At Direct Essays we are always looking to help our members!
We add new papers on a regular basis from topics
that are suggested by our members.

Title Word Count
The Virtue of Faith 2839
Since the Middle Ages, Christian theology has struggles with the issue of whether God's existence can be proven (McGrath 3). A number of approaches have set forward, especially by Anselm of Canterbury and Thomas Aquinas (McGrath). In "The Faith," Brian Moynahan writes that the early Christians were persistent regarding the virtue of their faith (Moynahan 54). As pagans, they had spurned those who differed form them in blood and custom, but as Christians they lived together, prayed for their enemies, and sought to win over those who unjustly hated them (Moynahan 54). The basics of their faith were outlined by the Christian philosopher Aristides of Athens, in which he wrote "As Christians, they trace their origins to the Lord Jesus Christ...Son of God...born of a virgin...died and was buried...and rose and ascended into heaven" (Moynahan 55). It was another two centuries for a formal creed to be agreed upon, but a Rule of Truth, also known simply as "the Faith" was recorded by Irena
Financial Equilibrium 2180
Introduction Background to Problem The intent of this research paper is to examine whether the economy can influence personal wealth, and if so in what manner. Multiple historians, sociologists, psychologists, historians and business entrepreneurs have explored the relationship between the economy and personal wealth. Many have concluded that with economic success and bounty come corruption and inequality of distribution of personal wealth within societies (Ikels, 1996; Angle, 1986; Kiester & Moller, 2000). From the preliminary literature available the researcher will assume for purposes of this exploration that the economy can influence ones ability to create personal wealth but may also limit one's personal wealth opportunities. The exact influence of the economy on personal wealth results from multiple factors including cultural, sociological, philosophical and historical ones. An interdisciplinary investigation of each of these factors is provided below. Conceptual Frame
The World and Future Possibilities of Weblogs 285
The article, "Moving to the Public: Weblogs in the Writing Classroom" by Charles Lowe of Purdue University, and Terra Williams from Arizona State University explores the world and future possibilities of Weblogs. The authors also critique a variety of current popular Weblogs. According to the authors, the Web has turned the notion of a diary inside out, in that "weblogs are public diaries" (Lowe). As weblogs become
Ragtime of Modern American Music 1533
At the root of almost all modern American music is Ragtime, itself a synthesis of quintessentially American rhythms and melodies. Made eternally popular by composers like Scott Joplin, ragtime was also emblematic of American culture itself: a synthesis of African- and European-American musical forms, structures, songs, and styles. Drawing on folk songs, blues, and popular tunes from the late nineteenth century, ragtime emerged as a somewhat subversive form of music. The word "ragtime" probably derives from the colloquial term "rag," an energetic dance jig. However, some ragtime historians note that the term connotes ragtime's distinctive rhythmic intensity: its "raggedness." One of the distinguishing features of ragtime is its syncopated rhythms. Yet ragtime also incorporates distinct melodies that derive largely from European music. Ragtime music is mainly piano-based, and it is on the piano that most ragtime tunes come to life most vibrantly. In fact, the medium of the piano lends it
Heroes and Heroines 404
When I wake up in the morning, I am only me for the first few minutes that I have. After that, however, I sometimes think that I am someone else. Being a wife and a mother often makes me think that I fall into those categories and not one that makes me an individual. It is too easy to be caught up in the role of someone's wife or someone's mother, and forget what it is like just to be a person. There are times when I act happy when I am not, sad about something that does not matter that much to me, or other ways because I am trying to please my husband or my children, and at those times I am no
Threat of China to the United States 1443
Does China pose a threat to the United States? There is no definite answer at this time in history, but certain events have led many people to believe that the United States should be prepared for China's attempt to gain military and economic supremacy in the very near future. If we are to believe the Gutenberg study, which claims every Chinese officer has read Sun Tzu's 2,500 year old military manual, it is easy to assume that China's internal military structure is very strong, organized, loyal and, perhaps, much better informed than we have been led to believe. Sun Tzu's ancient warfare tactics are largely based on deception, and creating the illusion of seeming "unable," "feigning disorder, " and pretending to be weak (Sun Tzu 1,18-22). He advises intense contemplation and planning for war, and directs the military to "forage on the enemy" (Sun Tzu II, 15). He encourages hiding and deceit, and overall, presents a brilliant set of almost spiritual tactics for Chinese dominat
Pursuing a Graduate Degree In Early Childhood Education 629
Pursuing a graduate degree in early childhood education is often a choice, not a professional prerequisite. Yet possessing a graduate degree offers the educational professional a significant set of advantages. The United States Department of Labor notes that some states do require teachers to obtain a Master's degree, and any aspiring educator who intends to work in a state with such requirements would have to undertake graduate studies. However, even for individuals whose careers will begin in states that do not demand one, a graduate degree can boost professionalism, enhance understanding of student needs, and pave the way for future opportunities in administration and educational policy. By raising the bar, teachers with graduate degrees encourage a higher level of standards across the board for all educational professionals. Graduate studies in education allow aspiring teachers to conduct their own qualitative and quantitati
Theories of Epistemology 973
A knowledge-based society adds credence to epistemological quests. Not mere mental discharge, epistemology and related philosophical discourse have direct and immediate applications in the modern world. Nonaka's theories and theories related to artificial intelligence show how epistemology interfaces with science. The result is a promising new paradigm that removes epistemology from its cloistered and abstract existence within the walls of pure philosophy. Now, knowledge is commodity: as economically and practically meaningful as tangible goods. Epistemology helps theorists in all fields distinguish between what is valuable, valid truth and what can be discarded in the same pile shared by all outmoded thoughts. Therefore, my epistemological journey has revealed patterns that reflect historical change and changes in human consciousness. Plato's epistemology reflected the social and political realities of ancient Greece; Descartes, Kant, and Hume also postulated within the parameters of
Knowledge and Epistemology 1004
Epistemological confusion is an integral part of the human experience, a perennial problem that faced our Neanderthal ancestors as much as it does neuroscientists and astrophysicists. The quest for knowledge entertains us, excites us, causes us to fight, quarrel, and can even lead to war. Stimulated by an every-present thirst for knowledge, I have come a long way since commencing my own personal quest but questions linger and will probably plague me for the rest of my life. The notion of certainty perplexes me in particular: how can people be sure of what they know, when so often theories and ideas are turned on their heads. Religious belief remains a contentious issue, at the heart of much interpersonal and cultural conflict and therefore epistemological questions related to cosmology, metaphysics, and the existence of a god are all confounding ones. The role of the observer; or the definition of self is another area of substantial confusion for me, especially due to the wide range of
Teaching Adults Using Technology 1839
According to one 1984 study, sound, light, temperature, and design are environmental characteristics that may hamper an adult's ability to learn (Denny). For example, a room's temperature can affect adults, especially elderly adults' ability to concentrate on new or difficult material, thus there are better learning results when the environmental surroundings are comfortable and relaxing (Denny). Other researchers have found that adults learn in one of two processing styles, global and analytic (Denny). Global learners learn through short stories, illustrations and graphics, and also need to know what is expected of them and why (Denny). Analytical learners focus on fact-by-fact accounts, and need the information to be presented in a step-by-step manner (Denny). Research also reveals that perceptual strengths, food intake, times of day or night, and mobility affect an adult's learning experience (Denny). While some adults prefer to learn new material by hearing the informati
Consumer Demand at American Airlines 1075
Consumer demand at American Airlines has been anemic over the past four years. Reasons range from the effects of terrorist attacks, the downturn in the economy, the war in Iraq, the SARS epidemic in Asia, soaring fuel costs and intense competition from the entry of newer low-cost carriers with point-to-point business models such as Southwest, JetBlue, AirTran and Spirit (America's airlines, flying on empty, 2005). In the summer of 2005 things finally started looking up, airline passenger numbers increased and planes were on average seventy-nine percent full. However, revenues per seat ("yields") were still falling, decreasing by 1.8 percent for the same period in 2004. And, then even more dramatic fuel costs increases kicked in, with a serious impact on American's bottom line. The airline industry is characterized by very complex pricing dynamics, depending on travel distance, type of traveler, and domestic and international flights, to name a few of the many factors that dete
Organizational Designation of Jobs 667
Organizational designation of jobs according to line-and-staff hierarchies delegate work in such a fashion that line management has a certain amount of control over his or her line personnel members, according to a line or chain of command, who then administer members of the staff. In a line-and-staff organization, "some positions are primary to the company's mission, whereas others are secondary-in the form of support and indirect contribution." (Knotts, 2003) A line position is "directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the organization, such as producing or selling a product or service," and line managers give instructions to line personnel, who then oversee staff members serving the organization by indirectly supporting line functions. Some staff management positions may exist, like an organizational legal counsel who is not directly part of the hierarchy of organizational functions. In an organizational structure with high administrative intensity, the advantage of ha
New Changes in the Accounting Law and Regulations 299
General Motors may be in trouble, according to a Wall Street Journal article by Michael Rapoport. Proposed changes to accounting law and regulations might force corporations to report liabilities incurred from pension plans. Current regulations permit organizations to report pension plans as net assets, by stating the difference between pension contributions and pension payouts. However, as Rapoport notes, the current approach fails to accurate
Failing To Live A Morally Decent Life 294
In a 1999 New York Times article, it was revealed that philosopher, Peter Singer, donates one-fifth of his income to famine-relief agencies. He describes several scenarios to instill guilt among the masses and to encourage them to give to charities. Singer refers to the Brazilian movie, "Central Station," about Dora who earns money by writing letters for the illiterate, when one day she is offered $1,000 to take a boy to a certain a
Price and Promotion Analysis of Multinational Companies 884
The major multinational companies have reached such enormous sales volumes not only due to high quality products and reasonable prices thus providing clients good value for money, but also through very active and excellent thought over promotion campaigns targeted at selling the maximum volumes of the given product with highest possible margins, and also adopting and changing the products to suit the changing demand and thus meet it perfectly. McDonald's is one of such companies and due to highly efficient promotion media mix it is able to increase sales volumes in different regions of the world. As one of the reasons for worsening McDonald's sales was due to higher awareness of health issues associated with consuming their products too much, the company has decided to win over this issue by sending to the consumers the messages in all the possible efficient ways of supporting healthy lifestyle and to gain association of McDonald's with "healthy" products. The psychology of consumer
The Addictive Behaviors 669
Why do human beings become alcoholics? Specifically, what evolutionary advantage would be conveyed to the species by passing on a genetic predisposition for a love of intoxication? The idea of addictive behaviors having any positive attributes may seem perplexing at first. However, Dustin Stephens and Rodger Dudley offer the intriguing hypothesis that "a strong attraction to the smell and taste of alcohol conferred a selective advantage on our primate ancestors by helping them locate nutritious fruit at the peak of ripeness," as a source of nutrition. (Stephens & Dudley, 2004, p.1) They call this hypothesis, in their memorable and refreshingly colloquial phrase, as opposed to usual scientific jargon, "the drunken money hypothesis." (Stephens & Dudley, 2004, p.1) By seeing alcoholism as a possible evolutionary advantage that has outgrown its primate beginnings, the scientists hope to better understand, destimatize, and offer aid to the estimated fourteen million alcoholics in the Unit
The Cultural Diversity in School 451
As the number of minority children in public schools has increased dramatically, the number of minority teachers has decreased. In the past minority children have frequently had problems learning in school and were labeled slow learners, at risk, academically challenged, and hard to reach. Many such students have been placed in special education classrooms, a practice now being questioned. In other words, the explanation for achievement gaps (for example, Latino students two years behind other students in the fourth grade) has been to blame the students. Renee White-Clark's purpose in writing about minority students in "Training Teachers to Succeed in a Multicult
Understanding Life Events Development 773
An understanding of emotional and moral development has helped me to better understand several of my life events. Lawrence Kohlberg's first level of moral development, called the Pre-conventional Level, applies clearly to my fear of punishment after breaking and friend's mother's china. Similarly, my decision to be kind to an unpopular friend can be seen to relate to Piaget's Autonomous Stage. My tendency to introversion can also be understood as an emotional need to reduce fear in my environment. At age six, I ran away from home for three hours. I went over to play at a friend's house, where I started to play with china that my friend's mother had received as a birthday gift. While playing, the box fell, and much of the china was broken. I recall a number of feelings from this incident, including self-conscious emotions like fear, shame, guilt, anxiety, self-criticism, and fear of discipline. In this incident, my behavior and thoughts are clearly synonymous with Lawrence Kohlberg's first level of moral development, called the Pre-Conventional Level. In this level, lasting up to age nine, children tend to see an action as immor
The Critical Aspect of Any Managerial Job 515
The most critical aspect of any manager's job is in enabling and sustaining the performance of their subordinates. Managers have widely varying leadership styles and approaches to motivating subordinates to accomplish critical tasks, yet all managers share one common responsibility, and that is to create relationships with subordinates that enable them to bring their greatest strengths to the tasks that need to be accomplished every day on the job. At the heart of this enabling of subordinates' top performance is the creation of trust. Trust is in fact the most precious commodity between a manager and subordinate, because without it, no communication can occur. The nurturing and creating of trust only happens with frequent and honest communications between m
The Advanced General Aviation Transportation Experiments 934
The University of Southern California has considered that 'Engineering' has a very important and significant part to play in the world, and that as the world progresses and advances are made in all spheres, as is happening today, the USC Viterbi School will have its own role to play in the general scheme of things. As this year, the USC Viterbi is celebrating its 125th Anniversary, there is cause for celebration, and to reckon with the changes that would be taking place in the world in the near future, and what the USC Viterbi can do to keep pace, or overtake these changes and developments and advances being made scientifically, technologically, and otherwise. As a matter of fact, in the early years, the School was concentrating its energies on the popular demand for engineers to create the world's fastest growing region, and aerospace and communications formed a major part of the agenda, and the adventurous spirit of exploration and discovery has been greatly enhanced in the School
Theories of the World's Premier Modern Epistemologists 647
Ikujiro Nonaka is one of the world's premier modern epistemologists. Although his theories are framed by a keen understanding of organizational structure and business, Nonaka can easily be classified as a philosopher and to not do so would significantly undermine the scholar's work. In fact, Nonaka sits on the forefront of a global paradigm shift: his theories reflect overarching global trends. For example, knowledge creation in the modern world cannot be distinguished from capitalist enterprise. Therefore, knowledge creation and knowledge management are necessarily functions of group dynamics and organizational politics to an extent they never have been in the past. Furthermore, Nonaka's epistemology has a solid practical application and foundation, the likes of which did not exist for philosophers like Kant or Plato, who also concerned themselves with knowledge creation and learning. In his and co-author Hirotaka Takeuchi's groundbreaking work The Knowl
Theocracy: A Divine Influence 958
Theocracy is defined as a government whose leaders are thought to be guided by a divine influence. The Crucible is not only an illustration of Arthur Miller's opposition to theocracy, but a reminder that we cannot successfully mix religion and state. No religion is objective enough to be applied to the governing of a country. If the town's law is God's law, then every infraction of the law has to be considered a sin. Arthur Miller, who was subjected to a modern-day witch hunt, knew firsthand that when fear of the unknown and ignorance dominates a governing body, the result can be destructive and chaotic. The setting for The Crucible is Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. At that time, the colonies in America had become fairly strong and self-sufficient. However, the colonists were still living under a strict set of rules that had been in place since their initial arrival. The individuals who held political power in each township and community were also the spiritual leaders. Becau
Letter of a Prairie Homesteader to Her Mother 1999
May 10, 1910 Dear Mother, It has been twelve months since we last met, and I hope this letter finds you in good health. I assure you that father, Anna, John, and I are feeling healthy in spite of our having endured a harrowing winter and extended spring. The snows are only just now starting to melt on the prairies. The nearest town to our homestead is called Nokomis, which is settled mostly by Danes, like you, and Swedes and Norwegians as well. All are hardworking folk and so the town has ample supplies and abundant opportunities for livelihood. Yet father has established a farm rumored as one of the largest and possibly most profitable for fifty miles. We will mainly grow wheat and rye, but have recently begun to harvest berries. Father's blacksmithing skills have funded our farm, and his labor has provided income with which we have planted our fields with grain and acquired the materials and supplies for our home. When we left you back East I was afraid, as you know, and the journ
The Labor Unit Costs 429
A familiar saying about the American economy was, as the fortunes of General Motors go, so goes the rest of the nation. However, because of recent downturn in the demand for some their major products, such as SUVs, GM is trying to cut its costs of production, to make the selling of each individual unit more profitable. In other words, if labor costs are cheaper, even if demand declines slightly, the firm can reap a larger profit from the goods it does sell. In economics, usually, the more products a firm sells, the better, so long as the price is unaffected by the number of units the firm sells. In other words, if the firm does not
The Piaget's Preoperational Stage 653
Cognitive development theories have helped me to better understand my early life events. An understanding of Piaget's preoperational stage has given me a broader understanding of learning to finger paint as a four year old preschooler. Similarly, Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding has helped clarify my experience of reading with teacher in kindergarten. Piaget's preoperational stage provides a useful understanding of my cognitive development in preschool. In this case, my cognitive-related life event centers around learning to finger paint at the age of four. I distinctly remember the teacher putting the apron on me, showing me the paints and paper, and putting my hand in the paint. Piaget's preoperational stage takes place from approximately two to seven years of age. In this stage, children can solve concrete and practical problems, and are often illogical and magical in their thinking (Slater, 2003). Piaget's Preoperational stage a
All papers are for research and reference purposes only!
© 2002-2026 DirectEssays.com. All Rights Reserved. DMCA