Describe and critically assess Epicuruss argument that we are not Essay

Describe and critically assess Epicuruss argument that we are not harmed by our own death. (Note, the question asks you about Epicuruss argument, not Lucretius argument.) - Essay Example Majority of the people approaches their end of life situations with lot of concerns and discomfort because of the uncertainty about the life after death. At the same time many others accept death with pleasure and dignity. Epicurus was ancient Greek philosopher who argued that the worries about death are meaningless. In his opinion, since as long as we exist, death is not with us, but when death comes, then we do not exist". This paper critically analyses the arguments of Epicurus with respect to life, death, pleasure pain etc. â€Å"Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist† (Epicurus quotes, n. d). The above argument seems to be logical when we analyse it in a layman’s point of view. In other words, there is no point in worrying about something which may happen in future. Human lives in present and therefore past and future may not be significant in his life. What happened in the past and what is going to happen in future are unimportant when we consider what is taking place at present. Moreover it is unwise to sacrifice the pleasure in present life for attaining future glory or happiness. At the same time, when we analyse Epicurus’s argument in depth, we may face many other questions. We have to answer the mind-body problem clearly before supporting or opposing Epicurus’s argument. It is a fact that human body is driven by a force or energy called mind or soul. Even science has no doubt about the existence of mind or soul in the body of human. Science already proved that in order to perform certain works, force or energy is required. In other words, in order to make the human body functional, mind or soul in necessary. In other words, mind or soul is the driving force of human body which is an accepted scientific fact. If that is correct, the question of what happens to mind or soul after death is

Investment Appraisal for Miggy and Brothers Co Essay

Investment Appraisal for Miggy and Brothers Co - Essay Example MBC is considering three alternatives as replacements: model A which will be sourced from the United States; Model B which is a British machine; and model C which will be imported from France. All of these machineries cost $100,000 and are seen to improve the production efficiency of the company and reduce the costs incurred in manufacture. As these are new machines, MBC will be hiring and training personnel who will operate the new equipment. Exact amount is not yet determined but Model C, in particular is expected to incur the highest training cost since the machine is least user-friendly. Models A & B have local dealer which agree to maintain and repair the machines for MBC. In the case of Model C, MBC needs to seek French manufacturers to service the machine in case of emergencies. The choice between the three machines under consideration can be justified by utilizing tools which tests the profitability of each investment. Three of the most frequently used assessment tools will be employed in MBC decision making. These are payback period, net present value analysis, and internal rate of return analysis. Aside from the quantitative data given by the management, this report adjusted the figures to enhance the rationale of the choice. In this regard, the salvage value of the old machine to be replaced is reflected as cash flows in Models A, B, and C. It should be noted that as the acquisition of the new machine will entail discarding the old, all options will benefit from the revenue of selling the old one. Due to equity considerations, this report opted to disregard the salvage value of the three machines on the sixth year. Since the salvage value of Models B and C cannot be determined, it is more rational to omit the revenue to be derived from the future sale of the machines. 3.1 Payback Period The payback period is one of the simplest ways in ascertaining the feasibility of an investment. This tool is used to determine the length of time that the company can recoup its cash outlay (Keown, et al, 2005). Table 2 shows the computed payback period for the three options. Table 2. Payback Period Computation From the above computation, Model A has a payback period of 4 years while the company's investment in Models B and C will be recouped within a shorter period of three years. 3.2 Net Present Value Net Present Value (NPV) is the difference between the present value of cash inflows and the present value of cash outflows (Keown, et al, 2005). Table 3. Net Present Value Computation Table 2 shows the computation for the NPV of the three machines under consideration. Model A has an NPV of 6,434 while Models B and C generate discounted cash flows of -7,299 and 16,455, respectively. 3.3 Internal Rate of Return The internal rate of return is the cost of capital which equates the NPV to zero (Keown, et al, 2005). Table 4 shows the different IRR for each model as computed by Microsoft Excel. Consistent with the NPV analysis,

You as a leader Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

You as a leader - Assignment Example I would subsequently identify possible alternatives and assess the choices based on their consequences. I had to establish the best alternative before putting it into action. According to Mathena (2002), a leader needs to examine the situation by analyzing various perceptions. Subsequently, formulating alternatives and choosing the best is equally an appropriate measure. I remember my classmates and I failed to grasp certain concepts learned in class. I identified the problem to be solved that included complicated concepts like compassionate practice. With the assistance of other group members, we came up with possible alternatives like providing simplified learning materials and starting group discussions. I established that it was necessary to perform group discussions. The discussions were viable platform that could be used to better understand the concept. Some of the leadership strengths I demonstrated include being student focused, results oriented, strategic, good at handling conflicts, and making high-quality decisions. However, I still have to improve in my communication skills since it is an essential leadership

Benefits of Cohabitation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Benefits of Cohabitation - Essay Example They understand that they want and need to determine if they are right for each other, if they can accept each other’s quirks and habits, and of course, if they can see themselves still being together after the honeymoon stage. As stated by Monika Johnson, â€Å"a wedding will not change your relationship. If you and your partner have difficulties living together, a marriage license will not improve things. In such a case, it may be better to end the relationship, rather than to enter into a marriage that is troubled from the start† (Johnson). What Johnson tries to point out is that marriage is not a solution for a troubled relationship. It is not a way to resolve differences and issues. Marriage should be commitment not a solution. Although the majority of people, those who believe in the traditional religious beliefs, believe that living together is in fact going against the norm by asserting that â€Å"cohabitors are partially rejecting the society's dominant value system. Those people who enter cohabitational relationships tend to perceive social rules in flexible terms† (Cohabitation). Because the dominant value system is strongly associated with traditional religious beliefs, the bulk of which are Christians, cohabitation without the institution of marriage poses great threat to the stability of traditional values. Couples entering into the arrangement of cohabitation without marriage can be seen as people challenging, or even rejecting, the norms, which places great pressure and stigma on the relationship. This may put a strain on the relationship. This may pose a question on the stability of the relationship. But a glimpse on the research on contemporary generation has proven that â€Å"young couples are most accepting of cohabitation,... Benefits of Cohabitation By living together, couples satisfy their personal beliefs and companionship without sacrificing an acknowledged vow that legally binds them through marriage. Couples opt to decide on living together before getting married for diverse reasons including compatibility, fear of the consequences of divorce and economic considerations. Young couples believe that living together before marriage is part of choosing as to how they will go on about their life. It may be seen as a test period, but consequentially this set-up allows the couple to realize whether they want to live their life with each other. For young couples, this set-up is part of expressing themselves. On the other hand, those couples who spent time living together run the risk of falling out of love eventually. Couples eventually develop psychological problems that lead to depression and anxiety due to the possibility that they are really not meant to be together in the long term. Living together before marriage shows that there may be a fear of commitment. The institution of marriage legally binds the couple. This can be viewed as fully committing oneself to the other. Cohabitation without the institution of marriage can be perceived as lack of solid foundation and structure to build a family and future together. Living together before marriage is a controversial topic. I strongly believe that couples should live together before marriage to understand whether they are willing to be bound to their partners without fear of divorce.

Inheritance Taxes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Inheritance Taxes - Essay Example â€Å"Death tax† label came about during the debate in the first years of George W. Bush’s presidency when those who saw the inheritance tax as a tax on wealth—their wealth—wanted it repealed. Using terms such as â€Å"death tax,† and framing the inheritance tax as a â€Å"double tax,† the small minority, approximately 2% of Americans, won the repeal. It did not hurt having a president set not only to inherit but who also has heirs to a sizeable fortune, and who wanted to please his â€Å"base,† deep-pocketed conservatives. In all actuality, the inheritance tax is a wealth tax: it taxes estates willed to heirs that net worth exceeds $5 million, so only the wealthy are affected by it. Even David Joulfaian of the U.S. Department of the Treasury admits that it is a wealth tax. â€Å"The estate and gift tax is the only wealth tax levied by the federal government. The estate tax was first enacted in 1916 and applied to the wealth of decede nts with estates in excess of $50,000. It has undergone numerous changes, especially in 1976, 1981, and 1997. Significant temporary changes were introduced in 2001 and are set to expire in 2011†. Yet even many poor people oppose it because they believe it will somehow affect them, and that has to do with the way those who the tax will affect marketed the idea to the masses. Conservatives succeeded in their efforts to have the estate tax temporarily repealed mainly because of the way they presented their argument. They framed the argument against the estate tax as though it would affect everybody who would inherit any sum of money or property upon a relative’s death including the heirs of small business owners and farmers. These people fear that, should they die, their business or farmland would be worth more than the $5 million dollars where the estate tax kicks in, and then their heirs would not be able to keep the business or land, which would affect the future income of the heirs. Small business owners and farmers, who subscribe to the conservative view, fear that if they die suddenly their families would be left in poverty because the government would tax them out of their source of income. But, conservatives not only emphasize the fact that heirs would not inherit the full worth of a business or farm they include the presumption that small business owners are so concerned over the estate tax that it affects their hiring practices. The website, Nodeathtax.org, says, â€Å"The United States economy has endured a severe recession and is currently growing too slowly. Accordingly, it is imperative that policy be focused on generating the maximum possible pace of economic growth. The estate tax is an important element of pro-growth tax policy. Recent research indicates that the estate tax has significant impacts on asset accumulation (and, thus, balance sheet repair), as well as the payroll and

Assignment Number Two Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Number Two Research Proposal - Assignment Example This has not only psychological and social but also economic dimensions as these issues also refer to an economic burden on an often already-strained health care system. In order to answer these issues that involve many psychological questions the suggestion is to answer these, i.e. the value of community support groups, by organising these around core questions into the perception of the care received by the elderly (â€Å"therapeutic efficacy†), their satisfaction with care given by health care personnel, feelings of being respected as real human beings, the role of family, friends and the community in fulfilling one’s needs for respect and improve one’s wellbeing, and to describe possible grievances regarding the encounter with the medical profession. Answers to these questions are assumed to shed light on the emotional wellbeing of older adults and their use of drugs, hospitals and home visits by nurses. To begin with, the aim is to give brief background info rmation on age in general and contextualize the research questions and their relevance in the literature and best practices regarding geriatric nursing. Reviewing the relevant literature we emphasize that age and needs as well as satisfaction with treatment is socially constructed and perceived in many different ways according to the values and assumptions that people (residents and their families, friends, networks) have about the nature of age, functioning and goals. Next, the research-team will be introduced, and a setting, a population-sample (purposive, cross-sectional and inclusive) and study design (longitudinal) are defined. Ethical considerations surrounding this research will also be noted (required consent and approval by research ethics committee). This also connects to the qualitative approach of this proposal and its choice of methodology, in particular semi-structured interviewing. Subsequently, the data to answer the questions are collected for later analysis and dis cussion in terms of themes surrounding perceptions and behaviour. The data analysis phase will again refer to relevant literature that may back or shed further light on the results. The findings will also be presented in tables and diagrams and limitations of the results will be noted. The eventual conclusion will summarize the findings and make recommendations that are both relevant to practice and policy (Rees, 2003). Background First, a little background regarding age, set in the context of the â€Å"developmental cycle† of families (Goody 1958). Goody has suggested that the family goes through various stages or phases of development, a so-called â€Å"developmental cycle†, where families are young and grow (with the addition of children) and â€Å"contract† and grow old as the offspring grows up, moves out and leaves the original family which now only consists of the parents or a single parent when the partner dies in old age. Literature Review Having descri bed the contents of the proposal, a focused analysis of relevant literary sources and notions in order to answer the research question is now given. The review reflects â€Å"

Does the media affect your health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Does the media affect your health - Essay Example In most cases, the use of these mediums can significantly influence not only the way we perceive things in life but also result to the development of our eating habits and the way we perceive or feel about our body images (DArcy and Jan). Seale explained that most of the food and beverage companies are using the media as a platform in advertising their food or beverage products even if these food and beverages does not contain the proper nutrition needed by our body (Seale, Health and media: an overview). For example, multinational companies are more than willing to pay a large sum of money just to advertise their formula-milk on the television. By continuously using the media as a way of persuading mothers to feed their babies with formula-milk, the newborn babies are the ones who suffer from not getting the most of out the health benefits they should receive from breast-feeding (Seale, Media and Health 199). It is also possible for some tobacco companies to take advertise their cigarette products using any of these media as a way of encouraging the people to smoke (Seale, Health and media: an overview). In some cases, people are unconsciously using the Internet or other social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter to make themselves look better off as compared to other people (Falcon). By boosting their ego at the expense of other people, the use of social media networks can somehow cause depression to other people. Aside from the risk of becoming a victim of cyber-bullying (Falcon), the media can also be used to trigger aggressive behaviour possibly due to substance abuse or trigger inappropriate sexual behaviour (DArcy and Jan). Considering all these examples, it is clear that the media can be used to negatively affect the people’s physical, psychological and emotional health. Even though the main purpose of using the media is to entertain or communicate something to the target audiences, there will always be some