Art and Function in a T-Shirt Essay Example for Free

Art and Function in a T-Shirt Essay Defining and evaluating artistic and aesthetic value has often been a problematic task. This is because aesthetic judgements are subjective and are influenced by prevailing cultural, economic, political, and social norms. Hence, the definition of art remains a contested domain between those who believe in â€Å"high art† and the advocates of artistic and cultural relativism. (Danto 35) The difficulty in ascribing aesthetic value to objects is evident in the fact that relativism, with its focus on the individual subjective experience, would render anything and everything as artforms since humans ultimately attach meanings to objects they possess. Changes in culture and socio-economic conditions also alter and influence the very standards by which the aesthetic value of art forms and other objects are judged. For instance, in judging a t-shirt with Bob Marley’s face printed on it on the front through the use of the silkscreen method, one easily dismisses it as a non-art when judged according to the traditional notions of fine art. This is because the t-shirt and the print on it do not express artistic creativity, which is a prerequisite for objects to be considered art forms. The t-shirt and the print, which can be replicated many times over by any one with knowledge on silk screen printing, do not possess relevant canonic properties of art such as unity, complexity, and intensity which could evoke intense human experiences and therefore, aesthetic appreciation (Goldman 185). The sight of the t-shirt does not stir up feelings of beauty nor does its fabric hold anything extraordinary for the senses. The print on the t-shirt does not convey a particular style to capture attention or cause pain or pleasure, at least not in the way that beholding Picasso’s paintings evoke wonder, mystery, and other psychological sentiments arising purely from the painter’s use of style, colors, and the imagination. Likewise, the t-shirt with the print on it was created not for the purpose of being admired as an art. As such, the t-shirt is not valuable in itself but gains value for its function to humans, contrary to traditional visual and other forms of art. Art forms are valued for their artistic worth or for their ability to command a definite blending of particular perceptual and sensory elements from the audience (Goldman 188). On the other hand, subjecting the t-shirt to evaluation based on the principles of aesthetic value leads to interesting results. The t-shirt with Bob Marley’s face printed on it clearly fulfills two aesthetic principles. First, the t-shirt becomes a medium for the image of Bob Marley, a cultural icon in reggae music and in the historical struggle of Jamaicans. In this case, the t-shirt with Bob Marley’s image transcends its status as an object worn by humans to cover themselves and becomes an expression of the values of reggae and Jamaican culture in a manner similar to cultural artifacts. Second, the t-shirt itself may be valued by an individual for the sentiments attached to the shirt. It could have been given as a gift for an occasion or has been worn to events associated with feelings of happiness which make the t-shirt valuable to the individual because of the memories of joyous times spent while wearing it. Thus, other people might consider the same t-shirt aesthetically valuable. Fenner observes that objects do not have intrinsic aesthetic value; rather it is the subjective experience of humans that create aesthetic value for objects, particularly the expectation of pleasure from an object (122). Those who appreciate and know Bob Marley may value his image on the t-shirt and subsequently feel pleasure or the elevation of other feelings associated with Bob Marley’s musical contribution and historical roots. As such, the t-shirt may be appreciated by people who share a cultural affinity with Jamaica or of the counterculture that Bob Marley represents. The value of Bob Marley’s silkscreened image extends to the t-shirt which carries it and reinforces the value of the shirt for its owner. The t-shirt, donned by the owner, can therefore be considered the medium for the expression of individuality and creativity of the wearer. Wearing Bob Marley may be a political or cultural statement for a particular culture, particularly as a representation of the struggle against apartheid or against conventional popular music and the culture it represents. Hence, the appreciation of Jamaican culture or reggae music becomes another definitive aspect of the aesthetic experience that may be separate from the experiences attached to the t-shirt as an object. Likewise, neither the fact that the t-shirt was not created for the sake of art nor its low economic worth prevents it from being categorized as an art form. Fenner notes that the presence of traditional aesthetic properties do not necessarily lead to an aesthetic experience or to the creation of an aesthetic value (121). Hence, the audience can view a pricey painting without feeling any connection with it which would make the painting worthless in terms of evoking a subjective experience of appreciation for creativity or imagination. On the other hand, the same audience may behold the image on a shirt and feel an instant connection, a feeling of intense emotions from memories or meanings attached to the object of attention. It is clear that the traditional definitions of art and the accompanying distinction and stratification between â€Å"high art† and â€Å"lowbrow art† has slowly been eroded with the rise of cultural relativism and postmodern theory. Doubtless, the rigid formality of art has come under attack even within various artists’ circles itself that ascribe to the fluidity and less structured styles of postmodern culture. Thus, even an ordinary t-shirt can now be considered an art form when, after critical analysis, it is able to fulfill the principles of aesthetic value. Works Cited: Fenner, David E.W. The Aesthetic Attitude. Atlantic Highlands, N.J.: Humanities Press, 1996. Goldman, Alan. â€Å"Beardsley’s Legacy: The Theory of Aesthetic Value.† The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 63.2 (2005): 185-190.

The Dark Side Of A Wonder Drug-a Selected Collection Of Testimony On T :: essays research papers

The Dark side of a Wonder Drug-A Selected Collection of Testimony on the Safety of Ritalin "We give our children every day, yet we punish adults for taking speed," stated a concerned parent(Ritalin Zone). A trip to the principal's office used to mean big trouble. These days, more kids are showing up in the school office just to get their midday dose of Ritalin. Ritalin, the drug used to treat hyperactivity in children, is being seized on by a generation worried about controlling inappropriate behavior. But some doctors think Ritalin is being prescribed to children who are simply having trouble in school. The numbers suggest they have good reason to worry. The number of prescriptions for Ritalin increased four-fold from 1990 to 1995, making the stimulant one of the most prescribed drugs in the country. No one knows exactly what's behind the surge in Ritalin use, but experts speculate it's due to everything from increased awareness of attention disorders in schools to teachers and parents becoming less tolerant of unruly behavior. Some local school offices have become virtual noon-time pharmacies. At one Ottawa-area board of education, the number of medications dispensed to students by office administrators has increased 20 per cent over the past 18 months. A good chunk of those pills are Ritalin. "We always worry that we're a half-step away from giving someone the wrong dosage," says John Beatty, the board's superintendent of school operations(Ritalin Boy). "In certain school systems there's been a teacher who has seen it work and they'll start suggesting it as an option for all children who are acting out," said Linda Budd, a St. Paul, Minn., psychologist who has written the book Living With the Active/Alert Child. "We've got some teachers we call "Ritalin bullies' - he's not paying attention to me so he needs Ritalin"(Ritalin Zone). Marcia Ruberg, a school psychologist in Cherry Hill (N.J.) School District, said the number of children taking Ritalin varies greatly from class to class, depending on "the teacher's belief system"(Ritalin). At some schools, children as young as seven are asked to take their Ritalin themselves. The little blue pills have become so common in school yards that some kids are reportedly selling their spare Ritalin to friends, who take it in the hope of getting a buzz. "Every parent wants their child to be at the top of the class," says Dr. Andre Cote, clinical director of the Children's Mental Health Treatment Center at the Royal Ottawa Hospital. "What we might be seeing is that people are trying to improve their kids' performance by giving them medication"(Health: Ritalin). Others worry that Ritalin has become an easy answer for busy families

Opinion of Christopher Columbus

Opinions of Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus has always been revered as the man who discovered America, but as people look back over time, other ideas of Columbus have formed. Did he actually discover America? Or did he just encounter it? As other Native Americans had already been living in America, who were soon colonized/conquered, it is hard to say whether or not Columbus was a legendary man. Christopher Columbus, in all respect, did change the course of history greatly, the only question is whether or not he should honored or scorned for it.In 1492, Columbus happened upon the Americas. Columbus believed these people, the Native Americans, easily conquerable, and showed that. He did a number of injustices to the Native American people, women and children included. He also believed them to have no religion of their own, and tried to force christianity upon the Native Americans. Although Columbus was the first major sailor to reach the Americas, his actions did not represen t an honorable man.Although, at this time, Columbus had made a great change affecting the course of history. The Americas had been largely cut off from the rest of the world, and Columbus' interactions with the Native Americans had opened the Americas to trade thereout. It is arguable that the Americas would have been exposed to the rest of the world at some time, but Columbus had been the first. He, essentially, was the man who had the idea to sail west and created that to be a reality.Yet his actions were not the best, he did have the first major encounter in the Americas. I believe Columbus should be respected as the man who did have the first effective encounter in the Americas, though not honored. He had committed great sins against the Native Americans, and should not be considered a hero. Heroes have ethic morals they follow before and after they had made their accomplishments. Columbus did not show this. Columbus was a navigator who had happened to, instead of Asia, come acr oss a continent unknown to the world.

Invasion of Privacy by Employee Monitoring Essay

Employee monitoring has been a serious controversial issue in the modern workplaces besides its necessity. There are many technological surveillance methods are being used today, and it does not only monitor the quantity of work but the quality. Many employers believe that the monitoring helps to increase productivity and customer service activity and control and keep the business in an ideal, stable shape. They sometimes use it to determine one’s promotions and pay decisions as well as to reinforce disciplinary actions. However, what about employee’s privacy? Do employers think that the current monitoring situation is really fair to their employees? Lots of employers use different types of monitoring methods including computer monitoring, video surveillance, investigators, undercover operatives, spying, eavesdropping, wiretapping, and electronic mail and voice mail. All these methods are derived from high technology have made it so easy for those who are monitoring to overstep the boundaries from business information to private information. Many computer programs allow employers to access and monitor employee’s activities such as e-mail communication, keyboard activity, and website visiting history. A frequently debated issue is whether an employer has the right to read and check employee e-mail and voice messages. One recent survey shows that more than 73% of companies search or read employee files, e-mail messages, web connections, and other networking communication technology (Shelly & Vermaat, 2011, p. 590). Another data shows 25% of them have fired employees for misusing communication technology. The problem is that currently, there is no privacy laws exist relating to employee e-mail even though several lawsuits have been filed for many years against employers because many people believe that such internal employee communications should be private. (Slobovnik and Stuart 144-160) Another method of surveillance that is commonly used in a workplace is video recording. This is the most effective form of monitoring yet. However, there are restrictions regarding the legality of using this form. It is defined as illegal if there is audible recording along with the images in the tape. Employees must know that they are being recorded, and most of all, images should not be taken in any undesignated area such as restrooms. In fact, there are some benefits from video surveillance, including increased safety on the job, deter employees from stealing, promote good behavior, and can be used as evidence of a crime. However, video surveillance also can create a false sense of security and a decrease in morale. Imagine if someone is watching where you go and what you do. You might think as if this is not a human workplace but more like a prison. It is absolutely a privacy invasion for employees. The most recent invention of technological surveillance is a Smartcard. One statistic says that 53% of U. S. companies are using Smartcard, and the numbers are increasing rapidly. It simply controls employees’ physical activities within the company; it allows company to track every personal activity from using cell phones to visiting information. Invasion of privacy is a growing concern among employees. â€Å"Electronic monitoring without informing employees that it is taking place is no different than spying. Monitoring is a supervisory tool, not a tool for employee surveillance (CSE, 2006). Monitoring is a simple way of invading employee’s privacy. For example, computer data banks, telephone and video monitoring, active badges, and other monitoring techniques make the private lives of workers easier to delve into without detection (Mishra, J. M; Crampton, S. M 1998). Employers can maintain the productivity and accuracy of their employees without invading their personal lives by using motivation methods. Punishments should be followed for those who break the company’s policy. However, employers also have to protect their employees’ right as a human being.

Waitrose Company Essays

Waitrose Company Essays Waitrose Company Essay Waitrose Company Essay Waitrose was founded in 1904 and is the supermarket division of the John Lewis Partnership, with 187 branches. Like the Partnerships Department Stores, Waitrose is targeted at the middle class market, emphasising quality food and customer service rather than low prices. Their slogan reflects this Quality food, honestly priced. Waitroses main competitors in this market are Marks and Spencer and Sainsburys. The typical Waitrose customer has been described as affluent, interested in culture, travel, fine foods and wine and a likely Classic FM listener and BBC 1 viewer. Waitrose.com Waitrose included its three existing Internet sites which were Waitrose Deliver, [emailprotected], and Waitrose direct into an upgraded Waitrose.com website in August 2001. The online grocer Ocado has also taken over the distribution of Waitrose products, but has its own site (Ocado.com). Waitrose.com also functions as a shop finder that quickly shows users the shop closest to them, including map, travel instructions and opening times. Locations Waitrose is currently bound to its southeast location because there are only two major regional distribution centers in place (Bracknell Northampton). Although further expansion in the North and West is planned, Waitrose has no plans to expand overseas, unlike its bigger competitors. Segmentation Waitrose is able to identify different groups of buyers who share similar definable needs and behaviors by segmenting the market. Waitrose segments its market on simple variables such as incomes. This is shown by the number of stores that are based in the south of England showing that Waitrose is aiming at the higher income earners at the upper end of the market, and segmenting itself towards the social groups of A, B and C1. Waitrose has not based any stores in areas such as Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Bradford as these are Britains poorest regions, which Waitrose would not benefit from financially. The UK Online Market Research shows that more British food shoppers have been converted to online grocery shopping than in any other country. However, Internet sales still represent a tiny, although growing, percentage of the overall UK grocery market. Most people use the Internet as a way of gathering information on products and making price comparisons before visiting their local store. Tesco was the first grocery retailer to introduce online shopping and is now the worlds biggest Internet grocer. Question 1 Means of capturing information for use in e-business processes Organisations are increasingly using databases to manage customer relationships to increase both sales and customer satisfaction. A database can help you identify key trends and important information such as your most and least profitable customers. Waitrose E-CRM programme (E-Customer Resource Management) The E-CRM programme aims to build awareness and generate customer interaction with the Waitrose brand both in-branch and on Waitrose.com. Waitrose provides customers with monthly email communications, which will provide a platform to keep Waitrose front of mind, whilst reminding customers of their full range of services. The emails include information specifically tailored to the customer on seasonal foods arriving in branch, targeted special offers, new recipes and information on food suppliers. The emails are refreshed each month to give customers new ideas from Waitrose by analysing their shopping data. Waitrose.com has become recognised as one of the leading UK portals for food lovers, and the emails enable customers to click to the site to learn more about Waitrose food, offers or search for recipes and shopping lists. Visitors to the site can also find a selection of menu ideas and tips on preparing food, plus nutrition and wine experts can be emailed for individual advice. Ocado Waitrose uses an e-GRM programme to boost loyalty among early adopters of its online home delivery store Ocado. Waitrose Partnership Account Card The Partnership Card from John Lewis and a Waitrose credit card that earns customers vouchers when they spend. The Partnership Card allows customers to earn points towards vouchers. Waitrose sends vouchers directly to their customers three times a year. They can be spent on products in John Lewis, Waitrose and at Ocado.com. The Partnership Card entitles customers to receive exclusive theatre ticket promotions and invitations to special events such as summer concerts and country shows. Waitrose Quick Check Waitrose provides their customers with the option of using the Quick Check service, which allows customers to scan goods while they shop using a handheld scanner and then the ability to pay quickly at a special desk. When customers sign up to this service their details will automatically be transferred onto a database, where Waitrose can keep a track on their buying habbits, how much they are spending per week and their favorite products. Internal Databases Within Waitrose Waitrose has many Internal databases used by different business functions that they use to hold information. Human Resources The human resource department will have information on a database of their employees. The information that is kept on employees will help Waitrose to carry out appraisals, when reviewing pay and paying wages and giving references to other employees. Sales Waitrose will keep information on the sales of products in their store. The information will be able to tell Waitrose what their best selling lines are, what products sells best, what products arent selling that well and may need to be discontinued. From the information Waitrose will be able to position certain products as required such as best selling products getting the best positions. Stock Waitrose will keep information on the stock they keep and how much of each product they have. The information will help Waitrose when bringing in new lines and discontinuing products. Store Layout Waitrose will have information on the layout of the store and where certain products are kept this may be important if they are moving products around or when bringing in new product lines and deciding on where to put them. Marketing The marketing department will have information on prices of products this made help them decide whether prices need to change for example to compete with competitors. They will also keep information on promotions online and in store this will help Waitrose to see when promotions need to be updated and what other products may need to be promoted. Buying Waitrose will keep information on what they buy and where they buy from, they will communicate with suppliers to tell them what stock they need and when they are going to need it. Example of how the information gets onto the database using sales. The barcode is scanned through the till which goes to the EPOS. The information may be replayed to the partnership card/ marketing via the LAN. The role of digital information in informing business decision-making This diagram is showing how the role of digital information is helping Waitrose business decision-making. The Diagram below has been spilt up into five different areas showing the different stages in communication and business decision-making. 1. In Store Communication The EPOS (electronic point of sale) systems will be able to tell Waitrose what products are top sellers and which ones arent selling as well, this will help them make decisions on where to put certain items. They could put top selling products in a better shelf space and maybe promote the items that arent selling or discontinue them. 2. Databases When the data has been collected in store or online the information is sent to the centre and then stored in the databases. Head office will use this information for making decisions on things like store replenishment, store layout, staffing and promotions. 3. Buy-Side collaboration buying from suppliers, suppliers will communicate with head office. Waitrose will need to tell suppliers what they want them to supply and when they want them to supply it. Waitrose will decide what products they are going to store and where they are going to be positioned in store. Decisions on pricing may also change due to promotions or other forms of marketing. Waitrose needs to insure that they have the right amount of stock on their shelves to meet consumer demands. Waitrose uses hand held guns which allow labels on the shelves to be scanned which allows the employee to see how much stock they have. The stock is electronically stored and connected to a server, which will tell the employees how much of certain products they have allowing them to decide when to place an order. 4. The communication between banks and stores for purchases made buy customers, the banks will need to authorise the credit or debit card when customers uses the chip and pin systems. The card will be checked to make sure that it isnt stolen and then the card will be authorised if no problems occur. 5. Sell-Side E-Commerce Waitrose website, when customers access Waitrose online and purchases goods through the internet information is collected on those customers, Waitrose will be able to see the location of the customer, what they are buying and how much they spend. They can use this information to their advantage buy sending the customer offers or vouchers on their favourite products so that they shop again with Waitrose or purchase more than they would normally. Waitrose could also suggest a store close to them, as looking around a supermarket will attract customers to impulse buy which will boost Waitrose products. Waitrose Telecommunications In branch view of telecommunications In store communications, employees will communicate in store via the LAN (Local Area Network) an internal link. Waitrose has mobile telephones to communicate around store using extension numbers to contact different sections. A tannoy is also used in store which allows the company to talk to the whole store at one time, for example when making announcements to customers such as the store is closing or to ask an employee to go to a certain section. Externally a switchboard is used so if a call is coming in from out side the company they will then be transferred to the person or section they want to speak to. If a number of calls are incoming at the same time they will be put on hold and then transferred once the line is free. Waitrose will also communicate to head office via the WAN (World-Wide Area Network) voice and data can be communicated.

Vicarious Liability -Legal Aspects in Health Care Essay

Vicarious Liability -Legal Aspects in Health Care - Essay Example It further defines and discusses apparent agency and the impact the status of the agent/employee versus independent contractor have on the analysis of liability. When it comes to criminal prosecution of negligence in the medical field, the law is in no way lenient. Murthy defines negligence as carelessness in a situation where the law mandates one to be careful. A breach of this gives the patient a right to file a case in court. In a case between Poonam Verma and Ashwin Patel in India, the terms negligence, acting in a rash and being reckless were defined. Negligence was defined as when one excludes or goes against a positive responsibility unintentionally. On the other hand, a reckless person was defined as one who is aware of the results of his or her actions but chooses not to care. Finally, a rash person was described as one who is aware of the results of his or her deeds, but assumes they will not happen. With regard to this, a doctor should not be criminally charged for the death of an individual until there is evidence of negligence or incompetence. In cases of malpractice, there are two damages provided. One is the compensatory damag e where the hospital compensates the patient and the other is the disciplinary or punitive damage where the hospital is punished for the negligence or omissions that led to malpractice. In fact, the Indian Penal Code, section 304(a) reads that any person who causes a patient to depart this life either due to an act of negligence or rash behaviour should serve two years in prison, pay a fine or receive punishment of the two (Murthy, 2007). In healthcare, a health providing institution can be held liable for any harm done to a patient. According to Donoghue, a hospital can be held liable either directly due to their negligence or vicariously for the negligence of an employee in cases of hospital malpractice. When hiring a member of staff, a hospital has to take great care. The hospital is supposed to

Financial economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial economics - Assignment Example Most investors as well as investment managers always assume that they can pick securities which can beat the market. As such, they always utilize available public information when making promising investment decisions. According to Lengwiler (2004), when investing, shareholders utilize financial information as their core decision-making tool. That is, if a market is termed as efficient, shareholders will purchase the security most probably at its present market price, though depending on accessible public market information. Consequently, investors who purchase other securities or the stock perceive that market information as an indispensible appraisal. Market efficiency commands that any market price of a security indicates the consensus projection of the market value of such security. As such, efficient market is can only be achieved if the security price is a replica of the accessible public market information. That is, information concerning the economy, financial markets, and th e specific companies involved. However, as a consequence, the market prices of such securities adjust very swiftly to fresh market information. In Finland Stock Exchange (FSE), it was affirmed that the market did not exhibits weak-form market efficiency since stakeholders are capable of utilizing the time series data concerning prior stock prices to differentiate the design of price changes when forecasting prospective stock return. To establish if variation in current stock price is not caused by changes in prior stock prices is our concern. As an effort to tests, with regards to data from Finland`s Stock Exchange, how market prices exhibit weak-form efficiency, a variance ratio test, nested if instructions, and run test was done on past and present stock price. This was done by investigating whether market value data, liquidity data, debt data, and profitability data have any effect on future stock returns. By collecting the data of various companies listed in