Case Study Illy Cafe

About Illy Company background and description The history of illycaffe is linked to the lives of the company's founder, Francesco Illy, and his family. Francesco in 1933 set up a business in the cocoa and coffee sector, and then decided to concentrate exclusively on coffee. Nowadays the illy group is made up of several companies located in North America, France, Germany, Spain and Benelux. Product Illy serves coffee to its customers. They insist on the fact that there are not selling basic coffees but the one which is a result of Scientifics’ research.They want to serve the best coffee due to a result of a long experience, knowledge of coffee biology and chemistry, very good skill at roasting, enabling technologies, and also a family’s entrepreneurial passion. They are also selling products which fit to the coffee world like, machines, capsules and also accessories. Revenue In 2007 turnover amounted to $221. 000. 000. In 2011 the turnover was $342. 000. 000. There is a real increase over the years. Customers 70% of its sales circuit cafes, hotels and restaurants, 20% for individuals and 10% in companies, these are illy’s customers.Illy has developed solutions for small restaurants, small hotels, cafes and other places of conviviality where coffee consumption is low but still want a perfect coffee. The company offers machines meeting the needs of its business customers. To match with its image of unique coffee Illy is increasing partnerships with the biggest names in tourism Meridien and Hyatt. The company also Illy customers offices, employees may have during their break espresso from the brand. To do this, Illy provides the I-Espresso and offers a complete range.Also Illy own its own bars called â€Å"Illy bar†, so the customer can go there and have a coffee in the company’s atmosphere. It is also possible to buy coffee brand for personal use at home. The website offers the purchase of cafe, cafe machine but also derivatives (eg cups). Most of its customers are the professionals (served in more than 50,000 public places) but Illy is developing the â€Å"Illy’s bar† to create an atmosphere for the company. Location Illycaffe was founded in Trieste in Italy. Nowadays the Illy group is a multinational organization that operates in more than 140 countries across the 5 continents.The main markets for Illy are US, Europe and Japan. Employees The company has about 700 employees. Industry With a turnover of â‚ ¬ 695 million and a growth of over 30% per year since 2001, the European leader in espresso is Nespresso. The level of competition that Illy faces differs according to the sectors, for example in the Hotel, Restaurant and Cafe sector the main competitors are Starbucks and Lavazza. Whilst in the coffee machines and coffee capsule systems the main competitor is Nespresso from Nestle group. The competition in both sectors is quite intense with Starbucks and Nestle having global reach.The adv antages these companies have over Illy are their vast economies of scale, stronger brands and higher customer reach. Mission and vision The mission: produce and deliver the best coffee that nature can offer for connoisseurs and those who will appreciate it with a special attention to methods of growing and processing the most suitable and sustainable. They want to create an emotional experience through the degustation of their coffee. The vision: being an innovative company, proud of its history rooted in the contemporary and future-oriented.Combine art, science and experience to offer the best products. They have for vision to be recognized as a world reference for coffee culture and excellence, ti be the first choice of professionals. The values: passion for excellence, the pursuit of perfection and ethics, the valuation of individual talent and teamwork. The desire to improve the lives of all those involved in the coffee chain. Attention to people and the environment. Illy Coffee : Alternatives Selection 1)Problem definition – how to become more responsible (=sustainable) coffee producer without losing the revenues/customers/quality.The original goal of Illy was to provide best coffee to customers, but the good quality coffee does not necessarily mean responsibly produced coffee. So many coffee growing countries use unethical growing practices which reduces the price of 1 kg of coffee from the farmer, but jeopardizes the company? s ethical image. Thus now Illy needs to balance three aspects – quality, profitability and ethical aspect, which is a difficult problem, since it involves the whole supply chain and for the company of such scale of operation to solve this problem will be extremely difficult (140 countries on 5 continents).Plus this challenge is also industry driven – all big coffee companies are moving towards sustainability of supply chain, and greater awareness of the customers about these issues nowadays can give a coffee com pany additional competitive advantage. 2)First of all before we outline alternatives and solutions, we need to clarify, what responsible coffee business means. Although â€Å"sustainability† has been defined in a variety of ways over the past several decades, the Brundtland Report (1987) has provided the most widely-accepted and enduring definition at the international level.According to the Brundtland report: â€Å"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.. In relation to coffee business Acting Responsibly involves a complex activity spread over whole supply chain: -Environmentally related: bear in mind environmental impacts of coffee production (â€Å"technified† or mono-culture growing practices impact, rain forests, pesticides, waste water and etc. -Social aspects: well-being of farmers and their families (minimum fair price limits, no price dumping, ch ild labor prevention) -Business-wise: when all actions and decisions taken are analyzed in terms of long-term goals of the company, current and future benefits for stakeholders and preserving viability of the company. With responsible business and supply chain model in mind a multinational like Illy might choose one of few alternative pathways: – -Marketing based approach – market the idea under a good â€Å"sauce† to your customers.Might involve working with few sustainable/ organic pilot farms and making public aware of this, or introducing your own quality standard, like own CAFE standard of Starbucks. This alternative does not involve additional costs, or reengineering of supply chain, it is more like exploitation of Responsible practices idea. But it might create additional revenues due to the fact that company can sell â€Å"responsible† coffee with even bigger price margin. Time wise this idea might be implemented quite quickly. -Supplier related a pproach.This involves responsible purchasing strategy – control and assessment on the level of bigger supply chain units – cooperatives/processing plants/exporters. Does not require complete reengineering of whole supply chain or additional costs related to separate farmers support/educational programs. More time consuming – selection, assessment of existing and new suppliers might take time. Does not really fit with Illy, since its strategy has always been close work with separate farmers. -From bottom to top strategy – every level of supply chain needs to be re-thought.Company needs to realize the importance of each individual farmer (f. ex through payment of Fair trade or responsible farming bonuses to ensure the sustainable existence of farmer communities), not only use quality control (Illy is already working with ISO quality control standards) but rather keep an eye on whole production and processing process. Moreowever, the efficiency of packing, l ogistics and transportation should be analyzed and improved – which will result in eliminating or reducing the costly, non-environmentally-friendly steps.But doing this Illy might incur additional costs (because now it will have to pay more for raw material), which can however be offset not at the expense of the â€Å"responsible† customer (who is ready to pay more for responsibly produced coffee), but rather through improving the efficiency of the whole supply chain, which will reduce the average COGS. This strategy involves extensive cooperation with all other stakeholders in coffee business – working on and adhering to commonly accepted quality and sustainability standards (like Fair Trade label, Utz coffee, RA and etc. , cooperation with local research institutes to introduce better and more sustainable farming practices for growers, or even bringing together all main players like Sara Lee, Nestle and the European branch of Kraft did in 2002 by creating of t he Common Code for the Coffee Community, a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at increasing sustainability and responsibility awareness in the coffee sector. 3)While choosing the alternative, we have been guided by Illy? s strategy, code of conduct and long-term benefits of the decision to the company.We do not want any satisficing decision, we want to optimize the whole system – company has a lot of strengths, we can use them to build up more powerful structure. We want our customers to get only the best coffee, but we also want to do it responsibly. If there is any decision to be taken, which will involve not only additional costs or revenue growth, but also extensive long-run improvement of the whole business model, we will chose this decision. Meaning, that we will opt for alternative number 3. 4)Implementing the decision.Improve the technology and introduce Integrated Process management to cut production and logistics costs and reduce business complexity to offset the co sts of high quality coffee. The company buys coffee beans directly from farmers that reduce the higher prices in the spot market. The shipping and the supply of coffee beans from farmers to the company is carried out by company under strict supervision and inspections. This shows that the bargaining power of suppliers is low with company’s commitments to provide higher quality coffee to the customers.There is a need to create a strategy for the developing economies especially the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) which will in future become key markets. A safe bet would be to create an alliance with a local partner who has expertise in the local markets, cultures and politics for example in India and China which are very big geographically, population-wise and culture-wise the local partner will add immense value in launching and growing the Illy products in a way that best suits that particular market. 5)Results Evaluation – might be performed in several steps.O n one hand, we will analyse the actual performance – if the revenue and market share is growing, if COGS are decreasing due to better efficiency, this means the strategy has been chosen and implemented right. On the other hand we need to understand the degree of customer awareness of our strategy – that means answering the question: did all these changes happen because we turned to more responsible business, or it was just due to other favourable factors†¦In this case customer opinion must be collected and analysed.Competitors’ reaction and Illy’s response: What can the competitors do? There is a wide variety of ways – from fair competition by improving the quality or reducing the price to unfair battle, consisting for example of running a systematic smear and defamatory campaign against a competitor, both directly and indirectly (on the internet and through certain machine distributors), designed to put consumers off buying Illy? s coffee.Som e competitors try to do their own investigation to uncover the unsustainable practices within supply chain (sometimes a company itself has no idea what sub-sub-suppliers are doing) and make sure that it leaks to social networks. Illy should in its turn double-check the standards and practices within its supply chain to avoid bad rumor spread, and be proactive – have active campaign in social media to create awareness of its brand and customers’ loyalty. SWOT Tangible Product: The product which is coffee is very fine.So the foundation of the brand which is the basic product is solid Basic Brand: Illy brand is is a red background with white lettering. You will also find Illy in plain bold red lettering. I believe is to attract the attention of the people. This logo has been used since (1980). The core elements for Illy are a strong brand name, high quality, attractive packaging and design The Augmented brand: Illy has added value to their brand by selling fresh beans in sealed cans, also giving the consumer the option to have it grind whether they want it bold, decaffeinated, caffeinated. hey also have tablet which goes inside espresso machines sold in any illy location. . The main factor is that along with high quality the brand is also associated with high price and hence is getting restricted to a niche market only The Potential Brand: When consumers only rely their morning coffee on the Illy brand than Illy has made their mark, even though in many other key markets like Italy it has been a major success, but it still needs to win other important key market like Japan and China.There are in all six products that will be analysed here, premium coffee, coffee pods for machines, ready to drink canned coffee, Agrimontana, the confectionary products, Domori the chocolate business and Dammann Feres the tea brand. Leader: Coffee Try Harder: All the small brands come under this sector but mainly the pods of coffee business Double or Quit: Coke has partn er up with the Illy brand to make up a canned coffee business in which the coffee will be sold to the consumer.Custodial: Is similar to the cash cow concept in BCG, this would be the chocolate business Cash Generator: this is undoubtedly the premium coffee business Phased withdrawal: this is a difficult one to point but it seems the confectionary business is the most likely candidate as it is not generating as much growth or profits as it should Divest: Again a difficult one but once again the wine or confectionary products in the Illy portfolioKey Points Analysis â€Å"Illy has a strong brand and is associated with high quality and premium pricing! † The company has shown impressive growth despite recession The key strategic partnerships like the one with Coca Cola company for canned coffee are proving to be the real winners The group needs to focus its attention on the sister brands and needs to extend the well-established Illy rand image to these sister concerns There is a n urgent need to improve the sales and awareness of the sister companies The company applies to its R, supply chain and marketing expertise to grow its coffee products like coffee pods and machines There is a need to create a strategy for the developing economies especially the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) which will in future become key markets The company needs to constantly re-invent the ways to sustain customer interest in its brand and its products, just like the Universita del caffe. † Strenghts: Strong retail store operations:50,000+: events in which illy is involved annually worldwide and more than 6 million cups are consumed each day. -Wide geographic presence: 140: countries where illy is available -Top-quality final product: 4: major certifications for quality and sustainability, 4: company-founded research facilities, 4 of 8: major worldwide coffee industry innovations, This is a known and appreciated throughout the world for high quality and unique tast e. The company has followed a strategy, which has a high focus on quality and consistency of their products -Experience: created in 1933 Innovation : The first,pressurized packaging, came in 1934, just one year after the company’s founding. By adding inert nitrogen gas under pressure, an oxygen-free environment forms as illy cans are sealed, preserving essential aromas and promoting mingling of coffee’s naturally occurring oils. Result: coffee that not only stays fresher longer than under any other packaging method, but whose flavor is actually enhanced over time by its surroundings. The second, came just one year later, in 1935: the Illetta, precursor of the modern espresso machine that, for the first time, separated pressure and heating elements.Result: espresso that is consistently round, rich and balanced, not bitter or burnt-tasting. 1974 saw illy’s third revolutionary invention: pre-tamped, pre-dosed, expertly ground espresso in single serve paper pods. Re sult: delightful espresso in reach of anyone, anywhere – at home, at the office, or at a favorite cafe or restaurant. The system, called ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) became an industry standard. – Another strength is the strong supply chain right from the coffee bean farmers to the suppliers, Illy has maintained strict quality control and good relations creating value for everyone involved.Weaknesses: sluggish growth rate / Investments needed (coffee machines that support the proprietary Opportunities: -Business expansions: Gruppo illy includes: †¢Domori – premium chocolate (acquired July 2006) †¢Dammann Freres – the legendary French purveyor of tea (March 2007) †¢Mastrojanni – critically lauded winery in Montalcino, Italy – (September 2008) †¢Agrimontana – high- quality jams and marron glace (stake acquired December, 2005) -Rising hotel and food service industry in Italy : Rising trends in coffee exports : 56%: sha re of illy coffee enjoyed outside of Italy, 200+: espressamente illy coffee bar locations worldwide -10% rate growth market -Been recognized from the market as the dominating market -Scientific research : genetics, agronomy, botany, physics, mathematics, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, engineering, physiology and psychology. All areas explored in the four laboratories illy. -Quality and sustainability : Sustainability has three-fold implicationsat illy: economic, social and environmental. Ready to drink coffee business partnering with Coca Cola will attract global customers and create newer segments for the company's products -There is a need to create a strategy for the developing economies especially the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) which will in future become key markets. Threats : -Highly competitive market : Key competitors : Caffee Negro Group, Luigi Lavazza, Segafredo Zanetti, Starbucks Corporation -Risk of battle in dominating the market by multinationals : Nesp resso -Economic crisis : Most of the global markets including nearly all the major markets that Illy perates in have suffered from recent credit crisis and economic downturn -While expanding globally the major risk involved is the supply of high quality premium coffee beans -The inconsistency in the growth of the sister brands and their chare in the portfolio creates a real threat of losing these brands at some point if they get totally overshadowed by the coffee business. At this point, Illy needs to consider the growth rate and growing strategies of these newly acquired brands to keep them profitable.

A Quality Leader Essay

Dr. Karoru Ishikawa is one of the world’s idolized leaders in quality control. His famous quote† Through total quality control with the participation of all employees, including the president, any company can create better products (or service) at a lower cost, increase sales, improve profit and make the company into a better organization† ( Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa) . Ishikawa joined the Union of Japanese Scientist and Engineers, a quality research group back in 1949. The Japanese was concerned about their industry sector since it was known that American manufacturing was producing cheap toys and defective cameras. This group took on the responsibility of Japan’s quality-improvement; that was when Ishikawa took the initiative to build on Feigenbaum’s concept of total quality and promoted greater involvement by all employees, from the top management to the front-line staff, by reducing reliance on quality professionals and quality departments. He advocated collecting and analyzing factual data using simple visual tools, statistical techniques, and teamwork as the foundations for implementing total quality. Like others, Ishikawa believed that quality begins with the customer and therefore, understanding customers’ needs is the basis for improvement, and that complaints should be actively sought. (Evans, 2010 pg 110) Background Kaoru Ishikawa was born in 1915 in Tokyo. He graduated from Tokyo University in 1939 with a degree in Applied Chemistry. In his brief tour in the military as a Naval Technical Officer In charge of 600 workers to construct a factory he quoted â€Å"This experience he says was invaluable to Quality Control activities later on. †, (Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa) He worked for Nissan Liquid Fuel Company from 1941-1947 before he was appointed associate Professor of the University of Tokyo. In 1949 He joined the Union of Japanese Scientist and Engineers because he wanted to change the way people thought about work and help management improve the quality of their product. In 1970 Dr. Ishikawa started conducting quality control training seminars. Around 1978 Dr. Ishikawa became the President of Musashi Institute of Technology. Upon Ishikawa’s 1989 death, Dr. Juran delivered this message: â€Å"There is so much to be learned by studying how Dr. Ishikawa managed to accomplish so much during a single lifetime. In my observation, he did so by applying his natural gifts in an exemplary way. He was dedicated to serving society rather than serving himself. His manner was modest, and this elicited the cooperation of others. † (Dr. Joseph M. Juran) Primary work and significant accomplishments Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa accomplishments have include helping thousands of companies, like IBM, Bridgestone, and Komatsu, to turn out higher quality products at considerable lower costs. His book,†What is Total Quality Control? The Japanese Way†, Prentice Hall, Inc. was a best seller in business books. He has been awarded the Deming Prize and the Nihon Keizai Press Prize, the Industrial Standardization Prize for his writings on Quality Control, and the Grant Award in 1971 from the American Society for Quality Control for his education programmer on Quality Control. Process Improvement Japan, 2012). His creation of the fishbone diagram, the user can see all possible root causes of process imperfections. There are many other accomplishments that Dr. Ishikawa has made, which you can find in books and online. These were deserving awards due to his unselfish work ethics and have truly made him a quality genius. Conclusion Through total quality control a company of any type can stay in business, make products at lower cost, and endure great productivity from its workers. Dr Ishikawa wanted to change the way workers and management do business. Quality should start with the customer and it can be done using his writings, fishbone diagram, and other tools like control charts, run charts, histogram, scatter diagram, Pareto charts, and flowcharts. His knowledge was needed in a time when people wanted a product that will last and was supported by the company who makes it. His many accomplishments and strong work ethics influenced many companies to change and many of those companies are still in business today. Dr. Ishikawa is truly a leader in quality control.

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What exactly is Platos ideal of the philosophical or examined life What does such a life entail Is it of any practical relevance for contemporary individuals - Essay Example Plato offers these musings via a number of dialogues and it has been said that some of his views were actually those of Socrates – his teacher which can be a safe assumption to make as many individuals are influenced by their mentors in their on works. Plato’s ideal of the physical life had one main theme in particular that recurred in may of his dialogues concerning the true nature of objects in existence and what an individual’s perception of this truth may be. He argues that what can be seen is not the exact reality and thus it can be stated that those who only use the sense of their surroundings to establish reality are off the mark and are only left with a vague idea of what the real truth is. Plato argues that something does not have to be tangible or visible for it to be real and those who believe so have in effect limited themselves from gaining the real truth (Plato 50). This concept is promoted in a number of his dialogues and is can be clearly seen in his allegory of the cave. In this analogy, Plato argues that the world that can not be seen is the realest of them all and likens those whose belief is governed by what they can see in their surroundings to people who are living in a cave. The people living in the cave are only able to see shadows that are caused by the real objects but since this is all that they have known their whole life, they perceive these shadows to be the true forms of the objects and thus are blinded from seeing the reality of the situation. Plato then goes on describe one who gains enlightenment as a person who leaves the cave and for the first time sees the objects that have been the cause of the shadows that others have perceived to be the real thing thus breaking the shackles of ignorance. This analogy promotes the essence of thinking outside the box instead of blindly accepting what is put before you as the gospel truth and reality of life (Plato

Theories of juvenile deliquency Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Theories of juvenile deliquency - Assignment Example In order to belong, youths have the ideology that they have to be rich and famous. Economically underprivileged adolescents may be pressured to obtain money in unlawful ways, such as stealing and the like. The thinking of the youth today must be transformed and they should be made aware that they have to be critical in choosing their peers. Another theory is that of Albert Bandura. His theory is known as the â€Å"Social Learning Theory†. Bandura points to the environment as the cause of possible criminal acts committed by the youth. He reasoned that the adolescent observes his environment and tries to imitate what he sees. In this specific theory, family, peers, and media can directly influence the behavior of the youth (Kartha, 2010). The picture on the right suggests the effect of media on today’s youth. Juveniles are usually in want of entertainment and their common sources of this are the television and the internet. Viewing shows that can either directly or indire ctly promote violence can affect the mind of the viewing minor. Without authoritative parental guidance, he might be led to thinking that what he views is acceptable by society. To reduce cases of juvenile delinquency, parents are compelled to monitor the shows and websites their children see.

Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay Essay Example for Free

Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay Essay Ralph Waldo Emerson’s theory of individualism is a stance that emphasizes the importance of self-reliance for personal success. One of the main tenets of the theory claims that a genius is someone who perseveres with one’s plans regardless of others’ opinions and that nothing is sacred other than the integrity of one’s own mind. This essay will further discuss this tenet to support Emerson’s Individualism. People should live their lives without being burdened by the opinions of others. Emerson, in reference to babes, writes â€Å"their mind being whole, their eye is as yet unconquered nfancy conforms to nobody; all conform to it. † All of the greatest inventions came about from someone who did not conform to society. Society ends up conforming to those who follow their own dreams, as adults conform to the ways a child acts. In todays society, success is often measured by a person’s wealth, status and fame. However, no one should judge what success and failure is aside from the person it concerns. Very often society looks down on those who do not conform to its rigid structure. If a person does what everyone else is doing, who will innovate? Unsurprisingly, all those considered successful were those who broke out of the mold and followed their own vision. A genius is someone who perseveres with his or her plans regardless of the negativity around them. Thomas Edison’s teacher said that he was too stupid to learn anything. Although the number of attempts varies, there is a consensus that the lowest number of times Edison failed to create the light bulb was around 1,000. When asked how he felt about failing so much, Edison answered, â€Å"I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps. † Emerson writes â€Å"God will not have his work made manifest by cowards. † Whether or not a person is religious, the meaning holds true. No coward has ever been able to achieve anything great because cowards tend to give up easily. Another one of Edison’s famous quotes states, â€Å"genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. † This claim supports Emerson’s Individualism because it takes a genius to perspire and work through the numerous obstacles that stand between him or her and success. Everything can be broken and worked around other than what a person truly believes. Emersons theory argues that if a person were to betray his or her own belief, it could be damaging beyond repair. Emerson states, â€Å" if I’m the devil then I shall be the devil,† suggesting only a person’s mind can truly decide what is moral and what is immoral. Emerson also writes, â€Å"to believe your own thought, to believe what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men,-that is genius. This is how revolutions happen, when a large group of people decides that the laws are no longer right. No law, no life, is greater than a person’s own beliefs because Emerson states, â€Å"nothing is sacred other than the integrity of your own mind. † A successful person is often, if not always, fully dedicated to what they believe in because a person will never give up on something they believe to be truly right. Emerson’s theory of Individualism doesn’t encourage selfishness because that would be a moral judgment. The theory does not make any statements of morality. It claims that a person should rely only on himself or herself to make decisions and to define what they believe to be right and wrong. Outside forces should not be relied on or even considered when trying to achieve personal goals. If a person believes that failures are actually successes because they bring them one step closer to the final goal, failure does not exist. Success and happiness will come to a person as long as he or she relies on his or her own judgment, perseveres regardless of the negativity of external influences, and stays true to their minds without breaking their integrity.

Racial discrimination Essay Example for Free

Racial discrimination Essay The era of Jim Crow segregation will forever be linked with racial discrimination and the push for civil rights following Reconstruction.   The two most influential black men of the time, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois, were also two of the most polarizing forces within the black community.   Both men strived for racial equality in the eyes of the law, but they employed contrasting strategies in order to combat the dire political and economic situation African Americans found themselves trying to escape. With his leadership skills and political cache, Booker T. Washington was the most famous African American leading the black charge into the 20th Century.   His power increased with his economic and political ties through the Tuskegee Institute and his relations with Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, both of whom were racially prejudiced.   Mr. Washington believed that blacks should accept their subjugated citizenship for the time being instead of agitating the white population.   In his mind, if blacks could earn a dollar through industrial education they would be much better off than fighting the latent power of white society. On the other end of the spectrum, Harvard educated W.E.B. DuBois took the intellectual path to the racial struggle.   His theory held that blacks should never accept a lower position in society just because that was the way things were.   Through his writings and organizing tactics, DuBois rallied the intelligentsia, The Talented 10th, in order to raise black consciousness above the perceived blind acceptance of Booker T. Washington.   DuBois was severely opposed to racial segregation in both politics and economics whereas Washington supported an agenda based on the separation of the races.

Moral Perspectives On Euthanasia Philosophy Essay

Moral Perspectives On Euthanasia Philosophy Essay Should individuals, especially terminally ill-people in excruciating pain, be able to end their lives? If so, may they hasten their deaths only be refusing medical treatment designed to sustain their lives, or may they take active measures to kill themselves? Can they ask others to assist them? Who can they ask: their spouses? Close friends? Their doctors? Should they expect the law to support their decision?  [1]  These are commonly asked question when debating on euthanasia. In this paper I shall try to answers these questions from different moral perspectives. According to Vincent Barry, euthanasia is the act of painlessly putting to death a person suffering from terminal or incurable disease or condition  [2]  . To elaborate, euthanasia is deliberate act; it is painless killing and is performed to people with incurable disease or irreversible coma. In addition euthanasia is performed only to those patients who have confirmed diagnosis of untreatable disease, are at their terminal stage of life and are suffering from intense pain or other painful medical symptoms. The term euthanasia is often used interchangeably with physician assisted suicide/death as it is usually assisted or advised by a physician. There are six categories of euthanasia. However it can be classified in two different ways. First is the way life is taken from the patient suffering from terminal disease, which is known as active or passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia is an act of killing the person by injecting lethal drugs to cause immediate and painless death. While passive euthanasia is omitting the act of saving a persons life with incurable disease, and is not benefiting from the existing medical treatment. Hence passive euthanasia is allowing the patient to die (Daniel Gorman, 1998). Moreover it could be painful or painless depending on the present condition of the sufferer. Not everyone agrees with classifying passive euthanasia under the category of euthanasia as it is not a deliberate act of killing, and is usually prolong and painful. Therefore allowing the patient to die can be morally permissible (Gay-Williams, 1979). Others argue killing and allowing dying holds same moral position in some cases and therefore should be answered separately (James Rachels, 1975). The second method of classification of euthanasia is (a) voluntary i.e. the sufferer who is competent adult is giving consent for particular form of treatment for euthanasia. (b) Non-voluntary euthanasia i.e. when the consent is given by some other person because the patient to die is not eligible to give consent (Vincent Barry, 1985, pg 195). Different moral positions and arguments are held for different forms of euthanasia. Therefore in this paper I would discuss voluntary active euthanasia from Kantian and utilitarians perspective. In additions I would be discussing arguments for and against voluntary active euthanasia. Immanuel Kant focuses on actions and labels an action morally right if it is done for the sake and respect of duty. For him rational being is someone who guides his will and duty with reason. In addition he talks about principal of categorical imperatives that actions are morally correct if a person can will it to be universalized. Also he says not to use human beings as mere beings. Kant would look at voluntary active euthanasia as a form of suicide. In his groundwork for metaphysics of morals he talks about it as Act in such a way as to treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of anyone else, always as an end and never merely as a means  [3]  . So a person choosing euthanasia is using himself as mere being and is not respecting his own rationality. Hence Kant would strictly forbidden voluntary euthanasia as the person in pain inclined to take his life, is not acting according to duty and is therefore always immoral. The action is moral as Kant says if the unfortuna te one, strong in mind, indignant at his fate rather than desponding or dejected, wishes for death, and yet preserves his life without loving it not from inclination or fear, but from duty, then his maxim has a moral worth  [4]  . There are many schools of thoughts on utilitarianism but John Stuart Mills theory on utilitarianism and euthanasia will be discussed. Mills ethical theory mainly talks about pleasure and avoidance of pain. According to him, actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce reverse of happiness  [5]  . Hence voluntary active euthanasia can produce happiness for a number of people. Firstly the persons suffering from pain will get rid of it and having control over their lives would give pleasure. Secondly the family of the patients, who feel the pain of their close ones, and who are spending lots of money in the treatment, will ultimately be free of pain. Therefore utilitarians would allow active voluntary euthanasia because it follows greatest happiness principle. In my point of view, voluntary active euthanasia can be morally permissible. Keeping utilitarianism in mind, active voluntary euthanasia holds many advantages. It terminates the suffering and pain of the terminally ill persons and their families. In addition the material resources and paramedical staff needed to keep alive patients, whose death is certain, can be used for those patients who have curable diseases. Moreover families of such patients suffer from economic burden of medical expenses, hence it is also relieved. Lastly and most importantly, euthanasia gives a sense of autonomy and control to people, to decide how and when their lives should end, when death with incurable disease is certain. Now I shall converse the arguments for and against the act of voluntary active euthanasia. The first argument made by most of the opponents is that act of euthanasia is against the divine will of God and it interferes in the natural processes that God has formulated for human beings. As argued by Gay-Williams (1979), man as trustee of his body act against God, its rightful possessor, when he takes his own life. Hence killing human life is violation of Gods commandments. However Vincent Barry in his writings answers this argument in the light of modern medicine. He argues that contemporary advances in medicine have also interfered with the divine plan of God as it has prolonged peoples life who would have died long before. Hence if active euthanasia is said to be immoral, then prolonging peoples life against the will of God can also said to be immoral. Opponents of euthanasia argue that diagnosis made by physicians may at times be wrong. Therefore a patient diagnosed as having incurable disease might be an error. That is a mistaken diagnosis is made, and patient is forced to go for euthanasia. In addition they claim that physicians as human beings are inclined to make errors therefore euthanasia leads to an immoral and unacceptable act (Hooker, 2002, pg 28)  [6]  . In answer to this argument, proponents respond that there are very few cases in which such error is made. This doesnt imply that euthanasia shouldnt be legalized. If euthanasia is to be legalized and practiced, only medical experts would be eligible to make a diagnosis. Further to reduce the error of misdiagnosis, three medical experts shall discuss the diagnosis and come to the conclusion of whether euthanasia is applicable or not. The third argument made by the opponents is regarding new treatment options. They argue that what if new treatment modalities are available after acting on euthanasia? The outcomes would be terrible. Moreover people and physicians would become hopeless as soon as they encounter fatal disease and would not look for new treatment options. Brad Hooker (2002) talks about two standards that need to be followed for euthanasia. First he says that as euthanasia is always implied at the end stages of a fatal disease, where there is no possibility of the diseased being benefited from new medical treatments, hence in such cases active voluntary euthanasia can be entertained. Secondly on the other hand, if there is a possibility that a patient might benefit from any innovative medical treatment, euthanasia should always be restricted. Slippery slope argument on the legalization of voluntary active euthanasia is also made by most of the opponents. They argue that once we have allowed voluntary euthanasia, in no time, non voluntary euthanasia will also be allowed and legalized. Hence doctors and sufferers family will start killing them without their consent. These people will be killed for wealth they posses, doctors will kill them so they can save hospitals resources and so on. Thus it will lead to a chain of reaction leading to devastating results. The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy cites a study done in Netherlands in 1995 to explore the reality of slippery slope argument. The researchers found the slippery slope argument groundless. That is to say, there a clear distinction between voluntary and non voluntary euthanasia, therefore there is no point in saying that legalization of active euthanasia will lead to abuses of non voluntary euthanasia. Moreover if active voluntary euthanasia would be legalized, it would need to be carefully drafted. And the law would have to be rigorously policed, to prevent abuse (Hooker, 2002, pg 30). In the conclusion, as euthanasia has six classifications, each type should be evaluated for moral worth. Some opponents might argue that good palliative care and pain relief measures are adequate and hence euthanasia is not required. However regardless of our maximum effort to provide best palliative care, euthanasia will always be picture. Moreover the price for not allowing active euthanasia will be paid by sufferer whose suffering and pain will increase (Gorman, 1999, p.860), thus active voluntary euthanasia should be legalized. However in order to ensure that people do not misuse it, law should be strictly implemented. In this way, the victim would feel autonomous and will die with dignity.

Islam:The role and function of an Imam in a Sunni Mosque Essay

The role and function of an Imam in a Sunni Mosque The word Imam is an Arabic word which means 'Upfront'. As with many ancient words relating with faith the word carries a great deal of meaning and, depending of usage in text as well as speech, can take on numerous different meanings. In Sunni Islam the term Imam is used principally as a title and has minimal importance in theology. The congregational prayer performed in Mosque is lead by the Imam who stands in front of the lines of worship leading them in recital of prayer. The meaning of the word Imam is related to this role. In the standard interpretation being Imam is not a profession nor is it a qualification. The Imam is only Imam as long as he is leading prayer. He is not ordained as a holy man and should treated like any other member of the Muslim community. There are no priests or monks in Islam, all Muslims are regarded as equal. Any respected Muslim who is normally well-trained in leading prayer, As Salat, can be an imam. In general, it is the person with the most knowledge of Islam, pious, has the ability to recite the Qur?an properly and is the most respected and learned person in the assembly who is offered the honour of being Imam. Some Imams are specially trained at Islamic colleges called Dar-al-uloom, where students follow a seven year course in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Often the imam will have an advanced education, and will be very knowledgeable about Sharia , the Islamic law set down in the Qur?an and further writings. This helps the imam who works in a pastoral capacity to counsel members of the mosque. The congregation, in mosque prayer, must follow... ...mam is only human and no different than any other member of the congregation. Many people are misinterpreted about the role and function of the Imam, they believe that his job is primarily to carry out the task of leading the congregation to prayer which is a very significant and important task yet the Imam does much more The Imam is often relied on by the community for advice and guidance when needed. However of course the Imam doesn?t have all of the answers which is why he often refers to The Qur?an, The Hadith or The Sunnah. An Imam is not just a village hafiz , they have to deal with immigration and visa problems, marriage problems, all sorts of counselling and reconciliation, visiting of hospitals and prisons, education , organise social programmes, dawah programmes and much more. He is thought of as a pillar of the community Islam:The role and function of an Imam in a Sunni Mosque Essay The role and function of an Imam in a Sunni Mosque The word Imam is an Arabic word which means 'Upfront'. As with many ancient words relating with faith the word carries a great deal of meaning and, depending of usage in text as well as speech, can take on numerous different meanings. In Sunni Islam the term Imam is used principally as a title and has minimal importance in theology. The congregational prayer performed in Mosque is lead by the Imam who stands in front of the lines of worship leading them in recital of prayer. The meaning of the word Imam is related to this role. In the standard interpretation being Imam is not a profession nor is it a qualification. The Imam is only Imam as long as he is leading prayer. He is not ordained as a holy man and should treated like any other member of the Muslim community. There are no priests or monks in Islam, all Muslims are regarded as equal. Any respected Muslim who is normally well-trained in leading prayer, As Salat, can be an imam. In general, it is the person with the most knowledge of Islam, pious, has the ability to recite the Qur?an properly and is the most respected and learned person in the assembly who is offered the honour of being Imam. Some Imams are specially trained at Islamic colleges called Dar-al-uloom, where students follow a seven year course in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Often the imam will have an advanced education, and will be very knowledgeable about Sharia , the Islamic law set down in the Qur?an and further writings. This helps the imam who works in a pastoral capacity to counsel members of the mosque. The congregation, in mosque prayer, must follow... ...mam is only human and no different than any other member of the congregation. Many people are misinterpreted about the role and function of the Imam, they believe that his job is primarily to carry out the task of leading the congregation to prayer which is a very significant and important task yet the Imam does much more The Imam is often relied on by the community for advice and guidance when needed. However of course the Imam doesn?t have all of the answers which is why he often refers to The Qur?an, The Hadith or The Sunnah. An Imam is not just a village hafiz , they have to deal with immigration and visa problems, marriage problems, all sorts of counselling and reconciliation, visiting of hospitals and prisons, education , organise social programmes, dawah programmes and much more. He is thought of as a pillar of the community

Ethical Analysis of a Nursing Case Study Essay -- Health

Ethical Analysis of a Nursing Case Study `Ethics' is defined as ."..the basis on which people...decide that certain actions are right or wrong and whether one ought to do something or has a right to something"(Rumbold, 1986). In relating `ethics' to nursing care, "Nursing decisions affect people... nurses have the power to good or harm to their patients" (Bandman et al, 2002). In this essay, the author will also identify the most important ethical principles and concepts of Evan's case, will outline the different stages of one's approach to ethical decision-making by utilising the "DECIDE Model for Ethical Decision-Making" founded by Thompson et al (2000) and will make a decision on the best course of action to take as a nurse in this situation. In "Defining the Problem", the first stage of one's approach to ethical decision-making, the key facts are that Evan is a married man committed to a psychiatric unit who contracted HIV after a homosexual affair without the knowledge of his wife, Claire. He refuses that his wife and family be told of his illness. The stakeholders involved directly are: Evan, who does not want his family to find out about his illness or affair; his nurse, who is under increased strain worrying about the burden of, perhaps, having to break the confidentiality entrusted in him; Claire, is the most direct stakeholder as she may have contracted HIV; Evan's partner during the affair is also at risk of contracting HIV and his subsequent partners are also at risk; the other members of staff, are in constant worry over Evan which means that they cannot concentrate fully on their other patients; Evan's family is also involved directly as they are worried about his well-being. There are also stakeholders indire. .. .... (2002) Nursing Ethics: Through the Life Span. 4th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Edwards, S.D. (1996) Nursing Ethics: A Principle-Based Approach. 1st ed. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. http://www.ethicsweb.ca/guide/ Mill, J.S. (1861) Utilitarianism. Cited in Price, J.A. (2000) Philosophy through The Ages. 1st ed. Australia: Wadsworth. Rumbold, G. (2000) Ethics in Nursing Practice. 3rd ed. Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall. Tadd, W. (2004) Ethical and Professional Issues in Nursing. 1st ed. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Thompson, I.E., Melia, K.M., Boyd, K.M. (2003) Nursing Ethics. 4th ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. UKCC (United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting) (1992) Code of Professional Conduct for the Nurse, Midwife and Health Visitor, 3rd ed. London: UKCC

A Theological Perspective of the Clash of Civilizations Essay examples

Introduction On more than one occasion, President George W. Bush has described the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as fostering â€Å"a monumental battle of good versus evil.† In this battle, there has been no doubt in his mind (or in ours) regarding who is on the side of good and who is on the side of evil. Though some have winced at the President’s use of such absolute moral terms to portray the tragic events of that fateful day, others have applauded his courageous use of such unfashionable discourse as entirely appropriate, even suggesting that it implies the demise of the cultural scourge of postmodern moral relativism. Another important way, not entirely unrelated, of interpreting what transpired on 9/11 is to explain the attack of Islamic extremists on the United States of America as a manifestation of a â€Å"clash of civilizations.† At the center of this way of looking at these unprecedented events has been an article and book both authored by the noted Harvard professor of political science, Samuel P. In the summer 1993 edition of the journal Foreign Affairs, Huntington argued that world politics was entering a new phase after the end of the Cold War, and that tensions between civilizations, as the highest cultural groupings of people, would dominate the global scene. He explains the article’s thesis in these words. It is my hypothesis that the fundamental source of conflict in this new world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural. Nation states will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different ci... ...vides a basis for that blaze, that vision, and that life. Let us pray and live it out with a sincere heart with a view to God’s glory in the restoration of humankind Solzhenitsyn, â€Å"A World Split Apart,† 59, 61. and the renewal of the earth in an age of a tremendous battle between good and evil and the clash of civilizations. Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may seek not so much to be consoled, as to console. To be understood, as to understand. To be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Frankenstein and Creature

frank 2000 Many works of literature not readily identified with the mystery or detective story genre nonetheless involve the investigation of a mystery. In these works, the solution to the mystery may be less important than the knowledge gained in the process of its investigation. Choose a novel or play in which one or more of the characters confront a mystery. Then write an essay in which you identify the mystery and explain how the investigation illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot. 2003 According to critic Northrop Frye, â€Å"Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divisive lightning. † Select a novel or play in which a tragic figure functions as an instrument of the suffering of others. Then write an essay in which you explain how the suffering brought upon others by that figure contributes to the tragic vision of the work as a whole. 006 Many writers use a country setting to establish values within a work of literature. For example, the country may be a place of virtue and peace or one of primitivism and ignorance. Choose a novel or play in which such a setting plays a significant role. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the country setting functions in the work as a whole. Setting is crucial in any given novel or p lay. However, in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the country setting is crucial in understanding the emotions, characters, and events to come featured in the novel. As a romantic herself, Shelley utilizes the images of several scenes of nature to emphasize particular themes and ideas. From the changing seasons, violent storms, and the mountain and lakes, the country shows a multitude of aspects that relate to the story of Viktor Frankenstein. The transition of summer to winter not only highlights Frankenstein's character, but is a useful tool for foreshadowing. Much like summer's bright and energetic characteristics, Frankenstein proves to be bright and energetic as well. As a child, Frankenstein had the love and affections from a happy family and a growing thirst for knowledge. This thirst for knowledge eventually thrusts Frankenstein into the University of Ingolstadt. It is here that Frankenstein's ambitions to surpass his colleagues and professors are highlighted. He soon becomes enveloped in his studies, which to him, is complete pleasure. He soon discovers the secret of animating a corpse and sets to construct a breathing organism. Frankenstein however, begins to describe the qualities of summer, where the days are long, and the nights are short. The long days serve to emphasize Frankenstein's happiness. Right now in the novel, Frankenstein believes to be doing great work in the field of science. However, when the creation of the monster becomes close, summer comes to an end. Frankenstein loses his previous optimistic character and his dreams become dark. The light begins to fade as darkness empowers it, much like Frankenstein's realization about his creation. Tortured by images of his creation, Frankenstein falls ill. But as both time and his illness pass, spring begins to emerge. Frankenstein's recovery and the emergence of springtime correlate to one another as it is a time of new beginnings. It is here that Frankenstein leaves the University of Ingolstadt and starts a new journey with his friend Clerval. A noteworthy characteristic found in the country is their violent storms. Shelley masterfully uses storms to emphasize ominous events and the emotions of characters. In several instances, the lightning of a storm represents the godlike power of creation. This is emphasized in the passage when Frankenstein witnesses a tree wiped out by lightning. The lightning gives Frankenstein inspiration to uncover the spark of life. It is here where his desire to control the same power as lightning is conceived. But just as the tree was destroyed, Frankenstein and his world around him will be destroyed as well. As the story progresses, storms become intertwined with the idea of destruction. This is first introduced in the Monster's rage towards the DeLacey family. After being refused love and affection, the Monster erupts into a terrible rage. Driven with anger, the Monster finally burns down the cottage where they had first lived. As this is done, Shelley describes the wind to pick up and the might of the storm to roar with the same anger shown by the Monster. With each death found in Frankenstein, a violent storm is quickly followed after. After young William is strangled to death, a storm erupts over Geneva. Frankenstein is outside to witness this and exclaims that this is his funeral. The storm represents the turmoil faced by the Frankenstein family with the passing of William. Next, a powerful storm is what brings Frankenstein to Ireland. This is where he is placed in jail to be tried against the murder of his best friend, Clerval. Finally, a storm flares up over Elizabeth and Frankenstein on the day of Elizabeth's death. This storm serves to show that she is soon going to die at the hands of Frankenstein's monster. Constantly through the novel, Mary Shelley uses storms to stress the black and sinister nature of the book. 2008 In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast or comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character. For example, the ideas or behavior of the minor Frankenstein, speaking of himself as a young man in his father’s home, points out that he is unlike Elizabeth, who would rather follow â€Å"the aerial creations of the poets†. Instead he pursues knowledge of the â€Å"world† though investigation. As the novel progresses, it becomes clear that the meaning of the word â€Å"world† is for Frankenstein, very much biased or limited. He thirsts for knowledge of the tangible world and if he perceives an idea to be as yet unrealised in the material world, he then attempts to work on the idea in order to give it, as it were, a worldly existence. Hence, he creates the creature that he rejects because its worldly form did not reflect the glory and magnificence of his original idea. Thrown, unaided and ignorant, into the world, the creature begins his own journey into the discovery of the strange and hidden meanings encoded in human language and society. In this essay, I will discuss how the creature can be regarded as a foil to Frankenstein through an examination of the schooling, formal and informal, that both of them go through. In some ways, the creature’s gain in knowledge can be seen to parallel Frankenstein’s, such as, when the creature begins to learn from books. Yet, in other ways, their experiences differ greatly, and one of the factors that contribute to these differences is a structured and systematic method of learning, based on philosophical tenets, that is available to Frankenstein but not to the creature. Frankenstein speaks fondly of his youth because his parents were â€Å"indulgent† and his companions were â€Å"amiable† (21). His parents’ policy in the education of their children is that there should neither be punishment nor â€Å"the voice of command† (26). Instead, they encourage their children to pursue their studies with vigor by â€Å"having the end placed in view†(21) and by having them discover the process by which to reach the end and not by making them learn tedious lessons. Frankenstein’s testimony to this is that he learnt better and retained his knowledge well. The approach to Frankenstein’s education in the home is strongly influenced by Rousseau, one of the most eloquent writers of the Age of Enlightenment. In his influential novel Emile, Rousseau expounded a new theory of education that emphasises the importance of expression rather than repression to produce a well-balanced and free-thinking child. His theory also led to more permissive and psychologically oriented methods of childcare. [1][2] A child brought up according to these precepts is significantly more a free man than those who were not because part of the hidden syllabus allows for the constant discovery of new processes and methods and another part denies the past scholarly masters from having too strong an ideological and pedantic hold on the newer generations. It is a unique combination of structure and liberty that one finds here and it is this combination that produced the modern day disciple of Alberta Magnus and Paracelsus in Frankenstein, who forges his ancient fantasies with modern scientific tools. The creature, on the other hand, is an untamed and extreme version of the free individual. Without the support and shelter of a family, and the systematic approaches of an education system, the creature nevertheless gains an education of sorts. And he does this by reacting to his basic needs for shelter, food, warmth and company. In her book, Mary Shelly: Her Life, Her Fiction, Her Monsters, Anne Mellor argues that the creature is Mary Shelly’s allusion to Rousseau’s â€Å"noble savage† who is â€Å"a creature no different from the animals, responding unconsciously to the needs of his flesh and the changing conditions of his environment. †(47) In the debate on the importance of nature versus nurture, Mellor explains that Frankenstein shows nurture to be crucial because the creature â€Å"rapidly discovers the limitations of the state of nature and the positive benefits of a civilisation grounded on family life. (48). This is the informal education that the creature experiences, which in modern society, is termed â€Å"socialization†[2][3]. The De Lacey family is metonymic of the general population or the working egalitarian base of a society. The creature learns about the gentle love and respect that the members of the family show to each other; the division of labour among the able-bodied members that keeps the family alive; in Safie’s story and the De Lacey’s unfortunate past, he learns about the problems that society has its problems such as greed and corruption. Sadly, although he learns about the wonderful aspects of civilised life, the creature also learns of his own status in â€Å"the strange system of human society†(96). He has no history because he is ignorant of his creator and creation, he does not possess money, friends or property, and he â€Å"was not even of the same nature as man†(96). The creature’s discovery of knowledge led to his own self-knowledge and he finds that all his knowledge has somehow become part of him and his identity: â€Å" ‘Of what a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to the mind, when it has once seized on it, like a lichen on the rock’† (96) Like a lichen, knowledge also covers the mind and to look outward from the mind into the world is to see it through the colour and the thickness of the lichen. The principles that first gripped Frankenstein’s mind are those of prominent alchemists from as early as the thirteenth century. Cornelius Agrippa defended the status of â€Å"hidden philosophy† or magic and once set up a laboratory in the hopes of synthesizing gold. Albertus Magnus was a medieval theologian who, while maintaining that human reason could not contradict divine revelation, defended the philosopher’s right to investigate divine mysteries. Paracelsus was a doctor and chemist also concerned himself with alchemical knowledge like Agrippa but also defied the medical tenets of his time, asserting that diseases were caused by agents external to the body and that they could be countered by chemical substances[3][4]. These writers were, as Waldman explained, â€Å"men to whose indefatigable zeal modern philosophers were indebted for most of the foundations of their knowledge†(31). However, not all their ideas were considered scientific or even socially acceptable because they contradict strongly held religious beliefs. It is Frankenstein’s father who tells him not to waste his time with these writers because â€Å"a modern system of science had been introduced, which possessed much greater powers than the ancient, because the powers of the latter were chimerical, while those of the former were real and practical†(23). Instead, he is extorted to take up the study of natural philosophy, the eighteenth century equivalent of the sciences like physics and chemistry. Although his first attempts at attending lectures were interrupted and not at all fruitful, he enjoys reading the works of Pliny the Elder and Buffon, Georges Louis Leclerc, Comte de, both of whom wrote extensive encyclopaedic books on natural history[4][5]. Frankenstein begins to build on his scientific knowledge and when he goes to Ingolstadt and finds a mentor in Waldman, he also starts to take his study of chemistry seriously. There, he becomes part of the new science[5][6] that penetrates â€Å"into the recesses of nature, and shew how she works in her hiding places†(30). The sexual imagery of such as invasion of the female privacy cannot escape detection of course, but furthermore, throughout his education, he seems to have only male teachers. As he clearly states, â€Å"My father directs our studies, and my mother partook of our enjoyments. †(25). Frankenstein grows up in an environment where the intellectual side of things is controlled by men and women are delegated to be in charge of games or of nursing the younger members of the family. Furthermore, not only do the women, like Elizabeth, prefer poetry to science, their emotions overrule their reason, such as when Frankenstein’s mother insisted on seeing Elizabeth when the girl was ill with scarlet fever and contracted the deadly disease as a result. The author seems to show an overwhelming male presence in the Frankenstein household as the males are able to become surrogate parents easily, such as when Frankenstein becomes the instructor of his brothers. He also looks upon Elizabeth as a creature more fragile and unthinking in her carefree life than he is, and sees her a a favourite animal†(21). Katherine Hill-Miller in her book, â€Å"My Hideous   Progeny†: Mary-Shelly, William Godwin and the Father-Daughter Relationship, explains that even in his role as an overreaching scientist, Frankenstein can also be read as a father figure because â€Å"Part of his motivation in fashioning his creature, after all, is his desire to receive homage and th e thanks of beings dependent on him for their generation. †(60). However, ideas are simply not enough to cause a young and intelligent man like Frankenstein to try to take on the role of the ultimate Creator and bring life to a corpse. Shelly shows us that the external or the society at large will always intermingle with the internal or the emotional and psychological makeup of the person. It is Frankenstein’s own â€Å"chimerical† makeup- a confidence in the male scientific ability, a belief in the male prerogative to control nature by the accumulation of knowledge, the absence of a tempering maternal influence and his own hubris, that leads him to â€Å"circumvent the natural channels of procreation†[6][7]. His knowledge of the world is ironically one that is created in piecemeal; hence the creature can be seen as a physical representation of the terrible patching up of mismatched parts to make a whole. In trying to be more than he is, that is, a human being, Frankenstein finds himself wedged in between nature and God, becoming estranged from his immediate society as he becomes burdened with the tragedies brought about by the creature. As Frankenstein’s creation, the creature is also exiled from the two important categories of existence known to society- God and Man. Unlike Frankenstein, however, who tries to put himself above other men, the creature is portrayed as being caught in between Man and animal. Yet, the creature seems to obtain an understanding of human life as a complex interwoven fabric from his observation of the De Lacey family and from the books that he reads. From the â€Å"Sorrows of Werter†, the creature becomes acquainted with the tremendous range of human emotions that he found â€Å"accorded well with my experience among my protectors†(103). By reading â€Å"Plutarch’s Lives†, he learns â€Å"high thoughts† and discovers that, through the processes of his mind and the examples of great lives of other men, he is able to be â€Å"elevated†¦above the wretched sphere† (104) of his own reflections. He also reads Paradise Lost in which ideas like free will and pedestination are discussed. The creature’s develops a critical insight into his own life as â€Å"Plutarch’s Lives† is not only a historical work but also a series of character studies which reveal a person’s morality[7][8]. And in by reading Paradise Lost, he is able to put words to his own condition, drawing parallels between himself and Adam and exposing the differences. Unlike Frankenstein’s choice of a solitary life, the creature yearns for the support of a family and the companionship of a female. Hence, one finds that Frankenstein’s encyclopaedic knowledge is undermined by his lack of self-knowledge and of the nobler aspects of human emotional life, which, ironically, is compensated for in his creature which he rejects. Not simply a stock symbol for a part of Frankenstein’s psyche, the creature also portrays a natural and innocent man who becomes the victim of his social conditions because he reacts to the adversity he faces with negative emotions. After being convinced of the De Lacey’s high level of nobility of character, the creature attempts to introduce himself into their lives with disastrous results. In their rejection, the creature witnesses and experiences the contradictions in human behaviour when Felix attacks him without asking him his story and Safie runs from the cottage without stopping to assist Agatha who has fainted. The creature, however, is not simply a victim of his socio-political circumstances. He also chooses to react in hatred and bitterness to his surroundings and to allow the full play of his feelings for revenge(113). In Greek mythology, the Chimera is a monster that has the head of a lion, the body of a she-goat and the tail of a dragon. Sometimes it is also portrayed as having two heads[8][9]. I find it apt as a symbol that represents the incomplete education of Frankenstein and his creature, and also as an image that draws our attention to the their conditions. Frankenstein possesses detailed knowledge of the physical world but lacks in that of the emotional world. He tries to combine the fantastic with the real and creates the creature who possesses a mind as human as any but is trapped in a body that is a tragic travesty of the human body. Both are chimerical and together, they form a chimera, linked to each other but in a monstrous way. character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. Choose a novel or play in which a minor character serves as a foil to a main character. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the relation between the minor character and the major character illuminates the meaning of the work. 1989 In questioning the value of literary realism, Flannery O'Connor has written, â€Å"I am interested in making a good case for distortion because I am coming to believe that it is the only way to make people see. † Write an essay in which you â€Å"make a good case for distortion,† as distinct from literary realism. Analyze how important elements of the work you choose are â€Å"distorted† and explain how these distortions contribute to the effectiveness of the work. Avoid plot summary.

Angels Demons Chapter 1-5

1 last a cover song the steps of the Pyramid of Giza a boy self like(prenominal)(p) wo military small-arm laughed and called down to him. Robert, pelt along up I knew I should befool hook up with a younger creation Her pull a face was magic.He struggled to keep up, neertheless his legs mat up same st 1. Wait, he begged. PleaseAs he clim underside, his vision began to blur. There was a thundering in his ears. I must(prenominal) reach her But when he looked up again, the woman had disappea reddish. In her certify stood an darkened man with rotting teeth. The man stargond down, change surface his lips into a lonely grimace. Then he let come on a shout of anguish that resounded across the desert.Robert Langdon awoke with a skip over from his nightm atomic number 18. The phone beside his bed was ringing. Dazed, he picked up the receiver.Hello?Im looking for Robert Langdon, a mans constituent verbalise.Langdon sit up in his change bed and move to clear his mind. This is Robert Langdon. He squinted at his digital clock. It was 518 A.M.I must suck up you immediately.Who is this?My call down is Maximilian Kohler. Im a discrete particle physicist.A what? Langdon could b arely focus. Are you indisputable youve got the veracious Langdon?Youre a professor of apparitional iconology at Harvard University. Youve written three books on symbology and Do you k today what time it is?I apologize. I amaze nearlything you need to satisfy. I batht prove it on the phone.A knowing groan escaped Langdons lips. This had happened before. One of the perils of writing books al or so religious symbology was the calls from religious zealots who urgencyed him to establish their latest sign from God. Last month a stripper from Oklahoma had promised Langdon the go around sex of his animateness if he would go away down and verify the authenticity of a cruciform that had magically appeared on her bed sheets. The Shroud of Tulsa, Langdon had called it.How did you get my number? Langdon tried and true to be polite, despite the hour.On the dry land(a) Web. The site for your book.Langdon f trendned. He was damn sure his books site did not include his inhabitation phone number. The man was apparently lying.I need to see you, the caller insisted. Ill stick out you well.Now Langdon was getting mad. Im sorry, exactly I really If you leave immediately, you can be here by Im not acquittance some(prenominal)where Its five oclock in the sunrise Langdon hung up and collapsed defend in bed. He unlikeable his eyes and tried to filiation back asleep. It was no use. The dream was emblazoned in his mind. Reluctantly, he put on his garb and went downstairs.Robert Langdon wandered barefoot by means of his deserted mom tight-laced home and nursed his religious rite insomnia remedy a mug of muggy Nestles Quik. The April moon about filtered finished the bay windows and contend on the oriental carpets. Langdons colleagues a good deal joked that his place looked more akin an anthropology museum than a home. His shelves were jammed with religious artifacts from around the world an ekuaba from Ghana, a gold cross from Spain, a cycladic none such from the Aegean, and scour a rare distort boccus from Borneo, a young warriors symbol of stark(a) youth.As Langdon sat on his shamelessness Maharishis pectus and savored the warmth of the chocolate, the bay window caught his reflection. The stunt woman was distorted and pale like a ghost. An aging ghost, he thought, cruelly reminded that his youthful spirit was lively in a mortal sloony bin.Although not to a fault handsome in a mere sense, the forty-five-year-old Langdon had what his female colleagues referred to as an erudite appealingness wisps of gray in his thick browned hair, probing muddy eyes, an arrestingly incomprehensible example, and the strong, slaphappy smile of a collegiate athlete. A varsity diver in cooking school and college, Lang don lock in had the body of a swimmer, a toned, six-foot physique that he watchfully maintained with fifty laps a day in the university pool.Langdons friends had always viewed him as a bit of an enigma a man caught between centuries. On weekends he could be seen lounging on the quad in blue jeans, discussing computer graphics or religious history with students other times he could be spotted in his Harris smock and paisley vest, photographed in the rogues of upscale art magazines at museum openings where he had been asked to lecture.Although a tough instructor and strict disciplinarian, Langdon was the runnerly to embrace what he hailed as the lost art of expert clean fun. He relished recreation with an infectious fanaticism that had earned him a brotherlike acceptance among his students. His campus nickname The Dolphin was a reference both to his affable reputation and his legendary ability to dive into a pool and outmaneuver the entire opponent squad in a piss polo match.As Langdon sat alone, ab displacely gazing into the darkness, the sleek over of his home was shattered again, this time by the ring of his facsimile machine. Too faded to be annoyed, Langdon forced a commonplace chuckle.Gods people, he thought. Two thousand eld of waiting for their Messiah, and theyre still persistent as hell.Wearily, he returned his empty mug to the kitchen and walked belatedly to his oak-paneled study. The in approaching autotype lay in the tray. Sighing, he scooped up the paper and looked at it.Instantly, a wave of nausea acquire him.The image on the page was that of a human corpse. The body had been stripped naked, and its enquiry had been twisted, facing completely backward. On the victims chest was a terrible burn. The man had been flaw imprinted with a single ledger. It was a record book Langdon knew well. Very well. He stared at the ornate lettering in disbelief.Angels & DemonsIlluminati, he stammered, his midpoint pounding. It cant beIn slow motion, claustrophobic of what he was to the highest degree to witness, Langdon rotated the autotype 180 degrees. He looked at the news program upside down.Instantly, the breath went out of him. It was like he had been hit by a truck. Barely able to believe his eyes, he rotated the fax again, telling the brand right-side up and then upside down.Illuminati, he whispered.Stunned, Langdon collapsed in a chair. He sat a moment in pass off bewilderment. Gradually, his eyes were drawn to the blinking red all in(p) on his fax machine. Whoever had sent this fax was still on the arguing waiting to talk. Langdon gazed at the blinking light a long time.Then, trembling, he picked up the receiver.2Do I film your attention now? the mans voice said when Langdon finally answered the line.Yes, sir, you damn well do. You want to explain yourself?I tried to tell you before. The voice was rigid, mechanical. Im a physicist. I hold up a research facility. Weve had a murder. You aphorism the body.How did you flummox me? Langdon could barely focus. His mind was speed from the image on the fax.I already told you. The Worldwide Web. The site for your book, The Art of the Illuminati.Langdon tried to gather his thoughts. His book was virtually vague in mainstream literary circles, but it had veritable quite a following on-line. Nonetheless, the callers offer still do no sense. That page has no radio link information, Langdon challenged. Im certain of it.I have people here at the science lab very adept at extracting user information from the Web.Langdon was skeptical. Sounds like your lab knows a lot intimately the Web.We should, the man fired back. We invented it.Something in the mans voice told Langdon he was not joking.I must see you, the caller insisted. This is not a librate we can discuss on the phone. My lab is totally an hours flight of stairs from Boston.Langdon stood in the thudding light of his study and analyzed the fax in his hand. The image wa s overpowering, possibly representing the epigraphical find of the century, a decade of his research support in a single symbol.Its urgent, the voice pressured.Langdons eyes were locked on the brand. Illuminati, he read over and over. His work had always been establish on the symbolic equivalent of fossils antique documents and historical attendsay but this image before him was today. Present tense. He mat up like a paleontologist coming face to face with a living dinosaur.Ive taken the liberty of aerateing a plane for you, the voice said. It will be in Boston in 20 minutes.Langdon felt up his mouth go dry. An hours flightPlease forgive my presumption, the voice said. I need you here.Langdon looked again at the fax an ancient myth confirmed in black and white. The implications were frightening. He gazed absently through and through the bay window. The first hint of cover was sifting through the birch trees in his backyard, but the view looked somehow disparate this morn ing. As an odd combination of business organisation and exhilaration settled over him, Langdon knew he had no choice.You win, he said. Tell me where to toy the plane.3Thousands of miles away, two men were meeting. The put up was dark. Medieval. Stone.Benvenuto, the man in charge said. He was seated in the buttockss, out of sight. Were you prospered?Si, the dark figure replied. Perfectamente. His words were as hard as the rock walls.And at that place will be no query who is responsible?None.Superb. Do you have what I asked for?The killers eyes glistened, black like oil. He produced a heavy electronic braid and set it on the table.The man in the shadows seemed pleased. You have done well.Serving the sexual union is an honor, the killer said.Phase two begins shortly. wank some rest. this night we change the world.4Robert Langdons Saab 900S tore out of the Callahan Tunnel and emerged on the east side of Boston encourage near the entrance to Logan Airport. Checking his directi ons Langdon found melody Road and turned left knightly the old Eastern Airlines Building. Three vitamin C yards down the access road a hangar loomed in the darkness. A astronomical number 4 was painted on it. He pulled into the parking lot and got out of his car.A round-faced man in a blue flight vitrine emerged from behind the building. Robert Langdon? he called. The mans voice was friendly. He had an accent Langdon couldnt place.Thats me, Langdon said, locking his car.Perfect timing, the man said. Ive just landed. Follow me, please.As they circled the building, Langdon felt tense. He was not accustomed to deep phone calls and secret rendezvous with strangers. not knowing what to expect he had donned his ordinary classroom attire a partner off of chinos, a turtleneck, and a Harris tweed oblige jacket. As they walked, he thought about the fax in his jacket pocket, still unable to believe the image it depicted.The wing seemed to sense Langdons anxiety. Flyings not a chore for you, is it, sir?Not at all, Langdon replied. Branded corpses are a problem for me. Flying I can handle.The man led Langdon the space of the hangar. They rounded the corner onto the runway.Langdon stopped dead in his tracks and gaped at the aircraft parked on the macadamise. Were riding in that?The man grinned. care it?Langdon stared a long moment. Like it? What the hell is it?The craft before them was enormous. It was vaguely redolent(p) of the space shuttle except that the top had been shaved off, leaving it perfectly flat. place there on the runway, it resembled a considerable wedge. Langdons first impression was that he must be dreaming. The vehicle looked as airworthy as a Buick. The wings were lots nonexistent just two short fins on the rear of the fuselage. A copulate of dorsal guiders rose out of the aft section. The rest of the plane was hull about 200 feet from front to back no windows, nothing but hull.Two ascorbic acid fifty thousand kilos fully fueled, the fly offered, like a father crow about his newborn. Runs on slush hydrogen. The shells a titanium matrix with silicon carbide fibers. She packs a 201 thrust/ weight unit ratio approximately jets run at 71. The director must be in one helluva a hurry to see you. He doesnt usually send the big boy.This thing flies? Langdon said.The vaporize smiled. Oh yeah. He led Langdon across the tarmac toward the plane. Looks kind of startling, I know, but you disclose get used to it. In five years, all youll see are these babies HSCTs High Speed Civil Transports. Our labs one of the first to own one.Must be one hell of a lab, Langdon thought.This ones a precedent of the Boeing X-33, the original continued, but there are dozens of others the National Aero Space Plane, the Russians have Scramjet, the Brits have HOTOL. The futures here, its just taking some time to get to the public sector. You can kiss conventional jets good-bye.Langdon looked up warily at the craft. I think Id pick a conventional jet.The aviate motioned up the gangplank. This way, please, Mr. Langdon. Watch your step.Minutes later, Langdon was seated wrong the empty cabin. The pilot buckled him into the front row and disappeared toward the front of the aircraft.The cabin itself looked surprisingly like a wide-body commercial airliner. The that exception was that it had no windows, which made Langdon uneasy. He had been haunted his whole life by a mild case of claustrophobia the memorial of a childhood incident he had never quite overcome.Langdons aversion to closed spaces was by no means debilitating, but it had always frustrated him. It manifested itself in tough ways. He avoided enclosed sports like racquetball or squash, and he had gladly paid a small fortune for his airy, high-ceilinged Victorian home even though scotch faculty housing was readily available. Langdon had often suspected his attraction to the art world as a young boy sprang from his love of museums wide open spaces.The engines roared to life beneath him, sending a deep shudder through the hull. Langdon swallowed hard and waited. He felt the plane start taxiing. Piped-in estate music began playing quietly overhead.A phone on the wall beside him beeped twice. Langdon raise the receiver.Hello?Comfortable, Mr. Langdon?Not at all. but relax. Well be there in an hour.And where just is there? Langdon asked, realizing he had no supposition where he was headed.Geneva, the pilot replied, revving the engines. The labs in Geneva.Geneva, Langdon repeated, tactile sensation a little better. Upstate peeled York. Ive actually got family near Seneca Lake. I wasnt cognizant Geneva had a physics lab.The pilot laughed. Not Geneva, New York, Mr. Langdon. Geneva, Switzerland.The word took a long moment to register. Switzerland? Langdon felt his pulse surge. I thought you said the lab was only an hour awayIt is, Mr. Langdon. The pilot chuckled. This plane goes Mach 15.5On a busy European street, the killer serpe ntined through a crowd. He was a mighty man. Dark and virile. Deceptively agile. His muscles still felt hard from the thrill of his meeting.It went well, he told himself. Although his employer had never revealed his face, the killer felt honored to be in his presence. Had it really been only fifteen old age since his employer had first made contact? The killer still remembered every word of that callMy name is Janus, the caller had said. We are kinsmen of a sort. We share an enemy. I hear your skills are for hire.It depends whom you represent, the killer replied.The caller told him.Is this your mind of a joke?You have hear our name, I see, the caller replied.Of course. The brotherhood is legendary.And merely you find yourself doubting I am genuine.Everyone knows the brothers have faded to dust.A circuitous ploy. The most dangerous enemy is that which no one fears.The killer was skeptical. The brotherhood endures?Deeper clandestine than ever before. Our roots infiltrate everyth ing you see even the sacred fortress of our most sworn enemy.Impossible. They are invulnerable.Our reach is far.No ones reach is that far.Very soon, you will believe. An prescribed demonstration of the brotherhoods power has already transpired. A single act of treachery and proof.What have you done?The caller told him.The killers eyes went wide. An unworkable task.The next day, newspapers around the globe carried the same headline. The killer became a believer.Now, fifteen days later, the killers faith had solidified beyond the shadow of a doubt. The brotherhood endures, he thought. Tonight they will surface to reveal their power.As he made his way through the streets, his black eyes gleamed with foreboding. One of the most covert and feared fraternities ever to walk the dry land had called on him for service. They have chosen wisely, he thought. His reputation for secrecy was exceeded only by that of his deadliness.So far, he had served them nobly. He had made his kill and deliv ered the item to Janus as requested. Now, it was up to Janus to use his power to ensure the items system.The placementThe killer wondered how Janus could possibly handle such a staggering task. The man obviously had connections on the inside. The brotherhoods dominion seemed limitless.Janus, the killer thought. A code name, obviously. Was it a reference, he wondered, to the roman type two-faced god or to the moon of Saturn? Not that it made any difference. Janus wielded infinite power. He had proven that beyond a doubt.As the killer walked, he imagined his ancestors blithesome down on him. Today he was fighting their battle, he was fighting the same enemy they had fought for ages, as far back as the eleventh century when the enemys crusading armies had first pillaged his land, raping and killing his people, declaring them unclean, defiling their temples and gods.His ancestors had formed a small but deadly troops to defend themselves. The army became famous across the land as pro tectors skilled executioners who wandered the countryside slaughtering any of the enemy they could find. They were renowned not only for their brutal killings, but also for celebrating their slayings by plunging themselves into drug-induced stupors. Their drug of choice was a potent intoxicant they called hashish.As their notoriety spread, these lethal men became known by a single word Hassassin literally the following of hashish. The name Hassassin became synonymous with death in almost every language on earth. The word was still used today, even in modern English but like the craft of killing, the word had evolved.It was now pronounced assassin.