Apple Code of Conduct free essay sample

Apple Supplier Code of Conduct Apple is committed to ensuring that working conditions in Apple’s supply chain are safe, that workers are treated with respect and dignity, and that manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible. Apple’s suppliers (â€Å"Suppliers†) are obligated, in all of their activities, to operate in full compliance with the laws, rules, and regulations of the countries in which they operate. This Supplier Code of Conduct (â€Å"Code†) goes further, drawing upon internationally recognized standards, in order to advance social and environmental responsibility.Apple requires that Suppliers implement this Code using the management systems described below. The Apple Supplier Code of Conduct is modeled on and contains language from the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct. Recognized standards such as International Labour Organization Standards (ILO), Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Social Accountability International ( SAI), and the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) were used as references in preparing this Code and may be useful sources of additional information. A complete list of references is provided at the end of this Code. As an extension of the Code, Apple maintains a series of detailed Standards that clarify our expectations for compliance. Labor and Human Rights Suppliers must uphold the human rights of workers, and treat them with dignity and respect as understood by the international community.Antidiscrimination Suppliers shall not discriminate against any worker based on race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, religion, political affiliation, union membership, national origin, or marital status in hiring and employment practices such as applications for employment, promotions, rewards, access to training, job assignments, wages, benefits, discipline, and termination. Suppliers shall not require a pregnancy test or discriminate against pregnant workers except where required by applicable laws or regulations or prudent for workplace safety.In addition, Suppliers shall not require workers or potential wor kers to undergo medical tests that could be used in a discriminatory way except where required by applicable law or regulation or prudent for workplace safety. Fair Treatment Suppliers must be committed to a workplace free of harassment. Suppliers shall not threaten workers with or subject them to harsh or inhumane treatment, including sexual harassment, sexual abuse, corporal punishment, mental coercion, physical coercion, verbal abuse or unreasonable restrictions on entering or exiting company provided facilities.Prevention of Involuntary Labor Suppliers shall not use any form of forced, bonded, indentured, or prison labor. All work must be voluntary and workers shall be free to leave work or terminate their employment with reasonable notice. Workers must not be required to surrender any government-issued identification, passports, or work permits as a condition of employment. Suppliers shall ensure that third party labor agencies providing workers are compliant with the provisions of the Code and sending country and receiving country laws, whichever is more stringent in its protection of workers.Suppliers shall ensure that contracts for both direct and contract workers clearly convey the conditions of employment in a language understood by the worker. Suppliers shall be responsible for payment of all fees and expenses in excess of the amount equal to one month of the worker’s anticipated net wages. Such fees and expenses include, but are not limited to expenses associated with recruitment, processing or placement of both direct and contract Workers. Prevention of Under Age Labor Child labor is strictly prohibited.Suppliers shall not employ children. The minimum age for employment or work shall be 15 years of age, the minimum age for employment in that country, or the age for completing compulsory education in that country, whichever is higher. This Code does not prohibit participation in legitimate workplace apprenticeship programs that are consistent with Article 6 of ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138 or light work consistent with Article 7 of ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138. Juvenile Labor Suppliers may employ juveniles who are older than the applicable legal minimum age for employment but are younger than 18 years of age, provided they do not perform work likely to jeopardize their heath, safety, or morals, consistent with ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138. Working Hours Except in Emergency or Unusual Situations, a workweek shall be restricted to 60 hours, including overtime, workers shall be allowed at least one day off every seven-days, and overtime shall be voluntary.Under no circumstances will workweeks exceed the maximum permitted under applicable laws and regulations. Suppliers must offer vacation time, leave periods, and holidays consistent with applicable laws and regulations. Wages and Benefits Suppliers must pay all workers at least the minimum wage required by applicable laws and regulations and provide all legally mandated benefits. In addition to their compensation for regular hours of work, workers must be compensated for overtime hours a t the premium rate required by applicable laws and regulations. Suppliers shall not use deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure. Workers must be paid in a timely manner, and the basis on which workers are being paid must be clearly conveyed to them in a timely manner. Freedom of Association Suppliers must respect the right of workers to associate freely, form and join workers organizations of their own choosing, seek representation, and bargain collectively, as permitted by and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.Suppliers shall not discriminate with respect to employment based on union membership and, in particular, shall not make employment subject to the condition that the worker relinquish union membership or agree not to join a union or cause the dismissal of or otherwise prejudice a worker by reason of union membership or participation in union activities outside working hours (or within working hours if the Supplier has consented to such activities or if required by applicable law or regulation).Suppliers must protec t against acts of interference with the establishment, functioning, or administration of workers’ organizations in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Health and Safety Apple recognizes that integrating sound health and safety management practices into all aspects of business is essential to maintain high morale and produce innovative products. Suppliers must be committed to creating safe working conditions and a healthy work environment for all of their workers. Occupational Injury Prevention Suppliers must eliminate physical hazards where possible.Where physical hazards cannot be eliminated, Suppliers must provide appropriate engineering controls such as physical guards, interlocks, and barriers. Where appropriate engineering controls are not possible, Suppliers must establish appropriate administrative controls such as safe work procedures. In all cases, Suppliers must provide workers appropriate personal protective equipment. Workers must have the right to refuse unsafe working conditions without fear of reprisal until management adequately addresses their concerns.Prevention of Chemical Exposure Suppliers must identify, evaluate, and control worker exposure to hazardous chemical, biological, and physical agents. Suppliers must eliminate chemical hazards where possible. Where chemical hazards cannot be eliminated, Suppliers must provide appropriate engineering controls such as closed systems and ventilation. Where appropriate engineering controls are not possible, Suppliers must establish appropriate administrative controls such as safe work procedures. In all cases, Suppliers must provide workers appropriate personal protective equipment.Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Suppliers must anticipate, identify, and assess emergency situations and events and minimize their impact by implementing emergency plans and response procedures, including emergency reporting, worker notification and evacuation procedures, worker training and drills, appropriate first-aid supplies, appropriate fire detection and suppression equipment, adequate exit facilities, and recovery plans. Occupational Safety Procedures and Systems Suppliers must establish procedures and systems to manage, track, and report occupational injury and illness.Such procedures and systems should encourage worker reporting, classify and record injury and illness cases, investigate cases and implement corrective actions to eliminate their causes, provide necessary medical treatment, and facilitate the workers’ return to work. Ergonomics Suppliers must identify, evaluate, and control worker exposure to physically demanding tasks, including manual material handling, heavy lifting, prolonged standing, and highly repetitive or forceful assembly tasks. Dormitory and Dining Suppliers must provide workers with clean toilet facilities, access to potable water, and sanitary food preparation and storage facilities. Worker dormitories provided by the Supplier or a labor agent must be clean and safe and provide adequate emergency egress, adequate heat and ventilation, reasonable personal space, and reasonable entry and exit privileges. Communication In order to foster a safe work environment, Suppliers shall ensure that workers receive appropriate workplace health and safety information and training, including written health and safety information and warnings in the primary language f its workers. Suppliers must post Material Safety Data Sheets in the primary language of its workers for any hazardous or toxic substances used in the workplace and properly train workers who will come into contact with such substances in the workplace. Worker Health and Safety Committees Suppliers are encouraged to initiate and support worker health and saf ety committees to enhance ongoing health and safety education and to encourage worker input regarding health and safety issues in the workplace.The Environment At Apple, environmental considerations are an integral part of our business practices. Suppliers must be committed to reducing the environmental impact of their designs, manufacturing processes, and waste emissions. Hazardous Substance Management and Restrictions Suppliers must comply with the most recent version of Apple’s Regulated Substances Specification, 069-0135 and with any applicable laws and regulations prohibiting or restricting specific substances.To ensure safe handling, movement, storage, recycling, reuse, and disposal, Suppliers must identify and manage substances that pose a hazard if released to the environment and comply with applicable labeling laws and regulations for recycling and disposal. Wastewater and Solid Waste Emissions Wastewater and solid waste generated from operations, industrial processes, and sanitation facilities must be monitored, controlled, and treated as required by applicable laws and regulations before discharge or disposal.Air Emissions Air emissions of volatile organic chemicals, aerosols, corrosives, particulates, ozone depleting chemicals, and combustion by-products generated from operations must be characterized, monitored, controlled, and tre ated as required by applicable laws and regulations before discharge. Environmental Permits and Reporting Suppliers must obtain, maintain, and keep current all required environmental permits (e. g. discharge monitoring) and registrations and follow the operational and reporting requirements of such permits. Pollution Prevention and Resource Reduction Suppliers must endeavor to reduce or eliminate waste of all types, including water and energy, by implementing appropriate conservation measures in their facilities, in their maintenance and production processes, and by recycling, re-using, or substituting materials. Ethics Suppliers must be committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct when dealing with workers, suppliers, and customers. Corruption, Extortion, or Embezzlement Corruption, extortion, and embezzlement, in any form, are strictly prohibited.Suppliers shall not engage in corruption, extortion or embezzlement in any form and violations of this prohibition may result in immediate termination as an Apple Supplier and in legal action. Disclosure of Information Suppliers must disclose information regarding its business activities, structure, financial situation, and performance in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and prevailing industry practices. No Improper A dvantage Suppliers shall not offer or accept bribes or other means of obtaining undue or improper advantage.Fair Business, Advertising, and Competition Suppliers must uphold fair business standards in advertising, sales, and competition. Whistleblower Protection and Anonymous Complaints Suppliers must create programs to ensure the protection of Supplier and worker whistleblower confidentiality and prohibit retaliation against workers who participate in such programs in good faith or refuse an order that is in violation of the Apple Supplier Code of Conduct.Suppliers shall provide an anonymous complaint mechanism for workers to report workplace grievances in accordance with local laws and regulations. Community Engagement Suppliers are encouraged to engage the community to help foster social and economic development and to contribute to the sustainability of the communities in which they operate. Protection of Intellectual Property Suppliers must respect intellectual property rights; safeguard customer information; and transfer of technology and know-how must be done in a manner that protects intellectual property rights. Management SystemsSuppliers must adopt or establish a management system designed to ensure compl iance with this Code and applicable laws and regulations, identify and mitigate related operational risks, and facilitate continuous improvement. ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, Eco Management and Audit System (EMAS) may be useful resources. The management system should contain the following elements: Company Commitment A corporate social and environmental responsibility statement affirming the Supplier’s commitment to compliance and continual improvement, to be posted in the primary local language at all of the Supplier’s worksites. Management Accountability and Responsibility Clearly identified company representatives responsible for ensuring implementation and periodic review of the status of the Supplier’s management systems. Legal and Customer Requirements A process to identify, monitor, and understand applicable laws and regulations and the additional requirements imposed by this Code. Supplier shall obtain, maintain and keep current a valid business license as required by applicable laws and regulations.Risk Assessment and Management A process to identify environmental, health and safety, business ethics, labor, human rights and legal compliance risks associated with their operations, determine the relative significance of each risk, and implement appropriate procedures and physical controls to ensure compliance and control the identified risks. Risk assessments for health and safety must include warehouse and storage facilities, plant and facility support equipment, laboratories and test areas, bat hrooms, kitchens, cafeterias, and worker housing.Performance Objectives with Implementation Plans and Measures Written standards, performance objectives, targets, and implementation plans, including a periodic assessment of the Supplier’s performance against those objectives. Training Programs for training managers and workers to implement the Supplier’s policies, procedures, and improvement objectives. Communication A process for communicating clear and accurate information about the Supplier’s performance, practices, and expectations to its workers, Suppliers, and customers.Worker Feedback and Participation An ongoing process to obtain feedback on processes and practices related to this Code and to foster continuous improvement. Audits and Assessments Periodic self-evaluations to ensure that the Supplier, its subcontractors and its next-tier Suppliers are complying with this Code and with applicable laws and regulations. Apple may visit (and/or have external monitors visit) Supplier facilities, with or without notice, to assess compliance with this Code and to audit Supplier’s wage, hour, payroll, and other worker records and practices.

Vengeance In The Scarlet Letter And The free essay sample

Crucible Essay, Research Paper Vengeance is a corrupter of both individuals and societies. When a society is based on faith, it will happen retribution on its offenders or castawaies in a manner that is justified by its credo. Societies such as this will besides destruct or deeply hurt the people that their retribution is directed toward. Furthermore, when a individual lives in a society that is based on faith and wants to happen an mercantile establishment for feelings of hate or green-eyed monster, he will happen an mercantile establishment that can warrant his actions. A individual such as this can besides pervert his society and others around him. The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter are helpful novels in showing this because they are both set in communities of devout religion, and each shows corruptness through retribution. A more in-depth illustration of retribution impacting a society is provided in The Scarlet Letter. This retaliation consists in printing the evildoer # 8217 ; s shame by public confession and physical stigmatization. Hester is first forced to stand in forepart of the town to bear her shame. She is so made to wear the vermilion? A? for the remainder of her life. The people of this puritan colony take obvious pleasance in watching her humiliation, and the dish the dirting adult females that speak as Hester foremost leaves the gaol show this. ? It would be greatly for the public behoof, if we adult females, being of mature age and church-members in good reputation, should hold the handling of such malefactresses as this Hester Prynne? ? ( Hawthorne 48 ) . They find obvious justification of this righteous and vindictive sentiment in their faith. The chitchats non merely turn out this, but besides reflect how eager this society is to penalize people. Such retribution that is found in societies has a annihilating consequence on the persons to whom it is directed ; Hester shortly loses all of her feminine appeal and enthusiasm for life. In an observation of individuals in the same spiritual societies, one may happen that the same speculation can use. The call of witchery started in The Crucible by a group of immature misss that simply wished non to be punished. When hysteria spread like wildfire, it shortly became clear that people could shout witchcraft on others they were covetous of or who had wronged them in the yesteryear. They could acquire off with this signifier of retaliation, excessively, because they could warrant it both in their ain eyes and in society? s ; it would look that they were making the universe a favour by fring it of the Satan? s instrument, and they could take comfort in this by converting themselves that it was true. The acrimonious Ann Putnam, married woman of Thomas in The Crucible, is a dramatic illustration. She gave birth to eight kids and merely one survived, but Rebecca Nurse had legion and healthy kids as good as many grandchildren. Ann Putnam was covetous because of this and took much pleasance when Goody Nurse was condemned as a enchantress under the charge of slaying Ann? s seven babes with her spirit. Abigail of this novel besides used faith as a frailty for her retribution. She hoped to hold John Proctor? s married woman, who had cast Abigail out of her house, condemned of witchery so that she could go on her matter with him. Abigail justifies impeaching Elizabeth by feeding off of what Salem had depicted the kid as being ; a holy spirit sent to present them from immorality. John Proctor sees through this pretense, and notes: ? I? ll Tell you what? s walking Salem- retribution is walking Salem. We are what we ever were in Salem, but now? common retribution writes the jurisprudence! ? ( Miller 77 ) . Because of these vindictive persons, the full community of Salem was disturbed. To take characters of The Scarlet Letter into consideration, Roger Chillingworth, former hubby of Hester, serves as an first-class illustration of how retribution corrupts people. His manner of accomplishing the perfect retaliation is non immediate or physical injury to Reverend Dimmesdale but instead a slow and fallacious procedure. Chillingworth feels that the existent torment of wickedness is non in its committee or in alleviating it publically, but instead life in apprehension that it should be discovered. He spends seven old ages in secret goading the priest and interrupting him down. In the terminal, Chillingworth is perceived as a destroyed and evil adult male. He spent so much clip concentrating on the impairing of another that he was corrupted both morally and emotionally. Vengeance is proven to be an dismaying and catastrophic thing throughout these two novels, The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible. Its effects can be shown both on a whole society and on a individual individual. The retribution sought by piously spiritual individuals or societies tends to be disguised as righteous or even necessary, and amendss other citizens every bit good as the whole of the society. It would be sound advice to detect and analyze these effects and avoid going victims of retribution for enviousness and personal addition in one? s society today. 368

Pyrrhic Victory - Origin of the Term

Pyrrhic Victory - Origin of the Term A Pyrrhic victory is a type of win that actually inflicts so much destruction on the victorious side that it is basically tantamount to defeat. A side that wins a Pyrrhic victory is considered ultimately victorious, but the tolls suffered, and the future impact those tolls, work to negate the feeling of actual achievement. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘hollow victory’. Examples: For instance, in the world of sports, if team A defeats team B in a regular season game, but team A loses its best player to a season-ending injury during the game, that would be considered a Pyrrhic victory. Team A won the current contest, however losing their best player for the remainder of the season would take away from any actual feeling of accomplishment or achievement that the team would typically feel after a victory. Another example could be drawn from the battlefield. If side A defeats side B in a particular battle, but loses a high number of its forces in the battle, that would be considered a Pyrrhic victory. Yes, side A won the particular battle, but the casualties suffered will have severe negative effects from Side A going forward, detracting from the overall feeling of victory. This situation is commonly referred to as â€Å"winning the battle but losing the war.† Origin The phrase Pyrrhic victory originates from King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who in 281 B.C., suffered the original Pyrrhic victory. King Pyrrhus landed on the southern Italian shore with twenty elephants and 25,000-30,000 soldiers ready to defend their fellow Greek speakers (in Tarentum of Magna Graecia) against advancing Roman domination. Pyrrhus won the first two battles that he participated in upon arrival on the southern Italian shore (at Heraclea in 280 BC and at Asculum in 279 BC). However, throughout the course of those two battles, he lost a very high number of his soldiers. With his numbers cut drastically, King Pyrrhus’s army became too thin to last, and they eventually ended up losing the war. In both of his victories over the Romans, the Roman side suffered more casualties than Pyrrhus’ side did. But, the Romans also had a much larger army to work with, and thus their casualties meant less to them than Pyrrhus’s did to his side. The term Pyrrhic victory comes from these devastating battles. Greek historian Plutarch described King Pyrrhus’s victory over the Romans in his Life of Pyrrhus: â€Å"The armies separated; and, it is said, Pyrrhus replied to one that gave him joy of his victory that one other such victory would utterly undo him. For he had lost a great part of the forces he brought with him, and almost all his particular friends and principal commanders; there were no others there to make recruits, and he found the confederates in Italy backward. On the other hand, as from a fountain continually flowing out of the city, the Roman camp was quickly and plentifully filled up with fresh men, not at all abating in courage for the loss they sustained, but even from their very anger gaining new force and resolution to go on with the war.†

Size of financial sector Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Size of financial sector - Essay Example Moreover, profitability across all the financial sectors has improved except the insurance sector and it is anticipated to remain strong in the first quarter of the year 2015. Unfortunately, for the insurance and the building society the forecast suggests otherwise. The number of employment in the banking and insurance sector has decreased in comparison to other sectors while the training expenditure has risen. Department, I. M. F. M. C. M. (2014) suggests that this is a clear indication of the existence of shortage of skills and talents in the financial labor market. The financial sector has enormously grown over the last decades. Gloria (2015) illustrates that the parameters that measure these growths are: quantity of the financial market; the share of the GDP; wages; and employment. For instance, the economy of the UK has grown faster since the financial crisis of 2007/2008. It expanded by approximately by 1.9% in 2013. The growth is also attributed to the securitization in the financial market; intermediation of credit; and the subsectors of finance in the financial sector. On the other hand, the insurance sector has been steadily growing (at a steady pace). In addition, the growth is also evident in the increase in the financial claims and contracts such as bonds, stock, fund shares, and derivatives. Before the 200/2008 financial crisis, central banks use a simple modality that would effectively maintain and stabilize the inflation rate. However, in 2009 the interest rates were slashed to a level close to zero (zero lower bound). Jeucken’s (2001) notion indicates that below this benchmark would hav e been practical but wouldn’t have achieved the desired results. Central bank faced an uphill task of dealing with the increasing rate of unemployment as well as the collapse in the output. At some instances central banks have adopted the unconventional

Content Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Content Analysis - Essay Example This essay shall revolve around the thesis that news coverage in two websites would be different because of the specific social, cultural, and political undertones impacting on the website. Examples from evidence gathered shall help support this thesis. This essay shall gather its evidence for 10 days by browsing through news websites to peruse political and other news. Specific news items shall be chosen and then compared to other perspectives or news items from other websites. This process shall be carried out with different websites from western and Asian settings choosing within the time period for data gathering. A comparative analysis of the news articles shall follow this data gathering process. Main Body News terms and definitions There are different terms which need to be defined before this comparative analysis can proceed. Firstly, news agenda refers to the list of news items or topics which editors would choose to follow. The news values on the other hand refer to the imp ortance which is allocated on a certain news item. Sources are the individuals and other relevant items where the information would be gathered. Aljazeera and BBC These two news outlets are considered trusted international networks with the British Broadcasting Corporation being the most extensive news outlet in the world. It is considered a public corporation with measures undertaken in order to ensure its independence from the government (Briggs, 1985). It transmits to millions of homes worldwide, including hotels, resorts, and is now easily accessed via phones. Aljazeera on the other hand is a news outlet based on Qatar and was designed mostly to focus on Arab news and events (Seib, 2008). It is also the largest news outlet in the Middle East, mostly offering an Asian, mostly Middle East Asian perspective on the news. It also runs 24 hours a day with coverage in other countries expanding through the internet (Seib, 2008). This news outlet mostly highlights a less western influenc ed perspective on current events and affairs. Aljazeera and CNN In comparing the content of Aljazeera and CNN, the Aljazeera news provides a more international variety in its news while the CNN is more US and western focused (Flournoy and Stewart, 1997). Where other perspectives on the news are sought, the reader needs to go to the regional levels of their news outlet, including CNN News Asia where the Asian news can be seen. For Aljazeera, the focus is understandably the Middle East, however, they also include the international news in their front pages (Maalouf, 2008). News Agenda The news agenda is dominated by the Syria issue. In news outlets like CNN and Aljazeera, the threat of a nuclear arms threat from Syria has been discussed, and the position of the US on the issue has been dominant in the news agenda as several related articles have been seen in the past 10 days in these news outlets. The news agenda also includes various discussions and opinions on the Syria issue from t he perspective of the US and the rest of the world, including Britain, Russia, and Syria itself. The brewing nuclear threat has been emphasized in the articles, and seems to mimic the same pathway by which the Second Gulf War with Iraq eventually unfolded, with UN nuclear inspections being suggested by the international community and demands by the US President for the international community to take more decisive actions on the issue. UN inspections have been carried out on Syria, however, the international

Cosmopolitanism Ethics In A World Of Strangers Philosophy Essay

Cosmopolitanism Ethics In A World Of Strangers Philosophy Essay The book, Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers, is a clear and well-written book which is enjoyable to read. K. A. Appiah is himself a citizen of the world: a professor of philosophy at Princeton, with a Ghanian father and an English mother, he was raised in Ghana and educated in England, and also lived in Africa, Europe and North America. After reading this book, I have to say that Appiah skillfully blends his philosophical ideas with anecdotes about his own life and background. It brings us too many places and we come to know him a little and also his father, mother, and various other kinsfolk and tribe members. He introduces us to many traditions, practices and ideas of his African ancestry to clarify his ideas on human interactions, conversations, and globalisation. It reassesses the case for reviving an ancient stream of thought in a world full of strangers, and finds that Cosmopolitanism is a universal trait of humankind. The overall scheme of the book concerns the p rinciples of the existence of different people bound by a simple nexus of common values and humanity.   1.1 Introduction: Marking Conversation Appiah starts with the fact that our ancestors lived in small tribes where they interacted with a small set of people who they knew. Others were of rival tribes and to be viewed with suspicion. Information about other ways of life didnt really flow into the village. That was in the old days. Nowadays, our human world is getting smaller now, because people have more access to each other than ever before in history. We are getting to know and access each other through migration, international trade, tourism, and the worldwide web of information, which comes from radio, television, telephones, and especially the internet. This mass media and the amazing cyberspace give us plenty of opportunities not only that we can affect the lives of others everywhere but that we can to learn about life anywhere, too'(p xiii). The world is getting smaller and we are living in a new global tribe in the face of the world globalization. How are we to deal with these new circumstances? What ideas and institutions can help us to live together in this global village? Appiah addresses the notion of cosmopolitanism, that is the challenge to take minds and hearts formed over the long millennia of living in local troops and equip them with ideas and institutions that will allow us to live together as the global tribe we have become'(p xiii). The notion actually combines two inter-related strands: One is the idea that we have obligations to others, obligations that stretch beyond those to whom we are related by the ties of kith and kin, or even the more formal ties of shared citizenship'(p xv). The other is that we take seriously the value not just of human life but of particular human lives, which means taking an interest in the practices and beliefs that lend them significance (p xv). Appiah believes that it is an obligation to understand those with whom we share this planet. People are different, and there is much to learn from our differences. Because there are so many human possibilities worth exploring, we neither expect nor desire that every person or every society should converge on a single mode of life. Appiah also stresses that whatever our obligations are to others (or theirs to us) they often have the right to go their own way (p xv), it is respect for difference. According to Appiah, cosmopolitanism is more accommodating of diversity than the current liberal consensus but does not fall into moral relativism. Cosmopolitanism embodies two core values: universal concern for all humanity above family and nation and a respect for legitimate difference. Appiah recognizes that these two values clash, and as such cosmopolitanism is the name not of the solution but of the challenge (p. xv). Appiah takes a step further to summarise the challenges, which are: (1) to avoid falling into moral relativism while respecting difference; (2) to find a middle way between an unrooted abstract universalism and self-interested nationalism; (3) to recognise that cultural difference has been exaggerated by an order of magnitude (p. xix); and (4) to work for conversation, in the sense both of association and exchange of ideas, while realising that humanity will never arrive at an agreed hierarchy of universal values. Cosmopolitanism is a process involving the human co mmunity in habits of co-existence, of conversation in its older meaning, of living together, association (p. xix). The crux of getting along is to recognise that while one might live with integrity in accordance with ones own beliefs, one does not need to share the same rationale with someone else to develop this habit of conservation. In the interpretation of cosmopolitanism, Appiah is sympathetic to the view that local loyalties and allegiances are important because they determine who we are. So he encourages us to embrace both local and universal loyalties and allegiances and denies that they necessarily come into conflict with each other. He holds that we need to take sides neither with the nationalist who abandons all foreigners nor with the hard-core cosmopolitan who regards friends and fellow citizens with icy impartiality. The position worth defending might be called (in both senses) a partial cosmopolitanism. So he stakes out his middle ground of partial cosmopolitanism more by talking about what its not. On the positive side, we get a lot of generalities: its important to talk with people from other cultures, to maintain mutual respect, to learn about other ways of life. We need the curiosity inherent in a partial cosmopolitan outlook so that we can get used to one another and live peacefully together. We do not, he stresses, need to share underlying values or agree on everything. 1.2 The Shattered Mirror Appiah argues that looking at the world clearly shows that there are a variety of ways of life and thought. Human beings are different and that we can learn from each others differences (p4). When we are exposed to the range of human customs and beliefs, a cosmopolitan openness to the world is perfectly consistent with picking and choosing among the options you find in your search (p5). However, such exposure to different human customs and beliefs hardly leaves the traveler unattached from his own. Thus, not all disagreements can be resolved and it urges us to accept differences. (pp.4-7) Appiah holds that a complex truth is like images of the shattered mirroreach shard of which reflects one part of a complex truth from its own particular angle. He supposed the deepest mistake is to think that your little shard of mirror can reflect the whole. Actually, Appiah points out that there is no singular truth. In that case, theres no one shattered mirror; there are lots of mirrors, lots of moral truths, and we can at best agree to differ (p11), therefore, we need to embrace pluralism, and adopt a live-and let-live attitude. Appiah cites works by ethnographers, and draws a number of persuasive parallels to establish universality and shared values (good and bad). He stresses that people in far-flung places are the same in that [they] have gods, food, language, dance music, carvings, medicines, family lives, rituals, jokes and childrens tales.   They smiled, slept, had sex and children, wept, and in the end, died (p.14). Another commonality according to Appiah, is that a lot of what we take to be right or wrong is simply a matter of customs.   His argument about ideas and concepts which are common to most cultures in the world, draws further on acts like good parenting, as well as taboo, which exists in his native Ghana (akywandee), or in Igbo land (nso), but is Polynesian in origin. 1.3 The Escape from Positivism Appiah writes of relativism, positivism, and particular the fact and value distinction in this chapter. Appiah claims that the influence of positivism has led to value relativism by splitting values (or ends) from facts about the world (or means), in other words, what philosophers have called the naturalistic fallacy, or the inability to derive an ought from an is. Appiah avers that relativism and positivism often get in the way of the cosmopolitan project and undermine conversation across boundaries. Because every people finds its own ways (to be) good (p16), this conversation is important. It helps us to know others who are different and to learn from them. Simply put, if when we disagree we are both right, then there is nothing to talk about. if we cannot learn from one another what it is right to think and feel and do, then conversation between us will be pointless (p31). From a positivist slant, Appiah observes that what is custom is linked to values, which in the end, guide our acts, thoughts and our feelings (p 25). It is in this context that he underscores that being kind is an attribute of experience more than any other variable since people learn to be kind by being treated kindly and noticing it.   Appiah also emphasises the way our values are shaped by conversations with others, in which we try to shape each others views and feelings, but relativism of that sort isnt a way to encourage conversation, its just a reason to fall silent (p 31) because of the relativists toleration. 1.4 Facts on the Ground The chapter is an attack on the positivist notion of fact. Appiah argues that facts are not as solid as we may suppose. He tries to show that facts are on no more solid ground than values. He uses the example of trying to persuade a traditional Asante (his kinfolk) that witchcraft cannot harm people, to show that facts largely depend on what you already believe and what ideas you already have. 1.5 Moral Disagreement In this chapter, Appiah goes on to look at the various ways we can come in conflict over values, which are more likely to arise between people from different societies. They are: (1) no shared vocabulary of evaluation. Value terms are essentially contestable and they will always be argued about both across cultures and within them. (2) Even when we share the same moral vocabulary, conflict over values might come in varying interpretations of the same vocabulary and (3) giving the same values different weight. However none of this is insurmountable: we can agree to do things without agreeing on why (p67), but more important is Appiahs point, pace Samuel Huntingdon, that most conflict is not articulated through warring values in the first place. In fact, intense conflict may arise through dispute over the meaning of the same values (p67), e.g. on abortion, American pro-lifers and pro-abortionists both respect the sanctity of life, but differ on why it is precious and on when life begin s. To better understand this point, Appiah gives us other example that, the US and Iraq being at war is not because the people of the two countries have different values. But this is not a point the politicians in Washington would readily accept, certainly, not the ideologues.  Here, Appiah analyses that the Golden Rule-what you do not wish done to yourself, do not do to others- requires that we should take other peoples interests seriously, take them into account. Appiah suggests that encouraging cosmopolitan engagement, presupposes the acceptance of disagreement.   Perhaps, this is why cosmopolitans endorse as a key aim, that we learn about other peoples situations and then use our imagination to walk in their Moccasins (p.68). He also exposes the failings of the Golden Rule as a principle to live by. Its just that we cant claim that the way is easy. 1.6 The Primacy of Practice Appiah argues that even though moral disagreements can happen and are real, crosscultural conversations about values do not have to end in disagreement, because it is often possible to agree about what to do even when we do not agree on the reasons behind it. For example, we can live in peace and harmony without agreeing on the underlying values. (pp.69-81) Appiah discourages us from insisting on reaching agreements on values by means of reasoned arguments and persuasion. These very often fail to move people. Moreover, if we make this insistence, then we will lose what is worthwhile about conversations across boundaries. As Appiah avers, conversation is hardly guaranteed to lead to agreement about what to think and feel. Yet we go wrong if we think the point of conversation is to persuade, and imagine it proceeding as a debate, in which points are scored for the Proposition and the Opposition. Often enough, as Faust said, in the beginning is the deed: practices and not principles are what enable us to live together in peace (pp.84-85).When Appiah proposes conversations between people, what he has in mind by conversation is really an engagement with the experience and the ideas of others (p85). In this sense, conversations do not have to lead to consensus about anything, especially not values; its enough that it helps people get used to one another (p85). 1.7 Imaginary Strangers Appiah argues that the points of entry to crosscultural conversations are things that are shared by those who are in the conversation. They do not need to be universal; all they need to be is what these particular people have in common (p97). And human beings everywhere have so much in common. These include everyday activities, such as buying things, eating, reading the paper, laughing, going to movies, parties and funerals. They also include universal values such as kindness and generosity. He argues that these can be entry points to cross cultural conversations, because once we have found enough (things which) we share, there is the further possibility that we will be able to enjoy discovering things we do not yet share'(p97), and we can open up more to other ways of thinking, feeling and acting. That is one of the payoffs of cosmopolitan curiosity. Appiah also notes that the problem of cross-cultural communication can seem immensely difficult in theory, when we are trying to imagine making sense of a stranger in the abstract. But the great lesson of anthropology is that when the stranger is no longer imaginary, but real and present, sharing a human social life, you may like or dislike him, you may agree or disagree; but, if it is what you both want, you can make sense of each other in the end (pp.98-99). 1.8 Cosmopolitan Contamination In the seventh chapter called Cosmopolitan Contamination, Appiah argues against those who criticize globalization for producing homogeneity and getting rid of cultural differences. He claims that globalization is also a threat to homogeneity because it creates new forms of difference (p101-105). He thinks that instead of the talk of preserving diversity and trapping people in conditions they want to escape from, we have got to let people choose for themselves. He mentions that cosmopolitans think human variety matters because people are entitled to the options they need to shape their lives in partnership with others (p104). Appiah also writes of the trouble with cultural imperialism, he believes that people in each place make their own uses even of the most famous global commodities (p113). Such as the fact that Levis are worn on every continent. In some places they are informal wear; in others they are dressy'(p113).They are not blank tablets on which global capitalism can write wh atever it wants, they are not fools but they can resist. That is why something does not ever change, like the identity of a society can survive when cultures are made of continuities and changes. 1.9 Whose Culture Is It, Anyway? Appiah begins by pointing out that some of the museums of the world, particularly in the West, have large collections of objects and artefacts which were looted from poor and developing countries. He then asks: who owns these cultural artefacts and properties? Our first answer may be that since they make up the cultural heritage of a people, they belong to the people and culture from whom they were taken. Appiah disputes this and argues that the right way is to take not a national but a cosmopolitan perspective: to ask what system of international rules about objects of this sort will respect the many legitimate human interests at stake (pp.126-127). If some cultural artefacts are of potential value to all human beings, they should belong to all of humanity. He thinks that when they make a contribution to world culture, they should be protected by being made available to those who would benefit from experiencing them and put into the trusteeship of humanity (pp.130-134). Appiah argue s that rather than focusing on returning stolen art and putting a lot of money and effort into it, it may serve the interest of those whose artefacts were stolen better to be exposed to a decent collection of art from around the world, like people everywhere else. 1.10 The Counter-Cosmopolitanism Appiahs writing on Believers without Borders as in Doctors without Borders is instructive in explaining universalism as well as its driving motives and consequences: They believe in human dignity across nationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ share ideals with people in many countries, speaking many languagesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ they would never go to war for (a) country, but they will enlist (in a) campaign against any nation that gets in the way of universal justice.   They are young, global Muslim fundamentalist; they are the recruiting ground of Al Qaeda (pp. 137-138). Appiah goes on to suggest that such fundamentalism exemplifies the universal ethics, which inverts the picture of Cosmopolitanism and in the absence of toleration, turns easily to murder (p141).  For example, Islamic and Christian fundamentalists who seek a community of those who share their faith and reject all national and local allegiances have no tolerance for religious difference. We should be wary of and reject universal community, because they can lead to bloodbaths, which is one lesson we can learn from the sad history of Christian religious warfare in Europe (p141). Then Appiah turns to argue that their universalism is contrary to cosmopolitanism which embraces pluralism and promotes the view that our knowledge is imperfect and provisional and that we might learn something from those we disagree with. As he writes: to say what, in principle, distinguishes the cosmopolitan from the counter-cosmopolitan, we plainly need to go beyond talk of truth and tolerance. One distinctively cosmopolitan commitment is to pluralism. Cosmopolitans think that there are many values worth living by and that you cannot live by all of them. So we hope and expect that different people and different societies will embody different values. (But they have to be values worth living by.) Another aspect of cosmopolitanism is what philosophers call fallibilism the sense that our knowledge is imperfect, provisional, subject to revision in the face of new evidence (p 144). If cosmopolitanism is, in a slogan, universality plus difference, there are the other enemies of cosmopolitanism. They reject universality altogether, and claim that not everyone matters. One such inescapable obligation is this: when you do something that harms someone else, you must be able to justify it. Those we think of are willing to claim that not everyone matters. They tell us why. Such and such people are destroying our nation; they are inferior; It is not actually that they dont matter; its that they have earned our hatred or contempt. They deserve what we are doing to them (pp.150-152). Appiah avers that the real challenge to cosmopolitanism isnt the belief that other people dont matter at all; its the belief that they dont matter very much. Its easy to get agreement that we have some obligations to strangers. We cant do terrible thing to them. (p153) 1.11 Kindness to Strangers Appiah looks at the question of what do we owe strangers? His answer is mainly negative. Appiah begins by referring the viewpoints of Peter Singer and Peter Unger. The Singer principle (from the works of Peter Singer) states: If you can prevent something bad from happening at the cost of something less bad, you ought to do it (p 160). Unger takes it a step further by stating that it would be immoral not to donate all of ones wealth to organizations, such as UNICEF and Oxfam, which benefit less fortunate people. Based on these beliefs, Singer and Unger would likely agree that it would be wrong to spend money on the opera if that money could otherwise be used to save the life of a child (p159-162). Appiah, however, doesnt agree with that decision. He believes that Singer and Unger are missing a key piece of morality and human nature: It is illogical-and just plain wrong- to assume that a person values all lives equally. In reality, a person is likely to value the people around them, su ch as family and friends, and even themselves, over those whom they have never met. Thats not to say that such a person does not care about other, unknown people; it is only to reaffirm the fact that humans prefer familiarity. Cosmopolitanism cannot and does not demand from us to have more sympathy and concern for strangers than those close to us. In addition, Singer and Ungers principles are vague and without exceptions. They dont seem to consider all possible situations and they fail to account for human nature. As Appiah mentions, if everyone spent all of their money to save starving children and none on activities they enjoy, the world would be a flat and dreary place. (p 166) No one would want to live at all if they werent able to do things other than saving other peoples lives. People need entertainment and joy in their lives in order to be happy and successful. These thinkers are mistaken to burden us with incredible obligations which would dramatically reduce the quality of our lives (pp.156-166). It is much more helpful, as Appiah believes, to contribute, in whatever way possible, to a cause that will focus on improving the general living conditions of a location, which, in turn, will eliminate the hunger of the children living there. Providing clean water or a better education system to Third World children will do more for their future than simply feeding them for a day, which, as Appiah points out, may actually be detrimental to the farmers and the economy of the area. And it wouldnt necessarily require all of ones wealth to be donated to the cause in order to make it happen. As Appiah points out, Singer and Unger seem to imply that all values can be measured in a single thin currency of goodness and badness and those decisions should be made based on a comparison of the amounts of this currency for each possible outcome (p 166). That theory is a misguided and an inaccurate one, as it fails to account for outside forces. All decisions must be made by considering the many variables involved; this morality price, as one might call it, is only one such variable. According to Appiah, whatever our obligations are to strangers, they must not be too burdensome because these are not the only obligations that matter. As such, Appiah is correct in his conclusions that neither the Singer principle nor Ungers beliefs should be the sole guiding force in ones decision-making process. While it may be appropriate to assign the morality price a heavy weight when it comes to making a decision, it is impossible to force the human mind to think only of such a value. As Appia h argues, human values and decision making processes should be based on more than just one specific rule-designed by one specific human. The world is too complex for one sentence to handle. Appiah also makes an argument based on the saying that the end justifies the means. Slavery, in and of itself, is wrong; the existence of the pyramids or of the United States, however, is not. Plus, it is unreasonable to assume that giving away all of ones wealth will cause any permanent change. It is more likely that doing so would simply prolong the possibly-dreadful life of a starving child for a set period of time. After that, the living conditions of the child would simply return to their previous state. 2 Evaluations 2.1 The Notion of Cosmopolitanism Appiahs chosen word to describe this task in this book is cosmopolitanism. This term can be traced back to the founding father of the Cynic movement in Ancient Greece,  Diogenes of Sinope  (c. 412 B.C.). Of Diogenes it is said: Asked where he came from, he answered: I am a citizen of the world (kosmopolità ªs)  [1]  . The word of Cosmopolitan derives from Greek  cosmos  (the  Universe) and  polis (city). Appiah picks this term to suggest the possibility of a cosmopolitan community in which individuals from varying locations (physical, economic, etc.) enter relationships of mutual respect despite their differing beliefs (moral, religious, political, etc.). According to the meaning which is intended , he finds cosmopolitan superior to globalization, which is an overused word that can mean everything from a marketing strategy to an economic thesis, or multiculturalism, which he says is another shape shifter, which so often designates the disease it purports to cure. App iah admits that cosmopolitanism can have elitist connotations. But its actually a term rooted more in the idea of cosmos the universe: talk of cosmopolitanism originally signaled a rejection of the conventional view that every civilized person belonged to a community among communities. In order to better understand the notion of Cosmopolitanism in the book, it is necessary to make a brief survey of the differences in meaning among some conceptions, which are: relativism, universalism, nationalism, patriotism and liberalism. Relativism refers to any of several descriptive, meta-ethical, or normative positions  regarding the differences in moral or ethical judgments between different people and cultures. Universalism is the meta-ethical position that some system of ethics, or a universal ethic, applies universally, that is, for all similarly situated individuals, regardless of culture, race, sex, religion, nationality, sexuality, or other distinguishing feature. Nationalism  involves a strong identification of ones social identity with that of a  nation  or state.  Patriotism  is love and devotion to ones country.  Liberalism is the belief in the importance of  liberty  and  equality. And, Cosmopolitanism is in a slogan, universality plus differen ce (p151). 2.2 Relativism and Cosmopolitanism Relativists claim that not everything is local custom, and they argue that education must be morally neutral, and that all values are situational and negotiable. Appiah thinks it is mercifully fading out. Appiah rejects cultural relativism, he pushes it further toward obsolescence and denies a key tenet of relativism, which he describes as the basic suspicion that moral claims just reflect local preferences rather than universal truths. Before relativisms destruction, its proponents relied on the comfortable certainty that tolerance trumped all other values. For relativists, dealing with multiple cultures was easy: Just tolerate everything. But in the absence of that idea, how do we relate to what Appiah calls a world of strangers? Since there are some values that are, and should be, universal, do we deliberately rinse away all expressions of cultural diversity that dont uphold those universals? If values are universal, how can we maintain them while still respecting cultural distinctness? How can we avoid the pitfall those relativists feared, that of imposing our values on others? Appiah makes it work. He avers that Cosmopolitanism helps us find ways to consider such conceptual complexities. As mentioned before, Appiahs cosmopolitanism intertwines two ideas, obligations to others and value of particular human lives. For the cosmopolitan, then, no local loyalty can ever justify forgetting that each human being has r esponsibilities to every other. Those responsibilities are best played out in conversations across differences where the language of values helps us coordinate our lives with one another. 2.3 Globalization Appiah talks about globalization in chapter 7. He is dismissive of those who are critical of globalization and focuses only on one aspect of their criticisms, namely their worry that globalization wipes out local cultures. So he does not address the worry that the global financial institutions and multinational corporations want to expand the world markets for their own interests and that they undercut and weaken local governments, laws, and decision-making. Western industrial nations promote free trade, but this in fact benefits them and makes them richer and more powerful. The agriculture and export subsidies in the West are one of the main causes of agricultural decline in many developing countries. So globalization per petuates and worsens the unequal balance of power between rich industrial and poor developing countries, rather than addressing it in any way. Appiah casts the critics of globalization as people who are afraid of change, but some of the critics are legitimately con cerned with global justice and local sovereignty. 2.4 Cosmopolitan Justice Cosmopolitan justice is discussed in Chapter10, but it is a little weak. One of the main components of Appiahs cosmopolitanism is ethical commitment to strangers. But his view of what this amounts to is very thin. Instead of speculating about what commitments we incur if we want to make the world a substantially better place, Appiah comes up with a list of constraints. He is very critical of the idea of world government as a vehicle for upholding and guaranteeing peoples basic rights. For Appiah the primary mechanism for ensuring basic rights is the nation-state. Appiah then warns us about those who want to burden us with too much and urge us to overlook our obligations to those close to us and to our own self and projects. It is difficult to see how the concerns which underpin cosmopolitan ethics or justice can be addressed solely in the context of national politics. Those who are passionate about cosmopolitan justice are concerned about extreme poverty, tyranny, oppression, and environmental degradation. Seriously addressing these seems to also require working with international organizations which go beyond national borders and forming connections and associations with others elsewhere who have similar goals. Moreover, despite Appiahs legitimate worries about establishing a world government, it is clear that world governing bodies and institutions, such as United Nations and World Bank, already exist, deal with cosmopolitan justice issues, and have much power. At the least, making the world more just would demand that these institutions become more democratic and fair and do a better job of protecting peoples rights. 2.5 Global Conversation Cosmopolitanism works because values like courtesy, hospitality, generosity and reciprocity are widely shared, alongside other basic concepts and social customs, to enable differences to be explored. Appiah thinks that we share enough to work through human differences. Commonality allows for a global conversation. In the end, attaining a state of peaceful, diverse co-existence is more important to cosmopolitanism than resolving all conflict over human values either philosophically or politically. Appiah calls for a global conversation to make our world suitable for coexistence and living well. But he does not refer to appropriate ways. When we look for some enlightenment in the context of Chinese Confucianism, we can find that Confucian toleration has some characteristics of engagement in such conversations; the characteristics are: openness to t

adolescent psychology Essays -- essays research papers

The actual definition of an adolescent psychiatrist â€Å"is a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy who specializes in the diagnosis and, if indicated, the treatment of disorders of thinking, feeling, and/or behavior affecting children, adolescents, and their families.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For someone to become an adolescent psychiatrist it takes on average nine to ten years of special training and schooling. It requires graduating from high school, then going to college and getting a bachelors degree in either art or science, then four years of medical school, with a year of interning, followed by three years of training at a resident level in medicine and neurology, and then two years of college dealing with training and internships dealing with children, adolescents, and their families. Even though it is not required one can take the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) examination which will give one more certification and put then higher up on the professional ranking also with being certified with the ABPN examination one is expected to be able to diagnose and treat all problems within the patient.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The degrees one must have to become an adolescent psychiatrist are the following either: and Bachelors in art or science and a Medical degree. An adolescent psychiatrist also has the degree to council and diagnose adults and children as well, not just adolescents. An adolescent psychiatrist can also do family, group, and couple psychotherapy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In America the job opportunities for an adolescent psychiatrist are excellent. In 1980 the government requested the statistics for the need of adolescents psychiatrist in America by the Graduate Medical Education National Advisory Committee and they â€Å"projected a need in 1990 for 9,000 child and adolescent psychiatrists, with a supply of only 4,100 (a ratio of 45.6%). The 1. report was even more urgent: it projected a need in the year 2010 for 32,075 child and adolescent psychiatrists, but a supply of only 3,942 (a ratio of only 12.3%).† There are many opportunities in high schools, they are needed to try and to help the students go through all the drama and stress that they may go through during their high school term. Another place is at colleges for many different reasons one reason is ... ...ids are able to get help and some guidance with whatever their problem may be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An adolescent yearly income varies on many things such as where you work such as in a clinic where one can charge very little or nothing at all, but in a private practice one can charge up to three-hundred dollars an hour.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The average treatment time is twelve session, and one hour a session, but in some cases (that is getting more common every year) if the disorder or disorders has been going on for a long 3. period of time or the if it is confusing and complicated or if the disorder or disorders continue the sessions may be extended for a period of time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As an adolescent psychiatrist one will learn the following: how to have a positive self esteem. Learn how to talk one on one with all ages. How to observe and examine changing roles in both males and females, and also how to â€Å"identify stressful and crisis situations for adolescents and how to manage them.† These are just some of the ways to put the abilities that an adolescent psychiatrist to a helpful use.