Peirce criticizes the three methods of inquiry Essay Example for Free

Peirce criticizes the three methods of inquiry Essay Peirce criticizes the three methods of inquiry that he sees as pre-scientific as unable to fix belief permanently, only able to allow the person who uses them a temporary degree of certainty. These three methods are: tenacity, authority and apriorism. Tenacity is, essentially, the ability to hold on to a belief with ones will, turning away from anything that might make one doubt the belief. This is an irrational way of fixing belief, and, as anyone can see, very easily leads to error – like Peirce himself said, it compares to an ostrich who burrows his head in the sand. This may fixate belief, but neither does it help survive nor to increase knowledge. But this isnt its only fault: should the â€Å"tenacious† man accidentally realize that others hold opinions, too, and that they vary, he will lose certainty in his belief, and thus, this method of defense will no longer work for him it will not fix his ideas. He must somehow resist the influence of the community, and this method is weak against it. Authority is the temporary solution – it is a method that fixes belief by referencing it to someone who is an authority for the community. Better yet, to follow a group which is designated by the community to decide properly – and the others should be kept dull on the subject so that there is no diversity of opinion that may undermine authority. It is very effective for the survival of a community, and Peirce admits that for most people it is most effective – it fixes individual belief even though the real collective belief changes: it goes through its phases so slowly it is unnoticeable in an individuals life. But this is only as long as these people wish to be intellectual slaves. There are, however, always those who slip through the cracks of such a system. Those who are not important enough to silence but still dare to think – and should they see other cultures (which is unavoidable), they will think otherwise and the system will fail at least in part. However, the solution proposed by these men is still far from perfect – though much closer to the ideal because it relies on intuitive concepts which are far from experience. The axioms of these systems are taken from intuition alone, and thus more a subjective matter, a matter of taste, as Peirce puts it. Thus this, too, becomes a fallacy and degenerates into relativism or elaborately built cloud castles. Besides, subjective opinions and any manner of social reasoning are too easily influenced, and thus not very prone to the fixation of beliefs. It is authority once more, as is well enough shown by the fact that any system of science soon receives an aprioristic method of confirmation from some branch of philosophy. . The fourth method, that of science, however, is closest to the truth – it derives itself from the logic of nature, one and indivisible, unlike the thoughts of men. It is the only method which actually contains notions of right and wrong – as compared to the world and practical results. It is the only thing, in Peirces opinion, which can truly settle opinions between men. It is simply testable by reproducing a similar situation and allowing the experiment to solve the doubt between scientists. In this he agrees with a member of the Vienna circle named Herbert Feigl. He, too, consider science to be the most adequate tool for the perception of reality. Indeed, the only tool really worth using – if, of course, the scientific criteria are followed. The greatest requirement that Feigl makes of science is that of intersubjective testability. This means that any knowledge that is presumed scientific must be principally testable. Any person with the necessary tools and of sufficient intelligence to understand the topic at hand, whichever topic it may be, must be able to repeat any situation out of which knowledge arises and be able to come to the same conclusion. If this is so, then science as a social structure and an effective body of knowledge becomes essentially self-correcting: any new assumption or hypothesis will sooner or later be tested by others and not accepted on word. Empirical experience, once again, is featured as the final judge of whats to come. He accepts that â€Å"true† and â€Å"testable† are not necessarily one and the same, but science as the best method of fixing knowledge can only reach so far as the empirical world and its tests. This method, presented by men of science for men of science, are far from complete – they do not take into account many difficult social situations or reduce them to a mere need to spend more time observing – and yet it is rather effective. Though rather difficult for humanitarian use, it brought the natural sciences to their fruition, and it is the method which has the most credibility in current society.

Paradise of the Blind and Like Water for Chocolate Essay -- Compare and

A strong maternal bond is crucial in one’s life; however in both Paradise of the Blind by Duong Thu Huong and Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, the authors portray the distant relationship between the mother and the daughter as a tool to critique the ‘inhuman’ traditions imposed upon the family members in their respective societies. Though Houng’s and Esquivel’s novels are set in Vietnam and Mexico respectively, they assert that family traditions are unjust and forbid family members to pursue their own dreams, ambitions, and desires as portrayed by the two teenage protagonists and their mothers, who are obligated to sacrifice their own lives for others. In order to gain their freedom, the protagonists have to detach themselves from their oppressive, domineering mothers to break away from the undesirable family traditions in their culture. Early in Like Water for Chocolate, the reader is introduced to the abnormal mother-daughter relationship right away as Nacha, the family cook, â€Å"offers to take charge of feeding Tita† (Esquivel 6) after Mama Elena’s â€Å"milk dried up from the shock† (Esquivel 6) of her husband’s death. Moreover, Mama Elena arranges a marriage for Rosaura, Tita’s sister, to marry Tita’s true love Pedro, which develops Tita’s abhorrence towards her mother significantly. Tita’s hatred towards her mother is mostly due to the fact that she is prohibited from marrying under the tradition that the youngest daughter has to take care of her mother until she passes away; therefore, resulting in a widening gap between the two. Portraying Tita’s domain and realm as the kitchen underscores Esquivel’s complete condemnation of family traditions as she is ordered to cook in the kitchen at all times, preparing meals for he... ... family traditions because they are innocent and fragile compared to men, therefore dramatizing the effects of the ‘inhuman’ traditions. A maternal bond is a very crucial component of one’s life; therefore by disrupting the usual aspect of one’s life, the authors are sending their message in a strong manner. Furthermore, the ending of both novels imply a necessity for social improvement in their societies as the protagonists have to detach themselves from their repressive mothers, who represent the authorities of the old generation with their overbearing attitudes, in order to pursue their own dreams, whether it is for education, career, or love. After the protagonists break away from their mothers, Tita chases her love for Pedro and Hang leaves the country, abandoning all the traditional traditions, to continue with her college education and occupation in Russia.

Calveta’s Dining Services, Inc: A Recipe for Growth? Essay

Higher chances of attaining goals and will obtain desired market penetration Increases Calveta’s geographic coverage and market share GSD is presently in a good position, when the revenue generation is taken into consideration. Calveta would attain a great deal of customer potential as it was maintained by GSD. The organization hierarchy could be restructured so that it could accommodate significant growth while preserving the company’s core values. The disadvantages of choosing this option are: Very risky Plagued with labor issues and management turnover Quality of service may suffer. Higher debt load Does not have a strong balance sheet but has great income potential. Jennifer Calveta COO of firm: Could have been CEO instead of her brother Very detail oriented and concerned about preserving the company’s culture Is concerned about the acquisition of business for growth expansion Is concerned with the organizations structural modification 1. What role (if any) have Calveta’s values played in the organization’s success? Calveta has clearly defined values to guide the staff’s behavior. The immense growth of the organization confirms that Calveta’s is doing an excellent in embedding their values in their employees’ actions and management decisions. The values necessitate the inclusion of everyone and the exclusion of none. The organization’s values enabled all levels of management to usher the employees toward a continuous growth. 2. Does Calveta’s operating approach offer a sustainable competitive advantage? Calveta’s operating approach offered a unique competitive edge over many of its competitors. While their competitors focused on highly regularized systems and standards, Calveta chose to build local food service teams and menu offers to serve each facility distinctively. Additionally, Calveta’s wait staff treated the residents like family following their behavioral standards. This type of customer service garnered rave written reviews from the facility’s residents. Finally, implementing programs that increase efficiency while satisfying the needs of bed ridden or immobile residents confirm a very innovative operating approach that resulted in a sustainable competitive advantage. 3. Why haven’t other food service providers copied Calveta’s approach? Calveta’s competitors were not focused on conducting a profitable business without straying away from its core values. Passion, customer service and efficiency remained at the forefront of every decision. On the other hand, their competitors were focused on growth, meeting financial goals and increasing market share. Rarely do we find companies who keep both service and profit as a priority. 4. Given Calveta’s communication and internal organizational challenges, how important will training and development be to maintaining growth and culture? The internal challenges within Calveta confirm that the organization must continue to rely on training and development to ensure success. However, training and development should not be done in a manner that reduces quality or at the expense of the residents’ positive experiences. Upper management must create systems that focuses on the development of new managers and establishes a solid means of communication between staff and management. Growing pains is inevitable but it cannot become a deterrent to taking the company to the next level. 5. Calveta’s fifth goal is profitable growth. Goals one through four is more ethical in nature. Is goal five inconsistent with the first four? Establishing growth as a goal is consistent with Calevta’s other goals. However growth, whether by acquisition or market penetration, should not mean that â€Å"Antonio’s Way† is watered down in any way or removed from the way Calveta conducts business. Calveta’s unique approach to business cannot be lost while increasing revenues and market share. As long as Calveta’s values remain the guiding force to management decisions and employees’ actions, having growth as a priority should be expected. 6. How, if at all, should Calveta’s organizational structure be changed to resolve communication issues, preserve the company’s culture, and support future growth? Calveta’s uses the top-down management structure. This structure contains layers of managers (rank structure) which all communications must pass through. With each layer there is a risk of distorted information being sent to the next level. Each level adds to the communication becoming more confused and out of context. Therefore more layers mean a greater risk of distortion and confusion among the staff. Such distortions cause a lack of productivity, frustration, confusion, and inept management. Conversely, management is receiving feedback from the field that is invalid since the original plans, orders, and ideas were not acted on; the same risk of distortion exists with the return flow. The end result of this is that customer service suffers. The image and prestige of Calveta is damaged. Calveta should simplify its management structure, implement an information network, combine some positions and eliminate others. The implementation of a more flat management structure will reduce the chances of distorting communication. 7. Should Frank Calveta move forward with an expansion into the hospital sector? With the proposed acquisition? Calveta should focus on making serious internal improvements before piling on debt, increasing the chances of management turnovers, and getting into business with an organization known to not have the best reputation. Calveta has a great reputation and its ability to function and grow with little debt confirms that their balance sheet is in excellent condition as well. An internal restructure and a recommitment to its values and goals should be the number one priority. Calveta should not move forward with the expansion into the hospital sector at this time. On the other hand the acquisition of GSD may be an excellent move for Celveta. This acquisition will increase Celveta’s geographical presence and increase its assets without increasing its debt load. With some management restructuring done within GSD, Frank should be able to meet his father’s financial goal to double profit in 5 years.

Standard Solution Definition - Chemistry Glossary

A standard solution is any chemical solution which has a precisely known concentration. Similarly, a solution of known concentration has been standardized. To prepare a standard solution, a known mass of solute is dissolved and the solution is diluted to a precise volume. Standard solution concentration is usually expressed in terms of molarity (M) or moles per liter (mol/L). Not all substances are suitable solutes for standard solutions. The reagent must be stable, pure, and preferably of high molecular weight. Source Freiser, Henry; Nancollas, George H. (1987). Compendium of Analytical Nomenclature: Definitive Rules 1987. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications. p. 48. ISBN 0-632-01907-7.