Othello Game Strategy Essays - Abstract Strategy Games, Go, Reversi

Othello: Game Strategy OTHELLO PROJECT Othello is a game very similar to tic tac toe. In both games you must flank your opponent diagonally, vertically, horizontally, or orthogonally (any row or line.) A strategy without voluntary pass is described here. (voluntary pass is where you give up one move, or lose a turn.) THE COMPUTER AND ITS MOVES The computer will at the beginning of the game make short moves, which are moves which include less than 5 stones changing hands. These are setup moves. You, on the other hand, make long moves for points, while the computer is sitting, waiting patiently for you to finish. So, do not make very long moves at the beginning of the game. Keep yourself to making short moves, and NEVER put a stone where the computer has another one on the end. Example:You see a row of 5 black stones, with a white stone on the end, and beside that white stone a black. You of course, would put a white stone at the end with the 5 black stones, but that is a bad mistake. Go to the side with the one black (a setup move so the computer cannot capitalize when you turn 5 black stones white, and the computer your seven whites black. Always play within your set "square". If you had on the bottom row 3 white, and on the second row 2 blacks, you would only play within that designated square, which is 3 x 3 stones. (see diagram.) This ensures that the computer can only play one stone past the square at any time, which will help you in predicting where the computer will move and a basic strategy. Always try to keep yourself to one move to win (if you could have two moves in a row, you would win something to zero.) Don't have long rows of white connecting to one black. If you do, the computer can get up to 6 in one move. GAME OVERVIEW STRATEGY FIRST MOVE:Always move north or south. North and south means top or bottom, and east and west means horizontally. Then calculate where your square will be and wait for the computer to make its move. SETUP MOVES:For the next 10 or so moves, or until the board is about half full, restrict yourself to only short moves. These will setup yourself for long ones. Also, keep yourself to one move to win. The one move to win system is effective for winning close to moderately close games. Eventually the computer will make one long move that will mess up your short setup moves, but after that go for blocking the computer instead of points. If you can successfully block the computer, going for points will be unnecessary. The points will make themselves if you block properly. Also, once in a while fall behind to setup moves if you are stuck. Be careful that you do not fall behind too much though! MOVES FOR POINTS:After the board is about half full, or you've made about 10 or so moves, it is time for getting some points. If you have setup yourself properly, you should see several long moves which will effectively obliterate the computer. After this stage, you should be leading by at least fifteen points or more. When you have reached that goal (I would go for more, at least twenty, if possible) there should be less than 7 spaces on the board. If there isn't, keep going until there is. FINAL BLOW:Now you should just watch yourself. Don't make foolish moves where the computer can connect for more than 5 points. If it was inevitable, just leave it. If you then keep blocking properly, you should win easily. NOTES You are using the same strategy the computer would use on you. (basically the same.) The computer has the advantage of passing moves whenever it wants, but it will not likely unless the game is close or hopeless, or there are no legal moves for it to make. You can make yourself lose something to zip. Completed short moves by the computer can easily be changed into long ones, by the same method described above. (page one, paragraph two.)

Machiavelli Philosophy Paper The Prince Essay Example

Machiavelli Philosophy Paper The Prince Essay Example Machiavelli Philosophy Paper The Prince Essay Machiavelli Philosophy Paper The Prince Essay Essay Topic: The Prince Machiavelli’s book â€Å"The Prince† is an amazing book. It does not give information or stories that you can pick up on the streets. It is a book full of meaning itself. A lot can be learned from this book especially when it comes to leadership. It is already in the book’s title itself â€Å"The Prince. We have our own ideas on what are the qualities and attributes of a great leader but in Machiavelli’s book is different. According to the book of Machiavelli â€Å"The Prince, one who would lead a nation must know how to control and make a high powered government but not only a simple power that anyone could have but a supreme power that must have authority against people in a certain community. I strongly agree to the part that it was mention in that book that a certain person who will build a community must not be religious but it is said that a Prince must have a council of wise men. A prince shall not only decide on his own which is really amazing that we do not only have to based on what we think but the opinion of others. The Prince wants to separate politics from religion but it does not mean that wise men cannot be wise. Everyone must consider the possibilities of a certain decision whether it is small or big. The prince must have a double Morality. Which means knowing what is right from wrong and balancing it. It’s not that simple making decisions especially when someone is on the line. Making final decisions are risks that are very hard to tolerate. That is why every King, Prince or any form of leader must have morality in which is knowing the difference of having a good behavior and a bad behavior. Anyone can have both whether they are just a ordinary person or a person that has a position. It always depends on what situation we are facing because we can do things differently in our own ways but the question is, can we balance every grudge that we are holding on? A question that a prince or even any kind of leader that m

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the role of the social media Essay

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the role of the social media or social news sites in reporting the Arab Spring in Egypt - Essay Example Within the context of the social media, the Arab Spring has become a more significant phenomenon, especially as the social media has propelled the issues preceding the Arab Spring into the very forefront of both the national and the international political discussions. However, the social media has also engaged the political discussions towards a less truthful direction, one swayed by public opinions which are not necessarily based on facts or contextual discussions. These conflicts indicate that there are strengths and weaknesses relating to the impact and role of the social media or social news sites in reporting the Arab Spring in Egypt. As such, these conflicts will now be discussed in this paper. First, a discussion of the strengths will be presented, followed by its weaknesses. A conclusion will summarize and restate the important points for this discussion. Body The social media has taken on a life on its own, especially in recent years with the entry of Facebook and Twitter i nto the electronic fray. The easy accessibility of electronic devices as well as the affordability and widespread use of the internet has also spurred the social media phenomenon into even greater heights and greater power. The momentum of social changes has now shifted from the political leaders to the general public who have discovered their power to bring down governments, political personalities, and other influential individuals with a simple click of their mouse. On the other side of the social media spectrum is the fact that the social media has become a rabid and non-contextual social tool which has taken on a dangerous life all on its own. Inasmuch as its strengths for the purposes of public welfare have become apparent, its weaknesses also represent the fickleness of a public eager to point any finger on perceived political failures. Strengths In the case of Egypt, protests started on the 25th of January 2011 and went on for 18 days (Aday, et.al., 2012). During such time, the protesters were spurred on by encouraging posts from the social media, not just from local users, but from different parts of the globe as well. Some of these encouraging posts were seen in the Facebook page Kullena Khaled Said allowed anonymous posts about the Egypt unrest from any interested individual anywhere across the globe (Scott, 2013). At one point, the government sought to curtail the internet use in the country in order to control the protests and limit the impact of the social media (Aday, et.al., 2012). This attempt proved to be unsuccessful and eventually the protests would result to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak who was a political power in the country for close to 30 years. In the above case, the social media was a vital cog in the Egyptian movement, and it was also further pushed further by the new generation of technology-savvy Egyptians (Chebib and Sohail, 2011). Facebook pages like â€Å"We are all Khalid Said† represented groups of individuals who were united in their cause and sentiments against the violence and oppression from the Egyptian government (Eltanwany and Wiest, 2011). These protestors were also widespread and active internet users, especially of the social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, allowing for the coordination of their activities. Facebook and Twitter helped the protesters anticipate when and

Discuss a few instances of Symbolism in Gilman's Story Essay

Discuss a few instances of Symbolism in Gilman's Story - Essay Example The wallpaper in the room in which the narrator is staying is covered in yellow wallpaper, a color that she detests. This could symbolize that the author has a deep dislike for this ‘disease’ in the society of her era characterized by the oppression of the fairer sex by a patriarchal society. Her hatred for the wallpaper, its color and design is actually a hatred for how men in that era treated women because to the author, the yellow wallpaper with its â€Å"hideous color† and â€Å"torturing pattern† symbolizes exactly that. The windows in her room are another symbol, symbolizing opportunity and that the narrator keeps sitting in her room and looking through them symbolizes a desire to make use of that opportunity and acquire much wanted freedom from the current oppression they face, freedom for women to be recognized as equals to their male counterparts. Another instance is of the woman stuck inside the wallpaper that the author sees creeping around, this woman is actually a representation of the author/narrator herself. It shows us how the author perceives herself and her current role in life. She feels trapped much like the woman inside the wallpaper and she feels that she has to ‘creep’ around like the woman in the wallpaper because she wants her actions to go unnoticed by her husband. Another instance of symbolism in this story is when she talks about the pattern of the yellow wallpaper which initially doesn’t make any sense to her. The author says â€Å"I never saw a worse paper in my life,† (Gilman, Charlotte) which means that she dislikes the structure of dominance and restriction that the men had created over women in that era by refusing them status equal to that of men and by treating them like silly â€Å"little girls†. The pattern of the yellow wallpaper signifies the complex structures in her life that have bound her in her current subordinate role. The pattern sometimes feels like bars to her and she feels like she’s stuck behind them and trying to escape. There is also the issue of how her husband and brother treat the issue of her illness. They regard it as if it were but a silly whim and ignore any input from the author/narrator herself. This symbolizes how in the 1800s men thought that women were inferior to them and thus so were their opinions. The women were thus largely ignored and their thoughts and views given no real notice or importance. The author believes that some mentally stimulating activity would actually help her come out of her depression, but her husband and brother give her opinion no real thought and on the contrary forced her to undergo the ‘rest cure’ whereby she was to be confined to one room and allowed no activity that would mentally stimulate her. This in itself is another symbolism, where the author shows us through the dynamics of her relationship with her husband and his attitude towards her illness an opinions h ow he (he here stands for all the men in that era) has ‘confined’ her according to his will and it doesn’t really matter whether she concurs to his ways or not. What she thinks is of no consequence because she, as a female is inferior to her husband and thus her husband â€Å"must know better†. Not allowing her any activity also symbolizes that the men restricted women’

Economics of electronics commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics of electronics commerce - Essay Example Traditional cost accounting is structure-oriented whereas ABC is process-oriented (Emblemsvag, 2006). 2a. Operating leverage is the highest in e-commerce companies. E-commerce companies have very low variable costs but high initial up-front development cost. For example, Amazon.com initially had a fixed up-front development cost of over $60 million but no per transaction cost (Economics of Electronics Commerce, n.d.). Operating leverage is the lowest in merchandizing companies. Such companies mainly engage in the buying and selling of goods. Their fixed costs include mainly storage and selling costs. A higher proportion of their costs is variable costs such as packaging of goods and transportation costs. In between, service companies have a higher proportion of fixed costs and hence higher operating leverage than manufacturing companies. Service companies, such as hair salons, incur a fixed amount of rent, staff salary, and facility and equipment cost regardless of whether there are any customers. Variable costs, such as shampoo, are a very low proportion. Manufacturing companies ha ve a lower operating leverage than service companies and e-commerce companies but higher operating leverage than merchandizing companies. Their fixed costs include land, equipment, machinery, plants, and facilities.

Mental Health and Care in the Community

Mental Health and Care in the Community The issue of the mental health of the patient is complex and value-laden. Paternalism and autonomy interests confront difficulties of definition, diagnosis and the impact of labelling. Paternalism dictates intervention, and that the human right of autonomy be minimalist. (Davies, M., Medical Law, Blackstone Press Limited, 1996, p.182). Discuss critically. Within mental health issues there has always been a large degree of paternalism. Healthcare professionals and governments appear to view those with mental health problems as incapable of being able to make decisions for themselves and are often viewed as a potential danger[1] to themselves and others. Over the years various pieces of legislation have been enacted to deal with people with mental health issues starting with the Lunatics Act 1845, the Lunacy Act 1890, Mental Treatment Act 1930, Mental Health Act 1959 and the Mental Health Act 1983. In 1995 the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act was introduced. This gave the relevant authorities the power of supervised[2] discharge of mental health patients back into the community. Recent events where mental health patients were placed back into society has caused concern as there have been quite a few highlighted incidents where such patients have proven to be a danger to themselves and others[3]. The governments response to the public outrage when these patients have attacked or killed members of the public is to step back to a more paternalistic approach towards the treatment of mental health patients by introducing the Mental Capacity Act 2005[4]. The new Act allows the professionals to make value judgments over the patients and requires those dealing with such patients to make an assessment of the individual’s capacity[5] to make decisions for themselves. Section 2 (1) of the 2005 Act states (1) For the purposes of this Act, a person lacks capacity in relation to a matter if at the material time he is unable to make a decision for himself in relation to the matter because of an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain. Subsection 2 goes on to say that (2) It does not matter whether the impairment or disturbance is permanent or temporary. The very wording of the Act is open to abuse as the scope of what might be deemed as mental incapacity is too broad. In essence anyone who is suffering from a temporary mental breakdown either through circumstances within their own life or as the result of any prescribed medication they might be taken could be viewed as lacking the capacity to make decisions about their selves and could be institutionalised and forced to have treatment. A further problem with the new Act is that the decision on the individual’s capacity is based on the balance of probabilities. (4) In proceedings under this Act or any other enactment, any question whether a person lacks capacity within the meaning of this Act must be decided on the balance of probabilities. In criminal proceedings the court has to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the person charged with the offence has committed the offence. With this new piece of legislation the level of proof required is equivalent to that required within the civil courts and therefore is open to greater abuse and it is likely that a higher proportion of people may find themselves being detained in a mental health institute and subjected to compulsory treatment[6]. Section 3 of the Act goes further to describe how it can be decided that a person is unable to make a decision for himself. It lists 4 areas that should be considered in deciding whether the person lacks the capability to make their own decisions. (1) For the purposes of section 2, a person is unable to make a decision for himself if he is unable- (a) to understand the information relevant to the decision, (b) to retain that information, (c) to use or weigh that information as part of the process of making the decision, or (d) to communicate his decision (whether by talking, using sign language or any other means). Subsection 2 does go on to say (2) A person is not to be regarded as unable to understand the information relevant to a decision if he is able to understand an explanation of it given to him in a way that is appropriate to his circumstances (using simple language, visual aids or any other means). In essence the above is an attempt to limit those who can be regarded as incapable of making decisions due to any physical disability such as deafness or blindness, however, some individuals may be so severely handicapped through conditions such as autism or mongolism that even things explained in simple language may not be understood by them. These people may not be a danger to themselves or others and are usually being cared for by members of their own families[7]. Some families find the strain of a severely handicapped person in the household hard to cope with and for those people this new Act may help them to get the handicapped person institutionalised. Using the above Act they could argue that the person lacks the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves and is a potential danger[8] to themselves so for their own protection they should be removed from society. If the person assessing the individual is satisfied that that individual does not have the capacity to make their own decisions then any treatment they consider to be in the best interests[9] of the individual can be ordered. The person ordering the treatment must take into account whether the patient may at some future time be able to make their own decisions again and if they decide that this is likely they must take all appropriate steps to ensure the patient receives all the assistance they need to recover to a position where they can make their own decisions. Effectively though the legislation allows the person treating the patient with the mental health problem to remove all autonomy from the patient and force treatment on them that they might ordinarily object to if they had the capacity to do so. The legislation does state that the person making the decision on behalf of the patient should take into account the patients past and present wishes and feelings and make judgments based on what they perceive the patient would want if they were able to decide for themselves. The new Act is designed to operate alongside the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995, as was introduced with the aim of simplifying the way in which a person can be adjudged to be in need of treatment in respect of a mental health issue[10]. Under the 1983 Act compulsory admission to mental institutions is determined with reference to section 1 of the Act and refers to mental disorder but also covers any other disorder or disability of the mind. The Act attempts to specify the persons who they deem in need of admission for treatment and covers four broad areas namely mental illness, severe mental impairment, psychopathic disorder or mental impairment. The first 2 conditions trigger automatic admission regardless of whether the treatment is likely to be effective or not. With the last 2 conditions psychopathic disorder and mental impairment, admission can only be ordered if the patients are likely to benefit from the treatment. Under the new Act the definition has been extended to cover a far wider audience and it is likely under the provisions of the 2005 Act that those with a psychopathic disorder can be detained regardless of whether treatment will assist their condition. The 1983 Act does not specifically define mental illness and can be problematic as it does not cover conditions where a person may undertake activities that are potentially life threatening due to a compulsion for risk taking. It is possible that the 2005 At might encompass this area as section 3 (4) states that when deciding whether someone is capable of making their own decisions account should be taken as to whether the person has the capability of being able to reasonably foresee the consequences of the decisions they are making. Whilst it could be argued that this is a positive move[11] there is room for abuse of this inclusion in the legislation and could theoretically be used to cover sado masochistic activities between consenting adults or the participation of dangerous sports. To be effective the 2005 Act should incorporate examples where there is a clear demonstration that the patient lacks the capacity for being able to foresee the consequences of their actions. This would assist the person making the decision about the patients mental capacity as they could compare the actions of their patient with actions previously seen to be harmful. There are a few dangers surrounding the 2005 Act in that mental capacity is judged according to the individual’s capacity to make their own decisions. The 1983 Act defines psychopathic behaviour as a persistent disorder or disability of mind (whether or not including impairment of intelligence) which results in abnormally aggressive or seriously irresponsible conduct on the part of the person concerned. Research into psycopathy has shown that whilst the psychopath may not always conform to rules they do have the ability to do so. Following the guidance in the 2005 Act regarding mental capacity this could mean that dangerous psychopaths could slip through the net as they may well be able to show that they do not lack the necessary capacity to make decisions on their own. By establishing this they will be able to refuse treatment as autonomy is only forfeited where the patient lacks the capacity to make their own decisions. The new Act is inherently flawed in that temporary mental incapacity can lead to compulsory admission to an institute[12]. This could have a dramatic effect on people such as women suffering post natal depression after childbirth. In the past doctors have prescribed tranquilisers and anti depressants to attempt to cure the patient. Under the 2005 Act the partner of the patient suffering post natal depression could request that their partner be assessed for mental capacity. If the person doing the assessment is of the opinion that the mother is incapable of making their own decisions the mother might find herself placed in a mental institute and forced to receive treatment she might otherwise object to. The 2005 Act also contains a section authorising power of attorney[13] to family and other persons connected to the person who has been assessed as lacking in mental capacity. This is open to widespread abuse as greedy relatives may use a temporary mental impairment of their family member to gain power of attorney over their monetary assets and squander any of their savings away. It has also been proven by past examples that once a person has been admitted to a mental institution it is difficult for the patient to convince the doctors and medical staff that they have now recovered from their mental illness and no longer need to be institutionalised[14]. In the UK paternalistic intervention[15] has been used even when the patient having the treatment poses no threat to others or himself. In the case of W v Egdell [1990] ch 359 a psychiatrist was asked to examine a patient at the request of the patient’s solicitor to assess the suitability of transferring the patient from a secure hospital back into the community. The psychiatrist submitted his report to the Home Office in order to prevent what he perceived could be a danger if the patient was prematurely released. As a result of this report the patient was forced to remain within the secure hospital despite the fact that at no time had the patient committed any acts of violence. This kind of paternalistic intervention offends against the principle of autonomy[16] and should only really be justified when the person for whom the decision has been made is unable to make an informed choice for himself. The approach to deciding whether paternalism should be allowed when assessing a person with a mental illness should be to ask whether the patient would consent[17] to the proposed treatment if they were able to make a rational choice. In America they used what is known as the substituted judgment test which is autonomy based in the sense that the intervention is directed towards the goal of restoring the patients autonomy. Another way in which the mental health professionals have sought to circumvent claims of enforced treatment is by the use of implied consent[18]. The notion behind this is that although the person by reason of incapacity cannot give their consent at that point in time they may be able to endorse the treatment at a later date, which would then amount to a form of retrospective consent[19]. Obviously there are difficulties with this approach as there is no way of predicting that subsequent consent will be given when the person is in a position to give that consent. Frequently those who resent involuntary treatment will continue to do so after recovery. Due to the obvious problems associated with interference with the autonomy of the patient most mental health professionals adopt the paternalistic best interests[20] test as outlined in the Mental Health Act and uses the Act to order compulsory treatment of the patient. The 1983 Act provides 3 ways in which a patient can be compulsorily admitted to hospital for treatment[21]. Section 2 of the Act gives the patient’s nearest relative or any person authorised to act on their behalf the right to apply for the admission of the patient into hospital. In order to qualify for the right to make such an application the applicant must have seen the patient within the 14 days prior to the application. The application must be supported by 2 registered practitioners one of whom must be qualified in psychiatry. Grounds[22] for admission under section 2 are that a patient is suffering from a mental disorder of a degree which warrants detention in a hospital at least for a limited period of time and should be to prevent harm to himself or others. Under this kind of admission the maximum time the patient can be detained is 28 days and admissions cannot be renewed thereafter. The second way in which patients can be admitted is under section 4 of the Act which covers emergency admissions and can be applied for on the recommendation of one doctor only but is only valid for 72 hours. The doctor does not need to be a specialist in the treatment of mental health but if possible must have known the patient beforehand. The applicant must have seen the patient within the last 24 hours. Such emergency admissions can be converted to treatment for 28 days by seeking a second opinion from a mental health specialist. The third way in which compulsory admission can occur is under s3 of the Act and application is similar as those under section 2 of the Act. Under this section of the Act the patient can be detained for up to 6 months and can be renewed thereafter, initially for an extra 6 months and then yearly for periods of a year at a time. Detention under this section can last indefinitely. Those who do recover from their mental disorder may be released from the secure units[23] but held under supervision[24] orders using section 117 of the Mental Health Act, and although they can no longer be forced to receive treatment they will be expected to attend at a treatment centre. Unfortunately there is no system in place to ensure that such patients do attend the treatment centres and no sanctions available to the authorities to enforce their attendance. It has been suggested that those patients who have been discharged and do not comply with the supervision orders should be readmitted to hospital under a compulsory admission so as treatment can be enforced without the patient’s consent. In order to prevent claims being made by those who have been compulsorily admitted to hospital and forced to undergo treatment section 139 of the Mental Health Act was added which states that ‘no person shall be liable†¦to any civil or criminal proceedings†¦in respect of any act purporting to be done in pursuance of this Act†¦unless the act was done in bad faith or without reasonable care.’ This effectively gives the hospitals total paternalism[25] over the treatment of compulsorily admitted patient and negates any patient autonomy or rights to personal autonomy until such a time as the persons treating them are satisfied that the patient is recovered sufficiently to render them capable of making their own decisions. The overall view that is apparent from looking at the 1983 Act and the recent 2005 Act is that paternalism has always been present within the treatment of mental health patients. The 2005 Act broadens the classes of people who may now be classified as in need of compulsory admission and treatment and therefore strengthens the position of paternalism whilst reducing personal autonomy practically into non-existence. The danger in allowing the government to increase the power for compulsory treatment could in the future spread to other areas of medical treatment and could lead to persons with terminal illness who have expressed a wish not to be treated being forced to undergo treatment by being held to be mentally incapable of making rational decisions. There could also be problems where patients refuse treatment on the grounds of religious belief. It might be argued by the person giving the treatment that the patient has been indoctrinated by the religious group they are part of and are therefore incapable of making decisions independent of the doctrines instilled in them by their religious teachings. Allowing paternalism to become acceptable for one classification of person could ultimately lead to problems in all areas of legislation and could result in criminals being locked away indefinitely as it could be viewed as in the best interests of society to keep them locked away. Governments have used the fear that the general public have of people with mental illnesses posing a threat to ordinary members of the public by highlighting those incidents were patients have been released from institutions and then have harmed or killed others[26]. By using this fear they have persuaded the general public that compulsory admission of the mentally ill is the only way to prevent others from being harmed and that it is in the best interests of the patient and society for them to be forced to undergo treatment and remain institutionalised[27]. Bibliography Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics, 5th Ed 1999, Butterworths. Darjee R, Crichton J. The MacLean committee: Scotlands answer to the dangerous people with severe personality disorder proposals? Psychiatric Bill 2002;26: 6- Watts J, Priebe S. A phenomenological account of users experiences of assertive community treatment. Bioethics 2002; 16: 439-454 Department of Health and Home Office. Managing dangerous people with severe personality disorder. London: Stationery Office, 1999. Scmukler, G, Homicide Enquiries. What sense do they make?, Psychiatric Bulletin , 24, pages 6-10, 2000 Scottish Executive. Report of the committee on serious violent and sexual offenders. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive, 2000 Steadman, H, Mulvey, E, Monahan, J, Robbins, p, Applebaum, P, Grisso, T, Roth,L, and Silver, E, Violence by people discharged from acute psychiatric inpatient facilities and others in the same neighbourhoods, Archives of General Psychiatry, 55, pages 393-401, 1998. Who Decides; Making Decisions on Behalf of Mentally Handicapped Adults (LCD, 1997) http://www.ethox.org.uk http://www.dh.gov.uk http://www.guardian.co.uk http://bjp.rcpsych.org http://akmhcweb.org Table of Cases R v Bournewood Community and Mental Health NHS Trust ex p L [1998] 3 WLR 107 Re F [1990] 2 AC 1 Re T (adult: refusal of medical treatment) [1992] 4 All ER 649, CA.). Re Y [1996] 35 BMLR 111 S v McC; W v W [1972] AC 24 St Georges Healthcare NHS Trust v S; R v Collins and others, ex parte S [1998] 3 All ER 673, [1998] Fam Law 526, CA W v Egdell [1990] ch 359 Table of Statutes Lunacy Act 1890 Lunatics Act 1845 Mental Capacity Act 2005 Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995 Mental Health Act 1959 Mental Health Act 1983 Mental Treatment Act 1930 1 Footnotes [1] Scottish Executive. Report of the committee on serious violent and sexual offenders. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive, 2000 [2]http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MentalHealth/MentalHealthArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4131958chk=/1k+X3 [3] Steadman, H, Mulvey, E, Monahan, J, Robbins, p, Applebaum, P, Grisso, T, Roth,L, and Silver, E, Violence by people discharged from acute psychiatric inpatient facilities and others in the same neighbourhoods, Archives of General Psychiatry, 55, pages 393-401, 1998. [4]http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4448443,00.html;http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MentalHealth/MentalHealthArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4089588chk=we/GKL [5] St Georges Healthcare NHS Trust v S; R v Collins and others, ex parte S [1998] 3 All ER 673, [1998] Fam Law 526, CA [6] Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics, 5th Ed 1999, Butterworths. P510 -512 [7] R v Bournewood Community and Mental Health NHS Trust ex p L [1998] 3 WLR 107 [8] Darjee R, Crichton J. The MacLean committee: Scotlands answer to the dangerous people with severe personality disorder proposals? Psychiatric Bill 2002;26: 6-8 [9] Re F [1990] 2 AC 1 [10] Department of Health. Reforming the Mental Health Act. London: Stationery Office; 2000. [11]http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MentalHealth/MentalHealthArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4089589chk=1fWV90 [12] Mental Capacity Act 2005 s2 (2) [13] Mental Capacity Act 2005 s9 [14] http://akmhcweb.org/News/HungerStrike/LATimesMag10-26-2003.htm [15] Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics, 5th Ed 1999, Butterworths p506 [16] http://www.ethox.org.uk/Ethics/econsent.htm#introduction [17] (S v McC; W v W [1972] AC 24; Re T (adult: refusal of medical treatment) [1992] 4 All ER 649, CA.). [18] Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics, 5th Ed 1999, Butterworths p507 [19] Watts J, Priebe S. A phenomenological account of users experiences of assertive community treatment. Bioethics 2002; 16: 439-454 [20] Re Y [1996] 35 BMLR 111; http://www.ethox.org.uk/Ethics/econsent.htm#introduction [21] Who Decides; Making Decisions on Behalf of Mentally Handicapped Adults (LCD, 1997). [22] Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics, 5th Ed 1999, Butterworths p503 [23] Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995 [24] Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995 (c.52) s1 [25]http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/177/3/196?ijkey=b0b6443d7c871c32507c07da36faadf7633b7b9bkeytype2=tf_ipsecsha [26] Scmukler, G, Homicide Enquiries. What sense do they make?, Psychiatric Bulletin , 24, pages 6-10, 2000 [27] Department of Health and Home Office. Managing dangerous people with severe personality disorder. London: Stationery Office, 1999.

The Conflict of Paideias in Gadamers Thought :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

The Conflict of Paideias in Gadamer's Thought (1) ABSTRACT: Although Gadamer's study of Greek paideia has been virtually ignored in the scholarly literature, I argue that it is central to his philosophy of education. Gadamer singles out three kinds of paideia: traditional, sophistic and philosophic. Traditional paideia, grounded in an unaware habit or disposition of the soul, was vulnerable when sophistic paideia brought reasoned argument against it. This 'new' paideia originally supported traditional notions of the just and the good with its conscious art of argumentation and pragmatic enhancement of success. But this paideia also undermined conventional morality by arguing that it is only convention, thereby corrupting the youth of Athens by appealing to the untrammeled desire for power. Philosophical paideia takes its bearings from the sophistic as its deepest opponent and counterimage. It turns out, however, that the two are virtually indistinguishable. Both bring thinking to consciousness; both are rhetorical arts; both create confusion; and both are subject to the 'weakness of the logoi.' In the end, the difference between them rests not on distinctions of reason, but the intent of the reasoner. This conflict of paideias is relevant to the situation of education today. Problems of narrow technical perspective and the broadest ideological manipulation are directly traceable to sophistic paideia. Thus, Gadamer points to hermeneutical praxis as 'the heart of all education that wants to teach how to philosophize.' Hans-Georg Gadamer describes the traditional ideal of Greek education as turning the student toward everything exempt from necessity comprising the beautiful. (2) This paideia consisted above all in developing a harmonious disposition of the soul, a hexis or "habit," through early training in music and gymnastic. (3) Its guiding purpose was to create citizens fit to govern in freedom. Clearly the importance of paideia as an educational concept can hardly be over-emphasized. Gadamer is an increasingly influential figure in the philosophy of education. He is also one of the eminent classicists of our times. Yet although paideia and its relevance to contemporary education forms a recurring theme in Gadamer's writings, this historical dimension of his approach to education has been virtually ignored in the scholarly literature. (4) One may speculate that the reason for this lacuna is a tendency to approach the subject more analytically than historically. Moreover, the theme appears in so many essays, spanning Gadamer's entire career, that it is difficult to follow the trail of his study. The Conflict of Paideias in Gadamer's Thought :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers The Conflict of Paideias in Gadamer's Thought (1) ABSTRACT: Although Gadamer's study of Greek paideia has been virtually ignored in the scholarly literature, I argue that it is central to his philosophy of education. Gadamer singles out three kinds of paideia: traditional, sophistic and philosophic. Traditional paideia, grounded in an unaware habit or disposition of the soul, was vulnerable when sophistic paideia brought reasoned argument against it. This 'new' paideia originally supported traditional notions of the just and the good with its conscious art of argumentation and pragmatic enhancement of success. But this paideia also undermined conventional morality by arguing that it is only convention, thereby corrupting the youth of Athens by appealing to the untrammeled desire for power. Philosophical paideia takes its bearings from the sophistic as its deepest opponent and counterimage. It turns out, however, that the two are virtually indistinguishable. Both bring thinking to consciousness; both are rhetorical arts; both create confusion; and both are subject to the 'weakness of the logoi.' In the end, the difference between them rests not on distinctions of reason, but the intent of the reasoner. This conflict of paideias is relevant to the situation of education today. Problems of narrow technical perspective and the broadest ideological manipulation are directly traceable to sophistic paideia. Thus, Gadamer points to hermeneutical praxis as 'the heart of all education that wants to teach how to philosophize.' Hans-Georg Gadamer describes the traditional ideal of Greek education as turning the student toward everything exempt from necessity comprising the beautiful. (2) This paideia consisted above all in developing a harmonious disposition of the soul, a hexis or "habit," through early training in music and gymnastic. (3) Its guiding purpose was to create citizens fit to govern in freedom. Clearly the importance of paideia as an educational concept can hardly be over-emphasized. Gadamer is an increasingly influential figure in the philosophy of education. He is also one of the eminent classicists of our times. Yet although paideia and its relevance to contemporary education forms a recurring theme in Gadamer's writings, this historical dimension of his approach to education has been virtually ignored in the scholarly literature. (4) One may speculate that the reason for this lacuna is a tendency to approach the subject more analytically than historically. Moreover, the theme appears in so many essays, spanning Gadamer's entire career, that it is difficult to follow the trail of his study.

Renaissance history

â€Å"Renaissance is a term with a variety of meanings, but is used widely in discussion of European history. Renaissance originates from the Latin word â€Å"Rinascere† and refers to the act of being reborn. It is believed that during the time from about 1400AD to around 1600AD, Europe was reborn. Originally the term Renaissance only referred to the time when man rediscovered the knowledge of the ancient Greeks and Romans. However, modern historians have realized these rediscoveries were also crucial to the formation of modern culture. The term Renaissance is now used to indicate all the historical developments that have inspired the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of modern history. Thus, the term Renaissance has now taken on a more significant meaning: not only does the Renaissance mean the rebirth of knowledge, but also represents a step from the past and a leap towards the future. The Renaissance overlapped the end of a period in European history called the Middle Ages. During this time, the great accomplishments of the ancient Greeks and Romans had been largely, though not entirely forgotten. With the ending of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance great cultural movement arose. Beginning in Italy, the new Renaissance spirit spread to England, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and other countries. In Italy during the 14th and 15th centuries certain scholars and historians began to display a remarkable new historical self-consciousness. They believed their own time was a new age, at once sharply different from the barbaric darkness which was imagined had occurred in the centuries before. They grew to believe that there was more to be discovered about mankind and the world, than medieval people had known. The Italians are very eager to rediscover what clever Greeks and Romans had known in ancient times, as well as making their own intelligent attempts to understand the world. This renewed interest in the world and in mankind is called Humanism. Humanism was the most significant intellectual movement of the Renaissance. Humanism during the Renaissance received its name from one of the earliest concerns of the humanists: the need of a new education curriculum that would empathize a group of subjects known collectively as the ‘Studia Humanitatis† involving grammar, history, poetry, ethics, and rhetoric. However, this new education curriculum conflicted directly with the traditional education, which involved logic, science and physics, and often sharp clashes occured between the two educators. However, more was at stake than the content of education. The traditional education was intended chiefly to prepare students for careers in medicine, law, and above all theology. To Renaissance humanists this seemed too narrow, too abstract and too exclusively intellectual. They proposed a system of education that centred on the general responsibilities of citizenship and social leadership. Humanities essential contribution to the modern world is not found in its concern with ancient knowledge, but in its new attitude of flexibility and openness to all the possibilities in life. With people receiving education-involving leadership, they began to gain more confidants. More people began to reject ideas about science put forward by the ancient Greeks and began to search for the truth. They realized that the Greeks† ideas were often intelligent, but also often wrong. Many people still did not want the old ideas disapproved, and threatened scientists to stop having new ideas. However, this did not stop many brilliant scientific inventions being produced at this time. A great scientist of the Renaissance was the Polish student Nicolaus Copernicus who developed the theory that the earth was a moving planet. He is considered the founder of modern astronomy. In Copernicus† time, most astronomers accepted the theory the Greek astronomer Ptolemy had formulated nearly 1400 years earlier. Ptolemy stated that the Earth was the centre of the universe and motionless. He also stated that all the observed motions of the heavenly bodies were real and that those bodies moved in complicated patterns around the Earth. As the church supported Ptolemy theory no one dared to challenge it until Copernicus. Copernicus believed Ptolemy†s theory was too complicated. He decided that the simplest and most systematic explanation was that every planet, including the Earth, revolved around the sun. The Earth also had to spin around its axis once every day. Copernicus couldn†t prove his theory, but his explanation of heavenly motion was mathematically strong and was less complicated than Ptolemy†s theory. The later work of later scientists such as Galileo Galilei helped to prove that Copernicus† theory was correct. Galileo was a Florentine physicist, philosopher, and inventor, whose name became the chief emblem of Renaissance science and of ensuing technological revolution. In 1609, he heard that the rulers of Florence and Venice were searching for someone who could invent an instrument that made distant objects appear closer. Galileo set to work to construct one, and within a few days he had finished, naming it a telescope. During the winter, he turned his telescope to the sky with startling results. He announced that the moon surface was quite similar to earth†s – irregular and mountainous; the Milky Way was made up of a host of stars; and the planet Jupiter is accompanied by at least four satellites. The electrifying effects of these discoveries were amazing. They showed the human senses could be aided artificially to discover new truths about nature, something that neither philosophy nor theology had previous contended with. However, most importantly Ptolemy†s astronomical theory was impossible. Galileo had proven Copernicus theory correct. Galileo had great importance upon the history of ideas. The Renaissance produced many important people who invented or theorized very important advances in history. They all became strong symbols of revolt against the forces of authority, whilst the Renaissance flourished with the power of question. The Renaissance period provided modern culture with a variety of advances in technology, art, science and most importantly it gave mankind confidence. The ancient civilizations, in particular the Greeks and Romans, laid the foundations for civilizations and the Renaissance added the most important ingredient; the ability to ask why. It is appropriate to use the label ‘Rebirth† to describe European history in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Groups, Teams, and Conflict Essay

Strategies There are various strategies available to aid in effective team building. One step is developing a recruiting strategy that supports the organization’s diversity goals. Volunteering time to organizations that serve the needs of underrepresented segments of the population is another way to enhance your company’s reputation as an employer that values diversity. Another step that can be used is by registering the organization with local job agencies, such as the local Workforce Center. The organization can also contact universities, trade schools and other academic institutions with information about the company and keep them informed of job openings they can post for graduating students. Organizations can also create partnerships with national and local organizations to promote the company’s image. It can also help to participate in industry events, and include employees in the company’s current workforce who represent various forms of diversity. The organization should not limit its definition of diversity to race, color, sex, national origin or religion but should expand its concept of diversity to include multi-generational diversity as well as diversity in work styles and cultures. One of the most important strategies is to construct work teams with diversity in mind. Whenever possible, the organization should assign employees to work on teams together who otherwise would not have the opportunity to work together. They should assemble groups of people who represent varied work styles, generations, skills and culture and encourage collaboration and synergy among employees through embracing differences (Huebsch, 2013). Challenges One of the biggest challenges with diversity is misconception. Most people associate the word diversity with multicultural issues, but it also covers  the differences in age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, background, and even position of power. Failing to recognize this can result in accidental discrimination against certain groups. Several types of workplace diversity challenges exist. These issues can strengthen a company or ruin one. Communication is essential to diversity in the workplace. Every person and cultural group communicates differently, which can be the biggest challenge of a diversified team. Sometimes employees misinterpret tone, e-mails, and body language, and fail to respond appropriately. Employees that resist change can be a significant diversity barrier. If someone has been raised a certain way, it can be difficult to adapt overnight. Having one resistant employee can throw off the organization’s balance. An organization benefits more when its manager is on board with major decisions for maximum results. Diversity will not work without a supportive manager (Holt, 2013). Conclusion The best way for an organization to determine which strategy works best for, is by looking at the success of the team and ultimately how the organization benefits from the teams work. As we all know, there will be challenges with any team/group because you have different people from different backgrounds, different personalities, and different outlooks on life. However, if the organization can get each member to recognize that their success ultimately depends on the success of the company, I believe that the diversity of the group will no longer be a primary issue. Instead each team member will begin to pay more attention to the work and less about the differences of each team member in regard to themselves. Once the organization begins to benefit from the team’s success, it will be evident that the strategy chosen is a success. References Holt, M. (2013). Workplace Diversity Challenges. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/create-diverse-workplace-10154.html Huebsch, R. (2013). Workplace Diversity Strategy. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/workplace-diversity-strategy-4925.html

Free Essays on Latter-day Saints And Racism

The 1830 publication of the â€Å"Book of Mormon† by Joseph Smith, officially established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ believe that Smith, under divine guidance, translated a set of golden plates into the Book of Mormon. This was the first of several literary works that were said to contain proper doctrine of the beliefs and views of the Mormon religion. Throughout the development of the Church, several aspects of the Mormon religion have caused many of its members to be persecuted by outside parties. During the last half of the nineteenth-century the government formed strict laws to thwart the strong beliefs of polygamy until church leaders denounced the practice. In the twentieth century the Church came under fire because of its controversial ideas considering African Americans. Ideas of Caucasian supremacy can be found throughout doctrines and scripture that exist in important Church documents. Until recently the Latter-day Saint Church had denied the priesthood, as well as several other religious practices to anyone that was of African decent. Heavy criticism from both non-Mormon and Mormon parties mounted until 1978, when then Church president Spencer Kimball announced the repeal. Several theories have been recently developed to explain the origins and reasoning of racial inferiority and the manner in which the Latter-day Saint Church treated African Americans during the last one- hundred and seventy-one years. A large portion of the Book of Mormon describes the history of several pre-Christian civilizations that existed throughout America. A group of Israelites lead by a righteous man named Nephi established a society of god loving people. Nephi’s two brothers Laman and Lemuel rose up against their brother and formed a band of dissidents that rejected Nephi’s religious ideas. The righteous people came to be called the Nephites, while the nomadic dissident... Free Essays on Latter-day Saints And Racism Free Essays on Latter-day Saints And Racism The 1830 publication of the â€Å"Book of Mormon† by Joseph Smith, officially established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ believe that Smith, under divine guidance, translated a set of golden plates into the Book of Mormon. This was the first of several literary works that were said to contain proper doctrine of the beliefs and views of the Mormon religion. Throughout the development of the Church, several aspects of the Mormon religion have caused many of its members to be persecuted by outside parties. During the last half of the nineteenth-century the government formed strict laws to thwart the strong beliefs of polygamy until church leaders denounced the practice. In the twentieth century the Church came under fire because of its controversial ideas considering African Americans. Ideas of Caucasian supremacy can be found throughout doctrines and scripture that exist in important Church documents. Until recently the Latter-day Saint Church had denied the priesthood, as well as several other religious practices to anyone that was of African decent. Heavy criticism from both non-Mormon and Mormon parties mounted until 1978, when then Church president Spencer Kimball announced the repeal. Several theories have been recently developed to explain the origins and reasoning of racial inferiority and the manner in which the Latter-day Saint Church treated African Americans during the last one- hundred and seventy-one years. A large portion of the Book of Mormon describes the history of several pre-Christian civilizations that existed throughout America. A group of Israelites lead by a righteous man named Nephi established a society of god loving people. Nephi’s two brothers Laman and Lemuel rose up against their brother and formed a band of dissidents that rejected Nephi’s religious ideas. The righteous people came to be called the Nephites, while the nomadic dissident...

Economic Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic Geography - Essay Example vious recessions in 1990-1991 and 2001, the 2007 economic recession has run deep into the economy becoming the longest financial crisis since the great depression in the 1930s (Kaiser 3). Many states reacted by formulating large stimulus mechanisms in an effort to stabilize the economy. Other mechanisms were bailout of leading financial institutions, which included loans, guarantees and equity. The National Bureau of Economic Research and economists have indicated that the financial recession was triggered in the year 2006 by the broad economic malaise. The sharp deterioration in house prices reduced purchases of homes subsequently damaging the real estate market. Price deterioration extended to increased mortgage closure that subsequently led to massive losses in billions of dollars by leading banks in the country. The ultimate condition was tightening credit by financial institutions. The Federal Reserve Bank began to cut the discount rate and funds rate to no avail. Major Banks such as Lehman Brothers started filing for bankruptcy. Other banks opted to undertake mergers and acquisition. JPM Chase acquired Bear Stearns as a strategy to survive in the crippling economy. As indicated by Cadieux & Conklin (9), the Federal Reserve cut the two rates below 2% by the fall of October 2008. In the same line central banks of leading world economies like China, Canada and United Kingdom as well as the ECB slashed their rates to rescue the global economy. These efforts had little impact as liquidity problem that proved to have spread widely and damaged operation and of financial institutions. The rate of unemployment increased by 1.2% while an increasing number of distributions of jobless claims in the industry proved the economy was under recession (Cadieux & Conklin 12). The manufacturing and construction industries experienced large labor losses that significantly shattered business cycle. Although the level of unemployment declined as time moved to the end of

Perceptions of Safety Among Children in Foster Care Essay

Perceptions of Safety Among Children in Foster Care - Essay Example With this information, it will be possible to better understand specific safety issues indicative to foster care. In addition, this data will elucidate safety issues that may not be persistent concerns for children in foster care. With this data, social workers could develop programs to raise awareness and improve safety outcomes for children in this care setting. The US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (2005) reports that at the end of 2004, 800,000 children were served by the foster care system. Of these children, 304,000 represented new entrants into the program. Although this number is part of a larger trend representing a decrease in foster care over the last several years, it does represent a notable percentage of the child population in the United States. According to the US Census Bureau (2005), there were approximately 7.5 million children living in the US in 2004. As such, almost 10 percent of children in the US were involved in the foster care system at some point in 2004. Clearly, what this data reveals is that the foster care system comprises a significant portion of children living in the United States. As the size of this population continues to grow, social workers and helping professionals are faced with the challenge of providing relevant care that can improve outcomes for chi ldren placed in these living arrangements. With the re... With the realization that so many children in the US are brought into the foster care system, there is a clear impetus to examine the safety of the overall system. A precursory overview of what has been written on the subject suggests that even though numerous authors have examined the issue of safety in the context of the foster care system, the exact manner in which safety is defined differs among scholars. For instance, Altshuler and Gleeson (1999) maintain that there are a host of variables that must be taken into consideration when assessing the safety of the child in foster care. Among these variables are included: physical health; cognitive functioning and developmental delay. Interestingly however, Bilaver, Jaudes, Koepke, and Goerge (1999) conceptualize the safety of children in foster care as directly related to the health of the child. CHAPTER I: PURPOSE STATEMENT For the formulation of the purpose statement, I would like stress on the question posed by the thesis. The question primarily revolves around whether or not children feel safe in their foster home settings. Through the posing of this question, I will try to delve into the perception of safety for these children apart from trying to assert their concept of safety when they are placed in a foster home. In this context, I will try and conceptualize the perceptions of these children through their adult experiences through a focus on literature available on the psycho analytical point of view and literary records of case studies of recalled experiences. The thesis will also focus strongly on the perceptions of the parents who have adopted these children so as to get both sides of the story for a more qualitative research. Problem Statement Although this