WRITTEN INTERVIEW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

WRITTEN INTERVIEW - Essay Example The World is a mixture of people who are different from each other and that is what makes it so interesting to get to know about each other. In this reference I conducted an interview of a person who is a part of a different culture. The main reasons were to study the different characteristics that a person possesses and the things he or she acquires while growing up in a different culture. I would not disclose the name of the person that I interviewed due to his request but would like to mention the culture where he comes from. The person belonged to a Muslim family. The person had proper good schooling and claimed a Bachelors degree later in Business Administration. He also had a Masters degree in the same field and was working in a reputable organization since the past four years. The person highlighted some major issues relating to people of his age group in their culture concerning problems like physical, cognitive and psychosocial developments. The first aspect of physical development is related to the food that is been given to the person and as most Muslim countries are third world countries hence physical development has always been a problem. Early deaths, improper growth these have been problems related to the Muslim community. Though physical development has not been a major problem for the Muslim community but it has been a reason to hinder their success and development. The thinking ability of most Muslims is seen as of extremism and is also thought of as conservative all over the globe but in reality it’s not the same. The Muslims are very open to every aspect of life and this negative bias that has been created is due to some people who do not actually know what are the morals of the Muslim culture. According to the interview people of thi s culture are very good and concentrated thinkers. They follow the rationality principal and all the set of ideas that they believe on come from their Holy Book Quran. These set of

Secularization in Britain-Sociology Dissertation Essay

Secularization in Britain-Sociology Dissertation - Essay Example How are these factors represented in the United Kingdom? In general, secularization is still the word of the day, yet while in the past trends directed almost exclusively towards secularization, now there are mixed trends leading both towards and away from secularization. Secondary data analysis is the reuse of quantitative data, the analysis of data collected by others. The following secondary data analysis is essential to guiding our research. First: It is important for us to understand the theoretical approaches of those who have gone before us. As the secularization theory (McGee) we review below indicates, things that might seem to be a sign of one thing (desecularization) can actually be a sign of another (secularization) if interpreted under a different framework. Understanding what data means, not just prior data, is essential. Second: It's impossible to identify trends without introducing longitudinal data. Thus, surveyed below are studies primarily from the 2000s, but with data and trend analysis going back much earlier than that. Third: To hedge against bias and presuppositions, it is vital to see what others think. The data below is drawn from a number of sources, including multiple major analyses of the UK's religiosity: An analysis of churchgoing; an analysis of the UK as compared to other countries; and longitudinal trends. The variety of sources is essential to get many different handles on the idea of secularization. As our data indicate, the exact definition and amount of religiosity is not something that can be ascertained from one vector. Someone can identify themselves as an atheist yet admit to prayer; someone can view themselves as not especially religious yet be uneasy with the idea of teaching evolution in the schools. We thus chose to look for many different factors to truly understand the face of secularization in the UK. Variables chosen include self-identification as religious or atheistic/agnostic, which is vital for understanding secularization since a secular society should presumably have more secular people; the degree of belief in prayer; the degree of value that people place on religion, such as people's beliefs that religion makes one a better person or causes wars and conflict; belief in evolution, an important specific choice because it acts as a prima facia plausibility test to see if the other variables might be exaggerating the secularization and overestimating its practical and social impact; etc. We did not focus on specific sectarianism as it generally is not important for the way that secularization is proceeding. The limitations of the data analysis below are obvious. The longitudinal data is good but doesn't take into account a broad enough set of variables or ways that people behave. Anomalies emerge, like a general trend towards secularization alongside increased scepticism about evolution. Secondary Data Analysis Unquestionably, the historical trend in the UK has been towards secularizati on. Brierly (1989) found that from 1900 to 1985 the trend was overwhelmingly towards more secularization, and predicted this trend would continue. The British Social Attitudes (2010) studies confirm this fact. The number of people from

The Contribution Of The Chicago School Of Criminology Criminology Essay

The Contribution Of The Chicago School Of Criminology Criminology Essay To understand the contribution of the Chicago School of criminology is to understand how the confluence of geography, urbanisation, economics, immigration and the exchange of social theory between Europe and America combined to create new ways of looking at society. This essay will critically evaluate the contribution of the Chicago School, touching on these contributing factors to its development, prestige and influence. This essay will also note the limitations of the Chicago School that arise from the specificity of its location and its reliance on certain ideologies and research methods. In conclusion, this essay will argue that the same combination of factors that created the schools dominance in the field of criminology makes it vulnerable to social change. The Chicago School had its basis in the University of Chicago sociology department, which is the oldest in the United States and was established in 1892 (Lilly et al, 2007, p. 36). DEramo Thomson (2003) note this was a period of rapid social transformation. Chicago was a major railroad hub and became a huge industrial centre in its own right, notably its meat-packing industry (DEramo Thomson, 2003, p. 7). Chicago was an excellent place to carry out sociological fieldwork because it exemplified the post-industrial concentration of population in urban areas. The city grew from one million to two million people between 1890 and 1910 (Lilly et al, 2007, p. 34) providing a perfect Petri dish for the Chicago Schools study of human behaviour. The concentration of industry and therefore economic opportunity prompted an influx of immigrants and led to rapid changes in living patterns. Urbanisation was a major characteristic of the Industrial Revolution, and many cities grew very rapidly, so criminologists in other cities could easily generalise from the work of the Chicago School (Fine, 1995, p. 300). The most significant contribution of the Chicago School is the idea of social ecology. It holds that crime is a response to unstable environment and abnormal living conditions (Treadwell, 2006, p. 47). This is no longer a particularly radical idea, which is an indicator of the continued prominence of the Chicago School. For centuries, crime was viewed as a moral failure (ibid.) in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Criminals were sinners. What the Chicago School recognised was that urban life was distinct from rural life and its hectic, anonymous nature influenced peoples behaviour (Carrabine, 2004, p. 51). Chicago School criminologists were quick to draw a link between juvenile delinquency and the economic and geographic patterns of urban development. Thanks to the population boom they were able to study in detail, over a short span of time, the shifts from inner city to suburbs, and the differences in crime rates between affluent suburbs and the inner city poor (Treadwell, 2006). It is still possible to read first-hand observations in the Chicago School monographs written by sociologists such as Beirne and Thomas, on topics including hobos, prostitutes, dance halls and organised crime (Carrabine, 2004, p. 50). These books are a permanent testimony to the influence of the Chicago School, as well as offering a contemporary historical account of the development of criminology. Theories developed by the Chicago School are still central tenets of criminology whether modern researchers agree or are trying to discredit them. One of their primary assertions was that disruption, e.g. immigration, economic shifts and family instability, tends to cause crime, which has been affirmed by modern studies showing that social disorder, weak friendship networks and low community involvement produce higher crime rates (Lanier Henry, 2004, p. 214). Underlying the focus on identifying where crime is located geographically and socially is the influence of Emile Durkheim, who believed crime is an inevitable and necessary party of society (Beirne Messerschmidt, 2000, p. 97). This ideology naturally tends towards identifying crime and its causes, rather than believing it can be eliminated. The ongoing influence of the Chicago School prompted further sociological studies with a similar ethos of identifying where crime would come from. In the 1930s and 1940s sociological soc ial psychology, a study of group behaviour that emphasises group dynamics and socialisation (Siegel, 2008, p. 9), developed based in part on the Schools social ecology principles. Treadwell (2006) remarks that one of the Chicago Schools main contributions to criminology are its qualitative research methods. Robert Ezra Park, chair of the Department of Sociology, had a passion for walking the streets of the worlds great cities, observing the full range of human turbulence and triumphà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ he led a group of dedicated sociologists in direct, systematic observation of urban life (Carrabine, 2004, p. 50). Park taught his methods of direct observation to generations of students in his thirty-year career the University, ensuring the future study of criminology would be grounded in first-person observation. This seems axiomatic, however, it marked a shift from morally-determined ideas about crime that made assumptions based on belief, rather than observation. Sociologists such as Thresher and Shaw took to the streets, bars and juvenile courts of Chicago to observe people going about their daily lives (Treadwell, 2006). This pattern of study offered marginali sed people to report their own lives (ibid.). Subsequently research has tended to gravitate around methods pioneered by the Chicago School, such as direct interviews with subjects. This has also been construed as a weakness of the school, though, with critics arguing that the qualitative nature of its studies can result in the undue influence of the researchers personal bias (Fine, 1995, p. 139). While this inspired other sociologists to devote more attention to research techniques the subjectivist Chicago school method (ibid, p. 139) is still widely used in criminology. The structure of research in criminology has been shaped by the Chicago School in other ways, as well. It was home to some of the most influential voices in early criminology including urban sociologists such as W.I. Thomas, Robert Ezra Park, Ernest W. Burgess, and Louis Wirth (Siegel, 2008, p. 7) who pioneered social ecology. Significantly, Park, Burgess and Wirth were sociologists, teaching and conducting criminological research as part of the sociology department. As a result most criminologists have been trained in sociology, and many sociology departments are home to criminology courses (ibid. p. 162) This is more than an academic coincidence. To place criminology in the realm of sociology is to implicitly accept as a starting point the idea that criminal behaviour is rooted in society, not personal morality. This represents a radical shift from almost two thousand years of Judeo-Christian belief. In order to understand how important it is, imagine, for example, that criminology developed as an offshoot of economics. Not only would the style of research be vastly different, it seems likely the types of crime it studied would be different. White collar crime, such as fraud and embezzlement, might well be considered more serious and worthy of study than crimes against persons, such as assault or burglary. However, because criminology started with sociology the relationships between individuals, and between individuals and the larger culture, remain the primary subject of study. By focusing on relationships between people, and their environmental interactions, the Chicago School tended towards certain conclusions. Shaw McKay found that certain areas had consistently high delinquency rates despite rapid turnover of the population, this tended to support the idea that the environment itself was at least partly responsible for generating crime (Beirne Messerschmidt, 2000, p. 123). Furthermore, Shaw and McKay the first to identify what became known as white flight the phenomenon of well-off, well-educated (usually white) people moving out of urban centres to more affluent suburbs, leaving cities with concentrations of poor, less-educated citizens, often concentrated in ethnic or racial groups (ibid, p. 122). This pattern of movement and separation helps explain the observation that certain areas are more crime-prone. It is not the result of more criminals flocking to certain areas, but rather that the bad living conditions and poor infrastructure create barri ers community, and offer opportunities or even incentives for criminal behaviour. However, because of the sociological focus, what subsequent studies looked at were social concerns, rather than economic. Sutherland put forth the theory that criminal behaviour is learned, just like any other kind of behaviour (Hagan, 2007, p. 159). The learning takes place within groups, and includes learning how to commit criminal acts, and developing justifications for doing so (ibid.). This is based on the idea that if people are concentrated in areas with limited opportunity and/or close proximity to criminals, they are more likely to learn deviant behaviour. However, an equally valid line of reasoning would be all the people in a particular area are equally poor, so they turn to crime not as a learned behaviour but as an individual response to the economic conditions. Thanks to the Chicago School, though, the notion of learned criminal behaviour gained primacy. This can be seen in entertainment, like the film The Usual Suspects and TV drama Prison Break, whose plots involve groups of criminals brought together in prison who then plot and commit more crimes together. Despite making its main focus sociology the Chicago School does acknowledge that economics is the root of a great deal of criminal behaviour. Siegel (2008) argues the culture of poverty leads to apathy, cynicism and a sense of (p. 163) though again that is a sociological analysis of an economic situation. Nevertheless, the extensive Chicago School studies involving marginalised classes such as prostitutes and gangs (Carrabine, 2004, p. 52) offered rich data and established patterns for further study. The methodology, if not the ideological starting point, remains extremely relevant to thinking on the causes of crime. That is not to overstate the importance of the Chicago School. As previously noted, Chicago in the early twentieth century underwent rapid change thanks to a combination of geographic and economic factors that is unlikely to ever be repeated. The result is that some of the conclusions of the Chicago School, while interesting, are clearly limited in their usefulness. For example, the concentric rings theory of urban growth (Hagan, 2007, p. 154), which is based observations about Chicagos development with an industrial centre with layers of the poor, and then the increasingly affluent, around it. That development pattern applies to many American cities but, Beirne Messerschmidt note, is not equally valid in Europe (2000). Major European cities such as London, Paris, Barcelona and Amsterdam have extremely rich, desirable neighbourhoods close to the heart of the city, with poorer neighbourhoods scattered randomly around the outskirts. The Chicago School, working from its specific historical vantage point, failed to take into account different urban growth patterns. Even more critical is the consideration of innovations in technology and communications, which has important implications for how environment is defined. The Chicago School offered a strong counterpoint to explanations that blamed individuals for their criminality (Lilly et al, 2007, p. 34) and focused on the influence of environment. However, they were studying an urban area before the age of mass communication. Contemporary application of Chicago School ideas has to take into account that the nature of technology and therefore the social ecology has changed. Urbanisation is still a powerful driving force and there is still extensive economic migration, but it does not occur at the same rate as in turn-of-the-century Chicago. Modern technology allows people to constantly network and communicate with people outside their physical environment which necessarily changes the definition of what constitutes their community. A migrant living in London might be isolated from their own cult ural group which the Chicago School would argue is a risk for increased criminal behaviour but they can go to an internet cafà © and video-chat with friends in the country of origin. So in an important way they are maintaining a community bond, and they are not disrupted in the same way a 1930s immigrant would have been. Where the influence of the Chicago School can still be felt is that it continues to define terms of study, such as environment, even if the nature of what is being studied has changed. Another area where the Chicago School is less useful is in terms of drawing up plans for preventing crime. Based on the belief that crime is a learned behaviour, caused by environment, it argued that it can in large part be prevented by social programmes (Carrabine, 2004, p. 52). However, Lanier and Henry (2004) note the Chicago School observed that one of the factors in social disorganisation, and therefore crime, was a lack of respect for authority and little faith in social organisations. This presents a catch-22. Social organisations cannot effectively combat crime if people them. The Chicago School does not offer any firm solutions for this problem. Informal social organisations such as churches, parent-teacher associations and sports programmes suggest one way of reaching communities, and these groups are seen to play a major role in reducing criminal behaviour (Lanier Henry, 2004, p. 218). Lanier Henry (2004) note, however, that formal social control in the form of policing is also essential to prevent crime, however this is observational rather than prescriptive. In conclusion, Chicago was a powerhouse of social and intellectual study throughout the twentieth century. Cassidy notes Chicago thinking greatly influenced policymaking in the U.S. and many other parts of the world (Cassidy, 2008, p. 28) however he is talking about the Chicago School of economics, rather than criminology. Cassidy writes about the upheaval within the economic school due to the global recession, and the discrediting of many of the Chicago School of Economics fundamental financial beliefs (ibid). This shows that even the most respected, established schools of academic thought can be critically undermined by social changes. By definition, it is only possible to study what already exists. Though the theories drawn up by the Chicago School regarding criminology make important observations and predictions those are subject to revision based on changes in society. The usefulness of theories and ideologies is ultimately rooted in the real-life. When a culture undergoes radic al changes there are inevitably challenges to accepted ways of thinking and to long-standing academic disciplines. For almost a century the Chicago School has held its place in criminology, but as society changes and its needs change this long tradition could also be displaced.

Entry Criteria to the Euro :: Euro Finances Economics Essays

Entry Criteria to the Euro 1.Entry criteria The four entry criteria are set out in Article 121(1) of the EC Treaty. A Member State must satisfy all four criteria in order to be able to enter the euro area. (Treaty quotes Source: http://europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l25014.htm [02/02/2004]) 1.1. Price Stability The Treaty stipulates: "The achievement of a high degree of price stability [...] will be apparent from a rate of inflation which is close to that of, at most, the three best-performing Member States in terms of price stability." The inflation rate of a Member State must not exceed by more than 1.5% that of the three best-performing Member States in terms of price stability for a year preceding the test for criteria compliance. TEST PASSED ----------- 1.2. Government Finances The Treaty stipulates: "The sustainability of the government financial position [...] will be apparent from having achieved a government budgetary position without a deficit that is excessive [...]". This stipulation gave rise to two criteria being drawn up by the Commission for the Council of Finance Ministers. A. The annual government deficit must not exceed 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) at the end of the preceding financial year to the test for criteria compliance. B. Outstanding government debt must not exceed 60% of GDP at the end of the preceding financial year to the test for criteria compliance. TEST PASSED 1.3. Exchange Rates The Treaty stipulates: "the observance of the normal fluctuation margins provided for by the exchange-rate mechanism of the European Monetary System, for at least two years, without devaluing against the currency of any other Member State." A. The Member State must have controlled its exchange rate in line with the Euro within the normal margins of the exchange-rate mechanism, without any break during the two years preceding the test for criteria compliance. B. The Member State must not have devalued its currency against the Euro on its own initiative during the same period. The pound has been controlled in line with the normal margins of the ERM and there has been no devaluation in the last two years. TEST PASSED ----------- 1.4. Long-Term Interest Rates The Treaty stipulates: "the durability of convergence achieved by the Member State [...] being reflected in the long-term interest-rate levels". The nominal long-term interest rate must not exceed 2%of the three best-performing Member States in terms of price stability. The period taken into consideration is the year preceding the test for criteria compliance.

Book Report: Thus Spoke Zarathustra Essay

The Book The controversial fiction book of Existentialist Friedrich Nietzsche titled ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’ was originally written in German in late Eighteenth Century. This fiction book, which was completed between 1883 and 1885, tells about the author’s philosophy of ‘the eternal recurrence of the same,’ his most contentious story on the ‘death of God’, and his introduction of the concept of the overman (Repeboom, 2001). Thus Spake Zarathustra represents the philosophy of its own author, as well as his concept of ethics and morality which— according to him— must be taken into account by men. The book’s main character personifies Nietzsche’s moral ideals as against the morality of his time. In presenting his philosophy and his ideals of morality, Nietzsche satirically and apparently appropriated for himself a biblical style. By doing so, Nietzsche showed his strong opposition to Judea-Christian concept of God and morality. Synopsis ‘Thus Spoke’ centers on the conjured journey of Zarathustra— from his ten years of seclusion in the wilderness up to his long travels in the low-land where he met with several kinds of personalities and where he declared that God is dead and preached his own concept of morality. The name Zarathustra actually came from a historical figure Zoroaster, the Persian diviner who founded Zoroastrianism. However the rationale of Nietzsche in writing the book is to present a new form or notion of Zarathustra, whose literary purpose is to introduce a new concept of morality that is totally different from Judea-Christian ethics and morality. With this Nietzsche claimed that it was his fictitious character Zarathustra who is the â€Å"first moralist† (Nietzsche et al, 1989, p.327). Nietzsche went on by saying that it was Zarathustra who thought and spoke of the eternal struggle between good and evil. One of the popular lines or quotations in the book is that famous aphorism â€Å"God is dead,† a concept which was popularized by Nietzsche. However, the most significant pillar of the story is the concept of overman, translated from the German word ‘Ubermensch’ (Nietzsche, 2004, p.56). According to Nietzsche, the overman is man’s symbol of self, as well as the concepts of ‘self-overcoming,’ ‘self-direction,’ self-cultivation,’ and ‘self-mastery’ (Nietzsche et al, 1989). In the story, Zarathustra was 30 years old when he practically abandoned his home and decided to live in the mountains ((Nietzsche, 2004, p.1). After ten years of living in the wilderness, Zarathustra decided to leave the mountains to preach his new found knowledge and gospel to the people in the lowland. On his way down he met different kinds of individuals like a saint, the backworldsmen, the pale criminal, the preachers of death, the priests, and the virtuous, among others. The finale the book’s main character’s preaching is the principle of eternal recurrence. This doctrine postulates the eternal repetition of all events. Based on the philosophical concept of Nietzsche, only the overman cal fully understand said doctrine, because it is only him who has the will power to assume conscientiousness and accountability for all aspects of his life and to desire nonentity more than for every moment to happen over and over again. Zarathustra has a problem confronting this concept of eternal recurrence, since he cannot accept the notion that the weakness of the masses will happen again ad infinitum without any progress or development. At the last part of the novel, Zarathustra gathers in his cavern in the mountain several individuals who have not yet achieve the status of an overman. In his cave, Zarathustra and his men enjoy a banquet and express their joy by singing several songs. At the end of the book, Zarathustra finally embraced the doctrine of eternal recurrence, as well as the notion that â€Å"joy is deeper still that grief can be† (Nietzsche, 2004, p.310). The Concept of Overman One of the most controversial ideas introduced by Nietzsche is the concept of overman. According to Nietzsche, the status of an overman is what men should achieve. However, one cannot achieve this status without forsaking the values instilled upon him by the contemporary religious and ideological structures that continuously poison his way of thinking and his values. During Nietzsche’s time, the concept of morality was dominated and dictated by the Catholic Church. All societal norms, doctrinal beliefs, religious traditions, and mystical ideas were deeply associated and strongly connected with the religious teachings and dogmatic beliefs of the Catholic Church. With this, Nietzsche presented his idea of an ideal man— the overman— through his fiction book titled Thus Spoke Zarathustra (Nietzsche, 1967). In this book, Zarathustra at the age of thirty spent 10 years living in the wilderness and enjoying his independence and seclusion. When Zarathustra decided to leave the mountain to preach and spread his new-found gospel or idea to the mob of people below, he met a number of different types of people like the priests, the pitiful, the magician, the virtuous, the tarantulas, the last man, to name a few (Nietzsche, 1967). One of the classes of person he met is a saint who devoted all his life and works to God. Zarathustra was greatly surprised that the man was never informed that God is dead. There, Zarathustra asserts that â€Å"man is something which ought to be overcome† (Rosen & Gillespie, 2000). By overcoming ‘man,’ an individual must create his own virtuous according to his own will or purpose in life. By doing so, he becomes a creator of values and not an absorber of the same. Zarathustra also declares and claims that man is tied between the beasts and the overman, and thus the humanity must seek for the coming of the overman by being true to the world and this life and by deserting the morals and ethical standards that poisoned man’s mind and his values. In presenting the overman as the creator of virtues, Nietzsche also rebuked all the established values and morals of his time. The concept of overman is something that is higher in standards and in terms of values than the men who subordinated their will and live to a structure that preaches for the departure of human soul from earth. Being a creator of values, must live according to his morals and based on what he thinks is right, and nor according to anybody’s will or to society’s moral standards.   In some of his works which were published on the Gay Science, Nietzsche identified at least two structures that set the values and moral standards that should not be imbibed by any man who aspires to be an over man (Allison, 2001). One of which is the religious structure or the Catholic Church that preaches predominant Christian values. Christian dogma and other religious beliefs advocate for the virtue of meekness and pity. Nietzsche through Zarathustra contends the absence of any virtue in being humble if a person is too feeble to be able of being otherwise. Thus, this means that meekness is never a desired virtue if man fails to live as an individual who creates values. The doctrinal foundation of Christian faith is against the values by which the overman lives for. Nietzsche enumerated the three sins that can be committed against God. These sins are the following— sex, the desire for power, and selfishness. These things, based on the existentialist moral code of Nietzsche, should neither be condemned nor abandoned. This is because all these three, when chased with good intent and a clear conscience, are essential to man’s existence, power and life. The overman needs all three for his pursuit of happiness. This is to say— based on Nietzsche’s Existentialist ideals that happiness, therefore, is the goal of every virtuous man. On the other hand, state or government is so strong a superstructure in setting substandard morale codes and values. This is the reason of Nietzsche in presenting his concept of overman. Based on the philosopher’s personal works, the state is a potent menace to a free and happy life because it seeks to shape populace into a middling, unthinking multitude. Apart from this, the state also advocates for the propagation of the egalitarian principle of democracy that glorifies the meekness of the weak and impedes the growth of the strong-willed and the creative. Critical Evaluation However, it must be carefully noted that Nietzsche’s argument in his fiction novel that â€Å"God is dead† should not be taken literally. One of the central concepts of the book is the pronouncement made by Zarathustra in one of his many sermons that God is dead. This statement should be taken in its figurative sociological meaning or essence than as a spiritual, mystical account. In the book, god represents a metaphysical structure that continues to poison the minds of men. This doctrinal poison is what preventing from attaining the status of an overman. By saying that God is dead, what Zarathustra means to say is that the arrival of the overman signals the end of the obsolete and old-fashioned moral code of the Christian faith that had become the binding force of all social, political and spiritual lives of people in the medieval ages (Nishitani, Parkes & Aihara, 1990). It means that the Christian concept of good and evil had already lost its grip on our culture and norms. According to Nietzsche, the society’s and religious’ concept of the eternal struggle between good and evil was philosophically flawed and defective. This is because the Christian faith and other religious doctrines consider many things that are good to man evil, like sex, power, and selfishness. Religious institutions, particularly the Chatholic Church, which was the dominant religious denomination during Nietzsche’s time, considered man’s pursuit of happiness as evil. Everything that gratifies man is considered evil, while everything that highlights man’s weaknesses and sacrifice is deemed good and virtuous— the meek and the poor in spirit are virtuous. On the other hand, those who seek to follow their will to power, and those who desire selfishness and power are considered evil-doers. They are society’s troublemakers who need to repent for their sins in order to be saved by a higher being or a supernatural power. Thus, Nietzsche’s purpose in presenting Zarathustra as the preacher of new yet controversial values, which must be achieved by man alone, and in introducing his concept of overman who must create his own values are the main foundation of his philosophy Existentialism. Existentialism is the philosophy that postulates that individuals themselves generate the significance and quintessence of their lives (Kaufman, 1989). It means that man must live according to his will. This is what Nietzsche actually posited in his book titled ‘The Will to Power’ (Nietzsche et al., 1968). By Nietzsche’s definition, Zarathustra is indeed overman— someone who creates values and who emphasizes the importance of self. The hero in his fiction book embodies what men should do or go through to attain the status or essential level of an overman. For about ten years, Zarathustra abandoned all his material possessions and went to live alone in the wilderness, away from the mob and safe from the values of the Christian faith and the indoctrination of the state. Zarathustra did not suffer simply because he does not believe in suffering. His goal is the pursuit of happiness. An overman is someone who rebukes the sacrifice of an individual, and who cherishes personal gratification like sex, selfishness and desire for power. This is because these three elements of personal pleasure are considered evil by society and by the moral codes of the dominant religious institution. By presenting Zarathustra as a paradigm of an overman, Nietzsche means that man must live independently according to his will and not to the values and moral codes of the Church and the state (Emmanuel, 2001). To be an overman, man must create his own values according to his image and not to the image of the society where he lives. Bibliography: Allison, D. (2001). Reading the New Nietzsche. Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield CBC Arts (2007). Artist behind Biejing’s bird’s nest stadium boycotts Olympics. CBC News Website. August 11. Retrieved September 22, from http://www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/story/2007/08/11/beijing-artist-stadium.html Emmanuel, S. (2001). The Blackwell guide to modern philosophers. Boston: Blackwell Publishing Kaufman, W. (1989). Existentialism from Dostoyevsky to Sartre. New York: Meridan Publishing Company Nietzsche, F., Kaufmann, W. (ed), & Hollingdale, R.J. (1844-1900). The Will to Power. Germany, Nietzsche. Nietzsche, F. & Levy, C. (1967). Thus Spake Zarathustra. Washington: Plain Label Books Nietzsche, F.W. (2004). Thus Spake Zarathustra. Massachusetts: Kessinger Publishing Nietzsche, F.W., Kaufmann, W., Kaufmann, W.A, Hollingdale, R.J. (1989). On the genealogy of morals: Ecce Homo. London: Vintage Books Nishitani, K., Parkes, G. & Aihara, S. (1990). The Self-overcoming of Nihilism. New York: SUNY Press Pereboom, C.G. (2001). Existentialism: Basic Writings. Indiana: Hacket Rosen, S. & Gillespie, M. (200). The mask of enlightenment. London: Yale University Press Secondary resources: Nietzsche, F.W. (1974). The Gay Science: With a prelude in German rhymes and an appendix of songs. New York: Random House Pippin, R. (2006). Nietzsche: Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Chicago: University of Chicago Press Yovel, Y. (1986). Nietzsche as affirmative thinker. New York: Springer

The Pros and Cons of Police Discretion

Drawing the line between the appropriate functions of discretion among members of the police force remains to be an important component of policing. With the discovery of police discretion, there had been different debates as to its importance and hindrance in the application of law within communities. Many arguments have been placed as a result of such discovery and have prompted different set of opinions and views concerning its continued practice.In the end, by actively enforcing the needs of accountability and the synchronization of processes, the process of discretion can be minimized or limited at a certain extent wherein it is due compliant with the rule of law and objective in nature. The way policing has been practiced in the realms of law enforcement has spurred an enhanced approach in the dealing with crime prevention and maintenance of peace and security within a particular community. However, the subjectivity of interpretation among police officers when it comes to exerc ising discretion has resulted in various criticisms since its discovery.Due to this, there had been clamors for the abolishment and the promotion of its control. The paper seeks to showcase the relative pros and cons of police discretion. By showcasing its relative strengths and weaknesses, it exposes the reality behind the subjectivity and bias of such actions. Realizing such scenario, there is a need for a redefinition and structuring of police objectives that will ensure the application of the rules and laws while at the same time ensuring that police discretion is rooted on objectivity and accountability.Defining Discretion Before dwelling deeper in the relative strengths and weaknesses of police discretion, it is first important to emphasize on its meaning and its relationship with the police practice. By properly defining the term ‘discretion’, it may be proper to link it to the police practice since such term is associated with different meanings. Linking it with policing objectives, the term ‘discretion’ must actively partake and coincide with (1) judgment, (2) choice, (3) discernment, (4) liberty and (5) license (APSU, 2001).Seeing such, ‘discretion’ means the freedom in making choices responsibly under the circumstances aforementioned. â€Å"Discretion designates power or freedom to judge and decide what needs to be done in a particular situation† (Seri, p. 2). Establishing parameters and causes Also before elaborating on the strengths and weaknesses of police discretion, it is also proper to point out the relative causes of such concept and how it has cultivated the development of such practice. Determining such parameters, one must look at the variables or factors that enhance police judgments and leads them to practice discretion.Examples include (1) offender variables, (2) situation variables, and (3) system variables (APSU, 2001). Under the element of offender variables, the practice of subjectivity and prejudice somehow are manifested in the practice of law enforcement. â€Å"Gender and mental health status affect how police handle many incidents† (APSU, 2001). Such issue only brings about unequal practice and in the facilitation of sanctions and punishments for different violations. Another important variable involves the situation where the police enforces and uses discretion.It is in this situation that the priority is given on things that are unimportant rather than the actual case (APSU, 2001). This lack of logical judgment on what matters most often results in a biased and inaccurate results. Lastly, the system in a society also serves as an important and tool for the practice of discretion among the police force. The actual practice of discretion is dependent on the current situations that a system might be facing. Such system in relationship with discretion varies, that is why such practice also is different depending on the particular situation.(APSU, 2001) Pos itive Outcomes After the discussion concerning its definition and relative parameters and causes, the paper will highlight the positive outcomes of police discretion. One important outcome of the issue is that it legitimizes the role of the police not only as the protector of laws but at the same time they are given the interpreting power to analyze situations. â€Å"The police enjoy innumerable opportunities for discretionary judgment and wider margins of discretion than any other sector within the state apparatus† (Seri, p. 3).Another important outcome of the said practice is that it creates a different aura for the police force that practice discretion. The creation of laws are only relevant if they are ought to be enforced and practiced. â€Å"Their discretionary power allows police officers to transform the spirit of laws. With their interpretation of a particular issue, there is a legitimization of its overall hold of a particular society in creating control† (Se ri, p. 3) The practice of discretion also improves the way police enforces the rules and regulations stipulated by the law.Since they serve as the executor and protector of such laws, they are expected to address every challenges and hurdles given to them. â€Å"Like other â€Å"street level bureaucrats†, police officers must adapt to law and norms on specific situations, deciding on the extent which legal policy extend reflects the original law on the books† (Seri, p. 3). Lastly, the practice of police discretion is an important factor of police power and the maintenance of its hold and grasp of people within a particular community.The concept of discretion in itself is creating the determination of who are good and law-abiding citizens and who are criminals (Seri, p. 4). Such power remains to be vital in the overall functions of police practice. Negative Consequences Given the positive influences that police discretion creates, there are also implications in such pra ctice. One important consequence is the relative abuse of power among police officers in the issue of discretion. Such actions often emanates on both the extremity and unequal judgment given by authorities.â€Å"The exercise of police discretion to stop, search, arrest or charge suspects is now regarded as inevitable and not necessarily improper, given the limits of police resources, variations in the seriousness of offending behaviours and the inappropriateness of criminal law for dealing with some situations of conflict and disorder† (Bergen, 2005, p. 127). In addition, there seems to be a lapse and undue changing of laws that somehow have been an effect of irresponsible police discretion.Prior to its original function of responsible practice under the basis of laws, there is now a scenario that challenges the foundation of accountability and laws. â€Å"Discretion allows the police to challenge mechanisms of accountability and to erode the laws and rules that they are req uired to enforce, in part because of the proactive character of policing and the limited, retroactive character of accountability† (Seri, p. 4) Such misuse can create different problematic instances in the realm of law enforcement.The practice of discretion is often times biased and prejudiced upon citizens and results in a negative impression and simplification among races and ethnicity in society. There are â€Å"instances of police stereotyping, harassment and breaches of basic human rights† (Bergen, 2005, p. 127-128). Controlling Police Discretion Given the relative importance and challenges brought about by the issue of police discretion, there needs to be a controlling mechanism that will seek to prevent the misuse and abuse of power by police. By controlling such concept, the process becomes objective, justified, fair and equal.The last part of the paper seeks to showcase several approaches in creating a fair avenue for police discretion while at the same time ad dressing the individual needs of citizens as far as safety and security is concerned. One important realization is that police will continue to use discretion. (Kelling, 1999, p. 38). But in this setup, instead of creating an avenue for unjust and subjective interpretations, the manner in which it shall be applied should be dependent on a basis; laws and regulations in a particular state.Doing such actions can help enhance and prevent the process of bias and prejudice in apprehending alleged violators. Another vital criterion that can be exhausted in the process is the creation of rules and standards on as to how police practice discretion. Such feat may prove to be difficult in nature due to its relatively varied and diverse situations; however by making standards and rules, there can be a synchronized way of facilitating and improving the practice of discretion. It is a practice that is characterized as fair and equal treatment among different people.Moreover, there needs to be co ntinued training and development among police officers concerning amendments and changes in laws. Being familiar with such tenets can help prevent the occurrence of abuse and misuse of power. By actively cooperating among the citizenry and the academy, policemen/women can have a fair advantage and at the same time understanding within the community. (Kelling, 1999, p. 41). Accountability is the one often undermined and stepped on when police misuse their discretion.That is why, there needs to be a constant effort to enhance accountability while preserving the ability of the police to practice discretion. There needs to be an establishment of â€Å"accountability standards that identify competent and/or excellent performance violations of organizational rules, and incompetent and uncaring work, including performance with organizational rules† (Kelling, 1999, p. 38). Conclusions Indeed police discretion poses both positive and negative consequences in the community and society. On a high note, its importance in the practice of enforcement can clearly be seen. However, due to its uncontrolled state, it often leads to abuse and misuse among members of the police force. In the end, there is a need to control the practice of police discretion by placing and putting accountability and other important standards that can help prevent bias and subjectivity. In the end, after all such efforts had been made it still boils down to one common theme; the protection and maintenance of security among member of the community and society.