The Importance of Reading Book Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Reading Book Essay There is much more to life than your work and spending time aimlessly with latest technology products. Reading books gives you that much needed break from the chaos in your life. It instills peace inside you, makes you relaxed and also exercises your brain in the process. When you read a book, it feels great to put yourself into a different world that the writer has created for you. Ask any avid reader about this and they too will agree that reading a book is same like watching a movie. When you spend hours and hours reading a book, creating a world with different characters in your mind, your imagination powers are sure to get a boost. Depending upon what you read, you will come out with the same experience as when you watch some really good movie. I have been a voracious reader ever since i learned how to read. Thats why i never get bored even being alone for a long time. I have found that reading books is the best medicine to kill boredom. What starts with reading story books, when you are a kid, turns into reading books for improving yourself as you grow older. From story books - technical management books - self improvement - spirituality and beyond, the journey is fantastic and you learn something with each passing day. You understand your thoughts and emotions more clearly. It makes you realize who you really are and makes your life more meaningful. Reading books will make you a better thinker and a better man. Thanks to technology you can easily find good articles to read on the internet. A great article can inspire and motivate you as much as a great book. Its not how much you read, but what you read which is more important. The only reason i recommend reading books over short articles is because when you spend hours with a thought or an idea then its more likely to stay with you for long time rather than when you spend just few minutes tinkering with it. Its easy to read a quote or an article for few minutes than discard it and continue with what you were doing. But when you invest your time in reading a good book, you end up spending at least a few hours reflecting on its contents as you read. Thus, its likely to stay with you for a longer time and have some positive influence on you. A good reader also varies his reading pace based on the content he is reading and what he wants to get from it. The purpose of reading news articles is different from reading stories, which is different from reading important documents. Over a period of time, you will understand how to vary your reading pace and comprehension based on what you read and what you want from it. Also, just reading good books is not enough. The way you read it is more important. When you come across a new idea or a different opinion, think upon it deeply. Dont accept it or reject it blindly. Try to reason with it and understand the writers point of view. Reflect upon the thoughts that come to your mind whenever you read a great book. You will know whether a book is great or not based on the thoughts it awakens inside you. As you continue this habit of reading and reflecting on what you read, you will start forming your own thoughts and values. It will challenge your mind and the thoughts, customs and traditions that you have grown up with. However, there is one thing which you should always remember when you make this a daily habit, as you are investing a part of your life doing it. Too much reading, without any thinking and action isnt of much use. When you know you are ready to do something its time to move to the next step. Act upon what you think is right and what you have decided to do. Its easy to get so much involved in the reading process, that you forget that the main purpose of reading is to make you a better person which can only happen when you act upon it. Just finishing one book after another without any real action from your side wont help you. What kind of person you want to be and what you would ultimately become depend greatly upon the type of content that you read and how much you act upon them. Reading articles that promote negativity, hatred and give wrong information is dangerous. Its better to not read anything at all than read such articles. Whether you read on some electronic device or prefer reading an actual book. Thats your personal choice. Personally, i prefer to read actual books whenever possible. I find that even after hours of reading my eyes feel fresh and full of energy. Thats something i dont find when i read too much on my computer. Before ending this article, i would like to summarize few important points and also suggest some Dos and Donts of reading: * Always read your content from a safe distance. Neither too close to your eyes neither too far away from your eyes. * Always prefer quality over quantity. Better to read one great book than hundred mediocre ones. * Understand properly what you have read and reflect upon it. * Dont accept anything blindly that you read but think for yourself and try to understand the reason behind whats been written. * Bookmark interesting pages for future reference. You never know when you will need them. * Sometimes it takes more than one reading to fully grasp some thing. Dont be disappointed if you dont understand a book in one reading. Maybe when you come back to it the next time, you will get it. * Focus completely on what you are reading. Dont think about other stuff while reading. * If possible, create a favorite spot in your house for reading books. You will feel more relaxed whenever you are there. * And above all, enjoy your reading experience. The habit of reading good content daily will act like an exercise for your mind and keep you mentally fit and flexible. If you have never given it a try then always remember that its never too late to start a good habit.

Theology of the cross of Jesus Essay Example for Free

Theology of the cross of Jesus Essay Outline the key elements in Pauls theology of the cross of Jesus, making careful reference to the text of his letters. Paul was one of the earliest and most influential Christian theologians, therefore it is very important that readers of the Bible scrutinize the words and implications of his writings if they wish to grasp a clear understanding of the key elements of his theology. Pauls writings and letters make up a significant part of the New Testament, providing plenty of evidence from which to gain insights. Despite the fact that academics continue to argue over whether or not a valid understanding of Pauls theology can be gained from what is essentially a collection of letters crafted for specific situations, through a close reading of the texts the most important and significant elements of his theology cannot fail to be noticed. It is evident from Pauls writings that he believes the cross of Jesus to be of integral importance to the Christian message he preaches. On one hand the cross acts as a symbol with which to inspire and teach the new followers of Christianity, and on the other hand, as an essential element in the fulfilment of Jesus destiny, the reality of Gods sacrifice and proof of the love he feels towards his people. Paul emphasises the symbolic and practical importance of the cross throughout his letters, one example of this being in Philippians, when Paul implies by corollary that the cross is a Christian symbol around which the followers of Christ can gather and seek redemption: For manylive as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things (Philippians 3:18-19) The symbolic significance of the cross is undeniable, and it has become one of the most enduring symbols of Christianity in the world today. The importance of the cross is certainly one of the key elements of Pauls theology and Carey C. Newman, (among others) attributes this to the fact that Pauls primary task in life and thought was to interpret his conversion experience1. In other words, to preach his gospel to the new community of Christians and to allow them to fully comprehend the importance of Christ, the crucifixion and the resurrection as a cornerstone of their faith, Paul takes the symbol of the cross and harnesses its dramatic significance as a way of reaching out to his congregation. One of the major themes in Pauls writing is the importance of the resurrection, and a significant part of his theology regarding the cross is evident in the way he juxtaposes the two, one example being in his letter to the Romans: The death he died he died to sin, once and for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you must also consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:10-11) In this verse Paul emphasises the fact that Jesus crucifixion upon the cross is representative of mankind being cleansed from sin. The juxtaposition of the crucifixion imagery and the Christian belief in eternal life is important as it shows that Paul considered the two to be inextricably linked the powerful nature of the resurrection is enhanced and strengthened by the fact that it is twinned with the image of Jesus and his cross. Paul seems to have held two theories about the significance of Jesus death on the cross as a theological concept and how it concerns the human reality of sin. David Horrell in The Introduction to the study of Paul defines these as a sacrificial interpretation and a participationist2 interpretation. During his letter to the Philippians, Paul seems to be hinting that he endorses the participationist interpretation. Paul discusses the crucifixion and the cross in the context of an important Christian experience, almost like a baptism which the followers of Christ must endure. Paul holds himself up as an example of this: For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him (Philippians 3:8) He therefore implies in this letter that his theology of the cross is based on a participationist interpretation and that Jesuss cross and crucifixion are symbolic of the suffering which Christians must endure in order to gain Christ and be found in him. Pauls participationist interpretation is also mentioned in a more explicit manner in his earlier letter to the Romans, this time dealing with the theoretical implications as opposed to the practical ones: We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:6) However, Pauls theology of the cross also seems to encompass a sacrificial interpretation, as he points out throughout his letters. In his letter to the Philippians Paul concentrates upon the cross as an important reminder of the suffering endured by Christ. Christ JesusAnd being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him (Philippians 2:6-9) This sacrificial interpretation is obviously an important element of Pauls theology. Firstly because Paul saw it as his mission to convert non-believers to Christianity, secondly as an apostle and preacher he felt it necessary to glorify Jesus and the sacrifice endured by him. This was especially important in Pauls own lifetime when Christianity was a fledgling religion. Paul referred to the cross as a way for others to understand his conversion experience or call and in this way, the sacrificial interpretation of Jesus crucifixion is one of the key elements in Pauls theology. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul also refers to the sacrificial importance of the cross in an attempt to heal rifts which have developed between different factions in the church at Corinth. Thus, Paul emphasises once again how Jesus death on the cross is important symbolically and a necessary tool in his futile efforts to unite the Christian Church. These two Pauline interpretations of the cross may seem to be conflicting but they are both important elements of Pauls theology and essential to the understanding of how Paul understands and preaches his gospel message. The participationist interpretation allows Paul to craft the Christian message in a manner which will appeal to and include each individual Christian. In the passages supporting the theory that Pauls theology is based on a sacrificial interpretation, the emphasis placed on the symbolic importance of Jesus cross aids Paul in his efforts to unite the Christian movement under a recognisable and meaningful emblem. In my opinion Pauls different interpretations of the cross throughout his writings do not undermine each other. The cross of Jesus was an integral part of Pauls teaching and the theology concerning it is diverse and complex. I think Pauls different interpretations of the cross show how he preached his theology to the Christians. While his theology may never be understood in its entirety, Paul does allow the key elements of his beliefs to underpin his teachings and with a variety of texts to gain information from the reader can gain insights into the heterogeneous nature of Pauls gospel message. Paul also speaks about the cross in a more obscure and mystical manner at other points in his letters (particularly in his two letters to the Corinthians). In 1 Corinthians he outlines the power of the Cross in relation to his preaching and the meaning behind this and similar statements may is not immediately obvious: For Christ did not send me to baptise but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. (1 Corinthians 1:17) These passages raise very complex theological questions but one definite conclusion that can be drawn is that Pauls theology is rooted firmly in the belief that the power of the cross is bound up with the power of the Holy Spirit (and in turn, the power of God and Jesus). Therefore, Pauls gospel was revealed to him directly by the Holy Spirit and so Paul considers himself to be preaching the actual words of Jesus3. Paul believes that the cross of Jesus is extremely powerful, transcending symbolic and practical significance to take up a position of prime importance in Pauline and Christian theology as a whole. Pauls letters make up a large and theologically significant part of the New Testament. This is slightly ironic as the purpose of Pauls letters to the different churches is to address specific issues and problems which have arisen within the fledgling Christian communities there. Paul did not ostensibly write with the intention of outlining or illuminating his views on Christian Theology, or indeed his own theological views. There is no doubt however, that the essence of his theology is fundamental to the advice and teachings included in his writings and therefore, it is possible to pick out the key elements of Pauls theology concerning the resurrection, God, Christian lifestyle, and (as I have concentrated on in this essay), the Cross of Jesus. Pauls letters were included in the New Testament presumably because those in charge of crafting it believed that Pauls letters were representative of his theology and therefore worthy of inclusion. Although it is impossible to pinpoint Pauls theological views precisely and in their entirety, I think it is important to draw what conclusions we can after a careful reading of his work. Paul does not lay out his theology in an easy and obvious manner, but the key elements are apparent to any reader. Pauls theology of the Cross of Jesus has many complex implications, especially with regard to anti-Semitism and the Crucifixion as an integral part of the Christian faith, however, by studying Pauls writings and by attempting to gain some understanding of their cultural, social and historical context I think it is possible to gain a proper understanding of Pauls personal beliefs and theology and to see how these views have shaped Christianity throughout the ages. Bibliography The Bible (Revised Standard Version), American Bible Society, New York, 1946 Raymond E. Brown An Introduction To The New Testament ABRL, Doubleday (1997) Mehrdad Fatehi The Spirits Relation to the Risen Lord in Paul Mohr Seibeck (2000) Robert G. Hamerton-Kelly Sacred Violence Pauls Hermeneutic of the Cross Fortress Press, Minneapolis (1992) David M. Hay (ed) Pauline Theology, Volume II Fortress Press, Minneapolis (1993) David M. Hay and E. Elizabeth Johnson (eds.) Pauline Theology, Volume III Fortress Press, Minneapolis (1995) David M. Hay and E. Elizabeth Johnson (eds.) Pauline Theology, Volume IV Scholars Press, Atlanta, Georgia (1997) David Horrell An Introduction To The Study Of Paul Continuum, London, New York (2000) A. M. Hunter Interpreting Pauls Gospel SCM Press, London (1954) Robert Jewett Saint Paul Returns to the Movies Triumph over Shame William B Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan/ Cambridge, UK (1999) Brice L. Martin Christ and the Law in Paul E. J. Brill, Leiden New York Kobenhaun Koln (1989) Sven Millert Limited and Universal Salvation A text oriented and Hermeneutical Study of Two Perspectives in Paul CB, New Testament Series 31, Almqvist and Wiksell International (1999) C. E. D. Moule Essays in New Testament Interpretation Cambridge University Press (1982) Carey C. Newman Pauls Glory Christology Tradition and Rhetoric E. J. Brill, leiden New York Kobenhaun Koln (1992) John A. T. Robinson The Body A Study in Pauline Theology SCM Press, London (1952) E. P. Sanders Paul Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York (1992) A. J. M. Wedderburn (ed) Paul and Jesus: Collected Essays JSOT Press Sheffield (1989) 1 Pauls Glory Christology Tradition and Rhetoric (see bibliography) 2 Chapter 5, page 53 3 The Spirits functions in Relation to the Risen Lord (see Bibliography)

The Philosophy of Rationality in Economics

The Philosophy of Rationality in Economics Nikita Kohli The ways of being human are bound but infinite. -Larry Niven An Introduction There exists no single definition of Rationality, yet it forms the cornerstone of basal assumptions of standard models of economics. A sweeping glance of the concept however, elucidates one fact. Rationality deals in human behaviour, it aims to understand its motivations and predict future outcomes based on choices. Rife with contradictions and limitations analogous to the innate complexity of human nature, this theory has been repeated altered and manifests itself in different ways with the progression of time. Objectives: The primary objective of this paper is to qualitatively analyze economic literature and draw conclusions pertaining to the concept of rationality and its relevance in the world today. Literature Review This paper, as the title suggests, aims to examine the concept of rationality, its use both philosophically in the study of broad humanity as well as in its more specific application to economics and standard models of human behaviour. In order to gain an understanding of early texts exploring concepts of rationality, such as the works of Aristotle and, the author relied on interpretative papers such as those of Fred Miller (1984). Various original works of authors have been studied chronologically to enable a historic overview of the concept, eventually yielding to contemporary work, implications and applications to various phenomena. Notable repositories of information such as the Palgrave Dictionary of Economics and critical essays on the subject of Rationality (a collection edited by Bill Gerrard) have been accessed. The papers with their extensive reference lists gave the author insight into the vast literature focused on this specific subject. Reviews and critiques, and studies in retrospect of concepts have been perused to help put an idea from another time into contemporary perspective. PART 1 Rationality: A historical Analysis If one devalues rationality, the world tends to fall apart – Lars Von Trier The first mention of the concept of Rationality is seen in the work of Aristotle; who states that the human being has a rational principle and the ability to carry out rationally formulated projects. (Miller, 1984). ‘Homo Economicus’ or the ‘Economic Man’ was a term that first appeared in the work of J.S Mill who described man as ‘solely as a being who desires to possess wealth, and who is capable of judging the comparative efficacy of means for obtaining that end’. (Mill, 1844). This is the base of the most widespread assumption in economics – that man strives to only maximize his utility and satisfaction, and this trait, intrinsic to all men, is termed ‘rationality’. Jevons, the forbearer of mathematical economics propounded a quantitative measure of the utility function. In stressing on the concept of marginal utility, he put forth some basic tenets of the utility consumption theory, namely that economic agents derive utility by consumption of goods, and that they are rational, calculating maximisers. In attempting to ‘treat the economy as a  calculus  of pleasure and pain’, Jevons (1871) set the foundations for a paradigm of Economics, which was deeply rooted in individualistic theories of motivation and decisions. Von Mises (1949), in his seminal work on human nature and decision making, asserted that human action is ‘necessarily always rational’. His understanding of rationality, however, differed from that of his successors in the field of Economics. He believed that every human being acted in a way that furthered their self-interest and was to achieve some end goal. When viewed in pure subjectivity, no action can be termed irrational as every human being acts out of some motivation, thus making the action ‘rational’. Concepts of Rationality: A contemporary analysis All human behavior is scheduled and programmed through rationality.   Michael Foucault In the early 1960s, mathematical economist John Muth (considered the Father of the Rational Expectations Revolution in Economics) put forth a body of work that would leave on indelible mark on the rationality discourse. For the first time, a significant difference in economic analysis was made, that between ‘adaptive’ and ‘rational’ expectations. Muth’s work and the theory of Rational Expectations was considered iconoclastic at the time as it proposed a shift in knowledge processing, analysis and decision making. Neo-classical economics, as propounded by Friedman, Keynes and others dealt with systems and analysis using historical data. This was termed ‘adaptive’. Adaptive neo-classical theory forms the basis for many policy decisions, be in pump-priming investment or monetary contraction. Policy is created in keeping with past results and some common assumptions in economics – people will demand more when the government invests in the economy etc. In contrast, Rational Expectations take into view the whole economy, in its real-time functionality, and uses imbibes current information in its analysis. It propounds that ‘rational agents’ continuously update their information and take into account the whole system. As Muth (1961) asserts, ‘the economy does not waste information, and that expectations depend specifically on the structure of the entire system. In addition to this fundamental tenet, this school of thought also states that markets will always clear; prices will adjust to fluctuations in supply almost immediately. When this concept is extrapolated to encompass the macro economy, it is often stated that no government policy or exogenous shock can shake up the system. This is because of the existence of rational agents, who, using their knowledge of existing phenomenon, expect certain outcomes and adjust their course of action accordingly. For instance, in a recessionary period, sellers will not let their prices fall. They behave in this manner because they are aware of the current scenario and preempt government investment intervention to attenuate falling demand. Thus they expect their demand to rise in the near future. As Greg Egan would put it, ‘It all adds up to normality’. While implicit in the Rational Expectations theory is the existence of perfect knowledge, transmuting into rational decisions, there emerged a field of study which emphasized the shortcomings of knowledge and information acquisition. The term ‘Bounded Rationality’ was introduced by Herbert Simon in his book Models of Man (1957). While in spirit adhering to the belief that human beings are rational, Simon’s theory observed a critical failing; that of the assumption of complete information. In this structure, human behaviour is viewed not in terms of rational, utility maximizing behaviour. Instead, it is seen as a series of actions, often not compatible with each other, decisions taken in situations of partial information and based on limited reflection. This accounts for the limitations to both knowledge and cognitive capacity. Taking this idea further, simmering in the field of human behaviour vis a vis economic processes, is the belief that human beings can sometimes be ‘Irrational’. Carrying out specific studies in this area, economist Dan Ariely finds surprising results. In a given situation, a person may make a choice which will not benefit them in the future, may not help them immediately, and the decision is made in the light of these two eventualities. Ariely explains that this is because human behaviour is not always controlled by rational motives, it is highly impulse driven and impacted heavily by exogenous factors. In the early 1960s, Gary Becker put forth the same idea; only that he believed even irrational agents can work ‘smoothly as a single unit’. Human irrationality, he states, was in fact rational. PART 2 – NUANCES OF RATIONALITY Amartya Sen anchors a clear distinction in the approaches to Rationality in literature. He divides them into two broad categories – Instrumental Rationality and Substantive Rationality. Substantive rationality is when one acts out of objectively, independently defined self interest. This lends itself to the General Equilibrium theory, the starting point of individual behaviour is a predefined utility function, and choice arises from this within the constraints imposed. Instrumental rationality dons a more humane approach wherein it allows for objectives that are not restricted to solely self-interest. This methodology acknowledges the influence of other factors on rationality. Sociologist Max Weber states a similar idea; that of Wertrationalor value/belief-oriented rationality, wherein the motives for action are often driven by reasons intrinsic to a particular actor, such as specific emotions, societal or spiritual aspects. Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky have made important contributions to the understanding of rationality and reactions to choice. The Prospect theory attempts to describe decisions under uncertainty. It empirically proves that a decision making process is often not rational; people are risk-averse when they stand to incur losses and risk-taking when they stand to gain. Another obstacle to ‘rational’ thinking is the problems posed by ‘heuristics’ (Kahneman Tversky, 1974). Heuristics are mental short-cuts, which usually involve focusing on one part of a complex problem and often ignoring the larger, more complete set of information. This limited perception of the issue at hand is used to make a decision. In any sphere of study, the influence of external social factors cannot be denied, on a superficial level, this impact could manifest itself in the way of the ‘Demonstration’ or ‘Bandwagon’ effect. On deeper examination, we see that these exogenous factors often define an individual’s sense of Rationality, which leads us to realize that Rationality can never be completely objective or homogenously innate to all. Adopting a pragmatic approach to the limitations posed by imperfect knowledge, Herbert Simon proposes the term ‘satisficing’. He pointed out that human beings lack the cognitive resources tooptimize: the relevant probabilities of outcomes are usually, thus the evaluation of all outcomes with sufficient precision is rare, if not impossible. A more realistic approach to rationality takes into account these limitations. An important application of the rationality principle in neo-classical economic theory is in the analyses of perfect competition. Competitive equilibrium is said to have been reached when each person maximizes their utility, given a certain set of assumptions (no externalities). This state of equilibrium will tend towards Pareto Optimality as it is assumed that the Pareto Optimal state is one where there is perfectly competitive equilibrium at a given set of prices and some initial distribution of resources. Every rational utility maximizer is in equilibrium, wherein no one can be made better off without hurting another’s well-being and current status. This basal assumption of rational behaviour establishes the relationship between the aforementioned concepts. PART 3: CONCLUSION In everything, one thing is impossible: rationality – Nietshchze This paper has attempted to shed light upon the various dimensions of rationality, as depicted in economic phenomenon. Problems arise however, with the implicit assumption of rationality in models involving human behaviour in varied situations. Rationality implies comprehensive knowledge of the current economic system, which is then factored into the decision making process. In keeping with the ‘Efficient Market Hypothesis’, markets will always correct themselves and clear as people are able to adapt and adjust to fluctuations almost immediately, due to their information. It has also been argued that natural processes of elimination ensure that rationality perpetuates itself, where those who act ‘rationally’ work optimally. This can be seen in nature, in the principle of ‘survival of the fittest’. Milton Friedman also draws this parallel to markets, where non-profit maximizing firms are driven to a wall so that only the ‘rational’, profit maximizing firms may survive. (Friedman, 1953). These applications and assumptions are rife with shortfalls. The first limitation is that of ‘knowledge’. Acquisition of this perfect knowledge to facilitate rationality is expensive, consumes resources, and in many cases proves impossible to obtain. To assume that perfect knowledge is a prerequisite for rational behaviour limits its scope. While looking at markets and macro-structures, one can see rational expectations as the underlying force in stock markets. These markets are extremely sensitive to minor fluctuations and react almost instantaneously to restore equilibrium. The same cannot be said of the economy. It is impossible to expect policy to change, or its impact to be as versatile as is seen in the stock markets. The case of the rupee depreciation illustrates this point, wherein the stock markets adjust to the disturbance, but the economy is left flagging. Chamberlin points out, that for Perfectly Competitive equilibrium to exist, there at first must exist a certain measure of disequilibrium. He states that not merely pure, but perfect competition is requisite for the rationality hypotheses can have their full power. The existence of the initial disequilibrium, in conditions of complete rationality, proves to be contradictory. Another limitation of the rationality assumption is that it makes for models that are normative, rather positive. Formally and explicitly, these provide frameworks to understand how agents should act in order to maximize their self interest. This fails in its predictive capacity, to see how one will behave in the future. We’re all mad here – Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland Rationality is assumed to be highly centered on the individual. But as Kenneth Arrow 1986) points out, rationality gathers not only its force, but very meaning from the social context in which it is embedded. It holds only under ideal conditions, the nature of which is not seen in the world today. Adam Smith in the Theory of Moral Sentiments attributes actions to not only self-interest, but more humane factors like love, benevolence and community feeling. A science taking into account human behaviour must closely study its major drivers. Exposure to various social factors and upbringing influences the way people think. Defining rationality becomes problematic, what is rational to one may be deemed irrational to another. For instance, faith, religious belief, personal opinions and ideology are not universal in their impact and acceptance. Rationality then becomes extremely contextual; one person’s rationality is bound to not hold in another person’s situation. Rationality can also be temporal, due to the lack of accurate information about the future; what holds true today or in the immediate foreseeable future, may not hold in the long-run. The limits and bounds to rational thinking are not clear and universal, they’re morphed and moulded and coloured by personal experiences and biases. A crucial distinction needs to be made about what kind of behaviour is rational and what is not, and what models of behaviour may be useful in predicting actual behaviour. Taking into account various individualities poses a great challenge, but to attribute motivation and action to perfect rationality, especially in the context of subjective human behaviour, is problematic. Anomalies will be patent to the process of fitting human nature and motives into an objective framework. The author concludes that an assumption about human beings, especially one as pervasive as assumed rationality, is dangerous. At the same time, accounting for individual drivers is nearly impossible. Policy, and core economic theory must be able to account for, at the very least acknowledge, these discrepancies. This is the only way to create frameworks which may work with greater precision. REFERENCES Arrow, K. J. (1986). Rationality of self and others in an economic system.  Journal of Business, S385-S399. Friedman, M. (1953). The methodology of positive economics.  The Philosophy of economics: an anthology,2, 180-213. Heap, H.S (1993) Post Modernity and New Conceptions of Rationality in Economics. In The Economics of Rationality. (pp. 48-60). Routledge Jevons, W. S. (1871).  The Theory of Political Economy. Macmillan and Company. Kahneman, D. (1994). New challenges to the rationality assumption.  Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE)/Zeitschrift fà ¼r die gesamte Staatswissenschaft, 18-36. Kahneman, D. (2003). Maps of bounded rationality: Psychology for behavioral economics.  The American economic review,  93(5), 1449-1475. List, J. A. (2004). Neoclassical theory versus prospect theory: Evidence from the marketplace.  Econometrica,  72(2), 615-625. Mill, J. S., Backhouse, R. E. (1997).  On the Definition of Political Economy; and of the Method of Investigation Proper to it: Essays on Some Unsettled Questions of Political Economy (1844); On the Logic of the Moral Sciences: A System of Logic (1856)(Vol. 1). Routledge. Miller, F. D. (1984). Aristotle on Rationality in Action. The Review of Metaphysics, 499-520.s Muth, J. F. (1961). Rational expectations and the theory of price movements.Econometrica: Journal of the Econometric Society, 315-335. Sen, A. (2000). Reason before identity.  Romanes Lecture. Sen, A. K. (1977). Rational fools: A critique of the behavioral foundations of economic theory.  Philosophy Public Affairs,  6(4), 317-344. Stewart, S. A. (2005). Can behavioral economics save us from ourselves?.  University of Chicago magazine, 97(3). Swidler, A. (1973). The concept of rationality in the work of Max Weber.  Sociological Inquiry, 43(1), 35-42. Tetlock, P. E., Mellers, B. A. (2002). The great rationality debate.  Psychological Science, 13(1), 94-99. Tversky, A., Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases.  science,  185(4157), 1124-1131. Tversky, A., Kahneman, D. (1986). Rational choice and the framing of decisions. Journal of business, S251-S278. Von Mises, L., Greaves, B. B. (1949). Human action (pp. 59-62). Liberty Fund. Webliography Future Prospects. (2013, Aug, 5). retrieved September 1 2013, from The Economist Web Site: http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/08/prospect-theory-and-economics Rethinking Thinking. (1999, Dec, 16). retrieved September 1 2013, from The Economist Web Site: http://www.economist.com/node/268946

Comparison of Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story :: comparison compare contrast essays

A Comparison of Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a lot in common between the two plays Romeo And Juliet and West Side Story.  Ã‚   The main male characters have many things in common.   In fact, Toni and Romeo both miss the beginning fight at the beginning of the plays, they both fall in love and end up getting killed.   The difference between the two is that Toni takes place in the 1950s'', while Romeo happens in Elizabethan times (the late 1500s).   The two main female characters also have many things in common.   Juliet and Maria both come from families that hate each other's boyfriend's families.   Something that makes Juliet different from Maria is that Juliet dies and Maria lives.   In both of these plays the main male character kills a relative of their lover.   In Romeo And Juliet, Romeo kills Tybalta, Juliet's cousin.   In West Side Story, Toni kills Bernardo, Maria's brother. There was a person in both play's that tried to make peace.   These people were the Prince and the Lieutenant.   The Prince, from Romeo And Juliet, had told Romeo and Juliet's families that if there was another riot that the heads of each family will be killed.   The Lieutenant, from West Side Story, had told the Puerto Rican's and the American's that if they get into another fight they all will have to go to jail. The difference between the two peace-makers is that the Prince has more power than the Lieutenant.   In the story of   Romeo and Juliet, Paris wants to marry Juliet against her wishes.   Her father wants Paris   West Side Story to marry Juliet.   Juliet goes off and marries Romeo without telling anyone.   In Chino wants to marry Maria against her wishes, just like Paris in Romeo and   Juliet.   Maria and Toni do not get married, which is in contrast to Romeo and Juliet. Marcucio in Romeo and Juliet, is killed while battling Tybalta.      In West Side Story Riff is killed in a knife fight with Bernardo.   Both deaths are accidental and cause the hero's ( Romeo and Toni) to kill the close relative of their lovers (Tybalta and Bernardo).   Both stories conclude in the sad

Kasimir Malevich :: Russian Painter Designer Artists Essays

Kasimir Malevich Kasimir Malevich, a Russian painter and designer, was born near Kiev on February 26, 1878 (Guggeheimcollection.org) and was â€Å"one of six children from Russified Poles† (Articons.co.uk). While living in Ukraine, he became absorbed into art during his teens, â€Å"largely teaching himself† the basics (Articons.co.uk). After saving his money â€Å"from his job as a railroad clerk† (Articons.co.uk), Malevich enrolled in the Moscow Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture in 1903 and began to study art more seriously. Later he trained at Kiev School of Art and Moscow Academy of Fine Arts and â€Å"produced portraits, landscapes, and genre scenes† in his early stages of his career (Artstudio.com). By 1907 Malevich â€Å"took part in the Moscow Artists' Society's twice yearly exhibition along with such artists as David Burliuk, Aleksander Shevchenko and Natalia Goncharova† (Articons.co.uk). â€Å"He began working in an unexceptional Post-Impressionist manner, but by 1912 he was painting peasant subjects in a massive `tubular' style similar to that of Leger as well as pictures combining the fragmentation of form of Cubism with the multiplication of the image of Futurism† (ibiblio.org). In these initial years of study, art was not the only interest in Malevich’s repertoire. â€Å"In 1913, with composer Mikhail Matiushin and writer Alexei Kruchenykh, Malevich drafted a manifesto for the First Futurist Congress† (Guggenheimcollection.org) and began taking a â€Å"more philosophical and theoretical approach to art† (Articons.com). Also in that year, the artist â€Å"designed the sets and costumes for the opera Victory over the Sun† for these friends which was showed at the Salon des Independants in Paris in 1914. Kruchenykh and others introduced Malevich to the â€Å" the notion of ‘zaum’† in 1913, which was a â€Å"state where experience occurs beyond the naturally perceived world† (Articons.com). â€Å"This concept and his work for the Cubo-Futurist opera Victory Over The Sun (1913) propelled Malevich into the style of Suprematism† (Articons.com). It was at this time he began â€Å"creating geometric patterns in style he called Suprematism† (ibiblio.org). Although Malevich claimed to have created a picture â€Å"consisting of nothing more than a black square on a white field,† (ibiblio.

The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve :: Article Review, Jim Collins

Level 5 Leader Author Jim Collins (2005) in his article, Level 5 Leadership: The triumph of humility and fierce resolve (Collins, 2005), presents a compelling evidence for the need to have what he describes as â€Å"Level 5 leadership† at the helm, in order for organizations to reach high performance status (Collins, 2005). Collins stated that â€Å"Level 5† refers to the highest level in a hierarchy of executive capabilities that were identified during our research (Collins, 2005, p. 138). However, the original intent of Collins research was based on his pursuit to identify if a good company can become a great company (Collins, 2005). How Collins reached the concept of the Level 5 Leader can be linked to his research methods and findings. With 22 research associates at hand, Collins (2005) â€Å"set out to answer one, question: Can a good company becomes a great company and, if so, how?† (Collins, 2005, p. 139). To identify the companies he would research it appeared that Collins needed to make certain the organizations level of success was identified from a credible source. To achieve this, Collins selected to investigate companies noted as Fortune 500 companies from 1965 to 1995 (Collins, 2005) . In doing so, his foundational research approach was established. Through more analysis the final group described as good- to- great companies was narrowed down to 11 companies. â€Å"Those that made the cut averaged cumulative stock returns 6.5 times the general stock market for the 15 years after the point of transformation† (Collins, 2005, p. 139). In his attempt to rule out any issues with sustainability, the research identified companies that had obvious change, but the change did not last (Collins, 2005). These companies ended up being cut from the final group. Collins included both qualitative and quantitative method for this research to get through the final stretch (Collins, 2005). The researchers analyzed data, reports, and conducted interviews (Collins, 2005). Eleven companies meet the standards of a good to great company (Collins, 2005). The article noted that, â€Å"Level 5 easily made it into the framework as one of the strongest, most consistent contrasts between the good-to-great and the comparison companies† (Collins, 2005, p. 139). Meaning that, the organizations identified as good-to-great had leaders at the helm that met Collins definition of a Level 5 Leader. He describes then as a leader who â€Å"Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical combination of personally plus professional will† (Collins, 2005, p.

Music Appreciation Essay

Something new made me very motivated today to review an extraordinary piece of music. Actually this my first time reviewing or even talking about piece from that style of music. Today, I am going to introduce very nice piece of music for all my classmates in the musoc appriceation class, and this piece call â€Å" Symphony No. 5† for one of greatist musicians and composers in the entire universe, who is â€Å" Beethoven â€Å". Usually , my favorite style of music is that kind of light music that expresses happiness and how good is the life, but this time, I left this track moving to another style. Beethoven 5th symphony is piece of music refers to the classic period, and it’s composer â€Å" Beethoven† was one of the most important composers on that era. The 5th symphony has all the charcteristics that all music in the classic period had. Very simple notes could expresses very hard feelings that beethoven felt during his life. Beethoven started this piece with repeated basic motive followed by suden, and powerful notes that can attract the audiance get intersting to listen to it. Strings played very important role on the attractive introduction of the symphony. After that, the orchestera playes very quick and repeatative notes, and right after beethoven changed that high pitch to lower pitch. That change of the pitch and the texture gave this piece a different taste from the other pieces of music. Although the 5th Symphony is considered one of Beethoven’s greatest musical works because it was very good example to express Beethoven life. Understanding this piece of music will give fear’s feeling to anyone listen to it. I believe that Beethoven 5th symphony became very succesful and famous piece of music because it was expressing a real feeling associated with its composer. In my opinion , Beethoven felt each note he wrote on this music, and that was reason who made this music very touchy to everyone listen to it. I personally felt this piece of music since I heard it on my first time in the music appriceation class. When I first heard this piece, I felt as it was playing just for me to express what I feel, so Beethoven succes was on this point, which is write notes express many people’s sad feelings. In summary, the reason for the great fame and popularity of this Symphony is that it distills so much of Beethoven’s musical style. One feature is its â€Å"organicism,† the fact that all four movements seem to grow from seeds sown in the opening measures. While Beethoven used the distinctive rhythmic figure of three shorts and a long in other works from this time, so I encourage everyone to listen to at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4IRMYuE1hI. Works Cited Beethoven. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4IRMYuE1hI