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Idealism, Pragmatism and Nation Building, 2007.
A discussion of the pragmatic idealism that led to the formation of the United States Constitution.
4,064 words (approx. 16.3 pages), 5 sources, MLA, £ 77.95
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Abstract
This paper explores the philosophy and events behind the formation of the US Constitution. In particular, it examines how the political philosophy during the Confederation period of the United States developed into two important documents--the Articles of Confederation followed by the US Constitution. The paper describes why the Articles of Confederation were not sufficient in delineating the basic tenets of the new nation. The formation of the Constitution and its relevance today is also described.
From the Paper
" It was soon -indeed, only two years after the ratification of the Articles of Confederation- obvious, however, that "the system of state politics [could] not assure America's future" (Washington, 1783). In other words, the framework of the Articles of Confederation proved too idealistic to be put into practice. The Nationalists -that is to say, those who were in favour of a strong national government, such as Madison- deeply believed that the Articles of Confederation had to be altered. Actually, they had led to several problems within the colonies: political and social unrest, economic difficulties, trading problems and unfair practices - "no money is paid into the public treasury; no respect is paid to the federal authority. Not a single state complies with the requisitions; several pass them over silence, and some positively reject them" (E. Marienstras, Naissance de la Repulique Federale, from The Writings of James Madison). Those issues resulted from the fact that Congress was not entitled to take decisions that would save the Confederation from disintegration: it did not have any coercive power. No common government existed. The emergency was then to avoid a clash between the states and to consolidate the union: all the states had to be represented in Congress. It was even said during the Hartford Convention of 1814 that "the lack of coercive power was the greatest defect in the 'general government of the continent'" (M. Jensen, The New Nation). Indeed, too much liberty -be this conception conceivable- within the sovereign states would lead to anarchy and confusion. Too much freedom of power for the individual states would lead to too democratic a union, and all this would bring about nothing but everlasting disputes and unrest. Too much power in the hands of ordinary people would lead to "mob rule", chaos and despotism."
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Idealism and Pragmatism, 2001.
An analysis of the use of idealism and pragmatism in the U.S. foreign policy.
2,505 words (approx. 10.0 pages), 7 sources, £ 53.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the role of idealism and pragmatism in the US foreign policy between 1898-1945. The author examines these two principles and discusses the reasons and effects of their incorporation into the U.S. foreign policy.
From the Paper
"At the time of its independence from Britain, the United States planned to pursue an isolationist foreign policy, reluctant to get entangled in European or Asian affairs. However, the initial strategy had to be abandoned with time as economical developments led to a series of foreign expeditions that many Americans hoped would eventually create a vast commercial empire. These ambitions necessitated that the United States increase its spheres of influence abroad to protect American business interests and investments. Economic interests combined with concern for national security, international balance of power, and world order, all requisite for capitalism to flourish, to encourage American intervention overseas. Moral intentions, full of idealist hopes for a democratic, free world, played part, although sometimes seeming artificial and hypocritical. As revealed in United States foreign policies concerning the major international events of the late nineteenth century until 1945 ? the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II ? pragmatic grounds initiated American involvement abroad, while the moral reasons amplified the motivation and gave justification, and higher meaning to the involvement later on."
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A Building is Not Just a Building, 2003.
This essay critiques the J. Paul Getty Museum design with reference to two journal articles.
615 words (approx. 2.5 pages), 2 sources, £ 15.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the differing opinions with regards to the J. Paul Getty Museum and the way it was built. Reviews from the Los Angeles Times and the Atlanta Constitution Journal contend that a building is not just a building. The two critics from the above newspapers agree and disagree with regards to certain points about the building.
From the paper:
"Ouroussoff writes in the Times:
"Of the two assessments, Ouroussoff?s seems by far the more accurate. From my own visit to the museum I must say that it seemed very much a premodern structure resting like a fortress on a hill from a time long, long before Frank Lloyd Wright would make so many people believe that glass was an acceptable material for walls and that white was the only color that one needed."
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A Building is not Just a Building, 2001.
Differing opinions on the J.Paul Getty Museum.
650 words (approx. 2.6 pages), 3 sources, £ 16.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the differing opinions with regards to the J.Paul Getty Museum and the way it was built. Reviews from the Los Angeles Times and the Atlanta Constitution Journal contend that a building is not just a building. The two critics from the above newspapers agree and disagree with regards to certain points about the building.
From the Paper
"Ouroussoff writes in the Times:
But although these public areas are thoughtfully balanced, the complex as a whole does not cohere. The more private structures (aside from the auditorium) seem isolated on the wrong side of the trackless-tramway. A palm-lined garden, submerged three stories below plaza level--is the area's central event. Around it, cloistered walkways and metal bridges connect the various buildings. Meier skewed placement of these buildings slightly to line them up with the freeway rambling by below. But the shift is imperceptible, and you never feel its weight. Instead, the buildings simply seem detached, their function hidden behind slick metal and glass facades (p. A1)"
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Transcendental Idealism, 2006.
This paper compares Kant's transcendental idealism with dogmatic and problematic idealism.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 5 sources, £ 31.95
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Abstract
The paper examines how Kant's theory of transcendental idealism is a useful doctrine, given that it picks up on key problems with realism and posits a theory that is intuitively acceptable. This essay compares transcendental idealism with both dogmatic idealism and problematic idealism, using the differences to clarify the meaning of transcendental idealism. As is shown, only transcendental idealism is acceptable, as dogmatic idealism and problematic idealism have fundamental problems that render them unacceptable.
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The Chrysler Building, 2004.
A description of the famous building in New York City called the Chrysler Building.
2,003 words (approx. 8.0 pages), 7 sources, MLA, £ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper offers a look at the history and design of the famous Chrysler Building. The writer describes both the exterior and interior of the building, as well as the architectural structure. The paper then offers some information on the architect himself, William Van Alen, and the original deal that led to the purchase of the site and plans to build the building.
From the Paper
"Architect William Van Alen originally designed the Chrysler Building for real estate speculator William H. Reynolds, but in 1928, Walter Percy Chrysler, head of the Chrysler Motor Corporation, purchased the site on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan, as well as Van Alen's plans. (Sandler, 1996) Those plans were changed as the design began to reflect Chrysler's forceful personality. The project soon became caught up in the fixated quest for height that swept through the city's commercial architecture in the 1920s and 1930s. Buildings rose taller and taller as owners sought both to maximize office space as well as to increase consumer visibility. Van Alen's initial design anticipated a 925-foot building with a rounded, Byzantine or Moorish top. At the same time, however, Van Alen's former partner, H. Craig Severance, was building the 927-foot Bank of the Manhattan Company on Wall Street. Not to be outdone, Van Alen revised his plans, with Chrysler's blessing, to include a new tapering top that culminated in a spire, bringing the total height to 1,046 feet and establishing the Chrysler Building as the world's tallest, briefly anyway."
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Realism and Idealism in "Editha", 2004.
Examines ideals of realism and idealism in William Dean Howell's novel, "Editha".
1,500 words (approx. 6.0 pages), 0 sources, £ 34.95
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Abstract
By examining William Dean Howell's book, "Editha", the paper shows that the battle between George and Editha over whether the Spanish-American war is immoral and should be opposed or is moral and worthy of support is a study of realism and idealism, respectively. The paper shows that by using Editha to demonstrate the beliefs of the American government, the narrator fuses the more ?foolish? point of view, idealism, to the ?weaker? sex, females, and shows that the American government?s idealistic approach to war is ?foolish.?
From the Paper
"Perhaps there is no realistic, humane way to solve such a problem, or perhaps the answer is so obvious to George that he does not feel the need to mention it. Whatever the case, George does not idealize the war as ?glorious? until he is so physically drunk that his senses break down and he, too, becomes inebriated with the war feeling. George?s conversion under the influence of alcohol shows what a foolish state one must be in to accept the idealistic view of war and foreshadows the ending when Editha makes all idealists seem foolish."
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Building on Landfill, 2002.
This paper discusses the issues of building multistory buildings on areas of landfill, areas of dumped discarded items such as debris and garbage, using Battery Park City, New York City as an example.
1,330 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 5 sources, APA, £ 31.95
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Abstract
This paper reports that one way that builders are finding available land is by using places previously thought unsafe or unsuitable to build on, such as landfill sites. This paper explains that landfill sites can safely be used to build high-rise buildings, provided the density of the landfill, the size of the foundation pieces and the deepness of the foundation pilings are taken into consideration. The author points out that there have been no reported problems from the settling of the landfill site on which Battery Park City was built.
From the Paper
"First, it is important to understand what landfills are and why they are here. Landfills are areas where the city or other municipality has dumped discarded items such as debris and garbage. The city often dumps large items there, as well, and eventually the landfill reaches its capacity. Landfills are important because debris and garbage has to go somewhere, but many people remain concerned that landfills are dangerous, and that hazardous materials are being dumped into landfills, which could harm people in the future. When someone decides to build on a landfill site, as the one in Battery Park City, the question of stability comes up. After all, they are essentially building on garbage and debris, which seems likely to shift and move as it settles."
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Improving Building Codes and Their Administration, 2001.
An examination into the trend towards the adoption of a single building code throughout the U.S.
19,203 words (approx. 76.8 pages), 34 sources, MLA, £ 176.95
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Abstract
The regulation of building construction can be traced back 4,000 years to cultures such as the Chinese, Greek, and Roman empires. Building regulations arose from the attempts of our ancestors to establish ways to control or avoid devastation from building fires and construction failures. Today, there are a number of specific parameters that affect the cost of buildings, including government building codes, which are enacted to protect public health and safety; these can take the form of both prescriptive and performance requirements, as well as industry demands that may not be reflected in actual building codes themselves, which consist of such desirable factors as climate control, elevators, and other aesthetics. Based on the efficiencies provided by standardized codes, the trend toward adoption of such codes nationally and internationally would seem to be a prudent choice for builders and municipalities. This study examines what the three code-making bodies within the United States were doing, are doing, and how they are now working together to produce a common building code for the United States to improve the safety, aesthetics, and functionality of the building conditions required for the entire country. The hypothesis of this paper is that, as a result of this leadership and innovation in the United States, improvements in building codes will extend to the developing countries of the world.
From the Paper
"Gene Fessenbecker, author of Building Codes and the Construction Contractor, says that, ?The regulation of building construction can be traced back 4,000 years to cultures such as the Chinese, Greek and Roman empires. Building regulations arose from the attempts of our ancestors to establish ways to control or avoid devastation from building fires and construction failures. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson tried to establish some of the earliest design and construction regulations in America for the purpose of protecting public health and safety? (Fessenbecker 1). Today, there are a number of specific parameters that affect the cost of buildings including government building codes, a which are enacted to protect public health and safety; these can take the form of both prescriptive and performance requirements, as well as industry demands which may not be reflected in actual building codes themselves which consist of such desirable factors as climate control, elevators and other aesthetics. This study is intended to examine what the three code-making bodies within the United States were doing, are doing and how they are now working together to produce a common Building Code for the United States to improve the safety, aesthetics, and functionability of the building conditions required for the entire country. The hypothesis of this paper will be that as a result of this leadership and innovation in the United States, improvements in building codes will extend to the developing countries of the world."
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Abbey National Building Society, 2005.
Explains what building societies are and gives a history of the Abbey National Building Society.
3,008 words (approx. 12.0 pages), 10 sources, MLA, £ 62.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that a building society is a Financial Institution that is owned by all its members rather than by its shareholders which plays the role of paying interests on the deposits made by the members and also of lending money to its members by proposing to keep the property as security in order to enable them to buy a house of their own. The paper then details the history of the Abbey National Building Society from its beginnings in 1944 to the present day as well as what Abbey National Building Society has had to do to remain successful.
From the Paper
"The market conditions at the time were very strict and regulated, and there was stiff competition everywhere. The 1986 occurrence of the 'Big Bang' served to break down all the traditional barriers that a person would expect in a Bank, and soon banks and other financial institutions became more capable of offering a wide range of financial services that hitherto had not been done. Abbey Building Society had at this time already demonstrated its free and independent thinking by breaking away from the Cartel of building societies that had insisted on certain fixed basic mortgage rates for everyone. Therefore when the decision to convert into a plc was taken in 1989, and after the conversion had actually taken place, there was a dramatic increase in the number of shareholders in the United Kingdom: the numbers rose from 6 million to 9.5 million, a 50% increase. (Conversion to plc, the Background)"
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Team Building and Conflict Management, 2008.
This paper proposes a non-traditional team building method.
823 words (approx. 3.3 pages), 2 sources, APA, £ 20.95
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Abstract
The paper explores an innovative way of building a team through personality, as opposed to the traditional way of skill sets and titles. The paper also explores how this creative team building style results in efficiency in employees and how it truly reduces opportunities for conflict. The paper concludes that companies can tailor specific aspects and characteristics the company wants its employees to posses by staying away from traditional models that may be quick and easy, yet produce mediocre results.
Outline:
Introduction
Traditional Team Building versus Non Tradition Team Building
Team Building Exercises
Team Assimilation
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Many companies lack the time, the resources or simply the desire to build their teams any other way than the traditional models that a multitude of businesses practiced before them. Teams are comprised of individuals with impressive resumes or internal clout due to the amount of time the individual has worked for the company. While this has worked for some companies the traditional model of team building pays no mind to the particular dynamics of a team or any potential conflict that can arise within the team. The success is left to mere luck and today that is quite simply an unacceptable way of doing business."
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The Practical Application of Pragmatism, 2006.
An examination of the definition and application of pragmatism in everyday life.
1,969 words (approx. 7.9 pages), 8 sources, MLA, £ 44.95
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Abstract
The paper describes pragmatism as supporting the idea that if X happens then Y must be true, or that one may discern the truth from the consequences of a given action. The paper explains that changing truths or circumstances form the foundation for practical thought processes in pragmatism. The paper further examines how pragmatism helps to explain the meaning of events based on one's logical interpretation of the consequences of one's actions. The paper concludes that pragmatism is a practical philosophy that one can use to help interpret life and meaning.
Outline:
Everyday Application of Pragmatism
Practical Purposes of Practical Thinking
From the Paper
"William James suggests that pragmatism begs the question "Grant an idea or belief to be true.. what concrete difference will its being true make in anyone's actual life?" (James 13; Wiener 551). James offers the fundamental foundation for pragmatism... how can the truth be realized when one may or may not measure the truth in "cash-value experiential terms?" (James 13; Wiener 551). The student of pragmatism immediately realizes however there are multiple definitions or meanings of this philosophy."
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The Seagram Building, 2008.
An analysis of the Seagram Building as a symbol of American capitalism.
2,666 words (approx. 10.7 pages), 10 sources, MLA, £ 56.95
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Abstract
This paper critically examines the Seagram Building in terms of not only its aesthetic and technological factors but also with a particular emphasis upon its economic-political and social-cultural context. As is seen, the prominence of the Seagram Building lies as much in its extraordinary design as for the fact that it symbolized American corporate power in an era when the hegemony of American capitalism was unrivalled in the non-Communist world.
Outline:
Introduction
The Seagram Building and the Bronfman Family
The Seagram Building and the Prestige of Design
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Prior to the Seagram Building, the emphasis in American corporate architecture was generally on cost and function. Aesthetic values were a secondary concern, and the idea of creating a "signature" building was not part of the corporate mentality of the period. The Bronfmans would change all of this with the Seagram Building. Thus, in order to understand why the Seagram Building was built, we must understand that agenda of the Bronfman in funding the creation of a building that was intentionally designed to make a dramatic statement in the capital city of global capitalism."
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Nation Building, 2006.
This paper examines the concept of nation building by comparing the current situation in Iraq and Afghanistan with the post World War II situation in Germany and Japan.
4,550 words (approx. 18.2 pages), 8 sources, APA, £ 83.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that nation building is the process by which a nation is structured or constructed by utilizing the power of the state. The author points out that nation building can use either propaganda or publicity to promote the desired results, or it may use major infrastructure development, as in the case of post WWII Germany and Japan, to promote and foster harmony and stability in the political process, so that social and economic growth is achieved. The paper relates that, today after the conflict in Iraq, 'nation building' has been used in an entirely different context than post WWII; armed forces of mainly the United States are being used as an agent to ensure the transition to 'democracy' in the process of nation building in Iraq and Afghanistan.
From the Paper
"In Japan, as stated earlier, the basic occupation authority was concentrated on one single nation, and indeed, one single individual, Douglas MacArthur. This meant that this person did not need to consult with other countries in his nation building activities, whereas in Germany, it was entirely different, and furthermore, the two most important international bodies for oversight and for consultation, namely the 'Far Eastern Commission', and the 'ACJ', had little or no impact on the entire process. Unilateralism also helped the United States in concentrating all its energies and resources in the overall reconstruction efforts and to expend less energy in trying to forge a consensus between the partners, as it happened in Germany."
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