Abstract This paper examines the phenomenon of computers being used in almost every sphere of today's society. It discusses how they are being used at home, business, and leisure and how this could impact values and society.
From the Paper "In today's modern world, Americans have very specific attitudes toward technology which can improve their lives. One characteristic very strong within many Americans is communication and the freedom of speech as guaranteed to all within the Bill of Rights. Another characteristic of the American people is the continuous strive to learn and become more educated. As time progresses, the personal computer is becoming more widespread and much more important to the everyday lives of many Americans."
Abstract This paper cites applicable legal cases to support its arguments in favor of legalizing euthanasia. Included, also, are ethical reasons for favoring legalized euthanasia and rebuttals against arguments that oppose euthanasia. Finally, the overall moral dilemma of euthanasia is discussed, with both the pro and con arguments presented.
From the Paper "We all must die one day, and most people hope for a quick and painless death. But sometimes life isn?t so easy. Some people suffer unbelievable pain from cancer or other diseases. Others may lie in a permanently unconscious state due to an accident or some other cause. Euthanasia is the practice of kindly and painlessly putting a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or extreme oldness to a supposedly peaceful death. Derived from the Greek words eu, good, and thanatos, death, euthanasia is ordinarily identified as mercy killing. Today, only Oregon and Maine have legalized euthanasia or PAS."
Abstract It is the contention of this paper that the standardized SATs, intended as a tool to help predict a student's collegiate potential, fail to meet this objective. Instead, the exams often misrepresent or portray a potential student in a negative light because of the cultural bias of the test. The paper asserts that this is especially true for the African-American and Latino American population. Experts in the fields of education and social sciences are quoted, and data is presented that supports the author's contention. Other problems that are considered intrinsic to the SAT are also covered in this paper.
From the Paper "Today's educational system supports tests such as the SAT?s, which are often biased against minority students. The SAT's were developed by the Educational Testing Service as a means to predict successful collegiate performance. However, the tests in actuality seldom accurately predict the potential for a student's success. The SAT's have statistically in fact, been shown to have little value in predicting a student's future performance. They also negatively impact admissions representative's perceptions of a student's potential for academic success. The SAT's have also been shown to negatively impact minority groups, specifically African Americans, Hispanics and even low-income white students. The tests more accurately are a predictor of socioeconomic influences than a student's potential, and unwittingly favor middle and upper class students, who often have the opportunity to prepare and memorize for such tests, placing them at a disadvantage over their peers."
Abstract This paper studies Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, which contends that throughout history, human society has been like a jungle where only the fittest survived. It looks at the origins, its applications, and weaknesses in the theory. The paper goes on to discuss the impact Social Darwinism had on American society in terms of perceptions held regarding poverty and inequality.
From the Paper "Social Darwinism was used to justify several actions of questionable ethics in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. For example, Colonialism was supported or even considered necessary by the Social Darwinist. It was rationalized that natives of colonized countries were weaker and unfit to survive; therefore the Colonialists were justified in seizing their land and resources. Social Darwinism also provided a justification for the more exploitative forms of capitalism in which workers were grossly underpaid and made to work in the most horrid conditions. "
Abstract This paper looks at the arguments that favor privatized prison systems and those that oppose it. In support of privatized prison systems, the paper cites the various ways privatization helps eliminate financial waste. Criticisms cited by the paper are the fear that treatment and rehabilitation efforts are overlooked in favor of profit goals, the problem of fraudulent billing by the private companies running the prisons, improper treatment of prisoners, and abuse of incarcerated juveniles.
From the Paper "Currently in the United States, the individual states have two choices for running their prisons. They can either do it all themselves, staffing the prisons with guards and other personnel who are state employees, or they can hire a private company to run some or all of their prisons. When they hire a private company to manage prisons, this is called ?privatization.?"
Abstract This paper examines a number of theories regarding police deviance or corruption. It explains how some believe it is inherent in the work itself, coupled with the power afforded officers, the isolating subculture of police departments, the low pay, and lack of close supervision. On the contrary, it shows how some believe it is the combination of weak character of a selected few "rotten apples" not properly screened out of the hiring process, once they are linked to opportunity and temptation.
From the Paper "What is a slippery slope? Dr. Tom O?Connor states it is "the potential for gradual deterioration of socio-moral inhibitions and perceived sense of permissibility for deviant conduct" (O"Connor 2002). He points out that police are involved on a routine basis in undercover work which involves taking on false identities and inducing crime. Police are allowed to make false promises to hostage takers and kidnappers. Police feed disinformation to the media. Police are trained to be deceptive at interviewing and interrogation"(O?Connor 2002)."
Abstract Discusses the nature of gangs. Examines why children and teenagers join gangs. Considers children at-risk and gang involvement. Reviews and critiques five studies on gangs and violence, and discusses the methods of the studies.
From the Paper "Over the last 20 years in the city of Los Angeles at least 10,000 African American and Latino young men have died due to gang activity and gang warfare (Vigil, 2002). As large as that figure is it is still only a portion of the deaths..."
Abstract The paper first outlines the definition of "freedom of Speech" in one's own perspective and then defines it in the literal meaning by giving quotations of veterans, quotes from the Bible, and how government or other groups of people take this term. Followed by the definition, the paper provides an insight as to how and why various people or groups have exploited the freedom of expression/speech and raised sensitive issues, which resulted not only in social, political, or moral damage to the societies, but, at the same time, even death has been the outcome of such freedom of expression. The paper further discusses whether we have gone too far with the freedom of speech. This is argued in terms of the United Sates of America. This is followed by the conclusion that sums up whether freedom of expression is important and necessary in a society.
From the Paper "The freedom of speech or expression is one of the most primary rights that are enjoyed by individuals. It is important to the survival of democracy as well as to the value of human self-respect. As freedom of speech means the liberty to express one's dissatisfaction with the status quo along with the need to change accordingly, it is one of the most dangerous and threatened rights, with governments, human rights groups; infact with all over the world, that is persistently trying to restrict it (Derechos Human Rights)"
Abstract This paper acknowledges that public order versus individual rights is not a new controversy and how, since time immemorial, governments and individual citizens have had to walk a thin tightrope between the two ideals. It looks at how this controversy was the catalyst that sparked the first ten amendments of the Constitution that we know as the Bill of Rights and how, in addition to these rights secured by America's forefathers, a number of organizations have arisen to ensure the protection of individual rights in an increasingly complex world. In order to add balance to this equation, this paper contends that the criminal justice system should focus on dealing with public order.
From the Paper "Private and autonomous liberty and collective authority are naturally diametrically opposed. As such, it's helpful to first have an understanding of what individual rights are. Individual rights is a multipurpose legal term that refers to what an individual is allowed to do and what can legally be done to them. It is the concept of individual rights that is the central theme in the 'due process model' of criminal justice. "The idea of individual rights is closely related to the idea of individual capital in some theories of political economy, in which the individual enhances his or her own creative capacities (as opposed to measurable productive capacities, which is usually called the theory of human capital), and must remain free to do so in any way she or he sees fit" ("Individual rights", 2004)."
Abstract This paper looks at the prevalence of Internet use and examines aspects such as the impact it has on our communication, employment, shopping habits, leisure and use of information. It discusses equality of access and the possibility that the Internet could become part of high culture as well as the positive and negative possibilities of electronic communication, including its potential use in terrorism, decentralisation of society and destruction of communities. The paper concludes that while there are arguments that suggest that the Internet is responsible for isolating people and weakening social controls and community bonds, it could also be argued that the Internet is a form of glue within modern societies, providing yet another means of communication to further strengthen the bonds within communities and families.
From the Paper "The internet was originally developed by the US military as a form of transmitting messages and information between officers in different locations, and was then developed further by universities, with the aim of encouraging more academic debate between scholars across the world. With the advent of the personal computer and the boom in personal ownership, the internet became accessible to millions of households during the 1990s and its growth and popularity has continued, with the advance of high-speed and digital connections becoming more readily available. "
Abstract This paper is a position paper on multicultural curriculum. The paper discusses what a multicultural curriculum is and why it is needed in today's multicultural classrooms. It looks at the division among those who support a multicultural curriculum and those who don't. The paper briefly discusses how to teach the multicultural curriculum.
From the Paper "According to Gollnick and Chinn multicultural education has the purpose of further developing a democratic society by providing and promoting a respect and understanding of diverse ethnic and cultural groups ..."
Abstract This paper provides an examination of Michael Moore's documentary film, "Bowling For Columbine" as a work of propaganda. It looks at Moore's exposure of the roots of violence, his techniques and how they support his thesis. The paper also looks at Moore's desire to provoke as well as to inform.
From the Paper "When Michael Moore's film Bowling for Columbine was released it was certainly a controversial film. Closely following the tragic incidents at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado Moore's film set out to expose the root of the problems behind such acts of violence. In doing so he learns that the conventional answers of easy availability of guns, violent national history, violent entertainment and even poverty are inadequate to explain this violence when other cultures share those same factors without the equivalent ..."
Tags: bowling for columbine, michael moore, propaganda
Abstract This paper discusses the issue of conflict when several people share a small living space. According to the paper, the longer the period that people live in such a situation, the more likely it is that conflict will occur, as personalities, cultures, genders, and communication difficulties come into play. All of these factors played a part in an experiment conducted by the Moscow Institute for Biomedical Problems (IMBP). The paper further discusses how in this experiment, three international researchers and four Russian cosmonauts were isolated in two chambers that simulated living conditions on the space station Mir. Of the seven participants, only one was a woman.
Abstract During the past six decades, television advertising has changed considerably. Today, there are television commercials for a myriad of products, including drugs for virtually every health complaint, from headaches to erectile dysfunction. This paper shows that over the years, some television commercials have created concerns and stirred controversy. The paper looks at false advertising, commercials directed at children and teens, sex and medical advertisements.
From the Paper "In 2005,it was reported that automakers are now developing marketing strategies to reach gay consumers, a large, often affluent and trend-setting demographic (LaReau 2005). According to General Motors market research data, gay Americans each have an average household income of nearly $65,000, compared to $45,000 of all U.S. households (LaReau 2005). In fact, during the past decade, gay television commercials have been popping up more and more on the airwaves (Is 2000). For example the Volkswagen ad that portrayed two trendy young males stopping curbside to pick up a discarded "kitschy old armchair," or the John Hancock Insurance commercial that featured a female couple adopting a baby (Is 2000)."
Abstract Cult Formation
Defining the Paradigm of Unfalsifiability
Authority: Exclusivity, Overbearing or Essential
Revelation of the Leadership
Hierarchy of Leadership
Solidarity
Social Structure
Community
Social Stratification
Identity
Punishment and Discipline
Cult Growth and the Convert
The Target: weakness and vulnerability
Conversion: unfreeze, change and refreeze
False Memories: unfreezing through psychotherapy
Environments
Enlightenment Engines
Cult Case Studies
The Branch Divisions, David Koresh
Heaven's Gate, Do
"The Recipe"
Troubleshooting
