Is Death Responsible for Diversity? Essay -- Philosophy Essays

Is Death Responsible for Diversity? Some of the hardest questions we struggle to answer in life surround the phenomenon of death. What happens when we die? Is there something beyond death? Is one way to go better than another? Is it possible to escape death? Why do we die, anyway? Why couldn't we just live forever? One explanation for death may come from the story of evolution. To explore this question, let us imagine a hypothetical situation, a world in which nothing dies. (We will imagine also, for now, that organisms would continue to evolve along the same trajectory as they do at present.) Every organism that has ever existed in the past would exist now, along with every organism present and every organism that has yet to exist. Not only would the world contain these organisms, but all potential organisms. "However many ways there may be of being alive, it is certain that there are vastly more ways of being dead or rather, not alive." – Richard Dawkins (p 104, Dennett) All the representations of the ways of being 'not alive' would be there, including those that we could not possibly fathom, those that are not necessarily contingent to our present environment. What this signifies, this absence of death, is a lack of natural selection. When nothing can die, everything is selected for, nothing is selected against. No death implies; no tests, no judgments of fit or unfit, no randomness or weeding-out of the genome, no consequence to anything that is potentially detrimental to the species. This hypothetical situation is a look at the unchanging set of all possible options, every combination of DNA that could potentially give rise to life. Every possibility is valid. This version of the world could only exist if we ign... ...t and habitat. The world would be just one big niche, where anything goes, anything is possible. If we do away with natural selection, then we must consequently do away with change, with evolution, with boundaries. "Whenever a species acquires a new capacity, it acquires, so to speak, the key to a different niche or adaptive zone in nature." (p 208, Mayr) The key merited is contingent to the change only because the niche is 'locked' before the change occurs. The boundaries we see are what create the selection pressures that cause organisms to change and are often products of selection pressures themselves. There is a direct relationship between these phenomena. If we have change (evolution) and niches, then death and natural selection are mandatory. Sources Mayr, Ernst. What Evolution Is. New York; Basic Books, 2001. Dennett, Daniel. Darwin's Dangerous Idea.

Impact of Nationalism

The rise of nationalism in Zambia started with the formation of welfare societies as it advanced to trade union as well as to the formation of political parties which led to people identify themselves as belong to one race. The first welfare society was formed by Donald Siwale and was called Mwenzu welfare society in 1912, in 1939, the formation of northern Rhodesia African union workers took root, and the second world war speeded up nationalism. In 1946, the Federation of African Welfare Societies was formed.Two years later the Mineworkers Union was created and in the same year the Federation of African Welfare Societies reformed itself as the Northern Rhodesia African Nationalist Congress (ANC), under the leadership of Harry Nkumbula. A union for railway workers was established in 1949. In 1958, some members broke away from ANC and formed ZANC and Kenneth Kaunda become the leader and the part was banned. And the following year in 1959, UNIP was formed.There were violent uprising an d acts of sabotage caused by UNIP and in 1964, Zambia become sovereign state Nationalism has had the affirmative impact to the Zambian culture as it transcended regional and ethnic division and spanned the colony, this helped the people to fight for their rights. The struggle for independence along region and ethnic group groups would have being difficult and delay the attainment of freedom from the colonial rules but the integration of different ethnic groups and region gave birth to a new state.Nationalism in its historical context can be defined as an ideological movement aimed at attaining and maintaining the identity and unity through social cohesion and autonomy through national self-determination of a â€Å"nation,† or a peoples united under a â€Å"national† banner ( Nationalism has also being defined as the attitude that the members of a nation have when they care about their national identity, and the actions that the members of a nation take when seeking to achieve or sustain self-determination.Nationalism in a wider sense is any complex of attitudes, claims and directives for action ascribing a fundamental political, moral and cultural value to nation and nationality and deriving obligations (for individual members of the nation, and for any involved third parties, individual or collective) from this ascribed value. There is a fair amount of agreement about what is historically the most paradigmatic form of nationalism.It is the one which features the supremacy of the nation's claims over other claims to individual allegiance, and which features full sovereignty as the persistent aim of its political program, therefore nationalism has a positive impact on Zambia’s culture as it makes citizens realise that individual duties and loyalty are less important compared to national duties and loyalty.Adding to this is that citizen will accept the autonomy of their government and its responsibility. Nationalism is essential as it safegu ard the moral life of communities since it is the only form of political institution capable of protecting communities from the threats of globalization and assimilation, for example, the introduction of gay rights has being in vain as the culture of Zambia does not support it as it is considered to be immoral.Nationalism has positively impacted on Zambian culture as it provide an overall sense of unity across all groups and acceptance of all human beings across the country, everyone feels attached to the unitary state and there is no tribal or individuals who are superior than others, nationalism has instil to every Zambian the spirit of Zambian identity despite of their region and ethnic belonging, for instance, to avoid tribalism and regionalism, DR Kaunda introduced the a system where he disseminated the ethnic groups into different areas despite of ethnic or region group one belonged, everyone one had a sense of belonging, identity and a spirit of Zambian where ever they were s ent. Therefore nationalism has impacted the culture of acceptance among Zambians.Nationalism promotes liberty through national self-determination which is a form of positive liberty, the ability to make decisions and take actions that express what is a national value. Second, nationalism may also support the positive liberty of individuals. The negative impact of nationalism to Zambian culture is that the members of minority group are often disadvantaged in relation to a dominant culture because they have to rely on those with the same beliefs, custom and culture to conduct the affairs of daily life. Since freedom to conduct one's daily life is a primary good, and it is difficult to change or give up reliance on one's minority culture to attain that good, this reliance can lead to certain inequalities if special measures are not taken. Spontaneous nation-building by the majority has to be moderatedThe stand out point on the depressing impact of nationalism to Zambian culture is that it has to conflict, those who are not in support of the dominant culture had crushed with the government and the majority. For instance, in late July and early August some 10,000 Lumpa church members in the Northern Province, revolted. The religious sect, which combines African and Christian beliefs, was ruled by Alice Lenshina, formerly a Presbyterian. By forbidding Lumpas to join political parties, she had been responsible for previous clashes with the UNIP. A resettling of Lumpa villages by the government touched off the revolt. After being taken into custody, Alice Lenshina ordered her followers to lay down their arms, but not before there were over 600 dead, 350 wounded, and 5,000 homeless

Closed-Source Systems Essay

There are several differences and similarities when discussing open and closed source software or systems. Some operating systems that are currently in operating are closed source and some of them are open source. Both closed and open source software / systems have their place in the technical world. It is difficult to say which of these types is better, because it will usually be based on numerous factors. Possible factors could be cost, convenience, flexibility, maintenance, and accessibility. The comparison will always be made when discussing open and open closed source software / systems, but it will always be a person-to-person situation based on necessity. Closed Source Software / Systems Closed source software is defined as software that contains a hidden source code or a non-visible source code. It is usually developed by a single person or a company. Once a final copy of the closed source software is developed and completed, it is sold to the public. This final copy is what end-users will find available to them. According to (Grant, 2004), â€Å"Closed source software is normally copyrighted or patented and is legally protected as intellectual property. † He also mentions that legally, â€Å"A user cannot give it away, copy it, or modify it in any way unless the user has a special license or permission to do it† (Grant, 2004). There are incentives for producing closed source software. It can be sold by the developers and it is intangible. What is meant here is, the developers or company that produced it can replicate it numerous times over. In order for companies to make a profit the software is generally rushed out the door. When this happens, the software can have issues in terms of functionality, maintenance, and support. Due to these issues, the producing companies are the only ones with the authority to produce patches to fix problems. Ultimately, after a patch is made the responsibility will rely on the end user to apply it and resolve the problem. This is where a security issue is involved. Grant mentions in his article, â€Å"Users have a poor record for applying patches resulting in thousands of computers around the world being left vulnerable every time a flaw is discovered† (Grant, 2004). Cost is a major factor with open and closed source software / systems. Closed source types generally cost more and this is due to licensing, patents, copyrights, registration, and manufacturer or company name. Maintenance, updates, and support are basic complimentary features when buying a closed source type. An example of a closed source software / system is Microsoft’s Windows and Office. Open Source Software / Systems As previously mentioned, closed source software / systems have their source code â€Å"hidden† from the public. Open source software / systems have their source code â€Å"visible† to the public. The same type of developers who create closed source software can create open source software. Grant states, â€Å"The reasons for writing open source software range from those who have a passion for computing and who want to contribute to make a difference, to those who do not like having to rely on any single company to produce what is needed† (Grant, 2004). Open source software / systems and the authors who create them are legally protected by the General Public License, or GPL. Since it is published under the GPL, users can use it for free and give it to as many people as they want to as long as they do not pretend they wrote it. According to Grant, â€Å"Users can make changes to open source software as long as what was modified is availably known to the public (Grant, 2004). That is one aspect that makes open source software / systems so grand, is that users can change the source code. This continues to the next aspect, which is; updates, patches and/or fixes. Users, or the public, can apply these factors straight to the open source software which is unlike closed source types. One of the downsides to open source software / systems is there is no warranty. If the software malfunction or does not perform well the users will have no recourse. Some other factors that Grant mentions with open source software / systems are, â€Å"There is no guarantee of good documentation or support, (Grant, 2004)† which is different than closed source types. Obviously, cost will always be an issue. Open source is free! Closed source is not. On the record, open source software packages have had better security that closed source types. A couple examples of open source type software / systems are; Linux and Open Office. Summary Overall, there are no perfect software / systems in the world. Some people might say that closed source software is for novice users and open source software is more for an advanced user base. Both types have a place in the technical world and serve a purpose. Their differences in maintenance, cost, functionality, support, flexibility, and availability will only make a difference in a person to person scenario. It can also come down to convenience and personal preference. Closed source and open source software / systems might have their differences, but where one might outweigh the other they tend to maintain a certain balance.

Classroom Management debate Essay

Set of procedures the teacher uses in order to ensure the smooth and motivational interaction among learners. It also involves the e? cient use of audiovisual aids and other forms of realia and equipment. Critical points to consider: †¢Teacher Talking Time †¢Student Taking time †¢The use of L1 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT https:// docs. google. com/open? id=0B5T z9DyyMdqCQjNZX0dkZkdvYmM Why is teacher talking time (TTT) important? ?Teacher talk = Organization of the classroom = Process of language acquisition. ?The quantity of TTT is important and so is the quality. A good balance should always be the target. Factors to be considered: Nunan (1995: 190) 1. The point in the lesson in which the talking occurs. 2. What prompts the teacher talk (planned or spontaneous) 3. The value of the talk as potentially useful for acquisition. Students Talking Time STT STT is the opportunity students have to talk in the classroom. Learners need to: †¢Attend to information †¢Volunteer original ideas †¢Ask relevant questions. †¢Work with other learners †¢Solve problems co-operatively. †¢Work independently in class or at home. STT is enhanced by: †¢Promoting a ‘listening culture’ in the classrooms. †¢Asking more challenging questions. †¢Being ready to accept unexpected answers †¢Allowing silences and time for thought †¢Planning and building in meaningfultasks to encourage productive talk †¢Encouraging students to ask questions, to initiate talk and to seek for meanings CONCLUSIONS THE USE OF L1 IN CLASS. 1. Facilitate teacher-student communication 2. Facilitate teacher-student rapport 3. Facilitate learning 4. Systematize comprehension of L2 structures Harbord, J. (1992) : ? The use of the mother tongue in the classroom in The ELT Journal, Vol. 46/4. IN CONCLUSION†¦ †¢There must be a balance in the TTT and the STT if teachers really want to achieve their objectives in class. †¢The use of L1 should be done taking into consideration students’ needsand environment. Nevertheless, it must be used e? ciently. †¢I think that†¦ ?   

Service Contracting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Service Contracting - Essay Example 2. Feasibility study is essential in evaluating the practicality of a project. Normally, when services providers are solicited through an RFP (request for proposal), a solicited proposal is developed and feasibility analysis is carried out in order to assess the associated costs, risks and timelines. Feasibility analyses help in mitigating the risks and provide a cost-effective way for service providers to proceed with the project. 3. Contractor selection occurs on the basis of the submitted proposals. The solicitation contains the criteria for selection of the contractor in addition to other instructions relating to the evaluation process (Le Roux, 2007). The exact proposal evaluation process for awarding of contract varies. However, contract awarding and the proposal evaluation processes are prone to biases such as lack of competition, less number of submitted proposals, deviation from the company’s policies, and lack of compliance. Manny issues stem from lack of competition itself, for example, monopolistic pricing. 4. The best practice is to ensure that the selected contractor possesses the ability to meet the needs of the project. All written contracts should be formally documented and the specifications and requirements must be clearly defined beforehand. In addition, there must be a sufficient level of completion, that is, there must be a sufficient number of proposals received before the contract is awarded (Savas. 2005). If not, a sole source justification must be provided making a case for the only supplier. Auditing of the evaluation process and contract awarding must be carried out in order to ensure compliance with the policies in addition to contract monitoring. 5. Contract monitoring allows the contractors to be looked out for their compliance with the ethical standards and policies. In case of any deviations, law enforcement agencies as well as the

Atmospheric pollution and its affect on human health Essay

Atmospheric pollution and its affect on human health - Essay Example Accidental air comes from leakage and blasts in industrial furnaces, as well as through ample consumption of fuel alternatives, and smoking. On the other hand, industrial air pollution characterizes a type that pollutes the environment via the emissions caused by thermal plant operations, wide use of construction materials such as cement and steel, fertilizers, pesticides, atomic units, and industrial wastes. Green house effect derived from the contamination of several important gases and fossil fuel combustion in the air makes another foul contribution and this type is especially characteristic of green house gases namely carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and ozone which return to the lower atmospheric region after evolution against gravity. Transport related air pollution similarly originates from smoke brought about by petrol or diesel burnt in different vehicular engines which correspondingly emit noxious gases in mild to poisonous concentrations at worst. How does each of these types of air pollution affect human health and the environment? Smog is proven to have caused serious respiratory diseases as in the 1952 incident in London that resulted in the death of 4,000 people. Greenhouse gases equivalently pose threat on crops and livestock besides exhibiting potential harm on human skin which may be impacted by corrosion or cancer upon based on critical gas levels. As heat exceedingly builds up due to greenhouse effect, this further leads to climate change and global warming. By transport related air pollution, carbon monoxide for instance can drive oxygen out of the bloodstream, causing apathy, fatigue, headache, disorientation, and decreased muscular coordination and visual acuity. Industrial plants capable of releasing untreated wastes along with high levels of sulfuric or nitric acids make possible the precipitation of acid rain that gradually erodes building structures, contaminates vegetation, drinking water, and even the aquatic ha bitat. Birth defects, genetic mutations, and damage to neurological systems may also follow as consequences of long-term exposure to toxic materials with high percentages in air. What are some ways to control air pollution? Since human activities comprise either the primary or secondary sources of air pollution, control over these activities hence becomes essential in suppressing pollutants from building up in hazardous degrees of contact with the atmosphere. Car pool is one such means to arrive at this goal which takes to effect lower consumption of fossil fuels once fewer cars are used upon implementation. This way, fossil fuels are sustained and conserved for later applications. In the similar manner, taking advantage of the public transport may help regulate emissions properly besides being an act of support to augment public income. One may opt to walk or simply ride a bicycle to cover short distances as much as possible so that certain quantities of gas are saved while there w ould be a number of places which can be freed eventually of smoke and of the uncomfortably warmer temperatures due to sensible heat if most people heartily participate in this endeavor of minimizing the use of major emission source. Likewise, there is quite an immense worth in utilizing alternative sources of energy aside from the traditional fuels. If there emerges

Nemiros Research on Creativity in Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nemiros Research on Creativity in Teams - Essay Example Malhotra (2000, p.101) stated that, "These structures are characterized by such terms as virtual, boundary-less or networked." The people or members are involved in virtual teams, are scattered geographically and communicate with each other through information technology. Nemiro proposed three different types of work design approaches: the wheel, modular and iterative approach. Members on two different status levels make up the network, a high-status member (the leader or supervisor) and lower level members or assistants. The higher status member is usually referred to as the hub or center of network, through which all communication must pass. If the team member has to put forward an idea, it should be directly presented to the team leader rather then being shared by the other members. So, in most situations, the team members of the lower status lack communication and sharing of information prevails. The duties are delegated to the team members by the leader or the lower status team members present their ideas personally to the leader. The second proposed work design approach is the modular approach, which is repeatedly used by the virtual teams to complete their tasks. This approach involves more communication then the previous one. Firstly, the team sets a face to face group meeting and decides on the steps that are suppose to be followed, while finding the solution to the problem or completing the task. Nemiro (2002) stated that, "Team members met initially to decide on the need, task, or project to be pursed. Then, as a group, the work was parceled out or distributed among team members" After completing the initial step the team members disperse in order to extract information through different sources individually or accompanied by other members. The findings then are discussed among the team members before the final submission. 3. The iterative approach Most virtual groups use iterative approach where there is more connection with the team members is involved. None of the step is done in isolation or without communicating it to the other members. The feedback is being given at every step or at every finding. Nemiro (2002) has written that group members who are involved in the developmental cycles, each member shows some work at every step and gets feedback. Similar procedure is followed until final submission. This approach is widely used because the results are more impressive and accurate because in the feedback session more ideas can be generated on the new findings and the results get closer to the perfection. How the approaches would be helpful Nobody can deny the effectiveness of the traditional team structures which