Problem-solving tools and techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Problem-solving tools and techniques - Essay Example For example a son desires to search out an extraordinary present for his grand parents 25th anniversary, but he doesn’t have knowledge of what would suit the best. He brainstorms many gift suggestions to choose a gift that would explain his parents that how much they value for him. Benchmarking is the procedure of deciding who is the most excellent, who places the standard, and what that standard is. For example: In cricket, the victory in five successive World Cup finals declared Australia the benchmark. Groupthink describes one process by which a group can make bad or irrational decisions. In a groupthink situation, each member of the group attempts to match up his or her opinions to what they believe to be the consensus of the group Groupthink, a name created by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972), takes place when a group takes flawed decisions for the reason that group strains escorts to a deterioration of â€Å"mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment† (p. 9). Nominal group technique (NGT) is a prearranged technique for group brainstorming that supports offerings from every person of the group. For example a group of bankers functioning on improving a management account has a clearly organized work manner, and therefore use NGT instead of Brainstorming to come up with the correct format. Intuition is the capability to acquire a logic, image or sense regarding somebody or something. Intuition communicates by signs, thoughts and sentiments. Intuition is present in everyone since his/her birth. For instance, you can be a fine author, excellent listener,  observant, imaginative, responsive, high flier and cultured. You may have a leadership quality ad you may have a quality to take a right decision on a right time. These things are God gifted and help you make

Current Climate Changes Essay Example for Free

Current Climate Changes Essay This paper entitled, â€Å"Current Climate Changes† intends to reintroduce the definition of Climate Change. Furthermore, it plans to state the human contributions to climate change. Moreover, it also aims to reiterate that cattle produce too much methane, which in turn plays a large role in the current climate changes that occur. In addition, it also intends to state the effects of climate changes. Last but not least, it provides the solutions that may possibly address this serious dilemma. Climate Change Defined â€Å"Climate change† is an alteration in our climate which, ninety to ninety five percent of it, are brought about by the unethical, ill-mannered acts of human beings (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). â€Å"The United Nation Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is explicitly endorsed by the national science academies of the eight most industrialized nations, says that the scientific opinion on climate change is that the average global temperature has increased 0. 6  ± 0. 2? C since the late 19th century and that most of the warming that has been observed over the last fifty years is caused by human activities† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). These human activities include the emission of greenhouse gases, for instance, carbon dioxide and methane (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Temperatures or heat may go up by â€Å"1. 4 to 5. 8? C between 1990 and 2100† according to the â€Å"Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Rises in sea level, changes in pattern, as well as, alteration in the amount of precipitation will go along with the aforementioned as well (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Then the aforementioned occurrences are expected to yield the following as well: a) extreme water events like floods and b) droughts, as well as, c) heat waves, and d) hurricanes (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). In addition to that, it may also contribute to â€Å"biological extinctions† and may affect â€Å"agricultural yields† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Human Contributions to Climate Change Some experts accept as true that the earth experienced climate change from two hundred ten million years to one hundred forty million years ago or during the Jurassic Period with standard temperatures increasing by 9? F (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). It is said that this caused the rate of â€Å"rock weathering† to increase by 400% which actually, resulted in â€Å"carbon dioxide† level dropping back to normal for the succeeding 150,000 years (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Moreover, a greenhouse gas, technically referred to as, â€Å"methane clathrate† has been believed to have caused â€Å"climate change† back then (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). They thought it was related to the â€Å"Permian-Triassic extinction event† and the â€Å"Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Furthermore, â€Å"William Ruddiman†, a â€Å"paleoclimatologist† states that the influence of human on the â€Å"climate changes† may have began along with the development of agriculture eight hundred decades ago (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). This hampered/prevented â€Å"carbon dioxide and methane levels to drop† as quickly as they would have done otherwise (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). In addition, there is a decades-old difference of opinion about the consequences of humans on the climate change (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Most of â€Å"scientific opinion† on this issue is that â€Å"recent warming is caused largely by humans†, although this has not been settled (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). The discussion usually focuses on the effect of emissions of â€Å"carbon dioxide† which is linked to human activities like that of â€Å"burning fossil fuels and industrial activities† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Also, climate change theory supporters assert that: 1) The recent rise in â€Å"carbon dioxide† and other â€Å"greenhouse gases† is human-caused (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). 2) The climate change of the last five decades is most likely caused by human activity as well (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). 3) Geophysical experiments by humankind may turn out bad and may bring about something humans cannot undo like climate change and its effects (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Methane Production by Cattle According to researchers, â€Å"cows are one of the top greenhouse gas producers† (Hunter 657). Explaining further, cows produce too much methane, which is one of the leading â€Å"causes of the climate change† (Hunter 657). It is believed that cows contribute about 29% of the total volume of methane emitted through internal fermentation in the digestive process or via defecation (Hunter 657). Aside from this, cattle are also associated with the burning of the forests, which is also a source of â€Å"greenhouse gas emission† (Hunter 657). However, other experts believe that the problem of â€Å"fossil fuels† is that the released â€Å"carbon dioxide† that has been trapped is â€Å"taken out of circulation and collected then burned all at once† (Hunter 657). This means that the issue on cow flatulence is that the â€Å"carbon dioxide† is recently absorbed by the plant matter that the cow ate and that the â€Å"carbon dioxide† it released will again be absorbed by new grass grown (Hunter 657). In addition, much of the â€Å"carbon† absorbed by the cow is condensed in to the meat and defecation thus, taking more â€Å"carbon dioxide† out of the environment (Hunter 657). Effects of Climate Changes The current controversy over whether â€Å"climate change† should be of concern must be addressed immediately (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Controversies like: 1) whether or not the climate is changing beyond â€Å"natural variations†; 2) â€Å"whether or not human/industrial activity is responsible for the change†; 3) how large future changes will be, etc.. should not be the focus of experts, as well as politicians, instead, they should look deeper into the consequences or effects of â€Å"climate change† and do something about it (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). There are various predicted effects of â€Å"climate change† and these include: 1) sea level rise; 2) temperature rise; 3) acidification; 4) shutdown of thermobaline circulation; 5) extreme weather; 6) destabilization of local climates; 7) reduced ozone layer; 8) methane release; 9) forest fires; 10) decline of agriculture; 11) flood; l2) migration; 13) water scarcity; 14) skin cancer and other related diseases etc (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Solutions The world’s principal international agreement on combating â€Å"climate change† is technically referred to as the â€Å"Kyoto protocol† (Oberthur et. al. 2). There are other strategies though, and some include the following: 1) Improving â€Å"energy efficiency† since more efficient cars, appliances, and industrial systems use less energy meaning less fuel is burned and less carbon dioxide is emitted (Springer 102). 2) Developing and using energy sources which emits little or no carbon dioxide, for instance, hydro power, solar power and windmills, as well as other â€Å"renewable energy sources† (Springer 102). 3) Improving forest and â€Å"agricultural management practices† like: planting more trees since trees remove â€Å"carbon dioxide† from the atmosphere, and reduction of cattle since â€Å"methane† is produced by such agricultural activity (Springer 102). 4) Reduction of the impacts of â€Å"climate change† for instance through the following: new varieties of crops can be developed to grow in changed climates; building of aqueducts since they can carry water to regions affected by drought; and building of dikes and sea walls to protect coastal settlements (Springer 102). 5) â€Å"Government regulation†, for instance forcing auto companies to design more efficient cars (Springer 102). 6) Encouraging people to save energy by promoting energy efficient devices (Springer 102). 7) â€Å"Informing educating people in improving efficiency /reducing emissions† (Springer 102). 8) â€Å"Government spending† for more, in terms of â€Å"research and development† for instance, in developing new technologies that use less energy or emit no â€Å"carbon dioxide† (Springer 102). 9) â€Å"Greenhouse mitigation† which may be carried out through: elimination of the utilization of fossil fuels so that emission of greenhouse gases may be avoided eventually; and making sure that â€Å"carbon dioxide† is absent in the atmosphere (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). 10) Injection of â€Å"carbon dioxide† into â€Å"depleted oil wells to force more oil out of the ground or seafloor† so that it may be possible to â€Å"store carbon dioxide released by a power plant, factory, or any large stationary source† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Conclusion â€Å"Climate change† is an alteration in our climate which, ninety to ninety five percent of it, are brought about by the unethical, ill-mannered acts of human beings (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Its effects include: 1) sea level rise; 2) temperature rise; 3) acidification; 4) shutdown of thermobaline circulation; 5) extreme weather; 6) destabilization of local climates; 7) reduced ozone layer; 8) methane release; 9) forest fires; 10) decline of agriculture; 11) flood; l2) migration; 13) water scarcity; 14) skin cancer and other related diseases etc (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). On a final note, this problem may be addressed through the following: â€Å"1) injection of carbon dioxide; 2) greenhouse mitigation; 3) informing and educating people; 4) promoting energy-efficient devices; 5) Improving forest and â€Å"agricultural management practices; 6) building of aqueducts; 7) development of new varieties of crops; 8) government spending on research and development etc. † (Springer 102). References Encarta Encyclopedia. Climate Change. 2007. Microsoft. 03 October 2007 http://encarta. msn. com/encnet/refpages/search. aspx? q=climate+change Hunter, R. A. â€Å"Methane Production by Cattle†. British Journal of Nutrition. 98 (2007): 657. Oberthur, Sebastian Ott, Hermann E. The Kyoto Protocol: International Climate Policy for the 21st Century. NY: Springer, 1999.

Philosophic Principles of Creativity :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Philosophic Principles of Creativity ABSTRACT: The principle of universal significance of the creative process is promoted in this thesis. The principles of the ecology of creation and of the subject's humanistic orientation of the cognitive and practical activity, will also be investigated. 1. Nowadays the promotion of a new world outlook paradigm of global creativity has a place. The understanding of the nature of creation in the history of philosophy has always been connected with the explanation of the substance and of the mechanisms of creative activity. If asked - how creation in general is possible, what are its necessary premises and impulses - the answer was given aut of the trinity: God /Plato, G.W.F.Hegel, N.Berdyaev/, Nature /Epicurus, B.Spinoza, H.Bergson/, Human Being /C.A.Helvetius, K.Marx, J.P.Sartre/. Such abilities of the human beeng as intuition, imagination and fantasy have been united in the mechanisms of creation. Some thinkers have been explaining them through perceiving using "the eyes of mind" of evidently clear true ideas /R.Descartes, I.Kant, E.Husserl/, some others - just vice versa - opposed those concepts of mind and logic, finding in them the way to some instant perceiving of the essence of things - a sign of divine revelation and beneficy /St. Augustine, A.Shopenhauer, E.H.Gilson/. The principal difference in the idea of global creativity consists in the admission of the ontological status of creative processes, of their quality of being primary as some maximum totality. The attention is drawn to the subject's purpose - considering activity considered as a certain stage /link/ in the global teleological processes of the universal. Considering the metaphysical point of view, creation is a fundamental process of spontaneous transcendence of potentials and virtualities, of permanent development in the field of universal posibilities. All of the existing material, semiotic and ideal structures expose themselves as certain products /events/ of creative processes. Their former, actual and future existance finally depends on the different direction and on the forms of realisation of the potentials of creativity. 2. The new world outlook paradigm of global creativity correlates harmoniously with the fundamental principles of modern natural science. It is worth mentioning that the understanding of physical reality as a set of different assemblies of events and relations, having as a result, the appearance of separated substantial material objects /N.Bohr, K.Hubner/. An important methodological role in modern cosmology is played by the so called antropic principle. According to that principle the significance of the universal physical constants - and that means all the outlook of the Universe known to us - is the only one possible for the appearance and existence of the human being in it /S.

The Dust Bowl :: American History

The Dust Bowl The early 1900's were a time of turmoil for farmers in the United States, especially in the Great Plains region. After the end of World War I, overproduction by farmers resulted in low prices for crops. When farmers first came to the Midwest, they farmed as much wheat as they could because of the high prices and demand. Of the ninety-seven acres, almost thirty-two million acres were being cultivated. The farmers were careless in their planting of the crop, caring only about profit, and they started plowing grasslands that were not made for planting. Because of their constant plowing year after year and the lack of rainfall, the soil was quickly losing its fertility. With unfertile, dry land, the wheat crop started dying, and then blowing away with wind. Due to the improper farming, along with a long drought, dust storms made life in the Dust Bowl very burdensome. During the 1930's, the Great Plains was plagued with a drought, a long period of dryness, which brought demise to many of the farmers in the region. This horrible drought started in 1930, a year that saw heavy rains in a very short time, which cause flooding in many areas of the Oklahoma Panhandle. The year continued to with horrible blizzards in the winter and a drought into the late summer. Many of the farms in the Great Plains, losing most of the crop, were greatly affected by the first droughts of the 1930's. The months of July and August saw about a forty-percent decrease of precipitation compared to previous years. From 1934 to 1936, A record drought hit the southwestern region. In 1934 the temperature was excruciatingly hot, causing many to die as a result of the heat. 1935 was a year where rainfall was very, very scarce. The heat began to rise at fast rates in the summer of 1936, with many days reaching above 120 degrees. The drought, along with the dust storms, were major reasons for poor farming in the Great Plains during the early to mid-1930's. Because of the drought, the ground became very dry in the Great Plains. This area, known as the Dust Bowl, was a region of horrible dust storms during most of the 1930's. The storms accompanied the drought and intensified the problems of the farmers. With the drought, many fields were not in a situation to grow crops.

Introduction to Environmental Science Essay

Be able to define an environmental factor. There are two types (condition and resource). What is the difference between a condition and a resource? Be able to categorize particular environmental factors as conditions OR resources (for example, temperature is a condition and not a resource). Be able to rank from smallest to largest: ecosystem, landscape, biome, biosphere Be able to rank from smallest to largest (in terms of numbers and diversity of life): species, population, biota and biosphere. Also, what is the difference between a population of a species and a species overall? Make sure you can explain the Law of Limiting Factors. What is the difference between the optimum conditions, the zones of tolerance and the zones of stress? Can life exist outside of the zones of tolerance? Outside of the zones of stress? Be able to list the primary atoms in organic compounds. What is the difference between a producer and a consumer? Be able to classify life as one or the other. Make sure you know the products and reactants for photosynthesis and cellular respiration. In each of the following cycles, be able to identify the primary source for each atom (atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere): Carbon cycle, Nitrogen cycle, Phosphorous cycle. Be able to categorize an environmental resistance factor as population density-dependent or density-independent. Some examples may include food availability, water availability, disease, temperature, wind and available space/shelter. What are biotic potential and environmental resistance, and how are they related? Be able to define critical number (what this means for a species survival), threatened and endangered. Make sure you can list characteristics of a K-strategist versus an r-strategist. Is an elephant a K- or r-strategist? What about a fly? Be able to describe, and identify, the following community interactions: predation, competition, mutualism, commensalism, amensalism. What is an adaptation? Be able to identify common types of adaptations of organisms (camouflage, prickles on cactus, ability to store water in the desert, hibernation in cold climates, long necks to reach food, etc. see table in your Power Point and textbook). See more: introduction paragraph example How does the process of selective pressure influence the processes of evolution and speciation? What IS the process of speciation? What is time frame for evolution and/or speciation of complex species (i.e., not single-celled organisms like bacteria)? Can species that evolve from other species still mate with the species from which they evolved? How are the Theories of Evolution and Continental Drift complimentary? Be able to identify the exponential growth rate equation and the logistic growth rate equation. What are the differences between the two? (For example, carrying capacity is only in logistic growth, the shapes of the curves are different.) Be able to describe how (in what way) each of the four human population revolutions impacted the carrying capacity for humans on Earth. Make sure you can tell me what each of the letters stands for in this equation, I = (P x A x T)/S, and how increasing and decreasing each will change environmental impact (I). Make sure you know what each of these trophic categories or food web terms are: Autotrophs, Heterotrophs (includes decomposers, consumers), Producers, Consumers (first-order, second-order, third-order). Where do herbivores, carnivores and omnivores fit into the consumer classes? Be able to list the 6 major biomes, and compare them in terms of precipitation and temperature (precipitation is the primary factor that determines biomes, and temperature is the second most important factor). What are common values that humans place on biodiversity? What was the goal of the Endangered Species Act? Does it protect the organism only, or also its habitat?

Free Essays on Gets Girl

Boy Gets Girl is a very interesting play for not only about what could go wrong on a blind date, but also because it shows how people can perceive others. The story all when Linda a friend of Theresa’s decided to set her up on a blind date with a guy whom she hardly knew. Theresa does not seem much like a person who wants to date a lot in the story but decides to try it and see how it goes. Tony the blind date seemed very polite in the beginning polite and really interested in getting to know Theresa. However, there was a certain edge to Tony that Theresa did not seem to notice on the first date. After the first date with Tony, Theresa received flowers from him at her office the next day. She also ended up having a second date with Tony. The second date did not seem to go so well. She didn’t feel like there was any connection with Tony and therefore she decided to tell him so that he could move on and date other people. Tony seemed to be fine with it but you could tell that he was a little let down by it. After the dates were off Tony decided to keep calling Theresa no matter how much she told him she did not want him to. He also popped up in her office unexpected. After a while, Tony continued to harass Theresa. Theresa started to blame her friend Linda who hooked the two of them up. Howard, Theresa’s boss did not think anything of the subject when he became aware of it. He just said that Tony was a â€Å"smuck† and went about his way. After a while Theresa started received threatening phone calls at home as well as work. She did not know how Tony had gotten her number because she had not given it to him. In the letters he was writing to Theresa, he was stating thing about raping her and killing her in different ways. Theresa then decided to get the police involved and file for a protection order to keep him from harassing her. She decided to stay at the home of Mercer who was a coworker. The reason was because s... Free Essays on Gets Girl Free Essays on Gets Girl Boy Gets Girl is a very interesting play for not only about what could go wrong on a blind date, but also because it shows how people can perceive others. The story all when Linda a friend of Theresa’s decided to set her up on a blind date with a guy whom she hardly knew. Theresa does not seem much like a person who wants to date a lot in the story but decides to try it and see how it goes. Tony the blind date seemed very polite in the beginning polite and really interested in getting to know Theresa. However, there was a certain edge to Tony that Theresa did not seem to notice on the first date. After the first date with Tony, Theresa received flowers from him at her office the next day. She also ended up having a second date with Tony. The second date did not seem to go so well. She didn’t feel like there was any connection with Tony and therefore she decided to tell him so that he could move on and date other people. Tony seemed to be fine with it but you could tell that he was a little let down by it. After the dates were off Tony decided to keep calling Theresa no matter how much she told him she did not want him to. He also popped up in her office unexpected. After a while, Tony continued to harass Theresa. Theresa started to blame her friend Linda who hooked the two of them up. Howard, Theresa’s boss did not think anything of the subject when he became aware of it. He just said that Tony was a â€Å"smuck† and went about his way. After a while Theresa started received threatening phone calls at home as well as work. She did not know how Tony had gotten her number because she had not given it to him. In the letters he was writing to Theresa, he was stating thing about raping her and killing her in different ways. Theresa then decided to get the police involved and file for a protection order to keep him from harassing her. She decided to stay at the home of Mercer who was a coworker. The reason was because s...

Indira Gandhi Quotes

Indira Gandhi Quotes Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and from 1980 to 1984. Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, a hero in winning independence from Britain, Indira Gandhi was also a follower of Gandhi in her early years. Indira Gandhi was elected Prime Minister in 1966, and her administration was often controversial. After using the military to put an end to a Sikh separatist operation, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh security guards in 1984. Select Quotations You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose. Actions today  mould  our tomorrows. What matters is that we should achieve what we set out to do.  (1977) Social change is brought about by those who dare and act, who can think unconventionally and who can court unpopularity.  (1974) My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition. Tolerance and compassion are active, not passive states, born of the capacity to listen, to observe and to respect others. They are founded on a reverence for life that shows itself in ones attitude to man and to the earth and to other creatures. This state of listening, observing, is to be alive; it is a state of understanding and it is the manifestation of a truly scientific mind that is mature with the quality of humanness. Ends may vary but means must be based on the acceptance of man as the  centre  of all quest. (1981) There exists no politician in India daring enough to attempt to explain to the masses that cows can be eaten.  (1975 interview with Oriana Fallaci) I would say our greatest achievement is to have survived as a free and democratic nation. Let us not allow ourselves to be oppressed by frustration or misguided by anger into  wrong  action which will inevitably increase the burden on the common man, undermine the very foundations of democracy and imperil the well-being and happiness of us all. But let our concern lead us to constructive effort, to hard work, to co-operation.  (1966) Our ancient philosophy speaks of right action. Lifes journey should be in quest neither of power nor wealth but of inner worth. The Gita says, To action alone  have  you a right, not to its fruits. We want progress, we want development, but in such a way that it does not disrupt the life of the area, the looks of the area, the beauty of the region and does not alienate the people from their own surroundings...  (1975) Martyrdom does not end something, it is only a beginning. You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. There are moments in history when brooding tragedy and its dark shadows can be lightened by recalling great moments of the past. Even if Indira Gandhi dies, her blood would spring from the earth and thousands of  Indiras  will emerge to serve the people of the country. I say so because Indira Gandhi is not the name of a mere woman but a philosophy which is wedded to the service of the masses. –the month she was assassinated, October 20, 1984 I dont mind if my life goes in the service of the nation. If I die today every drop of my blood will invigorate the nation.  Ã¢â‚¬â€œthe night before she was assassinated, October 30, 1984. To bear many children is considered not only a religious blessing but also an investment. The greater their number, some Indians reason, the more alms they can beg.  (1975) It is not enough for a few at the top to reach outstanding ability. Performance at every level, even the very lowest, must be improved. All of us are part of the huge apparatus of the nation, the efficient working of which is dependent on the smooth functioning of every individual component.  (1969) Ability, and not class or community or wealth, should determine what education a child should have, what school he or she should go to.  (1966) The Himalayas have shaped our history; they have  moulded  our philosophy; they have inspired our saints and poets. They influence our weather. Once they defended us; now we must defend them. Our  defence  services are learning to know them and to love them.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹(1968)