Climate Change

Climate is the sum of weather over a long period of time, probably three decades. It has be argued that climate can stay the same for centuries if it is left on its own, but that is not possible because people are constantly modifying their environments and this is increasingly affecting the climate. So when the weather patterns change over a period of time, it amounts to a change in the climate (David Suzuki Foundation para.2). This essay explores the most popular perspective of climate change, that of the greenhouse effect causing global warming after clarifying that climate change is real. 

Climate Change is real

 The earth’s climate is changing, and has always changed as far back as the earth was formed. However the causes of climate change are varied. No single action is responsible for climate change and therefore altering that action is not the only solution to managing climate change, however it’s a step in the right direction. Scientists have observed that climate is a complex system influenced by different phenomena since it is a sum of weather pattern changes that are prone to diverse influences (Weart para.8). There are various theories that describe or explain climate change and they include the following: Depending on the perspective one takes on the matter of climate change, there are various evidences for and against climate change. The astronomical perspective claims that the warming of the earth is caused by the increased brightness of the sun as it increases its energy output which raises the solar energy getting to earth. In another view, also on the astronomical perspective, is the theory of the earth’s orbit around the sun being responsible for climate change. In some instances the orbit is much closer to the sun and this result to increased solar energy reaching the earth and causing it to be warmer and results to climatic changes. There is also the geological perspective that includes volcanism and continental drifts and oceanic circulation patterns and lastly there is a weather perspective of explaining climate change (Wesker para.5-11).

Evidence of global warming

The hottest three years of the last century were recorded in the 80s by the British Government Climate Research Unit located at the University of East Anglia. Other scientists observing temperatures from the 1950s through the 1990s have observed that the last decade has been the hottest. Physicians have observed that the greenhouse effects are most notable at night when gases block heat radiations from leaving the earth’s atmosphere, and have therefore based their findings on the raising night temperatures of the world which they now consider as proof that the greenhouse effect was causing global warming which eventually leads to climate change. By 2006 scientific evidence had proved that humans were up to 95% responsible for the greenhouse effect that was causing global warming. Drill rigs in tropical ice caps have shown that the last few decades have been warmest over a period of several millennia and the ice that has survived since the last ice age is now melting at a faster rate than can be measured by scientists (Weart para.10-14). Storms are reportedly becoming severe as well as droughts, and this is attributed to an increase in global temperatures. The natural world is changing and insects are now surviving in regions that were previously too cold for them.

We observe that greenhouse gas emissions are the major cause of global warming, and therefore efforts of controlling global warming start with policies aimed at reducing the emission of greenhouse gasses. Therefore a method of measuring emissions has been developed and is based on the amount of carbon dioxide that is released to atmosphere. This measure is known as the carbon footprint and reveals the impact of human activity on the environment by measuring in kilograms of carbon equivalent of all greenhouse gases produced. The management of these greenhouse gases has become a global issue, and countries have gone ahead and agreed on protocols such as the Kyoto protocol that bind them to observe their commitments in limiting the amount of greenhouse gases that they release to the atmosphere (UNFCCC para.1-3). That has meant that emissions from industries, houses and vehicles among other processes are measured and when found to cumulate to levels above those set by the agreements, the country responsible if fined. The Kyoto protocol recognizes that industrialized countries have contributed immensely greenhouse gases to the atmosphere because of their advanced industries over the last century; therefore they are taxed more for their emissions compared to developing countries. Carbon credits are offered as compensation to developing countries for their efforts in sacrificing the use of fossil fuels in favor of renewable energy sources. These credits are tradable and are considered as foreign reserves (Carbon Credits para.1-4).

Recent changes in weather that have resulted in catastrophes have created a considerable panic among people on the negative effects of global warming as a cause to climate change. Such catastrophes include hurricanes hitting the Americas, tsunamis in East Asia and droughts that have ravaged parts of Africa. Globalization together with the increased speed of communication has created a global village phenomenon where the effects of disasters in one part of the world are immediately felt on the other part. It has also contributed significantly to an increase in the carbon footprints of world major manufacturing centers such as the coastal cities of china as specialization allows countries to outsource some of their production needs (O’Brien & Leichenko p.230). We have therefore seen people adopting their behaviors to reduce their carbon footprints with much ease as they are more aware of the consequence through experience or as observed by mass media and education. An increasing number of researches are being conducted to know the exact extent of global warming and the activities that contribute to that.

Green movements are sprouting up all over the globe to advocate for the reduction of carbon emissions. The main industries targeted by these advocacy groups have been motoring, energy generation, manufacturing and mining. The motoring industry has swiftly adopted and is now creating green vehicles that have reduced or non-existent carbon emissions. Use of fossil fuels is being discouraged and in some countries taxes have been imposed to limit the amount of fossil fuels used.

Energy generation industry is also moving towards green, exploring more renewable sources like geothermal and solar, as well as hydroelectric and wind energy.

People behaviors have greatly changed in the past decade to adapt to issues of global warming, and so has their occupations. Workplaces are being transformed in to green certified centers as well as other social facilities like schools and hospitals. Buildings are being constructed in ways that reduce their carbon footprints. And people are embracing the concept of recycling, reusing so as to reduce their individual carbon footprints. Consumer groups are becoming vigilant on the carbon footprint of the products they get at retail stores. The tracing of carbon footprints is being refined and now includes more of the processes that occur in getting a finished product to the market. In some instances, flowers flown to Europe from developing countries mostly in Africa have been labeled as non-green because air transport is considered a major contributor to greenhouses emission. It should be noted that not all efforts are aimed at reducing carbon emissions (Sambu para.1-8).

As it stands now, not everything can go green, and fossil fuels and mining must still continue because consumers have to be supplied with products. Likewise, there cannot be a stop to transportation and other industries essential to the world economy, just because they contribute to emission of greenhouse gasses. The new approach to dealing with this is to create a balance of the amount of carbon in the atmosphere by encouraging the planting of trees and other vegetation to consume the extra carbon dioxide as well as using more biological ways of managing wastes thus reducing dependence on manufactured products. One such initiative is that of using algae capture carbon dioxide through the process of photosynthesis. Algae have a high photosynthesis rates than terrestrial plants and offers a viable solution as a green measure to capture greenhouse carbon dioxide into biomass using sunlight energy for conversion (Packer p.3428).

Although the case of global warming and climate change has contributed significantly to people’s awareness about the need to reduce ecological footprints, it is not the sole reason for doing so. History has shown that when we fail to use our environmental resources sustainable, we expose ourselves as a society to natural disasters that would have otherwise been avoided. These include soil erosions as a result of deforestation which deprives land of its food producing capacity and hence its ability to sustain life. The need for reducing our ecological footprint is also amplified by the call for sustainable development to ensure that resources are not depleted and become unavailable for our future generations. Besides advocacy, green movements like the Green Belt movement in Kenya are at the forefront of planting trees to capture to reverse the effects of soil erosion and environment degradation (Sinha p.277).World governing organizations for trade and development like the World Trade Organization have adopted sustainable development as one of the requirements that their members should observe and this has meant that reduction of ecological footprint by countries is not just a climatic issue, but also a development issue.

Conclusion

Climate change is a real phenomenon caused by various factors that include human alterations on environment in a non-sustainable way. Among all perspectives explaining the causes of climate change, the perspective of greenhouse effect as a result of global warming has been the most widely adopted. Greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide are responsible for the greenhouse effect. The negative effects of climate change in the last decade have prompted people to consciously aim to reduce their ecological footprints but another reason behind this is the need for sustainable development to ensure that future generations have a nice environment like we found it.

Safety on campus and dorms

Introduction

Safety is paramount in campus and dorms. Opponents of the notions assert that, Students of higher learning are mature enough to take care of themselves and their property.  There is a theory that says that security is not a much necessity in today generation of campuses. This news is a relief to Universities that are operating under a strenuous budget. However, security firms are the disadvantaged in accordance with this theory (Eric 2005). There staff who normally provide manning services and their alarm systems affixed to these campuses, given they are removed will eat their revenues. Furthermore, the theory asserts that security is a time wasting process because of the scrutiny these individuals face. The time wasted in the process could have earned the campuses a higher grading if put into a prudent use.

Security and safety

The proponents of the security in campuses and dorms argue that the welfare of students is a priority. Students’ ability to concentrate in campus activities need to be confident of their security during within the campus and at their dormitories both day and night (Kathleen 2011). In addition, they further argue that security minimizes some vices i.e. rape cases. Considering a campus fetches its population from all spheres and culture, characters of these persons vary widely. Some persons could be rapists or the neighboring community may be tempted to take advantage of the lack of insecurity to engage in illegal activities. Security helps foster peace and order in the university. Individuals tend to carry themselves in a positive manner when they know their activities are being monitored. Moreover, security helps check theft of student personal property.  Proponents of campus security assert that, theft of students’ personal property is contained in an insecure place. Students and campus staff will be comfortable while leaving their property and attending the daily activities of the university (Kathleen 2011).

Security, theft and Time management

Time is a vital tool in the daily operations of an institution. Proponents argue that security largely helps save time and energy. This, they say will only be realized by students currently at a secure campus and dorms. Dorms security can be the usage of locks and sirens to help monitor illegal activities which might be taking place. Students are not tasked to care their property individually; the services are a provision by the institution. This time saved is used in other developmental activities, which fosters the individual and institution success. The peace of mind realized in a peaceful environment is irreplaceable.

Safety and Civilization

Many people believe that the civilization and liberation has replaced security. They maintain that civilization discourages some security vices. The assertion is true to some extent because most have used their senses in the century (Eric 2005). However, common sense may be common but its use may be very uncommon, this therefore calls for measures to contain those who may take advantage of this state to commit crimes. Lastly, the property of the learning institution is accorded protection preventing vandalism and other acts degrading to the institution.

Conclusion

Having said this, Safety in campus is a necessity for a learning institution to thrive. The institutions that provide good security to its population are attracting a good number of students to its programs. Student confidence and mutual respect of humanity and property are natured in a secure environment. Despite security systems being tight in implementation of rules, their benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

Works cited

Eric Flegal. College Prowler University of California-Los Angeles Off The Record, New York: College Prowler, Inc, 2005

Kathleen Baty. College Safety 101: Miss Independent's Guide to Empowerment and  Confidence, San Francisco: Chronicle Books,2011.

How management practices are implemented in a place of work

Management is an important process in the modern operations of organizations. Managers are individuals overseeing day-to-day operations of companies. In addition, managers are responsible for leadership, a role that is vital for the conversation of production resources into production. Without managers’ dynamic leadership, conversion of resources will be a major hurdle. Management therefore is the act of organizing individuals towards the achievement of a company-desired objective (Bunderson, 2003). In addition, it provides a well-structured model of addressing day-to-day operations of a firm. However, most traditional firms have failed to factor in its usage in their operations; some have survived while others have shut down operations because of failure to meet their company objectives. Management is part of the factors of production. It helps in the coordination of the other production factors, land and labor. An organization well versed with management practices is able to achieve its set goals within a postulated period. Management cuts across all organization. Both profit and nonprofit making organizations are eligible to apply these practices of management to streamline its daily operation and operate in a clear outline (Bell, 2007). The article is going to look into the five management practices and their implementation in a place of work.

Planning is the backbone of management. A plan is a well-designed roadmap with clear datelines on how to achieve an objective. Planning is therefore the act of designing a clear roadmap that describes the happenings of the company in future. In contemporary firms’ management, planning is the duty of managers. Company managers are responsible for the general performance of the company. There are three classes of managers, top, middle and lower level .Before making a decision, a number of management personnel will ascertain its feasibility. This therefore implies that managers need to be versed with the vision of the company, to help then devise sound strategies to achieve a prudent decision. Market information helps in planning process; the information is derived from the data collected in the market. Managers use the market facts to formulate and analyze the impacts of their decisions in the future. This practice calls for wide knowledge of the market. Planning being a vital component in the success of the business always entails timely reviews of the strategies to meet the ever-changing market demands. However, different managers may disagree on different aspects of the strategy, a firm with a sound planning structure will ensure that each part of the organization associate with the final solution. Down-up initiative usage will curb difference in the adoption stage of a plan. Lower level management therefore needs to engage all the departments and employees in the formulation of a policy before passing the same to the middle level managers. Middle managers scrutinize the document to ascertain the changes incorporated to keep it in line with the company future objectives. 

Leading involves marshalling individuals behind a given task. A company is made up of several departments. Each of these units offers unique services in accordance with the firms’ main goal. A number of departmental heads oversee the daily functions of these departments. Employees of different qualifications make up the personnel of these units. Most management problems in an organization arise from people .Hence, successful managers need to be good leaders, and this will help them use the employees’ attitudes to the firm advantage. Challenges are paramount in firm operation and addressing them to the advantage of the company is the function of departmental leaders. A leader is an individual who is trusted to influence fellow workers to achieve a desired objective. Without a leader, the workplace could be chaotic as problem could go unaddressed. Leadership in management is important given a firm is to maintain her market advantage. Leadership skills are learned in the course of training or duty though some individuals are born leaders. Directing people to an activity to achieve a desired principle is core in management, because firms operations are kept smooth.

The main objective of a firm is to make profit. However, before the generation of revenue, plan implementation has to be considered.  Top-level management is much involved in the planning and organizing firms operation than lower level managers. Organization entails the process of marshaling funds for implementation process. This is the second stage after the designation of a plan. Reinvesting the part of the revenue and sourcing funds outside the firm are major sources of implementation funds. Top-level organization strategy is to maintain the firms’ profitability while also funding the long-term plan. Successful plans mean the firm will have a competitive advantage over its incumbent market competitors. Plans deemed to generate massive revenue and those that are critical for the company survival are given priority during funding.

Management is about uniting brains to achieve a given goal. Staff is a vital component of an organization. Organizations need to ensure that the positions in the organization are filled and anytime there is a vacant position appropriate actions needs to be undertake n to ensure the positions remain filled (Stoner & Gilbert, 2003). This will ensure that there is no backlog of work and that the firms systems are operational at any given time. The employee is responsible for the implementation of the firms plan. Sound human resource policies are important in the selection and recruitment of employees. This will ensure that the firm has the right people to fill various positions (Koontz, 1961). Good working conditions and a competitive salary is also vital to motivate the employee towards achieving the organization dream. Human resource, a body responsible for hiring and firing employees are tasked to prepare salary scales of the workers to be approved by top-level management. The employees considered need to be persons of impeccable character .Moreover, job analysis is important for the firm to understand and monitor the contributions of individual employees (Koontz, 1961). Management is responsible for harmonizing the gender levels of those employed; this ensures that the employments made are in accordance to the statutes guiding employers. The quality and performance of individual employee determines the level of the company success. Reward scheme by the human resource department is important to motivate employees who deliver in their daily operations.

The formulated strategic plans call for monitoring during implementation. Although the formulation of strategies precede monitoring, funds are important in the controlling stage. Controlling this process in is a vital to ensure due process is followed and ensuring implementation is in line with the plans (Bonner et al., 2006). Controlling as management process is comparing plan notes with the progress. Controlling expenses and frequent measuring the work of employees will ensure their activities conform to the mother plan. Pin pointing problems at the course of implementation and providing a solution to the same is paramount to keep the implementation on schedule. Making a plan conform to a progress entails the digression from the management decision to have a plan in a given manner. This involves taking necessary steps that will ensure improvement in performance Monitoring of time lags are important to ensure implementation is on schedule. Reports on the progress are established and presented to the responsible implementing authority (Bonner et al., 2006). Successful progress in plan implementation implies that the firms’ objective is a success too.

In conclusion, management is an important tool that ensures efficiency in the realization of set goals. In addition, management has been a success and its existence will be decades. The practices address specific problems related to day-to-day operations of various organizations. Managerial practices ensure managers develop skills not seen by other employees of a firm. Many firms who have adopted the practices have achieved their goals and stayed at the edge of market competition. Management skills needed in the different levels; i.e. the lower, middle and top management vary. Therefore, training is necessary to ensure that managers are well conversant with the requirements of each level, to ensure smooth operation of the firm. Moreover, firms interact daily with its environment. Environment is changing more often and managements need to address the changes. For management to be a success, managers should be able to interact and learn from both external and internal factors i.e. communication. Finally, managerial practices are important to increase company productivity. It is therefore advisable for those companies who operate traditionally to apply the aforementioned five factors to compete at an equal ground with the firms already applying the management practices.

References

Bell, S.T. (2007). Deep-level composition variables as predictors of team performance: a meta-analysis, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 92, pp. 595-615.

Bonner, B.L., Baumann, M.R., Lehn, A.K., Pierce, D.M. and Wheeler, E.C. (2006). Modeling collective choice; decision making on complex intellective tasks, European Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 36, pp. 617-33.

Bunderson, J.S. (2003), “Recognizing and utilizing expertise in work groups: a status characteristics perspective”, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 48, pp. 557-91.

Homans ,R. C. (1958). The Human Group. New York: Harcout.

Koontz, H.  (1961). The Management Theory Jungle, in Journal of the

Academy of Management, December.

Stoner J., Freeman R., & Gilbert, l R. (2003).Management. New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India Sixth Edition.

Industrial Revolution

Industrial revolution is a gradual development process which led to the transformation of early mans’ way of living through sound innovation in various sectors of the economy (Ashton, 1948). Industrial revolution totally transformed not only the way things are done but also the way man operates. Agrarian revolution changed the lifestyle of humankind. Prior to 18^th century, the early man used to survive on hunting and gathering, more often using crude weapons in his day-to-day activities (Eric,2009). The practice of hunting and gathering was tedious and time consuming as individuals had to cater for their daily needs and those of their immediate families. Industrial revolution totally alienated individuals from their traditional working modes. This has largely transformed the agrarian society in a number of ways. First, there was mitigation of time wastage as persons worked on the fields to produce their products that they were sure of harvesting, this replaced the uncertainty of capturing something to eat. Early man used to cover a wide area hunting but with revolution he was able to operate in a small location which increasing his output.

Textile manufacturing was in small scale before the revolution; it was termed as cottage industry (Clark, 2007). This mostly was done by individual workers and missing on innovation and division of labor. The mode of transportation could only accommodate the small-scale production. With the wave of revolution, textile industry had a massive shift into large-scale production (Clark, 2007). However, at the beginning the working conditions at the ginneries were not human. Dim lighting and working for long hours were problems that were realized at the early stages. Child labor was also a common issue during this progress.

Industrial revolution led to the development of advanced machines, which replaced human activities in many aspects (Eric, 2009).With the help of these machines, production was always on the rise although less labor was in operation. The transformation of labor from man to machine power necessitated other invention to allow massive transportation of these products to the market. Bernal (2006), pointed out that spinning jenny and the flying shuttle that were later replaced by spinning mule were the first innovations that transformed the textile industry. Some expertise on the how to run these machines was required, this additional training increased the efficiency hence increased production. These developments changed how work was being done as it accommodated increased number of individuals it also advocated for division of labor. Moreover, iron folding and steam power are other 18^th century sectors that transformed the agrarian life. The early man through these sectors was able to develop advanced weapons that were used for various purposes (Ashton, 1948).

According to Bernal (2006), industrial revolution was a blessing to the early man; this is because the daily dues from wages and salaries outweigh the struggles of hunting and gathering. In addition, working in these firms is dignifying enough. Moreover, the source of food in the industrial generation was more stable as individuals could work more efficiently in one location and produce surplus to help sustain them.

References

Ashton, T. S. (1948). The Industrial Revolution (1760-1830).UK: Oxford University Press.

Bernal, J. D. (2006). Science and Industry in the Nineteenth Century. London: Routledge,

Clark, G. (2007). A Farewell to Alms: A Brief Economic History of the World. New Jersey :Princeton University Press,

Eric, H,(2009).The Age of Revolution: Europe 1789–1848.United Kingdom :Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd

Time value of money critique and how it applies to financial management

The title of this article is appropriate for the writing. Leimberg et al. (2000, p.1), enumerates on how the internal revenue code continually change the interests every month. The valuing process is always much detailed and together with frequent revision of interest rates monthly and the change of life interests after a decade. Financial practitioners have to be well versed with the ever-changing complex rules especially those related with the time value of money. To help us understand how and why interest rates change over a given period, the writer has expounded the valuation of various interest rates (Leimberg et al.,2000).

Valuation according to the writer depends on two major seemingly impossible scenarios (Leimberg et al., 2000, p.3). These cases are, the length of live of an individual controlling a life interest and the actual return on capital of an investment. According to Leimberg et al. (2000, p.3), a figure is always put during their creation though the two are always unknown. The above poses a big challenge to finance management because of the uncertainty of the future. The valuation of investment and life interests is often based in the present value of future payments. This from the writers’ point of view is the reason why there is uncertainty in the two unknowns. The reason of doing valuations is normally to assist determine the discount rate of an investment that characterize the interest under valuation. The discount rate according to the writer helps convert the values to the present .The only changing variable in a 1-year computation is the discount rate; this therefore makes it easier to carry out the computations.

According to Leimberg at al. (2000), making assumptions on how people frequently die is another form of valuing property. The writer is not clear on how probability can be used to ascertain mortality of different ages. It is however up to financial managers to formulate a workable guide to enforce section 7520, apiece which postulates how gifts, estates included are to be in line with the death assumptions. Moreover, this section is not clearly, as although it’s designed to conform with the valuation set in line with the date the gift was made or the date the decedent died, the use of a monthly discount rate is applied. Its therefore cumbersome and a prone to errors. The IRS publication of census figures and subsequent mortality assumptions, which are due to a decade update, are much inconsistent. This is because there is no building of the section 7520 case. The statistical figures of these census data are prone to errors and basing valuation solely on them could be imprudent for investors. This is because the interests might be biased. Thus, the writer attest to this by pointing out that there is a shortened life expectancy above ages 95,while the life expectancy in the new statistics in accordance to those below the age of 95 is higher contrary to the previous actuarial tables.

Financial management is the backbone of investment and asset valuation. This therefore calls for vivid understanding of the actuarial table of time value of money. According to Leimberg et al. (2000), financial practitioners need to understand not only what these actuarial tables represent but also their creation. In calculating the annuity, a procedure ought to have been advance to aid in exhaustive calculations. The summary of reminders on the enjoyment of property and life are in summary and grasping what is really happening after period lapse is not clear.

In conclusion, the paper did to a large extend explain various aspects of time value of money. Some work moreover needs to be done to link interest rates and annuity with section 7520 and to devise software to aid financial practitioners in computations.

The sale of Human Organs

Sale of human organs is a popular topic of ethical discussions that exhibits a polarized debate that offers no compromising solution. Moral dilemmas involved in the sale of human organs make up its ethical issue (Shaheen, 1987). The arguments for and against sale of human organs have justification through moral principles however; no argument is fully accepted.The improvement in the health technology has necessitated the transplants of organs such as the kidneys. The 21^st century has been noted to experience increased instances of organ transplants.  Increased rate of organs transplants has resulted to shortages of organs supply. Most people nowadays are not willing to give out their organs free as there before. Many people are not willing to give away their organs free, Most of opt to sell them. Some surgeons are advocating for the UK government to legalize the sale of human organs (Jone, 1999).  Legalizing the sale of human organs in UK will reduce instances where UK residents are forced to travel abroad to buy organs for transplant from the black market. The illegal buying of these organs makes many UK patients’ who undergo these operations abroad having to undergo the same operations once again when they get back home because of the poor operations they receive (Goddard, 1992). This discussion uses the utilitarianism theory to address the issues that are related to legalization of the sale of human organs. After addressing these issues, appropriate recommendations are given on the strategy that the UK government should use when legalizing the sale of human organs. This discussion is based on the article titled ‘Legalize sale of human organs to end 'transplant tourism', say surgeons” by Clare Bates (Bates, 2011).

            The utilitarianism theory states that the right course of action is the action that brings maximum good. The theory uses the nature of outcome of an action to judge the moral worth of the action. The Act utilitarianism states that before making any choice, one should weigh the consequence of each action and settle for the one that is more likely to give the greatest pleasure (Mill, 2009). The rule of utilitarian involves first determining the potential rules of an action. It advocates that in order to determine the right rule to apply in a certain situation, one should consider the effects of its prolonged use. The rule suggests that if the rule result to more happiness than it was initially due to its prolonged use, then it is a rule that should be followed at always (Mill, 2009).

An organ is a body tissue that aids in the general operations of the body. Many individuals in the modern world are unwilling to legitimize the obtaining of vital body organs. The buyers are willing to obtain organs in the black market illegally and immorally. They normally take advantage of the financially weak individuals to obtain these organs. The individuals who sell their organs do so because the society has failed to meet their daily needs. The great advancement in technology and especially in the medical treatment has aided organ transplant. However, most organ transplants are carried out by unqualified professionals .This leads to massive loss of life in the process. Nowadays the high increase in organ transplants globally is greatly affected by the low supply of the organs. This shortage had hindered many individuals from receiving the required medication that are vital to save their life or greatly improve their quality of lives. The acts of selling organs in the modern society are dehumanizing. Moreover, it is against the moral values advocated for by the society. Opponents argue that the behavior is against the ethics of life envisaged in the constitution. They point out that most at times a life that could still be okay is lost in the process.

The restrictions of the sale of human organs in many countries such as UK and Canada have caused access of these organs in these nations difficult. The U.S. government has legalized the sale of human organs and blood. Thus, the nation has been successive in supplying their patients with adequate blood for transfusion purposes and organs for transplants (Jone, 1999).Adequate supply of these organs in U.S has enhanced the lives of many individuals and save lives for many. In a contemporary society like the USA where the sale of organs is legal, individuals have morally accepted the trade. This is because the sale has been of more good than harm to the citizens. The sale of human organs is right in their view because it has helped many people live better lives. This has been made possible by the formulation of sound legislation to guide the transplant processes. In addition, these policies are been viewed by the society as a sole reason of saving peoples’ lives. This has enhanced the overall happiness in the society. The recovery of the patients who receive these medications makes them to assume their day –day –activities that enable them contribute positively to the economical progress of their nations. In nations where the sale of human organs is restricted, the ethical view is quite different. There is a strong conviction from the public that its immoral to trade with other peoples organs. The societies normally have strong human rights bodies who strongly oppose the sale. The society has build a notion that if need be, an organ should be giving out in good faith to an affected party without attaching any monetary value to it. This has natured harmonization and selflessness on the part of the citizens. From the proponents of the sale of body organs, they argue that the restriction has lead to less supply of these organs. They advocate for its acceptance pointing out that it has lead to lack of happiness to the people affected by the loose of their loved ones and eventually overall unhappiness to the society at large (May, 1977). Therefore, the concerned to their view the governments should legalize the sale of human organs so that to increase their supply such that everyone is in a position to receive them when such instances occurs as long as he/she can afford to buy them.  The sale of human organs is thus ethical as it enhances access of these organs to those patients who need organ transplants. Individuals in the society who are in need for body organs and are able to access the vital parts support their view. Their recovery helps them live happily with their beloved, some of who are opposed to their act of purchasing the organs and fulfilling lives, which could not have been possible without receiving the organs necessary for the organ transplants (Bates, 2011).The society supports its aggrieved citizens by legalizing the trading of organs. This is viewed as a good to the contemporary society as it fosters happiness amongst its needy citizens.

In addition, the sale of human organs has helped many people receive some money to supplement their strained budgets at one moment or another.  Many people are nowadays living in great distress due to the current increased cost of living. The income that many people receive is not sufficient to take care of the many bills they have to settle. Therefore, when they are given an opportunity to exchange their organs at a fee, the money they receive helps them greatly to supplement their stressed budget. This makes them happy since they have earned an extra coin that enable them to purchase something extra which they could not have been in a position to buy otherwise. Therefore, legalizing the sale of organs should be the first thing that all governments should consider implementing, since it is associated with many positive outcomes, both to the receiving and the donating persons (George, 1984). Some people argue that since these organs are very valuable as they determine the survival or death of the patients who receive them, they should not be offered free to total strangers, but instead patients should pay for them. This perception is very ethical since one should not give out his/her organ and be left out suffering and in mostly in instances where the donating person is not well financially. To recover the blood lost while undergoing the operation, the person is required to feed well and mostly eat plenty of fruits and vegetables that are costly to such a person. To compensate for that loss and to ensure that happiness of both parties is guaranteed, the person receiving the organ transplant should pay for the organ received such that the one donating can get money so that he/she can afford to eat the recommended diet. Good dieting will help his/her health not to be affected negatively which can result to him/her being unhappy, a situation which is not in line with the theory of utilitarianism which considers actions as being ethical when their outcomes are associated with increased happiness (Jone, 1999).

 The selling of human organs on the other hand can become dangerous if not well regulated.  This is because legalizing the sale of human organs can result to some organizations that venture into this enterprise selling contaminated organs that will greatly affect the health of the patients who receives such organs. Many organizations are unethically managed and they can go to any extent to make money. Thus, the sale of contaminated human organs is not a surprise to such organizations. This will compromise the health of the public. The ultimate result for such trade will be loss of life and other health effects. The government and opposition legislators will be forced to chip in to address the situation that might be affecting the society negatively. With the victims being left fighting for their life’s there is no good which will be enjoy by the society . Selling of such organs can culminate to very unhappy situation since in many instances it will result to more complications to the patients who receive such organs (Shaheen, 1987). Such circumstances will result to a situation of unhappiness to the relatives of the patients who receive contaminated organs, despite them paying huge money while purchasing these organs. In such situations, the theory of utilitarianism does not hold and thus, would consider selling of human organs as an unethical conduct since the action leads to an overall unhappiness (Kwenye, 2011).

Opponents of the sale of human organs argue that the selling of human organs is perilous if not well regulated. They point out that some people can opt to kill others to get their organs and sell them to earn a living .Such situations can be very dangerous because many lives can be sacrificed in pursuit of lives of very ill patients who might not eventually survive, despite receiving the transplants needed (Rinehart, 1993). This is a valid point because some will seek to earn a living even illegally which is very immoral an unethical. In accordance to morality, the action of killing a healthy person in order to save the life of an almost dying person is not right. This is because the chances of survival of the ailing person are usually minimal as compared to the chances of living of the healthy person. Moreover, even if the a life is saved, is at the expense of another individual which is relatively unacceptable as its inhuman and goes against the right to life. Right to life is constitutional and it is illegal to deprive a person his/her breath .Therefore, the probability of occurrence of a double tragedy in instances of the loss of the two people is very high. When this occurs, it results to a situation of aggravated moaning that deprives the happiness of individuals affected and the happiness of the society at large (Fern, 1987). The act emphasizes on individuals making good choices by first weighing the prevailing choices. In such a situation, the best choice to settle for is sparing the life of the healthy person, but not sacrificing it in a situation where the chance of the ailing person surviving is minimal. When people kill healthy and innocent people to sell their organs to ailing people for transplants purposes, then the idea of selling of human organs becomes unethical (Mill, 2009).

The sale of human organs as already discussed seems to be a very controversial issue to arrive at a consensus. Despite ones school of thought, it is obvious that the sale of human organs is generally immoral and inhuman though beneficial (Bates, 2011). The reason behind this is that selling human organs has greatly assisted many ailing people who could have assumed very desperate living conditions or who could have died recover and contribute positively to the well being of the society at large. In the other hand, sale of human organs attracts several unethical practices, these include killing for the organ. Nevertheless, the sale of human organs should entail enacting appropriate policies to regulate it and ensure that the policies implemented are well monitored to curtail the adverse consequences that can accompany legalizing of the sale of human organs that include selling of contaminated organs or killing people to sell their organs. Through this process, the sale of human organs will be regarded as being ethical since it will result to greater happiness, as more lives will be saved. Thus, the UK government should consider enacting appropriate polices to legalize the sale of human organs.

List of References

Bates, C., 6 Jan, 2011.Legalise sale of human organs to end 'transplant   

            tourism', say surgeons. [Online] available at                        

           http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1344367/Government-consider-

           legalising-sale - human-organs-say-surgeons.html#ixzz1UtzNdDul          

          [Accessed 12 August, 2011]

 Fern, C., 1987.The Life and Death Questions of an Organ Market. Fortune, pp. 108-

             118.

George A., 1984.Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Organ Sales, Hastings Center

            Report, Vol.14 pp. 22-23

Goddard, H., 1992. No Easy Way to Figure Costs of Transplants, The Medical                               

          Post, 7, P. 43.

Jone, D. (1999).Ethical and Legal Issues in the Supply of Blood Products. [Online]

          available at

          http://www.mcgill.ca/files/healthlaw/Jones_DJ_Issues_BloodSupply_1999.pdf 

         [Accessed 12 August, 2011]

Kwenye, Z., 2011.The Case for an Human Organ Futures Market. Retrieved 12 

           [Online] available at

          http://www.investingblog.org/archives/766/the-case-for-an-human-organ-

          futures-market/  [Accessed 12 August, 2011]

May, E., 1977. Human Existence, Medicine and Ethics. Chicago: Franciscan

         Herald Press, Ch. 7

Mill, J., 2009. Utilitarianism. London: Cambridge University Press.

Rinehart, D., 1993. Sold for Organs, Risk to Kids Grows, The Edmonton Journal,          

           , 14.

Shaheen B., 1987. Morality and Marketing Human Organs, Journal of Business Ethics,                                                     

             Vol.6, pp. 37-44.

Homosexuality in the Contemporary Society

Introduction

Homosexuality in the contemporary society is a popular topic of ethical discussions that exhibits a polarized debate that offers no compromising solution. Moral dilemmas involved in homosexuality make up its ethical issue. The arguments for and against homosexuality have justification through moral principles however; no argument is fully accepted.  Borrowing from an article published in The Windsor Star journal by Don Lajoie, August 9, 2011, where a pair got themselves 36 months of imprisonment for assaulting a gay man allegedly because of his homosexuality. The victim explained that the couple “did use anti-homosexual slurs during the attack,” (Lajoie 2011, Para. 3).The contemporary society is normally viewed as a democratized world where everyone is allowed to mind their own business but in accordance to the aforementioned article, one is left with more questions than answers on that analogy. No doubt there are people who cannot withstand other people’s sexuality and will even go as far as physically attacking the individual probably to ‘instill some sense into his perverted mind’ so he will join them on the other side of life- the side of, as they call it, normal people. Most countries often tend to shun the homosexuality question. Where the secret practice of homosexuality practice thrive, the ethical judgment on the same is always is always neutral. Severe criticism of homosexuality occurs when the practice is openly done unsuccessfully.

Homosexuality in the Contemporary Society

Homosexuality is a practice of engaging in sexual relationship with a party of same gender, the act can be female to female or by male partners (Persell & Green 2001).Male partners in a sexual relation are referred to as gays while female companions are called lesbians. Most homosexuality cases are reported after individuals reach their adolescence. These youths engage in search of their mates from their tender age and it’s the responsibility of the society to address these issues. With more people coming up clean and confessing their sexual status, more debates on gayism have been stirred. According to Young (2000, p.302), a contemporary society is a social setup which is enlightened or is in the process of accepting the diverse cultures and practices of its citizens. Most of the people receive the news with feelings of abhorrence and indignation and they are not hesitant to express their feelings even if it means beating the hell out of a gay person (like the couple in this article). Human rights activists are often in the forefront fighting for the rights of these individuals. The underlying principle is that every human being is entitled to some freedoms. Some of these freedoms are envisioned in the constitution as human rights and include freedom of association and choice. The big question that arises therefore is, is it morally right for two people of the same sex status to engage in sexual intercourse and even culminate their relationship by walking down the aisle?

We cannot deny that the number of people who are homosexual is quite alarming. There are quite a number of even the most famous people .These persons  have come out openly and declared that they are either gay or lesbians. People like Ellen DeGeneres and Christian Anderson are not alien to our ears. One would think that after all this, people could get used to the idea of a living with people of a different sexuality other than theirs. Nevertheless, apparently, this will never happen, at least not in the near future. There are usually many daily scenarios where homosexual persons are often harassed, from  physically assault to  being hurled at with insults, by the members of the public because of their homosexuality. Homosexuals in the contemporary society often face a lot of trauma because of the discrimination encountered not only from the public but also from their immediate families.

Common Good for All

The society is in a gradual social development journey .The ultimate future of the society will be a country that is fully democratized and liberal. A liberal society is one that accommodates diverse social activities and acts, homosexuality included. A contemporary needs to accommodate its citizens despite their social status. Leaders are constantly engaged in a battle for individual fundamental rights and freedoms. They are under pressure to legislate laws that are able to accommodate all citizens without any discrimination. This is because every individual needs the entitlement of enough freedom. The leaders are seeking to answer the question, What happened to the believe that we should not be discriminatory against each other regardless of sex, gender, race, religion or on any other ground?. With the gradual processes of liberation, creation of harmony amongst citizens is paramount for the public good.

Public good is often what is acceptable to the larger population and incorporates certain ideals. An individual is able to choose his/her own path of life and follow it without fear of being discriminated or of being assaulted or insulted. In other words, a person is able to create his own values and judgments and act on them without attracting ill feelings from the public so long as it is what he feels that works for him, for his own good. The human good ought to be what one chooses for themselves in as long as it does not infringe on the rights of other persons. For a practice to be termed good it must not be infringing on the rights of other citizens and should be morally acceptable.

Homosexuals are looking for recognition and acceptance from the general society. Those who refuse to be associated with this idea are labeled conservatives, traditionalists, old-fashioned, and sexists, even primitive. Christianity has especially been at the receiving end of this kind of criticism. The media and the big figures view them as fundamentalists and use this to discredit Christians who hold the belief that a man was created for a woman and vice-versa. They refer to them as social conservatives who have stubbornly refused to adapt to changing times. No one can explain why this is not being seen as a violation of the same fundamental rights which they themselves have always fought for, as a lack of tolerance to different views and practices from their side, for the common good for all.

What is Morally Good?

Is it possible for individuals to  formulate  own values and beliefs, consider them  right  and then proceed to follow them and tolerate no criticism from other people? In one of the feature article a gay person was quoted saying that "For us, having safer sex means feeling good about who we are as gay men," (Bartram 1994, Para. 5). They view gayism as a blessing as opposed to a curse, as other people view it, which should be upheld rather than be embarrassed about. A columnist on the Toronto stars asked; “"Why should they (the homosexuals) be forbidden the same physical expressions of tenderness and love most people enjoy…?” (Gwyn 2011, Para. 3). So is the society actually justified to deny them something so basic in life?

So we continue with the question, what can be classified as good? Most of the people largely believe that what is good is what brings happiness or pleasure to them. Therefore, the liberal will argue that if something yields happiness then the whole society should adopt it. So is it prudent to say that it is good for two people of the same sex to get married? What if they are allowed   to continue with their lifestyles? The society is reluctant in accepting the later question with opponents of the subject arguing that it could allow an erosion of morals where every person will be seeking protection to continue with their ‘vices’. The prostitutes will come out asking for recognition, for acceptance, for protection. In the end there will be  all manner of ‘values’ particular to each individual in a single society, this can cause social anarchy as there is no clear direction of moral values to be followed. However, is it possible for a contemporary society to live without any standard guiding principles for everyone to adhere to and uphold?

Christianity Vs Homosexuality

Since time immemorial, the Christian conception of right or wrong was applied for all  ethical as well as political policies. The biblical view is that of God as the law giver and thus the determinant of right or wrong. He defines moral law and sets the guidelines to be observed by the whole creation. According to the book of Psalms, God is the representation of Good and uprightness; and therefore he is the one who teaches sinners and the whole creation the way. Therefore, for one to qualify to be good he/she has to align to the will of God and whatever else that does not conform to this will is but evil.

The bible, in the book of Genesis, prescribes the right sexual relations by saying that, a man shall leave his home and be united to his wife, upon which they will become one being. So Gods way is a man marrying a woman as that is how he intended it to be from the beginning when he created the woman for the man. In Corinthians Paul said that it is important for a woman to have a husband and a man to have a wife to avoid fornication. He did not leave room for other kinds of marriages; just a man and a woman.

The book of Romans condemns the act of homosexuality in open and clear terms. Paul declares the wrath of God against all those who engage in ungodly and unrighteous acts and who have substituted the true way of life with unrighteousness. Paul here is expressing the disgust of God against those who have embraced ungodliness and unrighteousness and substituted the truth for the same. So what is this ungodliness that Paul is talking about? And what is the truth that they should uphold instead?.From pauls perspective, homosexuality is an unnecessary people to all those who believe in God.

Romans continue to argue that, women deviated from the natural and acceptable way of deriving pleasure from their bodies and used it in a way that is against nature. The men also, left the natural use of a woman, and started lusting for other men and having sexual relations with men, a behavior which the bible describes as unseemly and which results into punishment. Thus, the ungodliness that Paul was talking about is man having unnatural sexual relations. The unnatural refers to the act of a man lusting for a fellow man and a woman the same. Therefore, God delights doing what he himself has authorized through his own mouth or using the mounts of his anointed, through the bible.

From the aforementioned biblical teachings and views about marriage and relationships between a man and a woman, it is acceptable that homosexuality has been condemned in the bible, the very basis of our moral principles. Timothy says that, the scripture is given through God’s inspiration, and is important for teaching, reprimand, correction, and for leading people into righteousness. The bible is the largest contributor of ethics followed in a contemporary society majority is against homosexuality, normally practiced by the minority. Its can therefore be understood why Christians are rebelling against its acceptance of homosexuality as a way of life. Acceptance of homosexuality in the Christian perspective is accepting to digress from gods teaching in the Satan Avenue. Moreover, doing so is viewed to undermine the origin of our moral standing of contemporary society that is believed to originate from God himself (Geinsler, 2010).

Conclusion

Democracy calls for social justice for everyone. It requires that everyone be allowed to practice what he wants, how he/she wants it and whenever he or she wants it. In addition, this means of course that we should accommodate diverse beliefs and lifestyles. Nevertheless, Christians must not keep quiet and give up their democratic right to adhere to their own moral beliefs at the expense of the gay community. Considering homosexuality is an act free from legal fines, it could be prudent for a contemporary society to accommodate and respect the rights of these minority grouping. Christianity is more than just some moral guidelines. It is a way of life that every individual should be ready to adopt. All the values we uphold should be in line with the bible teachings and Christians should not shy away from correcting those who are ‘lost’. However, this should not be done through kicks and brawls but through love and patience. The human behavior is also governed by the public policies, on what the society thinks is right or wrong. The will of a contemporary society is embodied in its own legal laws, societal norms and traditions. The government should therefore draft legal policies that advocate for normal marriages between a man and a woman and not any other way.

List of References

Bartram, J 1994, A Sacred Gift from God, Globe and Mail, Toronto star

Correani, L., Fabio, D. and Giuseppe, G. (2009), “The evolutionary dynamics of tolerance”,

MPRA Working Paper, No. 18989, University Library of Munich, Munich.

Geisler, L  2010, Christian Ethics. Grand Rapids, MI, Baker Academic.

Gwyn, R 2011, The Good Society: Moral standards and the Current Debate on      Homosexuality. Reformed Reflections.

Kingston, P.W, Hubbard, R, Lapp, B, Schroeder, P and Wilson, J 2003, “Why education

matters”, Sociology of Education, Vol. 76 No. 1, pp. 53-70.

Lajoie, D   2011, 36 Months for Pair in Beating, The Windsor Star. Canada.com                network.

Law, S.A 1988, “Homosexuality and the social meaning of gender”, Wisconsin Law Review,

Vol. 2, pp. 187-235.

Perry, E and Perry J 1999.Contemporary Society:An introduction to social science, Harcourt-Brace, Sydney.

Persell, C.H., Green, A. and Gurevich, L 2001, “Civil society, economic distress and social

tolerance”, Sociological Forum, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 203-30.

Shoko, T 2010, “Worse than dogs and pigs? Attitudes toward homosexual practice in

Zimbabwe”, Journal of Homosexuality, Vol. 57, pp. 634-49.

Young,B.J 2000, Homosexuality:contemporary claims examined in light of the bible, Elsevier, Edinburgh.