The Colosseum and Architectural Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Colosseum and Architectural Theories - Essay Example This depicts architecture as a field that uses only forces such as harmony of design and engineering to encompass various features that drive people and regions. Ironically, architecture has been a field where fine art and engineering come together only to find nuances where it may function as a political and socio economic barometer. (Hale, 2000; P 5) The structure being studied in this paper- the Colosseum- is an epitome of aesthetics in architecture and the use of fine art in context of functional engineering to bring about maximum satisfaction for the creator and maximum interaction from the people visiting such a structure. To begin with, it is imperative to define the exact nature and importance of these strategies in context of the Colosseum. Interpretive strategies spring from that aspect of a field's study which seeks to define the same in context of an individual's life and link the same with various factors at a regional, international and global level. (Norberg - Schulz, 1996; P 414 - 428) The role of an interpretive strategy in the case of Colosseum is to bring out a variety of features in the structural implications of the building. These features have been further discussed below. This structure basically upholds the values of the Roman Empire. One of the major features of an interpretive strategy lies in its ability to transform a space and transport an individual to a place beyond the structure where the building and the individual in question are in perfect tandem as far as everyday activities and a sense of drama in this everyday life is concerned. This has been termed as Hermeneutics. (Hale, 2000; P 213 - 233) On a more technical grid, the term hermeneutics adheres to the play of a person's sense of aesthetics when regarding the Colosseum. The finer point shows that the hermeneutic tradition helps create a platform where a person may experience the museum as an extension of his or her daily living. This is an important point made by the term 'modern aesthetics', which cater to more than a marriage of fine art and engineering for positive structural implications in the structure as anamphitheatre. (Hale, 2000; P 213 - 233) While on hermeneutics, it is important to realize another feature of the use of interpretive strategies in the Colosseum. Hermeneutics caters for the act of drawing out a person who is regarding a structure. This is brought about by a careful play of fine art as well as political and ideological view within the structure. In the case of the Colosseum, this has been achieved through the use of language in terms of mere fine art to put forth a point in favour of the semiotic implications of the structure's design as conceived in the mind of the person regarding it. (Hale, 2000; P 203 - 211) In case of the Colosseum, this has also created a space within which the language is based on the architectural features. This again points to the intermingling of the technical and the artistic - i.e., fine art and engineering - within the context of a region's political and economic frame of mind. This language then helps reduce barriers and deconstruct a

Climate Change and Trade Issues

Climate Change and Trade Issues TRADE AND CLIMATE CHANGE *Dr. Navdeep Kaur There has been an enormous expansion in world trade which has been made possible by technological advancements which have dramatically reduced the cost of transportation and communications, and by the adoption of more open trade and investment policies. The number of countries participating in international trade has increased :developing countries, for instance, now account for 34 per cent of merchandise trade – about double their share in early 1960s. Trade can increase GDP in a number of ways – for example by improving resource allocation through specialization according to comparative advantage or by allowing economies of scale in production to be exploited. Open economies also grow faster because trade fosters investment, innovation and institutional reform. However, development goes beyond higher GDP per capita. Other important indicators are Human Development Indices (HDIs) i.e life expectancy, infant mortality, nutrition, literacy, employment etc, Some of these factors are summarized in HDIs are positively correlated with GDP growth. But no clear picture emerges of the impact of growth on other dimension of development such as income inequality and environmental performance. Various environmental indicators ranging from greenhouse emissions to deforestation can be summarized by an Environmental Performance Index (EPI) which in turn can be compared to income growth .In the last decade, there has been a positive relationship between growth and environmental quality. This suggests that countries with rising income were able to pay more to preserve the environment. To the extent that trade and other policies can promote economic growth, they may indirectly help to improve natural environment. However, empirical evidence has to date produced mixed results on this question (World Trade Report, 2014). EPI is based on 22 indicators of environmental health and ecosystem viability including pollution, access to clean drinking water, sulphur dioxide emissions, carbon dioxide emissions, agriculture subsidies and critical habitat protection. Higher values of the index represent better environmental quality. Among the fast growing developing economies, some have improved their EPI performance while others have seen deterioration. There is a positive relationship between the EPI and per capita income. This suggests that countries with higher incomes are better able to pay for preserving their environment (World Trade Report, 2014). Environmental economies refer to the â€Å"Environmental Kuznets Curve† (EKC) to identify  correlation between per capita income and environmental degradation. The hypothesis is that  environmental quality degrades at the early stages of development while beyond a certain  income level, environmental quality improves (Grossman and Krueger, 1993). Pollution  increases as an economy industrialize and moves from agriculture to manufacturing (a pollution  intensive sector). Then, as the country GDP per capita increases, environmental quality improves  despite the increase in economic activity (scale effect). This is for several reasons- First, as an  economy develops the composition of production changes. Production tends to move away from natural resource intensive goods to services. Secondly, changes in consumption and growing  preference for environmentally friendly emerge at higher levels of income. Thirdly, as the  country’s level of development incre ases, the quality of institution improves, as does a country’s  capacity to enforce regulatory measures to address environmental problems. Finally a higher  GDP per capita also enhances the possibility to exploit economies of scale associated with  pollution abatement technologies (Technique Effect). Trade is an important factor affecting the relationship between growth and environment. First, opening up the trade increases the availability and lower the cost of environmental friendly technologies, secondly the greater demand by the public especially in more advanced economies – for cleaner environment also provides an incentive to adopt cleaner technologies. For example it has been argued that multinational enterprises, due to concerns about their reputation and economies of scale, may require more stringent environmental measures from their subsidiaries than that required by the host country (Abornoz et. al, 2009). Thirdly assuming no changes in scale of an economic activity and production method, trade opening may reduce domestic pollution in the country that specialize in clean sectors. Specialization in a pollution intensive sector, however worsens environmental quality if the country does not improve its environmentally friendly technologies. In the light of above observations, the objective of this paper is to study the impact of climate change on trade and various issues related to WTO and environment. This paper is divided into three sections. In Section I, the impact of climate change on trade and mitigation and adaptation measures are discussed. In Section II , WTO and environment measures are discussed, and in Section III, concluding remarks are made. Section-I The impact of climate change is specific to location and to the level of development, but most sectors of global economy are expected to be affected and these impact will have implications for trade .The three trade related areas which are considered vulnerable to climate change are(WTO-UNEP,2009): 1. Agriculture: It is considered to be the key sector in international trade, which is highly vulnerable to climate change. In low-latitude regions, where most developing countries are located, reductions of about 5 to 10 per cent in the yields of major cereal crops are projected even in the case of small temperature increases of around 1degree centigrade .Although it is expected that local temperature increases of between 1-3 degree centigrade would have beneficial impacts on agriculture outputs in mid –latitude regions, warming beyond this range will most likely result in increasingly negative impacts for these regions also. According to some studies, crop yields in some African countries could fall by up to 50 per cent by 2020,with net revenues from crops falling by as much as 90 per cent by 2100. Depending over the location, agriculture will also be prone to water scarcity due to loss of glacial meltwater and reduced rainfall or droughts. 2. Tourism: It is another industry that may be particularly vulnerable to climate change, for example, through changes in snow cover, coastal degradation and extreme weather. Both fisheries and forestry sectors also risk being adversely impacted by climate change. Likewise, there are expected to be major impact on coastal ecosystems, including of the disappearance of coral and the loss of marine biodiversity. 3. Trade infrastructure and shipping routes: The IPCC has identified port facilities, as well as buildings, roads, railways, airports and bridges, as being dangerously at risk of damage from rising sea levels and the increased occurrence of instances of extreme weather, such as flooding and hurricanes. Moreover, it is projected that changes in sea ice, particularly in the Arctic, will lead to the availability of new shipping routes. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: There is a need for increased efforts focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation refers to policies and options aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions or at enhancing the â€Å"sinks†(such as oceans or forests) which absorb carbon or carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Adaptation, on the hand, refers to responses to diminish the negative impacts of climate change or to exploit its potential benefits. Mitigation includes using energy more efficiently in transport, buildings and industry, switching to zero or low carbon energy technologies ,reducing deforestation and improving land and farming management practices ,improving waste management. The potential for adaptation depends on the â€Å"adaptive capacity† or the ability of people or ecological systems to respond successfully to climate variability and change. Adaptation measures are undertaken as part of larger sectoral and national initiatives related to, for example, infrastructure construction (dykes, sea walls, harbours, railways, etc.), building design and structure, and and research into development and deployment of drought-resistant crops.The cost of these technologies and of other activities may be considerable but the benefits of adaptation will outweigh the costs. Technological innovation ,as well as the transfer and widespread implementation of technologies, will be central to global efforts to address climate change mitigation and adaptation. International transfer of technologies may be broadly be understood as involving two aspects. One concerns the transfer of technologies which are physically embodied in tangible assets or capital goods, such as industrial plant and equipment, machinery, components, and devices. Another aspect of technology transfer relates to the intangible knowledge and information associated with the technology or technological system in question. Since it is predominately private companies that retain ownership of various technologies, it is relevant to identify ways within the private sector, such as foreign direct investment, licence or royalty agreements and different forms of cooperation arrangements, which can facilitate technology transfer. Moreover, bilateral and multilateral technical assistance programmes ca n play a key role in technology transfer. A continuing debate within political discussions and among academia has been whether the protection of intellectual property rights – such as copyrights, patents or trade secrets- impedes or facilitates the transfer of technologies to developing countries .One key rationale for protection of intellectual property rights, and in particular patents, is to encourage innovation: patent protection ensures that innovators can reap the benefits and recoup the costs of their RD investments. On the other hand, it has been argued that ,in some cases, stronger protection of intellectual property rights might act as an impediment to the acquisition of new technologies and innovations in developing countries. While strong patent laws provide the legal security for technology-related transactions to occur, firms in developing countries may not have the necessary financial means to purchase expensive patented technologies. The importance of intellectual property rights needs to be set in a r elevant context. In fact, many of the technologies which are relevant to addressing climate change, such as better energy management or building insulation, may not be protected by patents or other intellectual property rights. Section-II WTO Trade and Environment Negotiations In the Marraakesh Agreement establishing the WTO, members highlighted a clear link between sustainable development and trade opening – in order to ensure that market opening goes hand in hand with environmental and social objectives. In the Doha Round of negotiations, member nations went further to pursue a sustainable development path and launched first multilateral trade and environment negotiations. One issue addressed in Doha round was the relationship between the WTO and multilateral environment agreements (MEA), such as the UNFCCC. In this area of negotiations, WTO members have focused on opportunities for further strengthening cooperation between WTO and MEA secretariats, as well as promoting coherence and mutual supportiveness between the international trade and environment regimes.(WTO-UNEP,2009) In Doha round, the member nations focused on environmental goods and services for liberalization. The negotiations called for â€Å" the reduction, or as appropriate, elimination of tariff and non- barriers to environmental goods and services†. The objective was to improve access to more efficient, diverse and less expensive environmental goods on global market, including goods and services that contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Climate- friendly technologies can be employed to mitigate and adapt to climate change in diverse sectors. Many of these technologies involve products discussed in the Doha negotiations, such as wind and hydropower turbines, solar water heaters, photovoltaic cells, tanks for production of biogas, and landfill liners for methane collection. In this context, the WTO environmental goods and services negotiations have a role to play in improving access to climate friendly goods and technologies. There are two key rationales for reducing tariff and other trade distorting measures in climate-friendly goods and technologies. First, reducing or eliminating import tariffs and non-tariffs barriers in these types of products should reduce their price and therefore facilitate their deployment. The access to lower cost and more efficient technologies may be particularly important for industries that must comply with climate change mitigation policies. Second, liberalization of trade in climate -friendly goods could provide incentives and domestic expertise for producers to expand the production and export of these goods. Trade in climate-friendly goods has seen a considerable increase in the past few years, including exports from a number of developing countries. Section-III CONCLUSION In this paper attempt was made to highlight various issues relating to climate change and trade. Climate change has affected many trade related areas i.e. agriculture, tourism, trade infrastructure and shipping routes. To counter the adverse affects of climate change efforts are being made by the nations. Several Climate change mitigation and Adaptation measures are being taken. WTO has also focused on sustainable development and trade. It has called for the reduction and elimination of tariff and non tariff barriers to environmental goods and services and also to improve access to more efficient, diverse and less expensive environmental goods on global market, including goods and services that contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. References Grossman,G.M. and Kruegar,A.B (1993). Environmental impacts of a North American free trade agreement. in Garber,P.M(ed),The US-Mexico free trade agreement, Cambridge, MA:MIT press. World Bank.(2007).International trade and climate change – Economic, Legal, and Instituitional perspectives World Trade Organisation.(2009).Trade and climate change-WTO-UNEP Report. Albornoz, F.,Cole, M.A, Elliot, R.J.R and Ercolani, M.G.(2009). In search of environmental spillovers. The World Economy.32. UNCTAD.(2013). Trade and environment review. WTO (2014) World Trade Report . 1

Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart Darkness Joseph Conra

Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" Joseph Conrad's novel "Heart of Darkness" written in 1902 is an overwhelming chronicle of Marlow's journey into the heart of the African continent. It is one of the most influential novels of the twentieth century. In this ghastly and horrific tale, Marlow leads an expedition up the Congo River, only to find everything is not as it seems. This haunting and mysterious story takes him into the unbearable core of the jungle. The novel also explores trade and exploration, imperialism and colonization. The use of darkness means several things in this book. It is used in the title, as "Heart of Darkness" many people doesn't understand the book, or the meaning it brings with it. I feel that the title represents much more, it has many meanings. The first being, the darkness and evil of somebody. In the book, the evil comes out of Marlow and Kurtz, as they get deeper into the jungle, the more evilness comes out from inside their hearts. I think that Conrad is trying to show us, that everyone is the same, until they get somewhere else an...

Educating Rita and the Allegory of the Cave Essay

The film â€Å"Educating Rita† and the essay â€Å"the Allegory of the Cave† are based on philosophical ideas and problems connected with personal development, education and understanding of the good life. ‘Educating Rita† and the essay â€Å"the Allegory of the Cave’ portray personal development of people and importance of education, persistence and hard work crucial for success and self-determination. Thesis Both works portrays that only self-improvements and education combined with personal values will create a unique personality able to obtain social status and understand the world. Educating Rita’ and ‘the Allegory of the Cave’ discuss the role of persistence and hard work in education and learning. In the film, the main heroin would not be able to achieve success and change her personality without diligence and great desire to archive this success. Similar to the film, Plato portrays that persistence and desire to learn something new drive the personality. Thus, both works show that learning differences arise from different motives and personal traits, different goals and life expectations of the characters. Socrates questions: â€Å"And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom of the cave and his fellow-prisoners, do you not suppose that he would felicitate himself on the change, and pity them? (Plato). In this case, thinking and analysis are the main tools which help the student to learn and develop new knowledge. For learners, one of the first and most basic steps to master new knowledge is to develop strong skills through practice and cramming. The works portray that a unique personality is coined by education and learning, knowledge sharing and continuous practice. ‘Educating Rita’ portrays that learning ensures that the knowledge is generated and perceived currently. ‘Educating Rita’ portrays that every person can improve her knowledge and receives good education in spite of her class location and background. Similar to the film’s theme, Plato says: â€Å"Whereas our argument shows that the power and capacity of learning exists in the soul already† (Plato). It is important to note that in contrast to many other students who work hard for many years but fail to achieve their dream, the film and Plato’s essay describe that learning can shape any personality in a short period of time, but he/she needs long-life learning and education in order to to keep abreast of time and expend his/her knowledge. Both works, â€Å"Educating Rita† and â€Å"the Allegory of the Cave† discuss the important role of teacher and mentor in education and self-development. The role of the teacher is to motivate and inspire his pupil. In general terms, motivation in the pupil can be described as the direction and persistence of action. It is concerned with why people choose a particular course of action in preference to others, and why they continue with a chosen action, often over a long period, and in the face of difficulties and problems. The process of learning is closely connected with self-regulated learning. Plato comments: â€Å"He will then proceed to argue that this is he who gives the season and the years, and is the guardian of all that is in the visible world, and in a certain way the cause of all things which he and his fellows have been accustomed to behold? (Plato). In the film, this process is supported by strong personal commitment to work, life goals and hopes which have not come true. In contrast to ‘the Allegory of the Cave’ in the film motivation is concerned, basically, with why Rita behaves in a certain way. Personal motivation and life goals have a direct and positive impact on her self-direct learning. Her motivation can be describes as urges, aspirations, drives and needs of human beings direct or control or explain their behavior. Symbolically, for prisoners ‘light’ symbolizes ‘truth’ while for Rita ‘education’ becomes the light in her life. In sum, both works describe that our world views depend upon education, learning, and a teacher who supports and guides his pupil. Education is the first major step that increases personal values of everyone and creates new opportunities to succeed on the workplace. Learning is typical for people, because they see persistence and diligence as important qualities of a character and personal traits. Character Sketches Rita (Susan) Rita is a young (about twenty) working class girl (hairdresser) who wants to improve her life and continue education. She is marriage but her husband is constantly against her education. From the start it is clear from her bad grammar that she has a less polished education than the other students. At the start she is simply the instrument of Frank. Later she seems to have some pity for him. One sign of Rita’s development is her growing realization of how Frank cares about her. She is smart, brave and courageous to start a new life. To be so clear about one’s upbringing is a step in overcoming it. At the end of the film she becomes persistent, diligent and hard-working students. A diligent attitude to learning is the best way to prove that hard work and persistence can result in social recognition and high social status. Dr Frank Bryant Frank is a middle aged academician who achieved nothing in his life. He lack money and decides to teach working class students to earn for living. Frank combines the moral and social qualities of a gentleman. He is patient, sympathetic and kind. He inherits honesty; he is a reliable and sensitive, clumsy and inaccurate person. In his love for Rita, he shows that he has none of snobbery or egoism. His tact is evident in his treatment of Rita and in the delicate way he corrects her manners. Frank is, above all, a loyal friend who actively helps Rita in her attempt to change herself. Knowing how to work and motivate his pupils is one of the marks of a true teacher. Frank conforms to this ideal. His fine manners show that he is a gentleman at heart.

English Homework: Register Essay

For my â€Å"Register† piece of homework, I have been asked to create a formal/informal argument. For my formal argument, I’ve decided to base it on fox hunting. My ‘argument’, will be more of a debate. But, I will persist in using formal language through out. I will have an opposing argument, which will constantly try to diminish the other opposing argument. This will remain in a formal manner through-out! For my informal argument, I’ve decided to base it on the smoking. I will try to keep a constant flow of informal language. This argument will be based on a friend smoking, and an opposing friend will try to talk them into stop smoking. As you may have noticed, both of these topics have been frequently in the newspapers recently. Formal Register: As summer was coming to an abrupt close, the distant, ice-cold wind travelled abruptly over the neglected heath. A drowsy silence lay over the large, houses of the enclosed street. The cars, which were yet so strident, were soundless once more. The cars which had a dusty golden silhouette stood in their once abandoned home, upon the lawns that were once silently glimmering in an emerald green. Shadows were restlessly awakening from their dormant situate, creeping blissfully, upon the heath. The noise on the street was deafening, despite the perceptible silence. A high-pitched vitriolic squeal erupted from a near by place, causing all to awaken once more. The squeal, was yet so peaceful, it was also undeniably so. Yet, it was so venomous, as if it had been awakening; from a pro-longed slumber. A voice unexpectedly came from a near by house, a soothing voice, a voice with reason, with passion. This was only too met, by one not so soothing, but on the contra irritating, and without reason. †¦ The man said in an almost, undeniable lucid tone†¦ ‘The whole debate on foxhunting is for many people, the issue of cruelty. Hunt supporters say hunting is kinder than the alternatives. Opponents say hunting is cruel and unnecessary.’ Gestured the man in a very irritated voice, as though he had repeated this upon many occasions. It was as though, he possessed a voice of reason. The man spoke as if he alone could speak for those who could not. ‘B†¦ bu†¦ but†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ The other man retorted in an exasperated tone. As though judgment, had already been passed upon him, as though he had already been judged, on the very thing which, enables him to boil with passion†¦ The ‘sport’ of â€Å"Fox-Hunting†. A silently deadly glare burned within the other mans eyes, as if he was silently condemning the man to eternal damnation. Rapidly, the wind howled with an unforgivable anger. It has fortunately passed, as soon as it arrived. And it was gone once more†¦ ‘No, I don’t want to hear it. I’ve heard it all before, you’ve always claimed fox-hunting shouldn’t be banned. Alas, you still fail to recognize how inhumane it is, to kill a fox’. Said the other man; in a slightly exasperated voice. ‘Oh, be quiet. He said. ‘You always take that route; you just try to claim the honorable position here, without even explaining why it should be banned.’ ‘Oh – well – I guess you’re right. I suppose†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ He retorted cowardly†¦ Silence fell upon the room. There was noise no more, not even a single tap. Alas, it was as though he had no more retorts. No more reports to justify why this despicable act should be banned†¦ †¦ Then suddenly†¦ ‘I would like to make it quite clear that we cannot proceed on banning fox hunting because it’s unnecessary. A lot of people who want the ban argue that it is unnecessary so it should be banned’. The man said in a monotonous tone, alas, this statement was arid, and didn’t consist of any justification. Silence fell once more†¦ ‘You claim that it’s wrong, yes? You claim that it’s, ‘immoral’. Yet, you haven’t attempted to try this sport. So much for your philosophy†¦ â€Å"To try everything once†. I can clearly see how your ‘philosophy’, has played a big part in your pedantic views.’ The man got up, almost instantaneously to the echoing of this very profound sentence. He walked, silently. To one end of the room, then back. Gathering his thoughts, his views. He thought to himself â€Å"My views are undeniably not pedantic, I have very clear, and non-obscure views. Unlike his†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Informal Register: My informal register work, will be done in a script way. I will have two characters; one will be called Scott, the other Mathew. Scott, will be the non-smoker, thus making him the opposing argument. While Mathew is the smoker. Scott: Why the hell did you take up smoking, you idiot? Mathew: What?! Since when as it been up to you to decide what I do? It’s my damn life†¦ I’ll do what I bloody damn well want to do. Keep out of my business†¦ Scott: Clam down, you fool. Well, you’re my friend, and I’ll damn well get involved in your â€Å"business†, as you like to call it. Mathew: Whatever†¦ Scott: You’ll only end up having cancer, it’s not worth it. Do you think it makes you look ‘cool’? You know, smoking that is. Mathew: Cancer beats the bloody alternative†¦ who in their right mind would want to grow old? Idiot†¦ Scott: Growing old is a part of life, you know. As they say â€Å"Ignorant is bliss†. You want to die, do you? You’ll never see your cowing grandchildren grow up. The alternative to that is cancer, so I disagree with your comment. Who the hell would want cancer†¦ the murderer without a conscious. You still haven’t answered my question, do you think it’s ‘cool’? Does it make you look ‘big’, ‘n’ hard, in front of your mates? Mathew: Do you think I give a crap? I couldn’t give a damn whether it made me look â€Å"cool†, â€Å"hard†, or whatever! Why don’t you bugger off? Scott: Whatever man†¦ you’re an idiot. A fool, you know they talk about you, right? Everyone’s saying you smell ‘n’ stuff like that†¦ See, smoking does that. But, I suppose you â€Å"don’t give a damn†? Mathew: Yeah, that’s right. Glad we got that stupid crap out of the way. Scott: Your answer to everything isn’t it, â€Å"Yeah, that’s right†? Why don’t you bugger off? I don’t want to have someone smoking around me, do I? Mathew: Well, why you still here then? I don’t want you here, bugger off. Scott: Why don’t you just quit? It’s not good for you†¦