Antidepressants Are over Prescribed Essay Example

Antidepressants Are over Prescribed Essay Example Antidepressants Are over Prescribed Essay Antidepressants Are over Prescribed Essay Antidepressants are overprescribed Mitrea (2007) defines antidepressants as an agent or a drug that is most commonly used to prevent or treat depression. However, in today’s society it could be said that antidepressants are being over prescribed and are being used to treat a vast range of other conditions, as well as clinical depression. When the first antidepressant was developed, manufacturers were reluctant to put it on the market due to the extremely low number of people suffering from depression. Now, antidepressant drugs have a very dominant place in the drug market, with studies showing that they are now one of the most widely prescribed categories of drugs (Mark 2010). There could be a number of reasons for this increase in antidepressant prescriptions; more people in today’s society could be suffering from depression, or the drugs could indeed be being over prescribed by doctors. This essay will aim to critically discuss whether antidepressants are being over prescribed or perhaps under prescribed, and if the diagnosis for depression needs to be reviewed in order to prescribe antidepressants more appropriately. Various studies have been carried out that aim to show that the proportion of antidepressants being prescribed without a psychiatric diagnosis is growing, concluding that antidepressant drugs are being overprescribed. Research by Mojtabai Olfson (2011) found that the increase over the years has come from prescriptions written by non-psychiatrist providers, for patients who do not have a psychiatric or mental health diagnosis. Antidepressants are not being prescribed solely for depression; they are also used to treat chronic pain, anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and even eating disorders (Parker 2005). The symptoms for depression are a depressed mood, taking less pleasure in life, lack of energy, changes in appetite, restless habits, feeling worthless and guilty, and suicidal thoughts (American Psychiatric Association [DSM-IV-TR], 2000), but even with these parameters, it can still be difficult to distinguish severe depression from natural periods of feeling â€Å"down. Mojtabai Olfson (2011) reviewed a national sample of office based physician visits over a one week period. They compared visits that involved the prescription of antidepressants with no psychiatric diagnosis with visits that involved the prescription of antidepressants with a psychiatric diagnosis. The findings showed that in the general medicine practice, the use of antidepressants was more dominant among people wi th mental health conditions that were considered less severe and that were poorly defined (John Hopkins University Blomberg School of Public Health 2011). To the extent that antidepressants are being prescribed for uses not supported by clinical evidence, it may be beneficial to improve provider’s prescribing practices, review drug formularies, or pursue interventions that will increase and encourage communication between primary carers and mental health specialists. The rising number of antidepressant prescriptions raises questions not only about over prescription but also about misdiagnoses. It could be fair to say that doctors are too quick to hand out prescriptions for any emotional problem. The rise in prescriptions could be down to patients being diagnosed with depression when they are in fact suffering from different health issues. Researchers have been investigating whether people who have been told they are suffering from depression actually have undiagnosed hypothyroidism (Garber 2006). Hypothyroidism is a disease in which the thyroid gland fails to produce enough thyroid hormone (Andrews 2010). The symptoms of this disease can mimic the symptoms of depression, and it could be possible that the growth in antidepressant prescribing is going to the community of undiagnosed thyroid patients. It is fair to ask why doctors tend to hand out a prescription for an antidepressant rather than run thyroid tests. The answer to this is most likely to do with time and money. It is much quicker for doctors to write a prescription for an antidepressant drug than to question patients about their health history (Shomon 2011). Macdonald et al. (2009) suggest that the current levels of antidepressant prescribing needs to be assessed. In this study, which gave an insight into General Practitioners (GPs) perspectives on the rise of antidepressant prescriptions, it was evident that many GPs believed that unhappiness, exacerbated by social deprivation and the breakdown of traditional social structures, was being ‘medicalised’ inappropriately (Macdonald et al. 2009). However, participation in this study was voluntary so it is very likely that GPs who were interested in mental health and comfortable with their own prescribing practice would be more likely to take part, thus raising the question; are antidepressants really overprescribed? Despite the increasing number of studies on the over prescription of antidepressants some support this rise in antidepressant use, arguing that it is better to diagnose depression too often and too little (Barber 2008). Research has also been conducted not on over prescription, but in fact under prescription of antidepressants. These researchers are challenging the wide-spread assumption that doctors are handing out antidepressants too often, and suggest that they are in fact being underused instead of overused. In contrast to the study by Macdonald et al. (2009), Cameron et al. (2009) challenged the hypothesis that GPs prescribe antidepressants to patients who are unlikely to require them. The findings suggest that the recent accounts of the overuse of antidepressants are unwarranted. The prescribing of antidepressants to those patients who were not symptomatic was accounted for by relapse prevention, and for the ongoing successful treatment of previously identified depression. Among the patients with probable depression, half did not have their symptomatic status identified and were not offered any treatment for depression, suggesting that GPs may under prescribe, rather than over prescribe antidepressants (Cameron et al. 2009) The increasingly common belief that antidepressants are being over prescribed is mainly down to the fact that the number of antidepressant prescriptions has significantly risen over the last few years. However, when researchers looked more closely at antidepressant prescribing activity, they found an altogether different situation, which showed that only a very small number of patients were being given such drugs without reason (Reid 2009). The main aim of the study was to investigate whether patients who did not meet the criteria laid out in the national guidelines were unnecessarily being prescribed antidepressants, which are also often used to treat pain. The findings showed that only 3 out of a total of 897 patients who took part in the study were being given an antidepressant drug unnecessarily. Many patients who met the criteria in the national guidelines and qualified for treatment with antidepressants were not being given them, which adds to the assumption that GPs are significantly under diagnosing the condition of depression. According to Reid (2011), the assumption that antidepressants are being over-prescribed is being fuelled by the way in which statistics are currently being used to analyze the situation. He says that the numbers are only based on the volume of prescriptions and do not provide any information on differences in the dose or the duration of therapy. Currently, the statistics measure the number of prescriptions being handed out for antidepressant drugs. Critically, they don’t give any indication of how many people are actually taking the drugs. If the doses of antidepressants increased, or the duration of the treatment was extended, there would be an increase of the prescription statistic without any change in the number of people being treated (Reid 2011). The arguments about the over and under prescribing of antidepressants raises an important question; Are antidepressants really effective at treating depression and should they even be prescribed at all? Studies suggest that the popular antidepressant drugs are no more effective that an placebo. Kirsch (1998) investigated this claim by comparing the improvement in patients taking antidepressants with the improvement in those taking placebo pills and found that the difference was minuscule. Patients on a placebo improved about 75% as much as those on actual antidepressants (Begley Kliff 2010). From these findings it is evident that three quarters of the benefit from antidepressants seems to be a placebo effect. It can be argued that these publications that claim that antidepressants don’t work any better than a placebo are a highly misleading interpretation of evidence that shows that antidepressants do work, even in less severely depressed patients, with the long term benefits of the drugs showing an even stronger effect (Melander et al. 008). Geddes et al. (2003) states that the ability of antidepressants to prevent further episodes of depression is one of the strongest findings in the whole of medicine. Placebo does have an impact on mood when used in clinical trials, but the effect is much less than that of antidepressants. Moreover, if the effects of antidepressants are compared with those of no treatment, as is sometimes done for psychotherapy trials, then the effects of drug treatments are as big as those of talking therapies (Nutt Sharpe 2008). Most GPs agree with the claim that antidepressant prescriptions are indeed being overprescribed without a proper diagnosis, and studies suggest that prescribing behaviour needs to change in order to reduce this rising level of prescribing (Macdonald et al. 2009). However, as far as overprescribing, it is not fair to say that it is occurring as a blanket statement. There is evidence to suggest that antidepressants are not prescribed nearly enough and that depression is significantly under diagnosed, meaning that patients who should be treated with antidepressants are not being offered them. There is no definitive answer to whether or not antidepressants are under or over prescribed, but it fair to suggest that the national guidelines for the treatment and diagnosis of depression needs to be reviewed, and doctors need to be educated in distinguishing severe depression from natural periods of sadness and perhaps start providing alternatives to prescribing antidepressants such as counselling to address the main problems of depression rather than masking the symptoms. As far as antidepressants being effective, it is clear that the drugs have been very beneficial to millions of people (Begley Kliff 2008). However, antidepressant drugs are perhaps not necessarily the best choice of treatment. Psychotherapy, for instance, works for moderate, sever, and even very severe depression. It would be beneficial for further research to be conducted to determine if antidepressants are being prescribed for a misdiagnosis of depression or if GPs are missing cases of depression and therefore not prescribing antidepressant drugs enough. References American Psychiatric Association (2000) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Revised 4th edition) Washington DC: Author Andrews, L. W. (2010) Encyclopaedia of Depression (Volume 1) USA: ABC-CLIO, LLC Begley, S. Kliff, S. (2010) The depressing news about antidepressants Newsweek Vol. 155, No. 6, pp 34-41 Barber, C. (2008) Comfortably Numb: How psychiatry is medicating a nation New York: Vintage Books Cameron, I. M. , Lawton, K. , Reid, I. C. (2009) Appropriateness of antidepressant prescribing: An observational study in a primary-care setting. British journal of General Practice 59: 644-649 Garber, J. R. (2006) Clinical Update: Managing the challenges of hypothyroidism Journal of Family Practice Vol. 55, No. 66, pp 51-8 Geddes, J Carney, S, Davies, C Furukawa, T Kupfer, T, Frank, E. Goodwin G (2003) Relapse prevention with antidepressant drug treatment in depressive disorders: a systematic review. The Lancet 361(9358): 653? 661 John Hopkins University Blomberg School of Public Health (2011) Prescriptions for antidepressants increasing among individuals with no psychiatric diagnosis, US study finds. Science Daily Retrieved October 19th 2011 from sciencedaily. com/releases/2011/08/110805135808. htm Macdonald, S. , Morrison, J. , Maxwell, M. , Munoz-Arroyo, R. , Power, A. , Smith, M. , Sutton, M. , Wilson, P. (2009) ‘A coal face option’: GP’s perspectives on the rise in antidepressant prescribing British journal of General Practice Vol. 59, No. 566, pp. e299- e307 (9) Mark, T. L. (2010) For what diagnosis are psychotropic medications being prescribed? : A nationally representative survey of psysicians CNS Drugs 24(4): 319-326 Melander et al (2008) A regulatory apologia ? a review of placebo? controlled studies in regulatory submissions of new? generation antidepressants. European Neuropsychopharmacology 18: 623? 627 Mitrea, L. S. , (2007) Natural Medicone Mosiac, Volume 1. Canada: Natural Medicne Books Mojtabai, R. Olfson, M. (2011) Proportion of antidepressants prescribed without a psychiatric diagnosis is growing Health Affairs, 30(8) Nutt DJ and Sharpe M (2008) Uncritical positive regard? Issues in the safety and efficacy of psychotherapy. Journal of Psychopharmacology 22: 3? 6 Parker, G. (2005) Beyond major depression Psychol Med 35: 467-72 Reid, I. (2009) Antidepressants are under – not over – prescribed British Journal of General Practice Shomon, M. (2011) More antidepressants being prescribed without a psychiatric diagnosis: Are undiagnosed thyroid problems a key cause? Retrieved on October 20th from http://thyroid. about. com/b/2011/08/15/antidepressants-thyroid-depression-shames. htm

Journal Entry Essays

Journal Entry Essays Journal Entry Essay Journal Entry Essay In the article â€Å"Urban and rural students swap places to learn about different lives†, which appeared on CNN.com on May 23, 2007, the issue of education and how students learn to overcome their differences through awareness. This particular news story deals with two groups of students from Alaska who are part of an exchange program to help bring awareness to students about the differences in the way each group lives. One group is from a tiny Eskimo village in Alaska, and the others from a suburb of Anchorage. Each group lives a completely different way of life despite the fact that they all live in the same state. The educators in this case felt that through the exchange program students could learn to appreciate the different ways of life that each lives and to learn more about the world around them and their neighbors. The rural teens were amazed at how many varieties of food there were in the supermarkets and how less expensive it was, and were amazed at the different s tores and even the indoor plumbing. The urban teens were shocked by the exact opposite in the rural village, yet they all learned to appreciate not only the way of life of the other teens, but to appreciate what is special about themselves and their life.I selected this article because it deals with education and how educators are trying to overcome some of the differences that exist in society and some of the social, political, and racial inequalities. Through the exchange program teens of different cultures get to learn about each other through their time with their host families and in the different area, and also get an education about people who are their neighbors, in a sense. The teachers responsible for this program are hoping to bring unity to Alaska and to connect it to classroom curriculum ranging from healthcare to economy. I was attracted to this story because it is a beautiful example of how education and understanding can lead to more acceptance amongst people of diff erent social groups, as in the case with the Eskimo children and the other Alaskan children. This is an important social issue because if more educators would adopt similar methods then we could foster more understanding amongst different groups within our own nation. This innovative approach shows a social solution that can help many other educators around the country if they were to implement this type of program to help children of different races, religions, income levels, and nationalities within our own country learn to appreciate and understand each other.Journal Entry # 2The article â€Å"Gold Star wives help a new generation of war widows† that appeared on CNN.com on May 26, 2007 is an interesting look at the way that our own suffering can be a basis for helping others in similar situations. The article deals with the social issue of war and how it affects not only the people in the midst of the war but the wives, husbands, and children that are left behind by the me n and women who die in the war in Iraq. I was attracted to it because of the closeness to Memorial Day and the fact that is encourages people to reach out to others going through problems.This article is about a woman named Marie Speer who lost her husband in WWII and how she founded this organization called Gold Star Wives, which was established to help war widows in many various ways, from friendship and compassion, to helping lobby for benefits for the wives and husbands of those lost in the war. The women of this organization have all lost husbands to war and know how it feels, but instead of doing nothing they reach out to others through the organization. This is an example of how we as Americans, no matter what our thoughts on politics and the war, can use our own compassion to help others, no matter our situation in life. It also shows how, no matter the generational difference, some things, like losing a spouse in the war, can link us to those who dealt with similar things b efore us. The war in Iraq is a major social issue right now, politically, but the social impact of this is felt greatly by the spouses of the men and women fighting in Iraq. This article gives us a look at how we can come up with solutions to some issues by reaching out to people who are in pain. While this organization is not a solution to the war, it is a help to people.Journal Entry # 3The article â€Å"The First Steps† by Alex Tresniowski, et al, appears in the May 7, 2007 issue of People Magazine and is a look at the healing process that is happening at the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia following the massacre that killed 33 students in Norris Hall on April 16th. This article is unlike many of the others because instead of dealing with the dark, brooding gunman or all of the mistakes and issues that led up to the shooting, it deals with how the students affected will take steps to heal and help create a better environment for all students on campus. This ar ticle was interesting to me because it was not just another doom and gloom article about the tragedy but point out what was being done right by the Virginia Tech students, faculty, and campus administrators to help the college heal. Violence has become such a huge social problem in our society and this issue was made even more glaring by this particular school shooting. The article’s look at the counseling being offered, the changes in the college, and most especially the way that the community, parents, and students are all reaching out to each other as a means of healing is incredible. It also shows how they are hoping to eliminate loners and outcasts like the shooter by reaching out to their fellow classmates in need. Instead of dwelling on the bad, they are looking for something positive to come out of the tragedy.I was attracted to this article because of the hopefulness that it leaves the reader with, especially concerning something as troubling as the Virginia Tech Mas sacre. This is such an important social issue because it is so prevalent in our nation and what makes people commit violence is still not really understood. It is hard to remember that out of the pain of such an event there can come something wonderful and positive, like a new spirit amongst people or a greater awareness of the signs of mental illness. Also, just simply being out to reach out to others. It’s relation to the social issue of violence also attracted me because that is such a large problem in our society, and the solutions given are interesting and uplifting.Journal Entry #4The article â€Å"Global Fund Saves 1.8 Million Lives† appeared on the ONE.org website on May 24, 2007. The ONE is a new poverty campaign that aims at helping â€Å"to make poverty history†. Some new bills have been passed recently, including education-related issues, and it has become well-known in the press because of publicity gained from its appearance on American Idol and at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. in 2006. This particular article deals with the response from the American Congress and how much money they have given to the Global Fund in support of the various programs that are helping to end world hunger, poverty, and disease.In summary, this article is about the money grants given to ONE.org and the Global Fund, both of which are dedicated to ending poverty, hunger, and disease in third-world nations around the world. Because of the insistance of ONE.org and other organizations the United States has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars towards helping their cause and there has been some great progress, including many lives saved because of insecticides, medicine, food, and nets that help to protect people from the things that harm them in other countries.This story attracted me because I really feel strongly about ending world poverty and giving everyone in the world a chance at a good quality of life. I feel that we in th e United States are especially responsible for helping others who are less fortunate. The issue of poverty is an important social issue that is dealt with not only around the world, but in our own country as well; however, this article is especially interesting because it gives ideas on how we can help. The article talked about how just donating insecticide-treated nets to families with children can help to stop disease and that 3,000 people every day are saved just by this one program. One person can be saved simply by donating one net. It’s important to understand how we can get involved, even if we have limited means ourselves.Journal Entry # 5The article â€Å"U.N. Presses for Peace in Darfur† appeared on the Los Angeles Times website on May 27, 2007 and deals with the conflict in Sudan and how the U.N. is trying to create a change for the better in that country by encouraging peace within its borders. The article talks about the ongoing conflict in Sudan and the t ypes of terrible violence going on there, particularly amongst the militia and rebel groups. The article is about the U.N.’s push for Sudan to call a cease-fire and to start peace talks so that the violence can end. It also talks about the many peacekeepers who are proposed to go in and help create a more stable nation for the people who live there under violent conditions.The social issue that is happening right now in Darfur is critical. There has been genocide happening there fore years and many people live in refugee camps because their homes, land, and country have been filled with so much violence and war for so long. This article deals with the social issue of war, as well as poverty, and global inequality. The war going on there has created a global inequality unlike any other nation, and has caused so many people to descend into poverty and hunger. People are dying everyday because of the conflict and while the U.N. is taking notice they are not able to convince Darf ur to stop the violence and create a better nation for the men and women who live there.I was attracted to this article because it is about an issue that is really at the forefront of the minds of many right now because of the publicity it has gotten from celebrities and the media. This article also has some solutions in it that are interesting, pointing out what is being done by the U.N. to help bring peace to Darfur, including the unification conference between the African Union and the U.N. that has happened recently. While Darfur is still a social problem, the involvement of the U.N. in the peace process is encouraging.Journal Entry # 6The article â€Å"Trial set to begin in Mississippi civil rights-era case† by Jerry Mitchell appeared the USA Today on May 24, 2007 and deals with the case of a man who is facing charges for killing two African-American teenagers in 1964. In the past few years there has been a push in Mississippi to bring to justice former klansmen and othe r racists who killed civil rights workers and African-Americans during a time and in a place where discrimination was so abundant that no one would convict them. This case is one of these, and is an interesting look at how the justice system can be corrupt and yet, today, we can try to make things right.James Seale is 71 years old now, but in 1964 he was arrested and admitted to beating Henry Dee and Charles Moore, two black teenagers who were hitchhiking and picked up by a vehicle of klansmen, including Seale. They were beaten to death and then weighted down and thrown into the Mississippi River. Seale was arrested and interrogated and admitted to beating them and even admitted that God knew he killed them to an FBI agent, but told authorities they would have to prove it. In the deep south in 1964, he was never prosecuted and charges were dropped. Today, however, authorities in the South are looking to make right on the racial injustice that took place there by prosecuting the kill ers now in hopes of showing the world that the new South doesn’t let people go for killing another person just because of the color of their skin.This article attracted me because racial inequality has always been such a problem in the U.S. and the fact that so many people got away with murder in the South just because they killed black people has always haunted the nation. Now, as a social solution, prosecutors are setting out to change that by punishing these people now for the sins of the past in the hopes that the deaths of so many during the civil rights-era can be vindicated. The criminal justice system is looking past race in Mississippi and doing what is legally and morally right.

Is the pessimistic views of nick sons justified Essay

Is the pessimistic views of nick sons justified - Essay Example The root of this issue centres from, among others, widespread problems inherent in the recruitment of workers in the industries. Existing HRM gaps within the industry have caused a myriad of human resource problems that have ultimately resulted in negative outcomes in labour turnover. Widespread labour problems in the industries is hugely attributable to issues such as poor working and pay conditions, which have long been considered as reasonable, but are now emerging as poor and impractical. The industries typically serve customers who take time out for recreation, which is often spent in travel, lodging, cruises, and amusement parks. In order to serve their customers’ needs effectively, these industries need to maintain a high level of variety of employees, from maintenance staff to customer service representatives. In addition, both industries require massive numbers of employees (Nickson 2013, p. 81). However, the reality of the industries reveals that the industriesâ€⠄¢ labour relations are not up to standard. Compared to other industries, a dwindling number of employees in the tourism and hospitality industries express the desire to continue working for their present employers. The causes of extensive labour turnover in the industries range from insufficient employee supervision and employees having inadequate responsibilities to the repetitiveness of most jobs. This speaks to extensive inefficiencies in the industries’ HRM, which have not only resulted in poor employee engagement, but widespread gaps in labour-related issues within the two industries (Nickson 2013, p. 6). For instance, in an endeavour to streamline their processes, most tourism and hospitality businesses hire additional employees, including seasonal staff, to ensure that each employee concentrates extensively on a single, minute task and executes it within minimal mistakes. Although this HRM strategy may prove effective in enhancing diverse aspects of the services provi ded by the industries’ employees it also enhances employee disengagement in their work. Employees typically require the opportunity to start at the bottom and climb the corporate ladder while also gaining experience. Therefore, repetitiveness is a major demoraliser. A lot is required from businesses in the tourism and hospitality industries to retain their employees. However, their HRM strategies are inefficient, and this contributes significantly to the industries’ unique issue with turnover. However, to be fair, the high labour turnover is not necessarily indicative of a problem with organisational strategies if this is the typical system in which the business operates. Nonetheless, labour turnover becomes a major problem when HR managers are constantly obligated to, without prior notice, rehire and train new employees for positions that the business deemed would be held for the long-term (Nickson 2013, p. 67). This is the problem that typifies the vast majority of t ourism and hospitality businesses. High labour turnover is particularly problematic in developed economies such as the UK where employees are able to acquire alternative employment when dissatisfied by the HR strategies of their present employers. Low pay The tourism and hospitality industries are some of the most successful and highly profitable industries in the economy. This would typically imply that the industries’ employees are highly paid in light of the high profit margins

Personal Service Failure Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Service Failure Story - Essay Example The check in time was scheduled at 9 p.m. on December 19, 201x. On that particular night, the weather was identifiably difficult with strong winds and a downpour of rain that made travelling from work to the hotel difficult. One therefore arrived at XYZ Hotel at exactly 9:45 p.m. and approached the front desk clerk to check-in through the previously made and paid reservation. Upon checking on the reservations and the room assignments, the front desk clerk apparently found out that the room previously reserved for me has been given to another guest who arrived earlier and needed the room due to the bad weather. After waiting for 30 minutes and since I did not arrive on time, they surmised that I would not arrive and gave the room to the other guest. Since the hotel was then fully booked for the night, without available rooms, the front desk clerk advised me to go to the next hotel (ABC Hotel), which is their affiliate hotel, which is several miles away. The service failure story is common in the hotel industry. The proximate cause of the failure to deliver the expected and appropriate service was the need to have abided by the reservation within a stipulated time frame, which differ depending on hotel policies. In this case, the hold time stipulated was just 30 minutes and if customers did not relay any message that they would be late but would come, the reserved rooms would be given to other guests who need it. In other hotels, the moment that the customers defaulted on the time of arrival, without giving prior notice or advise for any delay, the customer would already consider the reservation in default and could provide the previously reserved room to other guests. There was a failure on both parts regarding enhancing awareness for the hold time for reservation. Since I made the reservation one week ago, there was no apparent knowledge for any weather disturbances to occur on the date of booking. On

Online college education vs traditional Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Online college education vs traditional - Essay Example The internet revolution has also affected the educational sector. There are many sites which offer online courses especially at the college level and higher. It would be rare to find a university in the U.S. that has no internet connection and reasonable technology infrastructure. However, the use of the internet in classroom teaching is not as widespread as the use of the internet for information, entertainment, communication, and research (Scagnoli, 2005). With the internet the barriers of time and space have been ended. Online education is internet enabled technology driven education that allows you to study anytime, anywhere, as per your convenience. Online education is one of the ways of imparting effective education to the aspiring people, residing anywhere in the world. This has helped people to pursue and advance their learning process, without messing up with their professional responsibilities and duties. Online learning helps to increase the educational experiences irrespe ctive of age and geographical diversity. The World Wide Web empowers the University to deliver training and critical information to its wide spread student base no matter where and what time zone the users are in. The students just access their training materials or start studying whenever they want from home or from office. Online education gives the students the flexibility to go through the programme content at the time that is most convenient to them and thereby achieve an appropriate balance of work, family, community and educational commitments.

The History Of The Liberal Neutrality Politics Essay

The History Of The Liberal Neutrality Politics Essay The question is should all government decisions be made on a neutral basis or is there a point where the government should be able to make a decision that they believe if for the best interest of the individual? This issue is discussed by multiple authors and looked at from different angles. John Stuart Mill discusses his opinion of government authority as it affects an individuals interests in his essay On Liberty. Joseph L. Sax discusses his opinion of government authority as it affects the national parks and individuals different interests within the parks in his book Mountains without Handrails. Both Mill and Sax look at government involvement and decision making in two different ways. One as it applies directly to any interest of an individual and the other as it applies only to an individuals interests in a specific area. The main topic of Mills essay is civil or social liberty. He defines social liberty as the nature and limits of the power which can be legitimately exercised by society over the individual (Mill, 5). Social liberty allows an individual to govern themselves to a certain point. This point is where they potentially could cause harm to others. Once an individual has reached this point, society or the government can step in to prevent harm of another person. Society is neutral in an individuals interests until this point has been reached and they have the authority to interfere with an individuals interest if they deem it harmful to others. This is the idea of the harm principle. Mill says the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others (Mill, 14). In one sense social liberty follows the idea of liberal neutrality but it has a loop hole that allows for some bias decision making by society to protect others. Where society does interfere with an individuals interest it is doing so for the best interest of the rest of society and preventing harm to them. The negative effect of interfering with a single individuals interests is outweighed by protecting one or more individuals from harm that is not necessary for them to endure. All decisions come down to choosing between protecting the interests of an individual or society as a whole. One topic that Mill discusses is the struggle between liberty and authority. Liberty was put in place as means of protection for people from their political rulers. At the time people were born into power and liberty was kind of like a clause if the ruler became a tyrant. Authority is needed to prevent individuals from taking actions that would be morally wrong (causing harm to others). Society then changed and all rulers were no longer born into power, they were chosen to represent the people. The representatives of the people were to represent the best interests of the individuals and this would eliminate the need for some forms of liberty and authority since the people would be need to be protected from their own will. One thing that was over looked was the fact that a single group of representatives cannot accurately represent the entire population, they can only represent the majority and the majority is made up of the individuals who are active in getting their voice heard and does not necessarily represent the entire population. This is the idea of tyranny of the majority. Tyranny of the majority occurs when the majoritys interests are placed above the minoritys interests and causes minorities to be discouraged in getting their opinions heard. This brings society back to the same struggle of liberty and authority and where to draw the line between the two. Individuals want to have the power to so as they please but there should be some guide lines or limits to this power. Mill does not explicitly state what all of these guidelines or limits should be with the exception of causing harm to others. Are more guidelines really needed than that? What is society as a whole just decided to do away with rules, regulations and all types of society authority with the exceptions of something that enforced not doing harm to others and just let an individual decide how they wanted to live their life? This is what libertarians advocate for, liberal neutrality. Having a society with no rules or regulations with only a few minor exceptions, would allow for an individual to focus on their interests and preferences and allow them to achieve their version of the good life since there would be not interferences from society. Having liberties can produce a positive effect in individuals if they are given the opportunity to effectively utilize their liberties. Although Mills essay was published in 1859, the ideas he presents are still currently being discusses such as in Mark Sagoffs Can Environmentalists be Liberals?, Cary Coglianeses Implications of Liberal Neutrality for Environmental Policy and Andrew Vincents Liberalism and the Environment. There is no wrong answer to the struggle between liberty and authority and there is a possibility of multiple right answers for this struggle. Mill discusses liberty in a broad sense, and does not apply it to a specific area of interest but to all areas of interest to an individual. Sax discusses liberty and authority as it directly affects national parks and the individuals who benefit from them. He tries to answer or at least present the different sides of answering the question should the national parks basically be treated as recreational commodities, responding to the demand for development and urban comforts that visitors conventionally bring to them or should they be reserves as temples of nature worship admitting only the faithful? (Sax, 2) Preservationists represent one side of this issue and want national parks to remain undisturbed by human activities. The preference for undisturbed nature and recreation in nature is merely just a matter of taste specific to each individual and no policy will be able to please all parties. One individuals interest and preference for a national park may contradict another individuals interests and preferences, which make it difficult for society to remain neutral n its decision making process. National parks are owned by the public and consist of remote and scenic land in large quantities. Parks were first preserved for the scenery they provided so the average citizen would be able to enjoy them. It was though that the more people who came to the national parks the more support there would be for the future preservation of other parks. People wanted different things from the parks though; some wanted them for sites for picnics and resorts while others wanted them preserved as museums. The parks could potentially provide engagement with nature which provides an opportunity for detachment from the submissiveness, conformity and mass behavior that dogs us in our daily lives; it offers a chance to express distinctiveness and to explore out deeper longings (Sax, 42). The nature within the park has the ability to stimulate reflectiveness and self-understanding. It provides a model of continuity, stability and sustenance, adaption, sustained productivity, diversity and evolutiona ry change. Humans can learn a lot by observing nature and applying it to their lives. If this nature is disturbed then these revelations cannot be observed and applies to other aspects of daily life. The problems of recreation can cause many conflicts in national parks. Recreation can be defined in different ways depending on the individual and can vary from hiking to snowmobiling and from five stat resorts to building your own lean to. A compromise has to be made between the many types of recreation. One possible compromise is to try fully to serve the quantitative demand for conventional recreation and to provide opportunities for all of the different kinds of activities the public wants, but not to assure those opportunities in locations that have a special value for reflective recreation (Sax, 63). There is a demand for different types of recreation including intensive-use activities. A balance has to be determined on what types of recreation can take place where and to what extent do they damage the environment and prevent future usage. Sax described how he believes the national park ought to be. One important note that he makes is to discourage motorized travel within the national parks. He also mentions decreasing crowds and allowing visitors the opportunity to experience the park at their own pace. The problem with some of the ideas that Sax proposes is that there is no easy way to determine how to effectively please each individuals wants from the park. The park service is in a dilemma between too many people wanting to utilize the park and not enough park resources to go around and conflicting interests between multiple parties. Sax recommends dealing with this dilemma by separating the choices that have to be made from each other. This will allow clarity about each decision that is made and how it will impact future decisions made. All decisions made have to bear in mind that the park belongs to all individuals but some forms of activities that consume a lot of the resources for everyone should be avoided so m ore individuals can potential benefit. The parks are there to be utilized by the individuals but individuals attitudes contribute to decisions made directly affect the potential future of the park. A certain level of tolerance is required for all parties to allow for the most effective use of the park and its resources. In Saxs book he looks at the governments role in the preservation of the national parks. The government has the authority to put in place rules and regulations that would limit the activities allowed within the parks. This would interfere with an individuals liberties to make their own decisions to pursue their individual interests and preferences. Saxs opinion is to limit an individuals liberties within national parks and to allow for the government to have the authority to control what happens within the parks. Sax and Mill seem to stand on different sides of liberal neutrality. Mill agrees with liberal neutrality with the exception of causing harm to another individual. Sax disagrees with liberal neutrality and thinks that the government should enforce rules and regulations for the individuals within national parks even if they interfere with an individuals liberties and their versions of the good life. Although Sax is talking about a specific situation were liberty and authority conflict, it can be assumed that Mills argument applies to all aspects of an individuals life including national parks. Assuming both Mill and Sax are focused on national parks and an individuals liberties within the park they are really not all that different. Mill and Sax both want individuals to be able to pursue their interests and preferences within national parks. Mill allows for these interests and preferences to be followed until they will cause direct harm to another individual. Sax allows for these interests and preferences to be followed until they will cause direst harm to the environment and potentially cause indirect harm to other individuals trying to utilize the national parks resources. Sax allows an individual to govern themselves to a certain point and his point is where an individuals actions will potentially cause harm to the environment. Causing harm to the environment will limit the availability of current and future park resources for other individuals to enjoy and could harm them and not allow them to pursue their interest and preferences within the national park. In this sense preservationists and environmentalists are liberals and allow people to do as they please without interference form society until they reach the point of harm. The idea of liberal neutrality centers around being open to different individuals version of the good life and being neutral in the decision making process that will affect an individuals ability to achieve their version of the good life. Mills essay he defines liberty and discusses limiting the authority society has over the individual/ Saxs book focuses more on allowing society to have the authority to interfere with individuals liberties as they pertain to the national parks. Both Mill and Sax present different points about the struggle between liberty and authority, they both agree on the authority to interfere with an individual if they are going to cause harm to something else. Mills version of harm focuses on harm to other individuals while Saxs versions of harm focuses on harm to the environment which is a public good and could cause harm to others if not looked out for.

The Unknown Prevalence of Youth Gambling Essay -- Gamble Winning Win E

The Unknown Prevalence of Youth Gambling A child’s motivation to begin gambling is obvious. Even at an early age children are trained to idolize winning. They are taught the tortoise is the best because he wins the race. From this elementary lesson, children develop a tendency to idolize the winners and discount the losers. Children observe gambling and have an inclination to see the player raking in armfuls of chips, not the player across the table slowly losing a week’s pay at the black jack tables. They see Las Vegas portrayed in the media as a place to go to win money. They do not see the gamblers who leave the town with an empty bank account and a potential inability to provide for their families. By looking at the gambling culture in this idealized way, children are inclined to gamble when the opportunity presents itself. They may begin innocently by entering into their father’s office pool or wagering on baseball games with their friends, but the fact is many of these children will find t hemselves facing a gambling problem in years to come. I began gambling when I was thirteen with sports pools and friendly wagers with friends. Only four years later I found myself immersed in the culture of gambling; risking my money four nights a week in poker games. When I had started gambling, the stakes were only fifty cents, but now thirty and forty dollars were up for grabs. By the time I was eighteen, even these stakes were no longer enough for me. I decided that the casinos in Atlantic City were the only venues with payoffs large enough to satiate my hunger for gambling. On nothing more than an impulse I set off on a three hour drive, bound for certain victory. I found a seat at the black jack tables in Bally... ...tions. However, the nation will not take action any time soon, not without a push. As members of a society we must do our part to increase awareness about this issue. We must make an effort today to see the adolescents don’t gamble their tomorrow away. Works Cited Eckart, Dennis. Advancement of an Emerging Science. 2003. National Center for Responsible Gaming. 10 Sept. 2003 . Moiduddin, Adil. Gambling Impact and Behavior Study. 2003. The National Opinion Research Center. 10 Sept. 2003 . Willenz, Pamela. Pathological Gambling More Prevalent Among Youths Than Adults, Study Finds. 2003. American Psychological Association. 11 Sept. 2003 .

‘Of mice and Men’ Analysis Essay

In ‘Of mice and Men’ several characters dream of a different and better life. Why is it not a surprise that the dreams never come true? ‘Of Mice and Men is a novel written by john Steinbeck that features the hopes and aspirations of ordinary people living very simple lives. It features very strong characters each with their own dreams of a different and better life. But of course such dreams only remain dreams because they never do come true. The title ‘of mice and men’ is taken from a poem by a famous Scottish poet Robert Burns that quotes. The beat laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft agley (often go wrong) And leave us nought but grief and pain For promised joy! This basically means that it doesn’t matter how much you plan and dream, things very rarely go according to plan, which leaves us longing for promised dreams. John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. This may have been the reason he decided to set the novel ‘Of mice and men’ in the Salinas valleys. It was hard to live in good conditions around the time the book was set (1930-1940) because of the Wall Street crash and the great Depression that followed. It was extremely hard to get a job and if you did get a job, it would be for minimal pay. During the 1930’s there was very bad unemployment, which meant thousands of people never had a job in the USA, so agencies (like the one that Lennie and George got their work cards from, ‘Murray and Ready’s) were set up to end farm workers to where they were needed. Despite these conditions many people believed in the American dream. The theory of the American dream was taken from the 17th centaury and basically mans that in America, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from anybody can make it big and be satisfied with what they have achieved. A lot of characters in the novel also had dreams of making it big and owning something good that they have worked hard to accomplish. Lennie Small and George Milton are the main characters and they both had similar dreams although they were very different people in more ways then one. We first get a description of their dream in chapter 1 when George and Lennie were at their campsite about to eat their supper. The conversation about the dream started off when Lennie said to George † tell me- like you done before about the rabbits.† The dream was basically that they wanted their own land where nobody can boss them around and tell them what to do. They also wanted to raise animals such as pig’s cows and chickens † an live of the fatta da lan†. From this dream the to characters Lennie and George both wanted different things. George wanted a place of his own and independence he also wanted security for Lennie but the main thing he wanted is a ranch like the one he lived on as a child. On the other hand the only thing Lennie wants from the dream is to â€Å"tend the rabbits†. At this point of the novel the dream that Lennie and George had was still just a fantasy not reality. This is because George and Lennie did not have much money, like many people who lived around the time of the great Depression. People found it hard to get jobs let alone make a lot of money and they had just run away from another ranch in Weed because of Lennie’s behaviour, so deep down George knew that it was virtually impossible for their dreams to become a reality, until†¦ Candy is an ageing, disabled ranch hand that has been on the ranch for a, long time and when he hears Lennie talking to George about the dream he realises that that was his golden ticket out of the ranch. Candy wants to leave the ranch because he feels that he has no future in the ranch he fears that he might be sacked in the near future because he cannot do his job as good as an able bodied person. Candy realises he has enough money to offer Lennie and George so he could be part of the dream, Lennie and George accepts Candy’s offer and then the dream becomes a reality because George knows a real place they could get. Crooks is a black ranch hand that is discriminated because of his colour. Crooks first gets to know about the dream when Lennie walks into his room, whilst looking for some companionship. When Lennie tells him the dream, at first he did not believe it and he thought it would never happen. But then candy walks into the room and confirms what Lennie was saying at this point candy starts to believe the ream and he offers to join them. Then Curleys’ wife walks in and has an argument with the three men and threatens crooks by saying se could heave him hung, it is after Curleys wife leaves the bunkhouse that crooks decides to withdraw his offer and end his dream. Curley’s wife dream is different from all the other means dreams. When she was younger, a man said that he was a film producer and that when he went he would come back for her and she would be in the movie. She waited for long for the man to send for her but he never did, she thought it her mother hid the letters but I think the man was not a real director; he was just flirting with her. Curley’s wife manages to end all of the dreams she firstly ends crooks dream by telling him that she could get him hung, then she ends everyone else’s dream when she dies because Lennie killed her and George then knows their dreams are over and her dream is over because she dies.

Free Essays on Unconscious Thoughts

â€Å"Is It Impossible to Have an Unconscious Thought† The article that I reviewed argued against the concept of an unconscious thought and the effect that it has on a person’s normal and abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The basis for this argument is that an unconscious thought has no way of being measured. There is a way to confirm that a person has a thought, but it can not demonstrate that the thought previously existed. Therefore, how can we prove that an unconscious thought exists†¦or doesn’t exist? The writer of this article goes on to talk about our dreams and behaviors and the effect that our unconscious has on these. The writer decides that it is more the question of perceiving and unperceiving rather than unconscious thoughts. I found this article interesting because I have never come across this issue of whether or not there is a subconscious. I do agree with the point made by the writer that perception is key in this argument. For instance, the article talks about a dream that a male had about a wolf attacking a rabbit. The reason for this dream is concluded to be because of the violent and demeaning nature of his father (the wolf=father, the rabbit=client). You cannot say that the fact that the male’s father was cruel was part of an unconscious thought that came out all of the sudden through a dream. The male knew that his father was cruel well before hand. Therefore it is taking notice to what your feelings and behaviors and the reasons that are reflected from them. This is not to say that there is no subconscious, we cannot prove that. But we can take a look at what has gone on around us and what our past is like before we decide that our unusual behavior are a reflection of an unconsci ous thought that has a meaning that we have no idea we had.... Free Essays on Unconscious Thoughts Free Essays on Unconscious Thoughts â€Å"Is It Impossible to Have an Unconscious Thought† The article that I reviewed argued against the concept of an unconscious thought and the effect that it has on a person’s normal and abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The basis for this argument is that an unconscious thought has no way of being measured. There is a way to confirm that a person has a thought, but it can not demonstrate that the thought previously existed. Therefore, how can we prove that an unconscious thought exists†¦or doesn’t exist? The writer of this article goes on to talk about our dreams and behaviors and the effect that our unconscious has on these. The writer decides that it is more the question of perceiving and unperceiving rather than unconscious thoughts. I found this article interesting because I have never come across this issue of whether or not there is a subconscious. I do agree with the point made by the writer that perception is key in this argument. For instance, the article talks about a dream that a male had about a wolf attacking a rabbit. The reason for this dream is concluded to be because of the violent and demeaning nature of his father (the wolf=father, the rabbit=client). You cannot say that the fact that the male’s father was cruel was part of an unconscious thought that came out all of the sudden through a dream. The male knew that his father was cruel well before hand. Therefore it is taking notice to what your feelings and behaviors and the reasons that are reflected from them. This is not to say that there is no subconscious, we cannot prove that. But we can take a look at what has gone on around us and what our past is like before we decide that our unusual behavior are a reflection of an unconsci ous thought that has a meaning that we have no idea we had....

Should America Be At War

Should America Be At War Should America be at War with Afghanistan? Many citizens in the United States of America believe that our country should not go to war with terrorist forces in a foreign country know as Afghanistan. They fell we will just be resorting to terrorism. Although Tomas Pain once said, ? If a thief breaks into my house burns and destroys my property? Am I to suffer.? Terrorism: Mass-organized ruthlessness. Smashing two, seven-forty-seven jet airliners into two gargantuous builds filled with innocent civilians are an act of terrorism. These civilians had nothing to do with the military. The United States has and will retaliate with more bombings on military quarters. Why should we let these terrorists commit such horrific crimes and the United States not retaliate, it makes no sense. If we were to declare war on Afghanistan it would mitigate some problems that have been corrupting the Middle East for thousands of years over religion.my terrorism suspicion slipJust realizing that the Taliban is mad because in World War 2 we moved thousands of Jewish refuges into Pakistani. Their religion also believes in Holy wars. Just realizing this and not doing anything is not going to stop terrorist training camps being created and many more terrorist attacks on our country. Some of us may be sitting here trying to muster up some peace rally. You don?t see the Taliban trying to achieve world peace. They have no representative in the UN and feel they are far superior to any other country and world peace.Declaring war on Afghanistan and the Taliban would help the surrounding countries and even the world. They fell that their religion should be taught to every human in the world and will not stop fighting until they have total religious domination (if you will). This has created many problems through...

The strongest argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The strongest argument - Essay Example It shows that Lott has a stronger case, because he presents validated claims with relevant examples, statistics, and authority, though he has some weak assumptions, while Mitchard focuses too much on anecdotal evidence and one authority to support her claims. Lott presents stronger claims than Mitchard with pervasive use of statistics, logic, and ethos. Lott claims that carrying guns in school can deter violence, which happens outside schools already. First, he establishes the pervasiveness of gun-carrying laws through the historical trend that supports carrying guns: â€Å"In 1985, just eight states had right-to-carry laws...Today [2003], 35 states do.† Second, he uses more statistics to demonstrate that where there are guns, violence is lesser: â€Å"[studies give evidence] that on average, states that adopt right-to-carry laws experience a 60% drop in the rates at which the attacks occur, and a 78% drop in the rates at which people are killed or injured from such attacks.† These statistics are relevant, although the last one mentioned here is a bit outdated. Still, they offer information that having guns can deter violence. Lott also uses relevant authorities to support him. He says: â€Å"Annual surveys of crime victim s in the United States by the Justice Department show that when confronted by a criminal, people are safest if they have a gun.† This means that people feel they are safer, since they can protect themselves. This has no correlation though with lesser violence rates. Lott also conducted studies on gun violence. This gives him ethos on why and how guns can reduce and stop school violence. Lott also handles objections to his claims. He notes that one of the main sources of objections that people use comes from the media. The news alone shows many people dying because of guns, and even from law-abiding citizens who had sanity lapses and use their guns during intensely emotional events. Lott underscores that the â€Å"2 million times

Osteogenesis Imperfecta Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Osteogenesis Imperfecta - Research Paper Example The bigger amino acid network leads to the formation of steric obstruction that creates a swelling in the collagen structure which consequently affects the contact of molecules with one another as well as the nanomechanics of molecules. As a result of this reaction the body responds by dissolving the deformed structure of collagen because if the body does not do so, the interaction existing between the collagen fibers and hydroxyapatite particles that form the bone is changed making them weak and brittle. Another reason that is suggested for the occurrence of this disease is the state of stress at the collagen fibers; when the stress level changes at the points of mutation, where the bigger cut off pressures lead to rapid failing of fibrils even at medium level. There are a lot of reasons all related to the genes that lead to osteogenesis imperfecta. This disease is generally perceived as hereditary however this is not the case. There are eight different types of osteogenesis imperfe cta, most common being Type 1. ... Hearing impairment in infants Slight protuberance of the eyes Type II The quality as well as the quantity of collagen in this type is poor. Most patients suffering from this type of osteogenesis imperfecta die in the initial years of life due to respiratory breakdown or cerebral hemorrhage. The lungs are underdeveloped due to which the patients face respiratory problems. Deformation of bones and small physique Type II is further classified into type IIA, type IIB and type IIC. Type III The quantity if collagen is sufficient but it is not of the required quality. The deformity of bones is such that sometimes they break eve before birth. Possibility of respiratory problems Short physique, bending of the spinal cord and in some cases the shape of rib cage is spiral Joints are loosened The tone of muscles in the arms and legs is of poor quality Discoloration of sclera which turns it form normal white to blue Hearing problems in early ages of infancy Type IV The quantity of collagen is su fficient but quality is not up to the mark. This type is very much similar to Type I as far as the classification is concerned. The fracture of bones starts in the teenage years Rib cage is barrel shaped which leads to deformation of lungs consequently resulting in respiratory problems. The deformity of bone is mild to medium level. Hearing loss starts from a very early age. Type V This has the same clinical characteristics as that of type IV with interconnected appearance of bones being the basic distinguishing factor. Type VI It has the same clinical characteristics as that of type IV. This stage is distinguished by the fish like appearance of the bones. Type VII This type was discovered in the year 2005