ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction It is sometimes difficult to make a choice on whether to be realistic or non-realistic towards religious claims. Often, people choose to apply both. Realist views in religion claim to be referring to God’s existence and God’s characteristics as a real being with real features. Therefore, if there is no God, and if these characteristics of God did not exist, people would be making false claims (Peterson et al., 2007, p.5). Of course, realism exists in many forms. An important form for discussion is ethical realism. The realist philosophers hence believe that their perceptions and normative claims concern definite realties in the moral realm. However, as the paper unveils, we should be realistic about religious claims. Without getting into much discussion about the prospects and challenges of non-realism on general philosophy, I can say that there is a central problem with non-realists’ perception of truth (Trigg, 1997, p.217). They fail to acknowledge the commonsensical idea, in religion and beyond, where truth relies on the way things are. Truth surpasses what is determinable in boundaries on certain discourse (Trigg, 1997, p.219). Religion is essential in a community and both realist and non-realist at some point aggress of this given the advantages that religion has had. The society has been using religion to ensure that people comply with its rules (Peterson et al., 2007, p.7). Non-realists point out the structure of religion as a social discipline with nothing supernatural about it. The basic sense of religion seriously changes from these thoughts. My viewpoint is that, human agency works to determine whether there is something or nothing. It is blatantly false that the human beings created the universe (Peterson et al., 2007, p.7). People find themselves part of the universe hence the non-realist stance cannot explain creation. Don Cupitt view of religion relies on radical relativism, linguistic constructivism, and culture’s impact on humanity. Cupitt’s perception is that religion is a cultural situation in modern time (Cupitt, 1995, p.81). There has come the end of an era. The old realistic concept of God as omnipotent, spiritual and independent of human is long overdue according to Cupitt (Cupitt, 1995, p.81). People need to make their own truths and value developing a reality that encompasses everyone. In the past, Christian morals were entirely realist. For instance, the God’s commandments in the Bible tell people what to and what not to do. This has caused people to view moral truths as independent of the commandments. This implies obeying the commandments without question (Cupitt, 1995, p.82). However, as people now challenge or even reject moral truths and religion by rationalizing issues to believe in, this has resulted in a perception of any absolute form of such issues gradually rejected. The main challenge to religion’s certainty and centrality beliefs came
In the twenty-first century, the use of technology has become an everyday occurrence. People are dependent on it in almost all aspects of life. It has made the daily functions easier and more practical, as the software programs, internet and stored memory have extended the use of information and understanding. The technological age is only starting, and it is impossible to predict what sort of changes will come in the next years. The constant development brings new changes and advances at an ever increasing rate. The use of computer systems is built on hardware and software. The hardware is what makes the technology work and available to the public. The hard drives, monitors, computer blocks, graphic cards and other parts of the data unit, make up the personal machine that people use. The software consists of the programs and applications that people use for work. Microsoft office, numerous calculation programs, drawing and imaging software are inseparable from any computer, notebook or other modern device. The databases and communication technologies are also a part of the computing machines. The information that is used by a person is stored in a virtual place but in a specific location. The access to the database allows for a certain kind of information and can be searched by pre-set criteria. The connection between several databases or networks lets the user communicate with other people or view the data remotely. Even the industry is built on software and hardware. The plants that manufacture products have programs with specific set of functions that can build and create without the use of human force. The life of humanity has become intertwined with the use of machines that run on software (Swedin, 2005). A major step forward was the creation of internet, as it has become one of the most consuming forces in the world. The ability to access vast amounts of information at a touch of a finger delivers knowledge and understanding of the surrounding world. People can search for almost anything and get an answer to their question. Numerous search tools and programs let people access scientific data, as well as any other form of literature. As such, the use of internet has become a part of the business world. It is impossible to imagine what a company would do without being able to research other companies, environment or market without the use of internet. The clientele, products and services can all be accessed via online sources and databases within the shortest periods of time. The vision or mission of any organization is to spread its influence over greatest area in the shortest time. A lot depends on the functioning of an organization within the internet or the virtual world of information. The more people can gain access to a specific want or need, the better it will be for the company. As such, the online tools and databases hav
The First Teaching Observation Title of Observed Session Scaffolding as a Teaching Strategy The instructor introduces students to the concept of scaffolding using a PowerPoint presentation. The lesson is buoyed by real-life learning examples that demonstrate how scaffolding works.      Evaluative Criteria                                                                                                                                                       Rating (1 to 5)  Rationale/Comments                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       1.   The instructor uses a written or visual agenda to highlight what content will be covered in the current class.                                                            4                The instructor has a PowerPoint Presentation that highlights all the contents of the lesson on scaffolding. However, the rotation of the slides is not timely accurate.                                                                                                                  2.   The instructor incorporates various techniques to facilitate active class discussion and to engage learners (open-ended questions, quick summaries, student discussions)  3                The learning session only uses one or two techniques to facilitate active class discussion. For example, there are no pauses in between the lesson.                                                                                                                                      3.   The instructor effectively asks questions to assess student learning, further discussion, and encourage critical thinking.                                                4                Although this technique is scarcely used, it proves to be effective in the few instances when it is employed.                                                                                                                                                                            4.   The instructor clearly conveys subject matter knowledge and explains theoretical concepts clearly with real-world examples.                                               4                It is easy for the students to understand the concept of scaffolding through real-life examples, such as learning how to play a musical instrument. Nevertheless, it is important to note that these examples are not diverse enough to cater to the needs of a large group of learners. 5.   Students are encouraged to sha
Introduction to Research Topic Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. A coffee maker is a common sight in both private and public life of many people, with almost every place of employment having a coffee machine. Its popularity is due to its ability to give people energy to either wake-up or keep working for longer periods of time. The first time coffee was used in a drink was in Ethiopia around 800 AD. Its energetic quality was discovered by a monk after he added some coffee berries to his drink. It is one of the most traded commodities on Earth and is produced in over 50 countries. More than 50% of all people over 18 years old drink coffee daily. Not everyone enjoys coffee, but it is a common enough drink that most know its smell, taste, or at least its nature. Conducting Primary Research Primary research is conducted directly, without the use of external sources. It allows the researchers to gain original information based on their efforts alone. The first step in primary research on the topic of consumer preferences in coffee would be to decide which preferences to cover. This decision would define the focus of the whole research. After some deliberation, two different topics were left: preferred type and preferred brand of coffee. The type of coffee has proved to gain fewer results during a test run which led to the brands becoming the topic of the research. The next step would be to define the leading brands of coffee in the United States based on their popularity. Since this is research based on popularity, the quality of the product itself is irrelevant. Although the majority of primary research has to be conducted directly, some outside information can be used to create an impression on the topic. In this case, the top coffee brands had to be defined. The research into this topic produced a report from 2015 that stated that the five most profitable coffee manufacturers are Keurig, which produces special coffee pods, Folgers, which sells pre-ground coffee in large quantities, Starbucks, which is famous for its chain of coffee shops, Maxwell House, which produces instant coffee, and Dunkin’ Donuts, also known for its donuts and cakes. These five companies were included in a survey that was filled out anonymously by people online and on the street. The survey contained the question “What is your usual brand of coffee?” and a section for comments if the person was willing to share why they choose this brand. Conducting Secondary Research Secondary research is conducted through the review of research done by researchers in the past. This type of research can be conducted through the use of electronic devices and services. During the research on this topic, our team used the available electronic libraries and Google Scholar to find re
The concepts of psychoanalytic theories have become effective tools for understanding the main underpinnings of the feminist movement, its place in the lives of individual women, and post-feminism symptoms. In the 1980s and early 1990s, the feminist psychoanalytical theory was used for establishing a relationship between fashion images and the self-harming practices of young women. McRobbie (2009, p. 255) offered an alternative approach to discussing the connection between feminity and self-harm in the context of heterosexual melancholia, acclaiming that the changes in the community order had reverse effects on women. In other words, the changes in the gender regime have intensified the anxiety of invisible patriarchies. Therefore, the eating disorders and anorexia among them which were previously regarded as a result of the fashion industry can be perceived by girls as a mark of their feminity. Harming their bodies, girls can consider them normal. McRobbie (2009, p. 256) stated that fear of overweight, diets, low self-esteem, and even anorexia can be considered as ‘healthy’ signs of modern unhealthy femininity. Therefore, feminist theory’s debt to psychoanalysis is not limited to discussion of the underlying causes of particular forms of women’s oppression, but also for analyzing the post-feminism disorders. The so-called post-feminism disorders imply the cultural production of psychopathology. Criticizing the tendencies of eroticizing the female bodies and labeling slim healthy bodies as beautiful, feminists insisted on displaying a wide array of pathologies in media and magazines. However, emphasizing the variety of women’s complaints, including those of self-starvation, low self-esteem, and self-harming practices, the media makes the female viewers think that these are the signs of feminity expected from them. Thus, the psychoanalytical theories can be advantageous for discussing the reverse side of the feminism movement in terms of its impact upon the girls’ perceptions and consciousness. Another implication of psychoanalytic works to feminist studies is the analysis of the processes of looking at fashionable images, getting fascinated about them, and imaginary self-identification with the selected images. The psychic forces making women identify themselves with the images from fashion magazines and use certain forms of labor on the self for acting the fantasy out were analyzed to understand the underlying process. Currently, a similar approach can be used for tracking the tensions, anxieties, and complaints of modern women. The efforts of the feminist movement which resulted in increased employment of women increased the tensions they experience in their daily lives. De Beauvoir (1989, p. 697) stated that the independent women of today have to juggle their professional ambitions and sexual needs. Therefore, with the increased liberty and unwillingness of women to accept the males’
Introduction Usually, the brain has been viewed as the motionless organ, but presently, researches authenticate the claim that its circuitry is ever changing because of the functionality experience. Studies in the modern society prove that brain plasticity, as well as behavior, is often influenced by several factors, which are both pre and postnatal in nature. Other factors that influence the plasticity of the brain are substances, hormones, maturity, age, diet, infections, and nervous tension (Kolb 12). In order to comprehend how regular and irregular behaviors come about, it is important to analyze the influence of these factors on the brain structure (Kolb, Forgie, Gibb, Gorny and Rowntree 150). This paper looks at the effects of gambling on the functionality of the brain and it does this through reviewing various experiments and their findings. Effects of Gambling on Brain The idea that gambling tends to have similar effects as those of drugs on the brain is valid. A research conducted in the United States at the Massachusetts General Hospital in 2001 confirmed this assertion by noting that an individual anticipating for a win in the roulette table tends to react in the same way as an individual taking euphoria-inducing substances. The study proved that the part of brain is affected when individuals gamble is the same as that affected when people use drugs, such as cocaine. The brain employs a similar circuitry when processing the gambling rewards and responding to drugs. The researchers concluded the gaming experiment by observing that a network of correlated brain structures tends to coordinate the processing of goal-related stimuli. It was established further that blood flow from other parts of the body to the brain is changes whenever an individual engages in gambling, which is similar to the intake of cocaine. The changes taking place in the brain are influenced by the amount of money involved whereby it is faster when the amount involved is high. The right hemisphere part of the brain was likely to be affected when an individual anticipated a win whereas the left was affected when loosing was inevitable in the gaming process. A study conducted in 2002 by science magazine in the US concluded that people are likely to make riskier choices after the gambling process, depending on whether they won or lost. Winning means a lot since it facilitates the making of enhanced decisions meaning that medial-frontal computations take place in the process of gambling. In 2003, a study conducted at Yale University in the US came up with new findings on the effects of gambling on gender since it was found that unique brain activity in men engaging in gambling is prevalent, especially when they view videotapes on betting. Studies conducted on various organisms reveal that behavior change leads to modifications in the structure of circuitry, which is charged with production of behavior. In case neutral networks change because of experiences, the changes in the functions of the networks would be inevitable. Researchers with an interest of ascertaining the factors that interfere with brain paths and behaviors hav
Introduction Throughout all the time people were attached to religion in different ways. In ancient times, idols and rituals played an essential role in humans’ lives and influenced their beliefs and actions. For instance, festivals in ancient Egypt gave a good chance for people to gather and celebrate their traditions in a special way. In Middle Ages, the church was putting a significant impact on government and its decisions. Closer to nowadays, most of the modern countries have separated branches for religion and state. Talking about Christianity, Bible has always been a path for believers that has led them through hard periods, hesitations, and sorrows. Now, the state has rapidly changed its views, so many Christians struggle to understand what a decent action is when interests of government and religion face each other. It is hard to separate personal moral beliefs and the state as the world people live in has things happen parallelly. The church and the government differ nowadays, however, they are interconnected, and a modern Christian should find the golden middle to balance between them. Christianity and the State There are various ways in which the church and the state can cooperate. When the state stands above the church and controls the peoples’ religion, it puts an authoritarian effect on the population and narrows the borders of their freedom. At the same time, when the church dominates the state, it can put an effect on minor numbers of the population of different religious views. Thinking of the church as the main organ controlling laws and systems, it might be judicial to say that it manages the political part of the governmental work. Religion gives people a set of decent moral values with which one can confidentially start living life. It is hard to disagree with a statement by McQuilkin, Robertson, and Paul Copan that God has given humans the ability to utilize general disclosure to understand how God’s world works and how to get along with it. The third scenario is when church and state work in symbiosis and create a balance in society that provides both moral entities and law and system functioning. Decision-making today in Western countries can be described as a democratic model where the majority decides what happens. Democracy is one of the tools to make people speak and express themselves in several problematic issues. However, the last scenario is hard to reach but should always be aimed. Now,
Introduction Ronald Reagan was the 40 th president of the United States. He was, perhaps, the most successful president in the world’s history. His presidency saw the United States of America obtain sustainable economic stability, and it also gave citizens trust and confidence in the White House. These advancements are, arguably, the threshold of America’s financial success. By using appropriate economic policies, President Reagan helped reduce both federal spending and taxes in the United States. By doing so, he attracted a significant amount of investment in his country. Although he has his school of critics, Ronald Reagan made such an outstanding contribution to the United States that his success as a president can be compared to very few presidents in the United States history. His confidence in what e believed in was instrumental in his success as a president since, with excellent communication skills, he made his ideas known and let people express their views of his opinions. He was able to fight Soviet Communism until its effect in the U.S. was negligible. He led the United States in the rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and ultimately made the U.S. win over the Soviet Union. He is also credited for creating the West emerge victors in the cold war in which the rivalry mentioned above between the U.S. and the Soviet Union took center-stage. Reagan was a President like no other. He was always waiting for people to demand his services as a leader for him to run for whatever position. Before he ran for Governor in California, he had never thought of himself being a politician. However, he was a political activist who frequently criticized the government and fought Soviet Communism with all his might. He began fighting communism during his acting years when it was made clear that communism was terrible because he was once a proponent of communism. After realizing its negativity, Reagan did all he could to fight communism while expressing his belief in conservatism. These two principles, coupled with his unbeatable communication skills, were bound to get him very far even as a film actor. The people of California mounted pressure
Both cultural diversity and international business management skills are closely related in the sense that both of them are crucial towards the success of any form of globalised international business. In addition, it is worth noting that international tourism management largely relies on how well both cultural diversity and overall business management have been integrated. This paper offers a succinct discussion of cultural diversity in international trade and skills or competences required to manage international businesses. In addition, the paper relates the two topics of discussion and how they are significant to tourism industry. Topic I. Cultural diversity in international trade Managing cultural diversity in international trade has become one of the most fundamental requirements when managing modern multicultural and multinational enterprises. When this form of diversity is managed well, it aids in enhancing workplace relationships bearing in mind that individual employees will be in a position to appreciate cultural values of members drawn from diverse cultural backgrounds by interpreting their behaviors and actions. Besides, organizational performance of a multinational enterprise is greatly influenced by cultural differences experienced in the course of complex interaction between the immediate business environment and individuals. It is against this backdrop that Torres-baumgarten and Yucetepe (2009) point out that the latter may easily affect the degree of satisfaction, motivation, performance as well as l diversitbehavioral patterns of individuals especially at their places of work. On the same note, cultural diversity has been used as a major in tourism industry. While this form of diversity may act as a draw back in international trade, it is highly likely that the multicultural aspect of a region may be used as a major strength in building tourism industry. Cultural diversity as well as equality in international trade in a foreign country remain as some of the most important factors that define the ability of an international organization to promote greater creativity, strengthening its brand alongside improving production and profitability. Moreover, management of cultural diversity and equality in a multinational enterprise is gaining popularity rapidly and is being used to