Definition of Reading

Definition of Reading Definition of Reading Reading is a mental process. There are many definitions of reading. Reading is when someone looks into a written text and starts to absorb the information from the written linguistic message. In Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistic, reading is said as: Perceiving a written text in order to understand its contents. This can be done silently (silent reading). The understanding that result is called reading comprehension. Saying a written text aloud (oral reading). This can be done with or without understanding of the content. Other definition by Collins English Learners Dictionary is that reading is an act of looking at and understanding point. This is very true because reading entails the use of vision to understand several words in a sentence and make them meaningful. Same goes to each sentence in order to understand the entire text. Besides all the definitions from the dictionary there are also definitions made by several people. According to William (1984), he defines reading as a process whereby one looks at and understands what has been written. Rohani Ariffin (1992:1) in her book entitled Anthropology of Poetry for Young People defines reading as a highly personal activity that is mainly done silently, alone. There is a clear understanding that reading is something related to the activity of acquiring information and it is done either silently or aloud. Reading is an interactive process between the reader and the writer. Brunan W.K (1989) for instance defines reading as a two way interaction in which information is exchange between the reader and the author. Smith (1973) also shares the same attitude. This is proved by his line: Reading is an act of communication in which information is transferred from a transmitter to a receiver (Smith 1973:2) Despite all the definitions given, there is also definition of reading given by teachers as well as by students. According to Stallfter (1969), teachers define reading as: a complicated procedure. Readers read to get information from the printed pages. They should be able to pronounce and comprehend the printed words, signs, letters, and symbols by assigning meaning to them. As for students, they define reading which cited from Jensen and Petty (1918) as: where words go into your eyes and out of your mouth. They said that books are written with many adventures and time and time again there are spots where they say I know it! it is interesting to them as they open the book, words flow out and float across the mind In order for a person to be able to read, there is in need of other skill to support the reader while reading. Reading is a mental process as mentioned earlier so it needs other skills to be integrated with such as listening, speaking and writing. According to Chitravelu et. al (1995), reading is not a single skill that we use all the time in the same way but it is multiple skill that used differently with kind of test and fulfilling different purpose. This was earlier being stated by Thomas and Loving (1979) where they alleged reading as a communicative skills along with listening, speaking writing and thinking. Purpose of Reading Many or any people can read a text but hardly can understand what the writing was all about. This is because the reading was not providing any information to the reader. Why is this happen? This happened when the reader merely read the text without understanding the content. So it defeats the purpose of reading as a means to gain information. According to Mariam (1991) she proposed that a major avenue of learning is through reading. Yet, if we do not understand what we are reading, we cannot learn or remember it. Comprehending is a major concerned, then, of all teachers who use printed material in the classroom. Since reading is very important in learning second language, a great effort has been given to develop reading skill. Although many ways have been promoted in order to improve reading skill among students, reading is still something that is seems problematic. Students cant understand English text. These problems occurred because according to Noormah (2000) the students are lacking of vocabulary, hardly understand the words and less interest to English subject. Besides that, there are also several factors contributing to the diffident of this particular skill. Based on Sivaguru (2000) those factors are home, school and social environment. If the student is living in a family where English to them is a familiar language, frequently spoken by the members of the family then the student will have the advantage of being exposed to the language. Unlike student with no English familiarity in his family where English is seen as a bizarre language to be spoken, this kind of environment demodula tes his motivation to learn the language. Moreover, school is also one of the factors that contribute to the incompetence in reading. This is where the role of teacher in promoting the language to the students. Some teacher just might not fully use English during English class especially in the primary school. This is just because the teacher intended to suit her level with the students and as a result a lot of code switching is used. This early exposure to the lack of using English in class causes a serious impact when they further their study in a higher education level. To them English is not something important. Even if it does, they still can code switch as what their teacher did during their schooling period. Another factor is the environment factor. We are from what we come from. If the environment around us allows us to speak English for example to have colleagues who are willing to speak English, this would be a good drive. But what actually happen in the Malaysian society is that people are hesitate to speak English in public among friends, neighbors etceteras. Although the factors discussed are concerning around the speaking skill, but as mentioned earlier that all skills are related to each other. When the students are no longer interested to speak in English, their passions for the language will also deteriorating. These will also affecting their reading skills and their ability to understand English text. Models of Reading This study will be focusing on the students of a tertiary level. Students of tertiary level are different from students of a secondary school in reading purpose. Secondary school students read because they are forced to read by their teacher. It is hard to find students who do extensive reading by themselves. Students of tertiary level on the other hand read because they have to. They have to read to keep up with lectures and assignments. If they do not read, they will be left behind. There are three theories related and being use in this study. The first theory is the traditional view of reading (Dole et al, 1991). According to this theory, novice readers needs to acquire a set of hierarchically ordered sub-skills that consecutively build toward comprehension ability. Contained in this theory, the students have the ability to comprehend the texts by making sense of the words within the context of the sentence. According to Nunan (1991), being able to read using this view is being able to interpret a series of written symbols to the auditory equivalents as a way for the readers to make sense of the text they are reading and to reproduce the meaning of the reading itself. In other words, this process is called the bottom-up. The bottom-up reading is done step by step as mentioned by Mariam Mohamed Nor and Rahmad Sukor Abd. Samad (2006). The technique begins with the eyes identifying visual information in the materials and this technique begins with the identification of the letter and the sounds follows subsequently. Next, the identification of the lexical items is done through grapheme-phoneme correspondence and being put in the short term memory (STM). This is where the phrases, clauses and sentences are being constructed. This model requires an accurate comprehension, sequential identification of letters, words, phrases, clauses, sentences and the pronunciation. The other meaning of this view is that it is also a process of outside-in as mentioned by McCarthy (1999). To make it simple, the bottom-up model recommends that reading should begins from the low-level processing. The printed texts that being read by the reader can only be interpreted and understood by the reader himself. Apart from the definition given below, this traditional view of reading always been under attack because of the insufficiency and lacking one or more of the usual forms of grammatical inflection mainly the words and structure. The second theory is the three major types of schemata. The types of schema mentioned by Carrell (1984) are the linguistic schemata, formal schemata and content schemata which are related to the reading comprehension. The linguistic schemata refer to the existing knowledge that the readers have in vocabulary and grammar. It is the foundation for other schemata as it is essential in helping the readers to grasp and decode the text they read. If the readers do not have this schema, it will be hard for them to understand and to decode texts they read. The more linguistic schema the readers have, the easier for them to understand and decode what they are reading. The second schema is the formal schema. This schema has been explained to be abstract, encoded, internalized, and having coherent patterns of meta-linguistic, discourse and textual organization that are being used to understand a text. The reader tries to use any information that they have in order to understand and to comprehend the English text they are reading at that particular of time. But the formal schema offers less power in the reading process as mentioned by Carrell (1984). In this study, the formal schema helps the students to make relations between the background knowledge that they have with the new one that they just bumped into under the same topic. This is to help them in comprehending the reading English texts in the possible way as they can. The third schema in the schemata theory is called content schema. In other terms, this schema explains about the reader having the information or background knowledge on the topic that is being brought up in the texts they read. A language is not only the combination of vocabulary or grammar but it also involves the culture of the language and this is where the information came. With the content schema, it can complete the lack of language schemata and thus helps the students in comprehending texts and to be able to put aside any ambiguities and irrelevant words or sentences in the texts. The third theory used in this study is the affective filter hypothesis by Stephen Krashen. This theory involves the attitudes towards the target language and its relationship with the input achieved by the students. It shows that how attitude is very important in learning language. If the students have a very high or strong affective filter, they tend to have less input. If the students do understand the input, the input will not reach part of the brain that takes charge of the language acquisition. It is different to students who have low affective filter who will have the tendency to obtain more information and because they have more positive attitudes to the language they are learning, they are more open to the input they obtain.

Internet Social Networking

Internet Social Networking The Value of Internet Social Networking in Business Introduction Prior to the arrival of computers, individuals who aspired to have success in their businesses clearly understood that business is about people thus they saw the importance of social networks. For instance, in the Victorian era, there were rampant uses of calling cards for requesting a woman of high social status to visit. These calling cards were relatively elaborate and could be match up to the featured pages in MySpace or any other internet social networking sites. The calling cards were essentially a means of self expression. Nevertheless they served a greater purpose in the social settings of the Victorian period. Calling cards were often times posted on the walls close to the house entrance. This made it possible for visitors to know which lady was from the social network that the lord of the house belonged to. If at all the visitor believed that one of the house hostesses had acquaintances with the high status social network then he would ask for introduction. Even more intere sting is fact that modern internet social networking site operates similarly as the callings card in the Victorian period. For example, Victorians received acceptance by adhering to the etiquette rules in the same way modern social networks adhere to certain rules. â€Å"Friend request† are similar to the Victorian calling cards since once online status determines whether you will be accepted in a certain click of friends. The 21st Centaury has witnessed a more advanced and developed function of social networks other than the usual circle of friends socialization. Professionals are increasingly discovering the application of internet social networking as a way of enhancing their businesses. Internet social networks center on building online communities composed of individuals with similar interests. These networks provide bases whereby people can interact. A great number of these social networks are web based.† Internet Social networks can be dated back to online communities in the likes of, The WELL which initially started operating in 1985, Theglobe.com of 1994 and Tripod in 1995† (Castells, 2003). These sites provided a platform whereby people can interact and share ideas through personal homepages and chat rooms. In spite of, the new inventions some closed down simply because they were not profitable. Other upcoming internet social networking inventions saw to it that more control of co nnectivity and content is given to users. With time emerging trends of internet social networks have developed. Several internet social networks namely MySpace, Facebok and Twitter and others have emerged as the trendiest since they have a wide range of users. Business Application of Internet Social Networks Technology has inherently proven that internet social networks can be applied to advance businesses. Over the course of time different business enterprises have rampantly adapted the new trends of using internet social networks in order to advance their businesses. This is mainly because social networks provide a base of connecting populace at minimal costs. They essentially act as a base whereby companies can relate to their customers. Modern social networking applications focus on people since business is mainly about people. â€Å"Enterprises are increasingly using consumer based technology in social networks to share information relating to their business operations since consumer based applications provide an easier and faster way of dispensing information† (Castells, 2003). Currently, large enterprises are employing these applications in order to standardize their technology practices. Business networking applications gather data and link its users to the pertinent contents. Business enterprises use the provided applications to expand their bases of clientele, associates and employees. Aspects that define business social networking include the available functionalities such as forum and blogs that enable businesses to interact with their clientele, the ability of the social networks to link with its users and the availability of the users. Examples of Internet Social Networks Used In Businesses Evidently, technological inventions are limitless as far internet social networks are concerned. There are a variety of social networks used in business that were before hand solely developed for social connections. More social sites are being developed while the previous sites are being modified so as to measure up with the needs and demands of users. Commonly used internet social networks in businesses include, Face book, Twitters, MySpace, Secondlife, World of warcraft, LinkedIn, Bebo, Orkut and Iphone among many others. These internet social networks have played great role in enhancing businesses since they provide the appropriate platforms for advertising, branding, marketing, training and conferencing among many other functions. Application of Twitter in Businesses. Twitter provides a blogging platform that enables enterprises to publish messages concerning their enterprises. Other than being a social utility it also enables the business management to connect with their clientele by giving certain business updates. Alternatively it enables clients to give feedbacks concerning certain goods or services. Twitter can also be used as a publicity tool for wide range of enterprises since it provides a base whereby business information can be published or accessed. Twitter has a unique marketing channel mainly due to its steady and active network, with help of this active network, businesses are able to easily connect their brands with potential and current clients. Furthermore they can receive feedbacks from their clients. The twitter marketing style is termed as a two-way audience involvement. Twitter provides a sound platform for airing job advertisements. Companies can send messages with recommendations of particular vacant posts. Interested end users can in turn respond to the advertisement either by applying for these posts online or by contacting the alleged company thus creating a job recruitment base. In a business setting Twitter can be applied to connect employees. â€Å"Twitter enables employees to easily network with each other especially when handling group projects, particularly in a case whereby other employees are in the field or working in a different business branch† (Brogan, 2007). This internet social network has live coverage features that can enable businesses to carryout detailed coverage of conferences, workshops, businesses events and real-time commentaries. â€Å"It also has features that can be used to give updates of business meetings or events amongst business associates and interested parties. Other functional features in Twitter include features of managing and analyzing time within a business setting† (Brogan, 2007). Application of LinkedIn in Businesses. LinkedIn is a business centered social networking base widely for professional networking. It enables its registered users to have contact details of their trusted business associates otherwise referred to as â€Å"connections†. LinkedIn provides a base whereby hiring business managers can find suitable employees. Alternatively job seekers through their existing connections can solicit for employment. It also provides a base for businesses to identify business opportunities by sharing ideas with their business connections. Features in this social network provide a platform for creating solid business relations (Brook, 2008). By using this social networking method, new businesses are given an appropriate base for marketing their brands, services and products through the present business connections. Different enterprises are able to connect and give ideas concerning their business activities. Application of MySpace in Businesses The MySpace internet social network provides a base where businesses can showcase an overview of their services and products. Businesses can list and explain their services and products to target audience. MySpace has features in which enterprises are enabled to design the brands that best suite the image of their businesses. It allows one to specify their corporate colors which in turn promote brand awareness. This internet social network has unique video features that can be utilized to increase business profitability. Businesses can form and upload commercials related to the types of services and products that they offer. These commercial video footages are then availed to end users. Business can upload footages that aim at influencing end users to try out their products or services. For instance, they can upload video footages that have interviews of their employees or satisfied clientele. MySpace blogs enable enterprises to create their own blog which can be simply accessed from their MySpace pages. These blogs provide appropriate bases for businesses to advertise since they list the labels of the current blogs posted by businesses. By the help of these blog features businesses can give regular updates on the promotions, new products, upcoming business events and services among many others. Application of SecondLife in Businesses The SecondLife network provides a base for enterprises to freely interact with their clients using a feature referred to as avatars. Companies can, advertise, post briefings of their services and merchandise. This network gives an invaluable advantage to businesses that incorporate virtual programs such as architectural design businesses and entertainment industries. It has a tri-dimensional program that enables its users to create virtual objects. Unlike other social networks Secondlife has an in-house currency referred to as the Linden dollar that can be used by a wide range of businesses to procure and sell virtual products such as jewelry, vehicles, clothes and objects of all kinds. This feature enhances trade amongst different businesses. The Linden dollars are bought by the normal dollar currency. This feature in second life has enabled companies to make profit and then convert the Linden dollars to normal currency. Real estates business, through the premium land membership program in Second life can easily carry out their normal transactions of buying, selling or renting properties. Businesses which have registered and have access to premium accounts can participate in these ventures. So as to participate and be registered as members enterprises are charged a small monthly after their emancipation they gain status in the SecondLife Network and are now referred to as residents. Residents in SecondLife can carryout transactions of buying, selling or renting property thus making profits without the involvement of brokers. Application of Facebook in Businesses Facebook is one of the widely used social networks not only for social connections but also in the business context. Using appropriate combination of apps available in Facebook features businesses can be monitored from the Facebook profiles. With the slideshare features in Facebook enterprises are enabled to upload power points presentations, PDF files or OpenOffice so as share information with other end users. This is an elaborate method of spreading information to business associates, employees and clients once at the touch of a button. The free conference facets in Facebook allow businesses to organize meetings, by using conference calls. Individuals can set up meetings dates from the confines of their residence, offices or anywhere. Skype and VoIP services in Facebok enable one to make free and quick connections to the needed people thus prompting the upcoming meetings. â€Å"Facebook also has up to standard video base that allow companies to upload their video clip with contents aimed at marketing their products. Clients and potential customers are briefed each time new video clips are uploaded this helps them to keep track with the transitional business dealings† (Jantsch, 2008). Depending on the size of a particular business Facebook provides an elaborate platform for a number of advertisements. Companies can formulate their advertisements and choose the locations to air their advertisements. Other than advertisements facebook provides a good base for companies to endorse their brands using features such as myblogs. Compared to the traditional methods of advertisement, advertising through facebook can cover a wide area base at minimal costs. Another way that businesses can advertise their trademarks using facebook is by posting their business cards in their homepages, each time end users visit the alleged homepage they are more acquainted with the services or products offered by that business. Companies can take advantage of features in face book to attract potential customers. Search feature in face book can allow businesses to find out the websites regularly visited by their potential customer and then use this information to create links between their pages of advertisements and the sites regularly visited by these clients. â€Å"Interested end users in turn respond to the showcased advertisement pages. Other than tracing potential clients search options in facebook can be used by businesses to send updates or keep track of their regular clients† (Jantsch, 2008). Facebook provides a platform whereby companies can form stronger relationships with their audiences and clients. This is courtesy of the two way interactive features present in facebook applications. Clients can give feedbacks regarding their approval or dissatisfaction in the purchased products or rendered services. This in turn helps the alleged companies to attend to the grievances of the customers, clarify issues, change or better their services. In a business setting facebook features can be used to enhance team work especially in a case whereby the alleged business has branches in different locations. Employees can share ideas and keep each other posted on the tasks at hand simply by posting information on the facebook walls. Business Value of Internet Social Networking Social networking has proven to be a current method of growing and promoting profitability in both big and medium sized enterprises. A number of people use social networking sites such as LinkedIn to advance their careers which is quite vital during the inflexible economic times. Several business corporations use these social networking sites as marketing basis and public relations communications. With the rampant use of online facilities these social networks have proven to be more effective in marketing compared to the traditional radio and television mediums of marketing. These networking sites have been not only used to create company brands but also to cultivate productivity. A wide range of businesses are finding it more easy and affordable to create their brands in these social networking sites rather than other traditional bases. Hiring processes in business has become easier, cost effective and less time consuming due to the available options in internet social networks. Prior to the formation of social networks businesses incurred a lot of expenses in the recruitment processes of its staff. Scores of time ware as well used up during the course of interviewing and short listing. However with the current trends of social networks business administrators can carryout out staff recruitments easily at minimal costs. This is mainly as a result of the fact that social networks reach a wide range of people in little time and are generally cheap as far as advertising is concerned. The goal of many businesses is centered on building customer loyalty this can be achieved through strengthening the relationship between the clients and the business. Internet social networks have enabled businesses to build solid relationship with its clients thus ensuring customer loyalty which in turn promotes the profitability of the business. By using internet social networks such as Twitters, MySpace and Face book which have a two way audience, businesses have been enabled to interact with their clientele. They are more capable of establishing whether the client requests have been realized. Internet social networks have increased the marketing power of businesses by enhancing viral marketing and communications between customers. For instance social networks such as twitter and facebook allow its end users to create â€Å"product craze groups† that mainly centre on airing feedbacks about a particular product. These peer-to-peer customer groups lower the costs of customer support groups. Social networks have contributed to teamwork in the business workforce. They have enabled employees to team up and share ideas even when they are in different localities. This has yielded heightened innovations, as presently witnessed, more businesses are coming up with outstanding inventions that have made life easier. â€Å"These networks have as well contributed to the making of better decisions in companies this is as a result of the cross functional inputs and consultations. Social networks have as well increased communications between companies and their employees thus promoting solid work relationships† (Happe, 2007). Furthermore social networks have played a great role in coordinating easy communications between businesses partners, consultants and developers this has in turn enabled some companies to realize a speedy cross-company achievements. Sales of some companies have increased due to the real-time market collaboration and capacities found in internet social networks.† These networks have also enabled the creation of interdependent links of business partners resulting to an increase in the profit net of business that participate in these links through the help of internet social networks† (Happe, 2007). Evidently, internet social networks have proven to be invaluable to Businesses. Initially the application of social networks in businesses was relatively minimal. However a wide range of business enterprises have discovered the immeasurable benefits of being linked to these networks this explains the popularity and rapid increase of users that these networks currently experience. Nevertheless with the dynamic and ever changing market internet social networks are being modified in order to meet the standards of its users and generate market growth in the coming decades. Shortcomings of Internet Social Networks in businesses. Internet social networks are generally advantageous in business settings however there are some risks involved that should be careful weighed by businesses enterprises before making links. Companies use various social networks tools to discuss business agendas however these tools are not available to companies because they are more customer oriented and have been taken up independently by small fractions of people within the business settings.† Since business cooperates cannot regulate their uses certain risks could be involved. For instance clients may be thwarted if their expectations are not met â€Å"(Happe, 2007). The on going increase of internet social networks in businesses may cause a sudden urge for businesses to adopt their functionality. This will give the IT departments challenging tasks of incorporating social networking applications and setting them up in the entire enterprise so as to meet the needs of partners, employees and clients. IT departments will face an even tougher task of managing the operations of these social networks. Most businesses face the risk of using a lot of resources to employ these technologies and then later discover that they are not profitable to their model of business. Notwithstanding, the fact that applications in social networks allow, users to share information, the policies of a given organization will determine the manner in which certain information are shared. Furthermore many companies fear losing control of the information shared thus they hold back from using social networks. Enterprises that dread contents that are customer generated may keep away from social networking links inhibiting inter-independent cooperations in social networks. Conclusion The business world, believes in the concept of â€Å"business is all about the people†. Internet social networks provide an elaborate platform for businesses to make connections and enhance their net profits. The application of the various internet social networks in businesses is invaluable since it enables businesses to easily market, advertise, promote brands and carryout trainings among many other things. Companies are increasingly adapting the applications provided in these networks in order to enhance their businesses. In as much as these networks are beneficial to businesses certain risks are involved however they do not outweigh the value of internet social networking in businesses. References Brogan, C. (2007). 50 Ideas of Using Twitter for Business. Retrieved on 19 July 2009 Brook, R. (2008). LinkedIn for Small Businesses and Enterprises. Retrieved on 19 July 2009 Castells, M. (2003). The Internet Galaxy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Happe,R. (2007).TheBusinessValueofSocialNetworking.Retrievedon19July2009

Borges, the Apologist for Idealism :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Borges, the Apologist for Idealism ABSTRACT: In Nueva refutacià ³n del tiempo, Borges explicitly interprets both Berkeley and Hume as genuine exponents and "apologists" of idealism. We may not owe Berkeley the discovery of a doctrine which according to Borges is practically as "ancient" and "popular" as metaphysics itself. However, his arguments connote a unique philosophical achievement. Borges himself adheres to these arguments and goes beyond them. He makes Berkeley's doctrine flow into Hume's which in turn flows into the uniform ocean of pantheistic idealism as envisioned by Schopenhauer and by Oriental philosophy. A close reading of the story "Tlà ¶n, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius" shows how the epistemology inherent in the language descriptions of this planet leads its metaphysicians to move from the underlying Berkeleian-Humean principles to the acceptance of pantheistic idealism. This story is not only a subtle, imaginative fantasy; it is also a work of intellectual elegance reading deep into the problem of knowledge of the external world. Berkeley and Hume devoted their whole attention to this issue and developed views that could adequately address the problem. Borges avoids arguing whether their doctrine falls under the denomination of "immaterialism," "phenomenalism" or "idealism." He seems either to deliberately ignore this scholarly dispute or to go beyond it in an effort to let the texts speak for themselves. Thus, Berkeley's Principles, and Hume's Treatise and first Enquiry show a common fact: the world is mind-dependent. Noli foras ire, in te ipsum redi, St. Augustine, De vera religione, XXXIX, 72. The first person narrative voice in "El Zahir," one of the stories included in El Aleph, states that according to the idealist doctrine the verbs "vivir" y "soà ±ar" son rigurosamente sinà ³nimos ("living and dreaming are rigorously synonymous," OC I 595). Borges portrays himself as a fictional character — a common narrative device used in many of his stories — and talks with a voice that seems to echo other voices. The attentive listener will detect many. Only a few, such as Schopenhauer, Hume, and Berkeley, have a distinctive recurrence in Borges' writings, but they also echo other voices in this our infinite "Library of Babel." In volume II of Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung we read that the world must be recognized as "akin to a dream," a mental creation (vol II, 4).For Schopenhauer, no truth is more certain than this: everything that exists for knowledge is only object in relation to the subject, perception of the perceiver, or "representation" (vol. Borges, the Apologist for Idealism :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers Borges, the Apologist for Idealism ABSTRACT: In Nueva refutacià ³n del tiempo, Borges explicitly interprets both Berkeley and Hume as genuine exponents and "apologists" of idealism. We may not owe Berkeley the discovery of a doctrine which according to Borges is practically as "ancient" and "popular" as metaphysics itself. However, his arguments connote a unique philosophical achievement. Borges himself adheres to these arguments and goes beyond them. He makes Berkeley's doctrine flow into Hume's which in turn flows into the uniform ocean of pantheistic idealism as envisioned by Schopenhauer and by Oriental philosophy. A close reading of the story "Tlà ¶n, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius" shows how the epistemology inherent in the language descriptions of this planet leads its metaphysicians to move from the underlying Berkeleian-Humean principles to the acceptance of pantheistic idealism. This story is not only a subtle, imaginative fantasy; it is also a work of intellectual elegance reading deep into the problem of knowledge of the external world. Berkeley and Hume devoted their whole attention to this issue and developed views that could adequately address the problem. Borges avoids arguing whether their doctrine falls under the denomination of "immaterialism," "phenomenalism" or "idealism." He seems either to deliberately ignore this scholarly dispute or to go beyond it in an effort to let the texts speak for themselves. Thus, Berkeley's Principles, and Hume's Treatise and first Enquiry show a common fact: the world is mind-dependent. Noli foras ire, in te ipsum redi, St. Augustine, De vera religione, XXXIX, 72. The first person narrative voice in "El Zahir," one of the stories included in El Aleph, states that according to the idealist doctrine the verbs "vivir" y "soà ±ar" son rigurosamente sinà ³nimos ("living and dreaming are rigorously synonymous," OC I 595). Borges portrays himself as a fictional character — a common narrative device used in many of his stories — and talks with a voice that seems to echo other voices. The attentive listener will detect many. Only a few, such as Schopenhauer, Hume, and Berkeley, have a distinctive recurrence in Borges' writings, but they also echo other voices in this our infinite "Library of Babel." In volume II of Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung we read that the world must be recognized as "akin to a dream," a mental creation (vol II, 4).For Schopenhauer, no truth is more certain than this: everything that exists for knowledge is only object in relation to the subject, perception of the perceiver, or "representation" (vol.

Analyzing The Advocate Essays -- Magazine Gay Lesbian Essays

Analyzing The Advocate The Advocate is a magazine designed to attract and arouse gay men, lesbian women and to a lesser extent bisexual and transgender people. The September 12, 2000 issue of The Advocate uses advertisements, news topics, popularly recognized celebrities as well as political and philosophical viewpoints that fit its target audience. The target audience for The Advocate is shown on its cover page as "The national gay & lesbian newsmagazine." Also notable is the fact that the majority of persons featured in the publication are not heterosexually oriented, which would be favorable to a non-heterosexual audience. Many articles have some reference to a lesbian or gay political, television, or musical celebrity. Some examples from the table of contents are, " Mary Cheney, Rhona Cameron, Jack Larson, Chris Isherwood and Stephen Gately" (The Advocate 3). This appeals to the large number of people who are attracted to anything that might reveal some delectable tidbit about a public figure. In this sense, The Advocate can appeal to straight, or heterosexual, people as well as the usual audience of gay and lesbian persons. T he main theme of The Advocate seems to be a mixture of news and political issues from around the world, especially those with importance to gay and lesbian people. For example, the main cover story is titled " The Dilemma of Mary Cheney" and is followed by, "Will the lesbian daughter of the GOP vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney be forced to choose between being true to her family and true to herself? " There is the question of whether Mr. Cheney would accept something that would discriminate against his daughter and what Mary Cheney would do in turn. This story has much current releva... ...with a cartoon bubble with the word "fag" written twelve times with the word "bitch" stuck in second to last, for contrast (notes from a blonde. 39). This unusual use of slang and profanity appeals to gay men that have been offended by Eminem as well as those who are attracted to his popularity. An advertisement that also makes use of non-heterosexual notoriety is for the "Rainbow Card" which features pictures of Martina Naratilova in front of a Gay Pride parade (Rainbow Card 31). Martina is somewhat of a gay icon because she publicly embraced her sexuality. These advertisements and articles are targeted specifically for the gay and lesbian audience. The political philosophy of The Advocate covers the wide spectrum of people who identify themselves as not heterosexual. Works Cited The Advocate: The national gay and lesbian newsmagazine. September 12, 2000.

The Toughest Decision of My Life Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

The Toughest Decision of My Life People are often asked the question, â€Å"If I could go back in time, what would I change?† But have you ever really thought about the answer to that question? What would you change or what would you keep the same? Accius, a character from Medea, said, â€Å"Change rules all things.† (II 118) I never realized how true this would be. When I look back in life, there are many things that I would change, but there is one decision that I am very thankful that I made. That was the decision to continue living with my grandparents and not to move in with my mother. It was a normal afternoon after school when I returned to my house after a busy day in sixth grade. My grandfather was busy preparing dinner in anticipation of my grandmother coming home from work. Soon my real mom came by to â€Å"have a serious discussion† about something. I had no idea that this â€Å"something† would be one of the hardest decisions I would ever have to make in my life. My real mom had just gotten a new apartment that had enough bedrooms that I could live there. It had never crossed my mind that moving in with her was the question with which she was going to confront me. Soon the topic came out when Mom said, â€Å"Sade, how would you like to come and live with me from now on?† This remark was the beginning of one of the hardest times in my life. I knew I had to make the right decision as Sophocles says, â€Å"Decide not rashly. The decision made, can never be recalled.† (Oedipus Rex 314) I was faced with the first choice of staying with my mother in her new home. Her home was in a location outside the limits of my school zone so I would have to start attending a different school... ...that I ever made. In the years that followed, my mom continued moving around and having off and on jobs. I would have never had a stable home and would be who knows where by now. I am now seventeen years old and don’t regret a single day spent in my grandparents’ house. They have cared for me like no one else could and I am very thankful for that. My mother and I have become closer than ever and we have a very happy relationship with each other. As Thomas Adams said, â€Å"What we obtain cheaply we esteem too lightly; it is dearness which gives everything its value.† (Sermons 14) Works Cited Adams, Thomas. Sermons. From the McMillan book of Quotes, Maxims, and Famous Phrases, 1948. Euripides, the Medea. Trans Philip Vellacott, London: Penguin Books, 1977. Sophocles, Oedipus Rex. Logan, Iowa: The Perfection Form Company. NDP.

Facility Planning Part I

Facility Planning-Part l When making plans to build or renovate a heath care facility there are a lot of things that must be taken into consideration. The first thing to start with is the community. The planner must evaluate the community to find out what type of community the facility is located in and if the facility is serving the needs of the community. This paper will take a look at a community in on the south side of Chicago and the new development of a long-term care facility in the community. It will discuss the community’s need for the long-term care facility. It will discuss the type of population the long-term care facility serves. It will also give a description of the long-term care facility serving the older adults in the community. Roseland is a large community located on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. It is a mixed community of all ethnics and ages. For the older adults it is not a community for them to live alone in. The community is flourishing with youths and with the youths came a rise in crime. Drugs and violence is running rapid, however, the older adults don’t want to leave their homes, their community, their known surroundings. Also affecting the community is the economy. With property taxes and the cost of living on the rise, it is a struggle for the older adults to maintain their independents. With these things coming against the aging adults, there came the need to place the aging adults some place safe and affordable without taken them out of the community. This need lead to the development of a supportive living community. There are more than 60 long-term care options. These services are divided into nine categories. Supportive living, also called assisted living, falls under the Housing category. Independent housing, continuing care retirement community, and group housing also falls under the Housing category of long-term care options. Supportive living services were uniquely developed for older adults who cannot function without help and consequently cannot be assisted in a residential-care or retirement-living facility. The cost for living in a supportive living community costs can range between $2,000 and $2,000, depending on the room size and amenities. There is an additional charge for medical services. This is the perfect service for older adults who need assistance but don’t require 24 hour monitoring or help. It is also perfect for the older adult who can’t afford to live on his or her own because of the cost of living. Victory Centre of Roseland is a Supportive Living Community by Pathway Senior Living. Victory Centre of Roseland is for those in need of some assistance with the activities of daily living. This facility has private studios with a resident call system and a step in shower. The staff provides three daily meals, medication management, housekeeping and laundry weekly, wellness programs, scheduled trips and activities, routine maintenance, all utilities except phone, cable, and internet, living room with fireplace, library, a dining room for family and private gatherings, courtyard garden with patio, community room with 50† TV, craft room with demonstration kitchen, beauty/barber shop, and a bathtique with whirlpool. It is also pet friendly. Making plans to renovate or build a facility takes a lot of work and planning. One of the main considerations is to take a look at the community and the needs of the people in the community. On the south side of Chicago, Illinois the Roseland community felt the need to establish a supportive living for the older adults who reside there. Out of this need came the development of Victory Centre of Roseland. Developed by Pathway Senior Living, this facility provides a safe, affordable place for the older adults to reside without living his or her community. This facility offers the comfort of home along with providing companionship and the security of 24-hour staffing, or assistance with life’s daily tasks. This community has everything an older adult needs to enjoy each day of his or her life to the fullest. It is conveniently located near shopping, medical offices, and transportation. This park-like ground, comfortably furnished community provides a haven from the hustle and bustle of the city in the city.

What Affect has the outward movement of retailing office

a. ) The Retail Revolution that has been occurring in waves since the 1970's was such a shift in the way in which our services are provided that consequences for surrounding areas were inevitable. With the first wave of decentralisation of the inner city areas supermarket food industries left to edge-of-city sites causing much strain on the need for corner shops which in comparison to the mega-stores were of low variety and unattractive to shoppers. This coupled with the fact that the residents of rural areas were increasingly becoming more mobile meant that there was an overall decline in general store and corner shops in many rural areas that neighboured large cities. With a decline in services available close by there are always going to be people who lose out. For instance older residents that perhaps have lived in these villages for a long time may not be car owners. Consequently these people will decide to move to a place that has the services they require close by and there will be a decline in population. Any area in a cycle of declining population and loss of services often continues to do so until the process of dilapidation is out of control. We saw this process in Caistor, a rural settlement outside of Grimsby, where the introduction of a Morison's Super store 7 miles away had caused great decline. Also a Tescos 10 miles away from Caistor provided a bus service to and from the village meaning the rate of decline is intense. Evidence we found showed that for a town of population of 3,500 the village still had adequate services. However, the roots of the village were of a prestigious schooling reputation, which had fuelled much growth in the area at one time. Now the supermarkets have a firm hold in the neighbouring area the growth has subsided to what we see today. Many stores closed down, being converted back into residences in many cases. Only some specialist functions survived. Mainly those that rely on the village image to sell their product, for example Sandham's Wine cellars. Large losses in services and shops have clearly occurred though and from the looks of the village it will have difficulty in attracting outside investment. You can read also Waves This is a common problem in rural areas today, the problem has spiralled into disrepair and only a large cash injection to make the area seem more attractive will solve the problem. In more suburban areas including rural areas that have become suburbanised due to urban sprawl another consequence of decentralisation is apparent. Along the edge of Leeds places like Moortown and Headingly we noticed that District centres were catering for their local communities. In Moortown there was a clear Jewish presence in the area and in Headingly a student orientated district centre. Both examples of how the change in retail provision is affecting change. People can afford to be more demanding and to go farther afield to find what they want so retailers are responding by getting closer to the communities they cater for. b. ) Inner city areas in light of the mass decentralisation have understandably tended to decline with the closure of smaller shops drawing the public away from the city centre and many traditional high street areas have become very run down places. This has caused somewhat of a response from city planners who finally admit that decentralisation is a bad thing and doesn't simply relieve congestion. The American response to the decline of their inner city areas was to convert the CBD to specialist shopping areas that offer something the out of town malls and plazas do not. Many schemes including the adaptation of high rise foundations to custom shopping centres have been paid for in order to rescue America's city centres from desertion. In Britain however, city centres have declined still, but not nearly as much as America due to planning controls put in place and less suburbanisation. Still the major movements of decentralisation have created a pull factor away from the city centre and high street units. There were five main changes to the high street: 1. ) Large companies having standard image, large stores were broken into smaller units and a core and frame of the CBD itself was emerging, where it was clear that in the frame area refurbishment of shop fronts and insides was no longer economically viable 2. ) Functions became more varied with an increasing number of personal consumer services, financial, household, medical, leisure, and government services. . ) The perception of the high street as the focus for the community has become less strong 4. ) Land rental price increases and there was increasing competition for non-retail investors to maximise profits through office blocks etc 5. ) The highs street's position in the urban structure is under threat as retailing diversifies in character and location Another affect that the changes have brought about, are the planning responses in Britain. We saw how America specialised its CBD in order to make it more attractive again. British city councils have taken action to combat the decentralisation and many schemes have been tried, some worked, others failed, in any case the answer usually requires a large monetary input. In Leeds for example full pedestrianisation of large blocks has made for more pleasant shopping environment attracting shoppers making the land more desirable for retailers again. Attractive indoor centres are an extension of this with places like the Trinity centre, which have clearly had large investment and the heritage based Granary Wharf and Corn Exchange that link a tourist attraction in to bring in the shoppers. Mass shop front refurbishment like that of the Victorian quarter, which has also been roofed over, attract prestigious shops into the area and breathe life into the city centre again. The costs involved for these type of schemes are no doubt enormous and one can only expect to see retail prices rising as a result. But Leeds is just one example of where the schemes have worked, many other British cities to this day are suffering the affects of decentralisation brought about by the Retail Revolution.