Critical Thinking and Ethics Essay Example for Free

Critical Thinking and Ethics Essay What is the relationship between ethics and critical thinking? Critical thinking and ethics are used in everyday life. I think it best that we define the two terms before we get deep into the discussion. The Merriam-Webster dictionary says ethics is â€Å"the discipline dealing with what are good and bad with moral duty and obligation† and Dictionary Reference say critical thinking is â€Å"disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence†. These could both be further defined by saying they are the ability to make good or bad choices and the act of thoroughly thinking through a decision. Critical thinking and ethics decisions are life skills. Critical Thinking There are six levels in the critical thinking process. They are remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. The majority of people use the first four levels in day to day life. The final two levels are probably used in more complex problems and more time will be required in devotion to applying these steps. Critical thinking is used in our day to day lives. We make multiple decisions in a day’s time. Some of these decisions are routine and some require more effort and time. We learn to evaluate things at a young age and most likely pick up most of our problem solving skills from our parents. When you hear the term â€Å"critical thinking† your first thought may be negative but critical thinking should not be thought of as â€Å"being critical† but rather â€Å"think critically†. During our life there will be times when we need to make decisions that can be life altering. A few examples might be buying a new car, choosing courses at your university, or deciding between a two jobs. Everyone can relate to the stress of buying a new car. This is a decision that could  affect you for the next five years and it’s a decision that should not be taken lightly. My decision to buy the car may have a different outcome if I start the process with questions as opposed to making a emotional purchase. Those questions might look something like this, â€Å"What type of car do I want?†, â€Å"What amount of payment can I afford?†, and â€Å"What is the best car make?†. All of these questions will determine the outcome. Answering all these questions will allow me to make an informed decision. Ethics We stated earlier that ethics deals with knowing what is right or wrong. We do the right thing because it is the law, because it is what we were taught, or because we listen to our inner voice. I used a personal evaluation tool earlier this week called the ethical inventory list. This was an activity to help me better understand the values that influence my decisions. This tool produced some shocking results which I was surprised to see. My preferred ethical lens was Reputation. I do care what people think and this has motivated me to excel in all things I do. My blind spot was revealed during this exercise and was identified as â€Å"unrealistic role expectation†. I had to read the definition twice to fully understand it and I still need to do more research. In short, I put too much value in the role (position) a person holds and that can cause you to forget that people make mistakes. My father was a law enforcement officer. I was taught what was right and wrong at a young ag e. My father took this to the extreme at times because he saw more bad than good while assuming his daily duties. I have always been known as the guy that will make the right choice even if that choice is the hard choice. Ethics apply to the professional world and well as the social sector. I work for a large heavy equipment manufacture. Ethics is one of our core values. The company makes ethical choices that affect the entire world. A few examples are promoting safety, recycling, emissions, and renewable resources. Do these topics cross your mind when you think of the largest heavy equipment manufacturers in the world? They may not but it is the professional right, the ethically right thing to do. When I first started working for the company I was surprised at how much emphasis was placed on safety. They require wearing PPE (personal protection equipment) and have mandatory monthly safety training. The company recycles everything. They recycle all metal products, cardboard, plastics, wood, and  even personal trash has to be sorted. Professional companies maintain high ethical standards because it is the right thing to do for their employees and customers. Social ethics is doing what is right for the people around you. When I think of social ethics a couple things come to mind. First is the â€Å"adopt a highway† sign that you see along the roadway when you drive home. Groups of people come together for no apparent reason besides keep the world a cleaner place. Is this the right thing to do? Sure it is. Another example is the groups of people that come together at public parks to do maintenance and clean-up work. Chances are they do not live in the neighborhood, nor do they have children that play there. Why do people strangers come together sacrificing their free time to volunteer for activities like these? There is one answer. They are the ethically right thing to do. Conclusion Ethics are a vital part of survival but we need to be reminded ourselves that ethics change as the world changes. Things that used to be considered in a negative manner is now accepted by society. However, we still need ethical decisions in order for us to thrive as a community, a society, and a civilization. References Ethics [Def. 1]. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster Online. In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved October 16, 2014, from http://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethics Critical Thinking [Def. 2]. (n.d.). Dictionary Reference Online. In Dictionary Reference Online. Retrieved October 16, 2014, from dictionary.reference.com/browse/critical+thinking

Thailand environment, crime and disease

Thailand environment, crime and disease Thailand Environment, Crime and Disease While Thailand has come a long way in the past few decades, it still has quite a long ways to go as far as development. Crime and disease are still prevalent, and through its development in its economy, and culture, they face new environmental problems. Globalization has brought many positive aspects to Thailand and to its development as a country; however it has had its negative effects. The prime negativity to Thailands development is the harm to its environment. Being an export-dependent country, their development relied heavily on the increased production of the exports resulting in a lowered water and air quality (heightened pollution), and a loss of natural habitats. To counter this affect of industrialization and urbanization, the country and citizens have created multiple organizations, and policies to fight the negative affects to their environment. However, the speed at which these things are being implemented is much slower than that of the growth of industrialization in their economy. The air pollution in Bangkok even became two and a half times the standards set by the World Health Organization (Thailand). Thailand has an abundance of resources, both for production, and the possibility of renewable resources, to combat pollution, and harming the land with food production. However, while there have been efforts made to fight for the environment, they see multiple barriers to progress some of them being a lack of actual implementation, and enforcement of policies, and a lack of financing to implement a strong utilization of their renewable energy resources (Uddin 2010). Crime is another occurrence that Thailand still needs to fight through its development. Currently, the two main crimes facing Thais are human trafficking, and extreme violence stemming from protests in the streets of Bangkok over the political dispute. As far as human trafficking, Thailand is a source, a destination, and a pass-through route for human trafficking of men, women and children. Thai women and children are sent to â€Å"Japan, Malaysia, South Africa, Bahrain, Australia, Singapore, Europe, Canada and the United States for sexual and labor exploitation†. Some Thailand natives are actually coerced to leave Thailand and move to Taiwan, Malaysia, US or the Middle East by some job recruiting agency, however, the individuals rack up a large debt to these agencies, and are then forced into â€Å"involuntary servitude†. Women are even trafficked within Thailand, from the north/Northwest to the areas capital, Bangkok, for the purpose of becoming sex slaves. However, t he human trafficking, especially within Thailand itself, is decreasing due to an increased effort to implement preventative programs, and more economic opportunities for the women of Thailand. Those who are trafficked into Thailand typically come from â€Å"Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Peoples Republic of China, Russian and Uzbekistan†, and are women and children for the purpose of labor and sexual purposes. The typical labor jobs those Trafficked to Thailand â€Å"take† involved begging or fishing. As a combat against this horrible crime, Thailand has created many places and organizations for those who are adversely affected by human trafficking, whether it be a need for psychological help after abuse they may have incurred through the process, or a need for a place to stay, Thailand has plenty of resources. These programs provided mostly by the International Organization for Migration can provide shelter, healthcare, and food to those climbing out of their abusive situatio ns from human trafficking, attempting to create a better life for themselves (HumanTrafficking.org). The other Tier of hardship Thailand faces it the fight against HIV/AIDs within their community. Not only is it being passed from person to person in heterosexual relationships, but it is being passed from mother to child during pregnancy and/or breastfeeding. To combat this disease, Thailand officials have created multiple processes and programs to help control this epidemic. One of the methods involves the collection of blood donations. Thailand used to pay individuals, who gave blood, but they have gotten rid of any monetary benefit from giving blood, and those who do donate must be tested for HIV prior to their blood being accepted. Additionally, there have been multiple campaigns including â€Å"100 percent condom campaign†, to promote the use of condoms in all relationships, considering the high rate of HIV from commercial sexual activity that occurs in Thailand with their young male community. HIV contracted from mother to child has currently infected 30,000 children, an d resulted in 7,500 AIDS cases in children. Without preventative measures, 3,000 of the 10,000 children born at risk of contracting HIV through their mothers would be infected per year. The Ministry of Public Health of Thailand has taken an interest in this unfortunate epidemic. Some of the processes this group has implemented are HIV screenings after birth for both mother and child, and advising against breastfeeding for HIV positives mothers (Kanshana 2004). In addition to globalization playing a role in the environment, disease and crime in Thailand, they also play a large role in the globalization and development of Thailand. As previously stated, with the globalization came a long period of industrialization for the economy of Thailand, but due to this, it has harmed the land that they depend on for over 70% of their GDP. This will make it harder to keep up with the growth of their economy (Uddin 2010). With globalization comes knowledge, which has led Thais to realize the benefits to a democracy, instead of the constitutional monarchy they are currently led by. The past few months have been marked by protests between the yellow (those in support of the current political climate) and red shirts (those who are protesting the current political state). The protestors are voicing their disagreement with the government being overtaken after the progression of their political process to have an elected official, and returning to a monarchy by political force. They are currently experiencing the â€Å"worst political violence† that they had ever seen in more than twenty years. On April 10th, 2010, the non-violent protests were combated â€Å"with tear gas, gunfire, and explosions†. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who the protestors are calling to resign and allow an elected official to run office, states that he chose to use force on the protestors so that the government di d not appear weak. Even though the activities of the protestors were completely peaceful, the fact that they had gone on for three days with no signs of receding in their protesting effort seemed to be enough for the government to react violently (Mydans 2010). So while globalization brings many positive factors into an economy experiencing growth and development from an otherwise poverty-stricken, undeveloped state, there are many negative factors that the country must combat to continue on their road to further development and success. It seems as through the efforts are there, and they are progressing as a country, but a stronger, more wide-spread effort needs to be made in order for any implementations to stick, and have a true long-lasting affect on Thailand and their community. References HumanTrafficking.org | Thailand. (n.d.). HumanTrafficking.org: A Web Resource for Combating Human Trafficking in the East Asia Pacific Region. Retrieved May 2, 2010, from http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/thailand Thailand. (n.d.). Thailand. Retrieved May 2, 2010, from http://www.worldbank.or.th/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/THAILANDEXTN/0,,menuPK:333302~pagePK:1411 MYDANS, S., FULLER, T. (2010, April 11). Thai Protesters Repulse Troops; Gunfire and Explosions Erupt in the Streets. Urban Studies, p. 6. Kanshana, S., Naiwatanakul, T., Simonds, R. J., Amornwichet, P., Teeraratkul, A., Culnane, M. et al. (2004). Monitoring and evaluating the national program to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission in Thailand. New Directions for Evaluation, 2004(103), 117 128. Uddin, S. N., Taplin, R., Yu, X. (2010). Towards a sustainable energy future—exploring current barriers and potential solutions in Thailand. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 12(1), 63 87. TOPIC COMMENTS Points Content Impact of issues on economy/development of country discussed: 65 points Issues: environment, crime, disease Research synthesized into conclusion and implications for continued globalization discussed. 35 points Mechanical errors: (1 point deductionf or first 2, 1 point deduction for each additional) up to a 10 point deduction APA format and references: Format: up to 5 point deduction Ref: 2 point deduction for sources that are not academically acceptable. If you have difficulty with APA format, the following website is one that offers examples that should be helpful: http://www.dianahacker.com/ resdoc/social.html Overquoted deduction (no more than 10% of your paper may be quoted material. No submission to turnitin: 3 point deduction

America Needs The Patient Protection Affordable Care Act Essay

The Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is a federal statute that was signed into law by President Barak Obama on March 23, 2010. The PPACA which is commonly referred to as â€Å"Obamacare† was endorsed by lawmakers based on the objective of shifting healthcare cost from the employer to the government. The enactment of the PPACA has been viewed as unprecedented by many based on the constitutionality concerns related to healthcare reform. In order to address some of the concerns related to healthcare reform it is important to go back and view the nation’s history. Prior to the nation experiencing globalization and free trade, businesses were designed as employee based models, freely offering health care coverage to their employees as a perk to promote loyalty among other incentives within their companies. As a result of globalization, employers have become less capable of offering the same healthcare coverage based on competition with other countries. In order for companies to stay competitive with the current free trade agreements, companies are finding it necessary to cut their overhead expenses, hence cutting healthcare coverage for employers. In other words, in a global economy the healthcare status quo is unsustainable; wages and incomes have progressively flat lined over the years due to the increase in healthcare coverage costs, these costs makes it impossible for employers to give raises to their employees and stay competitive within a global market. These issues endanger the survival our nation’s small businesses as well as large corporations, basically disrupting our nation’s commerce, which entitles the government to intercede with healthcare reform based on the commerce clause enumerated power listed ... ..., R. (2011). Compliance Matters. Matters of Integrity: Examining anti-fraud measures in the health care reform law. PT in Motion, 3(4), 37-40. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Filson, C., Hollingsworth, J., Skolarus, T., Quentin Clemens, J. J., & Hollenbeck, B. (2011). Health care reform in 2010: transforming the delivery system to improve quality of care. World Journal of Urology, 29(1), 85-90 Pickert, K. (2011). Obamacare Goes Under The Knife. Time, 177(2), 48-51. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Healthcare Reform: Retrieved from Public Broadcasting Services: August 16, 2011: PBS.org Stengel, R., & Ford, A. (2011). One Document, Under Siege. (Cover story). Time, 178(1), 30-45. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Wilson, C. B. (2010). A Prescription for America's Health Care System. Vital Speeches of the Day, 76(9), 421-424. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. (Healthcare Reform, 2011)

Maxine Hong Kingstons No Name Woman Essay examples -- Chinese Society

Maxine Hong Kingston's No Name Woman "A highly fictive text [whose non-fiction label gives] the appearance of being an actual representation of Asian American experience in the broader public sphere." (Gloria Chun, "The High Note") Such a disparaging remark about the misleading nature of Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior has been readily refuted, notably by Leilani Nishime, who proposes in her essay "Engendering Genre..." that it is a text that transcends genre confines; it challenges traditional definitions of genre and demands redefinitions. Whatever the case, "No Name Woman" (NNW) is remarkable in the way the reader is given a candid social commentary in the guise of an intriguing tale of scandal and oppression. In a vivid representation of traditional Chinese society, Kingston artfully manipulates perspective, or more aptly character filter (Chatman, Reading Narrative Fiction 130), to reflect the culture of an entire society in the vicissitudes of one family's life. The opening scene itself suggests the structure of the entire story: we are immediately presented with a tragic story-in-a-story, or framed-narrative (Chatman, 97), of the narrator's adulterous aunt. Somehow, the events viewed in retrospect through the eyes of the narrator's traditional, conservative mother seem skewed and moralistic, rendered with an objective, instructive voice which complements the primary narrator's didactic tones as she takes over the discussion from her mother following the opening tale. A little later on, the filter switches almost seamlessly over to that of the aunt, in a radically different retelling of her tale by the (primary) narrator (14). Such smooth filter-character transitions occur frequently throughout the text... ...le viewpoints, overlapping timelines and a dominating, though largely implied narrator's (possibly author's) slant work together to present Kingston's unique view of gender roles and their assimilation into Chinese-American culture; a far-reaching yet intimate projection of her history, society and self. Bibliography: Chatman, Seymour. Story and Discourse: Narrative Structure in Fiction and Film. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1980. Reading Narrative Fiction. Ed. Seymour Chatman. New York: Macmillan, 1993. Chun, Gloria. "The High Note of the Barbarian Reed Pipe: Maxine Hong Kingston." Journal of Ethnic Studies 19.3 (Fall 1991): 85-95. Kingston, Maxine Hong. The Woman Warrior: Memoirs Of A Girlhood Among Ghosts. London: Picador, 1981. Nishime, LeiLani. "Engendering genre: gender and nationalism in China Men and The Woman Warrior." MELUS20.1 (Spring 95): 67-85.

Air Thread Connections Essay

Prepare the Airthread Connections case using the following questions as a guide: 1. What methodological approach (APV, WACC, FTE, or some combination) should Ms. Zhang use to value Air Thread? Hint: It may be possible to use more than one techniques simultaneously. The valuation of the Airthread Connections is conducted to assist American Cable Communication to decide if the acquisition of the Airthread Connections should be processed to achieve potential synergies. We access the net value of the Airthread Connections by adjusting its present value (APV). We chose APV as our business valuation method because Airthread Connection’s financial information required by APV method is relatively sufficient and solid comparing with the information required by other valuation methods. We believe that the good quality of data can guarantee the reliability of our valuation. Our valuation process includes the following six steps. 1. Decide the present value of unlevered free cash flows. 2. Evaluate the weighted average cost of capital. 3. Appraise the value of tax shields. 4. Access the terminal value. 5. Estimate the present value of non-operating assets. 6. Applying the illiquidity discount. 2. What discount rate should Ms. Zhang use for unlevered FCF for 2008-2012? Is this the same rate that should be used to calculate the TV? Why or why not? 3. Develop an estimate of the long-term steady-state growth rate for use in the TV calculation. 4. What is the total value of AirThread before considering any synergies?

Is There a Filipino Identity? Essay

Is There A Filipino Identity? A glimpse of our historical past will surely reveal who the Filipinos really are, the Filipino identity as it is called. Yet, due to external factors like technological advancements and colonial influences, the true essence of being a Filipino now reaches the point where it is slowly degrading. Evidently, our colorful history truly defines our identity as a Filipino, but as I said earlier, changes threatened this identity. Now, despite of these changes, â€Å"Is there still a Filipino identity? † Let us consider for example our national flag which is the symbol of our nationality. This rectangular piece of cloth identifies us being a Filipino. But according to Prof. Randolf S. David, â€Å"We may sing the national anthem, as the flag is raised, and recite the pledge of allegiance everyday, but these do not do not automatically evoke in as a consciousness of being a part of a nation. †What’s the use of uttering such if we don’t even recite it by heart? In other words, we are just taking it for granted. National symbols like our national flag may give us a sense of being a Filipino, but these do not reveal our identity. Like for example, the barong tagalog, â€Å"without doubt, it is the garment of defining moments in the lives of Filipinos, from cradle to grave. The barong reminds the Filipinos of who they are. †It may really identify us apart from other nationalities, but it is only an external identification. Knowledge of these symbols is not enough to identify yourself as a Filipino. What really matters most is our culture. Culture is our identity. †Filipino cultural values are widely-held beliefs which make some activities, relationships, goals and feelings important to the Filipino people’s identity. † Yet, observance of this culture is now deteriorating. The culprit behind this is our colonial mentality. â€Å"The Filipino way of thinking that everything foreign is good is still embedded in his personality. †We prefer foreign culture more than our own. Now, I can conclude the fact that there is still a Filipino identity. Yet the identity we have in the past is different from what we have now. Ronnie John Pascua SOURCES: Ma, Corazon Alejo-Itila, Mitzi Marie Aguilar-Reyes, and Anita Feleo, Garment of Honor, Garment Of Identity (Manila: En Barong Filipino, 2008), 17,271 Tomas D. Andres and Pilar B. Ilada-Andres, Understanding the Filipino (Quezon City: New Day Publishers, 1987), 5, 151.

The Concordat of 1801 Napoleon and the Church

The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between France – as represented by Napoleon Bonaparte – and both the church in France and the Papacy over the position of the Roman Catholic Church in France. This first sentence is a little bit false because while the concordat was officially a religious settlement on behalf of the French nation, Napoleon and the aims of the future French empire were so massively central to it, its basically Napoleon and the Papacy. The Need for a Concordat An agreement was needed because the increasingly radical French Revolution stripped away the old rights and privileges the church had enjoyed, seized much of its land and sold it on to secular landholders, and at one point seemed on the verge, under Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety, of starting a new religion. By the time Napoleon took power the schism between the church and state was much reduced and a Catholic revival had taken place across much of France. This had led some to play down the achievement of the Concordat, but its important to remember that the French Revolution had torn religion in France apart, and whether there was a Napoleon or not someone had to try and bring the situation to peace. There was still an official disagreement, between the remainder of the church, especially the Papacy, and the state and Napoleon believed some agreement was necessary to help bring settlement to France (and to boost his own status). A friendly Catholic Church could enforce belief in Napoleon, and spell out what Napoleon thought were the right ways to live in Imperial France, but only if Napoleon could come to terms. Equally, a broken church undermined peace, caused great tensions between the traditional piety of rural areas and anti-clerical towns, fueled royal and counter-revolutionary ideas. As Catholicism was linked to royalty and monarchy, Napoleon wished to link it to his royalty and monarchy. Napoleon’s decision to come to terms was thus entirely pragmatic but welcomed by many. Just because Napoleon was doing it for his own gain doesnt mean a Concordat wasnt needed, just that the one they got was a certain way. The Agreement This agreement was the Concordat of 1801, although it was officially promulgated at Easter 1802 after going through twenty-one re-writes. Napoleon also had it delayed so he could first secure peace militarily, hoping a grateful nation would not be disturbed by Jacobin enemies of the agreement. The Pope agreed to accept the seizure of church property, and France agreed to give bishops and other church figures wages from the state, ending the separation of the two. The First Consul (which meant Napoleon himself) was given the power to nominate bishops, the map of church geography was rewritten with altered parishes and bishoprics. Seminaries were again legal. Napoleon also added the ‘Organic Articles’ which controlled Papal control over bishops, favoring government wishes and upsetting the Pope. Other religions were allowed. In effect, the Papacy had endorsed Napoleon. End of the Concordat The peace between Napoleon and the Pope fractured in 1806 when Napoleon introduced a new ‘imperial’ catechism. These were sets of questions and answers designed to educate people about the Catholic religion, but Napoleon’s versions educated and indoctrinated people in the ideas of his empire. Napoleon’s relationship with the church also remained frosty, especially after he gave himself his own Saint’s Day on August 16th. The Pope even excommunicated Napoleon, who responded by arresting the Pope. Yet the Concordat remained intact, and though it wasn’t perfect, with some regions proving slow Napoleon tried to take more power from the church in 1813 when the Concordat of Fontainebleau was forced on the pope, but this was quickly rejected. Napoleon brought a form of religious peace to France that the revolutionary leaders had found beyond their reach. Napoleon may have fallen from power in 1814 and 15, and republics and empires came and went, but the Concordat remained until 1905 when a new French republic canceled it in favor of the ‘Separation Law’ which split church and state.​

Three Reasons Why Prostituiton Should Not Be Leagalized in...

As one of the oldest jobs, prostitution has a long history to be repeatedly decriminalized and internalized by different countries. In Sumerian Records, the earliest record established in 2400 BC, prostitution had been legalized and supported by government. Same as most countries in this era, government founded brothels established in ancient China, ancient Greece, ancient Roman and so on. Codex Theodosianus established in 438 AD, legalized prostitution and at the same time, asking for taxes. Since the late 500s to 1600, countries such as Spain, France and Italy ended being tolerant towards prostitution and increased the punishment towards prostitutes and pimps. In 1617, Japan created the red-light district on the edge of the city which is todays Tokyo to gather all legal brothels together. After 1800, prostitution has been repeatedly decriminalized and criminalized in Europe, America and Japan. Nowadays, many countries, most notable as Netherland, and Germany, have legalized and reg ulated the sex industry, including prostitution, brothel, pimping. Countries like Canada and Brazil, legalized prostitution and kept prohibiting brothel. Sweden, has taken a different legal approach-illegalize consuming for sex while at the same time legalize prostitutes. In countries such as Saudi Arabia, and Dubai, prostitution has been strictly illegalized and punished by prison and flogging. Indeed, all sexual activity except lawful marriage for the purpose of reproduction is forbidden