Wednesday, July 31, 2019

How Did the Constitution Guard Against Tyranny

How Did the Constitution Guard Against Tyranny? What do you think tyranny means? When we think of tyranny, we consider its harsh absolute power in the hands of one individual, like King George Ill. In James Madison's argument for his support of the Constitution he wrote that â€Å"The accumulation of all power†¦ in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many is the very definition of tyranny. † In 1787, the framers came together in Philadelphia to write the Constitution to help guard against tyranny.The Constitution guarded gainst tyranny in several ways which were federalism, separation of power, checks and balances, and big states versus small states. The first guard against tyranny was federalism which means the federal principle of government. In the Federalist Paper #51 James Madison wrote that â€Å"In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and the portion allotted to each subdivid ed among distinct and separate departments. † (Doc. A). Madison's idea was known as Federalism, the division of ower between central and state governments.Federalism provides a double security to the people by the arise of the people's rights. Central and state governments have shared and separate powers. For instant, both governments set up courts and pass laws. Powers given to the Central Government were regulate trade, declaring war, setting up post offices, and making immigration laws. Powers given to the states were holding elections, setting up local governments, passing marriages and divorce laws, and establishing schools. Federalism protects against yranny because both governments were equal and gave people a say in the government.A second guard against tyranny was separation of power which means the government divided into three branches. They separated the government into the executive branch, legislative branch, and Judicial branch. In the Federalist Paper #47 James Madison said â€Å"The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may be Just pronounced the very definition of yranny†¦ † (Doc B). The idea Madison advocated with this quote was that through the separation of powers there tyranny shouldn't form.The Job of each branch is to protect the rights of the people. The separation of powers protects against tyranny because one branch cannot do something without the consultancy of another branch. This provided equal powers between the three branches. The third guard against tyranny was checks and balances which means a balance in power. As indicated in the chart, document C, the legislative branch or congress has check over he executive and Judicial branch it can override the vote of the executive branch and approve of presidential nominations. With the Judicial branch it could impeach judges and remove them from office.They could also do the same with the President and remove him or her from office. The executive branch could appoint Judges to the Supreme Court and can veto Congressional legislation. The Judicial branch can declare laws unconstitutional and declare presidential acts as unconstitutional. James Madison said that â€Å"†¦ (The three branches) should not be so far separated as to ave no constitutional control over each other,† meaning that without check and balances it would be one step closer to a tyranny, because one of the branches could gain all the control of the power (Doc C).In that the fght over how the states should be represented in congress began. The fourth and final step the delegates implied was the arguments between the small and big states and how they should be represented in congress. In the Constitutional Convention there was a big fuss over how the states should be represented, so that the big states votes or uggestions wouldn't overrid e the votes or suggestions of the smaller states. They came to the agreement known as the Great Compromise.In the compromise the agreed that under the House of Representatives the states would be represented by population (Doc. D). This made the larger states happier because they would have more representation over the smaller states. They also agreed to that the Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators per state, making the smaller states happier because of the equal representation. With the compromise the states ould become united and this would help guard against tyranny.In the Constitutional Convention the delegates and Madison used arguments of federalism through the division of powers, checks and balances and the arguments between the larger and smaller states to guard against tyranny. Although checks and balances and the arguments between are important reason to prevent tyranny, the most important reason for the prevent of tyranny is the separation of pow ers, through the separation of powers the delegates insecurity of our rights. Therefore preventing one group gaining control of all powers. How Did The Constitution Guard Against Tyranny? Tyranny is a malicious enemy, it takes over and, will make you go against your will. The Articles Of Confederation was the first step the American Colonists took to get rid tyranny, but that dramatically failed. The Articles Of Confederation was missing many key parts such as a central government, there was no president, and the wasn’t even a court system. Also it didn’t justify a currency for the whole country.When you went to other states, they all had different currencies, so it was almost impossible to buy things, because people didn’t know how much one currency was worth compared to the other. Another problem the Articles Of Confederation didn’t cover was that there was no way for the central government to force states to pay their taxes. This was a problem because if states didn’t pay their taxes, the states would be a tyrant over the federal government. American Colonists decided that they needed a new constitution if they didn’t want the country to fall apart.The framers of the constitution protected us from the terrible evil of tyranny using four methods, which were, Federalism, dividing the government into three branches, a system of checks and balances, and preventing large states from creating a tyranny over the small states. Document A shows that the first step the framer took to protect us from tyranny was using a form of government called Federalism. Madison’s idea of division of power between central and state governments is known as federalism. (Doc A) From the chart in Document A, you can clearly see that this prevents any tyranny from happening.Powers that are needed to run a country are given to the federal government such as Declaring war, coining money, and conducting foreign relations. (Doc A) Also powers that are needed for a state are given, such as holding elections, and regulating in-state business. (Doc A) Powers that are needed by both states, and the federal law are shared. This prev ents any tyranny from happening because the states can’t take control of federal powers, and the federal government can’t take control of state powers. They can only take the power shared and the powers they own.The second step the framers took to protect us from tyranny was divide the central government into three branches. The section taken from the constitution it’s self shows the three branches of government. James Madison said, â€Å"the accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, wether of one, a few, or many, and wether hereditary, self-appointed, or elected, may be justly pronounced the very definition of tyranny. (Doc B) The constitution clearly doesn’t put the powers of legislative, executive, and judiciary in one, or many hands.All the branches have split powers. The Legislative branch can only have the powers of congress. (Doc B) The Executive branch has powers vested within the president. (Doc B) Las tly, the Judicial branch has its powers vested in the highest court of the nation, the Supreme Court. As you can see the constitution prevents any branch to gain any more power from other branches. You may ask, â€Å"wasn’t Germany a democracy before Hitler took over? † Yes it was, but the next paragraph explains how the constitution prevented any other branch from taking over powers of another branch.The framers of the constitution created an ingenious way to prevent tyranny of one branch over other branches, with a system of checks and balances. James Madison said, â€Å"the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that they may be a check on the other†. (Doc C) The diagram shows the branches have checks on each other. If the president tries to take the power of another branch, than the legislative branch can impeach the president. (Doc C) This is one of the checks of the legislative branch on the Executive branch.Each bran ch has a check of every other branch, so if one branch is doing something wrong, another branch can check the wronged branch, and fix the problem. This probably answers your question on how another branch can’t take control. One of the last things the framer of the constitution did to make sure no tyrant would arise, was to make sure the smaller states got a fair vote in congress. In the constitutional convention, two plans were proposed called the Virginia plan, and the New Jersey plan. The Virginia plan was favored large states, and was based of population.The New jersey plan favored small states, and gave each state an equal amount of votes. Eventually they came up of something called the great compromise, and they proposed that congress would be composed of the senate, and The House Of Representatives. The House Of Representatives is based of population, which provides fairness to large states. (Doc D) On the other hand, the Senate has two representatives from each state, which provides fairness to smaller states. (Doc D) Undoubtedly, this provides fairness among both large, and small states, ultimately taking a closer step to rid of tyranny.To sum it up, the framers of the constitution protected us from the terrible evil of tyranny using the four methods, Federalism, dividing the government into three branches, a system of checks and balances, and preventing large states from creating a tyranny over the small states in congress. James Madison said, â€Å"the accumulation of powers in the same hands, wether of one, a few, or many, is the very definition of tyranny† , and the constitution does a good job of preventing that. The framers succeeded in creating a well built constitution because all four methods have created security that no tyrant, or tyranny would arise.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Romanticism vs Rationalism

Romanticism vs Rationalism Romantics value Individuality while, Rationalist value conformity. In the Poem â€Å"Ode: Intimation of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood† by William Wordsworth, stanza VII deals with conformity. The young man will have to â€Å"fit his tongue to dialogues f business, love, strife† (Wordsworth 13-14) just so that he fits in. He is trying to conform to the ‘imaginary’ rules of society. Another way he conforms is when he is a â€Å"little Actor [that] cons another part† (Wordsworth 18). It’s like instead of him being himself he takes on different parts.He wants to fit into the crowd instead of being an individual. On the other hand in the poem â€Å"Saturday at the Canal† by Gary Soto, there is a 17 year old guy that hates where he is. He wants to go to San Francisco to â€Å"be with people who knew more than three chords on a guitar† (Soto 13-14); people that were following their own indi viduality. He also did something different then all the people he knew, he â€Å"didn’t drink or smoke† (Soto 14). Most teenagers drink to fit in with the ‘cool’ people but, he goes against the grain. Rationalism is being safe and fitting into society while, Romanticism is being yourself-different.Another aspect of Romanticism is innocence, and experience being Rationalism. In â€Å"Ode: Intimation of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood† stanza V it talks about the innocence of a young child. â€Å"Heaven lies about us in our infancy† (Wordsworth 9) when we our born. Everyone says that heaven is the purest thing out there; they also say babies are. Being so pure makes them innocent because they don’t know the difference between right or wrong. But innocence doesn’t last forever the boy â€Å"beholds the light† (Wordsworth 12) of innocence.The boy starts to experience more and loses his innocence. In â€Å"S aturday at the Canal† the 17 year old boy thought that â€Å"school was [just] a sharp check in the roll book† (Soto 2) because he thought he had experienced enough of that environment. Another way that he thought he was experienced was the he â€Å"knew more than three cords on a guitar† (Soto 13-14). Being able to do that made him capable of being better than the people around him. More experienced. These examples of Romanticism and Rationalism show the aspects of innocence and experience.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Business Economics for Sustainable Living

Sustainability has some main pillars or rather aspects and these aspects were identified in the year 2005 during the world summit on social development. These aspects contribute to the social science and philosophy of sustainable development. These aspects have formed the backbone of dealing with the main areas that the world focuses on. As described by Brundtland mission, sustainability is a development aspect which meets the present needs with no promise of the future generations’ abilities in meeting their needs (Holden and Linnerud, p 175). Therefore the future has to be considered while making present decisions. The main two aspects include economic development ad environment aspects. Most people have had disagreements based on political ideologies regarding what is and is not economically sound. It has thus proven to be very problematic. The manner in which this aspect affects business, jobs and employability is also still a debatable issue. Economic development mostly deals with the process of how business incentives are provided in situations where such businesses and other organizations are supposed to adhere to the sustainable guidelines that are found beyond their normal requirements for legislation (Ellis and Moarif, p 11). This aspect also encourages and fosters incentives for an average person in which they are able to do their activities to the much they can. It’s seen that an individual may not achieve as much as a group would have because for some effects to be felt they have to be cumulative. The consumer nature of the supply and demand market has made the need for many resources in the modern life to be very high on a daily basis. From the environmental aspect what matters most is how we get whatever that needs to be consumed. Therefore if people are given whatever they want with no promise to the quality of life then this is referred to as economic development. This is more relevant in the developing countries where reduction in the financial burden and the ‘red tape’ of doing things right is still a big issue to deal with (Chan and Lee, p 249). For economic sustainability to be felt the human munity in the globe should be able to sustain their independence and gain access to the required resources as well as finances so as to meet their needs with ease. The systems of economy ought to be intact and all the activities be made available to everyone for instance their needs to be sources of livelihood that are secure enough. The economic sustainability is involved with ensuring that businesses in place are able to make profits and their operations do not in any way create environmental and social issues which are likely to harm the success of the business which may be envisioned to be long-term.   If any nation focuses on environmental and social issues the profitability of the economy will definitely flow. This is because most of the social initiatives tend to have a great impact on the behaviors of modity consumers as well as the performance of employees (Perrini, Russo and Tencati, p 291). On the other hand environmental initiatives like efficiency in energy supply and mitigation of pollution has a direct impact on waste reduction creating a good environment for the economy. Most people know what they need to do to protect the environment and especially from pollution. However the small things that have been neglected are some of key contributors to environmental pollution and thus loss in terms of sustainability. Such things like recycling, reduction in power consumption through switching off power when not in use, walking some short distances as opposed to using vehicles if assumed can lead to great environmental destruction. There are regulations for businesses in which they are supposed to keep the carbon emissions low as well as prevent pollution. Incentives exists which promote projects for installing power sources that are renewable in businesses and homes. This aspect is thus the main concern regarding the future of humanity (Dempsey, p 257). This aspect offers definition on how the environment should be protected and a lot of focus is placed on elements that seem to stress the environment. It’s concerned with how technology can be used to drive a future that is green. The developments that focus on biotechnology and technology are important to attaining environmental sustainability and thus protect the future environment from any damage that may be caused by technological advances (UNPF, p 7). To attain environmental sustainability ecological integrity has to be maintained. The earth’s environmental systems need to be kept in balance and the natural resources in the environment need to be consumed by human beings at a rate in which they can replenish themselves. The systems and activities in place should also be able to reduce the impact of the environment on the environment. When it es to the resources that are renewable the rate at which they are harvested is not supposed to exceed the rate at which they regenerate back (Maslow, p 58). In relation to pollution the rate at which wastes are generated from the ongoing projects should not go beyond the capacity for assimilation by the environment. In case of the nonrenewable resources their depletion requires the development of substitutes that are renewable. Such goals include zero waste by the organization, reduction in the use of plastic bags and ing up with initiatives that reduce carbon footprint through management of energy consumption (Ebner, p 8). Some organizations like Nestle have identified the main priority areas regarding environmental sustainability such as agricultural raw materials, water, packaging that is specific to their beverages and food and manufacturing and distribution. In relation to energy use Verizon pany has initiatives that aim at environmental sustainability like the recycling of tel equipment and reduction in energy use through provision of flexible working conditions at work, it has also worked on reducing   intensity in carbon and getting some more efficient solutions to its fleet that is eco-friendly (Jackson, P 21). Therefore this environmental aspect aims at acknowledging the necessity o f enhancing and maintaining the biophysical systems which sustain life with a focus on the natural ecosystem structure and the interactions which exist among them. Innovative ideas have contributed a lot when it es to ensuring sustainability is achieved in different sectors such as environment, economic sector and even the social sector. Such innovations include; innovation from new light technologies have invented air carbon which is a plastic material that is carbon neutral produced from greenhouse gases such as methane (Eurostat P 15). This is used in the packaging and furniture industries in which it matches oil based plastics both in performance and price. This innovation has helped solve the issue of non biodegradable nature of plastic bags. High energy savings have also been archived by the use of view intelligent window. This window regulates the light and temperature of the room in which it’s used. It’s been mainly designed for mercial buildings so as to eliminate the need for shades and blinds. Outerwall pany has recently introduced outerwallecoATM which is a network of recycling kiosks that are automated for the tech products (Jacobs P 36). Customers can easily follow simple steps and be able to recycle old tablets and phones and any other electronics and receive cash in exchange. Powwow energy is an innovation in which unnecessary losses of resources especially water are prevented. The powwow energy detects any water leaks from an irrigation system that is used in agriculture and informs the farmers immediately for repair. The Retroficiency software is designed to fight losses of energy in buildings. The data sets are used by Retroficiency to make suggestions on energy saving ideas for both businesses and homes. It works on the bination of both energy analytics and the models of buildings with the use of data that they get from the already existing energy audits to give out ideas relating to energy saving. The BioTrans system is used in restaurants where it’s installed to collect and grind any leftovers into a biomass that is homogenous (Jenks and Dempsey, P 175). There has been the invention of DessoThe AirMaster a form of carpet which is used to capture pollutant particles and fine dust from rooms thus providing healthier indoor climates. It’s made of recycled carpets and proves to be better than the hardwood flooring when related to prevention of allergies. From the discussion above its evident that sustainability is not just matters environment but in the many definitions of sustainability we are able to find the concerns about social equity and the development of the economy. It’s in this regard that the motivations behind sustainability are in most cases diverse, plex and personal. It is almost unrealistic for one to e up with a list as to why many people are working hard to achieve this goal. Thus sustainability in most cases boils down to the future the current generation is leaving for the next generation. These aspects of sustainability are therefore shared by many people who aim at demonstrating their importance in developing many policies. It’s therefore the duty of the people in today’s generation along with those of the future to create solutions that are adaptable and aim at fostering sustainability. When a pany chooses to define sustainability with the two aspects in mind then it’s easier to determine its own successful road that is sustainable. If any one of the aspects is weak or given less attention then the whole system of an organization may b e unsustainable since they are both interlinked.   Chan E, and Lee GKL. 2008. Critical factors for improving social sustainability of urban renewal projects. Social Indicators Research 85: 243–256. Dempsey N. 2008b. Quality of the built environment in urban neighbourhoods. Planning Practice and Research 23: 249–264. Ebner D. 2008. Assessing Corporate Social Responsibility in Industrial Firms: the CSR-Assessment. Pg 8. Montanuniversità ¤t Leoben Ellis, J. and Moarif, S., 2009. GHG mitigation actions: MRV issues and options. Draft for review. OECD/IEA Project for the Annex I Expert Group on the UNFCCC, Paris.pg 5-15 Eurostat, 2009. Measuring progress towards a more sustainable Europe. 2009 monitoring report of the EU sustainable development strategy. Pg 13-19. Office for Official Publications of the European munities, Luxembourg. Holden E, and Linnerud K. 2007. The sustainable development area: satisfying basic needs and safeguarding ecological sustainability. Sustainable Development 15: 174–185. Jackson, T., 2009. Prosperity without growth? Transition to a sustainable economy. Sustainable Development mission, London p 21. Jacobs M. 1999. Sustainable development as a contested concept. In Fairness and Futurity: Essays on Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice, Dobson A (ed.). Oxford University Press: Oxford; 21–45. Jenks M and Dempsey N. 2007. Defining the neighbourhood: challenges for empirical research. Town Planning Review 78: 153–177. Maslow, H.A., 1968. Toward Psychology of Being, 3rd Edition 1999. John Wiley and Sons, New York. Pg 55-61. Perrini F, Russo A and Tencati A. 2007. CSR strategies of SMEs and large fi rms. Evidence from Italy. Journal of Business Ethics 74(3): 285–300. UNPF (United Nations Population Fund). 2007. State of World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth. UNFPA: New York. Pg 4-10.  

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Health and Aging Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Health and Aging - Essay Example Institutional discrimination is when policies are implemented that go against ethnic minorities. Hence, these people have a low standard of living and lead unhealthy lives. However the health effects of discrimination may vary from person to person. A person’s age, sex and social position may influence how discrimination will affect them.Studies prove that reporting and challenging racism results in lower blood pressure when compared to bearing it. There is no concrete evidence that establish the fact that racism may have serious health effects. This article will investigate the relationship between health and racism. The sample of the study included 5196 people of Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Chinese origin and 2867 whites who were selected using stratified random sampling. These people were interviewed in full detail. They were given a questionnaire which had questions regarding their health and any interpersonal discrimination experiences that they had. The questions included if they thought that they would be denied a job by a British employer because of their ethnic background. Their own health was self assessed by them. 12 percent of the participants reported verbal abuse in the past year. 64 percent thought that a British employer would refuse a job because of their ethnic background while 37 percent thought that a British employer would do so at least half the time. Participants who reported verbal abuse were 50 percent more likely to report their health as fair or poor as compared to those who were not abused. While respondents who thought that a British employer would refuse a job because of his ethnic background were 40 percent more likely to report fair or poor health. Females were 60 percent more likely to report bad health compared to males. The findings suggest that experience and perception of interpersonal

Special Agent for the Office of Inspector General for U.S. Department Essay - 1

Special Agent for the Office of Inspector General for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Essay Example Today, various agencies of the United States government are tasked to implement goals of the government from the federal to the local level. Prior to the creation of these agencies, governing rules and regulations are in place to guide the bodies respectively with the common intention to uphold the rights and privileges of the United States citizens. However, it is also the role of the government to protect its agencies and programs in order to make them sustainable and useful for the people. The growth and increase of staff and employees of bureaucracies makes agencies prone to small as well as large-scale fraudulent activities from the seemingly innocent loss of office supplies to massive questionable contracts that are too obvious to keep away public attention. Thus, the creation of monitoring bodies that aside the main cabinets with its officials and employees, secondary agencies like shadows were also put in place to check and balance the activities of these agencies whether these were in the benefit of the government and the public it serves, or otherwise. This focuses on the analysis of the tasks of the Special Agent for the Office of Inspector General for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, that is aimed to address the rapid urbanization and the development of housing and community. It is then discusses how their agents or employees are basically hired to prevent waste, fraud, abuse as well as mismanagement of government programs and operations withi n their operating agency.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Consultancy Management Techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Consultancy Management Techniques - Essay Example Such management techniques have led to high expectation in terms of making decisions at the corporate level (JLR, 2015). JLR has invested a lot of resources in research and development.The decision to invest resources of an organization requires contemplation.Information used to make decisions in JLR can be found in the internal systems of the company. Most organizations have been increasingly been relying on MIS to collect data on their employees, suppliers, customers and other stakeholders of the business. Consequently, transactions made are recorded in the systems of the company (JLR, 2015). The data collected will then be mined and translated into meaningful information that will be used to make decisions (Laudon and Laudon, 2004). To arrive at proper decisions, the data that is accustomed to the best alternative should be credible. The issue of quality data is very imperative since managers may settle for wrong decisions. Given the authority that has been bestowed to senior managers, they cannot afford to make bad decisions. Managers make capital investment decisions that require them to be very careful before making a step. As a result, the data that is availed to them to interpret so as to make decisions must be of high quality. Data can be termed to be of high quality it meets a number of standards. It should easily be interpretable. Further, there must be free from errors, must be reported in time for decisions to be made it time are among the standards used to assess the quality of data (Laudon and Laudon, 2011). The role of Management Information System is to provide managers with valuable information that can be used to make decisions. In most cases, the information collected must be properly organized. Usually, the data have been in a raw state making it necessary for it to be so that it can be easily interpreted. The most relevant information that is

Friday, July 26, 2019

Health Information Technology (HIT) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health Information Technology (HIT) - Essay Example So, THP will also strive to ensure that all medical information is absolutely trustworthy and clear. This is bound to require many imaginative innovations in information-sharing technology, but it will also ensure security to patients and take care of their concerns in an optimally effective manner. Securing patients’ records is a big problem for the healthcare industry. First, it should be understood that healthcare security provided through the use of HIT is very different than other forms of business IT infrastructure (Peterson, cited in Hulme, 2011). This difference is important to acknowledge many challenges encountered in providing healthcare security which will be explored and addressed in THP. For example, there is this challenge that often healthcare professionals tend to be suspicious of cybersecurity, so they resist this. This resistance becomes a hurdle in the provision of trustworthy healthcare services to patients. Research claims that less financial investments are made by the healthcare industry in the area of IT security than any other industry. It is reported by the Community Health Systems that hackers stole â€Å"sensitive information on approximately 4.5 million patients† (Lemos, 2014). This shows that HIT is still not taken as seriously as it should be to deliver trustworthy healthcare. It is due to this reason that the security expert David Kennedy claimed healthcare to be the â€Å"most breached industry in 2011† (Brenner, 2011). If this challenge is effectively handled, HIT can be satisfactorily secured. In THP, cloud systems will be used to protect patient information. Research suggests that majority of cloud services employed in healthcare run medium to high security risk. Skyhigh Networks is a popular cloud security vendor and recently, it made a statement that â€Å"more than 13% of cloud services used in healthcare are high‒risk† (Munro, 2014). However, the

Thursday, July 25, 2019

The Moral and National Education Controversy in Hong Kong Essay

The Moral and National Education Controversy in Hong Kong - Essay Example Hong Kong is a like a second home for most of the people of China. Irrespective of the fact that China is growing and is open up to the rest of the world, it still faces a restrictive enough present and an uncertain future. This makes them chose to give birth outside of China. Apart from this, some people give birth to their children outside of China to avoid the one child policy. Others do it to reap the benefits of the country the child is born into. This might include, the right to education, freedom to travel, good social services, etc (Birth rights battle: China vs. Hong Kong 2012). This has lead to the plans to adopt Chinese civic education into the Hong Kong public school curriculum. This has created huge sparks of protests among the residents of Hong Kong. They believed that the young minds were being brainwashed’ by the pro-mainland (China) propaganda (National education raises furor in Hong Kong 2012). A ‘Moral and National Education’ subject was introdu ced against which 90,000 people protested on the streets. The controversy inflamed after the government’s National Education Services Centre distributed a booklet to the schools. This booklet was entitled ‘The China Model’. Provocative statements such as China are ruling party is progressive, selfless and united. Events which are integral in China’s history have not been mentioned. ... The idea behind national education is to supplement the original moral education curriculum with that of the national education. Some of the teaching course material that was made public depicted patriotic education being carried out inside China by the Communist Party for years. They argue that the framework of nationalism is being used to address history and culture. People in favor of this subject (Chinese liaisons mainly) supported their stance by arguing that the same is being carried out in the West. The ironic thing is that when it comes to politics, the people of China resolutely decline to follow any of the Western models. Moreover, they argue that in the West, national education is inseparable from their political systems, speech environments and concepts of human rights (China Media Project 2012). People of the National Education Services centre are optimistic about the subject being introduced. They argued that this one subject cannot brainwash the people of Hong Kong as they have access to a lot of information. Protestors argued that how there should be some flexibility regarding the implementation of National Education. Specific lessons to be taught in the classrooms can be chosen. Apart from this, national education can be incorporated as a broader theme. The government has adopted a very broad approach. They did not want to preclude any topic from the curriculum, whereas many critics wanted specific topics to be discussed and not all. Moreover, people believe that the government does not keep a track of what is being taught nor will they supervise anything. A pluralistic approach of teaching the same subject will be adopted. The government

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

JIT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

JIT - Assignment Example The next important step is to increase production of the other companies in different countries so that the supplies are maintained. Even though many companies including the Caterpillar face challenges and losses during catastrophes, Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory management still survives due to the fact that storage costs are reduced (Muller, 2011). The company saves millions of dollars annually by reducing the number of warehouses and stores that would otherwise be needed for storing excess inventories (stocks). Another reason for preference of JIT is the fact that risks for producing excess products that would not be consumed after a very long time; the result is reduction in the cost of input or production process. From these catastrophic experiences mentioned above, it is evident that JIT has both its pros and cons during disasters. According to Miller (2011), producing less products means less losses when a disaster happens; this transfers to fewer losses to the company. On the other hand, lack of stocks for future distribution can lead disrupted supply chain which can translate to loss of customers or consumers. For Caterpillar to avoid losses in case of any future catastrophes, the management should ensure that there is at least one warehouse made as a backup plan when there is interruption in production such as fire outbreak or power failure. The policies should indicate clearly how set up times and lead times should be reduced to maintain profit and

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Curriculum Development Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Curriculum Development Paper - Essay Example Health workers need to be at the fore front in promoting healthy living which simply begins by simple responsibilities like washing hands. Hands should be washed at minimum; before food preparation, during and after cooking; before eating; before and after handling patients; after using the washrooms and after sneezing, coughing and blowing noses, Hand washing Liaison Group (1999). To wash hands is the best strategy to prevent the spread of germs in the healthcare environment. The hospitals are full of germs (disease causing micro organisms) and nurses have some power of ensuring that their spread is prevented. In order to impact this knowledge to the nurses, a lesson plan will be designed to guide the process of refreshing the knowledge on why washing hands is extremely significant in the healthcare environment, Hand washing Liaison Group (1999) About 20 nurses washing their hands will spend only five minutes when this is done at fifteen seconds each and if this is done throughout the day, a lot of time will be spent but it would be worth it as germs will be reduced considerably and the spread will also be limited. The nurses will have to wash their hands in warm water by using the hospital soap dispenser and leally lather it up. The nurses will wash the front as well as the back of their hands and they will pretend that they are going to handle a very delicate situation like surgery. The soap should be massaged between the fingers ensuring that the nails are properly washed and this should take about fifteen seconds per individual. The nurses can be timed (Bergquist & Pogosian 2000). The scrubbing action is very important as it helps to break up germs and remove them altogether. After this, hands should be properly rinsed with clean water and dried with a clean piece of cloth preferably clean white towel or the fresh paper towels currently in use. Nurses should note that when cleaning hands in the washrooms used by many people, the paper towel is the

Humanities Today - Define humanities and give current examples Essay Example for Free

Humanities Today Define humanities and give current examples Essay The Encyclopedia Britannica (2006) defines the humanities as Branches of knowledge that investigate human beings, their culture, and their self-expression. (Humanities). Those branches of knowledge include philosophy, literature, languages, the arts, religion and history. The humanities examine the human condition by studying the elements of culture that describe what is or was valued and considered important at a particular point in time. 15th century Italian humanists referred to the humanities as studia humanitas which means the studies of humanity, indicating secular literary and scholarly activities (in grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, moral philosophy, and ancient Greek and Latin studies) that that they thought to be more humane and classical rather than divine (Humanities, 2006). In contrast, the physical sciences tend to examine the world and its phenomena objectively, without reference to or consideration of human meaning and purpose, a key aspect of the humanities. Scholars further argue that the humanities are distinguished from other modes of study by either their subject mater and by the method of investigation used. One philosopher called the humanities the spiritual sciences and the human sciences (Humanities, 2006). He described them as areas of knowledge outside of the physical sciences. On the other hand, another turn-of-the-century philosopher instead characterized the humanities according to their method of study. He argued that the humanities do not seek or follow general laws, as the sciences do; and that they focus on values within human and cultural contexts, which is directly contrary to scientific methodologies. As described above, the humanities seek to understand the values of a people and their perceptions based on their direct expression through the arts, their language, and philosophies. Science is motivated by the desire to understand natural phenomena and dependent on empirical observation (Talk: Humanities, 2006). The 21st century brings a variety of social, economic, and technological changes. Following is a demonstration of the humanities in the 21st century through the examination of its art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature. Art Is modern art in crisis? A new philosophical criticism emerged in the person of American critic Arthur Danto, who came out with the idea that the objects [of art] approach zero as their theory approaches infinitythat is, art really is over, having become transmuted into philosophy (Art Criticism, 2006). In his book The End of Art, author Donald Kuspit (2005) suggests that, Art has been replaced by postart, [ ] as a new visual category that elevates the banal over the enigmatic, the scatological over the sacred, cleverness over creativity. Contemporary art, or art that is done now, is largely characterized by its indefinability. It tends to include art made from the late 1960s to the present, or after the supposed or putative end of modern art or the Modernist period (Contemporary Art, 2006). Todays art, like most of the humanities, has been transformed by technological, economical, and sociological advancements. It may or may not use traditional forms such as painting or drawing, and often includes the use of any variety of materials, video, or even performance as a part of it. One trend seems to be a focus on world issues such as cloning, the price of oil, gender and sexuality, human rights, and war. A representative example is one of the most talked-about sales in the contemporary market. Maurizio Cattelans The Ballad of Trotsky (1996), a stuffed horse hanging in a leather sling from the ceiling, sold for $2,080,000 in 2005 (Art and Exhibitions, 2006). Music Contemporary music has also been greatly influenced by 21st century globalism. It has seen a development and acceptance of world music, or music that features or originates in a different culture. American artists such as Paul Simon and Sting featured musicians and singers from other countries and went on to win Grammys and American Music Awards. Simons Grammy Award-winning album Graceland (1986) featured black South African Musicians who controversially recorded and toured with him despite a widespread trade boycott of South Africa, selling more than five million copies since its release (World Music, 2006). Sting featured Farhat Bouallagui on his Brand New Day aIbum and Vicente Amigo and Anoushka Shankar on his Scared Love album. In the wake of their success, record stores became more willing to stock music of their kind. Architecture Critics have described one trend in 21st century architecture as deconstructivist architecture. In popular usage, the term has come to mean a critical dismantling of tradition and traditional modes of thought (Deconstruction, 2006). Technology has played a significant role in the development of deconstuctivist architectural methodologies. Architects such as Frank Gehry, who designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain used computer modeling to develop its angular, anthropomorphic exterior. Made mostly of titanium, the museum was designed to represent the industrial heritage of the citys past. The museum was an international success and helped put Bilbao on the worlds cultural map. Philosophy A notable philosophy of the 21st century is that of the democratic community. Community in this case is defined globally. Philosophers such as American John Dewey believed in social planning, in conscious intelligent intervention to produce desirable social change; and he proposed a new guide to enlightened public action to promote the aims of a democratic community (Philosophy, 2006). Deweys writings and teachings have brought modern society to a place where it considers that it is only as strong as its individual members and their willingness to work together to evolve and to meet the challenges facing it. Technological advancements in travel and communication alone have created a new world where anyone can send anything just about anywhere in a matter of minutes, days, or hours including explosives and disease. In addition to diseases like HIV and the Bird Flu, this world community is faced with issues of severe weather such as killer tsunamis and hurricanes, and world terrorism. Modern philosophies like that of Dewey support the more pragmatic view and approach to solutions to societal issues of this type as the only way to successfully meet them is as a community. Literature Like many of the arts in contemporary society, literature is plagued by commercialism and by the desire for a quick paycheck. Contemporary literature features a great deal of writings about true events the more sensational and graphic the better. In addition, it features a trend in crime study and investigation, beyond that of the mystery and private eye novels of the past. Todays novels get into the science and methodology of solving violent crimes. Authors like James Patterson, Sue Grafton and John Grisham have enjoyed great popularity. Their success can be attributed to many things. The content and subject matter of these authors works feeds societys desensitization to extreme violence and its increasing demand for subject matter that is more violent and more shocking in order to be more compelling. Further, several of these authors stories have been made into movies. The humanities are distinguished by their examination of the aspects of culture and the human condition through the eyes of the humans who experience and create them. The approach to their study differs from that of others areas of study, as does their focus on the reflection on human meaning and purpose. 21st century humanities continue to reinforce the idea that current culture and the human condition is reflected in them, no matter what century. References: Art Criticism. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-236417 Art and Art Exhibitions. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-234830 Contemporary Art. (2006). Retrieved June 3, 2006 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Contemporary_art Deconstruction. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9029711 Humanities. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 3, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9041479 Kuspit, D. (2005). The End of Art. Cambridge University Press. Marcel Duchamp. (2006). Retrived June 3, 2006 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Marcel_Duchamp Philosophy, History of. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-8876 Talk: Humanities, (2006). Retrieved June 4, 2006 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Talk:Humanities World Music. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-93180.

Monday, July 22, 2019

European nations Essay Example for Free

European nations Essay 1. Analysis of data collected from these sources has led researches to conclusively establish the fact of huge wealth gap existing in US society along with establishing the trends in the wealth distribution over almost past 80 years. Studies indicate that in the period 1915-1925, though the wealth gap was large per se, it was more equally distributed than the gap existing in European nations. Wealth inequality, thereafter, continued to rise from 1930s to 1960s, until reaching its peak in 1962 when top 1 percent of wealth owners owned nearly 35 percent of the total wealth and top 5 percent wealth owner had control over more than 80 percent of the total wealth. Further research suggests that where the total wealth of all the Americans has rom 1960 to 1990s, the gap between mean and median wealth has also increased considerably, indicating towards widening inequality in wealth. The gap appeared to decrease through rest of 60s and 70s due to various social welfare and income generation programs launched by government. In this period the share of top 1 percent of wealth owners declined to 19 percent from previous high of 30 percent. However, by 1980 it again started to climb, reaching to peak in 1990s when the former sharp inequality was restored. Research from Danziger et al 1989, Wolff 1993 and many other economists and social scientists show that from 1983 to 1989, share of top 0.5 percent of wealth holders increased by 5 percent. This rise becomes especially conspicuous in the face of corresponding decline in wealth of poorest 80 percent of population by 2 percentage point in the same period. Further, the bulk of growth in net wealth for the period from 1983 to 1989 took place in top 10 percent of wealth owners, strengthening the idiom that ‘Rich gets richer and poor get poorer’. By 1990s, wealth distribution in US had become much more skewed and in favor of the elite group than European nations. Meanwhile the advent of Information Technology and a dot-com revolution created class of neo-riches that further skewed the wealth map of United states. Wealth distribution from 1989-2001 Implementation of new technology, globalization, and Internet revolution created new set of Internet multi-millionaires, while taking the stock of many existing corporations over many fold. The new model of income generation also had significant on wealth distribution in American society. Following table indicates family wealth generation and distribution for period from 1989-2001. Figure1- Family distribution of wealth As the table shows, for the period between 1989-2001, all families in higher income group has shown significant increase in percentage point. Also, it is evident from table that for the same period, the percentage of poorer families lost out in almost all the segment, registering decline in their wealth holding. An interesting revelation about nature of wealth gap emerges from study of wealth distribution among the lowest 90 percent of wealth holders (Figure 2). It can be seen for this group that the overall pattern of unequal wealth distribution holds true even at macro levels; among the lowest 90 percent population, the lowest 50 percent are allocated mere 3 percent of the total wealth. Reasons of Wealth Gap Economists have tried to definitively ascertain unequal wealth distribution and wealth gap that has almost historically existed in every society. Presently, economists look at the issue of unequal distribution of wealth from macro and micro perspective-the first dealing with implication of wealth at overall national scale, and second looking on personal and family role in wealth distribution. The macro analysis states that it is in nature of wealth to increase itself. Wealthy people possess stocks, bonds, shares, equities and other capital stock whose values tend to increase with time and thus it creates additional wealth for them, by the mere virtue of its presence. The micro analysis states that individual effort, family work abilities and cooperation also increases income and consequently wealth. As wealthy families have already better resources and opportunities to invest them, they stand to gain more even in this process of wealth creation. As a solution, government can take measures to ensure that even though wealth gap may exist, there should be a minimum upgrade in income and wealth possession of people from all the income group, to give society a more equitable appearance and standing. Reference Lisa A. Keister , and Moller, S. 2000. Wealth Inequality in the United States . Journal-Annual Review of Sociology. Chandrika Kaul and Valerie Tomaselli-Moschovitis. Statistical Handbook on Consumption and Wealth in the United States ,; Oryx Press, 1999. 296 pgs. Arthur B. Kennickell. A Rolling Tide. Changes in the distribution of wealth in US. 1989-2001. Survey of Consumer Finances. Available on line on 17. 12. 2007. https://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/oss/oss2/papers/concentration.2001.10.pdf

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Parametric and Algorithmic Design: Faux Forms?

Parametric and Algorithmic Design: Faux Forms? Architecture is often practiced in a world dominated by the many, the client or the public and in many cases only understood by the few. Architecture has been relatively unsuccessful at moving forward with the world often failing to relate and communicate with cultural shifts, changing ways of life and the advancement of technology. Where other design related practices such as the automotive industry have blossomed, re seeded, re grown and regenerated with shifts in the way people live and the technology of the present, architecture seems to have floundered. As a result architects currently work in an environment employing century old technologies, with a client market which avoids risks to personal gain at all cost and a public which often still sees the president seen in architectural history as the very form of a relevant architectural future. The masses seem bewildered by the possibilities presented by the possibilities of the present. Even fellow practitioners and academics with in the architectural discipline would appear to be slightly taken aback by the possibilities now available to us. Not just on a technological level, but the impact that these new techniques ma have on the very basics of architectural theory and form. This brings me to my question Parametric and Algorithmic Design: Faux Forms or a Relevant Architecture? Computer aided design changed many design orientated professions such as the automotive and aeronautical industries as far back as the 1980s when they were first properly developed. A digital revolution if you will. Compare this to architecture where production and design still use techniques, theory and knowledge developed during the industrial revolution. Although the majority, if not all architects do use some form of computer aided design techniques the boundaries can still be pushed further. Processes such as BIM (building information modelling) are starting to become a real force in architectural design in places such as the USA. BIM is a process where the architect does not simply draw a line as with traditional drawing techniques or with programs such as AutoCAD (which to an extent, is simply a digital version of a traditional drawing) but instead when an architect draws a line, he draws a wall, with the possibility to combine this information with a limitless selection of pr operties be they size, cost, structural or how they relate to other members in a design. BIM begins to hand back the title of Master Craftsman to the architect, where the architect can see how design develops as a whole and make changes accordingly. Parametric and algorithmic architectures are currently at the forefront of the BIM architectural thinking, they are the products of the few created using advanced computer scripting techniques and individually written pieces of software. Using the latest design technologies available to us, combining this with the modern materials and production techniques often developed in fields which have embraced the digital revolution more openly, parametric and algorithmic design can begin to challenge cultural, technological and historical boundaries which architects have maybe failed to fully challenge in the recent past. Parametric design is a process based not n fixed metric quantities such as traditional design but instead, based a consistent network of relationships between individual objects, the bricks are different but they are connected with the same bond. This allows changes to a single element whilst working with other components within a system. In a similar way to that of parametric design, developments in scripting have allowed for algorithmic design processes to advance. These allow complex forms to be grown from simple methods while preserving specific qualities. In the most basic sense, a user defines a set of rules, and the software would arrange the form according to the rules. If parametric design is a method for control and manipulation of design elements within a network of any scale, algorithmic design is a system and objects producing complex form based on simple component rules. With the combination of these methods, principles, modern production techniques and materials parametric and algorithmic architectures have the potential to push architecture, beyond doubt into the 21st century. Age old architectural problems and theory such as form vs. material and form vs. function can begin to be solved in new ways, construction times can be reduced, materials can be managed more efficiently, and building qualities can be improved significantly. In the analysis and comparison of two projects utilising parametric and algorithmic architectural design principles, I aim to fully understand how relevant these forms and methods of producing architecture really are when compared to their traditional counterparts. I have selected my examples from opposite ends of the architectural scale size wise, but from a similar family of traditional public architectural type form, analysing how relevant the parametric forms are in relation to different situations and settings. My first investigation, looks at a temporary theatre located within the site of Corbusiers Carpenter Centre A collaboration between architecture Firm MOS studios and artist Pierre Huyghe, selected for its truly unique location and its contemporary play on the more traditional theatre / pavilion / bandstand form. Theatres are traditionally very grand buildings, for thousands of years they have been part of human culture with forms as far back as ancient Greece still found in theatre design. This coupled with its band stand / park pavilion like size associated with formal pavilions form around the Victorian age made the project particularly interesting. The challenge for MOS studios was to produce a take on the theatre whilst reacting appropriately to its location in what is an extremely prominent place. The design in basic form is similar to that of any regular theatre with raked seating, unhindered viewing and high-quality acoustics but it was with the use of parametric processes that a theatre which corresponds to the individual conditions of the site has been produced. The theatre sits in the underbelly of the Carpenter Centre by Le Corbusier, commissioned to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the building. Corbusiers Carpenter centre is the centre for the visual arts at Harvard University, MA. Completed in 1942 the building is the only building ever completed by Corbusier in the United States of America and the last to be completed during his life time although he never actually visited the building due to ill health. The building corresponds with Corbusiers five points of architecture (as seen in the Villa Savoye, France) with interior elements such as the ramp, a dominant feature, exploding out from the inside of the building providing an s shaped walkway continuing into the environment. Curved partitions also extend through the main walls of the building in to the surrounding areas swinging to and from the pilotis which support them. This creates a series of interpenetrating interior and exterior events running along the promenade ramp. Within the design of the Carpenter Centre you can see the elements of projects spanning the entire career of Corbusier modified and adapted into this building. The puppet theatre itself, like Corbusiers Carpenter Centre, was designed with a set of parameters or architectural rules if will. These parameters were derived from a given brief and limitations of the space created by the Carpenter centre itself. To avoid damaging the Carpenter Centre no contact with either the ceiling or the buildings supporting structural systems was permitted. Therefore, fitting the puppet theatre in between these important structural barriers became key. The architect has described the theatre as an organ placed in a new host, it has a feel similar but not exactly that of a parasitic structure. Is seems not to be taking away, leaching from the Carpenter, but adding to it, giving it new life as though it really is a new organ, a new heart. This imagery is reinforced in the choice of materials for the theatre, further expressing the feel of new life. The main self supporting structure is a polycarbonate, clad on the outside with a moss. The moss adds heat and noi se insulation, absorbing sound from the nearby street with sound quality being of paramount importance in practicality of a working theatre. At night light from within the theatre glows through the light polycarbonate moss giving a green glow, as if it really is a new organ, a new hub from which life stems into the Carpenter Centre. The rounded form of the theatre was produced though the parametric manipulation of elongated diamond shaped panel units, each one individual in form, each one connected through the same set of parameters. This parametric manipulation was created through the limitations of site, the need for self supporting structural integrity, the use and the restrictions of fabrication processes during production. The ultimate form is therefore created through a system of analysis where the most efficient form was deduced using the parametric system. Most of the theatre was prefabricated and assembled off site. The elongated diamonds were designed to be produced from a single flat piece of polycarbonate minimising both manufacturing times and wasted materials. Each of the 500 pieces was CAM cut, before being folded into three dimensional forms with points drilled to connect each of the diamond forms. The entire structure could then be assembled by connecting the panels using simple tools. The use o f simple hand tools meant that the theatre could rapidly be assembled and dissembled, suitable to the temporary nature of the structure, it was imperative that the structure could not only be dissembled, but left no permanent trace of its construction on the carpenter centre. This again was made possible through the use of parametric design. Each panel is 3 in depth and spans over 15 at the centre; they were stiffened with a foam insert to help with rigidity with the combination of strategic panels being placed inside out, thus acting as key stones. These strategic inside out keystone panels also act as skylights, allowing light to travel both in to and out of the theatre. When assembled the panels dissipate forces around the skin of the theatre, creating the self supporting monocoque structure. The monocoque structure mean that mo permanent fixings or structural supports had to be made with the Carpenter Centre, therefore the puppet theatre became connected through its relevance as a design but remained separate as a structural object. With the puppet theatre sitting in a sunken exterior courtyard underneath the Carpenter Centre, the change in level of 1.25m between the street side and the courtyard had to be addressed, and so this became one of the key parameters in the design. This was overcome by incorporating the 1.25m change in level in to the raked theatre seating, with the actual performance stage sitting at the lower level of the courtyard. As you enter the puppet theatre at street level, the elongated diamond forms combine with the change in height and almost surreal sizing of the puppet theatre itself to creating a visual illusion, a false perspective. This invites the visitor into the theatre with a sense of magic and curiosity, drawing the eyes towards the stage end where the parametric boundary lines of the diamond forms stop abruptly with the introduction of the stage. The use of this optical illusion helps to reinforce the sense of theatre, a sense of magic that I feel could be easily have been misse d or overlooked with the use of other materials or construction techniques. You could maybe say that similar forms could have been created in concrete or wood, but then the all important play of light created by the polycarbonate panels chosen would have been missed. With the combination of material and parametric design theatre is actually incorporated into the design of the structure. The Glossy polycarbonate panels also reflect light, creating an ambient glowing light during performances, with the only lighting coming from the puppet show itself, this transforms the theatre into a glowing lantern at night, projecting its energy onto the bare barren concrete surfaces of the Carpenter Centre. It seems to work well in a juxtaposition between the high-tech nature of the design and the connection created with what is a very ancient form of entertainment, connected by lighting which would seem to draw you in a similar way to that of a candle light. During the day the reflectance is reversed when the natural light brings the exterior surroundings into the puppet theatre, this focuses the attention on what is happening in the outside world, the walls almost become the walls of an aboriginal cave, telling the stories of the exterior world as they are happening. This connection to the outside world through the reflectance of light is reinforced by the framing of a single t ree which sits beyond the entrance of the theatre. It frames the view with some purpose whilst creating a sense that the tree could possibly ask as some barrier, a limit to the boundary of the theatres threshold. Through extensive analysis and research this theatre and its host building, the carpenter centre I believe that this truly is a remarkable form, an excellent piece of design. The theatre works with and answers to every one of its parametric challenges. Through the use of parametric design I feel that a form has been created that would otherwise never have been imagined or realised. The organic form of the theatre, created using very non organic production techniques answers to the brief on so many levels. It creates this new heart, new hub for the Carpenter Centre. It does not try and mimic the great modernist architecture used by Corbusier himself, but in no regard does it fight against it, it somehow moves in to an architecture beyond, with each individual member of the theatre being very geometric, but arranged in an intelligent way, produce a form which is more organic. Neither structures the same but they do work together. The puppet theatre design speaks of the Carpenter centre today; it speaks not of the architecture and the Carpenter Centre of the past, but the architecture, the people and the Carpenter Centre of the future. The architects could have chosen so many different approaches to producing a pavilion of sort on this site but Im positive they would have struggled to produce a design that overall worked more responsively with the entirety of the design challenge presented. The second example of parametric architecture that I have analysed is the Mercedes Benz Museum, Un Studio, Stuttgart 2005 with parametric and algorithmic working by Designtoproduction. This example of parametric design was selected not for its obviously parametric appearance but for the way in which parametric modelling combined with BIM was used in the construction and design of what can only be seen as a truly revolutionary building. Today the majority of the worlds exceptional historical, cultural and artistic pieces of are all in place, the future of the museum, as seen with this, the Mercedes Benz museum, lies with those who can fully communicate a specialist collection, what they are about and where they came from. They have the capability to stimulate a culture much more than a generalist collection, the works, the cars in the museum coud be seen to speak much more of the people that the majority of todays art. This is where the use of parametric design can be seen to influen ce and completely communicate the work of Mercedes in a new way. The importance of museum design has been at the forefront of architectural thinking since Frank Lloyd Wright first challenged the plan of the museum with the design of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, 1969. Since then museum has been challenged again and again by a multitude of architects such as Renzo Piano Richard Rodgers with The Pompidou Centre, Paris, 1977 and Daniel Libeskind with the Jewish Museum, Berlin, opened 2001. The Mercedes Benz Museum can be seen to relate to all of these examples in its pursuit to step forward away from the regular, to challenge the spaces, circulation paths and forms of a museum, to create a museum of purpose. The success of a museum depends upon the inventiveness of its internal arrangement, spaces created and its ability to exhibit artefacts within these spaces in a relevant way. The museum will / has become famous not only in the continuing line of challenging museum architecture starting with buildings such as Frank Lloyd Wrights Guggenheim in New York but for putting the digital design process firmly on the map. Stuttgart is home of the Mercedes Benz brand, and so with the need of a new museum, UN studios were chosen to redesign a new museum on a new site close to the main gateway to the city, where the old museum had previously been located in a dedicated building within the actual Mercedes factory. The design is based on a concept involving the over laying of three circular forms in plan with the removal of the central space creating a triangular shaped building height atrium area. In section the building raises over eight floors in a double helix form, maximising space and providing 16,500 square meters of useable space on a relatively small footprint. Originally the brief brought to UN studio suggested that the building should be no more than two storeys high with worries that any more height in the building may cause complications with exhibits, for example the manoeuvring and exhibiting of lorries, circulation problems around such large pieces and structural integrity of the building w ith extremely heavy exhibit loads. With the site being situated so close to a major motorway it was soon suggested by UN studios that the building should be taller relating to the close situation to the motorway, seeing that problems such as circulation and weight of exhibits could be overcome with the correct knowledge and attitude towards the project. The circulation system used in the Mercedes Benz Museum s similar to that used in the pompidou centre Paris, with the circulation running around the external facade of the building. In a similar way, the circulation can be seen to draw clear links with the ramp like circulation of the Guggenheim New York. The main difference with both of these buildings is that the Mercedes Benz museum has, through advanced construction techniques combined with the use of parametric modelling is able to convey the main forces applied to the building to a structural core through floor slabs rather than perimeter, therefore fully liberating the facade and plan of the building. The visitor enters the building on the ground floor where they are met by the vast scale of the open atrium. This ground floor is home to the general facilities expected of a large museum; reception, gift shop and cafe but it is where the tour begins that the form really takes a leap forward. The museum is designed so the visitor is transported to the eighth and top floor of the building before working their way down double helix form ramps on a tour that would take approximately six hours to complete in entirety. Transportation to the top floor is a celebration in movement itself, the visitor is transported via a portal like elevator with limited viewing; flashes of projected imagery are seen from the inside. Once at the top floor, two tours split from the starting location each following one of the double helix ramps, each following a different side to Mercedes vast history. The two tours known as Collection and Myth vary in their exhibits with the Collection tour being more of a h istoric timeline of Mercedes design and the Myth tour taking more romantic, cultural take on Mercedes history, featuring some of the companys greatest designs and cars previously owned by the likes of Ringo Starr. As a result the special feel of the two tours h seen designed to vary and adapt to the various exhibitions enormously. The Collection tour is flooded with natural, truthful lighting whilst the Myth tour is illuminated in a much more theatrical way, mimicking the romance and glory associated with its exhibits. The tour paths do cross at various points through the vertical of the space, allowing the visitor to pick and choose between the two tours. The eight levels of the building are separated into regular and special areas, based on their functions within the museum and their impact of the structure as a whole. The levels alternate between single and double height spaces as they progress through the vertical of the building. Classical sculptors such as Bernini and Brancusi knew the importance of the pedestal, they were masters of this, once again the pedestal has been utilized in this museum, creating views, highlighting without blinding and focusing the visitors attention where it is needed. Not only have plinths been used but with the employment the semi circular ramps which hug the exterior boundaries of the building, perspectives have been produced, providing new, interesting and invigorating views of the exhibitions. Viewing the leaf shaped, semi circular, exhibition spaces from a multitude of heights as you descend through the building generates a series of panoramic overviews. Visitors see the exhibits from higher, low er, closer and more distant view points. No viewing angle is ever quite the same, and the normal head on viewed approach is avoided, there is a sense that you will never capture every view throughout the tour, that the building is constantly changing, twisting around and beyond you, that you as the visitor never quite fully understand where you are within the building. Together the pedestal, panoramic viewing spaces and constantly twisting forms create a new special complexity within the form of a museum. Never before has something been exhibited like this before. There is a constant feel of movement within the exhibits and the form of the building. The museum tries to set the static in motion says one German architectural critic, as if it wants to prove that the architecture is still alive, it has been said to explore motion in all of its possible expressions. The whole acts as an accelerator for the different, unpredictable and sometime incomprehensible spaces presented to the vis itor. The open plan has been achieved through the ability to transmit vertical loads to the central distribution cores via the floor slabs with the facade systems carrying limited vertical loading. The floor slabs within the exhibition areas cover an area of almost 30m without intermediate structural columns, made possible through the use of parametric modelling and advanced structural calculation. In addition to the actual exhibit weights and live loads such as visitors to the museum the floor slabs also have to transfer a significant amount of the horizontal load from the twisted exterior structural system to the huge central tri column core of the building. The floors slight curvature and incline help to create a truly dynamic space around the cars aswell as creating the structural support for the building. The floor folds, becomes the wall before folding again to become the ceiling. UN studios most recent works have been described as relating to and recalling ways in which baroque architects worked and diagrammed their work. Van Berkel, co founder of UN studio, amused by the comparison says I have been really fascinated by Bernini and Borromini. Not just in their buildings but by their incredible ability to cast their discipline into question with innovative representation techniques. These techniques are imperative in the means of bridging the gap between the abstract of thought and the realism of building construction, they become essential when beginning to comprehend how a structure may work and how building may operate. They open new horizons and give architecture a holistic dimension, a means of creating volumes that respond dire ctly to project requirements. As an ultimate statement: The Mercedes Benz Museum by UN studio could not have been created without the help and research offered by Designtoproduction and their parametric work. There was limited time to design what can only be described as one of the most complicated structures in modern time, and so, over two hundred and forty six different companies and engineering firms were employed to help with the production of the Mercedes Benz Museum. Designtoproduction were able to provide solutions to the gaps between separating design and production. This was imperative as these steps are interconnected, they highly influence each other and with so many different teams working on the project, strong design and production links were needed. Parametric design proved to be the key to the buildings success in this regard. The only solution was to control the geometry of the building as completely as possible using the latest computer technology Ben van Berkel, UN Studios co founder and direc tor. The intertwining forms of the Mercedes Benz Museum meant that the forms could barely be described using standard plans and sections, yet contractors needed working plans, sections and details to construct the building. From the basic geometry of 2D parametric modelling, the edges were transformed in to constantly rising 3D forms by layering levels; ultimately the 3D volumes of the structure began to rise from the layering of plans. For different building components the geometry was directly taken from the model, thus closing the chain of information from early design stages until the construction and fabrication. For example, the formwork for doubly curved surfaces was accurately developed into plain boards taken from information in the parametric model. Designers dont think in numbers, they think in relationships, in connections, in the whole. CAD packages do not think in relations, they think purely in numbers, they do not care for relationships or what they represent within the form or design of building. The parametric CAD models that Designtoproduction produced combined these numbers behind the developing building in a set of a parameters, dictating what would work and what would not; therefore thousands of numbers become merely a handful of meaningful parameters. The parametric model for the Mercedes Benz Museum was not only part of the design but key to the construction. It linked the participating trades in the building in a harmonic whole with the architect acting once again as the master craftsman at the helm, overseeing the construction as a whole. Unlike those who use digital architecture merely for aesthetic qualities, UN studios have gone beyond anyone else in the means of imaginatively managing a building through a des ign with a mathematical parametric model, without compromising the initial design principles, cramping the design with formal or preconceived solutions. The Guardians architecture critic Jonathan Glancy has described the building as jet-age baroque. The use of parametric design tools, the architect had been able to design and create a building which seems as though it is a product of or closely linked with the Mercedes Benz brand. It screams movement, technology, the future, and the impossible. If you think about this building in any other sense, an exhibitor of modern art, an exhibitor of any other form of specialist collection or historical artefact it simply would not work. The building would seem to be truly purposely tailored to the client and purpose, that of exhibiting the greatest works of Mercedes Benz, with this, the museum is already seen by many as one of the single most astonishing buildings of the new century. The Image of God | Literature Review The Image of God | Literature Review The term image is everything is truer today than its ever been before. Whether its the designer clothes a person is wearing, place of residence, the car they drive or the calculated lines they recite, presentation is now replacing content when it comes to discerning the authenticity and character of a person. This is the measure by which people are valued nowadays; superficially and without substance. Unfortunately and sadly this is also true within the church. We lack concern when it comes to the true character of an individual, but we care more about their gifts and talents. Its seems like society and the church are captivated and awestricken with an individuals false persona, and television personalities rather than a persons character. This standard is used chiefly because of the materialistic and/or secular nature of todays society. Much of this is done either consciously, or subconsciously, in an effort to enhance ones image as seen through the eyes of man, ones friends, family, peers, and even society in general. All that being said, the term, image is everything is alive and well. However, it shouldnt have validity for the reasons described above, but rather because man is created in the image and likeness of God. This is the true image that should shape the manner in which Orthodox Christians live their lives. Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Gen 1: 26-27) The significance of man being created in Gods image is sometimes overlooked due to the complete silence of the rest of the Old Testament on this subject (In the Image and Likeness of God by Vladimir Lossky). However, the Orthodox Church lays the utmost emphasis on the image of God in man (The Orthodox Church by Timothy Ware). To acquire the likeness of God is to become deified or to become a god by grace, this is the ultimate goal of Orthodox Christians. According to the church fathers, the terms image and likeness do not mean the exact same thing. In general, the term image can be thought of as the powers with which each one of us is endowed by God from the moment of our existence. By making proper us of being created in His image, each one of has the ability to acquire Gods likeness or to be deified. (1) Oddly, its meaning image of God has been debated, a hot topic, if you will, for centuries in and outside of the church. Most theologians argued that it is the human mind the capacity to exercise reason or rationality, the intellect which marks us as being made in the image of God. It also distinguishes us from animals. The argument for this is that God himself can be described as acting in accordance with reason. Gods actions, Christians affirm, are always consistent with Gods inherent qualities, such as love, justice and mercy. God is consistent and trustworthy, and so can be said to be characterized by perfect reason. In creating human beings, God gives them, uniquely, a capacity for reason that reflects Gods own reason. It is in this respect that Christians believe we are in Gods image. (2) I. Image: The image of God is a key concept in Christian theology. It is foundational to Christian thinking about human identity, human significance, bioethics, and other topics. Many Christians see evolution as incompatible with the image of God. How could Gods image bearers have evolved from simpler life forms? Doesnt image-bearing require miraculous creation of humans rather than shared ancestry with chimpanzees? When in the evolutionary process did humans attain this image? These questions are tied to many other issues concerning human origins, including the soul, the fall, and the historicity of Adam and Eve. The phrase image of God does not appear many times in the Bible, but the importance of the concept is emphasized by its repetition in the scripture: Then God said, let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27) Herein, its clear that part of bearing Gods image is ruling over the animals. Genesis 9:5-6 reveals another aspect of image bearing: all human lifeblood is sacred because all humans are made in the image of God. The emphasis on Judeo-Christian thought on the sanctity of human life is derived in part from this passage. In the New Testament, the idea is expanded further as Christ is revealed as the true image of the invisible God. (2 Corinthians 4:4, Colossians 1:15). Being made in the image of God, says Lyons and Thompson, does not refer to the physical body, the posture, or the authoritative aspect of man. It is true that the word image (Hebrew tselem) is a term used in certain contexts within the Old Testament to refer to a model or to idols (and thus can refer to a similarity in physical appearance). It cant and doesnt denote such meaning in Genesis 1:26-27, nor in any of the other passages referring to the imago Dei (image of God). God is not like unto gold, or silver, or stone (i.e., He is not physical; Acts 17:29). As Ashby Camp observed: God, of course, is a spirit (Jn. 4:24), and the O.T. stresses his in corporeality and invisibility (see Ex. 20:1-4; Deut. 4:15-16). So, the resemblance no doubt relates to some nonphysical aspect(s) of humanity (1999, p. 44). Since it is the case that a spirit hath not flesh and bones (Luke 24:39; cf. Matthew 16:17), then man does not bear the image of God in his physical nature. (6) Creation in the image of God distinguishes humankind from all other life forms said Milne in Know the Truth. Additionally, he said, traditional interpretations of the image refer to features such as human knowledge, moral awareness, original moral perfection and immortality. He goes on to say some scholars argue for a physical meaning for the image. And he also declares that others have argued for humanitys alleged Trinitarian constitution, or the image as human dominion. (Gen.1:26-28.) They are looking forward to the renewal of the dominion in the kingdom of God through Christ, the embodiment of the image. (Heb. 2:5-9) Furthermore, more recent interpretation Milne says, has spoken of the social nature of the image, human experience as being-in-community reflecting the divine being-in-community of the Godhead. Barth extended this interpretation specifically to the man-woman relationship. (Gen. 1:27) God created (humanity) in his own imageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Male and female he created the m. Irenaeus distinguished between the image, which he identified with human reason and moral freedom, and the likeness, he identified with original righteousness. He taught that only the likeness was lost in fall. This interpretation was followed through the medieval period and contributed to its essentially optimistic view of human nature. Luther, however, says that there is a case of Hebrew parallelism in Genesis 1:26. He believed image and likeness were synonyms; what was true for one was true for the other. The image of God, he said, has therefore been totally lost and can be restored only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit. There is a variety of views on how the image has been affected by the fall. A common view is that the image of God refers to the human abilities which separate us from the animals. Still, scientists have found that abilities like communication and rationality are also present in animals on a basic level. Another view is theologians do not see the image of God as human abilities, but instead it as our capacity for a relationship with God. Other theologians see it as our commission to represent Gods kingdom on earth. Either way, the author says God has given us our spiritual capacities and calls us to bear his image. (3) Nevertheless, Milne says the bible doesnt actually refer to a total loss of the image of God. (Gen 9:6, 1Cor. 11:7 and James 3:9.) Calvin, spoke of relics of the image of God in fallen humanity, which, while affording no basis for humanitys justification, still distinguish them from the animal creation account for the undoubted gifts and achievements of non-Christians. Dutch scholars, in the reformed tradition, such as A. Kuyper and H. Bavinck, spoke in this connection of common grace, whereby God in his pity restrains the worst effects of the fall and renders social life tolerable for humankind. (4) Lyons and Thompson communicate that, through the years, numerous scholars have suggested that the image of God spoken of in Genesis 1:26-27 refers to some sort of spiritual perfection that was lost at the time of mans fall, and thus is incomprehensible to us today. Genesis tells us that man was created in a special way, bearing the stamp of God upon him which the animals did not bear. Unfortunately Genesis also tells us that he lost this stamp. While Adam himself was created with this image, his disobedience so robbed him of it that all his children thereafter bore not the image of God but his-and even his likeness (1975, pp. 103, 109, first emp. added, last emp. in orig.) When we see in Genesis 1:26-27 that man was created in the image and likeness of God, does the language refer only to Adam and Eve as these writers would have us to believe? Or does it refer to all mankind in general? It is the authors position that the image of God spoken of in Genesis 1:26-27 does not refer to some kind of spiritual perfection, especially considering the fact that the members of the Godhead (Who created man) are omniscient and therefore knew that man would sin. Reformer Martin Luther claimed that the image was an original righteousness that was lost completely. He averred: I am afraid that since the loss of this image through sin, we cannot understand it to any extent (as quoted in Dyrness, 1972, 15:163, emp. added). John Calvin similarly spoke of the image of God as having been destroyed by sin, obliterated by the fall, and utterly defaced by mans unrighteousness (see Hoekema, 1986, p. 43). Yet, at other times, he took a less hard-core approach and vacillated between a complete loss and a partial loss of the image. In his commentary on Genesis, he wrote: But now, although some obscure lineaments of that image are found remaining in us, yet are they so vitiated and maimed, that they may truly be said to be destroyed (as quoted in Hoekema, p. 45, emp. added). Keil and Delitzsch commented that the concrete essence of the divine likeness was shattered by sin; and it is only through Christ, the brightness of the glory of God and the expression of His essence (Heb. 1:3), that our nature is transformed into the image of God again (Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24) [1996, 1:39]. Canadian anthropologist Arthur C. Custance, in his book, Man in Adam and in Christ, observed. Feinberg, in speaking of the image of God as what he called an inalienable part of mans constitution, spoke of that image as currently being in a marred, corrupted, and impaired state (1972, 129:245). Hoekema elaborated on the same point when he wrote: in other words, there is also a sense in which human beings no longer properly bear the image of God, and therefore need to be renewed in that image. We could say that in this latter sense the image of God in man has been marred and corrupted by sin. Nevertheless, we must still see fallen man as an image-bearer of God, but as one who by nature images God in a distorted way (1986, p. 31). (6) II Likeness: Jim Schicatano believes that likeness and image are different. Likeness, he says, doesnt convey such preciseness as image. To be like someone means you possess many, but not all of the characteristics of that person. Obviously, man does not possess Gods omnipotence, wisdom, righteousness, perfection, ability to create, and divineness, he said. (5) In these others (along with Lyons and Thompson) differs with Schicatano in relations to the image/likeness of God. They say, the image (tselem) of God does not refer to something different than the likeness (demuth) of God. The Greek and Latin church fathers frequently suggested a distinction between the two words. They taught that tselem referred to the physical, and demuth to the ethical, part of the divine image (Feinberg, 1972, 129:237). Other theologians (like Irenaeus, A.D. 130-c. 200) taught that image denoted mans unchangeable essence (viz., his freedom and rationality), whereas likeness referred to the changing part of man (i.e., his relationship with God). Thus the former related to the very nature of man, while the latter was that which could be lost (Crawford, 1966, 77:233). As of 1972, this still was the official view of the Roman Catholic Church (Feinberg, 129:237). They go on to say despite the influence of those who claim that these words carry very different ideas about the image of God, a careful study of such passages as Genesis 1:26-27, 5:1-3, and 9:6 reveals that, in fact, these two Hebrew words do not speak of two different entities. Likeness simply emphasizes the image. As William Dyrness noted in regard to tselem and demuth: The two words should be seen as having complementary rather than competing meanings. The first stresses the image of God as its being shaped and the second express its being like the original in significant ways (1972, 15:162). Charles Feinberg, writing on The Image of God in the respected religious journal Bibliotheca Sacra, agreed when he remarked: A careful study of Genesis 1:26-27; 5:1,3; and 9:6 will show beyond question that it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that the two Hebrew terms are not referring to two different entities. In short, use reveals the words are used interchangeably (1972, 129:237). There actually is no good evidence for making any distinction between the two. In fact, the words are essentially synonymous in this context. Keil and Delitzsch remarked in their commentary on Genesis that the two words are merely combined to add intensity to the thought (1996, 1:39). As Clark puts it: Man is not two images and to distinguish between image and likeness is fanciful exegesis (1969, 12:216). (6) III Dominion: In relations to dominion, there seems to be a difference of opinion as to what exactly God meant when he said, Let hem have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26-28 ) Schicatano believes we are like God in the sense that we have been given sovereignty over the entire Earth. God is responsible for the creation of the universe, and likewise, we are responsible for our world. This sovereignty, however, is not a birthright of ours. It is a sacred gift, given to us from God; it is a delegated responsibility. Just as God has created and formed our world to His liking, we are capable of changing it and managing it to our liking. So, it is this responsibility that has been entrusted to us. It must not be taken for granted because ultimately we are answerable to God for the conditions of planet Earth and the state of our fellow human beings. (5) However, Lyons and Thompson dont share Schicatano belief. They convey that the image is not mans domination of the lower creation around him. In a letter to the editor that Norman Snaith penned to the Expository Times in 1974, he boldly claimed: The meaning is that God created man to be his agent, his representative in ruling all living creatures, and he was given sufficient (to quote the psalm) honor and glory to do this. Biblically speaking, the phrase image of God has nothing to do with morals or any sort of ideals; it refers only to mans domination of the world and everything that is in it. It says nothing about the nature of God, but everything concerning the function of man (1974, 86:24, emp. added, parenthetical comment in orig.). In regard to this kind of thinking, we would be wise to remember that man must exist before dominion can be invested in him, and that man has authority because of the truth that he is made in the image or likeness of God. Also, the authority is not the cause of the image or likeness, but the image and likeness is the ground of the authority (Chafer, 1943, 100:481, emp. added). In commenting on this subject James Hastings wrote: The view that the Divine image consists in dominion over the creatures cannot be held without an almost inconceivable weakening of the figure, and is inconsistent with the sequel, where the rule over the creatures is, by a separate benediction, conferred on man, already made in the image of God. The truth is that the image marks the distinction between man and the animals, and so qualifies him for dominion: the latter is the consequence, not the essence, of the Divine image (1976, 1:48, emp. added). Dominion, Keil and Delitzsch noted, is unquestionably ascribed to man simply as the consequence or effluence of his likeness to God (1996, 1:39). As William H. Baker commented: [I]t is the presence of the image of God in people that makes them able to exercise dominion over the earth. Dominion itself is not what constitutes the image (1991, p. 39, emp. in orig.). Although somewhat closely related to the image of God, exercising dominion over the world is not itself that image. (6) Conclusion: Perhaps while on earth we may never totally understand what is meant by these verses. But, upon research, some theologians, Christian Orthodoxy believe we are still in the image of God, others concur that when man fell his image was marred. And some agreed it was lost. However, without a doubt, what is clear is that in mankind, God has completed His final creation of the Creation Story. Lets consider what King David said of our creation and our special place among all of Gods creations. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. (Psalms 8:3-8 NIV) With the diversity of views, most (Christian orthodox) agree that each of us have been made in the image and likeness of God, and because of this, we are capable of determining our own destiny. Unlike the plants and animals, God has endowed us with the ability to form a relationship with Him, the ability to increase our knowledge and wisdom, and the responsibility of caring for the world that He has given us. As His primary creations, we are obligated to imitate and show evidence of His divineness in every area of life. Some may find it complimentary that we have been made in His image. But, because of evolution many no longer treasure this mystery. Matter-of-fact, some have become irresponsible stewards and have neglected the responsibilities that it entails. Above all of His earthly creations, God has endowed man/womankind with a unique soul holding us responsible for all of our actions. (5) One day we will give an account to the Creator how weve managed; our temples, our lives, family, resources, businesses, ministries, blessings, and this planet called earth. Each author seems to have scriptural evidence to support their theory on this controversial and highly debatable topic. But, there was another point of agreeableness among them: some of the characteristics were which represent man/woman being formed in the image of God. To name a few, we are creators, God created the heavens and the earth, were relational, God is relational, we are communicators, God is a communicator, we are spiritual beings as God is a Spirit, and we are intellectual beings who reasons, God is intelligent and reasons too. When we fully grasp what it means to bear Gods image, we are amazingly struck with the boundless, grandeur of our possibilities and the tragedy of our unrealized potential! To be fully human is to completely reflect Gods image. Furthermore, though all humans possess these godlike capacities, each of us has the potential to express them uniquely because Gods image has been imprinted peculiarly on each of us. (7) In Gods infinite creativity there are no duplications. Everybody is an original and is created in the image of God, which according to Orthodox Christians can never be lost. Endnotes/ Works sited: 1) http://www.stgeorgeserbian.us/darren/darren03.html 2) V. Plater- In the Image of God: http://www.virtualplater.org.uk/?page_id=2054 3) BioLogos: How could humans have evolved and still be created in the Image of God? BioLogos is a community of evangelical Christians committed to exploring and celebrating the compatibility of evolutionary creation and biblical faith, guided by the truth that all things hold together in Christ. [Col 1:17] Daniel Harrell, Senior Minister, Colonial Church, Edina, Minn.- http://biologos.org/questions/image-of-god 4) Text Book; Know the truth, by Bruce Milne 5) Jim Schicatano,Created in the Image and Likeness of God. http://thebibleandscience.webs.com/articles/image.htm 6) Lyons and Thompson- In the Image and Likeness of God. Eric Lyons, M.Min. Bert Thompson, Ph.D. http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11article=149 7) Dick Staub- What Made in the Image of God Really Means By Dick Staub, March 4, 2013 (Taking a second look at a very misunderstood part of our faith.) http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/deeper-walk/features/23549-qmade-in-the-image-of-godq