The On First Philosophy By Rene Descartes - 1699 Words

In his work Meditations on First Philosophy, published in 1641, Renà © Descartes sets out to establish a set of indubitable truths for the sciences. He begins by discarding all of his beliefs, then works to rebuild his beliefs based on careful thought. Descartes clearly states this goal, saying in the First Meditation, â€Å"I will work my way up†¦ I will accomplish this by putting aside everything that admits of the least doubt† (I, 17). He is able to establish his own existence, but struggles to move beyond his internal thoughts to discuss external objects. Descartes decides that the Christian God is the bridge he needs to escape the confines of his own mind, and argues for the existence of God in the Third Meditation in order to move on to discussing the physical world. In this paper I will argue that Descartes’ rationalistic project would have been improved without an appeal to the Christian God, although I will also argue that Descartes thinks this appeal is necessary. Descartes declares that he will only accept ideas that he can absolutely affirm, but accepts the existence of God without adequately proving it. This inadequacy undermines his declared project of defining the world in terms of established ideas. He does not sufficiently prove the idea of God, yet bases so much on it. When he later discusses physical bodies, intellect, and mathematical concepts, the reader cannot forget that everything he writes is based on the shaky foundation of the Christian God, and finds hisShow MoreRelatedRene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy1234 Words   |  5 Pages In Rene Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes does and experiment with wax to try to prove that things actually exist in this world. This essay is going to prove how we can tell that things actually exist and what can perceive the wax. Rene Descartes starts off with a description of the wax so he can prove to us the changes that will happen throughout his experiment. â€Å"Let us take, for instance, this piece of wax. It has been taken quite recently from theRead MoreMeditations On First Philosophy By Rene Descartes Essay839 Words   |  4 PagesPrà ©ciso of Meditations on First Philosophy Through his series of books, Meditations on First Philosophy, Renà © Descartes enlightens his philosophical ideas about knowledge in which we should discard all belief we aren’t absolute certain about and establishes what we know for sure. In the introduction he clarifying the main ideas of each of the 6 books and using to them build up to his belief. Starting with the First Meditations, he discusses about doubt. He believed that there are no real foundationsRead MoreThe Meditations On First Philosophy By Rene Descartes916 Words   |  4 Pages The Meditations on First Philosophy by Rene Descartes is a thorough analysis about doubt. Descartes describes his method of doubt to determine whether he can truly know something. One of his major arguments is the proof of the existence of God. In this paper, I will attempt to unravel the flaws in Descartes proof that God exists. In the meditations, Descartes evaluates whether or not everything we know is a reality or a dream. Descartes claims that we can only be sure that our beliefs are trueRead MoreRene Descartes Meditations On First Philosophy1758 Words   |  8 PagesPerhaps the most startling conclusion reached by Renà © Descartes in Meditations on First Philosophy is his proposed disconnection between the Mind and Body. Striving to separate the spiritual from the corporeal to enable scientific examination of the earthly without interference from the divine, Descartes conceives that the two basic human substances, Mind and Body, are distinct and therefore able to exist separate of one another in his [in]famous claim of substance dualism. His conclusions rest uponRead MoreMeditations On First Philosophy By Rene Descartes1062 Words   |  5 PagesIn Meditations on First Philosophy, Renà © Descartes philosophies made a substantial advancement in enabling us to understand the world around us by queryin g many of the Aristotelian doctrines that are still being discussed in philosophy today. He attempts to answer the question; can you fully trust your senses? Descartes uses methodological doubt, which is a process of being skeptical about truths of someone’s belief to revoke from his senses. In Meditation One: Concerning Those Things That Can BeRead MoreEssay on Meditations on First Philosophy by Rene Descartes1561 Words   |  7 Pages In his work, Meditations on First Philosophy, Renà © Descartes writes to rid pre-conceptions, and disprove all belief in thoughts that are not certain, accepting only what can be known for sure. In his Meditation VI: Of the Existence of Material Things, and the Real Distinction between the Mind and Body of Man, he discusses his belief that the mind and body are two separate substances, claiming that the nonmaterial mind and the material body, while being ontologically distinct substances, causallyRead MoreRene Descartes s Meditation On First Philosophy802 Words   |  4 PagesRenà © Descartes objective in Meditation on First Philosophy is to construct philosophy as a solid methodical study and discipline alike the sciences. To do so he must first suspend belief in all things doubtful and from their go about verifying the true concepts of the world. In meditation II he verifies that he is a thinking thing and finds that the certainty of the cogito â€Å"I think therefore I am† lies in the distinct perception of what he affirms. From this he generates a general rule of evidenceRead More Rene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy Essay1946 Words   |  8 PagesRene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy Rene Descartes’ third meditation from his book Meditations on First Philosophy, examines Descartes’ arguments for the existence of God. The purpose of this essay will be to explore Descartes’ reasoning and proofs of God’s existence. In the third meditation, Descartes states two arguments attempting to prove God’s existence, the Trademark argument and the traditional Cosmological argument. Although his arguments are strong and relatively truthfulRead MoreEssay on Rene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy2121 Words   |  9 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Descartes believes that knowledge comes from within the mind. This is a single indisputable fact to build on that can be gained through individual reflection. While seeking true knowledge, Descartes writes his Six Meditations. In these meditations, Descartes tries to develop a strong foundation, which all knowledge can be built upon. In the First Meditation, Descartes begins developing this founda tion through the method of doubt. He casts doubt upon all his previous beliefs, including â€Å"mattersRead MoreAnalysis Of Rene Descartes s Meditations On First Philosophy 1399 Words   |  6 PagesPhilosophy Essay 1 Rene Descartes was born in in La Haye, France, in 1596 and he studied at La Fleche Jesuit College and University of Poitiers. Descartes also lived in Germany, Holland and Sweden. He then worked in the army as a private councillor and then as a court philosopher. Descartes book ‘Meditations on First Philosophy’ was first published in 1641. The edition used to write this essay was edited by John Cottingham and was published by the Cambridge University Press in 1996. Descartes was

A strong brand and international track record Free Essays

A strong brand and international track record will attract equity funds and equity-related capital funding for an international acquisition. Retail sector is making extensive contribution to the economy, employment and regeneration (14 March 2007). More than 3. We will write a custom essay sample on A strong brand and international track record or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2 million people work in retail and it is now the UK’s third largest industry behind business services and the health sector Retail employment is so crucial to today’s economy that its image as a sector full of â€Å"shelf-stacking low-skilled† jobs should be swept aside. That is one of the conclusions of a new report which analyses the contribution of the retail sector to the economy, employment and regeneration of the UK. According to the report, produced by international property consultancy King Sturge in association with Business in the Community, more than 3.2 million people work in retail which, following the slump in manufacturing jobs is now the UK’s third largest industry behind business services and the health sector. And the report says it is time that retailers launched a co-ordinated campaign highlighting the fact that good retail jobs assisted individuals to develop their skills and careers which, in turn, provides real benefits to local communities. At the end of last year, Nottingham had 20,000 people working in retail and was ranked 11th in the league table of big urban centres most dependent on retail employment. According to Matthew Smith, Nottingham-based partner of King Sturge’s East Midlands Office â€Å"Retailing has proved to be one of the main contributors to employment creation in areas where there has been a loss of manufacturing jobs and although many employees, particularly women, are part-time it must be stressed that 95 percent of all part-time jobs are classed as permanent. Indeed, the flexibility of part-time employment suits many people who have to dovetail working arrangements with family commitments.† Last year, the retail sector employed 1.75 million part-time workers –a total that accounted for more than 20 percent of all part-time employees in the UK. According to Mr. Smith   Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The focus of much of the debate on retail today has been on the impact that it has had on the look and feel of city centres and the modern High Street. This report is different because it looks at the impact of retail on people who work or have worked in the sector. There is a perception that retail employment does not create ‘real jobs’ – only part-time or entry-level jobs that are unsustainable in the long term and contribute little to the wider economy. But let there be no mistake, retail is a major source of employment today and in government-identified deprivation areas retailing accounts for 1.1 million jobs, equivalent to ten percent of the workforce. Our document, however, should not be treated as the definitive report on the subject – it is there to further stimulate the debate and to be the catalyst for further research,†. According to Dr Angus McIntosh, Head of Research at King Sturge   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The time is right for retailers to confidently describe the benefits that people receive from working in their industry – benefits which employees themselves describe as helping to improve their skills and employability; being given a good start to career or work life prospects and helping to increase self-confidence.† â€Å"For too long the image of retail as full of shelf-stacking, low-skilled jobs has been allowed to perpetuate. This must now actively be countered with a positive image of employment in the sector, confidently presented to all.† Dr McIntosh said â€Å"It is recommended that retailers launch a concerted and co-ordinated campaign, highlighting the fact that retail jobs are good jobs that assist individuals to develop their skills and careers and which provide real benefits to local communities.† He said that many property developers recognised the benefits of helping recreate the communities in which their developments were located. These included strengthening the core purpose of the local High Street through the provision of retail space but also adding community facilities such as a nursery or doctor’s surgery to a development site. How to cite A strong brand and international track record, Papers

Country Assessment of Bangladesh for Overseas Expansion

Question: Discuss about theCountry Assessment of Bangladesh for Overseas Expansion. Answer: Introduction Aussie Textiles is a quality garments manufacturer of medium-size operating from Queensland. As a result of the increase in the competition that it is facing from imported goods that are cheaper, the company is thinking in terms of establishing a manufacturing plant in Asia and has selected Bangladesh as the potential country for establishing its manufacturing plant overseas. This report will be discussing the advantages as well as the disadvantages of carrying out operations in Bangladesh by conducting an industry overview and market analysis and will then make recommendations on their basis to suggest the appropriateness of the country for this expansion. Industry Overview The developing nations in Asia are undertaking continuous expansion of their textile industry because of the cost of production being very low in these nations. Bangladesh has emerged as a major player in the sector of Ready Made Garments (RMG). The apparel industry contributes 76% to its total earnings from the exports of textile and clothing. The primary reason for this is the availability of labour in abundant quantities and at cheaper rates (Textile Exchange, 2016). Even though the export revenue of most countries of Asia in 2015 was disappointing, Bangladesh did not follow that trend. The export earnings of Bangladesh increased to $3.2 billion in December, 2015 which was a new record for the country. This success was a result of the success which may be attributed to the growth of the apparel industry in Bangladesh which accounted for more than 83% of the figures in December, 2015. The increase in worldwide demand for cheap clothing has made Bangladesh the worlds second largest exporter and the position continues to be strong because of the huge population and low costs of labour. As per the World Bank, the GDP of the country is also expected to increase by 6.7% in the current year which will put it among the worlds fastest growing economies (Matsangon, 2016). A total of 20% of the GDP of Bangladesh comes from exports, out of which 80% is contributed by clothing (HKTDC Research, 2013). However, the road ahead for the industry has certain obstacles also. The main recipients of the Bangladeshi garments is the European Union as they account for 61% of the exports and the European economies have been undergoing constant slowdown. Apart from this, the competition from Vietnam is also increasing which is expected to grow more rapidly after the ratification of the Trans Pacific Partnership during the current year. This could pose a threat to the current global ranking that Bangladesh has. Subsequently, the manufacturers of Bangladesh will be forced to bring in enhancements in their productivity levels for maintaining their competitive advantage. Despite these challenges, as the trade will pick up globally in the years to come, it is expected that demand will increase for the Bangladeshi garments and will prompt economic growth that is very much needed for the country (Matsangon, 2016). Market Analysis The market analysis for Bangladesh can be done with the help of the tools such as the PESTLE Analysis, Porters Five Forces and the Porters National Competitive Advantage Theory. PESTLE Analysis The PESTLE analysis is a tool that is useful for gaining an understanding of the growth or decline of the market and hence it helps in assessing the direction, potential and position of the business. It is a tool for measuring business. PESTLE is an acronym for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environment factors that are used for assessing the market from the perspective of an organisational unit or business (PESTLE Analysis, 2016). The PESTLE Analysis for Bangladesh has been done in order to evaluate its business environment by focusing on the potentiality as well as the complexities. Political Political unrest is common which disturbs the countrys international and national trading system. Hence, foreign firms are apprehensive of investing FDI in Bangladesh. A number of accidents have also occurred recently in the garment sector (ILO, 2016). Recent terrorist attacks made the country lag behind and weakened the business and it has to reassure the foreign buyers (Riley, 2016). The recent incidents like Tazreen Fire and Rana Plaza Collapse has raised concerns on safety of workers. However, forums have become active to bring the things back to normal and ensuring safety (Merchandising, 2015). Economic With respect to textile industry, the Government has adopted certain positive initiatives favouring foreign investors and no distinctions are made between domestic private and foreign investors in relation to incentives for investment and policies of import and export. Social Companies usually face challenges in adjusting to the social environment of the country. The companies operating in the country are gradually recognizing the significance of corporate social responsibility. Technological Currently, heavy reliance on imported technology is present and planning is required for effectively transferring via adoption, assimilation and acquisition. The other points of the PEST Analysis have been mentioned in Appendix 1. Porters Five Forces Competitive Rivalry Between Existing Players Competitive rivalry exists in the industry for getting large orders from the buyers. Bangladesh is the 6th largest supplier of textiles in the markets of the EU and the USA. It is emerged as a good potential for supplying quality textiles at cheap prices. Majority of the raw materials are imported but other factors of production are utilized for producing cheaper apparels. An investment friendly atmosphere is offered by Bangladesh to various brand names that outsource their production process to the country (Samaraweera, 2011). Bangladesh is among the nations which is unable to complete its quota which the larger markets have provided it with. Consequently, several foreign nations are using it as a hub for preparing their products by means of outsourcing it to Bangladesh and then get access to markets which were not accessible previously to them. The country is deriving benefits from this situation and is inviting investors as well as foreign companies for placing orders in order to get this facility (Houkokusho, 2012). Bargaining Power of Customers This is mainly from the countries which do not have GSP or facility of quota. Quota system is a big player and with Bangladesh having a quota left in the EU markets where nations such as China do not have accessibility, it is emerging as a hub where countries buy the services and then export it with their labels. This provides a comparative advantage. This coupled with quality, has made Bangladesh the best choice available. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The country enjoys an advantage when inputs are ordered from the suppliers of cotton and knit in India and China. Import of most of the raw materials reduces the benefit of initiating backward linkage and increases the supplier power but still it is able to attain inputs at global prices from its suppliers. The power of the domestic suppliers is increasing gradually as the number of local companies is rising. A large scale advantage is available to the suppliers due to the concentration of the industry based on the area. It enjoys a good reputation globally with the suppliers due to timely payments which is assisting it in getting quick supplies of raw materials, matching prices with international quoting for local and foreign suppliers. Threat of New Entrants Economies of scale in production are yet to be achieved by the country which may result in potential entrants threatening its growth. The availability of cheap labour is the countrys biggest advantage which safeguards it from new entrants and growth has been rapid in the textile sector of Bangladesh which is posing a tough competition to the already established players. However, political scenario has been unstable in the recent years which have led to nations like Vietnam, Sri Lanka and some Latin American nations to try and take away the advantages but as of now the threat remains minimal. Threat of Substitutes Poor branding of the country and lesser power of influencing customers, has led to increase in preference for Thailand, India and China but the cost of the buyers switching to these nations is high due to comparatively higher labour and raw material costs (Business Wire, 2011). However, there is a threat of rise in the substitute products such as clothes of banana and jute fibres and synthetic products. Conclusion and Recommendations The analysis of Bangladesh reveals that the greatest advantage of the company is its cheap labour and the fact that due to the country being unable to fulfill its quota requirements, other nations can consider it as a hub for manufacturing and then use it for gaining entry into other markets. It is recommended that Aussie Textile should set up its manufacturing facility in Bangladesh even though there are disadvantages in the form of political instability and safety of the workers but still the low cost of production, the timely repayment to the suppliers and quality of goods produced along with the accessibility to new markets, things returning to normal and also assurance by the Government of providing safe conditions and timely deliveries are the major advantages which outweighs this disadvantage. The increasing labour wages and prices of raw materials in other Asian nations like Thailand, India and China makes Bangladesh the preferred destination. Bibliography Business Wire, 2011. Research and Markets: Bangladesh Apparel Industry Analysis. Research. Dublin: Business Wire Business Wire. HKTDC Research, 2013. Bangladeshs garment industry: recent development and outlook. [Online] Available at: https://hkmb.hktdc.com/en/1X09UVLU/hktdc-research/Bangladesh%E2%80%99s-garment-industry-recent-development-and-outlook [Accessed 25 September 2016]. Houkokusho, C., 2012. Dynamics of Garment Industry in Low Income Companies:Experience of Asia and Africa. Interim Report. IDE-JETRO. ILO, 2016. Improving Working Conditions in the Ready-Made Garment Sector in Bangladesh (RMGP Programme). ILO. Matsangon, E., 2016. Bangladesh textile industry sets export record. World Finance, 26 January. Merchandising, 2015. Readymade Garments Industry of Bangladesh. [Online] Available at: https://www.garmentsmerchandising.com/readymade-garments-industry-of-bangladesh/ [Accessed 25 September 2016]. PESTLE Analysis, 2016. What is PESTLE Analysis? A Tool for Business Analysis. [Online] Available at: https://pestleanalysis.com/what-is-pestle-analysis/ [Accessed 25 September 2016]. Riley, C., 2016. Bangladesh's huge garment industry tries to reassure foreign buyers. CNN Money, 4 JUly. Samaraweera, D., 2011. Analysis: Bangladesh Garment Industry Aims For Fast Growth. [Online] Available at: https://www.just-style.com/analysis/bangladesh-garment-industry-aims-for-fast-growth_id109958.aspx [Accessed 25 September 2016]. Textile Exchange, 2016. Apparel, Clothing Garments Industry Overview. [Online] Available at: https://www.teonline.com/apparel-garments/industry-overview.html [Accessed 25 September 2016].