Thursday, December 26, 2019

Gap, Inc. Financial Analysis Essay - 2903 Words

The GAP, Inc. The Fiscal year Ended January 28, 2012 A. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 1. Financial Statements Included in the Annual Report 2.1. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow 2. Major Competitors of the GAP, Inc. American Eagle Outfitters, Inc., J. Crew Group, Inc., and the TJX Companies, Inc. can be shown as the major competitors for the GAP, Inc. Based on the data given in annual reports of the companies, gross margin % for GAP, Inc. is 36%, while American Eagle Outfitters has 36%, J. Grew Group, Inc. has 40%, and TJX has 32% gross margin. Stock price on November 2, 2012 is $35.11 for the GAP, Inc., while it is $21.05 for American Eagle Outfitters, Inc., $43.55 for J. Crew Group, Inc., and $41.52 for the TJX†¦show more content†¦7. The price per share of the common stock The price per share of the common stock as of the most recent fiscal year-end date, which is January 28, 2012, is $18.69. On the other hand, the price per share on November 3, 2012, which is the day we can see the close price before the report date, is $35.11. 8. Generated Cash The company generated $1.363 billion net cash by operating activities during fiscal year 2011. The amount of generated cash generated during fiscal year 2011 decreased $381 million comparing the amount generated during fiscal year 2010. Also, net cash provided by operating activities during fiscal year 2010 decreased $184 million compared with fiscal year 2009. The cash outflows for investing activities of the company are primarily for capital expenditures and purchases of investments, whereas cash inflows are primarily provided from maturities of short-term investments. The amount of net cash used for investing activities is $454 million during the fiscal year 2011, $429 million during the fiscal year 2010 and $537 million during the fiscal year 2009, while maturities of short-term investments are $150 million, $600 million, and $125 million in fiscal year 2011, 2010 and 2009. The cash outflowsShow MoreRelatedGap Inc Financial Statement Analysis LR1493 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Financial Statement Analysis for Gap Inc. Company Background Gap Inc. is a leading global apparel retail company offering apparel, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, and children under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta, and Intermix brands. Having distinct brands across multiple channels and countries allows Gap Inc. a strong competitive advantage. The company currently has 375 stores in 41 countries. Products are also online through Company-owned websitesRead MoreFinancing Activities of Nordstrom and the Gap1385 Words   |  6 PagesFinancing Activities Analysis of The Gap, Inc. and Nordstrom, Inc. Financial Statement Analysis April 24, 2013 Introduction The Gap, Inc. and Nordstrom, Inc. are retail companies with similar aspirations, yet different business strategies. Both strive to be top competitors in the retail industry and have generated and maintained a steady customer demand for their products and services. Their journeys to competitiveness in this industry have been based on very different strategies, however. ThisRead MoreGap Incorporated1166 Words   |  5 PagesTO: CEO of Gap Inc. FROM: Andre’ Snead I have conducted a company analysis on Gap Inc. and my findings resulted in the following recommendations to improve their sales for the next three years: * Gap Inc. need to produce a better advertisement campaign that relates more to their customers. * Fashion and brand-conscious consumers who shopped at retailers such as Gap tended to be emotionally driven in their purchasing behavior and were influenced by marketing efforts that showcasedRead MoreIs The Ideal Investment Over Apple Inc.1157 Words   |  5 Pagesparent Alphabet and the ever-innovating Apple Inc. maintain their spots as two of the most popular. The two titanic companies have previously had a sizeable gap between the values of their stocks, with Apple Inc. leading Alphabet thanks largely to its massive deposits of cash. USA Today analyst John Shinal asserts that because of this more rapid growth, Alphabet is the ideal investment over Apple Inc. for investors who favor growth stocks while Apple Inc. is preferred for its dividend payouts. Shinal’sRead MoreOverall Fiscal Health Of Gap Inc. Company Overview1148 Words   |  5 Pagesthat it must be the generation gap, arguing that the people of the generation before him were smaller in size. GAP was the name of his first store and the name of his company that was founded in San Francisco in 1969. Alongside his wife, Doris Fisher, Donald decided that his store would focus on Clothing and appeal. Opening their second store in 1970 and reaching 25 locations in 1973 ‘The GAP’ was well on its way to becoming a clothing and appeal retail giant. In 1974 Gap begin to sell privatized clothingRead MoreGap Inc Swot Analysis1524 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction / History Gap Inc. was inspired by the struggle of a married couple Donald Fisher and his wife Doris Fisher, who together raised $63,000 to open their own store in San Francisco’s Ocean Avenue. They sold primarily Levi’s jeans and LP records, the records were sold to attract young people into the store. With the stores gained popularity it earned $2 million in its second year of operation. With all the success of their first store they opened their second store in San Jose in 1970 followingRead MoreSWOT Analysis: Apple Inc1462 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Apple Inc. I. SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Strong Brand Image Faulty Products Financial Performance is Robust Infringement on Patents The Company has a focus on research and product development    Launch of iPad reported as revolutionary Mac OS lacks gaming capabilities Strong reliable OS Nonupgradable Mac PC Easy to use and intuitive gadgets Limited Product Range Small products with stylish designs    Product integrations    Opportunities Threats Smartphones CompetitionRead MoreSituational Analysis For Gap Inc1932 Words   |  8 PagesSituational Analysis for Gap Inc. To get a better idea of how Gap Inc. is doing overall a variance analysis must be done. In addition various financial ratios must also be calculated. For the variance analysis the fiscal years of 2013 and 2015 are being examined and compared. The financial ratios that will be looked at are: working capital, current ratio, quick ratio, debt to equity ratio, debt to total assets ratio, inventory turnover, capital assets turnover, total assets turnover, return on totalRead MoreAn Analysis of the Financial Management of Competition Bikes Inc816 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Topic: Bikes Inc. Report Summary report Activity Based Costing is a method whereby costs are assigned to products or services based on the resource that they consume, it is an alternative of traditional accounting where business overheads, indirect costs such as lighting, heating, and market are allocated in proportion to an activity direct cost. The management of Competition Bikes, Inc. is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. CompetitionRead MoreToys R Us Research Proposal And Introduction1146 Words   |  5 PagesChapter 1: Research Proposal and Introduction Introduction The Corporate name, founding date, founding leaders. Toys R Us Inc., founding date was 1948 and the founding leader was Charles P Lazarus. The company, which was originated in Washington D.C. was named Children’s Bargain Town. Initial Products Toys â€Å"R† Us origins goes back to the first store named Children’s Bargain Town. The first products which were sold were baby furniture and cribs. To keep their customers satisfied they introduced

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Compare And Contrast A Lesson Before Dying And Into The Wild

Compare and Contrast Summer Essay â€Å"A Lesson Before Dying† and â€Å"Into The Wild† are both books that defy the expected, tackle tough obstacles, and face the physical and mental extremes of life. Beginning with â€Å"Into The Wild†, Jon Krakauer leads us on a rich and insightful tour through the brash and lucid life of Chris McCandless. Followed by a well thought out, fiction novel featuring a sticky situation in a small Cajun community, â€Å"A Lesson Before Dying†, by Ernest J. Gaines. This split, self chosen, mini series takes us through a roller coaster of comparisons and contrasts, leading with the first noticeable major difference. First and foremost, the fiction and nonfiction aspect comes into play when talking about these two specific books.†¦show more content†¦In the dictionary, struggle is defined as the strive to achieve or attain something in the face of difficulty or resistance. These two books contradict each other but nevert heless there are some similarities. One similarity that continued to stick out to me as I read through the two books is the common idea of struggle portrayed by both main characters. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, these two books showcase struggle in distinct ways. One book is about a boy with a passion for challenging himself in crazy ways, one of which, after months of struggle for his own life under extremely difficult circumstances, eventually costs him his own life. Krakauer stated that â€Å"McCandless simply had the misfortune to eat moldy seeds. An innocent mistake, it was nevertheless sufficient to end his life† (Krakauer 194). Krakauer continued on to say how McCandless wrote these words in one of his last writings ever found, â€Å"EXTREMELY WEAK, FAULT OF POT. SEED. MUCH TROUBLE JUST TO STAND UP. STARVING. GREAT JEOPARDY.† (Krakauer 189). McCandless long journey of hardship and struggle ended with a grand finale of starvation in a broken down bu s, with noone but himself to help. The next book consists of a school teacher who agrees to attempt to give a man, who was wrongly imprisoned and disrespected to a great extent, the opportunity to leave the world as a man with some dignity, not aShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Four Periods of Literature1518 Words   |  7 Pagesperiod is authors who rejoiced in the basic joys of life. The next period saw authors realizing that life is short and must be enjoyed to the fullest. The third period influenced authors to begin taking new roads and creating literature that had never before existed. The fourth and final period in the discussion, men began to realize the destructive power of love and its capabilities for great evil, or great good. Each of these time frames have something different to offer a reader. If a reader can turnRead More Using Imagination to Cope with Suffering in Life of Pi Essay1791 Words   |  8 Pagessimilarities are portrayed in Life of Pi as well as a strong rel ation between the two. In contrast, humans and animals share the same sort of lifestyle, just living a different life according to Pi’s thoughts. In a tragic situation that one is in, such as Pi they must find a way to pass time and keep themselves busy by using their circumstances, surroundings and imagination. Pi is able to compare and contrast real life and sea life and goes into detail when describing what he thinks he sees. He says: Read MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Poem Passage From The Text Essay2103 Words   |  9 Pagesauthor is using foreshadowing to hint at the coming of danger to the captain of the ship. 2 These volumes were my study day and night, and my familiarity with them increased that regret which I had felt, as a child, on learning that my father s dying injunction had forbidden my uncle to allow me to embark in a seafaring life. (Q) R. Walton’s father had restricted his uncle for R.Walton to forbid on a seafaring life but what had caused the father to cause such a restriction to his son’s life. 3Read MoreAspects of Our Existence in The Canterbury Tales Essay2164 Words   |  9 Pagesyoung girl named Alison who is only eighteen-years old. Chaucer intentionally does this to show that the age difference is a power to be reckoned with. Chaucer himself describes the contrast of age when he says, â€Å"She was a girl of eighteen years of age. Jealous he was and kept her in a cage, for he was old and she was wild an young; he thought himself quiet likely to be stung.† Chaucer perfectly describes the youth and its effect upon the character. The other character Nicholas the Galland, is describedRead MoreHow Fa Has the Use of English Language Enriched or Disrupted Life and Culture in Mauritius15928 Words   |  64 PagesLike this: Like Loading... [pic] 26 Comments on â€Å"CLOSE READINGS† 1. [pic]John Cooper says: July 13, 2011 at 3:36 pm Emily Dickenson’s poem â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† details the events the narrator experiences after dying. In the poem, the narrator is driven around in a horse-drawn carriage to several places, including a schoolyard, a field of wheat, and a house sunken in the ground. However, a deeper reading of the poem reveals the poet’s uncertainty of whether thereRead MoreGrowing Up in Dublin in The Dubliners Essay3039 Words   |  13 Pagescame as a shock to those who knew him. Their teacher, who is a Priest, also seems to suppress the dream which all the boys share and when he finds Leo Dillons book he calls it rubbish. This can be compared to how religion crushed the wild dreams of Leo Dillons older brother. The Priest expresses surprise at finding this book because they are not ordinary national school boys but they study at a religious school run by Priests. This shows more was expected of boysRead MoreThomas Hardy Poems16083 Words   |  65 Pagesblame this god, the narrator would then â€Å"clench myself and die, steeled by the sense of the ire unmerited†, meaning that then he would know that God made him suffer, strengthened by the fact that he got his answer and so he would be completely alright dying hating god. Line 7-8, he would be a little at ease by the knowledge that he is victim to some more powerful than himself has willed and caused the tears he shed. The last stanza explores why bright possibilities and happiness fail as the writerRead MoreWho Goes with Fergus11452 Words   |  46 Pagesturn instead to the mysterious order of nature, over which Fergus rules. Analysis This short poem is full of mystery and complexity. It was James Joyces favorite poem, and figures in his famous novel Ulysses, where Stephen Daedalus sings it to his dying mother. On one level, the poem represents Yeats exhortation to the young men and women of his day to give over their political and emotional struggles in exchange for a struggle with the lasting mysteries of nature. He suggests that Fergus was bothRead MoreEssay on Silent Spring - Rachel Carson30092 Words   |  121 PagesAnalysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.  ©1998-2002;  ©2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design ® and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under licenseRead Moretheme of alienation n no where man by kamala markandeya23279 Words   |  94 PagesFurthermore, Antigone dies after defying King Creon. The play is set in Thebes, a powerful city-state north of Athens. Although the play itself was written in 441 B.C., the legend goes back to the foundations of Hellenic culture, many centuries before Sophocles’ time. All the scenes take place in front of the royal palace at Thebes. Thus Sophocles conforms to the principle of the unity of place. The events unfold in little more than twenty four hours. The play begins on the night when Antigone

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Gibbons Essay Example For Students

Gibbons Essay I. IntroductionApes have 13 species of large, highly intelligent primates, including Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Gibbons, and Orangutans. Apes are sometimes confused with Monkeys, but unlike their smaller primate counterparts, apes do not have tails and their arms are usually longer than their legs. Apes live in tropical woodlands and forests of Africa and Asia. Despite sharing similar habitats, different ape species show striking differences in behaviors and ways of life. At one time, apes were classified as a single group of primates, but today most zoologists divide them into two distinct families: the lesser apes, or gibbons, and the great apes. Gibbons are similar to monkeys, with lithe, slender bodies and extremely agile movements. Gibbons spend all of their lives in trees, using their hands like hooks to swing arm-over-arm between branches. Known as brachiation, this method of locomotion is so fast that gibbons can easily overtake a person running on the forest floor. The great apes include the gorilla, the orangutan, and two species of chimpanzee: the common chimp and the bonobo (sometimes called the pygmy chimpanzee). Great apes are bigger than gibbons and also much less acrobatic. However, they are still good climbers. While orangutans spend most of their life in trees, where they use their long arms and dexterous hands and feet to grasp branches and vines, chimpanzees frequently come to the ground to feed. Gorillas are primarily terrestrial, but even fully grown adult males have been observed clambering among tree branches more than 15 m (49 ft) high. Chimpanzees and gorillas—the apes that spend the most time on the ground—normally walk on all fours, clenching their hands so that their knuckles take their weight. From physical and fossil evidence, biologists know that apes and humans share a common ancestry. In recent years, biochemical analysis has shown just how close this link is—chimpanzees and humans differ significantly in only 2 percent of their genes. This evidence suggests that they diverged from a common ancestor around five to seven million years ago. II. Range and HabitatThe gorilla, the common chimpanzee, and the bonobo live in dense tropical forests on the African continent. Chimpanzees also inhabit wooded savanna, where there are more opportunities for foraging out in the open. Most gorillas live in the hot, lowland forests of west and central Africa, but a subspecies called the mountain gorilla lives in a very different habitat. Its range extends as high as 3400 m (11,200 ft) on the cool, mist-covered slopes of the Virunga Mountains. The gibbons and orangutans inhabit Southeast Asia. Gibbons live in rain forests and seasonal forests of India, Indochina, and the Malay Archipelago. The orangutan is purely a rain forest animal. Today its range is restricted to two large islands—Sumatra and Borneo—but fossils show that it once had a far greater range, reaching as far north as China. III. Physical CharacteristicsWith their long limbs and opposable thumbs, apes are well adapted to a tree-climbing life. The smallest gibbons stand just 44 cm (17 in) tall and weigh just 4.5 kg (10 lb)—light enough to swing from the highest, smallest branches. Great apes are considerably larger, particularly male gorillas, which can be as tall as 1.8 m (about 6 ft) and weigh up to a quarter ton, making them by far the largest apes alive today. Male and female gibbons are usually similar in size, but in great apes, the sexes can differ greatly. Male orangutans, for example, often weigh more than twice as much as females. Most apes are covered with thick fur. Gibbons have long fur of one color on the body and short fur of a contrasting color surrounding the face. A diverse range of colors distinguishes the different species and subspecies of gibbons, and there is frequently a difference in coloring between the sexes. The coloring of the great apes is drab by comparison. Orangutan s have reddish brown fur, while the fur of chimpanzees and gorillas is black. Mature male gorillas are called silverbacks because the fur on their backs turns silvery gray. .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae , .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae .postImageUrl , .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae , .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae:hover , .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae:visited , .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae:active { border:0!important; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae:active , .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua37fc54808417add8afe17932283b2ae:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Peter EssayApe skulls and skeletons share the same underlying structure as those of humans, allowing for large brains and forward-pointing eyes. Like humans, apes also have bare skin on their faces, which enables them to communicate by making different facial expressions. Great apes are exceptionally long-lived. Wild gorillas may survive to age 35, and wild chimps live about 50 years. Great apes in captivity have been known to survive into their late fifties. The life span of gibbons is considerably shorter, probably lasting about 25 years. IV. BehaviorGreat apes have well-developed brains and are among the most intelligent of all animals. In the wild, chimpanzees and oran gutans are known to make simple tools, such as sharpened sticks used to extract insects from holes in tree trunks. Toolmaking involves a preconceived image of what the tool will look like, a visualization ability that is only possible with an advanced brain. Orangutans have even been observed untying knots, working out for themselves the steps necessary to achieve this complex task. Some scientists believe that apes have the capability to learn and use language, and considerable success has been achieved in training chimps and gorillas to communicate with humans using symbols or sign languageWith the exception of orangutans, which spend most of their lives alone, apes live in social groups. These groups range from 3 or 4 animals in the case of some gibbons, an average of about 10 in gorillas, and often more than 50 in chimpanzees. In general, the larger the group size, the looser the social structure is. Gorilla groups are generally close-knit, and may be led by the same dominant ma le for many years. By contrast, chimpanzee social life is marked by constantly shifting alliances and sometimes by violent confrontations between neighboring groups. Gibbons are also strongly territorial, but they are not as aggressive. They lay claim to patches of forest with extraordinarily loud hooting calls that can be heard up to 3 km (2 mi) away. Some of these behavioral differences are related to the way apes feed. Chimpanzees eat a wide variety of foods, including fruit, leaves, honey, and insects, and they sometimes hunt and eat other mammals. During the course of a days foraging, they may travel nearly 18 km (11 mi). By banding together they improve their chances of finding food and also of spotting danger. Gorillas, on the other hand, are vegetarians, eating leaves, plant stems, and roots. This kind of food is comparatively easy to find, and although gorillas also move about, they rarely travel more than 2 km (1 mi) a day. Their great size also means that they are less vulnerable to attack. Consequently, gorillas would gain few advantages from living in larger groups. Most apes breed throughout the year. Male and female orangutans come together only for a brief courtship and return to their solitary lifestyle immediately after mating. Other apes follow very different patterns: gibbons, for example, pair up for life. In these social species, long-term bonds develop between the adults, as well as between the adults and their young. Female apes usually give birth to just a single young after a gestation period ranging from seven to nine months. Succeeding births normally occur only after the previous infant has been weaned. This process—like all aspects of ape development—takes a remarkable length of time. A gibbon is weaned by the age of about 2 years, while chimps take more than 4 years. Like young monkeys, young apes are carried by their mothers. They either cling to the mothers belly or, in the case of older chimps, ride on her back. In great apes, infant care is largely the job of the females, while in some gibbons the mother hands over responsibility to the father when the infant gibbons first year is complete. .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 , .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 .postImageUrl , .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 , .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085:hover , .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085:visited , .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085:active { border:0!important; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085:active , .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085 .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uea1b6a6f7ed3a04cf8bddce38d932085:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Of mice and men Essay ThesisV. Endangered ApesLike nearly all rain forest animals, ape populations have been harmed by deforestation. Some also face additional threats. Most vulnerable of all is the mountain gorilla, which has recently been extensively hunted by starving people ravaged by war. Today just a few hundred of these animals are left, and their future looks uncertain. In Asia, five of the nine species of gibbons are listed as endangered, as is the orangutan. Despite a ban on their export, young orangutans are sometimes captured and sold as pets after their mothers have been killed. The massive forest fires on Sumatra and Borneo in 1997 and 1998 killed thousands of orangutans and destroyed the habitat of thousands more, further endangering the survival of the species. Scientific Classification: The gibbons make up the family Hylobatidae and the great apes make up the family Hominidae. The gorilla is classified as Gorilla gorilla, the common chimpanzee as Pan troglodytes, the bonobo as Pan paniscus, and the orangutan as Pongo pygmaeus.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Nozick and Rawls free essay sample

Which is the most appealing Nozick’s entitlement theory or Rawls theory of distributive justice? The defence of liberal ideologies emerged not long after the Second World War, prior to this there had been little faith in liberal values during the 1920’s and 1930’s, however after the war there appeared to be a renewed defence for liberal thinking ranging across a variety of ideological theories. To the present day these liberal perspectives continue to influence political thinking with regards to rights, equality and freedom.This rapid revival of liberal ideologies highlights the diverse and contradictory parts associated with liberal ideas and so we are left with two very influential theorists in liberal political philosophy yet with very conflicting theories. These theorists are famously known as Robert Nozick and John Rawls. There are a number of diverse views on economic or distributive justice, some claim that goods should be distributed equally or shared bas ed on a principle of need that is to say who needs these goods more. We will write a custom essay sample on Nozick and Rawls or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Other views claim goods should be distributed according to labour, merit, and effort which determine who is entitled to them. John Rawls argues that the economy should be designed in such a way that those ‘worse off’ in society should benefit as much as possible, so inequalities would exist but everyone in society benefits from this. Rawl’s therefore approves of more state involvement as this would mean distributing resources by means such as taxation to those in society who justly deserve to receive them.Nozick argues however, that Rawl’s description is not neutral by this he means to discuss distributive justice presumes that resources are readily available in society ready to be justly distributed by the state however realistically in society there are individuals and associations of these individuals in the natural world and what these individuals produce, therefore one should not treat the production of goods and how they are distributed as separate ma tters they should be addressed together.This essay will assess both theories of Robert Nozick and John Rawl’s and discuss which is the most appealing and why. The work of John Rawls has received a huge amount of recognition and respect through his writings in ‘Theory of Justice’ (1971). 1 Rawls was a moral and political philosopher who analysed and explained human judgements of injustice and justice. His work offers a guiding principle and a different perspective into human behaviour in society.He examines the nature of individuals and their associations with justice while comparing it to other individuals leading to the overall moral nature of individuals. For Rawls, society is one that is shaped by both peace and conflict of interests, peace because social cooperation offers the opportunity for individuals to live a better life than they would have if they had to live alone. Society is shaped by conflict of interests because every individual has a preference for a larger share from the fruits of cooperation than a smaller one they are more likely to achieve alone.The concern with distributive justice is implemented to compensate the misfortunate in society. Some people are lucky enough to have more than others and it is the responsibility of everyone in society to distribute the goods that arise from the metaphorical lottery that is life as we know it. Rawl’s theory of distributive justice introduces the ‘original position’ associated with Reflective Equilibrium where individuals reflect and revise their beliefs to enquiries whether moral or non moral and to assess what is just. So Rawl’s ‘original position’ is simply a hypothetical thought experiment that encourages one to imagine a scenario where we is unaware of what our position is in society or what our idea of the ‘good’ is before making a decision. Although it could be said that every person in society makes decision based on their positions, Rawl’s idea encourages one to agree to principles without being biased in our views to religion, economic difference and so on.Rawl’s therefore claims that principles of justice are chosen under a ‘veil of ignorance’ where individuals would make a decision while not knowing their place in society, for instance in class, and social status. In addition individuals also do this without knowing their natural assets such as strength, intelligence, and abilities. This ensures that nobody has either an advantage or disadvantage in the choices they make by the outcome of certain social circumstances or through natural chance.The good involved in distributive justice concerns only those that can assume everybody in society will want these rights, liberty, income, wealth, and power. 8 So Rawls claims that we can only agree to an equal distribution when there exists a level of inequality that will advantage everyone. Rawl’s proposes two principles of justice, 1) the ‘equal liberty principle’ that guarantees that every person has an equal entitlement to a fully adequate set of basic rights and liberties with a similar scheme of liberties for all.This is needed to allow the fundamental interests of free and equal citizens to protect their opportunity to exercise their own wills on how to live their lives. 2) social and economic inequalities are be created so that they satisfy two conditions, a) they must appeal to the greatest benefit to least advantaged in society and b) they must be attached to offices and positions open to everybody under conditions of fair equality of opportunity. 7 Under the proposed system the first principle takes priority over the second.According to Rawl’s these principles therefore result in what he describes as justice as fairness. The ‘equal liberty’ principle’ takes priority over the ‘difference principle’ as it would not be just to place limits on liberty for the sake of greater economic good or advantage to society. 9 In other words Rawl’s views individuals as an end in themselves not a means to an end. The work of Robert Nozick is more famously known through his writing of Anarchy, State and Utopia (1974) where he argued for libertarianism, for a free market economy, absolute property rights and a minimal state.The premise that Nozick begins with his theory arise is through the idea that every person has rights and no groups or person can change that without violating their own rights. However he also makes it clear that anarchism is not the end result. Instead of focussing on how to redistribute wealth and resources within societies like Rawl’s does, Nozick focuses on how people come to acquire property, in other words acquire wealth and resources. His main ideas are shaped around a minimal state and private property rights.He defends the idea of a minimal state and suggests it should only exist to enforce justice and natural rights through the means of courts and police authorities. It is these functions and these functions only that should determine state power and anyth ing else would exceed its power. 2 In addition to this he asserted that with rights to life and to liberty people can come to gain rights of property. This leads to one asking on what grounds does anyone have right to a property and how is this morally justified, should it be distributed to those who deserve it, to those who need it the most?Nozick provides an alternative he believes this to be entitlement, for example if you take a person who inherits a large sum of money who already has lots then some might argue that this person does not necessarily deserve this money and more so does not need it. Nonetheless we would be inclined to say that this person is entitled to this money even if they already have a lot and may not deserve it, it is still rightfully theirs. It is this point regarding entitlement that Nozick bases his argument for property rights. He believes it is how a person comes to obtain holdings that determine whether or not they are entitled to them.In modern times it is common for modern states t o implement policies that promote justice by the distribution of wealth and income from its citizens. When compromising this to a minimal state it would be unable to take these policies and implement and so Nozick is faced with a dilemma, it raises the question over the possibility of creating a minimal state that ignores distributive justice, or accept distributive justice and thus give up the notion that minimal states is accountable and so Nozick provides a third alternative to establish an account of distributive justice to which justice can be given under minimal state involvement. This is known as the entitlement theory. 15 Nozick’s entitlement theory has three important principles that determine how people acquire property, a principle of justice in acquisition, to assess how one comes to hold goods initially. A principle of justice in transfer to show how holdings can be transferred from one person to another. A principle of justice in rectification explains how to sort out holdings that are unjustly acquired or held. The third principle would not be needed if the world was entirely just but it is not, people steal and defraud, so it exists to rectify any violations to the first two principles.Therefore a distribution is just if the person who holds the goods is entitled to them by the principles of justice in acquisition and transfer, or by the rectification of injustice principle as specified by the first and second principles To explain this further for you could hypothesize where an individual has a distribution (D1) and if they opt to move to an alternative distribution, distribution (D2) then by observing justice in transfer then D2 will also be just. In addition he claims that even if D2 is patterned in respect to equality factors such as power, need and Rawl’s difference principle this is irrelevant. 5 Nozick explains this in more depth through is popular Wilt Chamberlain example. Wilt Chamberlain was a famous American basketball player who was very popular and in demand, Nozick asks us to imagine if Chamberlain was asked to sign a contract enabling him 25 cents from each ticket sold from his games. In one season one million people attend and so this makes him $250,000. This amount is substantially more than other players on the team earn and more than the average income.However Nozick stresses this transaction would be just because those who paid for the tickets gave their money voluntarily.. Nozick stresses the entitlement theory is about respecting individual’s natural rights, specifically to property and self ownership. That people are entitled to chose what they want done with what they own because they are autonomous and each person is a separate being and that has to be respected. He argues that by taking property away from individuals in order to redistribute it for a ‘greater good’ violates their rights.For instance through taxation of Wilt Chamberlain’s income and redistributing the money to his fans who are the ‘worse off’ then violates his rights to the money. According to Nozick what people receive is usually a consequence of what they have produced and what they produce is usually a consequence of what they expect to receive. Nozick ideas is heavily inspired by John Locke’s theory of acquisition, who views property rights in terms of an unknown object being created through the mixing of someone’s labour with it.This view is easily held with Nozick’s second ‘transfer’ principle however there are some problems when addressin g the first principle of acquisition, how one acquires the holdings. For instance how does ones labour determine what property they are entitled to? 2 Nozick’s theory is therefore extremely controversial, if some of his ideas where put in practice his theory could then be responsible for justifying large inequalities in the distribution of property within society. People might own property and have wealth they do not necessarily deserve while also ignoring those who in society who are ‘worse off’.The entitlement theory is historical, in other words in order to determine whether distribution is just it is measured by how it came about in the past. 14 This theory contrasts with Rawl’s theory that applies a current time-splice principle that proposes that justice of distribution is determined by who has what. An example of this would be that a utilitarian person who judges two different distributions and assesses which has the greater amount of utility, if the amounts are the same then there would be rules in place to select the more equal distribution.This therefore determines who ends up with what when comparing two sets of distribution. The historical approach Nozick offers however considers how one came to acquire holdings, how previous actions and circumstances of individuals can determine different outcomes. Rawlâ€⠄¢s ideas contrast further with Nozick’s views on property rights, under Rawl’s distributive theory as the entitlement theory allows natural talents and chance to determine outcomes which produces unjust inequalities in the ownership of property. In addition Rawl’s claimed that people do not have rights before deciding on the ‘principle of justice’ so you could say Wilt Chamberlain should then not have the right to the money his natural talents bring him, only the right to a share according to the principles that define distributive justice. Nozick on the other hand would argue that each person’s talents and strengths belong to them and so people should have the right to keep whatever it is these abilities do for them. To redistribute what one earns or gains would undermine that person’s liberty.In further comparison to both theories Rawls is appealing because when hypothetically thinking about the two separate individuals, one born into a ‘rich’ life and the other a ‘poor’ life, the person born into a rich life is likely to be blessed with educated and capable parents and the person born into a ‘poor’ life is likely to be cursed with non educated an d incapable parents. So from the very beginning people are born with unequal life expectations due to the initial circumstances they can be faced with.Rawl’s theory therefore addresses these inequalities and given time through distributive justice the least well off individual should benefit as much as possible. According to Rawl’s distributive justice theory people don’t deserve natural assets; through his principle ‘s he rejects the idea of rights before the principle of justice as this principle is responsible for assigning rights, therefore people are only entitled to make claim on rights once the principle of justice is acquires. Some might argue that justice is given when individuals receive what they may have a right to, in other words people have a right to what they deserve.It is this idea the Nozick examines through is theory on entitlement which contrasts significantly to Rawl’s theory. 14 Nozick argues that people should be entitled to and deserve natural assets, for instance if person a person deserves A then anything produced from A means they deserve B. Therefore an individual’s holding comes from ones natural assets and people should be entitled to their holdings. When overlooking any presumptions with regards to equality if someone deserves to have a holding then they should be entitled to it. 4 Rawls on the other hand would argue that individuals do not deserve their natural assets Rawls view appears to be that one where everyone would have some entitlement to natural assets and where no one would have their own claim and so he describes it as ‘collective assets’ whe re everyone receives a share of the benefit. Nozick clearly indicates that people should be allowed to keep their own property and holdings where as Rawl’s stresses that any assets should be a distributed collectively and that everyone is equally entitled. In conclusion both theories are strikingly different to each over in style as well as substance. Nozick’s entitlement theory has great initial credibility and offers an appealing argument for the acquisition of justly held goods, through his principles of acquisition, transfer and rectification he offers a plausible method for why people should be entitled to outcomes from their natural assets such as ability, talent and knowledge. In his popular Wilt Chamberlain example he expands on this theory further, to which Will Chamberlain should be entitled to his earnings and not taxed to benefit the ‘worse off’.In another example highlighting those who inherit large sums of money or property, it is unlikely that anyone would question this entitlement even if that person does not deserve it or needs and indeed if there were other people in society who would benefit from it more. Unfortunately Nozick’s principles fail to acknowledge the huge property and wealth ine qualities that could arise if his theory was applied to society. Not every person inherits large sums of money or is born into a rich capable family and for that reason it fails to acknowledge some areas of injustice.