Arguing For Your Point Of View With Argumentative Essay Topics

Arguing For Your Point Of View With Argumentative Essay TopicsIf you are writing a persuasive essay, whether you are taking a final exam or working on a college application, it is important to choose argumentative essay topics that will allow you to actually persuade someone. Because your goal is to persuade a person of your point of view, not simply convince them that what you have to say is true. The greatest teachers are always the ones who inspire their students. So how do you find argumentative essay topics that will help you persuade others?The best way to find argumentative essay topics that will persuade the reader is to get a feel for what topics have worked in the past. This may mean asking someone else, but even reading about a topic can help. Reading information that has helped convince someone to follow your point of view is valuable experience.Often, it is only when something catches the people's attention that they will take action to either agree with you or disagree with you. Arguments work the same way. However, people who like the points you are making and agree with what you are saying will take action.By understanding the reasons why your argument is needed, and by creating an argumentative essay topics that will allow you to persuade the reader, you will be able to convince them that what you are saying is worth believing. Most writers will not know this fundamental component of their writing. Most writers will not put themselves in the shoes of the person who will read their essay, so they are not able to truly persuade the reader.The best way to use argumentative essay topics to persuade readers is to focus on the things they value. For example, if you have an essay that talks about the American dream, then you will create essay topics on the American dream. This is not hard to do, but it is important to determine what the things that make the American dream attractive to people are.By defining what the main focuses of the essay topic ar e, you will be able to clearly define the argument that you want to make in your essay. The reason that you want to make this distinction is because many writers will just jump into an argument without considering why they are writing it in the first place. By defining your goals first, it will allow you to focus on the elements that you want to focus on, and thus, will allow you to bring out the best in your arguments.When you decide what argumentative essay topics you want to include, then you must take a step back and figure out the other things that are important. The two most important elements are setting the stage and setting the scene. These are the two steps to the writing process, and they will provide the foundation for your argument. When you set the stage, you give the reader a frame to start the conversation.Then, when you set the scene, you give them something to start from. They can start from your actual argument, or from something that you have already established as being valuable. When you are able to set up your argument in such a way that it makes sense to the reader, they will be much more likely to listen to you and take action to support your point of view. By making sure that your essays have both a strong beginning and ending, you will find that you are writing better and will also be able to convince more people of what you are saying.

The Work Of Joseph Beuys Art Essay Example For Students

The Work Of Joseph Beuys Art Essay As an creative person, instructor, and militant, Joseph Bueys is one of the major figures in postwar German art. His theories on the societal public-service corporation of art influenced a coevals of creative persons. Beuys created conceptual plants, objects, drawings, installings, public presentation actions and talks within an intricate system of significance. Beuys explored the function of creative person and priest-doctor and engaged his audience in unprecedented and provocative ways. The profoundly experimental nature of his work established him as a establishing male parent of German vanguard. We will write a custom essay on The Work Of Joseph Beuys Art specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Joseph Bueys is widely understood to be the most of import German creative person of the post-world war II period. He was extremely provocative and he and his equals reinvented a booming vanguard after the long period of Nazi repression. After the war, Beuys entered the Dusseldorf academy. During this clip he questioned traditional academic parametric quantities and sought to spread out his artistic scope, proficient abilities, and his apprehension of art through his capable affair, sculptural techniques and the usage of non-traditional stuffs. Beuys matured as an creative person in the 1960ss with the Fluxus group ( which was an international motion based on an absolute connexion between art and life ) , Fluxus objects and public presentations are characterized by minimalist but frequently expansive gestures based on scientific, philosophical, sociological, or other extra-artistic thoughts. This type of art became progressively anti-establishment, personal, and idiosyncratic. In the instance of Bueys, the boundary between art and life was really all right. As a German who shared in the desolation and guilt undermentioned universe war II, Beuys was able to pull on his experiences and transform them, merely as he transformed common stuffs into art. Beuys pick of stuffs for his sculpture was famously eclectic. He viewed certain substances as holding of import associations, and through repeated usage they attained a personal symbolism. Fat appears in many of Beuys sculptures. He chose it partially to excite treatment, as a material that was really basic to life and non associated with art . Besides, the flexibleness with which it changes from solid to liquid signifier, harmonizing to alterations in temperature, made it a powerful symbol of religious transcendency. Felt was besides an of import stuff to Beuys for its ability to absorb whatever it came into contact with. As an dielectric, it became a symbol of heat. It besides appears as a silencer, like when he wrapped a piano, telecasting or a speaker unit in it. Like fat, the usage of felt was one of Beuys s personal signatures. SLIDE FELT PIANO SLIDE FELT SUIT In Felt Suit , Beuys plays with the thought of felt as a protective, charming stuff. This felt suit is no ordinary suit, it is modern-day armors made out of low fabric. It is besides no ordinary suit since it is non a suit at all, it is art. An empty shell, without the human presence. Bueys stated that the suit represented a manner of protecting an person from the universe. It besides acts as a symbol of the isolation of human existences. There are intensions of the suits worn by captives, in peculiar those in Nazi concentration cantonments. In his work, Beuys developed many thoughts about harmonising the forces of nature and civilization, adult male and engineering, and art and life. SLIDE Rose IN CYLINDER One of his most celebrated plants consists of a individual rose in a calibrated cylinder. This simple image expresses the importance of unifying love and cognition, passion and scientific discipline. The rose, a flower that bit by bit blossoms from within, is besides a symbol of revolution for Beuys. .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 , .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 .postImageUrl , .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 , .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3:hover , .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3:visited , .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3:active { border:0!important; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3:active , .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3 .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf597d23b9ecd29d8cc2576a7baa1aeb3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Designing Instructions For The Mentorship Program examples EssayBeuys political activism came to the head during the 1970 s. Believing that everyone could take part creatively in reshaping society, he advocated a theory of societal sculpture, in other words, society as graphics. Beuys was motivated by a Utopian belief in the power of cosmopolitan human creativeness and was confident in the potency for art to convey about radical alteration. This translated into this preparation of the construct of Social Sculpture, in which society as a whole was to be regarded as one great work of art which each individual can lend creatively. The thought as everyone is an creative person, that every individual in every title is a societal sculpturer, is really powerful. Its power lies in the fact that it is a living imaginativeness of our human potency and future development. SLIDE DEAD HARE In how to explicate images to a dead hare Beuys cradled a dead hare fondly in his weaponries for three hours, walking it around and demoing his drawings to it while explicating them to it in an unhearable susurration. The hare symbolises birth for Beuys because it is born and burrows resistance, subsequently to emerge from the Earth. Whilst transporting around the hare, he besides had his caput covered in honey and gold foliage. Beuys provinces, by seting honey on my caput I am clearly making something involved with thought. This may stress Bueys sentiment that western society is excessively rational. Bueys claimed that he preferred to explicate images to a dead animate being than to other people. Beuys answered a demand of a population waking up from the daze of its economic, societal and cultural lassitude following the war, and showed a manner to lift from the ashes that was every bit merriment as it was holistic and spiritually disputing. Beuys work served, in it s initial contact with the audience, an a recreation. His work should non be regarded merely as amusement and should be considered amonght the worlds in which it was created. SLIDE HARE CLIP Beuys s most celebrated Action took topographic point in May 1974, when he spent three yearss in a room with a prairie wolf. After winging into New York, he was swathed in felt and loaded into an ambulance, so driven to the gallery where the Action took topographic point, without holding one time touched American dirt. As Beuys subsequently explained: I wanted to insulate myself, insulate myself, see nil of America other than the prairie wolf. The rubric of the work is filled with sarcasm. Beuys opposed American military actions in Vietnam, and his work as an creative person was a challenge to the control of American art. Beuys s felt covers, walking stick and baseball mitts became sculptural props throughout the Action. In add-on, 50 new transcripts of the Wall Street Journal were introduced each twenty-four hours, which the prairie wolf acknowledged by urinating on them. Beuys on a regular basis performed the same series of actions with his eyes continuously fixed on the prairie wolf. At other times he would rest or garner the felt around him to propose the figure of a shepherd with his criminal. The prairie wolf s behavior shifted throughout the three yearss, going cautious, detached, aggressive and sometimes companionable. At the terminal of the Action, Beuys was once more wrapped in felt and returned to the airdrome. For Native Americans, the prairie wolf had been a powerful God, with the power to travel between the physical and the religious universe. After the coming of European colonists, it was seen simply as a plague, to be exterminated. Beuys saw the adulteration of the prairie wolf as a symbol of the harm done by white work forces to the American continent and its native civilizations. His action was an effort to mend some of those lesions. You could state that a calculation has to be made with the prairie wolf, and merely so can this injury be lifted , he said. .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 , .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 .postImageUrl , .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 , .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5:hover , .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5:visited , .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5:active { border:0!important; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5:active , .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5 .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ufab6fc6abe534fc903a5a5d3234318a5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Fractal Geometry (585 words) EssaySLIDE AMERICA CLIP

Boeing Business Analysis Essay Example

Boeing Business Analysis Essay Example Boeing Business Analysis Paper Boeing Business Analysis Paper Boeing Business Analysis MGT/ 521 10/10/11 Boeing Business Analysis Before take the decision whether or not invest money in a company it is imperative to analyze the overall situation of the company. Boeing was selected for study because, as representing American big business at the millennium, the company was reputable an unsullied by financial scandals. Boeing is engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, sale and support of the commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense systems and services. Boeing is situated in the 36th position out to the fortune 500 which is very suitable however as the economy is changing it is imperative to perform a SWOT analysis in deep in order to know the company better and understand they overall situation. Strength By their power and influence Boeing has several strengths and one of them is the leadership in innovation. Inside the commercial jet industry and government sector Boeing is known a leader in innovation models of technology defined by their performance an supported by their technical expertise. Another one is that Boeing has a strong reputation of quality and long-standing costumer relationships. Therefore they have built the image of being a company constantly capable of delivering exciting new models that meet the stringent demand of their many and widely varied costumers. To finish whit strengths it is their successful participation in multiple, diverse market segments. Not only are they the market leader in the commercial jet industry, they have increased their share of the military and space markets. Lastly, the multiple markets allow them to preserve synergy between these businesses. Weaknesses As well as strengths Boeing has weaknesses that are important to address. First weakness and the most relevant to aim is the development cost for new products. Because this company is innovative and have a strong reputation in providing high quality the cost to produce their invocation is high. Second material to work whit. As a result these provoke a domino effect causing the delay in the conclusion of their projects production and the inability to predict a new production cycle. Lastly, Boeing has a strong position in the aerospace and defense industry. This strong position provides the company a competitive advantage. However, intense competition across all business segments of Boeing could erode the market share of the company and could also affect its profit margins. Opportunities Inside the opportunities Boeing has increasing demand for the commercial airplanes. This is derivate of the world challenge changing market and the rise of the new air business, as well as the rapid growth of air travel in the world’s wide. Also the emerging economies such as India and China are expecting to increase military modernization therefore this become an opportunity in the defense sector. Threats One of the threats is the intense competition in the aircraft market and the airline industry. The commercial jet aircraft market and the airline industry remain extremely competitive therefore Boeing faces aggressive international competitors being Airbus it principal competitor. Another threat is the great east Japan earthquake impact. Japan were forced to halt their operations due to severe damage caused by earthquake to their buildings and manufacturing facilities. Boeing is dependent on Japanese suppliers for aircraft components. Lastly threats is the increasing jet fuel prices. In recent past, the prices of jet fuel have increased sharply, hurting the bottom lines of most airlines. After reviewing the SWOT analysis, it is important to determine which stakeholders are most important in particular whether their interest and needs coincide whit the Boeing viewpoint. Internal stakeholders Employees: Boeing employees demand a safe and secure work environment that fosters communication, productivity, creativity, teamwork, and employee engagement. Also, employees require compensation and benefits that are fair and equitable for the type of work and geographic location (local market) where the work is being performed and competitive whit other word-class companies. Shareholders: The shareholders expectation is to obtain a profit and superior return on their assets. External stakeholders Government: which is the primary corporate stakeholder and the final arbiter of what corporations must do and Boeing is aware of their necessities. Because government is constantly changing and no government last forever, Boeing is entailed to complete all government ordinances such as taxes, employment law, international relationship, quality on their military instruments etc. Customers: Boeing deals whit its customers in a fair and impartial manner their business are won or lost on the merits of Boeing products and services making special efforts and focus on providing customers whit accurate and valid information. Communities: Corporate citizenship is the responsibility of the entire Boeing community. The Boeing Company recognizes the critical role it plays in the many diverse communities where they have presence, and they take that role seriously. Their sustained involvement in the community is an important element of Boeing culture and integral part of the way they do business. Boeing maintains their commitment to good citizenship by contributing cash, in-kind and surplus donations, and the expertise of our people. Also, they support programs that encourage the charitable generosity and volunteer spirit of their employees and retirees. Workplace giving is focused through the Employees Community Fund, which is the largest employee-owned charitable organization in the world. Boeing people at every level are encourage to become involved in their communities, and they recognize outstanding community service through annual awards for employee and retiree volunteers. Suppliers: The relationship whit their third-party providers, including consultants and contact labor, are definite by contracts, which are base on lawful, ethical, fair and efficient practices. Boeing relationship whit suppliers are based on mutual trust, integrity and comminent to the highest ethical principles. Procurement decisions are made based on factor such as quality, service, price, delivery, and best value. Care is taken to avoid conflicts and the appearance of partiality. Also the expectation of the supplier are based in three main proposes. First, to promote full and open competition based on their specification and evaluation criteria that allow suppliers to respond. Second, to obtain the best possible products and service at the best value. Third, to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse. In summary Boeing is committed to the highest standards of ethical and business conduct as it relates to the procurement of goods and services. Boeing ensures their success by satisfying their customers and increasing shareholder value. In addition Boeing is committed to the highest standards of ethical and business conduct as it relates to the procurement of goods and services. The relationships whit their costumer, employee, third-party providers, including our consultants and contract labor, are defined by contracts, which are based on lawful, ethical, fair and efficient practices.

How might a constructionist approach to gay, lesbian, bisexual or Essay

How might a constructionist approach to gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans persons differ from both a biological essentialist and a - Essay Example This paper analyses three approaches used understand these sexual orientations, namely constructionist approach, biological essentialist and a religious essentialist. Sexuality is an instinct or a natural drive that becomes inevitable a person’s biological make-up and seeks fulfillment through sexual activity. All essentialist approaches take the view that all genders, both male and female, have an essential nature as opposed to differing by various contingent or accidental features that result from social forces. These include biological essentialist and a religious essentialist approaches. From the perspective of the essential nature of a person, it is taken that the sexual preference of a person is natural and important/essential to the personality of the person. The essential nature entails caring and nurturing. This means that being a gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans person is a sign of aggression and selfishness (Clare 28). Biological essentialists take sex as a natural i nstinct required for reproduction purposes. This means that there is a relationship between the biological sex/gender and the sexuality of a person. This approach therefore considers being heterosexual as normal but considers gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans persons as unnatural and deviant.

Marketing Mix for the Holden Commodore Case Study

Marketing Mix for the Holden Commodore - Case Study Example The car has been produced with a different target in the market but it has remained a family car. But the Holden Commodore VE Ute which was released in 2007 has a new target to individual users. It is small compared to the others but is has the appearance that makers Commodore in the market. The Holden Commodore Sport wagon which was released in 2007 is also a family car and is larger. This shows that the company has been responding to the changing need of the market and has therefore been producing models that go with the market. There are also some models that have been targeted for the upper market. Although most of the models have been selling at a constant price, there are some models like Commodore VE that has been produced target the higher income market. the company has been pressure to lower the price of the VE model as the demanding the market falls due to low sales attributed to the its exorbitant prices. (Edger, 2002) Since it was produced the primary target market for commodore has been the family. It has bee produced targeting the family market and therefore the model have been made larger in a way that they can carry the whole family. The company has been producing medium sized cars that are usually important for family travels and other means. Therefore the family has been the primary target market for the cars. ... The company has been producing cars which are meant for private use. All the models produced are personal cars which are mainly aimed for the family. The features that are produced with each successful model show that the car is for the family market. They produce medium sized cars which are safer and durable. However in the recent past there have also been productions of other models that are aimed for the secondary market. These include the sportive VE Ute which is aimed at individual travelers. But this can only be considered as the secondary market since there are not many productions that have been made on this model. Generally the company has produced cars that are primary made to meet the needs of family travelers but the trend in the market has forced it to produce other models which specifically target the individual travelers as well. The company has been improving its models since it was produced in order to put in place some futures that are meant to position it as a contented in the target market. With new models entering the otherwise competitive market, Commodore has been retaining large sales owing to the way it ha s been changing features of its cars to meet the demands of the target market. The design and the price of the cars have been well planned in order to fit the status of the target market. (Kenwrite, 2004) Positioning When the first car was produced the level of competition in the market was low compared to what it is right now. By then there were not many models that were targeted to the family target market but with time there have been new entrants in the same market that have increased the level of competition. The main competitor of the Commodore model has been the Ford Falcon, Honda CV, Toyotas Camry, Mitsubishi

Developmental psychologists

Developmental psychologists Many developmental psychologists maintain that, from a very early age, infants relate to people in a special way, and that this indicates they have a deep understanding of other people. In your view, is this position supported by research studies that have investigated infants understanding of the physical and social world? The main purpose of this essay was to assess whether the research evidence supports the statement that infants have a deep understanding of other people. Although the question related to infants in general, the main emphasis was put on the first year of life as it is believed that this is a period when the most significant changes in infants development occur (Super, 1981). Firstly, the writer attempted to define the term â€Å"deep understanding† which has been seen as crucial for this debate. Then, the focus moved to the nature of infants relationships with other people. Afterwards, the research studies were examined that have investigated infants understanding of the physical world. The aim was to check whether children have a knowledge of objects and peoples physical features, and consequently, if they are able to differentiate between them. Finally, the researches which investigated infants understanding of social world were analysed in order to check how rich infants kno wledge of other people is. The debate of whether infants have a rich knowledge has to be preceded with defining what it means to have a deep understanding. In the case of a physical world deep understanding would be an awareness of physical properties and the permanence of objects, as well as knowledge of how certain actions make an effect on the physical world (Spelke, 1991). However, the definition of the deep understanding of people perceived was more complicated. Surely the ability to recognise that people are different to objects is important as it requires a certain level of understanding. Equally important is also the knowledge of what is going on in other peoples minds and the ability to appreciate that ‘people have emotions, intentions, and perspectives (Striano Rochat, 2000:254). Nevertheless, it has been believed that deep understanding must also involve something additional. This extra quality has been acknowledged by Tomasello et al. (2005:676), who argued that: ‘(†¦) deep understanding of other people requires not only an understanding of goals, intentions and perceptions of other persons, but also in addition a motivation to share these things in interaction with others. The psychologists who perceive children as having a rich knowledge share the belief that infants relate to people in a special way and engage with them differently than with objects. They argue that infants are more likely to direct their intentional behaviours towards people rather than objects because they anticipate that people will understand their intentions and respond to their actions. Trevarthen (ED841, Unit 3) explained this phenomenon by arguing that infants have an inborn willingness to participate in social relationships with other people. As Suzanne Zeedyk stated, the everyday intimate in nature interaction with others creates a context in which infants understanding can develop. In her opinion, thanks to being an object of other peoples attention, children come to know themselves and others. However, the perception of infants as active social partners causes some doubts. Even though Trevarthen seems to be right stating that infants are not just marionettes which can be animated by adults, it is possible that their engagement with people may only create an illusion of spontaneity and understanding (Zeedyk, 2006). Indeed, it has been acknowledged that there is no consensus whether young infants actually differentiate between objects and people and what mechanisms underlay their behaviour. To investigate this issue it was necessary to establish what knowledge about the physical world they hold. The chosen staring point was Piagets study on objects permanence. He argued that if an object is covered by a cloth, infants younger than nine months stop reaching for it and do not attempt to lift the cloth, even though they are physically able to perform this action. On this basis, Piaget argued that for infants younger than nine months, objects exist only while it is perceived or acted upon and it is out of an infants mind when it disappears (Hood Willatts, 1995). These findings are believed to be significant for a debate on childrens understanding of the social world. Contrary to earlier mentioned psychologists, Jean Piaget claimed that young infants do not distinguish between people and objects, but rather treated people as the most interesting of objects and that is why they concentrate on them more intensively. Analogously to object permanence, Piaget argued that children younger than nine months cannot have a deep understanding of other people as their do not have knowledge of peoples permanence. They rather acquire this knowledge at a later stage thanks to their cognitive development and experience (ED841, Unit 2; Baillargeon, 1995; Piaget Inhelder, 1966). Although Piagets theory appeared to be convincing, it has been acknowledged that his experiment has been criticised by other researchers who argued that infants failed this task not because they have not developed object permanence but because there are not able to perform coordinated actions. Therefore, it was difficult for them to coordinate lifting the cloth with their memory for the object (Baillargeon, 1995). To check whether infants hold an understanding of object permanence, Piagets findings have been compared with the results of investigations which did not require coordinated action. An example chosen was Baillargeons drawbridge experiment. This habituation study researched infants understanding of ‘the principle that a solid object cannot move through the space occupied by another solid object (Baillargeon, 1995:104). Baillargeon wanted to investigate whether five month old infants would be surprised by visible objects in the form of a screen rotating back and forth at 180 degrees, which moved through the space occupied by a hidden cube. The assumption was that if infants were surprised it meant that they were aware of the existence and physical properties of the hidden object. In contrast to Piagets study, this experiment indicated that very young infants may have a core understanding of object properties and therefore they should also have the knowledge of peoples permanence (Baillargeon, 1995; ED841, Unit 2). On the other hand, some of the researches stated that the habituation methodology may overestimate infants understanding. For instance, as proved by Schilling, results similar to those gained by Piaget may be obtained simply by varying the number of presentations in the drawbridge experiment. Therefore, Schilling argued that Baillargeon failed to prove that infants have a deep understanding of the physical world (ED841, Unit 2). Also, Cohen referred to the drawbridge experiment by stating that infants ‘may be responding to the apparently impossible event, not because it is impossible, but simply because it is familiar (Cohen, 2001:6). So far it seems that children, especially in the first few months of life, have rather poor knowledge of the physical world and consequently they may also have poor knowledge of other people. The radical change was believed to occur at around nine months of life. However, the research evidence presented by Woodward on six month old infants showed that they have expectations directed towards people, which they do not share with inanimate things. Therefore, he argued that infants not only see people as separate to objects, but also recognise that people have certain goals and intentions (Tomasello et al., 2005). The writer is convinced that at the end of the first year of life, infants understand people as animate beings who spontaneously produce behaviour, but there is no agreement whether they understand the mechanism underlying their behaviour or they are just simply able to predict what people would do. For instance, the research on   infants understanding of goal-directed action s, like for example those of Gregley and Csiba, showed that one year old infants perceive the successful actions as goal directed, but it ‘does not necessarily imply that they appreciate the intentions underlying those actions (Brandone Wellman, 2008: 86). It is believed that the ability to understand that other people have mental states is a part of the so-called theory of mind, which is assumed not to develop in children younger than 4 years (Bretherton et al., 1981). There was a series of research investigating the signs of development of the theory of mind in infants. For instance, Reedy (2007) observed the development of deception among infants. Her findings indicated that eight month old infants are able to deceive, even though in theory this skill does not develop until a child acquires theory of mind. Therefore, Reedy argued that because at around eight months children, for example, fake crying or pretend deafness when called by their mother, which indicates that they have a real understanding of other people. However, Reedy has been criticised for overestimating childrens abilities and misinterpreting infants behaviours. For instance, it has been argued that infants are egocentric. Consequently, children may ignore mothers calls because they are concentrated on themselves and things they are doing in that moment (Carlowe, 2008). More probable seems to be the explanation presented by Baron and Cohen, who stated that young infants are unable to understand what is going on in other peoples minds. However, they argue that at around 6-9 months, infants try to seek other peoples focus of attention by following the direction of their eye gaze. This inborn ability, called the eye direction detector, lets infants note where another person is looking. Subsequently, infants become able to distinguish between their own and other peoples reactions to an object, which is a basis for later theory of mind development. However, it is not clear whether infants perceive other persons eye movements as significant and understand that adults are directing their attention towards an object. It is possible that they just follow other peoples eye gaze without paying attention to the object itself (Meltzoff, 2004, ED841, Unit 2). As mentioned before, Tomasello stressed that understanding intentional actions and perceptions of others is not itself sufficient to talk about the deep understanding of infants. In his opinion, it requires shared intentionality which refers ‘to collaborative interactions in which participants share psychological states with one another (Tomasello Carpenter, 2007:121). His longitudinal study on chimpanzees showed that they were similar to human infants in a whole range of socio-cognitive skills, but in contrast to infants, they do not appear to have shared intentionality. Tomasello therefore stated that infants do not only follow other peoples eye gaze but try to share other peoples attention. The motivation to share attention with others emerges at around the first birthday, which supports the belief that this is the time when more advanced cognitive understanding occurs (Tomasello Carpenter, 2007). Meltzoff emphasised that information about objects and peoples shared intentions towards these objects are acquired through imitation. He argued that to imitate, children have to be able to understand the differences between themselves and others. Even though Piaget argued that infants cannot imitate others until they were 8 to 12 months of age, Meltzoffs research on infants early imitation showed that they are not only able to imitate facial expressions of adults but also recognise when adults imitate them which is a sign of deep understanding. However, the critical analysis of his research indicated that children may imitate adults but not be aware of the fact that they are copying emotional expression. Additionally, Meltzoff examined very young infants and there is a possibility that they might just be trained to imitate from birth (Meltzoff Gopnik, 1993). Summarising, it appears that infants prefer people over the objects, but there is no agreement whether it is a sign of an understanding of other peoples thoughts and intentions or rather an inborn ability to engage in social interactions. Some psychologists, like for example Piaget, argued that very young infants have only basic social abilities. Although infants behaviour cannot only be seen as a set of reflexes, psychologists claim that they have a deep understanding of other people would undoubtedly overestimate their abilities. The most appropriate explanation seems to be that infants are born with rather poor knowledge about the physical and social world; however, they have an inborn ability to interact with other people. Through the everyday interaction with others their knowledge and skills can develop, and consequently, infants understanding of the world becomes deeper.

Jade Peony

Belonging When someone is said to be Canadian, it does not just mean being one who lives on this land, or has lived on this land long enough to obtain this citizenship, it means living the Canadian life, it means waking up in the morning wearing a ton of layers and going outside in the freezing cold to do whatever a person needs to do during the day, to be Canadian it also means to belong. Canada is known for the diversity of culture, religion, color, and beliefs, as well as our ability to be able to create a status acceptable to everyone, making Canada, despite our individual diversity and differences, to be united as one. However, what we don’t realize is that Canada has not always been this way; this is the perspective that Wayson Choy expresses through his novel â€Å"The Jade Peony†. His text and word play emphasizes on a world so unknown, yet so important to not only our history, but to our understanding of what our ancestors of our various ethnic origins fought through every day of their lives to create the world in which every day we take for granted. Where he lays his emphasis on our history is not from the point of view of the adult, but through the eyes of the children who, today, are our fathers and grandfathers. Divided into three major chapters, Wayson Choy begins the narration of his history through the eyes of Jook-Laing, a five year old beautiful girl of Chinese origin born in Canada after her family immigrated to Canada. Isolation is slowly starting to become a major theme in the novel, not only created by the Canadian Government, but by her very own family. The Canadian Government in the 1940's, the time period the novel takes place, created harsh laws against immigrants, making it near impossible to live happily: one was never to leave the household, as immigrants must live within the same household even when one becomes married, as well as harsh laws on illness, where, if one were to become sick with any illness- even as innocent as a cold- if the government found out, â€Å"The Vancouver Health Inspection Board†¦ posted on our front door, a sign boldly visible from the street: condemned† (p. 32). However, Jook-Laing's family's old heritage and Chinese beliefs create the deepest isolation as they shun the idea of traditional Canadian society, where Poh-Poh, elder and Jook-Laing's Grandmother, describes this life as â€Å"poison to young China girl-child† (p. 17). Jook-Laing's young and highly dream-filled spirit inspires her to dream of the perfect world- a perfect world she never gives up on as play and her â€Å"movie-star daydreams† (p. 37) have caused her heart to grow and know that, deep, inside, Canada is a better place than China, no matter what Poh-Poh says to her about her heritage. However, despite her strong instinct, conflict arises as person versus person/society is introduced when her powerful instinct and her Grandmother's words â€Å"You not Canada. You never Canada. You China. Always war in China† (p. 37) make her isolated from becoming her own person and trapping her in a world she knows is not true to her heart. As a major authority figure of the household, Poh-Poh is never corrected or disagreed with, causing Jook-Laing to feel alone in her internal battle between what she is told and her faith in Canada. Further, Jook-Laing, along with her other two step-brothers, are strongly looked down upon by their strict, old heritage grandmother, who constantly reminds them of her feelings towards them: â€Å"This useless only-granddaughter wants to be Shirlee Tem-po-lah; the useless Second Grandson wants to be cow-boy-lah. The First Grandson wants to be Charlie Chan. All stupid foolish! † (p. 40). With Poh-Poh's interrogance towards her grandchildren's play, it creates further isolation from the norm of society and themselves, along with isolation from their desire to be a child. Despite her Grandmother beginning to shape the role of the antagonist of the story, Jook-Laing makes a deep connection with an old family friend, Mau-lauh Bak, who not only understands the importance of play, but embraces and cherishes Jook-Laing for her ability to be free in a world so sour towards them. that connects Jook-Laing to the theme of belonging. The second part of the story speaks about Jung-Sum, the kid who was adopted due to the fact that his parents have died from a young age â€Å"I TAKE CARE OF MY SELF’ (p. 2). Jung also starts off in the novel isolation for as he doesn’t want his new family to take care of him. But Jung started to box and that is where he found a sense of belonging. Sek- Lung also fell into the same isolation theme from Canada and as well from his family, he was in belief that Poh-Poh was still coming to visit after she had died, and the whole family did not believe the fact, that’s when Sekky fell into the same pattern of isola tion. But it was Sekky that had the most sense of belonging to Canada towards the end of the book, because Canada is a multicultural community there is all kinds of races that live in this great country, and Sekky was a big hater of the Japanese â€Å"I have to remember they are the enemy† (p. 189) but when he meets Meiying, and she introduces him to Kaz her Japanese boyfriend, he gets to like him. This shows that the world revolves around hate but once you get to know people, a person’s perspective might change. Sekky finally found his belonging in Canada.