What Is Critical Thinking Essay Example for Free

What Is Critical Thinking Essay Critical thinking to me means a way of thinking that helps us understand what has been observed or being observed. With being a critical thinker it allows us take charge of our minds and our thoughts. It’s also a way to help us to analyze, reasonable and reflective thoughts. Distinguishing from your willingness and your feelings are the awakening of oneself and should always be an experience for you in the realm of knowing that once the mission is complete you will then have acquired more knowledge for oneself. While reading, Elder, L. (2007, 09). The Ctitical Thinking community. Our Concept and Definition of Critical Thinking. Retrieved 09, 2007, from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/our-concept-and-definition-of-critical-thinking/411 it states that â€Å"Critical thinking is that mode of thinking — about any subject, content, or problem — in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing it. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use.† Just knowing that once you identify and evaluate the evidence it will then allow you to start the ability to apply logic and reasoning for the situation at hand. With having the ability of taking charge of your mind and thoughts defines to me what critical thinking really means. While continuing my research I noticed that there where so many different ways that Critical Thinking was mentioned. I found in Michael Scriven and Richard Paul. (2003). Defiing Critical Thinking. (http://www. criticalthinking.org/University/univclass/Defi ning.html, that its clear to me that in order to get down to the bottom of what is really Critical Thinking means is to take the word â€Å"Critical† which means â€Å"inclined to find fault or to judge with severity, often too readily or it means involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit, etc.†, Found on the dictionary.reference.com site. Then take the word â€Å"thinking† which means the action of using ones mind to produce thoughts or involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit and that’s found in the http://www.merriam-webster.com site. While taking the two words by themselves I came up with critical thinking is to making a judgment to find truth through formed thoughts and the ability to using logical reasons.

Con Man Essay Example for Free

Con Man Essay This is covered under clause 29, which covers the Revision of date of completion of the project. Under clause 29 the JBCC lists events where the contractor is entitled to a revision of date practical completion but is not due compensation and those that the contractor is due compensation, in the case of the JBCC, the value of the contract or project will not change as a result of the listed event. All though this is the case, some of the events listed under clause 29. 1 are covered in section 6, but have different consequences. One such issue is how the different contracts deal with adverse weather effects on works during construction period. While the NEC contract states the effects of weather on the works as a compensation event under clause 60. 1. 13, where a weather measurement is recorded during a calendar month, before the completion date for the whole of works and at the place stated in the contract data, the weather event must occur less frequently than once in ten years to be a compensation event. This could mean that should this occur the contractor is due compensation for any costs incurred and a revision of completion time. While the JBCC deals with weather in a different way. In clause 29. states the circumstances where the contractor is entitled to a revision of the completion date but where the principal agent shall not adjust the contract value, are the delays to practical completion caused by various events. One such event, stated in clause 29. 1. 1 is the adverse effects of weather conditions. This implies that the contractor can not claim for adjustment to contract value due to adverse weather condition s like in the NEC contract. This is one less compensation event that will need to be budgeted for under the JBCC agreement. Another difference in this is under clause 60. 9 of the NEC contract which covers events neither party could account for or prevent which stops the contractor continuing works and is not one of the stated compensation events. While this is covered in the JBCC under clause 29. 1. 4 as an event that neither party could prevent also, it only allows the contractor a revision of date of completion without a revaluation of the project. The JBCC recognizes some events as requiring compensation and others not, while the NEC all the events are seen as compensation events which will require the employer to pay the contractor more money. In regards to the communication of such events occurring the NEC gives the contractor considerably more time to notify the Project Manager of the possibility of the compensation event occurring. This is stated under clause 61. 3 which gives the contractor a maximum of eight weeks to notify the Project Manager of the event, failing to do so will mean that the contractor will not be entitled to change prices or the completion date. This is only if the Project Manager failed to notify the contractor of the event, if it was the responsibility of the Project Manager to do so. While in the JBCC also allows for a time period, which gives the contractor more time to claim compensation if any of the events occur that are listed in clause 29. 1 to 29. 3. Under clause 29. 4. 1-3, the contract states that the contractor must notify the principal agent within 20 days of becoming aware of the event and must take all steps to try and avoid it. There is also a 40 day period after which the event has occurred, within which the contractor must alert the principal agent of it occurring or lose out on being able to claim for compensation. This is stated under clause 29. 5 of the contract. In both contracts these claims are submitted to the project manager, in the NEC and to the principal agent in the JBCC. These claims are investigated by the employer’s agents, clause 61. 4 in the NEC, states that the project manager must decide whether the event occurred as a result of actions taken by the contractor, or has not happened or is not expected to happen, has no effect upon the defined cost or completion date and is not one of the listed compensation events, the project manager may decide that the contractor has no grounds for his claim and deny the contractor compensation. If the project manger does decide that there are grounds for the claim he notifies the contractor to submit a quotations for the claim. Should the project manager fail to reply the contractor within a week or a longer time period that is agreed upon by both parties, then the claim is viewed to have been accepted by the project manager. The contractor is the free to submit quotations for the claim. While in the JBCC the process is similar, and is covered under clause 29. which gives the principal agent 15 working days of receiving the claim to grant or refuse the working days claimed or revaluation of contract value depending on the basis of the claim. During which time the principal agent shall determine the revised date of practical completion and identify each circumstance and relevant sub-clause and for each event grant or deny the contractors claim. The principal agent must also supply reasons for the decisions he or she has made. But while in the NEC no response by the project m anager, the claim is deemed to have been accepted, in the JBCC it is assumed that the claim has been rejected. This is sated under clause 29. 8, which provides certain cover for the employer should there be a mishap and the principal agent is unable to reply the contractor, unlike in the NEC. In essence the JBCC contract is the better contract on managing the cost of the project along with time constraints. The contract clearly states the events which if they do occur, will require revision of the date of practical completion and also which events will require both a revision of the date and revaluation of the project. While under the NEC contract the events listed are events that can all be claimed for money by the contractor, which may lead to the employer having to set aside a greater budget for contingencies because of the number of items listed that can be claimed as a compensation event. The better contract that would ease the client’s worries about budget and time constraints is the JBCC principal agreement. References 1. JBCC Series 2000 Principal Building Agreement Edition 5. 0 2. NEC Engineering and Construction Contract

Path loss determination using Hata model

Path loss determination using Hata model CHAPTER-1 INTRODUCTION Path loss is the degradation in received power of an Electromagnetic signal when it propagates through space. Path loss is due to several effects such as free space path loss, refraction, diffraction, reflection, coupling and cable loss, and absorption. Path loss depends on several factors such as type of propagation environments, distance between transmitter and receiver, height and location of antennas. Also the signal from the transmitting antenna may take multiple paths (multipath) to reach the receiving side, which results in either increase or decrease of received signal level depending on the constructive or destructive interference of the multipath waves. Path loss is usually expressed in decibels (db), as this method gives us an easy and consistent method to compare the signal levels at various points. Where Lp is the path loss i.e. the ratio of power of received signal to that of transmitted. Propagation models are used extensively in network planning, particularly for conducting feasibility studies and during initial deployment. They are also very useful for performing interference studies as the deployment proceeds. Numerous Experiments have been carried out all around the world, for checking the applicability of suitable path loss models in mobile communications specific scenario. In those experiments radio engineers carried out signal strength measurement for a specific area and compared the observed output with that of predicted outputs from different widely accepted propagation models so as to find out which model best predict the path loss for the given scenario. Also, some fine tuning for that model are done based on the difference. Many propagation models are available for path loss predictions. Deterministic models are based on the laws of electromagnetic wave propagation and produce accurate predictions of the path loss, however they take high computational effort and require detailed and accurate description of all objects in the propagation path .Free space Model, and Plane Earth model, are easier deterministic propagation methods. Empirical models are based on extensive collection of data for specific case. They are not accurate but predict the most likely behavior the link may exhibit under specific conditions. Okumura carried out a lot of field strength measurements in Tokyo, Japan with varying terrain, frequency antenna height and transmitted power. It states that, the signal strength decreases at much greater rate with distance than that predicted by free space loss .An empirical formula based on Okumuras results has been developed by Hata in order to make the propagation loss prediction easy to apply .Hata gave no of path loss models for urban, suburban and open areas, often called Okamura-Hata model. The European Co-operative for Scientific and Technical Research (COST) extended the Hata model to be valid for PCS(personal communication System) Operating at 1800- 2000 MHz, which is named COST 231 Hata model .The European research group also developed an another model taking Diffraction effect into consideration, which is COST 231 Walfish Ikegami model. Actually, this model is a semi-deterministic model as the path loss calculations is made by combining empirical models with deterministi c techniques [4].wave propagation models for planning of mobile communication network. Theres a North American model called Lees model named after W.C.Y. Lee, which is characterized by two parameters, power at a mile and path loss exponent. Kathmandu is the capital city of our country Nepal with more than 1 million inhabitants. GSM Mobile launched by Nepal Telecom reached almost a decade now with total 3.5 million subscribers, and 1.5 million solely in Kathmandu. With such increase in no. of subscribers, the no of BTS has gone up to 1500 in whole Nepal. Operating with both the frequency 900 and 1800 MHz, there are nearly 500 BTS (BS) in Kathmandu only. With such increase in the no. of Bs in Kathmandu valley due to the growth in No of subscribers, proper planning methods are needed for placing BTS for acceptable field strength and Interference level in the coverage area. Also the Coverage holes are needed to be filled with proper planning. This Planning Requires appropriate propagation models that best predicts the path loss for our specific environment. In this project, the feasibility analysis and fine tuning of Hata and Cost 231 Hata model has been done for propagation environments in Kathmandu. Taking three different areas of Kathmandu namely: Core city area, Ring-road area and Remote areas and five locations are selected for each of the terrain types and Field Strength Measurements offers a better means to understand what path loss model to use in certain propagation environments. Field strength measurements were conducted on the existing GSM 900 MHz Network of Nepal Telecom on the locations of interest. MOTIVATION The demand for increasing mobile subscribers needs efficient extension of a cellular network. For GSM like technology, there is additional complexity in making efficient Allocation of Base Stations and frequency planning. For this, proper path loss models should be used for coverage prediction and interference analysis. Much of the popular path loss models by renowned RF engineers are based on the observation data taken on their own country. So there is need of fine tuning of such model for applicability in our area. To my knowledge, there has not been any published work regarding such models feasibility analysis and modifications.This provides the impetus for this project to make an analysis of the observed data and necessary modification in Hata and Cost 231 Hata model for Kathmandu. Also, the proposed re-farming of 900 MHz frequency spectrum for Future Generation of Mobile Communications provides another drive for this project. It is obvious that use of less frequency yields large coverage area than higher frequencies. Hence, for future generation mobile, Scientist have conceived of making use of 900 MHz spectrum and together with use of newer technologies, they could make efficient utilization of this spectrum. APPLICATIONS This project can be used in realistic planning of GSM networks, with the predicted path loss in Kathmandu. For capacity enhancements of the network, GSM Engineers can use the path loss prediction models for intelligent placement of BTSs with certain antenna height and power. Path loss also facilitates Link budget analysis and Design in a telecommunication system. In a GSM like Cellular network, Path loss is used for Frequency Re-use distance estimates so as to properly space the channels in Base stations (BS). Actual Frequency assignment plans for the Base Stations are also facilitated by the use of path loss. Better Coverage predictions and interference reduction is what planning engineers get by using better path loss model. CHAPTER-2 PATH LOSS MODELS In this chapter, description of various Path Loss model will be discussed. The model characteristics, along with mathematical formulae, will be shown that is useful for further calculations, analysis in this project. In addition, three kinds of dependency factors of path loss will be noted that will be analyzed later. FREE SPACE PATH LOSS This model is the most simple and primitive path loss model where the influence of all objects and obstacles in the propagation environment is ignored. Here, the Received signal is inversely proportional to the square of distance between the transmitter and receiver. So, the free space Path loss is given by As Decibel (db) method gives us easy and consistent method to observe and analyze the signal levels at various points, the free space path loss can also be expressed in logarithmic format as OKAMURA MODEL This model is a RF propagation model that was developed based on the data collected in the Tokyo city, Japan. The model served as a base for all other empirical propagation models. In this model, the propagation area is divided into terrain categories: open area, suburban area, and urban area. Urban area is used as a reference area and Correction factors are applied in it to calculate the path loss for other terrains. HATA MODEL It is also known as the Okumura-Hata model for being a advanced version of the Okumura Model, is the most widely used model in radio frequency propagation for predicting the behavior of cellular transmissions in city outskirts and other rural areas. This model incorporates the graphical information from Okumura model and develops it further to better suit the need . Hata Model predicts the total path loss along a link of terrestrial microwave or other type of cellular communications. Operating frequency, Base Station Antenna height. This model is suited for both point-to-point and broadcast transmissions. COST 231 HATA MODEL It is also called the Hata Model DCS Extension, which is a RF propagation model that extends the Hata Model to cover a more range of frequencies. Also, this model is applicable to Open, Suburban and Urban Areas . PATH LOSS DEPENDENCY FACTORS Path loss usually depends on operating frequency, Base station Antenna Height, and distance of the Mobile stations (MS) from the Base Station (BS). For each of the popular empirical models discussed above, those dependency factors are observed separately and lastly combined together to give a formula for that path loss model. PATH LOSS EXPONENT We know that received signal at a distance from a BS or a transmitter is inversely proportional to some power of the distance, i.e. farther we go from the BS or transmitter, the received level will degrade by some factor. CHAPTER-3 For empirical models, Field strength measurements gives an easy and better way for feasibility analysis and fine tuning of the models for certain propagation environments. In our case, I intend to check the applicability and the modification of Hata and Cost 231 Hata model for propagation environments in Kathmandu. Three different terrains are taken into consideration, namely: Core city area, Ring-Road area, and remote area. Field strength measurements are carried out in fifteen different locations, where five of them belong to one terrain types. Location of BS, Transmitted power, antenna height is taken for the areas of interest in Kathmandu. Field strength measurements were conducted on the existing GSM network of Nepal Telecom and the receiver used was TEMS tool with a mobile set. DRIVE TESTING USING TEMS TEMS is an air interface test tool for real time diagnostic of different parameters for RF optimization. Also, all the data can be saved for later analysis. It consists of a laptop with TEMS software, a mobile set with a connector, GPS for location, and a hardware lock key. As for this project, only the received level is concerned, so the received level is noted as we drive farther from a BS. Above Figure shows the trail of the drive test path through a vehicle, in the location of interest. Here, the distance of a sample point in the trail can easily be noted using a scale in the map. Before performing drive test in all of those sites, proper Information regarding Site locations, their Carrier Frequencies, BS antenna Height, power transmitted from the BS are taken and used in the data collection and Calculations part. ASSUMPTIONS In this project, several assumptions are considered to ease data collection and analysis phase, which are listed as: Though the signal strength measurements are done for different BS with different Carriers (ARFCN), operating frequency is taken to be fixed at 900MHz. The effective power radiated from the BS is taken to be fixed at 50 dbm. Also height of mobile () taken to be fixed at 1.5 meters as the data is measured through TEMS inside a vehicle. Core city area, Ring-road Area and Remote areas in Kathmandu are assumed to be Urban, Sub-urban and Rural area respectively for simplification in analysis and comparison. If that assumption gives different result, then it can be rectified easily based on the integrated analysis of the path loss plot vs distance. MEASURED PATH LOSS For each of the propagation environments which have been selected and drive tested for data collection, the path loss can easily be calculated using the formula: So, Path loss can easily be observed from the collected data, to be increasing as we go farther from the BS. Data Collected for Fifteen different Locations can also be shown in tabular format as: PATH LOSS FROM MODELS After the observation of measured path loss in the propagation environments in Kathmandu, we need to calculate the path loss from the formula for the two models Hata and COST 231 Hata Model, with the distance d of MS from Bs in km, Frequency f in MHz, BS height hb in meters, Antenna height in meters taken from the actual scenario. Calculations are done using Excel sheet and the data are shown as: PATH LOSS PLOTS: As we get all the measured data and predicted data from the two models, the average data of path loss as shown in the table below are plotted with the increasing distance d of MS from BS as shown in the graph below for each propagation environments. COMPARISION AND ANALYSIS From the above plot for each propagation environments, comparing the average path loss values with that of Hata and COST 231 Hata model plot gives the result that Hata model best fits the propagation characteristics in Core city area and Ring-road area whereas the COST 231 model best predicts the propagation characteristics in Remote area. Also the Minimum Square Error (MSE)calculated for each of the model is within acceptable limits, which can be calculated using the formula: From the MSE analysis also, I find that Hata model best fits the Kathmandu Core city area and is also suitable for Kathmandu Ring-road Area. Whereas in the case of Kathmandu Remote Area, Cost 231 Hata model best predicts the path loss characteristics. FINE TUNING OF THE BEST FIT MODEL Due to the least and acceptable MSE in both Ring road area and remote area, the best fit models need not be modified for such propagation environments in Kathmandu. Solely based on the Minimum Square Error in path loss, the Best fit model for Core city area in Kathmandu i.e. Hata model can be modified accordingly. This formula is the modified version of the Path loss in urban area as given by Hata model for application in Kathmandu. CHAPTER-4 RESULTS By the comparison of the actual path loss with that of the predicted path loss from the two models Hata and COST 231 Hata model, and integrated analysis of all the plots, the feasibility analysis of the two models for three different propagation environments in Kathmandu is done. From which we get, Hata model is not feasible for the application in remote area due to much high minimum square error. Also the Hata model best fits the core city area in Kathmandu with MSE slightly greater than the acceptable limits as given by [6]. So the new modified Hata model is given based on the MSE. And for Ring-road area both model is applicable but the COST 231 Hata Model best fits it due to least MSE. CONCLUSION In this project, the popular empirical path loss models for mobile communications are studied. Among them two models, Hata and COST 231 Hata model is compared with actual path loss in three different propagation environments in Kathmandu, for applicability in macro-cellular Base Stations (BS). Comparison and Analysis of the integrated plot of the path loss from two models and actual path loss in those environments, along with mathematical calculations gave us the result. And the best fit model based on MSE calculations is either modified or left as it is, for those three propagation environments in Kathmandu. Also the assumptions for the three areas are consistent with the actual model which made the analysis and comparison easy. The choice of which model to use actually depends on the terrain type and the surrounding environments and objects around it, the selection of that model in planning a mobile communication network will give the best result and better network is what will be the output. So, Service providers must use efficient planning tools to better model their propagation environments along with the best predicted path loss. Hence, this project is useful for such realistic planning for GSM 900 MHz in Kathmandu. Further enhancements in this project can yield similar results for future mobile technologies and other spectrum too. PROBLEMS / LIMITATIONS: The receiver used for this project is a mobile set which has a sensitivity of -105 dbm. Hence, during field strength measurement, I can only measure signals up to 600m from the Base station in core city area. If there was separate equipment for signal measurement, it would have yield much better result, maybe thats the reason why there is much difference between the measured and predicted value due to lesser no of sample points. Also, Effective power radiated from the antenna is assumed to be 50 dbm, (same for all BS) due to unavaibility of measuring actual power radiated from the antenna and the losses in the RF cables and connectors. Also the antenna azimuth and down tilt not taken into consideration and sometimes, the measurement of received signal is done in locations that may be outside of the main lobe of the antenna radiation, i.e. outside of the half-power beam width (HPBW). FUTURE WORK: This work can be extended to apply for other mobile technologies in other frequency spectrum such as 1800 MHz DCS, 2100 MHz WCDMA. Also high sensitive field strength measurements tools can be used for future generation Mobile technologies for better result. As this project only dealt with the selection and modification of Path loss models for applicability in Kathmandu areas, the result of this project can be used for interference estimation and frequency assignment planning for new network or extension of existing network. REFERENCES Z. Nadir, N. Elfadhil, F. Touati, Pathloss Determination Using Okumura-Hata Model And Spline Interpolation For MissingData For Oman, Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering 2008 Vol I WCE 2008, July 2 4, 2008, London, U.K. Popescu, I.et al., Applications of neural networks to the prediction of propagationpath loss for mobile communications systems, Applied Electromagnetism, 2000. Proceedings of the Second International Symposium of Trans Black Sea Region, 2000. K.Ayyappan et. al., Propagation Model for highway in Mobile Communication System, from http://www.ubicc.org/files/pdf/Highway_249.pdf F.M. Landstorfer, Wave Propagation Model for the Planning of Mobile Communication Network, from http://amsacta.cib.unibo.it/1427/1 /GAAS_99_065.pdf J. Wu and D. Yuan, Propagation Measurements and Modeling in Jinan City, IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, Boston, MA, USA, Vol. 3. M. Hata, Empirical Formula for Propagation Loss in Land Mobile Radio Services, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, Vol, VT-29, No, 3, 1980. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-space_path_loss P K DALELA, et al., A New Method of Realistic GSM Network planning for Rural Indian Terrains, IJCSNS International 370 Journal of Computer Science and Network Security, VOL.8 No.8, August 2008 V.S. Abhayawardhana, et al., Comparison of Empirical Propagation Path Loss Models for Fixed Wireless Access Systems, from http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/ research/dtg/lce-pub/public/vsa23/VTC05_Empirical.pdf http://www.google.com.np/#hl=neq=+++++L%3D+FSL%2BAM-HMG-HBG+median+path+lossaq=foq=+++++L%3D+FSL%2BAM-HMG-HBG+median+path+lossfp=80b8cfa680f5dc97.

The Master Speed by Robert Frost Essay -- Robert Frost Poem Master Sp

'The Master Speed' by Robert Frost Throughout the poem The Master Speed, Frost addresses the idea that marriage is a sacred bond that must be treasured all through our lives. The main reason for the apparent matrimony theme was due to the engagement of Frost's daughter. Because of this great influence over his life, Frost reiterated the advice to his daughter to stay at 'the master speed'; in order to fully enjoy the rest of her life as well as her future commitment. By this Frost suggests that one should not rush through life but instead take in life, nice and slow so that it may be savored. Frost first presents this idea by metaphorically discussing the spectacular abilities his daughter possesses but refuses to use. In the first quatrain, the poet suggests that his da...

Feeding the Ghost Essay -- essays papers

Feeding the Ghost WE ARE BETTER The novel Feeding the Ghosts, by Fred D'Aguiar, exploits the terrible conditions black people were put through while being transported from Africa to the Americas. It examines the thought process of the captain, the crew, the captives, and the legal system of England. D'Aguiar clearly illustrates the hell that was forced upon the blacks and how even the highest court system of the time saw nothing wrong with it. The whites were the ones who made the laws; the laws were meant to protect the whites. The high court had laws in place about proper procedures on these voyages, but the law wasn't meant to protect the blacks, or stock as they were referred to, just the well being of the white people involved. The common conception is that a courtroom is where the truth comes out and justice will be served. It is a safe haven for the innocent and a prison for the guilty. But when the hearing of the investors of the Zong vs. the insurers starts, Lord Mansfield states, "As you know, gentlemen, this is not a criminal trial. It is a hearing". No, this would never be a criminal trial. It wasn't illegal to murder black slaves if there was good enough reason. Blacks didn't have human rights like the whites did. Laws weren't created to protect the black man; they were there for the well being of the white person. Anyways, the black person was stock in the eyes of the law so the treatment of stock was the question at hand. "Which law did the captain break? None according to English statutes. What is being disputed here? Whether his actions were within the law that describes the treatment of slave stock." (p. 171) Whites made the laws, whites enforced them, whites benefited from them. ... ...mmunication there is still an underlying prejudice against the black person. Things haven't changed enough to say we are equal. Time is the main component in changing this. Something that has been rooted in white backgrounds and common laws for hundreds of years doesn't change in a few decades. Here at UW-La Crosse students are required to take a minority studies class and similar programs are underway at other colleges. Education is the first step to closing the gap. The second step is changing how one perceives another who is different from them. Will the world ever be able to do away with prejudice? Or is prejudice something that is like second nature. Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts, so wouldn't that entitle everyone to having a prejudice? Bibliography D'Aguiar, Fred. Feeding The Ghosts. A Novel. New York: The Ecco Press, HarperCollins, 1997.

Art Can Be Functional Essay -- Argumentative

â€Å"We are in the presence of a work of art only when it has no preponderant instrumental use, and when its technical and rational foundations are not preeminent.†1 The words of George Kubler, a prominent twentieth century art historian, support the notion that art cannot be useful or necessary to society outside of its artistic expression. Kubler’s belief, however, is not solely a contemporary idea. The eighteenth century philosopher, Immanuel Kant, formally proposed this theory. Kant separated fine art from useful art, maintaining that an artist’s goal must be to convey aesthetic ideas through form and design. These ideas are original and creative and therefore have â€Å"purpose without a purpose.†2 In short, both Immanuel Kant and George Kubler, even though separated by more than a century, believe that art only exists for the sake of art, without any other functional value to society, and thus anything that possesses utility fails to be art. Initially, we can easily agree with this notion since art does exist in this form. Famous works of art such as Monet’s â€Å"Waterlilies† or Van Gogh’s â€Å"Starry Night† demonstrate that art exists for art’s sake. These artists express their ideas through form and design, giving the work â€Å"purpose without a purpose.† Even though art exists for the sake of artistic expression, we can also find art that defies the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. Bridges exist as art, and thus engineers exist as artists. Although bridges stand as feats of engineering that perform the task of connection, bridges also display great beauty. Undoubtedly, beautiful bridges evoke an array of emotions from observers, much the same as an inspired painting, and thus offer warnings that Kubl... ...ltimately, since the George Washington Bridge qualifies as art, while also utilizing rational and technical foundations to perform a useful function, we can easily disprove George Kubler’s belief. His shortsightedness denies the existence of the art and beauty that surrounds us everyday. Herein lies the biggest tragedy. To limit art to such a small sample of the creative prospects offered by the world only serves to diminish the experience of aesthetic pleasure. Instead, people can and do appreciate works like the George Washington Bridge, which offer artistic value, while still providing a service to society. Art can be found all around us; however, art is lost without people willing to embrace and appreciate it. In all actuality, art, as its primary purpose, serves to enrich our lives, but only brings pleasure to those who choose to see it. Art Can Be Functional Essay -- Argumentative â€Å"We are in the presence of a work of art only when it has no preponderant instrumental use, and when its technical and rational foundations are not preeminent.†1 The words of George Kubler, a prominent twentieth century art historian, support the notion that art cannot be useful or necessary to society outside of its artistic expression. Kubler’s belief, however, is not solely a contemporary idea. The eighteenth century philosopher, Immanuel Kant, formally proposed this theory. Kant separated fine art from useful art, maintaining that an artist’s goal must be to convey aesthetic ideas through form and design. These ideas are original and creative and therefore have â€Å"purpose without a purpose.†2 In short, both Immanuel Kant and George Kubler, even though separated by more than a century, believe that art only exists for the sake of art, without any other functional value to society, and thus anything that possesses utility fails to be art. Initially, we can easily agree with this notion since art does exist in this form. Famous works of art such as Monet’s â€Å"Waterlilies† or Van Gogh’s â€Å"Starry Night† demonstrate that art exists for art’s sake. These artists express their ideas through form and design, giving the work â€Å"purpose without a purpose.† Even though art exists for the sake of artistic expression, we can also find art that defies the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. Bridges exist as art, and thus engineers exist as artists. Although bridges stand as feats of engineering that perform the task of connection, bridges also display great beauty. Undoubtedly, beautiful bridges evoke an array of emotions from observers, much the same as an inspired painting, and thus offer warnings that Kubl... ...ltimately, since the George Washington Bridge qualifies as art, while also utilizing rational and technical foundations to perform a useful function, we can easily disprove George Kubler’s belief. His shortsightedness denies the existence of the art and beauty that surrounds us everyday. Herein lies the biggest tragedy. To limit art to such a small sample of the creative prospects offered by the world only serves to diminish the experience of aesthetic pleasure. Instead, people can and do appreciate works like the George Washington Bridge, which offer artistic value, while still providing a service to society. Art can be found all around us; however, art is lost without people willing to embrace and appreciate it. In all actuality, art, as its primary purpose, serves to enrich our lives, but only brings pleasure to those who choose to see it.

The Bourne Identity

‘The Borne Identity’, released in the year 2002, is a fascinating action-thriller flick. The movie borrows plot elements, characters and the title from a popular spy novel written by Robert Ludlum during the Cold War era. The movie is about a CIA operative who loses his memory and sets outs on a quest to reclaim his identity. He also faces the twin challenge of surviving his own doubts about his past and escaping from assassins hired by his own agency to hunt him down. The plotline is quite strong, if not unique, and has enough juice to keep the viewer interested till the very end.The movie offers a healthy dose of fight and chase sequences to the keep viewer engrossed amidst thrilling character development, brisk pacing and solid acting. Movie Synopsis This Universal Pictures production was directed by Doug Liman, while Matt Damon stars as Jason Bourne in the lead role. The main character Bourne is found shot and half-dead in a beach and rescued by fishermen. He has no memory of his past, as he suffers from severe amnesia. The only clue that he uncovers immediately is the account number and address of a Swiss bank, beaming out of a â€Å"miniaturized laser pointer from his hip† (Younkin 2).He desperately feels the urge to figure out his past and reclaim his identity. He begins a quest for reviving his identity by first going to Switzerland to look for answers and then follows the path laid by newly uncovered clues. In Switzerland, Bourne finds a gun and a lot of multiple currency money in his bank safety deposit. He also finds it bizarre that he possesses multiple fake passports under his name. Bourne is also surprised to learn about his exceedingly good martial art skills when confronted with a situation to fight for his life. When he tries to seek the aid of the US Embassy, more trouble awaits him.These revelations make him uncomfortable as it brings upon the suspicion that he might have a dark past. At one point, he realizes that he has to wither accept the possibility of him being a bad individual or wander confused about his true identity for the rest of his life. Matt Damon effectively conveys feelings of paranoia when his character Bourne is overwhelmed by this internal conflict. At this juncture, Bourne meets a woman named Marie played by Franka Potente. She is in a crunch need for money and he needs immediate transportation to flee away to this next destination France.Hence, they both agree to help out each other, as Marie strikes a deal with Bourne to transport him to Paris in exchange for $20,000 in cash. And, eventually Potente’s character turns out to be the hero’s love interest. In Paris, Bourne escapes all the assassination attempts planned against him by the CIA. Meanwhile, Marie goes flees away to safety on Bourne’s insistence. When Bourne visits the Treadstone Head Quarters, he gets back his memory about him being a CIA spy and assassin. He destroys the Treadstone operation and r eunites with Marie in a remote Greek island. CharactersClive Owen plays the role of an assassin sent by the CIA to kill Bourne since he failed in his mission of killing an African leader who threatens to expose the CIA secrets. Owen’s character, the professor, is a polished, cold, trench coat assassin who is in ruthless pursuit of Bourne. Owen nails the part to the tee with his emotionless expressions. Chris Cooper plays the role of the shady CIA officer Conklin who plans out top secret operations and makes ethically objectionable decisions behind closed doors. His character is also quite animated and annoyingly funny at times.Julia Stiles gives a decent performance with her robotic expressions, playing a minor part of an analyst named Nicolette. Critique Movie critic Craig Younkin calls Bourne Identity a â€Å"film about a character trying to rebuild† and emphasizes the importance of steady character building in this movie (Younkin 1). Mike Clark of USA Today feels th at Damon’s portrayal of Bourne is much more convincing than Richard Chamberlain’s performance in the 1988 TV version of the same movie(2). He also suggests that Demon’s being younger and his charming looks did not deter the credibility of the character.BBC’s Neil Smith also speaks highly of Damon’s portrayal of Bourne and compares his character to the likes of â€Å"classic spies like Harry Palmer and George Smiley† (2). However, he harshly criticizes the movie for not completely harnessing the acting prowess of Potente who showed great potential in the popular movie ‘Run Lola Run’. However, Charles Taylor of Salon. com considers Potente as the â€Å"movie's biggest human factor† (5). He perceives Potente’s character Marie as humane since she â€Å"watches frozen and scared† when Bourne is busy fighting with assassins, thereby providing â€Å"tenderness in the midst of violence† (Taylor 4).Rob Gonsalv es of eFilm Critic points out that Matt Damon’s natural appearance characterized by a â€Å"mixture of hard and soft features† makes him look â€Å"both defined and blank† (2). He perceives Bourne’s character as someone whose â€Å"mind forgot who he is but his body remembers very well† (2). Gonsalves feels this Damon’s attributes and acting work well for Bourne’s character that has no memory of his personal life, but still is proficient in certain survival skills such as speaking different languages and martial arts.He also compares this movie to the critically acclaimed thriller Memento, since the lead characters in both films suffer from the same condition while striving hard to uncover their identity and past. Margaret McGurk of the Cincinnati Enquirer is all praise for the director Liman, as she suggests that the movie’s â€Å"urgent pace helps play down some of the awkward plot holes† (8). She feels that that plot in most movies in this genre do tend to be lacking at times, since the primary focus is on the main character and only little time is left for explaining plotlines in detail.McGurk also appreciates the director for smartly muting the background score at the right time. Liman also receives praise from Top critic Colin Covert of the Star Tribune for his realistic style and paying â€Å"precise attention to detail†, especially in the car chase scene staged in Paris (6). Movie critic Jeremy Heilman of MovieMartyr. com points that the film’s weakness lies in the â€Å"lack of a strong villain† character and the absence of a concrete reason behind CIA’s desire to get rid of Bourne (3). He also feels that the films seems incomplete as a â€Å"number of plot threads remain untied† (Heilman 3).The movie’s main character is well developed and the storyline of the movie left enough room to make decent sequels, in the form of ‘The Bourne Supremacy ’ and ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’. Editing Technique The classical Hollywood editing approach is geared to toward achieving continuity by adopting editing techniques such as matching shots, cutting for reaction and cutting on action. However, the editors of the movie break out from convention, by capturing action on the fly and cutting for movement. This enables the audience to view action sequences exactly from Bourne’s shoes.The end results of this technique can be quite confusing and unsettling to the viewer, since there is always an element of uncertainty. Unlike usual action flicks, this movie’s editing does not ignore the consequences of the main character’s actions on other characters, thereby adding a touch of realism. In a way, this movie is not only entertaining but also makes the audience relate to the consequence of violence. Lighting and Cinematography The lighting and colors are quite dark to be reflective of the nature of the subjec t being handled in the movie.The movie follows quite a contemporary style of storytelling in this genre. The opening scene of the movie starts with a unique shot where we see Bourne’s body from underneath, through the water. The movie’s action sequences were shot and edited in way to provide a sense of realism, usually experienced in documentaries. The film is visually appealing as it showcases scenic locations in Zurich, Prague and Paris. The final scene set in the Greek island of Mykonos is testament to the movie’s refined visual treatment. ConclusionOne has to remember that this movie came out in 2002, just a few months after the tragic events of 9/11 when the CIA’s operational methods came under the microscope. Hence, it is natural for the audience to expect an element of relevance to real-world events. Applying political connotations to this movie would have only worsened the socio-political climate. According to A. O. Scott of the New York Times, th is movie is just a work of fiction and has nothing to do with current or past world happenings, thereby providing â€Å"something of a relief† (6).He further says Ludlum’s work is purely a fictional thriller, and does not intend on stimulating ethical dilemmas or posing questions over troubling geopolitical issues (Scott 6). Although the movie is not a typical action flick filled to the brim with action sequences and special effects, it does succeed in providing heart-pounding action to the viewer. Works Cited Page Covert, Colin. 24 March 2007. â€Å"Bourne Identity is a scorching thriller†. Star Tribune. (June 13 2002). 24 March 2007. Clark, Mike. â€Å"Bourne plays old-school spy game†.USA Today. (14 June 2002). 24 March 2007. Gonsalves, Rob. â€Å"The Bourne Identity†. eFilmCritic. 24 March 2007. Heilman, Jeremy. â€Å"The Bourne Identity (Doug Liman) 2002†. 24 March 2007. McGurk, Margaret. â€Å"Bourne to Thrill†. Cincinnati E nquirer. (14 June 2002). 24 March 2007. Scott, A. , O. â€Å"He Knows a Lot, Just Not His Name†.New York Times. (14 June 2002). 24 March 2007. Smith, Neil. â€Å"The Bourne Identity†. British Broadcasting Corporation. (September 2002). 24 March 2007. Taylor, Charles. â€Å"The Bourne Identity†. Salon. (14 June 2002). 24 March 2007. Younkin, Craig. â€Å"Reviews; The Bourne Identity†. MovieFreak. 24 March 2007.