Goverance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Goverance - Essay Example s and responsibilities of senior management, the crucial problems that affect success in the total enterprise, and the decisions that determine the direction of the organization and shape its function†. Policies and strategic management are responsibilities of the chief executive officer (CEO). A major task under these responsibilities is corporate governance which is simply defined as â€Å"controlling, restraining and directing the making and administration of these policies† (Webster 1997). In health care, like in any other enterprise, administrative issues that affect the relevant structures of the health institution are ultimately governed by the CEO or the board of directors. It is in this regard that this paper aims to examine a specific administrative issue that required the skills and professional expertise of the CEO to steer the health organization’s direction towards the attainment of its goals. The mission of one of the top ten hospitals in Asia is to improve the delivery of quality health care conforming to the strict standards of the Joint Accreditation Commission of Health Organizations (JACHO). It came to the attention of the Vice President for Nursing that their Nurse Managers are torn between prioritizing functions which are administrative in nature vis-à  -vis functions that cater to the delivery of patient care. Due to the Nurse Managers’ theoretical orientation for health care, the administrative tasks such as completion of reportorial requirements, monitoring and upkeep of equipment and supplies, staff requirements and budgeting are frequently neglected or seconded with priorities being focused to patient care. Every nursing unit in the hospital is headed by a nurse manager who is assigned as the chief head nurse on duty. Her job responsibilities entail patient care as the primary task and managerial functions such as planning, directing, staffing and control. These multi-task functions coupled with low pay contributed to low

On “Unspeakable Conversations” Essay Example for Free

On â€Å"Unspeakable Conversations† Essay The issues of euthanasia and infanticide have long been subjects of heated debate, and there are no signs that the arguments for and against the two ethical dilemmas are coming to a halt. For the most part, the issue stems from the classic stand-off between religion and science, or religion and the state. In cases where the aforementioned conflict applies, what are brought to the table are arguments revolving around and stemming from the idea of a human being’s â€Å"right to life†. Generally the church invokes the central belief that a life can only be ended by the supreme being that created it, to counter whatever propositions that may have been deducted from scientific studies and philosophical undertakings that deviate from the said belief. Nowadays, debates on euthanasia and infanticide no longer just stem from religious beliefs. Opposition for the legalization of the two issues likewise comes from various organizations that, in more ways than one, are (or will be) directly affected. An example of such an organization is Not Dead Yet: a movement that concerns itself with the plight of the disabled, and of which Harriet McBride Johnson whose article â€Å"Unspeakable Conversations† is at the heart of this position paper – is a member. For purposes of clarity, this paper focuses on the implications of and points in Johnson’s article in exploring the philosophy of Peter Singer, who is undoubtedly one of the most controversial philosophers – nay, figures – today, with the intent of refuting his position relative to the two areas of concern. In a nutshell, this paper, while acceding to the logicality and coherence of Singer’s position, argues that the world in general is not yet ready for his revolutionary view of morality and ethics; and that there are more grounded alternatives that have yet to be considered and taken which do not require the legalization of either euthanasia or infanticide. The Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary defines euthanasia as â€Å"the act or practice of killing hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy; also : the act or practice of allowing a hopelessly sick or injured patient to die by taking less than complete medical measures to prolong life—called also mercy killing†; infanticide, on the other hand, translates to â€Å"the killing of an infant†. Since the latter definition elicits horror, it is important to emphasize that what Singer proposes is selective infanticide – a concept that is not as horrifying when understood in the context of his philosophy. Harriet McBride Johnson’s â€Å"Unspeakable Conversations† is a personal account of the lawyer’s relationship with Singer, which began when she accepted the latter’s invitation to two speaking engagements in Princeton University in March 2002, and her thoughts on his philosophy. Even before her encounter with the controversial bioethicist, Johnson had been fully aware of Singer’s philosophy, what with her organization Not Dead Yet being a thorn on the professor’s side, disrupting his lectures and even protesting his appointment in Princeton University. As such, it is no surprise that in the latter part of the article Johnson recounts that her agreeing to be involved in one of Singer’s talks in a non-violent manner (so to speak) aroused negative feedback not only from her co-members in the organization – who believe that a discussion with him is out of the question since giving him an audience legitimizes his view but from her sister, who clearly is of the opinion that Singer’s view, if used as a basis for future legislation / action, may pave the way for another genocide. Johnson’s opposition to selective infanticide is grounded on two ideas: (1) that people are not fungible, and (2) the basis for selecting disabled infants is prejudicial. The first concept is clearly a response to Singer’s assertion that infants are replaceable, and thus infanticide cannot be considered wrong when done under the correct pretense. Such a striking proposition is rooted in what Johnson sees as Singer’s view that infants cannot be considered â€Å"persons† on the basis of their inability for self-awareness, and their inability to express preferences, the most important of which is the preference to live. As for the second idea, Johnson strengthened her argument by raising the issue of race versus disability (in relation to trends in adopting babies): if the basis for killing a certain infant is the prediction that its life will be worse-off in the future due to disability, then why can’t a mixed-race baby – whose chances of being adopted are slimmer compared to white babies, thereby raising its chances of living a life that is not at all appealing – also be considered? This oversight, for her, is a product of prejudice prevalent today. As indicated in the article, Singer responded to the question by saying that whereas preferences based on race are not reasonable, those based on ability are not. With regard to euthanasia, or assisted suicide, Johnson made use of the ideas of Andrew Batavia and Carol Gill to better make understood her point.. For Batavia, assisted suicide is but another way of upholding a person’s autonomy: if a person wants to die, then out of respect for the autonomy of that person, everything – even assistance – should be given to facilitate the choice. Carol Gill, on the other hand, considers assisted suicide a form of discrimination directed towards the disabled. This idea stems from the fact that on a general note, society takes every known measure to prevent the occurrence of suicides; and yet, suicides for the ill and the disabled – though assisted – are considered (or even encouraged). This contradiction is explained by Gill as a product of the underestimation most people have of the quality of life a disabled person has or can have, which likewise gave birth to the stereotypical image of the disabled as people who are to be pitied. With the above statement in mind, it only follows that society is not surprised – in fact, Gill went as far as to say that it is considered rational – when a choice to die is made by a disabled/ill person. Johnson quite expectedly sided with Gill, adding that what is worrying is what she calls the â€Å"veneer of beneficence – the medical determination that, for a given individual, suicide is reasonable or right. † Debunking Batavia, her article implies that choices are, in fact, illusory when the discussion is that of a disabled person’s preference to die. Why is this so? Under â€Å"normal† circumstances – that is, with a non-disabled person – a choice is to be upheld in respect of a person’s autonomy. When it comes to a disabled/ill person’s â€Å"choice† to die, however, the issue is not that of upholding the choice but of the very occurrence of the thought that the person prefers to die rather than live. For Johnson, prior to legalizing assisted suicide, what should be done is exhaust all possible means of upholding the right to live of the disabled and the ill. Quoting her: â€Å"We shouldn’t offer assistance with suicide until we have all the assistance we need to get out of bed in the morning and live a good life. Common causes of suicidality†¦ are entirely curable. † In defense of Singer and his views, Johnson acceded that the professor’s work is logical, in that â€Å"it does make sense – within the conceptual world of Peter Singer†. If one were to read his work â€Å"Practical Ethics†, it is clear that the ideas of Singer regarding infanticide and euthanasia are entirely rational, albeit horrifyingly so for the majority of the human race who have yet to understand his way of thinking. A utilitarian through and through, Singer merely applied the dictum of producing the most happiness for the most people in conjunction with his view that what matters is not the species of a creature but its sentience and ability for self-awareness. With these in mind, and all subjectivity aside, his pursuit of the legalization of euthanasia and selective infanticide are logical – as logical as his pursuit for animal rights are. However, such a revolutionary way of looking at the universe in general is still unwelcome today. To think like Singer is to uproot age-old beliefs and completely reconstruct one’s brand of morality – a feat that is perhaps not impossible, but improbable. As such, Johnson’s idea that before thinking of assisted suicide, assistance first should be given to the disabled and the ill, is the better route to take. REFERENCES Johnson, Harriet. (2003). Unspeakable Conversations. New York Times. February 16, 2003, from http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html sec=healthres=9401EFDC113BF935A25751C0A9659C8B63 Mar. (2008). Princeton Bio-Medical Ethics Professor Peter Singer Teaches Controversial Ethics. Associated Content. February 21, 2008, from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/616049/princeton_biomedical_ethics_professor. html? cat=5 Singer, Peter. (2008). Putting Practice Into Ethics. The Sun: New York. January 16, 2008, from http://www. nysun. com/arts/putting-practice-into-ethics/69595/

The Tragic Cliff Essay -- Descriptive Essay Examples

The Tragic Cliff    Everyone needs a place to escape the everyday complications of life. Life has its ups and downs and we all learn to deal with them in different ways. Some people use exercise to release stress while others find places to hide from the stress for short periods of time.    I found a place of relaxation hundreds of feet above everyone looking down. Right outside of town there is a cliff that overlooks the downtown area. There I feel as though I am above everyone and nothing could touch me. I feel comfort just knowing I can observe thousands of people below me, like looking at little ants through a microscope, yet no one can see me. Trees and bushes hover over me like a blanket giving me shelter. It's almost like playing God.    Although I haven't been to the cliff in quite a while, do to being so busy, I still remember the peace I received that I could never find. To me, the cliff was a place of memories, innocence, and free energy. In nature there aren't any rules, regulations, or right or wrong answers. It's a place of freedom! &nbs...

One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest: the Power of Laughter Essay

Jimmy Buffet once said â€Å"If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane. † When an individual is no longer capable of laughing, he is also no longer capable of being in control of himself. This happens when a greater authority has the power to deny a person of their laughter; which, inevitably, denies him of his freedom. Ken Kesey conveys the idea that laughter and freedom go hand in hand throughout his novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Kesey portrays laughter as a parallel to freedom through various literary symbols and imagery in order to illustrate how the power of laughter can free a man who is under the control of an unjust authority. Through the characterization of Nurse Ratched and McMurphy, Kesey illustrates how the manipulation of others and the challenge of authority is a key component in the ability to laugh. Through the characterization of Nurse Ratched, Kesey illustrates how one person can manipulate others for her own specific intentions. Throughout the story, it is clear that Nurse Ratched (Bug Nurse) manipulates the patients and faculty to control them so she has all the power. As the book starts, we are immediately brought into this mental ward in the eyes of Chief Bromden. As he walks down the hall, and the aids insult him because he is dumb and deaf. However, little do they know that Chief is the exact opposite. As they continue to speak as if he weren’t there and hand him the broom, â€Å"They laugh†¦[it is a] Hum of black machinery, humming the hate and death and other hospital secrets† (10). The laughter of the black aids is not clear and freeflowing like laughter should be. Instead, it is described as a â€Å"hum† which illustrates that even the aids do not have the freedom to laugh. They are â€Å"black machinery† or descendents of the combine which demonstrates that the faculty on this ward is under the control of Nurse Ratched and the combine. It is also evident that they are all working together because when machines are working correctly, they hum in synchronization, just like these men are doing with their empty laughter. Along with the machine-like laughs, the men also know what is going on in the ward because chief implies that their humming contains all of the mysteries. Kesey uses machine-like references and imagery in order to illustrate Nurse Ratched’s influence on her employee’s; she is the reason there is no laughter on the ward. Another cene that expresses Big Nurses power is when Chief is describing how Big Nurse hates when things are out of order. Chief explains that even her uniform has to be crisp and clean at all times, and when its not, she still smiles and pretends not to care, but inside it bothers her to no extent. He makes it clear that he sees, â€Å"her sit in the center of this web of wires like a watchful robot, tend her network with mechanical insect skill, know every second which wire runs where and just what current to send up to get the results she wants† (30). Big Nurse is portrayed as a mechanical spider who has the knowledge and ability to control whatever is in her â€Å"web. † Kesey references her as machine-like figure due to her constant necessity to be in control. Everything she does must be in a certain order and flow a certain way. When Chief says she knows how to â€Å"get the results she wants† it makes it clear that she is able to manipulate everyone. This demonstrates that her manipulation takes away all of the patients power to do anything; it even takes away their freedom and laughter. Another example that portrays this idea is in the article Salvation Through Laugher. The author, Stephen L. Tanner, is analyzing Kesey’s work, and as he discusses the first chapter of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, he notes how, â€Å"Miss Ratched is pleased when a ‘completed product’ goes back into society as a ‘functioning, adjusted component'† (Tanner 57). Tanner’s analysis expresses how Big Nurses intentions are to create these robots that do not have the ability to think for themselves. A â€Å"completed product† or success, will be think and act like the faculty, just another part of the machine. The pleasure Nurse Ratched gets out of these success’ illustrates that she loves gaining power and taking away people’s freedoms. Nurse Ratched manipulates the men on the ward and the faculty in order to gain power and take away all of their freedoms, even their freedom to laugh. Kesey conveys that the challenge of authority is the key to finding true identity. The protagonist, McMurphy immediately is introduced as this man with a huge, impenetrable ego. From the moment he steps on the ward, Chief notices that he’s different. Upon McMurphys arrival, Chief is awakening from the fog he is in. He’s in the day room with his inmates and is listening in on their conversations. Suddenly he hears Nurse Ratched announce that there is a new arrival. McMurphy enters the ward and is laughing. Chief notes that, â€Å".. it’s free and loud†¦[it] sounds real†¦it’s the first [real] laugh I’ve heard in years† (16). This illustrates how McMurphy, even from the beginning, has the intentions to challenge the rules. Before him, no one laughed on the ward, or even spoke above an indoor voice. However, as soon as he arrives, his laughter is â€Å"loud and free† which demonstrates that he is boisterous and independent. The combine will not succeed in taking away his freedom, nor will Nurse Ratched take away his ability to laugh. A second example is the scene in which McMurphy and his inmates disregard Big Nurses orders that they cannot watch the world series and watch it anyway because they had the majority in the second vote. As they all stop cleaning and sit down in front a blank TV screen, Nurse Ratched’s anger builds. Finally, she loses it and screams at McMurphy that he is , â€Å"‘supposed to be working during these hours! ‘ Her voice†¦a tight whine†¦a saw ripping through pine† (127) â€Å"her voice sounds like it hit a nail†(128). McMurphy’s breaking of the rules and influence on his inmates drives Nurse Ratched to the edge. Her voice hitting â€Å"a nail† illustrates authority running into a large bump and stopping it right in its tracks. The whining in her voice demonstrates that McMurphy is frustrating her, he is testing her power and this worries her, because she does not want to lose her power, and McMurphy is threatening her. However, no matter what Nurse Ratched does, she cannot seem to stop McMurphy and his free laugh. One of the most vital scenes is when McMurphy breaks the glass in the nurses station just after Cheswick commits suicide. He walks up to the nurse’s station, â€Å"†¦as big as a house! †¦[and says] in his slowest , deepest drawl how he figured he could use one of the smokes he bought†¦then he ran his hand through the glass†¦[it came] apart like water splashing†(172). McMurphy, haven been gone for a short while, challenges Big Nurses power and shows her that he’s back and is not losing this war. Him being â€Å"as big as a house† gives a visual that his power is radiating off of him. When he asks for his cigarettes, its in a slow and deep voice, and he does not wait for a response, just runs â€Å"his hand through the glass† it illustrates that he is not asking permission for anything. He will go against all of her rules because she cannot control him. The imagery Kesey uses to illustrate the glass shattering because when water splashes, there are many droplets and its not just one massive drop. McMurphy did not just break the glass or scratch Big Nurses power, he shattered it. He made his point that he has the power, not her, and he will always be free. Throughout the story, Kesey continues to have McMurphy constantly breaking the rules and challenging conformity in order to put across the idea that challenging authority can bring individuality. Ken Kesey, the author of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, conveys the idea that laughter and freedom go hand in hand when it comes to a person being an individual. Through the characterization of Nurse Ratched and McMurphy, Kesey suggests that manipulating others and challenging authority is an essential part of laughing and freedom. I have come to learn that freedom can be achieved by laughing and it’s a necessity to laugh, therefore it’s a necessity to be free. After reading this novel, it is clear that laughter is crucial part of individuality and without it, we would all be mechanical robots because as Kesey once said â€Å"if you lose your laugh, you lose your footing. â€Å"

Which the Design Argument Provides Evidence for the God?

June 2011: Examine the ways in which the design argument provides evidence for the existence God? A famous philosopher Kant commented on the proof of the design argument which shows the existence of God stating â€Å"This proof always deserves to be mentioned with respect. It is the oldest, the clearest and most accordant with the common reason of mankind. This was mentioned in his book the Critique of Pure reason. The argument that I am going to put forward and the proofs I am going to provide is the teleological argument.The word teleological comes from the Greek word telos which means end or purpose and logical which means the study of therefore this is the study of the purpose. The teleological argument is an inductive argument therefore proofs are based on premises which means they are drawn from experience and the conclusion is not logically necessary. Aquinas is a very important philosopher in the design argument. In his famous work â€Å"summa theological† Aquinas had his five ways in which he is most remembered for. In the design argument we are most concerned with the final way which is that God is the divine designer of everything.Here Aquinas suggests that non intelligent material requires an intelligent being behind it to make it beneficial. Aquinas used the example of an arrow and a archer; he stated that for an arrow to reach its destination it must be directed by the archer which is the intelligent being therefore applying this to the universe for us to reach are destination and purpose in the universe there must be a higher intelligent being before us which is directing us. Aquinas stated natural bodies seem to act in a regular way to reach some sort of final purpose; this shows Aquinas using science to back up the views of God in the Bible.Also Aquinas argued for design qua regularity; he saw the overall regularity in the world as proof for a designer God. William Paley another famous philosopher mainly known for his Watch Analogy took Aquinas’s ideas further and formed his own version of the teleological argument. Paley compares the world to a machine and sees it made up of all intricate parts which work together for an end result. He saw all the small adaptations in the nature and for him these were proofs of a designing intelligence.An example of the small intricacies in the nature is the water cycle and how it all works together. The watch serves an analogy which demonstrates purpose and telos. All evidence would show that the watch had been designed for a purpose, design and designed with the necessary regularity to meet its purpose. He said every design requires a designer and that all designs have an end function. Paley claimed that in the same way as the watch and other machine’s the universe was full of small intricacies that could not have come about by chance.Paley used the example of the eye. The way the eye is so complexly designed there is no way it could have all come about by chance moreover science till date is unable to create a replica of the eye. Also Paley was fascinated by the solar system and the rotation of the planets. He saw the evidence of a divine hand at work in the universe. F. R. Tennant a philosopher of the 1930’s elaborated on the teleological arguments with his anthropic principle. This principle basically is saying that the world is revolving around human kind.Tennant believed the best evidence of design could be seen in the way the universe supports intelligent life. An example of this would be how the trees release oxygen which supports us humans to live and without oxygen we wouldn’t be alive. This is an astonishing proof of design and existence of God. Also another example of Tennant’s anthropic principle which shows that the world is designed around us human beings is that the sun is placed in the perfect distance. Tennant developed his anthropic principle to add the aesthetic argument in this Tennant argued against Darwin’s Theory of evolution.He said that the theory of evolution cannot explain why humans have feelings as they are not necessary for survival also natural selection cannot account for the existence for the feelings of appreciation etc. Tennant believed that the capacity for joy was putt in us by our designer which is God. Richard Swinburne accepts the anthropic principle. Swinburne believes that the earth is so finely tuned that there is no other explanation other than a designer God. He believes that science explains how the things in the world are so finely tuned in the world and that the Bible explains why.Swinburne believe that we should understand the existence of scientific laws in terms of a purpose which has been put in place for the. The purpose can be best explained by an omnipotent being. Due to the design argument being an a posteriori argument it strengthens the argument as we can see the complexities with our naked eye. However due to it being inductive meani ng based on experiences people interpret the experiences differently moreover it can negatively be argued that the designer or creator does not have to be God and that the jump to conclusion of god is too big†¦