Abstract This paper critiques three dialogues between a nurse and a patient. The paper suggests strategies that can be used by nurses in order to facilitate positive, knowledgeable and informative dialogues with their patients and the patient's family members. The paper suggests that the goal of the dialogue is essentially the same for all patients, that being health and improved well-being and it goes on to analyze how those goals can be achieved.
From the Paper "Analysis of Three Dialogues Introduction Engaging in dialogues with a patient is not a simple matter. Dialogues require knowledge of related theory and continued practice. First of all, all dialogues have a goal which is basically the same for every patient. Overall, the goal is health and the improved well-being of the patient. As Spee (2001, p. 20) states, "Nurses initiate discussions to clarify concerns and wishes from the individual's perspective". Those discussions are directed and facilitated through a number of strategies such as repetition and especially by open-ended questions. "
Looks at feminist therapy in the context of a critique of the original psychological branches and the benefits feminist therapy has to its main clientele, women.
Abstract This paper relates that, with the second wave of feminism, women were tired of being told that they were psychologically deficient because they were women, which led to the founding of a new therapy practice called feminist therapy, a specific branch related to feminist practices. The author points out that, based on many original psychological theories and techniques, feminist therapy seeks to empower women to change negative coping strategies and symptoms into effective ways to counter patriarchy and other forms of societal oppression. The paper relates that, in the feminist therapeutic relationship, the key is to have an open dialogue and engagement between the client and therapist as well as seeking to reduce power imbalances to improve the quality of the therapeutic relationship.
From the Paper "Symptoms are viewed as a way to cope with the pain associated with living in an oppressive society. Feminist counselors believe that symptoms result as the ways the clients know how to cope with life stressors caused by patriarchal systems and believe that "symptoms may emerge as a consequence of coping with conflicting nontraditional and traditional demands of multiple roles" or that "symptoms often reflect influence strategies that were taught or modeled by others in the environment.""
Abstract This paper uses Kai Nielson's writings to define the theory of egalitarianism and critique it. The paper shows how, of all the substantive political theories, egalitarianism offers the least support for its position. Aided by the views expressed in Kai Nielson's ?Radical Egalitarianism", this paper first gives a brief synopsis of the theory and then points to some of its shortcomings.
From the Paper "According to Nielson, one of the main proponents of egalitarianism, equality of condition should be the goal of any responsible society. One of the assumptions underpinning this idea is that people are equal in the only important respect in which the doling out of rights pertains. That is, when available resources are limited, "we should first, where considerations of desert are not at issue, distribute according to stringency of need" (202) for "it is only fair" (205). Further, Nielson urges, while aiming at equality of condition, we must preserve as a parallel goal autonomy for all and "at a condition where everyone alike, to the fullest extent possible, has his or her needs and wants satisfied" (202)."
Abstract This paper will examine the question of the egalitarian structure of hunter-gatherer societies from a comparative perspective. It will be argued that variations between the egalitarianism of hunter-gatherer societies, traditionally seen as simply a matter of economics, may also be the result of cultural factors. While peoples of different cultures, in different environments, will necessarily define the division of labour and the distribution of resources in different fashions, the persistent signs of egalitarianism in hunter-gatherers in all regions and historical eras is a puzzle that demands closer study.
Abstract This paper uses the Pygmies of Central Africa, the Khoisan Peoples of Southwestern Africa, the Aborigines of Australia, and various peoples, such as the Tiwi who live on islands in the South Seas, as examples of hunter/gatherer and pastoralist societies in which to study anthropological egalitarianism as opposed to egalitarianism in
modern society. The author points out that the proper or improper performance of duties influences the social position of the person and his or her family. The paper relates that there are great differences in the relative egalitarianism of hunter/gatherer and pastoralist societies, which do not ultimately depend on the different ways of earning a living nor on the different social organizations of the two kinds of people; if the acquisition of wealth is limited to certain kinds of occupations or to the acquisition of certain objects, then only those who can perform such tasks or obtain such objects can be considered successful.
From the Paper "On the whole, hunter/gatherer societies are distinguished by the fact that each unit of that society performs essentially the same function as any other unit. As stated above, the typical unit of that society is the family consisting of men, women, and children. Because of the quality across families, there is really no one family that is ever of higher or lower rank than any other. An individual's usefulness to both his and her family, and to his or her society, is based directly on that individual's ability to perform the functions necessary to survival. So long as one performs these functions adequately, one can be assured of enjoying good relations with one's peers i.e. with everyone else. But to neglect one's duties, is to upset the social order and to invite criticism or even ostracism."
Abstract This paper examines whether an egalitarian society exists, and to what extent men and women in society are equal. The author looks at past events in history such as the industrial revolution and technological advancements that have impacted the way women work and are included in society. The author argues that until family values and equality is recognized, a true egalitarian society will never be achieved. Before this is done, women need to be recognized as more than domestic workers, responsibilities in the household need to be equally shared and authority needs to be equally upheld.
From the Paper "If feminism has taught us anything, it is that until we understand ? and change ? the dynamics of the family then we will never be able to create a more egalitarian society. And yet, as this paper discusses, few tasks are more daunting. There is nothing more natural than the idea of family. Everyone knows this. Family is, after all, about genetic links and procreation, about the ancient basis of life, about the ways in which we humans as animals reproduce our physical bodies in exactly the same way (well, except for the surface details) as do dolphins and penguins and paramecia. And yet, of course, this is not true. There is nothing at all natural about the concept of family, something that can be easily determined to be true by looking at the very wide range of different types of families that exist in different cultures throughout the world. There are polygynous families and polyandrous ones, matrilocal and neolocal marriages, people bound by marriage and by genes and by the laws of adoptions and by the requirements of culture and religion. We call all of these households families. This diversity signals to the careful observer that there can be nothing natural, nothing universal to all human cultures, about the nature of the family."
Abstract Dialogues require knowledge of related theory and continued practice. Dialogues serve a specific purpose. Nurses can use dialogues to initiate discussions and clarify concerns, needs and wishes from the individual perspective. The goal of all dialogues is basically the same for every patient because the overall goal is health and the improved well being of the patient. Those discussions are directed and facilitated through a number of strategies such as repetition and especially by open-ended questions. This paper is intended to demonstrate the author's own use of strategies and progression in the dialogues towards greater competency in nursing.
Abstract This paper explains that the only way that nurses will learn about patients' needs and concerns is to really listen and to communicate well. The author points out that the purpose of the dialogues described in the paper was to identify or express the concerns of a patient with tachycardia, a breast cancer patient and a person with chronic abdominal pain. The paper stresses that the better the nurse's communication skills, the higher will be the quality of care that she or he provides. The author underscores that the most important point learned from these dialogues is the importance of the patient's perspective. The paper suggest that open-ended questions, going with the flow, patients' use of certain words or sentences and attentive listening are essential to a successful patient-nurse dialogue.
From the Paper "I made other errors with Mrs. K, but they became a learning experience for the next two dialogues. For instance, I interrupted Mrs. K at times to respond to her. The most valuable lesson from Dialogue 1 was that we can remain true to the original intent by asking open-ended questions. The whole direction of the communication can be guided with open-ended questions. At the same time, there were blocks to effective communication because I began with a closed question. When Mrs. K stated that she felt she was becoming paralyzed, that statement needs to be explored with a great deal of empathy."
Abstract The Buddhist-Christian dialogue can be regarded as a more than academic and institutional exercise, on account of more than a century of interaction between Buddhists and Christians throughout the once colonized world. Buddhism and Christianity have shared the tendency to make their founders more symbolic indicators of faith and practice. Moreover, as this paper also argues, the Buddhist-Christian dialogue has been aided by several points of convergence, including their shared feature of concentration upon a founder-mystic, in the language of the post-industrial world -- an 'icon' -- in the form of an historical person whose symbolism transcends many levels and inspirations. 14 pgs. 27 f/c. 10b.
Abstract This natural science paper is comprised of three parts. The first part of the paper sets up the basic premise of a dramatic dialogue between Edison and Einstein. The second part is a dramatic dialogue between Edison and Einstein. The final part of the paper is an annotated bibliography.
From the Paper "Thomas Edison (1847-1931) was one of the most prolific and important inventors in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th Century. As a scientist Edison was more interested in designing products that would be useful for the average person. This means that Edison is a believer in technology and does not put a lot of stock in theory. As an inventor Edison is also a business man. "
Abstract This paper explains that, in both the dialogues of "Meno" and "Protagoras," the philosopher Plato argues that 'virtue' cannot be taught, is separate from human institutions and can only be fully accessed by a few. In "Meno" Plato states, rather than as the result of rhetorical practice as instilled by the Sophists, virtue is not a matter of definition, which can be established by logic, but something that must be elicited. The paper relates that ultimately the notion of virtue in "Protagoras" evolves into a less democratic tone, given its devaluation of democratic, free expression in the pursuit of virtue and truth in rhetoric, which would ultimately become the core of Plato's anti-democratic philosophy of kingship.
From the Paper "Protagoras' force in arguing for the importance of individuals to achieve collective decisions concerning how their community is governed makes him sympathetic, since modern Americans tend to hope and accept that all people have the basic skills necessary to take part in political activities. Even when this seems to be manifestly not the case, that all human beings may possess different political beliefs and capacities, democracy tends to hopefully operate along the lines of the fiction that human beings can aspire to intelligent and virtuous citizenship, given that the alternative of even philosophical kingship seems inferior. "
Abstract This paper analyzes the meaning of Plato's dialogues, "The Apology", "Meno", and "Euthyphro" with respect to Plato's beliefs on a variety of issues, as illustrated by Socrates. The issues discussed include piety, learning, the soul, philosophy and others.
From the Paper "The dialectic or question and answer method of arriving at knowledge and learning is used in Plato's dialogues .Sophists philosophers who were paid for their rhetoric existed in Plato's and Socrates' time and relied upon rhetoric. Plato through Socrates vehemently rejects rhetoric as nothing more than opinionated words. In "Gorgias" Plato objects to rhetoric because he believes it offers no real knowledge but only opinions. As Socrates tells Gorgias who puts up a fierce defense of rhetoric as the highest art."
Abstract The paper interprets a dialogue between a Confucian and a Christian. It then goes on to discuss the differences between the religions of Confucianism, Christianity and Buddhism - their history and practice. The author ends with a personal comment about his relationship and feelings toward to the religions he discusses in his paper.
From the Paper "Some Western scholars have delineated the fundamental difference between Christianity and Confucianism in that "Confucianism is very much a religion for the purposes of the Chinese," in other words located in the Chinese sense of social order. (Hoad, 2005) However, Christianity began as a nationalistic tradition, a splinter radical group that broke away from the Pharisees and Sadducees of Israel. Christ's reference to the commandments would make no sense to an audience unfamiliar with the religious tradition of Israel. Also, although Christianity may now exist as a theistic rather than a humanistic religion like Confucianism, that is a religion focused on the relationship between God and humans, rather than human interrelationships, Christ explicitly sets out a code of conduct for individuals to obey, and an ideal to uphold in terms of personal piety that is in relation to others as well as to the Father."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination about egalitarian ideas and how they can be applied. Using Edmund Burke's book called "Reflections on the Revolution in France" the writer of this paper explores how Burke's ideas can be applied to the Egalitarian point of view. The paper focuses primarily on Burke's defense of tradition and prejudice.
From the Paper "As globalization continues to knock down previously erected political walls, different societies and cultures are learning to accept each other. Diversity and differences are part of what keeps the world progressing and keeps people communicating. One of the things that the process of globalization has promoted is the acceptance of the beliefs of others that are different . In addition many cultures and systems are learning that they can adopt components of other systems and improve their original foundational basis . One very solid and serious style of belief is the egalitarian method of viewing the world. When Edmund Burke wrote the book, Reflections on the Revolution in France, he did not promote it as an egalitarian viewpoint, but if one reads beyond the initial impression and examines the underpinnings of the premise he discusses it is easy to understand how an egalitarian could embrace the ideas that Burke promotes . His ideas regarding tradition and prejudice are especially applicable to the egalitarian foundational structure . An egalitarian could easily accept the beliefs of Burke in the areas of tradition and prejudice to a very big extent. "
