The Case Of The Trolley - 1143 Words

B00733530 Judith Thomson presents us with two cases that argue for the same concept that, is killing one person to avoid the death of five moral or does this make the act of killing to save lives morally permissible? One case consists of a trolley that already has a pre-determined fate of a death occurring. The driver can both crash and continue to kill five people, or change the route to only kill one person instead. The case of the surgeon has the same premise and issues, but fate and morality has a much larger presence. The surgeon has five patients all in need of a specific organ and if they do not obtain these organs they will die. A healthy visitor walks in and it is proposed that the surgeon could kill the healthy individual,†¦show more content†¦In the case of the trolley the fate of death occurring is inevitable; whilst it is in the drivers hands as to who dies, it is also in his hands as to how many die. Thompson proposes a solution that in Bystander, we are morally permit ted to kill one in order to save five. If no action were to be done, we would be merely letting five others die. Death would regardless be an unfortunate by-product to this case, however, it is unconventionally in a humans hand on whether or not how many people actually die. In contrast, the case of the surgeon is something that can be debated morally and what Thomson proposes as a solution, is a rational and intuitional one. Beginning with the very issue of the surgeon, we are told that his five patients are in need of five specific organs, and while this is discovered, the surgeon has another healthy patient that withholds all these organs. Thomson would disagree with the killing of the healthy individual and deem it as immoral. She claims that in this situation that killing one to save more lives is not permissible, and that the solution to the trolley problem does not apply to the case of the transplant. Thomson states that a solution to the transplant is to conclude that killin g one in order to save five is still not permitted morally nor ethically; I concur that this is not a solution due to the surgeon playing God, and frankly, interfering with fate. Unlike the case of the trolley,Show MoreRelatedTrolley Dodgers Case2066 Words   |  9 PagesExecutive Summary The Trolley Dodgers was exposed that it had internal control problems existed. The other hand, found that employees embezzlement. The first part of this report identify and explain the characteristics of employee fraud indicated in Dodgers case. such as perpetrator must gains the trust or confidence of the person or company being defrauded. etc And then, the second part is explain the internal control weaknesses and understanding internal control objectives . The third part basedRead MoreThe Trolley Case : An Ethical Thought Experiment1057 Words   |  5 PagesConsequentialism The Trolley Case is an ethical thought experiment that seeks to find the â€Å"right† solution in killing people. This thought experiment explains that there is a train coming down the tracks on course to run right into five people. You stand next to a lever which can switch the tracks so that only one person will die. The only options you have are to do nothing and allow five people to die, or pull the lever so that only one person will die. In Trolley Case 2, you can save five peopleRead MoreTrolley Dodgers Case Essay examples1574 Words   |  7 PagesCASE STUDY: THE TROLLEY DODGERS 1. Identify the key audit objectives for a client’s payroll function. Comment on both objectives related to tests of control and those related to tests of control s and those related to substantive audit procedure. The key audit objectives for client’s payroll function in this Trolley Dodgers Case are: i. Occurrence ii. Completeness iii. Accuracy iv. Posting Summarization v. Classification vi. Timing i. Key Audit Objective : Occurrence DodgersRead MoreThe Trolley Problem1420 Words   |  6 Pages 1 Explain the Trolley Driver, Bystander at the Switch, Fat Man, Transplant, Hospital scenarios discussed in the The Trolley Problem reading. In doing so, address what the ethical issue(s) are in each of these scenarios. The trolley problem can be expanded to discuss a number of related ethical dilemmas, all referring to the conflicts inherent in utilitarianism and consequentialist ethics. The problem with the trolley driver scenario is that the driver is faced with a choice of whether to infringeRead MoreWhat Is And Isn t Owned. Thomson And The Trolley Problem973 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is and isn’t owned Thomson and the Trolley Problem Most people think that killing is worse than letting die. The latter is a fact. Throughout her essay, Thomson explores this idea and comes to the surprising conclusion that it is sometimes permissible to kill instead of letting die. This along with the famous Trolley Problem, first introduced by Philippa Foot, as well as a few other examples and variations, leave the reader with ambiguity on the subject: exactly under which circumstances isRead MoreThe Trolley Problem, by Judith Jarvis Thomson768 Words   |  4 PagesThe Bystander at the Switch case is a fundamental part of Thomson’s argument in â€Å"Trolley Problem.† The basis of her paper is to explain the moral difference between this case, which she deems morally permissible (1398), and the Transplant case, which she deems morally impermissible (1396). In the Bystander at the Switch case, a bystander sees a trolley hurtling towards five workers on the track and has the option of throwing a switch to divert the tro lley’s path towards only one worker. Thomson findsRead MoreThe Doctrine Of Double Effect : Writing Assignment1176 Words   |  5 Pagesjudgements. There are two different kinds of reflective equilibrium: narrow reflective equilibrium, which is when one’s intuitive judgements concerning a rather restricted set of cases is rendered consistent with a set of general moral principles, where as wide reflective equilibrium is when one’s judgement concerning a wide range of cases, both actual and hypothetical, are rendered consistent with a set of general moral principles. This method is effective in ethics so that the data, or one’s intuitive judgementsRead MoreEssay Moral Realism847 Words   |  4 Pagestheories are constantly put the test in the moral trolley and footbridge problems. In the trolley problem a runaway trolley will kill five people, but can be diverted to another track where only one individual will die. The footbridge problem is similar, but i nstead of switching tracks one would have to push a large man in front of the trolley. These cases are directly relevant to moral theory because they put human intuitions to the test. Both cases are morally difficult, how does it appear acceptableRead MoreHow The Mass And Force Affect The Acceleration Of An Object1691 Words   |  7 PagesScientific Report | Newton’s Second Law Title: How the mass and force affect the acceleration of an object. Aim: To test Newton’s seconds law if whether changing the mass or the force affects the acceleration of an object or a trolley in this case to increase or decrease. Introduction: Newton’s laws of motion are three physical laws that describe the connection between a body and the different forces acting upon it, as well as its motion in response to those forces. Isaac Newton developedRead MoreThe Law of Conservation of Momentum 1123 Words   |  4 Pagesshould equal momentum after the collision pbefore=pafter mxv before= mxv after Investigative Question How can you make use of a trolley and a ticker timer to prove that the law of conservation of momentum that states that momentum before a collision will equal the momentum after a collision is true? Hypothesis If mass pieces are used to create a collision on the trolley connected to a ticker tape going through a ticker timer and going down a reasonably frictionless ramp, then calculations of momentum

Grade Thinking Free Essays

Thinking as a Hobby In â€Å"Thinking as a Hobby†, William believes that most people are grade three thinkers. Grade three thinkers tend to feel, and not to think. Golding gives an example of his teacher Mr. We will write a custom essay sample on Grade Thinking or any similar topic only for you Order Now Houghton, who would always talk about â€Å"good life, sexless, and free of duty†, while â€Å"his neck would turn of itself† if a girl passed by the window (164). I think he is right; most people will speak or do without speaking. For example, William says in his essay, â€Å"A crowd of grade-three thinkers, all shouting the same thing, all warming their hands at the fire of their own prejudices, will not thank you for pointing out the contradictions in their beliefs† (165). I have known of people speaking their minds, and not caring if it hurts the other person. To be a grade-three thinker is to live the unexpected life. One particular individual that he describes in this passage is a school teacher by the name of Miss Parson. He feels that Miss Parson pretended to care, and to be concerned for her class. Actually, the only concern she had was finding her a husband. To me, grade three thinkers are considered immature and selfish. When you try to reason with them, they either respond one of two ways, they get mad and turn it into a shouting match or they get defensive. I thought William did a good job on describing grade three thinkers, because it describes most people. People only care about themselves, and not how it may affect others. Also, grade three thinkers, often think everything is true and will fight with anyone if they try to prove them wrong. Overall, William Golding did an excellent job on grade three thinking. How to cite Grade Thinking, Essay examples

Evaluation for Qualitative and Mixed Methods - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theEvaluation for Qualitative and Mixed Methods. Answer: Introduction At the end of each of the teaching session, learners are expected to have understood certain concepts. As such to check on the learners understanding of the students on the various concepts the instructor uses the evaluation tools. The assessment tools are very vital as they measure the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process. (Arends, 2014). One should come up with a good evaluation to efficiently gauge the students understanding as well as the quality of the learning process. In this work, we will explore the effectiveness of the assessment tools in the three teaching session that I evaluated on adult learning sessions for level five. Effectiveness Of The Evaluation Tools In Meeting The Expected Outcome In this learning session, there were various expected out comes in each of the three learning sessions. One of the expected outcomes of the learning session is the students should be able to demonstrate the knowledge that they have learned from evaluation. The students should also be able to describe various assessment methods as well as state the goals of the evaluation process. By the end of the second learning session, the student should be able to implement various assessment methods. The students should also be able to analyze at least two tools that can be used in the evaluation of a learning session. In the third learning session, the students should be able to review the effectiveness of various assessment tools. In examining whether the students achieved the above outcomes, we used a variety of assessment tools. The evaluation tools include rubrics, review and reflection tools as well as the graphic organizer tools. In evaluating the three learning sessions, (Zepeda, 2016).I used the review and reflection tools to examine the student understating as well as the quality of the teaching session. The students to document their views on the session of instruction as well as the points they did not understand in the session. The evaluation tool was useful as it was cheap and it helped in understand each learner's weaknesses as well as strengths and the sections that needed remedial teaching. The evaluation troll helped in putting across the problems in the session of instruction that would assist in coming up with strategies to meet the expected outcomes efficiently. The assessment tool was efficient as it helped in efficiently measuring the outcome of all three learning sessions. However, the ev aluation tool led to the development of a lot of information on the learning session since the students had different views and it was open-ended. Improvement Of The Tools One of the ways to improve the evaluation tool is giving the students a more precise essay to examine their understanding. It is because the evaluation tool that was used brought about a lot of information, as it was a general question. Some of the students put across that they did not understand the question as it was very general. Therefore in the subsequent teaching session, the tool that will be developed will put across a more clear and precise question. References: Arends, R. (2014). Learning to teach. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Mertens, D. M. (2014). Research and evaluation in education and psychology: Integrating diversity with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Sage publications. Smith, M. L., Glass, G. V. (1987). Research and evaluation in education and the social sciences. Prentice Hall. Zepeda, S. J. (2016). Instructional supervision: Applying tools and concepts. Taylor Francis.

Total Quality Management Essays (1420 words) - Quality Management

Total Quality Management The emergence of the global marketplace demands that a company act on a global scale to be competitive. Competing on this level requires that a company provide a superior product and superior service. Companies desiring to achieve international quality status now have a manufacturing, quality control, and documentation standard in which to strive. ISO 9000 is the implemented international process management baseline for which all participating organizations will adhere. Standardization appears to be the key to survival in today's domestic and international marketplace. Consumers and businesses alike demand the assurances that the products they purchase from one company are equal in quality to the product they purchase from another. Consumers also demand that every product they purchase from a particular company meet the same specifications as the next. The key to developing this uniformity of standards and quality among and within companies is to establish a set of closely monitored procedures to be followed by all. The focus on the ISO 9000 and ISO 9001 standard is not on manufactured products, but the process implemented to achieve that product. By certifying a manufacturing and documentation process with the Geneva based International Organization for Standardization, registered companies have realized a dramatic decline in customer complaints and significant reductions in operating costs. This is due to the required certification process. By successfully completing the ISO 9000-registration process, companies can identify and correct processes that are costly and unproductive. This is simply good for business. Additionally, ISO 9000 registered companies, critical of their ISO registered product, demand that their suppliers be ISO 9000 registered. The ISO 9000 series consist of five standards that fall into two categories. The five standards are ISO 9000-1, ISO 9001, ISO 9002, ISO 9003, and ISO 9000-4. The two categories provide for contractual situations and non-contractual situations. Contractual elements (ISO 9001, ISO 9002, and IO 9003) have been developed for external quality assurance. Meeting these standards indicate to a customer that a company's quality assurance program is capable of providing a quality product or service. Non-contractual elements, ISO 9000-1 and ISO 9004-1, used as guidance standards, have been developed to assure quality management. ISO 9001, the most extensive of the ISO 9000 series, are directed towards quality system requirements of the organization. ISO 9001 encompass all of the elements listed in ISO 9002 and ISO 9003. This standard contains twenty clauses that address issues such as management responsibility, process control, and corrective and preventative actions. These clauses are designed to promote conformity of processes such as design, production, and servicing by striving towards the goal of total quality management. ISO 9000-1 addresses quality management and quality assurance standards. This document defines the primary concept of the series such as principal objectives and responsibilities, the process of an organization, and the roles of documentation. This document also provides a definition of terminology and provides guidance needed for all ISO 9000 series issues. ISO 9004-1 addresses internal procedures such as organizational goals, management responsibilities, training, and servicing. As in the ISO 9001 series, this series also contains twenty clauses. This is also the standard, which provides for the most misunderstandings. It is important that companies completing the certification process understand the relationship of this standard to the other ISO 9000 family standards. Clauses within the ISO 9004-1 standard provide the foundation for completing certain ISO 9001 requirements. The purpose of proper documentation is not to create enormous amounts of paper, but to assist the company in its undertaking of implementing ISO 9000 standards. Implementing any project of magnitude requires a formal project plan. The minimum topics that should be covered in a project plan are project definition, structure, responsibilities, results and analysis, schedules, required resources, and constraints. Once these requirements are defined, the process of implementation can begin. Systematically categorizing and adherence to the project plan are necessary. It is important to remember that this documentation will be scrutinized during the certification process. Documentation procedures are a critical element of the management process. They should be used to provide information such as reference points, definitions of responsibilities and authorities, and the identification of errors and resolutions. Adequate documentation such as this will provide a reference, and if followed correctly will lead to further

Einsteins Theory of Relativity

Einsteins Theory of Relativity Einsteins theory of relativity is a famous theory, but its little understood. The theory of relativity refers to two different elements of the same theory: general relativity and special relativity. The theory of special relativity was introduced first  and was later considered to be a special case of the more comprehensive theory of general relativity. General relativity is a  theory of gravitation  that   Albert Einstein developed by  between 1907 and 1915, with contributions from many others after 1915. Theory of Relativity Concepts Einsteins theory of relativity includes the interworking of several different concepts, which include: Einsteins Theory of Special Relativity - localized behavior of objects in inertial frames of reference, generally only relevant at speeds very near the speed of lightLorentz Transformations - the transformation equations used to calculate the coordinate changes under special relativityEinsteins Theory of General Relativity - the more comprehensive theory, which treats gravity as a geometric phenomenon of a curved spacetime coordinate system, which also includes noninertial (i.e. accelerating) frames of referenceFundamental Principles of Relativity What Is Relativity? Classical relativity (defined initially by Galileo Galilei and refined by Sir Isaac Newton) involves a simple transformation between a moving object and an observer in another inertial frame of reference. If you are walking in a moving train, and someone stationary on the ground is watching, your speed relative to the observer will be the sum of your speed relative to the train and the trains speed relative to the observer. Youre in one inertial frame of reference, the train itself (and anyone sitting still on it) are in another, and the observer is in still another. The problem with this is that light was believed, in the majority of the 1800s, to propagate as a wave through a universal substance known as the ether, which would have counted as a separate frame of reference (similar to the train in the above example). The famed Michelson-Morley experiment, however, had failed to detect Earths motion relative to the ether and no one could explain why. Something was wrong with the classical interpretation of relativity as it applied to light ... and so the field was ripe for a new interpretation when Einstein came along. Introduction  to  Special Relativity In 1905,  Albert Einstein  published (among other things) a paper called  On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies  in the journal  Annalen der Physik. The paper presented the theory of  special relativity, based  on  two postulates: Einsteins PostulatesPrinciple of Relativity (First Postulate):   The laws of physics are the same for all inertial reference frames.Principle of Constancy of the Speed of Light (Second Postulate):  Light always propagates through a vacuum (i.e. empty space or free space) at a definite  velocity, c, which is independent of the state of motion of the emitting body. Actually, the paper presents a more formal, mathematical formulation of the postulates. The phrasing of the postulates  are  slightly different from textbook to  textbook  because of translation issues, from mathematical German to comprehensible English. The second postulate is often mistakenly written to include that the speed of light in a vacuum is  c  in all frames of reference. This is actually a derived result of the two postulates, rather than part of the second postulate itself. The first postulate is pretty much common sense. The second postulate, however, was the revolution. Einstein had already introduced the  photon theory of light  in his paper on the  photoelectric effect  (which rendered the ether  unnecessary). The second postulate, therefore, was a consequence of massless photons moving at the velocity  c  in a vacuum. The ether no longer had a special role as an absolute inertial frame of reference, so it was not only unnecessary but qualitatively useless under special relativity. As for the paper itself, the goal was to reconcile Maxwells equations for electricity and magnetism with the motion of electrons near the speed of light. The result of Einsteins paper was to introduce new coordinate transformations, called  Lorentz transformations, between inertial frames of reference. At slow speeds, these transformations were essentially identical to the classical model, but at high speeds, near the speed of light, they produced radically different results. Effects of Special Relativity Special relativity yields several consequences from applying Lorentz transformations at high velocities (near the speed of light). Among them are: Time dilation (including the popular twin paradox)Length contractionVelocity transformationRelativistic velocity additionRelativistic doppler effectSimultaneity clock synchronizationRelativistic momentumRelativistic kinetic energyRelativistic massRelativistic total energy In addition, simple algebraic manipulations of the above concepts yield two significant results that deserve individual mention. Mass-Energy Relationship Einstein was able to show that mass and energy were related, through the famous formula  Emc2. This relationship was proven most dramatically to the world when nuclear bombs released the energy of mass in Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. Speed of Light No object with mass can accelerate to precisely the speed of light. A massless object, like a photon, can move at the speed of light. (A photon doesnt actually accelerate, though, since it  always  moves exactly at  the speed of light.) But for a physical object, the speed of light is a limit. The  kinetic energy  at the speed of light goes to infinity, so it can never be reached by acceleration. Some have pointed out that an object could in theory move at greater than the speed of light, so long as it did not accelerate to reach that speed. So far no physical entities have ever displayed that property, however. Adopting Special Relativity In 1908,  Max Planck  applied the term theory of relativity to describe these concepts, because of the key role relativity played in them. At the time, of course, the term applied only to special relativity, because there was not yet any general relativity. Einsteins relativity was not immediately embraced by physicists as a  whole  because it seemed so theoretical and counterintuitive. When he received his 1921 Nobel Prize, it was specifically for his solution to the  photoelectric effect  and for his contributions to Theoretical Physics. Relativity was still too controversial to be specifically referenced. Over time, however, the predictions of special relativity have been shown to be true. For example, clocks flown around the world have been shown to slow down by the duration predicted by the theory. Origins of Lorentz Transformations Albert Einstein  didnt create the coordinate transformations needed for special relativity. He didnt have  to because the Lorentz transformations that he needed already existed. Einstein was a master at taking previous work and adapting it to new situations, and he did so with the Lorentz transformations just as he had used Plancks 1900 solution to the  ultraviolet catastrophe  in  black body radiation  to craft his solution to the  photoelectric effect, and thus develop the  photon theory of light. The transformations were actually first published by Joseph Larmor in 1897. A slightly different version had been published a decade earlier by Woldemar Voigt, but his version had a square in the time dilation equation. Still, both versions of the equation were shown to be invariant under Maxwells equation. The mathematician and physicist Hendrik Antoon Lorentz proposed the idea of a local time to explain relative simultaneity in 1895, though, and began working independently on similar transformations to explain the null result  in  the Michelson-Morley experiment. He published his coordinate transformations in 1899, apparently still unaware of Larmors publication, and added time dilation in 1904. In 1905, Henri Poincare modified the algebraic formulations and attributed them to Lorentz with the name Lorentz transformations, thus changing Larmors chance at immortality in this regard. Poincares formulation of the transformation was, essentially, identical to that which Einstein would use. The transformations apply to a four-dimensional coordinate system, with three spatial coordinates (x,  y,   z) and  one-time  coordinate (t). The new coordinates are denoted with an apostrophe, pronounced prime, such that  x is pronounced  x-prime. In the example below, the velocity is in the  xx direction, with velocity  u: x (   x  -   ut  ) / sqrt ( 1 -   u2  /   c2  )y   yz   zt {  t  - (  u  /  c2  )  x  } / sqrt ( 1 -  u2  /  c2  ) The transformations are provided primarily for demonstration purposes. Specific applications of them will be dealt with separately. The term 1/sqrt (1 -  u2/c2) so frequently appears in relativity that it is denoted with the Greek symbol  gamma  in some representations. It should be noted that in the cases when  u  Ã‚  c, the denominator collapses to essentially the sqrt(1), which is just 1.  Gamma  just becomes 1 in these cases. Similarly,  the  u/c2  term also becomes very small. Therefore, both dilation of space and time are non-existent to any significant level at speeds much slower than the speed of light in a vacuum. Consequences of the Transformations Special relativity yields several consequences from applying Lorentz transformations at high velocities (near the speed of light). Among them are: Time dilation  (including the popular Twin Paradox)Length contractionVelocity transformationRelativistic velocity additionRelativistic doppler effectSimultaneity clock synchronizationRelativistic momentumRelativistic kinetic energyRelativistic massRelativistic total energy Lorentz Einstein Controversy Some people point out that most of the actual work for the special relativity had already been done by the time Einstein presented it. The concepts of dilation and simultaneity for moving bodies were already in place and the mathematics had already been developed by Lorentz Poincare. Some go so far as to call Einstein a plagiarist. There is some validity to these charges. Certainly, the revolution of Einstein was built on the shoulders of a lot of other work, and Einstein got far more credit for his role than those who did the grunt work. At the same time, it must be considered that Einstein took these basic concepts and mounted them on a theoretical framework which made them not merely mathematical tricks to save a dying theory (i.e. the ether), but rather fundamental aspects of nature in their own right. It is unclear that Larmor, Lorentz, or Poincare intended so bold a move, and history has rewarded Einstein for this insight boldness. Evolution of General Relativity In  Albert Einsteins  1905 theory (special relativity), he showed that among inertial frames of reference there was no preferred frame. The development of general relativity came about, in part, as an attempt to show that this was true among non-inertial (i.e. accelerating) frames of reference as well. In 1907, Einstein published his first article on gravitational effects on  light  under special relativity. In this paper, Einstein outlined his equivalence principle, which stated that observing an experiment on the Earth (with gravitational acceleration  g) would be identical to observing an experiment in a rocket ship that moved at a speed of  g. The equivalence principle can be formulated as: we [...] assume the complete physical equivalence of a gravitational field and a corresponding acceleration of the reference system.as Einstein said or, alternately, as one  Modern Physics  book presents it:There is no local experiment that can be done to distinguish between the effects of a uniform gravitational field in a nonaccelerating inertial frame and the effects of a uniformly accelerating (noninertial) reference frame. A second article on the subject appeared in 1911, and by 1912 Einstein was actively working to conceive of a general  theory of relativity  that would explain special relativity, but would also explain gravitation as a geometric phenomenon. In 1915, Einstein published a set of differential equations known as the  Einstein field equations. Einsteins  general relativity  depicted the universe as a geometric system of three spatial and one time dimensions. The presence of mass, energy, and momentum (collectively quantified as  mass-energy density  or  stress-energy) resulted in a bending of this space-time coordinate system. Gravity, therefore, was movement along the simplest or least-energetic route along this curved space-time. The Math of General Relativity In the simplest possible terms, and stripping away the complex mathematics, Einstein found the following relationship between the curvature of space-time and mass-energy density: (curvature of space-time) (mass-energy density) * 8   pi G  /   c4 The equation shows a direct, constant proportion. The gravitational constant,  G, comes from  Newtons law of gravity, while the dependence upon the speed of light,  c, is expected from the theory of special relativity. In a case of zero (or near zero) mass-energy density (i.e. empty space), space-time is flat. Classical gravitation is a special case of gravitys manifestation in a relatively weak  gravitational field, where the  c4  term (a very big denominator) and  G  (a very small numerator) make the curvature correction small. Again, Einstein didnt pull this out of a hat. He worked heavily with Riemannian geometry (a non-Euclidean geometry developed by mathematician Bernhard Riemann years earlier), though the resulting space was a 4-dimensional Lorentzian manifold rather than a strictly Riemannian geometry. Still, Riemanns work was essential for Einsteins own field equations to be complete. What Does General Relativity Mean? For an analogy to general relativity, consider that you stretched out a  bed sheet  or piece of elastic flat, attaching the corners firmly to some secured posts. Now you begin placing things of various weights on the sheet. Where you place something very light, the sheet will curve downward under the weight of it a little bit. If you put something heavy, however, the curvature would be even greater. Assume theres a heavy object sitting on the sheet and you place a second, lighter, object on the sheet. The curvature created by the heavier object will cause the lighter object to slip along the curve toward it, trying to reach a point of equilibrium where it no longer moves. (In this case, of course, there are other considerations a ball will roll further than a cube would slide, due to frictional effects and such.) This is similar to how general relativity explains gravity. The curvature of a light object doesnt affect the heavy object much, but the curvature created by the heavy object is what keeps us from floating off into space. The curvature created by the Earth keeps the moon in orbit, but at the same  time, the curvature created by the moon is enough to affect the tides. Proving General Relativity All of the findings of special relativity also support general relativity, since the theories are consistent. General relativity also explains all of the phenomena of classical mechanics, as they too are consistent. In addition, several findings support the unique predictions of general relativity: Precession of perihelion of MercuryGravitational deflection of starlightUniversal expansion (in the form of a  cosmological constant)Delay of radar echoesHawking radiation from black holes Fundamental Principles of Relativity General Principle of Relativity:  The laws of physics must be identical for all observers, regardless of whether or not they are accelerated.Principle of General Covariance:  The laws of physics must take the same form in all coordinate systems.Inertial Motion is Geodesic Motion:  The world lines of particles unaffected by forces (i.e. inertial motion) are timelike or null geodesic of spacetime. (This means the tangent vector is either negative or zero.)Local Lorentz Invariance:  The rules of special relativity apply locally for all inertial observers.Spacetime Curvature:  As described by Einsteins field equations, the curvature of spacetime in response to mass, energy, and momentum results in gravitational influences being viewed as a form of inertial motion. The equivalence principle, which  Albert Einstein  used as a starting point for general relativity, proves to be a consequence of these principles. General Relativity the Cosmological Constant In 1922, scientists discovered that application of Einsteins field equations to cosmology resulted in an expansion of the universe. Einstein, believing in a static universe (and therefore thinking his equations were in error), added a  cosmological constant  to the field equations, which allowed for static solutions. Edwin Hubble, in 1929, discovered that there was redshift from distant stars, which implied they were moving with respect to the Earth. The universe, it seemed, was expanding. Einstein removed the cosmological constant from his equations, calling it the biggest blunder of his career. In the 1990s, interest in the cosmological constant returned in the form of  dark energy. Solutions to  quantum field theories  have resulted in a huge amount of energy in the quantum vacuum of space, resulting in an accelerated expansion of the universe. General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics When physicists attempt to apply quantum field theory to the  gravitational field, things get very messy. In mathematical terms, the physical quantities involve diverge, or result in infinity. Gravitational fields under general relativity require an infinite number of correction, or renormalization, constants to adapt them into solvable equations. Attempts to solve this renormalization problem lie at the heart of the theories of  quantum gravity. Quantum gravity theories typically work backward, predicting a theory and then testing it rather than actually attempting to determine the infinite constants needed. Its an old trick in physics, but so far none of the theories have been adequately proven. Assorted Other Controversies The major problem with general relativity, which has been otherwise highly successful, is its overall incompatibility with quantum mechanics. A large chunk of theoretical physics is devoted toward trying to reconcile the two concepts: one which predicts macroscopic phenomena across space and one which predicts microscopic phenomena, often within spaces smaller than an atom. In addition, there is some concern with Einsteins very notion of spacetime. What is spacetime? Does it physically exist? Some have predicted a quantum foam that spreads throughout the universe. Recent attempts at  string theory  (and its subsidiaries) use this or other quantum depictions of spacetime. A recent article in New Scientist magazine predicts that spactime may be a quantum  superfluid  and that the entire universe may rotate on an axis. Some people have pointed out that if spacetime exists as a physical substance, it would act as a universal frame of reference, just as the ether had. Anti-relativists are thrilled at this prospect, while others see it as an unscientific attempt to discredit Einstein by resurrecting a century-dead concept. Certain issues with black hole singularities, where the spacetime curvature approaches infinity, have also cast doubts on whether general relativity accurately depicts the universe. It is hard to know for sure, however, since  black holes  can only be studied from afar at present. As it stands now, general relativity is so successful that its hard to imagine it will be harmed much by these inconsistencies and controversies until a phenomena comes up which actually contradicts the very predictions of the theory. Quotes About RelativitySpacetime grips mass, telling it how to move, and mass grips spacetime, telling it how to curve - John Archibald Wheeler.The theory appeared to me then, and still does, the greatest feat of human thinking about nature, the most amazing combination of philosophical penetration, physical intuition, and mathematical skill. But its connections with experience were slender. It appealed to me like a great work of art, to be enjoyed and admired from a distance. - Max Born

Functionalism Functionalist Perspective and Theory

Functionalism Functionalist Perspective and Theory The functionalist perspective, also called functionalism, is one of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology. It has its origins in the works of Emile Durkheim, who was especially interested in how social order is possible or how society remains relatively stable. As such, it is a theory that focuses on the macro-level of social structure, rather than the micro-level of everyday life. Notable theorists include Herbert Spencer,  Talcott Parsons, and Robert K. Merton. Emile Durkheim The totality of beliefs and sentiments common to the average members of a society forms a determinate system with a life of its own. It can be termed the collective or creative consciousness. The Division of Labour (1893) Theory Overview Functionalism interprets each part of society in terms of how it contributes to the stability of the whole society. Society is more than the sum of its parts; rather, each part of society is functional for the stability of the whole. Durkheim actually envisioned society as an organism, and just like within an organism, each component plays a necessary part, but none can function alone, and one experiences a crisis or fails, other parts must adapt to fill the void in some way. Within functionalist theory, the different parts of society are primarily composed of social institutions, each of which is designed to fill different needs, and each of which has particular consequences for the form and shape of society. The parts all depend on each other. The core institutions defined by sociology and which are important to understanding for this theory include family, government, economy, media, education, and religion. According to functionalism, an institution only exists because it serves a vital role in the functioning of society. If it no longer serves a role, an institution will die away. When new needs evolve or emerge, new institutions will be created to meet them. Lets consider the relationships between and functions of some core institutions. In most societies, the government, or state, provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running. The family is dependent upon the school to help children grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and support their own families. In the process, the children become law-abiding, taxpaying citizens, who in turn support the state. From the functionalist perspective, if all goes well, the parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity. If all does not go well, the parts of society then must adapt to produce new forms of order, stability, and productivity. Functionalism emphasizes the consensus and order that exist in society, focusing on social stability and shared public values. From this perspective, disorganization in the system, such as deviant behavior, leads to change because societal components must adjust to achieve stability. When one part of the system is not working or is dysfunctional, it affects all other parts and creates social problems, which leads to social change. Functionalist Perspective in American Sociology The functionalist perspective achieved its greatest popularity among American sociologists in the 1940s and 50s. While European functionalists originally focused on explaining the inner workings of social order, American functionalists focused on discovering the functions of human behavior. Among these American functionalist sociologists is Robert K. Merton, who divided human functions into two types: manifest functions, which are intentional and obvious, and latent functions, which are unintentional and not obvious. The manifest function of attending a church or synagogue, for instance, is to worship as part of a religious community, but its latent function may be to help members learn to discern personal from institutional values. With common sense, manifest functions become easily apparent. Yet this is not necessarily the case for latent functions, which often demand a sociological approach to be revealed. Antonio Gramsci. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Critiques of the Theory Functionalism has been critiqued by many sociologists for its neglect of the often negative implications of social order. Some critics, like Italian theorist Antonio Gramsci, claim that the perspective justifies the status quo and the process of cultural hegemony which maintains it. Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even when doing so may benefit them. Instead, functionalism sees agitating for social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate in a seemingly  natural way  for any problems that may arise. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Final Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Final - Case Study Example The three main functions of this system are closely interrelated as seen from recent designs of commercial buildings (David 12). The system provides ventilation, maintains pressure between occupied spaces and reduces air permeation. The process through which air moves to and fro the spaces is known as room air distribution (David 14). It is quite prevalent that modern building designs integrate the installation and control systems into heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. In commercial buildings, engineers analyze the design of the building, and they specify heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to be used in the premises. As for small buildings, the system can be purchased and installed. This is because code-conformity inspections and building permits regarding the system installation are mandatory for all building sizes. Therefore, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry has become a global enterprise (David 5). Some of the basic roles of the industry include system construction and design, maintenance, operation, manufacture of the equipment and sales. Also, the industry is used as a research and educational centre. In this system, heating is easily achieved through heating equipments or via radiation. Ventilation is also beneficial in this system. This is because ventilation sustains adequate mixture of breathable gases, hence; eradicating odor and contaminants from the occupied space (David 20). This ensures that the occupants of the space are productive and healthy. In this case, ventilation can be achieved through mechanical distribution systems which are powered by fans and natural ventilation. Lastly, air conditioning is enhanced through heat removal. This is normally achieved through radiation and convection which is achieved through the heat pump systems (David 29). As analyzed above, the