Romantic Literature Essay Example for Free

Romantic Literature Essay Romance is described as a mysterious or fascinating quality or appeal, as of something adventurous, heroic, or strangely beautiful. Romance is often written about in many works throughout time. In the 18th century the â€Å"brooding† romantics shared an idea that all humans were capable of being evil. Their writing was often complex, mysterious, and filled with emotion. Washington Irving’s â€Å"The Devil and Tom Walker†, Edgar Allen’s â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†, and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Minster’s Black Veil† are romantic stories because they emphasize on passion, nature, the individual, and the unusual. Even though Hawthorne, Poe, and Irving are all romantic writers, they use different elements to develop their stories. Washington Irving uses several romantic elements to tell the story of Tom Walker, an old miserly man who sells his soul the Devil in exchange for wealth. One element that is illustrated is the use of imagination and emotion once Tom became secure in his wealth he started to show how evil he really was, â€Å"Let the freebooter roast,’ said Tom; ‘who cares!’ He now felt convinced that all he had heard and seen was no illusion.† (Irving 319). As Tom starts to grow old he realizes how bad his deal with the Devil was, he attempts to undo his wrongdoing by becoming religious. Tom gets out of the deal and is left poor when he asks to be taken if he has made money off of hopeless people, Walker is left with nothing, and his fortune is now worth mere pennies. (Irving 324). Irving also shows an interest in the historic past, the Devil is guarding a hidden treasure buried by Kidd the pirate, the treasure was never recovered because of the pirate being killed. (Irving 312). While Tom Walker was taking a short cut home he comes across old Indian land. â€Å"Nothing remained of the old Indian for but a few embankments, gradually sinking to the level of the surrounding earth, and already overgrown in part by oaks and other forest trees, the foliage of which formed a contrast to the dark pines and hemlocks of the swamp.† (Irving 315). Finding an old Indian skull really sparked Walker’s interest in the bizarre; this is when the devil first comes in contact with Tom. (Irving 317). During this encounter the Devil describes who he really is, â€Å"I amuse myself by presiding at the persecutions of Quakers and Anabaptists; I am the great patron and prompter of slave dealers and the grand masters of the Salem witches.† (Irving 317). Washington Irving’s 18th century work is romantic literature because it exhibits the use of imagination and emotion, an interest in the historic past, and also an interest in the unusual, bizarre, or unfami liar. Poe uses a belief in the unusual, bizarre, or unfamiliar, a revolt against authority and an emphasis on imagination and feeling in his romantic writing. In this tale a disease called the Red Death infects a country, Prince Prospero decides to take everyone who has not came in contact with the illness to his palace where they will party all day and have a moment of silence at the sound of a clock ringing every hour, to commemorate being. (Poe 431). â€Å"Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious. When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and lighthearted friends from among the knights and dames of his court . . . â€Å"(Poe 429). One day at midnight an uninvited guest arrived wearing a mask that resembles a corpse and his face has spots of blood, suggesting that he is a victim of the Red Death. The prince revolts against authority when he attacks the masked mummer for showing up to his party. (Poe 433). The palace where the festivities were held had intercut and bizarre rooms, each area was painted a different solid color, but the last room is black with red windows creating an eerie feeling. (Poe 430). To develop his story, Hawthorne used the elements of emphasis on the individual, emphasis on the unfamiliar, bizarre, or the unusual, and the use of imagination. â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† walks the reader through a minister, Mr. Hooper, and his community once he starts to wear a black veil over his face every day. (Hawthorne 461). The people of Milford, including his fiancà ©e, were all confused on why the minister would not ever remove his veil. The tale is centered on Mr. Hopper and the reason for the veil, â€Å"A rumor of some unaccountable phenomenon had preceded Mr. Hooper into the meeting house, and set the entire congregation astir.† (Hawthorne 460). The face covering was mysterious and unusual to the public, they figured that the minister wearing the veil symbolized a horrible sin, â€Å"Swathed about his forehead, and hanging down over his face, so low as to be shaken by his breath, Mr. Hopper has on a black veil.† (Hawthorne 460). The minister never told anyone why he wore the shield on his face but demanded that people respect his decision to wear it. This caused him and his fiancà ©e, Elizabeth, to have arguments. Hawthorne uses imagination in this work when Elizabeth and Mr. Hopper have their final argument over the veil, â€Å"For a few moments she appeared lost in a thought, considering, probably, what new methods might be tried to withdraw her lover from so dark a fantasy, which, if it had no other meaning, was perhaps a symptom of mental disease.† (Hawthorne 467). His fiancà ©e leaves him, but come back years later to help take care of him in his last years; throughout the time they were apart she never married anyone else. On his death bed Mr. Hopper still did not remove the black veil; the town thought this to be bizarre but did not question his choice. (Hawthorne 470). The minister wished that his congregation would help him through his journey, but instead the gossiped and proved that they were not supportive churchgoers as they portrayed. Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† proves that is a romantic work because it illustrates emphasis on the individual, emphasis on the unfamiliar, bizarre, or the unusual, and the use of imagination. Poe, Hawthorne, and Irving are romantic writers because their works use five different elements in order to create a short story. All three stories have a male character that had to make a choice without thinking about how it affected the people around them. The tales had emphasis on emotion, nature, and the individual. The â€Å"brooding† romantics were not like the authors that write romance novels now. Their writing was darker and definitely not as light hearted. Centuries later the definition of romance has changed drastically.

The structure and organization of the human body

The structure and organization of the human body Unit 3 The Structure, Function and Organisation of The Human Body Outcome 1 Handout UNIT 3: THE STRUCTURE, ORGANISATION AND FUNCTION OF THE HUMAN BODY OUTCOME 1 The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. It is usually a microscopic structure containing nuclear and cytoplasmic material enclosed by a semi-permeable membrane. Some organisms, such as most bacteria, are unicellular(consist of a single cell). Other organisms, such as humans, are multicellular. Each cell is at least somewhat self-contained and self-maintaining: it can take in nutrients, convert these nutrients into energy, carry out specialized functions, and reproduce as necessary. Each cell stores its own set of instructions for carrying out each of these activities. Comparison of structures between animal and plant cells Typical animal cell Typical plant cell Organelles Nucleus Nucleolus (within nucleus) Rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Smooth ER Ribosomes Cytoskeleton Golgi apparatus Cytoplasm Mitochondria Vesicles Lysosomes Centrosome Centrioles Nucleus Nucleolus (within nucleus) Rough ER Smooth ER Ribosomes Cytoskeleton Golgi apparatus (dictiosomes) Cytoplasm Mitochondria Vacuoles Cell wall ORGANELLES Nucleus- Controls the cell. It consists of the nuclear envelope, nucleolus, chromatin, and nucleoplasm. Nucleolus- are non-membraneous matrix of RNA (ribonucleic acid) and protein. found in the nucleus. Instructions in DNA are copied here. It works with ribosomes in the synthesis of protein. Chromosomes- Determines what traits a living thing will have, passes information from parent to offspring. Cell Membrane- same as unit membrane. Gives the cell shape, holds the cytoplasm, and controls what moves into and out of the cell. acts as a boundary layer to contain the cytoplasm (fluid in cell) interlocking surfaces bind cells together. Cytoplasm- Jellylike material (cytosol and organelles), most of the cells chemical reactions take place there, and made up of mostly water and some chemicals. Vacuoles- Liquid-filled, may store food, water, minerals, or wastes. There maybe more than one. In plants it takes up a lot of space, produce turgor pressure against cell wall for support. Mitochondria- Produce energy when food is broken down, often called the powerhouse of the cell. Its structure is composed of modified double unit membrane (protein, lipid). Its inner membrane infolded to form cristae. It is the site of cellular respiration i.e. the release of chemical energy from food Glucose + Oxygen > Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy (ATP) Ribosomes- Where proteins are made, and often connected to the endoplasmic reticulum. A cell may have as many as 500,000. They are non-membraneous, spherical bodies composed of RNA (ribonucleic acid) and protein enzymes. They are the site of protein synthesis. Endoplasmic Reticulum- The transportation system in the cell, connects the nuclear membrane with the cell membrane. Used in detoxification of the cell. ER. Forms a tubular network throughout the cell. Provides a large surface area for the organization of chemical reactions and synthesis. Centrioles- Found only in animal cells, is used in cell reproduction to help the chromosomes arrange before cell division. They are nine triplets of microtubules form one centriole. Two centrioles form one centrosome. They form spindle fibres to separate chromosomes during cell division. Golgi apparatus(bodies)- Stacks of flattened sacs of unit membrane (cisternae) vesicles pinch off the edges. Modifies chemicals to make them functional. Secretes chemicals in tiny vesicles. Stores chemicals. May produce endoplasmic reticulum. Lysosomes- digests food particles with enzymes, pinched of pieces of golgi apparatus. Are membrane bound bag containing hydrolytic enzymes. Are hydrolytic enzyme = (water split biological catalyst) i.e. using water to split chemical bonds. They break large molecules into small molecules by inserting a molecule of water into the chemical bond. Cell Wall- Found only in plant cells. Forms a thick outer covering outside the cell membrane, gives the plant support and shape. Is a non-living secretion of the cell membrane, composed of cellulose. They are cellulose fibrils deposited in alternating layers for strength. Cell wall contains pits (openings) that make it totally permeable. It provides protection from physical injury and together with vacuole, provides skeletal support. Chloroplasts- Found only in plant cells. Found in the cytoplasm of green plant cells, contain chlorophyll, traps the energy from light, and is where photosynthesis takes place. It is composed of a double layer of modified membrane (protein,chlorophyll, lipid). The inner membrane invaginates to form layers called grana (sing., granum) where chlorophyll is concentrated. It is the site of photosynthesis chlorophyll Carbon Dioxide + Water > Glucose + Oxygen radiant energy (food). TISSUE There are many different types of cells in the human body. None of these cells function well on there own, they are part of the larger organism that is called you. Tissue is a cellular organizational level intermediate between cells and a complete organism. Hence, a tissue is an ensemble of cells, not necessarily identical, but from the same origin, that together carry out a specific function. Organsare then formed by the functional grouping together of multiple tissues. Cells group together in the body to form tissues a collection of similar cells that group together to perform a specialized function. There are 4 primary tissue types in the human body: epithelial tissue, connective tissue, muscle tissue and nerve tissue. 1. Epithelial Tissue- The cells of epithelial tissue pack tightly together and form continuous sheets that serve as linings in different parts of the body. Epithelial tissue serve as membranes lining organs and helping to keep the bodys organs separate, in place and protected. Some examples of epithelial tissue are the outer layer of the skin, the inside of the mouth and stomach, and the tissue surrounding the bodys organs. 2. Connective Tissue- There are many types of connective tissue in the body. Generally speaking, connective tissue adds support and structure to the body. Most types of connective tissue contain fibrous strands of the protein collagen that add strength to connective tissue. Some examples of connective tissue include the inner layers of skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bone and fat tissue. In addition to these more recognizable forms of connective tissue, blood is also considered a form of connective tissue. 3. Muscle Tissue- Muscle tissue is a specialized tissue that can contract. Muscle tissue contains the specialized proteins actin and myosin that slide past one another and allow movement. Examples of muscle tissue are contained in the muscles throughout your body. 4. Nerve Tissue- Nerve tissue contains two types of cells: neurons and glial cells. Nerve tissue has the ability to generate and conduct electrical signals in the body. These electrical messages are managed by nerve tissue in the brain and transmitted down the spinal cord to the body. ORGANS Organs are the next level of organization in the body. An organ is a structure that contains at least two different types of tissue functioning together for a common purpose. There are many different organs in the body: the liver, kidneys, heart, even your skin is an organ. In fact, the skin is the largest organ in the human body and provides us with an excellent example for explanation purposes. The skin is composed of three layers: the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous layer. The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin. It consists of epithelial tissue in which the cells are tightly packed together providing a barrier between the inside of the body and the outside world. Below the epidermis lies a layer of connective tissue called the dermis. In addition to providing support for the skin, the dermis has many other purposes. The dermis contains blood vessels that nourish skin cells. It contains nerve tissue that provides feeling in the skin. And it contains muscle tissue that is responsible for giving you goosebumps when you get cold or frightened. The subcutaneous layer is beneath the dermis and consists mainly of a type of connective tissue called adipose tissue. Adipose tissue is more commonly known as fat and it helps cushion the skin and provide protection from cold temperatures. Nervous tissue: is one of four major classes of vertebrate tissue. Nervous tissue is the main component of the nervous system-the brain, spinal cord, and nerves-which regulates and controls body functions. It is composed of neurones, which transmit impulses, and the neuroglia, which assist propagation of the nerveimpulse as well as provide nutrientsto the neuron. Every time you get pinched, part of your nerve tissue is damaged. Nervous tissue is made of nerve cells that come in many varieties, all of which are distinctly characteristic by the axon or long stem like part of the cell that sends action potential signals to the next cell. Functions of the nervous system are sensory input, integration, controls of muscles and glands, homeostasis, and mental activity. All living cells have the ability to react to stimuli. Nervous tissue is specialized to react to stimuli and to conduct impulses to various organs in the body which bring about a response to the stimulus. Nerve tissue (as in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves that branch throughout the body) are all made up of specialized nerve cells called neurons. Neurons are easily stimulated and transmit impulses very rapidly. A nerve is made up of many nerve cell fibres (neurons) bound together by connective tissue. A sheath of dense connective tissue, the epineurium surrounds the nerve. This sheath penetrates the nerve to form the perineurium which surrounds bundles of nerve fibres. Blood vessels of various sizes can be seen in the epineurium. The endoneurium, which consists of a thin layer of loose connective tissue, surrounds the individual nerve fibres. The cell body is enclosed by a cell (plasma) membrane and has a central nucleus. Granules called Nissl bodies are found in the cytoplasm of the cell body. Within the cell body, extremely fine neurofibrils extend from the dendrites into the axon. The axon is surrounded by the myelin sheath, which forms a whitish, non-cellular, fatty layer around the axon. Outside the myelin sheath is a cellular layer called the neurilemma or sheath of Schwann cells. The myelin sheath together with the neurilemma is also known as the medullary sheath. This medullary sheath is interrupted at intervals by the nodes of Ranvier. Neuronal Communication Nerve cells are functionally made to each other at a junction known as a synapse, where the terminal branches of an axon and the dendrites of another neuron lie in close proximity to each other but normally without direct contact. Information is transmitted across the gap by chemical secretions called neurotransmitters. It causes activation in the post-synaptic cell. All cells possess the ability to respond to stimuli.

Zora Neale Hurston Essay -- Zora Neale Hurston

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Zora Neale Hurston was a phenomenal woman. At the height of her success she was known as the â€Å"Queen of the Harlem Renaissance.† She came to overcome obstacles that were placed in front of her. Hurston rose from poverty to fame and lost it all at the time of her death. Zora had an unusual life; she was a child that was forced to grow up to fast. But despite Zora Neale Hurston’s unsettled life, she managed to surmount every obstacle to become one of the most profound authors of the century.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Zora Neale Hurston was born January 7, 1891 in Eatonville, Florida, the fifth of eight children to Reverend John Hurston and Lucy Potts Hurston. Zora was extraordinary person. When her mother died she was able to stay strong. Her father, didn’t have enough love in his heart to hold on to his daughter, she was casted out of the house by her estranged father; in addition, to being neglected Hurston, dealt with the periodic moving, against society expectations Hurston survived her harsh childhood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the age of thirteen, Zora Neal Hurston’s life came to a halt. The woman who she would look to for understanding, support, protection and encouragement, her mother, died. From that point she had no direction in her life. She started writing just to keep herself from emotional and physical loneness. Hurston was devastated by the death of her mother (Howard 3). After the death of Zora’s mother, Hurston was sent to Jacksonville to go to school. Two months after school started Zora received news that her father had remarried. Zora’s father was never close to her, nevertheless she would come to respect and admire him. In her eyes, Hurston saw her father as a remarkable man who had beaten tough odds to make something of himself. Zora was never to return home from school; unfortunately she didn’t have a choice, since the school would not adopt her, as her father wanted them to. â€Å"Without Lucy Hurston to spur him on, he seemed content with what he had already accomplished, not only unwilling to assume new responsibilities but eager to lighten the load† (Witcover 35). With the little interest that the new Ms. Hurston took in the ambition of her husband or his children Zora Neale Hurston left home never to return. Zora found herself being passed from relative to relative. For the first time ... ...erstandings, about marriage and life and life’s possibilities, about selfhood and ultimately nationhood (Howard 6).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Between 1934 and 1948 Zora Neale Hurston published seven books. Two Folklore Mules and Men and Tell my Horse, four novels Jonah’s Gourd Vine, Moses, Man, of the Mountain, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Seraph on the Suwanee, Dust Tracks on a Road was her autobiography (Witcover 114). Of all the books that were written by Zora Neale Hurston Their Eyes Were Watching God was by far the most famous of her masterpieces. Today it stands as one of the most important pieces of fiction writing by a black woman. Zora was eccentric; she walks brightly among us today as a heroin (Howard 98-99).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Zora Neale Hurston was an outstanding woman. Although she had to struggle, Hurston was a hard working young lady that was determined to make it in life. Zora was able to finished high school and attend college. Zora also became a famous writer who wrote and published many plays and books throughout her career. Zora gained fame and lost it all at the time of her death. She was a remarkable woman who will never be forgotten.

Othello :: essays research papers

The Significance of Othello’s Ethnicity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In William E. Cain’s essay, â€Å"The Triumph of Will,† he clearly states, as is represented by James that Othello’s race is not an issue in the play. I strongly agree with James and believe that if Othello’s skin was white it would not affect the outcome of the play at all. Desdemona’s marriage to any other man, black or white, would have been just as upsetting to Barbantio and Roderigo, and in this paper I will further discuss my reasoning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As I have mentioned in the introduction, the outcome of the play would have been exactly the same whether or not Desdemona’s husband in the play happened to be black or white. One of the reasons is the fact that Barbantio was not necessarily mad at Desdemona for marrying Othello. Although this might have made him a little upset he got over that very quick, but what made him really mad was that Desdemona married Othello secretly behind his back without his approval. Basically Barbantio felt betrayed by his own daughter. This made Barbantio feel that he wasn’t able to do his part as a father, and play that major role in his daughter’s life anymore. Since Othello is now Desdemona’s new husband it is his responsibility to take over those important roles. Barbantio would feel this way regardless of who his daughter married. Understandingly and respectively enough Barbantio knows that Desdemona loves Othello, and that Othello loves Desdemona just as much as he loves his daughter. In the end, Barbantio easily accepts the marriage. If the racial issue was the initial root of all evil here he would not have accepted the marriage as easily. In his acceptance to the marriage he joins the hands of Othello and Desdemona and gives them his blessings. â€Å"I here do give thee that with all my heart which, but thou hast already, with all my heart I would keep from thee for your sake, Jewel, I am glad at soul I have no other child, for thy escape would teach me tyranny, to hang clogs on them.† (Shakespeare, 31)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As for Roderigo, his main conflict is the simple fact that Desdemona has married a man whom is not himself, as he would rather love to have it. Although Iago is supposed to be a friend if Othello’s he sides with Roderigo and secretly is against Othello.

Main Causes of Culture Shock Essay

Stepping out of one’s comfort zone is not an easy step to take, not to mention stepping into a foreign land. Culture shock is one of the very common problems many face, especially when travelling abroad. For the purpose of this essay, the term â€Å"culture shock† refers to the unfamiliar feeling of a new atmosphere when in another country. It also refers to the ability to adapt experience and accept another country’s culture. The main reasons of culture shock are difference in values, loneliness, as well as daily life challenges. To begin with, one of the main causes which contribute to the feeling of culture shock is due to the difference in values. Values may differ in terms of religion, laws, traditions, and customs. Many embarking on a journey to a foreign land have to accept and learn the foreign country’s values in order to be able to enjoy the richness of the local culture. However it may seem to be very difficult to accept the new values as it differs too much from another country’s culture, thus causing culture shock. A good example would be that many international students might have difficulties adopting the new values which the foreign country adopts, and might feel homesick due to the culture shock. Therefore, the difference in values is one of the main causes of culture shock. In addition, another cause of culture shock is due to the feeling of loneliness. The feeling of loneliness can cause many adverse effects, causing depression and anxiety. Many suffer from culture shock due to loneliness because, like a child in school for the first time, there are no familiar faces to be seen anywhere. It is a frightening experience as in a foreign land there might be a language barrier and a difference the lifestyle which may hinder the process of socialising and cause loneliness. A good example would be when international students live in home stays they might feel a sense of loneliness due to the fact that the environment in the home stay as well as the food served differs a lot from the student’s home back in their homeland. Therefore, loneliness is indeed another main cause of culture shock. The last and most important cause of culture shock is the daily life challenges. Like a fish out of the water, it is a very new environment when in a foreign country. The weather, transport, language to speak in becomes a challenge, as each country has its own individuality. It can be a daily struggle for many to adapt to these major differences and would take awhile to get used to the new environment. A good example would be that many migrants would take at least a month to climatise to the new temperatures as unlike Saudi Arabia with extremely hot weathers, countries like New Zealand have very cold temperatures. Thus, daily life challenges are the most important reason for culture shock as it is not easy to adapt to a new environment. To sum it up, culture shock is caused by the contrasts in beliefs and principles, it is also caused by the initial stages of feeling isolated from home and lastly it is also caused by the problems faced on a day to day basis. Perhaps the most important reason is the problems faced on a day to day basis. This is so as it would cause a significant amount of inconvenience and adapting to the individual for a period of time, thus undergoing a transition period to cope with culture shock.

Business Ethics Term Paper Essay

So how did all of this pollution develop? One of the ways that Walmart has caused so much pollution is from their increased travel of customers and delivery trucks. Other pollution causes are non-point source water pollution, sprawl and auto pollution, and there is a large amount of energy use going on in the company. And while there are arguments about how Walmart is being reckless with the environment, there is also some good that Walmart is trying to do regarding the environment. While Walmart may not be as efficient as it would like to be when dealing with the environment they are trying to take steps towards it to make sure they are complying with all of the environmental standards. Walmart has a goal to be supplied 100% by renewable energy, to create zero waste, and to try to sell products that sustain people and the environment. These are some possible resolutions to this issue. A website that I found interesting pertaining to this was www. walmartwatch. com. The website states that its mission is to â€Å"hold Walmart fully accountable for its impact on communities, the American workforce, the retail sector, the environment and the nation’s economy. † I think ethically this is a good thing for someone to keep such a large company accountable for what it does. The next ethical issue that I came across was how Walmart exploits its workers and suppliers. Walmart is the world’s largest retail industry but it seems that they fail to use this for the good of its employees. According to Walmart watch the average pay a sales associate gets for being employed at Walmart is $8. 1 an hour. That comes to about $15,500 a year which is based on a full time status there of 34 hours. And most of the employees at Walmart aren’t even full time employees; most of it is part-time jobs which makes their annual salary even less. The problem that people have with this is that Walmart could be paying its employees more than they do n ow and this is where the ethical dilemma comes into play. The problem people may have with this is that in 2010 Walmart’s CEO Mike received 18. 7 million in total compensation. Walmart has also cut two of its longest standing benefits for employees. The first one that got cut was its profit sharing program, and the other one that got cut was that as of 2011, no new employees would any extra an hour for their work on Sundays. Another problem that arises with exploitation is that Walmart has unfair leverage on their suppliers and forces supplier outsourcing. On the other side of this issue is that Walmart does a good job in providing employment. Walmart employs 2. 1 million associates worldwide. This is a good thing that Walmart provides so many jobs especially in a tough economy. Some would argue that it has positive effects on our economy. It seems that everywhere I read that the negatives of employment at Walmart overpower the good. And because of this it is an ethical concern. I think that some of the possible resolutions would be to raise the wage for the employees so that they could be able to afford more. Also they should have kept their employee benefits that they cut. While Walmart may not take care of its employees as well as they should, there is really not argument for their corporate philanthropy. Some of the things they have done is that they donated approximately $800 million in value in 2011 and were name the biggest cash contributor by Chronicle of Philanthropy. Walmart also gave a $2 billion commitment to help end hunger in America. Walmart seems to be doing a very good job in dealing with its philanthropic responsibilities. Another ethical issue that I am going to discuss is the issue of Walmart being a monopoly and how because of this it is destroying other business around it. The reason people think that Walmart is a monopoly is that it owns the majority of the market shares. The reason people think this is because it is the largest in the world in sales by 50% more than its 5 closest competitors combined which includes Target and Sears Holding. Some reasons that it is considered to be a monopoly is that it dwarfs its competition and it affects the products prices and its choices. Walmart has the power to control prices or to get rid of the competition because of it. Walmart’s revenue $404 billion compared to other businesses is so much higher. For example, Macy’s brings in $25 billion in revenues while Sears brings in $46 billion. Because of Walmart’s large size and its buying power, Walmart is able to buy their products at very low prices. Walmart is able to strong arm its suppliers because of its ability to influence it. And while this may be a good thing for Walmart and the people that shop there, how does it affect other businesses in the area? Many people claim that the size of Walmart is hurting white collar businesses. Almost all businesses, big or small are impacted by what Walmart does. Walmart’s competitors are often forced to lower their prices because of Walmart’s ability to keep them so low and because these businesses aren’t as profitable as Walmart, they are often closed because of the lack of profit. The final ethical issue that comes up when talking about Walmart is the affect of Walmart’s low prices. Like stated above a consequence of the low prices are that it can destroy jobs but it also can affect the suppliers profits because of Walmart’s ability to force suppliers to go down on their prices. Because of these low prices thousands of manufacturing jobs have been moved overseas. An article that was written by Emer Basker talks about Walmart and if it is creating jobs or is it destroying jobs and also about the labor market effects on Walmart expansion. And on the other side of this issue the lower prices can be beneficial. Walmart’s slogan is saving money so people can live better. Yes the lower costs help people save money, but at what cost? According to forbes. com, Walmart is actually good for the economy. The lower prices that Walmart can offer to the public ends up benefiting everyone. An exchange of goods at low prices benefits everyone. Even though Walmart low prices seem to benefit everyone it still doesn’t have a very good reputation with the public. In a study done that I found on forbes. com, 24% of Americans think the company is bad for the economy, and 31% had an unfavorable view of it. So what are the stakeholders that are affected by all of these ethical issues? Some of the major stakeholders of Walmart are the owners of Walmart and the CEO, the employees and managers, and suppliers. Some of the secondary stakeholders would be other businesses and customers. Owners would have the most power, legitimacy, and urgency. The CEO and other owners would have the most power to get something done. They would be able to affect the business because they own the majority of the market share. They would also have the highest legitimacy; all of the things they say will be heard and taken care of. They would have the highest urgency in that they would get the businesses immediate attention. I don’t think that if any resolutions of the issues above would have any effect on the power, legitimacy, and urgency of the CEO or the owners. The employees and managers would have a lot less of the power. By doing research on this topic it seems to me that the employees aren’t really treated that well and that they really don’t have that much power. It’s the same for legitimacy and urgency in that they really don’t have much of that either. I don’t think that Walmart really takes into play the employees very much as stakeholders and if the employees ever wanted to get something changed they would have a hard time doing so because of their low power, legitimacy, and urgency. I don’t think that resolving any of the issues above would affect the employees as stakeholders. Some of the secondary stakeholders are other businesses and customers. I think first that the other businesses have absolutely none of the three. Walmart has dwarfed the competition so much that they could do nothing to affect any decision that Walmart would make. I think the customers have at least a little bit of power. They are the ones buying the product so if they voice their displeasure with something then they may be able to get something done. It’s the same with urgency and legitimacy. Some activist groups like the Walmartwatchers. org group might have some power to get something accomplished. They are able to keep Walmart accountable for what they do by keeping track of everything Walmart does. Walmartwatchers. org keeps track of all of the facts on Walmart like their community impact, environmental records, and workplace conditions. I think that because of this they may have some sort of power in making things happen within the business. I think that Walmart uses a utilitarianism approach when it looks at what it’s doing. Utilitarianism says that the best course of action to take is one that provides the greatest good for the greatest number. The attractiveness of utilitarianism is that it makes the decision maker, in this case Walmart, to think about the general welfare. Utilitarianism takes the approach to think in stakeholder terms. They look at owners, employees, customers, and other stakeholders and they see what is best for them and for the company. I think Walmart uses this approach because it is the best way for them to make a profit. By looking at the greatest good for the greatest number they are able to do what they do even though it may not be popular to some people. The only problem with the utilitarianism approach is that it may come into conflict with justice. People think that an increase in total good is not good because it does not take into account any distribution of good. Another ethical approach that I think Walmart uses is the market ethic approach. The market ethic says that selfish action in the marketplace is virtuous because they contribute to efficient operation of the economy. Decision makers might take selfish actions in order for them to make a persona gain in their business dealings. I think that Walmart could use this ethical approach because I think they are selfish in their thinking in that if it causes personal gain then it doesn’t matter if it is selfish or not. As far as the ethical tests go, I think an important ethical test that could be considered would be the test of making something public. This test asks if you would still make the decision even if you know that everyone would be able to see it. This test addresses the issue of whether or not your decision could take scrutiny from the public. I think Walmart should use this ethical test as a way to help them make decisions. They could use this test in almost all of the issues that were mentioned above. If they would make public about how they were dealing with the environment or how they were dealing with their employees then I think it would help them make better decisions. So how can you look at this with a spiritual perspective? I think as Christians we need to look at what Walmart is doing and look at it through our Christina worldview. I think that some of the things that Walmart does like not taking care of the environment as well as they should and not treating their employees as well as they should go against what is found in the Bible. The Bible says to be good stewards of earth and it also talks a lot about treating people fairly. So how should a Christian seek to resolve these issues? I think that trying to resolve it by yourself would be very difficult if not impossible to get anything done. I think that by forming an activist group with other believers you could get you point out better than if you were trying to do it alone. Ultimately after doing research on Walmart, I think that Walmart has a lot to fix. But I also think that Walmart is beneficial to the economy and it doing a good job with supplying its low prices to people. It just needs to be careful that it does not become a monopoly and destroy jobs and other businesses around it. In my opinion I think Walmart is a good company that is doing a lot to help the economy.

Beliefs, Philosophy and Religion

One of the most notable conflicts that have been debated by many scholars since the medieval ages is the controversy regarding the place of philosophy and religion in a society. The two have been used to attack each other in order to uphold their own credibility. The study of Philosophy is directed towards the speculation of the things that govern the world and its processes, and the nature of man and his relationship with other individuals as well as with the world (Gasset, 1964). Philosophy attempts to scrutinize and make rational explication of almost everything that can be grasped by the human mind.Yet, it does not really provide sufficient and concrete answers to all its queries. Religion, on the other hand, focuses its scope on explaining things and phenomena that cannot be explained by science and at some point even those that cannot really be made explicit by philosophy. It tries to give reason for everything that is happening. Its justification for every reason that it provi des is primarily founded on faith (Nasr, 1996). Hence, by faith, it need not be verifiable. A strong faith or believe could suffice one’s doubt and hesitation. However, philosophy would not really admit faith as the justification of something.Reason cannot be supported by merely appealing to one’s faith (Leahy, 2003). Philosophy moves away from dogmatism, which is a character present in religion. Philosophy has a character of skepticism. This means that not unless something is proven to be certain (that which is indubitable or cannot be doubted) philosophy would recognize its validity (Heidegger, 1956). It entails careful and keen analysis of the subject that is being studied. Whereas in religion, it is enough that someone has faith on something in order for it to become valid (Nasr, 1996).These are the most common distinctions that distinguish philosophy from religion. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how philosophy and religion are realized in particular Schoo ls of Thought that influence China namely: Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism/Taoism. This paper will also compare and contrast these three Schools of Thoughts with Christianity by appealing to their own definitions of Philosophy and Religion. Schools of Thought Confucianism Confucianism is an anthology of ethical values and beliefs that is often equated with religion.These values and beliefs were rooted and developed from the teachings of one of the great thinkers in China, Confucius. His teachings and philosophy were used as the foundations of laws and way of government China and later on in other Asian regions (Chai & Chai, 1973). The teachings of Confucius, like that of Socrates, were neither formally written nor published. Yet his students and disciples made the spread of his teachings. However, according to the Chinese History, most of the recordings of the Confucian teachings were burned up at some point in the Qin Dynasty (Chai & Chai, 1973).Hence, there was a conflict of int erpretation of the Confucian teachings that is evident in various strands of Confucianism. The rebirth of Confucianism was made during the Han Dynasty. It was the motivation for instituting the laws and set of rules of China. Nonetheless, it again faded after the fall of the Han Dynasty wherein Buddhism was introduced to China. Only in the seventh century that Confucianism was revived (Elman, 2002). The chief ideas that the Confucian teachings has were directed toward the ruler, upper class and scholars.Such is a great difference between Confucianism and Buddhism where the latter aims to include the common masses. The instillation of virtues to rulers and noble men is the most original concept in the Confucian teachings. The Golden Rule (Do not do unto others what you do not want others do unto you) is its most celebrated principle that which promotes harmony among all people (Chai & Chai, 1973). With this, Confucianism detests war and the employment of too many laws. Confucianism u pholds its defined five most fundamental relationships which entails varying responsibilities.These relationships include husband and wife, parent and child (filial piety), the elders and the younger ones, ruler and subject, and friendship (Elman, 2002). Among these five, filial piety is the most important relationship that is nevertheless accentuated these days in contemporary China. Lastly, Confucianism puts high regard with the notions of Heaven’s decree, Great Men and Saints, as well as in performing rituals or Li. Buddhism As mentioned earlier, Buddhism’s teachings are directed towards the general populace (Ch'en, 1972).The very concept of Buddhism is founded on the idea of the Enlightenment (wherein Buddha is said to be the Enlightened One). From then on, the goal of Buddhism is to bring man into Perfect Enlightenment or Nirvana (Hanh, 1999). Siddhartha Gautama is the Buddha. He reached nirvana or the enlightenment period through passionate contemplation. Reachin g nirvana would make one free from hunger and selfish desires. It also marks the end of suffering. Once one reaches the enlightenment period, his mind will have everlasting peace (Hanh, 1999). Buddhism advocates the method of truthful inquiry. It tells man not to be overwhelmed by their blind faith.It teaches man to become open-minded and skeptic about the things around him. In accordance with this suggested way of inquiry, Buddhism has established the Four Noble Truths. This tells man that: 1. ) all forms of being, human and other wise are afflicted with suffering, 2. ) the cause of suffering is craving (an illusion of the soul), 3. ) suffering has a lasting end in the experience of nirvana, and 4. ) enlightenment is achieved by a gradual training of the Eightfold Path. These eightfold path is directed towards the clearing of mind and action from indulgence and lustful desires (Ch'en, 1972).Buddhism does not believe in a God or the likes. There is no one that can fully control oneà ¢â‚¬â„¢s own self than him alone. Thus, one has the full responsibility of himself and his actions. And these are not predetermined by a Supreme Being. The concept of Karma is also one of the most distinct features in Buddhism (Ch'en, 1972). It pertains to the belief that all actions have subsequent consequences that are directed to the acting agent. Karma can be a good one or bad one. It depends on the nature of the action performed that produced the consequence that is reflected on the performer of such action.The concept of Rebirth can be best understood by appealing to the principle or doctrine of Karma (Hanh, 1999). Taoism/Daoism Taoism is a school of thought pioneered by Lao Tze or Lao Tzu, also one of the great thinkers in China. Taoism means the path or the way of living to obtain a harmonious relationship with the world and all its definitive processes (Po-Tuan, 2001). Taoism was started as simple philosophical discourse but eventually evolved and took the form of religion. One of its beliefs is the concept of Tao which is defined as the root cause of everything.Tao motivated the rise of the Yin Yang which causes the formation of the universe. Taoism highlights that man should live in harmony with the nature (Po-Tuan, 2001). And only when man achieves such harmony that he will leave in peace and prosperity. Taoism maintains the principle of Wu Wei or non-action which means that man should not go against the nature and must instead go with its operation (Taoist Association of China, 2002). Man need not act since the nature will do the action provided that man lives in harmony with it. Unlike, Buddhism, Taoism believes in multiple Gods.It has hierarchy of Gods that represents system of government in the ancient China (Taoist Association of China, 2002). The ethics defined in Taoism is represented by the three Jewels that which symbolizes compassion, moderation and humility (Po-Tuan, 2001). Taoism encourages the people to examine their way of living by f irst making them realize that living with accordance to nature would mean peace. It also suggests that man should not overly use his being a man. It says that man should prioritize his needs and lessen his wants and desires. Lastly, it orders man not to become egocentric and egotistic.Christianity in China Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are the prevailing religions in China. Before the entrance of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism are two most notable and most patronized religions in China (Legge, 2004). In fact, the two seemed to be opponents of each other primarily because of their consistent difference on particular viewpoints and issues. But the penetration of Buddhism marks a turning point with regards to the religious inclinations in China. When Buddhism entered China, it signaled the redistribution and reconstruction of religions all throughout China.Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism have been even combined at particular regions to serve as one religion. Hence, Chinaâ€⠄¢s religion cannot really be said to be concentrated with one of its three most recognized religions (Legge, 2004). In the seventh century A. D. , Christianity was introduced to China (during the Ming Dynasty) (Bays, 1999). Christianity is a very different religion as compared to the earlier religions in China. From then on, Christianity has been said to be the fastest growing religion in China. It is recorded that 40 million to 100 million of population in China are either Catholic or Protestant.This means that China has started to embrace the western religion that is very unlike with their traditional and ancient religions (Bays, 1999). The arrival of Robert Morrison in China has started the spread of Christianity towards China. The Bible has been even translated to Chinese in order to communicate with Chinese people and for them to have easy access to it. Since then, several Christian missionaries have visited and taught the doctrine of the Christian Faith (Bays, 1999). Christia nity The most celebrated feature of Christianity is the fact that it deifies one God. This God is the cause of everything and the director of everything.All man’s action is caused by this all-powerful and all-knowing God. But these descriptions do not suffice the notion of the Christian God. The concept of the Holy Trinity, salvation, and life after death are also included in the doctrine of the Christian Faith (Borg, 2004). The story of Jesus Christ and His death on the Cross is also the highlights of the Christian Faith (Borg, 2004). It represents the martyrdom of the Son of the God in order to save mankind. All in all, the Christian Faith equates all the happening in this world to what God has originally ordained to occur.And no one can interfere nor change what God has decreed. God and Fate or Destiny have been often characterized as the same thing (Borg, 2004). But the former has the most perfect and powerful character. Analysis: Compare and Contrast Confucianism and Chr istianity Among the other school of thoughts (discussed in this paper), Confucianism is the most compatible religion with Christianity. They both advocate that Heaven’s decree is the most fundamental source of order in the world (Chai & Chai, 1973). Only that, in Confucianism, there is no stress given to a god or a deity to be worshipped (Elman, 2002).Such obedience is directed to the Heaven itself. Whereas in Christianity, there is a God that is the end of one’s being obedient (Borg, 2004). As mentioned in the introduction, the defining mark that distinguishes philosophy from religion is the fact that the former repudiates dogmas that tend to confine and limits one’s way of thinking while the latter deliberately suggests and recommends particular doctrines in which one needs not to be certain of (Leahy, 2003). Philosophy speculates and examines the very concept of faith which is often used to justify religions and their established tenets.The belief of the Conf ucianism and the Christianity about the notion of Heaven’s decree obviously falls under the sphere of religion. It is primarily because the existence of such decree from heaven cannot be verified or confirmed yet can be justified through faith. Yet philosophy does not admit such finality. As cited, philosophy is still at the period of examining the very nature of faith as a source of justification of knowledge (Gasset, 1964). With regards to ethical patterns included in the Confucian and Christian faith implies that man should be virtuous in order for him to have a harmonious life.Yet both have different ways of looking at the concept of a harmonious life. For Confucianism, a harmonious life is the achievement of order in human relationships (Chai & Chai, 1973). On the contrary, for Christians, a harmonious life is being free from sins which separate man from God (Borg, 2004). Seemingly Confucian notion of a harmonious life is philosophic in nature which really explains how h armony could be affected by human relationships – that is verifiable and can be validated. Conversely, the Christian notion of a harmonious relationship is really superficial and metaphysical.One cannot really confirm the truthfulness of such statement. And it cannot even be explained by reasoning. But only faith can support it. Hence it is more of a religious belief rather than a philosophic one. Buddhism and Christianity On the other hand, Buddhisma and Christianity is not really compatible with each other (as religions). As discussed above, Christianity advocates a religion that which is primarily directed towards the belief to a God. Yet Buddhism undermines the concept of a Supreme Being that which is all-powerful and all-knowing, and that which controls man’s actions.Buddhism maintains that man can have the full control over his life therefore he does not need a god that would provide guidance and direction for him (Ch'en, 1972). Perfect enlightenment is the stage wherein a man successful reached the point of having a complete understanding of everything including his being (Hanh, 1999). For this reason, God and Buddha is never really equal to each other. Having such distinction, it can be inferred that Buddhism tends to avoid metaphysical speculation since it does not allow the concept of a supernatural entity as cause of man’s actions.Buddhism keeps its teachings to the moral standpoint and its reliance on experiential insight. Whereas, Christianity admits the existence of a God though there is no concrete and material evidence for such existence. The two can be analyzed in the light of a rationalist and an empiricist wherein Buddhism most likely supports the empiricist view of knowledge, that which lies in experience. However, Christianity supports the rationalist’s view that only reason itself even without experience can prove God’s existence. Thus, Buddhism and Christianity is really opposites of one another.Neverth eless, both of them considers codes or doctrines that are needed to achieved their established purpose (Buddhism is for enlightenment; Christianity is for salvation). Hence both suggest dogma that which their disciples must follow in order to achieved their goals. This is where religion is obviously manifested. In the first place, one can go against these codes and doctrines and look for other ways that can also bring the actualization of their goals. Philosophy suggests that one should not limit himself from what is traditionally accepted as true or what is traditionally accpeted the right way of doing something (Heidegger, 1956).Taoism and Christianity Like Buddhism, Taoism is also not compatible with Christianity. There are two major factors that make Taoism and Christianity very different with each other. The first one is that, Chirtianity is a monotheistic religion while Taoism adheres to mulitple gods hence making it a polytheistic religion (Legge, 2004). For Christians, there is only one God (The Holy Trinity is a representation of One God) (Bays, 1999). For Taoists, they have different and particular deities that vary in different regions (in China) (Taoist Association of China, 2002).Secondly, Christians believed that the order in the universe is predetermined and directed by God. On the contrary, Taoists believed that nature is responsible for whatever order the universe has. Such conceptions are significantly and obviously different. There is a semblance of philosophic character that is evident from the two. By appealing to ehtical or moral principles, Taoism suggests that man should live in harmony with nature thus also implying that man should act in accordance with what nature ordained. This appears like the Natural Law Theory.Nonetheless, Christianity upholds the Divine Command Theory which states that man’s action and all the process in the world is ordered and commanded by God or a Divine Entity. Such regard for who or what implies the order of the universe and all its processes can be considered as a philosophical discourse. Yet such is not really explicit in Christianity. On the other hand, Taoism is most likely illustratiing how nature directs and affects the universe and all the things that lie within it including the human persons and their relationship among each other (Po-Tuan, 2001).Conclusion Philosophy and religion are two different spheres. Philosophy does not provide all answers to all the questions that one can give but can provide different ways and approaches on arriving at the possible answers. Religion, in contrast, tends to have answers for all man’s questions that are founded and based on particular doctrines that it has. Yet, it does not give man the chance of verifying the truthfulness of each doctrine by means of other method but faith. Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism are the most recognize and extensively used religions in China.But after the entrance of Christianity, the Chinese tr aditional culture and relgion have changed significantly due to differences that are distinguishable from the three schools of thoughts and Christianity. The most important note here is the fact that before these schools of thought became religions themselves, they first became philosophical underpinnings which aim to make people realize the obscurity of the world. But eventually they became religions when people started to impose doctrines and rules that are grounded from these teachings in order to live harmoniously with the world.