Adolescent Depression Childhood And Adulthood - 996 Words

Adolescent Depression The period of teens is usually used to describe the stage between childhood and adulthood, which is defined as the establishment of the onset of puberty, around age 11 to 13 years (Edelman 515). Many researchers and developmental professionals in the United States use the age span 10 to 24 years as a working definition of adolescence, and this adolescence period talk about to the psychosocial, emotional, cognitive, and moral changes from childhood to young adulthood, while puberty refers to the development and maturation of the reproductive, endocrine, and structural processes that lead to fertility (Edelman 515).Depression (major depressive disorder or clinical depression) is a serious mood disorder which causes and affect how one feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. The symptoms are required existing for at least two weeks in order to be diagnosed. Adolescent depression is also known as teenage depression. Teenage depression is a mental and emotional disorder with no different medically from adult depression. Nevertheless, depressive symptoms in teens may be noticeable in a teenager in different ways than in adults due to the different social and age-related challenges facing teens which includes peer pressure, sports, changing hormone levels, developing bodies. Adolescent depression is related with stress levels, concerns, and in the most horrible possible situations like suicide. Depression tend to affectShow MoreRelatedFactors That Affect The Healthy Development Of Cognition And Social Development962 Words   |  4 PagesEarly to Middle Childhood Researchers have identified the importance of interplay in the healthy development of cognition and social development (Biro, Alink, Huffmeijer, Bakermans†Kranenburg, van IJzendoorn, 2015). Engaging in daily interaction will allow infants to mimic and learn socialization, this will influence the way that toddlers and young children engage with peers and caregivers throughout their childhood (Biro, Alink, Huffmeijer, Bakermans†Kranenburg, van IJzendoorn, 2015). LearningRead MoreChildren s Participation During Early Childhood Exercise Programs1679 Words   |  7 PagesChildren’s participation in early childhood exercise programs plays an important part in the development of the human body, both physically and mentally. Regular physical exercise in youth’s plays an important part of their childhood as it has many beneficial health outcomes associated with growth and development connected with adulthood. These health outcomes include increasing productio n of bone mineral content (BMC), and the decrease of depression, obesity and cardiovascular disease risks. EarlyRead MoreAdolescence and Early Adulthood Essay1731 Words   |  7 Pagespsychosocial development of adolescents and how it can be influenced by these biological changes as well as the environment that the adolescent is experiencing. Many of the changes that adolescents experience are the result of a combination of factors and the interaction of biology and the environment. Neurological Changes Many times the focus on neurological development is during the early childhood years of development. Such rapid changes take place during early childhood, it is many times theRead More Adolescence: Stress, Depression, and Suicide Essay1309 Words   |  6 Pages Adolescence is a stage of maturation between childhood and adulthood that denotes the period from the beginning of puberty to maturity. However, many conflicting opinions are raised about weather such a stage of childhood is influenced by stress, depression, and suicide rate. Some people support the optimistic view that says that adolescence is not a period of storm and stress. Others, including me, support an opposite pessimistic view which characterizes adolescence as a period of stress and innerRead MoreAdolescence Essay 101357 Words   |  6 PagesAdolescence is a stage of maturation between childhood and adulthood that denotes the period from the beginning of puberty to maturity. However, many conflicting opinions are raised about weather such a stage of childhood is influenced by stress, depression, and suicide rate. Some people support the optimistic view that says that adolescence is not a period of storm and stress. Others, including me, support an opposite pessimistic view which characterizes adolescence as a period of stress and innerRead MoreDepression in Childhood and Adolescence Essay748 Words   |  3 PagesDepression in Childhood and Adolescence Until recently depression in children and adolescents had not received a great deal of attention. Increasing interest can probably be traced to a number of influences. Promising developments in the treatment of mood disorders in adults have played a role. In addition the application of diagnostic criteria in children has greatly improved. In everyday usage the term depression refers to the experience of sadness, or dysphoria, is also a centralRead MoreADOLESCENT DEPRESSION1008 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Adolescent depression is a disorder that affects teenagers. It leads to sadness, discouragement, and a loss of self-worth and interest in their usual activities. Everyone experiences some unhappiness, often as a result of a change, either in the form of a setback or a loss, or simply, as Freud said, Everyday misery. The painful feelings that accompany these events are usually appropriate and temporary, and can even present an opportunity for personal growth and improvement. However, when sadnessRead MoreWhat Is Rapid Depression?968 Words   |  4 PagesTreatment and Therapy techniques Rapid depression treatment is important because it affects the persons character and creates imbalance decision making. Smith, Chein, and Steinberg (2013) stated that teenagers do not have the ability to make rational decisions. It is the main reason why they do not take risks or have the potential of engaging with others. From this point, the team started having a psychological emotional treatment for Sarah because she lacked making good decisions in that depressedRead MoreComorbidity Disorder In Children Essay1063 Words   |  5 PagesDeficity Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents, due to both disorders sharing executive functions insufficiency. According to Riley, Ahmed, and Locke (2016), one of the two most common comorbidity disorders in children and adolescences with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is ADHD, which transpires in fourteen percent to forty percent of children that has ODD, particularly in the ODD children that have more predominant symptoms of defiant and headstrongness. APA (2013) DiagnosticRead MoreEffects Of Physical Activity On Children s Health1460 Words   |  6 Pagesmentally and physically fit. There are nine primary studies done between sedentary behavior and mental health. Having a high level of sedentary behavior negatively impacts your health. Physical activity has potentially beneficial effects for reduced depression, although evidence is limited (Biddle, S. J. H., and M. Asare). Exercise teaches your body how to respond to stressful situations due to the fact that the body undergoes a strain when you exercise. Physical activity gives a better sense of self

Media and The Agenda Setting Theory - 1337 Words

According to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, section 11d, the accused is â€Å"to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal† (Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982). Despite the right to one’s innocence preceding a fair and public trial, the indicted typically receives mass media coverage, making the individual susceptible to the opinion’s of the public. This is especially true in the case of a renowned individual, such as a celebrity or politician. The media’s coverage of the news, prior to a fair hearing, results in public scrutiny of subjects. Media involvement generates public uproar, frequently resulting in the condemning of the accused preceding their right to a fair trial as stated in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Not only is an individual’s right, according to the charter, to be presumed innocent jeopardized by the media but also their assumed right to a private life is put into question. Agenda Setting Theory Agenda Setting Theory refers to the media’s ability to influence the significance of topics to the public. Agenda setting allows for the establishment of public awareness to issues made relevant by media. There are two assumptions underlying the agenda-setting theory (McCombs Shaw, 1972). Firstly, the media’s portrayal of an event does not necessarily reflect reality; rather the media filters and shapes the news. Secondly, the infiltration ofShow MoreRelatedAgenda Setting Theory And Social Media1317 Words   |  6 Pages2015 Agenda-Setting Theory and Social Media The agenda-setting theory states that the media influences what people choose to think about. The theory emerged from communication studies and focuses on mass media and setting the public agenda. In the seminal article, McCombs and Shaw (1972) found a high correlation between media agenda and the public agenda through content analysis of a local election. The theorists wanted to discover what types of people are most susceptible to the media agenda throughRead MoreThe Agenda Setting Theory Of The Mass Media1033 Words   |  5 Pages Theory Overview Agenda setting theory is the hypothesis done by Shaw and McCombs, stating that the mass media has the ability to transfer the importance of issues on their news agenda to the public agenda. This theory contrasted with the selective exposure hypothesis which held that people only attend to stories which confirm their world view. The theory had two attractive features, one it reaffirms the power of the press and second it maintains individual freedom. Also it is represented a backRead MoreAgenda Setting Theory And Social Media s Influence2238 Words   |  9 Pages Agenda Setting Theory Social Media’s Influence Alicia Murray Kennesaw State University Abstract The creators of the agenda setting theory, Dr. Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw, say that Watergate is the most faultless example of how the agenda setting theory can heavily influence the mass media. The Watergate issue caught fire after months on the front page of The Washington Post because McCombs and Shaw believe that the â€Å"mass media have the ability to transfer the salienceRead MoreThe Agenda Setting Theory On The Public Agenda1076 Words   |  5 Pageshistory of the agenda-setting theory goes back over 50 years to when it was introduced in a 1972 edition of Public Opinion Quarterly by Drs. Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw. It was first developed as a means of studying the 1968 American presidential election as it relates to the most important issues determined by the news media and the most important issues determined by the 100 residents of Chapel Hill, North Carolina (McCombs Shaw, 1972). Still relevant today, the agenda setting theory explains theRead MoreAgenda Sett ing Theory Of The United States Government And Its 300 Million Inhabitants Essay1742 Words   |  7 Pageschannels, including politics, interpersonal communication, and the mass media.   How does a specific item gain or lose momentum in this discussion?   Agenda Setting Theory attempts to describe the forces dictating the perceived importance (salience) of specific issues, occurrences, or values by individuals (McCombs Shaw, 1972, p. 177; Shaw, McCombs, Weaver, and Hamm, 1999, pp. 2-4). Agenda Setting Theory describes how the mass media affect the public salience of issues, especially those of politicalRead MoreMedia s Effect On Society1084 Words   |  5 PagesOver the years media has had an intense effect on society, an effect so immense we don’t even notice its presence sometimes. Media is crucial to any society; we are all surrounded by media. Each and every day people interact with media of many forms. Media is generally defined as being a channel of communication. We as a society absorb media from a wide variety of forms such as television, radio, magazines, newspapers, billboards and the internet. These are referred to as ‘mass’ media, because theyRead MoreThe Trial Of Simpson : An Agenda Setting Analysis1508 Words   |  7 PagesAn Agenda-Setting Analysis Mariah Short University of Kentuckyâ€Æ' The Trial of O.J. Simpson: An Agenda-Setting Analysis During the infamous O.J. Simpson trial the television news media was ever present. Placing the trial as a top news story set in motion the idea that this trial was an important issue. However, the television news media was not successful at determining whether O.J. was guilty or not. For this reason, the O.J. Simpson trial is an excellent example of the Agenda Setting Theory. ThisRead MoreCommunication Theory : The Agenda Setting Theory1326 Words   |  6 PagesCommunication Theory Case Study Vidya Naidoo 5073 Communication Design Theory - Assignment Two Introduction: In this case study I will be analysing the Agenda Setting Theory of Communication proposed by Maxwell McCombs and Donald L. Shaw in 1972 in relation to the Cosmopolitan Australia magazine cover, Katy Perry issue 2014. Analysis of communication theory: The agenda setting theory by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw states that the ideas of the public in the modern world are constructedRead MoreThe Theory And Magic Bullet Theory767 Words   |  4 Pageswith, throughout the semester in Mass Communication Theory and Research we’ve discussed various research theories; however, the two theories that interest me were the agenda setting theory and magic bullet theory. I choose these two theories specifically because they both focused on how the media is the core and how it can immensely affect audience’s perception and behavior towards the media. First, The Agenda Setting Function of the Mass Media, it was first put forth by Maxwell McCombs and DonaldRead MoreDiscuss The Stakeholders Organizations And People Who Are Impacted By The Public Policy932 Words   |  4 Pageslevel (Executives) interacts with the Congress to get their policy proposal placed on the congressional agenda. At the state level they have their own agenda priorities, and these priorities will affect how states act in the federal system, attempting to influence the federal agenda in pursuit of state-level goals. The emerging literature about states’ impacts on internal and external agendas demonstrates the importance of challenging accepted views of the interactions between federal levels. This

Nova Scotia Essay Example For Students

Nova Scotia Essay Nova Scotia, one of the three Maritime and one of the four Atlantic provinces of Canada, bordered on the north by the Bay of Fundy, the province of New Brunswick, Northumberland Strait, and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and on the east, south, and west by the Atlantic Ocean. Nova Scotia consists primarily of a mainland section, linked to New Brunswick by the Isthmus of Chignecto, and Cape Breton Island, separated from the mainland by the Strait of Canso. On July 1, 1867, Nova Scotia became one of the founding members of the Canadian Confederation. The provinces name, which is Latin for New Scotland, was first pplied to the region in the 1620s by settlers from Scotland. Physical Geography Nova Scotia can be divided into four major geographical regions-the Atlantic Uplands, the Nova Scotia Highlands, the Annapolis Lowland, and the Maritime Plain. The Atlantic Uplands, which occupy most of the southern part of the province, are made up of ancient resistant rocks largely overlain by rocky glacial deposits. The Nova Scotia Highlands are composed of three separate areas of uplands. The western section includes North Mountain, a long ridge of traprock along the Bay of Fundy; the central section takes in the Cobequid Mountains, which rise to 367 m (1204 ft) atop Nuttby Mountain; and the eastern section contains the Cape Breton Highlands, with the provinces highest point. The Annapolis Lowland, in the west, is a small area with considerable fertile soil. Nova Scotias fourth region, the Maritime Plain, occupies a small region fronting on Northumberland Strait. The plain is characterized by a low, undulating landscape and substantial areas of fertile soil. History The area now known as Nova Scotia was originally inhabited by tribes of Abenaki and Micmac peoples. The Venetian explorer John Cabot, sailing under the English flag, may have reached Cape Breton Island in 1497. Colonial Period The first settlers of the area were the French, who called it Acadia and founded Port Royal in 1605. Acadia included present-day New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. The English, rivals of the French in Europe and the New World, refused to recognize French claims to Acadia, which they called Nova Scotia (New Scotland) and granted to the Scottish poet and courtier Sir William Alexander in 1621. This act initiated nearly a century of Anglo- French conflict, resolved by the British capture of Port Royal (now Annapolis Royal) in 1710 and the French cession of mainland Acadia to the British by the Peace of Utrecht in 1713. Thus, the bulk of the Roman Catholic French-Acadians came under Protestant British rule. In order to awe their new subjects, the British founded the town of Halifax as naval base and capital in 1749. Distrusting the Acadians loyalty in the French and Indian War, however, in 1755 the British deported them. This ruthless action was described by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in Evangeline (1847). The British replaced the Acadians with settlers from New England and, later, from Scotland and northern England. In 1758 the British conquered the French fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton, which was joined to Nova Scotia and ceded to them in 1763. During the American Revolution, the British colony of Nova Scotia was a refuge for thousands of Americans loyal to Britain, including many blacks. In 1784 the colony of New Brunswick was carved out of mainland Nova Scotia to accommodate these United Empire Loyalists. Cape Breton also became separate. The remaining Nova Scotians, augmented by some returned Acadians and many Scots and Irish immigrants, lived by fishing, lumbering, shipbuilding, and trade. Some ttained great wealth as privateers during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. After prolonged political struggle, Britain granted Nova Scotia (which included Cape Breton after 1820) local autonomy, or responsible government, in 1848. Economic uncertainty and political unease at the time of the American Civil War stimulated some interest in associating with the other British North American provinces, but many tradition-minded Nova Scotians distrusted the Canadians of Ontario and Qebec. In 1867, without consulting the electorate, the Nova Scotia government took its reluctant people into the Canadian Confederation. Post-Confederation Period Although joining the union failed to arrest Nova Scotias economic decline, it resulted in rail connections to the west and a federal tariff that encouraged local manufacturing. An iron and steel industry developed in Pictou County and on Cape Breton, near extensive coal mines. Agricultural areas found export markets, especially for apples. From the end of World War I through the depression of the 1930s, Nova Scotia suffered industrial decline and accompanying unemployment and labor unrest. Thousands migrated to central and western Canada or immigrated to the United States. The Maritime Rights movement of the 1920s, protesting Nova Scotias unfavorable economic position in relation to the rest of Canada, accomplished little. After a revival of shipbuilding in World War II, Nova Scotian industry faced problems of obsolete equipment, heavy freight costs, and dwindling resources. Local government attempts to reverse the trend through investment and diversification were disappointing. In 1956 the electorate ended 26 years of Liberal rule by returning the Conservatives to power. Although the government subsidized industrial development to rejuvenate the local economy, the nitiatives were unsuccessful, and failures in the electronics and nuclear energy industries proved to be very expensive. In 1967 the government took over a failing steel plant in Sydney, which added steadily to the provincial debt. Later governments-first Liberal (from 1970-1978) and then Conservative (since 1978)-have been unable to bring the local economy up to parity with the rest of Canada. Despite a rate of economic growth that exceeded the national average from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s, Nova Scotia, like other Maritime provinces, remains one of the less advantaged areas in the Canadian union. Historical Sites Nova Scotia has preserved or reconstructed a number of historical sites. Rayamaya EssayEnglish was the lone mother tongue of some 93% of the people; about 4 percent had French as their sole first language. More than 13,000 Native Americans lived in Nova Scotia. The churches with the largest membership in the province were the Roman Catholic church, the United Church of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. About 54 percent of all Nova Scotians lived in areas defined as urban, and the rest lived in rural areas. Halifax was the biggest city and capital of the province; other major communities were Dartmouth, Sydney, Glace Bay, and Truro. Land and Resources Nova Scotia, with an area of 55,490 sq km (21,425 sq mi), is the smallest Canadian province except for Prince Edward Island; about 3% of its land area is owned by the federal government. The province has an extreme length of about 600 km (about 375 mi) and an extreme breadth of about 160 km (about 100 mi); almost 5% of its area consists of inland water surface. Elevations range from sea level, along the coast, to 532 m (1745 ft), in Cape Breton Highlands. National Park. The coastline of Nova Scotia is 7578 km (4709 mi) long. Sable Island is situated about 160 km (about 100 mi) offshore in the Atlantic. Nova Scotia contains large deposits of coal, gypsum, and salt. Other mineral deposits include barite, clay, copper, peat, sand and gravel, stone, and zinc. Some petroleum and natural gas have been found under the Atlantic near Nova Scotia. Education and Cultural Heritage Nova Scotia has a number of notable educational and cultural institutions. Its scenic landscape offers a wide variety of opportunities for outdoor sports and recreation. Education Nova Scotias first education act, in 1766, provided for public schools, but not until 1811 did nondenominational, free public education begin here. In the early 1990s there were 527 elementary and secondary schools with a combined annual enrollment of approximately 168,800 students. In the same period the provinces 22 institutions of higher education enrolled about 32,750 students. The institutions included Dalhousie University (1818), Mount Saint Vincent University (1925), Saint Marys University (1802), the Technical University of Nova Scotia (1907), and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (1887), all in Halifax; Acadia University (1838), in Wolfville; Saint Francis Xavier University (1853), in Antigonish; Universit Sainte-Anne (1890), in Church Point; the University College of Cape Breton (1951), in Sydney; and Nova Scotia Agricultural College (1905), in Truro. Cultural Institutions Many of Nova Scotias foremost museums and other cultural facilities are located in Halifax. ] Among them are the Nova Scotia Museum, with exhibits covering historical themes; the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, displaying memorabilia from the Titanic and other marine artifacts; the Public Archives of Nova Scotia, featuring displays of documents, paintings, and artifacts of regional historical significance; and the Dalhousie Arts Centre, which includes an auditorium and the Dalhousie Art Gallery. Also of note are the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, in Lunenburg; and the DesBrisay Museum, in Bridgewater, with historical collections. Halifax is the home of Symphony Nova Scotia. Other Information Sports and Recreation Nova Scotias national and provincial parks, its lengthy shoreline, and its rivers and lakes offer ideal conditions for boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, camping, and hunting. Golf, tennis, skiing, and ice hockey are also popular sports in the province. Communications In the late 1980s Nova Scotia had 16 commercial AM radio stations, 8 commercial FM stations, and 5 commercial television stations. The first radio station in the province, CHNS in Halifax, began operation in 1922. CJCB-TV in Sydney, Nova Scotias first commercial television station, went on the air in 1954. The Halifax Gazette, the first newspaper published in Canada, was initially printed in Halifax in 1752. In the early 1990s Nova Scotia had seven daily newspapers with a total daily circulation of about 218,700. Influential newspapers included the Mail-Star of Halifax and the Cape Breton Post of Sydney. Tourism Each year Nova Scotia attracts more than one million travelers; receipts from tourism totaled almost Can. $800 million annually in the early 1990s. Tourists are lured by the provinces lovely scenery (especially on Cape Breton Island) and its many opportunities for outdoor-recreation activities. Popular tourist areas include Cape Breton Highlands and Kejimkujik national parks, 14 national historic sites, and 122 provincial parks, recreation areas, and wildlife preserves. Many people also visit Halifax. Transportation Most coastal areas of Nova Scotia are well served by transportation facilities, but many places in the interior have poor transport connections. There are 25,740 km (15,994 mi) of roads and highways. The Trans-Canada Highway extends from the New Brunswick border, near Amherst, to Sydney Mines, on Cape Breton Island, by way of the Canso Causeway (completed 1955) between the island and the mainland. Nova Scotia is also served by 705 km (438 mi) of mainline railroad track. Halifax is a major seaport with modern facilities for handling ontainerized shipping. Ferries link the province with New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, and Maine. Nova Scotias busiest air terminal is Halifax International Airport. Energy Nova Scotias electricity generating capacity is about 2. 2 million kw (about 2. 1 percent of total Canadian capacity). The province annually produces about 9. 4 billion kwh, or some 1. 9 percent of the countrys total electricity. Hydroelectric facilities represent about one-sixth of the capacity, with the rest largely accounted for by thermal installations burning refined petroleum or coal.

Which is Basic in Ethics Happiness or Obligation

In life, people do things for different reasons; however, all these reasons boil down to two broad issues viz. happiness and obligation. A person will either do something to achieve happiness or as a duty. Nevertheless, regardless of the motives behind one’s actions, the actions will be a means to an end or the end itself. Therefore, in this context, happiness and obligation might be the means to a desired end or the end itself.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Which is Basic in Ethics: Happiness or Obligation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Logically, the basic element in any pursuit is the end itself; consequently, the task here is to determine the element that stands out as the end as opposed to means to something else. The means to an end is necessary for the end is unrealizable in absence of the means. The debate on the basic elements in ethics still rages. Proponents and critics alike have their side of story, with critics claiming that obligation is the basic element in ethics while proponents hold that obligations are a means to an end and not the end itself. The superiority of one element over the other determines its viability as the basic element in ethics; consequently, the element that surpasses the other becomes the basic element. At this point, one might confuse the means for the end and vice versa; however, as aforementioned, there can only be one end. Happiness is the basic element in ethics; not honor. As aforementioned, the end is superior to the means to the end; consequently, happiness is superior to honor. One would wonder why he/she would seek happiness and not honor. Well, happiness is the end because â€Å"†¦we always desire happiness for its own sake and never as a means to something else†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Mulvaney, 2008, p. 128). Therefore, if people desire and pursue happiness as the end, then happiness surpasses honor. However, happiness is not autonomous; consequently, there has to be other elements that work in concert towards the realization of the same. Honor lie in the category of the ‘other elements’ because people do not pursue honor basically for what would come out of it but â€Å"†¦as being means to happiness, because†¦they will prove the instruments of happiness† (Mulvaney, 2008, p. 128). In the light of these observations, happiness outscores honor validating the reason why people should pursue happiness and not honor. In its entirety, happiness does not seek to accomplish honor because in happiness, honor exists. However, this argument is relative depending on what is important to humans. There cannot be a one-fit-all answer to this question; however, the initial argument that people pursue the end and not the means answers this question. Happiness being the end stands out as the most important element amongst humans. If honor were the most important element, then it would sur pass happiness and having achieved honor, people would not pursue anything else. Unfortunately, this is not the case as even those in honorable positions seek happiness. Aristotle argues that, goodness of a man comes from executing good deeds carried out in proper excellence. For excellence to exist, virtue must be present, and in the presence of the two, one’s goodness becomes an activity of the soul as Aristotle insinuates.Advertising Looking for critical writing on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To understand the superiority of happiness to honor, it is worth considering Aristotle’s argument that, the â€Å"good of a man is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue† (Mulvaney, 2008, p. 128). In other words, the motive behind any one’s activity determines the good of that person. Virtue in this context surfaces with practice and knowledge; that is, one has to practice virtuous dee ds and be aware of their implications. If one executes a virtue without knowing it is a virtue, then the activity is not good anymore and one’s goodness becomes obsolete. Virtue minus knowledge turns out to be mere duty and duty cannot define one’s goodness. Moreover, for virtues to function optimally, they should relate to some morals and this leads to moral virtues. According to Aristotle, moral virtue is the consequence of a habit. Habit sprouts from actions that one continually do. The role of habit in achievement of moral habit is paramount here. Just the same, way artists have to practice art after learning it; people have to practice virtues to qualify as having characteristics that associate with the virtue. For instance, by practicing kindness towards others one can be termed as kind. Likewise, by showing love to others one passes for a loving person. Without action that leads to habit, then a virtue does not qualify as a virtue. Aristotle likens habit of exer cising virtues to that of exercising any other learned aspect of life. For instance, he observes that not until someone plays a harpist, he/she does not qualify as a harpist. Similarly, virtue that is not exercised is no virtue. However, as aforementioned, Aristotle cautions against use of virtues void of knowledge, and he puts across some conditions that a virtue has to undergo to qualify its excellence. One should â€Å"†¦know what he is doing†¦deliberately choose to do it and to do it for its own sake†¦ do it as an instance of a settled and immutable moral state† (Mulvaney, 2008, p. 129). If these conditions are unmet, then the virtue holds no moral support thus negating its worth. Critics would fault this argument and question the modality of distinguishing what is moral from what is not. At this point, Aristotle introduces the ‘mean’ as a way of balancing the extremes of any moral issue.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Which is Basic in Ethics: Happiness or Obligation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Aristotle seeks to explore mean value not from mathematical perspective where one obtains absolute mean, but from a philosophical point of view where mean is relative depending on an individual. Taken in this context therefore, ‘mean’ means that which is not excess and not deficient, depending on an individual. Critics would again raise the question of how to balance the relativity of this mean given the fact that no one is a replica of the other. As aforementioned, virtue void of knowledge is no virtue and knowledge comes with emotions. Emotions coupled with actions executed at the right time underscores the mean state of any virtue. â€Å"To experience these emotions at the right times and on the right occasions and towards the right persons and for the right causes and in the right manner is the mean or the supreme good, which is characteristic of virtue† (Mulvaney, 2008, p. 130-31). Therefore, time, occasion, subject, cause and manner are functions of ‘mean’ state in any virtue. Given the relativity of determining ‘mean’ state of a virtue, prudence and reason are the key factors that weigh one’s mean state. There are different forms of mean states as even in some cases; mean is either an extreme or a deficiency. Nevertheless, these inherent differences do not nullify the superiority of happiness to honor or obligations. As previously mentioned, some mean states represent extremes where there are no excesses or deficiencies. For instance, there is no excess or deficiency of wickedness; therefore, the mean state here is an extreme; wickedness. Murder, rape, adultery and theft among others are inherently wicked states. There cannot be a good or bad murderer. Nevertheless, some cases have clear-cut extremes and deficiencies thus mean stands out conspicuously. For insta nce, in giving and receiving of material things, the extreme is profligacy while the deficiency is illiberality; liberality is the mean. Whichever, way one perceives and determines his/her mean, the best way to hit the mean is by pushing one’s position towards the mean. That is, to â€Å"choose the lesser of two evils†¦by steering clear of the evil which is further from the mean†¦drag ourselves in the direction opposite to them; for it is by removing ourselves as far as possible from what is wrong that we shall arrive at the mean†¦(Mulvaney, 2008, p. 134). In other words, doing things for the common good of all people underlines the principle behind the best way of hitting the mean. In conclusion, people do things for different reasons; some do what they do for fame, honor, money, or leisure among other things while others do what they do to get happiness. To determine the basic principle in ethics calls for extensive exploration to distinguish the end and the means to the end. The end is superior to the means to the end and as analyzed above, happiness is the end while honor is means to the end. Therefore, happiness is the basic principle in ethics.Advertising Looking for critical writing on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More That which brings happiness to all people underscores what is ‘good’ for humans. The goodness of a person lies in the virtue surrounding any action performed. Virtues become virtues only when a person exercises them with full knowledge of their implication and chooses to exercise them deliberately. However, virtue has to be practiced continually giving birth to habit, which works towards realization of moral habits. Regrettably, virtues exist in extremes and if not balanced in a state of mean, they become vices. Mean is that state in which there are no excesses or deficiencies, a state of balance. There exist different types of mean given the diversity of those who practice is it. Overall, the best way of hitting the mean is to choose not the excess or the deficiency of a virtue. By doing so, everyone will achieve happiness with honor being one of the means to this felicity. Reference Mulvaney, R. (2008). Classical Philosophical Questions (13th Ed.). New York: Prentice Hall This critical writing on Which is Basic in Ethics: Happiness or Obligation was written and submitted by user Kasen Holt to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.