The vital factors of british and chinese student when they considering Dissertation

The vital factors of british and chinese student when they considering apply for the university during the globalization age - Dissertation Example The literature review chapter presented an overview of the factors playing and important and decisive role in determining the application process of the British and Chinese students while applying in universities. It was found that the demographic, socio-economic, social, and individual factors play an important role in the decision making process. Moreover, Chinese students are more careful while applying in universities as they seek reputation, image, brand, value for money, and future prospects. The research methodology chapter presented an overview of the different elements of the methodology along with discussing the overall relevance and importance of each element in seeking the answers for the hypotheses. The findings and analysis chapter presented an analysis of the findings based on the use of the SPSS statistical tool. The chapter highlighted the use of Chi Square, Anova, and Mean tests in understanding the relationship between factors affecting the applying process in univ ersities. It was found that there is a positive relationship between social, demographic, personal, and globalisation factors affecting the applying process in universities for oh Chinese and British students. ... TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1.Introduction 4 1.1Introduction 4 1.2 Research Aim 5 1.3 Research Objectives 5 1.4 Research Questions 5 1.5: Background of the Research 6 1.6 Rationale for the Research Topic 7 1.7 Scope of the Research 7 1.8: Proposed Methodology 7 1.9: Outline of the Dissertation 8 1.10: Summary 9 Section 2.0 Literature Review 10 2.1 Introduction 10 2.2 Impact of Globalisation on Students 10 2.3 Perceived Isolation of Chinese Students in the UK 14 2.4 Academic Issues 16 2.5 Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of Chinese Students 18 2.6: Social Factors Affecting the Applying Process in University 19 2.7: Demographic Factors Affecting the Applying Process in University 21 2.8: Other Factors Affecting the Applying Process 23 2.9: Summary 25 Section 3.0 Research Methodology 26 3.1 Introduction 26 3.2 Research Philosophy 26 3.3 Research Approach 27 3.4 Research Design 27 3.5 Data Collection Methods 28 3.6: Data Analysis 28 3.7 Sampling 28 3.8: Questionnaire Formulation 29 3.9. Ethical Considerations 29 3.10: Strengths and Limitations of the Methodology 29 3.11: Summary 30 Section 4.0 Findings and Analysis 31 4.1 Introduction 31 4.2 Hypotheses Analysis 32 4.3: Summary 48 Section 5 Conclusion and Recommendations 49 5.1 Introduction 49 5.2: Conclusion 49 5.3: Recommendations for Students Applying in University 54 5.4: Recommendations for Future Research 54 5.5: Summary 55 BIBLIOGRAPHY 56 CHAPTER-1: INTRODUCTION 1.1: Introduction Globalisation can be considered as the main force connecting different nations and cultures in an easy and simple manner. Globalisation often helps in the expansion of international cultures, social, political, and economic activities (Brennan, et al, 2009). Globalisation

Stockwell Street, The Business Case for Sustainability Research Paper

Stockwell Street, The Business Case for Sustainability - Research Paper Example Environmental concerns relate to aspects of ecology and physical surrounding (Vallero 2008, p. 98). In sustainability, the project should enable the current entities to achieve their objectives without compromising on the quality of lives of future users of the given structures. Environmental conservation, social well being and intergenerational equity are possible objectives as a country achieves economic potential within the resource base. The most essential aspect of environment, as pertains to the construction industry, is the resource base for construction. Construction involves employment of natural elements such as timber and soil. In the end, uncontrolled use of timber would lead to the depletion of forests. It is vital to exercise control or seek for alternatives of timber in construction. A sustainable construction project would seek for a strategy that minimizes on the use of timber. A related environmental concern relates to water use. The new structure should incorporate a construction strategy that aids water harvesting and preservation. The project has constructive options that could lead to sustainability. To begin with, the project has initiated strategies of managing thermal performance. The structure should have proper control of heat and cold in order that it protects the given buildings from destruction by expansion and contraction of a building’s components (Clark 2010, p. 76). In addition, the proposal has indicated plans of incorporating rain water recycling and harvesting systems. This strategy is beneficial in the sense of cutting down on the schools’ cost of water. Rain water is a free resource that only leads to incurring of costs in its harvesting. In the end, the initial costs would be spread in the subsequent years until they become significant. In close relation to this, the sustainability options would involve use of bio-fuels. It is notable it is less costly to construct bio-fuel energy systems in the particular s tructures. However, they cut down on the general costs of energy in the school. However, this proposal has its constraining aspects. To begin with, it consumes significant time and labor to put up a bio-fuel system. In addition, the system has several hitches that drag a project for a substantial time. Other strategies entailed building monitoring and management. Additionally, there were proposals of evaluating buildings on evacuation of occupants. It is not a feasible strategy to wholly use bio-fuels in the energy system of a school. However, bio-fuel energy system is feasible for the lighting system of school since it utilizes low energy (Brebbia 2012, p. 102). An additional strategy relates to use of solar power systems. CPV systems will be strategies of providing clean power that does not require use of oil fuels in their generators. However, such systems have to possess high ability for generation of power. In addition, the plan would involve the employment of readymade concret e that do not consume higher amounts of cement and sand. In addition, glass fibers are strong are robust support systems that replace the use of timber. The core place of consideration, as pertains to energy use, would relate to the schools’ IT systems. The advent of a technological revolution has triggered substantial use of electricity and other forms of energy. However, electricity would be of critical concern because it is a convenient form of energy

Summarise the main criticisms that Jane Jacobs levelled at urban Essay

Summarise the main criticisms that Jane Jacobs levelled at urban planning thought at the beginning of the 1960s, and discuss whether her criticisms are still relevant to planners today - Essay Example Jane Jacobs was particularly active in her role against the surge of urban renewal politics that emerged in the past-war period. She was of the view that modernist urban renewal measures destroyed cities rather than improving the social and economical conditions that needed to be addressed. In the post-war period, that is the period after the Second World War, there arose a need for the redevelopment of bombed cities. It was decided to rebuild them on an organized framework and proper planning. However, there arose many criticisms to the approach adopted by architects and engineers. The critique that Jacobs leveled at the renewal plan was normative in nature, emphasizing on the values of the planning rather than the physical design. One of her significant contributions is her perception of cities as â€Å"problems of organized complexity,† which entail â€Å"dealing simultaneously with a sizeable number of factors which are interrelated into an organic whole† (Jacobs 1992). One of the criticisms that Jacobs put across was the ideology of utopian comprehensiveness. In plan cities effectively and sustain the development plans, Jacobs saw the need to have an acute understanding of the way cities function. If city planners did not understand the lifestyles and needs of the residents, they would not be able to devise a plan that incorporated the needs of the community. Therefore she rejected the ideal models that emerged during post-war planning of towns and cities. According to Jacobs, Howard’s garden city model, and Le Corbusier’s vision of the city of the future and his radiant city did not explicitly illustrate a framework that fulfilled of the needs of the community and led to a more functional urban setting. Her argument was that modern city planners had little insight into the functioning of cities, their models can not

Stockwell Street, The Business Case for Sustainability Research Paper

Stockwell Street, The Business Case for Sustainability - Research Paper Example Environmental concerns relate to aspects of ecology and physical surrounding (Vallero 2008, p. 98). In sustainability, the project should enable the current entities to achieve their objectives without compromising on the quality of lives of future users of the given structures. Environmental conservation, social well being and intergenerational equity are possible objectives as a country achieves economic potential within the resource base. The most essential aspect of environment, as pertains to the construction industry, is the resource base for construction. Construction involves employment of natural elements such as timber and soil. In the end, uncontrolled use of timber would lead to the depletion of forests. It is vital to exercise control or seek for alternatives of timber in construction. A sustainable construction project would seek for a strategy that minimizes on the use of timber. A related environmental concern relates to water use. The new structure should incorporate a construction strategy that aids water harvesting and preservation. The project has constructive options that could lead to sustainability. To begin with, the project has initiated strategies of managing thermal performance. The structure should have proper control of heat and cold in order that it protects the given buildings from destruction by expansion and contraction of a building’s components (Clark 2010, p. 76). In addition, the proposal has indicated plans of incorporating rain water recycling and harvesting systems. This strategy is beneficial in the sense of cutting down on the schools’ cost of water. Rain water is a free resource that only leads to incurring of costs in its harvesting. In the end, the initial costs would be spread in the subsequent years until they become significant. In close relation to this, the sustainability options would involve use of bio-fuels. It is notable it is less costly to construct bio-fuel energy systems in the particular s tructures. However, they cut down on the general costs of energy in the school. However, this proposal has its constraining aspects. To begin with, it consumes significant time and labor to put up a bio-fuel system. In addition, the system has several hitches that drag a project for a substantial time. Other strategies entailed building monitoring and management. Additionally, there were proposals of evaluating buildings on evacuation of occupants. It is not a feasible strategy to wholly use bio-fuels in the energy system of a school. However, bio-fuel energy system is feasible for the lighting system of school since it utilizes low energy (Brebbia 2012, p. 102). An additional strategy relates to use of solar power systems. CPV systems will be strategies of providing clean power that does not require use of oil fuels in their generators. However, such systems have to possess high ability for generation of power. In addition, the plan would involve the employment of readymade concret e that do not consume higher amounts of cement and sand. In addition, glass fibers are strong are robust support systems that replace the use of timber. The core place of consideration, as pertains to energy use, would relate to the schools’ IT systems. The advent of a technological revolution has triggered substantial use of electricity and other forms of energy. However, electricity would be of critical concern because it is a convenient form of energy

Stakeholders Who Influence the Purpose of Tesco Plc and Bonzers Farm Essay Example for Free

Stakeholders Who Influence the Purpose of Tesco Plc and Bonzers Farm Essay This report investigates the different stakeholders involved in influencing the purpose of Britain’s largest retailer Tesco Plc, this will then be compared to Bonzers Farm, which is a successful local business providing fresh produce. In this report we will get to distinguish key stakeholders in both businesses, and their relevance and the part which the play within that business. I will then conclude my report by discussing conflicts of interest and the interdependencies with those stakeholders. Stakeholders are people that have an interest in the success of business and play a role in the survival of that business. They tend to submit monthly amounts of money into the company or that it affects or is affected by the businesses action, they would be seen as more important to a company such as Bonzers Farm as they would need all the funding they could get, as it only supplies small local business and would be easily influenced by any small change, where as Tesco’s Plc, which is a successful international retailer would of established strong relationships with its stakeholders and is in a better financial situation and therefore any financial change could be overcome easily . Tesco Plc and Bonzers Farm have similar stakeholders. The main ones are shareholders, customers, employees, government, local community, and suppliers. Shareholders are people who legally own shares of stock in Tesco Plc, they are needed as if Tesco is losing income and find themselves in financial trouble they can sell their shares to help build up the business, so the more shareholders they hold they better the chance of recovery. Shareholders want the business to succeed and their shares to increase which means a better return/dividend. Shares would be more secure with a company like Tesco Plc as it’s considered to be successful and gives out better dividends. Bonzers Farm would be seen as an unsecure investment as it only operates locally and has a higher chance of becoming bankrupt, which means shareholders lose their shares. Customers tend to be the most influential stakeholder as they determine the income Tesco makes. They generally want innovative products and quality goods at low costs, if Tesco is successful in providing this (research and ncome figures suggest they are), they will attract more customers through word-of-mouth and various forms of advertisement, Tesco are very aware of their targeted audience and therefore are successful in meeting customer demands which allows Tesco Plc to expand. Customers are as important if not more to Bonzers Farm as that may be the only form of income they receive, customer loyalty and increase is essential. They rely solemnly on word-of-mouth to improve customer numbers as they cannot afford advertising through various media. Employees want also Tesco Plc to succeed and influence it by working harder and more efficient. This is due to the fact that if Tesco succeed they are likely to get better wages, a higher chance of promotion and have a secure job. If Tesco Plc were to collapse this would threaten their jobs, freeze or maybe ever lower their wages. So it’s in the interest of both parties that Tesco provides a good service. Bonzers Farm will have only a small number of employees compared to the thousands Tesco have and their efficiency is crucial. This is because if they don’t work hard and at a high level then the business may fail and they are likely to lose their job. Stakeholders such as suppliers are also interested in Tesco succeeding as it allows them to have a long term and secure buyer, this allows them to sell more products which means more income and success for them. Their goods have to be of a high quality (depending on price) for customer demand to continue or increase and for customer loyalty. If quality drops that will have to be reflected by the price, if not then the Tesco may have to consider getting new suppliers, this means loss of income for the current supplier and job uncertainty. The government is also a stakeholder as it is interested in the success of Tesco Plc as all businesses have to pay taxes, so the more profit they business turns in the more taxes is has to pay, if the business fails then workers are make unemployed and as a result may go and ask for government unemployment benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance. Local community can also be considered as a stakeholder as it may be interested in the success of that business to create jobs for people living locally. A new Tesco store would be seen as a great opportunity for local jobs as it would require hundreds of staff with not much experience or qualifications. Bonzers Farm may be less welcomed as it only required a small number of staff and experience in the farm may be needed. If a business like Tesco fails then it’s likely that the whole community is affected due to job loss and will lose the ability to provide a needed service to the locals. If Bonzers Farm fail this will also affect the local community as it supplies local business, so it closes then those local business will need to find new suppliers at the current rate, if this can’t be achieved then they local business may also fail as a result. To conclude, from the information above that I have researched, all the stakeholders play a major role in the success of both business. However it is apparent that there is conflict of interest between stakeholder parties. For Tesco there could be a conflict of interest between the Owner and customer, both play a huge role in the success of Tesco Plc, as Tesco is mainly owned by shareholders they will be interested in the amount of profit they receive and therefore will be trying to get cheaper suppliers and selling at the highest price possible or cutting down employees, where as customers are interested in the service provided by Tescos, this could be through customer service or the quality of products compared to price, there could be conflict over opening hours as longer hours means a longer service for customers but more expenditure for the owners as more staff are required which means more expenditure. For Bonzers Farm there could also be a conflict of interest between owner and workers as the owners objective again is to turn in the highest profits available where as workers will be interested in higher wages, this could create a conflict as if Bonzers Farm decide to pay more wages they could loose much needed profit to pay out to the shareholders and running costs and as a result even fail to break even. This is due to the fact that employers look to pay the lowest costs for a best service available, the two tend to collide. Even though there is often conflicts between the stakeholders there are also interdependencies between them as they depend and need each other to make the business thrive. For example Tesco customers depend on the suppliers to supply them with the best quality of products available, and the suppliers depend on the shareholder to buy their products at the highest price. The local community depends on the success of Tesco to open up new job opportunities for the locals. This interdependence is also apparent for Bonzers Farm. Without all the stakeholder there would be gabs in the hierarchy and the business will find it difficult to function.

Disabled by Wilfred Owen and Out, out’ by Robert Frost

Disabled by Wilfred Owen and Out, out’ by Robert Frost How the theme of loss is communicated in the poems Disabled by Wilfred Owen and Out, out’ by Robert Frost   The poems Disabled by Wilfred Owen and ‘Out, out by Robert Frost were written 1917 and 1916 respectively, the poems were both written with the theme of loss featuring prominently throughout the narrative. Wilfred Owen was an English poet and soldier during the First World War, he was one of the leading poets of the First World War and his shocking, realistic war poetry on the horrors of trenches and gas warfare and stood in stark contrast both to the public perception of war at the time and to the confidently patriotic verse written by earlier war poets who had a romantic view of war. Wilfred Owen used his poems to express his negative attitude to the First World War. His use of comparisons and harsh imagery keeps his readers entertained throughout the whole poem. Robert Frost was an American poet who was highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life in the United States of America and his command of American colloquial speech. Robert Frost uses literary terms such as imagery, personification and caesuras to describe the theme of loss throughout the poem ‘Out, out’. The poems both display the theme of loss quite prominently and frequently refers to the theme of loss in order to show how they felt during the time of writing. The theme of loss in Wilfred Owen’s poems originated from his surroundings when he wrote it; the poem ‘Disabled’ was written by Wilfred Owen in 1917 while he was recovering from injuries that he had sustained in the trenches of the Western Front. Wilfred Owen’s view on the war was quite poor at this point as he had seen many horrors while fighting in the trenches and because of his exposure to victims of Shell Shock otherwise known as post-traumatic stress disorder. The poem ‘Disabled’ talks of the tormented recollections and thoughts of a soldier in World War I who has lost his limbs in battle and is now confined to a wheelchair and is utterly helpless. The poem contrasts the living death he is now facing with the pleasures he once enjoyed â€Å"before he threw away his knees†. The main character then recalls the frivolous crowds which had cheered as he joined up to fight in the war. The main character then notes how the crowds had look ed smaller and less enthusiastic, and how women no longer look at him but at the strong men who were whole. Wilfred Owen uses the poem title itself: ‘Disabled’ to display the theme of loss, the title is quite important as it is what grabs the reader’s attention and gives a brief description of the poem and the title ‘Disabled’ certainly does that and is to the point, this gives the reader a picture in their mind of loss in the poem due to imagery and the use of language throughout the poem. The poem ‘Out, out’ was written by Robert Frost and published in 1916, it is be based on a true event which occurred in March 1910 when the son of Frosts friend and neighbour lost his hand to an accident with a saw and bled so profusely that he went into shock and died. Robert Frost emphasizes on the innocence of the boy through personification frequently throughout the poem in order to show the theme of loss. Frost concentrates on the apparent innocence and passivity of the boy. The poem ‘Out, out’ can be used to demonstrate how extreme circumstances such as war can force innocent and young boys and men to leave their childhood innocence behind, and ultimately be destroyed by circumstances created by the responsible adult as well as the idea that even if somebody dies life will go on as if nothing happened. Disabled is a potent and strong poem which communicates the theme of loss because of mainly the style and structure that Owen has used. Harsh words are used to emphasize the theme of loss inside the poem through imagery; this is shown when the man is wearing a â€Å"ghastly suit of grey’ which shows the man’s morbid and depressed state of mind. As well as that the narrator says sleep ‘mothers’ the main character from the laughter and noises of young boys which suggests that the man no worth living for and prefers the temporary respite sleep provides. He regrets the loss of ‘throwing’ away his knees which suggests that the ideas and inspirations behind joining the war were not as patriotic or loyal as they should have been and his vanity and immaturity only has now left him a cripple. The girls all touch him like a â€Å"queer’ disease† while he used to dance with them freely in his youth; this shows how he has paid for his vanity with the loss of his legs. Wilfred Owen also uses comparisons frequently to demonstrate loss, the line: About this time â€Å"Town used to swing so gay† uses past tense to help compare the town before the war and after the war, this helps to show how he is regretting the losses since he joined the army. The phrase â€Å"Now he is old; his back will never brace† shows the man’s loss through his physical state and can be compared to the phrase: â€Å"for it was younger than his youth, last year.† The use of imagery is used when the narrator talks of the man’s life bleeding out of him through a wound on his thigh, and the use of the word ‘purple’ which is usually a colour denoting life and vitality, shows that the ordeal the soldier had gone through when he had been injured had a deep impact on him, as he no longer feels like he had a reason to live or be happy while compared to when he was younger when he was full of joy and was living life to the fullest. The poem also illustrates how the man’s lifestyle changed dramatically through contrasts between his past life and his current state to show the theme of loss. He was once described as a great athlete and was popular with girls but now he is in a wheelchair and they touch him like a queer disease, and he notices how their eyes pass from him to the strong men that were whole, this is contrast to before when he was the centre of attention. He is no longer seen as a normal person. The man notes that once there was an artist was once eager to paint him but compared to before Now he is old, his back will never brace; hes lost his colour very far from home. The analogy is drawn between being a soldier and playing sports highlights the selfish motives the man had for joining the army such as ‘jewelled hilts, daggers in plaid socks and smart salutes’ which can be seen as a very naà ¯ve view of the army, it also acts as a constant reminder to the man that his pride and va nity had caused him to lose the exact things he had been proud of: he would never again run in a field or score a winning goal, he would never again be praised for being a hero but will only pitied and mocked endlessly for being a cripple. Things that would previously have been boasted about such as the small injuries received in a football match, and being carried on the shoulders of his team mates after a match have become permanent sources of sorrow as he no longer has his legs and needs to be carried around helplessly by nurses and doctors. This contrast is chilling and distressing as it shows his loss though comparisons between his past and his present state. The idea of how much he has lost is made worse when the ‘Only a solemn man who brought him fruits, Thanked him; and then enquired about his soul.’, this section is quite significant as it shows that there is only one man who cares to ask how he is and only then he is only caring because of his own selfish reas ons and does not really care about how the man is doing, this helps further the theme of loss on ‘Disabled’. The poem ends on a sad and mundane note as the man wonders why they do not come and put him to bed. It is a reminder that he will have to have others do things for him from now on, this shows how the man is now reliant on others to help him and that he has nothing to live for anymore furthering the sense of loss in ‘Disabled’. The title of the poem ‘Out, out’ is an allusion to William Shakespeares tragedy Macbeth, in the play Macbeth is shocked to hear of his wifes death and comments on the brevity of life in the quote ‘out, out brief candle’. It refers to how unpredictable and fragile life can be. This title itself also relates to the narrative as the poem is also about how unpredictable and fragile life is. The theme of loss is communicated in ‘Out, out’ with the constant use of personification, an example of this would be the personification of the Buzz Saw which constantly buzzes and snarls while jumping out of the boy’s hand in ‘excitement’. The line: â€Å"leaped out at the boy’s hand, or seemed to leap† as well as the word ‘excitement’ to describe the saw helps to create an image in the readers mind through personification that the saw has a mind of its own. This is uses later on to help display the theme of loss l ater on in the narrative. The poem is penned in blank verse with deviations from iambic pentameter to create a rhythm for when you read the poem, this helps to create tension to help display loss and tension as the narrative goes on. Robert Frost initially starts poem with mentioning the tragic event to come when he states that he wished that the workers would have â€Å"called it a day† and â€Å"given† the boy â€Å"the half hour that counts so much when saved from work†, this leads the reader to wonder what will happen as there is foreshadowing for a unknown event. This eventually leads to the sense of loss when the boy nearly severs his hand. After the boy’s hand is nearly severed, he is still mature and old enough to realize that he has lost too much blood to survive. The boy is shown to desperately attempt to â€Å"keep the life from spilling† from his hand, but even that is only an attempt, since nothing can be done and everybody including t he boy knows he will die soon. Above all, though, the boy hopes to maintain his physical dignity in his death and would rather die with a hand than die with a missing hand, this helps to shows the theme of loss when the boy dies. Robert Frost also shows the theme of loss when he writes: â€Å"the watcher at his pulse took fright†¦.† this use of imagery shows that maybe an acquaintance and not a family member who is with the boy when he dies. This scene is a cold image and shows a lack of humanity to help demonstrate the theme of loss as the boy is shown to be without much family when he dies. Near the end of the poem the narrator says ‘Little—less—nothing’, this is an example of diminishing words and the caesura used creates a pause to put emphasis on what has just been said. The theme of loss is communicated here because it shows that the boy is weak and that he has nothing because his life has been taken away from him. To communicate the them e of loss at the end of the poem Robert Frost writes that the workers: ‘And they, since they were not the one dead, turned to their affairs’, this shows that the family did not feel much emotion when the boy died and instead just carried on with their work without the boy. Onomatopoeia is also prominent throughout the poem as it helps highlight the extended personification, an example of this would be: ‘And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled’, this helps build up tension for when the boy loses his hand to help further communicate the theme of loss. In the two poems â€Å"Out, Out† by Robert Frost and â€Å"Disabled† by Wilfred Owen, a similar theme of loss is portrayed. Both of these poems deal with the subject of physical loss, as both protagonists of these poems experience amputation which are also both accidental, in the case of ‘Disabled’ the loss of the man’s legs and the loss of a hand in ‘Out, out’. Both Robert Frost and Wilfred Owen have managed to captivate their audience’s attention, and also a certain degree of sympathy for the protagonists’ misfortune in ‘Disabled’ and ‘Out, out’. The two poets do this quite well in their poems, with the use of common literary techniques and linguistic skills, such as similes, metaphors, personification, personification, imagery, contrast, and more literary devices, which range from subtle to very obvious. The heavy use of imagery throughout the poem helped to create an image in the reader’ s mind which helped to show the protagonist’s loss. Overall, this helps to make the two poems communicate the theme of loss effectively throughout the narrative. In their different ways the poems ‘Disabled’ by Wilfred Owen and ‘Out, out’ by Robert Frost communicate the theme of loss through literary devices and language features. In the poem ‘Disabled’ by Wilfred Owen; Owen mainly uses comparisons to draw contrasts between his current state and his former life in order to show loss while the poem ‘Out, out’ by Robert Frost mainly uses literary devices which include imagery and personification well as caesuras to help convey his theme of loss. However both poems deal with the subject of physical loss and both Robert Frost and Wilfred Owen manage to captivate the reader’s attention and create a sense of sympathy through the theme of loss. I personally feel that ‘Out, out’ by Robert Frost is more effective due to the heavy use of imagery to help show the protagonists loss. Overall the writers communicated the theme of loss effectively throughout the narrative.

Mellor on the Chances of Effects :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Mellor on the Chances of Effects* ABSTRACT: In the Facts of Causation (1995), D.H. Mellor includes, as a part of his theory of causation, an account of the chance that a cause gives its effect. He proposes that this chance can be analyzed as a certain kind of conditional, a closest world conditional with a chance consequent. I show that there are problems with Mellor’s account, but also attempt to show how these can be remedied. This analysis highlights important issues concerning the concept of components of single case objective chance. Mellor takes the chance he is concerned with to be objective single case chance measured by the probability calculus. It is not frequency nor credence, although it has important connections to both frequencies and credences.(1) According to Mellor facts which have chances can have more than one chance, for example, by having them at different times. Suppose we have two unstable atoms A and B in close proximity, each of which has a low chance of decaying, and suppose that atom A, if it decays, may bombard atom B with its product, thereby driving atom B into a state in which its chance of decaying is quite high- much higher than otherwise (see figure 1). Suppose this in fact happens, and let us consider the chance E that atom B will decay at a later time tE, when an observation will be made. The chance of E changes—increases, in fact—at tb, the time at which B is bombarded. Thus E has two chances, at different times. Mellor also holds that chances are contingent, but not on the fact that they are "chances of" (in our example, E), since they can exist when that fact does not. Atom B may not decay at t0, but it still had a chance of doing so prior to that time; so the chance existed but the state of affairs that it was about never did. Since chances are contingent, they must therefore be properties of other facts, facts without which they would not exist. The chance E that atom B will decay at time t0 is a property of facts about the structure and nature of that atom, together with facts concerning the nature and proximity of atom A. Mellor writes this chance as "chQ(E)" where Q is the fact or conjunctive fact of which the chance is a property. Applying this to the case of causation, the chance of the effect is a property not of the effect but of another fact, the cause C or the conjunction of C and S, where S is the circumstances in which C causes E.