The World Is Blue Reflection Essay free essay sample

Earle’s book is not an inconvenient truth, fueled by politics and funding, but rather, by Earle’s heart for the ocean, and its unique residents. Earle explores conflict and resolution, one chapter and issue at a time. Taking Marine Wildlife: The elephant in the room Earle utilizes her chapter on fish to call the world out on the elephant in the room-overfishing. Earle discusses how at one time in history, people believed that there was an infinite amount of fish to be caught, that there would never be a day when we would see something as popular as tuna, go extinct. We are sitting on the eve of â€Å"that day. † Earle really brings out the reality of overfishing, almost mocking our early ideas of sustainable yield. â€Å".. but those pesky animals didn’t obey the rules.. So what’s wrong with the concept of sustainable yield? † (Earle) Earle makes keen note that you cannot possibly create a concept of sustainability, when you know next to nothing about the species you are supposedly â€Å"yielding†. We will write a custom essay sample on The World Is Blue Reflection Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Earle debunks the idea of a surplus in the ocean of a healthy ecosystem, stating â€Å"What APPEARS to be an overabundance to human observers is a natural insurance policy (Earle) Earle applies the same idea of questionable yield to marine mammals. She spends a fair amount of this chapter on the touchy subject that is almost always controversial-whaling. She lends a nod to her own initial ignorance of marine mammals in an honest confession. â€Å"I had come to regard the cats, dogs, horses, squirrels and rabbits I knew personally as individuals, but I did not think of whales the same way. † (Earle) She goes on there after, to explain her emotional experience of â€Å"meeting† a whale, and her forever changed perspective. Whaling is just the tip of the iceberg or in this case, melting glacier, for Earle. Earle shifts into the amount of marine mammals killed as â€Å"by catch†, and the epidemic that breeds within the fishing industry. What would the world think if in fact the by catch of their tuna salad was the faithful Flipper? Would they still feel safe about their claimed â€Å"dolphin safe† tuna? I recall my six year old self, carefully checking each can of tuna my mother placed in our shopping cart, seeking out that little smiling dolphin to confirm that my lunch would be free of dolphin massacre. So much has changed since those would be conservation efforts. Earle does not forget to mention the smaller, less thought of creatures-the shellfish. Earle opens her chapter with a history lesson centered on oysters, at one time in our history- she notes â€Å"†¦. they were described as hazards to navigation. † (Earle) Today, few would ever say abundant in the same sentence as oysters. Earle pay homage to the importance of the shellfish in our ocean, discussing everything from clams to my personal favorite-the octopus, whom Earle notes as a critical part of the ocean’s health. Earle closes her shellfish segment with a sentence that hits close to home. â€Å"I have decided to cease and desist, hoping that every lobster I don’t eat, will increase the chances that somewhere a lobster might live, and do what lobsters do as a part of a healthy ocean. † (Earle) With that statement, I immediately connected on a personal level to Earle. As a devout vegetarian, I too, have hopes that every animal I do not eat, will aid in the future of that species, and ultimately, our planet’s future. She lends advice however, to these dynamic and complex issues- and it is all so simple. Do not take, what you cannot replace, and do not take what you know nothing about. The world is a vampire- sent to drain. Earle’s second major concept of her book is the relentless greed of the human race. Through pollution, ignorance, and pillaging of all resources, the human race has become that of a vampire species, feeding off of the seductive lure of power, money, and claim that our planet’s oceans bring. A particular lipstick wearing, wolf hunting politician made a statement that is becoming unanimous with most of America today- â€Å"Drill baby, drill. For the unknowing, that is Sarah Palin, a woman who agrees with offshore, and in some cases, onshore drilling. The topic of oil is sensitive. Do you drill in former wildlife and marine reserves to avoid wars with your supplying companies? Most of America, even the left minded Barak Obama was nodding to the idea of on and offshore drilling in the United States’ backyard. The steadily rising price of fuel and oil are making more Americans nod yes, than ever before. Earle is shaking her head no. largely because the action occurs underwater, out of the public view, little attention has focused on what actually happens on the ocean floor where drilling takes place, or what creatures are displaced by the thousands of miles of pipeline laced across the bottom†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Earle)Despite my serious vendetta against Sarah Palin, I myself, had not actually considered the impact of pipelines on the ocean floor, I was always more focused on oil spills and the tragedies which take place thereafter. Earle does make serious mention of oil spills, reliving the Exxon Valdez casualty that permanently damaged the Alaskan shoreline. The book even features the text of Earle’s testimony before Congress on the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It is not the spills, the pipelines, or the seeping of the oil that sets a tic for Earle†¦ it’s the use of the oil itself. The subject everyone has heard about, even if they didn’t want to. It doesn’t take Al Gore to make one think or hear about climate change. The 1950’s were a time for poodle skirts, milkshakes, and good old fashion family values, along with cigarettes, seat beltless cars, and DDT. My point is it should not stun anyone that emissions are impacting the planet in a â€Å"negative† way. Earle seems to feel the same. â€Å"Civilization currently thrives on oil based economies, and is continuing to do so despite herculean efforts to move away from fuels that pollute the planet today and will potentially shorten the number of tomorrows our species will have. † (Earle) Sylvia Earle is not an extreme leftist; she is an educated woman who has worked beside oil engineer leaders, government officials, and offshore experts. I believe it is these credentials that make her so magnetic, and tune readers’ thoughts to her direction. Her powerhouse chapter on oil has n Achilles’ heel, her lack of insight on solution. It is not as though she has an answer and it is not as if she is not willing to share, it is that no one has a surefire way to reroute the flight of emissions. This chapter, though mind-blowingly effective, still has an unfinished climax, much like our planet. Uneducated or Unwilling to learn? Earle is consistently using the same explanation throu ghout her book as to why individuals are not taking more action. In every chapter, she highlights examples of attitudes and expressions from people associated to the topic. Earle’s book is one of the tools our society now has to combat the epidemic of the uneducated on the subject of anthropogenic damage to nature. There is not a single environmentalist who at one time did not face the reality transition of a need for change. The issue is entirely complex and tedious because alongside the uneducated, are the unwilling. There has been an outward cry on the subject of climate change from Christians, denouncing it as political corruption, or that climate change is merely an effect listed in the book of Revelations. Earle does not seem to let the major issue of uneducated and unwilling affect her view on the future. She positively lists the strides being made to better understand the ocean. In Earle’s closing chapters, it is as if she is taking the reader by the hand, and showing how we can all make a difference. I found Earle’s book to be stirring. I have definitely become something of a cheerleader for Earle after reading this book. As a woman pursuing conservation science as a career, I found Earle to be a keen example of what one person can do in their field that can change the thoughts of others worldwide. Earle took her opportunity as an author, and produced an extraordinary document that covers every issue associated with the ocean and humans, but goes a step beyond outlining what’s wrong. Earle uniquely includes what is right, and what is currently being done to change the course of the future. I have read several books on environmental issues, and none have so effectively utilized the opportunity to educate and motivate individuals like Earle has done in her book. Earle has motivated me to keep fighting the good fight. I often struggle over if my work with polar bears ill ever be worth anything, and Earle’s book was the push I needed to continue on. Even if I do not know the outcome, at least I can say, I have made the effort in my lifetime to try. Earle sets a standard for each reader, to simply make choices in favor of the planet, and its oceans. We may not all have the ability to write books, give speeches, or work directly alongside the ocean, but we all have choi ces we can make to better our tomorrow. We are living in a time of great uncertainty, and are all faced with a forked road ahead of us. One leads us to certain extinction, the other to opportunity to at least try to change for the better. The world is blue today, but what will it look like tomorrow? What will our children see when they look to the sea? The answer lies entirely on our willingness to change. Will we be the generation who turned the course of the planet around? Or will we be the generation who had the opportunity and denied our own species, and so many others a future? Works Cited Earle, Sylvia A. The World is Blue. Washington DC: National Geographic, 2009.

Life Is Beautiful (1997) - Movie Review

Life Is Beautiful (1997) - Movie Review When I first heard about the Italian movie Life Is Beautiful (La Vita e Bella), I was shocked to discover that it was a comedy about the Holocaust. The articles that appeared in the papers bespoke of many that found even the concept of the Holocaust portrayed as a comedy to be offensive. Others believed that it belittled the experiences of the Holocaust by inferring that the horrors could be ignored by a simple game. I, too, thought, how could a comedy about the Holocaust possibly be done well? What a fine line the director (Roberto Benigni) was walking when portraying such a horrendous subject as a comedy. Yet I also remembered my feelings to the two volumes of Maus by Art Spiegelman - a story of the Holocaust portrayed in comic-strip format. It was months before I dared read it, and only then because it was assigned reading in one of my college classes. Once I started reading, I couldnt put them down. I thought they were wonderful. I felt the format, surprisingly, added to the books power, rather than distracting from it. So, remembering this experience, I went to see Life Is Beautiful. Act 1: Love Although I had been wary of its format before the movie began, and I even fidgeted in my seat, wondering if I was too far from the screen to read the sub-titles, it took only minutes from the films beginning for me to be smiling as we met Guido (played by Roberto Benigni - also the writer and director). With a brilliant mixture of comedy and romance, Guido used flirtatious random encounters (with a few not so random ones) to meet and woo the school teacher Dora (played by Nicoletta Braschi - Benignis real-life wife), whom he calls Princess (Principessa in Italian). My favorite part of the movie is a masterful, yet hilarious, sequence of events involving a key, time, and a hat - youll understand what I mean when you see the film (I dont want to give too much away before you see it). Guido successfully charms Dora, even though she had been engaged to a fascist official, and gallantly retrieves her while riding on a green painted horse (the green paint on his uncles horse was the first act of anti-Semitism that is shown in the film and really the first time you learn that Guido is Jewish). During Act I, the movie-goer almost forgets he came to see a movie about the Holocaust. All that changes in Act 2. Act 2: The Holocaust The first act successfully creates the characters of Guido and Dora; the second act delves us into the problems of the times. Now Guido and Dora have a young son, Joshua (played by Giorgio Cantarini) who is bright, loved, and doesnt like to take baths. Even when Joshua points out a sign in a window that says Jews are not allowed, Guido makes up a story to protect his son from such discrimination. Soon the life of this warm and funny family is interrupted by deportation. While Dora is away, Guido and Joshua are taken and placed in cattle cars - even here, Guido tries to hide the truth from Joshua. But the truth is plain to the audience - you cry because you know what is really happening and yet smile through your tears at the obvious effort Guido is making to hide his own fears and calm his young son. Dora, who had not been picked up for deportation, chooses to board the train anyway in order to be with her family. When the train unloads at a camp, Guido and Joshua are separated from Dora. It is at this camp that Guido convinces Joshua they are to play a game. The game consists of 1,000 points and the winner gets a real military tank. The rules are made up as time goes on. The only one that is fooled is Joshua, not the audience, nor Guido. The effort and love that emanated from Guido are the messages relayed by the movie - not that the game would save your life. The conditions were real, and though the brutality was not shown as directly as in Schindlers List, it was still very much there. My Opinion In conclusion, I must say that I think Roberto Benigni (the writer, director, and actor) created a masterpiece that touches your heart - not only do your cheeks hurt from smiling/laughing, but your eyes burn from the tears. As Benigni himself stated, ...I am a comedian and my way is not to show directly. Just to evoke. This to me was wonderful, the balance to comedy with the tragedy.* Academy Awards On March 21, 1999, Life Is Beautiful won Academy Awards for . . . Best Actor (Roberto Benigni)Best Foreign Language FilmOriginal Dramatic Score (Nicola Piovani) * Roberto Benigni as quoted in Michael Okwu, Life Is Beautiful Through Roberto Benignis Eyes, CNN 23 Oct. 1998 (http://cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9810/23/life.is.beautiful/index.html).

Catherine the Great of all Russia

Catherine the Great of all Russia Essay Catherine II (a. k. a. Catherine the Great) Catherine II, or Catherine the Great, empress of all Russia, did much to continue the process of Westernization reforms began by Peter the Great. Catherine was devoted to art, literature, science, and politics. Many people say she had a great gift and was a great leader, thus she was awarded with the name the Great She helped develop schools, hospitals, and many other organizations for the country. She was a shrewd leader and autocrat and helped to continue and further reforms made by Peter the Great, finally making Russia a permanent European power. Originally named Sophie Frederick Augusta, Princess of Anholt-Zerbst, she was born in Stettin on May 2, 1729, the daughter of the German prince of Anholt-Zerbst . At the age of fifteen she went to Russia and married Grand Duke Peter of Holstein, heir to the Russian throne. The marriage was despondent, but intelligent and ambitious Catherine soon managed to assemble up a liaison of supporters. On October 1, 1754, Catherine gave birth to her son, the future emperor, Paul Petrovich Romanov, and three years later on December 20, 1957, she gave birth to her daughter, Anna Petrovna Romanov. Elizabeth died on December 25, 1761, and Catherines husband succeeded as Peter III. Erratic, unstable, and contemptuous of his Russian subjects, the new ruler soon made himself unpopular, especially with certain German officers. Led by Alexei Orlov (whose brother Grigori was Catherines lover) the officers staged a coup in June 1762. Peter was deposed (and subsequently murdered) and Catherine was placed on the throne in his place. Catherine was fascinated with the philosophies and theories of the Enlightenment, and was well acquainted with the literature of the French Enlightenment, which was an important influence on her own political influence. She corresponded extensively with Voltaire and Denis Diderot, gave financial support to them and a number of other French writers, and played host to Diderot at her court in 1773. Although, this gesticulation of hospitality was partially aimed at creating a favorable image in Western Europe, she was probably sincere in her interest and her hope to apply some of the ideas of the Enlightenment to rationalize and reform the administration of the Russian Empire. Imbued with the ideas of the Enlightenment, Catherine aimed at completing the job started by Peter the Greatwesternizing Russiabut she had contradictory methods. Rather then forcing society to reform, she encouraged individual initiative in pursuit of self-interest. In the early years of her reign, she sought to win the support of the Russian gentry, and, in particular Despite her interest in legal reform, the commission she appointed for that purpose failed to accomplish its goals. But eventually, she learned how to select capable assistantsfor example, Nikita Panin in foreign affairs, Alexandre Suvorov in the military, and Grigori Potemkin in administration. Among Catherines more benevolent achievements were the foundation of the first Russian school for girls and of a medical college to provide health care for her subjects. In the early years of her reign, Catherine sought to win the approval of the gentry, which was a small part of Russias population. She succeeded to a degree with the upper class, but did nothing for the overwhelming majority of the populationthe enserfed peasantry. Conservatism Peasant unrest culminated in a great revolt (1773-75), led by Cossack Yemelyan Pugachov, that raged over much of the Volga River Basin and the Ural Mountains before it was finally ruthlessly crushed by military force. The revolt marked a turn toward more reactionary internal policy. READ: Essay about College Tuition Is Too High EssayThe Cossack army was disbanded, and other Cossacks were granted special privileges in an effort to transform them into loyal supporters of the autocracy. The revolt alerted Catherine to the necessity for reform. In 1775, she reorganized the local administration, integrated the Cossacks into the regular army, and put the serfs belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church under the administration of the state. In 1785, she issued two chartersto the towns and to the nobilityto involve the educated classed in local administration in return for protection of their status and property rights. In similar spirit, Catherine established the Free Economic Society to encourage the modernization of agriculture and industry. She promoted trade and the development of underpopulated regions by inviting foreign settlers such as the Volga Germans, and she founded new towns (Odessa, for example) and enterprises on the Black Sea. Herself a prolific writer, Catherine patronized arts and letters, permitted the establishment of private printing presses, and relaxed censorship rules. Under her guidance the University of Moscow and the Academy of Sciences became internationally recognized centers of learning; she also increased the number of state and private schools. As a result, the Russian nobility, and some townspeople, also began to organize associations for the promotion of schools and publications. Catherine, who did not want to surrender control over social and cultural policy, viewed these activities with suspicion. The outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 and the publication of Alexandre Radishchevs journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow in 1790, in which the author denounced the evils of serfdom, the immorality of society, and the abuses of government, prompted Catherine to impose repressive measures, which in turn alienated many of the educated. Finally, Catherine vastly expanded the Russian empire. Following the two successful wars against Turkey (the Russo-Turkish Wars of 1768-74 and 1787-92), Russia secured the Crimea and thus realized a centuries-old dream of establishing itself on the north shore of the black Sea. The fertile lands of the Ukraine were also opened for settlement and soon became the granary of Europe. Catherine also participated in the partitions of Poland (1772,1792, and 1795) bringing a large part of that country under Russian rule. Catherine had twenty-one lovers, and her spirit doctor inspected them all before they could be her lover but Sergei Vasiljevits Saltykov (father of her first son) and Grigori Orlov (father of second son) were special to her. Upon the death of Catherine on November 17, 1796, modern Russian society was organized and its culture had struck firm roots. Russia was also playing a determining role in world affairs.

Equal Importance of Reason and Emotion in Justifying Moral Decisions Essay

Equal Importance of Reason and Emotion in Justifying Moral Decisions - Essay Example However moral values are always theoretical. Consequently, there had been a difference of opinion among the scholars and philosophers, while defining moral values. In addition, there had been widespread debate over the applicability of reason and emotion to justify moral decisions. One such philosopher, David Hume argued that reason can be construed as a slave to the personal emotions. In contrast to this, Kant addressed the importance of reason in the process of taking moral decisions. Antonio Damsio, the author of Descartes’ Error, had maintained that the theories of Hume and Kant cannot be correct, because reason and emotion do not oppose each other diametrically. He also stated that the processes that take place in the brain were intertwined and complicated (Ingham). The human brain plays a key role in the moral decision making process, whenever the situation warrants such a decision. The brain acts according to the situation in which the moral decision had been taken. In situations, where it is necessary to take some action with regard to a moral dilemma, several factors have to be taken into consideration, before arriving at a correct resolution for the moral dilemma. Furthermore, it is important to apply the highest possible rational deliberation (Moral Judgment Fails Without Feelings). In certain situations, there could be a need to take immediate decisions. In such circumstance the emotions would take an active part in resolving the issue on hand.

An analysis of corporate governance in the GCC countries and the Literature review - 1

An analysis of corporate governance in the GCC countries and the impact of sharia law on it - Literature review Example Other than the parties within the organization, corporate governance is also concerned with the relationships that exist among the stakeholders of an organization and its impact to the achievement of the organization’s goals and objectives. In modern business organizations, major external business stakeholders include trade creditor, customers, suppliers, shareholders, debtors and the general public members who are directly or indirectly affected by the corporation’s activities (Maria and Thomas, 1999). There are also some internal stakeholders in every organization that too need to be taken care of by the management. These include the employees, board of directors, executives and management itself. The external stakeholders need more attention than the internal stakeholders since they are the one who help in meeting the expectations of the external ones. There are many debates held by scholars, researchers and modern economist on how economic well being is impacted by the corporate governance existing in a country or a certain trade block. The issue of concern here is the welfare of shareholders, who are the most sensitive external stakeholders in every corporation. Majority of these debaters argue that there is need to establish regulatory policies to ensure that companies have given the necessary priority to the needs of shareholders. To them economy efficiency in any country depends strongly on the ability of that country to attract many domestic and international investors. This can only be achieved if shareholders are satisfied hence attracting more investors or they can even increase their investment by increasing capital (Becht, 1997), There issue of concern in this study is basically on how corporate governance has been taking place in different parts of the world with more emphasis put on the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

Are Calcium Supplements Really Necessary? Essay -- Health Nutrition Pa

Are Calcium Supplements Really Necessary? Are calcium supplements really necessary, and if so, are they necessary for all age groups? This is a debated issue at this point, and there are facts and studies that have results going both ways. The difficult part is deciphering which studies are accurate, which are applicable to specific groups of individuals, and which are simply ploys to make a profit. But no matter what the conclusions, all studies agree that calcium, in one form or another, is essential for forming and maintaining strong bones. BONE BUILDING AND BONE LOSS First of all, calcium is essential for the strengthening of teeth and bones, muscle and nerve function, and is also a necessary factor for blood clotting. Although most people are aware of this, calcium is severely deficient in most of our diets. As a result, we are experiencing an epidemic of osteoporosis in our society and high blood pressure, which causes kidney and heart damage and stroke. The human body is constantly building and destroying bone mass. As long as it is receiving sufficient calcium, exercise, and hormones, bone building stays ahead of bone loss; osteoporosis occurs in older people when bone loss outpaces their bone building. This was once considered to be an inevitable part of the aging process, but it is now recognized as the most common skeletal disease in the world, leading to debilitating injuries that can have serious complications and even result in death. Factors of this disease include genetics, ethnicity, family history, and body type. (http://www.ghc.org /nwhealth/julaug96/women.html) CALCIUM NECESSARY FOR ALL AGES An adequate calcium intake is essential for all ages. Young children need high doses because th... ...oducts improve bone density in adolescent girls?" School of Allied Health Professions, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-2101, USA. Levenson DI. Bockman RS. Nutrition Reviews 52(7):221-32, 1994 Jul. "A review of calcium preparations." New York Hospital, Cornell University Medical Center, NY. Saggese G. Igli Baroncelli G. Annali dell Instituto Superiore di Sanita. 31(4):461-79, 1995. "Nutritional aspects of calcium and Vitamin D from infancy to adolescence." Istituto di Clinica Pediatrica Universita degli Studi, Pisa, Italy. Whiting SJ. Wood R. Kim K. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. 9(4):187-92, 1997 Apr. "Calcium supplements." University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. Whiting SJ. Nutrition Reviews 52(3):95-7, 1994 Mar. "Safety of some calcium supplements questioned." University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

Ethical Issue: Abortion

ETHICAL ISSUE: ABORTION INTRODUCTION The root question to ethics is whether abortion is considered murder or a justified killing? Is it morally wrong and if so, should it be made legal or illegal? There are mainly 2 views towards abortion. The pro-choice regard abortion as acceptable in some circumstances as women should be given a freedom of choice. Whereas the pro-life regard abortion an absolute act of wrong and should be criminalized. Let us first take a look at various approaches to help us better understand and justify both sides of the argument. RIGHTS APPROACHA pro-choice would argue that women have the rights to her life, body and health. Before abortion was permitted, women will either have to carry their pregnancy to term or desperately seek to abort due to various reasons (eg. health, incest, rape, career), thus resorting to unsafe and life-threatening procedures. However, with access to safe and legal abortions, women will have the basic right of managing their own bodie s and the risk of health will be reduced. One example is an article extracted from the National Organization for Women which mentioned the deaths of women who turned to illegal and unsafe abortions. Refer to Example 1) Besides, women have the rights to liberty and thus have the power to exercise their rights to abortion. In the event a woman needs to continue her employment or meet other obligations, she will not be forced to bear a child against her will which can result in misery as it becomes impossible for her to carry out her duties and obligations in the usual manner. An example is from the New York Times Magazine (LIVES – When One Is Enough). A woman named Amy Richards explains why she decided to go for abortion. (Refer to Example 2) In addition, women have the rights to sovereignty.By allowing abortion, women would not be unjustly forced into motherhood which in turn forces them into submissive roles in society. Thus their rights to livelihood and continuation of educ ation and profession will not be depleted. They can have the potential of being on equal status, dominion and power as men. Under the concept of personhood, it is argued that fetuses are not yet born and are not sentient beings. They do not have the capacity to have experiences (eg. feeling pain) and are not yet reasoning, self-aware beings capable of moral reciprocity.Hence, they do not have a substantial right to life yet. However, I feel that fetuses are considered human beings from conception and thus they should enjoy the full moral status of born human beings. It is said that although fetuses may not be persons yet, they have the potential to become one and thus, fetuses should enjoy basic moral rights to life. Hence, the rights of an unborn should not be compromised against the rights of the mother. UTILITARIAN APPROACH On one hand, it is argued that legalizing abortion diminishes the maternal mortality rate of women within the society.Studies have indicated that after the le galization of abortion, it has resulted in a much lower percentage of maternal death rates due to greater access to safer and legal methods of abortion and timely abortions, thereby reducing the risk of health complications. (Refer to Example 3) Besides, timely abortions can be made. Abortions done in early stages (1st trimester) will greatly reduce the fetus’s suffering compared to later stages where the fetus starts developing into a sentient being (capability to experience suffering).In addition, it can potentially reduce the number of unwanted children. In the cases of rape or physical and mental defects of the unborn child, abortion will be the better alternative to reduce the potential physical and mental suffering the mother feels that her child will possibly face in future. For instance, the child suffers psychologically due to his peers teasing his physical defects. Furthermore, it can help diminish the growth of over-populated areas especially in countries like Sing apore. The New Statesman indicated that â€Å"The world as a whole is overpopulated by 2 billion†.A decrease in population can help to reduce the rate at which natural resources are being used and reduce competition for employment opportunities which results in a higher standard of living. However, I believe banning abortion has its benefits as well. A study revealed that women who had undergone abortions place themselves at a higher death risk than women who give birth. A Finland study revealed a 7 fold increased death rate among aborting women resulting from suicide due to post-abortion distress. Besides, it encourages economic growth.Parents will have to spend financial resources on their child for the purposes of education, clothing and food. Due to the increase in expenditure, demand increases, leading to a rise in supply. The overall effect will lead to an increase in the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Furthermore, it encourages population growth in under-popu lated countries such as Australia. This prevents the excessive exploitation of resources such as food, energy and minerals and helps to better maximize the utility of such resources.In addition, in the event that the mother decides to send her child for adoption due to reasons like being financially handicapped, there will be more opportunities for infertile couples to adopt a child. COMMON GOOD APPROACH On one hand, allowing abortion reduces the overall suffering of unwanted children in the society which; can be due to the inexperience and financial instability of the mother. Some children thus remain in the foster care where a sense of loss and overwhelming rejection is developed.It also gives women the liberty to abort the baby based on their right to privacy as they might not want others to learn about their pregnancy. The US Supreme Court found that women have better mental health when offered abortion as an option. This means children who are born are wanted more by their fami ly and thus they will be able to attain a better welfare and education. In addition, abortion has allowed women to have an opportunity to pursue their life and educational goals which they may not be able to pursue after being a mother.Furthermore, legalizing abortion serves to protect the safety of women as now; many will not turn to illegal abortion but instead seek proper medical aborting procedures. Nonetheless, I feel that banning abortion emphasizes on the importance of responsible contraceptive usage and birth control methods which is crucial to help reduce the occurrence of accidental pregnancy.. According to the National Abortion Federation, 78% of teenage pregnancies are unintended, out of which 35% sought abortion.It also increases the awareness of respect for sex. It is important to understand that a woman is not an â€Å"object† for sexual gratification nor is sex to be abused without regard. Thus, banning abortion stresses on the importance for taking responsibi lity for one’s actions. Furthermore, it helps us to better appreciate human lives. A life of an unborn cannot be undermined to the life of a born human. This teaches us to have compassion and empathy towards any human life. VIRTUE APPROACH By allowing abortion, one of the virtues developed is love.Love leads the mother to abort the baby as she is unconfident of being a good mother to the child, thus she rather not let him live a difficult life in the long run. Self-accountability is also developed as the mother has to face possible consequences that could arise as a result of her abortion. (Eg. Depression, guilt) Besides, courage and fortitude is developed as the mother has to confront the reality of abortion and take courage to accept the responsibility of abortion and its aftermath effects (Eg. post traumatic stress disorder).In addition, resilience is developed in the mother throughout the entire abortion process for having the strength and ability to cope with the reality and effects of abortion. This helps them to move on with their lives instead of being overwhelmed with emotional trauma and setbacks. On the other hand, by banning abortion, it gives the mother determination to carry on her pregnancy despite external factors that may sway her decision such as being a single mother and unconfident of bringing her child up singlehandedly.It also develops self-accountability as one has to responsible for one’s own actions. In addition, courage and fortitude is developed as the mother may have to face possible consequences for taking responsibility for the child such as spending more financial resources for the child’s sake. Impartiality can also be developed as the mother is able to be objective in her views and preserve the life of an innocent despite the fact that her child was the result of rape. Self-sacrifice and selflessness can also be developed as the mother decides to put aside her own needs to keep the child.She may have to qui t her current job and terminate all other obligations even though she might not be mentally prepared to raise a child yet. Fore-sightedness is developed as the mother would have to plan ahead of time to provide her child the best treatment possible. FAIRNESS/JUSTICE APPROACH It is argued that if abortion is allowed, everyone will be given an option to abort regardless whether they want to. Since everyone is given a choice, it is fair as it respects everyone’s individual rights.Since an unborn is only considered human when it is a sentient being, it is fair to abort it in its early stages and not treated as homicide. Furthermore, since it is not born yet, it does not possess human rights to life and thus its life should be decided by its mother. Furthermore, it is only fair that the mother has the right and option to decide what to do with her child since it is her flesh and blood. On the contrary, I believe a human life is determined at conception. Hence abortion equates to t he murder of any born human. Thus, it is only fair to grant an unborn an equal right to living as any born human.Additionally it is also fair to grant the baby the right to live as the baby is an innocent party that should not be dragged into abortion as a result of rape, incest, careless or irresponsible acts of humans. PERSONAL STAND In conclusion, multitudes have come to believe that they benefit from abortion. However, they had failed to realize that if a choice needs to be made, it should be done so before conception of the child. There is no real difference between killing a child before or after it is born. In the case of rape, it is true that the mother may not have come to terms ith carrying her pregnancy to term. However, it is important to adopt an objective view. An unborn should not be killed simply to alleviate the suffering of the mother. Moreover, if abortion is so easy attainable, how many would stop to think of the cruelty of taking away a life of an innocent? Now that legal abortion gives women a safeguard, more will turn to it. Since the Supreme Court handed down the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, there had been a 64% increase in the number of abortions in the United States. In addition, family values may be distorted in generations to come.By aborting her baby, the mother-to-be will lose part of her motherhood and respect. Legalizing abortion also makes it easier for one to overlook the negative consequences and take abortion for granted. Whereas, banning abortion allows people to think twice before acting and take responsibility for their actions. Therefore, I believe abortion should be banned. (1930 words) EXAMPLE 1 [pic] EXAMPLE 2 [pic] EXAMPLE 3 [pic] REFERENCES Josh Levinson. 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