Saudi Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Saudi Women - Essay Example The newspaper knows the female psychology very well. Women usually are interested more in hearing praising words from others especially from the male community. Even an agitated woman may calm down while somebody praises her beauty or appearance. The newspaper uses this technique very well to settle the growing tensions among Saudi women. â€Å"A pampered life is impossible for Saudi women unless they stop working, cooking, doing errands, carrying out chores outside the home, contributing financially and making the lives of Saudi men more comfortable† (Almansour). Saudi’s social systems are trying to tie down the females within the boundaries of their home. Saudi laws, customs and religious beliefs are one sided; helping only the male community. CNN has reported an incident from Saudi recently. Samar Badawi, a 30-year-old mother of one, forced to spend seven months in jail for disobeying her father. She was physically abused by her father from the age of 14 after her mo ther died of cancer. She forced to leave her house because of the tortures from her father. However, of Saudi Arabia's guardianship laws, force women to gain permission from their father, husband or even adult son for many daily activities. As a result of that she forced to spend seven months in jail after her father brought a "disobedience" case against her and she refused to return to his home. Her father even refused to conduct her marriage which forced her to change her guardianship from father to her uncle (Maktabi & Elwazer). From this incident, it is evident that Saudi women are not getting safe shelter even under their fathers. Saudi fathers treat their female children differently. They see female children as... â€Å"A pampered life is impossible for Saudi women unless they stop working, cooking, doing errands, carrying out chores outside the home, contributing financially and making the lives of Saudi men more comfortable† (Almansour). Saudi’s social systems are trying to tie down the females within the boundaries of their home. Saudi laws, customs, and religious beliefs are one sided; helping only the male community. CNN has reported an incident from Saudi recently. Samar Badawi, a 30-year-old mother of one, forced to spend seven months in jail for disobeying her father. She was physically abused by her father from the age of 14 after her mother died of cancer. She forced to leave her house because of the tortures from her father. However, of Saudi Arabia's guardianship laws, force women to gain permission from their father, husband or even adult son for many daily activities. As a result of that, she forced to spend seven months in jail after her father brought a "disobedie nce" case against her and she refused to return to his home. Her father even refused to conduct her marriage which forced her to change her guardianship from father to her uncle(Maktabi&Elwazer). From this incident, it is evident that Saudi women are not getting safe shelter even under their fathers. Saudi fathers treat their female children differently. They see female children as a burden and male children as an asset. Under such circumstances, The Arabic newspapers argument about the pampered life of Saudi women seems to be totally wrong.

Aristotle on the Soul Essay Example for Free

Aristotle on the Soul Essay Aristotle’s notion differs from the usual conception of a soul as some sort of substance occupying the body, existing separately and eternally. To him, the soul is the essence of a living thing. The soul is what makes an organism an organism at all by actualizing its potential for life, and it’s constituted by its capacity for activities essential to that specific type of being. His investigation into the nature of the soul demonstrates basic principles of his philosophical theories at work, including Hylomorphism, potentiality and actuality, and his four causes. His use of these theories in analyzing and teasing out the complexities of the soul make for a cohesive and comprehensive study, easily amenable with his other works. In this paper I will analyze his notion of the soul as described in De Anima, recounting how he came to define the soul, the explanation of the soul, how the souls of different kinds of ensouled beings differ, and his unique concept of how the soul is related to the body. Aristotle begins Book 1 of De Anima by stating that since the soul is a principle of animals, and here I will interpret animals to mean more broadly beings, describing its essence has implications beyond its obvious scope. In unfolding the nature of the soul, it is possible to determine which attributes belong to the soul alone and which belong to the organism in virtue of having a soul (Aristotle, De Anima 402a). So besides exploring the nature of life, his analysis will also seek to answer the question of whether all mental states (of the soul) are also material states of the body, or whether some attributes of the soul are unique to it. In doing so, we are confronted with the interesting implication of Aristotle’s position on the mind/body problem, to which I will get to later on. Returning to the question at hand (what is the soul? ), Aristotle starts his investigation by use of his explanatory theory of Hylomorphism, which states that substances are compounds of matter and form, and change occurs when form actualizes matter (Shields). There are three sorts of substances; form, matter, and the compound of form and matter. Matter is potentiality and form is actuality. Form actualizes matter, which possesses the potential to be what it is. So using Aristotle’s example of a bronze statue, the matter, in this case the bronze, only actualizes it’s potential of being a statue when it acquires the form, or the shape and features. Of interest is the third kind of substance, compounds, which make up living beings. The body is the substance as matter, so the soul is the substance as form or shape. Here we get to Aristotle’s preliminary definition of the soul as the actuality of a natural body having life potentially (Aristotle, De Anima 412). It is in virtue of this form, the soul, that makes an organism alive. Without the soul, the body would only have the capacity for life potentially, and so the soul is the essence (the form) of living things. This preliminary definition is taken a step further when Aristotle identifies the soul as the â€Å"first actuality of a natural body that is potentially alive† (Aristotle, De Anima 412a). He claims that the actuality that is the soul is like the actuality that is knowledge, in that we speak of it in two ways. We can distinguish between a state of knowing x and a state of attending to the knowledge of x, where the latter is more of an active process. The passive of state of knowing x is the first actuality, first because it must necessarily come prior to attending or remembering that knowledge i. e. potential precedes actual. Similarly, the soul of a sleeping person is like the passive state, the first actuality, while the soul of an awake person is like the active state. The soul must be the first actuality, for if not we would be forced to say a sleeping animal lacks a soul, a conclusion we do not want to make (Aristotle, De Anima 412a-412b). First actuality seems to correspond to a capacity to engage in the activity of the second actuality, and in this way is a kind of potential to exercise some function, like the ability to engage in thought. Aristotle makes this clear when he states that, â€Å"If the eye, for instance, were an animal, sight would be its soul† (Aristotle, De Anima 412b). Sight is the capacity of the eye for seeing, where sight is the form and the eye is the matter. The first actuality is the capacity for seeing, and the second actuality is seeing, actively exercising the potential ability. So it seems that beyond defining the soul as the ‘first actuality of a natural body that is potentially alive’, we can say the soul is a set of capacities that characterize living things. These characteristic capacities are different in different beings, and we will see that it is by these that Aristotle creates his hierarchy of ensouled beings or the degrees of souls. I will return to this distinction later in this paper, when describing how the souls of different ensouled beings differ. At this point we have a definition of the soul, but as Aristotle stresses throughout his various works, we must determine the cause or explanation in order to truly grasp the essence, and therefore get at complete picture of his view of the soul. The definition just given explains the what, but a full account must explain the why. He states in the Physics, â€Å"for our inquiry aims at knowledge; and we think we know something only when we find the reason why it is so, i. . , when we find its primary cause† (Aristotle, Physics 194b). His criteria for an adequate definition, one that is sufficient for knowledge, rest on his theory of causation and explanation. The four causes include the material cause, formal cause, efficient cause, and final cause. Material cause is what something is made of, the formal cause is the form or pattern of which a thing is what it is, the efficient cause refers to the agent of change or rest, and the final cause is the intended purpose of the change or the reason why a thing is done (Shields). We must, therefore, determine why the soul is what it is in virtue of these four general causes. The soul is the principle and the cause of the living body, for it is in virtue of the soul that the body is alive, and thus it plays an explanatory role. It is the cause of the living body in three of the four ways, as â€Å"the source of motion, as what something is for, and as the substance of ensouled bodies†(Aristotle, De Anima 415), corresponding to the efficient cause, the final cause, and the formal cause respectively. It is the source of motion in that it causes growth and decay in the organism. The soul is also the cause of the living body by being the final cause, as the body is merely an organ for the sake of the soul, aimed at the soul. And finally, the soul is the formal cause of the living body for it causes life by being the form and actuality of what is potentially. The body makes up the fourth cause, the material cause, by being the matter that makes up a living organism (Aristotle, De Anima 415). I will use Aristotle’s example of the nature of a house as described in Book One, when he is discussing the importance of form, in order to better illustrate the necessity for analysis of a concept under his theory of causation and explanation. To merely define a house as stones, bricks, and timbers, is not to capture its full essence. A house is stones, bricks, and timbers (material cause), built into an enclosed structure (formal cause), fashioned together by a carpenter (efficient cause), in order to provide shelter from the elements (final cause). We can describe the what, but without further details about the explanation, we don’t really know the nature of a house. Similarly the soul is why, it gives the explanation for, the life activities of a living body. At this point Aristotle’s notion of the soul is quite clear; it is the first actuality of a natural body that is potentially alive, it is a set of capacities for life-giving and defining activities of organisms, and it is the form, the source of motion, and the means (it directs) to the end of the living body. Souls of different living beings are differentiated by their capacities to engage in the activities characteristic of that type of organism, which comprise their livelihood and survival. It is these differentiating faculties that make up the soul. Among these faculties are the nutritive and reproductive, perceptive, locomotive, and the capacity for thought and understanding. Aristotle claims, â€Å"the soul is the principle of the potentialities we have mentioned—for nutrition, perception, understanding, and motion—and is defined by them† (Aristotle, De Anima 413). There are three types of souls, arranged in a nested hierarchy, so the possession of a higher soul entails possession of all that are below it. The lowest, or most basic, in this hierarchy is the nutritive soul. All living things possess the capacity for self-nourishment, for without this they would not live. Next is the sensitive soul, which is possessed only by animals. The highest type of soul is the rational soul, belonging only to humans. These three souls are differentiated by their function, corresponding to the ensouled being in possession of the soul with the power to exercise that function. While the animal soul possesses the nutritive and the sensitive, and the human soul the rational as well, each has but one unified soul with a various sets of capacities (Shields). The nutritive soul is the potentiality held by all living things to preserve it and equip it for life. The function of this soul is the use of nourishment and generation, or reproduction. Generation is the most natural function, as it is a means for a living being to participate in the future (the â€Å"everlasting and divine†) by producing something else of its own sort. The use of nourishment allows the being to preserve itself, only existing while it is nourished. Nourishment allows an organism to grow as well as decay, according to its form. Since all living things possess the nutritive soul, all living things have the capacity for self-nourishment, growth, decay, and for reproduction. Further, since all nourishment involves digestion, and digestion involves heat, all beings contain heat (Aristotle, De Anima 415-416). The sensitive, or perceptive soul, distinguishes plants from animals. Perception is a type of alteration, in that a suitable sense-organ in perception is affected or changed by an external object. The external object acts as the agent, possessing the qualities in actuality that the sense-organ possesses potentially. Aristotle describes that it is through an intermediate condition, such as air, that sense organs receive the forms or qualities of the objects of perception, not the matter, when involuntarily acted upon by the external object. Thus, the sensitive soul has the capacity to receive sensible forms, resulting in perception. The sense-organs become like the agent after being affected, or receiving the qualities (Shields). Again, we can see Aristotle returning to his theory of Hylomorphism in describing perception as the change in the sense-organ as a result of the acquisition of form. The potential of the sense-organ is made actual in virtue of the external object which possesses the form in actuality. Aristotle states that every animal has the sense of touch, but not all possess the sense of sight, hearing, taste and smell. Animals are further distinguished along these lines; while each possesses a nutritive and a sensitive soul, there are various degrees of complexity of the latter soul corresponding to the activities of the animal. Aristotle continues further that the possession of the perceptive soul implies that the animal has the capacity to desire, and desiring includes appetite, emotion, and wish. He also determines possession of this soul entails the ability to feel pleasure and pain and it is in virtue of this soul that some animals possess the power of locomotion (Aristotle, De Anima 413-415). The rational soul, perhaps the most difficult section to interpret of De Anima, is essential and indicative of humans alone. It is in virtue of the rational soul, the intellect, that we come to know and understand things. The intellect is the seat of thought and thus reason. Thinking is similar to perception, as it involves the reception of form by a suitable capacity. However, while the object of perception is external and is the composite of form and matter, the object of thought is within the soul and is form alone (Shields). While hard to follow, I believe the objects of thought are the forms of forms; they get their intelligible forms in virtue of the sensible forms sensed in perception. Aristotle discusses the concept of â€Å"appearances†, which are different from perceptions and beliefs, for appearances exist while we sleep, with no external stimuli actualizing the ‘sensation’, and beliefs involve conviction, while appearances do not. Appearances are images resembling objects of perception (Aristotle, De Anima 428). It is helpful to think of appearances as the representation of reality we see in imagination. I believe Aristotle is claiming that it is these appearances that are the objects of thought. In intellection, the mind is made to be like the object of thought through reception of its intelligible form. The intellect is pure potentiality, it potentially has all of these objects of thought, and only in thought do these intelligible forms become actualized in the mind (Shields). As Aristotle’s philosophical worldview rests on a Hylomorphic principle, it is difficult to see how the alteration, bringing the intellect from potentiality to actuality in thought, comes about. In perception, this is in virtue of an external object that acts as an agent for change in the sense-organ. But what is the agent of change in intellection? Aristotle divides the intellect into the active and passive intellects. The active intellect acts as the agent of change; when the mind thinks the active intellect actualizes the intelligible forms in the passive intellect. The passive intellect stores the concepts of knowledge and intelligible forms in potentiality, to be recalled by the active intellect during thought. This means however, that the actual must precede the potential, contrary to what was discussed above. The nature of the active intellect is its activity, so it must be unremittingly active in order to cause the passive intellect to act and us to have thoughts and reason. If it is continuously active, this part of the rational soul must be eternal and thus stands in stark contrast with the rest of the souls Aristotle posits, but this controversial point is something I will not take up in this paper (Shields).

McDonalds Leadership and Management

McDonalds Leadership and Management When McDonalds opened its doors for business, a new trend of fast food emerged in California, back in 1954. Ray Kroc laid the foundation of what is now one of the worlds leading food retailers. McDonalds has more than 32,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries serving more than 60 million people every day. Catering to such a large customer base and extending its roots in other countries was not an easy task, strong values and effective management were the prerequisites required to make the company where it stands today. Since its inception, McDonalds has been actively engaged in innovating and building strong customer relations. From a chain of few restaurants to franchisees and drive thru restaurants, McDonalds has lived up to its promise of maintain convenience for its customers. Highlighting the key success areas, McDonalds label the experience as the major determinant (Long, 2006). The core part of their business is QSC V. QSC V stand for quality, service, cleanliness and values. Emphasis on these factors with effective implementation through four management functions is what constitutes the major ingredients for McDonalds success. Functions of Management Management is creative problem solving with the desired result of using organizational resources in a way that accomplishes its mission and objectives. These results are obtained by four management functions to which we turn next in context with the McDonalds. Planning is the ongoing process of developing the business mission and objectives and determining how they will be accomplished. McDonalds shares its ideas through its well developed vision. This vision statement serves as the binding glue between the employees worldwide. They all aim to serve their customers by giving them the best quality products at their convenience. This vision statement clearly indicates the future of the organization. At McDonalds every employee knows where they are heading towards and what their individual contribution. The vision acts as the binding force which gives the employees a sense of purpose and commitment. The second aspect of planning is to have a clear defined mission. McDonalds mission statement is to be our customers favorite place and way to eat (Dentch, 2009). This mission defines their business and their place in the life of its customers. Planning at McDonalds identify the goals and objectives and develop their strategies and tasks to accomplish these goals. Planning at McDonalds is aligned with the changes in the external environment; it also faced many challenges like local taste of people, cultural values, and traditions of specific area in which they want to enter. The planning process maintained the core values at all franchisees, however the local demands were taken into account to indulge in their culture completely. Strategies were modified to suit the needs of the area in which they entered. This was reflected in the operations as well as the resource utilization. One aspect that highlights McDonalds effective planning is how they manage their supply chains. Timely delivery and quality raw materials were the result of establishing good relations with the supply chain partners. As a result of this strategic planning, McDonalds went into the business of a 24/7 restaurants. This was to match the demands of the all types of customers and to boost the profits by extending the store hours. This was accompanied with introducing breakfast at McDonalds which further added to the menu. McDonalds was now offering all three meals of the day along and was thinking along the lines of adding snacks to the menu. With clearly defined purpose of the business, embedded values that dictate the vision and emphasis on the role of planning, McDonalds is able to achieve sustainable profits. Organizing is establishing the internal organizational structure of the organization. The focus is on division, coordination, and control of tasks and the flow of information within the organization. It is in this function that managers distribute authority to job holders. in todays society it is important that management considers the employees and customers as the most important asset of the organization. Having a rigid structure undermines the creativity of the employees, thus the culture of empowerment and delegation is what currently prevails in the competitive environment. McDonalds uses the collaborative management approach which connects all the global franchisees worldwide under the umbrella of single company name (Long, 2006). Management encourages the practice of working and assisting with each others franchisees to deliver the best to their customers by coping up with external challenges and representing a collaborative responsible culture. In order to ensure consistent q uality, the standards are uniform for all franchises. Thus a centralized structure prevails in terms of training programs, supplies and operations. The formal structure at McDonalds divides the organization in the departments and every individual knows his tasks well at which he needs to be specialized. However, these standard procedures do not give rise to bureaucratic rigidity in the organization; each employee is committed to achieve their goals. The organizational structure chosen supports the performance and is aligned with the strategy of the restaurant of providing consistent quality and great service experience. Leadership at McDonalds, the CEO is seen as the focal point from which the leadership emerges. Jim skinner, the current CEO of McDonalds has been entertained with this title for the past thirty five years (Dentch, 2009). Skinner is said to be an excellent leader with charismatic and transformational leader. He has said to revitalize the organization and introduced a new fast food business with his new vision. The turnaround at McDonalds can be fully attributed to his creative and innovative leadership. He was one of those who introduced plan to win initiative that emphasized the significance of store operations. Having a diverse background and expertise, he adapted strategies to keep his employees motivated and committed. Under his leadership, he places great importance on customer satisfaction; customers come before his employees and restaurants. He promotes creativity but does not let his employees focus the primary motive of his organization. He believes in finding the talent therefore he assigns different tasks to his employees and the best one is awarded and granted with more responsibility. Skinner places importance on values and ethics. When McDonalds was blamed for obesity, he did not hide behind passing on the blame; instead he took actions to positively handle the situation. Thus he can be seen as a moral leader who makes McDonalds a better place for both employees and customers. Controlling at McDonalds is the amalgam of motivated workers and the clear policies which keep them right on the track. The line manager is in charge of keeping the employees working according to the standards. At a broader perspective, every franchise must follow quality standards and abide by the strict supplier policies (Long, 2006). This is to ensure that the brands name is not in danger by irresponsible activities at individual franchise level. McDonalds Corporation believes in training its employees at Hamburger University. This is to ensure that employees are clear about the benchmark and how they modify any shortcomings in their performance to meet these standards. Flexible work schedule, fun loving culture, training and a healthy work life balance is what keeps the employees motivated. Though McDonalds is known for its tight control and bureaucratic structure, it in no way inhibits employee productivity or commitment to the organization. Conclusion McDonalds is a global fast food chain known for its quality food and great customer experience. Through strict and clear policies and under the charismatic leadership of Skinner, McDonalds have been able to build a reputable image in the minds of its consumers. Actively responding to the changing needs of its customers, it has been able to maintain its brand essence along with rising profits. A perfect blend of the four management functions namely, planning, organizing, leading and controlling has been the key driver behind McDonalds success.

The Need for Capital Punishment in America Essay examples -- Capital Pu

It is the firm belief and position here that committing such a crime as murder is punishable by death. Americans should take a position for anyone on death row, to be executed sooner rather than later. The moral reality in an argument for capital punishment is that they know the difference between the death penalty and what happens when it is actually put into place from the court of law. In the United States there are more people sitting in prison on death row than actually being executed at time of sentence. When the death penalty is not carried out, then families of the murdered victim recognize the value of the victim’s life is insignificant and the person that has committed the crime has the greater life of being able to continue living while in prison on death row. Many people argue for the death penalty with the case that is someone commits a violent crime, they should be put to death. Should anyone argue that if you take a human life, they will be able to live in prison and serve time and live, not to die by lethal injection or any of the other forms of capital punishment immediately? The argument for anyone in prison to not be punished and put to death is a crime w ithin itself. It is the belief of many that capital punishment is cruel and unjust. Although others would state the opposite to say that if you have committed murder, you to shall be put to death. In America anyone can have a right to believe that someone should live even if they have committed murder, especially if they have asked for forgiveness and all has been forgiven. Can it be justified that if anyone commits murder and then asked for forgiveness they be allowed to live and not be punished? Justice must be served here on earth as well as after deat... ... or disobeys God’s way in committing premeditated murder or involuntary manslaughter should be put to death immediately. Works Cited Adams, Cindy. â€Å"The Death Penalty as Just Punishment.† Does Capital Punishment Deter or is it a Biased Process? 3 Sept. 2008. 30 May 2010 . Andre, Claire, and Manuel Velasquez. â€Å"Capital Punishment.† Our Duty or Our Doom. 12 May 2010. 30 May 2010 . Colson, Charles W. â€Å"Capital Punishment.† The Rutherford Institute. 11 Nov. 2002. 30 May 2010 . Steiker, Carol S. â€Å"Capital Punishment and American Exceptionalism.† 2005. 30 May 2010 .

Fire And Rescue Leadership Essay

The rapid and dynamic environment in which fire safety and rescue services operate require transformational leadership which can manage subsequent pressures in organizations. Leadership is important in directing workers in any organization towards achieving organizational objectives. The rapid changes that take place during a fire emergency can only be properly managed through flexible working patterns and communication tools (Crosby, 2007 P. 10). Organizational leadership is generally responsible for designing vision and communicating values that are consistent with the mission of the organization. Followers are therefore coached on best practices and procedures for giving and receiving feedback on sensitive matters to the organization. Exchange of ideas within the organization is a product of harmonious relations between the leader and workers. It is this exchange of ideas and interaction between leadership and followers that inspires teamwork and quality performance at workplace. Changes must be appropriately factored in the planning of an organization. Fire rescue demands effective and timely communication of information in order to avoid fire disasters getting out of hand. Fire and rescue leadership is the pivot around which operations and tasks are managed for safety and goals to be achieved. Literature review Group and team managers working in fire stations are the principle leaders who strategize vision and explain it to employees. Lifelong learning, emotional intelligence and self awareness are very important leadership at all levels (Cote, 2003 P. 14). Fire outbreaks are an emergency which if not managed properly could lead to devastating effects. Prior preparation and strategic planning is therefore necessary in benchmarking precise decisions and innovations which can thwart a crisis. Training is therefore part and parcel of the organizational culture of transformational leadership in fire safety and rescue services. An effective leader should possess a character of humility and courage in order to direct fellow workers in preventing and arresting fire emergencies. Such a leader should also be charismatic enough to influence focus in employees towards achieving organizational objectives. Fire and rescue training is an important component of managing fire risks and associated damages. The training program is fragmented in several sections that correspond to variety in expertise. The daunting task of training falls in the hands of the fire engineers and management which look into technical details of the training and financial allocation respectively. The fire engineer outlines the curriculum for the training taking into account engineering and architectural details that apply to fire safety. It is the duty of management to support training programs financially. Fire fighting requires enormous investment in monetary terms towards purchasing facilities and equipment for quenching fires. Rescue operations also require the support of machinery and equipment that guarantee the safety of the rescuing personnel and survivors during a fire outbreak. Joint trainings are carried out by experienced managers and engineers who ensure that fine details are adhered to while minimizing financial spending. Too much fragmentation of the training program could lead to duplication of tasks in teams which could result in wastage of resources (Muckett & Furness, 2007 P. 16). Joint trainings foster lucrative professional relationships across disciplines that facilitate exchange of ideas between experts on matters of fire safety and rescue services. It is therefore the duty of fire and rescue leadership to organize the different trainings into a formidable program that ensures that roles are properly assigned, resources economically allocated and time saved in the process. Meaning training should be carried out in an integrated approach instead of stand alone activities in various teams. The quantity and quality of the training should serve the main purpose and goal of the organization towards reducing the devastating effects of fires while enhancing rescue services successfully. Effective education and training should ensure skills are acquired within the time frames allocated. Qualified instructors provide integrated training which can ensure mutual operations in fire and rescue services. Allocation of relevant resources for training should be consistent with the training program and the topics to be covered. It is the task of the leadership to ensure that courses are covered effectively and information recorded regarding attendance and compliance of employees to the program. Competency targets need to be clearly stated and explained to employees undergoing the training for purposes of evaluating their work performance (Hoff & Kolomay, 2003 P. 19). Documentation of the training in terms of attendance and compliance by trainees is a key performance indicator of success. Information management is equally an important aspect of the training program which ensures that relevant data is taught with respect to the current trends and practices in fire safety and recue services. Current trends include emerging technologies and techniques that provide solutions to the problems at hand. Fire and rescue leadership should evaluate technologies and alternative techniques with the aim of weighing their cost and applicability in their organizations. The current system and structure of preventing and arresting fires should be investigated against the modern approaches after which decisions can be appropriately made. In case the current system does not support a comprehensive and precise fire rescue operation during emergencies, then it could be improved based on the modern technologies or otherwise replaced where the current system fails to provide expected results. Maintaining the current system with new innovative technologies saves time and resources as compared to an entire overhaul (Smeby, 2005 P. 15). Methodologies Leadership should guarantee safety of people and securing of property during fire outbreaks. Managers, supervisors and managers should ensure that resources are appropriately allocated to the important activities and programs. Different departments can be trained through a rotational program that recognizes the needs of each of them. Such a rotational program is cost-effective and proficient in terms of training the entire staff comprehensively. It is also the duty of the management to ensure that legal compliance to fire protection is observed. Standards related to the physical design of the building and escape routes during fire emergencies should be factored in fire management policies (Crosby, 2007 P. 17). This enables organizations to avoid unnecessary confrontations with the law and architectural specifications in case of fire. Apart from the support provided to continuous education and training of personnel on matters of fire safety, the smooth running of organizations is a factor of how compliant they are to the established code of conduct and professional ethics. The use of appropriate technologies and techniques in fire fighting and prevention of physical damage is only effective if physical security conforms to architectural specifications. Leadership is therefore tasked to educate employees on fire safety protocols such as the use of fire extinguishers and first aid. The fire service and rescue operations should therefore be designed in respect of the industry standards and technological advancements. A culture of fire prevention should be developed instead of the regular approaches where efforts are directed on fire suppression after an outbreak. Fatalities and damages can be effectively reduced if fire prevention is prioritized (Cote, 2003 P. 20). Firefighting however persists as an important strategy in managing fire outbreaks. Leadership should therefore ensure that fatalities during firefighting are radically reduced. Normally, fire outbreaks are sudden. Detection of fires and smoke is thus crucial at its onset in firefighting. Communication systems which include alarm and smoke detection systems should be operational and properly maintained. This is because fire spreads at an unpredictable rate and may cause unfathomable fatalities and damage to property. It is therefore the responsibility of those in organizational leadership to ensure that the relative occupancies of different buildings are factored in fire safety protocols. Occupants should also be properly trained on how to respond to a fire emergency in order to avoid unnecessary panic and confusion that usually develops during such disasters. Behavioral leadership is therefore part and parcel of fire safety management (Muckett & Furness, 2007 P. 24). Rescue operations normally take time to reach the site of a fire outbreak. Fire safety should therefore seek to empower different occupants with skills for escape. Apart from robust infrastructure made up of proper communication tools, spacious physical design and escape routes, occupants should be properly trained on perishable skills that would ensure composure and communication is sustained throughout the period. For instance, people with disability require additional support in terms of alternative safe havens within the building which are insulated from fires in order to secure their lives before rescue operations are launched. It is equally important that these alternative safe havens are accessible to occupants with disabilities away from the congestion of other normal people during a fire incident. Conclusion Saving lives is the ultimate responsibility of fire safety and rescue operations. Different stakeholders are involved in planning, organizing and implementing activities which prevent and arrest fires. Fire and safety leadership ensures that fire prevention strategies are feasible in a dynamic environment where technologies keep changing and techniques in firefighting vary (Hoff & Kolomay, 2003 P. 28). It is the responsibility of organizational leadership to apply wisdom and innovation when designing the best procedures and policies in fire safety. It is important that the current systems are evaluated and appropriately upgraded in order to align organizational infrastructure in fire safety with relevant modern technologies. These are particularly important in designing communication and detection systems which can promptly alert occupants on the danger of fire. Since rescue operations take time to be launched, minimizing the degree of fatalities during a fire incident remains on top of the agenda in fire safety. Fire and rescue leadership should therefore apply collaborative and transformational approaches in organizing trainings and fire fighting strategies. Reference list Cote, A E 2003, Organizing for Fire and Rescue Services, NFPA (Series), Jones & Bartlett Learning, Sudbury, MA. Crosby, F C & Windisch, F C 2007, A Leadership Guide for Combination Fire Departments, Jones & Bartlett Learning, Sudbury, MA. Hoff, R & Kolomay, R 2003, Firefighter Rescue & Survival, Penn Well Books, Oklahoma. Muckett, M & Furness, A 2007, Introduction to fire safety management, Butterworth- Heinemann, Amsterdam. Smeby, L C 2005, Fire and emergency service administration: management and leadership practices, Jones & Bartlett Learning, Sudbury, MA.

John Calvin and the Protestant Reformation Essay

This paper is devoted to the period of Protestant Reformation in France and the key figure of this process- John Calvin. John Calvin was a Protestant theologian and the developer of the famous Calvinism theology as a system of Christian church. He is well known for his written works and his teachings, but not many know about his role played in Michael Servetus’s execution. These and some other issues will be discussed in this research. John Calvin was born under the name of Jean Chauvin in Picardie, in France. His father sent him to Paris in 1523 to get ready for the priesthood. There Calvin studied in College de la Marche and then in College de Montaigu till 1528. As he was doing quite well in ecclesiastics, he gained the chaplaincy and the curacy of Saint Martin de Martheville from his native city (Tracy, 1999). In 1529 Calvin resigned chaplaincy for the benefit of his younger brother, but however two years later he resumed and was holding it till 1534 (Gordon, 2002). Calvin proved to be a good student, but his father, who by the year 1528 had problems in relations with the ecclesiastic authorities in Noyon, took a decision, that his son should study law instead. John didn’t argue and went to Orleans, to study law at the university there. In a year he moved to another university and took classes of Andrea Alciati. During his studies at both universities Calvin was very much under the impact of Melchior Wolmar, who was a leader of humanist ranks and was a supporter of Reformation ideas. When in 1531 the father of Calvin died, he had to come back to Paris and take up study of Hebrew. In 1532 John spent another year in Orleans as a student of law again. In spring of the same year he paid his own money for publishing the text of Seneca’s De Clementia, adding his commentary. This was a confirmation of his humanistic views in connection with the Roman Church. At the same time the ideas of Reformation were rapidly spread in France, Calvin however was moving step by step to his position, he wrote in his commentary to Psalms that he â€Å"was too obstinately devoted to the superstitions of popery to be easily extricated from so profound an abyss of mire. † (Barth, 1995). One of his friends, who also shared the ideas of Reformation, was Nicolas Cop. When he became the rector of Paris University, they decided to use the chance to present their comments concerning the Reformation in front of cultured and intelligent audience. In November 1533 Cop held a speech in the Church of the Mathurins, which they gave the title â€Å"Christian Philosophy†, meaning the Gospel. The relation, he built between Law and Gospel, was closely connected to the ideas of Luther. The final part of the speech was however independent and more concentrated on the one of the features of Calvinism, namely – salvation. The speech had all chances to produce a vivid impression on the audience and to attract supporters, but Cop spoke negatively about the hierologists of Sorbonne and called them â€Å"sophists†. This certainly caused their indignation, they sought for support from the government, and Cop had to escape. Calvin followed him due to their known close relation, but risked to return very soon. He couldn’t get rid of his fears, that his support of Reformation ideas could be followed by imprisonment, like it was the case with some other reformers. He decided to become a wanderer in 1534, all the time changing his name. Two and a half years he was going from place to place, was imprisoned in Noyon, visited Paris, where he met Servetus for the first time. In Orleans he published his Psychopannychia, confutation of the theory about sleeping soul between death and the Last Judgment (Gordon, 2002). In 1535 Calvin visited Strasburg under the name of Basel. There he finished his â€Å"Institutes of the Christian Religion†, about the book he wrote: â€Å"My objects were, first, to vindicate my brethren whose death was precious in the sight of the Lord; and next that, as the same cruelties might very soon after be exercised against many unhappy individuals, foreign nations might be touched with at least some compassion toward them and solicitude about them. † (Barth, 1995). After he had published this work, he worked in Ferrara in the court of Duchess Renee. A year later he met his younger brother Antoine and his half-sister Marie in Paris. He traveled with them to Strasburg, but because of the war, had to go to Geneva, planning to remain only one night there. But Farel Guillaume, one of the like-minded persons, convinced him to stay there. Two years he spent at the side of Farel, but still the city could not stand the significant reforms offered by the Reformers and on Easter Monday in 1538 they both were ordered to leave the city. Calvin traveled to Strasburg, where he became minister to the French refugees in the Church of St. Nicolas (Brady, 1994). Two years later he married Idelette de Bure, widow of Jean Stordeur of Liege, an Anabaptist, whom Calvin managed to turn into pedobabtist. They had a son, who lived only several days. Idelette de Bure died in 1549 and Calvin never married for the second time. Calvin didn’t have the plans to return to Geneva as his financial situation was rather poor at that moment, but very soon he got the opportunity to improve his position. In Strasburg he managed to practice the reform, which he could not launch in Geneva, and his fame started to grow very quickly. He received an offer to come out with a course of cathedral lectures. In 1539 Cardinal Jacopo Sadoleto sent a letter to Geneva, asking for it to be returned to Roman obedience and Bern government gave the right to answer to Calvin. There were serious changes in the government of Geneva, and as a result the friends if Calvin won the power in the city. For the second time Calvin followed the arguments of Farel and went to Geneva. He knew perfectly, that there were a lot of his enemies, and that not everybody was ready to support him, but his faith in God was his major support. The government prepared a house for him and a corresponding salary. His work in Geneva started, the city turned into his main, but not the only one, center of activity. Geneva was a place, that gathered a lot of refugees from Holland, Italy, England, Spain, who were ready to listen and to support the ideas of Calvin. Also a number of students visited his lectures. His fame was growing, and more and more people were standing by him. At the age of fifty-five he died because of a disease. For Geneva he left one hundred and seventy dollar, faith, education and reconstructed government. Calvin chose Apostle’s Creed as the basis for his ideas, at the same time closely relating theology and ethics. Calvin’s reformation was practical, with the strongest emphasis on the doctrine of predestination; he tried to teach people of the city to refer to it as a cornerstone of the Christian faith. Opposed to lenient views concerning grace and sin, propagated by the Roman Church, the Augustinian doctrine recovered in his words. Calvin did his best to change the face of Protestantism, as he managed to address openly and directly the matters, which other reformers didn’t know or didn’t want to discuss (Brady, 1994). His main target was the proper organization of the church governance and social organization of the church in the city. He was said to be the first politic leader, who was able to build the social organization based on biblical principles. He brought very significant innovation, namely by incorporating church into the government of the city (Cameron, 1991). In the middle of 1550s the structure of Geneva was changed completely in accordance to Calvin’s ideas. As a result Geneva became the most important center of Protestantism in Europe and attracted the persecuted refugees from other countries. The branch of Calvin’s reforms became the prevalent branch of Protestantism from the seventeenth century. Calvin had the same problems as Luther with Anabaptists. On the 16-17 of March in 1537 he had a public meeting with them, and using his strong argumentation disposed of their ideas, as confirmed by Council of Two Hundred. Along with a great number of supporters Calvin had his opponents as well. Calvin played a very important role in the execution of Michael Servetus – â€Å"the Spanish physician, radical reformer (‘Anabaptist’), and unitarian. † (Gordon, 2002). In 1531 Servetus published his ideas denouncing the Trinity, which was the key doctrine Catholics and Protestants could agree about. Three years later Calvin agreed to meet Servetus in person in Paris, Servetus however didn’t appear. From 1546 till 1548 they exchanged letters, trying to convince each other, but finally Calvin had to stop the correspondence, as it was growing more and more rancorous. In 1553 Servetus was sentenced to death in absentia by Inquisition in Spain for spreading heresy. Calvin provided very important evidences to support the conviction. Servetus escaped from the prison, but was again arrested in Geneva on the initiative of Calvin. This time he was sentenced to burning on a stake, which took place in 1553. Then Servetus was buried together with the copy of his last work – De Trinitatis Erroribus. Servetus was the only one, who was sentenced to death for his religious beliefs during the lifetime of Calvin, and there is finally no agreement about the correctness of Calvin’s actions concerning this issue. Hundreds of years later modern Calvinists do not support the actions of Calvin towards Servetus. Nowadays persecution, and what is more death sentence for religious beliefs and positions, seems to be barbarous. Calvin was certainly not the only reformer. The ideas of Calvin and Farel were really close, but Farel was a missionary, a preacher and not theologian or even less a statesman. Calvin, being French would probably not be able to spread his influence so successfully either in Zurich or in Wittenberg, as Zwingli and Luther did it. Calvin was much younger than Luther and Zwingli and had an advantage of having a good foundation for spreading his ideas. He managed to build a system based on their new ideas. He proved to be better organizer and better thinker, at the same time lacking their genius and activity. His life was not as dramatic as those of Luther or Zwingli; he didn’t possess that genial humor or was able to raise popular enthusiasm. And still he remained the most influential Reformer of the Protestant Church. References: Barth, K. (1995). The Theology of John Calvin, tr. by G. W. Bromiley. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans. Brady, T. (1994). Handbook of European History, 1400–1600: Late Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Reformation. Leiden and New York. Breen, Q. (1968). John Calvin: A Study in French Humanism. Cameron, E. (1991). The European Reformation. Oxford and New York. Gordon, B. (2002). The Swiss Reformation. Manchester, U. K. , and New York. Tracy, J. (1999). Europe’s Reformations, 1450–1650. Lanham, Md.