Reading report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading report - Essay Example Just as a few teachers improve the virtue of youth while others corrupt them, South Side may improve some children and corrupt those other children who are â€Å"left to it by their parents, with no one to educate them about what they are seeing† (Young, 7). All children do not have the mitigating influence of parents who discuss and educate them about the sitcom’s content. Again, many people are like Eichmann, and are â€Å"unable to take another’s standpoint† (Young, 8). In such cases, South Side may not engender critical reflection. It may also make Cartman a role model for those who blindly imitate behavior on television and remain thoughtless and manipulative. Young is right in contending that South Side plays a positive role in philosophy by igniting debate and discussion. South Side may serve as the gadfly which instigates philosophical reflection, but it is definitely not the equivalent of a Socratic

Golden Torch Award Essay Example for Free

Golden Torch Award Essay Companies have been striving to be the best in their respective field of services and products. Continuous improvement on the part of the management and commitment on the part of the employees is very important to stay competitive especially in the ever-growing market of society. It is not thus surprising that companies strive to earn distinguishing marks of excellence such as world-class awards. One of the most prestigious awards that can be received is the Golden Torch Award. Unlike all other awards, the Golden Torch Award stands out from the rest because it is not only an award of excellence but also of justice and fairness on how the company treats employees regarding their race. Purpose and Background The National Society of Black Engineers, famously known as NSBE, initiated the Golden Torch Awards in the year 1997. However, no exact date is available as to when the first Golden Torch Awards has been held. The NSBE is a preeminent organization that seeks to serve blacks in the fields of engineering and technology (2008 GTA Winners). The organization was pioneered by students of Purdue University in 1971. As the campus student organization flourished in Purdue, the charter members encouraged and coordinated with different universities throughout the country offering engineering courses. Thus, in 1975, the organization became national with over 30 school chapter organizations. The group’s well-known torch symbol represents the member’s everlasting and burning desire to achieve the success in a competitive society resulting to a positive effect on the quality of life for people from all walks of life. The organization seeks to make an impact on society and the world by the accomplishments and contributions of its members to engineering, technology and even in the academe (NSBE Mission). The Golden Torch Award is just one of the many activities that the NSBE has imparted to the society. The said award wishes to recognize brilliance among African-American engineers, scientists and technologists, including organizations that have exhibited a commitment to the recruitment, retention and promotion of minorities (Siebels, 2004, p. 329). It honors different companies, institutions and individual persons who enhance their professions and the world with outstanding intelligence, competent talent and vibrant vision at the same time serving as role models for everyone in advancing opportunities for African-Americans (DiScipio). Furthermore, the award links accomplishments of its awardees with the dreams of college-bound students. The Golden Torch Award is bestowed every year on the annual convention of NSBE, which seeks to raise scholarship funds for deserving high school students (2008 GTA Winners). Award Criteria The mission of NSBE is â€Å"to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and impact the community positively† (NSBE Mission). It is thus understandable that the Golden Torch Award is designed to highlight the achievements of distinguished black engineers and technical professionals together with incoming college students (US Navy). Golden Torch Awardees are usually chosen by scrutinizing resumes, professional achievements, community service and other criteria depending on the type of category of the award. A team of judges consisting of professional and academic leaders both in the field of science and engineering selects the winners of the award (Black Engineers). There are no specific criteria available for the award. Additionally, it will be very arduous to do so since the Golden Torch Award is but a general term for numerous awards varying in category. Nevertheless, the objectives of the NSBE can be a great estimation of the factors that determine the qualifications for awardees. The NSBE has five objectives to undertake. First is to motivate and develop student interests in the various engineering disciplines. The organization’s second objective is to make a great effort in amplifying the number of minority students learning engineering at undergraduate and graduate levels. The third is to tender assistance to members searching for advanced degrees in the field of engineering or its related fields and obtaining professional engineering registrations. Fourth is promoting public awareness of engineering and the opportunities for minorities in their respective professions. Fifth is to act as ambassadors regarding issues and innovations that may affect careers of black engineers (NSBE Mission). These different objectives of the organization are met in one way or another in the criteria used for judging of Golden Torch Award winners. Awards given are numerous and have different titles. In the year 2000, the awards given are: National Chair’s Award for Leadership in Technology, Executive Leader of the Year, Achievement Award, Lifetime Achievement in Academia, Lifetime Achievement in Government, Lifetime Achievement in Industry, Pioneer of the Year, Outstanding Woman in Technology, Mike Shin’s Distinguished Fellow of the Year, Distinguished Engineer, Diversity Leadership in Industry, Diversity Leadership in Government, Corporate Community Service, Corporate/Education Partnership, Executive Director’s Award for Advancing Diversity, Pre-College Community Service, High School of the Year, Pre-College Program of the Year, Pre-College Student of the Year, Academic Visionary, Graduate Student of the Year, Minority Engineering Program Director, Pre-College Initiative Program of the Year, Chapter of the Year, Technologist of the Year and Member of the Year (Black Engineers). Additional awards given this 2008 include Janice A. Lumpkin Educator of the Year , Entrepreneur of the Year and Corporate Diversity Leadership Award (2008 GTA Winners). Benefits of the Award Although there are no tangible benefits that the Golden Torch Award can offer, it still speaks of the prestige that its awardees can possess. The honor and the promotion somehow provide the awardees’ company popularity and quality assurance that customers and consumers seek out. The said award becomes a showcase of the high standards that a company achieves throughout its existence. It also brings about the respect and gives the image that the company not only offers quality service but also social responsibility. It can speak of the capable and proficient workforce a corporation may have. As a liaison officer of the US Navy commented, the bestowal of the award can be a great opportunity to acknowledge professionalism (US Navy). Receiving the award, companies and individuals can also avail of the different programs that the NSBE offers such as academic excellence programs, scholarships, leadership trainings, professional development and career opportunities in the field of engineering and technology (NSBE Mission). Nevertheless, to think further a bit, the award has its disadvantage too. Since the NSBE is a group that uplifts racial equality, radical groups that favor racial discrimination may condemn the awardees or the companies. Terrorist groups may instill fear to people that support such groups. Moreover, this threat is not utterly dangerous as long as the companies and organizations have appropriate security measures at hand. Past Winners of the Award Winners of the Golden Torch Award have been credited for their outstanding performance and significant contributions in the field of engineering and technology. One example is United Technologies Corp. (UTC), which is the 2005 Corporate Diversity Leadership. The corporation was appreciated for its professional achievements and commitment to diversity initiatives (DiScipio). UTC works for force diversity, education and community outreach to minority groups. Competently, the company is a dealer of a wide range of high technology products and support services to aerospace and building systems industries. Other past individual winners are Alan Gilkes, Sandra Baylor and Dawn Robinson. Alan Gilkes was awarded Distinguished Engineer of the Year in 2000 for his invention of an electronic Braille display device. Sandra Baylor was winner of the Lifetime Achievement in Industry Award, having seven patents whereas Dawn Robinson, a product manager, is the recipient of the Outstanding Woman in Technology Award (Black Engineers). This year’s award list is as follows: Woodrow Whitlow Jr. , Distinguished Engineer of the Year; Rickey J. Shyne, Lifetime Achievement in Government; Juan E. Gilbert, Pioneer of the Year; Celia D. A. Earle, Outstanding Woman in Technology; Arthur L. George, Lifetime Achievement in Industry; Lorraine N. Fleming, Janice A. Lumpkin Educator of the Year; Cheryle L. Peters, Minority Engineering Program Director of the Year; Jonathan D. Madison, Graduate Student of the Year; Michael A. Thompson, Pre-College Initiative Student of the Year(Male); Kathryn M. Daniels, Pre-College Initiative Student of the Year(Female); Pre-Freshman Program in Engineering and Science, Chicago State University, Pre-College Program of the Year; Benedict Lazare, Entrepreneur of the Year; Dow Promise Program, The Dow Chemical Company, Corporate Community Service; UNCF-Merck Initiative, Merck Co. , Inc. , Corporate/Education Partnership; Texas Instruments Incorporated, Corporate Diversity Leadership; Akibi Archer, Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year(Male); Wanda Eugene, Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year(Female); Barbara Michelle Nichols, Alumni Extension Member of the Year; and, Edward Tunstel, Alumni Extension Technologist of the Year (2008 GTA Winners). The awardees surely received the honor due to their innovative contributions and achievements. Conclusion In essence, the Golden Torch Award is an excellence in leadership and quality award. Taking this into consideration, a nomination of the Lockheed Martin Corp. is not a bad idea. Lockheed Martin is a leading international defense contractor that operates on aeronautics, electronics and information technology services as well as space and strategic missiles thus employing a large number of work forces from all over the world. The diversity and quality assurance that the company brings to its customers and employees is worthy of a Golden Torch Award by the NSBE. It would not be a long time before the company is acknowledged for its contributions in the field of defense technology. References DiScipio, J.United Technologies Corporation. (2004, December 14). Society of Black Engineers honors UTC for Diversity Leadership. Retrieved May 8, 2008, from http://utc. com/press/releases/2004-12-14. htm. National Society of Black Engineers. (2008, March 3). 2008 GTA Winners: Top Engineers, Corporate Supporters win NSBE ‘Golden Torch’ Honors. Retrieved May 8, 2008, from http://national. nsbe. org/Default. aspx? tabid=138. National Society of Black Engineers. (2000, March 10). Black Engineers are Recognized for their Contributions, Winners Exemplify the Importance of Mentors. Retrieved May 11, 2008, from http://www. nsbe. org/downloads/pr/press/gta00. pdf.

Platos Concept Of Justice Essay -- Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Plato's Concept Of Justice ABSTRACT: In his philosophy Plato gives a prominent place to the idea of justice. Plato was highly dissatisfied with the prevailing degenerating conditions in Athens. The Athenian democracy was on the verge of ruin and was ultimately responsible for Socrates's death. The amateur meddlesomeness and excessive individualism became main targets of Plato's attack. This attack came in the form of the construction of an ideal society in which justice reigned supreme, since Plato believed justice to be the remedy for curing these evils. After criticizing the conventional theories of justice presented differently by Cephalus, Polymarchus, Thrasymachus and Glaucon, Plato gives us his own theory of justice according to which, individually, justice is a 'human virtue' that makes a person self-consistent and good; socially, justice is a social consciousness that makes a society internally harmonious and good. According to Plato, justice is a sort of specialization. Plato in his philosophy gives very important place to the idea of justice. He used the Greek word "Dikaisyne" for justice which comes very near to the work 'morality' or 'righteousness', it properly includes within it the whole duty of man. It also covers the whole field of the individual's conduct in so far as it affects others. Plato contended that justice is the quality of soul, in virtue of which men set aside the irrational desire to taste every pleasure and to get a selfish satisfaction out of every object and accommodated themselves to the discharge of a single function for the general benefit. Plato was highly dissatisfied with the prevailing degenerating conditions in Athens. The Athenian democracy was on the verge of ruin and was ulti... ...refore, be like that harmony of relationship where the Planets are held together in the orderly movement. Plato was convinced that a society which is so organized is fit for survival. Where man are out of their natural places, there the co-ordination of parts is destroyed, the society disintegrates and dissolves. Justice, therefore, is the citizen sense of duties. Justice is, for Plato, at once a part of human virtue and the bond, which joins man together in society. It is the identical quality that makes good and social . Justice is an order and duty of the parts of the soul, it is to the soul as health is to the body. Plato says that justice is not mere strength, but it is a harmonious strength. Justice is not the right of the stronger but the effective harmony of the whole. All moral conceptions revolve about the good of the whole-individual as well as social.

Landscape, Spirit, and Music Essay

Anne Boyd’s â€Å"Landscape, Spirit, and Music: An Australian Story† is a substantive view on the integration of the landscape of a distinct culture represented by aboriginal beliefs and traditions to Australia’s inimitable non-Indigenous music industry. Boyd said, â€Å"it is possible to see something of the significance of music in constructing an ‘inspirited’ relationship with landscape as part of a possible process of ‘aboriginalization’ which is slowly affecting all of Australia’s non-indigenous inhabitants. † Boyd sought to prove her assumptions by presenting various evidences in the works of famous Australian composers such as Ross Edwards, Peter Sculthorpe, and David Lumsdaine, including the artistry of Tommy Barrtjap as a musician. The landscape that Boyd was referring to with regards to the influences of some non-Indigenous Australian composers encompasses the history of Australia, the culture of its indigenous people, as well as the physical landscape or environment that makes the country matchless in beauty and whereiwthal. The history of Australia serves as the backdrop or milieu from which the composers were able to structure their unique, meaningful, and poignant music. Furthermore, the culture of Australia’s indigenous peoples becomes the inspiration for musicians or composers to create something exclusive and distinctive. Thus, the musicians and composers that Boyd mentioned in her discussions were able to create a kind of music that channels mysticism, spirituality, and the metaphysical, representative of Australia’s indigenous culture. Boyd said that â€Å"All three composers [Ross, Edwards & Schulthorpe] have drawn upon birdsong, not literally, but in a mythical and ritual sense; birds thus become spiritual messengers linking human music and landscape. † The great influence of Australia’s history and the indigenous culture of its native inhabitants is expected, as argued by Schultz . Schultz said that the emergence of a unique and distinctive music is most likely, particularly in Australia because â€Å"the existence of diverse immigrant population, a sense of real or imagined isolation, insecurity about the presence of a national character†¦ unique natural features such as climate, geography and flora and fauna, a pre-existing and extant culture with a strong and individual civilization, high standards of education with concomitant levels of artistic self-awareness, and substantial government subsidization of artistic activity† are dynamic and influential factors that would encourage such devotion and revolution in making and producing music for the sake of art. Furthermore, Lim believes that the growing interest of non-Indigenous Australian musicians to the history of Australia and culture of its Indigenous peoples as landscapes to developing music has something to do with the stipulation of these composers to develop a unique kind of music and a pe rsonal identity as a musician or composer. Lim said â€Å"Aboriginal cultures continue to be used by artists as a marker of authenticity in the construction of an Australian identity of sense of nationality. † By and large, Boyd’s discussions as supported by the narratives and arguments presented by Schultz and Lim explicate the great weight or importance of Indigenous culture in Australia as well as its history in helping musicians and composers create music that represents nationalism and establish a unique and inimitable identity. Works Cited Boyd, Anne. 2007. â€Å"Landscape, Spirit and Music,† in The Soundscapes of Australia: Music, Place and Spiritually. Richards, Fiona (Burlington, VT: Ashgate), pp. 11-18. Lim, Liza. â€Å"Crossing Cultural Boundaries and Ecstatic Transformation,† Sounds Australian 26 (2006), 10-11. Schultz, Andrew. â€Å"Other Places, Whose Music? : Some Introductory Comments on Appropriation and Tradition,† Sounds Australian 20 (1991): 8-9.

The Heat Death of the Universe

The hypothesis about heat death of the universe Our knowledge of the universe is still negligible, and we can not confidently assert that the universe is not under the influence of external forces, or may be considered as a thermodynamic system. However, it is the concept of heat death was the first step to realize the possible finiteness of the Universe, although we do not know when and on what scenario will happen of its destruction. At the present stage of existence (13. 72 billion years), the universe radiates as a black body with a temperature of 2,725 K. Its maximum to the frequency 160. GHz (microwave radiation), which corresponds to a wavelength of 1. 9 mm. It is isotropic up to 0,001% – the standard deviation of temperature is approximately 18 IWC. The heat death is a possible final thermodynamic state of the universe, in which it has â€Å"run down† to a state of no thermodynamic free energy to sustain motion or life. In physical terms, it has reached maximum entropy. The hypothesis of a universal heat death stems from the 1850s ideas of William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin who extrapolated the theory of heat views of mechanical energy loss in nature, as embodied in the first two laws of thermodynamics, to universal operation.The idea of heat death of the universe derives from discussion of the application of the first two laws of thermodynamics to universal processes. Specifically, in 1851 William Thomson outlined the view, as based on recent experiments on the dynamical theory of heat, that â€Å"heat is not a substance, but a dynamical form of mechanical effect, we perceive that there must be an equivalence between mechanical work and heat, as between cause and effect. [1] In 1852, Thomson published his â€Å"On a Universal Tendency in Nature to the Dissipation of Mechanical Energy† in which he outlined the rudiments of the second law of thermodynamics summarized by the view that mechanical motion and the energy used to create th at motion will tend to dissipate or run down, naturally. [2] The ideas in this paper, in relation to their application to the age of the sun and the dynamics of the universal operation, attracted the likes of William Rankine and Hermann von Helmholtz.The three of them were said to have exchanged ideas on this subject. [3] In 1862, Thomson published â€Å"On the age of the sun’s heat†, an article in which he reiterated his fundamental beliefs in the indestructibility of energy (the first law) and the universal dissipation of energy (the second law), leading to diffusion of heat, cessation of motion, and exhaustion of potential energy through the material universe while clarifying his view of the consequences for the universe as a whole.In a key paragraph, Thomson wrote: The result would inevitably be a state of universal rest and death, if the universe were finite and left to obey existing laws. But it is impossible to conceive a limit to the extent of matter in the uni verse; and therefore science points rather to an endless progress, through an endless space, of action involving the transformation of potential energy into palpable motion and hence into heat, than to a single finite mechanism, running down like a clock, and stopping forever. 4] Boltzmann, open the connection of entropy S and the statistical weight of P, considered that the current state of the universe is homogeneous grand fluctuation *, although its appearance has a negligible probability. [5] In a â€Å"heat death†, the temperature of the entire universe would be very close to absolute zero. Heat death is, however, not quite the same as â€Å"cold death†, or the â€Å"Big Freeze†, in which the universe simply becomes too cold to sustain life due to continued expansion; though, from the point of view of anything that might be alive, the result is quite similar. 6]. Inflationary cosmology suggests that in the early universe, before cosmic expansion, energy was uniformly distributed,[7] and thus the universe was in a state superficially similar to heat death. However, the two states are in fact very different: in the early universe, gravity was a very important force, and in a gravitational system, if energy is uniformly distributed, entropy is quite low, compared to a state in which most matter has collapsed into black holes.Thus, such a state is not in thermal equilibrium, and in fact there is no thermal equilibrium for such a system, as it is thermodynamically unstable. [8][9] However, in the heat death scenario, the energy density is so low that the system can be thought of as non-gravitational, such that a state in which energy is uniformly distributed is a thermal equilibrium state, i. e. , the state of maximal entropy. The final state of the universe depends on the assumptions made about its ultimate fate, and these assumptions have varied considerably over the late 20th century and early 21st century.In a â€Å"closed† univ erse that undergoes recollapse, a heat death is expected to occur, with the universe approaching arbitrarily high temperature and maximal entropy as the end of the collapse approaches. [citation needed] In an â€Å"open† or â€Å"flat† universe that continues expanding indefinitely, a heat death is also expected to occur[citation needed], with the universe cooling to approach absolute zero temperature and approaching a state of maximal entropy over a very long time period.There is dispute over whether or not an expanding universe can approach maximal entropy; it has been proposed that in an expanding universe, the value of maximum entropy increases faster than the universe gains entropy, causing the universe to move progressively further away from heat death. However, current analysis of entropy suggests that the visible universe has more entropy than previously thought. This is because the research concludes that supermassive black holes are the largest contributor. 1 0] From the Big Bang through the present day and well into the future, matter and dark matter in the universe is concentrated in stars, galaxies, and galaxy clusters. Therefore, the universe is not in thermodynamic equilibrium and objects can do physical work. [11]. The decay time of a roughly galaxy-mass (1011 solar masses) supermassive black hole due to Hawking radiation is on the order of 10100 years,[12], so entropy can be produced until at least that time. After that time, the universe enters the so-called dark era, and is expected to consist chiefly of a dilute gas of photons and leptons. [11].With only very diffuse matter remaining, activity in the universe will have tailed off dramatically, with very low energy levels and very large time scales. Speculatively, it is possible that the Universe may enter a second inflationary epoch, or, assuming that the current vacuum state is a false vacuum, the vacuum may decay into a lower-energy state. [11]. It is also possible that entro py production will cease and the universe will achieve heat death. [11].