Aristotles Ethics and Metaphysics

Aristotles Ethics and Metaphysics Aristototles metaphysics The subject ‘Ethics’ owes its origin to the work of Aristotle. The original emphasis was on the question of virtue of personality. According to Aristotle the acquisition of virtue led to a good life (Aristotle 12-14). Generally, Ethics is a topic that chronologically exposes how people should live satisfactory lives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Aristotle’s Ethics and Metaphysics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Initially, the study was principally associated with the study of politics particularly the issue of law making which looks at how people were brought up. The study looked at this question by studying the community from which the individuals hailed from. Aristotle’s initial response to the question on how best one can live a good life was through a life of philosophy and self-reflection. He looked at the issue of ethics by looking at virtue, the good life , friendship, and political science. Virtue Aristotle is of the view that a virtue makes it possible for a thing to function well. Its function is seen as what it can do or what it emerges best in doing. He uses a sharp knife to explain this idea; a good knife is one that cuts with ease and a sharp knife is most appropriate for that definition. A man’s virtue is his personality that makes him good and which enables his to perform tasks well. For a man to function well, there are many virtues that have to be in place. These virtues may be physical or intellectual (Aristotle 45-47). His arguments are agreeable since the when it comes to the issue of talent; those who are talented in some aspects of life are best suited to their areas of interest. However much a doctor or an engineer is learned, he or she cannot perform the work of a sculptor. It is accurate that specific persons have special abilities to perform functions best than others. That is why we find that doctors who w ere trained in the same institutions over the same period of time differ in their professionalism. There is therefore someone somewhere who can undertake a certain task better than others. He divided this topic into three; moral virtue, continence, patience, and virtue, desert, and the intellectual values. He differentiates moral virtue from natural virtue. Natural virtue is said to be innate while moral virtue is acquired in the course of one’s life. A person may be born brave or calm but moral virtues are necessary to ensure that such a person acts appropriately to arising situations. Moral standards cannot be easily defined hence they have to be determined by good judgment. A good judge should have practical wisdom and should be in a position to judge well in a range of cases. Aristotle overemphasizes on moral virtue which is chiefly concerned with the correct amount of feeling. He overlooks other important factors such as the act of feeling them in the most appropriate ti me, with special reference to the right objects, to the right individuals, with the right intention, and in the correct way. He therefore fails to look at these factors in depth hence erroneous claims.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Virtuous people feel obliged to do good things and they take pleasure in undertaking such tasks without regrets or great effort, on the other hand vicious people take pleasure in doing the wrong things without uncertainty and regrets. In real life situations, to do what is right often calls for great struggle. This is because people prefer using shortcuts when doing something. When one decides to do what is good, no shortcuts can be used in most cases hence more effort is needed. On the other hand, Aristotle is mistaken when he states that those who do wrong are not hesitant and bear no remorse. Human beings have been created in way that unless one’s conscience is dead, then one still has room for remorse during and after doing wrong. He assumes that when studying the nature of virtue, one needs to have the knowledge to distinguish between the voluntary and involuntary situations (Aristotle 78-79). He for instance states that acts that are compulsory make an act to be involuntary. This is agreeable, when students are forced to be in for preps till ten o’clock, they read involuntarily since if they were to be consulted they may prefer waking up early to study and retire to bed early. His view that ignorance or error cannot be excused at all times is true. Sometimes carelessness brings about these errors. In dealing with intellectual virtues, Aristotle is of the view that moral virtues correct that part of the soul that reasons; this part can be controlled (Aristotle 123-134). When looking at the issue from a modern point of view, intellectual values do not reflect morals; the fact that one is a good mathemati cian does not imply that he or she is morally upright. On the other hand, excellence in mathematics can bring about a good life. The modern sense of morals views practical wisdom as the intellectual virtue which happens to be a moral value. He is on point when he points out that practical wisdom enables people to plan well hence choosing avenues that lead to satisfactory outcomes. When one reasons creatively, it becomes possible to predict the outcomes of an incident; one is able to point out the possible threats hence coming up with viable solutions to solve them. The Good Life A good life is defined by considering the main components that define what it entails. These are; the good for man, happiness, production and action, action and contemplation (Aristotle 178-179). The well being of human beings is determined by one’s ability to actively take part in activities in accordance to human virtues.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Aristotle’s E thics and Metaphysics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This means that for a human being to exist well, he or she should undertake tasks well with special reference to the specifications of individual tasks. This is what he covers in the good for man. Each job category has its own rules and for man to perfect his or her duties, the rules that are specified in such jobs have to be followed. Failure to follow these rules can result in unexpected outcomes. A happy life is one that a sensible judge can consider fortunate, it takes more than a happy state of mind to attain a good life. He hits the nail on the head by stating that factors that bring about a happy life are both external and internal, an internal factor such as courage is necessary when it comes to taking risks while an internal factor such as thinking enables one to make wise decisions. A happy person is evidently one who acts in accordance to the set rules in any task being undert aken. Under production and action Aristotle states that it is impossible to spend the entire time in undertaking actions that suit one’s needs only. At some point one is involved in producing products that will be of use to the community. For instance, industries that produce farming tools do so to make sales and get profits, farmers buying such tools will use them to produce crops which will in turn be sold and consumed. Three subjects will have gained from this, the industry, the farmers and the consumers. Action and contemplation emphasizes that a good life is as a result of intellectual activity. Clearly, happiness is attained following a combination of many factors. Intellectual activity leads to production and not necessarily happiness. Research has shown that leisure can be termed as the activity that brings about happiness; it however calls for hard work which can only be attained through intellectual capacity. With proper reasoning, one is able to put knowledge into practice hence bringing about satisfying results. One’s intellectual capability indirectly leads to happiness through the chain of events involved. Friendship His main argument here is that friendship is an essential ingredient to good life. It is defined as a virtue that is necessary for livelihood. The presence of friends makes one to make the right choices and to act right. It is seen as a bond that holds states together and with it, justice prevails (Aristotle 260-262). Aristotle chiefly discusses friendship between men since he fails to mention women. Basing arguments on his definition of friendship as the outcome of an impulse of respect and welfare, then his arguments are agreeable. The fact that he specifies what kind of friendship he discusses in his arguments, then one can confidently second him. His definition can be used to mean true friends who can go an extra mile to protect their friends. Although such kinds of friends are rare, the few that one may have can fi t well in Aristotle’s definition.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Political Science A good life propels a state to survive. By this, he means that ethics are superior to political science and not the other way round. For one to determine the most appropriate form of a state, he or she should first define a good life. He sees citizens as a team of friends. He argues that the outcome of a political activity has nothing to do with the production of external goods or military supremacy (Aristotle 166-167). To some extent, his argument is agreeable; the most important function of a state is to unite people in the entire region. When there is turmoil in a given state, it is the work of the state to bring about calm. Political, social, and economical prosperity are the elements that make up a good life. Aristotle’s central idea is ethics and a good life. Ethics is seen as a main determinant of a good life. The absence of ethics indicates a bad life. Is this always the case? The answer is a big NO. It is important to note that provided that one has peace of mind, it does not matter how the person acquired the good life. The issue of abortion has been a contentious issue that has given rise to debates, whether one decides to undergo the operation depends on how one sees the life after. If one feels that she is not economically or psychologically prepared to bring forth a baby, then opting to undergo the operation would lead to a good life than if the child was born and suffer due to lack of enough money for upbringing. Aristototles metaphysics The subject matter of metaphysics bears various definitions according to Aristotle. The definitions include the study of being qua being, wisdom, or theology. He proposes that men expect to use wisdom to deal with causes and principles of issues affecting them. Wisdom is evidently necessary when it comes to dealing with life’s issues since wise people always dwell on facts rather than what they assume to be true. They do not experiment with the truth since it is already establishe d. With wisdom, one can make the right choices hence it becomes easy to deal with issues. He carefully studies these causes and principles in his work. He believes that the best thing to do before dealing with a situation is to inquire other people’s opinions (Aristotle 204). The idea of assessing previous opinions by others is logical since in most cases people build their conclusion from original work. This enables one to point out the strengths and the weaknesses of those opinions hence excluding the latter from the newly formulated ideas. He uses the word ‘qua’ to mean roughly in this subject (Aristotle 26-30). He makes a clear distinction between things that are familiar to us from those that are familiar to themselves. Here, emphasis is on the importance of having a clear understanding of things that are familiar to us and later attempt to study those that seem unfamiliar (Aristotle 98-102). This holds true for most of the subjects studied in schools. It is customary to start from the known to the unknown. Detectives start by uncovering the evident facts before uncovering the culprits. It would be hard to try and solve a mathematic problem without basics such as the formula and the steps that have to be followed in solving the problem; this is made easier if one is aware of the relationships between the different variables. Researchers need to have a good understanding of the problem before setting out to conduct their research work. Generally, the starting point of anything has to be effected by what is already known to the people. Philosophy is seen as one among many fields that studies beings. Mathematics and natural sciences also study the same but using different approaches. For a natural scientist, beings are studied as things that are controlled by nature. A mathematician will study beings in measurable and countable terms (Aristotle 201-206). Most of the subjects that are studied at school indeed study beings. Most of the topi cs will focus on the effect that a factor has on people, or how people affect a certain factor. His claims can therefore be confirmed since most studies revolve around human beings and the immediate environment. Philosophy therefore studies the causes and principles of substances just like other fields. One thing that comes out clear is that the study of beings is done in different degrees in individual fields. Substances are regarded as unique and independent things that can stand on their own. Items that form other categories are seen to depend on substances when it comes to giving an account of certain aspects in them. This, he says makes the non-substances to exist thanks to the presence of the substances (Aristotle 221-223). A unit measure of quantity such as a kilogram owes its origin to the existence of a measurable substance like sugar or salt. That is why we say ‘a kilogram of sugar or salt’ the ‘of’ in this case acts as a determinant that brings o ut the relationship between the two variables indicating that sugar is the independent variable. A house is also an independent variable. People depend on it for shelter; the house does not depend on people since it can survive without people. People on the other hand need houses to shelter them from bad weather; they may contract diseases if they are exposed to the harsh weather. Items like color are found in bodies and not vice versa. Items within a given category are also seen to have a relationship. He uses the term ‘said of’ to show that there is a relationship that exists between items in a single category. Man is seen to depend on animals and at the same time animals depend on man for existence. Both man and animal depend on a particular substance for their existence. This can hold true for some instances in life, man will depend on cow for milk and at the same time the cow will depend on man for food. Both man and the cow will depend on the weather. When it is r ainy, man will provide the food adequately but when the weather is bad, then food will be less hence the cow may not provide as much milk. The fundamental nature of a thing is how it is defined with respect to itself. He holds that when it comes to definitions, one should define the subject not words. By this he means that when it comes to defining a tiger, we should not go ahead and define the word, we should bring out the main characteristics of a tiger. The definition of any object should therefore present the essence or the characteristics that have to be in place for an animal to be regarded as a tiger. This notion is justified since when giving definitions the main characteristics of an object have to stand out for the definition to be comprehensive. When defining an insect for instance, qualities like the number of body parts and compound eyes have to be considered. The complexity of the words used in defining an object are not as important as the contents which are expected to comprehensively bring out the main characteristics of the object in question. If definitions can be given for items regardless of their category then these items have essence (Aristotle 27). In giving definition about an item, its function is also brought out. In the same way that there is an essence of man, there is also an essence of color white. Each part of a machine is an item that performs certain functions. Its presence plays a role in ensuring that the machine functions well. It is important to note that however small some things may look, they are part and parcel of the whole and it would be impossible to function without them. Despite the fact that there is a large variety of colors, some colors simply fit in some places than others. According to him, when it comes to discussing primary things as a topic on its own, then we are indirectly touching on its essence. This is because the main ideas that are likely to stem out here are its function and its main components. Th e in depth discussion focuses on the ‘something’ as a whole. When tackling the issue of food, the definition will definitely bring out the function that food plays in our day to day life, further; looking at the different types of food and their function further exposes the essence of the parts that make the whole. Although, the precise implication of this claim has brought about controversy, it is evident that Aristotle’s arguments are agreeable in as far as the essence of a substance is concerned. The main ideas presented by Aristotle in this argument are valid. This argument is brought out well when he tackles the issue off substance and definition. If we have a definable substance X having a part Y as a component, then the definition of X will include a certain quality of X say Z, Z in this case is an indirect definition of Y. The proposition of using a method of division in definitions where one begins by considering the genus from which the species to be de fined is found is justifiable. If one was to define a butterfly for instance, the first thing would be to look the characteristics that are common to all insects, as one moves from the broadest division, the characteristics of the butterfly are brought out hence contributing to the overall definition. In each of the divisions, there are certain qualities that differentiate the species. Conclusion Aristotle’s arguments on ethics are not fully justified. Some of the arguments leave unanswered questions to which answers have not been provided yet. The arguments mainly focus on the role that ethics play in as far as a good life is concerned. To live a good life, one needs to follow the specifications of a given tasks so as to attain the desired results. He overemphasizes on the role that ethics play in politics and other sectors of life. The subject of metaphysics brings out reality and arguments that are valid. Aristotle’s arguments about substances and essence are justif iable and one can easily relate them to everyday experiences, this does not however disregard his arguments concerning ethics. The latter is also applicable but some of the issues that he presents are controversial. In metaphysics, Aristotle presents his arguments in a chronological and a comprehensive manner hence the arguments can be easily understood. He can therefore be credited for his standpoints and his intellectual capacity to bring out logical definitions at a time when the resources were scarce. In comparison, the subject of metaphysics appears to have been tacked well and in a professional manner than that of ethics. The main reason for this is because most of the ideas presented in metaphysics are applicable in the modern world. Aristotle. The Nicomachean ethics of Aristotle. New York: Taylor Francis, 1954. Pp. 12-262. Aristotle. Aristotles Metaphysics. New Jersey: Clarendon Press, 1958. Pp. 26-223

Case study hr after a disaster

In a large organization employing is highly educated professionals is to conduct a needs assessment of the professionals. Directing a needs assessment is important, so that the management looking at the rewards and challenges of being a manager that can motivate the professionals effectively. In addition, educated professionals need to fulfil their self-actualization needs, needs for achievement and needs for affiliation. Organic structure can be adopted in managing the professionals. Organic structure can be adopted in managing the professionals at the same time. In a large organization that employees highly educated professionals, is giving more important for the organization to fulfil the self-actualization needs of the professionals. According to Maslow Hierarchy, self-actualization need is a person’s needs for growth, achieving one’s potential and self-actualization. Moreover, it is also a person’s need to become what he or she is capable is becoming. However the manager can provide training to the professionals to fulfil their actualization need. For example, the manager can provide training in communicate skills, computer systems application and programming, customer service as well. Besides that, managers can apply theory Y to motivate the highly educated professionals. Theory Y is the assumption that employees are creative, enjoy work, seek responsibility, and can exercise self-direction. And yet there several ways for a manager to motivate employee based on Theory Y. For example, managers can adopt participative decision making. Furthermore, Organic structure is the suitable use for more flexible structures with less clearly-defined chains of command. Effective companies usually try to use the best structure for their specific situation. In addition, there are six characteristics of organic structure which is cross-functional team, cross-hierarchical teams, free flow of information, and wide spans of control, decentralization and low formalization. Then, decentralization is more independence, freedom, increase flexibility, speed up decision making, get closer to customers, empower employees and reduce costs. As conclusion, the manager can provide training to the professionals to fulfil their actualization needs. As a nutshell, Organic structure is more suitable for motivating the highly educated professionals and is a highly adaptive form that is as loose and flexible as well too.

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Report - Essay Example Sub-normal rainfall, with less than 100mm of rain per year can occur every 3-4 years. The region is characterised by one wet season, between April-August, followed by a prolonged dry season. Average rainfall varies from 600mm in lowland areas to 1500mm in the highlands. Temperatures range from 16Â °-30Â °c (BDVS, 2005). 1.4 Population The mean density of people is 33.1 per km? (BDVS, 2005). However, this figure varies, and most settlements and populations are found near water resources. 62% of the population don’t have enough food to maintain a healthy living. 1.5 Land use 20,000 Ha of land is used for cultivation of food and cash crops. However, despite the large size of farmed land, the water supply from rivers and lakes is inadequate to meet domestic, livestock and irrigation needs. 2 Water Provision and Scarcity The WWF (World Wide Fund) states that ‘freshwater is essential to human health, agriculture, industry and natural ecosystems, but is now running scarce in many regions of the world. Figure 2 highlights reasons for current water shortages. Figure 2 – Reasons For Water Shortages Adapted from Sub-sea Infrastructure Report (2006) According to Lomborg (2001), the world’s water consumption has almost quadrupled since 1940. Many experts and environmental agencies including the UN Environmental Report GEO 2000 claim that the water shortage constitutes a ‘full scale emergency’, where ‘the world water cycle seems unlikely to be able to cope with increased demands over the coming decades’. 3 The World’s Arid Regions Arid and semi-arid regions cover 30% of the total area (see Figure 3) of the world’s land surface (Balon and Dehnad, 2010) and over 40% of the world’s population live in these areas. Source: http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/y1899e/y1899e50.gif 4 Methods of Water Provision Mismanagement of existing boreholes, irrigation furrows and dams have lead to lengthy periods of disrepair , siltation and dereliction of Baringo’s water supplies. Facilities are also often polluted by human and animal waste. For a district that is water-deficient, most of the rainwater that does fall goes to waste due to a lack of appropriate harvesting technologies, especially at household level according to the Baringo District Vision and Strategy: 2005-2015. I aim to highlight how mitigation strategies and water supply management can improve the effectiveness of water resources and provide long-term sustainable solutions. 4.1 Surface Water Capture and Storage ‘There is a need to improve the efficiency of distribution and use of water’ (Gange, 1965). Kenya’s current National Development Plan emphasises the promotion and utilization of rainwater for sustainable development. Non-profit organisations such as Kenya Rainwater Association (KRA) aim to unite communities and bring individuals, institutions, landowners and organisations together to enhance rainwater harvest and utilization techniques. They are currently investing in methods for reducing losses such as evaporation from large storages, seepage from supply channels and other wastage that occurs within the distribution system. They’ve also built roof water tanks for schools that collects and provides safe drinking water. 4.2 Irrigation Agriculture Use of water from the Chemeron Reservoir is a critical issue in Baringo. Current methods of informal basin and channel irrigation involve little monitoring of water application. Modern irrigation

An effective speaker paper comparison critique of 2 famous speeches Essay - 1

An effective speaker paper comparison critique of 2 famous speeches - Essay Example Both speeches were enthralling considering that they were delivered by Presidential candidates. Personally, I was impressed by both speeches because they were towering and very insightful. Both speeches remind us of our struggle and our best qualities, on how we were able to surmount them through hardwork and perseverance. In Obama’s speech, I particularly like the line â€Å"time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today†. This is very appropriate considering that America was under a crisis and still is struggling to overcome it. Obama also spoke of national unity, â€Å"to end petty grievances and false promises† recognizing that America is shaped by â€Å"every language and culture, drawn from every planet of this earth†. Finally, Obama relate that he is one of the â€Å"People (who) have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers†. Romney’s speech is equally towering. He also spoke of our struggles and offered hope. He enumerated that he knew the struggle of common man by relating â€Å"driving home late from that second job, or standing there watching the gas pump hit 50 dollars and still going, when the realtor told you that to sell your house youd have to take a big loss† was very reflective of the pain of many Americans during the financial crisis. He added â€Å"But what could you do? Except work harder, do with less, try to stay optimistic. Hug your kids a little longer; maybe spend a little more time praying that tomorrow would be a better day† it was indeed a dark moment that Mitt Romney painted emblematic of the American’s struggle

An Analysis of the Poetry of Yeats :: Biography Biographies Essays

An Analysis of Down by the Salley Gardens One of Yeats' poems, Down by the Salley Gardens is a typical story of inexperienced youth in the realm of love. The final two lines hold the key to the theme of the poem: She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs; But I was young and foolish, and now am full of tears. The poem is evidently about the relationship between the narrator and the woman with the "little snow-white feet†¢ and the narrator's failure to be able to cope with that relationship. Whilst she wanted to enjoy herself and "take life easy†¢, he was too "young and foolish†¢ to understand her needs, resulting in them going their separate ways, hence the ?nal line. Down by the Salley Gardens has a number of problems, probably due to it being written at an early point in Yeats' writing career. It lacks the subtlety of his later poems; there really is very little to analyze in terms of the themes and issues raised within. The language is also far simpler - there are no very memorable lines in this poem, whereas his later works contained lines that would eventually enter most people's collective unconscious, such as some of the first few lines of The Second Coming: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;/Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The repetition used in the last two lines of each stanza is obvious and overstated, and the bouncy, cheerful rhyme scheme does not seem to compliment the rather downbeat and morose tone of the poem. Down by the Salley Gardens simply lacks the power and depth with which he later infused his poems. The Lake Isle of Innisfree Written only four years after Down by the Salley Gardens, The Lake Isle of Innisfree is a remarkable advance. This poem is far more sophisticated in all respects. An immediately noticeable difference between it and the previous poem is its maturity; the themes explored and the techniques used to do so are far more complex and detailed than those used in Down by the Salley Gardens. The central theme is that of exile, and it is portrayed in a somewhat curious way. The narrator longs to live on the island of Innisfree and be closer to nature, hence the lines:

Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients? Essay

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federally funded block grant which provides needy families assistance in finding and obtaining work opportunities. The funds are given to states to distribute. States are allowed some flexibility in how they chose to distribute these funds. There has been a recent movement among states to implement drug testing for applicants and recipients to receive this assistance. Many people see this as a violation of their 4th amendment rights. The ideology behind drug testing is to weed out misuse of funds by recipients, thus alleviating budgetary concerns in hard economic times. Are there other means of easing budgetary issues without potentially violating the 4th amendment rights of the poor? A common stereotype of people receiving public assistance is they are people who are drug addicts, alcoholics, lazy, and don’t want to work. Stereotypes are generalizations made about a certain group of people, good or bad. Stereotypes have a ne gative affect when they keep us from seeing a person for who they really are negating the individual (Iowa State University Study Abroad Center). According to an opinion poll on Debate.org, seventy percent of people responded â€Å"yes† when answering the question, â€Å"Should someone receiving welfare be drug tested?† Respondents stated reasons such as â€Å"You can’t trust someone to use free money on things they need†, â€Å"Help should be given to those who really need it not to people who are too lazy to work†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , and â€Å"I don’t believe it is fair †¦ hard-working people have to pay taxes, and the money goes to lazy people who spend our hard earned money on drugs† (Debate.com). These statements are indicative of stereotyping; stereotypes being pervasive within our society (Iowa State University Study Abroad Center). However, not all applicants or recipients needing public assistance fall within the stereotype. Luis Le bron is a 35-year-old Navy veteran, father of a 4-year-old, the sole caregiver for his disabled mother and a student at the University of Central Florida. He just needs some help after having served his country and while trying to finish school and take care of his son and disabled mother (Bloom). The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Florida has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Lebron due to his refusal to submit to a drug test and relinquish his 4th Amendment rights. Lebron feels that, â€Å"It’s insulting and degrading that people think I’m using drugs just because I need a little help to take care of my family while I finish up my education.† The 4th Amendment of the United States Constitution states: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized (Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute). The concept of the 4th amendment is to protect two basic freedoms – the right to privacy and freedom from random search and seizure. (Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute). Twenty-eight states have proposed drug testing public assistance, according the National Conference of State Legislature. Utah has passed legislation requiring applicants to complete a written questionnaire screening for drug use. Georgia passed legislation requiring drug tests for all applicants. The Louisiana House endorsed random drug-testing of 20 percent of the state’s welfare recipients. Ohio is considering a pilot program to test welfare recipients. Florida’s drug testing law required applicants to pay for their tests and then would be reimbursed if the results proved negative (Prah). Federal or state laws that require suspicionless drug testing for eligibility to receive public assistance may be subject to constitutional challenge. Constitutional challenges are aimed towards privacy and unreasonable search. For searches to be reasonable, they generally must be based on suspicion, unless a â€Å"special need† can be shown that may allow for an exception. Public assistance programs do not necessarily create these special needs grounded in public safety that the Supreme Court has recognized in the past (Carpenter). There has only been litigation initiated in two states where the laws require suspicionless drug testing – Florida where the U.S. District Court issued an injunction to stop testing and Michigan where several individuals were granted a temporary injunction. A number of other applicants in Florida chose not to submit to drug testing. Because applicants are not required to explain why they chose not to submit to the tests, there is no statistical data as to the reasons why. Proponents for testing believe it is because applicants knew they would fail the test. However, opponents state that the reasoning could be because applicants may not have been able to afford the tests or because testing sites were not easily accessible (The Assoicated Press). It has been suggested that drug abuse is a major cause of welfare. However , there is only evidence, based on secondhand information, to support this. If drug use among welfare participants were reduced to the levels of non-participants, welfare participation would decline by approximately one percent (Kaestner). A report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states, â€Å"Proportions of welfare recipients using, abusing or dependent on alcohol or illicit drugs are consistent with proportions of both the adult U.S. population and adults who do not receive welfare† (National Institute of Health). The researchers found the rate of drug abuse and/or dependency among welfare recipients to fall between 1.3 and 3.6 percent, as opposed to a rate of 1.5 percent within the general population. Data from the National Household Survey of Drug Abuse roughly coincides with these findings, with the rate of drug dependency among welfare recipients being approximately 4 percent. Further, the data suggests that no more than one in five welfare r ecipients used illegal drugs in any given year; half of those having used only marijuana (Budd). The evidence from these three studies shows that although drug use is tied to homeless and welfare participation, proportionally to the general population there is not a significant difference. Finally, in the study by Kaestner, he suggests that for purposes of reducing welfare, public programs should focus their efforts on something besides drug use (Kaestner). There is the belief that testing welfare applicants and recipients will reduce the payment of benefits to people who are mishandling the funds. In a 2011 article from the Tampa Tribune, Whittenburg reports, with the average cost of test being approximately $30, the state would owe $28,000 – $43,000 in reimbursements for applicants who passed tests monthly. The state would save approximately $32,000 to $48,000 for rejected applicants, assuming 20 to 30 people failed the test monthly. Welfare recipients receive an average of $134 per month, so the state would save approximately $2600 to $3300 which the rejected applicants wouldn’t receive. Over a one year period, which is the disqualification period for one failed test, the state could save $32,000 to $48,000 annually on the applicants rejected in a single month. The net savings would be $3,400 to $8,200 annually on one month’s worth of rejected applicants. Over 12 months, the money saved on all rejected applicants would add up to $40,800-$98,400 for the cash assistance program that state analysts have predicted will cost $178 million this fiscal year (Whittenburg). In a 2012 article from the New York Times, Alvarez reports that during the period that the Florida state law was in effect that required drug tests for welfare applicants, there was no direct savings. It found only a few drug users and didn’t affect the number of applications. According to the law, applicants who passed the drug test were reimbursed, an average of $30 for the cost of testing. Negative testing thus cost the state a little more than $118,000. This alone is more than the cost of benefits to those who failed the test. Ultimately, this turns out to be a cost to the state of an extra $45,780 (Alvarez). In order to avert any further court proceedings initiated by plaintiffs who believe their 4th amendment rights have been violated and avert costly testing programs, it would be prudent for the Federal government to exact language that explicitly prohibits the use of suspicionless drug testing in order to receive money from federally funded programs. Rather, government officials should refocus their efforts in the fight against drugs to the recovery from substance abuse of the general public rather than targeting a specific group of people, namely welfare recipients. Citizens should petition their states representatives to vote against proposed laws that support drug testing. Further, those representatives should seek to supplement existing or fund new treatment programs with the dollars saved by eliminating drug testing programs for welfare applicants and recipi ents. Another step to solidify a stance against suspicionless testing would be an amendment to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) to include language that explicitly prohibits suspicionless testing. Given that the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that substance abuse is no more prevalent in welfare applicants and recipients than the general population (National Institute of Health) then there is no basis for testing as a condition for receiving benefits. Alleviation of budgetary concerns is not guaranteed by the reduction of caseloads due to positive tests (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation). Where challenged, courts have determined that suspicionless testing is a violation of the 4th Amendment (Schaberg). North Carolina’s Governor, after vetoing a bill to implement drug testing, stated, â€Å"Drug testing †¦applicants †¦ could lead to inconsistent application †¦ That’s a recipe for government overreach and unnecessary government intrusion. This is not a smart way to combat drug abuse. Similar efforts in other states have proved to be expensive for taxpayers and did little to actually help fight drug addiction.† (Smith) Bibliography Alvarez, Lizette. â€Å"No Savings Are Found From Welfare Drug Tests.† The New York Times 18 April 2012: A14. Bloom, Rachel. â€Å"Poor People Have Rights Too.† 12 October 2011. American Civil Liberties Union. 3 August 2013 . Budd, Jordan C. â€Å"Pledge Your Body for Your Bread: Welfare, Drug Testing, and the Inferior Fourth Amendment.† 2011. William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal . 7 August 2013 . Carley, Frances. Drug Testing Welfare Recipients: A Review of Potential Costs and Savings. Lansing, 2012. Carpenter, David H. â€Å"Constitutional Analysis of Suspicionless Drug Testing Requirements for the Receipt of Governmental Benefits.† Report. 2013. Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute. Fourth Amendment. n.d. 5 August 2013 . —. Fourth Amendment. n.d. 5 August 2013 . Debate.com. Should someone receiving welfare be drug tested? n.d. Iowa State University Study Abroad Center. Stereotypes. 7 June 2011. 21 Augusr 2013 . Kaestner, Rob ert. â€Å"Drug Use and AFDC Participation: Is There a Connection?† May 1996. the National Bureau of Economic Reearch. 6 August 2013 . National Coalition for the Homeless. â€Å"Substance Abuse and Homelessness.† July 2009. National Coalition for the Homeless. 6 August 2013 . National Institute of Health. â€Å"NIAAA Researchers Estimate Alcohol and Drug Use, Abuse, and Dependence Among Welfare Recipients.† 23 October 1996. National Institute on Alocohol Abuse and Alocoholism. 7 August 2013

Essay on My Family - 931 Words

My Family My Family has always been a very important staple in my life, they come to all of my sporting events and school activities to support me 100%. They are always there if I ever am in trouble or in need of help, they can do whatever I need. If I need a talking to and I need to calm down and focus they can do that for me. Then there are the times that I have with my brothers and my other family and we have a lot of fun, memories that you share with your family you will never forget. We have thanksgiving together, and all of my family comes out here for the 4th of July and we have the best time. During the day we go out in the boat and things in the water and at night we eat a lot of food and shoot off tons of fireworks. Then we†¦show more content†¦No name, no face to put with him, heck I dont even know if I look like him. My family and I are different, there are families that dont share the same situation as having four adopted kids that are all spread apart in age. Y et my family and I push through that and we look past that, people dont understand they think that coming from different parents would divide us kids by thinking, hey, you arent my real brother That kind of thing does not happen, if anything being from different parents brings us together because we are so different from each other we are curious to learn about each other. Some people see it as a tough thing to deal with and I see it as a blessing for my parents, my brothers, and myself to be unique in this way, and we have always been a religious family so we definitely believe that each one of us kids was a blessing to our parents. The sacrifice that they make everyday when the go to work to support four kids who they never owed anything, never had to call themselves our parents, but they took us in and called us their own and they are angels walking, for the wonderful impact they have had on the lives of me and my brothers. Growing up in a large family there will always be troub les and when the ages are so far apart there will always be growing pains. Being adopted they have the choice of picking kids that are farther apart from each other which means that we are all in aShow MoreRelatedMy Family Of The Family1312 Words   |  6 Pages Because my parents’ families are so different, there are few strengths common to all three family sculptures. One strength that applies in most cases is that children near each other in age tend to have close relationships. My family of origin was broken down into pairs: Steven and Daniel, Julia and Michael, Alyssa and Natalie, and Matthew and Emily. All of these paired relationships were generally healthy, and it was within these pairs that we were assigned roles within the family. Because of thisRead MoreMy Family Of The Family1061 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction A person’s family of original is their family he or she grew up in (Welch). This could be a family someone was brought up in or adopted into (Welch). In my case, my family of origin is my family related by blood because I grew up in this household my entire life. There are many types of subfamilies such as single parent families, childless or childfree families, stepfamilies, cohabiting, and same sex families. I was raised in a traditional family and so have all my ancestors tracing backRead MoreMy Family : A Family1205 Words   |  5 PagesMy family comes from a very different background between both my parents. In this family tree summary I will describe how my family emigrated from Ireland in the late 1800s and early 1900s to seek a different lifestyle. My mother and father come from very different backgrounds medically and with very different upbringings. My father, John, side of the family is very different from my mothers. My great great grandparents arrived from Ireland in the late 1800s arriving from Dublin in hope for a brighterRead MoreMy Family Of The Family1594 Words   |  7 PagesOur family of origin plays a large role in socializing us. Specifically, our family of origin â€Å"is the family in which we are raised and socialized to adhere to the customs and norms of the culture in which we live† (Welch, 2012, pg. 6). Who our family members are and how they live their lives influences us, helping to make us into the people we become. I owe a lot to all of my family members and a love them all very much. I grew up in a very family oriented environment which makes me place aRead MoreMy Family : A Family1474 Words   |  6 Pageslearned that my family may not be as dysfunctional as I thought. There are many families out there with crazy combinations of who and what makes up their family. 1/3 of people who married ha ve also been divorced before and people normally repartner within 3-5 years. The United States has one of the highest divorce rates, only Russia has a higher rate. My family is made up of my paternal and maternal biological families, my step father s family and some of my step mother s, along with my adoptive familyRead MoreMy Family And My Life1318 Words   |  6 Pages When I was 8, my family and I lived in small house in the city town. Our life was a little bit hard, everyone in the family is always busy, my mom went to work most of the time and my dad, too. My sister and me we both have school during the day and tutoring class after school. Sometimes, I only see my mom twice a week even though she is home everyday at midnight because of her busy work. My dad is in charged of taking me to school and picking me up after tutoring class, but he also have his jobRead MoreMy Family (My New Family) Essay521 Words   |  3 Pagesknowing my true identity? Starring at the pain of growing up not knowing my father, and watching my mother shut me out to be with a man, she hardly even knows? Watching as the pain and struggle has continuously tormented my heart leaving me the only escape of climbing into the unknown. Moving in with my aunt and uncle saved my life; they gave me the family I have always dreamed for. All my life I have questioned who I am? My mother was adopted and my father has been everywhere, but in my life. IRead MoreMy Family : An Extended Family946 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction to Family My family consist of many people. My Father is Hector Abundis he is a very hard working man who and has been married to my mother Mary for 27 years now. My mom is very strong and also hardworking. I have three older brother Hector Jr is the oldest he’s 29 and is currently in college as well. Next is my brother Arturo he is very intelligent and also the brother I am the closet to. After him is my brother Jesse he is 25 Then, there’s me the baby until my parents adopted my now littleRead MoreDefining Family : My Family1453 Words   |  6 PagesDefining Family My family consist of three people that live in my household. My mother, Janette who is 43 years old African American woman. She has a high school diploma and took some classes at Joliet Junior College, but she drop out because she couldn’t handle it. She works at a warehouse whom she is the team leader and since her income is what supports this family it would put my family in the lower income bracket. My older brother, Dionte who is 26 years old African American man. He has a highRead MoreMy Family Of The Family Tree2126 Words   |  9 PagesI derive most of my identity from my Mother’s side of the family tree, so this autobiography will be a little lopsided; much like my personality. My maternal grandmother’s family came from Sonder Stenderup of Jutland, Denmark and my maternal grandfather’s family is of German descent. The original family name was Gron, however my great grandfather change the surname to Green in order to sound more American. My mothe r’s grandparents came from Jutland, Denmark in 1905 and my grandmother was born in