Role Play

Reflection Paper Counseling Session Role Play Between Kristen (student/client) and Tiffany Ellison (Therapist) Tiffany Ellison Barry University Identifying health risk behavior My client Kristen came in for a follow-up session to focus on codependency issues, feeling overwhelmed with her mother, and not having time to focus on her. Kristen seems to be focusing all of her time on her mother and less time to herself. Kristen is aware that she is not strong enough to deal with overwhelming situations and realizes she needs to be focusing more on herself instead of trying to prove her strengths to everyone else.Kristen has many obligations to her mother; however in reality, she is giving an excessive amount of responsibility, commitment, and worries for another person, when she needs to be more focused on herself and her strengths. Kristen understands everything that a codependent person does is done to further establish self pitying thoughts of overdoing and of being taken advantage of and for granted. Kristen is also showing signs of intense emotional feelings and is completely overcome in mind and emotion and feels ill-equipped to cope with her stressors. Level of competence demonstratedThroughout the session, as the therapist I felt confident that I would be able to grasp the real true related issues that were affecting her life. I expressed empathy towards the client, by listening to her expressed thoughts and feelings while communicating back to her a desire that I can understand the client’s perspective completely. I also felt the need to express my feelings on her mother; however I did not do so and immediately reflected critical motivational interviewing skills by avoidance of arguing with the client about their need for her to change, by not answering the phone when her mother needs her at any given moment.Through this session I supported self-efficacy by helping the client believe in oneself and become confident that they can carry out the changes the client has chosen to pursue. At this point, in the session, it was very important to me to summarize the important components and how they collaborate with one another. My strong asset as a therapist is that I try to grasp a hold of one of the major issues discussed in the therapy session, and help the client elaborate more in detail, so I may then get a better understanding on each individual issue as it comes along.My client has a lot going on in her life at the moment, and by grasping onto one of her strengths out of her whole story she can reflect on, seemed to make her laugh and smile. Through out this part of the session, I could then have a better trusting relationship with the client by evoking the client’s views. Assessing client readiness Throughout this critical time during our session, I knew at a point that I was able to determine weather my client was ready for change.This point was determined when the client stated Client: â€Å"I enjoy salsa lessons; ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s a stress reliever for me† Therapist: â€Å"What can you do to get yourself more involved with things that you enjoy†? Client: â€Å"I could research for when they are having one†. Therapist: â€Å"Yes, you could† Client: â€Å"I can do that†. Therapist: â€Å"do you think that will help†? Client: â€Å"yes, I love to dance†. During this time, my client seemed honest in her exploration to research on what makes her happy. She was very eager and motivated to learn about the different options that she might have, to give time for herself. The stages of change have inspired instruments for assessing readiness to change or a client’s motivational change state. Depending on the level of readiness-or change stage- different motivational intervention strategies will be more or less effective† (Cox et al. , 2002). â€Å"Your clients must value a treatment goal to progress toward it. In fact, unless clients value them, the y are not goals from the clients’ perspectives† (Rollnick & Moyers, 2006). From a motivational standpoint, one should understand what the clients’ goals are and what they value in life.I was able to pinpoint this by acknowledging her strengths and how could the client research the area for any socializing events particular to her interests. Identifying Change Talk As discussed by Rollnick and Miller (2009), motivational interviewing is directed toward particular behavior change goals. A primary process in motivational interviewing is to help clients resolve ambivalence by evoking their own intrinsic motivations for change. When MI is done well, the client rather than the counselor voices the arguments for change.Throughout MI, particular attention is given to the client â€Å"change talk† which includes verbalizations that signify desire, ability, reasons, need, or commitment to change (Miller and Moyers, 2006). An example used to evoke change talk during the session was very direct: Client: â€Å"Should I not answer the phone every time that my mother calls me? Therapist: â€Å"What do you think you should do? † Client: â€Å"Probably, it might give me some quiet time†. Throughout this conversion, as the therapist, I responded with reflective statements, which summarized the change talk statements the client made.During this process, it was very important to me to understand that I acknowledged her ambivalence, but tried to reinforce the change talk. The point here is that when people talk or ask about what they think they should do, they are more likely to answer the questions themselves, which at that point initiates change talk. Identifying treatment approaches During my time in this session, I have identified many treatment options for this client. This client needs to continue more one-on-one individual therapy sessions, but also initializing journaling to be completed at home.With this specific homework assignme nt, I wanted her to express her feelings on paper by keeping a journal. During the session, speaking about a journal really seemed to make her laugh and smile. The purpose of this assignment is to make time for her; by identifying that she has a lot going on in her life and by putting aside a little extra time to reflect on her in writing, I feel would help make her aware of the feelings that seem to be so overwhelming. Another treatment approach I could identify is making a commitment to look into a women’s support group in her area.Not only will this give her time to reflect on herself, but also will help empower her to live a fulfilling and purposeful life of self-love. This will also give her a chance to socialize, and network. I feel as if the client will benefit from this experience overtime if the commitment is there. â€Å"Components of intrinsic motivation for change include both the client’s perception of the importance of change as well as his or her confid ence that change can be achieved† (Miller and Rollnick, 2009). References Cox, W. M. Klinger, E. ; and Blount, J. P. Alcohol use and goal hierarchies: Systematic motivational counseling for alcoholics. In: Miller, W. R. , and Rollnick, S. , eds. Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People To Change Addictive Behaviors. New York: Guilford Press, 1993. pp. 260-271 Miller, W. R. and Rollnick, S. (2009). Ten things that motivational interviewing is not. Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 37, 129-140. Miller, W. R. , & Moyers, T. B. (2006). Eight stages in learning motivational interviewing. 5, 3-17.

Alienation in the 21st Century Is Rife

Alienation in the 21st century is rife. Discuss For| Against| Social networking sites such as facebook, MSN etcSocial networking sites have a profound ability to easily exclude people by specifically targeting certain groups within a community or society. People can at times feel left out or easily targeted when others make unnecessary comments and many friendships or relationships can deteriorate as a result of the great influence it has on people’s social lives. People are also losing basic social skills as a result, and are becoming heavily reliant on the simple services provided by the internet to communicate basic messages. People are also lacking sympathy and empathy, slowly becoming more and more self- absorbed. This is also reiterated through the rise of commercial happiness (found through materialistic objects)Cultural alienation Alienation between people of different cultures can lead to terrorism, racial and cultural prejudice and pre-determined assumptions and stereotypes of a particular ethnic group. People can also form groups in a community which, although may bring some together, can alienate people who don’t belong to a particular culture or ethnicity. Alienation between generations Newer generations and older generations differ greatly from one another in many ways including language, values and societal morals. As a result many people may feel alienated when communicating or interacting with other people. Eg: baby boomers vs. generation YAlienation by languageAustralian colloquialism and vernacular can often exclude and alienate people of different ethnic backgrounds. Language used within different suburbs, states and age groups can alienate people. (eg: eshayz, tomozza)Religious alienationAlienation among people of different religious beliefs can lead to terrorism, prejudice, violence and feelings of exclusion. Religious gatherings such as youth groups at institutions like churches can lead to people feeling alienated. | MulticulturalismAwareness and acceptance of other cultures is more apparent within our own society, cultural relativism (not judging another culture by the standards of your own). The integration of cultures within our society through holidays, festivals, art, language, music, film, entertainment, etc has an immense impact on the community as a whole. Social networking sites such as facebook, MSN etcSocial networking sites can also bring people closer together in the way that everybody is connected to another person somehow. It is, in a sense, a virtual community. ————————————————- ————————————————- Different social classes/ statusPeople of different social classes can often be prejudiced and discriminated against which can often lead to changing values and treatment among people. FamilyDue to the prominence of work and technology, family life is often strained and relationships between members can be challenged and constricted. There is no longer a sense of belonging in families and not many people feel ‘together’ as a result. Instead technological objects seem to be consistent within family life and many seem connected to these as opposed to their fellow family members. This is largely due to the shifting times in our community. |

Avon - Hello Tomorrow Campaign

Avon, the oldest cosmetics company in the United States and the world’s largest direct seller, received a much needed boost with Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Andrea Jung, at the helm (Creed and Laichas). Andrea became the company’s first female CEO in 1994, marking the beginning of a brand turnaround (â€Å"Avon Products, Inc. †). From its humble beginning to becoming the cosmetic giant that it is now, Avon has had a number of trials and bounce backs. It’s most recent success, the Hello Tomorrow global campaign was launched in response to lacking sales in 2005 (Elliott). The campaign goal was to restructure the company, reinvest in the brand as well as the sales representatives, all while spreading the word that Avon understands and empowers women all over the globe (Creed and Laichas, Elliott). Avon, originally named the California Perfume Company, was born in the 1880s, when David H. McConnell, a door-to-door book salesman, began to offer small bottles of perfume to the women who would allow him to come into their homes and talk about his books. It did not take him long to figure out that the women were more interested in the perfume than they were the books he was selling. Taking a leap of faith, Mr. McConnell stopped selling books completely to focus on the perfumes. Working from home in New York City, he brewed five different scents which he named the â€Å"Little Dot Perfume Set,† consisting of heliotrope, hyacinth, lily of the valley, violet, and white rose. He intended to sell the perfumes directly to customers utilizing all of the contacts he had made during his time as a traveling door-to-door salesman (â€Å"Avon Products, Inc. †). The first Avon Lady he recruited was the wife of a U. S. senator, Mrs. P. F. E. Albee, of Winchester, New Hampshire. Mrs. Albee was able to recruit and train a sales team of one hundred within the first six months. That number continued to climb steady, to over five thousand after twelve years. The company, excited about the growth, wasted little time in offering new scents to the perfumes along with other products. Ten years after the company’s beginning the first catalog was made, complete with illustrations, and a new production facility was built in Suffern, New York. This is also when the first products bearing the Avon name were released. Mr. McConnell was inspired by the landscape around their new facility, stating it reminded him of William Shakespeare’s home of Stratford-on-Avon, England. This product line consisted of cleanser, a toothbrush, and a vanity set (â€Å"Avon Products, Inc. †). Avon’s sales suffered during the Depression and World War II, however after the war more women began to look for ways of making money that would not interrupt there family life, quadrupling the sales force. In 1954, Avon launched its first television advertisements with the famous, â€Å"Ding Dong, Avon Calling,† slogan. They also jumped into the Latin American market by opening up offices in Puerto Rico and Venezuela. Three years later in 1957, the first office in the United Kingdom was opened with the name, Avon Cosmetics, Ltd. (â€Å"Avon Products, Inc. †) Today, Avon is sold via direct sales by over five million independent sales representatives in one hundred forty three countries, to nearly three hundred million customers (Avon Products, Inc SWOT Analysis 2008). The year 2005 was described by Business Week magazine as a year of collapse for Avon, with the United States, Mexico, as well as Central and Eastern Europe sales less than expected. CEO Andrea Jung stated that it was a tough year, but one that she would learn from. She learned a lot about both herself and the business. Publically making these statements were seen by many to be on of her defining moments, she practiced humility, which is one of Avon’s founding principles. The Hello Tomorrow campaign was a long time in the making, one that required changes not only in their marketing strategy, but also in the entire company’s way of operating (Creed and Laichas). Turing the company around was not an easy task. The company had always been run according to its entrepreneurial beginning; it had to be transformed into a globally integrated and managed business. In order to accomplish this transformation and remain the top spots in both the direct selling and cosmetics industries would require a large monetary investment. CEO Andrea Jung stated, â€Å"We needed to sustain investment in the brand, step up investment in our channel, and continue to drive out costs and manage for the long term. † Avon had to completely reorganize itself. CEO Jung believes that you have to base your organizational structure according to your strategy. With Avon, the company had become too large to function properly on the way it had been organized (Creed and Laichas). The Avon management team decided to do what they could to free up just over seven million from restructuring and analyzing costs, along with other changes, and then reinvest the money back into the company through both representatives and the brand (Creed and Laichas). Avon hired the advertising firm, Soho Square in New York, to begin developing the creative aspect of this global campaign, set to launch in the spring of 2007. Nicola Bell, a client services director for Soho Square, knew that the Avon name was a classic; they just needed a fresh jump start to firm the brand into the minds of consumers (Elliott). While analyzing costs, CEO Jung discovered that the current fifteen layers of management were no longer necessary. It could easily be cut back to eight layers, saving the company two million dollars. Four thousand five hundred, middle to senior management, representatives from all around the world would be removed from their positions. CEO Jung went to meet with all members of management face-to-face to let them know about the â€Å"de-layering,† as she called it. This was done before any decisions on who would go and who would stay were made (Creed and Laichas). Holding true to the decision to invest in the representatives, Avon changed the compensation plan to a universal multilevel plan and also reevaluated the commission rates, which vary depending on the market. They also took a close look at the frequency of the advertising campaigns they ran in Central and Eastern Europe, deciding to put more into their marketing efforts there (Creed and Laichas). One of the company’s biggest investments was in technology. A more user friendly website was created for representatives to use. It quickly became a much more efficient way for independent sales representatives to run their business. They can easily place orders, check product availability and process returns. Independent sales representatives even have the ability to generate prospective emails from the website. They can choose one for a given campaign or they can design their own. This investment in technology proved to be one of the company’s strengths, making Avon’s SWOT Analysis, compiled by Datamonitor, in April of 2007 and June of 2008 (Avon Products, Inc. SWOT Analysis 2007, 2008). The company also invested over ninety million dollars on brand advertising. The Hello Tomorrow campaign integrated both brand and channel, another first for the company. CEO Jung was quoted as saying, â€Å"The channel or the brand, that’s a very deliberate and strategic question, and I think the power of Hello Tomorrow, and Avon in its second chapter, is we can do both,† when asked about the strategy. She believes that by the company raising the brand so highly excites the representatives as much as it does the final customers, motivating them to drive their campaigns harder (Creed and Laichas). In yet another first for Avon, they made all prospecting and marketing materials around the globe look the same, from handouts, to television commercials, to the brochures. By using this massive, uniform, global campaign Avon hopes to portray the company’s enthusiasm for both the beauty industry and their channel onto others and building morale among the remaining workers (Elliott). The first two commercials Avon launched for the Hello Tomorrow campaign were focused on recruiting more independent sales representatives. One was based primarily on the traditional sales techniques of door-to-door selling, emphasizing the excitement of the sale as well as the strength of the brand. The other commercial focused on the flexibility of running an online Avon business, thus allowing women who may not have enough time for traditional sales the option of sticking strictly to sales via the internet. Avon is confident that the products will sell themselves once people try them, the more sales representatives they have pushing their product the better off they are (Elliott). Happy with the results of the campaign in Avon test markets, including Brazil and China the Hello Tomorrow campaign was officially launched. The company found that their two different advertising strategies would payoff by targeting women on an emotional level (Elliott). Continuing to fulfill what Avon views as their social obligation to women, it was announced on August 1, 2007, that actress Reese Witherspoon had joined the Hello Tomorrow team as the first ever Avon Global Ambassador and honorary Chairman of the Avon Foundation. The Avon Foundation was developed to focuses on improving the lives of women, ending domestic violence, finding a cure for breast cancer, and instigating emergency relief standards. During her induction speech Reese said, â€Å"Avon is more than an iconic world class beauty leader. It is a company that is known the world over as a crusader for women’s causes. I’m] proud to be joining the great philanthropic work [that Avon has established],† (â€Å"Reese Witherspoon is An Avon Woman†). In addition to adding the fresh faced beauty on board, Avon also set up a global Hello Tomorrow Fund. In the United States, five thousand dollars is given out weekly to women who submit their name to Avon. The compa ny chooses people with ideas, projects, or programs that empower women and improves society. Each country where funds are received have set up their own guidelines unique to their culture (â€Å"Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund†). The re-branding strategy Avon used with the Hello Tomorrow campaign is listed as an opportunity on the company’s SWOT Analysis dated June 18, 2008. One of Avon’s biggest threats is their competition; L’Oreal, Revlon, Procter Gamble and Estee Lauder are all waiting in the wings for Avon to stumble. From the time the Hello Tomorrow campaign rolled out until the time the 2008 SWOT analysis was compiled, Avon had a sixteen percent growth in profit from their Color Line and a twenty percent growth in their fragrance line (Avon Products, Inc. SWOT Analysis 2008). Now that CEO Andrea Jung restructured the management team, those at the higher levels are closer to both representatives and the market; they believe that this will help them keep a handle on this ever changing business. Andrea stated that â€Å"We now manage this business for the long term and make the decisions not just for the next quarter but for what is good for the business in the long term,† (Creed and Laichas). Avon’s next global launch will be for a new fragrance, Bond Girl 007, which they have teamed up with James Bond entertainment franchise to develop, it will be released October of 2008 (Avon Products, Inc. SWOT Analysis 2008). https://help.ebsco.com/interfaces/EBSCOhost/EBSCOhost_FAQs/How_do_I_set_up_direct_links_to_EBSCOhost_profiles_and_or_databases http://www.bellarmine.edu/library/proxy_link_ebsco/ http://bu-branding.blogspot.com/2007/03/ http://coelhathoughtsjland.blogspot.com/2008/04/happy-freedom-dayfridayreese.html

Create a strategy for the college of business in university of sharjah Term Paper

Create a strategy for the college of business in university of sharjah - Term Paper Example e areas that the university specializes in are entrepreneurship training, administration in business, research portfolio and a simulator in the financial market (University of Sharjah, 2014). A number of dynamics continue to arise in the teaching and learning environment not to mention the job market. The diversification requires that an elaborate plan be established to ensure that there is the institution is within in meeting the predetermined objectives (University of Sharjah, 2014). The university, therefore, seeks to establish itself as a world-class institution in business and management programs. To this end, there is a need to establish a strategic plan that will enable the institution becoming an organization of choice not just locally, but internationally (Sutton & Obst, 2011). To become an institution of choice where excellence is derived and dreams realized. The institution also seeks to produce the best business professionals to be able to satisfy the market needs as appropriate. An institution of learning where civilizations meet. One of the major drives is to be a world-class business university capable of attracting students and professionals from all over the world. The strategic positioning of the university makes it easy for the dream to be achieved. Make the university a professional hub where careers can be developed and skills developed. The University seeks to be the only institution where people can come and develop their skills and go out to the field confident of making an impact in the market. The institution also seeks to be a key consultant in matters concerning business and management strategies. Consulting services are to be made for every individual with particular interest in venturing into management or people who have a need to learn more about business issues. The business seeks to partner with other institutions to broaden the mandate of the university to providing quality services to the people and the clients in this case

Read the requirement paper carefullyall of the requirements are in the Essay

Read the requirement paper carefullyall of the requirements are in the documents - Essay Example Thus based on the product the segmentation is decided. Here segmentation will be done based on demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioural variables. Demographic segmentation tends to divide the market in segments based on factors such as gender, age, income and others (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010, p.117). Based on demographic segmentation, Sleep Bug application will be made available to both the genders male and female as the application which is designed for windows phone 7 and iOS are used by both the segments and thus the segmentation are done keeping in mind the female market and the male market segment. The sound and the music along with feature installed in the application have also been developed according to the segments likes and dislikes. Age is the next factor in demographic segmentation, and the sleep bug pro will be segmented to the age group 16 years and above. The reason behind selecting the age bar to 16 years is that since everyone in today’s generati on has an access to iPhone, iPad and iPod therefore the application is made available for all the people within the particular age group so that they can enjoy the application and have a sound and proper sleep. Based on the income level, the application are targeted to those having iPhones, iPod and iPads dividing the segment into middle to higher level of income group who has the capacity to afford an iPhone and related product. Geographic segmentation is the process of segmenting the market by region, market size, climate and also market density (Lamb, Hair & McDaniel, 2008, p. 234). Based on geographic segmentation, Sleep Bug will be segmented on population density to the urban people who have problem while sleeping due to heavy work pressure, and other related problems. Behavioural segmentation segments the market based on the usage of the product. Sleep Bug will segment it for those who are conscious about their health and improve memory as proper sleep will boost up health, pe ople who are fascinated towards new applications , who would use it on regular basis and status conscious that is the segment who are not price sensitive. Based on the above segmentation a detailed customer profile has been developed, Sleep Bug is an application which can be used in Windows Phone 7 and iOS and focus mainly on the customer segment. The target market for Sleep Bug is those segments that suffers from poor sleep, secondly the working group who demands peaceful and sound sleep, thirdly for those who like handling new application and show it as a status symbol. The third target market also includes students apart from the college goers. Analysing the growth of mobile application which is expected to grow from $6.8billion to about $25billion in the next four years (App Muse, 2012), there seems to exists potential customer base helping Sleep Bug to generate revenue and profit in the long run. Task 2 Consumer Behaviour Factors Consumers are the centre for the marketers and w ithout satisfying the customer the marketing manager cannot be termed to be successful in his given task. The behaviour of consumers tends to differ from person to person as each of them behaves in respect to their inner motives. As per the definitions given by Philip Kotler, â€Å"Consumer buying behaviour refers to the buying behaviour of final consumers who buy goods and services for personal

Motivation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Motivation - Research Paper Example It is the leader’s job to ensure that they understand their fears to be unfounded. With the transition to a big corporate structure from a small organization kicks off, employees naturally respond by making the assumption that they will only be single employees in a company employing thousands of workers. Their belief in making an impact on the new organization’s goals could lead to a reduction in their earlier exemplary efforts (Pritchard & Ashwood, 2008). One of the major changes that the new acquisition brings involves reconfiguration of working spaces that will reduce privacy, which was one of the signature aspects of ZYX Company. For this reason, it will be the manager’s responsibility to ensure they realize the reason for the workspace reconfiguration and that they are set up to continue playing an essential part in the company’s future and retain their motivation. This paper will seek to create a comprehensive plan that will motivate them to coopera te and support the changes. Planning the Project In planning the project, there are various important levers that a manager can use, including coming up with communication, sponsorship, coaching, training, and resistance management plans. Managing the motivation of employees requires a holistic set of components that support the employees as the manner in which they work changes, for example, with the reconfiguration of working spaces (Green & Butkus, 2009). The communication component should recognize how communication will fit in the larger process of change. Used in this context, communication becomes more effective as it gives the employees information in the proper sequence to aid the employees in internalization of the change, while also improving their motivation. With regards to the sponsorship component, the manager should be the sponsor and plays the role of participant, coalition builder, and direct communication. A sponsorship roadmap will include what the sponsor will d o in conjunction with the senior managers, the project teams, and with front line employees, while also breaking down the project into initiation phase, design phase, implementation phase, and closeout phase (Green & Butkus, 2009). Sponsorship of the change is critical to the employees’ motivation to participate, while it also reinforces their belief that the change is there to stay. The planning will also require a coaching component that involves the direct supervisor and employees. The manager will have to play a critical role in communicating the change and ensuring the employees retain their intensity. The coaching plan will outline the steps required to improve skills in relation to change with both individual and group sessions in engaging front-line employees (Green & Butkus, 2009). However, proxies must not be used in coaching as it gives the feeling that the change might not last. Employees will always want to hear about the change from their manager. The managerâ⠂¬â„¢s change desire will have a direct influence on the desire from the employees. The training component will seek to improve capabilities and skills and should be focused on knowledge building. However, training should come with the implementation of sufficient desire and awareness for it to be effective (Green & Butkus,

America History19th Paper 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

America History19th Paper 1 - Essay Example While Smith’s religion has more of a substantial legacy, it was Prophet Matthias that made the headlines. The cult or ‘Kingdom of Matthias† the ideals of sexuality in the early 19th century. Historically the United States had a strong base in the freedom of religion and Protestantism. It was during the 1820s that smaller groups began to separate from the traditional and entered into the heretical. The Finneyites began great revivals that upended many of the long established customs regarding sexuality, religion, and politics. Theses followers shunned traditional Calvinist beliefs and strove to create an atmosphere that was governed by each individual versus a pre-ordained destiny.(23) It was not because of their beliefs, but the members of the movement that upset many. These were the middle and upper class citizens with aversion for many of the traditional beliefs. These men and women believed in abolishing many of the patriarchal beliefs and lifestyles that many Americans were living. When many started to protest against the Finneyites way of living, Prophet Matthias saw his chance. For many of the established branches, the woman’s place was in the home as a faithful servant to her husband and children. Not one to speak out or cause a stir, women were to bide by their husbands command and lead a spiritual life. It was during this time that some small groups of women started to stand up against the patriarchal beliefs and start to pursue their own religious opportunities. One such woman was Isabella van Wagenen, a servant who moved to Bowery Hill with who was James Latourette’s servant. Ms. Wagenen had been a slave and believed to have spoken with God since childhood.(53) When invited to the Bowery Hill Asylum created by Elijah and Sarah Pierson by two fellow women, she joined only to refuse the teachings. Oddly she decided to stay on with the Piersons and acted as an at will housekeeper. Women during this

Why Pit bulls should not be banned Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why Pit bulls should not be banned - Essay Example The controversy surrounding particular breed of pit bulls is hidden from nobody these days. It is believed that the controversial rumors intended to attach a horrendous and notorious reputation to these dogs are specially appreciated by those who do not own one of these themselves. In contrast, the proponents of pit bull bans argue that dog bite epidemic has become a recognized problem in the US lately and it is high time now that weight actions at superior level be made to pin down the reports of pit bulls killing and maiming people. Facts and discussion presented in this essay are meant to illuminate the reality of the claim that â€Å"pit bulls should not be banned rather efforts should be directed at educating the dog owners and people and passing the strictest criminal and dog control laws.† There is an increasing need to acknowledge the fact that on grounds of only a few nasty and sorry incidents, not all pit bulls should be banned because unreasonable aggression is not a part of their nature and they tend to attack only under certain stressful or perilous circumstances. Not just pit bull but any other dog also would feel compelled to attack upon being annoyed by owners or other people who are not properly educated about a certain breed’s specifics which implies that people are to be blamed for the pit bull bite problem and not the entire breed itself. The idea of banning pit bulls should be condemned by everyone as one argument against implementation of breed specific laws reasonably suggests that â€Å"banning a breed is like human racial discrimination† (Phillips). ... roponents of pit bull bans claim that not only pit bulls but all closely related breeds should be banned which reflects a severe violation of animal rights because if it is really desired to put an end to the dog bite issues in the US, then those criminal minded dog owners should be apprehended and interrogated who subject the pit bulls to insanely hard to believe cruel and atrocious treatment as a way of making them violently dangerous. Why pit bulls are judged in such a negative and biased manner and arguments are made to ban them when they are not the culprits in the first place but innocent victims of severe abuse and cruelty? The proponents of pit bull bans should actually question their own flawed argument to â€Å"ban pit bulls and their closely related breeds† (Phillips). Another popular argument enthusiastically spread by the proponents of pit bull bans is related to the extreme danger associated with pit bulls because apparently this danger is so well established tha t these dogs are held responsible for about â€Å"75% of all reported canine-inflicted human deaths in the past two decades† (Phillips). What is sad is that the large group of advocates openly supporting the breed bans also includes some respected figures like Ingrid Newkirk whose opinions are trusted and considered valid. But the important thing is not to blindly believe someone else’s beliefs but to responsibly take up an issue to explore it in an impartial manner and reach decisions as objectively as possible. Considering the long history of cruel treatment of pit bulls at hands of the inhuman owners, the banning argument loses its validity along with the claim that pit bulls and other closely related breeds account for majority of all canine-inflicted deaths reported in the US. This is because

Ardiff - Regeneration of cardiff, what it offers to business Essay

Ardiff - Regeneration of cardiff, what it offers to business - Essay Example The paper will discuss how culture and heritage is developed for purpose of tourism activities. Another important area analysed is role of culture and diversity for an organization like Motorpoint arena Cardiff. The report will shed light on ethical considerations while conducting tourism activities at Motorpoint Arena Cardiff and how it affects all stakeholders. Since every business does lack challenges, the report will also examine management challenges in operating business in leisure industry. An appropriate conclusion and recommendations are also provided. Cardiff and Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Cardiff remains to be one of the most vibrant cosmopolitan European capitals that are regenerating at a fast rate in economic, social and in infrastructural development. Its location provides it the best opportunity of being accessible within a few hours from London. It is connected by train to London. Reflecting on the growth of Cardiff as capital city of Wales it has an enthralling past a nd an exciting future. It has conserved its history in the great museum and various attraction sites like Roman fortress. It is a country filled with the history of Romans, Normans and Victorians who were a great help in shaping Cardiff city. Cardiff castle and Cardiff bay which is considered as meeting place and where the city comes to rest. The city hosts several international games including inshore race and harbour festivals (Kim & Robert, 2002, pp.45-49). Motorpoint Arena Cardiff is located at the centre of Cardiff. It was usually known as Cardiff International Arena before it was bought by Motorpoint. It provides the largest exhibition space in Cardiff and has a capacity of over 7,500. Its ability to hold international events, comedy performances, sports and concerts gives it the attraction that motivates tourists into visiting it. Its location is one of its advantages in that it is located within commerce centre of Newport and a shot walking distance from the Millennium Stadi um. It is located at entrance of Wales giving it a chance to be accessed by M4 motorway. It provides all catering services including 24 hour lounge menu for hotel residents. Regeneration of Cardiff and what it offers to business Economically Cardiff city provides almost 20% of GDP of the country. Regeneration of Cardiff was due to increased demand in coal which was a necessary raw material in production of steel and iron. It has attracted foreign direct investment and hence stabilizing its economic standards. Since it is a country that conserves its history it attracts tourists into the city who come to study their culture and way of existence. They have made it possible for construction of accommodation facilities hence increasing standard of economy in the country (WTTC, 2002, np). Infrastructure development is one sector that Cardiff has invested in. This ranges from transport sector, sports and communication development. It is one of the best transport links indicating its good location for business. Location of the city close to M4 motorway and the junction improved its

Prescription Drug Abuse in Teenagers Essay Example for Free

Prescription Drug Abuse in Teenagers Essay Although prescription drugs are not harmful if used correctly, prescription drug abuse is high in teenagers. Most parents would never think their teenagers are helping themselves to prescription medicine sitting on ones counter. The truth is, prescription drug abuse in teenagers has become very common nowadays. The drugs are easily accessible at home, or cheap to buy at school. They are highly addictive and can even cause death. Putting one’s prescriptions in a safe place may save a childs life. Prescription drug addiction usually starts with experimentation. Teenagers may be trying prescription drugs because their friends are doing it or it may just be out of curiosity. Some teenagers will turn to prescription drugs to forget their problems. As the addiction progresses, it becomes harder and harder to stop using the prescription drugs (Smith, 2010). Experimentation rarely leads to a good outcome. If one’s child starts with a simple experiment of prescription drug use, odds are it will ultimately end with addiction. Smith (2010), states â€Å"Addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use. People who are addicted feel an overwhelming, uncontrollable need for drugs† (Drug abuse and addiction, para. 1). When one has repeated drug use it will permanently alter the brain. The long-lasting effect on the brain changes ones ability to think, use good judgment, control ones behavior, or feel normal without the drug. It is the drug cravings and compulsions to use that make the addiction so powerful. These cravings and compulsions to use are partly cause by the changes the drugs make to one’s brain (Smith, 2010). The average prescription drug abuser will start between the ages of 12 and 17. Every day about 2,500 teenagers in this age group abuse a prescription drug for the first time (Havens, 2009). â€Å"The number of high school students who are abusing prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone (OxyCotin), a potent and highly addictive opiate, or sedative is on the rise† (Freedman, (2006), para. 3). Stimulants are the most common used, next is opiates, followed by tranquilizers, and then sedatives (Parenting Teens, 2005). The pain relievers such as Vicoden or OxyCotin are used to achieve a high, whereas the sedatives such as Xanax and Valium are used to relax or calm. These drugs can lead to dependence and addiction. Stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin, Dexedrine, or Provigil decrease ones appetite but increases ones alertness and attention. These are dangerous because they can cause addiction, seizures, or heart attacks. Stimulants are often used to lose weight of for studying. Steroids are used to built ones bodies or promote athletic performance. The dangers involved in consuming steroids are mental and physical health effects as well as serious sexual effects (Havens, 2009). Findings from a 2005 survey conducted by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health â€Å"indicates that approximately 21% of the U. S. population age 12 and older report using any type of prescription drug nonmedically in their lifetime, 16% report us of opiate-type pain killers, 8% report tranquilizer use, 8% report stimulant use, and 2% report sedative use† (Ford, 2008, para. 10). The study also found that substance abuse can cause users to offend the law as well as impair good judgment. However, it has been found that the violations of the law are followed by the abuse of prescription drugs, or other illegal substances. Therefore if one’s teenager is addicted to prescription drugs, legal difficulties will probably follow. The researchers believe substance abuse is a definite road to a delinquent lifestyle (Ford, 2008). Reported prescription drug abuse by high school seniors in 2005 Parenting Teens (2005). According to Freedman (2006), an 18-year-old who lives in San Francisco believes as long as the prescription medication is taken properly, it is much safer than any street drug. According to the findings of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America study, forty percent said prescription were much safer than illegal drugs; while 31 percent said that there was nothing wrong with using prescription drugs once in a while† (â€Å"Prescription-Drug Use by Teens,† (2006), para. 1). Teenagers think that because a medication has a prescription for an individual, it makes it safe for everyone. Several factors are involved in prescribing certain medications such as medical conditions, age, other prescriptions on may be taking and the diagnosis of the individual. Most teenagers do not consider these factors when helping themselves to medications prescribed to someone else. Prescription drugs are easy for a teenager to acquire either from their doctors or from their own medicine cabinets. Most parents are not aware of the risks involved in leaving a bottle of prescription medication lying on the counter for everyone to have access. It will start with taking one or two at a time and then the teenager ultimately proceeds to steeling the entire bottle, buying the prescription medications at school from classmates or even lying to their doctors to obtain their own prescriptions. The increasing popularity of nonmedical prescription drug use is based on the putative advantages of prescription drugs over â€Å"street† drugs: the drugs are easier to obtain, there is less likelihood of arrest, use is more socially accepted, and there is a perception the prescription drugs are safer† (Ford, (2008), para. 10). Prevention is the best tool concerning teenagers and prescription drug abuse. Havens, (2009), â€Å"Most teenagers say parents are not discussing the dangers of prescription drugs with them† (6 Steps to Prevent Prescription Drug Abuse in Teens, para. ). It is the parent’s responsibility to monitor closely the prescription medication in the home and purchase a lock box if necessary to keep one’s teenager safe. One needs to educate one’s teenagers in the dangers of prescription medication and the factors that go into prescribing those medications to each individual. Take it as far as asking the family physician to speak with one’s teenager if necessary. Sometimes they listen to strangers better than their own parents. Take the time to ensure there are no or out-of-date medications in the home. If these medications are no longer needed, dispose of them properly by flushing those (Havens, 2009). Parents are not always aware of how dangerous their own medication can be to their teenagers. MSNBC (2010). Parents also need to educate themselves in the signs associated with prescription drug abuse. Some of the thing one needs to watch for with their teenager behavior is neglecting responsibilities, getting into legal trouble, and even problems with the relationships with one’s friends. If ones teenager is starting to fall on school grades, not do chores at home, or even skipping school a pattern of neglecting responsibilities in beginning to develop. Behavior to watch for in relationships with friends would be losing longtime friends, and sometimes fist fighting with them. One may also be fighting more than usual with one’s siblings or ones boss at the job. The signs of legal trouble can be anywhere from simple disorderly conduct to any type of major crime. If ones teenager suddenly becomes involved with the law, something is wrong (Smith, 2010). The most noticeable physical signs of a prescription drug addiction is if ones pupils are bigger or smaller than normal, ones eyes are bloodshot, grooming habit deteriorate, unusual odor on breath or clothing, slurred speech, bad coordination, and tremors (Smith, 2010). Psychological warnings one can detect are (Smith, 2010), â€Å"Unexplained change in personality or attitude, sudden mood swings, irritability, or anger outbursts, periods of unusual hyperactivity, agitation, or giddiness, lack of motivation; appears lethargic or â€Å"spaced out†, appears fearful, anxious, or paranoid, with no reason† (Drug abuse and addiction, para. 9). Warning signs that tend to show more in teenagers are when one starts being secretive about their friends, one has a new interest in one’s clothing styles, and ones teenager is suddenly in need or more privacy then usual. If one has money, valuables, or prescription medication missing, one may need to consider the possibility of one’s teenager developing a prescription drug addiction. Other common signs are depression, withdrawing from the family, using incense to hide the smell, or eye drops to cover the dilated or bloodshot (Smith, 2010). Drug rehabilitation can be a costly, but necessary, adventure. According to ChooseHelp, (2010), â€Å"the professional staff involvement at any comprehensive and quality rehab facility disallows bargain treatment, and you need to be prepared to spend a significant amount of money to get a quality and effective treatment program (The Cost of Drug Rehab, para. 3). † Considering all cost involved in housing, feeding, drug therapies, and professional involvement, prices can range from a few thousand dollars a month all the way up to $30,000 per month (ChooseHelp, 2010). Several insurance companies will absorb most of the financial burden. One needs to contact one’s private insurance company and receive all details pertaining to this type of treatment. If one contacts one’s local State Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Council, there are programs available to those that cannot pay nor have any insurance. One needs to take into consideration the seriousness of this addiction. When it involves a prescription drug addiction, one cannot let the cost be a factor in the determination of the treatment. According to ChooseHelp (2010), â€Å"family programs can help to heal a family harmed by the destruction and heartache of abuse; and bring back a healthier dynamic to the family as a whole (Families Need to be a Part of the Process, para. 3). † One needs to decide how much family involvement will be in the rehab process. Family involvement is extremely important not only for the family but for the addict as well. When family member are learning about the addiction from trained professionals as well as other families facing the same situation, families are taught what is most beneficial for the teen and it assures the family that they are not esponsible for the addiction (ChooseHelp, 2010). When seeking a prescription drug treatment center for teenager one needs to consider a program involving patient education as well as family education. The program should offer counseling sessions with a therapist or psychologist as well as peer group session involving several families. One needs to choose a facility close to home to achieve adequate family involvement (ChooseHelp, 2010). When the rehabilitation program is successfully completed it is also important to continue care in an outside group such as Alcohol Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Information for these meetings can be obtained in one’s local phone book. If the teenager in the home has been acting differently and medication is running out sooner than usual, take the steps necessary to help him or her. Admitting he or she may be addicted to prescription drugs is not easy but the help one can receive for him or her may save his or her life. Pay attention to the warning signs, ask questions at the doctor appointments and try not to have addictive medication prescribed to one’s child, especially if the child has had a problem in the past with any type of addiction. Be careful where prescription medications are located and consider investing in a lock box. It may be a decision that saves ones teenagers’ life. If one discovers one’s teenager has a prescription drug addiction, or any other addiction, do not be afraid to seek help. Money does not need to be an issue in saving ones life. References http://www.choosehelp.com/drug-rehab/families-need-to-be-a-part-of-the-process http://www.choosehelp.com/drug-rehab/the-costs-of-drug-rehab http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/12803776/ns/health-addictions/

Reasoning in Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Review

Reasoning in Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Review 1: Introduction Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the developing areas in computer science that aims to design and develop intelligent machines that can demonstrate higher level of resilience to complex decision-making environments (Là ³pez, 2005[1]). The computations that at any time make it possible to assist users to perceive, reason, and act forms the basis for effective Artificial Intelligence (National Research Council Staff, 1997[2]) in any given computational device (e.g. computers, robotics etc.,). This makes it clear that the AI in a given environment can be accomplished only through the simulation of the real-world scenarios into logical cases with associated reasoning in order to enable the computational device to deliver the appropriate decision for the given state of the environment (Là ³pez, 2005). This makes it clear that reasoning is one of the key elements that contribute to the collection of computations for AI. It is also interesting to note that the effectiveness of the r easoning in the world of AI has a significant level of bearing on the ability of the machine to interpret and react to the environmental status or the problem it is facing (Ruiz et al, 2005[3]). In this report a critical review on the application of reasoning as a component for effective AI is presented to the reader. The report first presents a critical overview on the concept of reasoning and its application in the Artificial Intelligence programming for the design and development of intelligent computational devices. This is followed by critical review of selected research material on the chosen topic before presenting an overview on the topic including progress made to date, key problems faced and future direction. 2: Reasoning in Artificial Intelligence 2.1: About Reasoning Reasoning is deemed as the key logical element that provides the ability for human interaction in a given social environment as argued by Sincà ¡k et al (2004)[4]. The key aspect associated with reasoning is the fact that the perception of a given individual is based on the reasons derived from the facts that relative to the environment as interpreted by the individual involved. This makes it clear that in a computational environment involving electronic devices or machines, the ability of the machine to deliver a given reason depends on the extent to which the social environment is quantified as logical conclusions with the help of a reason or combination of reasons as argued by Sincà ¡k et al (2004). The major aspect associated with reasoning is that in case of human reasoning the reasoning is accompanied with introspection which allows the individual to interpret the reason through self-observation and reporting of consciousness. This naturally provides the ability to develop the resilience to exceptional situations in the social environment thus providing a non-feeble minded human to react in one way or other to a given situation that is unique in its nature in the given environment. It is also critical to appreciate the fact that the reasoning in the mathematical perspective mainly corresponds to the extent to which a given environmental status can be interpreted using probability in order to help predict the reaction or consequence in any given situation through a sequence of actions as argued by Sincà ¡k et al (2004). The aforementioned corresponds with the case of uncertainty in the environment that challenges the normal reasoning approach to derive a specific conclusion or decision by the individual involved. The introspective nature developed in humans and some animals provides the ability to cope with the uncertainty in the environment. This adaptive nature of the non-feeble minded human is the key ingredient that provides the ability to interpret the reasons to a given situation as opposed to merely following the logical path that results through the reasoning process. The reasoning in case of AI which aims to develop the aforementioned in the electronic devices to perform complex tasks with minimal human intervention is presented in the next section. 2.2: Reasoning in Artificial Intelligence Reasoning is deemed to be one of the key components to enable effective artificial programs in order to tackle complex decision-making problems using machines as argued by Sincà ¡k et al (2004). This is naturally because of the fact that the logical path followed by a program to derive a specific decision is mainly dependant on the ability of the program to handle exceptions in the process of delivering the decision. This naturally makes it clear that the effective use of the logical reasoning to define the past, present and future states of the given problem alongside the plausible exception handlers is the basis for successfully delivering the decision for a given problem in chosen environment. The key areas of challenge in the case of reasoning are discussed below (National Research Council Staff, 1997). Adaptive Software – This is the area of computer programming under Artificial Intelligence that faces the major challenge of enabling the effective decision-making by machines. The key aspect associated with the adaptive software development is the need for effective identification of the various exceptions and the ability to enable dynamic exception handling based on a set of generic rules as argued by Yuen et al (2002)[5]. The concept of fuzzy matching and de-duplication that are popular in case of software tools used for cleansing data cleansing in the business environment follow the above-mentioned concept of adaptive software. This is the case there the ability of the software to decide the best possible outcome for a given situation is programmed using a basic set of directory rules that are further enhanced using references to a variety of combinations that comprise the database of logical combinations for reasons that can be applied to a given situation (Yuen et al, 20 02). The concept of fuzzy matching is also deemed to be a major breakthrough in the implementation of adaptive programming of machines and computing devices in Artificial Intelligence. This is naturally because of the fact that the ability of the program to not only refer to a set of rules and associated reference but also to interpret the combination of reasons derived relative to the given situation prior to arriving on a specific decision. From the aforementioned it is evident that the effective development of adaptive software for an AI device in order to perform effective decision-making in the given environment mainly depends on the extent to which the software is able to interpret the reasons prior to deriving the decision (Yuen et al, 2002). This makes it clear that the adaptive software programming in artificial intelligence is not only deemed as an area of challenge but also the one with extensive scope for development to enable the simulation of complex real-world problem s using Artificial Intelligence. It is also critical to appreciate the fact that the adaptive software programming in the case of Artificial Intelligence is mainly focused on the ability to not only identify and interpret the reasons using a set of rules and combination of outcomes but also to demonstrate a degree of introspection. In other words the adaptive software in case of Artificial Intelligence is expected to enable the device to become a learning machine as opposed to an efficient exception handler as argued by Yuen et al (2002). This further opens room for exploring into knowledge management as part of the AI device to accomplish a certain degree of introspection similar to that of a non-feeble minded human. Speech Synthesis/Recognition – This area of Artificial Intelligence can be deemed to be a derivative of the adaptive software whereby the speech/audio stream captured by the device deciphers the message for performs the appropriate task (Yuen et al, 2002). The speech recognition in the AI field of science poses key issues of matching, reasoning to enable access control/ decision-making and exception handling on top of the traditional issues of noise filtering and isolation of the speaker’s voice for interpretation. The case of speech recognition is where the aforementioned issues are faced whilst in case of speech synthesis using computers, the major issue is the decision-making as the decision through the logical reasoning alone can help produce the appropriate response to be synthesised into speech by the machine. The speech synthesis as opposed to speech recognition depends only on the adaptive nature of the software involved as argued by Yuen et al (2002). This is due to the fact that the reasons derived form the interpretation of the input captured using the decision-making rules and combinations for fuzzy matching form the basis for the actual synthesis of the sentences that comprises the speech. The grammar associated with the sentences so framed and its reproduction depends heavily on the initial decision of the adaptive software using the logical reasons identified for the given environmental situation. Hence the complexity of speech synthesis and recognition poses a great challenge for effective reasoning in Artificial Intelligence. Neural Networks – This is deemed to be yet another key challenge faced by Artificial Intelligence programming using reasoning. This is because of the fact that neural networks aim to implement the local behaviour observed by the human brain as argued by Jones (2008)[6]. The layers of perception and the level of complexity associated through the interaction between different layers of perception alongside decision-making through logical reasoning (Jones, 2008). This makes it clear that the computation of the decision using the neural networks strategy is aimed to solving highly complex problems with a greater level of external influence due to uncertainties that interact with each other or demonstrate a significant level of dependency to one another. This makes it clear that the adaptive software approach to the development of the reasoned decision-making in machines forms the basis for neural networks with a significant level complexity and dependencies involved as argued by r efenrece8. The Single Layer Perceptions (SLP) discussed by Jones (2008) and the representation of Boolean expressions using SLPs further makes it clear that the effective deployment of the neural networks can help simulate complex problems and also provide the ability to develop resilience within the machine. The learning capability and the extent to which the knowledge management can be incorporated as a component in the AI machine can be defined successfully through identification and simulation of the SLPs and their interaction with each other in a given problem environment (Jones, 2008). The case of neural networks also opens the possibility of handling multi-layer perceptions as part of adaptive software programming through independently programming each layer before enabling interaction between the layers as part of the reasoning for the decision-making (Jones, 2008). The key influential element for the aforementioned is the ability of the programmer(s) to identify the key input and output components for generating the reasons to facilitate the decision-making. The backpropagation or backward error propagation algorithm deployed in the neural networks is a salient feature that helps achieve the major aspect of learning from mistakes and errors in a given computer program as argued by Jones (2008). The backpropagation algorithm in the multi-layer networks is one of the major areas where the adaptive capabilities of the AI application program can be strengthened to reflect the real-world problem solving skills of the non-feeble minded human as argued by Jones (2008). From the aforementioned it is clear that the neural networks implementation of AI applications can be achieved to a sustainable level using the backpropagation error correction technique. This self-correcting and learning system using the neural networks approach is one of the major elements that can help implement complex problems’ simulation using AI applications. The case of reasoning discussed earlier in the light of the neural networks proves that the effective use of the layer-based approach to simulate the problems in order to allow for the interaction will help achieve reliable AI application development methodologies. The discussion presented also reveals that reasoning is one of the major elements that can help simulate real-world problems using computers or robotics regardless of the complexity of the problems. 2.3: Issues in the philosophy of Artificial Intelligence The first and foremost issue faces in the case AI implementation of simulating complex problems of the real-world is the need for replication of the real-world environment in the computer/artificial world for the device to compute the reasons and derive upon a decision. This is naturally due to the fact that the simulation process involved in the replication of the environment for the real-world problem cannot always account for exceptions that arise due to unique human behaviour in the interaction process (Jones, 2008). The lack of this facility and the fact that the environment so created cannot alter itself fundamentally apart from being altered due to the change in the state of the entities interacting within the simulated environment makes it a major hurdle for effective AI application development. Apart from the real-world environment replication, the issue faced by the AI programmers is the fact that the reasoning processes and the exhaustiveness of the reasoning is limited to the knowledge/skills of the analysts involved. This makes it clear that the process of reasoning depending upon non-feeble minded human’s response to a given problem in the real-world varies from one individual to another. Hence the reasons that can be simulated into the AI application can only be the fundamental logical reasons and the complex derivation of the reasons’ combination which is dependant on the individual cannot be replicated effectively in a computer as argued by Là ³pez (2005). Finally, the case of reasoning in the world of Artificial Intelligence is expected to provide a mathematical combination to the delivery of the desired results which cannot be accomplished in many cases due to the uniqueness of the decision made by the non-feeble minded individual involved. This poses a great challenge to the successful implementation of AI in computers and robotics especially for complex problems that has various possibilities to choose from as result. 3: Critical Summary of Research 3.1: Paper 1 – Programs with Common Sense by Dr McCarthy The rather ambitious paper presented by Dr McCarthy aims to provide an AI application that can help overcome the issues in speech recognition and logical reasoning that pose significant hurdles to the logical reasoning in AI application development. However, the approach to the delivery of the aforementioned in the form of an advice taker is a rather feeble approach to the AI representation of the solution to a problem of greater magnitude. Even though the paper aims to provide an Artificial Intelligence application for verbal reasoning processes that are simple in nature, the fact that the interpretation of the verbal reasoning in the light of the given problem relative to an environment is not a simple component to be simulated with ease prior to achieving the desired outcome as discussed in section 2. â€Å"One will be able to assume that the advice taker will have available to it a fairly wide class of immediate logical consequences of anything it is told and its previous knowledge†. (Dr McCarthy, Pg 2). This statement by the author in the research paper provides room for the discussion that the advice taker program proposed by Dr McCarthy is aimed to deliver an AI application using knowledge management as a core component for logical reasoning. This is so because of the nature of the statement which implies that the advice taker program will be able to deliver its decision through access to a wide range of immediate logical consequences of anything it is told and its previous knowledge. This makes it clear that the advice taker software program is not a non-viable approach as the knowledge management strategy for logical reasoning is a component under debate as well as development over a wide range of scientific applications related problems simulation using AI. The Two S tage Fuzzy Clustering based on knowledge discovery presented by Qain in Da (2006)[7] is a classical example for the aforementioned. It is also interesting to note that the knowledge management aspect of artificial intelligence programming is mainly dependant on the speed related to the access and processing of the information in order to deliver the appropriate decision relative to the given problem (Yuen et al, 2002). A classical example for the aforementioned would be the use of fuzzy matching for validation or suggestion list generation on Online Transaction Processing Application (OLTP) on a real-time basis. This is the scenario where a portion of the data provided by the user is interpreted using fuzzy matching to arrive upon a set of concrete choices for the user to choose from (Jones, 2008). The process of choosing the appropriate option from the given suggestion list by the individual user is the component that is being replaced using Artificial Intelligence in machines to c hoose the best fit for the given problem. The aforementioned is evident in case of the advice taker software program that aims to provide a solution for responding to verbal reasoning processes of the day-to-day life of a non-feeble minded individual. The author’s objective ‘to make programs that learn from their experience as effectively as humans do’, makes it clear that the knowledge management approach with the ability of the program to utilise a database type storage option to store/access its knowledge and previous experiences as part of the process. This makes it clear that the advice taker software maybe a viable option if the processing speed related to the retrieval and storage of information from a database of such magnitude which will grow in size at an exponential rate is made available for the AI application. The aforementioned approach can be achieved by the use grid computing technology as well as other processing capabilities with the availability of electronic components at affordable prices on the market. The major issue however is the design for such an application and the logical reasoning processes of retrieving such information to arrive at a decision for a given problem. Form the discuss ion presented in section 2 it is evident that the complexity in the level of logical reasoning results in higher level of computation to account for external variants thus providing the decision appropriate to the given problem. This cannot be accomplished without the ability to deliver process through the existing logical reasons from the application’s knowledgebase. Hence the processing speed and efficiency of computation in terms of both the architecture and software capability is a question that must be addressed to implement such a system. Although the advice taker software is viable in a hardware architecture perspective, the hurdle is the software component that must be capable of delivering the abstraction level discussed by the author. This is because, the ability to change the behaviour of the system by merely providing verbal commands from the user which is the main challenge faced by the AI application developers. This is so because of the fact that the effective implementation of the aforementioned can be achieved only with the effective usage of the speech recognition and logical reasoning that is already available to the software for incorporating the new logical reason as an improvement or correction to the existing set-up of the application. This approach is the major hurdle which also poses the challenge of identifying the key speech patterns that are deemed to be such corrective commands over the statements’ classification provided by the user author for providing information to the application. Fr om the above arguments it can be concluded that the author’s statement – â€Å"If one wants a machine to be able to discover an abstraction, it seems most likely that the machine must be able to represent this abstraction in some relative simple way† – is not a task that is easily realisable. It is also necessary to address the issue that the abstractions that can be realised by the user can be realised by an AI application only if the application being used already has a set of reasons or room for learning the reasons from existing reasons prior to decision-making. This process can be accomplished only through complex algorithms as well as error propagation algorithms discussed in section 2.3. This makes it clear that the realization of the advice taker software’s capability to deliver to represent any abstraction in a relative simpler way is far fetched without the appropriate implementation of self-corrective and learning algorithms. The fact th at learning is not only through capturing the previous actions of the application in similar scenarios but also to generate logical reasons based on the new information provided to the application by the users is an aspect of AI application which is still under development but the necessary ingredient for the advice taker software. However, considering the timeline associated with the research presented by Dr McCarthy and the developments till date, one can say that the AI application development has seen higher level of developments to interpret information from the user to provide an appropriate decision using the logical reasoning approach. The author’s argument that for a machine to learn arbitrary behaviour simulating the possible arbitrary behaviours and trying them out is a method that is extensively used in the twenty-first century implementation of the artificial intelligence for computers and robotics. The knowledge developed in the machines programmed using AI is m ainly through the use of the arbitrary behaviours simulated and their results loaded into the machine as logical reasons for the AI application to refer when faced with a given problem. Form the arguments of the author on the five features necessary for an AI application hold viable in the current AI application development environment although the ability of the system to create subroutines which can be included into procedures as units is still a complex task. The magnitude of the processor speed and related requirements on the hardware architecture is the problem faced by the developers as opposed to the actual development of such a system. The author’s statement that ‘In order for a program to be capable of learning something it must first be capable of being told it’ is one of the many components of the AI application development that has seen tremendous development since the dawn of the twenty-first century (Jones, 2008). The multiple layer processing strategy to address complex problems in the real world that have influential variants both within the input provided as well as the output in the current state of AI application development is synonymous to the above statement by Dr McCarthy. The neural networks for adaptive behaviour presented in great detail by Pfeifer and Scheier (2001)[8] further justifies the aforementioned. This also opens room for discussion on the extent to which the advice taker application can learn from experience through the use of neural networks as an adaptive behaviour component for programming robots and other devices facing complex real-world problems. This is the kind of adaptive behaviour that is represented by the advice taker application by Dr McCarthy who described it nearly half a century ago. The viability of using neural networks to take comments in the form of sentences (imperative or declarative) is plausible with the use of the adaptive behaviour strategy described above using neural networks. Finally, the construction of the advice taker described by the author can be met with in the current AI application development environment although the viability of the same would have been an enormous challenge at the time when the paper was published. The advice taker construction in the twenty-first century AI environment can be accomplished using either a combination of computers and robotics or one of the two as a sole operating environment. So development of the AI application either using computers or robotics for the delivery of the advice taker is plausible depending upon the delivery scope for the application and its operational environment. Some of the hurdles faced however would be with the speech recognition and the ability to distinguish imperative sentences to declarative sentences. The second issue faced in the case of the advice taker will be the scope of application as the simulation of various instances for generating the knowledge database is plausible only withi n the defined scope of the application’s target environment as opposed to the non-feeble human mind that can interact with multiple environments at ease. The multiple layer neural networks approach may help tackle the problem only to a certain level as the ability to distinguish between different environments when formed as layers is not easily plausible without the knowledge on its interpretation stored within the system. Finally, a self-corrective system for AI application is plausible in the twenty-first century but the self learning system using the logical reasons provided is still scarce and requires a greater level of design resilience to account for input and output variants of the system. The stimulus-response forms described by the author in the paper is realisable using the multiple layer neural networks implementation with the limitation on the scope of the advice taker restricted to a specific problem or set of problems. The adaptive behaviour simulated using the neural networks mentioned earlier justifies the ability to achieve the aforementioned. 3.2: Paper 2 – A Logic for Default Reasoning Default reasoning in the twenty-first century AI applications is one of the major elements that attribute to the effective functioning of the systems without terminating unexpectedly unable to handle the exception raised due to the combination of the logic as argued by Pfeifer and Scheier (2001). This is naturally because of the fact that the effective use of the default reasoning process in the current AI application development environment aims to provide default reasoning when an exhaustive list of the reasons that are simulated and rules combinations are effectively managed. However, the definition of exhaustive or the perception of an exhaustive list for the development in a given environment is limited to the number of simulations that the users can develop at the time of AI application design and the adaptive capabilities of the AI system post implementation (refernece8). This makes it clear that the effective use of the default reasoning in the AI application development can be achieved only through handling a wide variety of exceptional conditions that arise in the normal operating environment for the problem being simulated (Pfeifer and Scheier, 2001). In the light of the above arguments the assertion by the author on the default reasoning as beliefs which may well be modified or rejected by subsequent observations holds true in the current AI development environment. The default reasoning strategy described by the author is deemed to be a critical component in the AI application development mainly because of the fact that the defaulting reasons are not only aimed to prevent unhandled exceptions leading to abnormal termination of the program but also the effective learning from experience strategy implemented within the application. The learn from experience described in the section 2 as well as the discussion presented in section 3.1 reveal that the assignment of a default reason for an adaptive AI application will provide room for identifying the exceptions that occur in the course of solving problems thus capturing new exceptions that can replace the existing default value. Furthermore, the fact that the effective use of the default reasoning strategy in AI applications also limits the learning capabilities of the application in cases where the adaptive behaviour of the system is not effective although preventing abnormal termination of the sys tem using the default reason. The logical representation of the exceptions and defaults and the interpretation used by the author to interpret the phrase ‘in the absence of any information to the contrary’ as ‘consistent to assume’ justifies the aforementioned. It is further evident from the arguments of the author that the default reason creation and its implementation into the neural network as a set of logical reasons are complex than the typical case wise conditional analysis on establishing a given condition holds true to the situation on hand. Another interesting factor to the aforementioned it the fact that the definition of the conditions must incorporate room for partial success owing to the fact that the typical logical approach of success or failure do not always apply to the AI application problems. Hence it is necessary to ensure that the application is capable of accommodating partial success as well as accounting for a concrete number to the given problem in order to gener ate an appropriate decision. The discussion on the non-monotonic character of the application defines the ability to effectively formulate the condition for default reasoning rather than merely defaulting due to the failure of the system to accommodate for the changes in the environment as argued by Pfeifer and Scheier (2001). Carbonell (1980)[9] further argues that the type hierarchies and their influence on the AI system have a significant bearing on the default reasoning strategies defined for a given AI application. This is naturally because of the fact that the introduction of the type hierarchies in the AI application will provide the application to not only interpret the problem against the set of rules and reference data stored as reasons but also assign it within the hierarchy in order to identify the viability of applying a default reason to the given problem. The arguments of Carbonell (1980) on Single-Type and Multi-Type inclusion with either strict or non-strict partiti oning justify the above-mentioned argument. It is further critical to appreciate the fact that the effective implementation of the type hierarchy in a logical reasoning environment will provide the AI application with greater level of granularity to the definition and interpretation of the reasons pertaining to a given problem (Pfeiffer and Scheier, 2001). It is this state of the AI application that can help achieve a significant level of independence and ability to interact effectively in the environment with minimal human intervention. The discussion on the inheritance mechanisms presented by Carbonell (1980) alongside the implementation of the inheritance properties as the basis for the implementation of AI systems in the twenty-first century (Pfeifer and Scheier, 2001) further justify the need for default reasoning as an interactive component as opposed to a problem solving constant to prevent abnorm

Literature in No Drama Essays -- Literary Analysis

By nature, Japanese No drama draw much of their inspiration and influence from the classics. Many are based on episodes from the most popular classics, like Atsumori, based on the Tale of Heike, or Matsukaze, which was actually based on a collage of earlier work. Even within these episodes do we find references to yet more classic works of literature, from the oldest collections of poetry to adopted religious texts. That isn’t to say that No is without its own strokes of creativity—the entire performance is a unique adaptation, and the playwrights had to be both highly educated in the classics, yet geniuses at the creative aspect of weaving song/poetry, dance, religion and literature together into a heart-wrenching spectacle. It might be easier to behold the similarities between no plays than the differences. The basic plot changes little: there is a traveler or monk who encounters a restless ghost or ghosts whose restless souls must be put to rest. The religious implications here are major, and become a central theme of No. In both Atsumori and Matsukaze, the monk chants â€Å"Namu Amida Bu,† for the Pure Land sect of Buddhism, as well as recites verses from the Lotus Sutra. The commentary mentions that â€Å"†¦The monk invokes Amida for the spirits of the dead, although the dead are comforted more often with passes from the Lotus Sutra.† (p.41) Atsumori’s ghost, as character â€Å"youth,† and Rensho, a monk, both quote together: â€Å"If I at last become a Buddha/then all sentient beings who call my Name/in all the worlds, in the ten directions/will find welcome in Me, for I abandon none,† which is from the sutra known as Kammuryojukyo. The chorus expands o n this quote until the end of the scene, the song being the playwright’s own creati... ... have a friend.† (p.40) Matsukaze’s text refers to a great deal more older poetry than Atsumori, perhaps simply because it is more relevant and appropriate in the context of the story: Matsukaze is a love story, and there is a lot present in the classics about love. Another kokinshu poem found in Matsukaze: â€Å"From the pillow/from the foot fo the bed/love comes pursuing,† (p.202) for example. The examples of the samples of poetry, and allusions to other works of literature, are so numerous and some so subtle that they are countless in No drama. No could not exist without the classics that it constantly draws upon. This calls for a highly educated audience to enjoy the play in its entirety. However, for the medieval age, it was new and exciting to see these classics woven together in a stage performance, so gracefully and creatively by the playwrights of old.

meeting diverse needs in a classroom Essay -- essays research papers

Having observed inside a kindergarten classroom for a couple of weeks thus far, it has already become apparent to me the plethora of diverse needs of the children within a single classroom. Not all students are alike. They differ in how they learn, how quickly they pick up and absorb information, how they comprehend the meanings of things etc. While meeting these diverse learning needs in a single classroom can be very challenging for a busy teacher, it must be done in order for all of the students to advance to the next level. I feel that it is important that a teacher be flexible with the methods by which he or she teaches students material. Adjusting the method from time to time gives learners who are having trouble with one presentation style the possibility of being able to make sense of the ideas being portrayed. Also it is important to alternate from individual lessons to group lessons to class lessons to allow for the diverse strengths and weaknesses of the students to be ac counted for.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the particular classroom that I observe, the teacher does a good job of meeting the diverse needs of the students. Lesson by lesson, she alternates from doing hands on activities to verbally giving children the information. This allows for students with auditory strengths along with those students possessing visual strengths to get a chance to make sense of the material. She goes out of her way to make sure that every child’s way of learning is being a...

Organizational Behavior Essay -- essays research papers

Organizational Behavior: A Case of Effective Management   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Organizational structure is the formal system of task and reporting relationships that controls, coordinates, and motivates employees so that they cooperate and work together to achieve the organization’s goals†. (George et al, 2002). The importance of structure can’t be stressed enough. Having an organizational structure ensures that each member of the organization has the correct goals of their particular department set. A good structure will give people the motivation needed to achieve those goals, and enhance their performance. As discussed in our text, in order to encourage work, cooperation, and the drive needed from employees, an organization should have some sort of organizational structure. Whether a functional structure, a divisional structure, a network structure, or even a matrix structure, every corporation must have one type to achieve the directives set forth by their mission statement. A strong structure essentially changes the way people work, and the results of their work ethics will produce quality work. If we look at the Aberdeen plant, we see what I believe to be, a functional structure. This structure, that Lancaster as developed, has proven to be quite a success. Each employee is a member of a group, and each group has a leader that has been chosen by the team members. If we try to put Aberdeen in an organizational chart, it will look something like this: Then, from the team leaders, come the members of each group, and information is shared between everyone within the hierarchy. This is what forms the trust needed, and helps coordinate people, and encourages motivation. At Green River, this type of structure can be implemented, but not without doing away with the union. The union, in essence, has its own hierarchy within the union itself. Here, at Green river, I can see more of a divisional structure with a concentration on the product structure, or quite possibly a market structure. Green River is part of Alkali Chemicals, which is a division of FMC that supplied to many different areas of the market. Its goal was to produce sodium-based chemicals to the detergent industry, the glass industry, and large commercial chemical plants (Clawson et al, 2003). This type of structure does not allow for much group interactivity as a formal structure ... ...in the organizational goals. Having done this, the organization can build a strong culture, and increase the performance of its employees. At Green River, the culture is built on an interactive management style from Dailey. He has built high levels of trust with his employees, and he is always willing to share information with them. This type of culture has proven to be successful in his plant. If he wants to improve the culture, then maybe he can try to do as Aberdeen and have employee picnics and such, and having them bring their families. Or, Dailey can incorporate a new code of ethics. Make the union members responsible for their own actions, and promote the fact that he will always be there to offer support if anyone has problems to deal with, professionally or personally. Promote the company as being a family unit. This can build a strong relationship with both organizations†¦the union organization and Green River management. References Clawson, J. (2003). Custom business resources. Custom ed.: Prentice Hall. George, Jennifer M., & Jones, Gareth R. (). Organizational behavior. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, New: Prentice Hall.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Love and Loneliness using Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami Essay

Humans are probably the greediest animals that have walked on the face of earth. There is always a want to achieve something greater than what one has. This might be a positive force on one hand, but on the other it can leave someone completely unsatisfied and unhappy with their life. One of the things out of the many which humans strive to look for in their life is love. Love, a recurring theme in novels, movies, music, poetry, drama and what not, is hard to escape from. Whether it is motherly, friendly or romantic love, we all have experienced it at some point in our lives. But does love actually exist? If we look at this question from Haruki Murakami’s Sputnik Sweetheart’s point of view, the answer would be no. Even though love is a major part of the book, there is not a single moment where two people are in love with each other. All the characters of the book have had some experience with love, but in the end all of them are managing their own lives all by themselves. The book strongly hints the nonexistence of love and the loneliness caused by it. The best way to know as to what exactly love is, is to look inside our own self. If we claim to â€Å"feel† it, something must be going on inside our bodies to give us that sense of falling or being in love. Firstly, â€Å"it’s your brain, not your heart, that falls in love† (Myers’, 51). It is evident from many scientific and psychological experiments that â€Å"human romantic love is associated with dopaminergic pathways in the brain† (Fisher, Aron, Brown, 2175). So when Sumire, a lesbian in the book Sputnik Sweetheart, â€Å"fell in love, as if she was crossing a field when bang! a bolt of lightning zapped her right in the head,† the real culprits were something known as neurotransmitters and hormones which are, in simple words, chemicals in our body that control us (Murakami, 9). Sumire was in the â€Å"lust phase† and most probably under the influence of the hormones called testosterone and oestrogen. â€Å"These hormones  as Helen Fisher says ‘get you out looking for anything’† (â€Å"The Science of Love†). The second phase or the â€Å"truly love struck phase† is seen in the book when Sumire cannot escape from the thoughts of Miu (â€Å"The science of love†). â€Å"That’s the ballpoint pen she uses; the mug she drinks coffee from† (Murakami, 50). One cannot blame Sumire for being so sappy as she has no control over the dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine levels in her body. These chemicals are responsible for the â€Å"cloud-nine feeling†, and the loss of appetite, sleep and concentration when one is in love. This is seen in Sumire’s case too when every single time she sat down to start writing something â€Å"no matter how much she stared at the screen, not a single sentence came to her† (Murakami, 36). Heart racing, flushed cheeks, butterflies in the stomach, these all the signs of being in â€Å"love†, but it is not love, it is just chemicals in our bodies making us feel that way. Very closely tied to the brain is our mental psych and genetic makeup and it can help explain the complex topic of love well. The main objective of animals and plants on this earth is to make more of their kind so that their genes are passed on, have a better chance of surviving in the future, and can compete against others genes. Like any other animal, humans are predisposed to this kind of behaviour too. In Sputnik Sweetheart K, the narrator and Sumire’s best friend, is in love with Sumire who is a lesbian and hence cannot reciprocate his love. Even though K knows Sumire is the one he has true feelings for, his body seeks sex. This makes him â€Å"sleep around† with other women on a daily basis. Though â€Å"these little flings never aroused much passion in [him]; they were, at most a kind of comfort† for his body (Murakami, 64). According to the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, sex is considered as important as air, sleep, food and shelter (Myers’, 331). It is one of the basic needs in life regardless of any emotional connection to the other person. Also, all the women who K had physical relationships with were â€Å"older and either were married or had fiancà ©s or steady boyfriends†. Psychology can explain even this as â€Å"men are most attracted to women who were at ages associated with peak fertility and thus teen boys are most excited by a woman several years older than themselves.† (Myers’, 106). When it comes to attraction every small factor like skin, smell and body shape play a huge role in deciding whether a woman is good to mate with or not (Myers’, 106). All these behaviours are a result of a phenomenon known as  natural selection where â€Å"nature selects behaviours that increase the likelihood of sending one’s gene into the future† (Myers’, 106). So in the end, it is not us who get to decide who we will pair up with and have children with, but it is our genes that get to choose. How can love exist when we do not even get to choose the person we get attracted to? After looking at the scientific explanations of love, it is important to know how philosophy describes it to get an overall idea of what love is. Kierkegaard, an existentialist philosopher believes only â€Å"Christian love† is true and â€Å"all other love, whether humanly speaking it withers early and is altered or lovingly preserves itself for a round of time—such love is still transient; it merely blossoms. This is precisely its weakness and tragedy, whether it blossoms for an hour or for seventy years—it merely blossoms.† (25). There is no sense of any kind of God in the book Sputnik Sweetheart, so there is no possibility of â€Å"Christian love† which Kierkegaard seems to support. The only kind of love seen in the book is either friendly or erotic love. But what he said about other kind of love, like Eros, seems to be very true since there is not a single moment where two people truly love each other and show it; the love people have for each other never really â€Å"blossoms†. Kierkegaard in his â€Å"Work of love† clearly states that there is no love if it bears no fruit and in the book, there is no â€Å"fruit†, only loneliness which can be considered as the opposite of something fruitful (28). When Miu rejects Sumires love, Sumire disappears from everyone’s lives, which was very painful for K as well as Miu. And when she comes back to K she admits how she feels and says â€Å"I think I cut something’s throat†. One cannot say if she meant it literally or not, but even if she said it metaphorically, she must feel extremely dreadful to say something like that. Secondly, love makes one completely dependent on someone else. When Sumire leaves everyone without any proper explanation K admits, â€Å"She [Sumire] helped me forget the undertone of loneliness in my life†. His love for Sumire is making him completely dependent when throughout the book it is shown how much she who is dependent on him. Love has turned the tables for him and now he is the one who is weak and vulnerable. And anyway, there is no point of loving someone if it keeps making one feel more and more alone. It is impossible to see the good part love plays as there is none. And as Kierkegaard said, love does not exist if it does not bear any fruits. If one was asked to  summarise the story line of Sputnik Sweetheart it would be something like this; K, the narrator, loves Sumire, but Sumire realises she is lesbian when she falls for Miu, a married woman 17 years elder to Sumire, and hence she cannot love K back. But due to an extraordinary incident, Miu has lost all sexual desires and so cannot reciprocate Sumire’s love. So after disappearing â€Å"like smoke† for a few days, Sumire comes back to K to give their love a try even though she knows she is a lesbian (Murakami, 103). It is easy to pick out that there is a constant search for love in Sumire’s life. â€Å"In the spring of her twenty-second year, Sumire fell in love for the first time in her life.† (Murakami, 5). Even though â€Å"in high school she had a few boyfriends, guys she’d go to the cinema with, go swimming with†, she took 22 years long to find the â€Å"right person† to fall in love with, and when she finally did, it was someone she could not get (Murakami, 11). If it was something other than love, one would have long given up on it. It is called learned helplessness in psychology. But, Sumire did not stop from trying to find love all over again and she came back to K. Love clearly seems to be a purpose in life for some people. But what is the purpose of life? There is a point in the book where K realises and says, â€Å"I’d have to survive on my own.† (Murakami, 187) However much we, as humans, feel that we are living for a purpose and there are people who care and love, the truth is that we are all by ourselves. K realises it, even though it is quite far into the book, but he does in, and in a rather painful way. Sputnik Sweetheart, the name of the book itself, suggests loneliness as it refers to Sputnik II, the Soviet satellite which was launched into space with the dog Laika, the first living being to go into space which died barking of hunger. It gives a picture of â€Å"the dark, lustrous eyes of the dog gazing out of the tiny window† into the empty space all alone (Murakami, 10). What is it about love that makes humans so desperate for it? Biology and psychology clearly explain that it is just how our bodies are made and how the animal kingdom functions. Also, according to Kierkegaard, erotic, romantic, friendly or philia love is just temporary and never develops fully. It is also seen that being in love never has a positive outcome and from what Kierkegaard said love does not exist if it does not produce something useful. So why is it that we keep seeking love? Are we just lonely  and anxious to find something more than life itself? Is it that we are lonely and by ourselves in this world, and hence cannot love, or is it that we cannot love that is why we are lonely? Either way, there is no love, but only loneliness. Work Cited â€Å"The Science of Love.† BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. Myers, David G. Myers’ Psychology for AP. New York, NY: Worth, 2011. Print. Helen E. Fisher, Arthur Aron and Lucy L. Brown Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences , Vol. 361, No. 1476, The Neurobiology of Social Recognition, Attraction and Bonding (Dec. 29, 2006), pp. 2173-2186