Thursday, December 26, 2019

Molodova I - Paleolithic Mammoth Bone Hut in Ukraine

The Middle and Upper Paleolithic site of Molodova (sometimes spelled Molodovo) is located on the Dniester River in the Chernovtsy (or Chernivtsi) province of Ukraine, between the Dniester river and the Carpathian mountains. Molodova I has five Middle Paleolithic Mousterian occupations (called Molodova 1-5), three Upper Paleolithic occupations and one Mesolithic occupation. The Mousterian components are dated to 44,000 RCYBP, based on charcoal radiocarbon from a hearth. Microfauna and palynological data connect the layer 4 occupations with Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (ca 60,000-24,000 years ago). Archaeologists believe that the stone tool strategies appear to be either Levallois or transitional to Levallois, including points, simple side scrapers and retouched blades, all of which argues that Molodova I was occupied by Neanderthals using a Mousterian tradition tool kit. Artifacts and Features at Molodova I Artifacts from the Mousterian levels at Molodova include 40,000 flint artifacts, including over 7,000 stone tools. The tools are characteristic of typical Mousterian, but lack bifacial forms. They are blades with marginal retouch, retouched side-scrapers and retouched Levallois flakes. Most of the flint is local, from the Dniester river terrace. Twenty-six hearths were identified at Molodova I, varying in diameter from 40x30 centimeters (16x12 inches) to 100x40 cm (40x16 in), with ashy lenses varying from 1-2 cm thick. Stone tools and burned bone fragments were recovered from these hearths. Approximately 2,500 mammoth bones and bone fragments have been recovered from Molodova I layer 4 alone. Living at Molodova The Middle Paleolithic level 4 covers 1,200 square meters (about 13,000 square feet) and includes five areas, including a pit filled with bones, an area with engraved bones, two concentrations of bones and tools, and a circular accumulation of bones with tools in its center. Recent studies (Demay in press) have focused on this last feature which was originally characterized as a mammoth bone hut. However, recent re-investigations of mammoth bone settlements in central Europe have confined the use dates to between 14,000-15,000 years ago: if this was a mammoth bone settlement (MBS), it is older by some 30,000 years than the majority of the others: Molodova currently represents the only Middle Paleolithic MBS discovered to date. Because of the discrepancy in dates, scholars have interpreted the ring of bones as either a hunting blind, a natural accumulation, a circular symbolic ring bound to Neanderthal beliefs, a wind break for a long term occupation, or the result of humans returning to the area and pushing away the bones from the living surface. Demay and colleagues argue that the structure was purposefully built as protection from cold climate in an open environment and, along with the pit features, that makes Molodova an MBS. The ring of bones measured 5x8 meters (16x26 feet) inside and 7x10 m (23x33 ft) externally. The structure included 116 complete mammoth bones, including 12 skulls, five mandibles, 14 tusks, 34 pelves and 51 long bones. The bones represent at least 15 individual mammoths, and included both male and female, both adults and juveniles. Most of the bones appear to have been intentionally selected and assembled by Neanderthals to build a circular structure. A large pit located 9 m (30 ft) from the circular structure contained the majority of non-mammoth bones from the site. But, most importantly, mammoth bones from the pit and dwelling structure have been linked as coming from the same individuals. The bones in the pit show cut marks from butchering activities. Molodova and Archaeology Molodova I was discovered in 1928, and first excavated by I.G. Botez and N. N. Morosan between 1931 and 1932. A.P. Chernysch continued excavations between 1950 and 1961, and again in the 1980s. Detailed site information in English has only recently become available. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to Middle Paleolithic, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Demay L, PÃ ©an S, and Patou-Mathis M. in press. Mammoths used as food and building resources by Neanderthals: Zooarchaeological study applied to layer 4, Molodova I (Ukraine). Quaternary International(0). Meignen, L., J.-M. Genest, L. Koulakovsaia, and A. Sytnik. 2004. Koulichivka and its place in the Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition in eastern Europe. Chapter 4 in The Early Upper Paleolithic Beyond Western Europe, P.J. Brantingham, S.L. Kuhn, and K. W. Kerry, eds. University of California Press, Berkeley. Vishnyatsky, L.B. and P.E. Nehoroshev. 2004. The beginning of the Upper Paleolithic on the Russian Plain. Chapter 6 in The Early Upper Paleolithic Beyond Western Europe, P.J. Brantingham, S.L. Kuhn, and K. W. Kerry, eds. University of California Press, Berkeley.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Essay on Investigative Reporting is the Driving Force in...

Investigative reporting has been a driving force in journalism for centuries. The reporting tradition of revealing misconduct was already well established much before the 20th Century. Its practise even predates the publication of the first successful colonial newspaper in 1704, demonstrating the press’ watchdog role has had deep historical roots in democracy much prior to the 1960s. Over the past three centuries, investigative reporters have tried to make a difference by raising public consciousness about perceived wrongdoings. Prior to the early 1960s, investigative reporting was highly localised and sporadic. This was a reflection of the character of early journalism and the technological limits of communication. It was not until the†¦show more content†¦The second was an exclusive by Sunday Times Insight, whose reporter Ron Hall detailed the methods used by a criminal landlord, Peter Rachman, to terrorise tenants. These examples set a trend and by the late 1960s t here were many new vehicles for investigative reporting in the national media. One of the most notable reporters of the time was Ron Hall, who has been considered to have virtually invented the art of investigative journalism in Britain, as one of a trio of young reporters in the 1960s, he created the insight team of the Sunday Times. Shortly after he joined the paper, the scandal of the Profumo affair broke so he began to produce a weekly detailed account of what had happened, digging deeper into the background story. Shortly after that, the first truly investigative article written by Hall was an account of the life and misdeeds of Rachman, the corrupt slum landlord. In the course of his 20 years on the paper, he was associated with some of its most important investigative stories, including the Philby spy scandal, thalidomide, and the remarkable disclosure that the yachtsman Donald Crowhurst, who had taken part in a round-the-world race, and had faked his journey, pretending to have orbited the globe. Ron Hall was one of the most influential and talented jou rnalists of his time, an architect of the Sunday Times Insight pages and pioneered techniques of investigative journalism that altered the nature of much of theShow MoreRelatedThe Importance of Investigative Journalism Essay769 Words   |  4 PagesThough connected through the general base of being a part of the media, investigative journalism is far from the daily reporting and paparazzi reports we are used to. Investigative journalists look to bring attention to violated laws, regulations or wrongdoings that they feel very strongly about. The topic of their research is completely up to their own personal interest and choosing. Their research often takes a long time to collect, and must be very thorough and involve many different sources whileRead MoreWikileaks : A Wholesome Political Environment919 Words   |  4 Pagesenhance public scrutiny. (WikiLeaks.org, 2006) As creator Julian Assange himself proclaimed, the organization is about putting scientific journalism into practice . This leads to the discussion of how journalists today ought to shoulder the responsibility of the Fourth Estate by means of investigative reporting. The conventional idea of investigative journalism comprises unearthing and crosschecking facts, and backgrounding them into an understandable discourse. Lovink and Riemens argue that WikiLeaksRead MoreEssay On Investigative Journalism1366 Words   |  6 Pagesof journalism (Alves, 2005; Castillo, 2016; Joyce, Saldaà ±a, Schmitz Weiss, Alves, 2017) while for others, there is a relative declining of it (Dermota, 2002). These perceptions heavily depends on the chosen type of medium (newspapers, television, digital), the massiveness of them (mainstream or independent/non-profit), or the period of time (during or after authoritarian regimes) selected by researchers. Also, perceptions vary whether they address a specific media system or they are driving comparativeRead MoreNews Analysis : News And Journalism2007 Words   |  9 Pagesthe news play an important role in the daily lives of everybody. If not exchanging information on the current issues, then there is the recap of what has transpired. This thus is the critical role played by the news industry collectively known as journalism. All over the world, the media has played a great role in making sure that the masses are up to date with what is happening. All the stakeholders work day and night to ensure the same. Various aspects come into play though when evaluating the newsRead MoreJournalistic and Commercial News Value: News Organizations as Patrons of an Institution and Market Actors9283 Words   |  38 Pagescompanies having direct responsibility for journalistic publishing and known for their news and other output of topical material. What distinguishes news media from other media, and news enterprises from other enterprises, is primarily their links to journalism and news as a societal institution. Timothy Cook (1998) distinguishes three central charac teristics of institutions in general, and of media institutions in particular.1 First of all, institutions are social patterns of behaviour common to the organizationsRead MoreJournalistic and Commercial News Value: News Organizations as Patrons of an Institution and Market Actors 9276 Words   |  38 Pagescompanies having direct responsibility for journalistic publishing and known for their news and other output of topical material. What distinguishes news media from other media, and news enterprises from other enterprises, is primarily their links to journalism and news as a societal institution. Timothy Cook (1998) distinguishes three central characteristics of institutions in general, and of media institutions in particular.1 First of all, institutions are social patterns of behaviour common to the organizationsRead MoreNews Writing Style Ethics And Journalism2027 Words   |  9 Pages(disambiguation). Journalism Simons Perskaart DOM.jpg News Writing style Ethics Objectivity News values Attribution Defamation Editorial independence Journalism school Index of journalism articles Areas Arts Business Data Entertainment Environment Fashion Medicine Politics Science Sports Technology Trade Traffic Weather World Genres Advocacy Analytic Blogging Broadcast Citizen Civic Collaborative Comics-based Community Database Gonzo Immersion Investigative Literary Muckraking Narrative New Journalism Non-profitRead MoreBusiness Journalism in India26104 Words   |  105 PagesBusiness and Magazine Journalism (combination of Niche I and II) 1 Growing importance of business journalism, a brief history (2) 2 The structure of financial management in the country starting with the Finance Minister, (5) rest of the bureaucracy, RBI governor, Planning Commission, SEBI, Banking sector 3 The Budget preparation and presentation, factors influencing the annual budget, role of (5) subsidies and foreign exchange reserves 4 Companies, balance sheets, AGMs window dressingRead MoreEthical Companies12021 Words   |  49 Pagesexpected to have a profound impact on the number of whistle-blower complaints that regulatory agencies will receive. The fear of many companies is that whistle-blowers will have financial incentive to go straight to regulators and avoid internal reporting channels. Back to List 11. Chris Dodd – Senator, U.S. Senate Category: Government and Regulatory Next to the UK Bribery Act, the new Dodd-Frank Law is the second most talked about bill issued this year around ethics and compliance. The billRead MoreAn Evaluation of an on-Farm Food Safety Program for Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Producers; a Global Blueprint for Fruit and Vegetable Producers51659 Words   |  207 Pagesalways there when I needed her the most. I recently wrote in an op-ed for the International Association for Food Protection s student group that there is an increased need for competent graduates with food safety specialties to enter the work force into industry or regulatory positions. Our generation of scientists will be charged with building safer systems to protect public health and charged with laying the foundation for everyone along the farm to fork continuum to engage in food safety dialogue

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Analysis of American Pie free essay sample

As the song begins, the narrator seems to feel nostalgic about the music written by a certain person, and he describes the way that music made him smile (1-3). He misses the music from the past that could make people smile, and that could help them forget their troubles. McLean seems to be referring to the 1950s, which is clearer in the chorus of the song. As the speaker goes on, he says, â€Å"But February made me shiver / With every paper Id deliver. † Here it is widely believe that Don McLean is referring to the death of Buddy Holly. He is said to have been delivering newspapers on his paper route the February that he learned of Buddy Holly’s death. The speaker identifies Holly by the month of his death, and the, â€Å"widowed bride,† (12) that Holly left behind (Fann). The death of Buddy Holly seems to have had a profound effect on Don McLean, as the lyrics appear to show. In the chorus, we see more clearly how McLean misses the 1950s, as he references many events that occurred at the time. The chorus begins with McLean saying, â€Å"Bye, bye, Miss American Pie† (16). Here the speaker could be referring to the American Dream, which he believes has gone under a change since the 1950s. He seems to think that the idea of the American Dream is different now, in 1971. Another option for what the speaker means here is the fact that Don McLean dated a Miss America contestant once. In line 17, McLean says, â€Å"Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry. † In the 1950s, Chevrolet was the major automobile company. When McLean says, â€Å"the levee was dry,† (17), he is possibly referring to the fact that a relationship of his has fallen apart (Fann). He seems to be upset over this fact, but he is accepting of it. In the next line, the speaker says, â€Å"This’ll be the day that I’ll die† (18). There is a song written by Buddy Holly called, â€Å"That’ll Be the Day,† where Holly later says, â€Å"that I die. † Again, McLean is returning to his beloved songwriter, Buddy Holly. We can see here that McLean truly does have an appreciation for Holly as he quotes him in a song of his own. In the next verse, McLean mentions, â€Å"The book of love,† which is a song written by the Monotones in 1957. He clearly appreciates this song and its style. In lines 22-23, the writer says, â€Å"And do you have faith in God / If the Bible tells you so? Here McLean is probably making a reference to an old Sunday School song which goes: Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. † When the speaker says, â€Å"And can you teach me how to dance real slow,† I believe he is referring to the fact that in the 1950s, it was more common to dance sl owly to music. However, in the 1960s, this changed and people focused more on fast dancing than the slow dancing of the 50s. In the last line of this verse, the speaker brings back his main theme of this song, which is the transformation of music after the 1950s. He says, â€Å"But I knew I was out of luck / The day the music died† (33-34). He is clearly talking about the fact that he is unhappy about the music of the 1950s and earlier â€Å"dying. † He enjoyed that music, along with the slowness and rhythm of the music. Verse three consists of McLean speaking about Bob Dylan, who he uses to contrast the older music of Buddy Holly. He liked the more early folk type of Bob Dylan, but he notices that Dylan underwent a change like the rest of society. By the end of the verse, McLean is speaking about the Beatles and their impact on him (Fann). His first reference to Bob Dylan comes when he says, â€Å"And moss grows fat on a rolling stone. † Here McLean is speaking about Dylan’s song â€Å"Like a Rolling Stone,† and how this song was Dylan’s first major change from 1950s style music. It could also be referring to the saying, â€Å"A rolling stone gathers no moss,† which talks about how people are always moving and never put their roots in one place. Here the saying more likely means that people have drifted from the old musical style and the values of the time period to something brand new (Fann). Again the verse ends with McLean saying, â€Å"The day the music died. In the summer of 1968, Charles Manson massacred an entire family because of the Beatles song, Helter Skelter. † He was inspired to murder these people by the song. He thought that the Beatles were warning America about the racial conflict happening at the time. Manson wrote the title of the song on the wall in blood af ter committing the murders. In the line, â€Å"We all got up to dance / Oh, but we never got the chance,† the writer could be speaking about how the Beatles wrote songs meant for listening and not dancing. Throughout this verse, the writer talks about, â€Å"players. I believe that here he is most likely referring to the many protesters around this time. He says, â€Å"sweet perfume,† (57) most likely to refer to the use of tear gas against protestors. He seems to believe that the government is corrupt when he says, â€Å"Cause the players tried to take the field (61). Here he means that the protestors tried to create change but the government would not allow them to make the changes. McLean continues his allusions to events happening around him and in the past, and he again ends the verse with his constantly repeated line, â€Å"The day the music died. The next verse seems to focus on the events that happened at Altamont in 1969. â€Å"The flower children gathered at Altamont, 300,000 strong, in a frenzy of drugs, alcohol and escalating violence† (Fann). McLean is pointing out here that the ideas of the counterculture are obviously not going to work. He makes this obv ious when he says, â€Å"Oh, and there we were all in one place / A generation lost in space / With no time left to start again† (65-67). He means that the people who were members of the counterculture were all gathered together at Altamont, and the ideas of their movement were, â€Å"lost in space. â€Å"Jack Flash,† (70) is a reference to the Rolling Stones song  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Jumpin Jack Flash,† in which the protagonist â€Å"nimbly plays with fire to boast of his freedom† (Fann). As he does many times, McLean ends with his idea that the music of the 1950s has died. In the final verse of the song the speaker walks among the ruins of his generation, searching for remnants of the 1950s that he once lived through. Lines 81-83 seem to speak about a person who when asked for any happy news can only smile and walk away. This seems to be speaking of Janis Joplin, who died in 1970 of a heroin overdose. He says in line 84 that he goes down to the â€Å"sacred store,† which is most likely a record store that he visited in the 1950s. He says specifically in the next line that he had heard music there years before. When the speaker says, â€Å"But the man there said the music wouldnt play,† he means that the store no longer has the music that he wants to buy (86). At the end of the final verse he yet again uses the signature line of the song, â€Å"the day the music died. † This song is filled with constant meaning and lyrical significance. The speaker begins by speaking about a certain type of music that he used to listen to and that made him smile often. His nostalgia of the past times is clear even in the very first verse. The writer tries to convey his point that the music and customs of the 1950s have changed, and are different from how they used to be. He also shows that he does not like this change. He misses the music of Buddy Holly that could be easily danced to, and he wished people would return to the music of the 1950s. The speaker seems to be upset over this change, and he then runs through the events that have been happening since the 1950s when everything changed for him. This song shows continuous importance and should impact all listeners, whether positively, or negatively. Works Cited Fann, Jim. Understanding American Pie.   Understanding American Pie. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Apr 2012. lt;www. understandingamericanpie. comgt;. A long long time ago I can still remember how That music used to make me smile And I knew if I had my chance That I could make those people dance And maybe theyd be happy for a while But February made me shiver With every paper Id deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldnt take one more step I cant remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride But something touched me deep inside **The day the music died** So [Chorus] Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey in Rye Singin thisll be the day that I die Thisll be the day that I die Did you write the book of love And do you have faith in God above If the Bible tells you so? Now do you believe in rock and roll? Can music save your mortal soul? And can you teach me how to dance real slow? Well, I know that youre in love with him Cause I saw you dancin in the gym You both kicked off your shoes Man, I dig those rhythm and blues I was a lonely teenage broncin buck With a pink carnation and a pickup truck But I knew I was out of luck The day the music died I started singin [Chorus] Now, for ten years weve been on our own And moss grows fat on a rolling stone But, thats not how it used to be When the jester sang for the king and queen In a coat he borrowed from James Dean And a voice that came from you and me Oh and while the king was looking down The jester stole his thorny crown The courtroom was adjourned No verdict was returned And while Lenin read a book on Marx The quartet practiced in the park And we sang dirges in the dark The day the music died We were singin [Chorus] Helter skelter in a summer swelter The birds flew off with a fallout shelter Eight miles high and falling fast It landed foul on the grass The players tried for a forward pass With the jester on the sidelines in a cast Now the half-time air was sweet perfume While sergeants played a marching tune We all got up to dance Oh, but we never got the chance Cause the players tried to take the field The marching band refused to yield Do you recall what was revealed The day the music died? We started singin [Chorus] Oh, and there we were all in one place A generation lost in space With no time left to start again So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick Jack Flash sat on a candlestick Cause fire is the devils only friend And as I watched him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage No angel born in Hell Could break that Satans spell And as the flames climbed high into the night To light the sacrificial rite I saw Satan laughing with delight The day the music died He was singin [Chorus] I met a girl who sang the blues And I asked her for some happy news But she just smiled and turned away I went down to the sacred store Where Id heard the music years before But the man there said the music wouldnt play And in the streets the children screamed The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed But not a word was spoken The church bells all were broken And the three men I admire most- the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost- They caught the last train for the coast The day the music died And they were singing [Chorus: Repeat x2]

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Various Perspectives of Human Disagreements

Introduction In human society, it is normal for people to express varying views regarding a certain concept, idea, or even opinion. It is not obvious that all societal members would take a similar perspective regarding some of the popular ethical issues, such as drug abuse, abortion, prostitution, and even euthanasia.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Various Perspectives of Human Disagreements specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Disagreements exist because of individual orientation to the world meaning that people are given different instructions on how to handle certain issues. In many cases, an individual’s opinion would be based on culture, rules and regulations, and societal norms. Each individual would tend to give evidence to support his or her view, which makes it difficult for an individual to believe one side of the story. In many cases, those in high positions because of their educational levels and exposure levels would think that they are well versed with issues affecting society hence they might be in a better position to give accurate views. This means that an individual would think others are inferior because of their cultural backgrounds, which is not actually true. An individual would find a reason to claim that his or her opponent is biased. Lackey (2007) noted that those who engage in fierce debates are always epistemic peers. Scholars are fronted with one major question regarding the significance of disagreement among epistemic peers. This article looks at various perspectives regarding disagreements. The paper evaluates the views of various theorists regarding the value of differences in opinion. Views on Disagreement Philosophers have designed two major perspectives to explain some of the reasons that make epistemic peers engage in debates over controversial topics. One of the perspectives is non-conformism, which holds that a disagreement among peers is reason able. One of the scholars named Gideon Rosen (2001) observed that peers are allowed to engage in disagreements, irrespective of whether there is enough evidence. In this regard, disagreeing with another individual over an issue does not mean being unreasonable since differences in opinions are productive to the society. According to Rosen, the jury could perhaps express varying opinions regarding the direction of a certain case, but this does not show inability to reason among the judges. In the same way, respected paleontologists have always disagreed over the real causes of death in dinosaurs, but they still agree over some facts. The above scholar seems to suggest that, even though evidence could be evaluated carefully, it should not be the reason for agreement since some individuals could still be having divergent views based on other factors.Advertising Looking for term paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On his part, Kelly Thomas justified his varying views by suggesting that equality in terms of intelligence, thoughtfulness, and acquaintance with his peers does not prove any inferiority on his side. In other words, he was trying to show that accessing similar educational system and going through similar set of standards does not mean that people should reason in the same way. Suggesting a different perspective or opinion is a sign of democracy and openness. Peter van Inwagen was of the view that a good philosopher ought to be skeptic meaning that he or she should accept some sort of criticism from his or her peers (Lackey, 2007). In any defense of a philosophic thesis, some are opposed to the contents of the thesis while are others are always in support of it. Those who reject it should not be viewed with contempt since they would simply be expressing their views based on what they know. Knowledge is always cumulative implying that an individual will accumulate it over a long peri od. This does not mean that each person would accumulate it in the same way. The level of interpretation is always different meaning that people will always have differences. Opponents of a certain opinion or view should not be subjected to unnecessary criticism since they might be having something to prove. In this regard, dissenting views in philosophy should not be revised, but instead they should be analyzed to understand their meaning. Scholars aligned to nonconformist perspective justify their stand with two explanations. The first explanation is given through egocentric view meaning that an individual will always give weight to what he believes to be true. Based on this, Ralph Wedgewood (2005) observed that an individual would always tend to trust what he or she knows meaning that intuitions are given greater weight in any discussion. People rarely trust what other people say since they believe that they might be harmful. In any discussion, an individual would be biased towar ds his or her view. However, an individual would as well rely on the views of others in case they are rational. Wedgewood made a statement that, â€Å"the fundamental asymmetry between one’s own intuitions and those of other people is just that it is rational to trust one’s own intuitions even if one has no antecedent or independent reason to regard them as reliable. Moreover, it is only rational for an individual to trust his or her own intuitions if he or she has some such antecedent reason to regard intuitions as reliable (11)†. An individual is easily convinced to apply his form of knowledge because he or she trusts it. Nonconformists give corrective reasoning as the other way of justifying their position. This is because an individual gives an opinion because knowing that it is a product of correct reasoning. In other words, an individual will never be wrong since the knowledge he or she possess is believed to be accurate. Kelly (2005) supported this view b y observing that the views of two peers would depend on the perspective employed in evaluating the available evidence.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Various Perspectives of Human Disagreements specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Regarding the accuracy of the statements, Kelly suggested that the one with adequate evidence is always selected as the best philosopher. This does not mean that the views of the opponent are rubbished away since they could be used to supplement or even compliment the views of the peer believed to be accurate. A peer with adequate evidence to support his or her claims would be considered reasonable. Conformists Conformists believe that there cannot be a reasonable argument among peers because of the established values and norms in every society. Richard Feldman claimed that disagreements should be based on situations where there is no evidence. Once there is full evidence or disclosu re of certain information, there should be no variations in views since the evidence act as the basis of agreement. There cannot be mutual disagreements once full details of a concept or idea is given. In fact, those opposed to generally agreed knowledge should be termed unreasonable since they would be competing with authority. On his part, Christensen (2007) underscored the fact that peers should be willing to concede in order to accommodate each other’s views. This means that an individual should adjust his reasoning towards the views suggested by his or her peer. Elga reinforced these views by observing an individual should consider the views of his or her peer valuable meaning that all ideas of peers should be given equal weight, but an individual should not be biased towards his or her view Lackey, 2007). An individual is never assured that whatever he or she suggests is accurate since he might have made a mistake in judging or interpreting the scenario or situation. To prevent any disagreement among peers, new knowledge should be revised to reflect the standardized set of knowledge in any society. However, conformists are in disagreement over the best revision method to be applied when re-evaluating the dissenting views. Based on this, Feldman suggested that revision should be extensive meaning that any variation should be replaced in the text. This view demands that the original provisions of a concept are withheld without any change meaning that status quo should always be maintained. Christensen and Elga on their part had a different view regarding revision of the dissenting views since they advised that the degree of belief should be used a yardstick in advocating for revision of the differing views (Lackey, 2007). This means that the views of a dissenting scholar should not be eliminated, but those revising them should strive at reaching a consensus. In other words, both the dissenting scholar and the revising peers should be willing to conc ede to a certain degree, based on facts.Advertising Looking for term paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More If revising peers provide adequate evidence, they would definitely be declared winners while the views of a dissenting scholar would be accepted if the facts given outweigh those of the revisionists. All conformists are of the view that knowledge should be revised to reach a common ground to avoid unnecessary controversies. Justification Account Conformists and nonconformists tend to share a common feature, which is related to uniformity. This view suggests that differences among peers are similar, irrespective of the perspective discussed in the above sections. It does not matter whether an individual agrees or disagrees with his or her peer over a political suggestion, or a religious view. The views of an individual would be subjected to critical review or they would be accepted based on evidential equality and cognitive equality. Evidential equality means that those disagreeing with a view should be prepared to offer adequate information suggesting that what they claim to be true is indeed support by evidence. In other words, their data should be verifiable through established instruments of authentication. Cognitive equality suggests that two individuals would be allowed to engage in a debate in case they have similar levels of education. This means that they must both be competent, intelligent and fair-minded to offer their suggestions. This would allow such individuals to evaluate the quality of evidence before suggesting any new idea. Feldman contributed to this by arguing that peers under disagreement should disclose their evidence to allow other peers to establish who might be on the right side (Lackey, 2007). Individuals involved in a debate are believed to be peers because they can perhaps provide evidence and are both intelligent. This implies that cognitive equality and evidential equality should exist before individuals could be terms as epistemic peers. In this regard, disagreements among peers could be referred to as idealized disagreement sinc e the two opponents have genuine claims that must be subjected to thorough verification to ascertain their accuracy. This type of disagreement is very different from ordinary disagreement because it is based on facts and evidence. In ordinary debates, individuals are not required to give justifications of their claims through adequate provision of evidence, analyzing an event or situation through cognitive processes, and disclosing the nature of evidence. In an idealized disagreement scenario, there must be evidence that the two opposing peers are equal in terms of cognitive processes and evidence, but this is not the case in ordinary disagreement since individuals would simply assume that they are equals. This assumption might be misplaced meaning that the peers might not even reach a consensus since they are not equals. Conclusion Nonconformists tend to appreciate the fact that knowledge is cumulative meaning that today’s knowledge is not tomorrow’s knowledge. Since scholars are constantly involved in research, there is a very high possibility that new knowledge would be obtained. It would be irrational to dismiss a body of knowledge derived through research. Peers should be allowed to generate various forms of knowledge, provided they give adequate evidence to support their claims. Nonconformists encourage new discoveries while conformists are against invention and discovery since they do not accept new information. In the scholarly world, democracy should be allowed since every person would wish to test his or her level of understanding by examining a phenomenon so closely. In case peers are strict on the procedures and processes of conducting research, many individuals would be unwilling to share critical information. References Christensen, D. (2007). Epistemology of Disagreement: the Good News. The Philosophical Review, 116(2), 187-217. Kelly, T. (2005). Oxford Studies in Epistemology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Lackey, J. (2007). A Justificationist View of Disagreement’s Epistemic Significance. Northwestern: Northwestern University Rosen, G. (2001). Nominalism, Naturalism, Epistemic Relativism. Philosophical Perspectives, 15(1), 69-91. Wedgewood, R. (2007). The Nature of Normativity. Oxford: Oxford University Press. This term paper on Various Perspectives of Human Disagreements was written and submitted by user Braelynn Rose to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Biography of Robert Cavelier de la Salle, Explorer

Biography of Robert Cavelier de la Salle, Explorer Robert Cavelier de la Salle (November 22, 1643–March 19, 1687) was a French explorer credited with claiming Louisiana and the Mississippi River Basin for France. In addition, he explored much of the Midwest region of what would become the United States as well as portions of Eastern Canada and the Great Lakes. On his last voyage, his attempt to set up a French colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River met with disaster. Fast Facts: Robert Cavelier de la Salle Known For: Claiming the Louisiana Territory for FranceAlso Known As: Renà ©-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La SalleBorn: Nov. 22, 1643  in Rouen, FranceParents: Jean Cavelier, Catherine GeesetDied: March 19, 1687 near  the Brazos River  in what is now Texas Early Life Robert Cavelier de la Salle was on November 22, 1643, in Rouen, Normandy, France, into a wealthy merchant family. His father was Jean Cavelier, and his mother was Catherine Geeset. He attended Jesuit schools as a child and adolescent and decided to give up his inheritance and take the vows of the Jesuit Order in 1660 to start the process of becoming a Roman Catholic priest. By age 22, however, La Salle found himself attracted to adventure. He followed his brother Jean, a Jesuit priest, to Montreal, Canada (then called New France), and resigned from the Jesuit order in 1967. Upon his arrival as a colonist, La Salle was granted 400 acres of land on the Island of Montreal. He named his land Lachine, reportedly because it means China in French; La Salle spent much of his life trying to find a route through the New World to China. Exploration Begins La Salle issued land grants of Lachine, set up a village, and set out to learn the languages of the native people living in the area. He quickly acquired the language of the Iroquois, who told him of the Ohio River, which they said flowed into the Mississippi. La Salle believed that the Mississippi flowed into the Gulf of California and from there, he thought, he would be able to find a western route to China. After receiving permission from the governor of New France, La Salle sold his interests in Lachine and began planning an expedition. La Salles first expedition began in 1669. During this venture, he met Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette, two white explorers, in Hamilton, Ontario. La Salles expedition continued from there and eventually reached the Ohio River, which he followed as far as Louisville, Kentucky before he had to return to Montreal after several of his men deserted. Two years later, Joliet and Marquette succeeded where La Salle had failed when they navigated the upper Mississippi River. Upon his return to Canada, La Salle oversaw the building of Fort Frontenac,  on the eastern coast of Lake Ontario in present-day Kingston, Ontario, which was intended as a station for the areas growing fur trade. The fort, completed in 1673, was named after Louis de Baude Frontenac, the governor-general of New France. In 1674, La Salle returned to France to gain royal support for his land claims at Fort Frontenac. He was granted support and a fur trade allowance, permission to establish additional forts in the frontier, and a title of nobility. With his newfound success, La Salle returned to Canada and rebuilt Fort Frontenac in stone. Second Expedition On Aug. 7, 1679, La Salle and Italian explorer Henri de Tonti set sail on Le Griffon, a ship he had built that became the first full-size sailing ship to travel the Great Lakes. The expedition was to begin at Fort Conti at the mouth of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. Before the voyage, La Salles crew brought in supplies from Fort Frontenac, avoiding Niagara Falls by using a portage around the falls established by Native Americans and carrying their supplies into Fort Conti. La Salle and Tonti then sailed Le Griffon up Lake Erie and into Lake Huron to Michilimackinac, near the present-day Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, before reaching the site of todays Green Bay, Wisconsin. La Salle then continued down the shore of Lake Michigan. In January 1680, he built Fort Miami at the mouth of the Miami River, now the St. Joseph River, in todays St. Joseph, Michigan. La Salle and his crew spent much of 1680 at Fort Miami. In December, they followed the river to South Bend, Indiana, where it joins the Kankakee River, then along this river to the Illinois River, establishing Fort Crevecoeur near what is today Peoria, Illinois. La Salle left Tonti in charge of the fort and returned to Fort Frontenac for supplies. While he was gone, Fort Crevecoeur was destroyed by mutinying soldiers. Louisiana Expedition After assembling a new crew including 18 Native Americans and reuniting with Tonti, La Salle began the expedition he is most known for. In 1682, he and his crew sailed down the Mississippi River. He named the Mississippi Basin La Louisiane in honor of King Louis XIV. On April 9, 1682, La Salle placed an engraved plate and a cross at the mouth of the Mississippi River, officially claiming the Louisiana Territory for France. In 1683 La Salle established Fort St. Louis at Starved Rock in Illinois and left Tonti in charge while he returned to France to resupply. In 1684, La Salle set sail from Europe to establish a French colony on the Gulf of Mexico at the mouth of the Mississippi River. Disaster The expedition started with four ships and 300 colonists, but in an extraordinary run of bad luck during the journey, three of the ships were lost to pirates and shipwreck. The remaining colonists and crew landed in Matagorda Bay, in present-day Texas. Due to navigational errors, La Salle had overshot his planned landing spot, Apalachee Bay near the northwestern bend of Florida, by hundreds of miles. Death They established a settlement near what became Victoria, Texas, and La Salle began searching overland for the Mississippi River. In the meantime, the last remaining ship, La Belle, ran aground and sank in the bay. On his fourth attempt to locate the Mississippi, 36 of his crew mutinied and on March 19, 1687, he was killed. After his death, the settlement lasted only until 1688, when local Native Americans killed the remaining adults and took the children captive. Legacy In 1995, La Salles last ship, La Belle, was found at the bottom of Matagorda Bay on the Texas coast. Archaeologists began a decades-long process of excavating, recovering, and conserving the ships hull and more than 1.6 million well-preserved artifacts, including crates and barrels of  items intended to support a new colony and supply a military expedition into Mexico: tools, cooking pots, trade goods, and weapons. They provide remarkable insights into the strategies and supplies that were used to establish colonies in 17th century North America.   The preserved hull of La Belle and many recovered artifacts are displayed in the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. Among La Salles other important contributions was his exploration of the Great Lakes region and the Mississippi Basin. His claiming of Louisiana for France contributed to distinctive physical layouts of cities in the far-ranging territory and to the culture of its residents. Sources Renà ©-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle: French Explorer. Encyclopaedia Britannica.Rene-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle. 64parishes.org.Renà ©-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle  Biography.  Biography.com.La Belle: The Ship That Changed History. ThehistoryofTexas.com.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Research Methodology of the BMW Strategy

Research Methodology of the BMW Strategy An Overview This research aims at determining how the BMW brand strategy can influence the Chinese consumer behaviors in the Chinese E-car market. In the reviewed literature, the study already discussed the consumer decision-making process on the purchasing of the E-cars.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Research Methodology of the BMW Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Besides, to make this study viable and empirically confirmable, the reliability of the primary results is a part of the study target. To receive an adequate answer in the goal of this research, the researcher will make the potential BMW Chinese consumers as its target group, based on the aims of the topic. More specifically, the researcher will sample 60 respondents from 10 different target groups, which will be from a stratified random sample. The researcher will analyze primary quantitative data using the computer-aided, SPSS system. Furtherm ore, the researcher will also collect secondary data, which will come from the published journals and from other pieces of literature to support the survey results. The Research Hypothesis The research hypothesizes that the brand reputation of the BMWi electric cars is low among the majority of the Chinese consumers. In the reviewed literature, the research noted that the perception of the Chinese consumers towards the foreign automobiles is considerably low. Moreover, the study analyzed how product information, brand personality, and brand associations influence the consumer’s perception about products. This hypothesis will help in identifying the strengths and weaknesses the BMWi brand. The study believes that the number of people interested in the BMWi electric vehicles is considerably low as the consumer’s attitudes are low towards the BMWi brand. Based on the reviewed literature, the study discovered that marketers measure consumer attitudes through the Rosenberg theory that contains two important variables. These variables include the instrumentality and the value of a product. This hypothesis is sufficient for assessing the perceived instrumentality and value of the BMWi E-cars in the Chinese automobile market.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The study assumes that majority of the aspiring BMW consumers are worried about the future of the electric-supported BMWi vehicles due to low trust. In the reviewed literature, marketing expert Frank Dophreide revealed that the BMW Group has failed to assist its consumers to distinguish between the old BMW models from the new E-car models. This construct will help in investigating the levels of trust among the Chinese consumers towards the BMWi brand. The study hypothesizes that the Chinese consumers cannot associate themselves with any of the BMWI brands because BMW has not reinfo rced the BMWi brand. Following the reviewed literature, the value-drivers model postulates that a brand experience is very meaningful for the consumer experiences. Therefore, reinforcing a meaningful and a different brand experience is essential. This hypothesis will assist the study to examine the attitudes of the consumers on their perceived brand experiences with the BMWi cars. Sociology and Scientific Dimension The intended research will hinge its foundation on the concept of sociology, in which the idea of the peoples way of living and their regular behaviors play important roles in this research. According to the researchers Auguste Comte, Hine, and Flemming, who invented the idea of sociology, the word sociology, literally means the continued cultural life of people (Babbie 2003). The research will take the approach of sociology, based on the idea that analyzing how the BMW brand strategy can influence the E-car consumer behaviors in the Chinese market, needs an understanding of the Chinese consumer behaviors and trends. Consumer behavior is a concept that directly associates with the concept of sociology in a manner that the behaviors of the consumers tell a lot about the cultural and societal values of a certain consumer group (Babbie 2003). In the concept of sociology, sociologists believe that social change can appear in a radical manner or through a regular process.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Research Methodology of the BMW Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Radical and Regular Change The study assumes that social change can be in the form of a radical change perspective or a regular change perspective. A radical social change refers to a form of social transformation, in which people replace their conventional social behaviors in a quick manner and in an abrupt way (Babbie 2003). In a radical social change, people change their cultures, social behaviors, and their rou tine practices in a drastic manner and adopt postmodern behaviors straight away. Contrary to the radical social change, regular social change refers to a process of social transformation whereby people of certain cultural values transform into their cultural behaviors and societal routines in a systematic manner (Bracken 2010). The study shall use the regular change view in the process of finding an approach by which the BMW brand strategy will influence the consumer behaviors in the Chinese market. A regular change perspective will provide the BMW marketers with a systematic way of penetrating into the Chinese E-car market. The Scientific Dimension on Social Change The scientific dimension regarding sociological research entails the concepts of ontology, epistemology, human nature, and methodology (Bracken 2010). In this research, the four concepts comprise an integral part of analyzing how the BMW brand strategy can influence the behaviors of the E-car consumers in the Chinese mar ket. In the social science research, ontology is a modern philosophical term that refers to the manner in which research uncovers what entails reality and how people perceive this reality. According to Bracken (2010), the main purpose of social science research is to help people create an understanding of how people comprehend social reality and how their personal perceptions shape their behaviors in the reality they know. The BMW brand strategy meant to influence the Chinese consumers to adopt the BMW electric cars, targets to help the people understand the reality in the use of electric vehicles (Bracken 2010). The ontological perceptions of the Chinese consumers concerning the BMW i3 and i8 cars will give the BMW Group a chance to teach its E-car consumers. Methodologically, the intended research will also use an epistemological research approach. According to Bracken (2010), epistemology is a social science approach in which the research concentrates on what comprises a valid kn owledge and the way people can obtain that valid knowledge. In epistemology, researchers concentrate on the creation and dissemination of information to suit the people who need it most.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Methodologically, the research seeks to use the epistemological approach to help the Chinese consumers understand the need to embrace the BMW electric vehicles, and help them cease their conventional ideologies about the electric cars. The philosophy of human nature will also be integral in this research. In social sciences, human nature is complex and researchers tend to develop ontological approaches to examine the human nature. While trying to understand ontology, epistemology, and their association with the human nature, it is important to understand that there are two main ontological approaches namely the positivism and the interpretivism approaches. The study will use a positivist approach. The Positivism Approach A positivist research technique is a form of a systematic scientific approach that sees the world as being based on the unchanging, universal laws and the view that everything that occurs around us can be explained by knowledge of these universal laws (Mukherja Alb on 2009, p. 11). This study will employ the positivist paradigm of research because the research on the BMW brand strategy entails the use of manipulative and quantitative approaches in analyzing a research environment. According to Mukherja and Albon (2009), a positivist research yields high validity and reliability because it regularly assumes that the much-needed truth is always within the people. Therefore, since people have enough knowledge to inform research, the positivist approach believes in the quantitative research approach, which accurately helps to measure and quantify a certain phenomenon. In this proposed research, the positivist approach will help the researcher to quantify and measure the responses of the participants quantitatively, and to provide a high data validity and reliability through an appropriate sampling and instrumentation. The Research Approach Based on the philosophies of the ontology and epistemology approaches that informed the research to use the p ositivism paradigm, the research will use the quantitative research approach to collect data, analyze data, and discuss the results. According to Tewksbury (2009), quantitative research aims at measuring, quantifying, and investigating a phenomenon through the collection of numerical data that comes from the closed-ended questionnaires. Quantitative research aims at investigating a phenomenon through manipulative techniques as it views behavior to be regular and predictable. In this study, the researcher intends to use a quantitative method because the research will rely on the positivist approach in which the data involved will provide predictable the aspects. According to Tewksbury (2009), a quantitative research approach helps researchers to study human behaviors under controlled conditions. The research on the BMW brand strategy involves a review of the predictive situations that accompany the participants who will provide data concerning their perceptions about the BMW electric cars. The Research Design Quantitative researchers often use descriptive statistics to present quantitative data and descriptions in a convenient manner (Borman Dowling 2008). The intended research is going to use a descriptive form of research in which a survey approach that uses closed-ended questionnaires will be useful in the collection and analysis of the primary data. Descriptive studies according to the social science researchers are studies that focus on describing the research participants. Therefore, since the study intends to deal with the consumer behaviors of the Chinese BMW users, the descriptive research design will be suitable for describing their consumption trends, consumption attitudes, and their consumption culture. The research will use a quantitative research survey technique to analyze how the BMW brand strategy can influence the consumer behaviors in the Chinese market. A quantitative technique may sometimes involve large data, which ends up not providing c oncise findings. To help make the data concise and meaningful, the descriptive research will help the researcher synthesize the data. The Survey Method Historically, a survey was a kind of a research method that used an observation or an investigation to prove the truth about a phenomenon. However, nowadays a survey is a scientific research term that explains the process of collecting primary data from the selected individuals, or from a research sample. It should remain noted that a short period of 12 weeks spared for an academic research is a limitation for research. Therefore, a questionnaire survey method is the best chosen for the research, because questionnaires are easy to comprehend, take little effort to fill, and are capable of providing a huge amount of information in a little space. A self-made questionnaire made up of 23 questions will be appropriate for this research. According to Ledesma and Valero-Mora (2007), self-made questionnaires help researchers to collect data based on the research question to test the available assumptions. The survey will comprise an interview form of research, in which the researcher will engage directly with the respondents, and administer the questionnaires by hand. The Sampling Strategy Studies involving the ontological and epistemological approaches often involve analyzing certain aspects with the human population. A scientific research must always have a target population in which a study must gather the required responses to produce empirical facts about a study phenomenon. The targeted population of the study is the Chinese E-car consumer group. The theory concerning the use of electric vehicles in China has associated the Chinese E-car consumers with increased levels of adamancy and negative attitudes towards the electric cars, and especially those manufactured by the foreign companies such as the BMW Company. The study will use the Chinese E-car consumers as their target population to unravel the association between cultural perceptions against the BMW electric vehicles, and the consumption trends of the Chinese E-car users. The research targets about 60 respondents from different consumer groups, to provide data on the present Chinese consumer perceptions about the BMW electric cars. The proposed research intends to sample its targeted population using the non-probability sampling technique. This non-probability sampling believes in the critical theory that argues that the modern social structure contains people with varied traits. Non-probability sampling is a research approach used to acquire a sample size from a targeted population through a procedure that does not give the targeted people equal participation opportunities in the research. In this form of sampling, the research will adopt a quota form of non-probability sampling technique to sample the consumers based predominantly on their connection with the BMW cars. To be more specific, the proportional quota sampling strategy w ill apply in this proposed research. Based on its prior empirical evidence, the propositional quota sampling technique will be relevant in this research because it allows researchers to sample the respondents based on their unique characteristics, i.e. age, occupational statuses, situational experiences, social statuses, and economic statuses, among others. This study understands very well that the representation of women in the class of premium car owners in the Chinese population is relatively low than that of men. To ensure that the results remains reliable and logical based on the principles of the propositional quota sampling technique, the study will conduct a pre-visit or a reconnaissance study, which will help the researcher identify the representation gap between the women and men in the premium car ownership. The reconnaissance will take almost a month to the actual study, and the researcher will make frequent quota sampling to ensure that the sample is proportional via a 50-50 representation. During the reconnaissance period, the researcher will sample the 60 respondents based on their educational backgrounds, their income statuses, their ages, and most importantly, their experiences with the BMW brands. A quota sampling of this kind will allow the researcher to get the respondents with high legibility for participation. The Questionnaire Design In quantitative research, researchers collect primary data from the respondents using carefully selected data instruments. A quantitative survey relies on the collection of quantitative data that comes in the form of numerical values or statistical figures. In scientific research, the most appropriate data collection instrument that is suitable for the collection of quantitative data is the closed-ended questionnaire. Closed-ended questionnaires are capable of giving uniform results with high accuracy when appropriately applied in a quantitative research. The proposed research will use self-administered clos ed-ended questionnaires with a manipulative framework in which the respondents will only fit their responses using some fixed conditions. The structured or closed-ended questionnaires will have predetermined responses driven by the existing theories. The study will articulate the questionnaires using the Chinese language to yield better responses because most of the respondents may not be well conversant with English despite their high educational levels. Data Collection Procedure Just like any other scientific research, the study will use two forms of data namely the primary data and the secondary data. Primary data is a form of research data observed and gathered through a first-hand field experience. According to Driscoll (2011), primary research involves the actual collection of data through observations, interviews, and surveys. The most appropriate means of collecting primary quantitative data is through the surveys, which come through the structured questionnaires commonly kn own as the closed-ended questionnaires (Scotland 2012). Just like in the other forms of quantitative research, this study will rely on the surveys administered through the structured questionnaires to collect primary data from the 60 participants identified for the study. The importance of primary data in research is that primary data reinforces the theoretical assumptions and other empirical findings identified in the existing literature. This approach helps because primary data provides verifiable facts to validate the findings of a given research. Secondary Data Research is all about gathering and analyzing data to have a coherent conclusion. To reinforce and bolster the facts established in the primary data, researchers gather data from the peer-reviewed published journals, books, and from other relevant literature sources. According to Nicholson and Bennett (2008), data gathered from the peer-reviewed journal, the books, and other literature sources, where no significant first- hand experience is involved, is known as the secondary data. In this research, the researcher will use several secondary data sources including books, journals, and articles on genuine websites. The study proposed to use secondary data with an aim of strengthening the primary data collected since secondary data is normally capable of enabling a richer exploration of the research phenomena. In a carefully triangulated manner, the research will establish the most relevant secondary data through various internet searches. Data with verified empirical facts will be more useful in this proposed research. Data Analysis In a primary research, the collected data must undergo further synthesis and analysis to provide meaningful information that can enrich the research conclusion. According to Babbie (2003), the practice of social research where a quantitative approach plays a role requires an understanding of how to analyze the quantitative data that comes in the form of numeric data. The mo st reliable data analysis tool that quantitative researchers use is the SPSS data analysis tool (Scotland 2012). The SPSS research tool, which stands for the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, is a form of predictive analytics software that helps researchers to analyze quantitative data appropriately (George Mallery 2003). The software will be appropriate because the study will rely on data collected from the structured questionnaires where numerical data will be present (Scotland 2012). Additionally, the research will use the Excel system to support the SPSS software in analyzing some data that will be in numerical form but maybe with a different dimension. Ethical Considerations In the social science research, the collection of primary data often entails the use of human participants as subjects that provide empirical data of a study. The involvement of human beings as important research subjects that enrich a study in the collection of data often requires a close considera tion of the research ethics (Ledesma Valero-Mora 2007). The proposed research seeks to collect data from 60 participants who are all human beings. The study will ensure a maximum use of ethical principles in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of the primary data collection. Firstly, while collecting primary data will be an essential part of the research, respondents will participate in the study and give information upon their willingness and upon their discretion. In a diplomatic manner, this research understands that using coercion or intimidation to extract information from the research participants is unlawful and unethical. In the secondary data, the research will ensure a proper acknowledgment of the authors through proper document citation. Limitations The proposed research may face limitations because, within the targeted population, it is uneasy to detect the exact number of people with the knowledge about the BMW electric cars. Secondly, the area of study is Chin a, where the introduction of the electric cars has elicited sharp political and social reactions concerning the engagement of the foreign automotive companies in the Chinese automobile market. The inherent social attitudes and political influences are capable of influencing the response behavior of the participants (Tewksbury 2009). Locating the reliable participants is also another significant limitation to this research. The research requires the collection of data from 60 human respondents, who are either in motion with their vehicles or scattered somewhere within the large population. People with premium or personal cars are often uneasy to locate and engage them in a survey because they are either driving or busy with certain schedules. Moreover, BMW has a low brand identity in China, and the Chinese participants may not respond efficiently to some questions. Validity Reliability Since most of the social science studies often measure the human behavior using the positivist par adigm and empirical analytic approaches to discern the reality, the measurement instruments must always prove to be valid and reliable (Drost 2011). Due to the Chinese political and social influences against the foreign car brands, respondents are likely to provide biased information. To help reduce the chances of information biases, the study aims to use a self-made questionnaire, which can suitably counter this social dilemma, as the fixed responses will yield coherent answers (Drost 2011). First, the researcher should determine whether the questionnaire has a correct design and a clearly understandable design that is familiar to the respondents. Moreover, as Drost (2011) states, the researchers must determine whether the selected sample is suitable for the survey when handing out the questionnaire. Additionally, the researcher will make sure that the responses will not remain affected by external inhibiting factors through assuring the respondents of their confidentiality and res pect in the responses they will give. To help ensure high reliability and validity of the research data, the study will employ several test and data reliability measures to improve the validity and reliability of the collected data. In their study, Saunders, Lewis, and Thornwill (2007) discovered that for research to prove empirically correct, researchers must ensure that the instruments of data meet all the satisfactory levels of validity. The four satisfactory levels of data validity include the internal validity, the external validity, the construct validity, and the statistical conclusion validity (Drost 2011). To avoid problems related to the construct validity, just as Drost (2011) recommends, the researcher will ensure that the self-made questionnaires follow the guided principles of forming questionnaires, are scientifically verifiable, and have the proper structure. A researcher can ensure the validity of the data from a survey (Saunders et al. 2007). Before the respondents answer the questionnaires, there has to be a premise, in which the researchers need to know whether respondents have the idea about it. In the construct validity, if the respondents did not clearly understand any of the questions, the researcher will have the responsibility to explain it until they understand how to answer the questionnaire. Because this topic is about a hi-fi tech product, the number of male respondents may be higher than that of the female respondents. However, using a balanced proportion of male and female respondents for a reliable questionnaire is vital (Pogodzinski, Young, Frank Belman 2012). Thus, it is necessary to let respondents understand what the questionnaire includes. Based on the existing theory, several hypotheses are verifiable by the findings. The validity of hypotheses will be used to confront the observation that is conducted by the questionnaire. If hypotheses are not valid, further adjustments of the hypotheses will be necessary (Steele, Hami lton, Stecher 2010). To study the consumer behavior effectively, the researcher will write the questions in the Chinese language. Using the Chinese language to target the Chinese respondents will help to avoid language bias. References Babbie, E 2003, The Practice of Social Research, The Wadsworth Publishing, Belmont City. Borman, G Dowling, N 2008, ‘Teacher attrition and retention: A meta-analytic and narrative review of the research, Review of Educational Research, vol. 78, no. 3, pp. 4-13. Bracken, S 2010, ‘Discussing the importance of ontology and epistemology awareness in practitioner research, Worcester Journal of Learning and Teaching, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 1-10. Castellan, C 2010, ‘Quantitative and Qualitative Research: A View for Clarity, International Journal of Education, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 1-14. Driscoll, D 2011, ‘Introduction to Primary Research: Observations, Surveys, and Interviews, Readings on Writing, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 153-174. Drost, E 2011, ‘Validity and Reliability in Social Science Research, Education Research and Perspectives, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 105-123. George, D Mallery, P 2003, SPSS for Windows Step-by-step: A simple guide and reference, Allyn Bacon Publishers, Boston. Ledesma, R Valero-Mora, P 2007, ‘Exploratory factor analysis: Practical Assessment, Research Evaluation, vol. 12, no. 22, pp. 17-33. Mukherja, P Albon, D 2009, Research Methods in Early Childhood: An Introductory Guide, Rutledge Publishers, London. Nicholson, S Bennett, T 2008, ‘Transparent Practices: Primary and Secondary Data in Business Ethics Dissertations, Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 1, no. 7, pp. 1-10. Pogodzinski, B, Young, P, Frank, K, Belman, D 2012, ‘Administrative climate and novices intent to remain teaching, The Elementary School Journal, vol. 113, no. 2, pp. 1-18. Saunders, M, Lewis P, Thornhill, 2007, Research Methods for Business Students, Pearson Higher Ed, London. Scotland, J 2012, ‘Exp loring the Philosophical Underpinnings of Research: Relating Ontology and Epistemology to the Methodology and Methods of the Scientific, Interpretive, and Critical Research Paradigms, English Language Teaching, vol. 5, no. 9, pp. 9-16. Steele, J Hamilton, L Stecher, B 2010, Incorporating student performance measures into teacher evaluation systems, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica. Tewksbury, R 2009, ‘Qualitative versus Quantitative Methods: Understanding Why Qualitative Methods are Superior for Criminology and Criminal Justice, Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology, vol. 1, no.1, pp. 38-58.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

To Compare Jacques-Louis David's Death of Marat with Caravaggio's Essay

To Compare Jacques-Louis David's Death of Marat with Caravaggio's Entombment - Essay Example However, they differ in their implications and the audiences they intended to address during their time. For illustration, Caravaggio's Entombment audience encompassed Christians whereby it intended to instill the essence of Christ’s death (Wright 20). Jacques-Louis David's Death of Marat served as homage to the French revolutionary (Bietoletti 70). Death of Marat, Entombment both emanated from neoclassical and baroque periods respectively in spite of sharing similar implications regarding fallen heroes (Bietoletti 8). This study seeks to expound how the two works compare by utilizing similar stylistic elements to convey their respective message to the audiences. Stylistic analysis Figure 1: The Death of Marat - Jacques-Louis David. Accessed on 19Th 19Th December 2012 from Figure 2: Entombment of Christ – Caravaggio. Accessed on 19Th December 2012 from The significance of these two images lies with common utilization of stylistic techniques to relay their messages to t he audiences. This is regardless of the artists emanating or representing diverse artwork periods. Essentially, this is evident from how they use space in both Jacques-Louis David's Death of Marat and Caravaggio's Entombment images, which is more of baroque style (Greene 402). The artists in depicting their artworks tend to diminish the space amid the audience and the images, whereby one can feel them with hands. For instance, the Caravaggio's portrait exemplifies the tomb where the Christ is about to lie far much close to the viewer, which is apparent from the light illuminating one of its four corners. This is also similar with the man’s foreshortened elbow that seems to protrude in the viewer’s space from its intended realm. Similarly, David utilizes the same techniques mainly exhibited by both the man’s head and the desk’s contents, though in comparison the latter seems closer to the viewer than the rest. The artists have also utilized light and dark shades in their images, though in this context their implications are diverse. Caravaggio’s intention encompassed to move the audience’s focus to the core activity, which the figures were doing. Consequently, this was his intention of darkening the background by illuminating only the figures and tomb, though it seems so dramatic compared to the real illumination. Since, Caravaggio’s tenebroso does not allow slow movement of light to the targeted figures and spreading to the surroundings, but abruptly results to a sharp focus to the intended direction. Probably, this is to deny insignificant areas (background) adequate illumination, which common with Catholicism images meant for meditation or commemoration. Jacques-Louis David has also adopted the same technique though his intention entailed to soften the scene’s horror. This is by utilizing warm yellow light that would give the image a fairer outlook contrary to its reality (Marat had a skin diseases) (Gr eene 402). Dark shade in this image is similar to Caravaggio’s, which evades eliminating the background coupled with shift the audience’s focus to the main figure. Besides, the dark shade in this image softens murder’s merciless stubbing and the knife that is lying on the floor, though