French Educational System Compared to the American System Essay Example for Free

French Educational System Compared to the American System Essay France and the United States have numerous striking differences and tastes in almost all cultural aspects. The French education system has been criticized globally by scholars and experts in various career fields for its failure to provide a flexible, all-round education. However, it has also received praise and recognition by the world at large for its significant contribution to the field of mathematics, with the revolution in banking in the late 20th century pioneered by French mathematicians. The United States education system, on the other hand, is increasingly receiving favor by international students for its provision of high class, market friendly education, despite the current criticism on the high cost of education. This paper compares the French and the American education systems. There are many differences, as well as similarities, in the French and the US education systems. One of the major aspects which have raised concern is on higher education. In both countries, higher education is given high priority, and in the US, for instance, the majority of adults are college educated. In France, higher education is also highly valued, with a person’s popularity and respect increasing as she or he advances in education. A significant difference in the higher education in both France and the US, however, is on the entrance process to university. In the French education system, before one can gain access to university studies, the final exam, the Baccalaureat, or the â€Å"Bac† is mandatory. The â€Å"Bac† is a rigorous school-leaving examination with no multiple choice questions and includes a written part and an oral part, with several subjects each. The â€Å"Bac† is highly valued in the nation so much that despite numerous criticisms from scholars globally to change the system and implement other selection methods, the nation has refused to change it. (Understandfrance. org, 2008) Despite the tough examination system, the French have no other university selection method. The nationwide â€Å"no selection† policy has raised controversy from scholars worldwide who find the method not sufficient for a thorough process. College selection in the US however, is very vigorous and students undergo numerous processes before gaining entrance to college. Selection is comprised of practices such as writing a personal statement, attending an interview, being involved in extra curricular activities among of course, the class ranking and the grades earned in high school courses taken. Recommendations too, by responsible persons are also considered before one can gain entrance into any higher institution of learning. A major reason which has made many international students prefer the higher education system in the United States over that in France in the recent past is the many facilities and services offered in US institutions. Issues such as overcrowding in lecture halls, for instance, are not experienced in majority of US institutions, although quite evident in most of the universities in France. Such prestige, however, comes at a cost. College tuition fees in the US can in no way be comparable to France, where education, interestingly, at all levels is almost free and only 26 percent of university students receive scholarships. (Understandfrance. org, 2008) Tuition fees is so high in the US, such that scholarships alone cannot cater for the students; the majority of US students receive either loans, grants or both from the government, so as to cater for their tuition fees. The government, in fact cannot sufficiently cater for the tuition needs of all the students, and private sources are increasingly becoming normal. Grants and loans are even not enough, and many students opt to sign up to study over the internet, in the many obviously questionable free online courses. Another striking difference in the education systems of both France and the United States is their curriculum. The French curriculum has been criticized globally for its failure to connect to the world market. Many demonstrations have been staged by French students, for decades and although there have been reforms; the reforms have not been good enough to cater for the current market demand. The US system, on the other hand, has diverse and flexible curricula, with a wide range of topics, from nuclear science to dance. As opposed to the French curricula, where extra curricular activities such as sports, musical groups and numerous clubs are not recognized in the curricula and where one can only have private classes for the same, in the US, such activities are given high priority. They can also be found in US institutions, both public and private. The flexibility of the US education system is what has made it the most preferred by international students worldwide, since they can have access to almost all interested areas of study. Unemployment, as a result is not as prevalent in the US as it is in France, with the recent demonstrations by French students to find solutions to the problem. The French are recognized as a literacy community, where education levels determine a person’s status. The more one advances in education, the more recognized she or he gets. This is a belief not common in the US. This general belief is what makes the education valued so greatly, with most French students spending most of their time in classroom related activities, allowing no room for other activities such as music and art related fields. Highly educated people in France in especially the globally viewed â€Å"tough† subjects such as mathematics, are given great respect, with the not very successful in education, despite their circumstances or other achievements, looked down upon and not recognized. In the United States, however, education levels are not given such respect and other issues such as healthcare are given more weight even politically. It is not surprising to note that the richest Americans are college dropouts, big names such as William Gates III. This notwithstanding, the education facilities in the United states are the best compared to other institutions worldwide. Despite critics arguing that French schools tend to make students theoretical and uncreative, French academic standards are high and discipline is strict. This is however not the case in the American education system, where the use of drugs is common especially in junior high and high schools. This problem has remained a major problem in the US for many years. (Hall, 1990, 99-102 144) Education, over the years, has played a very important role in the development of individuals and a nation. It is important to note that both the French and American education systems should be improved, in certain features, as aforementioned, such as eradicating the drug use in US schools, making the French system more market friendly and more relevant to the current market stage, and improving the overcrowded high education institutions. This move would in the long run, make both of the systems stronger, hence ensuring effectiveness in both; an important catalyst in the road to globalization. Works Cited: Hall M. R. (1990) Understanding Cultural Differences: Germans, French and Americans (Intercultural Press) Understandfrance. org (2008): Education in France. Retrieved December 2nd 2008 from: http://www. understandfrance. org/France/Education. html

Roles of a Quantity Surveyor

Roles of a Quantity Surveyor Quantity surveyors, who may also be known as commercial managers or construction cost consultants, are specialists in the financial and contractual aspects of construction projects. They are involved at all stages of the project and are usually appointed by the architect or engineer who has designed the construction. They act as the financial overseer of a particular project, translating the plans into detailed costs. This involves working out the timings of each process and the precise quantity of materials needed. The main tasks include preparing information on the cost of labour, plant and materials, allocating work to subcontractors, preparing tender and contract documents, advising on the choice of materials and construction techniques, dealing with planning issues, building regulations and architects, and managing costs on site and dealing with cost reconciliation. The work is central to the profitability of construction projects. Through negotiation, successful quantity surveyors can save large amounts of money for the companies they work for.   Entry level The main route into quantity surveying is by taking a first degree normally in quantity surveying or a closely related subject accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Alternatively, postgraduate courses are available for people with degrees in other subjects. Entry to an accredited degree course is generally with two or three A levels/three or four H grades, or equivalent qualifications, plus five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3). You should check specific requirements with individual institutions. Useful A level/H grade subjects include maths, English, geography, physical science, geology, economics, law, ICT, art, business studies, design and technology and languages. If you dont have the academic entry requirements for a degree course, you may be able to study at HNC/HND or foundation degree level. These qualifications can be supplemented with further study for the RICS or CIOB accredited degrees. In the Greater London area, the Chartered Surveyors Training Trust offers work-based training for young people aged 16 to 24 years. For this, you must have a minimum of four GCSEs (A-C), including English, maths and a science subject, or equivalent qualifications. Trainees work towards an Advanced Apprenticeship and an HND in Construction, before continuing to study on an accredited degree course. Entry to RICS accredited postgraduate conversion courses is with a first degree, which can be in a subject unrelated to surveying. With a degree, it is also possible to take a three-year graduate diploma accredited by the CIOB, whilst working in a construction company. Making the grade On completion of a RICS or CIOB accredited degree or diploma, you must gain further practical experience before becoming fully qualified. For the RICS, this involves a minimum of two years of structured learning in employment, leading to a RICS professional assessment interview known as the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). Successful completion of the APC entitles you to use the letters MRICS. The CIOB has a professional development programme which requires the completion of a personal development record over three years, based upon a skills and competency requirement. This is followed by a professional interview. RICS and CIOB are the main professional institutions, and membership is essential for chartered status. It is also possible for quantity surveyors to join the Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors. Some surveyors are members of more than one institution. All quantity surveyors also undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD), which may include gaining additional qualifications. With experience, you could become a project manager. You could also move into specialist areas such as legal services, risk management or facilities management. Self-employment and freelance work are quite common. Personal qualities As a quantity surveyor, you would need to be a practical person with a logical and methodical approach to problem solving. You would need good IT and numeracy skills, together with the ability to analyse the content of complicated documents. A clear understanding both of construction techniques and technology and of the relevant laws and health and safety requirements would be essential. You should have good communications skills as you could be required to express your opinions both verbally and on paper. You are also likely to be involved in negotiating with a wide variety of people, which means that you would have to listen to the points of view of others as well as giving your own opinion. In addition, you are likely to be working as a member of a team, which may require you to motivate and lead people on site. Looking ahead The main employers of quantity surveyors are building and civil engineering contractors, consultancies that advise clients on construction costs, the property divisions of large organisations, and local government and other public sector bodies. Jobs are available throughout the UK. The demand for quantity surveyors is strong and there is a shortage of people with the appropriate skills. Alternative suggestions Other possibilities might include architect, building surveyor, civil engineer, construction manager, estate agent, general practice surveyor, housing manager or town planner. Take-home pay When you first start working, you could expect to earn between  £16,000 and  £24,000. If you start working for a large contractor, you could earn more as you may get paid for working site hours. Your salary could easily rise with experience to  £30,000 to  £50,000, and you could earn substantially more if you become a principal partner in private practice. Effects Quantity surveyors are generally office based, although your office may be on a construction site. Most quantity surveyors are likely to make some site visits, which require the use of safety equipment such as hard hats and boots. When based at construction site, you may work from, say, 8am to 6pm. Otherwise, you may keep more normal office hours. Occasional weekend work may be required. Roles of a Quantity Surveyor Roles of a Quantity Surveyor A Quantity Surveyor is an individual whom works on projects ranging from office blocks, schools, hospitals, factories to bridges, railways, oil and mining development, ship building and large process engineering works such as oil refineries, and anywhere that major construction work is carried out. Traditionally this role has been performed by a highly trained person with extensive knowledge in the operational procedures involved with construction or project management. This position often acts as an independent contractor and is a trusted and respected source for professional consultation. The roles of the Quantity Surveyor are diverse and vital to the project life cycle (Internet). Every Quantity Surveyor has the standard basic skill which is to draw up a bill of quantities which is a type of tender document that contains information regarding to the construction project. The measurements are taken from the drawings which must be in accordance with the standard measurement method which is agreed or accepted and will be priced by the contractors. The documents will be used throughout the whole construction project and are for valuation and cost control purposes. The Quantity Surveyor estimate and monitor construction costs, from the feasibility stage of a project through to the completion of the construction period as part of an advisors role. After the completion of construction, the Quantity Surveyor may have to be involved with tax depreciation schedules, arbitration and mediation if necessary, and cost estimation for insurance purposes. They are employed on most construction projects as consultants to the owner, in both private and public sectors. They would have to work hand in hand with architects, financiers, engineers, contractors, suppliers, project owners, accountants, insurance underwriters, solicitors and Courts and even with all levels of government authorities. The roles of Quantity Surveyor come in handy when at times of: Cost planning is a advance technique used by the QS team and it is mainly to help all the construction team members to arrive accordingly at practical designs for a project and make sure the projects are within budgets. The Qs will have to make sure that everything has to follow in accord to the estimates which have been agreed, from the beginning of successful contractors tender to the final project cost. In planning construction cost, it is very important that maintenance and running cost cannot be neglected in order to attain a project that is cost effective throughout its life. The QS will have to rapidly deal with the cost implication when the client decided that there is a change of plans and when variations are introduced. Cost planning can improve economy standards and also better value for money. Constant monitoring can avoid the risk of overspending if they are spotted early and proper corrective actions are taken, thus help the client to save money. Value management Value management is an act which aims to eliminate waste from the design or clients brief, thus at the same time the safety and main functions of the projects are retained. The objective of this value management is to deliver the project function to the expected quality so that the best value for the money can be expended. In this case, it does not necessary mean to be at lowest initial cost, but all factors impacting upon the projects which are considered as a whole are proven of the highest value (anonymous, internet).A QS is a well qualified person to direct the value management studies on a project. From this value management, the project team can obtain a clearer understanding of the involved project objectives and functions thus reducing any unnecessary costs are being made able. In this value management, it also labels the whole life implications in terms of both cost and also the clients business objectives of the building design. The Life Cycle Costing The cost of a project cannot be evaluated base on the initial cost alone. It is long been proven that although a constructed facility is cheap but may appears to be in long term, can be a lot more expensive than one with much higher initial cost. The life cycle costing is about a procurement evaluation technique which determines the total cost of acquisition, operation, maintaining and disposal of the items acquired; the lowest ownership cost during the time the item is in use (anonymous, internet). The life cycle costing assessment should not only considering the characteristics of the constructed facility, the sustainability, the maintainability, the reusability and obsolescence, but they must also not neglect the initial capital cost, the maintenance cost, the operational cost, the residual and disposal costs. Both economic and non-economic performance of constructed facility can be checked in this way. The QS will be the one who monitor all the life cycle costing analysis. The impact of all costs are considered rather than only the initial capital cost to ensure that different constructed facilities can be more efficiently evaluated and to help the effective management of a completed facility are the main objectives of life cycle costing. The building clients can obtain the best value for their money this way. Preliminary Cost Advice A QS is the person whom will be giving practical advices on stuffs which has to do with the cost of the project. The QS will also prepare the cost studies and advice on the structural forms, the choice of materials, the alternative design solutions, the construction sequence and the maintenance cost .From that, a detailed cost plan can be prepared for budgetary control. Facilities Management Facilities management is an extremely wide and all embracing activity involving many types of functions such as assets management, office management and housekeeping, building and engineering maintenance. Among the definitions of facilities management, but it could be borne in mind that there exist some common themes, or characteristics, as follows: it will be needing integrated multi-disciplinary professional services; it have reference to built asset the workplace; it will have to help the organization in achieving its objectives. However theres no one individual, nor profession, who would be able to fulfill all the required technical functions included in the concept of facilities management. Still and all, if there is any specifically trained or experienced QS is in charge, he will be able to understand and define theobjectives of the clients organization, thus be able to coordinate and provide the most appropriate facilities management services. Procurement Methods The QS are known for their expertise, knowledge and tools which are useful in the selection of the right suppliers or contractors for any given projects. There are no two projects which are exactly the same. Most of the projects (and many smaller ones) have their own challenges and needs their own solution. Procurement through competitive tendering based on different types of forms of contract and options is the most common method option. The QS are the person who prepares the bills of quantities which are used for the tendering. The bills containing documents of an itemized breakdown of the works to be carried out in a unit price contract, indicating a quantity for each item and the corresponding unit price. The bills of quantities are the crucial element in both effective cost control and also the basis of valuation of variations during construction. On different occasions, different tendering method and contractual arrangement may be used depending on the clients requirement. It m ay include tendering method such as the traditional method, the design and build, the construction management, the guaranteed maximum price, the prime cost contract and cost plus, and many more. The QS role is to provide advice to the client on the best choice of contractual arrangement depending on the circumstances that the clients required. Tendering Competitive tendering of the same kind or differing type remains the usual basis for construction contracts, while the bills of quantities are the fundamental to this process. The designers produced drawings and specifications which are translated by the bill of quantities into documents which would allows a contractor to calculate his tender price accordingly and on the exact same basis as his competitors. In the process of constructions, the QS are also an important element in effective cost control. If there are other tendering procedures which are appropriate, the QS will recommend alternatives. Contractual Advice The QS have to be are able to provide both commercial and contractual advice to all corporations such as the developers, the government bodies, the contractors and subcontractors, for all types of civil engineering, building and structural projects.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   The type of service for contractual advice covers: Contract administration: site set-up, valuations of work in progress, subcontract procurement, measurements, assessment of rates, cost reporting and variations. Contract documents: warranties, bonds and guarantees, selection of appropriate standard forms of contract, the interpretation, drafting of special conditions and forms of contract. The Valuation of construction work The contractor is paid every month in most of the construction contracts unless otherwise specified. The QS role is to value the works carried out each month by the contractor on the project involved and submit a recommendation for payment. Insurance Advice The QS may help the employers to choose the most appropriate construction insurance. Construction sites are inherently dangerous places. This is why construction insurance is an important policy to have if they are going to run or manage a construction site. It is also known as Builders Risk Insurance, construction insurance provides safeguards for employers against construction workers being injured on site. Construction insurance does not exempt the employer from maintain a safe workplace. Usually, construction insurance policies only pay out if a strict set of health and safety guidelines are followed (anonymous, internet). It also protects the developing structure and the materials purchased for the construction for the loss due to damage or theft. The advantages of obtaining advices from the QS are: Well aware in the manner of cost, all round advice on contractual matters, and with full of efficiency in construction activities; Better communication with the involved parties such as insurers/employers/contractors/loss adjusters, which might be less efficient if it was handled general insurance practitioners. Cost Control Financial Management Cost control might be one of the most important aspects which have to be monitored closely in any capital project. It is important because the client wants a good value for money from the project. The QS have to make sure that the required balance of expenditure between different elements of the project is achieved and also to keep the final expenditure of the project within the clients required budged. In general, cost control consists of three basic steps: Build an overall cost target Taking remedial action where necessary Analyzing any deviations In practice, the process of cost control shows an extent of professional activities such as cost analyses of previous projects, cost studies of different types of constructional options, cost planning/estimating, cost monitoring in time of the construction stage and cost reconciliation in time of the tendering stage. Regularly, the QS produce the cost estimates and financial which creates an important phrase of the financial management of capital projects. With these periodic financial reports, the clients are able to foresee the projects progress and control their future financial commitments.

The Courage, Strength, and Integrity of Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

The Courage, Strength, and Integrity of Beowulf "He who had come to them from across the sea, bold and strong minded, had driven affliction off, purged Herot clean." Beowulf has traveled a great distance to help people in need. Even though Beowulf is a fictional character, he is clearly the heroic symbol needed by the people of the chaotic Middle Ages with his extraordinary characteristics of courage, strength, and integrity. To be a hero a person needs to be admired for courage, strength, and integrity. A hero is any person admired for courage. A person with courage can easily take on any task. Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the know-how to control it. To be a hero is also one that is strong. To be strong a person needs not only brawn, but the knowledge to use it. Strength without direction is like trying to hit a cloud with a bow and arrow. A hero is also anyone that posses integrity. With integrity a hero knows how to do without a doubt what is right. A person with integrity is unimpaired, so he is able to accomplish the task at hand. A person who upholds these qualities and more is truly a hero. Beowulf, a hero for heroes overcomes the hideous creature Grendle, in order to aid the Danes, whom are in the need of aid. Beowulf sits awake in uncertainty of what comes in the depths of the everlasting night. This shows that Beowulf has an uncanny amount of courage. He, as any human in this predicament is obviously full of fear, but with courage he is able to control this fear. As the infamous Grendle rushes towards Beowulf with great might, the mighty Beowulf catches the viscous monsters claw and tears the whole limb from its now empty socket. This definately shows a great amount of strength. To have such great power to pull an arm from its socket he must be strong. Beowulf traverses a great distance in order to help a foreign people whom are in the need of aid. By helping the Danes, Beowulf shows that he posses an elevated

Mothers, Daughters and Common Ground in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club Ess

Mothers, Daughters and Common Ground in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club Here is a journey that not only started "a thousand Li away", but from generations upon generations of tradition. The Joy Luck Club travels over time and continents to present the background and turmoil of eight amazing women. All of these women have had to deal with the issues of culture, gender, and family, each in their own way, yet all similarly. Amy Tan dedicates her novel to her mother with the comment "You asked me once what I would remember†¦ This, and much more." Each of the mothers in Tan's novel wanted to teach their daughters the lessons learned in China while giving them the comforts of America. But language and culture barriers diverge the women until they were almost lost to each other. Each character had to take their own journey to finally understand what drove them apart and find their common ground. Each Mother brought baggage with her across the pacific. They wanted to teach their daughters from all of their pain and suffering, but were never able to communicate the complexities of their life. Suyuan Woo struggles to explain herself to her daughter "'This feather may look worthless, but it comes from afar and carries with it all my good intentions.' And she waited, year after year, for the day she could tell her daughter this in perfect American English"(3). The journey that brought Suyuan to America was long and full of hardship. From the Japanese invasion of Kweilin were she lost her husband and had to leave her daughters, to her assimilation in America. Suyuan wanted to teach her daughter about these hardships so that she could understand the extent of her potential. " My mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in Ameri... ... finding her sisters and in doing this fulfilling her own. Just as Jing-Mei found what made her Chinese, Lindo discovered what made her American. "I was so much like my mother. She did not see how my face changed over the years. How my eyes began following the American way"(293). She is a mixture, no longer one hundred percent Chinese, yet she has held her culture with her throughout her life in America. "Not only traditional and not only modern, not just Chinese and not just American, but Chinese-American"(Reece). This is the same discovery that Waverly and Jing-Mei come to, they finally understand were their mother's have come from and the history brought with them from far away. And the mother's best intentions are no longer like the illusive mountains covered in fog, left in China. Works Cited Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Random House, 1989.

We Should Skydive To Work :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Standing in the doorway of the plane I still felt grounded. The equipment weighed heavily on my back, the floor pressed against my feet, and the straps pulled on my legs and shoulders. Looking down the only thing I saw was the world in a collage of colored dots as I made sure I spotted my target for landing. My phobia of heights and flying suddenly hit me like a railroad train. I could feel my heart beat from all parts of my body. Gradually, my fears turned into excitement as I longed for the freedom of flight, I leapt. Touching nothing but air I felt the exhilarating rush of adrenaline as I soared through the sky at 120 miles per hour. I was in control. My every nerve tingled with excitement. That smooth collage of color miles below may be where I lived but this was where I was most alive! For sixty seconds of eternity I was completely free of all worldly concerns; it was just me and the sky. Skydiving is an activity and sport in which people jump out of an aircraft, alone or in groups, and land by using a parachute. Because of the sensation of leaping into the air and free-falling some distance before opening their parachutes, skydivers usually experience a rush of adrenaline and then a peaceful sense of well-being. This feeling of calm lasts long after they land on the ground. Before feeling that calm however, my mind was like many people’s out there, and I could not understand why I had convinced myself to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. I assumed that only reckless stuntmen skydive, and that it was the most dangerous thing a person could experience. Now that I have actually jumped out of a plane, I can easily disagree with the doubts of non-skydivers. Although skydiving may be seen as dangerous or even careless, it is actually one of the safest extreme sports, even researched to be safer than driving a car. Why do people see skydiving as particularly dangerous? First of all, be honest: It’s not bowling. A skydiver, after all is jumping out of an airplane and hurtling 12,000 feet towards the ground at 120 miles per hour. The most common reason why people see skydiving as so dangerous is because it is a popular phobia among people. Acrophobia, or the fear of heights, is one of the top phobias in the world. We Should Skydive To Work :: essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Standing in the doorway of the plane I still felt grounded. The equipment weighed heavily on my back, the floor pressed against my feet, and the straps pulled on my legs and shoulders. Looking down the only thing I saw was the world in a collage of colored dots as I made sure I spotted my target for landing. My phobia of heights and flying suddenly hit me like a railroad train. I could feel my heart beat from all parts of my body. Gradually, my fears turned into excitement as I longed for the freedom of flight, I leapt. Touching nothing but air I felt the exhilarating rush of adrenaline as I soared through the sky at 120 miles per hour. I was in control. My every nerve tingled with excitement. That smooth collage of color miles below may be where I lived but this was where I was most alive! For sixty seconds of eternity I was completely free of all worldly concerns; it was just me and the sky. Skydiving is an activity and sport in which people jump out of an aircraft, alone or in groups, and land by using a parachute. Because of the sensation of leaping into the air and free-falling some distance before opening their parachutes, skydivers usually experience a rush of adrenaline and then a peaceful sense of well-being. This feeling of calm lasts long after they land on the ground. Before feeling that calm however, my mind was like many people’s out there, and I could not understand why I had convinced myself to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. I assumed that only reckless stuntmen skydive, and that it was the most dangerous thing a person could experience. Now that I have actually jumped out of a plane, I can easily disagree with the doubts of non-skydivers. Although skydiving may be seen as dangerous or even careless, it is actually one of the safest extreme sports, even researched to be safer than driving a car. Why do people see skydiving as particularly dangerous? First of all, be honest: It’s not bowling. A skydiver, after all is jumping out of an airplane and hurtling 12,000 feet towards the ground at 120 miles per hour. The most common reason why people see skydiving as so dangerous is because it is a popular phobia among people. Acrophobia, or the fear of heights, is one of the top phobias in the world.

Joplin Scott’s The Entertainer

Joplin Scott’s The Entertainer is undoubtedly one of the most easily recognizable melodies in music. Its popularity can be considered part of popular culture that has lasted a century thanks to modern adaptations of the music. The piece created in the height of American rag time music, has a great history and is considered as an important cultural piece in African American art genre (French, 2007). Joplin himself is an icon of American music and proved himself devoted to his craft to develop ragtime music to a classical status. The Setting The turn to the 20th century is among the most critical times in history. Globally, the United States is becoming a leader, spearheading the industrial movement of internationalization of commerce. Within the United States itself, there was significant economic growth and social development in terms of rights and suffrage movements. Though African Americans were still subject to a significant amount of legal and social discrimination, they were beginning to organize interest and lobby movements and cultivate their identity in American society (Schafer et al, 1977, pp. 47-52). One of the fields that they gained recognition was in music. Strongly based in church and community musical traditions, composers like Scott combined it with European classical and romantic music to broaden its appeal. Ragtime music, shortened from its original ragged time, is a good example of the musical combination of African American style and contemporary ones. The music also was a means of displaying musical dexterity, a talent that often enjoyed significant success on country wide circuits (Sporre, 2003). The Song Written in 1902, The Entertainer is a rag time two step both enjoyed as music and for dance. Like other rag time music, it is not a metered piece and can be more appropriately considered as timed by its syncopation. The effect is however is that beats are emphasized even more which encourages movement from the audience. The piece requires that listener become in tune with the syncopation and pattern their movements thusly which encourages the audience to catch the rhythm of the song (French, 2007). The piece is written in the key of C but also has a section written in F. The primary chord pattern in A-B-A-C-D and repetitions become progressively higher in octave. Performers of the piece are given significant margin in its performance allowing for intricate melody detailing that will become popularized in jazz and rhythm and blues music. For a time, the song was lost to posterity together with ragtime music genre until it regained popularity when it adapted by Marvin Hamlisch for the movie 1973 Academy-winning film The Sting. The track reached the top three on Billboard magazine and since then has become the anthem for the sport of snooker, theme of several television and entertainment productions and a staple of the musical repertoire of musicians (Schafer et al, 1977, pp. 95-101). The Appeal The Entertainer’s appeal lies both in its artistry and its value in culture. The technical aspect of the song reveals a great deal of creative genius and facility in combining musical styles to appeal to a contemporary public (Sporre, 2003). At the same time, it gives insight to the social and cultural development of African Americans in the United States (Schafer et al, 1977, pp. 12-14). Most of all, it highlights the role of music in communication and society across races and beliefs overcoming discrimination and bigotry. As much as these perspectives remain important today, so does will the song. Its revival in the 1970’s reflects that good music is timeless. Like the people who first heard the tune a hundred years ago, The Entertainer challenges listeners to really listen to it, learning its melody beats and mood. It encourages listeners to experience music and to allow it to move them. For these reasons, The Entertainer fulfills its role not only as a musical piece but also as a cultural heritage that many generations will continue to love. Works Cited French, Christopher W. â€Å"Joplin Scott’s The Entertainer†. Rhythm on the Rock Productions. 2007. 31 May 2007. Schafer, W.J., and Riedel, J. The Art of Ragtime: Form and Meaning of an Original Black American Art, Revised Edition. Louisiana State University Press, 1977 Sporre, Dennis J. Perceiving the Arts: An Introduction to the Humanities New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc, 2003

Philosophy, Deductive Arguments

Philosophy Homework 15/09/2011 Deductive Arguments: A deductive argument isn’t necessarily valid, it could be invalid. It also isn’t necessarily sound – it could be unsound. If the argument is valid and the premises are true then overall the argument is sound. You will always gain knowledge with a deductive argument. The first premise will link with the second premise in order to make a conclusion. Deductive arguments aren’t based on assumptions.Inductive Arguments: The premises are all true so therefore the conclusion is likely to be true; however it isn’t definite that the conclusion will be true. It is usually probable that the conclusion will be true, but there is a chance it’s false. For example: Katherine is a girl (premise) A lot of girls paint their nails (premise) Katherine paints her nails (conclusion) -Katherine might not like wearing nail varnish, it’s just an assumption that she does because she is a girl. Necessary truths : Something that will always be true no matter what the circumstances or situation is.An example would be that ‘I am a female’. Contingent truths: A truth that in some cases may be true, however it could also have been false. If there is anyway in which this truth could be false, it is contingent. An example of this would be ‘Dogs have 4 legs’; some dogs have to have legs amputated, therefore isn’t true in every case. A Priori: Knowledge that has not been supported by an experience or an actual fact. A Posteriori: Knowledge that is backed up by experience/observation or an actual fact.