Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection - Essay Example The challenges come from in diverse forms, from the selection of specific topics to satisfy each academic need, to preparations for preliminary drafts taking into account critical elements that need to be incorporated in essay writing. Aside from the crucial requisite to perennially observe correct grammatical rules, to ensure that the detailed objectives for the essay are attained, there is this relevant element of writing the essay with the intended audience to be taken into consideration. Particularly for the purpose of this reflective essay, I have to bear in mind that I relay the improvements and transformations noted from personal perspectives on these various literary works written during the course. Essays that required a comparative analysis of a situation, of personalities, or of themes (of which I compared two Batman movies) assisted in developing analytical skills that required making in depth assessments of various elements of the movie: the actors, the plot, the charact ers, cinematography, sounds, and awards received, accordingly. The activity honed, not only writing in correct grammar, spelling and structure; but more so on delving into details to achieve the objective of selecting and justifying from among those elements identified, the best movie from one’s point of view.

Introduction to Apologetics Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Apologetics Essay Introduction This is a critique of L. Russ Bush’s The Advancement. In order to properly ascertain the individual components as well as the overall success of Bush’s work, this article deploys the use of a general summary, followed by a section of critical interaction, and finally a conclusion. In the end, elements of Bush’s argument prove invaluable, while others miss their target. Summary Chapter 1 begins with an historical review of the modern worldview formation. This includes first the secular worldview, inspired by the focus on freedom inherent in the Enlightenment. Bush then begins to explore the details of  the Christian alternative. This discussion reaches a climax as he notes the contrast of the new and old worldviews. â€Å"In the earlier view there is a natural stability in both history and in nature. Progress or decline are products of a person’s relationship or lack of relationship to God, and neither is inevitable historically (15).† Ultimately Bush concludes, â€Å"The older worldview is not true (just) because it’s old, and it too may be in need of refinement in light of better understandings of the Bible, but authentic Christianity is the best antidote for a culture that is dying from the venom of the Advancement (17).† See more: how to write an introduction Chapter 2 begins to unveil the components of the overall worldview, that which Bush calls The Advancement. Here, again, Bush delves deeper into the historical relationships ¬Ã‚ ¬ among science, secularism, and Christianity. He addresses the historic belief, â€Å"God operates outside of the cause-and-effect pattern discernable in the Universe (20)†. Bush notes that while cause-and-effect reasoning was originally limited to certain areas of study, modernity and postmodernity have witnessed cause-and-effect spreading into countless fields (21). In addition, Bush explores the origins of modern materialism, uniformitarian thought, and evolution. From here he displays the historic influence of these philosophies on modern ethics. The most critical issue of ethics is the loss of humanness at the hands of the animal origins suggested in evolutionary theory. â€Å"Humans are no longer human. They are simply naked apes (35).† Chapter 3 explores The Advancement and Theory of Knowledge. The core of this address deals with the epistemological battle between conflicting philosophies of objective and subjective truth. Bush notes that naturalism demands that the human mind is merely an effect of the system that created it. Therefore, he believes that this, in turn, places scientific study, amongst other things, at the mercy of subjective relativism (40). Bush compares this to multiple epistemological views based on a theistic foundation. After several theories, he ultimately concludes that naturalism has reclassified biblical ideas as culturally, rather than divinely, inspired (52). The collective result of secular modernism is a â€Å"loss of political freedom† and â€Å"moral accountability† (50). Chapter 4 explores Modern Theistic Alternatives. Bush points to various groups of non-biblical philosophies such as process theology and open theology, which recognize the potentiality, and even perhaps the need for God. However, he concludes that these beliefs are incomplete at best and through these beliefs, â€Å"Ultimately, God is naturalized, and the modern worldview prevails (64). â€Å" The following two chapters investigate naturalistic evolution. Bush spends Chapters 5 and 6 addressing the seven assumptions of evolutionary biology (65-72), ten axioms of modern scientific thought (72-76), and four basic beliefs of modern thinkers (77-78). He follows this groundwork with five simple objections to naturalistic evolution (80-83). Critical Interaction Overall, Bush’s outline follows a semi-logical progression. However, in spite of the overall congruency, certain elements are lacking the necessary ingredients for a successful dissertation. Ultimately, Bush’s massive undertaking becomes his downfall. The very concept of the Advancement is a hodgepodge of component worldviews. In his attempt to attack this umbrella concept, Bush ends up falling victim to the same weakness as postmodernism. Ambiguity and muddled worldviews become self-contradictory. The book gives the impression of a single soldier fighting a multitude of swarming enemies. In his worthy attempt at defeating the collective Advancement, Bush ends up using the wrong ammunition on the wrong enemy. This happens in two ways. First, though he has the foresight to break down the overall concept into its respective components, he often reverts back to addressing the overall mentality, which does not technically exist on a broad scale. The postmodern beast is like a series of viruses that morph in their formation from host to host. The only way to attack it is piece by piece. The combination of postmodern beliefs never takes the same form from person to person. Therefore, addressing it as a collective whole ultimately fails.  Second, he frequently attributes relativist beliefs to naturalism and vice versa. Bush’s, lack of clarity is pervasive throughout the book. He bounces back and forth between this multitude of worldviews and theories, often with little description of how he intends to relate them one to another. Bush tends to make broad, sweeping statements that render worldview differentiation difficult to assess. â€Å"To the modern mind†¦ progress is inevitable (15).† In context, It is difficult to discern whether Bush is referencing secular minds, Christian minds, or the all-inclusive popular opinion of modernity, irrespective of religious foundation. As Bush acknowledges, chronological limits are not always clear and ideas surface gradually (7). Phrases such as â€Å"modern mind† become increasingly ambiguous in the midst of paragraphs and subsections, which themselves are bouncing between religion, secularism, time periods, and keystone philosophies that transcend designated periods or belief structures. The end result is a dizzying series of statements that present more frustration and confusion than clarity and conclusion. Specific statements that lack citation further confound Bush’s message. In Chapter Two, he claims that there are three ideas that make up the longstanding alternative worldview of Christianity: â€Å"stability in nature, spiritual warfare, and historical change initiated by divine intervention (9).† Bush gives no indication about where he has derived these three ideas. He does this multiple times throughout the book. Chapters 5 and 6, as mentioned in the summary, are made up of lists of apparent assumptions, axioms, and beliefs that represent the foundations of multiple worldviews. However, again, Bush neglects to cite his reasoning for calling upon these specific elements of each worldview. This may leave readers questioning the authenticity of the claims, and if it doesn’t, perhaps it should. These lists are especially important to the overall purpose of the book as they represent the summation of alternative worldviews, which Bush is seeking to critique. Witho ut clarification of source and accuracy, readers should be cautious in adopting his overall strategy, though individual responses still have value. In addition to issues of clarity and viability, Bush has a tendency to evaluate secular worldviews from the subjectivity of a Christian understanding. This is most evident in his repeated portrayal of naturalism as ethically unviable. While this may certainly be true, and while it may provide a valuable argument in some light, Bush confuses the need for morality with the need for truth. His response to the loss of humanness associated with natural evolution is, â€Å"It is not an optimistic picture (78).† While this is certainly a viable proclamation, it ultimately does little to answer the question of truthfulness. Morality is contingent upon truth and not the other way around. â€Å"The truth of moral and logical principles does not correspond to reality in the same way as do statements about observable empirical facts.† Assuming that God’s truth is correct, then a lack of morality is a viable argument. However, the argument relies upon the presupposition that God’s truth is, in fact, correct. Bush continually fails to fully consider the worldview he addresses. One example of this is found in his discussion of â€Å"Why Modern Thought Fails†(59-61). Again, he seems to confuse the ultimate reality of objective truth, with the anthropomorphic limitations of subjective truth. â€Å"Truth, as it has been traditionally defined, does not exist necessarily in this modern scientific worldview. There is only momentary correctness, warranted assertions, and majority opinions (60).† This is not an accurate assessment. Bush is simply acknowledging that human subjectivity and limitation keeps humanity from discovering ultimate truth. That does not mean that this truth does not exist. The true divergence in the two worldviews lies where the ultimate truth is found. For science, ultimate truth is in natural law. That does not change based on our momentary correctness, assertions, or opinions. Likewise, biblically speaking, humanity operates similarly, but God is the ultimate source of truth rather than natural law. Human subjectivity exists in both models, and this momentary understanding may be accurate or inaccurate. However, the point is simply that human subjectivity fails to influence ultimate truth in either model. Bush misses this in his conclusion, â€Å"The relativism of modern thought is†¦ self-defeating (80).† This is simply not true. Relativism only acknowledges the finite nature of human understanding. Conclusion Like an under trained spy in the enemy’s camp, Bush’s Christian worldview and reliance upon morality remains overly influential in his assault on the mixed set of hypotheses that make up The Advancement. His inability to remain focused on a single worldview sucks the reader into a tornadic war against a constantly shifting, ever-growing enemy. In the end Bush may succeed in refuting the validity of the umbrella view of The Advancement, on the basis of self-refutation, but fails to win the individual battles that truly matter. Bibliography Bush, L. Russ. The Advancement. Nashville: Broadman Holman, 2003. Groothuis, Douglas. Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2011.

Sidetracked Movies :: essays research papers fc

Movies have been around for as long as I can remember. They may come in many forms or video types, such as film on a reel, beta, VHS, DVDs and many more. Every successful movie tells a certain story, whether it be original, based on a true story, or based on a book. Whatever the case, the scripts are usually original and closely follow the plot they are based on, if there is one. More recently, unfortunately, movies based on novels are being made closer to the ideas of the screenwriter instead of those of the novel. It is in my opinion that these types of movies should reflect the original works of the authors more closely. One of my personal favourite pieces of literature is the Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling. Naturally, when I heard about the movies being made I was just as excited as any other fan, and I was at the cinema on opening night. I believe Chris Columbus did an awesome job with the movie, keeping the plot moving, introducing the characters, and still including a large majority of the plot in only three hours. The second movie, I thought was even better because everyone knew all the characters already so he could just jump right in with the plot. However, this past couple of years the cast worked with a new director, Alfonso Cuarà ³n, who took the film in a new and possibly worse direction. Not only did Cuarà ³n change the plot around, for example Harry receiving the Firebolt after his encounter with Sirius Black though in the book he received it long before this encounter, but he changed many other things as well. Some of these other changes include the setting, the uniforms , and the characters from J.K. Rowling’s original novels, and from Chris Columbus’ works. Some of the main examples from the third Harry Potter movie include Professor Flitwick, who is described in the book as having â€Å"greying hair.† This is portrayed in the first two movies, however in the third movie Professor Flitwick is portrayed as a small man with a black mushroom cut and a black handlebar moustache. Another point about the third movie that I am very eager to uncover is the origin of the â€Å"maggot heads.† The heads were never mentioned in the third book or any other book for that matter; and were completely made up by the director or screenwriter, possibly to add comedy.

Business: Marketing and Soft Drink Industry Essay

Q. 1 How would you characterize the dip category in general? Q. 2 How might the dip category be segmented? Q. 3 What is Frito Lays Competitive Position within the segments it pursues? Q. 4 What sales volume and market share(s) will be required of the dip line to preserve its profit contribution given budgeted promotion expenses? Q. 5 What are the pros and cons of focusing attention on the â€Å"chip dip† segment? Q. 6 What are the pros and cons of focusing attention on the â€Å"vegetable dip segment? Additional Suggested Readings for this case: a) Edward M. Tauber, (1988) â€Å"Brand Leverage: Strategy for Growth in a Cost-controlled World† Journal of Advertising Research, Sept-Oct, pp. 26-30 b) Peter H. Farquhar et. al. (1992) â€Å"Strategies for Leveraging Master Brands†, Marketing Research, Sept. , pp. 32-43. ******************************* Ch. 5 : Proctor and Gamble, Inc: Scope : Pg. 173 Q. 1 What significant changes have occurred in the Canadian mouthwash market in the last three years? Q. 2 How would you evaluate the performance of scope in the past three years? Q. 3 What are the pros and cons of the options available for scope? Q. 4 Prepare a Marketing plan for the forthcoming year. ******************************* Ch. 6 : Cadbury Beverages, Inc: Crush brand : Pg 249 Q. 1 How would you characterize the carbonated soft drink industry in the US? Q. 2 How would you describe the changes in the orange category during the period 1985 to 1989? What can be learned from these changes? Q. 3 What is Cadbury Beverages relative competitive position in the U. S. soft drink industry? In the orange categody? Q. 4 Based on your assessment of the soft drink industry, the orange flavored category, and the competitive situation of Cadbury beverages and orange crush, what is your recommendation for positioning orange CRUSH? Q. 5 What objectives should be set for CRUSH advertising and promotion program? What strategies should be pursued? Q. 6 How much should be spent for advertising and promotion to relaunch orange CRUSH? Extra Clues For Case Analysis: 1) Do not overlook the actual size of the orange category. Remember the total market is 2. 5 times supermarket volume. Further, Do not overlook the notion of â€Å"served market†. This is important since orange CRUSH has the lowest (bottler) market coverage of the major competitors. 2) Your recommendations relating to positioning and advertising / promotion programs should be rationally thought out based on careful articulation of industry and product-market dynamics, competitive behavior, and the concentrate producer price-cost structure. ******************************* Ch. 7 : Dell Computer Corporation: The Higher Education Market : Pg 316 Q. 1 How would one characterize Dell Computer Corporation? Q. 2 From where does ESL Business Unit obtain its revenue? Q. 3 How would one describe the higher education market for computers? Q. 4 How well does Dell Computer’s marketing approach â€Å"fit† the higher education market? Q. 5 What should Dell Computer do and Why? ******************************* Ch. 8 : Southwest Airlines : Pg 393 Q. 1 How would you characterize the US Airline industry in the early 1990s Q. 2 How can the economics of the airline industry be used to explain the performance of individual airlines and the industry as a whole? Q. 3 How is it that Southwest Airlines has been able to consistently grow and prosper in the US passenger airline industry? Q. 4 How would you describe United’s goals, objectives and strategy for â€Å"Shuttle by United†? Q. 5 How has Southwest Airlines responded to the â€Å"Shuttle by United† initiative? What assessments can be made about Southwest’s market and financial position on competitive routes based on 1994 Fourth Quarter Results? Q. 6 Based on your assessments, how would you interpret United’s decision to a) discontinue â€Å"Shuttle by United† service for the Oakland-Ontario market, and b) raise the one-way walk up first class and coach fare on all 14 â€Å"Shuttle by United† routes by $10. 00? Q. 7 How should Southwest Airlines Respond, if at all, to the â€Å"Shuttle by United† decision to change its service and price? Why? ******************************* Ch. 9 : Amazon. com: Winning the Online Book Wars : pg 495 Q. 1 Amazon. com is a retailer. How, in general, do retailers generate revenues and profits and grow and compete? Q. 2 Describe the nature of competitive rivalry in e-commerce retailing for consumer products in early 1998. How do e-commerce retailers (e-tailers) compete, thrive and survive? Q. 3 How would you describe amazon. com’s customer value proposition, distinctive competency and core marketing strategy? Q. 4 Can amazon. com tweak its business model to make a profit on book sales in 1998? What can the company do? Q. 5 How can Amazon. com grow profitably? What strategy do you recommend for a two- to five- year horizon? ******************************* Ch. 10 : Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc: Rogain Hair Regrowth Treatment : Pg. 560 Q. 1 How would you characterize various treatments for balding? Why do people use these treatments? Q. 2 How effective is Rogaine as a treatment for balding and for whom? Q. 3 How will the buying process for non-prescription Rogaine differ from the buying process for prescription rogaine? Q. 4 Describe and explain the U. S. sales performance of Rogaine through 1995. Was the marketing objective of â€Å"maximizing† sales of Rogaine in the US market achieved? Q. 5 How realistic is the belief, expressed by Pharmacia & Upjohn Officials, that non-prescription Rogain (minoxidil) sales of $1 billion were possible over five years given the marketing program for the brand? Q. 6 How might the loss of U. S. patent protection and marketing exclusively enjoyed by Rogaine since its introduction and competition from generic products affect sales of the Rogaine brand? Q. 7 Will the U. S. marketing strategy developed for non-prescription Rogaine prior to the FDA’s recent rulings need to be modified? If so, how?

Constitutional Commissions of the Philippines

Civil Service Commission FUNCTIONS: The Civil Service Commission has the ff. powers and functions: 1. Administer and enforce the constitutional and statutory provisions on the merit system. 2. Prescribe, amend, and enforce suitable rules and regulations for carrying into effect the provisions of the Decree. 3. Promulgate policies, standards, and guidelines for the Civil Service adopt plans and programs to promote economical , efficient, and effective personnel administration in the government. 4. Supervise and coordinate the conduct of civil service examinations. 5.Approve appointments, whether original or promotional, to positions in the civil service. 6. Inspect and audit periodically the personnel work programs of the different departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and other instrumentalities of the government. 7. Hear and decide administrative disciplinary cases instituted directly with it or brought to it on appeal. 8. Perform such other functions as properly belonging to a ce ntral personnel agency. NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS: Civil Service Commission is composed of a Chairman and two Commissioners. QUALIFICATIONS: 1. They must be natural-born citizens of the Philippines . They must be at least 35 years of age at the time of their appointment (rather than assumption of office)3. They must be persons with proven capacity for public administration. Knowledge of law or experience in the practice of law is not required by the Constitution presumably because the position calls more for administrative ability rather than legal competence. There must be a showing that they have been in the service as an effective public administrator. This is necessary because the Commissioners are responsible for an agency that performs significant functions . They must not have been candidates for any elective position in the elections immediately preceding their appointment. This requirement insures the political neutrality of prospective appointees and effectively precludes th e appointment of political lameducks. TERM: 7 years of term without reappointment †¢ Commission on Elections FUNCTIONS: The  Commission on Elections  has the following powers and functions: 1. Enforce and administer all laws related to the conduct of elections, plebiscite, referendum and recall. 2.Judge all contests relating to elections, results, and qualifications of all elective regional and provincial and city officials; 3. Deputize law enforcement agencies of the Government, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to ensure free, orderly and honest elections; 4. Register and accredit political parties; 5. Recommend to the Congress effective measures to minimize election expenses and prohibit all forms of election frauds and malpractices, political opportunism, guest or nuisance candidacy or other similar acts; and 6.Submit reports to the President, the Congress on the conduct of each election, plebiscite, referendum or recall. NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS: The Commis sion on Elections is composed of a Chairman and 6 Commissioners. QUALIFICATIONS: 1. They must be natural-born citizens of the Philippines. 2. They must be at least 35 years of age at the time of their appointment. 3. They must be at least holders of a college degree. 4. They must not have been candidates for any elective position in the immediately preceding elections. TERM: 7 years of term without reappointment Commission on Audit FUNCTIONS: The  Commission on Audit  has the following powers and functions: 1. Examine, audit and settle, in accordance with law and regulations, all accounts pertaining to the revenues and receipts of aid expenditures or uses of funds and property of the government and all government-owned or controlled corporations; and 2. Submit to the President and the Congress an annual financial report of the government including government-owned or controlled operations, and recommend measures necessary to improve their efficiency and effectiveness.NUMBER OF C OMMISSIONERS: The Commission on Audit is composed of a Chairman and 2 commissioners. QUALIFICATIONS: 1. They must be natural-born citizens of the Philippines. 2. They must be at least 35 years of age at the time of their appointment. 3. They must be certified public accountants with not less than 10 years of auditing experience or members of the Philippine Bar who have engaged in the practice of law for 10 years. 4. They must not have been candidates for any elective position in the elections preceding their appointment. TERM: 7 years of term without reappointment