Altruism Is Ultimately Selfish Essay Example for Free

Altruism Is Ultimately Selfish Essay Discuss the proposal that pure selfless altruism does not exist. Bartel (1976) defines prosocial behaviour as ‘behaviour that intentionally helps or benefits another person’. Batson (1987) defines altruism as ‘helping another person for no reward, and even at some cost to oneself.’ This definition of altruism seemingly depicts the behaviour as selfless, however there is a wealth of research which suggests that this is not the case. Dawkins (1976) also provides evidence that altruism is ultimately selfish. He separated individuals into three categories in regards to prosocial behaviour displayed. These were grudgers, cheats and suckers. Grudgers were deemed to be the most evolutionary stable category, as they could control and ‘punish’ cheats (who seek out and accept the help of others without returning the help) and could coexist with suckers (who indiscriminately provide others with help). This therefore provides support for the sociobiological view of prosocial behaviour, that it is ultimately selfish as its aim is to promote gene survival. However, this theory can only work if we know one’s altruistic or egoistic behaviour, and so Many studies have shown that we will only help others if we believe they would also help us. Clutton-Brock and Palmer (1995) found altruism to be conditional, which suggests that it therefore cannot be selfless. However, this can only work if we know one’s altruistic or egoistic behaviour, and so cannot benefit evolution if we do not (Mifune et al. 2010) This view is supported by the Social Norm approach. The Social Norm approach argues that altruism is based on reciprocity and equity. Equity theory states that we consider interactions to be fair if the outcomes are equally proportionate to the inputs (Wagstaff, 2001). A limitation of this theory is that Buunk et al (2012) found it difficult to apply to intimate relationships. A further limitation is that positive inputs could yield negative results, which is not fair or just (Wagstaff, 2001). An amendment to this theory by Wagstaff and Perfect (1993, 2001) ensured that good inputs can only be returned with rewards, and negative inputs can only be returned with punishments. There is evidence to suggest that people do operate by this model (Wagstaff, 2001) which implies that decisions of whether to display prosocial behaviour are weighted in fairness, meaning that altruistic acts may only be displayed if the individual perceives it to be fair to others. Cialdini and Kendrick (1976) devised the Negative state relief model to offer a possible explanation of altruism. This suggests that we help others to relieve negative feelings. This has been supported by Piliavin (1981) who argued in his Arousal: Cost reward model that negative feelings, such as guilt, instigate negative arousal and therefore people may provide others with help to alleviate this negative emotion. Both of these models suggest that we are helping others to help ourselves, which supports the claim that true, s elfless altruism does not exist. However, other research has found that helping behaviour increases in correlation with positive mood states (Isen, 1999). Even so, Carlson (1988) argues that this could be due to an individuals drive to prolong their good mood state by helping others. One limitation of this view is that it assumes that helping is a rewarding behaviour. Another norm in respect to prosocial behaviour is social responsibility, which can be defined as helping those in need. Altruistic or prosocial acts tend to be more frequent towards ingroup (such as friends and family) than outgroup members (Cohen, 1978; Mifune et al, 2010.) Burnstein (2005) found that identical twins are more likely to help (94%) than fraternal twins (46%) which supports this hypothesis. There is also evidence to suggest that kidney donors are three times more likely to donate to relatives than nonrelatives (Borgida et al, 1992; Axelrod et al 2010). These findings suggest that altruistic acts are not purely selfless; seeing our friends and families in pain increases our own personal negative affect, and so we are more motivated to help them than we would be strangers. However evidence suggests that social responsibility can be diffused. This reduces helping behaviour within groups. Latane and Darley (1970) coined the terms pluralistic ignorance (not helping because it appears that no one else is concerned) and diffusion of responsibility (the tendency to believe that someone else must be dealing with the situation). This lack of helping behaviour in group situations shows that prosocial behaviour cannot be explained by social responsibility alone and so do individuals who help despite the above effects show more selflessly altruistic tendencies? Further evidence against selfless altruism comes from the evidence that individual attributes appear to effect prosocial and altruistic behaviour being displayed. Ruggiero et al (1981) found that taller, heavier and physically stronger people are more likely to put themselves in harm’s way to help others in an emergency. This would suggest that an individual has first considered the cost to themselves of helping, meaning their act would not be selflessly altruistic. One contrast to this theory is that this body type closely resembles Sheldon’s (1942) mesomorph body type; who was claimed to be more likely to have tendencies towards violent crime. Pantin and carver (1982) found that participants were more likely to help a choking confederate after three weeks first aid training than without it. Also, Eisenberg-Berg (1979) found that prosocial behaviour increases if a person believes their fate to be within their own control, and if the person has mature moral judgement. This again implies that an individual tends to consider their own competency and implications of helping others prior to doing so, again raising doubts over the existence of selfless altruism. However Batson et al (1987; 2003) claim that true, selfless altruism does exist; and that it is motivated by empathy. Batson claims that if helping is motivated by relieving personal distress, an individual could simply flee the scene., yet true empathic concern for another cannot be alleviated by escaping. In his study, Batson assigned participants to high and low empathy conditions, and easy or difficult to escape conditions; to leave after two trials or ten trials respectively. He also gave participants the option of changing places with the victim after two trials. When escape was easy, individuals with low empathic concern escaped the situation. However those with high empathic concern stayed and changed places with the victim. Batson claimed this to be true altruism. Traits such as aggression and dominance are associated with reduced empathy , and individuals with these traits have been shown to show less prosocial behaviour than those without them (Eisenberg et al, 2010). However empathy can be perceived as creating a negative affect such as guilt if help was not offered, and this negative state would be beneficial for an individual to relieve; therefore helping another individual with whom you have empathy for can relieve negative emotion in oneself, and can even instigate positive affect and/ or mood. This supports Pilliavin’s (1981) Arousal: Cost reward model and Cialdini and Kendrick’s (1976) Negative state relief model and therefore provides evidence that selfless altruism does not exist. In contrast, Batson (1989) found that people were not more likely to help others when informed that doing so would gi ve them access to a mood enhancing procedure. The finding that reciprocal altruism can be learned (Rachlin, 2003) raises an interesting question of whether it can be unlearned. Warnekin and Tomasello (2008) found 36 20 month old toddlers who consistently helped by picking up an object. Some were rewarded after showing this behaviour. They found that the children who were rewarded decreased this behaviour unless they were rewarded for it again; whereas the toddlers who were given no reward were more likely to continue helping. In support of this, Knafo, Schwartz and Levine (2009) found that in countries were individuals are raised to be helpful, there was a reduced tendency to help out group members. As helping in group members is more likely to relieve negative affect than helping outgroup members, this could be viewed as a reduced tendency to display altruistic behaviour. These studies raise the question as to whether it is possible that true altruism does exist, and whether theories such as social learning theory may play a role on its nurturance or demise within a culture or group. Sabini (1995) stated that if true altruism exists, it excludes any rational reasons for helping others, be it extrinsic or intrinsic rewards. In fact according to the sociobiological principle, it would be evolutionarily weak to be selflessly altruistic, as we may become like Dawkin’s ‘suckers’ helping cheats to prosper. This provides further evidence that selfless altruism does not exist; as we would not be able to grow and prosper as a society. In conclusion, the majority of evidence suggests that true altruism does not exist.

Development of Sustainable Dwellings in Wales

Development of Sustainable Dwellings in Wales This study focuses on the development of a sustainable retrofit plan for a typical dwelling in Wales. There are two parts that have been discussed in this report. The first section is a full development plan to reduce the fuel cost with a budget of  £30K and the second is a calculation of carbon footprint of a building element (wall insulation materials). The project was predicted to achieve 70% reductions in CO2 emissions for a cost of some  £26K.Furthermore, the energy cost would be reduced by 85% if the development plan was implemented in full. Stepwise approach has been used to measure the performance. Replacing the heating system and adding more insulation for the roof, walls and floor are considered the significant improvement of the project with reasonable payback periods. The embodied CO2 emission for three different insulation materials has been calculated. Rockwool has the lowest rate 833 kg co2e compared to 875, 1737 to the Sheeps wool and Expanded Polystyrene respectivel 1.1 Background 1.1.1 Introduction: Indeed, there is a huge pressure on governments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Paris agreement, is a recent agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, was agreed to keep the global warming below 2 °C (1). British government aims to have an 80% reduction by 2050. This means a huge improvement is needed in energy efficiency of our existing dwelling. The recent report shows that over 45% of total greenhouse emissions were emitted from dwelling building (2).The domestic sector accounted for 29 % of the total energy consumption in 2015(3).Furthermore, residential was ranked the fourth in the amount of greenhouse gas emission according to national statistics(4) the figure below show the greenhouse gas emission by different sectors. Figure (1) Greenhouse gas emission by sector (DECC), UK, 2014 1.1.2 The property: This house was built in 1930s and has three bedrooms with South-West facing and located in Wales. The external walls are cavity wall with plaster but without any insulation, the floor has no insulation, the roof is slate tiles with 50mm insulation between the rafters. The windows are double glazed, with a 6mm air gap, PVC frames and with U value of 2.8.The doors are also PVC frame with U value of 2.8. The heating system is an old mains gas boiler with 65% efficiency, the capacity of hot water tank 120 litre. 1.1.3 Performance prior to refurbishment: This house has a SAP rating of 45, below the national average of 48 and therefore there is a need to improve its performance to achieve 80 % of reduction in emissions as well as the annual fuel cost. This could be achieved by reducing the heat loss through the walls, floor, roof as well as windows and doors. 1.2 Development plan There are two factors that are set to dramatically transform the way in which building was designed and fabricated in the early twenty-first century-insulation and energy. There is a need to maximise the insulation levels of the buildings while at the same time rethinking the ways in which building consumes the energy needed to run them. Step 1: Upgrading the heating system : Modern boilers are more efficient because they burn the fuel very efficiently. The fuel type also has a direct impact on reducing the fuel bill as well as carbon emissions. The condensing gas boiler (90% efficacy) with room thermostat is the best choice in this matter. Step 2: Insulating the roof, floor and walls: The challenge in adding insulation levels in domestics is to choose the right materials that fit for purpose. Understanding the properties of the materials and when it is suited to fitting in the attic space is essential. Moreover, price, fire safety, chemicals involved and end of life should also be considered when choosing the material (5). -Floor: Phenolic foam insulation would offer the best performance of any readily available panel (6). It also has less impact on room size where dry-lining is considered. Kingspans Kooltherm phenolic is the good option for floors. The designed U value for floor is 0.2 W/m2K. -Cavity wall insulation: Filling the cavity gap between the inner and outer blocks with appropriate insulation material has been considered. However, it is highly likely that insulating the cavity alone will not be enough to achieve the required U-values. For this reason, adding internal or external insulation should also be concerned to achieve the targeted U-value. The designed u value for injected insulation with external wall insulation (Rockwool) is 0.49 (W/m2K). -Roofs: mineral wool insulation is highly recommended for roof insulation, 160 mm is added between rafters and 100 mm below them. The designed U value in this case is 0.15 (W/m2K). Step 3: Minimising infiltration (disuse chimneys, draught proofing). Ventilation is needed in traditional buildings to help the fabric breathe. Chimneys would have contributed greatly to the ventilation rate, so it is advised, in some cases, that chimneys could to be left open to allow natural ventilation. However, disused chimney, if left fully open, will often cause more heat loss. It also can let water in, if it is uncapped. Some methods can be recommended: CAPS: a cap at the top of a chimney will prevent water ingress but allow through ventilation. However, caps can cause huge damage and be very dangerous if they blow off in case of windy weather. Balloons: is the quickest and cheapest way to close of a flue that is not being used, but it is awkward and dirty when removing and reinstalling them in place. Step 4: Reducing the energy consumption for lighting (LED). LED lighting is extremely energy efficient technology and has changed the future of lighting worldwide. The residential LED lighting use less 70% energy and last 25 times longer life (7). The value of lighting gain in the SAP calculation (67) was reduced by 70% of the original value. Step 5: Installing renewable sources (PV panel). The solar photovoltaic (PV) has many advantages that a householder can benefit from. The main benefit is to cut electricity bill as well as sell the left over electricity to the grid. Not to mention, the sunlight is free and that means nearly zero carbon footprint (8). It is advised the Monocrystalline system with 20% efficiency is required to generate around 2700kWh annually. This system requires 21 square meter roof space and makes saving around 12p/kWh from electricity bill. However, if a householder doesnt use the electricity produced, exported to grid or store it in batteries are the only two options available. The storage technology has been ignored because the cost and complexity with installing at dwelling. The exported tariff is 3.1 p/kWh, but this figure could be ignored as the power generated by the system would be absorbed by the site demand. Step 6: UPVC triple glazing windows The huge heating loss in domestics occurs through windows. There is a growing range in this area to improve the thermal performance of this element. Triple glazing is the best options that could be considered to achieve the reduction target. This element has an excellent U-value (one or less) which provide a decrease in energy consumption as well as reducing CO2 emissions. Step 7: UPVC high efficient door It is suggested that the original doors on the property, with a U-value of 2.8 W/m2.K, should be replaced with a high performance triple glazed door, reducing the U-value of the surface by 65%. 1.3 Alternatives options Other systems were also considered but rejected due to the cost-effectiveness as well as the project size. For example: Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR): is widely used for highly energy efficient buildings in the UK. However, the complexity to install and the high capital cost, the system was ignored. Under floor heating: is a modern technology that allows the householder to enjoy the luxury of the warm floor during the winter. In other hand, under floor system is pricey to install in retrofit house and more difficult to maintain if any problem occurs. Wind turbine: roof-mounted and freestanding mast wind turbines are two types that can be installed in the project. The micro wind turbine was rejected because the space limitation, the turbine noise and save the birds in the local area. 1.4 Analysis and evaluation SAP rating: the graph (1) illustrates the improvement of the SAP rating though the development plan. It is clearly seen that the property has been developed from 45.65 to over 90 and that means the house can achieve band B in the EPC. CO2 emissions rate: As it can be seen from the graph (2) below, a significant decrease in CO2 emissions though the development plan. The house would benefit of 70% reduction on CO2 emissions as the plan reduced CO2 emissions rate from 71.35 to below 22.77. Energy cost: The annual fuel cost has been reduced from  £1354 to below  £200 as graph (3) indicates. A reduction of 85% of annual energy bill will be achieved if the designed plan is implemented. The projects budget was  £30K; however, the full money spent in this plan is around  £26K. The simple payback method has been used for financial evaluation. The full plan will require 20 years to recover the cost of the project. The plan is designed in stepwise to achieve higher performance as well as keep the cost low as much as possible. The graph (4) shows that SAP rating improvement against the cost for each step. Replacing windows and doors would cost over  £7000 and  £1000 respectively; with having longer payback periods (graph 5), that took them to the end of the list. Note: Full data can be found in the appendix (table 3). Graph (1) SAP rating during the development plan Graph (2) CO2 emissions rate through the development plan Graph (3) Annual energy cost through the development plan Graph (4) SAP improvement vs. Cost Graph (5) Simple payback calculation for development plan 1.5 Conclusion The project will benefit significantly by replacing the heating system as well as adding more insulation for the roof, floor and walls. However, replacing windows the doors have slight effect on the house performance as it costs more with less benefit. Installing photovoltaic panels will make a huge impact on the project performance. It would make saving over 55% from the energy bill if 3 KWp panel was installed. 2.1 Introduction The thermal resistance provided by insulation materials used in the building fabric means that the energy savings from insulation made during the operation of the building far outweigh its embodied environmental impacts. Also, insulation products tend to have a very low density and, therefore, when reviewed in a building context, only relatively small masses of materials are used. However, if insulations are not assessed with a whole-building life-cycle approach they may not appear to be an inherently low environmental impact material, because of the resources and energy used during manufacture, the use of blowing agents and the lack of reuse/recycling at the end of life. This study will illustrate the environmental impact of three different types of insulation; it also provides the carbon footprint calculation for the project that was refurbished in the Part 1. 2.2 Literature survey The Green guide classifies the insulation used in the construction into: Non-renewable organic-based insulation such as expanded polystyrene (EPS); this material has conductivity 0.038 W/mK, density 37 kg/m3. It is a rigid, open cell form of polystyrene blown with pentane. EPS is a thermoplastic polymer, so can be reprocessed and recycled more easily than thermoset polymers. Most process waste is recycled but there is limited recycling of postconsumer packaging. Renewable organic plant/animal-derived insulation such as Sheeps wool insulation; it has conductivity 0.039 W/mK, density 25 kg/m3. The sheeps wool that is not suitable for textiles, is used for insulation. The wool needs to be scoured, requiring energy and water, and the resulting pesticide residue from the sheet dip needs treatment. Binders and polyester fibre are required, as well as chemical treatment to prevent moth attack. Mineral wool insulation such as Rockwool; is a medium density insulation product of 45 kg/m3 and has a thermal conductivity of 0.044 W/mK. Rockwool is made of 77% virgin raw material mainly in the form of diabase, gotland stone, lime stone, cement and bauxite. The remaining 23% are classed as waste materials. End-of-life issues for insulation Many insulation types are recyclable at end of life, but do not currently have any recycling system in place for material recovered from construction, refurbishment or demolition. There is evidence that some insulation waste from construction is incorporated elsewhere within the building, rather than being sent for disposal. For most materials, the impact associated with end of life is the disposal impact measured by BRE relating to the amount of material landfilled or incinerated. The BRE methodology also includes the emissions associated with incineration and landfill, including burning of landfill gas. For renewable materials, the end-of-life stage can have a significant impact if the sequestered carbon is released back into the environment through incineration or decay in landfill. Table (1) End-of-life waste destination (reference 11) Insulation End of life waste destination (%) Landfill Incineration Recycled Expanded polystyrene (EPS): 90 9 1 Sheeps wool 100 0 0 Rockwool 40 10 50 2.3 Carbon footprint calculation The construction carbon calculator is used to determine the environmental impact for insulation materials. This tool was downloaded from the governments website (12). CO2 emissions calculation: The table below shows the total amount of co2 emissions for the three types of insulation. Table (2) Carbon footprint calculation for EPS, Sheeps wool and Rockwool Reference Unit Expanded Polystyrene Sheeps wool Rockwool Wall area m2 110 110 110 Insulation thickness Assumption m 0.1 0.1 0.1 Volume of insulation m3 11 11 11 Density Ref (13) kg/m3 37 25 45 Mass kg 407 275 495 Waste 5% Assumption kg 427.35 288.75 519.75 Carbon coefficient Ref(14) kgco2/kg 3.43 2.09 1.12 Embodied CO2 kg co2e 1465.8105 603.4875 582.12 Boundary Ref(14) cradle to gate cradle to gate cradle to grave Transport of material Manufacturer website 200 miles from Kent by road 175 miles from Liverpool by road Non Transport Embodied CO2 kg co2e 19 19 0 Waste destination Ref(11) 90% landfill 100% landfill 50% landfill Waste mass kg 366.3 275 259.875 Waste Embodied CO2 kg co2e 3.19 3.48 1.7 Transport of waste Assumption miles 100 100 100 Transport waste Embodied CO2 kg co2e 0.2 0.2 0.2 Total waste Embodied CO2 kg co2e 3.39 3.68 1.9 Energy consumed Assumption Kwh 200 200 200 Plant CO2 emissions kg co2e 119 119 119 Project duration (days) Assumption 3 3 3 Travel CO2 emissions kg co2e 130 130 130 Total kg co2e 1737.2005 875.1675 833.02 2.4 Conclusion As it can be seen from the previews calculation, the highest embodied CO2 emission is Expanded Polystyrene because of the higher carbon coefficient and end-of-life issue. For that reason EP is out of consideration. Sheeps wool is natural source, absorbing and releasing moisture without decreasing its thermal insulating properties. However, it has more CO2 emissions than Rockwool which also take it out of thought. In addition to Rockwool has less embodied CO2 emissions, it has excellent thermal insulation with more flexibility to install. Mineral wool has also superior fire resistance as well as better acoustic properties. The Paris Agreement main page (2001) Available at: http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php (Accessed: 14 February 2017). DECC (2011), The Carbon Plan: Delivering Our Low Carbon Future, p.29. Department of Energy and Climate Change. Digest of United Kingdom energy statistics (DUKES). Available at: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/ publications/dukes. Government Statistics (no date) Available at: http://4.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/496942/2014_Final_Emissions_Statistics_Release.pdf (Accessed: 14 February 2017). Technology Strategy Board, 2014. Reducing energy use in existing homes, a guide to making retrofit work. RETROFIT FOR THE FUTURE, 1, 15. D Pickles, I Brocklebank C Wood, 2010. ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN HISTORIC BUILDINGS: Open fires, chimneys and flues. nglish Heritage, 1, 17. LED Lighting | Department of Energy. 2017. LED Lighting | Department of Energy. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/led-lighting. [Accessed 15 February 2017]. R. Sadgrove S.Pester, 2014. Installation of photovoltaic panels on existing flat roofs some lessons learned. BRE Information Papers, IP 8/14, 7. SEI, Retrofitted Passive Homes, 2009. Retrofitted Passive Homes: Guidelines for upgrading existing dwelling in Ireland. Retrofitted Passive Homes, 1, 15. Shorrock L D and Utley J I. Domestic energy fact file 2003,BRE BR 457. Bracknell, IHS BRE Press, 2003. K Albury J Anderson , 2011. Environmental Impact Of Insulation . BRE TRUST, 2011. 10 Government Website. 2007. Construction Carbon Calculator. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency/about/procurement. [Accessed 28 February 2017]. http://jablite.co.uk. 2016. Jablite EPS . [ONLINE] Available at: http://jablite.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Jablite-EPS.pdf. [Accessed 28 February 2017]. Sheep Wool Insulation Premium. 2016. Sheep Wool. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.sheepwoolinsulation.ie/products/premium_insulation_technical.asp. [Accessed 28 February 2017]. Prof.Hammond Jones, Prof.G and C, 2011. The Inventory of Carbon and Energy (ICE). 1st ed. UK: University of Bath Table (3) Full data of the development plan Current Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Overall Assignment Results Current New boiler Insulated Floor Insulated walls Insulated roof Minimising infiltration LED lighting PV panel UPVC Triple glazing UPVC door Dwelling volume (m ³) 223.6 223.6 223.6 223.6 223.6 223.6 223.6 223.6 223.6 223.6 Effective air change rate 1.2261 1.2261 1.2261 1.22614 1.2261 0.66878 0.6688 0.6688 0.66878 0.668784 Ventilation type 24d 24d 24d 24d 24d 24d 24d 24d 24d 24d Fabric heat loss (W/K ) 309.66 309.66 213.77 130.25 123.37 123.37 123.37 123.37 84.28 82.28 Total fabric heat loss (W/K ) 339.06 339.06 243.17 159.65 152.77 152.77 152.77 152.77 113.68 111.68 HLP (W/m ²K ) 4.2377 4.2377 3.2917 2.46769 2.3998 1.99406 1.9941 1.9941 1.60841 1.588676 Heat gains from water heating, (kWh) 1489.6 1489.6 1489.6 1489.65 1489.6 1489.65 1489.6 1489.6 1489.65 1489.648 Average Internal gains (W) 485.09 485.09 485.09 485.085 485.09 485.085 468.49 468.49 468.494 468.4936 Average Solar gains (W) 339.96 339.96 339.96 339.956 339.96 339.956 339.96 339.96 254.967 254.9673 Mean Internal temperature (C °) 17.534 17.534 18.063 18.6402 18.695 19.0535 19.043 19.043 19.3723 19.39251 Space heating requirement in kWh2/m2/year 203.94 203.94 160.8 119.082 115.45 91.3375 92.201 92.201 72.9319 71.72854 Efficiency of main space heating system 1 (in %) 0.66 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Efficiency of water heater 0.66 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Fuel for water heating, kWh 4281.2 3139.5 3139.5 3139.54 3139.5 3139.54 3139.5 3139.5 3139.54 3139.544 Electricity for pumps, fans and electric keep-hot 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Electricity for lighting (calculated in Appendix L) 284.43 284.43 284.43 284.428 284.43 284.428 85.328 85.328 85.3283 85.32833 Energy saving/generation technologies 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -2700 -2700 -2700 Average Fuel costs (p) 8.335 8.335 8.335 8.335 8.335 8.335 8.335 9.306 9.306 9.306 Additional standing charges 174 174 174 174 174 174 174 174 174 174 Total energy cost 1354.5 1050.7 <

Essay on the Failure of Language in Malcolm and On the Road

The Failure of Language in Malcolm and On the Road        Ã‚  Ã‚   John Clellon Holmes in his essay "The Philosophy of the Beat Generation" characterized his young contemporaries as deeply spiritual; to him, the very eccentricity of the fifties with their characteristic sexual promiscuity, drug addiction, petty criminality, and heterodox forms of self-expression was an attempt to assert one's individuality in the atmosphere of pervasive conformity of that Golden Age. And judging by the literature of this era from the distance of four decades one might conclude that incessant search for one's true self was, indeed, what this time was all about. The shaping of identity of a young protagonist (or its failure) is the dominant motif of the two outstanding works of the period--James Purdy's Malcolm and Jack Kerouac's On the Road, published in 1959 and 1957 correspondingly; their central characters, Dean Moriarty and Malcolm, severed from the primal source of identity--their fathers, are on a quest to regain the touch with that most fundamenta l aspect of their individuality. Defining oneself in relationship to language is an essential part of this quest. There is a certain magnetism about Malcolm and Dean that wins over hobos, billionaires, chanteuses, and bohemians alike; but whatever the nature of their charm might be, it is not linguistic. Indeed, both Malcolm and Dean are at odds with standard English. Malcolm's verbal innocence makes him a foreigner to any circle he finds himself in; the pattern corruption in the novel, therefore, requires that his mentors introduce him to the vocabulary which stands for yet another aspect of the wickedness they are to "break him in." This is an arduous task, given the extent to which Malcolm is a... ...y appropriated, were the heroes of the generation (Krupat 407). Purdy's novel, on the other hand, denies his Everyman a father, humanity its God, and the world any meaning.       Works cited Adams, Stephen D. James Purdy. London: Vision, 1976. Holmes, John C. "The Philosophy of the Beat Generation." On the Road. Text and Criticism. By Jack Kerouac. Ed. Scott Donaldson. New York: Penguin, 1979. 367-79. Kerouac, Jack. On the road. Ed. Scott Donaldson. New York: Penguin, 1979. Krupat, Arnold. "Dean Moriarty as Saintly Hero." On the Road. Text and Criticism. By Jack Kerouac. Ed. Scott Donaldson. New York: Penguin, 1979. 397-411. Lorch, Thomas M. "Purdy's Malcolm: A Unique Vision of Radical Emptiness." Wisconsin Studies in Contemporary Literature. 6 (1965): 204-13. Purdy, James. Malcolm. London, New York: Serpent's Tail, 1994.      

Reflection on a Critical Incident Essay example -- Nursing Reflective

Reflection has its importance in clinical practice; we always seek to be successful and that can be achieved by learning every day of our life through experiences we encounter. In that way we can reconsider and rethink our previous knowledge and add new learning to our knowledge base so as to inform our practice. Learning new skills does not stop upon qualifying; this should become second nature to thinking professionals as they continue their professional development throughout their careers (Jasper, 2006). According to Rolfe et al. (2001), reflection does not merely add to our knowledge, it also challenges the concepts and theories by which we try to make sense of that knowledge. Acquiring knowledge through reflection is modern way of learning from practice that can be traced back at least to the 1930s and the work of John Dewey, an American philosopher and educator who was the instigator of what might be called ''discovery learning'' or learning from experience. He claimed that w e learn by doing and that appreciating what results from what we do leads to a process of developing knowledge, the nature and importance of which then we must seek to interpret (Rolfe et al., 2001). In this assignment, the reflection will be structured using the educational cycle (framework) of Graham Gibbs, as per the recommendations of Rolfe et al. (2001), in that it is often neither the subject nor the content of what we reflect on that is necessarily important, but rather its analysis in terms of what can be drawn out in understanding and learning. In keeping within current legislation on the protection and respect of an individuals’ right of anonymity, (Clamp, Gough and Land 2004; Polit and Beck 2007), and to confidentiality, (Burns and G... ... and Wilkins. Philadelphia. p180. Rolfe, Gary; Freshwater, Dawn; Jasper, Melanie (2001). Critical reflection for nursing and the helping professions: a user's guide. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire; New York: Palgrave. pp. 26–35 Summary of Rolfe et al.’s (2001) Reflective Model Web. 23 May 2015. http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/Public/LISS/Documents/skillsatcumbria/ReflectiveModelRolfe.pdf Standards of Proficiency (2014) Operating Department Practitioners 2 June 2014 http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10000514standards_of_Proficiency_ODP.pdf Standards of conduct, performance and ethics. (2008) Health Professions Council UK http://www.hcpc-uk.org/publications/standards/index.asp?id=38 Webster CS, Merry AF, Larsson L, McGrath KA, Weller J. The frequency and nature of drug administration error during anaesthesia. Anaesth Intensive Care 2001; 29: 494-500.

Chemical Control Agents Used Against the Gypsy Moth Essay -- Gypsy Mot

Chemical Control Agents Used Against the Gypsy Moth The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is a highly disruptive species that can, and has played a distinctive role in the lives of many organisms. Included in these organisms are various deciduous trees and shrubs, wildlife species that share the same environment, and even humans. The gypsy moth destroys the beauty of woodlands via defoliation, alters ecosystems and wildlife habitats, and disrupts our own lives. It should therefore come as no surprise that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and many other agencies have taken huge steps to help diminish populations of this small, yet persistent species. In an effort to control these overwhelming populations, five chemical control agents have been used to suppress and/or eradicate the gypsy moth. Following, is a discussion of each chemical and their potentially hazardous effects on humans. The first chemical control agent is Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (B.t.k.); a bacteria isolated from diseased silk worms and flour moths. The potency of B.t.k. varies among insects and readily destroys lepidopteran larvae within approximately one hour of ingestion. More than 1 million pounds of B.t.k. is applied annually in the U.S., primarily via aerial spraying, but also by ground spraying. It does not persist long in the environment (losing its activity by 50% within 1-3 days), has not been seen to replicate in gypsy moth predators, and does not accumulate in the soil. There seems to be a low level of concern regarding human B.t.k. exposure, although B.t.k. formulations have caused eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritations, especially in ground workers. Some claims reveal that a majority of these workers were not equipped with ... ... 8) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, Summary: Final Environmental Impact Statement, Radnor, PA, 1995. 9) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Gypsy Moth Suppression and Eradication Projects, 1985. 10) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Gypsy Moth Managment in the U.S.: a cooperative approach. Environmental Impact Statement; Appendix F Human Health Risk Assessment, 1995. 11) Wargo, Phillip M., Defoliation by the Gypsy Moth: How it Hurts Your Tree, U.S. Department of Agriculture, No. 223, 1974. 12) White, William B., Hubbard, Schneeberger, and Raimo, Technological Developments in Aerial Spraying, U.S. Department of Agriculture, No. 535, 1974.

Analyzing Strengths and Weaknesses of Amazon

Strengths Amazon has proven to be a successful and profitable organization in terms of growth, with a current net income in 2008 of 663 million dollars. The company uses Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Information Technology to record customer buying habits, investing a lot of time and money researching customer trends. Doing this they are able to locate and prepare for sales estimated from previous years. A high percentage of their customers buy during the holiday season; knowing this enables Amazon to offer different promotions and selling strategies tailored to meet the customers demand and needs. Amazon has a huge global brand and is listed as 130 on the Fortune 500 list. Amazon was one of the first companies in e-commerce; which has allowed them to hold a huge percentage of the market share. Amazon recently bought JOYO, Chin’s largest online retailer, creating an even bigger market share in China, but still left with room to grow. Amazon’s Inventory turnover rate is phenomenal, even in the current economy. They have been able to maintain a 34 day inventory to turn over, which equals out to over 10 times a year. This is beneficial, because it allows Amazon to adjust to seasonal products and different product trends, without large amounts of excess inventory. Adding to that; Amazon’s total debt has been decreasing year over to a low of $. 67 in 2008. This means that for every $1 Amazon has $. 7 in debt. This has been declining signaling company growth. Weaknesses Amazon has continually added new products and services to customers; and is known for their great customer service and quality products. Something for them to consider is, when adding new products or categories of products, they could damage its brand. In order to be competitive with other companies Amazon has to broaden the range of products, but cannot become a swap meet either.

Internet Predators Essay

Internet predators and pedophiles are a major concern of our country today. The danger and potential risks that these men are committing on children has to be stopped right from the start Law enforcement and local police have set up predator crack down teams to lure and catch these sexual deviants and get them out of the suburbs and towns before they can cause any harm. The police use entrapment in certain cases to convict and put away these men which some say is unethical and a violation of these men’s rights. Defense attorneys are arguing that police unrightfully cause these men to commit crimes and that these men would have never tried to solicit these girls if it weren’t for the police starting the conversations. The only productive method of catching these men is by causing them to act upon their feelings and lure them to get with these girls. Though unethical, I believe that the methods these police use are the only ways to stop them from committing these crimes and endangering society’s children. Child molestation cases are hidden from the public in order to preserve the privacy of the victim. The downside to this is that this also protects the criminals. Studies revealed that only a small percentage of people accused of child molestation have their names published. A smaller number of cases are even printed in articles. What we mostly see in the papers are the arrests and the arraignment. The outcomes of the cases are rarely heard. (Copp, 42) As much as the internet has become quite helpful in technology and interconnectedness, it has also placed the lives of our children at risk. Sexual predators lurk the worldwide web because they can be anonymous when they are on the internet. A child has no idea who he or she is actually talking to. The sexual predator can present himself as a relative or a school friend. It is hard to tell who the actual person is on the other end. Before, sexual predators interact with the children on the playground. Today, they can do the exact same thing while the children are in the comfort of their own homes. (Philaretou, 2) Child sexual exploitation can happen to anyone – regardless of their ethnic, social, economic and religious background. The internet increases the chances of this occurring because it is a worldwide and powerful medium. Pedophiles and sexual predators can easily turn their computer on and log on to the web and easily get the names and addresses of their victims. As sick as this may sound, the reality of it is that there are a number of child predators who get together and swap child pornography through their internet connection. They share their conquests and discuss ways on how they can lure more children online. They also exchange seduction techniques. These excite their addiction so they go for the hunt even more. (Philaretou, 3) Through these group conversations on the internet, the sexual predators exchange techniques on how they can avoid being detected by the police. When they are not on the internet, pedophiles and sexual predators are loners. They do not commune as much with other people as they do so when they are online. (Philaretou, 4) The most common way for sexual predators to interact with children through the internet is by visiting chat rooms and exchanging instant messages and email. Sexual solicitations are made even as you read this very statement. 25% of kids participate in real time chat and a number of them are already interacting with a predator – whether they be aware of this or not. (Philaretou, 5) This becomes a problem because predators establish an intimate relationship with their potential victims through their online interaction. Teenagers use online forums in order to deal with their problems. This is the very first place predators go to in order to look for their victims. They seduce their targets through affection, kindness and time. They exert so much effort to establish a trust with them through the internet. They know the interests of their victims, such as the latest movies, TV shows, music, books and sports, in order to converse with them more. (Kincaid, 65) They sympathize with their targets by listening to their problems. As soon as the trust has been formed, that is when the sexual predator slowly introduces sexual content to their conversations. Some even shows the child sexually explicit photographs or videos. Worse, these sexual predators may even schedule a victim with their targets so they can meet and personally interact with one another – which often leads to rape, sexual exploitation, kidnapping and worse, murder. (Kincaid, 66) Because of this problem, television and media do what they can in order to alleviate the problem. Dateline NBC created a series titled â€Å"To Catch a Predator† intended to catch child sexual abusers before they actually do the deed. By using hidden cameras, these investigations have an undercover sting operation assisted by an online watchdog group called Perverted-Justice. The police are active participants in the procedure. These lead to the arrests of sexual predators. (Drake, 34) To elaborate it further, this is how â€Å"To Catch a Predator† does it. They build the profiles of minor children on networking websites. They also enter the chat rooms disguised as children and teenagers. They wait for an adult to be the first to message them. The dialogue begins. Once the conversation becomes sexual, the police encourage them even more by making it appear that minors want to know more. Through this interaction, the legal officers are already gathering evidence from the alleged sexual predator. These come in the form of conversations of sexual content via chat or email, pornography and pictures. (Burgess, 122) This brings us to the argument presented in the introductory paragraph of this paper. The sexual predators claim that it is the police who start asking them about solicitation. This is the policemen’s method of entrapment. Sexual predators believe that through the conversations triggered by the police, they wouldn’t be soliciting girls in the first place. This is the case of extreme measures. The police must do something ‘unethical’ in order to prevent an act that is more ‘unethical’ (raping a minor) to happen in the first place.