Virtu And Fortuna Essays - Italian Politicians, Machiavellianism

Virtu and Fortuna Virtu and Fortuna Under close scrutiny, The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli is seen to be a mind-baffling construct of many levels of meaning, and, many might say, enigmatically so. It is hard to determine where Machiavelli is writing in earnest and where in sarcasm or self-condemnation. As John Plamenatz says, the perverse Machiavelli "likes to make himself out worse than he is. He likes at times to shock his contemporaries..." No doubt he succeeds. The important message here, though, is that the reader can never be positive of Machiavelli's real views. The same is true in considering the significance of the terms virtu and fortuna (and their several translations), so often used by Machiavelli to drive home his points. But by looking at many possibilities for their frequent and seemingly suggestive usages, and at some of the ancient thought with which Machiavelli was supremely familiar, we can arrive at a satisfactory speculation, we can discuss the web weaved by Machiavelli in his profes! sions. The first, most obvious purpose of The Prince is stated by the author himself, addressing Lorenzo de' Medici: If you will read [this book] over and study it carefully, you will recognize in it my most earnest desire that you may achieve that summit of grandeur to which your happy destiny and your other capacities predestine you. And if from that summit Your Magnificence will occasionally glance down at these humble places, you will recognize how unjustly I suffer the bitter and sustained malignity of fortune. Clearly there is a sizeable amount of cajolery occurring here (and also foreshadows the following discussion of fortune and virtue), and this same stroking of Lorenzo's ego continues through the book, with slight references to how fit to rule this prince is, how "virtuous," how fated to be the incredible Prince for whom Machiavelli writes. It could easily be said that with this book the author may have trying to ingratiate himself to all the local nobility; on the other hand, knowing what follows might also suggest that Machiavelli was really attempting to play off the nobility's fears of chaos and insecurity, guaranteeing safety if they read his short piece. The second possible purpose--definitely an outcome--is the creation of a learned historical discourse. I will leave out examples; it suffices to say that The Prince encompasses many centuries of human history, many deeply researched examples of politico-military events, and so on. True, they serve enforce his ideas on "virtuous government," but they also seve the modern historian in his search for original sources. A third possible purpose of The Prince might be to outline the ideal government or, if not the ideal, the most virtuous or the best possible. It is in this purpose, the same goal pursued by countless political thinkers in history, that we extract much of what the current age considers Machiavellian. The lord most would consider ruthless and cold, but whom Machiavelli names a virtuoso, is but one (probably Cesare Borgia, son of Sixtus IV) character in the book. The author's supposedly cruel way of equating bad with good is traditionally what has gotten him into hot water. The fact is, however, that Machiavelli never truly addresses the issues of bad and good, right and wrong, these absolute judgments most people would, I think, claim him to make. Machiavelli, in laying out the "best" government, does so from a completely political and pragmatic point of view, by what works, what is possible, and, really, what for his prince results in the most power and security. The auth! or carries out this investigation using two parameters in particular, the Italian virtu and fortuna. They can be translated in many ways (Robert M. Adams has done it very nicley so I shall not repeat them here) which is part of what gives the book its depth. In general, though, the spirit Machiavelli attaches to these two crucial words resembles the following. Virtu embodies a paragon or paradigm; the virtuous man takes action, he anticipates and exhibits resolve, shrewdness and aptitude. Above all, he commits himself to politically sound, whole-hearted efforts. Politics here reign supreme; while he does acknowledge that there are ideals in the world, he asserts that it is futile to discuss them because

Free Essays on Global Strategy And Operations

For companies that are planning to globalize, they must have a strategy and plan for operations. To recap, Pyramid has lost a large amount of market share since the 9/11 tragedies and airline downsizing. Their ground proximity warning system was the â€Å"Mercedes Benz† of the industry. And airlines do not want to expend the money when they can purchase a comparable product cheaper from Tyco or Honeywell. Pyramid has decided to enter a joint venture with Siemens and relocate their manufacturing plant to Mexico. This paper will cover the mode of entry and explain human resources management, supply chain management, information technology, research and development, and finally, address any ethical issues pertaining to Pyramid’s products and services. Pyramid Enterprise has previously established entry into the aerospace market with their ground proximity warning system. Pyramid Enterprises first started in the aerospace business 1964. Their decision to embark on a new joint venture with Siemens has been previously discussed and justified. The critical question is how will this joint venture enable Pyramid to win back the market share that they have lost and to expand in a mature and competitive market place? Pyramid has seen its sales and customer base drop by 38% since September 11, 2001. As discussed earlier, the airlines have seen tremendous losses and are looking for the lowest priced Ground Proximity Warning System. Brand loyalty due to quality and reliability has been replaced with bottom-line economic decisions. Therefore, Pyramids challenge is to develop a strategy that will not only win back their previous customer base but to find ways to expand their presence in the aerospace market. The joint venture with Siemens will allow Pyramid to do both. As a result of the joint venture with Siemens, operating costs will be reduced by 25%. This will enable Pyramid to reduce the price for their Ground Proximity Warning System and to u... Free Essays on Global Strategy And Operations Free Essays on Global Strategy And Operations For companies that are planning to globalize, they must have a strategy and plan for operations. To recap, Pyramid has lost a large amount of market share since the 9/11 tragedies and airline downsizing. Their ground proximity warning system was the â€Å"Mercedes Benz† of the industry. And airlines do not want to expend the money when they can purchase a comparable product cheaper from Tyco or Honeywell. Pyramid has decided to enter a joint venture with Siemens and relocate their manufacturing plant to Mexico. This paper will cover the mode of entry and explain human resources management, supply chain management, information technology, research and development, and finally, address any ethical issues pertaining to Pyramid’s products and services. Pyramid Enterprise has previously established entry into the aerospace market with their ground proximity warning system. Pyramid Enterprises first started in the aerospace business 1964. Their decision to embark on a new joint venture with Siemens has been previously discussed and justified. The critical question is how will this joint venture enable Pyramid to win back the market share that they have lost and to expand in a mature and competitive market place? Pyramid has seen its sales and customer base drop by 38% since September 11, 2001. As discussed earlier, the airlines have seen tremendous losses and are looking for the lowest priced Ground Proximity Warning System. Brand loyalty due to quality and reliability has been replaced with bottom-line economic decisions. Therefore, Pyramids challenge is to develop a strategy that will not only win back their previous customer base but to find ways to expand their presence in the aerospace market. The joint venture with Siemens will allow Pyramid to do both. As a result of the joint venture with Siemens, operating costs will be reduced by 25%. This will enable Pyramid to reduce the price for their Ground Proximity Warning System and to u...

Pedagogy and Curriculum Primary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pedagogy and Curriculum Primary - Essay Example The study of mathematics is also of particular importance in the education curriculum as a whole. Mathematics offers learners with a chance to excel in other areas of interest in the curriculum. Since mathematics is wide and exciting, students of all ages, interests and capabilities. The study of mathematics enables the learner to develop skills of critical thought, analysis, problem solution, ingenuity and the capacity to think about theoretical concepts. Mathematics employs a system of numbers and symbols that permit for universal communication of ideas in a precise, explicit and accurate way. In order to be able to confront the challenges of a fast developing world, every person requires a thorough knowledge of mathematics (Donaldson, 2008). Mathematics provides learners with a myriad of skills which are necessary for work, living and education. A comprehension of the significance of mathematics in life is of utmost importance. This calls for the acknowledgement that Mathematics i s elemental throughout a person’s life and as such it should be treated as such. ... It is prerequisite for all teachers who are charged with the development of mathematical skills to familiarise themselves with the function of numeracy in mathematics and the methods that are used to develop numerical capacities in the wide variety of experiences for learners (The Scottish Government 2007). The experiences and outcomes in mathematics are segmented into three major sections; measure, number and money; movement, shape and position; and the analysis of information. The framework stresses the significance of mathematics at present and in future in the societal development and in its applicability in daily living. An elemental aspect of the mathematics framework involves developing algebraic thinking in young learners. This is informed by studies which conclude that an early introduction to algebraic thinking makes learners be more attuned to mathematical understanding and also results to learner confidence in tackling mathematical problems (The Scottish Government 2007). Experiences and outcomes will be invaluable in the practical aspects of teaching since they show how mathematics is used in real life situations such as gambling and probability. These experiences and outcomes will enable learners see the practicality of attaining mathematical skills for life decisions. Aspects of Effectual Teaching and Learning in the Mathematics Framework From the start of young people starting to learn, it is important that teachers make learners have success in mathematics. This should be done through developing their self-confidence so that they are able to accept risks, query, and be creative enough to investigate different methods devoid of the apprehension of being incorrect. Learners who are not afraid of being wrong will be able to explore and will enjoy the

Care Quality and Implementation of the Chronic Care Model Essay

Care Quality and Implementation of the Chronic Care Model - Essay Example Because of the finding that acute-care model was ineffective, numerous legislators and healthcare practitioners suggested other or additional models to deal with its weaknesses, like broadening managed care and setting up case- and disease-management initiatives, yet they by no means basically resolved the issue of healthcare provision. Wagner and associates recommended a different method of enhancing chronic illness care that included delivery of healthcare, founded on the paradigm they referred to as ‘Chronic Care Model (CCM).’ CCM was a wide-ranging reform to the quality of healthcare delivery to people with chronic illnesses. This paper chooses the topic of CCM because of its great relevance to contemporary nursing practice. It primarily puts emphasis on quite a few features of healthcare management. The provision of healthcare would shift from a traditional patient-physician relationship, where the latter entirely determines what needs to be done, to a more concerted effort between an equipped, enthusiastic healthcare group and an involved patient. The healthcare group operates within a planned environment, where care- and disease-management is evidence-based, processes are primed to monitor and assess progress, and information is communicated to doctors and patients. In this process clients/patients are actively involved, motivated to independently manage their illness and the healthcare organisation collaborates with its immediate community. The key terms used in this paper are Chronic Care Model (CCM) and the Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (ACIC). CCM states that a significant percentage of chron ic care does not occur within an organised health delivery contexts. CCM has been applied productively in some healthcare settings (Bernstein 2008). Nevertheless, according to Larsen and Lubkin (2008), there are hardly any healthcare settings that are completely equipped to implement CCM. This is the primary issue that the study of Solberg and colleagues (2006) tries to resolve. The Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (ACIC), the primary instrument used by Solberg and colleagues, was formulated to support organisational groups in determining weaknesses in their chronic illness care approach, and to assess the nature and extent of developments within their structure. The six important components of ACIC are (1) delivery system, (2) clinical information system, (3) decision support, (4) self-management support, (5) health care organisation, and (6) community linkages (Solberg et al. 2006). Even though the ACIC was designed as a handy instrument to aid healthcare organisations in upgrad ing the quality of chronic illness care, it has been applied to empirical studies as well. Method of Selecting the Article The article chosen by the author for the analysis is Solberg and colleague’s (2006) Care Quality and Implementation of the Chronic Care Model: a Quantitative Study. In finding the most appropriate article for this analysis the author used the following keywords: quantitative methodology, nursing research, and chronic illness care. The author used the databases JSTOR, Questia, ProQuest, Sage Journal, and EBSCOhost. In order to narrow the search the author tried looking for the concepts chronic care model, quality of care, enhanced care continuity, clinical outcomes, and for issues like curtailed healthcare costs and the growing financial trouble of healthcare. Numerous earlier solutions have been suggested to mitigate the healthcare challenge but they have not endured rigid assessment (Richardson 2008). The study of Solberg and colleagues (2006) shows us t hat we should be capable of presenting substantiation of the efficacy and value of these interventions instead of simply putting them into practice on the basis of assumptions. The author chose the abovementioned article due to the obvious nature of the

Hillary Clinton’s Persuasive Style Essay Example for Free

Hillary Clinton’s Persuasive Style Essay Hillary Clinton is definitely one of the most popular presidential aspirants of the Democrat Party. Her experiences as first lady coupled with her extensive service in American politics have given her the strength one needs to run for the highest administrative position in the country. Her charm and direct-to-the-point approach in dealing with issues have earned her enough supporters. However, the speeches and interviews she has had for her campaign are also brilliant proof of her mastery of the art of persuasion. Propaganda is not bad in itself because it can work to people’s advantages even if the word itself sounds negative (Cross 123). In elections, however, the persuasion techniques of candidates can distract unwary voters of the true issues that need to be discussed. The goal of the candidate is always to convince the audience that he or she has the ability to lead – even if it means fooling people. Clinton can be very persuasive if her listeners are not aware of her techniques. It is very easy to be persuaded by Hillary Clinton because she uses every possible way of convincing her audience that she is the right choice for president. She is adept in using the English language to boost her chances in winning her readers’ consent to what she says. She even uses different rhetoric styles to lend credibility to her speech. In her speeches before the Planned Parenthood Action Fund (PPAF) in July 2007 and during Super Tuesday, she showed that she can use techniques like name-calling, glittering generalities, plain-folks appeal, argumentum ad populum, argumentum ad hominem, card stacking, and bandwagon to her favor. Clinton opened her speech to the PPAF by using persuasion techniques like transfer and argumentum ad populum. She acknowledged her friendship with Cecile Richards, president of the organization, and praised her efforts to get the favor of her audience. Clinton used the transfer technique because by associating herself with Richards, she is able to get the confidence of her audience. In doing so, she was also able to use plain-folks appeal because she was also able to connect herself as an advocate of Richards’ principles which shows that she is one with her audience. Clinton used name-calling and glittering generalities often to put emphasis and drama to her claims. Although she never used name-calling towards any specific person, she used the technique to show what she thought of certain principles of the incumbent administration. She referred to the family planning guidelines as â€Å"anti-science, anti-prevention policies† (qtd. in Echevarria 2007 par. 14). She also showed her disgust over new Medicaid rules by name-calling it â€Å"burdensome new Medicaid documentation requirements† (par. 22) On the other hand, she used the glittering generalities technique to uplift the egos of her audience by saying that â€Å"you are the only place to turn to† (par. ) and â€Å"often the ones who are the sole advocates for women† (par. 3). To charm her audience, Clinton was always finding ways to make the people hear what they wanted to hear through argumentum ad populum. She kept uplifting the audience of PPAF by saying things like, â€Å"thank you for your courage, thank you for your dedication, and thank you for your commitment to our Constitutional rights† (par. 4). Her listeners during Super Tuesday were also soothed by her descriptions of them as â€Å"moms and dads who want a better world for our children† and â€Å"young people who deserve a world of opportunity† (qtd. n The Associated Press 2008 par. 1) However, her disdain over the Bush administration was never concealed and she was frank enough to use the argumentum ad hominem technique to throw her comments on the prevailing policies of the current government. She describes Bush as â€Å"a president who listens only to the special interests† (par. 2) to make her audience think that she is better than he. To show that she had done better in promoting women’s health and better sex education, she accused the current leader of having â€Å"played politics with women’s health†¦and he’s worked to turn Washington, D.  C. into an evidence-free zone where facts are subordinate to ideology and opinion. (Echevarria par. 13). Another popular persuasive technique that candidates like Clinton have used is card stacking wherein the information being divulged during the speech are only those that would support the speaker’s claims. In Echevarria’s transcription of her speech at PPAF, Clinton claimed that unintended pregnancies were cut by one-third from the 1990s to 2000s because of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (par. 16). Here, she uses the ethos rhetoric style by showing that she has the credibility to lead and have a say in the issue. However, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops who made 23 different studies of the emergency contraception used by the campaign, the plan failed â€Å"to achieve any statistically significant reduction in rates of unintended pregnancies and abortion† (Raymond, et. al. 2007 181-188 cited in par. 4) One of the most popular techniques used by all candidates is the bandwagon. Clinton definitely used this technique in her speeches. For the PPAF, she calls the audience to vote for her by saying â€Å"when we take back the White House† (Echevarria par. 25). She also makes the listeners take up her cause by saying, â€Å"with good information, good education, and good healthcare we can empower women and girls† (par. 41) On the other hand, she has chosen to use this technique to close her speech on Super Tuesday. She kept using the word â€Å"we† to show her solidarity with the people in seeking change in the administration. Phrases like â€Å"we much continue to be a nation that strives always to give each of our children a better future† (The Associated Press par. 3) and â€Å"give us this nation to heal, this world to lead, this moment to seize† (par. 24) served to incite powerful emotions among Americans to propel her towards the presidential seat. Clinton loved using the pathos rhetoric style which is an appeal based on the emotion â€Å"The Art of Rhetoric† par. 8). She does this by praising and thanking her audience many times within her speeches. In her speech with the PPAF, Clinton also used the logos rhetoric style in making her audience understand how Bush’s policies have become a disadvantage to young women. She uses references like Mathematica to show that her stance on the poor sex education that teenagers are now getting is correct. Hillary Clinton is a tough presidential candidate because she is very good in using persuasive language to make her audience feel that she is one with them in all their concerns. She uses what she can of the persuasive techniques available and Aristotle’s rhetoric styles to captivate her audience and move them to consider her as the best candidate for the presidency.

Louis XIV :: essays research papers

Louis XIV Louis XIV was a good leader for many reasons, some of which will come out in this essay. Louis ruled with an iron fist, he didn't let anyone mess with France, and if they did , he made them suffer. Second, Louis had mercy on those who betrayed him, a trait rarely seen in his day and age. Third most he did his best to bring down the nobles of France, particularly the more richer ones who thought they were above the law. Louis ruled with an iron fist he didn't let anyone mess around with France, if anyone had the guts to even think about challenging his power over the people of France he would do he would go out of his way to make them suffer. (*1) â€Å"At the same time he regarded himself as God's deputy in France and would allow no challenge to his authority, from the Pope or anyone else† Louis got into many wars while he was ruler of France, he was quick to the draw and did not hesitate to start a war. To show the Catholics that he was still a catholic king ,Louis kept mounting pressure on the French Protestants, until 1685 when he revoked Edict of Nantes. Then he forbid anyone to practice Calvinism. To the people of France this showed great strength on the part of Louis, the fact that he could keep he kept everyone in France inline at the same time. everyone in France obeyed him because he was such a grand, rich, fair king. Louis got into many wars with other countries over the stupidest things, when Charles II were to die with no kids, he made he offered to make Louis's grandson the sole beneficiary of the vast inheritance to be left behind, Louis Accepted the the offer out of pure greed, but that dicision meant war with Austria. Although, Louis was already getting half of the money he still greedily accepted the offer, if he had not accepted the offer war could have been avoided, but hey we all make mistakes The second thing about Louis that made him a good leader was that he had Mercy on those who betrayed him which was something rarely seen in that time. Most Rulers just murdered those who betrayed them, but Louis would jail them. In the case of Louis's most important lieutenant, named Mazarin, He was charged with peculation and found guilty then sentenced to banishment from France. Instead of letting the whole ordeal go down Louis intervened and changed Mazarins sentence from banishment to imprisonment for life.

Mining Rare Earth Metals Essay

I believe that Canada should be involved in the rare earth metals mining industry. Rare earth metals are an essential part of everyday modern life (and of growing importance). They are used from everything from cell phones to environmentally friendly technologies such as wind turbines and hybrid engines. The mining of these metals would provide many benefits to Canada. It makes great economic sense because right now China is a supply and demand crisis so they are exporting less metal every year. If Canada were to enter the mining not only would it create thousands of jobs in one area where unemployment is a little bit of a problem but we could also pick up the slack of Chinas export problem and make billions. Besides the obvious economic implications, I believe that mining these metals cold have serious political and environmental benefits for us. China uses dangerous chemical to melt the earth around it, which could potentially leave a lasting impression on the surrounding area and any vegetation that might grow there in the future. So if Canada were to mine these metals I think we would be more respectful of the landscape. In today’s society reducing your environmental footprint is huge and in terms of rare earth metals there are many ways in which we can reduce our own. It starts by properly recycling our reusable electronics so the metals can be extracted or re used. Other ways would be to buy used electronics and not get every new gadget that comew out so there is less of a demand for the mining of rare earth metals. Given the pros of mining and the fact that they outweigh the cons, I believe that Canada should be involved in rare earth metals mining.