of the luxury products between different brands. Luxury is an expensive investment. Therefore, a high price has to be justified by an outstanding quality and aesthetics that mass produced goods cant guarantee (Barnier, Rodina, Florence, 2005). For some consumers, high price equals high quality; therefore, they are willing to pay more for high quality. â€Å"Brand exclusivity is the positioning of a brand such that it can command a high price relative to similar products† (Groth and McDaniel, 1993). In addition, it is suggested that â€Å"consumers who perceived price as a proxy for quality, also perceived high prices as an indicator suggesting a certain degree of prestige† (Lichtenstein, Ridgway, and Netemeyer 1993). This statement is further supported in recommend the use of prestige-pricing strategy by the marketing literature when appealing to status-conscious consumers (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999; Luong Thi Bich Thuy, 2008). Numerous researchers have conducted the original work from Bourne (1957), which focused on the influence of reference groups on the consumption of prestige brands (Mason 1981 and 1992; Bearden and Etzel 1982, Vigneron and Johnson, 1999). They found that there was a positive relationship between conspicuous consumption and reference groups. Studies on reference group influence have shown that the â€Å"conspicuousness of a product was positively related to its susceptibility to reference group influence† (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999). Additionally, Bearden and Etzel (1982) stated that luxury products that were publicly purchased are more conspicuous products in comparison to products that were privately consumed. The studies also suggested that the luxury products may used to communicate information about their identity. Veblen (1899) suggested that conspicuous consumption was used by people to signal wealth and by inference power and status. The utility of the luxury products may be to display wealth and one could consider that luxury brands would dominate the conspicuous segment of the consumers. In conclusion, it can be concluded that conspicuous consumption of luxury goods is used to display wealth, power and status. It is playing significant role that how individual motivated into purchasing luxury goods. 2.4 Perceived Quality Value Within the field of marketing, the construct of perceived quality has been widely acknowledged as the primary driver of purchase intention (Jacoby and Olson, 1985). According to Vigneron and Johnson (1999), perceived quality value is defined as â€Å"luxury is partly derived from technical superiority and the extreme care that takes place during the production process†. Thus, Husic and Cicic (2008) stated perfectionism effect or perceived quality as â€Å"perfectionist consumers depend on their own perception of the products quality, and may use price as further evidence of quality†. â€Å"Excellent quality is a sine qua non and it is important that the premium marketer maintains and develops leadership in quality† (Quelch, 1987; Vigneron and Johnson, 1999; Dubois, Laurent, Czellar, 2009; Barnier, Rodina, Florence, 2005; Srichan Sriviroj, 2007 ). In a survey conducted by ACNielsen (2008), it was found that on a global average, â€Å"28% believe that are of significantly higher quality than standard brands†. Source: ACNielsen Report (Consumer and Deisgner Brands), April 2008 Consumer might own prestige goods because they are likely to be of higher quality (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999). A consumer who own a luxury fashion goods is likely to expect that the goods longevity and durability (Dubois, Laurent, Czellar, 2009; Barnier, Rodina, Florence, 2005; Srichan Sriviroj, 2007; Sarisa Suvarnasuddhi, 2007) compare with mass products. It should become better with time and should not lose its appeal (Barnier, Rodina, Florence, 2005). According to the Nielsen survey (2009), designer brands stand for fashion and superior quality however in the developing markets of Latin America, Asia, South Africa and the UAE. A half of respondents in these countries think these brands are for fashion followers, and up to 40 percent believe they offer superior quality. Thus, it is interesting that the greatest percentage of people who believe designer brands offer significantly higher quality over non designer alternatives hail from Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Turkey. Source: ACNielsen Report (Consumer and Deisgner Brands), May 2006 Luxury and premium brands are expected to show quality and even greater quality as well (Garfein, 1989; Roux, 1995; Vigneron and Johnson, 1999; Srichan Sriviroj, 2007; Luong Thi Bich Thuy, 2008). Groth and McDaniel (1993) stated that â€Å"high prices may even make certain products or service more desirable†, because people take that products with high prices with great quality (Rao and Monroe, 1989). In fact, luxury products will lose their scarcity and uniqueness characteristics if luxury products are not priced high (Dubois and Duquesne, 1993). The studies and literature on luxury products suggested that the â€Å"quality cue might also be used by consumers to evaluate the level of prestige of brands† (Rao and Monroe, 1989; Vigneron and Johnson, 1999; Luong Thi Bich Thuy, 2008). A low level of quality would play a negative role over the perception of the brand. In contrast, the persons quality perception would play a positive role over his or her perception of presti ge on the same brand if the buyer or the consumer perceives the brand as having an excellent level of quality. (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999; Luong Thi Bich Thuy, 2008) According to Vigneron and Johnson (1999), it stated that the perfectionist effect exists when consumers purchase luxury items and expects superior products and performance as well as quality. People who represent the perfectionist effect are those â€Å"who are assessed to personal values and judge a product according to their value of a luxury brand product† (Srichan Sriviroj, 2007; Luong Thi Bich Thuy, 2008) such as comfort and speed for luxury car or accuracy of the luxury watch. Even previous researches showed that conspicuous vale is more important effect and evident with consumers who perceive price is the most important factor. However, there were researchers stated that quality value is also important such as Jacoby and Olson (1983). In conclusion, perceived quality value were found important to study and can be use to identify the luxury consumption. 2.5 Brand Image Brand is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one sellers good or service as distinct from those of other sellers (www.marketingpower.com; Iyiade Adedamola Taofik, 2009; Suvarnasuddhi, 2007). In the research of Korchia (1999), â€Å"image creates value in a variety of ways, helping consumers to process information, differentiating the brand, generating reasons to buy, giving positive feelings, and providing a basis for extensions†. Cheng (2006) stated that brand is important because the consumers perception of a product can be affected by the added value of a brand. â€Å"Brands signal to consumers the quality of a product, the image that it is meant to convey, as well as representing particular current garment styles and trends in a fashion context† (Keller, 1993; Guy W.Mullarkey, 2001). Brand image can be defines as â€Å"perceptions about a brand as reflected by the brand associations held in consumer memory† (Keller, 1993; Cheng, 2006; Rio, Varques, Iglesias, 2001). Many researchers have been agreed the important of brand image. Brand image is pivotal because it influences purchase intention and consumers preference as well as they are willing to recommend to others and willing to pay higher price (Forsythe, Kwon, P.Leone, Shannon, 2008; Aiello, Donvito, Godey, Pederzoli, Wiedmann, Hennigs, Siebels) â€Å"To succeed in the changing marketplace, a designer brand needs to sell its core brand values; the â€Å"image† reflected in the design and the lifestyle it represents is what consumers pay a premium to buy into† remarked byKaren Watson, Chief Communications Officer, The Nielsen Company. Consumers able to difference the product differentiation, decrease the purchase risks, obtain several experience and recognize the product and its quality through brand image (Lin and Lin, 2007). â€Å"The personal identification function is related to the fact that consumers can identify themselves with some brands and develop feelings of affinity towards them† (Rio, Varques, Iglesias, 2001). It refers to correspondence between consumers behaviour, self image and image of the product. Through the image of the products the consumers buy and use, his or her self image can be improve based on the theory. It also can be inferred that â€Å"individuals prefer brands that have images compatible with their perceptions of self† (Chiu, Lin, Chiu, Chang). In addition, a positive brand image able to lower the products purchase risks and increase the positive feedback from consumers. â€Å"Consumers are more likely to purchase well known brand products with positive brand image a s a way to lower purchase risks† (Akaah and Korgaonkar, 1988; Aiello, Donvito, Godey, Pederzoli, Wiedmann, Hennigs, Siebels). Hence, consumers feel it is less risky by purchasing branded products. â€Å"The country of origin of a brand is also an influential factor for consumers choosing a product in both Asia and in Western countries† (Pervin). There are many researches suggested the country of origin influence on consumer perception and behaviour through the image of the products country of origin (Phau and Leng, 2008; Forsythe, Kwon, P.Leone, Shannon, 2008; Aiello, Donvito, Godey, Pederzoli, Wiedmann, Hennigs, Siebels). It creates positive brand image to increase the possibility for the products to be chosen and also raise the inferior image of the country of origin (Thakor and Katsanis; 1997 Lin and Lin, 2007). According to Grewal, Krishnan, Baker, and Borin (1998), the better a brand image is, the more recognition consumers give to its product quality.

Lung Cancer Essay -- essays research papers

Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society. During 1995, approximately 2.1 million people in developed countries died as a result of smoking. One tobacco use is responsible for nearly one in five deaths in the United States. Lung Cancer mortality are about 23 times higher for current male smokers and 13 times higher for current female smokers compared to a lifelong never-smoker. In addition to being responsible for 87% of lung cancers, smoking is also associated with cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, uterine cervix, kidney, and bladder. Smoking accounts for at least 29% of all cancer deaths, is a major cause of heart disease, and is associated with conditions ranging from colds and gastric ulcers to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cerebrovascular disease. Women have a better chance in getting lung cancer then men do. This year the disease will kill 68,000 women in the United States, more than one and a half times as many as breast cancer. Even if a woman smoked for awhile and quit, her chances are much greater then a man that smoked 2 times longer then the woman did. Scientists still don’t know all the reasons why this happens. With 23 million women still smoking. Lung cancer will remain a deadly epidemic threatening the lives of millions of women. Second hand smoke, also called environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), is a human carcinogen. Each year about 3,000 nonsmoking adults die of lung cancer as a result breathing the sm...

Reading Skills Essay

Reading Reading is the receptive skill in the written mode. It can develop independently of listening and speaking skills, but often develops along with them, especially in societies with a highly-developed literary tradition. Reading can help build vocabulary that helps listening comprehension at the later stages, particularly. Micro-skills involved in reading. The reader has to: †¢ decipher the script. In an alphabetic system or a syllabary, this means establishing a relationship between sounds and symbols. In a pictograph system, it means associating the meaning of the words with written symbols. †¢ recognize vocabulary. †¢ pick out key words, such as those identifying topics and main ideas. †¢ figure out the meaning of the words, including unfamiliar vocabulary, from the (written) context. †¢ recognize grammatical word classes: noun, adjective, etc. †¢ detect sentence constituents, such as subject, verb, object, prepositions, etc. †¢ recognize basic syntactic patterns. †¢ reconstruct and infer situations, goals and participants. †¢ use both knowledge of the world and lexical and grammatical cohesive devices to make the foregoing inferences, predict outcomes, and infer links and connections among the parts of the text. †¢ get the main point or the most important information. †¢ distinguish the main idea from supporting details. †¢ adjust reading strategies to different reading purposes, such as skimming Why is reading skill is so important? Reading is one of the skills most crucial for a child’s success in school and in life. If children don’t learn to read with comprehension early enough, their education is at risk. If they don’t learn to read effortlessly enough to render reading pleasurable, their chances for a fulfilling life–by any measure, whether academic achievement, financial stability or job skills–are tremendously diminished. How to improve reading skill: Teaching reading can be an arduous task as it is often difficult to know how to improve student skills. One of the most obvious, but often unnoticed, points about reading is that there are different types of reading skills. †¢ Skimming – reading rapidly for the main points †¢ Scanning – reading rapidly to find a specific piece of information †¢ Extensive – reading a longer text, often for pleasure with emphasis on overall meaning †¢ Intensive reading – reading a short text for detailed information These different types of skills are used quite naturally when reading in a mother tongue. Unfortunately, when learning a second or foreign language, people tend to employ only â€Å"intensive† style reading skills. I have often noticed that students insist on understanding every word and find it difficult to take my advice of reading for the general idea, or only looking for required information. Students studying a foreign language often feel that if they don’t understand each and every word they are somehow not completing the exercise. In order to make students aware of these different types of reading styles, it is useful to provide an awareness raising lesson to help them identify reading skills they already apply when reading in their native tongues. Thus, when approaching an English text, students should first identify what type of reading skill needs to be applied to the specific text at hand. In this way valuable skills, which students already possess, are easily transferred to their English reading. Outline: †¢ Ask students about what types of reading they do in their own mother tongue(s). †¢ Write different categories of written material on board. i. e. magazines, novels, train schedules, newspapers, advertising, etc. †¢ Have students describe how they go about reading each kind of material. You may want to prompt them by asking the following questions: o Do you read every word in the tv schedule? o Do you understand every word you read when reading a novel? o What kind of clues can the presentation of the material give? o How much time do you spend reading the newspaper? Do you read every single word? o What kind of assumptions do you make when you read the first few lines, or a headline? (i. e. Once upon a time†¦. ) o How much time do you spend reading the various types of materials? †¢ Based on students’ answers to such questions, ask them to identify the type of skills they are using in the various reading situations. †¢ Divide students into small groups and give them the skills summary and short worksheet. †¢ Have students discuss their opinions about the various skills required for the listed materials. †¢ Present various â€Å"real world† materials (i. e. magazines, books, scientific materials, computer manuals etc. ) and ask students to identify the necessary skills required. Reading Styles  Skimming – Reading rapidly for the main points Scanning – Reading rapidly through a text to find specific information required Extensive – Reading longer texts, often for pleasure and for an overall understanding Intensive – Reading shorter texts for detailed information with an emphasis on precise understanding Identify the reading skills required in the following reading situations: †¢ The TV guide for Friday evening †¢ An English grammar book †¢ An article in National Geographic magazine about the Roman Empire †¢ A good friend’s homepage on the Internet †¢ The weather report in your local newspaper †¢ A novel †¢ A poem. †¢ A bus timetable †¢ A fax at the office †¢ An advertising email – so called â€Å"bodyfit† †¢ An email or letter from your best friend †¢ A recipe †¢ A short story by your favourite author Note: There is often not a single correct answer, several choices may be possible according to your reading purpose. If you find that there are different possibilities, state the situation in which you would use the various skills. Developing Reading Skills How many of us remember how we learned to read? Even if we cannot remember how we learned, as parents and educators we can do a lot to help children learn to read and enjoy reading. Reading involves three distinct but intertwined skills: decoding, fluency and comprehension. Decoding is understanding and using sound/letter relationships. Fluency is being able to read quickly and easily. Comprehension is being able to get meaning from the words that have been put together. Comprehension is the point of reading—the reason for reading. But a reader must reach a certain level of decoding and fluency before comprehension can occur. Learning to read involves a constant back-and-forth flow among these three skills. A difficulty in any one of them can cause a breakdown in reading skill. Decoding Decoding means understanding the sounds associated with letter symbols and being able to put them together. A good reading program teaching decoding skills will include phonological awareness activities, blending sounds and segmenting sounds. Phonological awareness is the understanding that words are made up of individual letter/sound combinations. Blending is being able to put those sounds together to â€Å"read† a word. Segmenting is being able to separate a word into individual sounds. In more advanced reading, blending and segmenting will be used to put together or take apart multisyllable words. Some instruction in decoding is useful for all readers to help them read unfamiliar words and also in spelling. Many readers understand the decoding system easily. Those who do not should receive more extensive, direct teaching in these skills. Decoding is what we often associate with phonics and is frequently considered the boring part of learning to read. But it doesn’t need to be. Teachers can help their child with phonics and phonological awareness through word games. Rhyming activities, discussing words with alliterative sounds (â€Å"mean monsters munching mints†) or play games by deleting sounds (say â€Å"clap† without the â€Å"c†) are all ways to help young children become aware of sounds. Having them read or spell nonsense words (such as â€Å"glont† or â€Å"bresk†) can become a game which will help them practice using sounds and learn patterns in the English language Fluency Once a child knows all the sounds, he needs to be able to blend them automatically (or without consciously thinking about it) and speedily to achieve fluency. Fluency is the ability to read smoothly and with expression. Fluency is the bridge between decoding and comprehension. Sometimes children work so hard at decoding each word in a sentence that they cannot remember what they read by the time they reach the end. They lack fluency. Fluency is an area where parents can help since it requires practice and modeling. Reading aloud to your children with expression and enjoyment both before and after they can read themselves, is a good way to model fluency. Once they have learned to read, read aloud collaboratively, taking turns reading a page. Repeated reading is another way to improve fluency, so do not hesitate to read the same books over and over. Comprehension Comprehension is really the end-product, or goal, of reading. We read to gain knowledge and understanding, and we read for pleasure. Each of these requires good comprehension. Many thinking skills and life experiences involve reading comprehension. In addition to speed of decoding and fluency, comprehension has many other components, including knowledge of vocabulary and language usage, background knowledge, memory, sequencing (understanding and remembering events or ideas in the order in which they are presented), visualizing (making a picture in your head as you read) and focusing (maintaining attention and interest). Teachers can have a great impact on a child’s reading comprehension. Again, reading aloud with children will inspire a love of books and reading and will provide vocabulary and language stimulation and background knowledge that will aid them when they begin to read themselves. Children who have dyslexia or a specific learning disability can benefit much more quickly from remediation if they have good listening comprehension. Reading books together gives children a chance to talk about the book, to discuss new facts and explore new ideas. Children can also improve their vocabulary and background knowledge through  discussions and activities with their friends (a trip to the zoo to learn about animals, a walk in the park to talk about kinds of plants). Integrating the Skills These three skills—decoding, fluency, and comprehension—are used continually as children’s reading skills progress. As new phonemes (letter/sound combinations) are added to reading, some children need lots of practice to become fluent with them. As they encounter more difficult words, reading may become less fluent, and the students may need to review or learn new decoding skills. If decoding skills were shaky to begin with, that can become a problem as children encounter more difficult words. Sometimes in middle school, or even high school, a child will have difficulty reading new words, and he will benefit from some instruction in how to break words apart into their syllable parts for reading or spelling. A good reading program will include all three skills. It is important for teachers to understand that reading has several parts and requires many different skills. If a child is having difficulty with reading, he may need some testing or assessment to figure out the problem. A teacher or tutor or academic therapist can then give the child specialized teaching to remediate the problem. Characteristics of Fluent Readers †¢ read with a purpose (to get information or for pleasure) and understand the purpose of different texts (e. g. , ads to encourage buying, editorials to present and influence opinions, recipes to give instructions); †¢ read quickly, automatically recognizing letters and words, maintaining a flow that allows them to make connections and inferences that make the text understandable; †¢ use a variety of strategies, depending on the text, to read efficiently (e. g., varying reading speed, predicting what will happen next, previewing headings and illustrations); †¢ interact with the text, making use of background knowledge as well as the information on the printed page; †¢ evaluate the text critically, determining whether they agree or disagree with the author; †¢ expect to understand the text and get meaning from it; and †¢ usually read silently. Conclusion Much research has been concerned with first language reading and has generated many approaches to teaching reading. However, there is a growing body of literature on both foreign language academic reading and second language reading. All three areas contribute to the understanding of the reading process and have implications for instructional practice. Teachers who are aware of these reading approaches can tailor reading instruction to meet the needs and goals of English language learners. Suggestions for Developing Reading Instruction Knowing what good readers do and comparing this with the strategies used by learners in their classes will enable ESL teachers to gauge learners’ needs. Adult English language learners come with varied reading backgrounds and experiences. Some are fluent readers in their native languages; some are not. Their view of literacy will be influenced by the literacy practices of their culture. Yet, they all will share the experience of learning to read in English, and they will approach reading differently from the way native speakers approach it (Rance-Roney, 1997). The following activities can help learners develop reading proficiency. The choice of activity, however, depends on the needs of the learners, the nature of the text, and the demands of the reading task. Reading Proficiency Activities 1. Because good readers read with a purpose, learners should read texts that meet their needs and are interesting. Teachers can choose texts, or let the learners choose texts, that are relevant to the learners’ lives. They also need to be exposed to texts that they are likely to encounter in everyday life, such as newspapers and magazines, work memos, schedules, and medical instructions. 2. In order to develop automatic recognition skills, learners who are preliterate or literate in a language with a non-Roman alphabet should be given opportunities to develop letter recognition and sound-symbol correspondence skills. This should not be done in isolation, but with familiar texts that they have practiced orally or heard before (Hood et al. , 1996). For example, learners can identify words that begin with a certain sound in a dialogue they know. Learners who are literate in their own language may find phonics instruction unproductive unless differences between their native language and English are pointed out. Spanish speakers, for example, need to know that the letter â€Å"a† can express more than one sound in English. Vocabulary development also plays a role in automaticity. In texts where vocabulary may not be familiar, teachers can introduce key vocabulary in prereading activities that focus on language awareness, such as finding synonyms, antonyms, derivatives, or associated words (Hood et al. , 1996). Modified cloze exercises, where examples of the target structure (e. g. , prepositions) are deleted from a text and learners fill in as many blanks as they can, are also helpful. 3. Using appropriate strategies for various reading tasks increases comprehension, but acquiring an array of strategies is a long and difficult process (Grabe, 1995). Nevertheless, such strategies as skimming for the main idea, scanning for specific information, predicting what a text is about or what will happen next, and making use of the context and illustrations to discover word meanings are critical for English language learners beyond the beginning level. 4. Prereading activities that introduce the text encourage learners to use their background knowledge (Eskey, 1997). Class members can brainstorm ideas about the meaning of a title or an illustration and discuss what they know. The teacher can highlight cultural assumptions inherent in the writing. Awareness of various text types and their styles (advertisements, recipes, editorials) is also helpful. 5. Evaluating texts for implicit values and assumptions is another important reading skill. Reading texts that present different opinions or different descriptions of the same situation help develop an awareness of how language reflects values (Hood et al. , 1996). Texts that present an issue without presenting a solution, such as â€Å"Dear Abby† letters (without the replies), can lead to discussion and writing about differing points of view (Auerbach, 1992). 6. Good readers expect to understand what they are reading. Therefore, texts should contain words and grammatical structures familiar to the learners (Eskey, 1997). However, it is not always easy to find texts that are both understandable and interesting for adult English language learners to read. Authentic reading material can often be found by the learners themselves, who have written pieces to share with each other. 7. Extensive reading for a sustained, uninterrupted period of time is not only valuable for developing vocabulary but is also an important way to develop reading proficiency and language acquisition in general (Grabe, 1991; Krashen, 1993). In class, learners can engage in Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) of materials they have chosen themselves. They can be encouraged to read outside of class by maintaining (and periodically turning in) reading logs that list what they have read and by making one- to three-minute oral presentations recommending a book, story, or article to their classmates (Dupuy, Tse, & Cook, 1996). Conclusion Much research has been concerned with first language reading and has generated many approaches to teaching reading. However, there is a growing body of literature on both foreign language academic reading and second language reading. All three areas contribute to the understanding of the reading process and have implications for instructional practice. Teachers who are aware of these reading approaches can tailor reading instruction to meet the needs and goals of English language learners. AN APPROACH TO A READING LESSON STAGE 1: Check understanding of ‘essential’ vocabulary. (Do you think it is necessary or desirable for your students to understand all the vocabulary) AIM: For students to understand the meaning of words essential to the completion of set tasks. STAGE 2: Establish interest in the topic through discussion based on the topic or prediction. AIM: To generate students’ interest in the topic of the text. (These two stages are necessary to prepare the students for the reading skills. ) STAGE 3: Set atleast two different reading tasks. Give the easier task(questions), first to build confidence. This would be task which require scan reading. AIM: For students to have practice in scan reading skills. STAGE 4: Provide a task.

The Y2k Problem Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL, Hazards

The Y2k Problem Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL, Hazards The Y2k Problem Y2K: Nearing Disaster or Minor Computer Flaw? By Pete Conti Imagine that, as you do annually, you are counting the minutes until the New Year arrives. You are watching Dick Clark announce that the countdown will begin soon, and you feel anxious. Finally, as you hear the offbeat 5-4-3-2-1-0, and let out a sigh of relief, something goes wrong. At precisely 12:00 A.M. on January 1 of the year 2000, computers across the nation crash, leaving the country in panic. Stores are looted, riots break out, 911 is dysfunctional, banks lose money, the stock market crashes, planes drop from the sky, and we are all left in the bitter darkness. Horror stories such as these are common among news broadcasts and the Internet, but many are wondering how the Y2K problem will, if at all, affect their lives. Some professionals say that the Y2K problem may only cause glitches in older, obsolete computers and mainframes, while others are warning the public, and urging proper preparedness for this imminent disaster. Although both sides of this conflict have very arguab le positions, the world is not taking the Y2K problem seriously enough. Before a valid position can be taken, one must first fully understand what the Y2K problem is, and how it might affect computers. Computer coding has always been constructed of zeros and ones, and the finished product is often called the computer language. Over the last thirty years, namely the early eighties, computer coding was much different than it is today. During this time, a string of zeros usually meant the end of a particular program. For these computers, which are very few, when the year 2000 arrives, the Central Processing Unit, or CPU, will determine that the zeros in the year 2000s date as the end of the software, and the computer will crash. This only makes up a very small percentage of the computers that will be affected by the Y2K problem, the others being the more modern computers that still are not compliant with the year 2000s date. These computers, unlike the earlier, primitive ones, would not recognize the year 2000 as the date in which the software stops functio ning, but instead as the year 1900. This is due to the fact that many date systems are set up using only two numbers, so for example, 01 would be read as 1901, because these computers are still set in the 20th century. Some argue that, because the computer would not crash, and simply believe the date was 1900, the Y2K problem is not a major dilemma; the vast majority of computers would still be fully functional, so fixing the problem doesnt require so much urgency. The problem could be fixed after the year 2000, so panic is unnecessary. This is obviously not the case, when you think about all of the computers that run on dates. Almost all of the systems that run schedule-keeping programs will be adversely affected if this problem is not fixed. What about the telephone company? What would happen if you were on the telephone at the date change? What about Travel agencies and package delivery systems? These questions remain unanswered, and will stay that way until the year 2000 arrives . The Y2K problem is very serious, but it is causing many more problems than simply computers. There are radicals supporting every viewpoint. Some people who are worried about the Y2K problem are withdrawing all of their money from banks, and stockpiling their houses with months worth of food, while others simply fail to acknowledge the Y2K problem. Others are actually trying to get rich off perhaps the biggest problem in computers short history. There are numerous fake, overpriced, and overrated Y2K survival kits on sale for ridiculous prices. Imagine what would happen if Y2K did cause major problems, what would the radicals do then? While it is obvious that many are over-preparing for this potential upcoming problem, the ones that are paying no attention to it may be in danger. NBC news stated that withdrawing money from banks is actually a bad idea, as many banks have already converted to Y2K compliant software, but having necessary items such as a radio, batteries, a flashlight,

buy custom The Black Death in England essay

buy custom The Black Death in England essay Introduction The Black Death in England is considered to be one of the greatest natural disasters in the history that hit England between 1348 and 1350. It first reached England in 1348 through Bristol. Due to poor hygiene and overcrowding caused by the bustling population in London, the living conditions and sanitation standards were low creating breeding and spreading grounds for the disease.Also known as the Black Plague, their effects were felt in Europe, Asia and the adjacent cities in the mid-14th century. The plague was referred to the Black Death because it turned the skin of its victims black due to sub-dermal hemorrhages. Historians attribute the disease to an outbreak of a bubonic plague, which is a bacterium that is easily spread through fleas via agents such as the black rat. The bacterium that carries the disease is transferred into the lymphatic system through bites from fleas. Once in the lymph nodes, the bacteria often multiply and cause swellings which are known as buboes.The speed at which the bacteria spread is so high that it reaches the lungs and the spleen forcing patients to succumb after a few days. This paper maintains that the Black Death in England caused severe consequences and had far-reaching effects on the socioeconomic, political, cultural, religious and medical structures in England. The paper will thus explore these consequences and effects. What the Black Death did and its Effects in England According to the existent records, the Black Death killed approximately 30-40% of the English population.As a result, many people were literary thrown into open communal pits in England. On a general note, it is believed that the plague killed people indiscriminately. For example, the Black Death struck the daughter of King Edward III (1312-1377). Joan contracted the fatal disease and died in Bayonne on 2 September 1348 after receiving her parents blessing for a marriage to King Pedro of Castille who was the son of Alfonso XI and Maria Portugal.However, data collected in the aftermath of the plague indicate that it killed the oldest, poorest and the youngest population first. As a result of the Black Death, there were towns and villages in England that remained without people and thus disappeared. According to demographic and historical records, the population did not fully replenish from the sting of the plague until in the late eighteenth century. The peasants had to flee from their fields out of the anxiety and fear of catching the decease. Livestock in the villages were left un-attended and were to look after themselves while crops were left to rot. Consequently, many villages, homes, towns and houses were left desolated since the occupants either succumbed to the plague or migrated to the cities. People got confused and could not clearly tell the origin of the disease that was threatening to wipe the entire population from existence.Considering that this was a wrath from God, many people resorted to public penitence acts such as processions lasting for three days that were meant to appease God. Unfortunately, these public acts only contributed to the spread of the disease even further. The disease kept on mutating until in the late 17th century when England became generally free of the deadly plague. The Social and Economic Consequences of the Black Death in England The Black Death in England led to a sudden shortage of labor for agricultural production. This shortage resulted in the increase in wages as the landowners desperately needed farm labor. This was generally caused by the fact that the population was so low that the need for labor could not be fully satisfied. In 1949, the Ordinances of Laborers was legislated to enhance return to pre-plague wage levels but the efforts were all futile since the shortage for laborers was great. Consequently, wages increased even further.The landowners responded to the crisis by offering food, drink among other additional benefits to try and lure laborers. This implies that the Black Death was a blessing in disguise for the laborers who could survive the deadly plague. Extensive land that was meant for farming and production of food could not be ploughed due to the high labor costs emanating from the acute shortage of laborers. Hence, this land was used for pasturing and not farming. The clothes and woolen industry got boosted as a result of the Black Death in England.Many landowners were also forced to lease their land since they were unable to get adequate rental income they expected. Besides, most peasants took advantage of the situation to benefit from better labor wages and also gained from additional employment opportunities with better wages. Despite the economic potentials and actual boom in the rural areas, some markets and towns still disappeare. Most cities were significantly affected by the plague. As a result, financial business was interrupted as debtors succumbed to the disease leaving the creditors without any alternative to resort to.The construction projects that were ongoing either stalled or had to stop altogether even as guilds continued to lose their craftsmen day after another without replacements. The supply of goods in the market shot higher than the demand due to high mortality rates in England caused by the Black Death. Consequently, the price of goods declined heavily while the standard of living for the remnants rose. The demographic features/aspects of England changed as a result of the Black Death. The plague killed 30-40% of the total population.This had significant effect on the population structure of England. England also registered mass exodus of the rural population to the cities and towns. This is because the landowners/lords continued to encourage the peasants to leave their villages and work for them for better payments. The landowners who remained in the countryside could thus not find enough laborers to work in their farms. Since the menace led to an acute shortage of labor and increase in wages, agricultural production declined.This led to food insecurity in some villages where agricultural activities stopped or stalled due to shortage of labor as people succumbed or migrated in response to the dreaded plague. In some cases, it was suggested that moral degradation was the cause of the Black Death. On the part of the landowners, the rise of wages was an indicator of social uprisings and insubordination. Thus, they resorted to coercion to suppress the rising wages. However, this was not possible due to the social and economic realities that the entire population was gulping with.England also witnessed a sudden onset of persecutions especially the Jews and lepers.These populations were persecuted out of a false belief that they poisoned the water and air and spread the disease. Some were even exterminated from Europe, massacred, burned and in some cases drowned in marshes. These fatal attacks were executed in the false belief that the victims contributed to the spread of the deadly plague. On a general note, the pestilence transformed the mood of England population setting stage for a morbid mood. As a result, people became very pessimistic and lived for a moment with the future looking very unsecure and un-assured. Political Consequences of the Black Death in England As a result of the unfolding realities relating to labor, King Edward II passed the Ordinance of Laborers in 1349 in an attempt to fix wages at pre-plague levels.This had to be reinforced by the legislation of the Statute of Laborers in 1351. However, the legislations were very inefficient enhancing market regulation. As a result of excessive use of force, the government encountered public resentment which later led to the development of the Peasants Revolt in 1381. While trying to restore wages to the pre-plague levels, the government met very stiff opposition.The Peasants Revolt led to the killing of both Chancellor and Treasurer as peasants demanded total abolition of serfdom. Consequently, the serfdom was completely extinct in England by 1400 and instead replaced by a tenure system known as copyhold. One of the greatest impacts of the Black Death in England was felt in the field of war. The government became incapable and could not finance its military strategies effectively due to the great depression that the military personnel were already suffering from as a result of deaths in the home country. Besides, the government lost the financial ability to effectively execute its military plans and strategies. In the long term, the Black Death led to the decline of the Feudal system which was effectively in operation before the onset of the plague. The government tried to contain it but could not, particularly because the landowners/lords promoted the system in a bid to access labor which was not only unavailable but also very expensive for those that could find laborers. Religious Consequences of the Black Death in England The Black Death occurred during the Middle Ages and had a great impact on the religious practices in England. The clergy got overwhelmed and could not continue leading the performance of last rites, live alone giving some aid to help the victims of the plague.There was a requirement that before death, people are given opportunity to confess their sins. This was officiated by the priests or the clergy. As a result of the swift rate at which the disease was spreading, the clergy even allowed the victims of the plague to engage in confessions of sin, one for another and in some cases to a woman. The situation was so bad that Pope Clement VI had to grant remission of sins especially to all thosee who died as a result of the Black Death. In the isolated places such as prisons and monasteries, the death rates were very high. In fact, existing records indicate that even the clergy who were supposed to lead confessions died of the plague. In a single year, it is recorded that two-thirds of t he clergy actually succumbed to the fatal plague. Many people frantically participated in the Dance of Death. This was an allegory that personified death and led to a row of dancing figures from various places and dancing all the way to the grave. The Dance of Death was performed in cemeteries, as others were celebrated privately in the Black Mass. In such instances, the dancers mimicked religion in a mad preoccupation with appeasement of the devil. The Church got alienated as many people resorted to other religious groups such as the Order of the Flagellants. Flagellants were involved in self-flogging which they believed offered atonement for sin. They could travel two by two in the streets, flogging each other with chains, whips and rods.Unfortunately, as they travelled from town to town spreading their new religion, they spread the disease even further. The clergy also organized public repentance meetings that aimed at appeasing God to remove the pestilence from the people after repentance. However, since the disease was contagio us, the crowding during the penitence meetings contributed to further spread of the disease. On a general note, the Church was discredited and lost public confidence especially because of its position during the Black Death. Cultural Consequences of the Black Death in England Arts and culture in England greatly changed as a result of the Black Death. The European culture witnessed a sudden transformation and became largely morbid. In order to depict the general mood of pessimism caused by the plague, the arts were decorated with dark colors. Sculptors and painters started portraying dead and dying images in their artwork. Additionally, the attitude of people towards music and art changed due to the surrounding depression.During this time, the wealthy were willing to spend money on religious art for churches and even chapels throughout the land. The sculptors and artists therefore had a lot of sales during this menace. Besides, most decorations, paintings and cultural artworks displayed skeletons to depict the general lifeless nature of England after it got struck by the pestilence. The Consequences of the Black Death and Medical Practices in England The Black Death had a significant bearing on the medical treatment approaches of the medieval ages. Alchemy was a specialty and a common method of treatment during the breakout of the plague and even after. However, when the doctors realized that this specialty could not treat the disease that causes the Black Death, it started to lose popularity.In many cases where it was used, alchemy could not contain the spread of the epidemic. In fact, there are instances when the use of alchemy as a treatment practice against the Black Death only worsened the condition of the patients admitted for medical attention. After the use of alchemy to treat patients who contracted the disease failed, the alchemist made liquor-distilled alcohol-to deal with the plague. However, this was also not successful and instead only led to the popularity and spread of alcohol consumption in the entire Europe during and after the period of the Black Death. The manner in which the doctors in the medieval ages responded to the Black Death is proofs that the menace was mysterious even to the medical practitioners. The disease was generally caused by contamination and poor sanitation. Since it was highly contagious, it could spread quickly in the crowded places, a simple understanding that even the doctors and the medical personnel then, could not reveal. Conclusion The Black Death was a plague that had significant impact in England. It had memorable but adverse consequences on the social, economic, political, cultural, religious and medical aspects of life in England. It is estimated that the plague swept approximately 30-40% of the total English population. The population structure, economic and political situation of England and the entire Europe got a sudden overhaul as a result of the menace. Although demographic data of England before, during, and after the plague gives estimations of the extent to which the plague affected the society, these may be just simple estimations or approximations and not the real depictions of the menace. Buy custom The Black Death in England essay

Theory of Knowledge for the IB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Theory of Knowledge for the IB - Essay Example The second definition goes beyond the original reason for the invention of machines. Instead of just aiding us in our daily tasks by being "extensions" of our bodies in performing their tasks, machines, especially since the time when a machine called computers are invented, become performers of tasks independently of its user. As long as its actions are programmed in such a way that it can now perform tasks without the presence or the real-time control of humans. They have become very sophisticated that they can surpass what we can do. Mechanical cranes can lift manifold times the maximum weight that the strongest living human can. Assembly line robots can accomplish a task way beyond a team of fastest human workers of that particular job. And, in 1997, a supercomputer named Deep Blue defeated the then world chess champion, Garry Kasparov. The power of machines exponentially increases our capacity to produce goods and services. It is understandable that they can outshine our mechanical abilities. But in terms of our mental faculties, machines such as Deep Blue has been programmed to outsmart our rational faculties. This presents a question that we are to resolve in this paper. Can a machine know Before going further, we must first define what the verb "to know" means. In English this word has several definitions. In the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (Fourth Edition) " know" has eight definitions: "1. To perceive directly; grasp in the mind with clarity or certainty. 2. To regard as true beyond doubt. 3. To have a practical understanding of, as through experience; be skilled in 4. To have fixed in the mind: 5. To have experience of: 6a. To perceive as familiar; recognize: b. To be acquainted with: 7. To be able to distinguish; recognize as distinct: knows right from wrong. 8. To discern the character or nature of:" The definitions above give us different aspects of the word "know." By these we can say that "knowing" something starts when we perceive a thing by our senses, processing this acquired information to a point that we become acquainted with those things and ends up with the capability of the "knowing" person to distinctly distinguish or recognize that thing from others. The emergence of the Information Age has introduced machines that can "think" independently. They, such as supercomputers, can grasp and process data at astounding speeds. In a fraction of a second, they can perform mathematical operations that a human can do in hours or even years. With this capacity, they can really perform rational activities, at least to a certain extent. But can we say that this supercomputer's ability to process data is already an act of knowing given the definition of "know" above For me, I believe that machines cannot fully know. They may perform mental tasks of humans with rapidity and precision way above that of humans. But still they cannot totally know things as per defined by dictionaries. If we use the definitions above, they fall short of thoroughly knowing something. To prove this, let us consider the first definition "To perceive directly, grasp in the mind with clarity or certainty." Computers are designed to perceive and grasp data to help us in our tasks. Word processing programs, for example, are created for us to write a letters and other documents in a precise and neat manner. It can receive data coming