Utilitarianism. When it comes to welfare and wellbeing utilitarianism plays its role and can be considered an important part.
“...we try to work out our correct principles to guide us in our approach to the social problems of the time” -Bevan (1952) Utilitarianism has a long and illustrious pedigree having gone through numerous permutations in the hands of philosophers, economists and politicians who have been attracted to its potential social reform (Oliver, 2006) Despite the idea of utilitarianism being a simple one that has been prevalent throughout our history since the time of Epicurus it’s intertwining in such things as social policy development in the modern welfare state where it begins to take on complexity. Utilitarianism is the idea that the moral worth of an action is determined by its contribution to happiness. It is the happiness, or utility, of the collective that is the key to this idea especially since the time of its most famous promoter if not creator Jeremy Bentham. This can be viewed in his most famous saying “it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong” the idea that an action can only be seen as morally correct if it increases the happiness of the majority rather than the minority. He later reworked this phrase so that the principle of utility is “that principle which states the greatest happiness of all those whose interest is in question, as being right and proper...” (Bentham, 1789) It was Epicurus who first
APPLICABILITY OF PROBABILITY SAMPLING TECHNIQUE IN AFRICAN CONTEXT
APPLICABILITY OF PROBABILITY SAMPLINIG TECHNIQUE IN AFRICAN CONTEXT WRITTEN BY NWOSU KINGSLEY.U. M.Sc (CRIMINOLOGY), NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE. OCTOBER, 2012. BACKGROUND Traditionally, probability method involves quantitative form of research which makes use of statistical tools in data presentation and analysis. Sampling is part and parcel of probability technique which involves the process of selecting a sub-set of individuals from within a population to estimate the characteristics of the whole population (Lindsey and Beach 2002). This is because; researchers rarely survey the entire population taking into consideration, the cost, time, and energy. Therefore, to avoid going into a big task, the sample of the entire population is taking to represent the whole. In doing this, the researcher takes into consideration; the validity and the reliability of the sample size. Probability sampling therefore is a method of selecting the elements that would be a representative of the entire population in such a manner that all the elements within the population are given an equal opportunity of being included in the sample. The emphasis here is that each element of the population stands a chance of being included in the sample and not that each element must be included in the sample (Ezeah: 2004). One great importance of this method is that the data collected from
A Summary for Anthony Giddens Essentials of Sociology
A Summary for Anthony Giddens’ Essentials of Sociology The article begins with presenting that in the current world, several tragedies have occurred such as the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, as well as the mass murder at the Columbine High School, which in previous times were not as likely to happen. The article questions the reasons behind why such occurrences are more frequent during the current time and not in previous generations. The article goes on to define Sociology as the “rigorous, organized, and meticulous study of human social life, groups and societies” (Giddens, 1). Love is used as an example of a topic that has a different reception based on which country it may be viewed in, the key contrasting nations being Afghanistan and Western-countries. After explaining that the concept of love being a factor in marriage has not been common occurrence until recently, it concludes that what is considered natural currently, has not always been and may not always be and our accepted way of life is influenced heavily by what has occurred before. Once the definition and an example of where sociology comes in is given, the article expounds on how to develop a sociological perspective, also emphasizing that there is a need to do so as the world is now more interdependent than it had been in the past due to the progress of technology,
Why is it important to communicate science well? The initial issue with reporting science within the media is a contradicting set of goals between scientists and science reporters.
Why is it important to communicate science well? The initial issue with reporting science within the media is a contradicting set of goals between scientists and science reporters. Scientists want science to be public as much as reporters do and believe their results are genuinely interesting, but reporters are attempting to entice readers to a magazine or newspaper to sell it or increase their own profile, and thus are only really interested in shocking or sellable stories. The main difference is that reporters don't really care whether the audience understands the science, or whether the science is accurate, but whether they can sell it and interest readers. This can result in journalists writing pieces that aren't entirely accurate, or using research that wasn't significant and misleading the public in to panic about science matters. Bishop (1997) says that scientists think that the best way to further progress is for the general public to understand science, and they believe that the public should understand science, the nature of science and it's limits and possibilities - scientists define what the public should know about science; however, the media have to promote what the public want to know about science. Bishop (1997) describes an experiment conducted by the Journal of the American Medical association, wherein two studies were published demonstrating the
Critically explore some of the issues that should be considered when conducting research in social science
Critically explore some of the issues that should be considered when conducting research in social science??? Research with children and young people is essential as it can improve the understanding of how they develop and live their lives, also it can add to academic debates and theories, and its outcomes can impact directly and indirectly on the lives of others in similar situations.“Data about children can only be understood by studying children”(Ross,1998:97) The best way to support the expansion of children’s studies for children is to enrol them fully in the research process. (Oakley, 1994: 26).Over the years, there has been rapid rise in research with children and young people and the increased respect and demand for children’s views and outlook in the society alongside the concern about ethics in social science when implementing the research Kellett (2010). Lansdown(1994) also supports this argument by stating that we do have a culture of listening to children . The chosen topic for this essay is issues that are to be considered when researching children and young people and vulnerable groups. The Relevant issues when researching with children includes ethics, consent, the legal structure, power relations and methodology. It is essential to consider and address issues appropriately. Social science research involved the collection, exploration and reporting
Native American Mascots: Tribute or Mockery?
Native American Mascots: Tribute or Mockery? A growing controversy in recent years has arisen around the use and abuse of Native American team mascots. Many of the mascots that exist today are named after a number of things – animals, industries, and historical figures, some ethnically linked (Clegg). The Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Blackhawks, Kansas City Chiefs, North Dakota Fighting Sioux, and so forth -- these are just a few of the images and names popularly associated with Native Americans that are still used as mascots by professional sports teams, dozens of universities, and countless high schools. This practice, a troubling legacy of Native American and “Western”society relations, has sparked heated debates and intense protests that continue to escalate. Are these mascots showing tribute to the Native Americans or disrespect? I understand that if someone is being offended then something needs to be resolved because nobody should feel that way. Since sports are so popular today and draw so much attention, I believe that Native Americans and other protesters use these sports venues as battlegrounds for their long, hard fight against racial discrimination. In some cases, Native Americans have won the battle and forced schools to either change their mascot or retire it completely. A March 4, 2002 article in Sports Illustrated entitled “Indian
Teenage pregnancy in Croydon - literature review and research outline.
Title Page ‘Why is there an increase in teenage pregnancy in the London Borough of Croydon?’ Submitted by: Submitted on: Course Title: BA in Social Policy and Youth Studies ABSTRACT The aim of this research study is to understand why teenage pregnancy is increasing in the London Borough of Croydon and to identify the factors contributing to this problem. A qualitative approach has been adopted for this research study. Both secondary and primary data will be collected. Secondary data will be collected from different informational resources which include journals, books, NHS reports and articles. Primary data will be collected through semi structured interviews. Sample population consists of pregnant teenagers living in the London Borough of Croydon and the data will be analysed in a step wise manner to draw meaningful conclusions at the end of the research study. This study will effectively contribute towards the literature about the factors causing the increase in the number of teenage conceptions and will aid in suggesting strategies for the governing bodies to reduce the number of teenage conceptions in Croydon. TABLE OF CONTENTS . Introduction.......................................................................................................................4 2. Literature
What evidence is there that children(TM)s development is influenced by play with siblings and peers?
What evidence is there that children's development is influenced by play with siblings and peers? Andre Duvenage 2009 If children's development is influenced by play with siblings and peers, then play can be seen as skilled interactional accomplishment that improves their development. This essay will explore the play interaction between siblings and peers and the psychological processes involved by drawing on the available research that explores play and the effect it has on subsequent development. The relationship between the grand developmental theories and play will then be explored. In addition, the essay will look at the limitations of psychologists' accounts, to explore the extent to which the current research could be seen as evidence that children's development is influenced by play with siblings and peers. A brief summary will conclude the main ideas. To understand the developmental significance of play with siblings and peers, the psychological processes involved needs to be analysed and understood and therefore researchers often focus on characterizing the details of the children's interactions. Schaffer (2003) said that these interactions could be seen as complementary and reciprocal (the two extremes of a dimension). The position of children's interaction between these two extremes would be relative to the level of knowledge and social power that they have in