Aristotelian and Stoic Ideas Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Aristotelian and Stoic Ideas - Thesis Example The soul, moreover, in the Stoic sense is isolated to its psychological or its mind functions, those related to mental activities, whereas there are two other lower categories of pneuma, or breath, that are related first to the formation of a cohesive and characteristic whole, as in the case of non-animate objects such as the soil and rocks, and secondly to what the Stoics refer to as the natural pneuma, which is the pneuma associated with the life force in plants. The soul is the highest pneuma, of which plants do not share, and that soul has for its functions or characteristics the categories of desire, the ability to gather impressions from the senses, and cognition and the life of the intellect, rationality, the ability to give or to hold back assent to natural impulses. The soul is the higher principle in the Stoic sense (Lorenz). From the Aristotelian perspective, on the other hand, the soul is that organizing principle that governs all of the activities and actions of all life forms, including plants. This all-encompassing view of the soul posits in essence that all kinds of activities that are to be associated with living things find their root in the activity or the essence of the soul. This is a comprehensive take on the nature of life and of the soul, in that all kinds of activities, from the very function of the individual cells, to the ability of organisms to make food from sunlight to swallowing food, to swimming or drinking or reproducing, to healing themselves, to making all kinds of noises, have for their foundation the abilities and functions that are enabled by the presence of the soul. On the other hand, because the soul is the essence of these activities, they are not to be found in the bodies that the soul inhabits.

Comparative Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Comparative Analysis - Essay Example In Genesis 2, God created heavens and earth. In addition, after creating the land, God made it grow tree out of it in order to make it pleasant, and created rivers passing through it. Then, God created man to till the land (Genesis 1 and 2). The Mongolian creation story revolves around a father and two sons who lived in the world, which by then was made of the upper and under world and covered by water all over. The two boys decided to create dry land using mud then later created animals to stay on that land including the dog that first had very smooth skin, which could talk. The American Mayan creation theory talks of existence of two gods before the world attained its true form. These were the Maker and the Feathered Spirit who lived in utmost darkness, except for their glittering features. Consequently, the two gods collectively created the world and things in it, which happened instantly according to their thoughts. Darwin’s theory on the origin of species is another creat ion theory is based on the idea of variation. It argues that the many characteristics and adaptations that differentiate different species of organisms is an indication of possible evolution of species over time, which continually diverged. These creation stories reveal that there are two sides to creation, that is, naturalists vs. evolutionists. Contrary to what naturalists suggest, species are not created independently, neither are they immutable. Nevertheless, all these stories differ on how species developed into their current complex forms, but they are reconcilable in the fact that they share a common ground that creation started from an existing being or object ignited by some supernatural power. According to Genesis 1 story of creation, first there was heaven and earth, which was void without any form. Then God said, â€Å"Let there be light: and there was light† (Genesis 1),

Discussion Forum #2 - Do Human Races Exist Assignment

Discussion Forum #2 - Do Human Races Exist - Assignment Example ans that the races can be viewed both as a biological construct that focuses on low levels of genetic diversity of humans, the clinical distribution of human characteristics, the non-concordance of human traits as well as the greater polymorphic as opposed to polytypic variants. In the case of cultural construct, it is arguable that the concept of race simply exists in the minds of different people. The anthropologists, therefore, believe that race cannot be solely explained through biology but by the understanding of the how individuals use the external attributes of humans to link them to different genetic traits that classify humans. This explains that it is extremely practical to understand the concept of race by assessing how humans create different groups in the society and how they strive to identify with these groups. Racial identification is evident in the different group interactions (Audio lecture 2015). It is, therefore, worth to conclude that an understanding of relations of different people in relation to culture as well as understanding of their physical characteristics is extremely vital and useful in the study pf races as compared to applying biological concepts. For instance, race is non-concordant since it is not correlated to bodily attributes such as skin color, weight or height. Race is also clinally invariant since we cannot trace its onset or its

Aristotelian and Stoic Ideas Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Aristotelian and Stoic Ideas - Thesis Example The soul, moreover, in the Stoic sense is isolated to its psychological or its mind functions, those related to mental activities, whereas there are two other lower categories of pneuma, or breath, that are related first to the formation of a cohesive and characteristic whole, as in the case of non-animate objects such as the soil and rocks, and secondly to what the Stoics refer to as the natural pneuma, which is the pneuma associated with the life force in plants. The soul is the highest pneuma, of which plants do not share, and that soul has for its functions or characteristics the categories of desire, the ability to gather impressions from the senses, and cognition and the life of the intellect, rationality, the ability to give or to hold back assent to natural impulses. The soul is the higher principle in the Stoic sense (Lorenz). From the Aristotelian perspective, on the other hand, the soul is that organizing principle that governs all of the activities and actions of all life forms, including plants. This all-encompassing view of the soul posits in essence that all kinds of activities that are to be associated with living things find their root in the activity or the essence of the soul. This is a comprehensive take on the nature of life and of the soul, in that all kinds of activities, from the very function of the individual cells, to the ability of organisms to make food from sunlight to swallowing food, to swimming or drinking or reproducing, to healing themselves, to making all kinds of noises, have for their foundation the abilities and functions that are enabled by the presence of the soul. On the other hand, because the soul is the essence of these activities, they are not to be found in the bodies that the soul inhabits.

Discussion Forum #2 - Do Human Races Exist Assignment

Discussion Forum #2 - Do Human Races Exist - Assignment Example ans that the races can be viewed both as a biological construct that focuses on low levels of genetic diversity of humans, the clinical distribution of human characteristics, the non-concordance of human traits as well as the greater polymorphic as opposed to polytypic variants. In the case of cultural construct, it is arguable that the concept of race simply exists in the minds of different people. The anthropologists, therefore, believe that race cannot be solely explained through biology but by the understanding of the how individuals use the external attributes of humans to link them to different genetic traits that classify humans. This explains that it is extremely practical to understand the concept of race by assessing how humans create different groups in the society and how they strive to identify with these groups. Racial identification is evident in the different group interactions (Audio lecture 2015). It is, therefore, worth to conclude that an understanding of relations of different people in relation to culture as well as understanding of their physical characteristics is extremely vital and useful in the study pf races as compared to applying biological concepts. For instance, race is non-concordant since it is not correlated to bodily attributes such as skin color, weight or height. Race is also clinally invariant since we cannot trace its onset or its

Definition of art Essay Example for Free

Definition of art Essay A number of people have asked about the value of addressing aesthetics, the philosophy of art, or the definition of art. The reasoning is that if it is so difficult to define, it must therefor be ultimately subjective, and each person should just determine for herself what it is. Perhaps we all do determine for ourselves the meaning of anything. Because, as in the tree falling in the forest example, the meaning does not exist if it does not exist for me personally. I am allowed to define table or chair any way I wish for myself, but if I hope to communicate with others about tables and chairs, the meaning or definition must be shared. And that shared meaning derives from a combination of (a) acquired meanings from those whom we give credibility and (b) connotations developed from our experiences with tables and chairs. If there were really no way to define art, there would be no way to determine what is art, and art could be anything. Fortunately, art can be defined, although not succinctly in verbal form, as we might define table or chair. We learn the definition indirectly through understanding why works have been labeled art by critics and artists in the past, and directly by understanding the perspectives of those critics and artists. From the standpoint of complete subjectivity, if art can be anything, it is meaningless as a term == art is everything and nothing. There is nothing that is not art, so everything is art. The term art has no shared meaning and has no value in communication, and yet we use it all the time. By what criteria do you determine what is art for yourself? Because it pleases you? Because it pleases your friends, or someone you respect, or most people around you? What criteria constitute pleasing? What does it do to please? From another perspective, other than pragmatic needs, by what criteria do we select a season? Or what material we place in museums? By what criteria do we judge quality? How do we determine good from not good? Whatever criteria we use become our criteria for our aesthetic, which then become, in fact, our definition of our art. It is useful and valid for us to question what those criteria are, to challenge the validity of those criteria, and to constantly explore new criteria to define the art experience. In order to comprehend the options of criteria, the kinds of questions to ask of our criteria, the possible limits of our personal vision, it is worthwhile to explore the explorations of others. Understand that the definition of art and the determination of quality are linked and mutually affected. Alter one and the other is changed. One additional concern is the value in trying to understand how art works have meaning. Once we begin to explore this as artists, our work instantly changes dimension. It moves from the surface to the soul and allows us to refocus on the meaningful.

What Is It Governance Information Technology Essay

What Is It Governance Information Technology Essay IT governance is the process for controlling an organisation information technology resource, where these resources are defined to include information and communication systems as well as technology. An organisation management and owners (represented by the board of directors ) share responsibility for governing both enterprise and IT. Enterprise governance is the process of setting and implementing corporate strategy, making sure the organisation achieve its objectives efficiently, and manage risk. It governance is an increasingly important part of enterprise governance because of organisational dependent on information and communication, the scale of IT investment, potential for IT to create strategic opportunities, and the level of IT risk. IT governance also required controlling the process to ensure that it complies with regulatory, legal and contractual requirements. Organisation structure Boards and executive management have long known the need for enterprise and corporate governance. However, most are beginning to realize that there is a need to extend governance to information technology as well, and provide the leadership, organisational structures and processes that ensure that the enterprises IT sustains and extends the enterprises strategies andobjectives. Strategic alignment focuses on ensuring the linkage of business and IT plans; defining, maintaining and validating the IT value proposition; and aligning IT operations with enterprise operations. Value delivery is about executing the value proposition throughout the delivery cycle, ensuring that IT delivers the promised benefits against the strategy, concentrating on optimising costs and proving the intrinsic value of IT. Resource management is about the optimal investment in, and the proper management of, critical IT resources: applications, information, infrastructure and people. Key issues relate to the optimisation of knowledge and infrastructure. Risk management requires risk awareness by senior corporate officers, a clear understanding of the enterprises appetite for risk, understanding of compliance requirements, transparency about the significant risks to the enterprise and embedding of risk management responsibilities into the organisation. Performance measurement tracks and monitors strategy implementation, project completion, resource usage, process performance and service delivery, using, for example, balanced scorecards that translate strategy into action to achieve goals measurable beyond conventional accounting. ITGI: ISACA recognized this shift in emphasis towards IT Governance in 1998, and formed the IT Governance Institute (ITGI) to focus on original research, publications, resources and symposia on IT governance and related topics. In addition to the work carried out by the ITGI, ISACA addresses the topic through a regular column in and occasional dedicated issues of the Information Systems Control Journal, conference sessions and tracks, and education courses. TheIT Governance Institute (ITGI)exists to assist enterprise leaders in their responsibility to ensure that IT goals align with those of the business, it delivers value, its performance is measured, its resources properly allocated and its risks mitigated. Through original research, symposia and electronic resources, the ITGI helps ensure that boards and executive management have the tools and information they need for IT to deliver against expectations. ITGI: ISACA recognized this shift in emphasis towards IT Governance in 1998, and formed the IT Governance Institute (ITGI) to focus on original research, publications, resources and symposia on IT governance and related topics. In addition to the work carried out by the ITGI, ISACA addresses the topic through a regular column in and occasional dedicated issues of the Information Systems Control Journal, conference sessions and tracks, and education courses. TheIT Governance Institute (ITGI)exists to assist enterprise leaders in their responsibility to ensure that IT goals align with those of the business, it delivers value, its performance is measured, its resources properly allocated and its risks mitigated. Through original research, symposia and electronic resources, the ITGI helps ensure that boards and executive management have the tools and information they need for IT to deliver against expectations. Publications: There are two major publications from ISACA in the field of IT Governance. COBIT VALIT COBIT: The Control Objectives for Information and related Technology (COBIT) is a set of best practices (framework) for information technology (IT) management created by the ISACA, and ITGI in 1996. COBIT provides managers, auditors, and IT users with a set of generally accepted measures, indicators, processes and best practices to assist them in maximizing the benefits derived through the use of information technology and developing appropriate IT governance and control in a company. COBIT supports IT governance by providing a framework to ensure that: IT is aligned with the business IT enables the business and maximises benefits IT resources are used responsibly IT risks are managed appropriately COBIT Framework and IT Governance Areas: COBIT Product: Briefly, the COBIT products include: Board Briefing on IT Governance, 2nd Edition—Helps executives understand why IT governance is important, what its issues are and what their responsibility is for managing it. Management guidelines/maturity models— Help assign responsibility, measure performance, and benchmark and address gaps in capability Frameworks—Organise IT governance objectives and good practices by IT domains and processes, and link them to business requirements Control objectives—provide a complete set of high-level requirements to be considered by management for effective control of each IT process IT Governance Implementation Guide: Using COBIT  ® and Val IT TM, 2nd Edition—provides a generic road map for implementing IT governance using the COBIT and Val ITTM resources COBIT ® Control Practices: Guidance to Achieve Control Objectives for Successful IT Governance, 2nd edition—Provides guidance on why controls are worth implementing and how to implement them IT Assurance Guide: Using COBIT  ®Ã¢â‚¬â€Provides guidance on how COBIT can be used to support a variety of assurance activities together with suggested testing steps for all the IT processes and control VALIT: Val IT is a governance framework that consists of a set of guiding principles, and a number of processes conforming to those principles that are further defined as a set of key management practices. The Val IT framework will be supported by publications and operational tools and provides guidance to: Define the relationship between IT and the business and those functions in the organization with governance responsibilities Manage an organizations portfolio of IT-enabled business investments; and Maximize the quality of business cases for IT-enabled business investments with particular emphasis on the definition of key financial indicators, the quantification of soft benefits and the comprehensive appraisal of the downside risk Val IT addresses assumptions, costs, risks and outcomes related to a balanced portfolio of IT-enabled business investments. It also provides benchmarking capability and allows enterprises to exchange experiences on best practices for value management. Certification: Certified in the Governance of Enterprise Information Technology (CGEIT) is an advanced certification created in 2007 by the ISACA. It is designed for experienced professionals, who can demonstrate 5 or more years of experience, serving in a managing or advisory role focused on the governance and control of IT at an enterprise level. The certification is intended to: support the growing business demands related to IT governance increase the awareness and importance of IT governance good practices and issues define the roles and responsibilities of the professionals performing IT governance work Requirements: To earn the CGEIT credential, an individual must: Pass the CGEIT exam (first exam December 2008) Adhere to the ISACA Code of Professional Ethics Agree to comply with the CGEIT Continuing Education Policy Provide evidence of appropriate IT governance work experience as defined by the CGEIT Job Practice IT Governance experience Five (5) years required: Five (5) or more years of experience managing, serving in an advisory or oversight role, and/or otherwise supporting the governance of the IT-related contribution to an enterprise is required to apply for certification. This experience is defined specifically by the domains and task statements described in the CGEIT Job Practice. Specifically: A minimum of one (1) year of experience relating to the development and/or maintenance of an IT governance framework is required. The type and extent of experience accepted is described in CGEIT domain one (1) (see IT Governance Framework). Additional broad experience directly related to any two or more of the remaining CGEIT domains are required. The type and extent of experience accepted is described in CGEIT domains two (2) through six (6). These domains are:  § Strategic Alignment  § Value Delivery  § Risk Management  § Resource Management  § Performance Measurement Individuals can take the CGEIT exam prior to earning the above work experience. Substitutions for IT governance experience (2 years maximum) To recognize other management experience and/or the achievement of specific IT governance related credentials, advanced (post-graduate) degrees and certificates, up to two (2) years of the five years of required IT governance experience can be substituted. Specifically, each of the following will qualify (substitute) for one (1) year of IT governance experience, with a maximum of two years of substitutions being accepted. Other Management Experience—other management experience that is not specific to IT governance, such as performing consulting, auditing, assurance or security management related duties will qualify for up to one year of substitution. Specific Credentials, Advanced (Post-graduate) Degrees and Certificates—Credentials (in good standing), advanced (post-graduate) degrees and certificate programs which include an IT governance and/or management component or are specific to one or more of the CGEIT domains will qualify for up to one year of substitution. These include: Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) issued by ISACA Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) issued by ISACA Implementing IT Governance using COBIT and Val IT certificate issued by ISACA (available in 2008) ITIL Service Manager certification program Chartered Information Technology Professional (CITP) issued by the British Computer Society Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) issued by the American Institute of CPAs Project Management Professional (PMP) issued by the Project Management Institute Information Systems Professional (I.S.P.) issued by the Canadian Information Processing Society Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) issued by the Institute of Internal Auditors Certified Business Manager (CBM) issued by The Association of Professionals in Business Management Prince2 Registered Practitioner certificate from the Office of Government Commerce Advanced (post-graduate) degree from an accredited university in governance, information technology, information management or business administration (For example: Masters in Corporate Governance, Masters of Business Administration, Masters in Information and Operations Management, Masters of Information Systems Management, Masters in Information Technology) Exception: Two years as a full-time university instructor teaching IT governance related subjects at an accredited university can be substituted for every one year of IT governance experience. Applicants who have earned/acquired other credentials, advanced (post-graduate) degrees and/or certificates that include a significant IT governance and/or information management component and are not listed above are welcome to submit them to the CGEIT Certification Board for consideration. IT Governance Characteristics Sets direction and oversees compliance and performance Specifies the decision-making authority and accountability to encourage desirable behaviors in the use of IT Is a process for managing and controlling the use of technology to create value Are the rules and regulations under which an IT organization functions Ensures that everyone is playing by the same rules so that the computing environment works for everyone. Road Map for Implementing IT Governance The initial focus for developing an IT Governance Program is identifying needs and governance input rights and decision making based on:    Current state of IT within and supporting business organization and objectives      Internal and external requirements/regulations and applicable best business practices Business Alignment IT Business Executives set the IT Strategy, resolve issues, and shadow IT organizations eliminated Investment Board sets project priorities, costs,   oversees progress, reduced millions $ in costs Change Management and failures impacting users Changes managed actually blocked where not properly vetted or tested Number of user impact failures reduced from 200+ to Number of unauthorized application and infrastructure changes reduced to 1 or less per month Emergency changes reduced to less than 3% of total changes Improved results across the board, accountability built into personal performance evaluations Projects Projects on time, on budget increased by 60+% Improved from 40% SDLC compliance to 100% Technology Standards and architecture established and enforced via tech reviews reduced number of system software tools by over 50% 100% of the equipment on the network identified and none added unless authorized 24 hour server back-ups improved from 95% to 99.9% Security patches being performed within 24 hours of approval â€Å"System Admin Accounts† reduced by over 50% Governing Document Framework SAMPLE Conclusion: As we have discussed that in todays business environment information is the most valuable asset, therefore in order to protect the information we require a profound infrastructure that enables us to not only secure the information we have but to validate that information as well, plus enable the organization towards IT.