ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Throughout the course of millennia, it used to account for a commonplace practice among Western and Oriental philosophers to believe that there are phenomenological subtleties to people’s endowment with consciousness. For example, many Western philosophers used to subscribe to the Descartian concept of ‘mind and body dualism’ while insisting that it is indeed possible for one’s mind to exist outside of his or her body. Oriental philosophers, in this respect, were not much different, as the idea that consciousness is independent of its bearers’ physiology defines the discursive implications of many of their writings. The validity of this suggestion can be illustrated in regards to Zhuangzi’s stance on the subject matter, reflected by his allegory of a butterfly: “Once Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly… He didn’t know he was Zhuangzi. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Zhuangzi. But he didn’t know if he was Zhuangzi who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuangzi. Between Zhuangzi and a butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the Transformation of Things” (World Religions WGS 2). In light of the recent discoveries in the field of neurobiology and physics, however, the assumption that there is a metaphysical substance (such as Zhuangzi’s transformation of things ), which exists independently of people’s highly subjective perception of the surrounding reality, does not stand much of a ground. In my paper, I will elaborate on this idea at length. Body of the paper As it was mentioned in the Introduction, the belief that it is one’s psyche (soul), which ‘fuels’ the functioning of his or her body (which implies a person’s body being secondary to its soul), used to be considered utterly appealing by many people, throughout the course of history. The reason for this is simple – by assuming that the soul is ‘primary’ and body is ‘secondary,’ people can lessen the acuteness of their death-related anxieties. Nevertheless, as of today, it became thoroughly clear to neurologists that one’s conscious/unconscious psyche (soul) cannot exist outside of his or her body, by definition. After all, it has now been well proven that the workings of one’s psyche are defined by the essence of chemo-electric reactions inside of the concerned individual’s brain. For as long as there are no obstacles on the way of chemo-electric reactions’ normal flow, the functioning of one’s consciousness allows him or her to experience the three-dimensional sensation of ‘self.’ However, even slight mechanical damage to the cortex area of one’s brain can produce a dramatic impact on the person’s sense of identity (soul) – often without affecting the integrity of the concerned individual’s ability to address cognitive tasks (Puig and Gulledge 455). Moreover, the recent discoveries in the field of neurology suggest that one’s unconscious is in charge of defining the person’s rational choices – six secon
Approach and tools needed The business idea that EnerNOC came with tells of the company founders’ desire to meet the growing demand in electricity. Traditionally, electric utilities supplied to consumers power but when power shortages occurred, it very difficult to meet the consumption demands of the ever –growing number of consumers. EnerNOC therefore became a monopoly in the provision of its services customers driven by an idea of, “Turning energy savings into sales” (Douglas, 2010). This ideally was not only intended to spearhead EnerNOC to massive business opportunities but it also through its image before prospective investors. There, the company had the following questions to answer. How were they to deliver value to customers and convince the investors to venture into their fields of operation thus providing satisfactory services to customers with time as a constraint? The case study only mentions on the kind of approach that EnerNOC was to use without clearly stating it. As a new service provider on market, and since the company was still in its infancy stages, coming on market with the theme of providing solutions to power shortages and peak moments consumption constraints, service delivery was therefore its primary concern. From the case study, EnerNOC approach to establish a Network Operations Center was its major breakthrough to reaching its North American customers through remote control and monitoring technology. With this technology at its disposal, growth, and therefore market penetration was at its disposal for grabs (Douglas, 2010). Approach of saving power to sale was also another challenge and perhaps EnerNOC other challenge. The reason is they had never been in any other business of this kind nor was there any documented evidence such service provision. To EnerNOC founders, from the history of its foundation, this was a business idea that entrepreneurs Tim Healy and David Brewster were bringing to birth and without practical background. From a consumption analytical point of view, the figures provided for the comparison between consumption of electricity versus generation and transmission during 1950s to 1990s periods shows a reduction in demand due to improved efficiency in generation and transmission to consumers (Douglas, 2010). The period it takes electric utilities to make a demand difference (drop) of 6.5% is long enough to give EnerNOC an approach clue. And that is improvement of efficiency in generation and transmission and generation within a short period of time than it took electric utilities. Luckily, EnerNOC was not doing generation and transmission, but saving energy to sale. This was the highest efficiency in the shortest time to be achieved. The figure below shows percentage decrease in demand between the periods mentioned above as opposed to consumption over the same period of time (Carlson school of ma
One of the most important aspects of “The Tipping Point” and its relation to business law is that it helps to show that everything has a certain limit before things tend to spiral out of control. The best example that I can think of is the modern day popular culture. In the movie “Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace”, it can be seen that the Trade Federation had blockaded the planet of Naboo due to the constant increase in the number of trade restrictions levied on them by the Galactic Republic. This is an effective example that clearly shows what happens when business law is “taken too far”, so to speak, when it is applied to corporate activities. While corporations are fine with adhering to the precepts of business law and following the various regulations associated with it, the implementation of overly restrictive laws and limitations can result in a buildup of resentment and discontent among companies. The end result is an inevitable backlash which can be manifested in the form of companies simply refusing to do business in certain regions due to what they deem as an “adverse business climate” which potential profits do not justify the amount of effort spent operations within that market. This relates to my course in business law since it shows that a fine line must be tread that balances the need for sufficient restrictions, regulations and enforcement and the necessity of ensuring that what is being implemented is not “overly suffocating” for companies in general. If this aspect is not adhered to, it is likely that resent could also grow considerably resulting in an inevitable tipping point that would cause adverse ramifications for local economies. Another interesting aspect of “The Tipping Point” and its relation to business law can be seen in examples related to workplace harassment laws and the implementation of broad minimum wage limits that are put in place to assist workers. What must be understood is that while business law has been around for quite some time, aspects related to workplace equality, lawful worker compensation and workplace harassment prevention are actually relatively “new” within the context of laws that have been developed in order to direct companies regarding the proper treatment of their workers. When looking at the concept of “The Tipping Point” and how it relates to my course in business law, it can be seen that new laws that constrain or limit corporate activities at times come about due to a tipping point in public sentiment regarding particular issues. For instance, aspects related to sexual harassment in the workplace, minimum wage laws as well as laws that prevent discrimination in hiring practices have all come about due to a tipping point being reached in the court of public opinion which inevitably results in new regulations being created in order to address these appar
Introduction Films have been created to describe a story to the viewer and hence should have an appeal. They are directed in different forms which are dictated by the intention of their production. Movies can be for entertainment, education, economic and political purposes among many other reasons. In all movies, however, certain criteria have to be adhered to. These elements are subject to analysis leading to the rating of the films as hits or blockbusters. Awards have been granted in the film achievement ceremonies in different categories. The sorting is based on the overall value first then sub-categories are on selected elements such as plot, cinematography, effects, and actors. To catch the attention of the viewers and film analysts, the film has to be directed professionally. (Raj, 2007) It takes a team of dedicated actors, technicians, and other procedural combinations to produce a film that will become a hit. To build a team of quality, the director needs to work with the best actors fitting into roles and technical staff. The film plot, the sounds, and the pretentious elements are vital to its success. The motion pictures industry has continued to be very competitive over the years. Films are produced with more effects that are dramatic and give the audience a feeling of suspense and intrigue. These developments have been made possible by the advancement in technology called computer-generated images. The computer age has changed the effects in film production creating the possibility of characters to be perceived as performing dangerous stands e.g. jumping over a cliff. Motion pictures have greater sound and picture outcomes that form a theatric feeling thus resulting in huge gains. (Raj, 2007) Body An examination of the film Forrest Gump shows the effective use of professionalism to produce a blockbuster film. It is a humorous drama based on a novel written in 1986 by Winston Groom. The story is about a man and his heroic expedition through existence meeting past states personalities in presidents and a musician. He encounters events of the late 20 th century yet he is not conscious of their implication due to his scholarly scarcity and being naive. However, his naivety and little
It has come to our notice that numerous clients have commented on the “unprofessional attire” with some of our staff members. In line with the recent dress code policies developed by the communication manager, the following previews and revisions have been made for the effective implementation of the policies. Due to these contentious issues concerning the company’s dress code, the company’s executives have settled down on adopting appropriate dress code policies. Through these policies, the company, through detailed consultations, has decided to abolish all dress codes that are ranked unprofessional, unethical, and provocative. As a result, the following policies have been reinstated. Clothing should be free from all distracting words or logos, jewelry and body piercing should not be overemphasized, religious head coverings are accepted, conservative shoes and sandals are acceptable. To conserve and improve the company’s image, the company has abolished the following dress codes bib overalls, sweat pants, exercise pants, yoga pants, shorts, leggings, all hats, crocs, clothes that are torn, sundress, beach dresses, and spaghetti strap dresses. Some of this clothing is not only provocative but also inappropriate for the office. In addition, most of our employees’ task involves interaction with prospects, clients, and business; hence, this collaborates with the company objectives. Therefore, this will ensure that the supervisors effectively implement these policies. Contrary to the previous dress code policies, the company has decided not to implement some of the proposed policies. Among these policies is the abolition of miniskirts, flashy sandals, flip flops, athletic shoes. Nevertheless, the company shall ensure that the dressings, which are not abolished, shall not be provocative and unethical. As a result, all staff members are encouraged to dress in accordance with the new policies as this will not only improve our public image but also put our company on edge among our competitors.
Robert Nozick is one of the renowned libertarian thinkers of the twentieth century who proposed a variety of ideas and concepts related to the topics of individual freedom and rights. In his book “Anarchy, State, and Utopia,” he presented his view of the notions of self-ownership and property rights, which was considerably different from the positions previously outlined by other philosophers, including John Locke. Thus, it is essential to gain an in-depth understanding of Nozick’s theory, discuss a possible objection, and present a response to it. Nozick’s self-ownership arguments for absolute private property rights in original acquisition partially stem from John Locke’s philosophy. Nozick contended that every individual is free and has an inherent right to be an owner of their own person, their powers, and talents. Nevertheless, people must be careful not to utilize their powers to harm others. This self-ownership principle translates into the moral right of every person to be sovereign owners of an unlimited amount of resources (Nozick, 1973, p. 155). Moreover, this means that people cannot be deprived of their property or even a small part of it by any party if they met all of the conditions required for just the acquisition of resources. Nozick’s view of self-ownership is similar to Locke’s, who believed that people were true owners of their bodies and capacities (Locke, 1988, p. 287). Yet, the primary difference between the ideas of the two philosophers is their approaches to the condition under which a person can appropriate resources. Nozick stated that a person who comes into possession of holdings must not harm other people affected by the act and has to acquire only unowned objects or resources, this is called the principle of justice in acquisition. While Locke believed that to be considered an owner of an object, an individual must mix their labor with it. Nozick’s position is rather provoking, and it naturally invites other people to raise objections to the idea of absolute rights in original acquisition. The main objection here concerns the fairness of the process of acquisition. Cohen proposed his two-person world model, which simulates a situation when an arguably unjust distribution of resources takes place. This model implies that there are two people Grabber and Johnny-Come-Lately, who live in a world where all resources are unowned, and they ensure their existence by trapping and milking moose (Cohen, 1995, p. 79). Then, the process of appropriation occurs during which Grabber becomes an owner of all land and moose, while Johnny has no other option than to work for Grabber in exchange for access to milk. Thus, due to the acquisition, Johnny lost his freedom, and he cannot resolve this issue since Grabber’s property rights are absolute. Moreover, such distribution of resources comes into conflict with John Rawls’ difference principle, which postulates tha
Ethical Scenario The presented case study revolves around the issue of ethics in business organizations. Any misbehavior such as gift-giving with the intention of getting rewards or promotions is usually against many companies’ codes of ethics. This discussion explains how the manager of ABC Company should have handled the ethical dilemma. The next part of the paper gives a detailed policy and procedure for dealing with bribery and gift-giving. Handling the Situation If I were ABC Company’s manager, it would have been inappropriate to accept the offerings and gifts from John. The same practice would also be applicable to every employee. This strategy would then be followed by a powerful communication model to inform the workers about the existing policy and what it says about gift-giving (Pope, 2015). John would also be informed about the malpractice and punished in accordance with the existing code of conduct. This initiative can ensure that every employee is responsible. Coca-Cola Company At Coca-Cola, the issue of gift-giving is taken seriously in an attempt to promote ethical conduct. The corporation has a powerful code of ethics that discourages employees from offering gifts to their seniors or managers. Those who engage in such malpractices are punished accordingly (Pope, 2015). They can lose their jobs, be demoted, or transferred. The company educates and guides its workers in order to act in an ethical and professional manner. Continuous training and empowerment are some of the practices undertaken to discourage employees from gift-giving. The presence of this code of ethics is something that makes it easier for the corporation to achieve its potential. Emerging challenges and malpractices are monitored and addressed by the topmost leaders at Coca-Cola. Companies should consider this strategy in an attempt to deal with cases of bribery. Discussion Board Case The analyzed case on the discussion board focused on unethical practices in a business organization. Such misbehaviors affect the performance of companies and make it easier for them to meet the needs of different stakeholders. The case examined issues such as deceitful accounting procedures and the inability to present credible information to different stakeholders. Corporations that engage in such behaviors are associated with ineffective corporate cultures. Their workers find it hard to report every malpractice, thereby affecting the integrity of their respective companies. The described case resonates with the issue of gift-giving in a given business firm. This is
Introduction Social responsibility means taking care of the interests of the stakeholders of a company 1 . The stakeholders of a company are the employees, the customers, the government, the suppliers, shareholders and the public in general. With the increasing competition, managers of companies are doing their best to ensure that they stay ahead of competition. Social responsibility to all stakeholders has become a great strategy to enhance competitiveness. Gap Inc. has all the classes of stakeholders. The company has 134,000 employees who work in its various departments worldwide 2 . It has an approximate customer base of 14 million customers who are served from various stores owned by the company. The company appreciates the fact that in order to achieve success, it must incorporate the help of all the stakeholders. The company also understands that the problems they face in the global business arena are too complex and they can be overcome through combined efforts. The major stakeholders to the company are government officials, manufacturing companies, factory managers, human rights groups, environmental groups, trade unions and investors. The stakeholders play an important role in the social responsibility program of the company. Their input in terms of expertise has seen the company go far. Collaboration with the stakeholders has enabled the company to address issue of child labour in Uzbekistan and improve on the supply chain of the company. The company has collaborated with the International Labour Rights Fund (ILRF) to improve on labour relations and standards in global export business 3 . Gap Inc. has also collaborated with workers united to help improve on the garment production in Canada and the United States. This has ensured that the workers in the North America have an ample economic environment. Another stakeholder that collaborates with Gap Inc. is Maquilla Solidarity Network (MSN) to improve on the rights of employees 4 . This collaboration has seen the increasing respect freedom of association of workers among other benefits. The company also offers other benefits to the employees such sick pay, transport and other employee benefits. These are just some examples of responsibility performance of the Gap Inc. Gap Inc. also operates within the legal requirements hence it is responsible to the government. The company complies with the provisions on employment, minimum and maximum wages of employees, employee safety among other provisions. Social Performance with Regard to Employees Positive Aspects The company views its employees as important stakeholders in the organization. There are many positive aspects of employee social responsibility by the company. One positive aspect is encouragement of employees to pursue their goals in the organization. The company encourages the employees to “wear their passion”. Another positive aspect is on the communication to the employees. The management has always encouraged the com
The major agreement and compromises that were mainly discussed in the US constitution were the issue of slavery, and the content of the legislature. The people who were at the convention were concerned about slavery in America. This was to be agreed between the Northern and the Southern delegates. The Southern delegates wanted slavery to continue, so that their economy could be boosted, but the Northern delegates wanted the end of black slavery (Henretta, Brody, & Dumenil, 2007). The Northern delegates were against this slavery not because they were caring for black people, but because they feared the increment of black people population in Southern part. This was regarded as a complicated agreement although at the end both sides came into agreement. In January 1808, the slave trade was officially terminated in the United States constitution. There was another major agreement that was to be made about the legislation. Hamilton plan was considered being the most appropriate. Other men in the convention accepted the features in his plan. It was agreed to have a bicameral legislation in the constitution that is both the lower and the upper house (Jesup, 2009). The lower house would be the assembly that would be elected by people, and the other one the senate offering lifetime services. The senate would be made of two senators, each representing one state. The venues and times of conducting elections of government officials were agreed upon in the constitution. The house membership, rules and regulations to be adhered to were also included in the constitution. The process of legislation and revenue bills were stated clearly in this constitution and agreed upon. Both the powers of the congress and his limitations on duties were deeply discussed and the final solutions were written down. It was also agreed that different states would be denied some powers like entering into a treaty concerning sensitive matters (Henretta, Brody, & Dumenil, 2007). The powers and responsibilities of the president and his vice were agreed upon. For instance, it was agreed that both the president and his vice should serve in their offices for a period of four years. Any conviction of high crimes like treason was decided to be the major reason behind disqualification of high government officials including the president. The constitution also stated clearly about the bill of rights. The first amendment was the freedom of religion and press (Jesup, 2009). This consisted of the freedom of people to peacefully assemble, and respect of religion beliefs. Second amendme