Recent orders
The following memo is about robots and their impact on technology and communication as well as economic growth
Robots
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Memorandum
To:
From:
Date:
The following memo is about robots and their impact on technology and communication as well as economic growth. Robots are used in numerous fields such as in the automobile industry where they are used in welding and lifting cars. Apart from assembly operation, robots are used in spray painting, in the military, space exploration, transportation and medical application although they were designed to perform some boring tasks. Currently, robots are largely used to perform labor tasks. The need to increase production and improve on efficiency is very necessary and finding the best robot for this is very important. I major in Mechanical Engineering which is directly related to the construction of the robots. The first article, “Team Designs Tiny Robots That Can Build like Termites” gives a significant design of tiny robots that can build without outside intervention. The second article, “Believable Robot Characters” gives an account on how important are the believability of robots when it comes to human-robot interaction.
Team Designs Tiny Robots That Can Build Like Termites
The article was published by Dow Jones & Company Inc. in New York, United States and authored by Robert Lee Hotz. The organization of the article only provides a heading and several paragraphs describing what the author wants to pass. It also has an abstract that summarizes what the information contained in it (Robert, 2014). The article is written in simple a U.S English language and is directed to the audience at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago. It focuses on the ability of the robots to help in building any structure that they are instructed to.
Believable Robot Characters
The article was published by Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, La Canada in United States and authored by Simmons et al. The organization of the article provides headings and subheadings dividing every point communicated by the authors. There is also a subtract summarizing the content and objective of the article. The article is directed towards people in the entertainment industry who are greatly interested in the human-robot interaction through the integration of consistent story line, verbal and nonverbal behavior and social context. It is also written in a simple and understandable language (Simmons, 2011).
Comparison
Both the articles are written in simple language and address the design of robots that may make work easier for humans. Both the articles are use technical terms that can only be understood by the professionals or engineering students. It is apparent that both articles address the significance of robots. In contrast “Team Designs Tiny Robots that Build like Termites” addresses the design of robots for research purposes while “Believable Robot Character” is concerned with human-robot interaction for academic purposes.
Conclusion
Both articles have used simple and common language that can be easily understood by their readers even the ones who do not fully understand the concept of robots. The sources are very useful in further research because they authored by professionals and may also be used for a beginner or any other ordinary person in understanding the functions and the concept of robots.
References
Robert, L. H. (2014, Feb 13). Team designs tiny robots that can build like termites. Wall Street Journal (Online). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1497963698?accountid=45049Simmons, R., Makatchev, M., Kirby, R., Lee, M. K., Fanaswala, I., Browning, B., . . . Sakr, M. (2011). Believable robot characters. AI Magazine, 32(4), 39-52. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/918771428?accountid=45049
The following is an interview essay that focusses on the view of two different individuals perspective on their understanding
RUNNING HEAD: HAPPINESS
An Interview on Happiness
Name:
Course:
Tutor:
1st April, 2011
Introduction
Looking at human life; one can see that there are several episodes of one’s life that may affect him differently emotionally. For instance, when one is born, almost everyone tends to be happy. What is happiness? People have got varied definitions as to what is happiness, what actually constitues and brings about happiness (Rama, 1989).
The other side of one’s life is basically sadness. This is actually the opposite of happiness which can be reffed to as unhappiness. People tend to be unhappy, for example when one dies or when they lose a close relativer, friend or even an associate (Sellars, 2003).
This is not always true as such, because some usually are happy whe others are unhappy. For example, when one’s rival has died some might be happy about their death. In otherwards some are happy when others are not happy (Wolfe, 1999).
The following is an interview essay that focusses on the view of two different individuals’ perspective on their understanding of happiness. The first person is Mr. Gordon who is a teacher by profession and Ms. Mercy who is a Doctor. First I started by interviewing Mr. Gordon and consequently Ms. Mercy and the followoing are their responses to the various different questions that I asked them.
I: Thank you very much for agreeing to spare your scarce and valuable time to come for this interview. Mr. Gordon how can you difine happiness ?
Mr. Gordon: “Thanks as well for this important question, and actually before I answer it, let me start by saying that actually, hapiness may have varied definitions, and yet ellusive to define. I can define happines as the emotional state of feeling joy while supressing the stress and distress of life.”
I: Can you please, explain further, on what you mean when you say that it has varied definations and also when you say that happiness is ellusive.
Mr. Gordon: “what I do mean when I say that it has varied definitions is that happiness is varied and depends on an individuals point of view. To help me explain this further, let me use this example. Some people find happiness on little thing in life, for example, simply because they are alive and not sick makes them happy, while others, may be alive but not happy, because they do not own a car or good houses. Happiness is ellusive because one is only happy by choice. In other words, there are several things that can make us unhappy in life but we momentarily forget them and find happiness.”
I: How did you gain this view conserning happiness?
Mr. Gordon: “looking at life, you will hardly find instance when there in nothing that does not make you feel unhappy. Looking at the media; the news is majorly abut things that are supposed to make us unhappy by our human nature of empathy.
I: Has your definition of happiness changed over time?
Mr. Gordon: “Yes, to some extent, when I was young I did enjoyed being happy most of the time unlike now when I am an adult.”
I: What experiences have influenced your definition?
Mr. Gordon: “ I think as a child there was little I did to earn the happiness that I experienced; since my prents were responsible, but as an adult, I pay the price of my happiness.”
I: Do you expect the definition to change again?
Mr. Gordon: “Not actually.”
I: Thank you very much for agreeing to spare your scarce and valuable time to come for this interview. Ms. Mercy how can you difine happiness ?
Mercy: “To me, happines means having and enjoying everithing that is good and enjoyable in life.
I: Ms. Mercy what constitutes hapiness?
Ms. Mercy: “The things that bring about happiness are, for example, nice cars, houses, having more money to spend, among others.”
I: How did you gain this view conserning happiness?
Mercy: “I think, in life there are so many problems and the thing that bring about happiness are important for one’s happiness and if they are lacking, then, happiness can as well not be realised”
I: Has your definition of happiness changed over time?
Ms. Mercy ”Not so much.”
I: What experiences have influenced your definition?
Ms. Mercy “The main experiences are the easy of life with these things that make life enjoyable. “
Conclusions
The definitions given by both interviewees are quite different; and this makes the meaning of the word happiness quite personal. The first interviewee agrees that the task of defining the term is quite elusive; meaning he acknowledges that people have various meanings as to what qualifies to be termed as happiness. The second interviewee; tends to associate happiness with material thing and she is more of the view of those philosophers of Hedonism. It is a philosophy that equates happiness to physical pleasure (Janaro & Altshuler, 2008). In contrast, Mr. Gordon concers with the philosophy of Epicureanism that is happiness is avoiding pain. (Janaro & Altshuler, 2008).
References
Janaro, R., & Altshuler, T. C. (2008). The art of being human: the humanities as a technique for
living. New York: Pearson Longman.
Rama, S. (1989). The Art of Joyful Living. Honesdale: Himalayan Institute Press.
Sellars, J. (2003). The art of living: the Stoics on the nature and function of philosophy.
Burlington: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Wolfe, W. B. (1999). How to Be Happy Though Human. New York: Routledge.
Problems of Stateless in China
Name:
Institution:
Course:
Tutor:
Date:
Problems of Stateless in China
A public opinion poll as well as abundant researches conducted in the recent years has indicated that china’s global influence has risen over the years. Surveys have been conducted in the Asian continent, Africa and Latin America. Most respondents in this survey believe that the china has made a great leap in technology and economic matters and its impact has been felt all over the world. China is the most densely populated nation in the world. A comprehensive census indicates that the Chinese population is a quarter of the world population. The China republic has a system of government that is not devolved. State power within the people’s republic of China is exercised through the communist party of China (Davis, 1999, 124). The whole authority of administration of this nation lies on the central government. Lack of a devolved system in such an expansive country is lethal and can have lethal implications. Renowned political scientists in conjunction with expatriate in economic matters have proposed that adoption of a federal system would be the best solution to this threat facing China and is hampering its efforts of becoming a major word power.
Problems of Stateness
China is strategically which gives it advantage over other states in becoming a world major power. The country also has a dynamic population and is endowed with fresh brains. This has resulted in a massive growth of its economy over the years. The country holds a better share of the world’s trade. The country also enjoys military supremacy and hence is safe from internal aggressors (Andrew and Scobell, 2012, 15). It has become a country with national interests at almost every corner of the world. This state has been seen as a great threat to the United States of America’s predominance. The republic of china has managed to embrace peaceful political leadership. Two peaceful leadership transitions have occurred in the country.
Some political scientists argue it out that Stateness is a prerequisite for democracy (Davis, 1999, 125). China is formerly a communist country. Stateness concepts is to great extent necessary for the development of the democratic attributes of electoral rights, political liberties, the rule of law and social rights. China was a vehement supporter of communism during the period of cold war. They supported the Soviet Union’s quest to spread communism to the world.
The communist party of China was formed in the 1921 and was under the stewardship of Mao, who was a renowned philosopher. The man, Mao led the people’s republic of China into a revolution that saw the adoption of communism. This meant adoption of the soviet’s model of development in China. Afterwards, in the Sino-soviet split of 1950s a dynamic gradual change occurred as Mao ditched Marxism and Leninism. Mao being a philosopher developed his own description of communism. This was due to the stand take by the Soviet leader Nikolai that a peaceful relationship and coexistence should be fostered. After Mao’s demise, China adopted market socialism under the direction Deng Xiaoping. Under Deng’s watch, the People’s Republic of China experienced modernization in terms of agriculture, industry, science and technology. Deng is credited for converting china into a world economic power (Andrew and Scobell, 2012, 143).
China has been a communist country for over fifty years. Before the introduction of communism in this state, abject poverty and war was widespread. Mao’s introduction and application of communism worked miracles. Mao being a military commander also worked tirelessly to ensure the spread of communism around the globe for instance; China intervened in the Korean wars of 1950 to 1953 in support of spread of communism. At some time, protests led by students and supported by later by the workers broke out in the country (Andrew and Scobell, 2012, 243). In the subsequent revolt, a fierce war which was being championed by the Martial law was put in place. This resulted in the death of many especially the government opposes.
China is a unitary state that is run by a central dual government (Davis, 1999, 125). The only existing political party in this sovereign republic is the Communist party which is the founding and the reigning party. The communist party however exists alongside the united front. China’s governance up to date takes a communist approach and multiparty democracy has not been introduced. China is still in Stateness a situation that occurs prior to democratization. However this Stateness has threats which it pauses to the success of the China republic.
Stateness is a comprehensive term used to refer to issues regarding boundaries, citizenship and identity. Democratization cannot coexist with pluralism. China is a pluralistic nation with a single political party. The Stateness problem can be described as the difficulties experienced by states in winning the loyalty of the diverse populations in a particular country (Andrew and Scobell, 2012). The Stateness problem mostly arises when the different diverse populations make an attempt to secede from the main central country to form other new nations or to join other existing nations.
China occupies a large geographical area, has numerous societies and is the country in the world that borders the most states. However, despite the tremendous strides the country has made in economics, military and technology the state is not a subject of broad consensus with respect to both its geographical boundaries and its membership. Some portions of the Republic of China are not fully committed to the endorsed concept of the larger China republic. These include; Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Mongolia and Hong Kong (Davis, 1999). Despite these areas having disparities in their defiance to the central government, they serve as good examples of the defiant areas. For instance, Hong Kong despite being geographically small is economically independent of the China republic. Taiwan poses a similar threat like its counterpart, Hong Kong. The Hong Kong fraternity is not a big threat as its inhabitants identify themselves with the People’s Republic of China. However, the fraternity treasures the separate economic system it has put in place.
The issues mentioned above are a true testimony that the expansive political and economic systems are slowly but gradually disintegrating. The attempt of certain areas to stand on their own can be termed as lethal to the journey of China to attain world military, political and economic supremacy. A number of resistance movements are arising at an alarming rate with the aim of seceding from the larger China (Andrew and Scobell, 2012, 345). The annual Victoria park demonstrations on the 6th of June are held by the Falun Gong movement. Intensification of such measures by the revolutionary movements and an up rise in other would to some extent result in overpowering of the central government. The defeat of the central government would mean a split by the areas that do not pay full allegiance to the People’s Republic of China’s concept. Most of these areas that are not fully loyal to the government are found on the periphery of this expansive republic.
Most of these areas that are defiant to the central authority are embracing democratic political structures. The People’s Republic of China itself has not fully embraced multiparty and democracy. The country still practices pluralism which does not offer a fertile breeding ground for democracy. Abraham Lincoln described democracy as the government of the people for the people and by the people. Ridiculously, the Republic of China has only one party which has no distinction with the government. There exists a possibility that the pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong could entice other Han areas of the China’s mainland to join their democratic movements which would be a risk to the Chinese regime (Davis, 1999, 134).
The Stateness issues have also soured the China’s international relations. Some of the China’s rivals who are in the battle for military, economic and political supremacy might take advantage of the Stateness concerns in China to weaken it. The United States of America for instance has been undertaking hidden interventions of the almost seceded states of Hong Kong and Taiwan. USA has been disguisedly using the quest of human rights as a ground to take intervention measures in Hong Kong. Currently, Hong Kong is a separate reporting entity to the United Nations on matters pertaining to human rights (Andrew and Scobell, 2012, 245). Taiwan to some extent is inspired by Hong Kong as it keeps a close eye on Hong Kong’s proceedings. These factors have been undermining Chinese’s sovereignty to a greater extent. Interventions of the internal affairs of this nation are adding salt to the injury. A sum up of all these factors is threatening the China’s rise to the position of a major power in the world.
Problems posed by Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan
Tibet and Xinxiang are two underdeveloped provinces in the western part of the People’s Republic of China. Taiwan is an established city in the East of China. The three regions are posing Stateness associated glitches to the larger China. The regions have been holding separate pro-independence measures in a bid to secede for the People’s Republic of China. This regions have been continuously defying the concepts embraced the People’s Republic of China. The international community led by the USA has been making efforts to make Beijing grant the people in this region’s independence (Davis, 1999, 133). Therefore, they pose a great hazard to the journey of China towards becoming a world’s major power if they fail to co-operate with the set national economic, social and political policies.
Federalism as a measure to minimize Stateness related problems.
The Stateness problems however can be tackled and overcame only if the People’s Republic of China would take sound measures. Numerous political theories argue that the People’s Republic of China should embrace federalism as a measure to counter possible secession of some areas (Davis, 1999, 125). Federalism is a system of government in which the nation has been subdivided constitutionally into other areas called states or provinces that are governed in many aspects independently. In the federal system however, a governing head that represents overall authority of the nation is elected or chosen. Federalism is based upon democratic principles in which the authority to rule is shared between the national and the state governments.
The adoption of federalism in China would provide a lasting solution to the Stateness associated problems. Devolution would be of great importance as the devolved governments would provide checks to the central government. This would probably resolve the relationship disputes between the People’s Republic of China and the antagonistic Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong and other areas that are non-collaborative to the People’s Republic of China’s concepts and principles. Devolution and other fundamental political reforms should be taken into consideration rather than clinging to a central authoritarian system which is more or less proving futility (Davis, 2012, 254). A combination of federalism and confederalism would seem to offer a promising alternative path forward ().
Advantages of the Hong Kong system of one country two systems
Hong Kong’s stability and development as an international city has been largely made possible by the principle of one country, two systems. The Hong Kong city is a pro-democratic city that has embraced a capitalist economic approach. This framework has ensured its continued economic supremacy. The city has maintained a distinct international identity as a business, financial, shipping and aviation center. Despite this success the city has not fully seceded from the larger China. This approach of one country to some extent is preferable if it is formalized as devolution. Nonetheless, this would only be applicable if the measures taken by Hong Kong which include an independent judiciary, a level playing ground for business and respected civil service would be applied in the larger devolution (Davis, 1999, 129).
In summary, for China to enjoy supremacy over the other nations in the world, it has to take precautions to hamper secession that is posing a great threat to the country. Adoption of a federal or a confederalistic system of government in this case is inevitable.
References
Andrew, N and Scobell, a (2012). China’s search for security. New York: Columbia University Press.
Davis, M. (1999). The case for Chinese federalism. Journal of Democracy. volume 10, issue 2. Pages 124-137.