Fluent Essays

You are to answer 10 short essay type of questions. Some require reading article or watching short movie. Some are personal thoughts. Full instruionts and questions are attached. questions_1_10.docx Unformatted Attachment Preview Preparing your answers Kindly use a normal size font (9 or 10), single spaced. Do not repeat the entire question above your answer--just provide the assignment number, please. Most questions will ask you to explain or discuss your answers. This kind of college level writing may require several paragraphs, but it cannot be done properly in a sentence or two. IMPORTANT please read carefully: Its essential to use quotation marks or block indentation and a source citation when you incorporate any language from any source, including all AIS readings. Its equally important to avoid a deceptive or patchwork paraphrase (changing or adding occasional words, but otherwise using the authors core ideas and phraseology without attribution). Click here for guidance from the University of Wisconsin on the difference between permissible and impermissible paraphrasing. Click here for guidance from MIT on the kinds of common knowledge you are not required to quote or cite. If in doubt, its always prudent to include quotation marks and a citation. Successful students: [1] Learn how to think for themselves and express their own creative ideas (a critical capacity as routine work is computerized worldwide); [2] Learn how to enrich and improve their own writing; [3] Participate in collaborative scholarship by alerting readers to other sources of insight and information. Writing is a discipline critical to any profession. To learn how to be a disciplined writer (much as an athlete learns and develops a physical skill) writers must form disciplined writing habits. No formal citations or works cited list required. Just be sure to identify the author in your answer, using appropriate quotation marks or block indentation, as needed. Youll find additional guidance about avoiding plagiarism here. Please remember: our questions are designed to elicit your analysis and opinion. Be sure to explain your reasoning. When you use any excerpts, use short selections only. ________________________________________________________________ Seminar Readings and Assignments ________________________________________________________________ ASSIGNMENT ONE : Please pretend youre at a retirement banquet. This is a serious and formal occasion, not a roast. The person retiring is 65 years old and at the end of a long career. You know this person well--both inside and outside the workplace. Its your job to say a few truthful, descriptive words about them. What character or personality traits come to mind? Question for you to answer: Pretend the person retiring is you. In short, were asking you to project yourself into the future and to identify at least five descriptive words you hope others would say about you at a comparable event. By descriptive words we mean single words or very short phrases. Please number each descriptive word or phrase and rank them in priority order ( #1 = the most important to you). ASSIGNMENT TWO : Please read “The Trees of the Niu Mountain by Mengzi. Questions for you to answer: [a] Explain what the metaphor of the mountain means. [b] Does the author think human nature is basically good (cooperative and trustworthy) or bad (uncooperative and untrustworthy) or some other alternative? Do you agree? Explain your answer. [c] In ethical terms, what are some of the forces that can undermine a beautiful soul or character? Explain your answer. [d] Given the date and source of this reading, what can we conclude about the possibility that some core values are broadly shared among people in diverse cultures? How could such core values arise? Wikipedia commons (Are you curious? Studying this one ideogram can be a college education in itself) ASSIGNMENT THREE: Please review this Harvard University commencement speech by (then) Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan. Please focus on these four paragraphs. [a] I do not deny that many appear to have succeeded in a material way by cutting corners and manipulating associates, both in their professional and in their personal lives. But material success is possible in this world and far more satisfying when it comes without exploiting others. The true measure of a career is to be able to be content, even proud, that you succeeded . . . without leaving a trail of casualties in your wake. [b] I cannot speak for others whose psyches I may not be able to comprehend, but, in my working life, I have found no greater satisfaction than achieving success through honest dealings and strict adherence to the view that for you to gain, those you deal with should gain as well. Human relations--be they personal or professional--should not be zero sum games. [c] And beyond the personal sense of satisfaction, having a reputation for fair dealing is a profoundly practical virtue. We call it good will in business and add it to our balance sheets. [d] Trust is at the root of any economic system based on mutually beneficial exchange. In virtually all transactions, we rely on the word of those with whom we do business. Were this not the case, exchange of goods and services could not take place on any reasonable scale. Our commercial codes and contract law presume that only a tiny fraction of contracts, at most, need be adjudicated. If a significant number of businesspeople violated the trust upon which our interactions are based, our court system and our economy would be swamped into immobility. Two questions for you to answer: [1] Do you think Greenspan is being realistic about the possibility of business ethics? Cite specific language from his speech (in quotation marks) and explain your reasoning. [2] Identify the core ethical values you plan to follow in your career. Additional background for reflection (assignment three) (Note: materials here and below labeled for reflection do not require written responses) Thought question: Dont soft terms like good-will or mutually beneficial exchange reflect ignorance about evolutionary anthropology? Shouldnt we accept the reality that human beings are self-interested primates engaged in a ruthless struggle for dominance? Only the strongest individuals survive, right? Actually, those kinds of statements are consistently refuted by direct observation of how social animals like primates live. Consider this observation by Yuval Noah Harari in his 2014 book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind: “When [chimpanzees] . . . are contesting the alpha position, they usually do so by forming extensive coalitions of supporters, both male and female, from within the group. Ties between coalition members are based on intimate daily contact – hugging, touching, kissing, grooming and mutual favours. Just as human politicians on election campaigns go around shaking hands and kissing babies, so aspirants to the top position in a chimpanzee group spend much time hugging, back-slapping and kissing baby chimps. The alpha male usually wins his position not because he is physically stronger, but because he leads a large and stable coalition. These coalitions play a central part not only during overt struggles for the alpha position, but in almost all day-to-day activities. Members of a coalition spend more time together, share food, and help one another in times of trouble.” In short, while physical strength and assertiveness certainly matter (especially in competition with other groups) fostering the good will that maintains extensive coalitions of supporters turns out to be even more important. A leader who isnt trusted wont remain a leader for long. See this observation by a contemporary expert on (human) leadership skills: [e]ffective leadership is defined by how well a leader executes a mission, how they show empathy and inspire those who follow them. Thought question: How did a small country like Holland become a world economic power (the richest country in Europe for many years)? Hint: it may have had something to do with trust and the rule of law. Heres an economic perspective on the importance of social trust from Francis Fukuyama in his book Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity (Free Press. 1995, pp.27-28): Trust is the expectation that arises within a community of regular, honest, and cooperative behavior, based on commonly shared norms, on the part of other members of that community . . . [P]eople who do not trust one another will end up cooperating only under a system of formal rules and regulations, which have to be negotiated, agreed to, litigated, and enforced, sometimes by coercive means. This legal apparatus, serving as a substitute for trust, entails what economists call transaction costs. Widespread distrust in a society, in other words, imposes a kind of tax on all forms of economic activity, a tax that high-trust societies do not have to pay. Youll see something similar in the business success of the Quakers. Thought question: How might business ethics evolve in the 21st Century? Former Vice-President Al Gore and others are promoting the idea of sustainable capitalism (long-term thinking grounded on the view that businesses are more likely to thrive by helping to solve rather than exacerbate social and environmental problems). Please see this three minute video: Allocating capital for long-term returns. Gores new model is proving to be highly successful. Business ethics, in short, isnt a set of static rules; its an evolving conception of integrity each generation can expand. See this related overview of the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility ASSIGNMENT FOUR: Please read and think about this quotation: The mind is fickle and flighty, it flies after fancies and whatever it likes; it is difficult indeed to restrain. But it is a great good to control the mind; a mind self-controlled is a source of great joy. --Buddhas Teachings (Penguin Classics, p. 8). Question for you to answer: Please read An interview conducted with Roberto Assagioli by Sam Keen. Identify and discuss at least two strategies Assagioli recommends to strengthen mental discipline or self-management. Include at least one direct quotation from the article. Additional background for reflection (assignment four) (Note: materials labeled for reflection do not require written responses) Many cultures use stories to help people enhance emotional intelligence (long-term, less self-centered thinking). We cant confirm the original source of the following legend (youll see it here: First People: American Indian Legends), but think it summarizes a cross-cultural understanding of competing components of human nature (selfish and cooperative): An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. A fight is going on inside me, he said to the boy. It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil -- he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. He continued, The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you -- and inside every other person, too. The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, Which wolf will win? The old Cherokee simply replied, The one you feed. As you complete the seminar, you might consider keeping a small card next to your computer with the question which wolf? written on it. See if this experiment influences behavior. Timely reminders that elicit what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature are a proven way to enhance emotional intelligence (see how that term is defined, below). If youd like to build on these ideas, please watch a short TED video by Shawn Achor, who teaches for the Advanced Management Program at Wharton Business School. Learn how Shawn turned his sister into a unicorn (its a funny and instructive story, with practical suggestions at the end). Many philosophical and religious traditions emphasize disciplined mindfulness. Heres an example from the Christian Bible (Philippians 4:8): Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable —if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. One of our aims in assignments three and four is to introduce you to the concept of emotional intelligence. Please see this overview (from coursework at the University of Virginia) about what emotional intelligence means (note the emphasis on trustworthiness and integrity). The concept of emotional intelligence derives from research by psychologist Daniel Goleman, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The good news in Golemans research is that emotional intelligence can be learned. If youd like a real-life example of how emotional intelligence can grow during a lifetime, consider the AIS assigned reading about Abraham Lincoln (#5, below) . _____________________________________________ Most powerful is he who has himself in his power -- Seneca (the younger) (4 B.C.- 65 A.D.) _____________________________________________ ASSIGNMENT FIVE: Please read Book One of the Meditations of Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Question for you to answer. Please write a concise statement of gratitude identifying the ethical and intellectual debts you owe to family members, teachers, or friends. Fictitious names are permitted, but the statement of gratitude should be genuine. Additional background for reflection (assignment five) (a philosophical perspective on gratitude) Aware only of his own satisfactions and his own happiness, hoarding them as a miser hoards his coin . . . the egoist cannot be grateful. Ingratitude is not the incapacity to receive but the inability to give back--in the form of joy or love--a little of the joy that was received or experienced. This is why ingratitude is so pervasive a vice. [Ungrateful people] absorb joy as others absorb light, for egoism is a black hole. --Andre Comte-Sponville, Professor of philosophy at the Sorbonne (France) ASSIGNMENT SIX: One of Abraham Lincolns greatest attributes may have been his ability to recover and learn from failure. The quality of perseverance seemed especially useful to him as he struggled with melancholy (what might now be called depression). Please read this article by Joshua Wolf Shenk. Read the full article; its worth your time. Your answer should contain information from this article only. Do not use other sources). Two questions for you to answer: [a] Joshua Wolf Shenk wrote that one of Lincolns adaptation strategies was transcendence (rising above or even using melancholy to achieve a higher purpose). According to Shenk, what was Lincolns higher purpose? Provide a direct quotation from the article to support your analysis. [b] What idea or insight in the full article would you recommend to others (a friend, perhaps)? Provide a direct quotation from the article to support your analysis. *Important reminder: Its essential to use quotation marks or block indentation when you incorporate any language from any source, including all AIS readings. Its equally important to avoid a deceptive or patchwork paraphrase (changing or adding occasional words, but otherwise using the authors core ideas and phraseology without attribution). Click here for guidance from the University of Wisconsin on the difference between permissible and impermissible paraphrasing. Click here for guidance from Harvard University on the kinds of common knowledge you are not required to quote or cite. If in doubt, its always prudent to include quotation marks and a citation. Contact your AIS tutor if this instruction is unclear or if you have any questions. What is a man If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more . . . He that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and godlike reason To fust in us unused. -- Hamlet, 4 Scene 4 _________________________________________ ASSIGNMENT SEVEN: Please see the film Shattered Glass (Lionsgate, 2004). You should be able to find the film online here or on DVD. The rental cost is about $4. Important: Be sure to keep a dated rental or purchase receipt for subsequent verification. Please contact your tutor immediately if you have any difficulty finding the film. Questions for you to answer: [a] What scene in the film made the strongest impression on you? Please describe. [b] What habits did Glass develop that proved harmful to him? How can you avoid developing comparable bad habits yourself? [b] What advice would you give to editors about how to avoid hiring someone like Stephen Glass? What kind of pre-employment screening do you recommend? A word of caution: Were not asking you to find outside commentary on this film. Youre being asked to think and write for yourself. Much of what we see online about the film is demonstrably wrong--and an invitation to plagiarism (we monitor two pertinent plagiarism sites in particular). ASSIGNMENT EIGHT Please read this decision by the Iowa Supreme Court in an attorney discipline case. Questions for you to answer: [a] Why should judges care if attorneys submit plagiarized legal briefs or motions? Please explain your answer. [b] Attorney Peter Cannon was punished by the court and by the attorney disciplinary board. Do you think these punishments (taken as a whole) were too lenient, too severe, or about right? Please explain your answer. [c] The Iowa Supreme Court referred to another case involving attorney plagiarism (Iowa Supreme Court Board of Professional Ethics & Conduct v. Lane). In that case, the punishment for attorney Lane (suspension of his license to practice) was more severe than the punishment imposed on attorney Cannon. What distinction did the court make between these two cases? Do you agree with the court’s reasoning? [d] The state of Florida requires “personal appearances before the [disciplinary] board for public reprimands for disciplined lawyers” [italics added]. Do you think this kind of public shaming is too harsh? Explain. ASSIGNMENT NINE: Please read and consider these speeches by Frederick Douglass: > The Composite Nation (1869) > Oration in Memory of Abraham Lincoln (1876) Two questions for you to answer (based on your reading of both speeches) [1] What qualities does Douglass display as a thinker and a writer? (People continue to read these speeches because theyre powerful and memorable. What makes them powerful and memorable)? Cite a specific example from the speeches to support your answer. [2] What qualities of character does Douglass display in these speeches? (i.e., what do you find memorable about Douglass as a person, based on what he wrote and how he expressed himself?). Cite a specific example from the speeches to support your answer. ASSIGNMENT TEN (concluding assignment) First, without reviewing your previous answers to Assignment One, please answer the Assignment One question again (repeated below). This isnt a memory test. Even if you do remember much of what you previously wrote in Assignment One, youre free in this version to make any desired additions, modifications or changes in priority. Youre also free to retain your original answer without changes, if you prefer. Assignment one (repeated): Please pretend youre at a retirement banquet. This is a serious and formal occasion, not a roast. You know this person well--both inside and outside the workplace. Its your job to say a few truthful, descriptive words about them. What character or personality traits come to mind? Question for you to answer: (repeated): Pretend the person retiring is you. In short, were asking you to project yourself into the future and to identify at least five descriptive words you ... Purchase answer to see full attachment