Contributions to Misunderstanding Psychology Essay

Rose (1992) has accused psychology of â€Å"Engineering the Human Soul† (p. 351). This is a very odd statement for a sociologist to make because science, whether hard or social, by definition, requires conclusions to be based on use of the scientific method. Alas, the hypothesis that there is a human soul is one that that the scientific method cannot address because there is no way to provide empirical evidence that either confirms or disconfirms it. Indeed, even the phrenologists Gall and Spurzheim (discussed below), who mapped the brain into areas controlling all sorts of human attributes, found an area for â€Å"spirituality† (Myers, 2004), but not for the soul. Rose is, however, in the company of a medical internist with a Ph. D. from Yale in physical chemistry, i. e. , Collins (2007, as cited in Snyder, 2007), who has claimed there is evidence that â€Å"moral law is implanted in our brains by God† (p. 6). Nonetheless, despite psychology being unable to engineer an entity for which there is no scientific evidence, one purpose of this paper is to argue that Rose (1992), along with other critics of psychological research, has failed to recognize that the continued influence of the studies of individual differences beyond the early part of the last century, mainly the development of tests to measure intelligence, i. e. , IQ testing, has not been on psychology, but on education. Indeed, later psychological research on intelligence and cognitive development has been largely ignored in education (Perlmutter & Burrell, 1999). There is no disagreement that IQ testing had and continues to have a negative influence on education, but this paper addresses the waning of the influences of IQ testing within psychology itself not long after the development of these tests. What is psychology? Rose (1992) defined psychology as the study of individual differences, based on a â€Å"paradigmatic technique of . . . the psychological ‘test’ . . . (pp. 358-359). The goal of psychology, according to Rose, is â€Å"the isolation, intensification, and inscription of human difference† (p. 359). This definition is not the same as the one used in most textbooks on introductory psychology, where the discipline is defined as â€Å"the science of behavior and mental processes† (Myers, 2004). While psychological questions have been of interest from the time of the ancient Greek philosophers, psychology as a science did not develop until the latter part of the 19th century (Myers, 2004). Psychologists eventually conducted research in areas that began in other disciplines – and also came to be blamed for the wretched excesses of still other disciplines, notably education. In the early 19th century, phrenologists Gall and Spurzheim mapped out brain areas supposedly controlling attributes from acquisitiveness to sublimity and measured people on these attributes by feeling bumps on their heads (Myers, 2004). Despite the embarrassment phrenology caused scientists, late in the 19th century French and German neurologists, notably Brocca and Wertheimer, provided evidence of left-hemisphere dominance in tasks involving language (Deutsch & Springer, 1997). They used autopsy findings of those who suffered language deficits following strokes to areas in the left cerebral hemisphere (the dominant hemisphere for more than 90% and 70% of right- and left-handed people respectively). These findings were followed by further research on deficits in spatial abilities following strokes in the right cerebral (usually non-dominant) hemisphere (Deutsch & Springer, 1997). In the next century, researchers studied the performance of those who underwent a surgical procedure where the connecting fibers (the corpus colossus) between the two hemispheres were severed to control the spread of severe seizures (Deutsch & Springer, 1999). Later research, using equipment such as evoked potentials, was conducted using samples from the general population. The research provided evidence not that only one hemisphere was activated during performance of most tasks but evidence that one hemisphere was more activated than the other, for example, in language comprehension, the left hemisphere is more activated, but the right hemisphere also is activated in comprehending the emotional, metaphoric, and humorous content of language (Deutsch & Springer, 1997). Individual differences also were rare, for example, listening to music results in greater activation in the right than left hemisphere, except there is the reverse pattern for trained musicians (Deutsch & Springer, 1999). However, the history of research related to the cerebral hemispheres is an example of psychologists falsely being blamed for the nonsense propagated by those in education that there were left- and right-brained people – and teachers somehow were supposed to adjust their teaching for their right-brained students (Connell, 1990). In outlining the history of psychology, introductory textbooks place its beginnings in Wundt’s establishment of a laboratory in Vienna in 1879 for the purpose of applying the scientific method to the study of human mental processes: â€Å"On a December day in 1879 . . . Wundt was seeking to measure . . . the fastest and simplest mental processes. Thus began what many consider psychology’s first experiment† (Myers, 2004, p. 4). However, those in other disciplines, such as Rose (1992), seem to believe not only that psychology began – and ended – with the early work of those studying individual differences, but also that research in psychology actually is used in education. Individual Differences One important difference between the early work of neurologists on the human cerebral hemispheres described above and early work on individual differences is that the former research was based on beginning with basic or shared mental processes. Put another way, the law of parsimony is that main effects are studied prior to interactions (Kirk, 1995). The early work on individual differences in intelligence began prior to research on basic cognitive processing. Galton’s definition of intelligence (White, 2006) was based on an assumption drawn from Darwin’s evolutionary theory of the survival of the fittest, both between- and within-species (1859, as cited in Myers, 2004). Between-species, humans clearly are advantaged with superior intellect. However, if human intelligence had been defined as those characteristics that increase the probability of an individual’s survival, predominant attributes would be those related to the attainment of economic and political power. From the beginnings of civilization, world history has been a struggle for power, with members of prevailing powerful groups inhumanely dominating members of less powerful groups (Braudel & Mayne, 2003), a concept perhaps best expressed by John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever as â€Å"everybody always has to have somebody to dump on† (Wexler, 1977). Being powerful certainly does enhance one’s chances of survival, but how did anyone reach the conclusion that power was related to what we usually think of as intellect?

Comparison of Common Law and Civil Law Essay

COMMON LAW (characteristics)for comparing or contrast purpose Common law systems are mostly found in former british colony and protectorate including US, it is less prescriptive than civil law system,citizens are benefited by enactment and legislation in specific fields.more often are the implied terms usage. 1)represents the law of courts as expressed in judicial decision 2)based on precedents provided by past judicial decisions,no written statues or prescribed texts 3)trial by the jury and the doctrine of the supremacy of the law(originally meant king above law,now means acts of governmentall agencies are subject to scruting in ordinary legal proceedings) 4)everything is permitted which is not prohibited by law 5)binding ,overruling through same court or legislation Judicial precedents derive their force from the doctrine of stare decisions[lat=stand by the decided matter]i.e that the previous decisions of the highest court in the jurisdiction are binding on all other courts in the jurisdiction changing conditions,however soon make most decisions inapplicable except as a basis for analogy, and a court must therefore often look to the judicial experience of the rest of the English speaking world.This gives the system flexibility while general acceptance of cetain authoritative materials provides a degree of stability.Neverthless,in many instances, courts have failed to keep pace with social developments and it has become necessary to enact statues to bring about needed changes.In recent years ,statutes have superseded much of common law,notablyin the fields of commercial administrative and criminal law,typically however in statutory interpretation the courts have recourse to the doctrines of common law. Thus increased legislation is limited but has not ended judicial supremacy. A common law system is generally less prescriptive than a civil law system. A government may therefore wish to enshrine protections of its citizens in specific legislation related to the infrastructure program being contemplated. For example, it may wish to prohibit the service provider from cutting off the water or electricity supply of bad payers. Please go to Legislation and Regulationsections for more information on this. There are few provisions implied into a contract under the common law system – it is therefore important to set out ALL the terms governing the relationship between the parties to a contract in the contract itself. This will often result in a contract being longer than one in a civil law country. CIVIL LAW(CHARACTERISITICS) 1)based on statues and prescribed texts. 2)available in written form, specific codes covering mostly 3)corporate,tax,constitution with basic rights and duties 4)only legislative enactments are binding 5)precedents are to be followed Countries following a civil law system are typically those that were former French, Dutch, German, Spanish or Portuguese colonies or protectorates, including much of Central and South America. Also, most of the Central and Eastern European and East Asian countries follow a civil law structure. The civil law system is a codified system of law. It takes its origins from Roman law. Features of a civil law system include: * There is generally a written constitution based on specific codes (e.g., civil code, codes covering corporate law, administrative law, tax law and constitutional law) enshrining basic rights and duties; administrative law is however usually less codified and administrative court judges tend to behave more like common law judges; * Only legislative enactments are considered binding for all. There is little scope for judge-made law in civil, criminal and commercial courts, although in practice judges tend to follow previous judicial decisions; consitutional and administrative courts can nullify laws and regulations and their decisions in such cases are binding for all. * In some civil law systems, e.g., Germany, writings of legal scholars have significant influence on the courts; * Courts specific to the underlying codes – there are therefore usually separate constitutional court, administrative court and civil court systems that opine on consistency of legislation and administrative acts with and interpret that specific code; * Less freedom of contract – many provisions are implied into the contract by law and parties cannot contract out of certain provisions. A civil law system is generally more prescriptive than a common law system. However, a government will still need to consider whether specific legislation is required to either limit the scope of a certain restriction to allow a successful infrastructure project, or may require specific legislation for a sector. Please go to Legislation and Regulation and â€Å"Organizing Government to think PPP† sections for more information on this. There are a number of provisions implied into a contract under the civil law system – less importance is generally placed on setting out ALL the terms governing the relationship between the parties to a contract in the contract itself as inadequacies or ambiguities can be remedied or resolved by operation of law. This will often result in a contract being shorter than one in a common law country. It is also important to note in the area of infrastructure that certain forms of infrastructure projects are referred to by well-defined legal concepts in civil law jurisdictions. Concessions and Affermage have a definite technical meaning and structure to them that may not be understood or applied in a common law country. Care should be taken, therefore, in applying these terms loosely. This is further considered under Agreements.

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What is the definition of a contract? An agreement between two or more parties for the doing or not doing of something specified. Describe the various types of contracts. 1) Bilateral and Unilateral 2) Express and Implied 3) Executory and Executed What elements does a contract need to be enforceable? 1) Agreement 2) Legality 3) Consideration 4) Capacity What elements would constitute a discharge of a contract? 1) Material breach 2) Minor breach 3) Anticipatory breach 4) Mutual Rescission 5) Accord/Satisfaction What is a bilateral contract? Both parties make a promise. What is a unilateral contract?One party make a promise that the other party can accept only by doing something. ex. I'll give you $10 to mow my lawn. If not mowed no $10. What is an express contract? Two parties state all important terms of their agreement. ex. Where, when, how much, oral or written. What is an implied contract? Words and conduct of the parties indicate that they intended an agreement. What is an execut ory contract? When one or more parties have not fulfilled its obligations. What is an executed contract? When all parties have fulfilled their obligations? If there is a breech of contact, what remedies are available?Injuction – An order forcing someone to do something or refrain from doing something. Expectation Damages / Restitution – $ required to put on party in the position she would have been had the other side performed the contract. Specific Performance – In cases of rare property court ordered to complete the deal. Reformation – Court will rewrite contract. Describe types of acceptable performace of a contract. Strict Performance Substantial Performance What are the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts? Sherman Act of 1890 – first national law to regulate competition.Clayton Act of 1914 clarified the Sherman Act. What are the key provisions of the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts? *Prohibits all agreements that will â€Å"restrain tradeâ €  (Sherman) *Bans â€Å"monopolies† (Sherman) *Prohibits anticompetitive mergers (Clayton) *Tying arrangements (Clayton) *Exclusive dealings (Clayton) *Bans price discrimination – illegal to charge different prices to different purchasers. (Robinson-Pattman Act 1936 an amendment to Clayton -) Describe the variety of aggressive business actions that are illegal and violations of antitrust regulations.Monopolization -possessing a monopoly is not illegal; using bad acts to acquire or maintain one is. Predatory Pricing – lowering prices below cost to drive competitors out. Tying Arrangements – selling products on the condition the buyer purchases a different (or tied) product. Contolling distributors or retailers (Retail price maintenance) How is consumer credit regulated? Through the Truth in Lending Act What government regulations apply to consumer product safety? *Federal food, drug, cosmetic act *Food quality protection act What is the role of the Env ironmental Protection Agency?Monitor and protect the air, water and land polution. . . What requirements were specified by the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914? Unfair or deceptive acts or practices. What is the point at which a legal agreement is said to have occured? intend to contract List the types of breech of contracts. Material Breach Minor Breach Anticipatory Breach Mutual Rescission Accord/Satisfaction What is an express warranty? Seller creates with words or actions that goods meet certain standards. Created three ways: Affirmation of a fact or promise, Description of the goods, or sample or model. What is an implied warranty?Created by UCC code itself, not by an act or statement of the seller. What is a disclaimer? A statement that a particular warranty does not apply. What are the limitations on remedies for breach of warranty and product liability? Limitation of Remedy Clause – Parties may limit or exclude normal remedies permitted. What is negligence? Seller 's conduct unreasonable. Violation of a standard of care set by statute. How does negligence apply to a manufacturer? Negligent Design Negligent Manufacturing Failure to Warn What are the types of warranties? Implied, Express, Implied Warranty of Fitness, Warranty of Merchantiability.What is strict liability? A tort doctrine holding to a very high standard all those who engage in ultrahazardous activities. (ie explosives) OR who manufacture certain products. What are the defenses available to an action for negligence? Contributory Negligence – If the plantiff is even slightly negligent she recovers nothing. Comparative Negligence – Plantiff may generally recover even if she was partially responsible. What are the defenses available or an action for strict liability? None – a defendant engaging in an ultrahazardous activity is virtually always liable for any harm that results.List the remedies available. Compensatory Damages – flow directly from contract. Consequential Damages – result from the unique circumstances of the particular injured party. (Recoverable only if breaching party should have foreseen them). Incidental Damages – Minor costs an injured party incurs responding to a breach. What are the basic provisions of the Sarbanes – Oxley Act? *Created a public company accounting oversight board *Revising auditor independence rules *Revising corporate governance standards *Increasing criminal penalties for violations What are the rights of the shareholders? Right to information – including minute book, accounting records, and shareholder lists. *Right to vote *Right to Dissent *Right to protection from other shareholders. What recourse do sharholders have against corporations if shareholder rights are violated? Derivative Lawsuits – Shareholders sue corporation, but damages go to corporation. *Direct lawsuits *Class Action What are the key provisions of the Securities Act of 1933? Before offeri ng or selling securities, the issuer must register the securities with the SEC, unless the securities qualify for an exemption. What are the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933?Initial detailed information statement when the company first registers. How did Sarbanes – Oxley change the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933? Added to the 1934 Securities Act by requiring CEO and CFO to certify that: *The information in the quarterly and annual reports are true. *The company has effective internal controls. *The officers have informed the company's audit committee and it auditors of any concerns that they have about the internal control system. What year did the Sarbanes – Oxley Act pass? 2002 How would you define business ethics? The study of how people ought to act.What is involved in developing an ethical culture in an organization? Managers setting the example and training. What year was the Clean Air Act passed? 1963 What year was the Clean Water Act passed? 1977 What are the alternative dispute resolution techniques? *Arbitration – 3rd neutral party hears both sides and makes a binding decision, possible award, no discovery, no class action, no pulic info of outcome. *Mediation – Neutral party coaxed two disputing parties toward volunatry settlement. No decision made by mediator. *Negotiation – List the types of courts. State Courts = Trial CourtsFederal Courts = Trial Courts and Specialty courts (bankruptcy, tax, etc) Appelate Courts = Describe the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Also known as Wagner Act. 1) Created NLR Board to enforce labor laws. 2) Prohibits employers from penalizing workers who engage in union activity. 3) Requires employers to bargain â€Å"in good faith† with unions. Descirbe what COBRA is, and when was it passed? Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act passed in 1985. Statute provides that former employees be allowed to continue health insurance for 18 months after leaving their job.Describe what the Fair Labor Standards Act is and when it passed? Regulates wages and limits child labor. Passed in 1938. 1. 5 time paid for overtime. Children under 14 may only work in agricultural and entertainment. 14-15 limited hours after school. 16-17 unlimited hours in non-hazardous. Descirbe what constitutes wrongful discharge under the law. Wrongful discharge prohibits an employer from firing a worker for a bad reason. They fall into three categories. 1) public policy – prohibits employer from firing someone for a reason that violates basic social rights, duties, and responsibilities. ) contract law-written or oral promises made during the hiring process can be enforceable. Employee handbook creates a contract. 3) tort law – defamation; giving a false or unfavorable reference about a former employee, or â€Å"Intentional Infliction of Emotion Distress – employers who condone cruel treatment of their employees face liability under tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress. Explain the responsibilities of OSHA. Holds employers to a workplace â€Å"free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious injury to employees.Inspects workplaces to insure that they are safe. Describe the main points of the Americans with Disabilites Act of 1990. The ADA prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of disability as long as she can, with reasonable accomodation, perform the essential functions of the job. An accomodation is not reasonable if it would create undue hardship on the employer. What is liquidated damages clause? A provision in the contract that declares in advance what one party will receive if the other side breaches. What is necessary to prove negligence? Duty of Due Care Breach (defendant breached duty)Factual Cause Forseeable Harm Injury What does the Family and Medical Leave Act guarantee? Both men and women up to 12 weeks unpaid leave eac h year for childbirth, adoption, or medical emergencies for themselves or a family member. When was Social Security instituted and what does it do? Passed during the Great Depression in 1935. Benefits to workers who are retired, disabled, or temporarilly unemployed and to spouses and children of disabled or deceased workers. What is the FUTA? Federal Unemployment Tax Act and is part of the Social Security system. What is the Equal Pay Act and when was it instituted?An employee may not be paid at a lesser rate than an employee of the opposite sex for equal work. Passed in 1963. What is Title VII and what does it prohibit? Passed in 1964. It prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. More specifically, 1) discrimination in the workplace 2) sexual harassment 3) discrimination because of pregnancy. What does sexual harassment entail? unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature with two major categories. 1) Quid pro quo (this for that) 2) Hostile work environmentWhat is the EEOC? Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is a federal agency to oversee Title VII cases. They may sue or issue a â€Å"Right to Sue† letter. They also oversee age discrimination cases. What are the remedies to Title VII violations? Hiring, reinstatement, retroactive seniority, back pay, reasonable attorney's fees and damages up to $300,000. What does the Age Discrimination Act prohibit? When was it passed? Prohibits ago discrimination against employees or job applicants who are 40 years or older. Cannot fire, refuse to hire, fail to promote or force to employee to retire. Passed in 1967.What is the Norris-LaGuardia Act? declared that federal courts could not issue an injuction for non-violent labor disputes. What rights does Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) guarantee? the right to organize and join unions, bargain collectively through rep resentatives of their own choosing, and egage in other concerted efforts. What does Section 8 of the NLRA guarantee against? Unfair Labor Practices – the employer cannot: *interfere with union organizing efforts. *dominate or interfere with any union. *discriminate against any union member. *refuse to bargain collectively with any union.What are the two main functions of the NLRA Board appointed by the President? *Representation – the board decided whether a particular union is entitled to represent a group of employees. *Unfair Labor Practices – adjudicates claim by either the employer or workers the the other side has committed a ULP. What is the Taft-Hartley Act? Also called the Labor Management Relations Act. A statue that ammended section 8 of the NLRA to outlaw certain ULP by unions. *interfer with employees who are exercising their right under 7. * to encourage an employer to discriminate against a particular employee because of a union dispute. refuse to bargain collectively. * to engage in an illegal strike or boycott, especially secondary boycotts. (secondary boycott is picketting innocent companies to coherce them to stop doing business with an employer) What is the Landrum-Griffin Act? Also called the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) requires union leadership to make certain financial disclosures and guarantees free speech and fair elections within a union. What does Section 9 of the NLRA offer? Exclusivity – a valid recognized union is the EXCLUSIVE representative of the employees. What steps are needed to organize a union?Campaign – rally employees to form a union. Authorization Cards – signed card by employee giving union exclusity. Recognition – union asks employer to recognize it as the bargaining unit. Petition – union petitions NLRB for an election if 30% of workers are unified. Election – NLRB supervises election. What is a CBA? Collective Bargaining Agreeme nt. What is UPA Uniform Partnership Act passed 1914. At what point is a partnership formed? The association of two or more person to carry on as co-owners a business for profit forms a partnership, whether or not the persons intend to form a partnership.What factors create â€Å"co-owners of a business for profit†? *Must share profits *Share in management of business *(optional) Share in losses *(optional) referring to yourselves as partners *Charitable business are not partnerships When does Partnership by Estoppel apply? *they allow others to call them partners * a third party relies on assertion * a third party suffers harm What agency does a â€Å"partner† in a partnership hold? *Actual authority – authorized acts * Implied authority – act resonably necessary *Apparent authority – unauthorized acts Which partner is responsible for paying the debt of the partnership?ALL – all partners are PERSONALLY liable for all debts of the partnership . (Yes, that means the house is at risk. ) What is the liability of an incoming partner? A partner is personally liable only for obligations the partnership incurred while he was a partner. His liability for debts incurred before he became a partner is limited to his investment in the partnership. What are the two categories antitrust is divided into? per se – violations are automatic (no on was hurt is not a defense criminal and civil damages) rule of reason – only if anticompetitive impactName the three types of potentially illegal cooperative business strategies. Horizontal Agreements among competitors. (Levis and Wranglers) Vertical Agreements between participates of different stages of production (Levis and Macys) Mergers and Joint Ventures among competitors. What is market division? An effort by a group of competitors to divide it market is a per se violation of the Sherman Act. What is the FTC? Federal Trade Commission created in 1915. What options does the FTC have to enforce the law? Voluntary Compliance Administrative Hearing and Appeals PenaltiesWhat sales practices does the FTC oversee? Bait & Switch Mail/Phone Order Merchandise Telemarketing Unordered Merchandise Door to Door Sales Consumer Credit What is the â€Å"Truth in Lending Act†? Requires lenders to disclose the terms of the loan in an understandable and complete manner. Truth in Lending Act (TILA) applies only if . . . *It is a consumer loan *The loan has a finance charge or will be paid in more than four installments. *The loan is for less than $25,000, or to secure a mortgage on real estate *The loan is made by someone in the business of offering credit What is the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act?The act requires any supplier that offers a written warranty on a consumer product that cost more than $15 to disclose the terms of the warranty in simple, understandable language before the sale. What does the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972 protect? Created to prevent inju ries from consumer products. Instituted the Consumer Product Safety Commission to evaluate consumer products and develop safety standards. The FTC deems a practice unfair if it meets three tests. What are these tests? 1) It causes substantial consumer injury. 2) The harm of the injury outweights any countervailing benefit. ) The consumer could not reasonably avoid the injury. What is the EPA? What is the EPA's primary function? Evironmental Protection Agency. Created in 1970. When Congress passes a new environmental law, the EPA issues regulations to implement it. What is the Clean Air Act? When was it passed? The Clean Air Act of 1970 has four provisions: 1) Primary Standards (National Ambient Air Quality Standards, NAAQS) – pollution that harms public health. 2) Secondary Standards – pollution that may not threaten health BUT has unpleasant effects, low visibility, harmful to plants or other materials. ) State Implimentation Plans (SIPs) States offered plans for brin ging areas into compliance within a reasonable amount of time. 4) Citizen Suits – citizens can file against a polluter or the EPA for failing to enforce statute. What is the Clean Water Act? When was it passed? Passed in 1972 with two goals: 1) to make all navigable water suitable for swimming and fishing by 1983 2) to eliminate the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters by 1985. What does the Safe Drinking Water Act require? When was it passed? Passed 1974. Requires: 1) EPA to set national standards ) enforcement left to states with provisions for EPA to enforce if needed. 3) Prohibits use of lead in any water pipes. 4) Requires community water systems to send annual water report to every customer. What two statutes regulate waste? The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) – regulates the production and disposal of solid waste. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) – focuses on cleaning up existing hazardous waste sites. What does EPA oversee? Air Water Waste Chemicals – shared with other agencies (FDA, OSHA, and NRC)Natural Resources What act was passed to regulate the air? Clean Air Act What acts were passed to regulate water? *Clean Water Act *Safe Drinking Water Act *Ocean Dumping Act *Oil Pollution Act What acts were passed to regulate chemicals? *Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act *Federal Food, Drug, Cosmetic Act *Food Quality Protection Act *Toxic Substances Control Act What acts were passed to regulate natural resources? *National Environmental Policy Act *Endangered Species Act What are common types of antitrust violations? Cooperative Strategies Aggressive Strategies Define ethics. The study and philosophy of human conduct, with an emphasis on determining right and wrong. *Moral philosophy *The principles, values, and standards that guide behavior in the world of business. What are the changes made to the 1933 Securities Act in 1934 ? *still must file initial info statement (like 1933) *Annual reports with audited financials, analysis of company's performance, info about officers and directors. *Unaudited quarterly reports *Report any significant developments, bankruptcy, change in control, purchase or sale of significant assets, resignation of a director as a result of policy dispute, change in auditing firms.

Apple Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apple - Research Paper Example The company was previously known as Apple Computers for 30 years and in 2007, it was renamed as Apple Inc. to reflect the intended expansion of Apple in the field of entertainment technology. Apple’s Innovation In a periodical it was stated about Apple, ‘†¦this is truly one of the most innovative companies on earth, one that has defied the odds and overcome amazing adversity.’ (DeMarzo) Apple has always provided its customers with unique products which are ahead of time because its engineers are product-oriented. They create even before the consumer realizes that he needs it. In this period of global recession when companies are laying off their employees and cutting back on its research, Apple is successfully moving forward through ‘...investing, inventing and innovating. In an interview Steve Jobs once pointed out, â€Å"Some very good product people invent some very good products, and the company achieves a monopoly. But after that, the product peop le aren't the ones that drive the company forward anymore. It's the marketing guys or the ones who expand the business†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He explains that engineers of the company initiate an upward move by creating products but it’s the responsibility of the marketing personnel to keep the show running. It’s not just innovation and product development that defines the success of a product but it is important to understand how it is delivered to the customer. Very often, new inventions are not acceptable to the customers because they are not accustomed to the new product. Apple doesn’t advertise to reach out to its first customers but use it to help their first customers reach out to the rest. Apple’s marketing is so consumer-oriented that people buy their products even before seeing it. This happens when people market products for the consumers. An example of this is 250000 iPhone sales on the first day prove the success of their marketing strategy. Apple is, without doubt, the most successful consumer electronics company but it focuses primarily on business-to-consumer market. In my opinion, Apple should partner with other companies and also focus on business-to-business market. Partnering with other companies would enable Apple to grow its business through joint initiatives. For example, recently Nokia has partnered with Microsoft which enables it to become a massive force in the Smartphone industry, the advantages are numerous, both companies can exploit each other’s best resources and get ahead of the competitors. If apple caters to business to business market, it would be a new horizon for the company to grow. There is a lot of potential in Business to business market as the firms are becoming more aware of creating and maintaining competitive edge through being agile towards new technology. These strategies will not only boost its profits but will also help them create more innovative products like they did when they partne red with Intel and HP. I believe that Apple has become a market leader of business-to-consumer market and now, it should also work towards becoming the market leader of business-to-business market. Industry Analysis: Above 100 million iPods have been sold already since 2006. On the contrary statistics show that game consoles sold in 2006 stood at 26 million, digital cameras at 94 million, mp3 players at 135 million with iPods commanding an 80% market share and PCS sold at 209 million. Mobile phones sold at 957 million.

HOW WAS THE TRIPARTITE FINANCIAL SYSTEM CREATED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Essay

HOW WAS THE TRIPARTITE FINANCIAL SYSTEM CREATED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IT'S ROLE IF ANY IN THE CREDIT CRUNCH (BUSINESS AND LAW SUBJECTS) - Essay Example In fact it is found that the credit crisis is actually the result of poor regulatory process of these countries’ financial systems. This research is all about the Tripartite Financial System which was developed in UK in 1997. Prior to the period of recent financial crisis, it was apparently seemed that the system is quite effective in maintaining the stability in the UK financial system. However once the credit crisis started the actual effectiveness of the tripartite system came out. This research is started with a proper plan. A specific research statement is developed. Aims and objectives of the research are then properly identified. Precise research strategy and philosophy have been followed throughout the research. Data are collected in the pre-defined ways. A well structured literature review includes the detailed description of the topic. Finally the research ends with a proper conclusion. This research mainly focuses on the Tripartite Financial System and its role in the recent credit crunch in UK. The specific research statement is â€Å"how tripartite financial system was created in UK and its part in credit crunch†. The major aim and objective of this research is to identify all those processes and incidents that led to the formation of tripartite financial system. Furthermore the research also aims to find out the significance of this system in the recent credit crisis situation in United Kingdom. Each and every research is based on certain philosophy. In fact researches can be categorized into different types according to their philosophy. There are mainly two philosophical paradigm – phenomenological and positivist. In the first type of research, world is considered as an external object. Furthermore he/she should be independent. Most importantly in this type of research focus should be on facts. Furthermore the researcher should also focus on

Making the Decision Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Making the Decision - Research Paper Example Therefore, this approach can be leveraged to enhance the managerial staff. In most organizations, the managers make difficult decisions regarding the finance department. Therefore, the analytical approach is quite efficient in solving the financial predicaments. Research asserts that managers who employ the analytical technique always arrive at the best alternatives and solutions (Nowduri, 2010). Research asserts that team projects are common in the contemporary business world. There are several decision-making strategies that can be employed in team-decision making. Team leaders should ensure maximum participation during the decision-making procedure. Voting can also be employed especially when there are several conflicting opinions amongst the members of the team. Furthermore, the team leader can also use other anonymous contributions in order to ensure that the decisions made are from experts. The leader of the team can also establish group priorities, which help the team in selecting the best options from various alternatives. These decision-making strategies are quite useful in the decision-making procedure (Lunenburg, 2010). Geogr, E. (2012). Managing communities and managing knowledge: Strategic decision making and store network investment within retail multinationals. Journal of Economic Geography, 12(2), 539-565. doi:10.1093/jeg/lbr038 Lunenburg, F. C. (2010). Group decision making: The potential for groupthink. International Journal of Management, Business, and Administration, 13(1), 1-5. Retrieved from http://www.nationalforum.com/Electronic%20Journal%20Volumes/Lunenburg,%20Fred%20C.%20Group%20Decision%20Making%20IJMBA%20V13%20N1%202010.pdf Nowduri, S. (2010). Management information systems and business decision making: Review, analysis, and recommendations. Journal of Management and Marketing Research. Retrieved

Find article themes, analyze, critique, synthesize and write a Essay

Find article themes, analyze, critique, synthesize and write a conclusion - Essay Example Another theme in the readings, developed through March and Olsen is institutionalism, which the authors define as a study of political entities and their relationships, through theoretical concepts and formulated hypotheses (2005). Institutionalization establishes constraints within which actors in an economic system (Ingram and Silverman, 2002). Closely related to these themes is the theme of susceptible governance whose remedy is an extensive network through â€Å"collaboration† and â€Å"performance management systems† (Imperial, 2004, p. 4). The theme is evident among practitioners as they seek to achieve better governance in an environment that experience forces from both public and private sectors. Significance of relationships between members of the networks through mutual benefit is another theme that the readings establish through Stephenson’s article (n.d.) and Milward support through his proposed guide to manager’s selection and application of c ollaborative networks (2006). Virtual networks through technology promote the networking (Alstyne 1997). The theme of economic governance is also significant in the readings and is developed through Mintzberg’s article (1996). ... The concept of market failure is a tool to government’s intervention in the economy but its validity and application is questioned. While the market failure concept initially guided government’s point of intervention to regulate the economy, its role diversified to determination of intervention strategies while little attention has been paid to the concept’s validity and empirical and theoretical background into the concept do not exist. Existence of discrepancies, contrary to expectations under mixed market in which forced interact to ensure efficient resource allocation, shows that the market failure concept has failed. Government’s efforts to use the concepts towards resource allocation and optimization of social benefits have also failed and this discredits validity of the concept as applied by the government. Regulations towards environmental conservation such as taxes to curtail excessive pollution have for instance failed to identify inadequacy of t he market failure concept (Vogel, 2009). Existence of externalities also challenges applicability of the market failure concept because it induces the need for a wider perspective to determining market failure (Tragakes, 2011). These challenges to the market failure concept therefore supports the proposal that the concept is ineffective and are consistent with Zerbe and McCurdy’s perspective that the government misuses the concept to justify its intervention in the economy. The theme of unreasonable use of the market failure concept is also evident in the readings and while it offers a basis for criticizing governance, it does not disqualify the need for government intervention in the economy. This position is informed because the society expects government intervention to ensure fair

Patterns of international trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Patterns of international trade - Essay Example China, which experienced rapid development over the last fifty years which catapulted it into the position of the second most powerful economy, continues to cultivate a strong relationship with Latin American countries in the 21st century. Globalisation avails numerous challenges as well as opportunities for countries that wish to develop greater trading experiences even if they are located in different parts of the world. Globalisation has also brought about the phenomenon of economic interdependence which encourages nations from all over the world to seek for trading ties with each other. While seeking to further develop their cooperative relationship, both Latin American countries and China are faced with different challenges and have to find strategic ways of overcoming these issues in order to mutually benefit from their trading relationships. Even though the Latin American region is culturally as well as geographically disparate from China, their governments have been successful in establishing trading relationships with each other since the days of yore. The first recorded exchange between Latin America and China is said to have taken place in the mid-16th century. This exchange resulted in the creation of a trade route, identified as ‘the Sea Silk Road’, which ran across the Pacific Ocean. This route would pass through the Philippines (Rosales and Kuwayama 2012). This route was used by the Chinese merchants to ferry commodities like textiles, embroidery, and flatware to Latin America, which was then identified as being part of the New World. The Chinese would then be rewarded with goods such as maize, silvers, and tobacco by nations like Peru and Mexico. These were loaded in carracks which were then given to the Chinese. In 1840, at the end of the Opium War, there were numerous Chinese labourers who were r elocated to Latin America for work purposes. These labourers would contribute significantly to the region’s cultural as

Co-workers spending too much time on personal devices or social Research Paper

Co-workers spending too much time on personal devices or social networks, leading to distractions in the office - Research Paper Example This paper includes a discussion on some of the ways these devices and social networking websites lead to distractions in offices. The paper also includes a discussion on the ways the use of these devices and social networks can be limited in offices. Introduction In today's faced paced world, the use of technology has become a need for every individual from any field of life. Students, businesspersons, and employees all make use of different types of technologies to carry out their personal and professional activities. However, sometimes use of these technologies at places where they should not be used leads to problems. For example, use of mobile phones and other personal devices at work lead to distractions in offices when people use these devices for personal matters instead of focusing on work and assigned job responsibilities. It has become a critical need for managers and employers to develop and implement such policies at workplaces, which should be able to bring down the use of personal devices at offices. Let us discuss some of the ways personal devices and social networks used by colleagues lead to distractions in offices. Impact of Personal Devices The impact of the use of personal devices, such as, mobile phones, laptops, and disc players in offices is never positive on the efficiency level of employees. The reason is that the use of such devices at workplaces deviate the attention and focus of colleagues away from their job responsibilities, which not only results in decreasing their efficiency level but also shifts down the company’s level of productivity. Companies are at risk of losing millions of dollars each year through decreased level of employee productivity caused by digital distractions (Anderson 1). Some colleagues make personal calls while sitting in their offices because of which they cannot perform their required official tasks within time. For example, if a customer representative officer starts making a long personal call wh ile sitting in office, he/she will not be in the position to focus properly towards the incoming official calls in that time. The result in such cases is late delivery of work to managers or customers. Similarly, some colleagues use laptops in offices for purposes other than the official ones. The result is again delayed completion of assigned tasks. Moreover, some colleagues like to hear songs at workplace using headphones. This also results in distracting their attention away from work. The use of personal devices at work can also lead to severe accidents at the workplace. A number of cases have occurred in the last few years where a minor distraction from official task because of cell phone or other personal devices have resulted in severe workplace accidents. For example, an incident occurred in California in 2007 where an employee responsible for operating the sugarcane-chopping machine in a mill cut his left hand because he put his hand within the choppers unintentionally bein g busy in a personal call while operating the machine. This is just a single case out of many where little distractions have caused major injuries to employees. Such cases speak strongly in favor of putting a complete ban on the use of personal devices at the workplace. Impact of Social Networks The impact of using social networking websites, such as, Facebook or Twitter in offices is also not positive on the efficiency and attention of

Rationalism vs. Empiricism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rationalism vs. Empiricism - Essay Example . Contrary to empiricists, rationalists embrace deduction. This means being able to prove something by relying on certainty and not reason. For instance, Descartes relied on deductive reasoning as a way of proving God’s existence. Conversely, empiricism denotes a belief in the sense perception as the source of knowledge. For example, John Locke explained this belief by dividing sense perception into two parts that include simple and complex ideas. The simple ideas emerge from only on perception. This may include for example, perception of color or size. On the other hand, complex ideas are derived by combining the simple ideas (Alexander 58). Further, another belief that separates empiricism from rationalism involves the acquisition of ideas through experience. In essence, ideas according to empiricists, are not acquired through an innate process. Empiricism does not embrace innate ideas in the sense that, knowledge varies. For instance, a child’s mind is a tabula rasa, but learns from experience. In essence, if they possess the knowledge, they should use it from the start. According to Lock, simple ideas emanate from experience, and those ideas are combined to form complex ideas. In addition, empiricism contrary to rationalism endorse a belief in induction. This is the belief that only a few phenomenon are proven conclusively. For example, people identify things through their sense perception. However, most perceptions cannot be concluded to agree with the objects being perceived (Alexander 65).

Project Management Skills Task Coursework Essay

Project Management Skills Task Coursework - Essay Example In the light of the fact that, it should be emphasized that some tools are not suitable for the tasks of such a nature, additional tools will be required for controlling the project management execution. Moreover, these additional tools will be needed for proper tracking of the planned activities, while standard tools and charts can be applied as the project implementation planning tools mainly. This can be explained by the fact that IT projects that involve several aspects (preparation, installation, adjustment and customization, teaching, servicing), and the team is small enough, the tasks should be divided into several sub-tasks for proper project management. The key defined tools involve Gantt Chart, Logic Network, PERT chart, PBS and WBS. As a rule, these are universal control and execution planning tools, nevertheless, there is a need to divide the project into several sub-tasks, delegate the responsibility for executing several sub-tasks simultaneously, as well as consider eff ective risk management options. Risk management may be regarded as an essential part of the overall project implementation. This is explained by the fact that the credibility of risk emerging is higher than zero. Additionally, the initial circumstances of the project implementation presuppose sufficient risks for the timely execution of all the project phases. Tools Analysis Gantt Chart This type of project management tools is regarded as one of the classic instruments. As a rule, most project management practices are associated with dividing the project into several phases, and Gantt Chart is the best tool for controlling the implementation of every particular phase. It is suitable for controlling the implementation of the subtasks, while the overall project management should be executed by the means of additional tools. Considering the pros and cons of the tool, it should be emphasized that the Gantt Chart has become a universal and simple tool for defining the â€Å"skeletonâ₠¬  of the project, additionally, its functionality may be extended which offers a wide range of additional opportunities. Bolles and Hubbard (2007) emphasize that Gantt Chart is regarded as a reliable tool for small projects, since a restricted amount of activities can fit the tool format perfectly. On the other hand, projects with several subtasks can become messed. This is explained by the fact that the breakdown structure is often defined simultaneously with the project scheduling, while these activities can be performed sequentially only: scheduling after breakdown structure creation. Moreover, the tool does not allow including sufficient project data. (Pinto, 2002) In fact, it may be included, though the project may become too heavy and entangled, which complicates the communication process seriously. Since the key phases of the project are mainly associated with upgrading and adjusting computers, the Gantt Chart will not be an effective tools, as sufficient preparation work s hould be done. The preparation phase involves: 1. Collecting accurate database of the machines 2. Defining the optimal upgrade algorithm 3. Creating the training program 4. Matching the working schedule of the departments with the project activities Chart Phase Week1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Database collection ? ? Training development ? ? ? Scheduling ? ? Upgrade ?

Assessment of Patients Perceptions Essay Example for Free

Assessment of Patients Perceptions Essay Caring has been widely discussed in the health care professions, especially in nursing which is considered to be one of the caring professions (Boykin and Schoenhofer 2001). Watson (1985) describes caring as a moral ideal of nursing. According to Watson, caring preserves human dignity in cure dominated health care systems and becomes a standard by which cure is measured (Watson 1988c, p. 177). Research literature indicates that the assessment of quality of care from the patient’s perspective has been operationalised as patient satisfaction (Dufrene 2000). Nurse caring has been related to patient satisfaction in western literature (Wolf et al 2003; Wolf et al 1998; Forbes and Brown 1995; Boyle et al 1989). There are so many factors that influence patients’ perceptions of care given by the opposite sex. Some of these are: Age, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic and health status. The most consistent finding has been related to age. Older patients tend to be more satisfied with their health care. Studies that have looked at ethnicity have generally held that being a member of a minority group is associated with lower rates of satisfaction. Studies on the effect of gender show that women tend to be less satisfied and other studies show the opposite. Most studies have found that individuals of lower socio-economic status and less education tend to be less satisfied with their health care. Other studies have shown that poorer satisfaction with care is associated with experiencing worry, depression, fear or hopelessness, as is having a psychiatric diagnosis such as schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder or drug abuse. Health status can greatly influence satisfaction of an individual (Hall, 1990). It is important to examine the relationships of nurse caring to patient satisfaction in Cape Coast because of severe staff shortages, heavy workload, and low salaries in Cape Coast Hospitals. Nursing literature had long recognized importance of these perceptions as major factors militating against prompt and effective service delivery in the care environment. One of the critical roles and ethics of the nurse is to treat all patients irrespective of their gender, colour, creed, political inclination and religious affiliations. High quality nurse-client communication is the backbone of the art and science of nursing. It has a significant impact on patient well-being as well as the quality and outcome of nursing care, and is related to patients’ overall satisfaction with their care. The maintenance of high nurse patient communication also depends on the nurse and patient. The quality of care in a hospital has been shown to be influenced by several factors including: inadequate nursing staff, lack of regular water supply on wards, too much nursing documentation, too long waiting time, and lack of specialized nurses. In Ghana, there is crisis in nurse-client communication evidence from four sources. These are personal observation, anecdotes from client and their families, media reports, and official health reports. Although there is ample evidence to demonstrate that most nurses are females, one cannot discount the enormous services that male nurses provide irrespective of their gender. The ever increasing number of female nurses compared to male nurses in our wards, coupled with patient dissatisfaction toward treatment received has raised a lot of questions as to whether there is a perceived idea that male nurses offer better care or otherwise. With the introduction of Health Insurance a few years ago, more patients report to the hospital and are also consciously aware of their rights and responsibilities as patients and hence will demand for better service delivery from care givers. Recently, patient dissatisfaction has been on the ascendancy in several hospitals across Ghana including University of Cape Coast Hospital. This has raised a lot of concerns about the perceptions patients have regarding the care given by male nurses.

Structure And Properties Of Ibuprofen

Structure And Properties Of Ibuprofen Ibuprofen, which is a member of the propionic acid group of Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, drugs (NSAIDs). Ibuprofen is a racemic mixture of [+]S- and [-]R-enantiomers. Ibuprofen contains contains a stereocenter in the ÃŽ ±-position of the  propionate  moiety. Studies shown that [+]S -ibuprofen was the active form and it showed activity in both in-vivo and in-vitro. Ibuprofen is white to off-white in colour and occurs as a crystalline powder, with a melting point of 74 ° to 77 °C. It is practically insoluble in water, but readily soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol and acetone. Ibuprofen has a pKa value of 4.43 ±0.03 and an n-octanol/water partition coefficient of 11.7 at pH 7.4. The chemical name for ibuprofen is ( ±)-2-(p-iso-butylphenyl) propionic acid. The molecular weight of ibuprofen is 206.28. Its molecular formula is C13H1802. Mechanism of action The major action of Ibuprofen and all other Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and is the inhibition of the cyclooxygenase enzyme or the COX enzymes and hence inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandins. These cyclooxygenase enzymes catalyse the reaction of synthesis of prostaglandins and thromboxanes from arachidonic acid, which in turn is synthesized from phospholipids by the action of the phospholipase enzyme. The prostaglandins and thromboxanes are then responsible for the synthesis of various inflammatory mediators. There are two types of cyclooxygenase enzymes namely, cyclooxygenase enzyme-I (COX-I) and cyclooxygenase enzyme-II (COX-II). COX-I is a constitutive enzyme which is released in most of the body tissues including the blood platelets. COX-I performs a house-keeping role in the body and is involved in the tissue homeostasis. Whereas, COX-II is present in the inflammatory cells and is responsible for the production of prostanoid mediators, which are responsible for inf lammation, pain and fever. Therefore, inhibition of the COX-II leads to the anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic and analgesic activity of ibuprofen and whereas on the other hand, inhibition of COX-II is responsible for the unwanted effects of ibuprofen in the gastric mucosa and on platelet aggregation. In 2002, a study reported that, ibuprofen selectively inhibits a new variant  of the  COX enzyme that was totally different  from the  then known two variants of cyclooxygenase enzymes, the COX-I and  COX-II. This iso-enzyme is now referred as the COX-III enzyme. Study also showed that this COX-III enzyme was only expressed in the  brain and  in the  spinal cord. Its exact  mechanism  and actions is still poorly understood, but future research  may provide  further insight into how it works. A study on rats has shown that administration of ibuprofen increases the  bioavailability of serotonin (5-HT) in rats and evidence for a similar mechanism  in humans was also found. Chronic ibuprofen doses in rat showed down-regulation of central 5-HT2A receptors and  an increase  in the  number of serotonin transporter proteins. In 2006, a study showed that ibuprofen is converted to N-arachidonoyl phenolamine, or AM404, a compound known as an endogenous cannabinoid reuptake inhibitor and it indirectly activates the  CB-I cannabinoid receptor, resulting  in analgesia. This activity was proven through the  induction of a CB-I receptor antagonist  which  resulted in the  reversal of the  analgesic action  of ibuprofen. Pharmacokinetics Absorption Ibuprofen is well absorbed from the gastro intestinal tract. The peak plasma level of ibuprofen is reached within 1 to 2 hours. It was shown in a study that absorption of ibuprofen is faster in fasting conditions. Food affects the rate of absorption of ibuprofen but the extent of absorption remains unchanged. The study also showed that, ibuprofen when administered with food delays the time taken for peak plasma concentration by approximately 30-60 minutes. Distribution Ibuprofen like the other agents of its class is highly protein bound. It was found in a study that about 90-99% of ibuprofen was protein bound at a concentration of 20 µg/ml and this binding was non-linear. The volume of distribution ibuprofen changes with age and fever conditions. Studies reveal that febrile childrens less than 11 years old have volume of distribution approximately 0.2 L/kg, while adults have volume of distribution approximately 0.12 L/kg. Metabolism Ibuprofen is extensively metabolised in the liver to form inactive metabolic compounds. Ibuprofen is mainly metabolised by glucoronidation reaction. A study showed that majority of the ibuprofen dose was recovered in the urine as hydroxy phenyl propionic acid (25%) and carboxy propyl phenyl propionic acid (37%) metabolites. Elimination Ibuprofen and its inactive metabolites are rapidly and completely excreted by the kidney. About 95% of the administered dose of ibuprofen is eliminated in the urine. The elimination half-life of ibuprofen is in the range of 1.9 hours to 2 hours. Pharmacological activity Ibuprofen has the following pharmacological actions on the biological system Antipyretic effect Analgesic effect Anti-inflammatory effect Antipyretic effect A normal body temperature is regulated by a centre in the hypothalamus that ensures a balance between heat loss and heat production in the body. Therefore, the hypothalamus maintains a normal temperature of the body and thus it acts as a thermostat. When there is a disturbance in this hypothalamic thermostat, temperature of the body set by the hypothalamus is raised, fever occurs. Ibuprofen and other Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reset this rise in the temperature. It regulates various temperature regulatory mechanisms such as dilation of superficial blood vessels, sweating etc. to reduce the temperature. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs do not affect the normal temperature. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs are thought to act as antipyretic agents by inhibiting the prostaglandin production in the hypothalamus. During an inflammatory reaction, the bacterial endotoxins cause a release of a pyrogen-IL-1 from macrophages. This release of pyrogen stimulates the generation of E-type prostaglandins in the hypothalamus, this in turn causes the elevation of temperature. There are evidences that prostaglandins are not the only mediators of fever, hence ibuprofen and other NSAIDs may have some alternate mechanisms for their antipyretic activity which is not yet known. Analgesic effect Ibuprofen is mainly effective against pain associated with inflammation or tissue damage. This is due to the inhibition of prostaglandins that sensitise nociceptors to inflammatory mediators such as bradykinin. Therefore ibuprofen is effective against pains that are associated with increased prostaglandin synthesis. Their ability to relieve headache may be related to the inhibition of the vasodilator effect of prostaglandins on the cerebral vasculature. There are some evidences that ibuprofen have a central effect by an action mainly in the spinal cord where it inhibits the COX-III enzyme. This action of ibuprofen is not yet clearly known. Anti-inflammatory activity Many chemical mediators are released when there is a stimulus of an inflammatory and allergic response. This response leads to vasodilation, increased vascular permeability, cell accumulation, etc., which are produced by several mechanisms. Furthermore, different mediators may be of particular importance in different inflammatory and allergic conditions. Ibuprofen reduces mainly those components of the inflammatory and immune response in which mediators produced by COX-II enzyme action plays a significant part. The components inhibited by ibuprofen are vasodilation, oedema and pain. Ibuprofen has no effect on those processes which contribute to tissue damage as in chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis and nephritis. Uses of ibuprofen Ibuprofen is used to treat a wide range of illnesses such as headaches, backache, menstrual cramps, dental pain, neuralgia, rheumatic pain, muscular pain, migraine, arthritis and athletic injuries. Ibuprofen is also used to reduce fever and to relieve minor aches and pain caused due to common cold or flu.   In a recent study, it was found that ibuprofen was effective in the treatment of Alzheimers disease when given in low doses over a long period of time. A study also showed that ibuprofen is associated with a lower risk of Parkinsons disease, and ibuprofen may help in delaying and prevent it. . Adverse effects of Ibuprofen Ibuprofen appears to have  the  lowest  incidence of adverse  drug  reactions  (ADRs)  when compared to all other  non-selective  NSAIDs. However, this only holds  true  at lower doses of ibuprofen. Common adverse  effects of ibuprofen with the gastrointestinal tract include nausea, dyspepsia, heartburn, gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, stomach pain. Effects on central nervous system include headache, dizziness, fatigue and nervousness. Hypersensitivity reactions include skin rashes, itching. In very rare cases ex-foliative dermatitis and epidermal necrolysis has been observed. Infrequent  adverse  effect includes- oesophageal ulceration, heart failure, hyperkalaemia, renal impairment, confusion,  bronchospasm, and  salt and  fluid retention [11] Photosensitivity Like the other agents of the NSAIDs,  ibuprofen has also been reported to be  a photosensitising  agent.[12][13]  However, this only rarely occurs with ibuprofen and  it is considered to be  a very weak photosensitising  agent  when compared with other members of Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This is because the  ibuprofen molecule contains  only a single phenyl moiety and  no  bond  conjugation,  resulting  in a very weak chromophore system and  a very weak absorption spectrum  which  does not reach  into the  solar spectrum. Cardiovascular risk Ibuprofen has been reported to elevate the  risk  of myocardial infarction,  particularly among  those taking chronically  high  doses of ibuprofen [14] Risk in pregnancy Studies have  found an increased risk  of miscarriage  with the  use of ibuprofen in early pregnancy; however, there are no thorough findings in  this association.  There are also  concerns  that drugs such  as ibuprofen may interfere with implantation of the  early foetus, although a clear risk has not been established. When ibuprofen is used as directed in the  first  and  second trimester of pregnancy,  it is not associated with an increased risk  for birth defects. However, ibuprofen is generally not used  during  pregnancy because there are concerns  with their  use during  the  third trimester. Ibuprofen Overdose Ibuprofen is the most commonly and widely used Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent all over the world. Since, ibuprofen was licensed as an over the counter drug, ibuprofen overdose became a common phenomenon. The most common symptoms of ibuprofen overdose are unsteadiness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, gastrointestinal, nausea plus vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, probable loss of blood in intestinal areas or stomach or both, headache, agitation, drowsiness, incoherence and confusion etc. Sometimes more serious symptoms are also noticed in some victims, such as seizure, gastrointestinal bleeding, metabolic acidosis, respiratory depression, hyperkalaemia, tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, coma, hepatic dysfunction, renal failure, cyanosis, and cardiac arrest etc., however these symptoms are very rare. The  severity of symptoms varies with the ingested dose  and  the  time elapsed. However, individual sensitivity also plays  an important  role. Generally,  the  symptoms observed with an overdose  of ibuprofen are similar to the  symptoms caused by  an overdose of other NSAIDs. Doses of ibuprofen below 100 mg/kg are less likely to produce any toxic effects. But doses of ibuprofen above 400 mg/kg are considered an overdose and can result into any of the above consequences.

Ethics and Reality TV

Ethics and Reality TV Abstract Reality TV, like many other postmodern spectacles, operates on a deeply tenuous and ambiguous ethical grounding. On the one hand, the audience / creator model of exploitation can be seen as providing the viewer with entertainment and escapism. On the other it can be said to create a system of dependency and artificial need. The ethics of participation in game show style reality offers a similar contradiction which is dependent upon whether participants are free to choose, or whether they are in fact coerced by elements beyond their control. This dissertation will look at the various factors and paradigms (psychoanalytical, Marxist, poststructuralist) that constitute this model of reality. This requires a certain concretisation of terms such as ethics, and of what constitutes â€Å"reality† itself. The dissertation will also look at the politics of reality TV itself – namely, does Reality TV constitute a unique event in the development of television, or does it merely re flect a continuation for television producers to create ever more innovative methods of keeping our interests satiated? Is Reality TV itself the origin of the moral crimes, or is Reality TV merely a reflection of the ethical climate of capitalism in which we live? Finally, the dissertation will look at the possible futures for â€Å"reality† TV. Methodology As this dissertation is largely discursive in nature, and involves a widespread discussion of general philosophical and ethical themes, I will purely refer to secondary material. This will be assisted by the large and abundant materials that exist on the matter of â€Å"Reality† TV, ethics, and the conjoining of the two. I will use library materials, newspaper and magazine materials, as well as the raw footage of the Reality TV itself to generate an opinion and an overall discussion about the general impacts, considerations and ethical standards of reality TV, and whether constructive change is a) desirable and b) possible. What are Ethics? Ethics have proven to be a central part of philosophical enquiry for thousands of years. As such, it would be useful to summarize what and how this theory has developed over the years, and what tends to form the debate around â€Å"ethics† now. This is essential in order to gauge the relationship between â€Å"good† ethical conduct and the recent phenomenon of reality TV. Ethics was originally conceived as a way to engage with morals – literally, it can be seen as an attempt to establish a â€Å"moral philosophy† for living, and is concerned about notions such as what is right and what is wrong. It exposes the various difficulties between making certain decisions or of living life in a particular way. Understandably, the concept and the notion of good moral behaviour and bad moral behaviour have changed radically since the initial formulation of Western ethics in Ancient Greece over 2000 years ago. While modern moral reasoning bases its understandings upon the writings of Plato and Aristotle, it has mutated radically as regards to who the subject of the writing actually is concerned with. Whereas Plato, Aristotle and the ancient Greeks were concerned more about the self – e.g. how to morally explain the individual – whereas the modern ethical practice is more concerned about how to treat others in the first instance. Annette Hill comments that â€Å"Modern moral philosophy is therefore primarily about public good, and the development of moral values within particular social, political and cultural groups, and also within particular secular societies.† (2005, p. 110). Rather than acting, then justifying behaviour, modern ethics are primarily concerned about what exactly one should do in the first place, and is about the relationship between the self and society, the promotion of the notion of the â€Å"public good†, and of partaking in particular acts, often against the self or the will that would otherwise have a harmful effect on society. Major paradigmatic models incorporate this model of public good into their progressive ideologies. Central to the Marxist model (which I will be later applying to the phenomenon of reality TV), is the relationship between the working classes and the ruling classes. This is argued in Marx as being ethically dubious, because while the proletariat are enslaved by the capitalist system by their work, the ruling classes benefit from this relationship infinitely. Therefore, from a Marxist context, capitalism and the ways in which this model distributes wealth can be seen as the primary mechanism from which morality is corrupted. Similarly, religion and faith is often touted as â€Å"scapegoats† for unethical behaviour. The existentialist Friedrich Nietzsche formulated his own quasi-religion / moral philosophy based on the concepts of the Ubermensch and the theories of eternal recurrence. His position is existential, and forms a central part of what constitutes ethical matters today. Existentialism is, put simply, a belief that man creates his own belief systems. The existence of something precedes its essence; namely, the process of doing something is more important than the assignation of certain methods of thinking or reasoning behind it. A person is not innately good, but instead he acts good. Robert Anton Wilson (1990) comments that â€Å"Nietszsche’s existentialism (1) attacked the floating abstractions of traditional philosophy and a great deal of what passes as ‘common sense’ (e.g. he rejected the terms ‘good’, ‘evil’, ‘the real world’, and even the ego.) (2) also preferred concrete analysis of real life situations [†¦] and (3) attacked Christianity, rather than defending it† (14-15). As such, an existential critique of reality TV would tend to eschew concrete moral conclusion based on the grounding that reality TV exploits people, and therefore it is bad – moreover, the pheno menon of reality TV is based upon a number of larger social trends and mechanisms; a whole system of belief that doesn’t necessarily taint reality, but actually comprises of reality. Therefore, the existentialist may attack Reality TV, but Nietzsche would presumably argue that it is an expression of human will, Marx would argue that it represents merely an extension of the capitalism that seeks to exploit the workers and Kierkegaard would argue that his role is to determine that people have the choice to make their own decisions. Both Nietzsche and Kierkegaard were not concerned about notions of abstract truth – they were existential insofar as their concern was about day to day existence. In the absence of the notion of truth, over Nietzsche’s â€Å"will to power† and Kierkegaard’s system of choice and personal autonomy, the system of modern moral philosophy was overturned by the new ethical paradigm. Nietszche argued that the ubermensch would not do bad things because it would be detrimental to his own will to power; a moral system of good and bad is, ultimately, irrelevant to the ubermensch, because the parameters of decision-making have been changed. This ethical reasoning in many ways bled into the individualism of psychoanalysis, which is a factor that comes into play in a great many of the reality TV programmes: as I will argue later, the obsession in reality TV with rendering perverse the Freudian neuroses (described by him as anal, oral and genital fixations), combined with the capitalist, consumerist desire to pacify the â€Å"slaves† within the semiotic network that constitutes television, creates a scenario whereby the human self is rendered obscene. A psychoanalytical analysis of Reality TV creates many discrepancies; moreover, it is the combination of pacifying the autonomous will of the individual, combined with the exposition of Freudian unconscious â€Å"discoveries† that makes reality TV objectionable to mainstream technical issues. However, before I try to extrapolate the various issues at stake in the arguments for and against reality TV, the concept of reality TV, in particular what the term â€Å" reality† means in this context, has to be explored. What is the â€Å"reality† in Reality TV? Jean Baudrillard and other philosophers coined â€Å"poststructuralist† by Western scholars would undoubtedly be impressed by the ironical use of the term â€Å"reality† in reality TV. One of Jean Baudrillard’s key issues is the argument for â€Å"hyperreality†. He suggests in Simulacra and Simulation (1994) that the hyperreal is â€Å"real without origin or reality† (1). Indeed, the concept of â€Å"reality† TV where participants are asked to stay in an enclosed space for weeks on end and told to do surrealistic things (Big Brother), or to stay on a desert island (Temptation Island, Survivor) is unreal in itself, but the term â€Å"reality† instead applies to the logic that contestants exist rather than actors or performers. It is a â€Å"genre† of TV in which the controlled amateurish quality of the programme is exaggerated into a package of neuroses that have usurped and transcended reality itself. Secondly, TV is edited, dis seminated and packaged in a particular way that, according to Baudrillard, substitutes itself for reality; in one judgement of hyperreality, Baudrillard suggests that it represents â€Å"more real than real†, and eventually usurps reality. The concept of â€Å"reality† in reality TV destroys the â€Å"sovereign difference† between the map and the territory (1994, 2). As such, reality TV exists as an exemplar of this particular moment in late capitalism where the simulation of reality has evaded and transcended the real itself. To stress this theory further, I will look more generally at what Baudrillard means by hyperreality, and cite some further examples of how this theory can be established. Like Nietzsche, Baudrillard begins with an interrogation of the â€Å"real world†, arguing that because our perceptions of reality are rooted in semiotic languages and discursive structures, that the concept of an external, objective reality outside of the self can not be established, and merely bases itself upon a chimera or a lie. Instead, Baudrillard argues that reality is merely a system of communication, in which reality has become a commodified, capitalistic device. In The System of Objects, Baudrillard offers a critique of the advertising industry. While many of the images used by, say, the automobile industry are deliberately faked or exaggerated, the nature of this exaggeration, and the extent to which these images are promoted over and above the actual reality of what the car is (ultimately, a device for getting from one place to another), the specific, advertised car itself becomes an impossible object – a representation of reality that lies beyond reality itself. For instance, recent advertising that features a car that transforms into a dolphin does not have any prescience in reality, nor does it even attempt to establish itself as real. Instead, it embodies in the vehicle certain images or â€Å"realities† that, acc ording to Baudrillard, become reality and, as such, substitute reality for a marketed, plasticised illusion that â€Å"represents† reality to a greater degree. This theory can be extended to encompass many other factors that seem based upon manufacturing and colonising the real. Pornography represents a reality of sex that transcends and usurps sex itself; a soft drink with a non-existent flavour, such as â€Å"wild ice zest berry† (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperreality) creates a â€Å"reality† in linguistic terms that has no relationship to â€Å"modern† as opposed to â€Å"postmodern† reality. Again, advertising generates a reality that exaggerates and simulates the real in totality; there is no attempt made to reproduce reality, but instead signs and signification operate within themselves, applying to only their own logic. This reality can be seen in terms of reality TV as well. Programmes such as Survivor, Big Brother and other reality TV programmes that synthesise the game show format tend to exaggerate the realities of the participants. The world in which these â€Å"real† people interact is one which is completely fabricated, usually to exaggerate some narrative or mythological scenario which the viewer is undoubtedly familiar with. Big Brother, for instance, plays with the familiar Orwellian notion of total surveillance and dystopia – Survivor plays on the themes of the desert island, featured in many historical and literary myths that date back to the Bible. As such, depending on what opinions we have about what reality constitutes, these types of program are undoubtedly far off the mark. Post-production techniques are used to exaggerate the dramatic tensions between people; often people who would ordinarily have no contact are forced into relationships with one another, and it has been insinuated that certain parts of reality TV are scripted beforehand, in order to prevent the programme from becoming tedious or formulaic. What does this development in the notion of â€Å"reality† do to a discussion of the ethics of reality TV? Firstly, the production processes of reality TV are heavily reliant upon advertisers and private corporations concerned about making money. Such companies do not generally have too scrupulous a reputation for ethical marketing or behaviour. Product placement is a regular feature in reality TV, which, if looked at from a Marxist point of view, leads to the synthesis of what is seen as common sense â€Å"reality† and of corporate desire. The existential view of reality, while in a kind of agreement with the ambiguity of reality TV, would argue that reality as it is presented here merely represents a faith or a religion that substitutes the pure will (choice or autonomy) of the individual into a scenario where all things are scripted, edited and controlled by forces that depend upon the viewer becoming pacified and infantilized. I argue that the reality in reality TV merely represents a particular version of reality. As post-structuralist philosophy would suggest, the notion of objective reality in the postmodern age is simply a psychologically, sociologically and metaphysically attuned network that serves to create a religion or a mythical structure of â€Å"truth† and â€Å"reality†. While Nietzsche would argue that Reality TV subdues the personal will, and of human folly and weakness, reducing the viewer to the level of passive consumer, he would also argue that it is not the ethical place of people to assume that this dynamic of â€Å"exploitation† (as Marxists would posit) is necessarily wrong. Indeed, criticisms of Nietzsche’s critiques of Christianity, while vitriolic and hateful in tone, overlook the simple premise that Nietzsche’s intention himself was not to create a system of objective truth himself. Because, as he postulates in Beyond Good and Evil: â€Å"In the womb of being, rather, in the intran sitory, in the hidden god, in the ‘thing in itself’ – that is where their cause must lie and nowhere else! – This mode of judgement constitutes the typical prejudice by which metaphysicians of all ages can be recognized; this mode of evaluation stands in the background of all their logical procedures; it is on account of this their ‘faith’ that they concern themselves with their ‘knowledge’, with something that is at last solemnly baptized ‘the truth’† (1973, 34). As such, the creation of truth, upon which grounds Nietzsche was sorely condemned for throughout the 20th century, was not Nietzsche’s central desire – indeed, the establishment of a particular truth ignores Nietzsche’s attempts to negate the this preoccupation with â€Å"truth† and â€Å"reality† present in the mind of the â€Å"metaphysician† and the abstract philosopher. The existentialist is not concerned a bout abstractions, but instead he is concerned about the establishment of productive myths. In this respect, the â€Å"reality† of reality TV (at least where participants and audience are volunteers) is real and, dependent upon how greatly you herald such issues as personal autonomy cannot be anything but a moral, voluntary exchange. Marxism and the streams of thinkers that have come to be associated with Marxism tend to think very differently about the self. Socialist philosophy suggests that the human freedoms posited by the American and British administrations during their â€Å"free† market experiments are merely a chimera designed to obfuscate and paper over the exploitative system of exchange that operates between rich and poor. Contrary to existentialism, Marxists suggest that voluntary participants (in such things as reality TV) have to adhere to some greater moral code, because the dynamic of exchange exposes basic human vulnerabilities that exist in everybody. Their concept of reality is based upon a politics of exploitation, or a dialectical exchange between two opposing factions, one of which is exploited, and the other is dominant. Such Marxist theory can be used to explore this notion of â€Å"reality† in reality TV further: the dynamic between rich and poor (used in â€Å"crude† or traditional Marxism) creates a system of exploitation between the working class and the ruling class. This can be extended into linguistics and semantic theory, and forms the central tenet of deconstructionist theory posited by Jacques Derrida. Derrida argues firstly that the structuralist theories of Ferdinand de Saussure depended upon a relationship between the signifier and the signified – namely, what is being represented and what it represents. While Saussure argued that this framework was stable, and that the signifier and the signified never changed, Derrida and the deconstructionist theorists argued that the relationship between the signifier and the signified was always subject to â€Å"play† and fluctuated constantly. Moreover, the limitations of human communication meant that our perception of the world was limited. Derrida argues that the world is conveyed in language and discourse. Derrida takes this further, arguing that Western language has always based its functionality upon what he calls â€Å"binary oppositions†, in which one is seen as inferior, while the other is seen as superior. These oppositions run the gamut of human thinking and is what abstract philosophy tends to ignore: for instance, the dichotomy between man and woman is the subject of many feminist writers: while man can give women the same material rights, linguistically, woman still represents the absence of masculinity. Similarly, reality is seen as superior to the simulacrum, as explored by Plato’s myth of the cave, in which he argues that one pure object exists, and that everything else is a copy, and therefore inferior to the real thing. Derrida argues that deconstruction provides a solution to this problem, and by exposing and making conscious these oppositions, and deliberately working against them creates a system of simultaneous difference and equality through semantic â€Å"play†. As such, the ethical concept or exchange between the directors of reality TV, the participants and the audience create an interesting dynamic of exploitation that tends to eschew simple ethical thinking. To say that these reality programmes are bad ethically (a string of reasons have been posited, from the sensory deprivation of participants, to the unsavoury and voyeuristic nature of the program, to the use of the grotesque, to the implementation of torture techniques) avoids the overall issue that participation is â€Å"voluntary†. However, the previous arguments (deconstructive, Marxist, feminist, existential) all have radically different arguments as to what exactly constitutes â€Å"voluntary†; the notion of voluntary participation is a key issue in philosophical debate, and can be seen to surface in the ethics of advertising, fast food consumption and the selling of junk to young people. The question revolves around the concept of â€Å"reality†; namely, wh ether we are in control or whether our choices are determined by mechanisms and structures of power, addiction, and deep psychological needs. Reality TV argues that it exists as a form of entertainment. In the following section I will look at the dynamic of exploitation; particularly upon how reality TV exploits certain human qualities or â€Å"realities†, and renders them perverse. Reality TV: a psychoanalytical approach Reality TV, especially the phenomenon of the game show Reality TV programme, namely such programmes as Big Brother, Survivor, Big Diet, Celebrity Fat Club, Temptation Island, Bachelorette and Boot Camp exploit numerous psychoanalytical desires in order to â€Å"hystericise† reality and to render ordinary impulses and desires perverse. This exploitation, which I will argue is central to the strategy of corporatism and central to the postmodern malaise raises a number of ethical questions concerning the position of Reality TV in contemporary society, is endemic in the phenomenon of reality TV, and appears concerned primarily as either a reflection of, or a creation of, many issues that plague Western consciousness. Reality TV attacks certain concepts and, via gossip columns and TV journalism in other media, makes these things hysterical. One such topic is that of the â€Å"normal† relationship. While Big Brother tends to vet the participants based upon their position as s exually â€Å"perverse† (the last series of Big Brother featured a transsexual and several homosexuals) eccentric or colourful in order to engender conflict within the house and to maximize the entertainment value that can be derived from this â€Å"reality† that is constructed, the vision of the ordinary relationship, which occurs with relative frequency in the Big Brother house, is one that is treated with extreme shock by both participants, media, the programme makers, and eventually, the audience themselves. Jan Jagodozinki (2003) comments that â€Å"each reality game ‘hot-houses’ and hystericizes ‘normal relationships’, engendering paranoid perception where no one is to be trusted† (323). Of course, ethically this hystericisation serves the purpose many mass-mediated and televised spectacles seek to achieve. In a Marxist, postmodernist context, the media (especially the ‘modern’ mediums of television and brand advertis ing) wishes to engender a consumer whose only relationship to the outside world is through the corporatist-owned signification of signs. We are marketed towards in order to create an atomised, pseudo-individual whose only relationship to him / her self is through signification and engagement with the hyperreal. As such, consumer need is created, manufactured in the dream factory of advertising, and disseminated through mass media to create demand for a product that was, prior to the embellishment of reality through hyperrealistic signification, useless and unnecessary. Reality TV simply contributes to this feeling of post-human disgust with the mechanisms of the body and the unconscious mind. For instance, the drives expounded by Freud (labelled by him as genital, oral and anal), are attacked with frequency in a number of these TV reality shows: In Big Brother, participants are deprived of food, and are occasionally â€Å"treated† to products from the outside world when they participate in a particular task (the oral, anal dichotomy). The lack of privacy in toilets suggest the programmes obsession with these excretive functions; also, the relationships that occur among these â€Å"ordinary† people are exaggerated with an unparalleled degree of disgust and hysteria both within the programme and external to it in other â€Å"gossip† columns and TV magazines. This suggests an obsession with the genital drives that are echoed in other reality TV programmes. The hystericisation of normality â€Å"are the very symptoms that plague the American landscape, namely the preoccupation with the excesses of the drives – anal and oral (food / dieting) [†¦], genital (seduction) [†¦] trust, [†¦] extreme physical exertion [†¦] authority† (Jagodozinki 2003, 323). These drives are isolated and compounded in a manner that many would figure as unethical; the audiences watch the TV – voyeurs in their living rooms – rendering all these desires perverse and alien. The anal / oral functioning can be seen in all manner of these game show / reality TV hybrids. In Survivor, participants experience food deprivation, then are force-fed the junk food of capitalism. Reality TV provides us with either a perverse kind of promotion of these desires, or else exaggerates and satirizes these principles that already play a huge part in the advertising, producer / consumer relationship of (most of) Western society. For instance, many of these reality TV programmes are obsessed with food and excrement, the balance between which is, of course, expressed in terms of physical weight: Game show reality programmes such as Fat Club, Big Diet, Survivor and Big Brother, as well as innumerable documentaries, talk shows (Gerry Springer, Rikki Lake, Oprah Winfrey all tend to devote a disproportionate amount of time to â€Å"exposing† obesity in ways that carefully tread the dual lines of exploitation and grotesquer y, and non-pervasive exploration or passive â€Å"documentary†, often with a focus on the former) all focus on weight, eating and consumption as a mainstay of their challenges. In one edition of I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, pop-mystic and spoon bender Uri Geller was forced to eat live slugs while some other minor celebrity spent most of the programme complaining about his constipation. As such, natural processes such as eating, drinking and excreting matter becomes exaggerated to such an extent that these very bodily processes become shameful. Jagodozinki comments that â€Å"Survivor players are foced to follow exactly the same starve and binge mentality of bulemics† (2003, 321). The Freudian drives and impulses are concentrated upon by programme makers in order to engender an interest in the programme that, if it were a representation of ordinary, mundane â€Å"reality†, would presumably be too scant to provoke widespread interest. Similarly, other drives are obsessed over. The genital desires, marked by an obsession with sex, lust and seduction are exploited through programmes such as Big Brother, Temptation Island and Bachelorette, where sexual, relationship related trysts are exploited by the programme makers in order to maximise audience ratings and profits from their programme. For instance, whenever a relationship threatens to bubble over in Big Brother, the programme makers, along with the media vehicles that feature Big Brother (showbiz magazines and tabloid newspapers, for instance) tend to simultaneously glorify and pervert the developing relationship into a grotesque and abominable spectacle. Trust and paranoiac fantasies are also played with in the post-production of Big Brother. The format is automatically designed to expose hypocrisy: while participants are forced to work together and live together, participants also have to periodically vote each other out of the house. As such, issues of trust and paranoiac functions are exploited, in a microcosm, of the contemporary world that constitutes â€Å"reality† TV. As such, the difficulty with exposing the ethical indiscretion of reality TV is simply that it can either be seen as a hyperbolic reflection or satire of current prevalent trends in Western society, or that it can be seen as contributing to the effects of â€Å"consumerisation†, and can therefore be seen in the light of Marxists who approach the exploitative mechanisms of mass media with grave suspicion. Louis Althusser’s system of â€Å"interpolation† which in his words, is described as having the following relationship with ideology: â€Å"ideology interpolates the individual as subject, [†¦] this interpolation is realized in institutions, in their rituals and practices† (2001). As such, the ideology of guilt, of loathing for the body and of the consumerisation of the general public through the exploitation of these particular vulnerabilities is, according to Althusser, interpolated and disseminated through mass media, or, as he calls it, the  "ideological state apparatus†. And any form of mass media that adheres to these capitalist desires against the individual and for the â€Å"subject† is also catering to systematic oppression to the masses and is therefore morally reprehensible. So, what is the argument in favour of reality TV? Namely, that it bypasses these ideologies and instead presents us with a â€Å"reality† of ordinary people, unencumbered by the traffic of biased representation one tends to get in drama and fiction. The function of reality TV, according to this argument, is to present to people life as it really is. I would argue, however, that this is not the case for a number of reasons. The psychological stresses that subjects are put under are, in themselves, unique in these game show / reality TV programmes. It would be extraordinary to presume that everyday people would be forced to endure these psychological strains. Moreover, the dissemination and the editing of these pieces together serves a dual function: firstly, it imposes a strict narrative upon the happenings based upon a desire to entertain. Entertainment can be achieved through the exploitation and exaggerations of these specific, Freudian functions. In order to condense 24 hou rs of time into half an hour, programme makers have to edit the raw material of â€Å"reality† in a way that generates interest in the overall product. The effect of this is to highlight these desires and dramas and to generate a narrative of disgust from the raw material. As such, events are scandalised, hystericised, and processed through the â€Å"state apparatus† of Freudian drama. This is satirised in the film The Truman Show. Jagodozinki (2003) comments that â€Å"The banality of his everyday life with its mundane repetitions is the very opposite of media hype which happens off camera or is worked in ‘live’† (328). The function of this segment is to highlight the principle that these dramas are not reality; simply because the subject is â€Å"real† and falls into the pigeonhole of â€Å"non-fiction† by programmers, the ways in which these â€Å"documentaries† are assembled tend to fall into dramatic stereotypes associated with the exploitation of Freudian impulses, checked with a Marxian system of exploitation. The World Is Flat: â€Å"Infotainment† and relativism Modern news programming tends to cut and splice events of widely different qualities – from serious news items about plagues, famines, death and suffering to items about cuddly toys and cats getting stranded in trees. Also, programming on commercial channels are cut every fifteen minutes with a barrage of advertising, with the effect of sharply combining the â€Å"reality† of news footage and reality TV with the â€Å"non-reality† of advertising. Ethically, this places TV in general under the accusation of numbing the viewer and transforming him or her into the amoral, relativistic, emotionally numb and philosophically nihilistic consumer infant that sociopaths and corporations tend to prefer. As such, arguments about the â€Å"reality† of reality TV being less produced than fiction tends to falter instead, the handle of â€Å"reality† has the effect of simply lowering the viewer’s (or consumer’s) guard. The juxtaposition of mundane e vents in a fast barrage of creative editing sensationalises the mundane. In a triumph of style over content, some reality TV shows and news features use music and montage to create the illusion of event, when there is no event to speak of. â€Å"Real life† documentaries and long-running reality TV programmes, such as Changing Rooms and DIY SOS utilise quirky (and somewhat insipid) montage sequences with humorous music in order to generate a homely, friendly appeal. However, almost all reality TV programmes appeal to consumerist desires (an endless procession of programmes about house hunting, gardening, buying), or exploitative voyeurism (house cleaning programmes about â€Å"dirty† people, unsympathetic obesity programmes, a fixation upon sexual or cosmetic acts). Ethically, reality TV however, only ser