ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction In his allegorical story “Kim”, Kipling Rudyard gives the history, cultural identity, and social practices of India when it was under the British colony. Using Kim as the protagonist in his masterpiece, Kipling gives a detailed description of the hardships that Kim encounters as he pursues identity. Despite being an Irish, Kim does not know any other home other than the streets of India. The tough economic and political conditions motivate Kim to manipulate the environmental for survival. In his masterpiece, Kipling uses Kim’s escapades to highlight the main landmarks in the Indian subcontinent. As the story unfolds, Kipling reveals to the audience his admirable literary skills. In comparison to other novels in the same genre, Kipling’s novel outshines most of them. Through describing the establishment of imperialism in India, Kipling reveals his positive attitude towards the Britons. On the other hand, using Kim, the author highlights the qualities and requirements of an intelligence officer. The following discussion analyses the novel exploring given elements that the author intended to pass to the audience. Book review Kipling’s story focuses on the transformation of Kim from a pauper to an intelligent officer in the British government. Secondly, it also gives a description of the transformation of India during the nineteenth century when imperialism had taken root in the world. Although he is a product of Irish parents, Kim’s parents abandon him together with his sister in the streets of India. Adapting to the street life Kim becomes a beggar on the streets of Lahore. Occasionally, he runs some errands especially for Mahbub Ali to supplement his income. Unfortunately, the woman who volunteered to shelters him is an addict of opium, which forces him to fend for himself. To fit into the Indian society, Kim learns the social, economic and political practices of the natives. Consequently, due to sunburns and assimilation into the Indian culture, Kim’s physical appearance resembled the locals. As an adventurous boy, he meets Tibetan Lama, an old Buddhist man who claims to be tracing the ‘river of the arrow’. Furthermore, Kim’s flexibility in life compels him to become Lama’s chela or disciple. Together with Lama, they decide to look for the river, yet none of the two knew, which way to go. They faithfully followed the Grand Trunk Road as their map. Incidentally, during the journey they encounter imperialists who recruit Kim as an intelligence officer for the British government. His role as a spy for the colonists propels him to explore different parts of India. In short, Kipling novel is about the hardships of an orphaned Irish boy amid strangers. Categorically, Kipling’s masterpiece is in four sections or levels. In the first section, Kipling unravels the identity of Kim who is the story’s protagonist. Originally, Kim is Irish, but due to assimilation into a new culture, he does not qualify as an Irish, Br
There is no doubt that the world is witnessing a large and unprecedented demographic transition in which not only the population growth is slowing, but the age structure of the contemporary population is also decreasing. However, over the next few years, the elderly population will continue to grow with a decline in the youth population. World Economic Outlook (2004) while analyzing the relationship between population growth and the economy, suggests that policymakers like Thomas Malthus interpret in his work Essay on the Principle of Population in 1798, that the rate of population growth was determined by setting in equilibrium by the pace of economic growth. Too rapid population growth will result in the depression of wages and the consequences would be diseases to raise mortality, lesser marriages, and decreased childbearing (World Economic Outlook, 2004). On the other hand, rapid economic expansion will bring an increase to prosperity, fertility and the population would then set a new equilibrium. Many scholars believe that the theories proposed by Malthus are reversely related to the contemporary world. In this scenario where economic prosperity has been proportional to fallen fertility rates resulting in slower population growth and aging, what can we expect within the next few decades? Economic activity in the next stage of the transition will witness tremendous shifts from this industrial fertility and mortality to post-industrial low fertility and mortality. Such a transition will result in declines in mortality, especially infant and child mortality, which will further mark a new beginning of almost all demographic transitions, and the age structure will be strongly influenced since most of these declines in mortality are enjoyed by infants and children (Birdsall et al, 2001, p. 106). Different components of the demographic changes will have different negative influences on economic growth. The population growth rate would influence economic growth in context with the age distribution factor. Ansley Coale and Edgar Hoover in 1958 used the word ‘dependency rate’ to interpret future findings that predicted industries as low saving, low investment, and slow educational capital-deepening institutes (Birdsall et al, 2001, p. 106). A growing concern is that population growth will cause natural resource pressures and environmental threats, which will further bring poli
Thesis statement The idea that the methodological apparatus of natural sciences is being procedurally inconsistent with the aims of human sciences cannot be referred to as particularly innovative. Therefore, it comes as not a particular surprise that, as of today, a number of social scientists continue to reflect upon the qualitative nature of social, political, cultural, and historical processes from essentially anti-scientific prospective, while denying the appropriateness of utilization of methods and procedures of natural sciences in the field of social research. In its turn, this does not only undermine the scientific validity of anti-positivist human studies, but also makes their semantic content quite unintelligible. For example, even though there have been a number of social studies, conducted on the subject of what represent motivational factors behind Hispanic students’ lowered rate of academic achievement, the results of these studies are best referred to as utterly inconclusive (we will refer to this thesis later). Apparently, the quality of today’s social research is being hindered by social scientists’ inability to understand a simple fact that, just as is it is being the case with plants and animals, the representatives of Homo Sapiens specie, and consequently the qualitative essence of human societies’ functioning, never cease to be subjected to objectively existing laws of nature. In our paper, we will aim at exploring the validity of an earlier suggestion at length, while pointing out to the fact that the idea that human sciences should emulate the methods and procedures of natural sciences is absolutely legitimate. Moreover, we will also aim to show there is no well-defined limit to the extent to which the methods of social/human research may follow the methods of natural research. The soundness of paper’s hypothesis will be exemplified in regards to how subjects matter of human sciences can assessed through methodological framework of Physics, Biology and Mathematics. Main part Even as far back as during the course of thirties, Collingwood (1936) was able to rationalize methodological inconsistency between human and natural sciences, while suggesting that the developmental context of human history alters the subtleties of how people perceive societal aspects of their existence. Given the fact that, throughout 20 th century’s second half, the concept of evolut
Introduction Sima Qian is a famous historian who lived in China during the Han dynasty (Leung par. 1). He was born in 145 B.C. and became well-known mostly due to his work the Records of the Grand Historian , which is also called the Shiji. Sima Tan, the author’s father, occupied the position of historian and transferred it by succession to his son. Sima Qian, in his turn, did his best to create impressive texts that attract many people even now. He was a remarkable writer and historian, who provided the readers with authoritative information and influenced the works of his successors even though he had no particular source of valid data. This paper will discuss his attainments and peculiarities of the writings on the basis of different literature sources. Author-Function A lot of historical information regarding early China became known to the general public by virtue of his works. The historian himself realized that his writings will be appreciated with the course of time and claimed that everything he made was for the readers in posterity: “If it may be handed down to men who will appreciate it, and penetrate to the villages and great cities, then though I should suffer a thousand mutilations, what regret would I have?” (Sima 8). Several scholars considered Sima Qian in regard to the author-function. Vincent Leung examined the study conducted by Esther Klein and pointed out that Sima Qian, in this context, is a kind of a function of the responses to the writing by “readers from one period to the next, subject (if at all) less to the objective facts of Sima Qian’s historical existence and whatever authorial intent he may have had than to the varying historical circumstances and idiosyncratic biases of the readers themselves” (Leung par. 4). According to this concept, the Records of the Grand Historian were written not by the author but by the group of author-functions (in other words, discourses). Every time the work is read by someone, it is interpreted differently, but the interpretation is to be based on the Sima Qian’s life. The environment, in which the author lived, is said to have an influence on the way he treated the things around him and created the texts. Thus, the Shiji become meaningful only when it interacts with the readers. This relationship makes the work not only a dataset of historical information but also a literature source. Sima Qian occurs to be a bridge that allows the readers enter particular historical contexts and perceive it through the eyes of the author. Sima Qian’s Style The greatest source that allows people increase their knowledge about the history of Asian countries is the Shiji . It is an innovative text that impresses the readers by its stylistic effect, which deals with the representation of characters and the way Sima Qian’s thoughts and ideas are conveyed. The enormous extent, the peculiarities of the author’s language and the usage of the rhetorical devices that referred to the culture turned the historical text into a masterpiece. The work is well-known for its rhetorical style that is extremely complicated to maintain during the transla
Introduction There is no doubt that statistics which has been thought of as a science of assembling; putting in order, analyzing, and interpreting data do play a major role in human day-to-day life helping in answering important questions (Punsalan et. al., 1987). In this case, Jr.High school is no exception in utilizing statistics. Additionally, it has been noted that statistics is found in a myriad of fields ranging from medical, engineering, technology, business, schools, to psychology. The essay critically evaluates the use of statistics in Jr. High school and seeks to explain how it is used, the four levels of measurements and their use in the school, examples of descriptive and inferential statistics, and finally the advantages associated with accurate interpretation of statistical information in helping improve making rational decisions in an organization. Use of statistics in the Jr. High school In Jr., High school statistics do have numerous applications. The most important application or use of statistics in the school is in evaluating how students perform in their studies. Such statistics help the administration, as well as a teacher, know the areas that need more effort to better improve student performance. Additionally, the school has applied statistics describing its student composition in terms of numbers, gender, age, and race among other demographic statistics. During sports day, the school utilizes statistics to provide a summary of how specific games are proceedings for instance basketball scoreboards help the audience to have a glimpse of scores. Additionally, the school has researched several topics for instance how to improve performance, motivate, and satisfy the teaching staff. With these, the findings have been incorporated in decision-making (Punsalan et. al., 1987). The school through record-keeping does use statistics to establish the number of students that complete their education; vital in calculating the rates of dropouts. Generally speaking, the school utilizes statistics in several fields in the quest to be better placed in making rational decisions aimed t propelling the school to greater heights. Four levels of measurement The nominal level of measurement which is discrete for instance gender or race of student has been used to establish how many female and male students are in the school. Such information has been presented by the use of graphs and pie charts. Ordinal or rank level of measurement has also been used in ranking the best performing student in an ascending order since it provides us with ordered categories. Presentation of such information is done using descriptive statistics. Similarly, the staff performance has in the recent past been ranked for awards (Lindley, 1985). The ratio level of measurement such as age has been collected, organized, and interpreted in the various grades to establish the mean and average age of students in grades 7 and 8. In sports, ratio measurements particularly height and weight have been used to establish characteristics of participants i
Introduction Haute couture and high fashion is a flight of fancy of the best designers around the world. Masters of the leading fashion houses create the collections haute couture, “especially not clothes, but true works of art. These models are unique and performed in a single copy. When manufacturing the patterns are not used, there are almost no seams, performed at the sewing machines – all the work of artists of fashion is done with their hands. For the models of haute couture “only high quality fabrics and materials are used. Many models are designed only for show – they will never be produced in mass quantities, and not even, it is assumed that at least someone will be in the dresses on the street. The same collection of haute couture are “lab” copies, are sources of inspiration and an impetus to think about mass fashion designers working in the stream. High fashion is markedly different from the “fashion” that is in magazines and fashion clothes, which can be worn every day. Indeed, the arts, including haute couture, free – valued model for the novelty, originality. Sometimes this is achieved at the expense of extravagant models, in other cases due to non-traditional materials: the high fashion is used as the most expensive silks and rare furs, and vinyl records and even the metal and paper. As designers show their collections exoticism, can only assess a painting in a museum, not a call for change in the wardrobe. One of the most prestigious events in the world of fashion is the week of high fashion in Paris. Within a few days in French capital, guests, whose number does not exceed a few thousand people can visit two dozen catwalk, on the official program, and approximately the same number of shows, held outside the official program. There are top models, vested in dresses by internationally recognized houses “haute couture”: Channel, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Christian Lacroix, Emmanuel Ungaro, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Hanae Mori, Jean-Louis Scherrer and Dominique Sirop. The elite in the front row at fashion shows attract the attention of journalists, no less than the catwalk. Typically, these are movie stars, bus
Education plays a significant role in individuals’ life since it enhances their production capacities and makes them instrumental agents of positive social and economic change. Liberal arts training equips learners with general knowledge and develops their intellectual capability, preparing them to work in varying fields. Students learn a range of skills, which prepares them to succeed in any occupation. They become well-rounded people who can face challenges with an open mind, unheralded passion, and considerate thoughts. Liberal arts seminars are an important part of the learning that helps apprentices explore topics using different approaches. The recent seminar focused on the various breadth areas of liberal arts. This essay reflects my understanding of liberal arts education and knowledge about social or civic, art or expression, science or description, and value or meaning breadth areas. The social or civic breadth area of liberal arts focuses on human interaction, examining relational and interpersonal ways of people. It is characterized by activism, new experiences’ engagements, and the implementation of ideas (Cohen De Lara & Drop, 2017). I learned that the knowledge of this area of liberal arts is related to behavioral and social sciences and enhances individuals’ understanding, enabling them to be productive within relationships and contribute positively and other people as well as society. The breath area not only makes people socially and politically informed but also allows them to voluntarily participate in organizations’ schools’ churches’ and local government activities that promote social wellbeing. The art or expression breadth area is about how people portray creativity in different forms. It involves senses, including touch, tastes, sounds, colors, and sights, to think, know, and express something (Cohen De Lara & Drop, 2017). The area’s knowledge comprises a fundamental understanding of various intrinsic characteristics of artistic expressions. I learned that this breadth area takes form and shape through visual, verbal and written, bodily, musical, and spatial expressions and tastes in food. Additionally, it equips individuals with imaginative, creative skills that facilitate openness to divergent viewpoints and alternative possibilities. The science or description breadth area is all about using facts and proven evidence to present or resolve an issue. It accentuates the use of logical, analytical, and objective approaches to know more about something (Cohen De Lara & Drop, 2017). This area encompasses the use of fundamental questions regarding how things work, the processes involved, and causes and effects. I learned that science or description allows individuals to acquire skills through experiments and applications, facilitating a better understanding of nature, the human body, technology, universe structure, and how different things work. Mathematics and scientific methods are important tools in this breadth that help in problem-solving. The value or meaning breadth area of liberal arts focuses on answering the question “why?” to know the significance of life. The area
Introduction The debate about the American Dream has been common in recent years. Some people have held that the American dream is alive, whereas others have contested this argument asserting that the American Dream remains elusive. There are various events which have taken place in the United States that have greatly impacted the aspect of the American Dream. Nonetheless, the future of the dream rests with the people and their resilience in pursuing it. This paper will elaborate on the concept of the American Dream in a modern day America. The American Dream The American Dream can be defined as a summation of national values entrenched in the culture of the United States. The dream emphasizes on the freedoms and rights of American citizens, and promises the prospect of prosperity and accomplishment. In early 1930s, James Truslow Adams defined the American Dream as something different from the conventional belief. He argued that the dream should not be defined in terms of material things and good employment opportunities. Instead, the definition should be based on social grounds, whereby every individual has to exploit his or her potential maximally irrespective of his or her background (Davis-Laack,para 4). In essence, the definition of the American Dream depends on an individual. Some people define it in respect to economic success; others in terms of education; while others define the term in relation to equality in social justice. It is true that as the A
Introduction The surviving myths, poems, plays, and stories of the Age of Antiquity allow people to learn about not only the events and religions of the past but also the cultures, lifestyles, and morals of societies bygone. The works of Titus Maccius Plautus are of such kind. The Prisoners , or Captivi , is one of his most famous plays, which contrasts significantly with the rest of his work as it avoids love and sexual themes and tells about highly moral themes (Plautus, 2004). It is worth noting that Lessing, a German thinker and writer of the eighteenth century, called The Prisoners an ideal comedy, even despite its apparent shortcomings with timing and pacing (Plautus, 2004). The Prisoner sheds light on ancient Greece and the Roman Republic’s social structures and the relationship between slave owners and slaves. In this analytical paper, The Prisoners will be discussed in terms of its cultural and historical context. Aetolia, Elis, Macedon and the Roman Invasion of Greece At the beginning of the play, readers observe what goes on after the wars between the ancient Greek city-states. Full city-state citizens or “gentlemen of property” begin to trade people who have become slaves due to being captured during the military conflict (Plautus, 2004, p. 77). Alternatively, they exchange them for their relatives caught by the enemy side, as in the case of Hegio (Plautus, 2004). Questions arise as to why Plautus chose Aetolia as the setting and why he mentioned Elis; these two regions are in Greece, not in the Italian Peninsula. The answer is that when Plautus lived, the Roman Republic began a full-scale invasion of Greece and started two major wars with Macedon, which was the regional leader back then (Eckstein, 2017). Moreover, the Aetolian League was an ally of Rome in the first conflict. These events and the fact that the Romans and Greeks were culturally close could be the reason why the author chose Aetolia as the setting for the play. Social Structure and Slavery in Ancient Greece depicted in The Prisoners Another exciting thing that readers may notice while reading The Prisoners is the structure of Ancient Greek society. There are two categories of people, masters like Hegio and the father of Philocrates and unfree ones like Guards and Tyndarus. It is also necessary to mention Ergasilus, who seems to be an employed servant. Plautus calls his social status a “parasite” (Plautus, 2004, p. 76). He also refers to himself as “The Harlot” and describes his social role in a derogatory tone but seems to enjoy it (Plautus, 2004, p. 80). One can see that the system of slavery in ancient Greece was significantly different from that would later appear in the European kingdoms and empires. The relationship between masters and slaves was based on local social hierarchy and personal relationships, not on racial or ethnic bias supported by primitive and deceptive scientific theories. The master was the one who was free, independent, and a citizen a