Is Technology Making Us Stupider

Nicholas Carr starts his essay with the observation that his win book reading and long article writing habits have suffered immensely due to lack of concentration which can be attributed to the time being spent on the internet. He goes on to say that the human beings are developing a new reading habit which he doesn't think is best suited given that there is much less concentration and even lesser contemplation. While commenting on how the future researcher will not do a lot of reading, Carr paints a sad picture of the new generation of readers.While accepting that his work has o backing from neurology and other brain related science, Carr presents a theory that unlike the ability to speak, which he says comes naturally, the ability to read has to be taught. Here in he says the internet is doing no good to that particular ability. Carr makes a reference to the great German philosopher Nietzsche and his use of the typewriter. He quips about how the typewriter had made the philosopher' s work even more abrupt. Carr then reaches the central topic of his essay – the effect of internet on the cognitive ability of man.He says that man had a series of intellectual tasks in his daily routine all of which have now been taken over by the internet He further adds that the style of the internet has been adopted by other media as well, further denting man's cognitive ability. Another key aspect of the internet that Carr says has dumber down the human brain is the conversion of an abstract concept to a concrete knowledge. This he says was previously done by the human being as an intellectual exercise but has now been taken over by the computers.Carr ends his essay on the note that in the past some great hinders such as Socrates and Sacrificing have expressed similar concerns about new ideas such as the written language and printed working. On this note, he leaves the question open to the reader (Carr). Steven Johnson bases his book on denying the argument that pop cult ure has affected human intelligence negatively. He first refers to the sleeper curve to make a point that even the society that existed before us had not discovered how cream pies could be a nutritious diet.However here he denies that just the fact about sleeper curve, which itself he draws from the movie Sleeper, can exhaustively prove his argument. He then goes on to suggest that the video games of today, contrary to popular perceptions Of spreading addiction through violent and vulgar content, are instead addictive because of their structural superiority. He says the games give the mind a lot to think and organize – a task previously not natural to the human cognitive process. He further speaks about television and says that the TV has taken the understanding of the emotional quotient to a higher level.He gives the example of reality shows and says that these shows have got a realistic understanding of the complex human engagements and relationships. While speaking about t he evolution of films, Johnson says that stories are no more being spoon-fed to the audience. Symbolic references made to help the audience understand moments like flash-back have reduced and it is now assumed that the audience will understand what is going on. This he says has helped the people explore and express their cognitive self – much more than in the past (Johnson). Studies have found that the human brain's evolution ceased over a thousand years ago (Connors).The technological advances that have been made in recent history have only served to compensate in the declining intellect of the human mind. While people who live between 2000 to 6000 years ago had to depend greatly on their mental strength to solve problems, the current availability of technology and inventions eliminates this need greatly. However, â€Å"the decline in intellect itself is not associated with the advent of technology but to deterioration in human genes† (Connors). Neither of the two the orists – Carr and Johnson have made scientific claims in their arguments.These arguments however are presented in a logical format with each claim being justified by significant arguments. Critics have remained vastly dismissive of both the arguments, calling the latter – an absolution for couch potatoes and the former a little too mournful too early. It is therefore clear that a real understanding of the effect of internet on the human mind can only be justified through neurological correlations and studies. However, human intellect has witnesses a decline for several thousands of years and hence it cannot be solely attributed to technology.

Quality Management System (Quality in the work environment) Case Study Essay

Quality Management System (Quality in the work environment) Case Study - Essay Example Another reason for introduction of quality management system was the vertical integration of the oil industry. In the present world, with the increasing workload and decreasing resources, standardisation has become a major concern of the world’s oil and natural gas companies and their suppliers. It is the industry which relies highly on API standards in order to get the job done in the right way. Standardisation helps companies to move forward in the right direction besides allowing them to operate safely and reliably anywhere in the world. The standardisation efforts help to assure compliance with government equipment interchangeability to meet the needs of the global industry. (The oil and natural gas industrie’s most valuable resource 2004). Quality management system can be discerned as a series of practices that are constantly being reconsidered and to conform to the international standard. It aims at achieving first class customer service to be derived and at the least costs, and prove to the customers that the supplier in question has an organized and disciplined approach to the achieving that end. ( Fravennec, Trambouze & Baker, p.540). There are three elements of quality management systems that apply to refineries these are: Matter of culture, service to the customer as the quasi religion, implemented by a wide spread network of customer/supplier relationships as possible, based on the contractual approach and monitors by using quantified measures of satisfaction or nonsatisfaction. Technology, that aims continuous improvement which includes a system of correction and prevention of non-quality practices that are reviews by a process of regular audit and a system for continuous improvement to achieve enhancement of quality. Prescriptive, a formal system of procedures to codify, attempts to see that the incident resulting from a

Are reason and emotion equally necessary in justifying moral decisions Essay - 3

Are reason and emotion equally necessary in justifying moral decisions - Essay Example Simply put, without it the act itself and the result will be considered irrational and therefore, would never satisfy the criteria of a moral decision which requires the agent of such decision to display an ability to distinguish right from wrong. Obviously, it is the most important element in all decision-making process. But as we explore the issue of moral decision specifically, there is an added element of morality that elevates the role of emotion several notches higher. According to Richard M. Gula (1989), â€Å"discernment is primarily a matter of the heart; it is an aesthetic judgment of affectivity and virtue.† (p. 315) One should take note that we need discernment in determining what is right or wrong and of the possible course of actions available would be most consistent with the requirements of a specific moral problem or case at hand. As such, my argument is that it is not just the intellect that is involved in the assessment and judgment of moral realities. Such process needs a personal response based on one’s experience and emotional state. Reasons serves as the logical framework of a moral decision while emotion plays the pivotal role in terms of motivation. Gula, though talking in the religious perspective, expressed a very powerful illustration, representing all other related cases, by saying that in the decision-making process one’s inclinations and choices, discernment engages the whole network of human intelligence. This process according to him, not only includes the conscious mind and its power of reason but also the unconscious as well, working with the whole body including its physical and emotional response to human experiences. Patricia Greenspan (1995) further explored this area as she put forward the idea that moral decisions and ethics, in general, are subject-independent and emotion-based. She introduced the perspective of guilt

English Literature and History Learning journal. Subjects of Queen Essay

English Literature and History Learning journal. Subjects of Queen Elizabeth - Essay Example Her 45 year rule is considered as the ‘golden era’ of England (Crown, 2009). The Queen was proficient and had the huge political foresight. Her selfless attitude towards her kingdom is depicted through her decision of not getting married. As getting married to a foreign king would make England vulnerable to the foreign policies and would easily be drawn into the political turmoil. The Elizabethan era was the one of the most promising period of England’s history. The phase was noted to be filled with both knowledge and prosperity of the kingdom. The Queen was one of the best rulers of her times and reflected huge amount of care for subjects. Even though she was not very widely accepted by her subjects who considered her a protestant, the kindness that Elizabeth I portrayed for her subjects during her reign of almost a half century was irreplaceable and commendable. Furthermore, Elizabeth I handled the situation of financial turmoil and religious conflicts that her predecessor has left very tactfully (Stump & Felch, 2009). With this concern the essay presents the rich understanding on the historical portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I. Furthermore, the essay provides considerable insights about different aspects of the society during her reign. Queen Elizabeth I was one of the most knowledgeable and sound queens among her siblings. The Queen was fluent in six languages and had a huge urge of learning. Elizabeth I faced massive uncertain situations during the early years of her life. She was secluded from her family and had spent her life in her half brothers home. This seclusion from the normal life could not make her distressed and she devoted her initial years of life and adulthood in nurturing the different literatures (Guy, 1995). These initial years of upbringing has influenced her ruling periods to a greater extent. The initial phase of her life and during her adolescence, the Queen portrayed a selfless character and hugely depicted her

Marketing Module Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Marketing Module - Assignment Example The organisation selected for this report is Vodafone, a UK based Telecommunications Company that is one of the top players in the global telecommunications market. This report details the macro environment factors, analysis of competitors, customers, markets and type of segmentations Vodafone used in the international arena. Further, it critically evaluates the strategies by using Porter’s five forces competitive model over Vodafone. Macro Environment – PEST Analysis PEST analysis is an important tool for every company because it can provide an outline of the external environment where the company’s business is positioned. It can also help in developing the value of the company and form a business strategy. Political Political aspects can affect a company’s business in various ways. Every company must abide by the rules and regulations of the country where it operates. The regulations can be the country’s law and anti–trust law, which is app licable to all actions of a company. Vodafone’s major business operations are situated in EU countries. The EU countries passed the ‘EU Regulatory Framework’ for telecommunications companies in the year 2002. The main objective of this law is to support fair competition in the telecommunications market. Vodafone also has to abide by the ‘EU Regulatory Framework,’ which has had great impact on the business of Vodafone. For example, Vodafone was compelled to decrease the ‘mobile termination rate’ because of the law of EU nations (Saplitsa, 2008). Another key aspect of the political environment was the spectrum regulation. The modernisation of spectrum regulations of EU had affected Vodafone’s business. In 2005, the EU Commission passed a scheme that permits holders to buy and sell spectrum within the telecommunications market and develop coordination among different brands. Due to the new spectrum policy, Vodafone faced risks relate d to the price of spectrum, risk of restitution of existing spectrum and difficulties in licensing (Saplitsa, 2008). Economic Adverse economic changes – i.e. a slowdown or recession – in any country can result in less demand for existing and new business services. Difficult financial conditions often lead customers to delay any purchasing decisions including those related to telecommunications services. Decreasing their optional spending, people tend to make fewer calls and avoid extras such as data or broadband services. Such decisions in a tough economic environment can severely impact company sales. A country's economic condition as well as people’s purchasing power can be measured by the rate of GDP (Vodafone Limited, 2010). In the year 2009, the economic troubles of three major EU nations (Spain, Italy and Greece) resulted in poor performance of Vodafone and also led to reduction of the termination rates. On the other hand, the financial recovery of norther n EU market helped to reduce the revenue loss of Vodafone from -3.8% in the

American Governement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

American Governement - Essay Example That is, the constitution that has become synonymous with what is known of the American existence. To best understand the power of the document and the events surrounding its creation, the first thing to do, would be to observe the very men who were involved, with the process of creating it from the beginning. The very men that, through their efforts, would pave the way towards the present state of the American process of government. One of those very men would be James Madison. A man who would set forth to help create a governing document and someone who would at one point serve the young nation as it's 4th President. With everything riding upon the insatiable desire of the men to create a document that would prove to be long lasting, the stakes involved would appear to be considerable. A key concern for the founders, would be the preservation of liberty. Author James Wilson includes the following portion in his text, of a statement given by James Madison, that involved the creation of a stable government. It reads in part, "... You must first enable the government to control the governed: and in the next place oblige it to control itself," (Wilson, p. 15, 2005). As is the case in many other instances, initial intentions may fall by the waste side during the course of an initial process with a desire goal(s) in mind. In the case of the Constitutional Convention, "When James Madison and the other 56 delegates to the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia in May 1787, they intended to amend the Articles of Confederation," ("James Madison's", para. 1, n.d.). While the men would have initially come together to revise an existing document, the resulting consequences of their final work would have lasting implications for over two centuries. Another existing document that served to be a basis for the resulting doctrine of the constitution, would be the Virginia Plan. Basically a summation of the intended items intended for inclusion in the final draft of the constitution, the plan itself would become one of the many parts of this historical period in time. "By agreeing to consider the Virginia Plan, the convention, fundamentally altered its task from amending the Articles to designing a true national government," (Wilson, p.16, 2005). To give a better glimpse of the outside environment surrounding the convention, "May 25, 1787, freshly spread dirt covered the cobblestone street in front of the Pennsylvania State House, protecting the men inside from the sound of passing carriages and carts," (Bent, para. 1, n.d.). From such menial beginnings at the heart of pre-technological advancement, along with varying sociological and economic circumstances of the era at the time, the constitution would be an enduring document that would stand the test of time. Having the intended changes and guidelines be such that, it would continue to be felt by the very nation that it was created to protect. In place of a reigning monarch, the American political system would be comprised of a central political figure, in this case the President, along with a judicial branch made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. With each body of power, the President's being considered the Executive, having their own roles that would, from time to time over many decades, find themselves intertwined with each other to varying degrees. Aligning itself with this very mentality, authors Allan J. Cigler and Burdett A. Loomis make

The Software Development Lifecycle Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Software Development Lifecycle - Assignment Example The growth rate for emerging innovations in this field is functioning on its peak. In this article use of Information technology (IT) is elaborated through a real word example that maintain collage data in excel sheets, which is better than traditional paper work. But still need improvement and required to merge up in a database of access and get more benefit from Information technology (IT) features. The database is designed and discussed in the article. Database maintains the data in organized manner. Provide the facility to create quick and easy reports, show many kinds of relationships among tables. All these features are useful for effective management of collage essential information. Social and organizations are grown up due to the great benefits of Information technology (IT). The use of Information technology (IT) is at its peak in all fields of life. Education is almost dependent on the internet and a computer system that is again comes under the subject of Information technology (University of Waterloo, 2014). Another use of information systems and information technology within the field of project management is a useful feature for organizations. Specific systems are designed to deal with project management using computer and internet technology. These systems have decision making feature that is highly recommended for managers within an organization. The numbers of organizations use the internet and social media for promotion of new products. Information technology is being used for marketing purpose by the different organizations. Information technology approach targets customers directly and quickly through the internet technology (Canielsa & Bakensc, 2012). The information technology plays vital role for innovations for children’s. The children use to play games of computer systems, on internet, and improve their