Thursday, January 30, 2020
Theoretical Paradigm To Analyze A Current Newspaper Article Essay Example for Free
Theoretical Paradigm To Analyze A Current Newspaper Article Essay From a functionalist perspective, social institutions such as families and governments are analyzed and explained as collective means to satisfy specific or individual biological requisites. These social institutions, along with the rest, are composed of interconnected roles or norms such as the interconnected roles within the family (e.g. father, mother, etc.).            As it essentially concerns the workings and the very structure of the society, the functionalist perspective views the society as composed of interdependent branches which work together to meet the functions needed for the general society’s survival. Moreover, as functionalists understand that the behaviors within the society are primarily structural in nature, the functionalist perspective delves into the socialization of individuals defined according to their specific and contingent behaviors and roles which satisfies the society’s necessities.            It is also the sociological perspective which believes that rules and regulations aid in organizing the social relationships among the members of the whole society. In essence, the functionalist perspective is founded on the concept that the society is a whole system composed of the totality of interdependent segments. It is also founded on the belief that functional requirements must be satisfied for the survival of the society. Lastly, it is also founded on the presumption that phenomena are accepted to exist as they are functional within the society.            In the case of the family of Eric Alan, the worth of his family proves the idea that the family as a social institution has interconnected roles with the larger society. In particular, having to redesign his familys home into something more breathable exemplifies the presumption that the individual roles in the family, such as the role of the father to provide an inhabitable home for his family, and the family in general is tied with the other segments of the society in such a way that one reinforces the values of the other and vice versa.            Featured in the November 8 issue of the New York Times, A Crowded Family Enters the Space Age conveys the story of a father wanting to provide a larger house for his growing family with the aid of Architect Neil Denari. In return, Denaris expertise and skills acquire a living experience thus proving to be another feat not only in his career as an architect but also in the discipline of architecture. From a functionalist perspective, this very well provides a real life example of how the units of the society interact together harmoniously in order to continue with survival.            The subject of the article is sociological for a number of reasons. First, the primary concept involved in the article is family, which is considered to be the basic functioning unit of the society, which is also explained and analyzed in terms of its growth. Second, and in relation to the first reason, the growth of the family involves the help of an external unit exemplified in the article as the architect embodying one of the other units in the society. Third, this relation can be seen as a form of interdependency in the sense that the growing family requires the help of the architect and that the role of the architect is to be fulfilled in terms of the help needed by the family. Finally, this situation can be projected from a larger perspective and can be related to the various segments of the society, thereby highlighting the existing interdependencies existing in the society.            The family in the society, being its basic functioning unit, can be described as having its own set of interconnected norms or roles from within using the functionalist perspective. By norms and roles, what is being meant are the individual roles and functions of the members of the family. Eric Alan, being the father of his family, has the role of securing his familys welfare. And one of these ways to secure family welfare is to provide a suitable home especially for a growing family of three daughters.            Since the society is believed to be composed of interdependent units from the functionalist perspective, it can be assumed that other units share a definitive role in achieving the aims of the family as a single unit. In Eric Alans case, it can be observed that in order to achieve his goal of providing a larger shelter for his growing family, Mr. Alan sought the help of an architect specializing in refurbishing structures such as houses. This instance points us to the sociological idea that the family, in certain circumstances, would have to depend on the capabilities of other sectors of the society.            Without the help of a specialist, Mr. Alans goal would hardly be attained if it can be attained at all solely on his familys own. Considering the fact that Mr. Alan and his wife have their own work-related affairs to deal with, and with their children attending the local school, doing things on their own is simply not a practical option. As a result, they sought the help of Architect Neil Denari which seals the core idea that the family is interdependent on the other segments of the society in at least one way.            On the other hand, this dependency of the family is not an isolated form of dependency. Quite on the contrary, it can be seen from the functionalist perspective as a form of interdependency wherein one unit depends on another unit in order to realize its objectives and vice versa. While the family sought the help of an architect representing the discipline of architecture, the architect, in order to fulfill his obligations and norms or roles would have to acquire the services being sought by the other segments of the society. Otherwise, these roles or norms would not be realized.            Moreover, the functionalist perspective will interpret the roles of the architect as primarily structural in nature. This is in the sense that there is a form in the role and behaviors of the architect with regard to its functioning in the society. The provision of service to the family of Mr. Alan by Architect Denari is not a mere servicing devoid of certain procedures. There is a scheme which Denari is required to follow in order to carry out his role and provide the family of Mr. Alan the service that they require.            The specific scheme upon which Denaris role operates revolves around the details of his position as an architect. This corresponds to a set of either written codifications that serve as guide for acting in good faith on behalf of the larger domain of architecture, or a set of accepted norms. These norms can be ethical or professional norms which serve as templates for the actions or behavior of Denari as an architect. More importantly, all of these represent the general idea that norms or rules serve as framework for the individual behaviors or actions of individuals under a specific segment of the society. The structures of these units (e.g. family, the individual architect) are notably in the form of a specific and well-established format where deviance may either face the equivalent sanctions or condemnation.            In any case, the structure for each unit is an essential composition for the very existence of these social units. The structure of Mr. Alans family, for instance, follows that of the conventional structure of father, mother, and children whereas the structure of Architect Denaris role is founded upon the precepts, doctrines, or established rules of norm for his discipline. More specifically, the structure of Mr. Denaris role follows the conventional processâ€â€a surveying of the site specifically the house of Mr. Alans family, the preparation of the plans and procedures, and the actual execution of the architectural process.            The essence of all these things corresponds to the presumption that there is a form of interdependency between these two social units: the family of Mr. Alan and Architect Denari. Further, this interdependency is based on the existing needs and roles of the two social units whereas the separate needs and roles of any of the two social units are founded on the established norms and rules. This leads us to the final point: the given situation can be projected from a larger perspective and can be related to the various segments of the society, thereby highlighting the existing interdependencies existing in the society as prescribed by the functionalist perspective.            There are numerous social rules and norms predominant in the world, and most of these specific norms are relative to every individual society, country, or culture. While there may be irregularities among these sets of norms and rules as a result perhaps of cultural differences, there still remain the structure for the individual rules and norms for these societies.            The world can be considered as the summation of the existing societies and is perhaps a whole society on its own. There are rules and norms that govern the world even from such a massive scale, such as the norms and rules for human conduct in social interaction. Perhaps no society is inclined to allowing its members from inflicting harm to one another, and out if this broad perspective several other specific and detailed rules and norms branch out. The differencesâ€â€quite on the contrary of believing that these are indicators of a non-structured world as the largest societyâ€â€indicate that there separate structures of norms and rules operating amongst the various sectors of the world.            The functionalist perspective indeed allows us to view the sociological ideas behind the case of Mr. Eric Alans family and Architect Neil Denari. The specific sociological factors involved further allow us to view and analyze the larger stream of sociological interactions occurring throughout the different parts of the world. References Mahner, M., Bunge, M. (2001). Function and Functionalism: A Synthetic Perspective. Philosophy of Science, 68(1), 75-94. Webb, M. (2007, November 8). A Crowded Family Enters the Space Age. New York Times.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Nitrogen as a Fertilizer, Nutrient, or Pollutant Essay -- Nitrogen Bio
Nitrogen as a Fertilizer, Nutrient, or Pollutant Nitrogen can always be a fertilizer, nutrient, or pollutant depending on the circumstances and the environment it is in. As a fertilizer, nitrogen can be extremely useful in aiding the growth of many plants. As a nutrient, nitrogen is essential to many plants growth and survival. As a pollutant, nitrogen can not only affect the plant at the given time but be very detrimental many years down the road. No matter where you go nitrogen will always be either a fertilizer, nutrient, or pollutant. Nitrogen can be considered as both a fertilizer and nutrient under the right constraints. I will use citrus plants as one of my examples. For citrus growers applying nitrogen to plants is a common and needed practice. â€Å"Spring is the best time to apply nitrogen to citrus. Research has shown that the demand for nitrogen in citrus is highest from bloom through June and most of the supplemental nitrogen fertilizer should be applied during this time period.†It is a major key to plant growth and development. Nitrogen is crucial to citrus plants for optimal growth and yield. Without nitrogen you can see suffering results for many years down the road. Citrus responds readily to nitrogen nutrition. Current and past research shows that if nitrogen is maintained in fall-sampled citrus leaves between 2.4 and 2.6 % on a dry-weight basis for oranges, and between 2.2 and 2.4 % for lemons, a good balance is struck between yield, size and fruit quality. The evidence linking nitrogen to puff, crease, smaller fruit size and staining does exist, but these negative effects are most significant at nitrogen levels greater than 2.6 % nitrogen. Some growers have decreased nitrogen applicati... ...le harming crops up to 8 years later. Nitrogen is an important element, whether it is in water or some other form, but either way it can easily be a vicious pollutant. What category do you think nitrogen should be in--fertilizer, nutrient, or pollutant? Should you take into account how much nitrogen can help a plant like with fruit size or yield? Or should you weigh heavily on how much nitrogen can hurt a plant and for such an extended period of time? There are many ways to dispute either of these choices for or against but none of them are a perfect fit. Works Cited Craig Kallsen. http://cekern.ucdavis.edu/Custom Program143/Citrus Nitrogen Fertilizer.htm. Power, Sally A.; Green, Emma R.; Barker, Chris G.; Bell, J. Nigel B.; Ashmore, Mike R. "Ecosystem recovery: heathland response to a reduction in nitrogen deposition." Global Change Biology 12
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Culture and Communication Essay
The above figures show how different populations are spread in different countries all over the world. It implies that whenever we visit one country, we have to talk in a language that we shall be able to break communication barrier with our hosts. However, it has not been easy to break the cultural barrier between different communities. This is despite the fact that culture has appeared to be dynamic and changing with especially the changing technology. It has thus to be understood that cultural barrier is more than language barrier and if not carefully handled, the cultural barrier can provoke reactions that are negative and cause emotional reactions to the parties involved (Novinger, 2008). We need to understand that whatever that is taken to be of good behavior in one culture might actually be rudeness to others’ culture. You might also get that in one culture, there are issues that are very sensitive, but in actually sense, you don’t see them to be of any consequence in your own culture. This means that we need to understand the culture of the people we are in frequent communication with, so that we can speak the same culture rather than just speaking the same language (Gerry & Wilson, n. d). It is important to note that although there are various reservations given about the world of communication, there is need for having some good communication so that we carry on our culture, or else, the chances of such culture surviving might be minimal. Effect of culture on communication It is very difficult to discover the cultural inclination that is involved in communication by one person of a different culture to another. â€Å"The extend to which culture affects communication between people from different cultural groups is a function of the dissimilarity between the cultures, rules, or self concepts,†(Cushman & Cahn, 1984 pp 136). Culture is an important socialization aspect that can influence how we relate to other people and objects around us. The different in communication among people from different cultures comes from the uniqueness of the socialization process each has undergone. â€Å"Communication specialists estimate that some two-thirds to three-fourths of our communication take place nonverbally through behavior. Behavior itself is learned from our culture and all behavior communicates,†(Novinger, 2008 para 2). It is not possible to stop one from behaving in a certain way, and yet it is not possible to stop communicating. This means that at all time, we are constantly communicating in a behavior instilled in us by our culture. It is a common phenomenon for us to assume that our culture naturally shows how we are supposed to do things. In this aspect, we tend to look down upon other cultures as being less evolved. One might meet a person from one culture which might make them feel irritated by the fact that such a person might not be cooperative or might appear to be rude. It causes a lot of frustration when you find that a person you are having a conversation with is actually not getting what you are trying to put across. This might appear to you to be very simple, yet to the other partner, it is something that is complicated and new. It mostly depends on how the other party perceives issues altogether which might be completely different from your line of view. In this case, unless you see how the other person is perceiving the same information you are looking at, it will be very difficult to have a meaningful communication (LeBaron, 2003). In most instances, we have also assumed that our actions are governed by the free will. This is however not true since our culture is concerned with imposing certain rules unto us on the way we need to behave immediately we are born. Some common things that are leant at a tender age are when to talk and when not to talk, the gestures that are acceptable and the ones that are not, and we do also learn several table manners. In general, we learn on how to communicate with people in a manner that is totally acceptable to our culture. As Novinger (2008) argues, these communicative behaviors have some consequences, because as this â€Å"behavior is learned so well, it sinks to a subconscious level, so that when we interact with others, we operate on a sort of automatic pilot,†(para 4). While communicating to another person, it is rare to take note of whatever comes up during the communication which we consider to be normal. It is only the behavior that deviates from our cultural way of behaving that usually captures our attention much. In most instances, we take offence when such cases arise. We thus need to understand that the different way we perceive things from one culture does not necessarily mean that the other culture has a defect because of the perception they have on the same issue (Hauben, 1996). For instance, â€Å"Contrary to US culture, silence does not mean acceptance in other cultures,†(Sathyanarayan, n. d para 3). This means that there can appear some communication barrier in a meeting when one party has not understood anything and keeps quite. The other party may assume that by keeping quite, the other has fully understood what they were discussing, only to note that nothing has been put forward. This can be very frustrating especially if it is in a business entity and it might lead to a big loss to the business organization. In some instances, if the business or a project had a set deadline, a person will try to meet the deadline so as it does not appear like a case of disrespectful, yet in essence they are not sure of what is supposed to be done. This is usually common in relations that are still new. Another common cultural issue that can bring about communication barrier is that in some cultures, when in a meeting with high ranking officials, it is not good for members to give any contrary views. This means that despite the fact that a member might be having a certain pressing and important point but it is contrary to what the seniors are saying they might just keep quite. Therefore, a person from a different culture might be in problem understanding what is going on if they are in that kind of a meeting. In conclusions, we can say that it is easy to learn another person’s language to ease communication, but it is not enough, as there are a lot to be told by the culture which is usually portrayed in non verbal communication. Since culture is becoming very much dynamic, we can actually be able to learn the cultures of those we are constantly in touch with so that we can completely break the communication barrier. Reference: Cushman D P & Cahn D. D (1984): Communication in Interpersonal Relationships ISBN: 0873959094; SUNY Press Gerry & Wilson E (n. d): Communication and Culture, retrieved on 18th June 2008 from http://jmm. aaa. net. au/articles/85. htm Hauben M (1996): Culture and Communication, retrieved on 18th June 2008 from http://www. columbia. edu/~hauben/CS/usenet-culture. txt LeBaron M (2003): Culture and Conflict, retrieved on 18th June 2008 from http://www. beyondintractability. org/essay/culture_conflict/ Sathyanarayan M. M (n. d): Managing Offshore Projects: How Culture Affects Communications and Deliverables, retrieved on 18th June 2008 from http://www. offshoringsuccess. com/offshore_hcacd. html The University of the South Pacific Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (n. d): Sample ELSE Test Questions, retrieved on 18th June 2008 from http://www. usp. ac. fj/fileadmin/files/academic/students/elsa_sample. pdf
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Beta Decay Definition in Chemistry
Beta decay refers to the spontaneous radioactive decay where a beta particle is produced. There are two types of beta decay where the beta particle is either an electron or a positron. How Beta Decay Works ÃŽ ²- decay occurs when an electron is the beta particle. An atom will ÃŽ ²- decay when a neutron in the nucleus converts to a proton by the following reaction. Here X is the parent atom, Y is the daughter atom, Z is the atomic mass of X, and A is the atomic number of X:ZXA → ZYA1 e- antineutrino ÃŽ ² decay occurs when a positron is the beta particle. An atom will ÃŽ ² decay when a proton in the nucleus converts into a neutron by the following reaction, where X is the parent atom, Y is the daughter atom, Z is the atomic mass of X, A is the atomic number of X:ZXA → ZYA-1 e neutrino In both cases, the atomic mass of the atom remains constant but the elements are transmuted by one atomic number. Practical Examples Cesium-137 decays to Barium-137 by ÃŽ ²- decay.Sodium-22 decays to Neon-22 by ÃŽ ² decay.
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