Creative Thinking Lesson Plans for Teachers

Creative Thinking Lesson Plans for Teachers Lesson plans and activities for teaching about inventions by increasing creativity and creative thinking. The lesson plans are adaptable for grades K-12 and were designed to be done in sequence. Teaching Creativity Creative Thinking Skills When a student is asked to invent a solution to a problem, the student must draw upon previous knowledge, skills, creativity, and experience. The student also recognizes areas where new learnings must be acquired in order to understand or address the problem. This information must then be applied, analyzed, synthesized, and evaluated. Through critical and creative thinking and problem-solving, ideas become reality as children create inventive solutions, illustrate their ideas, and make models of their inventions. Creative thinking lesson plans provide children with opportunities to develop and practice higher-order thinking skills. Throughout the years, many creative thinking skills models and programs have been generated from educators, seeking to describe the essential elements of thinking and/or to develop a systematic approach to teaching thinking skills as part of the school curricula. Three models are illustrated below in this introduction. Although each uses different terminology, each model describes similar elements of either critical or creative thinking or both. Models of Creative Thinking Skills Benjamin BloomCalvin TaylorIsaksen and Treffinger The models demonstrate how creative thinking lesson plans could provide an opportunity for students to experience most of the elements described in the models. After teachers have reviewed the creative thinking skills models listed above, they will see the critical and creative thinking and problem-solving skills and talents that can be applied to the activity of inventing. The creative thinking lesson plans that follow can be used across all disciplines and grade levels and with all children. It can be integrated with all curricular areas and used as a means of applying the concepts or elements of any thinking skills program that may be in use. Children of all ages are talented and creative. This project will give them an opportunity to develop their creative potential and synthesize and apply knowledge and skills by creating an invention or innovation to solve a problem, just as a real inventor would. Creative Thinking - List of Activities Introducing Creative ThinkingPracticing Creativity with the ClassPracticing Creative Thinking with the ClassDeveloping an Invention IdeaBrainstorming for Creative SolutionsPracticing the Critical Parts of Creative ThinkingCompleting the InventionNaming the InventionOptional Marketing ActivitiesParent InvolvementYoung Inventors Day Imagination is more important than knowledge, for imagination embraces the world. -  Albert Einstein Activity 1: Introducing Inventive Thinking and Brainstorming Read about the Lives of Great InventorsRead the  stories  about great inventors in class or let students read themselves. Ask students, How did these inventors get their ideas? How did they make their ideas a reality? Locate books in your library about inventors, invention, and creativity. Older students can locate these references themselves. Also, visit the  Inventive Thinking and Creativity Gallery Talk to a Real InventorInvite a local inventor to speak to the class. Since local inventors are not usually listed in the phone book under inventors, you can find them by calling a  local patent attorney  or your  local intellectual property law association. Your community may also have a  Patent and Trademark Depository Library  or an  inventors society  that you may contact or post a request. If not, most of your major companies have a research and development department made up of people who think inventively for a living. Examine InventionsNext, ask the students to look at the things in the classroom that are inventions. All the inventions in the classroom that have a U.S. patent will have a  patent number. One such item is probably  the pencil sharpener. Tell them to check out their house for patented items. Let the students brainstorm a list all of the inventions they discover. What would improve these inventions? DiscussionIn order to guide your students through the inventive process, a few preliminary lessons dealing with creative thinking will help set the mood. Begin with a brief explanation of brainstorming and a discussion on the rules of brainstorming. What is Brainstorming?Brainstorming is a process of spontaneous thinking used by an individual or by a group of people to generate numerous alternative ideas while deferring judgment. Introduced by Alex Osborn in his book Applied Imagination, brainstorming is the crux of each of the stages of all problem-solving methods. Rules for Brainstorming No CriticismAllowed People tend to automatically evaluate each suggested ideatheir own as well as others. Both internal and external criticism  is  to be avoided while brainstorming. Neither positive nor negative comments are allowed. Either type inhibits the free flow of thought and requires time which interferes with the next rule. Write each spoken idea down as it is given and move on.Work for QuantityAlex Osborn stated that Quantity breeds quality. People must experience a brain drain (get all the common responses out of the way) before the innovative, creative ideas can surface; therefore, the more ideas, the more likely they are to be quality ideas.Hitchhiking WelcomeHitchhiking occurs when one members idea produces a similar idea or an enhanced idea in another member. All ideas should be recorded.Freewheeling EncouragedOutrageous, humorous, and seemingly unimportant ideas should be recorded. It is not uncommon for the most off-the-wall idea to be the best. Activity  2: Practicing Creativity with the Class Step 1:  Cultivate the following creative thinking processes described by Paul Torrance and discussed in The Search for Satori and Creativity (1979): Fluency the production of a great number of ideas.Flexibility the production of ideas or products that show a variety of possibilities or realms of thought.Originality the production of ideas that are unique or unusual.Elaboration the production of ideas that display intensive detail or enrichment. For practice in elaboration, have pairs or small groups of students choose a particular idea from the brainstorming list of invention ideas and add the flourishes and details that would develop the idea more fully. Allow the students to share their innovative and  inventive ideas. Step 2:  Once your students have become familiar with the rules of brainstorming and the creative thinking processes, Bob Eberles  Scamperr  technique for brainstorming could be introduced. Substitute What else instead? Who else instead? Other ingredients? Other material? Other power? Another place?Combine How about a blend, an alloy, an ensemble? Combine purposes? Combine appeals?Adapt What else is like this? What other idea does this suggest? Does past offer parallel? What could I copy?Minify Order, form, shape? What to add? More time?Magnify Greater frequency? Higher? Longer? Thicker?Put to other uses New ways to use as is? Other uses I modified? Other places to use? Other people, to reach?Eliminate What to subtract? Smaller? Condensed? Miniature? Lower? Shorter? Lighter? Omit? Streamline? Understate?Reverse Interchange components? Another pattern?Rearrange another layout? Another sequence? Transpose cause and effect? Change pace? Transpose positive and negative? How about opposites? Turn it backward? Turn it upside-down? Reverse roles? Step 3:  Bring in any object or use objects around the classroom to do the following exercise. Ask the students to list many new uses for a familiar object by using the Scamper technique with regard to the object. You could use a paper plate, to begin with, and see how many new things the students will discover. Make sure to follow the rules for brainstorming in Activity 1. Step 4:  Using literature, ask your students to create a new ending to a story, change a character or situation within a story, or create a new beginning for the story that would result in the same ending. Step 5:  Put a list of objects on the chalkboard. Ask your students to combine them in different ways to create a new product. Let the students make their own list of objects. Once they combine several of them, ask them to illustrate the new product and explain why it might be useful. Activity 3: Practicing Inventive Thinking with the Class Before your students begin to find their own problems and create unique inventions or innovations to solve them, you can assist them by taking them through some of the steps as a group. Finding the Problem Let the class list problems in their own classroom that need solving. Use the brainstorming technique from Activity 1. Perhaps your students never have a pencil ready, as it is either missing or broken when it is time to do an assignment (a great brainstorming project would be to solve that problem). Select one problem for the class to solve using the following steps: Find several problems.Select one to work on.Analyze the situation.Think of many, varied, and unusual ways of solving the problem. List the possibilities. Be sure to allow even the silliest possible solution, as creative thinking must have a positive, accepting environment in order to flourish. Finding a Solution Select one or more possible solutions to work on. You may want to divide into groups if the class elects to work on several of the ideas.Improve and refine the idea(s).Share the class or individual solution(s)/invention(s) for solving the class problem. Solving a class problem and creating a class invention will help students learn the process and make it easier for them to work on their own invention projects. Activity 4: Developing an Invention Idea Now that your students have had an introduction to the inventive process, it is time for them to find a problem and create their own invention to solve it. Step One:  Begin by asking your students to conduct a survey. Tell them to interview everyone that they can think of to find out what problems need solutions. What kind of invention, tool, game, device, or idea would be helpful at home, work, or during leisure time? (You can use an Invention Idea Survey) Step Two:  Ask the students to list the problems that need to be solved. Step Three:  comes the decision-making process. Using the list of problems, ask the students to think about which problems would be possible for them to work on. They can do this by listing the pros and cons for each possibility. Predict the outcome or possible solution(s) for each problem. Make a decision by selecting one or two problems that provide the best options for an inventive solution. (Duplicate the Planning and Decision-Making Framework) Step Four:  Begin an  Inventors Log  or Journal. A record of your ideas and work will help you develop your invention and protect it when completed. Use Activity Form - Young Inventors Log to help students understand what can be included on every page. General Rules For Authentic Journal Keeping Using a  bound notebook, make notes each day about the things you do and learn while working on your invention.Record your idea and how you got it.Write about problems you have and how you solve them.Write in ink and do not erase.Add sketches and drawings to make things clear.List all parts, sources, and costs of materials.Sign and date all entries at the time they are made and have them witnessed. Step Five:  To illustrate why record-keeping is important, read the following story about Daniel Drawbaugh who said that he invented the telephone, but didnt have one single paper or record to prove it. Long before  Alexander Graham Bell  filed a patent application in 1875, Daniel Drawbaugh claimed to have invented the telephone. But since he had no journal or record, the  Supreme Court  rejected his claims by four votes to three. Alexander Graham Bell had excellent records and was awarded the patent for the telephone. Activity 5: Brainstorming for Creative Solutions Now that the students have one or two problems to work on, they must take the same steps that they did in solving the class problem in Activity Three. These steps could be listed on the chalkboard or a chart. Analyze the problem(s). Select one to work on.Think of many, varied, and unusual ways of solving the problem. List all of the possibilities. Be non-judgmental. (See Brainstorming in Activity 1 and SCAMPER in Activity 2.)Select one or more possible solutions to work on.Improve and refine your ideas. Now that your students have some exciting possibilities for their invention projects, they will need to use their critical thinking skills to narrow down the possible solutions. They can do this by asking themselves the questions in the next activity about their inventive idea. Activity 6: Practicing the Critical Parts of Inventive Thinking Is my idea practical?Can it be made easily?Is it as simple as possible?Is it safe?Will it cost too much to make or use?Is my idea really new?Will it withstand use, or will it break easily?Is my idea similar to something else?Will people really use my invention? (Survey your classmates or the people in your neighborhood to document the need or usefulness of your idea - adapt the invention idea survey.) Activity 7: Completing the Invention When students have an idea that meets most of the above qualifications in Activity 6, they need to plan how they are going to complete their project. The following planning technique will save them a great deal of time and effort: Identify the problem and a possible solution. Give your invention a name.List the materials needed to illustrate your invention and to make a model of it. You will need paper, pencil, and crayons or markers to draw your invention. You might use cardboard, paper, clay, wood, plastic, yarn, paper clips, and so forth to make a model. You might also want to use an art book or a book on model-making from your school library.List, in order, the steps for completing your invention.Think of the possible problems that might occur. How would you solve them?Complete your invention. Ask your parents and teacher to help with the model. In SummaryWhat - describe the problem. Materials - list the materials needed. Steps - list the steps to complete your invention. Problems - predict the problems that could occur. Activity 8: Naming the Invention An invention can be named in one of the following ways: Using the inventors  name:Levi Strauss   LEVIS ® jeansLouis Braille Alphabet SystemUsing the components or ingredients of the invention:Root BeerPeanut ButterWith initials or acronyms:IBM  ®S.C.U.B.A. ®Using word  combinations (notice repeated  consonant sounds  and rhyming words):KIT KAT  ®HULA HOOP  Ã‚ ®PUDDING POPS  ®CAPN CRUNCH  ®Using the products function:SUPERSEAL  ®DUSTBUSTER  ®vacuum cleanerhairbrushearmuffs   Activity Nine: Optional Marketing Activities Students can be very fluent when it comes to listing ingenious names of products out on the market. Solicit their suggestions and have them explain what makes each name effective. Each student should generate names for his/her own invention. Developing a Slogan or JingleHave the students define the terms slogan and jingle. Discuss the purpose of having a slogan. Sample slogans and jingles: Things go better with Coke.COKE IS IT!  ®TRIX ARE FOR KIDS  ®OH THANK HEAVEN FOR 7-ELEVEN  ®TWOALLBEEFPATTIES...GE: WE BRING GOOD THINGS TO LIFE!  ® Your students will be able to recall many  slogans  and jingles! When a slogan is named, discuss the reasons for its effectiveness. Allow time for thought in which the students can create jingles for their inventions. Creating an AdvertisementFor a crash course in advertising, discuss the visual effect created by a television commercial, magazine, or newspaper advertisement. Collect magazine or newspaper ads that are eye-catchingsome of the ads might be dominated by words and others by pictures that say it all. Students might enjoy exploring newspapers and magazines for outstanding advertisements. Have students create magazine ads to promote their inventions. (For more advanced students, further lessons on advertising techniques would be appropriate at this point.) Recording a Radio PromoA radio promo could be the icing on a students advertising campaign! A promo might include facts about the usefulness of the invention, a clever jingle or song, sound effects, humor... the possibilities are endless. Students may choose to tape record their promos for use during the Invention Convention. Advertising ActivityCollect 5 - 6 objects and give them new uses. For instance, a toy hoop could be a waist-reducer, and some strange looking kitchen gadget might be a new type of mosquito catcher. Use your imagination! Search everywherefrom the tools in the garage to the kitchen drawerfor fun objects. Divide the class into small groups, and give each group one of the objects to work with. The group is to give the object a catchy name, write a slogan, draw an ad, and record a radio promo. Stand back and watch the creative juices flow. Variation: Collect magazine ads and have the students create new advertising campaigns using a different marketing angle. Activity Ten: Parent Involvement Few, if any, projects are successful unless the child is encouraged by the parents and other caring adults. Once the children have developed their own, original ideas, they should discuss them with their parents. Together, they can work to make the childs idea come to life by making a model. Although the making of a model is not necessary, it makes the project more interesting and adds another dimension to the project. You can involve parents by simply sending a letter home to explain the project and let them know how they may participate. One of your parents may have invented something that they can share with the class.   Activity Eleven: Young Inventors Day Plan a Young Inventors Day so that your students can be recognized for their  inventive thinking. This day should provide opportunities for the children to display their inventions and tell the story of how they got their idea and how it works. They can share with other students, their parents, and others. When a child successfully completes a task, it is important that (s)he be recognized for the effort. All children who participate in the Inventive Thinking Lesson Plans are winners. We have prepared a certificate that can be copied and given to all children who participate and use their inventive thinking skills to create an invention or innovation.

SUBARANOIDAL hemorrhage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SUBARANOIDAL hemorrhage - Essay Example A patient suffering from vasculitis may also experience symptoms related to this disorder. The blood vessels inside the brain of such a patient becomes inflamed which when not treated in time causes bursting of the vessels (Porth, 2011). Subaranoidal hemorrhage impairs the ability of the cerebral circulation to sustain a steady cerebral blood flow within the brain by unbalancing the regulation of cerebral blood flow by the small arteries and arterioles located in the brain (Porth, 2011). SAH can further cause blood to leak into the cerebrospinal fluid forming a clot which blocks cerebrospinal circulation. This blocking of CSF causes the fluid to buildup, a condition which can lead to hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus causes the ventricles within the CSF to increase in size making it difficult for patients to coordinate body functions. However, this fluid swelling can be intervened by putting a drain in the ventricles. When this condition is not treated in time, blood leaking from a torn aneurysm can damage nearby brain cells leading to mental complications and physical

Sainsbury Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sainsbury - Case Study Example In 1972 the company was placed on the London stock exchange. The family members maintained eighty five percent of the shares. In 1979 they went into partnership with GB Inn BM a retail company from Belgium. And started a chain store using their Home base. Soon after buying Texas Home care in 1995 the size of home base became tripled. In 2000 Home base was sold by Sainsbury. Currently it is planning to relocate to King cross the support centre store from Holborn. This year it has also added to itself Curley's store from the Irish. It is currently operating eight hundred and twenty three supermarkets and stores. Out of these five hundred and four are supermarkets. While three hundred and nineteen are convenience stores. It is also offering shopping on internet; they have also started a bank in conjunction with a Scottish bank. Its supply chain is also operating in 10 centres of region distribution. The pestel model can be used to analyze the macro environment factors that are likely to affect the business for example the changes in the in taxes imposed, trade laws, change in government policy, and change in population and many more others. The model takes into consideration the following factors; Political, Economic, Social, Technological, environmental and the legal factors. ThPolitical Factors: The Government announced last month that's its intending to decrease the taxes it is imposing to the corporation companies by two percent (from the current thirty percent to twenty eight percent). This will have a big impact to the corporation Sainsbury included they will be able to save a lot of money. The money they will have saved will be allocated to an alternative use. (Department of Treasury 2008). There were allegations in UK about the retailers who were fixing prices. The government has established commission of enquiry. The investigation is mainly done to the biggest four retail industries who have been accused of the malpractices J. Sainsbury included. This is going to affect Sainsbury despite the fact that they have already established themselves with their customer. As many of their customers will have a negative perception about them, they will think that they have all along been cheated. (Doherty 2008 page 15) The good infrastructure which the government has provided like good roads has also impacted positively on them, as this has made their goods to move with ease. In 1997 the government (Labour party) established the Monetary Policy Committee. The body was given the mandate to set the rates of interest. Despite this being political it had an impact on the economy of the country which in turn affected the profits earned by Sainsbury in their banking business. Economic Factors: The food problem that the world is currently undergoing has made the prices of the food to increase. This has greatly increased the cost of expenditure which Sainsbury is using to buy food. Their profit margin is expected to reduce to some small percentage. The prices of most commodities have raised in the supermarket a fact that is attributed to the current food shortages. All these are expected to have an impact on the profit margin that is the profit margin is expected to reduce. (Sir Henry 2007 page 23) The current economic turmoil

Comparing Grovers Growing Up White In America and McBrides Work, What Color Is Jesus? :: Compare Contrast Essays

Comparing Grover's Growing Up White In America and McBride's Work, What Color Is Jesus? Racial issues have been predominant for the last fifty years. The two authors Bonnie Kay Grover and James McBride share their racial views in their respective works â€Å"Growing Up White In America† and â€Å"What Color Is Jesus?† Each author has a different view on exactly what race is and how it is used. Bonnie Kae Grover is a white female who believes that race has been used as a weapon. Specifically, she focuses on how white people use their color of skin to be controlling of other people. Her gripe is on the notion of â€Å"white culture.† She questions the validity of the statement and believes it is simply just American culture and those who think of it as white culture â€Å"just moved in like they’ve discovered it† (Grover 377). She examines some similarities in today’s â€Å"white culture† and the historical attitude of the exploring Europeans. The Europeans, when inhabiting North America, â€Å"just moved in and said they had God on their side and the Indians weren’t much anyway but a few of them could work for them sometimes if they behaved themselves, and the rest were lined up for disposal† (377). The Europeans believed themselves superior to the Indians; any and all action – fair and unfair alike – taken against the Indians was justifiable because it helped the Europeans. Grover argues that this irresponsible approach is the basis of the white culture. White culture is simply American culture taken and modified as seen fit by white people. James McBride focuses his essay on his parents. His mother was white and his father black. He felt confusion; which color was he? McBride remembers when he was ten, he approached his mother with the question while she was working on the kitchen table. Her thoughtful response was only one word: â€Å"[p]liers† (391). He was not the only one in the family to have this question. His older brother took it an extra step and during Sunday school asked the reverend about the skin color of Jesus.

Bicentennial Man

Bicentennial Man is a film that depicts philosophical musings in a science fiction story. It relays the story of a robot named Andrew Martin and his unique sense of self-awareness as he discovers the remarkable qualities of humanity, and how such exposure seizes him to aspire for human-likeness.It lingers on the idea of free will, which struggles to find its place in the being of Andrew, a robot who can rationalize things. The movie’s premise revolves on the concept of humanity and how an object such as a robot could be considered as a rational being, rather than what it was originally intended to be which was to serve human beings.The film goes through the motions of Andrew’s arrival in the Martin family and the interactions he had experienced toward them that contributed to his fascination about humans. As the story progresses, Andrew becomes immersed in his ability to fully understand the human condition that he becomes like one.The dilemma in this film is seen when Andrew attempts to insist upon his human-likeness by behaving in a rational manner, which agitates human beings who do not understand his exceptionality. Analysis At the beginning of the film, it was projected that Andrew’s sole purpose was to serve and obey the Martin family.Like all robots, Andrew’s function was to cater to the needs of the humans he was assigned to serve. The political theorist, Jeremy Bentham, describes this relation as the concept of utilitarianism. Bentham explains that the utilization of an object or individual is relative to the benefit, advantage, pleasure, good, or happiness produced by the object or individual for the party concerned.In its simplest terms, it defines the use of an object, or even individuals, as a means to an end. The purpose of using anything depends on the notion of pleasure and pain as the former is seen as good while the latter is seen as evil (Nelson 205).The fundamental principle of utilitarianism derives its condition from the assumption that individuals act according to their own self-interest which sought pleasure and avoided pain. This line of thinking anticipates an individual’s actions or behavior since it recognizes the imperfection of humanity and how individuals need objects or other human beings to survive (Nelson 207- 210).In the context of the film, Andrew’s initial role was merely a utility that produced pleasure or happiness for the Martin family. This was shown when the family ordered him to do things for them, which was exactly what he was intended for.However, over the course of his interactions with the members of the Martin family, especially with the youngest daughter Amanda, Andrew became more self-aware of his state and his comprehension of the beings he was obligated to. Mr. Martin’s influence on the growth of knowledge that Andrew received through the books he was given to read and the conversation pieces that they had, created a lasting impact on Andr ew’s capability to understand and imitate the complexities of humanity. Andrew developed a unique consciousness that led him on a quest for self-realization.He had demonstrated a capacity to function beyond his means, through the creation of objects by carving, his fondness for music that led him to learn how to play the piano and his special interest in the human condition. His ability to develop creativity on his own volition, which is considered a human trait, places him in an awkward light that dimly reflects the uncertainty of his being. The concept of free will clearly operates in this section of the film as it portrays Andrew’s ability to reason and act in reference to the way he understands his situation.Immanuel Kant defines free will as a direct experience of reality brought about by introspection. It relies on the faculty of volition that pushes an individual to decide or act on something without being coerced to do it (Nelson 117).Andrew had demonstrated th e concept of free will in the scene where he asked Mr. Martin if he could obtain his freedom. This correlates with Kant’s discussion about how freedom is seen as autonomous. Kant defines the laws governing autonomy as conditions under which the will of one individual could be combined with those of others, according to a general law of freedom.In obeying this general law, an individual was following an internal moral law which is the result of her or his reasoning. The individual is said to carry out an act for the purpose of being aware of her or his capability to act (Nelson, 118).Furthermore, the concept of sovereignty is magnified in this scene as Andrew was able to assert himself as a rational being when he requested for his freedom since he believed that he had the right to ask for it. According to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Freedom is a sovereign right.It is aspired by rational beings who view themselves as beings of worth. For Andrew to have been allowed by Mr. Martin the privilege of acknowledging that signifies his acceptance of Andrew’s rational sense of being (Nelson 133). Andrew also validated his human-likeness when he exercised his free will to build his own house and live on his own to find his destiny. He made the decision not because someone ordered him to leave, but he did it out of his interest to discover more things about himself and the world around him.Another revelation in the film supports the philosophy of Kant when it emphasized that an action should be done from duty to have moral worth. Kant maintains that duty does not depend on the realization of the object of action, rather on the principle of volition in performing the action which disregards any object of desire (Nelson 120 -125). Andrew’s duty to still serve the Martin family after being acknowledged as free establishes his moral worth since he performed them out of his own will and not because he was obligated to.The fact that he did things according to his own understanding of them connotes how his behavior and line of thinking has changed from the beginning of the film up to that point Kant also stated that the greatest good or morality of an act should only be identified under the conception of the existing internal moral law, which can only be found in a rational being. Since Andrew’s actions were mostly dictated by his own judgment of things, his behavior reinforces him to become rational, which is the only trait that is ascribed to humans (Nelson 120 -125).Andrew’s realization of his conflicted being came into light when he stopped referring to himself as â€Å"one† and started to use â€Å"I† in the latter part of the movie. â€Å"I† is a term used to identify humans while â€Å"one† is commonly used in identifying a thing or referring to another person. The transition from â€Å"one† to â€Å"I† is a vital indication that Andrew saw himself as a rational being. This occur rence gave Andrew the opportunity to assert his self as though he was part of the human race.There are a lot of peculiar characteristics that outlined Andrew’s uniqueness from other robots. He displayed a higher understanding about human beings because he too exhibited qualities that were considered flawed when compared to other robots of function. He had developed an inclination toward emotionality and creativity, identifiable traits that are uniquely present among human beings. It is essential to take note of this since the very idea of Andrew’s immortality and perfect composition is questioned because of the human-like traits that he possessed.Andrew’s distinct ability to portray human characteristics and personalities makes him a very interesting character to study since he defies the natural laws of reason regarding free will. His possession and understanding of such ideas like emotions, mortality, free will and discernment creates tension within his nature as it was not expected of him to possess such qualities. The film tackled the very notion of humanity, arguing how to determine the boundaries of being human.In the movie, Andrew contended that being human should not only be based upon the physical attributes that defines humanity; it should also be rooted on the principles of individual comprehension and the concept of death.Andrew gave up his mortality in order to be accepted as human. Although in the film, it would seem that Andrew’s nature cannot be changed for his metaphysical make-up is a robot, his assertion of his self and the idea of being recognized as part of the human race is a trait of a rational being.Kant lucidly explains the complexities of the human condition when he states that all individuals should be treated as ends and never merely as a means. He stresses that the rights of an individual must be upheld through the pursuance of equality before the law and the acquisition of education that leads to enligh tenment. Based on this statement, rationality is characterized by the ability to see oneself as an entity of worth. It is to apply reasoning to verify his or her existence. From the film’s perspective, Mr.Martin had demonstrated Kant’s edict with regard to his involvement in Andrew’s mental progress since he gave Andrew the chance to achieve something that was beyond a robot’s nature. Mr. Martin’s support formulated Andrew’s exceptional voice that lends a humanistic view on life. Andrew’s appreciation for life was borne out of Mr. Martin’s subjective treatment of the robot as a being of worth. All of these things mentioned by Kant are found within Andrew’s being. If this is what defines humanity as a whole then Andrew is very much human despite his origins.It is through Andrew’s expression of freedom that affirms his humanity. Conclusion The film attempts to blur opinions about morality and humanity; both terms ar e used interchangeably to affirm the existence of human beings.It takes apart human reasoning through the being of a robot and relays its sentiments about the world in a self-imposing way. The views of Bentham, Rousseau and Kant explain partially the complex nature of humanity found in the film and how it has affected the way people have defined their existence.It is a movie that challenges each individual to look closely at her or his imperfections and render appreciation for the uniqueness each one possesses. As difficult as it is to fully grasp the concept, it is important to analyze the film as a tool of introspection into the consciousness of our rationality as humans since it questions the very essence of how we understand our existence. Work Cited Nelson, Brian R. Western Political Thought: From Socrates to the Age of Ideology. 2nd ed. New York: Prentice Hall, 1995.

Swot Analysis A Swot - 1708 Words

A SWOT analysis is â€Å"a structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a project or in a business venture.†(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT analysis, 03/11/14). A swot analysis can also be used to examine a person’s attributes. The strengths and weaknesses usually are internal factors whereas threats and opportunities are mainly external. Advantage Disadvantage Internal Strengths 1. Self-motivated 2. I am organised; accurate and pay attention to detail 3. Multilingual and passionate to learn more languages and different cultures. 4. Good with computers; keyboard skills and knowledge of Microsoft applications. 5. I like cleaning 6. Time management skills; I’m good at managing my busy schedule. 7. Friendly personality and get on well with others. 8. Good listening skills. 9. I like to work under pressure Weaknesses 1. Intensely self-critical; overblown sense of responsibility. 2. Control freak. 3. Speech impediment. 4. No qualification to prove my knowledge of computers. 5. Use of too much bleach is not healthy. 6. I spend a lot of time doing unnecessary things. 7. If I don’t know someone personally I can get shy and nervous. 8. Poor writing skills 9. Sometimes I take on more work than I can chew and give up. External Opportunities 1. Accept and appreciate help from others 2. Accept that I cannot control everything in my life, sometimes I need to take a laissez-faire approach. 3. Take speech classes andShow MoreRelatedSwot Analysis Of Swot And Swot Analysis738 Words   |  3 Pagesknown as SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis is business analysis method that business can use for each of its department when deciding on the most perfect way to increase their business and future growth. This procedure identifies the internal and external strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are in the markets. SWOT analysis helps you decide your position against your competitors, identifies best future opportunities, and highlight current and future threats. SWOT analysis is an acronymRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Swot Analysis : Swot1223 Words   |  5 PagesOnStar – SWOT Analysis To help OnStar determine if home monitoring services should be added to its list of products and services, a SWOT analysis should be completed. A SWOT analysis is a situation analysis or tool used to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an organization (SWOT Analysis Definition | Investopedia, 2005). Thus, it is a basic straightforward model that determines what an organization, like OnStar, can and cannot do, as well as determines its opportunitiesRead MoreSwot Analysis : Swot And Swot2320 Words   |  10 PagesSWOT analysis focuses on the internal factors which are the company’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the external factors which are the opportunities and threats which are gained from situational analysis, which focuses on summarizing all the pertinent information acquired about the key three environments of internal, customer, and external (Ferrell Hartline, 2014, p. 39). 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Corporate Social Responsibility A Company s Sense Of...

Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility refers to a company’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment, in both ecological and social aspects, in which it operates. It may also termed as corporate citizenship and can involve incurring short-term costs that do not provide an immediate financial benefit to the company, but instead of this it promotes positive social and environmental change. According to Cheng (2014) many top executives as well as academics are focused in corporate social responsibility strategies like involving social and environmental concerns in their operation. Guo (2014) in his article states that CSR is the behavior demonstrated to the entire stakeholder rather than stockholders alone by assuming the importance and necessity of the sustainable development. Lindrawati (as cited in Santoso, 2010) argues that business can’t be distinguished by ethical and responsibilities issues and do not always seek profit. CSR have become more common nowadays. According to KPMG International’s survey in Asia-Pacific in 2013, 71% of the 4,100 companies and 93% of the largest 250 global companies based on the Fortune Global 500 rankings were recorded being involved in CSR activities (Santoso, 2010). The word CSR describes itself. Corporate means businesses of large companies, Social means people, including environment and responsibility means things we have to do plus playing our part. CSR is a management concept whereShow MoreRelatedCorporate Social Responsibility : A Company s Sense Of Responsibility734 Words   |  3 PagesBusinessDictionary.com (n.d.), defines corporate social responsibility (CSR) as â€Å"a company’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment, both ecological and social, in which it operates† (para. 1). 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Thus, I am going to talk about definitions of the CSR and I will define my own perspective about the CSR. Read MoreThe Importance Of Corporate Social Responsibility Development1196 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction Recent decades have witnessed the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility development in business landscapeï ¼Å'which is defined as be responsibility to all corporation activities with environment sustainable. Whether a small enterprise or a multinational company, CSR is an integral part of company to promote brand imageï ¼Å'enhance social harmony. And it also become a standard of company working measurement. Internallyï ¼Å'the CSR activities give staff respect and welfare, and forRead MoreStarbucks - Csr1476 Words   |  6 PagesStarbucks Corporate Citizens of the World There is currently a robust and ongoing debate about whether a companies, especially a publicly traded companies, only goal should be profit. Making money for the shareholders used to be what business was about. Now, more and more people are starting to believe that companies should pay more attention to social and environmental concerns that effect not just the shareholders, but the stakeholders and even society as a whole. The practice ofRead MoreWhat Does Corporate Responsibility Mean1518 Words   |  7 PagesWhat Does Corporate Social Responsibility Mean? Corporate initiative to assess and take responsibility for the company s effects on the environment and impact on social welfare. The term generally applies to company efforts that go beyond what may be required by regulators or environmental protection groups.  Ã‚   Corporate social responsibility may also be referred to as corporate citizenship and can involve incurring short-term costs that do not provide an immediate financial benefit to theRead Moreâ€Å"Why Companies Can No Longer Afford to Ignore Their Social Responsibilities†1388 Words   |  6 PagesReport: â€Å"Why Companies Can No Longer Afford to Ignore Their Social Responsibilities† Theme of the Article Over the years, the perspective of corporate social responsibility has evolved in Corporate America. Today, many businesses have made promises to contribute to current social problems, such as the environment and labor standards. Companies are now looking at corporate social responsibility as a sustainability tactic that can benefit their overall market value. Companies that do not payRead More: Critically Evaluate Corporate Social Responsibility as an Ethical Tool Basing Some of Your Argument on the Toyota Case Study1711 Words   |  7 PagesWhat Corporate Social Responsibility is Corporate Social Responsibility can be defined has an obligation beyond that required law and economics , for a firm to purse long term goals that are good for the society. This entails the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving quality of the workforce and their families as well as that of the local community and society at large. Bhatia (2004) defined corporate social responsibility as aRead MoreEthics And Corporate Social Responsibility1637 Words   |  7 PagesManaging Sustainability: Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility in the post-bureaucratic era. â€Å"Leadership is the process of directing, controlling, motivating and inspiring staff toward the realization of stated organizational goals† (Clegg, S.R. Kornberger, M. Pitsis. 2011, p.126.) Leadership in the post-bureaucratic era is essential for the success of a company, and also plays part into the Sustainability of Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility for an enterprise. In this essay I will