ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The death penalty also referred to as “capital punishment”, is a topic infused with varied opinions and worldwide concerns. It is the infliction of death by governmental agencies as a mode of penalization for the most detrimental crimes. Taking into account the laws of all the countries still practicing capital punishment, the majority of the crimes that are attributed to this sentence include murder, espionage, treason, extensive drug trafficking, violent robberies, and a multitude of other serious offenses. Parallel to the massive alterations in the laws concerning the death penalty, opinions on such punishment have also begun to change, many of which advocate for a move towards abolition. In 2014, Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to Zambia and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Mr. Gilles Hervio, published an evocative paper determining the death penalty as an infringement on basic human rights and integrity (Kyambalesa, 2019). Still, the conclusive thoughts on the manner are divided due to culture, religion, political affiliations, and a myriad of other variables. Current analysis of the importance of the death penalty worldwide focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of the punishment. First, there is no exact and indisputable evidence to suggest that the death penalty is a more effective measure in cases of deterring and preventing crimes than life imprisonment or any other form of punishment. However, there are also arguments that, despite having no effect on potential criminals, the death penalty ensures that already imprisoned offenders will be unable to commit further felonies. Current rates of reincarnation or repeated offenses are an often-cited link that is used in support of capital punishment (Kyambalesa, 2019). Therefore, multiple varying opinions on these topics exist in the global community. Coming to an international consensus concerning the retention or abolition of the death penalty becomes further complicated with the insertion of religious values and cultural standards. For instance, the complexities of religious-oriented laws in the United Arab Emirates have a great impact on the general populace’s opinion and federal law in relation to capital punishment. As of 2018, the UAE has issued ten death sentences with no occurring executions (Cornell Law School, n.d.). The UAE Constitution has a statement that forbids the humiliating or degrading treatment of personal liberty and promises a fair trial, but does not exclude capital punishment. The religious proponent of the law is prev
Introduction The concept of death has been explored in various instances throughout human history and has even gained popularity in modern-day popular culture in various novels, movies, and TV shows. This is due to the fact that human curiosity of the unknown has always driven the exploration of various concepts through their imaginative interpretation. Yet when asked if they would like to die most people say that they would rather postpone the inevitable for another time and merely want to enjoy the time that they have left. Death it seems is an idea to be explored yet few truly want to experience it firsthand. In fact, most people have developed a healthy fear of death due to their inherent desire to continue living the life they have. There are few amongst societies teeming billions that can say with confidence that they have no fear of death. For the rest of society, fear of the inevitable dictates their actions in the form of staving off the certainty of a visit from the Grim Reaper. This can come in the form of developing better eating habits, taking up exercise, and an assortment of other activities that they believe will stave off the inevitable. This behavior can at times be considered self-destructive since in their desire to ward off their impending meeting with the grave they forget to actually “live” life. In individuals, though have faced death and even know when their death is coming (think of people suffering from cancer) they learn to appreciate what time they have left and devote their energies towards constructive behavior instead of constantly worrying. Based on this it can be stated that, by knowing when your death will come people are able to come to terms with their mortality and thus are able to better utilize their remaining time. Realization of Mortality and Truly “Living” When examining people who are aware of when they’re going to die and those who have absolutely no idea a different case perspective can be seen. For the average person, everyday things and occurrences blend in the background of their personal perspective. Friends are merely friends, the family is just family and everyday routines are taken for granted and considered a part of everyday life. Yet for those aware of their own mortality and th
Overview The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) rapidly gains popularity, implying the voluntary participation of companies in the formation and development of the social sector. It is critical to determine whether companies meet the core characteristics of CSR or not. This paper aims at revealing specifics of IKEA’s CSR based on the review of the academic literature and projects that were implemented by this company in practice. Beginning with a brief company introduction, the paper will focus on analysing IKEA against six characteristics of CSR developed by Crane, Matten, and Spence (2013). Relevant conclusions will be presented as a result of the research, and a summary will provide key highlights of the essay. Company Introduction IKEA Group is a large corporation represented in 29 countries of the world, specialising in the manufacture of interior items and furniture. Founded by Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden, it was an innovation in the field of furniture consumption by creating a sophisticated yet simple design (“Company information”, n.d.). The accessibility that was offered to people formed a culture of home improvement. Due to this company, customers who did not previously target style and comfort since it was too expensive acquired the possibility to have these advantages in their homes. IKEA also contributes to the development of a special furniture style. Soft and pastoral Scandinavian modernism is opposed to European modernism, and it quickly becomes more and more widespread. IKEA furniture attracts by its functionality and rationalism inherent in every furniture item. Currently, the creation of the necessary materials for IKEA employs about a thousand suppliers in more than 50 countries. The mission of the company, as reported on its official website, is to enhance the daily lives of as many people as possible (“Company information”, n.d.). IKEA’s business idea should also be noted in order to understand its goals and the ways to achieve them. By offering more than 9,500 convenient and functional products for the home at relatively low prices, IKEA strives to ensure the opportunity to buy them. The company claims that it makes every effort to build long-term relationships with suppliers, optimise the whole supply chain, invest in social and environmental projects, as well as produce large volumes of goods (“People & Planet”, 2018). Most importantly, IKEA clarifies that not only customers but also all people affected by the business are at the centre of attention to promote improvements in their lives. Evaluation of IKEA’s Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is understood by IKEA in accordance with the definition of the World Bank (Hamidu, Haron, & Amran, 2015). It refers to a set of policies and actions related to key stakeholders, values ​​that meet the requirements of legality, the interests of communities and the environment, as well as focus on sustainable development. In addition, the coverage of this notion is conceptually unlimited since there is no single definition of CSR (Okpara & Wynn, 2012). It should be noted that, depending on the current practice of state regulation, va
In a perfect world, nobody would suffer prejudice on the basis of gender, ethnicity, class, age or sexual orientation. Popular society may claim to strive towards this goal. They may even pass laws to prohibit such discrimination. Yet most people’s opinions of others are subject to appearance-related bias. (Rhode 2010) The effects of appearance-related bias may either favor or hamper the subject. For example, a favorable impression based on one quality may lead to the assumption of other positive qualities – the Halo Effect – or an unfavorable impression based on one or two negative qualities could lead to the assumption of more bad qualities – the Horns (Devil) Effect. (Belludi, 2010) Nagesh Belludi’s article, “Beware of the Halo and Horns Effects” describes potential errors in judgment due to positive or negative bias, while in her article “Why Looks Are the Last Bastion of Discrimination”, Deborah L. Rhode concentrates on the negative influences of appearance-related bias, based exclusively on relative attractiveness. Rhode’s article describes many research studies and illustrative cases of prejudice towards less attractive people. These can also be seen as examples of Belludi’s Devil Effect (Horns Effect). Appearance-related bias intensifies prejudice based on disadvantages such as ethnicity and gender. During the late 1950’s, employers in the Southern states claimed that their white customers would cease to support them if they employed blacks. Several more recent, independent researchers have found that European facial features and hairstyles, and lighter skin tones, are generally considered more attractive. The perception that men are better at most jobs, especially in mathematical and technical fields, is well illustrated by the case of Hedy Lamarr, the beautiful actress who invented Wi-Fi in the 1940’s. This accomplishment was dismissed for many years due to her gender, beauty and recognized occupation. (Cowan, 2012) Conversely, there have been cases of bias in favor of females. 40 – 50 years ago, only female flight attendants were employed by major airlines, ostensibly because the majority of their customers were businessmen who preferred being served by attractive females. The Halo effect is responsible for the perception that attractive people are friendlier and more capable than their unattractive counterparts. Taller men and shapely women are favored, but above all, fat is not socially acceptable. Nancy Etcoff from Harvard evaluated the effect of appearance in hundreds of studies on the subject of Reverse Halo Effect, or Devil Effect. She found that unattractive people are generally perceived to be less intelligent and likable than attractive peers. Studies on overweight individuals by Kelly Brownell and Rebecca Puhl from Yale showed that subjects were regularly disadvantaged in many situations, including while studying and working. Studies have revealed that teachers tend to regard attractive students as more intelligent. Jennifer Portnick, a fit and popular aerobics instructor, was denied a franchise by Jazzercise in 2001 because they felt that her 240-pound body did not fit
Online Privacy and Disclosure The issue of disclosing private information on social media is one of the most critical in the present-day world of technological innovation. It requires careful management allowing to avoid the negative outcome of online sharing (Barrett-Maitland & Lynch, 2020). In this situation, I established a set of rules that helped me ensure the safety of my data. They primarily relate to the type of content I post online. Thus, for example, every time I want to share a photo with my friends, I ask myself what it would look like in the eyes of other people. In this case, if I see any danger to my image, I prefer sending the materials in private messages rather than posting them. Another method to fix the privacy problem that I use is the removal of personal information such as my phone number, birthdays, or names of relatives. It seems reasonable since my friends already know these details, and strangers are not supposed to have access to them. I also strictly limit the number of people who can see my posts on Facebook as this information is no less personal to me. Admissions or Hiring The popularity of social media among people of different ages implies the emergence of specific ethical issues. They are mostly related to the use of information by school officials or potential employers to make judgments on a person. From my point of view, it is highly unacceptable since these practices violate the guiding principles establishing moral values in society (Barrett-Maitland & Lynch, 2020). In such matters as employment or study, people should refer to the reliable information they receive first-hand
Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to recommend to the Financial Services Company the best way to develop its planned expansion business park. This will be done as a consultant to the FSC sustainability manager. The Sustainability Manager will take into account energy use, carbon emissions, and climate change in his considerations as to what energy efficiency solutions to employ. The overall goal is to obtain a building with lower emissions and higher environmental credentials than the standard building set. However, these goals must be balanced with budget constraints realities. Hence there is little provision for experimental or unproven technologies. The paper is from the point of view of an energy and environmental design specialist who has been appointed by the FSC to provide advice on the options for a new building with low carbon emissions. In addition to characterizing the contents of proposal A, the specialist will also design methods to improve the building along with the desired matrices while keeping in mind that there is a limited budget to implement such changes. The end goal is to provide a report to the FSC’s senior management to summarize the design options for a low-carbon building and the corresponding implications. An appendix is also included for brevity in the presentation of calculations. Introduction Energy usage is an important aspect of the recommendations presented to the FSC. Energy usage is linked to the insulation properties and the levels of ventilation. Another factor that will be considered is Ventil
Conflict Identification The current US school context is characterized by several organizational problems that emerge with the introduction of new policies and the occurrence of controversial situations. In Dalton, Georgia, a school teacher, Jesse Randal Davidson, having a gun barricaded himself in the classroom (Smith, 2018). The teacher shot, while students were not injured as a result of the incident, the teacher was detained, and the work of the school was temporarily suspended. The mentioned incident occurred after President Trump’s idea to a weapon some teachers so that in case of danger they could protect their students, which is the primary source of the argument. This proposal meets a lot of criticism as people fear that the incidents will become more frequent (Faria Jr, 2013). The main parties involved in the conflict are the teacher, students, and the government. The presence of the political fallout in the above conflict is evident since it causes essential debates in society, and it is based on the extension of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. Potential Solutions Lawmakers of Florida consider similar bills, which include the gradual arming of teachers. $ 67 million was allocated to the program under the name of School Marshal, as offered by the state chamber, and school management should decide whether to participate in it and whether to fund training courses for its employees (Scheper‐Hughes, 2018). According to this project, teachers should undergo 132 hours of training, control checks, and drug tests to officially become employees of the local sheriff’s office – police teachers. Each school should have ten armed teachers, who will become police officers and receive additional remuneration. The identified decision may be regarded as useful to threaten perpetrators, while its impact on society, especially on school-age children is controversial. However, it is
Introduction The world today is abuzz with the word ‘globalization. Some are all for it and others curse it, hate it, or like it, one cannot just ignore it. It has come to such a stage that almost everyone has been affected by globalization one way or the other. But it is interesting to know that the word ‘globalize’ first appeared in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary only in 1944. Globalize means “to make global; especially : to make worldwide in scope or application”. ( Globalized , Merriam Webster Online). This paper deals with the globalization in World History from the 1500s to the present age. Thesis Proposal The purpose of this research is to analyze and discuss the true meaning of the word and trace it back in history to see when globalization actually started. Ever since known history, there have been instances of expansion. But it has to be seen whether expansion and globalization are the same. The research will show that globalization actually began with the Age of Exploration and continued with the Age of Imperialism. It will highlight some winners and losers in the process and will move onto the present age of information and technology where globalization happens not by the physical conquering of a land or country. Literature Review An analysis of the Merriam-Webster definition of the word is crucial in this context. The two important words ‘global’ and ‘worldwide’ will highlight the fact that mere expansion will not be enough to fit the definition. There are many examples of this expansion and a few are given to highlight to show the difference between expansion and globalization. The expansion of Buddhism from India into China started in the year 2 BCE when two missionaries visited Chinese Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty and later expanded to Cambodia and Vietnam. “Buddhism established in Cambodia 100 C.E and in Vietnam 150 C.E”. ( Timeline of Buddhist History , Buddhist Studies, Buddha Dharma Education Association & BuddhaNet). The rise of Genghis Khan into Asia and some parts of Europe which was made overland and not by sea is another example of expansion. “It is probable that Genghis Khan started his invasion of China with 60 -70,000 men”. (The Rapacious Barbarians at China’s Northern Frontier, Leo De Hartog, Page 63, Genghis Khan Conqueror of the World , Published by I.B.Taurius Publishers). The rise of the Ottoman Empire from Europe to North Africa and the Middle East, again not by sea but overland is another instance of expansion. So, throughout the ages Countries and empires have been increasing in size and power since ancient times. The Asian Empires battled for land within the continent of Asia while the Europeans battled each other to intensify their own country. While countries have been interacting with each other, the idea of globalization did not really apply because they were expanding, but only within their neighboring states. Globalization is the expansion of an empire, a country, or an idea from one part of the world to a
A family has been the basic and fundamental cell of any kind of society since the first society took place. There are a lot of definitions for a family that was given by different philosophers and sociologists in different periods of our history. Some of them are practically identical and use the same criteria for defining family-like cohabitation and children. Others use absolutely different approaches. The main two streams in theories that define the family are functionalism and structural. Functionalism describes a family as a set of social and individual functions that provide development and balance of the whole societal structure. For instance, the family has to provide economical resources for itself and for society. Or the family has to provide a platform for developing individuals that are preparing to become functional parts of the social system. The structural approach tries to show that the number and the quality correlation of family members is the most important factor in defying a family. For example, a male and a female bonded by marriage and having a single child or many children are considered to be a family. Other structures are considered to be inappropriate. Article 16(3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that a family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state. This definition is vague, but at the same time, it’s full of meaning. So what is a family?! My opinion is that a family is a mixture of all of the functions and structures described by different scientists in different time periods. This question is more of a philosophical field than strictly scientific. In different periods of our history, a family was defined differently. For example, in Middle Ages, it was not possible for any given society to take a gay couple as a family. In a lot of societies, it is still so, but on contrary in a lot of them, less conservative, things are absolutely opposite. For me family as a structural unit is traditionally a couple of individuals( not specifically different sex) that are bonded with different connections like cohabitation and most important moral and psychological satisfaction from their uni