John Lockes Some Thoughts Concerning Education free essay sample

According to Locke, the goal of education is not to create a scholar, but to create a virtuous man. He believes that learning morals is more important than any other kind of learning. He believes that education should create a person who obeys reason instead of passion. One of the most emphasized points in Locke’s work is that children should enjoy learning and that there is no good reason that they should dislike learning and love playing. This idea covers almost two thirds of his work on education as Locke believes that we should begin teaching humans correctly from a young age. All together, John Locke’s work emphasizes three base ideas, the concept of the tabula rasa, moral learning is more important than any other kind of learning, and that children should enjoy learning. The first subject being covered is the subject of the tabula rasa or blank slate that allows humans to think freely in a sense. We will write a custom essay sample on John Lockes Some Thoughts Concerning Education or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The concept of the tabula rasa, as told by John Locke, delves into the human mind deeper than one could simply comprehend by studying the surface of the human mind. Locke explains part of a pre-established concept introduced by Aristotle, known as priori and posteriori knowledge. His work places more emphasis on posteriori knowledge in that this learning method imposes that humans are born with a blank slate in their mind and that as they learn, subjects and ideas are essentially burned into their minds. This is based off of the basic â€Å"nature versus nurture† concept in that humans learn in one of two ways. These are either through nature, in which we are born with knowledge and that we are basically unlocking it through experience and all learning is basically recollection. The other method emphasized by Locke is nurturing, humans are taught through action and all learning is just the basic collection of new ideas. Locke held firmly the idea that with the tabula rasa, one is given the ability to bend their mind and tailor themselves to certain ways of learning. This is an important point in Locke’s Some Thoughts Concerning Education because it is the basis for the entirety of this work. This lets people define who they are, or, their character. If every human were to learn through recollection then truly we have no freedom as this means our character and mind are virtually predestined for us. Tabula rasa gives humans the freedom to learn on our own and shape our own characters without having to worry about what might come in our predetermined fates. This also slightly mixes in a single quality of priori knowledge in that once we learn something, it is permanently engraved into our minds, and as we grow older, lose our knowledge as we might, it is simply because we can not recall it. It is held within the library of knowledge that is our brain, but we simply can not remember it. The second argument I would like to introduce is John Locke’s personal views on virtues. Locke was a general liberal Protestant Christian, meaning he held very strong his values and ethics. This is apparent when he explains that moral learning is more important than any other kind of learning. Locke believed that the goal of education was not to raise a man of passion, but to raise one of reason and morals. He also held that another goal of education was not to create a scholarly man, but to create a virtuous man, much like Locke himself. Normally, on the standpoint of religion, philosophers were men of science and logic. Locke directly opposed these earlier ideas by stating that morals, virtues, and ethics were a more important section of learning than any variety of math, algebra, chemistry, etcetera. More specifically, Locke wanted the educational system to instill what he named, the Principle of Virtue. This was an idea that Locke wished to impose that would divert a child’s mental attention from their appetites and desires to reason. Locke deeply rooted his philosophies in his devout dedication to Christianity. Locke strongly supports moral learning because e believes that one who holds strong morals and implements them in their daily lives can improve the quality of society as a whole. He believes that society looks well upon the virtuous because society profits from virtuous acts. Locke wanted to teach these values to young people still going through earlier stages of development so that they would be passed down through generations as the ideal behaviours. The third and final point is L ocke’s strong emphasis on the teaching methods implemented on young children. He held a strong belief that children were the future of our society, and he was correct. This is why he disliked the educational system of his time. He did not like the concept of children being taught languages, mathematics, and science because he knew and he understood that children dislike learning these subjects. He believed that children could have fun learning due to his theory that children hate learning and love playing because they are forced to learn and they are not forced to play. Children enjoy playing because it is an instinct for children to prefer having fun and playing games than being forced to learn the difficult new concepts held within mathematics, algebra, science and languages. He says that children should be nurtured and taken seriously regardless of their behaviour or situation. In saying this, what he means to say is that children should not be beaten, or scolded, and that behaviour, good or bad, should be taken lightly and that children should not be punished for causing trouble due to their age. Locke also puts emphasis on the point that every child’s mind is different, and that teachers should tailor their education towards certain students’ characters. Locke stresses that all children should learn a manual skill such as carpentry, painting, or playing an instrument as it offers relief from the stressful hours spent learning in school. The point of Locke’s essay is to take a stand against schools in a sense. He does this by criticizing their teaching methods and offering ideas on how children should learn and how they should grow. He implements his own opinion by utilizing a strong Christian background and by analyzing the minds of young children. He argues many points and opinions in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, but the most strongly emphasized are the concept of the tabula rasa, that moral learning is the most important form of learning, and that children should be taught through less strict methods of teaching. He believes that people grow through development of the mind, rather than recollection of complicated ideas. In the nature versus nurture argument, Locke strongly supports the notion of nurturing the brain and makes that a strongly opinionated statement through one of his most influential works, Some Thoughts Concerning Education.

conflicting personalities essays

conflicting personalities essays The characters in John Knowles A Separate Peace contain personalities that convey to summer and winter session. Summer session represents livelihood, care free, being happy, and just having fun. While on the other hand, winter session represents a depressing atmosphere, more solemn, studying hard, and somberness. Gene is a quiet, soft spoken, and intelligent introvert. First, Gene excels in academics, while Finny exceeds in sports. This is shown when Gene says, It was the first test I had ever flunked (42), after ditching class and riding there bicycles to the beach with Finny. This shows how Gene is a very intelligent young man, who has never failed a test once, before that incident. In addition, Gene is withdrawn and always feels that he has to impress Finny. He cannot speak up for himself when he feels compelled to. The reader sees this when reading Genes thoughts, I went along, I never missed a meeting. It never occurred to me to say, I dont feel like it tonight, which was the plain truth every night...Were off, pal, Finny would call out, and acting against every instinct of my nature, I went without a thought of protest(26). This reveals the fact that Gene cannot stand up for himself. He goes along with others even when deep down inside, he does not want to. Lastly, getting good grad es and being the best student does not come easy for Gene. This is seen while Finny talks to Gene and says, I didnt know you had to study, I didnt think you ever did. I thought it just came to you (50). This shows that what hes good at doesnt come natural to him like Finny. He has to work hard to achieve his goal. Finny is the most popular, athletic, and outgoing student in Devon School, although he is not so good in his studies. This notion is supported as Finny plays the role of being the carefree leader that he is. Gene ...

What to Do If You Didn’t Get the Promotion

What to Do If You Didn’t Get the Promotion Not getting a promotion you really thought you were in a good position to get is almost as bad as not getting a job you had a really good chance at. It’s disheartening, to say the least. No one likes to think they aren’t doing well enough. And certainly no one likes to go into work after being passed over, only to watch someone else assume the new and fancier role. If you  didn’t get the  promotion, there are a few things you can do to keep from losing hope (and perspective).Strive to improveJust because you were told you’re not going any further at the moment doesn’t mean you should stop trying. You not only have to survive this bump in the road, you need to overcome it and set yourself up to get back on the path to success.Don’t quitYou may feel like quitting and/or burning the office down, but it’s never a good solution. You could take a bad moment and make it much, much worse. Better to have a bit more patience with yourself an d with the situation. Take a moment to mourn the loss of something you wanted, then get back to work with a smile on your face and an eye toward new opportunities- even new jobs.Ask  for feedbackIt may have been out of your control entirely, but there also could have been a few things you might have done differently that in another world would have affected the outcome and turned it in your favor. See if you can’t get the ear of the decision maker. Ask honestly and listen openly, then say thank you and close the conversation. This is not the time to defend yourself or to argue. If you can’t get a straight answer, try finding another source you can trust for information.Don’t just complain, actYou get to wallow for a day or two, and mope, and maybe even grumble. But then you have to stop all that and get back to work building your career. This does not include complaining to HR about the unfairness of it all. If you want to have another crack at advancing at yo ur company in future, try sitting down with HR or your boss instead and ask what you could do in the meantime to make yourself a more attractive candidate for future promotions. They’ll appreciate the initiative. If you’re given any feedback about your performance, take it to heart.Soul searchWhy did you really want this promotion? Are you unsatisfied with the level of challenge you have now? Did you just want a bit of extra money or prestige? Did you really want the extra work and stress, or were you after something else? Once you’ve answered these questions for yourself, you can move forward with a more clear picture of your career goals- and can set about achieving them.NetworkEven if you’re not interested in leaving your company right now, keep your options open by staying engaged with your network. If you’re ready to leave- i.e. you’re unlikely to move any further forward in your current company- it’s time to start opening window s and sending out resumes. Make sure Opportunity can find you when it wants to come and knock.  Often, there is nothing wrong with your actual performance, but the perception of your work is what is getting in your way. It’s always best to know so you can truly prepare for taking your necessary next steps.Just remember: wait to cool off before acting. Ask the hard questions that will help you improve your chances in the future. Keep networking. And don’t, under any circumstances, bad mouth any one you work with or for. Also don’t blow this one disappointment out of proportion. Keep on moving in the right direction, minor or major setbacks be damned.

The Benefits of Cycling in Thailand Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 6

The Benefits of Cycling in Thailand - Assignment Example With the increasing rate of global warming, various governments are coming up with strategies to curb this trend. Different strategies are drafted in order to reduce the rate of carbon emission in the atmosphere. Motor engines are cited as one of the major contributors of carbon gas emission. This has resulted in rising sea level and desertification in different parts of the world. As a result, people have opted to use means of transport that emit few gases or none at all. In Thailand, the government has even gone ahead to intervene in issue in order to reduce the number of bicycle users. This provides an opportunity for the bicycle producers to make high profits as many people will look forward towards purchasing the bicycles. This paper will, therefore, analyze the market prospects, target customers, consumer buying behaviors, how to position the product in the market and segment the market. The main aim of this paper is to have insight details concerning the market, population, an d demographics in the area that may affect the performance of the product in the market. Nevertheless, some of the assumptions are that the market forces will be constant, and no risks will face the market. In addition, some of the limitations that we may encounter are lack of accurate data concerning the population and the number of purchases made in a day. In order to gain data and current information, we will use secondary data. This will reduce any traces of errors which might mislead business trying to invest in the country. In addition, we will have to forecast future trend using the experiences in the market. This will help us in coming up with the appropriate strategy to use in penetrating the market. Power bike organization was founded in 2006 by Ning and Nui in Roi Et. Power bike organization is one of the leading accessories and cycle retail shops in Roi Et. Powerbike is operated as a family (Ho and Madden-Hallet, 2010, p. 51).  

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Essay Example Balducci, who brings the prisoners, claims that the accused had killed his cousin because of a family squabble over grain. However, it is surprising that there are high rates of insecurity in the region because Balducci has to return to El Ameur to watch over the territory. In as much as several concepts and themes are evident in the narration, the author highlights the theme of injustice, loneliness, and deficiency; consequently, it is necessary to analyze the story based on literary concepts. Analysis of the Guest by Albert Camus The title â€Å"guest† is suitable for the story based on varied reasons. Initially, several things that are happening in the story are alien to the inhabitants of the region. The meetings between people who are unknown to each other signify the need for tolerance. The Arab and Balducci are the guests in the story. According to Camus (2), the story and the characters become anxious because a guest is expected. Indeed, the guest is a character in the story that the author does not disclose directly to the audience. Omnipresent narration is used figuratively to describe the characters in the tale. The narration works well because the reader can understand the events that followed the period after the drought. According to Camus (7), people are dealing with different forms of insecurities. Consequently, the prisoner in the story should receive punishment for his wrongdoings. The Guest depicts a time when people were encountering several forms of challenges in their societies. This is clear because the region where the story is set experiences instability. The author states that the place had experienced war and its negative effects for a while. The characters in the story are instrumental in painting a picture of the real condition that the author describes (Camus 4). For example, Daru is indecisive because he questions the events surrounding his life as apparent in numerous instances. He is supposed to deliver the Arab to the au thorities in Tinguit; however, he is unwilling to do so. Daru talks about the bags of wheat that would be used by the families facing hunger (Camus 1). From the analysis of the story, farming plays a decisive role to livelihood of the characters in the plays. The author further states that learning is no longer taking place at the school compound. As witnessed in the story, the schoolmaster arrives at a deserted. He is annoyed with the prevailing conditions in his country as apparent in the conversation. The guest revolves around the theme of justice. There is a lot of anxiety among the characters in the scene (Camus 6). None of them is certain about his future following the drought and wars. The divergent themes in â€Å"the guest† are instrumental because they highlight the uncertainties in the contemporary European community. It is surprising to state that the Arab is also a guest yet he had committed a crime initially. Indeed, referring to a wrongdoer as a guest represent s sarcasm in the story. The theme of morality is also present in the play using different scene. For example, it is questionable when Daru chooses to sleep naked yet he is a grown up person (Camus 6). The behavior is expected only among children in the society. Symbolism is equally evident in most part of the story. It is evident that people were suffering because of their own mistakes after carefully looking at various instances of imagery (Camus 3). For example, the prisoner will suffer for having

The Media Coverage Of Womens Sport In Australia Media Essay

The Media Coverage Of Womens Sport In Australia Media Essay In past centuries, women were discouraged from participating in any physical activity. Women were seen as having inadequate strength and ability to perform any physical activity instead were expected to be submissive and obedient supporters of their male relatives in this one sex activity. In the contemporary world, women have the rights to participate in different sports, and are acknowledged for their expertise to a degree; however, it is obvious that mens sport is still dominant. It is evident in nearly all societies that men were and still are receiving the majority of the media coverage, and are more recognised and rewarded for their athletic efforts. When images are presented in the media for sport, they are often of muscular men who have achieved excellence in their sport. At a young age, children are influenced to follow the stereotypes created through the years. Young girls are often excluded in school sports and pressured to express themselves as more passive and beautiful beings. As a result, young boys are given higher opportunities in sport and are rewarded for such things as getting dirty in a game of football and tackling players is rugby. As George Orwell said, Sport is war without bullets. Sometimes the language of sport borrows the language of war: we hear about battles, warriors, and some very real-life injuries. By comparing sport to past events such as war, where women were subjected to roles that only supported men as they were seen as weak, feminine and vulnerable, it is clear that the media is encouraging this disempowerment. While girls are increasingly encouraged to participate in sport, they are brought up believing that they are much weaker than boys, and cannot perform at the same level or intensity. Boys that do not fit the male stereotype norm in sports are often portrayed as having feminised gender characteristics. A young boy to be told that he throws like a girl or runs like a girl is considered an insult to normalised masculinity. Sport and masculinity are closely entwined, and as a result femininity has been defined as the other and distanced from sport. Men who enter the industry in traditionally female sports such as gymnastics, dance and diving are stereotyped as performing in a more feminine domain. Women in Australia have become largely involved in a majority of sports and sporting events including the Olympics and the Commonwealth games. Over 40 percent of the total participants in the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 were women, and Australia had one of the largest contributions to this percentage. However, their achievements are less acknowledged as those of men, through receiving less media coverage on TV and in the print media, newspapers and magazines. Womens sport receives a total of 9% of all sports coverage in all Australian television news and current affairs (Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2010). On the other hand, male sport receives over 80%. This unequal coverage has unfortunately created a difficult situation for sportswomen. Women are given less opportunities for professionalism and their media representation commonly portrays them as sexualised and feminine. Unfortunately the limited numbers of women in management within the industry means that changing this disempowerment is a difficult issue for women. The minimal coverage describes women in ways that stress feminine beauty, weakness, passivity and insignificance, deflecting attention from their athleticism. As women are not seen as equally skilful nor worthy of this media coverage, women find it vital to have a strong focus on their appearance to attract the attention of viewers. In a majority of womens sports, the outfits worn by female athletes are minimal and tight, and hair and makeup is flawless which portrays women as glamorous rather than skilful. Womens sport in Australia sees the Opals in basketball wearing tight fitting bodysuits in contrast to the mens knee length oversized shorts and baggy jerseys and women in beach volleyball wearing skimpy bathers while men play in shorts. This image attracts the wrong attention from viewers and even though the number of viewers (usually men) may increase due to this, women are stereotyped and their true abilities are made insignificant. Women are forced to contest each other to find ways to attract coverage to grow their profile and draw much-needed sponsorship dollars. After attracting sponsorship women are pressured by their sponsors to continue to emphasise femininity and look glamorous and beautiful, in order to be successful. Martina Navratilova is one athlete that never followed the stereotype, and relied on her athletic skills in order to be successful. Todays women tennis stars are good athletes who shouldnt have to wear dresses with plunging necklines to grab headlines (Navratilova, M 2000) On the other hand, Tennis superstar Anna Kournikova, has never won a professional tennis tournament, yet is one of the most famous women athletes. She relies on her looks and chooses to promote herself sexually, generally in mens magazine. The courts are as a stage, people love to see attractive players. Yes it is true I always try to be as seductive as possible but I wouldnt be here if I couldnt play tennis (Kournikova, A 2010). Majority of women athletes understand that to be entirely successful, they must have to follow the stereotype and have a strong feminine look to attract viewers. The language used by the media to describe women athletes subjects them to downgrading and sexist language. Women are often described using words such as vulnerable, choking and defeated while male athletes are given empowerment through the language used to describe them. The majority of descriptions of men include words such strong, powerful and gutsy giving them confidence to perform. Commentators and writers in the media push this disempowerment by not only using this language, but by relating women to children and treating them as amateur, unprofessional athletes through using their first names only. Lack of sponsorship hampers the growth and professionalism of womens sports. As the women are unable to obtain substantial sponsorship, they are unable to receive an increase of media coverage and vice versa, therefore the situation is difficult to overcome. The Australian Bodyboarding Pro Tour has been around as a contest for men to express their surfing abilities. For women, this contest has only been available for a few years, with most girls funding their own participation and travel expenses. Out of over 20 women entrants from Australia, only 4 received sponsorship. For women to be able to continue to perform like men, and grow in professionalism, they need to acquire funds like men do. The minimal of coverage is limiting the sponsorship opportunities therefore restricting career and training opportunities. Earning a minimal income from their competitions makes women unable to balance a professional sporting career and a family life. Without sponsorship, or a high winning income, women are forced to also work for a living in order to support their sport, and their family lives. Their busy schedules mean their hours to daily exercise and training are limited, which affects their chances of performing at their best ability. It was once thought that perhaps male athletes were more powerful athletes and therefore deserving of a higher salary. Society believed that the athletes performed at a harder and more exciting standard and for longer periods of time. However, this fact is entirely false and majority of sports are played, and at the same standard, by both men and women. Kira Llewellyn, who surfs for a living, is usually paid between $1000 and $5000 for her competition winnings. She received $20,000 US prize for the Sintra Pro in Portugal which was the largest sum for a woman in this contest. However, this prize money is not acceptable when the male winner received double the amount. Society has minimal understanding and knowledge of the sports due to the restricted coverage. Shelley Maher, president of Womens Lacrosse Australia said Australia is number one in the world in womens lacrosse and yet a very small percentage of the population would know about our sport, let alone that we were champions. Women strive hard to accomplish their goals in their sport. Sadly though, the lack of coverage means they are not credited for those achievements. Its not fair that a tennis player, for example, gets a half page article for breaking into the world top ten and we have the best in the world right here under our noses and nobody outside the sport seems to care, body boarding enthusiast Amanda Dahl says. In fact, the sportswomen from Australia in the 2006 Commonwealth Games won more gold and silver medals than men. Consistent media coverage can benefit a sport by creating positive role models for societys younger generations. These roles models sadly are limited in the world today because of this minimal coverage. Roles models are needed in contemporary Australia to help girls to set goals and accomplish their dreams. Once children reach adolescence, participation in physical activity declines immensely. Having role models in the media, allows the children see that women athletes do exist and therefore these children will begin to see athleticism as an important part in the female identity. The media needs to show a diversity of models, some with a strong athletic ability to ensure, to ensure that the younger generation is able to break through the construction on feminity. In conclusion, women have always been seen as the second sex when it comes to sport. Even though it is evident that coverage has increase over the years, it is clearly still a major disempowerment. Womens sport needs to be given equal coverage as men and needs to focus on their talents rather than the stereotypical images of women such as beautiful and sexualised. This will help create a standard for Australia that both women and men are equal beings, and will be expressed to the world through their media coverages. These factors as above need to be addressed to allow women to succeed in the sporting industry. Being given equal income, and not making women sexualised will create role models for the younger generations and will allow the industry to grow positively. Providing more physical education for girls in school based institutions will encourage young girls to continue exercise and understand it is achievable to perform at an elite level. As Kate Ellis, the Federal Minister for Sport stated, In a country with such a rich sporting culture as Australia, where womens sport is competitive and very successful on the international stage, it is incredibly disappointing that female sport remains so starkly under-represented in the media.

Reasons for inefficiency in monopolies Essay

1 Reasons for inefficiency in monopolies 1. 1 Monopolies and pricing A monopoly prices its products where marginal costs meet marginal revenues to maximise profits. Due to the fact that this price is higher than the market price in perfect competition, many consumers are not able or willing to buy at the higher price. This deadweight loss is an allocative inefficiency. Figure 1: Pricing in monopolies and perfect competition The consumer surplus in perfect competition is 1+2+4, and the producer surplus is 3+5. The consumer surplus in a monopoly is 1, the producer surplus is 2+3, and the deadweight loss is 4+5. 1. 2 Monopolies and productive efficiency In theory, a monopoly does not have to be less (productive) efficient than perfect competition. In reality, however, almost all monopolies tend to be inefficient. This may be for the following reasons: 1. 2. 1 Pressure for productive efficiency In perfect competition the price within an industry is determined by the market, or in other words, by demand and supply. Profit maximisation is achieved where the marginal cost curve intersects the demand curve (see figure 1). This means that in perfect competition, the company maximises its profit at the minimum point of its average cost curve. A company in a perfectly competitive environment tries, therefore, to be as efficient as possible in order to meet the minimum average cost. This causes a lot of pressure to achieve productive efficiency. A company in a monopolistic environment is able to change not only its cost, but also its prices. There is far less pressure for productive efficiency. 1. 2. 2 Diseconomies of scale A monopoly may increase its output to the point where it exceeds the minimum point of cost on its long-run average total cost curve. In this case, diseconomies of scale occur. 1. 2. 3 X-inefficiency. In perfect competition, X-inefficiency of one market participant will have almost no influence on the market and the market price. X-inefficiencies in a monopoly increase cost and, therefore, price. X-inefficiencies are more likely in monopolies because there is no benchmark to monitor the performance of management and less pressure from shareholders and markets. 1. 2. 4 Principal Agent There are no benchmarks and most shareholders and regulators do not have the insight into the company to evaluate management. 1. 2. 5 Case study: Deutsche Post AG (DPAG), Germany. The privatisation of most regulatory monopolies during the last few decades shows that competition decreases costs: Figure 2: Deutsche Post AG: Postal items delivered and employees (FTE) 1999-2005 The Deutsche Post AG lost its monopoly on the delivery of letters over 100 grams in 1998 and on the delivery of letters between 50-100 grams in 2005. From 1999- 2005, employees were reduced by 16% despite the fact that the total number of items delivered increased by over 3%. This means that during the monopoly the DPAG had a lower productive efficiency, delivering fewer items with more people and higher costs.