Pest analysis of auto industry Essay Example for Free

Pest analysis of auto industry Essay Type of Educational Organization: School Training Centre College Others 2. Number of successful years your organization has completed: Below 5 5-10 10-15 15Above 3. You use the internet for: Regularly on a daily basis Twice a week May be once in a week Not at all 4. Main purpose of using the internet/online presence? Please select all that apply. Work-related Study-related Email News Banking Entertainment If other, please explain 5. The technologies implemented in your Educational Organization? Bio-metric Attendance Solution CCTV Security Office Accounting System Library Management System Please mention if any ______________________________________________ 6. The source you will use to collect the study materials for your students: Please select all that apply Text Books eBooks Journals Previous year’s documents If any website, please Specific Website (Except Google): Time you spend on your office computer: Less than 30 minutes 30-60minutes 1-2 hours More than 2 hours If you are not using internet, what is the main reason for it? We don’t have time It is not interesting We do not want any publicity We don’t want to share it Device you and your students use to access the internet: Please select all that apply. Mobile phone Tablet computer such as iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, etc. Laptop computer Desktop computer The aspect of EDU-ERP appeals to you the most in your campus: Please select all that apply. Connecting with Parents of your students Connecting with Resource people Connecting with Teaching Non-teaching Staff Connecting with Students Have you ever subscribed to one or more Education Blogs/Websites? Yes No If yes, please specify the blogs/websites names: Information requirements of an organization can be determined by Consulting Principal/Administrator directly Through telephone calls Through e-Brochure and Mailing Others Changing an operational information system into EDU-ERP system is: Impossible Expensive and done selectively Never required Usually done On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the greatest impact) how would you rank the impact of implementing EDU-ERP in your Educational Organization ? 1 2345  6 78910 For what reason, Management team in their own organization will not design EDU-ERP? Systems have to interact with other systems They do not have the special skills necessary to design systems It is not their job   They are always very busy

Definition: Eco Tourism And Mass Tourism

Definition: Eco Tourism And Mass Tourism Eco-Tourism is a combination of two words Ecosystem and Tourism, together it is made Eco-tourism. Ecosystem is the system where everybody live, this system is compuse by the water, earth, sky and the living and not living objects such as micro-organism communities, plant, animal and their non living environment acting as a functional unit. Some examples to refer of ecosystem may be the river, the ocean, the jungle, a forest or a biome. And tourism means, the practice of travelling for pleasure. Therefore, a tourism which implicates a visit to an Ecosystem is well known as Eco-tourism. Thus, Eco-tourism can be defined as Tourism involving travel to areas of natural or ecological interest, mostly of the time under the guidance of a naturalist, having by objective learning about the environment making focus on wildlife awareness and conservation of the environment. However, Ecotourism still a new topic nowadays, the most acceptance definition is by Ceballos-Lascurain, who is generally a ccepted as the first person to define ecotourism Tourism that involves travelling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated areas with the specific objective of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestations found in these areas (Ceballos-Lascurain, 1991, P. 25). In addition, Ecotourism is a sustainable form of natural resources-based tourism that focuses primarily on experiencing and learning about nature, and which is ethically managed to be low-impact, non-consumptive, and locally oriented (control, benefits and scale). It typically occurs in natural areas, and should contribute to the conservation of such areas (Fennell, 1999, p 43). Fennell identified 13 main principles of ecotourism: interest in nature contributes to conservation reliance on parks and protected areas benefits local people long tern benefits Education and studies Low impact / non -consumptive ethics / responsibility management sustainable enjoyment and appreciation culture adventure and small scale In today world it is very easy to confuse Eco-tourism with mass tourism, but mass tourism is related to the number of people that visit a destination and most of the time those big groups are not eco-tourism because their only reason to visit those natural destinations is just for pleasure. They do not plan vacations to learn about the environment, know the culture of the destination and the most of the time they just expend the entire stayed in five start resort enjoying its facilities and they do not even has contact with any single natural attraction that the visit destination offer. 1.2 Importance of sustainable tourism Sustainable tourism has become essential for the tourism industy due to it is closely related to eco-tourism. Eco tourism is considered as the tourism development which try to capture a portion of tourism market that is attracted to natural beauties by providing low impact tourism products. Sustainable tourism would provide direct benefits to the local people. The private sector would assure least impact on the environment. Tourism projects will be initiated considering the size and scope of the land character with limited resorts located close to existing infrastructure offering economic benefits to local communities. It also includes development of preferential tourism zones committed to sustainable development and carrying out specific practices (Rauschelbach et al, 2002, pp: 229). 1.3 Benefits of Eco-Tourism practice The importance of the Eco-tourism and the benefits that this activity provides is indispensable for the sustainability of the natural destination. Eco-tourism is the only kind of tourism that provides awareness to the visitors as well the local population involving then in activities to preserve the destination, understanding the environmental issues and explain the consequences before they take place. Eco-tourism trainee the local populations in order to visualize the visitors as an alternative of income that will contribute to the destination survive. With significant economic benefits the local population needs to see their natural area as a source of income, conserving their local destination avoiding activities like cutting down all their rainforests that just contribute to the global warning. Tourism is the world ´s largest industry; in 1950 the number of tourist went from 25 million up to 702 million in 2000. Acoording to the World Tourism Organization for this 2010 the tourism growth rate will reach 1 billion and 1.6 billion in 2020. With the growth of science and technology, abundance in economy and revolutionary changes that have happened in the field of transportation have contributed largely to the development of the tourist trade all over the world. In todays world an individual can have breakfast in London, lunch in New York and dinner in Tokyo (Cooper and Hall, 2008, pp: 377). 2.0 Main body 2.1 Presentation of Cabo San Lucas as Eco-Tourism destination Cabo San Lucas has become an important vacation and spa destination located at the tip of the Baja peninsula in Baja California Sur, Mexico. This destination is well known for its natural attractions such as the sea of Cortez where the tourist can enjoy of several activities like whale watching, snorkel, kayak, scuba diving, parasailing, tours to the arch, and banana boat. The colorful desert with unique plant life is a natural curiosity in los Cabos, where hiking, ATV and horseback trip explore the area. The sea of Cortez is nationally and internationally recognized as ecosystem of significant biological, social and economic value. The Mexican government, who recognized the importance of the island, establishes then as natural protects area in 1978, under the category of flora and fauna protection area. Internationally the island is known as biosphere reserve by the UNESCO. Because of the beauty and natural of the destination and surrounding marine areas, visitors have the possibili ty to learn from this ecosystem. 2.2 Cabo San Lucas emerging issues For Cabo San Lucas still been a challenge the duty of educated local people and tourism to preserve the destination. One of the biggest obstacles to develop eco-tourism in Cabo San Lucas is the number of interest from the public and private serctor, especially in this destination that contain a vast American influence. For example, for some Tour Operators is very easy to pretend that they are bringing to the destination Eco-tourism but behind this, is just mass tourism. At this stage the destination is facing several emerging issues such as: The overfishing hurting of hundreds species including the Marlin and Tuna. The local population kill its flora and fauna to made local souvenir which are comercialize with the tourism. The local population is relative poor and is lack in knowledge and education, therefore they do not contribute to the conservation of the destination, as a method of income they operate tours in the Cortezs sea (using pangas, local wood boats), without respect the navigation rules such as the distance that they have to take in a while watching tour as well as the proximity to the sea lion colony. International investment in construction like Riu Hotels (Spanish company) which in 2007 built the Riu Sta. Fe with 1100 rooms and still operate as normal avoiding the FONATURs regulation rules ( National Fund for Tourism Development) . To clarify this example, in Cabo San Lucas is allowed hotels construction up to 900 rooms mention by FONATUR. Due to airline incresing price most of the tourist are opting to visit the destination by cruiseship which contribute to the massive desturbe of the fauna and pollution of the water. The mass tourism is overcrowding the destination through overbooking the accomodation and service facilities creating chaos in public areas such as bus transportation, beaches, parks and hospitals. The destination waste disposal is increasing due to the mass tourism. 2.3 Eco-Tourism strategies implement by Cabo San Lucas At this stage, the SEMARNAT (Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources) together with the CONANP (National Commission of Natural Protected) are implementing in the destination two eco-tourism strategies: A code of ethics for visitors and tourism operators, that have been implemented to complement the legal requirements in the destination having by objective the reduction of the emergencies issues mention before. This code of ethics is basically focus on tourism operators behaviors forcing them to: maintain the natural integrity of the places visit; respect the livehoods and culture of the local people. make a solid effort to be less wasteful with the natural resource. ensure waste disposal has not environmental impact. develop a recycling programs; support different companies in the hospitality and tourism industry that work under environmental policies. increase the network with other tours company in special those in the local area to keep aware of new conservation programs, environmental policies and eco-friendly techniques. get the appropriate education and training on Eco-tourism and low impact techniques such as respectful for the environment and local culture. support local economy but do not buy goods made from threatened or endangered species such as turtles; never disturb the wildlife and wildlife habitats. follow by the book the rules and regulations in protect areas; advertise truthfully and inform to the tourist about the natural and local history providing them useful materials. make sure that the clients that are coming are aware of the regulations, norms and code of ethic applicable in the visit destination and develop an environmental education program with the local communities. A guide for environmental tourism practice that refers to how the destination regularized activities related to bird watching, sea lions, diving and snorkeling, recreational booting etiquette, whales and dolphins, turtles and sport fishing. Some of those environmental tourism practices are summarizing here: obtaining permission from SEMART through the direction of flora and fauna protection area Islands of the Gulf of California before visit the island. forgibbean feed native animals. camp only on designated area. use only biodegradable products. is highly recommend visit the exotic fauna colonies with guide. watch the fauna from distance avoiding disturb or stress them. never attempt to touch the fauna, the boat have to be 90 feet away from the rocks and islets. avoid making loud noises and using strong lights near the colonies. it is forbidden by law to damage or remove coral or other marine organisms as well collect natural souvenirs like coral, shells, etc. do not interfere with the natural movements of the fauna. before fish make sure to have the permit through the local SAGARA office that provides information on official bag/size/ tackle limits, protected species and seasonal closures. As example of this successful Eco-tourism strategies, Olympus Tours one of the biggest tour operators from USA which is bringing to the destination more than 33.000 tourist year over year yearly, is totally agree with the procedures mentioned before and as prove of this in carryon the following iniciatives: Increasing employment opportunities for local residentes. Support and promote the local culture and customs. Contribiute to prevent the exploitation of children in tourism. Foment activities where the tourist interact with the local people. Operate safe trips for the natural envaironment and the tourism. Support local communities and organization. Work with suppliers that share the same social responsibility. Avoid activities which exploit flora and fauna such as diving with dolphins. Reduce energy consumption. Recycle as much as possible. Agrements with establishments and hotels that implement eco-friendly techniques and green practices. Another success example of the eco-tourism strategies in the destination are related to the hotels and resorts which are implementing several eco-friendly and green techniques such as: Intercontinental chain that asks to its customers to conserve water by reusing towels and limiting the number of times the linens are changed. Barcelà ³ chain is adopting many local plants that thrive in arid Baja in its landscaping an stead of grass that require daily irrigation. Nh-hotels has introduced for its customers the leastest technology in room functions, controlled by LCD where the air condition turns off when the patio door is open. Riu Hotels has finished its remodeling project replacing the baths with walking showers. Hilton Los Cabos is changing its wedding concept, offering to its customers a new phenomenon called green wedding. This package offers to brides and grooms a lot of alternatives adding green elements into their destination wedding. Based on the nature of the destination and the natural beauty of the surrounding environment, couples can choose an outdoor wedding area offered by the Hilton Los Cabos like lagoons, seaside gazebos, white sand beach, therefore reducing their energy used by having the wedding during the day. Dining service will include organic items such as organic tequila, domestic wines and organic cakes. End the celebration with eco-friendly fireworks that produce less smoke than the regulars and reduce the number of toxic metals that commonly left in the water. 3.0 Conclusion 3.1 Summary the importance of Eco-Tourism in destinations The Eco-tourism presence in natural destinations is becaming more and more importante for the sustainability of the destination. Eco-tourism main function is develop awarenesses between local people and tourist regarding the importance of the preservation and conservation of the natural environment as well local culture. As was discused above, Cabo San Lucas with the impact of the Eco-tourism is becaming as a green destination with several Eco-friendly iniciatives form the hospitality supplieres such as hotels and tour operators. Customer are willing to pay more for accommodation that promote green activities, and Hilton hotel can not be a better example of this transformation, which is offering to its clients green weddings introducing to the market a vast of green items such as out door facilities, organic dinner, organic cake and low smoke fireworks. All those elements have by objective the reduction of the negative impact in the destination. Another positive impac that eco-tourism bring to the natural destination is related to the economic aspect.Cabo San Luas has been growing rapidly in the past 10 years with mega constructions projects such as resorts, shoping malls, hospitals, speedway, international airport amplification that drive to the destination the international brand business such as Wallmart, Mc. Donalds, Hooters, burguer King and starbucks which increase and improve the laboral condition with several available positions. As was mentioned before, the destination has a significant international influx form Americans and Canadeans and it is semeed through the biggest tour operatior that bring tourism to the destination like is Apple Vacations, Olympus tours, The Mark Travel Corporation, Thomas Cook among others which are incentive and promote in Cabo San Lucas the Eco-tourism as an alternative way of travel. Today, there are Green Laws of preservation, which are making people aware of how humans and the environment can cohexist beneficially for more time to come and Eco-tourism is one way to maximize the environmental and social benefits of tourism, without exclude the economic developments having by objective the sustainability of the culture and environment. 3.2Recommendation to overcome emerging issues in Cabo San Lucas The Eco-tourism strategies that Cabo San Lucas is applying to contribuite with the sustainability of the destination are a code of ethics for visitors and tourism operators and a guide for environmental tourism practice which ones had been showed evidence that are working very well. However there is opportunity to improve, there are many things that have gone unobserved by the autorities. There is a need for altering the landowners act as it has caused many conflicts. The local landowners should be guaranteed with the insurance policies so that they can support the tourism activities that help in sustaining the resources. Department dealing with allotting areas and granting permission should frame uniform policies so that recreational providers dont get confused while asking for permission. It is believed that most of the tourists dont respect the local culture and also the local people. Tourists should be told to respect the local crowd and local culture. There is need for proper management in Cabo San Lucas and also the tourists should be allowed only during the certain seasons for activities like while watching and other watersports. Authorities need to work and implement aggressive marketing policies for the the destination as well foment activities where the new local generation get involve with the culture and preserve the sustainability of this one. 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Leeches :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leeches   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The leech is a segmented worm that in all actuallity has a very vivid life. From being used by doctors to just being blood-sucking parasites, the leech is a true wonder of the mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The leech has a series of ring-like segments that make up its body structure. They maybe from 2 to 20 centimeters long and have the ability to shorten or lengthen their bodies. They mostly come in colors of black, red or brown, sometimes with stripes or spots. They are extremely sensitive to touch, temperatue, and drying out. Also, they have clusters of cells on the front end thatare light-sensative, almost like eyes. Leeches usually live in dark, damp areas such as the bottoms of lakes, jungels, or shallow streams. Finally, the leech is a Hermaphrodit, containing bot male and female sexual reproductive organs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With a sucker at both ends of it's body, the leech usually lives as a parasite, feeding upon the blood and tissue of other animals, or on decaying plant and animal materials. It has a mouth centered on the front sucker with teeth in some cases. Leeches, that are parasites, attach to their victim with the front sucker, create a wound, then suck out blood with, usually, both suckers. Blood-sucking leeches give out a liquid substance called Hirudin. This chemical prevents the blood from thickening and enables the blood to be easily sucked by the leech.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Doctors once used leeches, or what they called medicinal leeches, to remove blood from patients in an orderly manner. The first clinical use of leeches in this fashion occured approximatly 2,500 years ago. Since the leeches bite produces a small cleeding wound ,that mimics a venous circulation in an area of compromised tissue, the leech is particlarly valuable for reconstruction surgery. Special properties of the bite, such as the chemical hirudin, allow continued bleeding for up to 48 hours after the leech

Grapes Of Wrath :: essays research papers

Grapes of Wrath Explain how the behavior of the Joads shows Steinbeck’s view of the responsibility of the individual to society as a whole. Chapter 14 made an interesting point. At one point in the chapter it was stated that a farmer lost his farm. As this man’s family picks up their belongings and heads west they meet up with another family dealing with a similar situation. Now these two families share a common bond. A brotherhood is forming. This is the catalyst. No longer is it one farmer saying he lost his land but two farmers united saying they lost their land. Much the same transformation happens to the Joad family – especially to the characters of Ma, Young Tom, and Rose of Sharon. At the onset of the novel we see the Joad family struggling just to keep their immediate family together. They are focused on just themselves. By the end of this wonderful book we see the Joad family branching out in many different ways to embrace all of mankind as one big family. Ma Joad’s main concern at the beginning of the story is her family. She wants to keep the unit together and works diligently to achieve this goal. However, one by one, family members leave the group for various reasons leading to the slow but sure disintegration of the Joad clan. The first to go is Noah; then Grandpa and Grandma die;Connie walks off and leaves Rose of Sharon; Young Tom leaves because he has gotten into trouble again; and Al becomes engaged and decides to go with his fiancee’s family. Ma deals with each loss as best she can. As the story progresses, we find Ma Joad becoming more and more concerned with people outside the family unit. She feels the need to share whatever meager food and belongings her family has with other families enduring hardships. She saw the needs of her own family at the beginning of the story and by the end of the novel, she sees the needs of her fellow man. Young Tom appears to be self-centered when he if first introduced. He has just left prison after serving four years for murder. Tom want to enjoy life to the fullest and to be with his family. He is very disturbed to find the family home deserted and almost destroyed. He by this time has reacquainted himself with Jim Casey, an ex-preacher. The more Tom listens to Jim and his views on life, the soul of man, and the fellowship of mankind, the less he focuses on himself and his needs. He then begins to focus on the plight and abuse of the homeless farmers.

The Authors Character in A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery OConn

â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† is a short story written by Flannery O’ Connor. O’Connor was an American writer whose writings always incorporated humor into a sad or devastating situation. Her collections include 31 short stories, two novels, and a couple of letters and speeches. O’Connor is most famous for her short story works. In numerous works of her, her conscious craftsmanship was revealed and also the devoted role that Roman Catholicism plays in her life (Flannery) O’ Connor was born the only child to her parents in Savannah, Georgia. Her father was a real estate agent and her mother was born into a very prominent family. When O’ Connor was twelve years old, her family moved back to her mothers hometown of Milledgeville, GA where her father was also the mayor of for a couple of years. Milledgeville was known as the ‘crazy’ town in Georgia. Milledgeville was home to one of the largest mental institutions in the United States. At the time this story was written, the hospital had 13,000 mentally ill patients hospitalized there. She was surrounded by crazy people. The influence of living in Milledgeville helped her in writing her stories. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† is one of O’Connor’s best and well known works. The work tells the story of a normal every day family and their trip to Florida. The trip begins as normal trips do, but then turns and there is an unexpected twist thrown in. The family encounters an escaped criminal who named himself The Misfit. The criminal and his accomplices threaten the family’s’ life, but while doing so are also very friendly and courteous. In a desperate attempt to save herself and her family, the grandmother begins talking to The Misfit telling him that she believes he really is a g... ... job with this story and I believe any reader can find some one or something in the story they can relate to and can apply the story to their every day life. The story has many lessons and morals that can be learned but adds a humorous twist to things. So I leave with this final though, in the words of Wendell Berry, â€Å"Practice Resurrection!† Works Citied â€Å"Flannery O’Connor† Tegasos Literature. 1 Feb 2006. O’Connor, Flannery. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† Discovering Literature. 3 Edition. Hans P. Guth and Gabrielle Rico, Eds. Uppersaddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall,2003:(355-365)† Woodiwis, Anna. â€Å"Jesus thrown everything off balance† Writings @ Swarthmore. 2003. WA Program at Swarthmore College. 1 Feb 2006.

Imagining the New Britain

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown presents the various social and political transformations that took place in Great Britain during the latter part of the 20th century (Brown 3). Because of class mobility and increasing differences in population structure, values, and cultural identities, the country had undergone alterations in terms of its domestic, foreign, and military policies. Thus, the author notes that these changes would decide the political, economic, and social history of the country.Social and racial changes were highly noted in Britain during the 1950s and 1960s. According to the author, prior to the said period, racial discrimination was absent in Britain. The ‘colored’ people comprised only an insignificant portion of the population. Their political influence was of no value to the ruling counties and districts. Beginning in the 1960s, the population of black and Asian migrants increased. Discrimination began to take course, as some of these migrants were able to acqui re economic and political power in the noted sectors of the country.Although reluctant to put the migrants to equal footing with the â€Å"native† citizens, the Parliament passed successive race relations acts in order to prevent racism from taking grip of the social climate of the country. In other words, the government of Britain feared a US-type of racism; a form of racism that would cause riots and possibly revolutions. The â€Å"native† population reacted indifferently to the social changes occurring in the country since it did not really changed their political and economic standing.Political changes were also noted in the 1970s. With the increase of Asian and black migrants, there was also an increase of Asian and black MPs in parliament. The increase though was insignificant compared to the number of seats acquired by traditional politicians representing the â€Å"native† population of Britain. When the Labour Party won the election in 1997, several Asia n and black MPs were appointed to important positions in the government.This was in recognition of the important contributions of the colored minority in the economic rehabilitation of the country in the 1980s (and their significant contribution in the country’s GDP). In addition, the inclusion of Asian and black MPs in the prime ministers cabinet was a startegy of the Labour Party to acquire the votes of the minorities (especially in large industrial cities). Here, one would note that the minorities, although still underrepresented in parliament had acquired some â€Å"slice† of political power.The author notes that in recent years, religious discrimination is being revived by fundamentalist Anglicans (Brown 19). The establishment of several Catholic schools (run by the Jesuits) in the country infuriated many Anglicans; religious hatred that can be traced in the 15th and 16th centuries. According to these fundamentalist Anglicans (interviewees of the author), Catholic converts in Britain were being brainwashed by the Catholic clergy on certain issues like abortion, divorce, and the use of contraception.This â€Å"brainwash† was according to them a grand strategy of the Roman Catholic Church to disrupt the social and political infrastracture of the country. The author concludes that these changes were the result of Britain’s increasing mixed population. As the number of migrants increases, their political, social, and economic significance also increases. Work Cited Brown, Yasmin Alibhai. Imagining the New Britain. New York: Routledge, 2001.

Branches Of Biology Essay

Levels of Organization Why do we need to learn about levels of organization? Helps us to understand how our world fits together Helps us to organize the structures of living systems and how they all work together 1. Organelles – â€Å" little organs† – Small structures inside of a cell that perform a specific function. – Examples include mitochondria, nucleus, and Golgi body 2. Cell- Basic unit of structure & function in life. Cells are the building blocks of all living things. 3. Tissue – A group of the same kind of cells working together for a specific purpose 4. Organs – A part of an organism made up of tissues that do a specific job. 5. Organ Systems – A group of organs that work together for a specific job. 9. Organism – Any living thing. 10. Population -A group of the same organism living together. – This word is often used to describe the size of the group. 11. Community- Several populations living together and interacting in some way. 12. Ecosystem – All the biotic communities plus all abiotic factors. MEANING OF PHILOSOPHY The word philosophy is derived from the Greek words philia (love) and sophia (wisdom) and means â€Å"the love of wisdom.† Pythagoras was said to have been the first man to call himself a philosopher; in fact, the world is indebted to him for the word philosopher. It is said that when Leon, the tyrant of Philius, asked him of who he was, he said, â€Å"a Philosopher† and he likened the Philosopher to spectators at ancient games. Before that time the wise men had called themselves a sage, which was interpreted to mean those who know. Pythagoras was more modest. He coined the word philosopher, which he defined as one who is attempting to find out. According to him, men and women of the world could be classified into 3 groups: (1. those that love pleasure) (2. those that love activity) and (3. those that love wisdom.) MEANING OF PHILOSOPHY. Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is the rational attempt to formulate, understand, and answer fundamental questions. NATURE OF PHILOSOPHY 1. Philosophy is a set of views or beliefs about life and the universe, which are often held uncritically. We refer to this meaning as the informal sense of philosophy or â€Å"having† a philosophy. Usually when a person says â€Å"my philosophy is,† he or she is referring to an informal personal attitude to whatever topic is being discussed. 2. Philosophy is a process of reflecting on and criticizing our most deeply held conceptions and beliefs. These two senses of philosophy— â€Å"having† and â€Å"doing†Ã¢â‚¬â€ cannot be treated entirely independent of each other, for if we did not have a philosophy in the formal, personal sense, then we could not do a philosophy in the critical, reflective sense. Having a philosophy, however, is not sufficient for doing philosophy. 3. Philosophy is a rational attempt to look at the world as a whole. Philosophy seeks to combine the conclusions of the various sciences and human experience into some kind of consi stent world view. Philosophers  wish to see life, not with the specialized slant of the scientist or the businessperson or the artist, but with the overall view of someone cognizant of life as a totality. 4. Philosophy is the logical analysis of language and the clarification of the meaning of words and concepts. . Certainly this is one function of philosophy. In fact, nearly all philosophers have used methods of analysis and have sought to clarify the meaning of terms and the use of language. Some philosophers see this as the main task of philosophy, and a few claim this is the only legitimate function of philosophy. 5. Philosophy is a group of perennial problems that interest people and for which philosophers always have sought answers. Philosophy presses its inquiry into the deepest problems of human existence. Some of the philosophical questions raised in the past have been answered in a manner satisfactory to the majority of philosophers. Many questions, however, have been answered only tentatively, and many problems remain unsolved.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"What is truth?† â€Å"What is the distinction between right and wrong?† What is life and why am I here?   Why is there anything at all? IMPORTANCE OF PHILOSOPHY 1. The study of Philosophy enables us to think carefully and clearly about important issues. 2. In studying Philosophy, we learn to take a step back from our everyday thinking and to explore the deeper, bigger question which underpins our thought. 3. The focus in the study of Philosophy is to learn not what to believe, but how to think. 4. Studying philosophy sharpens your analytical abilities, enabling you to identify and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses in any position. 5. It hones your ability to construct and articulate cogent arguments of your own. 6. It prompts you to work across disciplinary boundaries and to think flexibly and creatively about problems which do not present immediate solutions. 7. Because philosophy is an activity as much a body of knowledge, it also develops your ability to think and work independently. BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY Historically, philosophical concerns have been treated under these broad categories: 1. Logic, 2. Metaphysics, 3. Epistemology, 4. Value theory A. LOGIC Logic is the systematic study of the rules for the correct use of these supporting reasons, rules we can use to distinguish  good arguments from bad ones. Most of the great philosophers from Aristotle to the present have been convinced that logic permeates all other branches of philosophy. The ability to test arguments for logical consistency, understand the logical consequences of certain assumptions, and distinguish the kind of evidence a philosopher is using are essential for â€Å"doing† philosophy 12. B. METAPHYSICS Another traditional branch of Philosophy traditionally known as metaphysics. For Aristotle, the term metaphysics meant â€Å"first philosophy,† discussion of the most universal principles; later the term came to mean â€Å"comprehensive thinking about the nature of things.† It means, usually, the study or theory of reality. The question of metaphysics is: what is reality? What is real? Is reality some kind of â€Å"thing†. Is it one or is it many? If it is one, then how is it related to many things around us? Can ultimate reality be grasped by five senses, or is it supernatural or transcendent? Metaphysics undoubtedly is the branch of philosophy that the modern student finds most difficult to grasp. Metaphysics attempts to offer a comprehensive view of all that exists. It is concerned with such problems as the relation of mind to matter, the nature of change, the meaning of â€Å"freedom,† the existence of God, and the belief in personal immortality. 13. C. EPISTEMOLOGY The technical term for the theory of knowledge is epistemology, which comes from the Greek word episteme, meaning â€Å"knowledge.† In general, epistemology is the branch of philosophy that studies the sources, nature, and validity of knowledge. ï‚â€" There are three central questions in this field: ï‚â€" (1) What are the sources of knowledge? Where does genuine knowledge come from or how do we know? This is the question of origins. ï‚â€" (2) What is the nature of knowledge? Is there a real world outside the mind, and if so can we know it? D. VALUE THEORY Value theory is the branch of philosophy that studies values. It can be subdivided into ethics, aesthetics, and social and political philosophy. In broad terms ethics concerns itself with the question of morality. What is right and what is wrong in human relations? Within morality and ethics there are three major areas: descriptive ethics, normative ethics, and metaethics. Descriptive ethics seeks to identify moral experience in a descriptive way.  We seek to identify, within the range of human conduct, the motives, desires, and intentions as well as overt acts themselves.