The Rules Of The Sociological Method Response Philosophy Essay

The Rules Of The Sociological Method Response Philosophy Essay Over time the study and application of social sciences have become to be viewed differently in comparison to those in the realm of natural sciences. By definition and practise Social sciences rely more on subjective details and inference than do those of the natural sciences which rely on empirical data to derive conclusions. Emile Durkheim sought to establish rules and practises for the methods used to discover new information utilized by the social sciences. With his publication of the book, The Rules of the Sociological Method, Durkheims theory of the social fact was revealed and presented as a practical and workable model for utilization within the discipline of the study of social behaviour. Durkheim goes on within his writings to break down his theory and to outline the different rules. Seemingly the most vital section establishes the Rules for the Constitution of Social Types. Social Types is a significant concept and the section that defines it is most important, this is due to the clarity in which brings it to his thesis and because it aids in relating the theory of social facts to particular societies and species. It is for these reasons that one can clearly see the concept and refinement of social types is the most vital piece to Emile Durkheims theory of social facts. Durkheims theory on Social Facts is based upon the thesis that there is a category of facts which present very special characteristics: they consist of manners of acting, thinking and feeling external to the individual. Which are invested with a coercive power by virtue of which they exercise control over him. This definition shows that Durkheim is focusing on sociology and the main forms of socialization; acting, thinking and feeling and how they control an individual. Along with this definition Durkheim continues to refine his outline that a social fact is a thing that stems from an idea not an idea from a thing.(page 60). From this frame of reference Durkheim further explores the social fact and the many other variables that make up its sum. Durkheim identifies that social facts are divided into two separate groups: normal and pathological. Normal social facts are attributes or characteristics that are found in most if not all of a population, while pathological social facts are found within a limited number of the population and are sometimes only experienced for a brief period of time. With this clarity one can begin to see the importance of social types and its relation to Durkheims thesis as you cannot categorize something as normal or pathological until you are fully aware of its social type. Simply, this is due to the fact that you will not know how common or uncommon a particular social fact may be to a population until it has been identified and categorized. The importance of social types however begins to be more clearly portrayed when analyzing the rules for the constitution of social types. Durkheim implies that human beings are not all the same and suggests many different groups of species exist amongst us. He does his best to distinguish himself from the historian and philosopher who both view society in much different ways. The historian looks at every event and occurrence within society in sequence to that particular time as unique and will not be repeated. On the other hand is the philosopher, who views humans as different groups who are governed by laws and justice. These laws aid in taking humans through the many stages of growth and evolution into more complex and modern societies. Sociology takes a much different view and approach than these two disciplines. Durkheim believes that cities are made up of many different types of species with the inference that many of these species are similar in several ways. Durkheim theorizes that these differences arise within each particular species and calls them social facts affording each a classification accordingly to the particular species. In my frame of reference and after having been exposed to Durkheims concepts I find myself supporting Durkheims views as practical and realistic of the three, in accordance to how society is really made up. The historian sees no relation in anything while the philosopher believes that laws applied to certain societies are what dictate how that society will progress, sociology seems to be a medium to these two schools of thought. Conceptually this shows that social types can be seen in many different ways of thinking and is not limited to sociology or any discipline for that matter. Durkheim uses these social types to apply social facts with this aiding in expl aining how and why certain things occur socially. Durkheim correlates social fact with a very heavy reliance on social types. While Durkheim does an excellent job in outlining and creating his theory regarding social facts, he does encounter some problems. One issue he identifies and discusses is not how many different species there may be, but what exactly is the best way to go about classifying them. Durkheim states, We shall begin by classifying societies according to the degree of organisation they manifest, taking as a base the perfectly simple society or the single-segment society. Within these classes different varieties will be distinguished, according to whether a complete coalescence of the initial segments takes place. Durkheim describes the idea of classifying different societies by their organisation as a whole. Ultimately, categorizing the seemingly more advanced societies as superior in comparison to others that do not appear to be as advanced. There may be some critique given to this idea, that Durkheim may believe a society has little going on while quite the opposite is actually taking place. The term simple is used to describe these lower societies, which one may interpret this classification as labelling this group as primitive. One could say that the difference in language, culture and practice creates a barrier and the automatic classification of simple is wrong. Still I must digress; one can see the importance that this classification has to Durkheims theory. The fact that dependencies exist within these societies makes it so that modern societies must rely on resources and labour that are more complex in comparison to the more simple societies who must also rely on resources and labour fitted to suit their needs. The impact that the social type has can be seen clearly as the theory of the social fact is defined and explained. It is needed to describe and categorize the many different species of people so that the social facts of that particular society may be analyzed and discovered. If it were not for social types, the classification of normal and pathological would cease to exist. This would ultimately make it impossible to accurately identify and outline social facts for specific populations. The social type proves that it is a large division within the theory of the social fact. It is this factor that ultimately ties the different thoughts and ideas together. This is why, for me, I view the concept and utilization of social type as the most vital piece to Emile Durkheims theory of social facts.

Israel P.L.O. Peace Treaty Essay -- Middle East Politics Political Ess

Israel P.L.O. Peace Treaty The Middle East has always been known as the Holy Land, the land of the Bible. For centuries, prophets have walked there, nations have collided and conquerors have come and gone. While Jews claim a three thousand-year-old attachment to this ancient land, Arabs also stake their devotion. In 1993, these two peoples, involved in a tragic conflict that has lasted more than half a century, saw the possibility of a new beginning. It was called the Oslo Accord, and it transformed the political realities of the Middle East (Peres, p.2) However, there have been many turbulent events that have followed the signing of the Accord, events that have undermined the agreement and are threatening to drive Israelis and Arabs apart once again. Since the founding of Israel in 1948, there has been continuous conflict between Israel and the Arab states. This conflict has been marked by six bloody wars. In 1867, during the six-day war of Syria, Jordan and Egypt, Israel captured the West Bank, Sinai and the Gaza strip. Subsequently, a population of over a million Palestinian Arabs, together with their land was now under Israeli control. (Spencer, p.70) It was during this time that a Palestinian leader emerged, Yasser Arafat. Labeled a terrorist by Israel and the United States, he and his Palestine Liberation Organization called for the eviction of Israel from the occupied territories by force of arms. In 1979, Israel returned Sinai to Egypt by a peace treaty. Although Egypt’s Prime Minister Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1982 by anti-peace forces, the peace still remained between the two countries. This paved the way for negotiations with Jordan, Syria, and the Palestines. (Hunter, p.17-20) However, Israel’s continued occupation of the Palestinian territories led to the uprising of Arab youth in the West Bank and Gaza, known as the Intifada. For the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, the Intifada provided them with a new and assertive Palestinian identity. Israelis were also growing tired of their roles as occupiers, as soldiers trained to defend their country in war were finding themselves aiming their weapons at rock throwing teenagers. Many Israelis were disillusioned and desperately eager for a solution. When the United States and Russia initiated talks in Madrid and Washington at the end of the Cold War, it seemed that peace was at... ...alestinians a path of opportunities has been shown. It is a difficult path, but unless it is pursued, generations might pass before anyone will attempt such a peace process again. Works Cited: â€Å"Chronology of Bombing Attacks Following September 1993 Accord†. www.Nando.com, 1996. â€Å"Chronology of PLO-Israeli Peace Moves†. www.Newsobserver.com, 1995. Corelli, Rae. â€Å"Days of Reckoning† in Maclean’s Magazine p.34-35. Toronto, Canada: Maclean Hunter Limited. September 5, 1996 Finkelstein, Norman G. The Rise and Fall of Palestine- A Personal Account of the Intifada Years. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1996. Hunter, Robert F. The Palestinian Uprising. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1995. â€Å"Israel Mourns Bombing Victims†. www.nando.com, 1996. Peres, Shimon. The New Middle East. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1995. Silver, Eric. â€Å"A Martyr to Peace† in Maclean’s Magazine p.26-28. Toronto, Canada: Maclean Hunter Limited. November 13, 1995 Spencer, Dr. William. The Middle East. Connecticut: The Dushkin Publishing Group, Inc., 1994 â€Å"U.S. Envoy Organizes Top Israeli, PLO Meeting†. www.lycosnews.com, October, 1997

Fish- Beneath the Surface (An article for ‘Future of Fish’ magazine)

Natural cod stocks going down. There has been much press coverage of the decline in natural cod stocks due to over fishing in the North Sea. I like my cod and chips and so was quite concerned about this. It may be too late to get the numbers back up to 1970's levels but less documented by the press, is the rapid growth of mariculture, the cultivation of marine organisms for food, which retailers say could ‘revolutionise the fishing industry' (2). I visited the Manx Mariculture fish hatchery to investigate the principles behind fish farming and soon discovered that it was not without its problems. As my guide, Rick Fullerton, explained, a bacterial problem in the live feed meant that the hatchery faced a crisis in the year 2006 when only a few hundred cod were produced instead of the target 1 million. This is a common problem in mariculture and there is the potential for exciting new developments in the production of live feed which could eliminate this problem in the future. Use of live feed as an answerMuscular System: Muscle Metabolism In order to kill bacteria, live feed may be disinfected or treated with UV rays (6). A recent study (Cutts, Sherwood and Treasurer) showed that bacterial numbers were lower in tanks of live feed treated with Pyceze, often used as a disinfectant of water and a preservative in cosmetic products, and the survival of larvae was 6.1% higher (6). Other future developments in the production of live feed may include using rotifers which match the nutritional requirements of the larvae. This could be achieved by finding new methods of enrichment. Research in collaboration with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has been carried out into developing enrichment methods using vitamin C, bacteria and fungi (7). Rotifers: These multicellular animals are 200-300à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m in length and are kept at a density of around 1500 per ml (3). They supply the nutritional requirements of fish larvae by retaining nutrients which are then passed on to the larvae (5), ensuring rapid growth. As I go round, a putrid smell laces the air. Dark and bitter, it hangs heavily in the small room. The humidity makes it difficult to breath. Four tanks prevail to one side, overbearing. This is the live feed room of the Manx Mariculture fish hatchery. I peer closer to make out the reptilian green contents of the tanks. Here, rotifers, used as live feed, are grown in aerated tanks on a diet of yeast and algae at 25à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C (3), optimum conditions for growth. The cod and turbot larvae farmed at the site are reared on these for up to 20 days during which time it is not possible to produce food pellets small enough for their consumption. To small to be seen with the naked eye, rotifers are an excellent replacement of the fish's natural diet, zooplankton (copepods) and they are enriched to supply the nutritional requirements of the larvae. Nutrition in the diet is essential in ensuring optimum growth. Brine shrimps: With my knowledge of cod limited to its appearance in a plastic take-out box, the sight of the fish at 20 days, with their dark silken bodies deftly navigating the water, surprises me. At this age, they are around 7-8 mm in length and are fed for a further 20 days on brine shrimp, or Artemia, 500-700 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m in length (3). By using a specially formulated diet for the Artemia, their nutritional content is increased to maximise the growth of the larvae. This also reduces pigmentation problems in the turbot, a species of fish I had not previously heard of. My first impression of them is that they bear a certain resemblance to the shape of a stingray. They line the bottom of the holding tanks, their slender bodies overlapping, producing a carpet of shimmering grey. A tight ship: Nevertheless, live feed production is extremely expensive. To improve efficiency at Manx Mariculture, rotifer production is carried out as a continuous process. Future developments are needed in the production and reliability of rotifer and Artemia whilst reducing the cost of the feeds. Recent studies (Lubzens E, Zmora O, Barr Y, 2001) have shown that the rotifers, B. plicatilis and B. rotundiformis, are two species of rotifer most suited to mariculture. Fish and chips – a change of diet As cod are cannibalistic, grading is carried out at 2 to 4 months using filters of increasing width to separate out different sizes into different tanks. This increases the survival rate of smaller, weaker cod which may not have survived in the wild. As it is not economically viable to produce live feed in large amounts as the fish mature, they are weaned off this and onto a diet of hard fishmeal pellets. This is achieved by gradually increasing the ratio of hard pellets to live food, fed once a day using automated feeders suspended above the tanks. Made from smaller species of fish and crustaceans unfit for human consumption, standard fishmeal has a content of 65-67% protein and 12% fat (8). There may be some dispute over the validity of this data as it is from an internet site and the source is not clear, therefore it cannot be guaranteed that the information is entirely accurate. Fishmeal contains proteins, lipids, minerals and vitamins but very little carbohydrate. Its close composition to that of the fish's natural diet makes it an excellent alternative (8). Fishmeal increases feed efficiency and growth due to a greater nutrient uptake and absorption. It also provides a high amount of energy per unit weight (8). Lipids in the diet provide phospholipids and fatty acids required for optimum growth and development. They are also important in the structure and function of cell membranes. They can be easily digested and have a high energy content which is important as the diet contains little carbohydrate. This is most likely because there is limited availability of carbohydrates in marine environments (9). If the diet does not provide enough energy, protein needed for growth will be broken down instead which increases the costs of fish farming. Protein is needed in the diet as it provides the 10 essential amino acids which the fish cannot synthesis. Fishmeal also contains minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium and vitamins including the B-complex (8). There are, however, ethical concerns over the use of fishmeal as some argue that for every tonne of farmed fish produced, 5 tonnes of fishmeal are used in the process. On the other hand, fishmeal can be seen to reduce pollution to the environment as there is increased nutrient uptake by the fish (8). Green issues Further environmental concerns which surround fish farming include the pollution caused by waste being discharged into the sea. However, made up of fish waste and undigested food, this is natural and it does not cause major problems or damage to marine environments (3). This likely to be accurate and precise information as Nick Fullerton is a professional with a degree in biology and has had many years experience in mariculture. The energy cost of running the hatchery which includes pumping water 24 hours day and the continuous monitoring probes must also be taken into account when considering the environmental implications of fish farming. A breath of fresh air Continuing my tour, I am shown the large round tanks where the fish are held. A strange looking square device sits on the surface of the water. Consisting of a flimsy plastic frame, it looks unimportant, however, it has the potential to raise the survival of the fish by 90% (3). This is a surface skimmer which cleans the surface of the water by blowing air over it to remove the oily film which would otherwise build up. When the surface is clear, young fish are able to gulp air in order to inflate the swim bladder, an organ in bony fish used for buoyancy. As the fish rely on the water in order to breathe and grow, the water quality can have a huge impact on the success of fish farming (10). The seawater in the hatchery is filtered through filters only 1 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m thick in order to remove most harmful bacteria and parasites and the continuous flow maintains the water quality (3). Bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Oceanospirillum, Marinobactera and Paracoccus are common in marine environments (11). Much more impressive are the electronic probes which measure oxygen, carbon dioxide and ammonia levels and pH. However, water is not recirculated otherwise very strict controls would have to be enforced on water quality (3). Oxygen, required for aerobic respiration, is kept at a concentration of 8 mg per litre, or almost 100% saturation (At 20 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C, normal pressure and in freshwater, 9.1 mg/L = 100% saturation (12)). Fish require a high concentration of oxygen because they are very active and have a high metabolism. The oxygen concentration is increased when stress levels are elevated such as during transport. This causes the heart rate to increase and so the fish to take in more oxygen. Carbon dioxide levels are kept below 5 parts per million (ppm) and ammonia which is excreted by the fish is kept below 0.02 ppm. PH is ideally kept between 6.5 and 9.0 (10). More advanced probes are being developed but these advancements are limited by cost. Temperature is kept around 7-8à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C for cod and slightly warmer for turbot. These temperatures are maintained by 3 water inlets to each tank of cold, heated and ambient water. Hot water is not used due to the high cost, especially as the water is not recirculated. Food for thought The ethics of keeping the fish at high stocking densities needs to be considered, however, it can also be seen that their survival is much higher than in the wild. At 50 days, this is 20-30% compared with less than 1% in the wild (3). Turbot even appear to thrive at high densities (13) as this is natural to them in a marine environment on the ocean floor. This is likely to be valid information as it comes from an educational source although, published in 1992, it is not up-to-date. Another concern is that if farmed fish escape and breed with wild stock, the genetic strain may be weakened as farmed cod have lost much of their natural awareness (3). Help or hindrance? Mariculture is growing worldwide at a rate of 5% annually (14) but is it actually accomplishing its aim of increasing fish stock? The use of fishmeal in fish farming means that it relieves pressure on one species only to transfer it to others. It can be argued that the numbers of other species of fish removed from the ocean in order to feed farmed fish mean that the problem is not solved. Furthermore, depleted stocks of other species may disrupt complex food webs in marine ecosystems as ‘population dynamics, competition for food and patterns of predation' are changed (15).

Comparison of Transgender Concept in The Color Purple by Alice Walker and Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg Free Essay Example, 2500 words

That during the 1980s, and the early 1990s, the transgender people suffered too much discrimination and stigma, that they could not express themselves. It is within this background that the two novels are written. This novel by Feinberg (1) is talking about a butch by the name of Jess Goldberg. A butch is a term that is always used to depict a lesbian or female homosexual. This is an aggressive fellow, who is out to look for her partners in the world of lesbianism. Jess Goldberg was able to face a lot of trials and tribulations, because of her transgender nature. Her parents, as well as the society, did not understand nor respect her sexual status. This is because being a transgender, i. a lesbian was unacceptable before the society, and hence the community in which she was living, could not accept her. This novel was published in 1993, and it received popularity in the world of the transgender people, before receiving success in the mainstream literature. Trodd (16) explains that t he major reason as to why the novel tool sometime, before being accepted at the mainstream literature is because it was talking about lesbianism, and the author was supporting the existence of this act of lesbianism. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison of Transgender Concept in The Color Purple by Alice Walker and Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page