Concept of Culture :: essays research papers

Anthropology introduces culture as a means to perpetuate human existence, because without culture, we would not exist. Individuals are created biologically, while persons are created by social society. Anthropologists firmly believe that our existence is dependent on culture, because culture shapes the social roles people fill on a day to day basis. Without these social roles, people would not know how to express emotions or respond to any given circumstance because we understand everything through culture. Examining any culture requires that you have culture, and people are incapable of escaping the bounds of cultural interpretation to view foreign cultures without bias.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Roy Wagner articulates the absolute truth of culture always existing in his novel The Invention of Culture. Humans believe things can be intrinsic to us as a species, however anthropologists argue that most of what is perceived as natural is actually a result of culture. For example, the words used to communicate daily seem natural because people naturally correspond using language, although words and body language must have originated somewhere; they are not inherent to the human race.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anthropologists study culture in different ways; some are structuralists such as Rad-Cliffe Brown and Leach, some are cultural relativists, and those like Roy Wagner combine structuralism and cultural relativism to attain their own category as ontologists. Describing categories and universal concepts is important to structuralists. Cultural relativists rely on ethical truths to be relative to a specific culture. Existence rather than analysis of being is what ontologists study. Despite the varying approaches, anthropology teaches people that we are all categorized and live in a sort of order.

Past Year Question Essay

PART A Public Awareness is the Key to Fight Pollution Pollution in the most basic form – littering of rubbish or clogged drains – to that of higher level such as dumping of hazardous waste and illegal logging, is chiefly attributed to lack of public awareness, so contends Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. As Malaysia joins the ranks of industrialized nations, pollution is fast becoming a menace that the country has to cope with. ‘No amount of law can succeed in deterring people from polluting the environment so long as they are unaware about the adverse consequences of their action,’ he said. ‘Although we have come down hard on the culprits, we can never be satisfied as we keep on raising the bar by benchmarking against developed nations in the likes of Japan, Sweden and New Zealand where every citizen is fully aware of their role in environmental preservation,’ he adds. As for water pollution, once a source of drinking water, many rivers in Malaysia have become dumping grounds for various types of hazardous wastes. Of all natural resources, water is the most severely threatened by pollution in this country. In 2006, gypsum, oil and hydrocarbon, dross, heavy metal sludge, mineral sludge and e-waste were the main categories of waste produced in the country. Of the total wastes produced, 110,814 metric tonnes were treated and disposed at Kualiti Alam Sdn Bhd, 9,360 metric tonnes (0.8%) at Trinekens (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd and 11,364 metric tonnes were incinerated at licensed off-site facilities. Source: Malaysian Business 16/9/2007 QUESTION 1 a) â€Å"As Malaysia joins the ranks of industrialised nations, pollution is fast becoming a menace that the country has to cope with†. Based on your knowledge on the Materials Balance Model, explain this statement. (5 marks)  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 3 BM/OCT 2010/ECO656/646 b) Water pollution in Malaysia is caused by point and non-point sources. What is the difference between the two? Which classification does the group of water pollution sources mentioned in the last paragraph of the article belong to? (5 marks) What type of pollution control method can be implied from paragraphs 2 and 3 in the article? Describe the method and give an example. (5 marks) â€Å"Pollution †¦ is chiefly attributed to lack of public awareness†. Assuming you are an environmental economist, do you agree or disagree with the statement? Elaborate. (5 marks) c) d) e) What is the difference between positive and normative economics? Suggest one sentence in the article that reflects a positive statement. (5 marks)  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PARTB 4 BM/OCT 2010/ECO656/646 QUESTION 1 a) What is sustainable development? Define and illustrate with an example. (5 marks) b) How is green gross domestic product (GDP) different from the traditional GDP? What are the arguments for the use of green GDP as growth indicator? (10 marks) With the help of relevant diagram, explain social welfare in the form of consumer surplus. (10 marks) c) QUESTION 2 a) What is meant by allocative efficiency? Explain. (5 marks) b) How does a deposit-refund system work in controlling domestic solid waste disposal? Explain with the assistance of a diagram. (10 marks) Define deforestation and its causes. Why is accelerated deforestation a concern in many countries? (10 marks) c) QUESTION 3 a) Describe the occurrence of global warming. (5 marks) b) What are the challenges faced by countries in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in their countries? Explain. (10 marks) Explain the efforts done at international level to reduce ozone depletion problem. (10 marks) c)  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL QUESTION 4 5 BM/OCT 2010/ECO656/646 a) Market failure can be associated with externalities. Define market failure and externalities. (5 marks) Explain how free-ridership leads to market failure of a public good such as clean air. (10 marks) b) c) Palm oil refineries generate social cost to society in the form of smoke and particles. Explain and model in a diagram the efficient equilibrium for palm oil in the presence of these atmospheric emissions. (10 marks) QUESTION 5 Briefly explain the following: a) b) c) d) e) Explicit and implicit environmental costs (5 marks) Coase theorem (5 marks) Environmental Kuznets curve (5 marks) Polluter-Pay-Principle (5 marks) Acid deposition (5 marks) END OF QUESTION PAPER  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL

Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis - 640 Words

Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, is the story of Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who is responsible for the financial well-being of his entire family, yet experiences an unfortunate metamorphosis into a giant bug. However, while Gregor undergoes a disturbing physical transformation, the family dynamic changes drastically as well. The family’s treatment of Gregor slowly deteriorates from them regarding him as the basis for their financial success and security to regarding him as no more than an extraordinary nuisance that holds them back from a brighter future. On the morning of Gregor’s transformation, each family member noticed his absence and visited his room to inquire about his tardiness in leaving for work. Gregor’s employment was a vital aspect of their existence, so when the chief clerk from Gregor’s employer is sent to investigate the reason for Gregor’s missing the train, his entire family is quick to offer an excuse in his defense. At the sight of the chief clerk, Gregor’s mother blurts out, â€Å"He’s not feeling well† (Kafka, Franz Kafka Metamorphosis and Other Stories), and defends her son by claiming how his job is her son’s primary concern. Once Gregor’s condition is discovered, events take a turn for the worse; the chief clerk flees, and his mother, repulsed at the site of him, retreats, leaving his father to attack and drive him back into his room. Unlike a normal well-adjusted family who would attempt to discover an explanation of the events they had justShow MoreRelatedFranz Kafkas The Metamorphosis Essay1105 Words   |  5 Pagesshort story, The Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka. My purpose is to explain to my classmates the short story’s goal what Kafka wanted to transmit to people. I want to expand more why this short story is considered one of the best poetic imagination works. In my research I expect to use Kafka’s work, The Metamorphosis as my primary source. Important other sources include essay critiques from different editors, which will help us to understand much more what Franz wanted to expressRead MoreFranz Kafkas Metamorphosis Essay1132 Words   |  5 Pagesto me? he thought.†(Kafka, 495) This quote is from the narrator in Kafka’s tale; The Metamorphosis, when Gregor Samsa wakes up and finds himself turned into a giant insect, and it was apparently not a dream. Gregor was a traveling salesman, he hated his job, but he was forced to stay in that business in order to pay his father’s debts to his boss, and maintain a comfortable lifestyle to his family. Kafka presents the metamorphosis event in an interesting way, when it seemed that Gregor was not shockedRead More Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis Essay779 Words   |  4 PagesFranz Kafkas Metamorphosis The play metamorphosis was written by Franz Kafka but Steven Berkoff produced a theatre adaptation of Metamorphosis in the late 1960’s. Kafka was born 1883, his childhood was most troubling and life hard, as he was a Jew growing up in German culture, also being ignored and alienated is why Kafka could relate to the character Gregor. Kafka had a hard relationship with his Father who would mistreat him and often tell Kafka he was a failure and a disappointmentRead MoreA Summary of Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis1244 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Metamorphosis Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis is a chilling story of a man named Gregor, who wakes one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. As expected, his family is shocked, but tries to adjust to the situation. However, over time his family comes to reject him and sees his continued existence as a burden. Wishing him dead, his family gets their wish when Gregor finally dies and his loss is then seen as a blessing. Although the author meant this tale to be symbolic of theRead MoreLiterary Structure of Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis724 Words   |  3 PagesAn Analysis of the Structure of The Metamorphosis The structure of Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis establishes it as a kind of inverted, adult fairy-tale, in which regression (rather than progression) of forms occurs, good goes unrewarded and unappreciated, and evil triumphs. The story, of course, is satirical in concept, but the satire is felt chiefly because of the way in which the story stands the concept of the fairy-tale on its head. Gregor, who in a childs story, might progress from bugRead MoreFranz Kafkas Novella, The Metamorphosis Essay1199 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the saddest aspects of Franz Kafkas novella, The Metamorphosis, concerns the fact that young Gregor Samsa genuinely cares about this family, working hard to support them, even though they do little for themselves. On the surface, Kafkas 1916 novella, seems to be just a tale of Gregor morphing into a cockroach, but, a closer reading with Marx and Engels economic theories in mind, reveals an imposing metaphor that gives the improbable story a great deal of relevan ce to the structure of Read MoreIsolation In Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis1145 Words   |  5 Pageswho chose to be away from their problems in the world. Everyone in the Samsa family has their own reasons of why they chose to be isolated from society. Due to these choices, the entire Samsa family also undergo transformations. The book, Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka , reveals how isolation in the Samsa family really plays apart as to who they are and what they represent in society.   Ã‚   The entire Samsa family portrays their isolation in unique ways. Beginning with Grete, Gregor’s little sister. GreteRead MoreStandards in Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis Essay803 Words   |  4 PagesIn Franz Kafka’s story The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa falls victim, to some strange affliction which somehow turns him into a colossal insect of some sort. His bizarre and tragic story takes place in a European apartment in the early twentieth century; a time in which much stock was placed in both etiquette and the appearance of propriety. These standards found throughout the society in which he is placed leads to his ultimate downfall. When Gregor wakes up in his bed to find he has become anRead MoreEssay on Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis604 Words   |  3 Pages In the Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka transforms the main character, Gregor Samsa, into a bug. Kafka chose the bug for several reasons. The bug is a symbol for the life that Gregor has. His life is full of loneliness and emptiness. Furthermore, Kafka wrote this book shortly after the Industrial Revolution. There is a connection between the bug-form of Samsa and the transformation of workers into machines. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Gregor Samsa is a traveling salesman who brings in most of the incomeRead MoreAn Analysis Of Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis707 Words   |  3 Pageslife of Jesus Christ and Gregor Samsa reinforce the importance of biblical references to the novel. Author Franz Kafka used biblical allusions throughout The Metamorphosis to emphasize that Gregor’s metamorphosis could only be completed after the apple was lodged in his shell, his sister Grete betrayed him, and his death. A significant symbol that frequently recurred throughout The Metamorphosis is the apple. In biblical context the apple commonly represents the original sin committed by Adam and Eve