Essay - Application of Aristotle’s the Golden Mean an Example of the Topic History Essays by

Application of Aristotle’s the Golden Mean in Today’s Business World by Expert professor Ashley | 26 Jul 2016 Aristotle was the last of the famous Greek Triumvirate. The first one was Socrates probably the most enigmatic figure in the history of philosophy. The second was Plato, a poet who was regarded as Socrates brightest students. And the last was Aristotle, the most famous student of Plato. Aristotle was born at Stagira, in Thrace, in 384 B.C. His father was a physician which is an indication that science was his main philosophic background. Need essay sample on "Application of Aristotles the Golden Mean in Todays Business World" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Our Customers Frequently Tell EssayLab professionals: I'm not in the mood to write my essay. But I don't have the time Essay writer professionals advise: Try out our best essay writing service One of his greatest contributions to humanity is not his being the famous tutor of Alexander the Great who inspired him to become the worlds greatest conqueror. His greatest contribution to humanity is his philosophy of the Golden Mean. Happiness has always been an elusive goal for man. During the time of the Greek philosophers, the concept of happiness and how it can be attained has been the focal point of discussion. The Golden Mean embodies Aristotles answer to how happiness can be achieved by man. Aristotle thought that happiness should not be equated with material pleasure or sexual gratification. While there are many people during his considered the attainment of these two things as mans ultimate goal and mans happiness, Aristotle thought otherwise. He argued that happiness should be the ultimate goal of man as it also represents the realization of the good of the human being. It is the end goal of human existence. He emphasized that happiness can only be achieved by finding the right balance between two extremes. Aristotle cites as an example two extremes which should be avoided by man. The first is cowardice which is the extreme of deficiency. The second is recklessness which is the extreme of excess. Cowardice is exemplified in the action of a man who fails to help a loved one inside a burning building. Recklessness, on the other hand, is shown when a man without any protection for himself enters a burning building to rescue a loved one. Both are considered extreme actions which should be avoided as they do nothing to a mans search for happiness. The first is considered extreme because it is very unusual for a man who knows that a loved one is inside a burning building but fails or refuses to do something about it such is an act of cowardice as he only intends to save himself. On the other hand, it is worse when a person decides to enter a burning building when he fully knows that he will not be able to get out of the burning building alive. Aristotle emphasized that there is no exact middle in every situation. The middle will always depend on the situation. In the situation mentioned, the mean would be to call for professional help. However, if the fire has just started, it would be wrong to just stay and watch the building burn to the ground. This is considered Aristotles most important contribution because it re-affirms how important achieving balance is in life. It must be stressed that the Greeks during the time of Aristotle have struggled to find the right balance in their life. Achieving balance is more difficult in the modern world. Unlike during the time of Greek philosophers, the modern society is faced with more obstructions that will hinder the achievement of balance. Life is much faster. Competition is much stiffer. Temptations are greater. Indeed, achieving the right balance in ones personal and professional lie has become much more difficult. This is a time of financial uncertainty and corporate distress. Because of the desire of business owners to remain competitive, the corporations have started to prioritize profits above anything else. In the desire to become number one, the Board of Directors and corporate officers have forgotten about the principles of ethics and honesty. It must be stressed that directors act as fiduciaries to the corporation, and once elected they are enjoined to serve the best interest of the corporation and the shareholders. A fiduciary is one who owes to another the duties of good faith, trust, confidence and candor or one who must exercise a high standard of care in managing anothers money or property. This fiduciary duty arises out of the boards fiduciary relationship with the corporation and shareholders. The directors owe a duty of loyalty to the corporation and its shareholders. It is the consequence of the fiduciary relationship existing between the directors of the corporation and the corporation and the directors of the corporation and its stockholders. As fiduciaries, they are expected to act with utmost candor and fair dealing for the interest of the corporation and without taint of selfish motives. The directors of the corporation are expected to first serve the interest of the corporation and their interest later. They are enjoined not to manipulate the affairs of the corporation to the detriment and disregard of the standards of morality and decency. As corporate insiders, the directors cannot utilize any inside information they have acquired for their own benefit. The directors of the corporation also owe a duty of obedience to the corporation. The duty of obedience mandates that every director of the corporation must do and perform only those acts designed to achieve its mission. The director must constantly check whether his action is within the scope of his authority and in pursuance of the goals of the company as indicated in its articles of incorporation. Further, obedience does not only mean compliance with the rules of the corporation but it also means informing the corporation of any act done in violation of the rules of the corporation. The directors and corporate officers also owe a duty of diligence. The rule is that every director of the corporation is required to manage the corporate affairs and perform his functions with reasonable care and prudence. As an officer of the corporation, the responsibility of the director towards the corporation is not limited to willful breach of trust or excess of power but extends to negligence. This means that even if there was no unlawful intent or evil motive in performing a corporate act, he can still be held liable if it can be established that he acted negligently. This liability of a director for his negligent acts rests upon common law rule which renders the agent liable who violates his authority or neglects his duty to the damage of the principal. One example of a business enterprise which failed to achieve the right balance in his professional life is the business formed by Bernard Madoff. Bernard Madoff is a person who is in the newspapers nowadays because of the white-collar crime he committed. Madoff recently pleaded guilty for committing the Ponzi scheme against a number of his investors (Hays rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul principle early in the 1980s where he solicited billions of dollars from pension funds, charities and other investors (What is a Ponzi Scheme). Madoff eventually admitted that he defrauded hundreds of people in his scheme which had amounted to more than $60 billion. His scheme was finally discovered last year when investors wanted to pull out their investment from Madoff. He however could not produce the money. Despite this however Madoff made an announcement that he will be distributing to his employees bonus earlier than expected. This prompted questions as how could he get the money to pay the bonuses to his employees but he could not get the money to pay off his investors. He later on revealed to his two children that his business was a sham prompting them to report him to the authorities. He was eventually arrested in December of 2008 and charged for federal securities fraud. The sad part is that despite the evidence against Madoff, he was initially allowed to remain free after posting a $10 million bond. In January 2009, Madoff was even allowed by the court to continue living under house arrest in his Manhattan apartment (Judge Refuses to Jail Madoff; Financier Accused in Massive Ponzi Scheme Allowed to Remain Free on Bail). In addition, the court continued to allow Madoff to be placed under house arrest despite having been caught mailing jewelries in violation of the order of the court to freeze his assets. In more recent news, Madoff was finally placed in jail while waiting for his sentencing in June after he has pleaded guilty to the crime charged against him (Madoff Must Stay in Prison, Court Says - NYTimes.com,). At this time, he was held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan while waiting for his sentence. Newspaper reports say that he faces a maximum of 150 years in prison once he is sentenced in June 16. Despite this Madoffs lawyers continued to ask the court for Madoff to be allowed to be released and to be placed on house arrest while awaiting his sentencing. Newspaper reports say that his credit card bills speak everything about the lavish lifestyle he and his family once had. In one of his credit card bills, he was charged for $2,800 for eating at an expensive restaurant, $2,000 in a Parisian boutique, $441 at a gourmet bagel shop, $8,400 for spending a night at the hotel. The total amount due was more than $100,000. (Bernard Madoff Credit Card Bills Reveal Lavish Lifestyle) There is also evidence that will prove that he treated the investments placed in the name of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, the company that he put up, as his personal bank account which gave him the opportunity to withdraw and transfer funds as he needed for himself and for his family. Business organizations need to observe certain ethical and moral rules. They have the obligation to the public to ensure that they funds entrusted to them are properly managed. Every penny that will be used for investment must be properly accounted for. Moreover, when a person puts up his own business, he has the duty to be truthful to his clients, employees and his investors. It is his solemn obligation not to do any falsehood to his clients, employees and his investors. It need not be stressed how greedy Madoff was. He and his family lived an extremely lavish lifestyle. He was consumed by his desires for material pleasure and wealth that he forgot about his clients and investors. The pleasure however was temporary. Today, he is spending time in jail for the crimes he committed. While Madoff was guilty for a crime, it is also worth looking into the negligence or recklessness on the part of Madoff investors. It is true that Madoff defrauded his investors and he should be faulted for it. It is however also true that the investors were also partly responsible for what happened to their money (Vicky Ward) When they invested their money, they did not conduct any diligence. They also did not take appropriate steps to ensure that the money they invested will be protected by Madoff. They only relied on the representations of Madoff that their money will double or triple after a few months. When they ask how Madoff will be able to make good his promises, Madoff only responded that he can deliver without explaining how intends to double or triple the money of his investors. These investors were also consumed by greed. They were attracted to Madoffs lavish lifestyle. They too thought that they can enjoy the material pleasure and wealth. References: Bernard Madoff Credit Card Bills Reveals Lavish Lifestyle. Associated Press. 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2009 "Madoff Must Stay in Prison, Court Says - NYTimes.com." The New York Times. 2009. "Second Judge Refuses to Jail Madoff; Financier Accused in Massive Ponzi Scheme Allowed to Remain Free on Bail." The Washington Post. Washington Post Newsweek Interactive Co. 2009. Retrieved 28 May, 2009 Tom Hays and Larry Neumeister. "A 'sorry and ashamed' Bernard Madoff pleads guilty." AP Online. 2009. Retrieved 28 May, 2009 Ward, Vicky. Time to Blame our Own Greed for the Madoff Mess. The Huffington Post. 2008. Retrieved 29 May 2009 What is a Ponzi Scheme. (2009). Findlaw. Retrieved 28 May 2009

Adult Development essays

Adult Development essays When people talk about psychological development, what most people think of are children, who have clear and obvious developmental points. A child's development corresponds to his or her physical growth. Thus we can look at an infant and not expect the child to be able to walk a balance beam or ride a bike. We can look at a four year old and know that most four year olds will not yet know how to read. We can look at ten year old and state with confidence that this child is not yet ready to learn to ride a car. When thinking about development in this way, it is easy to conceptualize development as essentially over by age 18, allowing for some sort of transition to the one final state called "adulthood." However, adulthood has stages just as childhood does, and the recognition of this fact can help adults as they face new challenges and learn new skills. Adults have to face the establishment of their lives as independent of their parents, building their own careers, marriage and family, the loss of loved ones, increasing likelihood of some kind of chronic illness or infirmity, retirement, and old age. Just as a child may encounter difficulties as he or she progresses toward adulthood, adults may encounter difficulties as they face each new stage in adult life. According to Lucas and Kuhner (1999), development is the process of creating meaning out of the events we experience. The meanings we develop are influenced and restricted by how we perceive those events, and so is subjective. Our perceptions will not exactly match those of others and we may perceive similar events in markedly different ways depending on a number of variables including our individual traits, our prior experiences, and how we perceived and interpreted those events. Thus over time, each person develops his or her own individual lens (Lucas and Kuhner, 1999) through which subsequent events wi...

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assignment Example He points out that globalization was sort of pre-destined and inevitable. However, it is not only the ancient societies that resisted globalization but also neo-conservative societies like China abound were against it. The solution to this might be the need for tough American guidance coercing them towards democracy and stiff international economic competition might be the cure. Wrights states that, as perceived against the scenery of history, manifest destiny is powerful and continuous. He argues that the challenge emerges from history since it is self evident that globalization goes back to ancient history when early expansion of commerce was technologically driven. For instance, the early advances in transportation were an extremely important component in doing deals as well during wars. As such was information technology, which acted as a bastion of commerce. Writing originated from prehistoric Asia especially Mesopotamia, which has, records of what took place. All this informati on was grounded in human nature and deeply seated in how they went about their business. Since human nature involves the quest for profit and advances, both economic and technological advances meant a better, faster, more efficient role-playing hence globalization was an inevitable outcome. The flop side of this structure is that it might be a difficult situation at times. For instance, as commerce expands, its interdependence deepens. The ancient society saw both sides of the coin. They viewed success and prosperity stretch but also saw enormous disaster like the collapse across the Eastern Mediterranean. The main reason this trouble travels so fast is that it uses the same conduits of transport as the economic and the communication system. For instance, a good example is the downfall 1200BC raiders who used to kidnap commercial ships. Wright and Kaplan argue that in the ancient history times as it is today, protecting and expanding realm of independence is through governance. The Roman Empire for instance, secured its commercial routes. This was replicated in the middle ages where German traders in German formed the Hanseatic League to fight pirates, kidnappers, and brigades while securing their business. They argue that although global governance sounds radical, but it is not because commerce is liberating the world. They point out that today globalization of commerce and the threats emanating from the same has called for agents of global governance. With these advances, there is the need to police the world dangerous materials such as nuclear materials. This they say is just history taking its cause since globalization calls for stringent measures and plans to ensure that the avenues open for expansion of the global economy and technology are not exploited by other forces out to wreck havoc. This is only possible if there are well laid out rudiments of international governance. Wright and Kaplan state that, with the expansion in commerce, growth has not be en limited to governance but also of morality. Wright describes morality as acknowledging the humanity of people even amidst the cutthroat activities that entail business. He points out that prehistoric relations featured open hostility between groups with violence being justified by moral degradation and even dehumanization of victims. Although Wright and Kaplan slightly differ in their emphasis of morality, the key points bring them together and they tend to agree on the major

Senior Class Gift Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Senior Class Gift - Essay Example Finally, in September 2006 the Young Alumni Trustee was named but the reorganization had left the members of the Senior Class Gift Committee with no clear responsibility The Young Alumni Trustee is a position on the Board of Trustees that is granted to a graduating senior each year. The successful program had been in effect since 1996 and each member that is awarded the position serves a three-year term. By April 2006, the selection committee had settled on two finalists, Cathleen Doan and Brian Levin. The winner was to be announced at commencement ceremonies on May 20. On April 25, 2006, students received an e-mail re-opening the application process and encouraging students to reapply. The selection committee justified their actions based on low student interest and lack of diversity among the applicants. Doan and Levin were still considered finalists, but Laurie Musgrove, Vice President of University Advancement, said they were seeing if "other students should be joining them as finalists". Robin Warde, Interim Director of Alumni Relations, said the concern was the small number of original student applicants. Warde noted that only 5 members of the class of 2006 had been interviewed and said, "something different needed to be done". It was apparent that the board had been remiss in addressing this problem sooner. According to Warde, they had been concerned over lack of participation in previous years. Musgrove and Warde, however, waited until the finalists had been selected to make the last minute changes. Musgrove had some misgivings and expressed the "wish that timing could be different". She continued to encourage Doan and Levin to stay in the process and viewed their withdrawal with "disappointment and dismay". Before commencement ceremonies, the Board of Trustees took control of the nominating process after overriding the previous decisions made by the nominating board. President Ronald Machtley and BOT Chairman Thomas Taylor headed the new selection committee. No winner was announced at that time. In September 2006, the Bryant University Board of Trustees (BOT) named Saddi Williams as the 2006 Young Alumnus Trustee at their annual meeting during Homecoming Weekend. The BOT also established the Bryant Senior Advisory Council (BSA), a 30 member committee comprised of students that will be the pool for next year's applicants. Warde has made a commitment to working with students all year and promoting a wide representation on the BSA. The controversy that began in April 2006 had not gone away by September. The creation of the BSA created another debate over the Senior Class Gift program. During the summer of 2006, Shannon Maldonando and I (Amr Zawawi) worked to develop a "comprehensive plan for the 2007 Senior Class Gift". However, on September 22, 2006 the President's office released a press statement that said, "The Bryant Senior Advisory Council shall also act as a core group to engage the senior class in developing a plan for their class gift". This resulted in confusion and further divisiveness surrounding the role of Moldanado and I in the gift selection process. The controversial changes that began in April 2006 had continued to linger and in attempting to correct past problems resulted in creating new controversies. Summer Plans The Senior Class Gift Committee had made a decision to begin working on the project at the earliest possible date. We all

The narrator’s jealousy of Rebecca Essay Example for Free

The narrator’s jealousy of Rebecca Essay The narrator’s jealousy of Rebecca permeates the majority of the novel. Because of her youth and insecurity, the narrator is unable to understand why Maxim chooses to marry her. As she learns more and more about Rebecca, she begins to compare herself to Maxim’s first wife, who seemed to be far more beautiful, elegant, and sophisticated than she could ever hope to be. The narrator’s preoccupation with Rebecca develops to the point that she concludes that Maxim is still in love with her. With this revelation, the conflict between the narrator and the memory of Rebecca becomes a competition for Maxim’s love. Yet, with her desperate love for Maxim and jealousy of Rebecca, the narrator has no recourse until Maxim tells her the truth about Rebecca. Only then can the narrator overcome her jealousy and approach her marriage as the sole Mrs. de Winter. Jealousy also appears on Maxim’s side of the narrative, specifically in his relationship with Rebecca and her many lovers. Maxim confronts Rebecca in the boathouse and ultimately kills her because she manipulates his jealousy into a tool for her own destruction. In both cases, jealousy is a destructive force that has the ability to destroy both Maxim and the narrator if they let it. Escaping the past One of the main conflicts of Rebecca revolves around Maxim and the narrator’s efforts to escape the past. From his first entrance in the novel, Maxim is tormented by the memory of his marriage to Rebecca and his eventual murder of her. Even though the narrator never knew Rebecca, she is equally haunted by her presence at Manderley through her physical representative, Mrs. Danvers. The characters are only able to move forward with their marriage after each one has come to terms with the past in their individual ways. For the narrator, Maxim must reveal that he never loved Rebecca in order for her to assume her position as mistress of Manderley. Maxim, on the other hand, must own up to the consequences of his actions and stop running from the memory of what he has done. In the end, Maxim and the narrator triumph over the memory of Rebecca but only after Manderley, with all of its memories of her, is destroyed. Good versus evil. Du Maurier plays with the dichotomy between good and evil in the way that she  presents the main characters. From a general perspective, it is clear that the narrator and Maxim are on the â€Å"good† side, while Rebecca and Mrs. Danvers are on the â€Å"bad† side. Yet, Du Maurier adds complexity to each character so that all sense of good and evil becomes purely subjective. For example, Maxim is the primary male character and the narrator’s love interest and thus, is presented as the hero of the novel. At the same time, however, Maxim is a murderer who shot Rebecca in a fit of rage, an act that is hardly appropriate for a hero. Similarly, while Mrs. Danvers is presented as the antagonist of the novel who actively strives to undermine the narrator, she is also an individual who is overwhelmed with grief at the lost of her friend and mistress. By blending the concepts of good and evil, Du Maurier creates a set of characters that are truly human in their complexit y and motivations. Love vs. hate Love and hate serve as crucial motivational tools for the primary characters in Rebecca. In most cases, characters exhibit both emotions—sometimes even a blend of the two—and use their love or hate to justify their actions in the novel. For the majority of the text, Maxim is motivated by his love for the narrator and Manderley, as well as his hatred for Rebecca and her memory. Mrs. Danvers and Jack Favell, as the seeming â€Å"villains† of the piece, are both prompted by their love for Rebecca and hatred for those who seem to have forgotten her. In Mrs. Danvers’ case, Rebecca is the object of an obsessive love that Mrs. Danvers uses to justify her hatred of the narrator and her attempt to undermine Maxim’s second marriage. Jack Favell, on the other hand, had hoped to marry Rebecca, and he uses his disappointed love to justify blackmailing Maxim. As the object of both love and hate, Rebecca is the only character who seems to be motivated purely by se lf-love in her behavior. As a result, she manipulated the emotions of those around her to her own advantage and maintained power over Manderley both in life and in death. Identity One of the major themes of the novel is the narrator’s search to establish her own identity. Du Maurier establishes this theme from the very beginning by maintaining the narrator’s anonymity, as only Maxim learns the narrator’s â€Å"lovely and unusual† name. When she marries Maxim, the narrator is  automatically given a new identity as Mrs. de Winter, but she does not feel comfortable or suited to the role. The narrator’s uncertain identity worsens during her time at Manderley because the constant reminder of Rebecca, the â€Å"real† Mrs. de Winter. The narrator is quickly overwhelmed by the strength of Rebecca’s presence and even considers given up all claims to an identity as Maxim’s wife. The climax of the narrator’s identity crisis is at the Manderley costume ball when even her physical appearance is overshadowed by the memory of Rebecca in the same costume. In the end, the narrator must learn the truth about Rebec ca’s nature before she can feel assured of Maxim’s love and her identity as Mrs. de Winter.

Free Essays - Ernest Hemingways A Farewell to Arms :: Farewell Arms Essays

  Farewell to Arms A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway, is a typical love story. A Romeo and his Juliet placed against the odds. In this novel, Romeo is Frederick Henry and Juliet is Catherine Barkley. Their love affair must survive the obstacles of World War I. The background of war-torn Italy adds to the tragedy of the love story. The war affects the emotions and values of each character. The love between Catherine and Frederick must outlast long separations, life-threatening war-time situations, and the uncertainty of each other's whereabouts or condition. This novel is a beautiful love story of two people who need each other in a period of upheaval. Frederick Henry is an American who serves as a lieutenant in the Italian army to a group of ambulance drivers. Hemingway portrays Frederick as a lost man searching for order and value in his life. Frederick disagrees with the war he is fighting. It is too chaotic and immoral for him to rationalize its cause. He fights anyway, because the army puts some form of discipline in his life. At the start of the novel, Frederick drinks and travels from one house of prostitution to another and yet he is discontent because his life is very unsettled. He befriends a priest because he admires the fact that the priest lives his life by a set of values that give him an orderly lifestyle. Further into the novel, Frederick becomes involved with Catherine Barkley. He slowly falls in love with her and, in his love for her, he finds commitment. Their relationship brings some order and value to his life. Compared to this new form of order in his life, Frederick sees the losing Italian army as total chaos and disorder where he had previously seen discipline and control. He can no longer remain a part of something that is so disorderly and so, he deserts the Italian army. Frederick's desertion from the Italian army is the turning point of the novel. This is the significance of the title, A Farewell to Arms. When Frederick puts aside his involvement in the war, he realizes that Catherine is the order and value in his life and that he does not need anything else to give meaning to his life.

Last time i saw him Essay

The last time I saw my Grandfather he was walking along the beach with his metal detector. Actually it was not the last time I physically saw him, but it was the last time that I would see him and be able to talk to him person to person, eye to eye. I remember my surprise as I stood at the rail on the boardwalk looking down upon the steaming sand, noting nothing remarkable until, from the corner of my eye, I spied his figure. He had a figure that I had grown up knowing in silhouette distinct in my mind – but not as his. It was the familiar figure of Alfred Hitchcock. Whenever I looked at Grandpa I saw that shadowy teller of tales from days gone by. But, as I knew that I was not seeing the grand master of mystery himself, I knew it could be, couldn’t it, why yes . . . it was, Grandpa. He was slowly searching the sand for buried treasure with his prized metal detector. A hobby that he had adopted after retiring from the workaday world. Although I knew he lived somewhat cl ose to Seaside, that was the first time that it occurred to me that I might actually run into him. I suppose one never expects to run into their grandparents at the beach. I smiled silently for a moment as I watched that adorable man, donned in shorts, t-shirt. baseball cap and earphones studiously monitoring his valuable machine for blips or beeps. But that moment passed quickly as I called out to him, â€Å"Grandpa, Grandpa† waving my hand furiously to draw his attention. He spied me yet seemed puzzled as to who I could possibly be. I was, after all, the only black haired granddaughter that he had. After a moment or two of contemplation I watched as he seemed to awaken. As he waved back I began to walk toward a place where hellos could become hugs. I brought him to the pizzeria where Kenny, my husband, worked and we fed and watered the old dear. We sat talking at a table for moments too swift, not knowing then that this would be the last time we would really have the chance. We talked briefly of family matters that, in the big picture of things, seem not to have mattered enough for me to note them; of the wonderful treasures found beneath the sand thanks largely to his narrow, metal sidekick; of why Ken and I were in Seaside at all, and how long we planned to stay. Small talk filling a smaller moment in time. I asked him why he would want to wear that baseball cap, as I could not remember having seen him in one before, and he showed me the brilliance of the sunlight upon his naked head. I joked with him about not seeing me only feet away from where he was, and he  explained his glaucoma operation that would be taking place that month. We embraced as I walked him out and said goodbye. I may have just spent moments listening, but I was not hearing. He was not telling me about small items that day, he was telling me, I am old now and time is ticking away. He was warning me that he would not be here forever, yet I did not heed his warning. He was telling me goodbye that summer’s day and I was saying â€Å"Talk to you soon.† I was but a foolish child. As he walked away, the sun was taking a bow before fading away. I did not, until this day, see that something more blindingly beautiful had also taken their bow. As I yelled goodbye, at the moment the surf washed the sand back into its home – the sea, did he hear talk to you later or did he merely whisper, â€Å"Yes, goodbye.†