Analysis of Socrates Defense in The Apology and Search...

Socrates Defense in the Apology and Search for the Truth about Piety in Euthyphro In Platos Dialogues, there is the singly ignorant person, the individual who is ignorant of some information or truth but who knows that he is ignorant, and the doubly ignorant person, the individual who is ignorant of his own ignorance. Socrates, in the Apology, maintains that he is singly ignorant when he states that the only thing he is that he knows nothing. The singly ignorant person is in a far better position to learn than the doubly ignorant person, because the singly ignorant person admits of his ignorance and can, if he desires, take the necessary steps to remove that ignorance. This is what Socrates does in his dialoguing, a.k.a. teaching. He is attempting to remove his own ignorance, and in some cases (such as in Euthyphro) move the doubly ignorant person to a state of single ignorance. This paper will show in context the meaning of Socrates ignorance in the Apology and how it relates to his search for the truth about piety in Euthyphro. Charged with promoting atheism and corruption among the young people of Athens, Socrates is brought before the court in the Apology. It is during his testimony that he asserts his ignorance, yet the context in which he does so helps to shed light on the profound meaning of his assertion. Socrates asserts that the only reason he ever began teaching was in order to refute the god of Delphi, (21c) who had stated that no man was wiser thanShow MoreRelatedBiography of Socrates, An Annotated Bibliography1581 Words   |  6 Pages DYLAN. â€Å"Socrates Human Wisdom.† Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review 52.1 (2013): 61-79. Humanities International Complete. Print. Dylan, the senior lecturer of the Department of Philosophy at University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and author of several articles provides the argument that a satisfactory interpretation of human wisdom can be given in terms of â€Å"philosophia†.He confirms his analysis by its resolution of some enduring difficulties in the interpretation of Apology and alsoRead More Justice for All Ages Essay example4920 Words   |  20 Pageswhere to begin. Socrates1 spoke of justice in relation to the gods, Plato in relation to an individual’s duty in society, and Achilles, in a somewhat indirect way, in relation to honor and loyalty. All three of these men had very convincing arguments about the true nature of justice, but it is impossible to say now, or most likely ever, whether any of them actually got it right. The current goal is to synthesize their ideas with those of Aristophanes, Euripides2, and even Richard Kraut, representingRead MoreSocrates and Properties Essay 3228 Words   |  13 Pages Socrates and Properties By Characterizing himself –Socrates- as both ignorant and wise, he presents us with one of the most striking paradoxes. Like so many of the other philosophers, is provocative in that its apparent self-contradiction hides an important idea for us readers to discover. Though out this text Socrates ignorance results from his belief that he has no knowledge of moral idea, or moral properties, such as justice, virtue, piety, and beauty. He asserts that, if only he knew the

Write a report analyzing the most recent financial aspects of

Essays on Write a report analyzing the most recent financial aspects of Pentair,INC Research Paper Financial Aspects of Pentair, Inc Financial Aspects of Pentair, Inc Ms. Cindy Baer President Topic: Ratio Analysis Report It isimportant to evaluate the performance of a company, both from a shareholders point-of-view and for business owners and managers as well. Financial ratio analysis is a handy tool when assessing a company’s performance as it helps analysts look beyond the obvious sales and production numbers. Of course, the results of ratio analysis are definitive authority on the performance of a company but true indicators of any hidden performance issues it may be facing. However, there are other uses for ratios as well. Their results are benchmarks for a company’s performance. Every future performance will be measured against these and other companies’ ratios. Ratio analysis also helps stakeholders who are not a direct part of the business, analyze and assess a firm’s profitability and creditworthiness. In order to conduct ratio analysis, the balance sheet and income statement provide the necessary figures and numbers. These financial statements are an integral part of the annual report by a company. In addition to the balance sheet and the income statement, there are also the statement of retained earning and cash flow statement. From these statements, the financial analyst must select the important information and interpret its analysis. This ratio analysis is important for an understanding of the company’s performance and condition. By examining Pentair Inc’s financial ratios, a clear picture of the company’s performance will emerge. Liquidity Analysis: 1. Current Ratio  = 2.1:1  ("Pentair inc" 2012) 2. Quick Ratio  = 1.1:1 ("Pentair inc" 2012) When compared to the rest of the industry, these ratios are quite small but overall, they predict that the performance of the company is satisfactory. The Current ratio is 2.1 that depicts that Pentair INC. has slightly overinvested in working capital. In addition, the quick ratio of 1.1 indicates the same. The quick ratio is less than current ratio indicating that the company may face cash flow problems in the future because of the tied up working capital. Both these figures are close to the industry average. Analyzing Profitability: 1. Return on Assets (ROA)  = 5.44% ("Pentair inc" 2012) 2. Return on Equity (ROE)  = 2.20% ("Pentair inc" 2012) 3. Return on Capital Employed (ROCE)= 3.30% ("Pentair inc" 2012) 4. Earnings per Common share  (EPS)  = $ 0.64 per share ("Pentair inc" 2012) ROCE indicates that more than $3 is earned for every dollar that is invested by the company. But in order to get the true picture we will have to compare this figure with the previous quarter’s ROCE. If ROCE has increased in the current quarter then the company has performed spectacularly by increasing sales without a proportionate increase in costs. Otherwise, there may be a problem with the control of costs. ROE is a ratio for shareholders, letting them how well their investment has performed. In the case of Pentair, the shareholders are getting 2.20% returns on their investment in the company, which is just a little less than industry average. EPS does not tell the actual income of the shareholder but rather indicates the shareholders share in the profit. It is an important measure of a company’s performance but is heavily affected by both right and bonus share issues. Therefore, these must also be taken into account. Analyzing Productivity: The productivity ratios help figure out how well the firm’s assets are being managed.  Ã‚   1. Inventory Turnover  = 5.5:1  Ã‚  ("Pentair inc" 2012) 2. Total Assets Turnover  = 0.8:1 ("Pentair inc" 2012) 3. Accounts  Receivable Turnover  = 5.4:1("Pentair inc" 2012) An inventory turnover ratio of 5.5: 1 shows that the firm manages to turnover or completely sells its inventory 5.5 times. The firm seems to be in line with the industry average by minimizing investment in its inventory. For every dollar invested in its assets, Pentair is generating 0.8 times the sales. Although this is quite low ratio indicating that, the company might by performing badly. However, studying the industry practices it becomes clear that the company is operating on the industry standards.  Ã‚   Pentair is quite effective at collecting debts and extending credit to customers according to the accounts receivable turnover. Analyzing Debt: 1. Debt to Equity Ratio  = 66: 1("Pentair inc" 2012) 2. Debt to Assets Ratio =  55.1:1("Pentair inc" 2012) These ratios are indicators of a company’s reliance on debt for financing its assets. The rule of thumb here is that the lower the ratio, the safer a company is. On the other hand, if a company has no or very little debt, it may be missing opportunities for investment and growth. In the case of Pentair, it has financed more than 50% of its capital by using external debt. This might seem dangerous but the figure is quite close to industry average indicating that it is a necessity of the business Pentair is operating in. References Costales, S. B., Szurovy, G. (1993).  Guide to Understanding Financial Statements. McGraw. Keown, A. J. (2003).  Foundations of finance: The logic and practice of financial management. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall. Pentair inc (PNR: New York). (2012, April 05). Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/ratios.asp?ticker=PNR:US   Q4 and full year 2011 earnings release. (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.google.com/url?sa=trct=jq=esrc=ssource=webcd=13ved=0CF4QFjACOAourl=http%3A%2F%2Fphx.corporate-ir.net%2FExternal.File%3Fitem%3DUGFyZW50SUQ9MTI0NjUyfENoaWxkSUQ9LTF8VHlwZT0z%26t%3D1ei=y12oT9KpKon_4QSl5NmdCQusg=AFQjCNEcQVSz5l3M5Bht5-JWZUnOx-7AVQsig2=_mGmDCmpW8XNe3ERb43Tsw

Service Users Perspective Critically free essay sample

In this essay I want to carefully examine a broad range of issues concerning elderly people in contemporary British society today. In particular I will want to focus on Residential homes and Older People in Community Care services. I will define residential homes and explain how they have become established from the Poor Law workhouses until present day. I will also discuss relevant government legislation with the viewpoints of older people’s pressure groups and the service users who use residential homes. I will try and suggest changes that could be made in social policy that could help advantage retired and elderly people in this the twenty-first century. There are two types of homes for older people in contemporary society, residential homes and nursing homes. Residential care is highly an important source of accommodation for old people, who even with domiciliary support cannot manage to live in their own homes, but who still do need intensive nursing care. We will write a custom essay sample on Service Users Perspective Critically or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Grundy and Arie (in Tinker 1992:161) have suggested that residential care is needed for those who need round-the-clock support and live alone. Current provisions which stem from the 1948 National Assistance Act require local authorities to provide: ‘residential accommodation for persons who by reason of age, infirmity or any other circumstances are in need of care which is not otherwise available to them’ (CPA, 1996). Residential care: consist of respite care, short stay and full time residential care. A residential home is expected to provide both personal care and accommodation. A residential home is a means of providing extra support to people who are not able to cope with their illness or disabilities, even after the support from home care services (O’Kell, 1995). An estimated three million people live in homes, a figure that is likely to rise by more than 180 per cent in the next 50 years as the average age of the population rises. Local authority, private and the voluntary sector provide homes; however there has been a dramatic shift towards private provision, but the proportion of elderly people in residential care has remained constant. In the last fifty years the development of the major voluntary agencies: Centre for Policy on Aging (1997), Age Concern (1997), Helped the Aged (1962), The National Corporation of the Care of Old People (1947) have made significant ontributions to elderly care service (Tossell and Webb 1994). On the other hand, nursing homes provide the latter along with registered nurses for older people who need care for medical purposes. Even though homes provide support and care for older people, they are often criticised as being institutions that are a form of social exclusion and social control. However, provisions f or older people have moved on dramatically from the days of the workhouse where older people who could who could not support themselves were placed. (Peace et al, 1997). Under the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, workhouses were established. This was to ensure that people who experienced extreme poverty, for example, the disabled, sick people, children and old people had indoor relief and were required to work in order to be accommodated. Even though the workhouse provided people with shelter, they were stigmatised as harsh, strict and degrading places that incurred individuals to be segregated from the rest of the society. This policy was arguably a form of social control and social exclusion as the rest of society did not want to see these people on the streets due to the Victorian snobbery of the era. In response, the government decided it was best to isolate the poor from the rest of the society by placing them in workhouses. (Peace et al, 1997). The birth rate is the number of live births born in England per 1000 per year. The number of live births in 2002 was 669 thousand. It has decreased in the last 100 years because 100 years ago, parents had many children, family sizes of 8 and 9. This was important in them days, as the parents would rely on their children to look after them, when they got older and for the children to go out to work. Nowadays family sizes are smaller, averaging couples, having babies later on in life, as women are wanting careers, also having children later on in life, therefore limiting how long they have got to conceive. Attitudes have changed over the years also; it is the ‘norm’ to have fewer children than 100 years ago. According to statistics of the 1909 Royal Commissions of the Poor Laws report showed that 150, 000 older people were residing in workhouses due to extreme poverty and need for financial support. This resulted in half of the workhouse population of this period due to decreasing mortality rates and increasing rate of life expectancy. This eventually influenced and lead to the 1908 Old Age Pensions Act. However, older people remained in poverty as the state pension was very low and it could be argued that this was an inadequate provision for older people. (Means et al. 2008). After the Second World War, there were critical inequalities in the society such as the rich and the poor divide. The Labour government then came into power in 1945 and created their policies, they were influenced by the 1942 Beveridge report, which stated that a system should be created called ‘cradle to grave’ so that an equal society can be created and eliminate the suffering caused by poverty. Their aim was to make society better and fairer for people with disadvantages such as vulnerable groups, young children and older people etc, (Blakemore 2003, p. 54). Many may argue that the workhouse is a disadvantage to older people. This can be reinforced by the Nuffield survey, a report created in 1947 on institutions. It reflected on the sufferings of older people in the environment and restrictive regime of the workhouse. The Minister of that time then introduced 1947 National Assistance Bill. The workhouses were then closed down and the residential homes were established, as residential homes could meet the needs of older people in a better way and it was more beneficial for them. (Peace et al 1997). Care homes should provide a quality of service meeting the needs of the residents as in a normal setting. However, the institutionalised nature of the care has many negative impacts on the residents’ as they perceive it is as negative form of care and a service denying independence, autonomy, privacy, power and other principle of human rights. Elderly are abused and neglected in some care homes while large proportions of staff caring for them are untrained and incompetent in caring. Funding for elderly care is major issue, on one extreme elderly are being forced to pay for care and on the other local authorities struggle to manage service within their budget. # A good definition of community care can be found in the 1989 White Paper on community care, Caring for People, which stated that â€Å"community care means providing the right level of intervention and support to enable people to achieve maximum independence and control over their own lives. For this aim to become a reality, the development of a wide range of services provided in a variety of settings is essential. These services form part of a spectrum of care, ranging from domiciliary support provided to people in their own homes, strengthened by the availability of respite care and day care for those with more intensive care needs, through sheltered housing, group homes and hostels where increasing levels of care are available, to residential care and nursing homes and long-stay hospitals for those for whom other forms of care are no longer enough† (Department of Health, 1989, p. ). The White Paper suggests the key components of community care are services which respond sensitively and flexibly to the needs of individuals and their carers, allow a range of options for consumers, do not intervene more than is necessary and concentrate upon those with the greater needs. The White Paper proposed seven key changes. Many of these changes involved more responsibility being put on the local authorities. They would now be responsible, firstly, for assessing individual needs and securing their delivery within available resources. Secondly, they would be expected to produce and publish clear plans for the development of community care services and will also be expected to show that they are making maximum use of the independent sector. Local authorities are also responsible for financial support of people in private and voluntary homes. Furthermore, local authorities are to encourage independent sector care homes. The local authority pays more from its own funds for people cared in its own homes. Moreover, the responsibility for inspecting all residential homes rests with the local authority. Finally, local authorities were given a special grant to promote the development of social care for seriously ill mental people. This is especially important for older people with senile dementia, as social services expenditure for people with mental health problems was often only a very small part of a local authorities budget. # These reforms involved making some legal changes, and thus the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 was passed. Included in this act were objectives to be achieved by community care as well as by organisational arrangements by which these could be achieved.

Symposium by Plato Essay Example

Symposium by Plato Essay Plato fully expressed his craft when he wrote one of his most renowned works, the Symposium. The speeches are characterized by highly commendable experiences with a mixture of comic relief and intellectual depth. The setting of the discourses delivery is at the banquet of Agathon where the elite guests include Socrates, Aristophanes, and Alcibiades. It was agreed that the evening of merry-making be spent in praise of love and investigating its nature. Each of them offered their thoughts on the matter, and as personality and consensus clash, the dialogue comes to its highlight, where the climax is ushered with the storming of drama of ideas. When we turn our attention to the speech of Phaedrus, the texts foreground an aspect of Love as a being. Phaedrus affirms that Love is a mighty god and that Love is the eldest of the gods. He further avers that the best incentive to virtue is an honorable love, a love that has dared man to do transcend the impossible, to test the limits of life, and to challenge the powers of heavens, all for the sake of their beloved. Phaedrus elaborated that man will do anything for the sake of love. He told the story of Alcestis, who exchanged her life for her husbands. We will write a custom essay sample on Symposium by Plato specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Symposium by Plato specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Symposium by Plato specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The tenderness and true love for her beloved spouse. The story of Orpheus also exemplified the tenacity of passionate love within a persons heart. Unlike Alcestis, Orpheus did not face death but instead he descended into the underworld and rescued his Eurydice. Another plausible example is that of Achilles and Patroclus. Eventhough Achilles is aware that he will die in war against the Trojans, he chose to do so in order to avenge the death of his beloved Patroclus. The speech of Phaedrus affirms reasons that Love is the eldest and noblest of the gods, giving and providing virtues and happiness in life. Pausanias negates the idea of Phaedrus and asserted that there are two kinds of Love, the spiritual love and the common love. He says that common love is not bias, it depends on the manner of performance or actions. When love is done for the benefit of those concerned, then it is good, but if it is done for the opposite purpose, only then that love becomes evil. On that context, only love which has a selfless purpose is worthy of praise. On the other hand, spiritual love is the love of the soul, which endures any form of pain and is not blinded by the physical appearance of things. Pausanias continues further through his assertion that the higher love is of the male. Those who belong to the masculine gender are regarded to have a superior nature especially in terms of intelligence, strength, and spirit. In addition to that, when one displays the affection, it is more honorable than when it is concealed. Custom allows those people who are in love to do strange things. Eryximachus also has a different stand on the issue. He provides answers about love in terms of the principles of medicine. Eryximachus supplies the deficiency in Pausaniass speech by proclaiming that love is not an affection of the soul of man towards the beautiful but to anything that the earth possesses.. the harmony of the true and false love may be found in men, animals and the whole province of divination. For him, medicine is the knowledge of love and the needs and wants of the physical being. Aristophanes follows the discussion. For him, man has not understood the power of love. He says that human nature is composed of man, woman, and the union of the two. Zeus cut man in two to diminish their strength and increase thir number. The two halves then wander about longing and seeking after one another. Men are a section of a double nature and they are dependent from which they were severed. Following him is Agathon, the host of the celebration. He comments that the other speakers are not praising or unfolding the nature of love but congratulates mankind for the benefits that love has given them. He states that the god love should be praised in his own account only and not for what he offers mankind. Moreover, he defies the statement of Phaedrus that love is not old but young and tender. the audience appreciate the words and thinks that he is worthy of himself and of the god. The most interesting part of the conversation is the turn of Socrates. At first, he excuses himself from speaking but eventually he professes his side on matter. He congratulates Agathon in his proposition of presenting the first the nature of Love and then of his works. He states that love is consist of something and wants something that he does not have for himself. Love in its nature is beautiful and it seeks beauty in the goodness of the heart. Love is a great spirit that acts as a medium between gods and men. Alcibiades then, rescues the evening from being solemn, in his drunkenness. He indirectly implies that Agathon is the beloved of Socrates. because of this, Socrates aids the protection of Agathon from the violent Alcibiades. Socrates would have changed him only if the love of popularity in him is not strong. Beyond this humor of characterization of Socrates brings the connection that Socrates speaks the truth. Alcibiades seems incapable of deviating the look of desire of those with whom he comes into contact, although it still fails to bring out from them tangible reactions of sexual interest. His desire finds a ready statement in Socrates qualities. On the other hand, Socrates is only mindful of the improvement of the soul that underlies both his interest in young men and his moderate drinking. Socrates and Alcibiades agree with the different aspects of the human personality. Both suggest that beauty, in its physical and spiritual indication, is difficult to define and can only be most appreciated in the milieu of a private relationship. Beauty should be viewed absolutely and not relatively. In Socratess view, love leads to the perfection of man. The reason is that it unites man with others. In the light of openness and self-giving, the â€Å"I and the â€Å"You† commune and becomes one. Furthermore, man transcends self, selfishness, isolation and despair, and finds happiness in his interpersonal relationships with others. Mans capacity for love appears to be infinite since it cannot find rest in any finite good. Unless his will is without purpose, eventhough it is the goal of it, then God must exist as the infinite and absolute good sought after by that will. Aside from the drama that arise in the context of Love, different kinds of love are also presented to praise, define and illustrate. Various manners of presentation in which the speeches were delivered included Alciabiadess humorously indecent language and unrequited lust for Socrates, Agathons lofty sentiments, Eryximachuss cold restraint and analytical distance, and Socratess confession of ignorance. Plato knows the manifestation of all the characters love. Their topic in the symposium is a reflection of the significant experiences of the persons doing the dialogue. It is about their love concealed as stories of love itself. For Phaedrus and Pausanius- true love, for Eryximachus- beloved craft, Aristophanes-comedy, agathon-lofty tones of tragedy, Alcibiades-to please the crowd, Socrates-talking philosophy. In this dialogue, the different facets of love were encompassed and were discussed in such an intense and passionate discourse. Different stories mirrored the degrees and forms of love experienced by human regardless of race, of religion, and of gender. References Kaplan, Justin D. (Ed. ). (1950). Dialogues of Plato. New York: Washington Square Press.