ESSAY # 1 ; Alleviating Poverty

Page One ALLEVIATING POVERTY WRITTEN BY LINDA MCELWEE STUDENT OF AXIA COLLEGE OF PHOENIX
2009 Page Two Alleviating Poverty Everyone is asking is, “is there a solution to alleviate poverty”? In
most cases, poverty is a generational cycle that continues to exist. Whether, it is a family or a country in
poverty. Finding the right solution remains to be the hard part. We need to look at the reasons why they
are in poverty before we can decide what resources will accommodate the alleviating process for the
families or countries. Without our help such as: families helping {draw: frame} Families struggle to
provide the necessities for themselves and their children due to divorce, separation, Un-employment,
and death. Over one billion people in the last ten years have fallen into a poverty state. The Economy
has declined drastically which, is another reason that families and countries have been drawn into
Poverty. Groceries, utilities, clothing, fuel and housing prices have risen greatly. All of which are needed
for Page Three Alleviating Poverty Wars and re-establishing their government the prices of imports and
exports have been on the rise. The cost for Production, fuel and transporting goods have increased
greatly. Governments are forced to add more export Products while; their country becomes deprived
and suffers. Due to the deprivation in the year 1999, protests Broke out, in which turned the countries
into turmoil. (WTO) The World Trade Organization put together 150 Members to build a global
economics policy, to attempt to alleviate poverty in all countries. Despite the Attempts to use the
consensus, there is a reverse consensus blocking the recommendations of the dispute Settlement board.
Critics say, the WTO not only takes the side of corporations multinational, they also take the Side of the
wealthy countries. Corporations and well to do industries have become detrimental to our Environment
and our employee’s, to enhance their profit margins. Using the demand for necessary products that our
families and countries need to survive, corporations and industries have hiked their prices. When this
happens a worldwide economical melt down occurs. In the United States, on February 4, 2009; a new
President was inaugurated. In the attempt to alleviate poverty in our poverty stricken nation, his
promise to this will take a broad look into the economy. In the second year of the recession, there has
been a 7% Hike in unemployment. Although the employment rate stands at 93%, the president just
signed off on a $787 billion stimulus bill that will help the people of our nation and the financial
industries within auto Manufactures and for those that hold mortgages. This plan also covers health
care, regulating industries financially, education opportunity expansion and the energy sources that our
nation is in dire need of. Page Four Alleviating Poverty There is three states in which do not want to
take the stimulus package. Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina due to the fact that when the
money runs out, it would cause them to raise the taxes on unemployment. Trillion. He calls this
“exploding deficits”. To revitalize the economy, Joe Bidden and Obama have come up with a plan which
includes using government grant money to do the following: Assist business owners and Home owners,
relieving struggling families and to create good jobs in our nation; these grants do not need to Be paid
back. This can help with, paying off student loans, starting a new business or help with an existing
Break, in order to do this; radical changes must take place and that is just what the president and the
people of This nation intends to do. Educating nationally of the solutions and contributing to solving the
poverty Problems, using our democratic rights to implement all policies, ending warfare and disarming
all weapons so our resources needed to alleviate poverty will be re-established. Educating families about
all forms health care that can be provided for them, with the help of government agencies; can insure

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the health of themselves and their children. Government agencies can offer families that are poverty
stricken education and skill training Classes, child care to help build the confidence and self-esteem to
gain employment in the workforce. Health Benefits can help a family become well mentally and
physically to contribute themselves to others in need. Parents can help break the generational cycle by
teaching the children of this nation the benefits that can be Gained by volunteering their services in
many of the soup kitchens, food pantries and making our earth more Resourceful. Which in turn, our
children can teach the next generation to do the same? Understanding the Page Five Alleviating Poverty
Generational cycle is in the graph below. This graph shows the cycle in which each generation is the
same and has been since the beginning of time, to the current date. {draw: frame} Bringing our
generational cycle together as one unit, can break our economical deprived state. Starting with Our
nation and moving to our government that will bring new policies and goals that will ensure the stability
of our country that our nation needs. Moving from our government to our resources and using those
natural Resources to give us the nutrition, fuel and water needed to become more healthy and
resourceful, which in turn Page Six Alleviating Poverty Now that we have looked at the reasons our
families and countries are in poverty, let us look at a few Solutions that can help alleviate poverty. The
following recommendations were recommended by graduate Students that attended a seminar in the
fall of 2008. Given by Professor Scott W. Allard. The title of the seminar Is called Place, Poverty and
Social Policy. Government agencies need to look at the different ways to obtain the Resources needed
whether it is through private or public sources. Because the rise in our economy, there has been a
decrease within these private and public non-profit organizations. The graduate students have come up
with a guide to help government agencies achieve the national goal of alleviating poverty. Solution 1-
Allowing clients to evaluate the service they receive from government agencies will give insight on
Services that are needed, which ones accommodate and which ones need to be revised. Solution 2- The
use of the internet, provides worldwide updates on services that are available, the office hours Of the
closest agency to them and provide referrals when needed. Solution 3- Create a new network of
referrals and educate clients on how to become more economically self- Sufficient. Solution 4- Agencies
should find different locations for volunteers to help with food pantries, free health care Solution 5- The
poor working population in need of emergency assistance should receive the help they need to
overcome the struggles due to the economy, without bias or nationality. The government provides a
numerous amount of different assistance programs to help in the alleviation process of our poverty
stricken nation. These programs consist of the following: Food Stamp program to help with Hunger and
nutrition, health care; which helps with the all medical expenses, child care; which helps parents Page
Seven Alleviating Poverty To join the work force, job placement and education to help those in need of
employment and the skills needed To join the work force, PRC’s help with utilities, purchasing or
repairing of vehicles to continue working, Clothing and furnishings for the families in need of the
essentials. For example, bedding, stove, refrigerator and Couch with chair. There is however a poverty
guideline the agency has to follow to ensure the families are in Need of the above items. The guideline is
strict. In order to qualify for the items listed above, one must first; fill out an application and make an
appointment to see a caseworker to go over the items you may qualify for. The State identification card
or divers’ license. Birth certificates of all in home. Social security cards for all in the home. Leasing
agreement. Paycheck stubs over the past three months. All checking or savings account statements.
Titles to all vehicles. Shot records for all children under the age of 18. School registration forms to prove

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the child is in school. 10. All tuition statements. 11. Child support statement. All recipients must call for
an appointment before seeing a caseworker. Due to the high volume of clients, new Cases will be seen
on a priority status from the highest to the lowest. All government agencies are here to provide
information and resources to accommodate the needs of the recipients. In the process of alleviating
Poverty all recipients are helped with the upmost respect without discrimination or bias. Page Eight
Alleviating Poverty In conclusion, not only do we need to understand the different types of poverty and
ways to alleviate it, we also need to understand that there are numerous resources that could help. For
example: Health reform for the Entire family that cannot afford health insurance, job training and
education for those in need the skills to Join the work force, for countries that are in a desperate need
of new ways to make their countries less Vulnerable, of the uncaring and harsh living conditions; that
their politicians have bestowed on the population. Alleviating poverty is not only a government issue
that the government must try to fix. Some responsibilities Lie within all the population to help those less
fortunate then themselves. Parents, mentors, government Agencies, religious organizations and schools
can educate the next generation the benefits that we can reap break the generational cycle and alleviate
poverty worldwide. Page Nine Alleviating Poverty References Beck, Sandra copy written 2005
alleviating poverty, chapter two in, Best for All; How we can save the world
Bertrand,Mullainathan,S.,&Shafir, E. (2004, May). A Behavioral Economics View of Poverty. American
Economical Review, 94(2), 419-423. Retrieved December 19, 2008 from Business Source Complete
Goetz,E.(2004, summer 2004) Desegration lawsuits and public housing dispersal journal of the American
International Review of Applied Economics, 15(1), 65-75. Retrieved December 19, 2001, doi:
10.10801026 9217 0120013358 Blinder, Alan S., and Rebecca M. Blank, “Macroeconomics, Income
Distribution, and Poverty. “ In Sheldon Fisher, Franklin, “Household Equivalence Scales and
Interpersonal Comparisons,” Review of Economic Studies, Page Ten alleviating Poverty 1987, LIV, 519-
24 Panel on Poverty and Family Assistance, Measuring Poverty: A new Approach, Washington, D.C.:
National Alleviating Poverty During Economic Crisis, recommendations from graduate students.
Retrieved February 21, www.docstoc.com/socs/4059918/scottwallard.com

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ESSAY # 3 ; POVERTY ALLEVIATION and Pakistan
THE ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND DESIRE OF PAKISTAN’S
FOLLOW UP:

We need to understand the epistemological significance of poverty as defined and

understood in Islam. Faqir (poorest of the poor) and Miskeen (whose legitimate needs
exceed his means) are the two basic classifications of poor in Islam. Contrary to the interest
based cosmetic approach, the Islamic way of poverty alleviation focuses on developing
human resource and providing relevant job opportunity. The institutions identified for
financial assistance to the poor are assistance by: the nearest kith and kin; the neighbors
under neighborhood rights; others in the form of mandatory charity like Zakat; and through
temporary and permanent endowments. Moreover, an Islamic State is bound to provide
sustenance to its citizens irrespective of their religion. The State meets this responsibility by
collection of Zakat, other emergent charities and raising taxes.

The enormity of such relief to the poor under Islam cannot be disputed. Instead of taking
religion out of our public life, if we focus on integrating Islamic principles in our daily life,
the social response to poverty, irrespective of the involvement of the State, would be far
more supportive than all the donated funds together. Zakat and Bait-ul-Mal are the two
institutions, which, if used properly, can address the problem of poverty to a great extent.
The institution of Bait-ul-Mal has tremendous potential for reaching the poor and helping
them to escape the poverty trap without engaging in the curse of micro-credit. An
assessment of both Zakat and Bait-ul-Mal in terms of their miss-utilization and rehabilitative
contribution is urgently required.

The importance of Islamic arrangements for poverty alleviation lies in the fact that the poor
cannot afford loans at 20-25% interest rate, which either make them defaulters or the staff
of concerned organizations get involved in corruption by showing funds reserved for other
purposes as recovery of the micro-credit. More than 70 per cent rural population depends
mainly on agriculture. The land tenure system is a colonial legacy. India addressed this
problem in the initial few years, but the impact of land reforms in Pakistan, introduced on
three occasions, has been less than structural. Instead of addicting more and more poor to
micro-credit with no significant change in their poverty status, it is better for an
authoritative regime, like Musharraf's, to introduce revolutionary land reforms and address
the poverty problem on long-term basis.

Instead of purely relying on interest-based loans, programs like Pakistan Poverty Alleviation
Fund and Khushhali Bank need to look into the Islamic ways, like Mudariba, Musharika,
Khumus, etc for supporting the needy. The work opportunities through mega projects as
described by the General in every speech are not going to address the suffering of millions
living in remote regions, where cottage or rural industries need to be promoted on priority
basis.

Pakistan introduced Zakat and Ushr ordinance in 1980. The collection of Ushr, a percentage
of land produce, has not been very satisfactory because it is being done through the Land
Revenue Administration which, as a legacy of the colonial days, is not tuned to such a
revolutionary concept of an Islamic welfare State. However, if the legislation is enforced in
letter and spirit, poverty will find no spawning grounds and the poor and the needy will be
integrated with the rest of the society. There is also a need to introduce a representative
system for the collection and utilization of Zakat. The new decentralized local government
system can play a vital role in local collection and disbursement to the local poor. This would

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build social cohesion as well.

The ongoing poverty alleviation measures show that despite the fact that markets do not
eliminate poverty, because they tend to move new wealth away from poor communities,
most NGOs and the government follows the capitalist market doctrines. They secure
dividends by concentrating investments in relatively favorable environments. The poorest
people in the poorest places have thus disappeared in practice - if not in ideology and
publicity - from NGO net-works and government programs, almost as surely as they
vanished from private marketing surveys and business plans. Without coming back to Islam
for finding solutions to our problems, we may never achieve the lofty goals that we set for
ourselves - whether they are in the field of poverty alleviation or any other aspect of our
collective and individual lives. The problem is that we are not ready to even give it a
thought because the pockets in which we have put our hands for survival are leading us in
exactly the opposite direction.

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ESSAY # 4 Development Priorities and Outlook POVERTY ALLEVIATION:

1. Pakistan's Objectives and Priorities

The Government's vision and development goals are articulated in the Ten-Year Perspective
Development Plan 2001/11 (the Perspective Plan), and its poverty reduction strategy. The
key objectives of the Ten-Year Perspective Plan are to 

(i) accelerate GDP growth, reduce unemployment, and eliminate poverty; 

(ii) contain public borrowing and encourage private sector and private savings; 
(iii) improve economic competitiveness;(iv) build the human capital base; and 
(iv) institutionalize social capital conducive to sustainable development. In pursuit of these
key development objectives and priorities, the Government has set itself the following
targets of the International Development Goals.

Poverty Reduction Targets. 

The Government's poverty reduction target is to reduce absolute poverty from 30 percent in
2001 to 15 percent in 2011. The perspective plan envisages a four-pronged attack on
poverty centering on empowering the poor and providing them with increased economic
opportunities, greater access to physical and social assets, and improved access to welfare
and support developing appropriate social safety nets. These in turn require revival of
economic growth, and getting the Pakistan economy back on a sustainable, high growth
path.

Reviving Growth and Creating Employment.

The strategy is to revive economic activity in the medium term, and accelerate it over the
long term. The growth rate is projected to increase to 5.2 percent by 2004 to 6.3 percent by
2011. In the medium term, the four sectors identified to lead the revival of growth include
agriculture, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), information technology, and energy (gas
and coal). The Government's target is to create 11.3 million jobs during the Perspective Plan
period by promoting growth in labor intensive sectors and activities such as agriculture and
SMEs, as well as supporting rapid expansion of microcredit through a range of institutions
and initiatives.

Human Development.
Government recognizes the need to improve the country's social indicators. However, the
need to achieve macroeconomic stabilization by reducing the fiscal deficit, preclude the
possibility of significantly increasing public expenditures on education, health and other
social sectors in the medium term. Therefore, the strategy under the Interim Poverty
Reduction Strategy Paper (IPRSP) is to more effectively utilize available resources through
governance reforms, improved institutional mechanisms; and increased focus on the
disadvantaged, weaker sections of society and rural areas.

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Governance Reforms
An extensive structural and governance reform agenda is an integral part of the
governments Plan. The key problems that the reform agenda proposes to address include
(i) poor fiscal performance, including management of external and domestic debt; 
(ii) problems associated with the persistent social exclusion of the poor, women, and
minorities from access to basic services;
(iii) the chronic failure of past efforts to address accountability, corruption, and poor public
sector performance;
(iv) ineffective and inefficient intergovernmental relations between federal and provincial
levels, and marginalization of local governments; and 
(v) loss of trust by the common citizenry in public institutions, especially in the
administration of justice and the police.

The Government's governance reform agenda covers three key areas: 

(i) improving the public financial management system, public accounting and auditing
functions, civil service, and tax administration;
(ii) enhancing effectiveness of delivery of basic public services through a comprehensive
devolution plan; providing access to justice, and reducing vulnerability of poor through
legal, judicial, and police reforms; 
(iii) tackling corruption by reducing incentives for it through privatization, deregulation,
tariff reduction, and tax system reforms; and establishing an effective anticorruption agency
as a deterrent.

Sustainable Environmental Management.

The national conservation strategy was completed in 1992 and identifies 14 core
management areas for action. The strategy was followed by the more comprehensive
National Environmental Action Plan approved in February 2001, which narrowed the
Government's policy focus on the environment to four core programs: clean air, clean
water, waste management, and ecosystem management. Programs and projects relevant to
all four core areas are currently being prepared for implementation. In 1997, the
Environmental Protection Act was promulgated, providing a comprehensive framework for
preservation of the environment and giving extensive powers of enforcement of
environmental regulations to the environmental protection agencies.

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ESSAY # 2 ; Poverty Alleviation in Pakistan 
          Poverty is a self-perpetuating evil; therefore, the insolvency-stricken people rarely escape
from its steamrolling noose throughout their lives. They inherit their glooms and dooms to their
upcoming generations. This has driven a wedge between the affluent and the underprivileged
categories. Poverty has given birth to unbridled crimes, prevalence of frustration, blight of
bribery, smear of greed, moral degradation, infectious diseases, malnutrition, psychological
illnesses, committing of suicide, leg pulling and cutthroat competition. Thus aspirations of the
deprived people never materialize throughout their lives and their sufferings end with their
deaths while the rich led luxurious lives and enjoy every kind of facility.
          Various regional and international assessment reports suggest that illiteracy is a major
stumbling block to hamper pace of economic progress in Pakistan. Competitive examinations
provide opportunities to the educated citizens on the breadline to get a white collar job but even
these examinations are discriminatory. The loop holed assessment methods favor the siblings of
the rich by further marginalizing the impoverished. These unfair evaluation systems shatter trust
of the candidates in the institutions and they start thinking in terms of nepotism and palm
greasing.
          The rulers present rosy picture to the nation while playing to the gallery but it is crystal
clear that massive pockets of poverty, unemployed youth, illiterate teeming millions, rampant
corruption, gender inequality, volatile law and order situation, skyrocketing prices of
commodities, lack of access to basic amenities and socio-economic stratification are ubiquitous.
Thus people in our country are much poorer than projected by the monetary planners.
         There is crying need to launch poverty reducing development schemes to uplift socio-
economic status of the public. The government should open technical educational institutions to
generate experts. Industrial sector must be made vibrant to expand industrial base that can mount
productivity and provide opportunities of employment. Emancipation of women is mandatory to
bring them in the mainstream national life. The men in the driving seat should reduce lavish
spending.
        The civil sector, army, bureaucracy, politicians, clergy and mass media should join hands to
work with a unitary approach to liberate the country from the current morass. Patriotism should
be indoctrinated among the rank and file so that they can work with a sense of commitment and
dedication. Impoverishment cannot be trimmed down by changing statistics; therefore, the
regime in power should frame sound strategies to liberate the masses from the poverty trap that is
perpetually squeezing them.

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ESSAY # 1; Role of Women in Society
The ongoing changes in social, political and economic spheres of the country entails not
only the raise of women's role in society, in addition they are accompanied by breaking
of stereotypes to treat human beings by gender that had been shaping through decades.
Free economic relations and democratization of all spheres of life create the basis for
eventual equal social rights for any human being regardless of gender, for both men and
women.
From a legal point of view, a man and a woman in Russia are equal. However, in
practice, there are no real mechanisms of women's rights fulfillment as well as for their
active participation in social life.
Such questions as women and their place in the society, their political and social activity
as well as enlightening of those problems in mass media; questions of creation of
informational data-base as well as maternity and childhood cannot be effectively solved
by governmental bodies, especially in the situation of economic crisis.
That is why it is important today to assist the creation of such mechanisms through the
activation of women's public organizations. And non-governmental charity
organizations become a single source for support of such projects.
Housework, chores and raising children are generally considered to belong to a woman's
domain. Despite the fact that birthrates in the country have been falling, children are
obstacles in the labor market. It is understandable that women decide to defer having
children later or do not have children at all. Along with that, there is a lack of knowledge
about modern contraception and a correspondingly large number of abortions. The
frequency of abortions in Russia is one of the highest in the world.
Women comprise 54 percent of contemporary Russian society. However, the number of
women taking part in the country's political, economic and civic life shows that women
are restricted in the spheres of politics and government. Women's salaries are on
average lower than men's, and women are likewise far more likely to fall victim to
violence and unemployment. According to United Nations Gender Organization data, 67
percent of those unemployed in Russia are women.
A lack of state financing in social programs has caused further tightening in the labor
market, particularly for women. Female unemployment is rising at a catastrophically
high rate. Women have less access to retraining programs than men, while women
entrepreneurs are a rarity.
Women's social status is a serious problem. Few female decision-makers can be found in
positions of social importance. This strengthens the stereotype of "male superiority" and
hinders the creation of true partnerships between men and women.
One of the most important reflections of equity is equal rights in the labor market.
Analysis of existing legislation of Russia confirms its prohibition on gender
discrimination. However, legislation itself creates only a certain legal environment,
certain conditions for equality, but does not ensure their fulfillment.

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So, the main goals are protection of women's rights and elimination of discrimination in
society; widening women's participation in policy decision-making processes on the
local, regional and national levels; support for cooperation between women's
organizations on the national and international arenas; widening access to international
resources and experience of women's organizations on an international level.

ESSAY # 2 ; The Changing Role of Women in Society

A women's role has changed tremendously and is making its greatest impact in our society
today. Many years ago, women's contribution to society was limited and controlled by men.
Women are standing tall and are playing a major role in many important areas. Women's role
has changed at an accelerating rate and has part in areas such as Politics, Professional Training
Jobs, Medicine, Business and Law. Formerly they were not part of any political matter, but they
have advanced in many aspects. For example, women have attained power and have been
growing in political office.

Women's impact is simply due to the fact that they are now educating themselves. They are now
concerned with the improvement of their own position. Women are fighting for their rights and
are slowly progressing and participating in activities that they were not allowed before. The
women's rights movement is a good example of how women have come across very strongly,
fighting for their political, social and economical status. I feel that technology and
modernization have an impact on women so much.

A women's role has changed tremendously and is making its greatest impact in our society
today. Many years ago, women's contribution to society was limited and controlled by men.
Women are standing tall and are playing a major role in many important areas. Women's role
has changed at an accelerating rate and has part in areas such as Politics, Professional Training
Jobs, Medicine, Business and Law. Formerly they were not part of any political matter, but they
have advanced in many aspects. For example, women have attained power and have been
growing in political office.

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ESSAY # 3 ; The Changing Role of Women in Society
Earlier in the olden days, women use to sit at home detached from the outside world. They use
to manage home and look after children. They were devoid from the responsibility of earning
income for the family, leaving it exclusively to their male counterparts. The responsibility of
earning income for the family was left to males.

With the advent of industrialization and technological development, the lifestyles of human
beings started to change. The needs of human beings started to multiply. Apart from basic
amenities, man aspired for sophisticated life. This shift to modern living started to reflect in the
lifestyles of human being.

In this process, women slowly started to move outside home. Women pursued education in
equal terms with males and with this women literacy rate improved tremendously.
Subsequently, women slowly started to participate in all walks of life.  Women started to think
independently and participated equally in the outside world along with their male counterparts.
Slowly and steadily discriminating women on the basis of gender diminished, as women won
applauds in all the fields of life including politics, sports and even in defence services.

As the times have changed, along with that standard of living   has undergone drastic
transformation.  Needs of human beings have multiplied and in this process earning substantial
income for maintaining a decent life has become the highest priority. With the changed
circumstances the role of women has become so important in the society. For matching today’s
standard of living and leading a dignified life, it became imminent for both men and women to
collectively earn income for the family.  

Gone are the days when women use to sit at home, managing home and looking after the
children. Today women have been given bigger role to play in the society. They are entrusted
with more responsibility than their male counterparts. Women have to venture out and
work along with men in supplementing income for the family. Initially men objected to women
pursuing their career outside home, but with the growing needs and scarcity of money, he had
no other way out but to accept the reality and adjust with the changed circumstances.

Contribution of women in generating income for their families increased drastically. Women
started earning income almost at par with their male counterparts. But home was still managed
exclusively by women as in the past, without any change. Men did not provide enough support
to their female counterparts in managing home and children. It became a challenging task for
women to manage both spheres of life, home front and their careers outside home. Women after
working hard at their jobs had no respite after coming back from their office.  They cannot
afford to sit down and relax for some time, as they have to take care of the needs of their
children, manage home and prepare food for their family. It became very hectic for women, as
the burden on them increased disproportionately.  Women are bearing the brunt and suffering

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mental hardship in managing home and pursuing their careers. Further women are also
suffering emotionally, as they have to leave their small children at home and stay outside for
long hours in pursuing their careers.  

ESSAY # 1 ; The disadvantages of using science against Nature

Have you ever wondered whether the advances in science and technology would provoke
nature’s need for revenge? Have you ever thought of what might happen if we keep on the
exploit what we have, our lands and our bodies? Because I have. I feel that what nature is
preparing for us will come out of the blue, exactly when we least expect it. And the cause
for this would lie in our actions. And why? Simply because we have no idea what we’re
doing while polluting our planet, using chemicals in everything and we are even thinking
about modifying our children’s looks and brains. We are pushing our luck with the advances
in agriculture, genetics and medicine.

For a start, all humans are so used to using technology and taking antibiotics that I’m not
even sure that we could survive without them. For example, children weren’t used to such
strong pills ten years ago as they are now, since a very young age. The research that I’ve
made into the media shows that genetically improved corn makes the danger of famine in
many parts of the world a thing of the past, but do these people realize that such meals
don’t provide enough vitamins and thus puts their health at risk? And do they know how a
specific body would react to such things? My opinion is that people should consider their
interference in agriculture if they don’t want to provoke nature to strike back.
Modifying plants is not the only business of nature with which people mess up. Knowing the
way your child will look like when it grows up is to be no longer something extraordinary.
But if it becomes a normal thing to take a picture of a star and say that your hair looks like
him or her, imagine how simple the child’s life would be, there would be nothing interesting
or surprising to happen to its looks. Not only that, imagine what life would be if we all
looked like dolls in the Disney shop :). In addition, the smallest and simplest mistake could
cause mutations or provoke long-lost inherited diseases in the family tree. It is the same
thing with the organs that will be created in laboratories soon- the risk of health ‘problems’
is too high. My research shows that the average lifespan would soon be over eighty years of
age. And what will happen if everyone lived up to a thousand years old? The world would be
overpopulated and the people who would work wouldn’t be enough to feed those who
wouldn’t. And that would be a disaster.

However, medicine is well developed nowadays. A patient who had an organ transplanted is
celebrating the tissue’s tenth year of normal function in his body, according to the media.
Transplantations make people with an infected organ live normally, but that has its price.
First of all, it is very risky to undertake such an operation, but the results might be
tremendous. The second threat comes right after the end of the surgeon’s ‘masterpiece’-
the danger of inheriting diseases from the owner of the organ. In addition, I don’t think it is
ethically correct to allow people to literally sell parts of their bodies. At least not for such
prices like $2000, which is how much a kidney costs in Turkey? What’s more, we all know

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what kinds of risks cosmetic surgery involves- for example, if you make your lips bigger, the
substance might decide to change its position in a year and move to your cheek.
To sum up, scientists’ ability to make nature work for them has had clear benefits. Of
course some people do question the ethics of certain experiments, and others demand to
know just how far we are prepared to go with scientific changes. Nevertheless, the benefits
to both individuals and the whole of society out weight these concerns, but can’t out weight
what the future could bring to us as a revenge for playing with nature.

ESSAY # 1; The purpose of education

The purpose of education should be to create an academic environment that is separated
from the outside world. This kind of environment is ideal because it allows students to focus
on important ideas without being held back by practical concerns.
Education, the cornerstone for the sustainable development of any society, has raised
concerns among people about its real purpose. However special this purpose is, it can not
be only to create an academic environment, separated from the outside world. Contrary to
what the followers of this idea think, focusing on scholastic matters regardless of practical
concerns may lead to counterproductive results. And that can not be an ideal environment
for students.
It should be approved that an academic environment is beneficial to students during their
process of attaining knowledge. The information taught to them is often conveyed logically
according to the syllabus. This undeniably enriches their background understanding.
Moreover, most lessons are confirmed by the authority, therefore reliable and save
students’ time on examining.

In thorough analysis, however, this totally academic environment has its own downsides,
which would overturn the upsides if not handled carefully.Isolation from the outside world
makes students ignorant of the complex reality, which is neither fully reflected in books nor
vividly reported by teachers. This leads to irresponsible reactions towards the wealth fare of
human beings, of whom they are a part. How can indifferent and insensitive intellectuals
serve their community effectively, then?
Furthermore, in an ivory tower immune to practical concerns, students have little chance to
achieve significant breakthroughs. It takes no effort to cite out some geniuses, who
challenged obsolete theories and introduced their conventional ideas to the world. Yet, once
students feel no impulse to scrutinize a “guaranteed” piece of information through
experiments and researches, their creativity may be restrained. With an inactive perceptive
skill, it is doubtful if they can make use of their potentials.

Last but not least, all students are supposed to graduate and enter the labor market. If they
only focus on theoretical ideas, unaware of the delicate reality, they may appear as
dogmatic scholars. Such institute fodders can hardly meet the demand of the workplace,
where hand – on experience and true benevolence are preferable. In this case, they are
unlikely to become successful bread winners.

In summary, academic knowledge is only useful when it is applied to serve reality.

Therefore the idea of separating students from the outside world seems to need more
serious consideration. After all, education helps uncover and activate people’s hidden
strength. During this process, academic knowledge plays as the leading touch, while real –
life experience build up the unique road. These two factors are, hence, interdependent and
inseparable. 

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 ESSAY # 2; The purpose of education should be to create an academic
environment...
I believe that academic environment should not be separated from the rest of the world
because it would negatively affect the education process. Neither I agree that practical
concerns can interfere with the students' focus on the subject they study. First of all,
practical application of knowledge is the ultimate reason to teach students, and they should
know how to apply what they have learned. Second, in some fields of study knowledge tend
to obsolete fast. Students and professors need to constantly keep up with it to remain
competent. In science, for example, interacting with other universities and research groups
are necessary to provide effective and up-to-date education.

When a student chooses his profession, he counts on finding a job according to his
knowledge and interests. It is impossible to master any profession without practice,
however. When students learn a new theory in physics class they always receive a home
task. It is a way for them to practice, so they can understand the theory better and apply it
to solving model problems. Furthermore, senior students usually work in research groups,
becoming familiar with scientific equipment and experimental technique. Application of
knowledge, which they gained during the earlier education, helps to understand what they
were taught in more detailed way. This is a great way to prepare students for the time when
they will perform they own researches.

In some areas, such as science or programming, information outdates rapidly. If a physics

professor, for example, only teaches students, but does not work in a research group, he is
unable to provide his students knowledge about most recent changes in his field. That may
not be important if he teach basics of the quantum mechanics, because it was developed in
the past and now is a research tool. But the laser physics, for example, is a relatively new
field of physics and it changed dramatically during the last several decades. In this field new
methods and tools are constantly developed, and students studying it need to learn from
the most recent sources available.

Finally, I believe that isolation and separation from practice can only harm the quality of
education. Since the goal of the education is to prepare professionals who will work for
practical result, theoretical knowledge only is not enough. They will need some experience
to be effective.

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 ESSAY # 3; Purpose of education
I believe that AN academic environment should not be separated from the rest of the
world(,) because it would negatively affect the education process. Neither DO I agree that
practical concerns can interfere with the students' focus on the subject they study. 
First of all, THE practical application of knowledge is the ultimate reason to teach students,
and they should know how to apply what they have learned. 
Second, in some fields of study knowledge tends to QUICKLY BECOME obsolete. Students
and professors need to constantly keep up with it to remain competent. In science for
example, interacting with other universities and research groups IS necessary to provide
effective and up-to-date education.

When a student chooses his profession, he counts on finding a job according to his
knowledge and interests. However it is impossible to master any profession without
practice. 
When students learn a new theory in physics class they always receive a home task. It is a
way for them to practice, so they can understand the theory better and apply it IN solving
model problems. Furthermore, senior students usually work in research groups, becoming
familiar with scientific equipment and experimental techniques. THE application of
knowledge, which they gained during their earlier education, helps THEM to understand
BETTER THAT WHICH they were taught in A more detailed way. This is a great way to
prepare students for the time when they will perform they own researches.

In some areas, such as science or programming, information out-dates rapidly. If a physics

professor for example, only teaches students, but does not work in a research group, he is
unable to provide his students WITH knowledge about THE most recent changes in his field.
That may not be important if he teach ONLY THE basics of the quantum mechanics, because
it was developed in the past and now is a research tool. But the laser physics, for example,
is a relatively new field of physics (,) and it HAS changed dramatically during the last
several decades. In this field new methods and tools are constantly developed, and students
studying it need to learn from the most recent sources available.

Finally, I believe that isolation and separation from practice can only harm the quality of
education. Since the goal of the education is to prepare professionals who will work
TOWARD practical results, theoretical knowledge only is not enough. They will ALSO need
some experience to be REALLY effective.

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 ESSAY # 4 ; The Purpose of Education -

Critical Pedagogy for the Democratic Society

Education has been immersed in conflict for decades. John Dewey in 1938, after twenty
years of experience with the progressive schools and twenty years of criticism of his
theories, wrote. . .
"It would not be a sign of health if such an important social interest as education were not
also an arena of struggles, practical and theoretical. . . It is the business of an intelligent
theory of education to ascertain the causes for the conflicts that exist and then, instead of
taking one side or the other, to indicate a plan of operations proceeding from a level
deeper and more inclusive than is represented by the practices and ideas of the
contending parties. . . .It means the necessity of the introduction of a new order of
conceptions leading to new modes of practice."
Or to a rising of the consciousness of present conditions and insight into needed/desired
changes. Many of the conflicts surrounding education are the result of multiple points of
view as to the purpose of education, the definition of knowledge, and the arguments over
which knowledge or whose knowledge is of most worth. Ira Shor echoes John Dewey:
For over a century, mechanical factory models of teaching and learning have been at war
with critical, interactive education.
This paper will take the position that the purpose of education is to enable individuals to
reach their full potential as human beings, individually and as members of a society; this
means that these individuals will receive an education which will enable them to think and
act intelligently and purposefully in exercising and protecting the Rights and
Responsibilities claimed by the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the
American Dream.
When we look at the big picture - Society - we see schooling not as a neutral island
separate from, but as an integral part of, Society. Those in power make decisions which
directly impact students and teachers daily - from salary decisions to materials to
certification standards to testing.

One cannot deny that education is political. Critical Pedagogy is education; it is political.
Critical Pedagogy is a pedagogy designed for the purpose of enabling the learner to
become aware of, conscious of, conditions in his life, in society, and to have the necessary
skills, knowledge and resources to be able to plan and create change. It is consciousness-
raising. Critical Pedagogy, as does Critical Theory, strives to help one see the true
situation, often being a form of oppression resulting in decreased freedom, and to help one
understand that this can be changed - in other words it reveals possibilities, the learner is
able to discover the possibilities and then act on them.
Some say that it is not the responsibility of the school or of teachers to do this. But Critical
Pedagogy does NOT recommend that the teachers impose upon students their (teacher’s)
beliefs about what is, what is wrong and what could be. That is exactly what Critical
Pedagogy is opposing.

"The tendency to form attitudes which will express themselves in intelligent social action is
something very different from indoctrination, just as taking intelligent aim is very different
from firing BB shot in the air at random with the kind of vague, pious hope that somehow
or other a bird may fly into some of the shot." Rather, it is intended to allow the student
realization that he is not powerless. It is intended to enable the student to think critically,
to make decisions, to take action, as opposed to either passively receiving and adopting

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canonized modes of thinking and living which serve to maintain the status quo, or being
alienated from society and schooling because the student’s experiences, culture, voice,
and beliefs are different from those of the school. The student is unable to make those
vital connections between what he is supposed to learn and his own experiences, which
was one of the main tenets in John Dewey’s theory of education.

Dewey explains that there is an intermediary between aimless education and education
that indoctrinates and inculcates. "The alternative is the kind of education that connects
the materials and methods by which knowledge is acquired with a sense of how things are
done and of how they might be done; not by impregnating the individual with some final
philosophy . . . but by enabling him to so understand existing conditions that an attitude of
intelligent action will follow from social understanding."

John Dewey defined an undesirable society as one which internally and externally sets up
barriers to free intercourse and communication of experience. He further stated that a
society which makes provision for participation for the good of all its members on equal
terms and which secures flexible readjustment of its institutions through interaction of the
different forms of associated life is democratic. "Such a society must have a type of
education which gives individuals a personal interest in social relationships and control,
and the habits of mind which secure social changes without introducing disorder."

Thomas Jefferson declared, "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of
civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." The Massachusetts Constitution
of 1780 stated "Wisdom and knowledge, as well as virtue, diffused generally among the
people . . . [are] necessary for the preservation of their rights and liberties." The
Ordinance of 1787, wherein the state of Virginia ceded the land northwest of the Ohio
River to the United States, Article III states "Religion, morality and knowledge being
necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of
education shall forever be encouraged."

Our country was founded on the positive value of change. Heed the words of Noah
Webster in his new speller appearing in 1783; he opens his new book with these words:

The author wishes to promote the honor and prosperity of the confederated republics of
America, and cheerfully throws his might into the common treasure of patriotic exertions.
This country must in some future time, be as distinguished by the superiority of her
literary improvements, as she is already by the liberality of her civil and ecclesiastical
constitutions. Europe is grown old in folly, corruption and tyranny - in that country laws
are perverted, manners are licentious, literature is declining and human nature is debased.
For America in her infancy to adopt the present maxims of the Old World, would be to
stamp the wrinkles of decrepit age upon the bloom of youth and to plant the seeds of
decay in a vigorous constitution. American glory begins to dawn at a favorable period, and
under flattering circumstances. We have the experience of the whole world before our
eyes; but to receive indiscriminately the maxims of government, the manners and the
literary taste of Europe and make them the ground on which to build our systems in
America, must soon convince us that a durable and stately edifice can never be erected
upon the moldering pillars of antiquity. It is the business of America to select the wisdom
of all nations as the basis for her constitutions - to avoid their errors - to prevent the
introduction of foreign vices and corruptions and check the career of her own - to promote
virtue and patriotism - to embellish and improve the sciences - to diffuse a uniformity and
purity of language - to add superior dignity to this infant empire and to human nature.

These words express hope, dreams, and possibilities as well as a thorough criticism of the

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past and of what is. What kind of men and women were able to think these thoughts, write
these words, and commit to the actions they chose? Men and women who knew how to
think critically, and men and women who were much more than basically literate, men and
women who were not afraid to speak out and question authority, who valued what they
considered to be their inalienable Rights - Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. What
kind of men and women will it take to see to it that these goals are upheld and to ensure
that this country, this society, stays on course as it changes? The men and women needed
are those who know how to think critically, who have courage, and are able to think, read,
write and speak critically.

Contemporary thinkers are addressing the issue of democracy. John Rawls writes:
Now the serious problem is this: A modern democratic society is characterized not simply
by a pluralism of comprehensive religious, philosophical, and moral doctrines but by a
pluralism of incompatible yet reasonable comprehensive doctrines. No one of these
doctrines is affirmed by citizens generally. Nor should one expect that in the foreseeable
future one of them, or some other reasonable doctrine, will ever be affirmed by nearly all,
citizens.
Fenstermacher supports Rawls’ view. He explains that Rawls founds his problem on the
acknowledgment of difference, on the growing legitimacy of pluralism, on the burgeoning
of special interests, and on the impact of postmodern thought on our views of knowledge,
morality, and politics. Fenstermacher’s concern is a "serious skepticism about e pluribus
Unum - and calls for us to figure out whether it is still possible to have unum in a world
that is so importantly and purposefully pluribus. If this problem is to be confronted and
resolved in a manner consistent with the tenets of a liberal democracy, we must prepare
tomorrow’s citizens to understand it and come to grips with it. To do this successfully, we
cannot merely select some of our citizens to do this work, say the well-off and politically
savvy, for this problem is about the rights, privileges, and identities of everyone. If not
everyone is involved in its resolution, it is unlikely that it will be resolved at all."

Rawls has defined a situation wherein the members of each and every comprehensive
doctrine must seek and find a common basis for preserving union. Fenstermacher sees
only one way to make such a situation possible: prepare all the people to undertake this
search and resolution. "Education is the only way I know to do that."
Henry Giroux says it so well . . ."We want to argue that part of the growing crisis in public
education centers around the declining competence of students and others to effectively
interrogate and communicate ideational content. In other words, in jeopardy is not merely
the ability of students to be creative, but the very capacity for conceptual thought itself.
Moreover, since democratic social, cultural, and political forms depend on a self-motivated
and autonomous public, the precondition for which is critical thinking, the crisis at hand
may be the very survival of democracy itself."
Dewey had the same concerns in 1958 when he wrote "Only as the coming generation
learns in the schools to understand the social forces that are at work, the directions and
the cross-directions in which they are moving, the consequences that they are
reproducing, the consequences that they might produce if they were understood and
managed with intelligence - only as the schools provide this understanding, have we any
assurance that they are meeting the challenge which is put to them by democracy."
We live in a society which is continually evolving and yet, somehow, it has become
generally accepted that schooling should not change. Many still hold expectations that
what “used to work” remain appropriate. But we are not the same, we are different. The
world is different. Does one refuse to wear a pair of new shoes when one pair is worn out
or outgrown? It doesn’t mean the old shoes are bad; they just don’t serve their purpose
any longer. Critical Theory and Critical Pedagogy are based on the premise of continual

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change. Perhaps Critical Pedagogy will help us to prepare the citizens of tomorrow for the
inevitable changes they must meet.

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