Friday, January 31, 2020
The religious believer Essay Example for Free
The religious believer Essay Explain the difficulties which the problem of evil poses for the religious believer. [35] Evil is a multifaceted term that can refer to moral evil (acts committed by human beings such as murder or rape) or natural evil (naturally occurring events such as famines, diseases and earthquakes). Both forms cause unimaginable human suffering. John Hick described evil as ââ¬Å"physical pain, mental suffering and moral wickedness. â⬠It is not surprising, then, that the existence of evil can be a stumbling block for religious believers. Evil and suffering poses an obvious problem for the believer who trusts in a loving and powerful God. As Epicurus surmised in his inconsistent triad, if God is willing but unable to prevent evil he must not be omnipotent. Or, he could be able to prevent it and doesnââ¬â¢t. This means he is not omnibenevolent, and is not worthy of worship. The existence of evil calls into question the traditional theistic attributes of God. Hume had very similar ideas to Epicurus, he wrote, ââ¬Å"Epicuruss old questions are still unanswered. â⬠The ironical Hume suggests that the god who designed the universe must have been a failure at the job and should have tried his hand at something else. The creator of our universe, says Hume, might have been a god in his dotage. Or perhaps he was `an infant deity still practising his craft. The suffering of children is a particular stumbling block for believers. It is understandable why sinful adults should suffer, but unless one holds to the doctrine of total depravity children are innocent. The Brothers Karamazov by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky explores this theme. It tells the story of brothers Ivan and Alyosha Alyosha is a holy young monk, whilst Ivan is a worldly-wise young man returning home from the big city. Ivan tells Alyosha he cannot accept the suffering of children, using the horrific practices of the Turks shooting babies when they invaded Russia as an example. Although a work of fiction, this tale mirrors the experiences and doubts of many believers. Friedrich Nietzsche, who famously announced the death of God, is another philosopher who tried to use the existence of evil and suffering to disprove God. A vehement critic of Christian morality, he thought that the concepts of good and evil were invented in the course of an elaborate power-game, as a way for weaker people to undermine the natural drives of their more powerful oppressors. However, suffering remained for Nietzsche one of the central problems of philosophy. Under the influence of his fellow German Arthur Schopenhauer ââ¬â a notorious pessimist who wrote that the longer you live, the more clearly you will feel that, on the whole, life is a disappointment, nay, a cheat ââ¬â Nietzsche saw suffering and tragedy as intrinsic to life and impossible to reconcile with the idea of a loving God. Furthermore, John Mackie argues that God could have created any possible world. The steps in his argument are as follows: God could have created any possible world, it is logically possible in one of the possible worlds that free human beings always acted rightly, therefore there is no logical contradiction in saying that in another of the possible worlds God could have created, ALL human beings always acted rightly. Gods failure to actualise this world means that he is not wholly good. This could pose a challenge to the faith of religious believers. If God is timeless, then perhaps [and this is debatable] God could not deliberate between alternatives he chooses the perfect universe that His perfect nature leads Him to create and the idea of His choosing between alternatives is not viable. If God is in time, He had to take a risk when creating the Universe and may not have known what human beings would do with their freedom. For instance in Genesis, Ch. 6 says that God regrets having made men and if this is taken literally it can imply that he was taken by surprise at what human beings had done. In order to combat this, several theologians have put forward theodicies to explain the existence of evil. The Irenaean theodicy is ââ¬Ësoul-making. ââ¬â¢ Humans are in an immature moral state, though we have the potential for moral perfection. God brings in suffering for the benefit of humanity and from it we learn positive values. Contrastingly, Augustine put forward a ââ¬Ësoul-decidingââ¬â¢ theodicy. He accepts God is perfect. The world he created reflects that perfection, but humans were created with free will. Sin and death entered the world through Adam and Eve and their disobedience. Natural evil is consequence of this disharmony of nature brought about by the fall. God is justified in not intervening because the suffering is a consequence of human action. The theodicy that is perhaps the least accepted among theists is the process theodicy. Process theology argues that the reality of God is not fixed and that God himself is still developing. God cannot force anything to happen, but rather only influence the exercise of this universal free will by offering possibilities. The possibility of evil has always existed. Ultimately, the question surrounding the origin of evil and suffering will never truly be solved with our fallible human understanding. Suffering needs to be understood in the overall context of Godââ¬â¢s omniscient plan. Finite beings cannot understand. Suffering could be a punishment, or a tool to bring us closer to God. To quote Joseph Conrad, The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness. ââ¬
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Advertisement Comparison Essay -- essays research papers
Advertising is the chief profitable industry in the United States today. Billboards, signs, magazines, newspapers, radios, televisions, and computers are just some of the places where advertisements are found. At the heart of any one companyââ¬â¢s advertising campaign is the consumer. The consumer has complete control of their own money and can choose to buy any product or service they desire. Advertising does not control the consumers on what they buy. It only informs them on what they can buy. This is known as consumer sovereignty. It is the responsibility of the company to develop an advertising campaign that generates a demand for their product or service. A company usually promotes a product or service by means of appealing to a particular group in society. For example, an advertisementââ¬â¢s target audience could be men between the ages of 25 and 40 or children between the ages of 5 and 10. There are basic needs that all of us, as humans, share and the advertisement agen cies incorporate them into their ads. The most dominant needs include sex, affiliation, nurture, guidance, aggression, achievement, dominance, prominence, and attention. An advertisement can appeal to one or more of these needs through the use of colors, words, expressions, and statures illustrated in the ad. A comparison of two advertisements for the same product, but different brand names, will allow one to better understand how a company uses different human needs to sell their product. Two coffee ads, one for Cafà © Vienna and one for Millstone, will be compared to determine the dominant strategy that each uses to create a desire to buy. The ad for Cafà © Vienna coffee uses the need for guidance to appeal to middle age coffee drinkers. In contrast, the need for achievement is what attracts middle age coffee drinkers to Millstone brand coffee. à à à à à The colors observed in the coffee ads are supportive of the individual needs they appeal to. The Cafà © Vienna ad has a color fade effect to it. It starts with dark black and deep orange and fades to a light yellow almost white in the center. This supports the need for guidance because the use of color gives the person reading it a sense that they are being lead towards the light at the end of a tunnel. On the other hand, the bright reds, blues, whites, and yellows found in the Millstone ad support the need for achievement. The... ...nd coffees. Although these ads were for the same product, the companies involved used very different strategies to lure consumers to their product. The Cafà © Vienna advertisement appealed to our need for guidance, while the Millstone ad appealed to our need for achievement. Each advertisement appealed to a human need through the use of colors, words, expressions, and illustrations. All advertisements are planned out and target a specific group in society. The target audience for the coffee ads were middle age men or women who drink coffee. Advertisements effect every person everywhere and reflect the attitude of our society. That is why we must understand the concepts behind advertising. No one can predict what new forms advertising may take in the future. But the rapidly increasing cost of acquiring new customers makes one thing certain. Advertisers will seek to hold onto current customers by forming closer relationships with them and by tailoring products, services, and adver tising messages to meet their individual needs. So while advertising will continue to encourage people to consume, it will also help provide them with products and services more likely to satisfy their needs.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
The Electronic Cigarette
Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, have become increasingly popular in recent years. Regular cigarette smoking has been on the decline due to many factors including price, health risks, and the fact that most public places no longer allow indoor smoking; making it an inconvenience to step outside and light one up. The convenience, affordability, and health benefits are just a number of reasons the electronic cigarette is rising in popularity. A comparison between e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes show a number of similarities and differences. E-cigarettes offer the same amount of nicotine regular cigarettes do, thus satisfying a smokers nicotine craving that is attributed with cigarette smoking. E-cigarettes just about look, feel, and weigh about as much as a real cigarette, so puffing on one won't feel foreign to the seasoned smoker. Smoking regularly can get pretty expensive and buying the e-cigarette start up kit can be just as expensive too. As a smoker myself, I have noticed a number of differences between cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The taste of a regular cigarette to me is much more satisfying than that of an e-cigarette. E-cigarettes lack the authentic tobacco taste that cigarettes have and this leads to a less pleasing smoking experience. Cigarette smoke is full of harmful toxins, whereas e-cigarettes have about 1,000 times less toxins and there is no smoke, only water vapor. This leads to why most people who aren't ready to fully quit smoking, to start smoking e-cigarettes. Cigarette smoking is also very expensive, whereas e-cigarettes require quite a heavy initial investment at first, around $100 for the start up kit, they pay for themselves in the long run and end up saving you money over time.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Negative Attributes of Old Society Essay - 1841 Words
Negative Attributes of Old Societies Starting out, you have to compare the negatives of the Polis from Medea to the negatives of the ââ¬Å"romanitasâ⬠from Ovid. There were many negatives that we saw and read about in the book of Medea. The main negative was the state power. Of the state power there was the Bureaucrats, Politicians and the Lawyers. These three groups of people had the entire control over what would happen in their society. Even though Medea was a very loyal woman to her husband Jason, she resented the state power and in turn Jason gave her up. Jason was very loyal to the state power of the elites. Both of them were very loyal, but loyal for two different causes. Here is a quote from Jason explaining why he came toâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦I have no strength to drive these enemies from the house: you must come quickly, to your harbour and refuge! Youââ¬â¢ve a son, and I pray heââ¬â¢ll be one who, in his tender years, will be educated in his fa therââ¬â¢s artsâ⬠¦(goes on to say)...Youââ¬â¢ll find that I, in truth, a girl when you went away, though you soon return, have become an aged womanâ⬠(I: Penelope to Ulysses). The last line is the most important with her saying that she wishes he hadnââ¬â¢t sailed away on a voyage to Troy from Ithica. It is similar to Medea in the way that she has a longing for her husband to come back. But at the same time it is different because Ulysses loves Penelope very much, although Jason does not love Medea anymore. There are the same basic negatives in each story because in Ithica the state power was also supreme. Although it was later on in time, the times that Chaucer was living in were still similar to the structure of society from Athens to Rome. The civilitas during his time basically meant that most things revolved around the upper class as well as religion. An interesting quote from the introduction of Chaucer that we read states, ââ¬Å"The upper class or nobility, represented cheifly by the Knight and his Squire, was in Chaucerââ¬â¢s time steeped in a culture of chivalry and courtlinessâ⬠(Introduction of Chaucer reading). In his time th ere were many fights between the social classes of people. The three classes were the clergy, the nobility, and theShow MoreRelatedThe Concept Of Quality Of Life1442 Words à |à 6 PagesModel Case A model is ââ¬Å"a real life example of the use of the concept that includes all the critical attributes of the conceptâ⬠(Walker Avant, 2011 p.163). The model case for the purposes of this paper is for the concept of quality of life. Sean is a 49 year old, widowed father of two adult daughters, whom he clearly loves and through objective data is supported by family, friends and church family. His oldest daughter is expecting her first child which will be a boy in just a few shortRead MoreDoes Masculinity Affect Our Society?1341 Words à |à 6 Pages The gender stereotypes, which are constructed by our society, formulate what is required to ââ¬Å"be a manâ⬠. The desired stereotypical trait of masculinity is a well-established male characteristic, which is vital to fit with assigned gender norms. It is perceived as desirable attribute among society, when in actuality may be causing harm with how it is shaping younger generations. The gender characteristic of masculinity and the attributes required to make a man, have been causing various mentalRead MoreAgeism : Ageism And Prejudice Against The Old Age1506 Words à |à 7 Pages Like sexism and racism, ageism is discrimination, a deep and profound prejudice against the elderly. Elderly individuals constantly face negligence because of Ageism. In this society of isms, racism, sexism, and ageism; these things create labels, stereotypes, and categorizes people, by shape, size, color, and age. The elderly in their later years should be able to have a peaceable life and be trea ted with dignity and respect. However, pretty much anyone over the age of 50 is a target for an attackRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter1631 Words à |à 7 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne is famous for his works that revolve around the Puritan society. The Puritans were very stringent in the way they dealt with rules and ways of life, and Hawthorne does an exceptional job depicting the Puritan lifestyle through his stories. Though many principles from Puritan society has made its way to form the present day American society, Hawthorne might disagree and did not believe that the good attributes originated from Puritan ways. Nathaniel Hawthorne, through the works ofRead MoreRoyal Role Models : Why Disney Princesses1555 Words à |à 7 PagesWHY DISNEY PRINCESSES ARE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE TO YOUNG GIRLS Are tiaras, dresses, princes, and castles destroying the minds of our youth? Most adults believe that children are heavily influenced by the things they see around them, mostly having a negative impact on their development. A phenomenon that follows this ideal are the ever so popular Disney princesses. Disney princesses are a staple of childhood interests, especially for young girls. Girls are more interested in princesses than boys, mostlyRead More Jewish Population of Victorian England Essay856 Words à |à 4 Pagesconverged to form the image of the pariah--an outcast from society, a being separate from other beings (Naman 31). With the Church backing the discrimination of the Jewish population, the stereotypes continued and increased the unfavorable views Anglicans held for this separate religion. As a result of this, Jews have been the social pariahs in cities such as London. Due to their occupation, lack of roots, and by living outside mainstream society, the Jewish population has become censored by the neighborsRead MoreThink Of A Beautiful, Ten-Year-Old Girl Standing In The1281 Words à |à 6 PagesThink of a beautiful, ten-year-old girl standing in the mirror, clutching her stomach and tears rolling down her cheeks because she is being teased for not being as skinny as the other girls in her class. She looks at the models on TV and envies their skinniness. She wants to look just like them. At ten years old, she starts running after dinner and not eating as much as she use to eat. That beautiful little girl is just like every woman all over the world; she is pressured to by the media to haveRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Technology1627 Words à |à 7 Pagesand engage yourself in this world that you have created. Integrated computers can benefit our daily lives, because it allows us to resurface old information that was part of the old conversation allowing a more personal conversation. The downside of this is that it could also resurface old fights that you might have had. All of these positives or negatives can be seen in Black Mirror, Her, Our Computers Ourselves, and Crispr Radiolab. The positive impact that technology plays on our lives is thatRead MoreEquality And Diversity In Kurt Vonneguts Harrison Bergeron1263 Words à |à 6 PagesIn an ideally progressive America, society should value both equality and diversity. Equality is justice. Diversity is individuality. Equality gives rights. Diversity enriches culture. Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideally progressive America. As equality in our society has increased, we have viewed it as progress. However, diversity has often been a source of conflict in our society. Jealousy, confusion, anger, and so many negative emotions have arisen from our differences and slowed the progressRead MoreThe Characteristics Of Being Narcissistic1430 Words à |à 6 Pagesreceived extremely well by audiences. The question that arises from this is why do we find insubordination and a lack of regard for rules and the opinions of others so intriguing? We know their actions are wrong in regard to how we conduct ourselves in soc iety, but we still are fond of characters who donââ¬â¢t care about social norms or their behavior. A prime example of a character in a popular television series who transcends these characteristics would be Doctor Gregory House from the show ââ¬Å"House MDâ⬠. Audiences
Monday, December 30, 2019
Saturday, December 21, 2019
The Negro And Signs Of Civilization - 1188 Words
The political action and social reform during the late 19th and early 20th century ultimately lead to the Civil Rights movement and the end of racial segregation. The Civil Rights movement dealt with problems of inequality and disenfranchisement of African Americans that began in the post-civil war era. W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington are considered by historians, two of the prominent leaders of the black community in the late 19th and early 20th century who sought inclusion and equality through social and economic progress. While their end goals were the same, the means in which they utilized their platforms and their philosophy on how best to accomplish this varied. Among other accomplishments, DuBoisââ¬â¢ efforts in the civil rightsâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦He claims possessing material things that symbolize wealth, accomplishment, education and success leave little to argue with about whether or not someone was equal enough of a person to deserve these things (Wash ington, The Negro and the Signs of Civilization). He also argues that African Americans will need to work hard to acquire these symbols. His persuasion is further enhanced by playing to both sides of the civil rights movement. Washington pleads with white men as well as black men to raise up the former slaves to raise up society as a whole. He claims that with a third to half of the population of a state suppressed that greatness cannot be achieved (Washington,The Negro and the Signs of Civilization). He makes it clear that white men need to help make greatness achievable for the black man or find themselves fighting an uphill battle. In Booker T. Washingtonââ¬â¢s Atlanta Compromise Speech from 1985, similar appeals are made of African Americans and white men. Being one of the first recorded radio speeches by an African American citizen, this event reached many ears including policy makers and others in higher levels of government (Washington, Atlanta Compromise Speech). What is most interesting about Booker T. Washingtonââ¬â¢s arguments was that he was clear on what should be the priority of African Americans and it was not necessarily representation in government. He wasShow MoreRelatedThe Corner Stone Address By Alexander Stephens814 Words à |à 4 Pagesdirect cause of the Confederacyââ¬â¢s secession. He states, ââ¬Å"The new constitution has put at rest, forever, all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar institution African slavery as it exists amongst us the proper status of the Negro in our form of civilization. This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution (Stephens)â⬠. Slavery defined the South and it caused many problems between the slave states and the free states. Because of slavery, the new government for the SouthRead MoreRichard Wrights Assessment for the Negro Writers Essay1373 Words à |à 6 PagesRichard Wrights Assessment for the Negro Writers Introduction Richard Wrightââ¬â¢s plead in the Blueprint for Negro Writing could be very well summarized in one of the famous words from Thomas Kempis, ââ¬Å"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.â⬠In this popular essay, Richard Wright denounced the Negro writers as he perceived them to be merely begging for the sympathy of the bourgeoisie instead of striving to present a lifeRead MoreThe Condemnation Of Blackness By Kahlil Gibran Muhammad1435 Words à |à 6 Pagesto write about ââ¬Å"The Negro Problemâ⬠was Nathaniel Southgate Shaler, a Harvard scientist, who stated that the race problem in America was worse than any of the other problems being faced by other countries. This was the beginning of science being used to justify racism, discrimination and bias towards African Americans. ââ¬Å"Unlike in ââ¬Ëour own race inheritance,ââ¬â¢ black brains stopped developing sooner, leaving ââ¬Ëthe negroe sââ¬â¢ with an animal nature unaltered by the ââ¬Ëfruits of civilization.ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ 1 This to ShalerRead MoreLangston Hughes s Poem, Negro Speaks Of Rivers964 Words à |à 4 PagesIn Langston Hughesââ¬â¢ inspirational poem, ââ¬Å"Negro Speaks of Rivers,â⬠he expresses, ââ¬Å"My soul has grown as deep like the rivers,â⬠(lines 4 and 13), describing how his encounters with racial intolerance have made him stronger as a person in both spiritual and emotional ways; rather than to just step down and submit to the cruelty of racism. The quote could also be interpreted as a sign of perseverance and hope for people who have experienced not only racial injustice, but other forms of degradation inRead MoreEnglishmen and Colonization in the Seventeenth Century Essay882 Words à |à 4 Pagessettlement in the foreign land. They were also able to keep their own laws and language. At Kormantin in 1631 Englishmen had their first settlement in Africa. According to Jordan, it was the meeting of Englishmen and African people outside the concept of Negro as a slave. ââ¬Å"Rather, Englishmen met Negroes merely as another sort of men.â⬠A first impression of Englishmen was the difference of those natives. Negroes does not look similar to those visitors. They were non-Christians. Their living style was alsoRead MoreThe Roaring 20s Dbq Essay examples1523 Words à |à 7 Pagesnational advertisers fix the surface of his life, fix what he believed to be his individuality These standard advertised wares-toothpastes, socks, tires, cameras, instantaneous hot-water-heaters--were his symbols and proofs of excellence; at first the signs, then the substitutes, for joy and passion and wisdom. Document B Source: The Bridge by Joseph Stella, 1922 [pic] Document C Source: The World Most Famous Trial: Tennessee Evolution Case, 1925 Mr. Darrow: Do you claim that everythingRead MoreThe 1920s Dbq1644 Words à |à 7 Pagesadvertisers fix the surface of his life, fix what he believed to be his individuality. These standard advertised waresââ¬âtoothpastes, socks, tires, cameras, and instantaneous hot water heatersââ¬âwere his symbols and proofs of excellence; at first the signs, then the substitutes, for joy and passion and wisdom. Source: Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt, 1922 Document B [pic] Source: Georgia Oââ¬â¢Keefe, The Radiator Building at Night (NYC) , 1927 (painting) Source C [pic] Source: Ethel Walker, singer andRead MorePan Africanism1731 Words à |à 7 Pagescultural, spiritual, artistic, scientific and philosophical legacies of Africans from past times to the present. Pan Africanism as an ethical system, traces its origins from ancient times, and promotes values that are the product of the African civilization and struggles against slavery, racism, colonialism, and neo-colonialism. Pan-Africanism is usually seen as a product of the European slave trade, rather than as something arising in the continent of Africa itself.à George Shepperson describedRead MoreCauses Of Social Darwinism1412 Words à |à 6 Pagesphenomenon as Natural Selection. Not only did Darwinââ¬â¢s new, forward thinking, outlook on the evolution of life change scientific perspective across the world, but it also changed how people viewed themselves, global social conditions, religion and civilization altogether. This is an idea that was so brilliant and ahead of its time that it is still used in modern scientific theory. When applied from a scientific perspective, it provides answers to many questions that humans have been asking about theRead MoreEssay about THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF RACISM ON BIGGER THOMAS1503 Words à |à 7 Pagesconsidered one of the great contributors. Truly one of his books which highlights the blackââ¬â¢s view of American society has to be Native Son. In Native Son, Richard Wright creates the characterization of ââ¬Å"native sonsâ⬠who are products of American civilization. From his own life experience, he portrays in Bigger Thomas a combination of character traits that illustrate persons who have lost meaning in their lives. Bigger Thomas represents the black manââ¬â¢s condition and his revolt against the injustices
Friday, December 13, 2019
Proposal Argument Essay Free Essays
Licensing for personal trainers: legitimizing the profession. ââ¬Å"In its present form, personal training only dates back a few decades, yet it is among the fastest growing professions in the U. S. We will write a custom essay sample on Proposal Argument Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now â⬠(Holt). In the 80ââ¬â¢s and 90ââ¬â¢s personal trainers were predominantly heavy lifters who looked like they could soon compete in a bodybuilding contest. The muscular physique automatically qualified each of them as ââ¬Å"guruâ⬠in the fitness world and helped quickly build a clientele. Towards the late-90ââ¬â¢s, the situation started to change: gyms became less and less of an intimidating environment for a wide category of people with no desire to become ââ¬Å"huge. â⬠Personal trainers of a new generation expanded their specialization to weight loss, cardio vascular health, toning and general fitness which made training itself more accessible for all age groups, people with different skill levels and special requirements. As a result. , the trainerââ¬â¢s job today has become very complex and goes much farther instructions during a workout session. It canââ¬â¢t be successfully performed without a strong knowledge of anatomy, kinesiology, program development and even psychology You will assume that someone who guides and assists you in developing health and fitness must be a specialist in this area of knowledge. Of course! But do you know that one can become ââ¬Å"a certified personal trainerâ⬠by taking an online test for less than 100 dollars? Itââ¬â¢s true! Competence and skill level of many trainers you see at health clubs and gyms is low and they are surely not worth the money spent. Moreover, your health is under potential risk! The solution to this problem can be achieved through a required licensing of personal trainers just like other health/medical professionals. This would benefit both the public and the personal training profession. As a fitness trainer for over seven years, I truly believe that our industry desperately needs more regulations. My background in gymnastics in addition to two certifications from Wellness Academy (Russia) and International Sports Science Association (USA) surely give me a big advantage over someone who spent $69.95 and a couple weeks learning ââ¬Å"all the nitty-gritty of personal trainingâ⬠to obtain so called ExpertRating Online Certification (Personal Training Certification). So you may think: the less my competitors know the better my services look in comparison with their. No, itââ¬â¢s not that easy! I would rather have a strong competition than constantly disprove common opinion about personal trainers as people with weak knowledge base who flirt with clients, bark orders and very often behave unprofessionally. A few times I trained people who had bad experience with a trainer in the past and it felt like I had to break the wall of apprehension and distrust before they took me seriously. Not only I had to defend myself in some ways but there were also financial consequences when clients refused to pay me upfront (usually a client prepays for a package of sessions) and thatââ¬â¢s why I got paid on session-by-session basis with no commitment from clientââ¬â¢s side. I personally know a few trainers who collected money for the training and disappeared while their clients have been left with nothing! Therefore, such a practice like licensing could be a very effective control instrument for the industry and could keep trainers accountable for their actions. From clientsââ¬â¢ perspective, mandatory licensing can become a guarantee of receiving a high quality service ââ¬â safe and efficient workout. Nancy Howard, a health professional and a Certified Running Coach, states in her article ââ¬Å"Poll: Should Personal Trainers Be Licensedâ⬠: ââ¬Å"When we place our trust in those who will direct us on the proper path to reclaiming our health and fitness, it is important that we have full disclosure of their qualifications.â⬠Her words means a lot in todayââ¬â¢s situation, when many people seeking for personal trainersââ¬â¢ help have some kind of health issue that limit their ability to perform certain movements or type of physical activity. I had the opportunity to work with clients who had knee replacements, severe stage of scoliosis, arthritis, diabetes, past injuries and so on. You can easily hurt a client or worsen an existing condition by using inappropriate exercising techniques and approaches. Once Iââ¬â¢ve seen a trainer who made his new client with swayback (lordosis) do multiple low back exercises with significant weight. With such a spine condition you have to be extremely careful when perform any activity involving low back and must primarily focus on strengthening your abdominal muscles and back of the thighs in order to balance the inward curvature of spine. As a result of that unconsidered workout the client had extreme back pains and decided to stop training. Not only this could be prevented if a trainer had more knowledge about lordosis (which is pretty easy to determine), but the client would be able to improve his back condition with appropriate exercise routine. This example shows that some certification organizations fail to provide the market with well-qualified and knowledgeable professionals. They are not regulated by state and often offer take-home or on-online tests which objectivity is questionable. Licensing, on the other side, means a nationally standardized test and leaves no place for cheating. It is interesting to note that Howard makes a comparison between personal trainers and other health professionals like ââ¬Å"Registered Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses, Physical Therapists and Registered Dietitiansâ⬠who required to be licensed by the state which they practice. According to her, there is no reason why personal trainers should be treated any different as their services belongs to the same field (Howard). In my opinion, this analogy is more than appropriate considering that clients are paying almost as much for a private training session as for the one-hour massage or a visit to dietician. Moreover, Howard mentions two interesting points in favor of the licensing. First, it ââ¬Å"will facilitate referrals from traditional health care providers,â⬠and, secondly, the insurance companies ââ¬Å"will be more likely to reimburse for services if personal trainers are licensedâ⬠(Howard). This means more people would be able to afford training that is safe and effective. Clearly, the transformation of personal training industry wonââ¬â¢t be easy. Joe Cannon (personal trainer, author and health educator) states that ââ¬Å"a government mandated fitness license might also mean an end to fitness organizations all together. â⬠At the present moment, there are dozens of certifying fitness organizations within US and, for obvious reasons, they are resisting to proposed legislation changes. ââ¬Å"If personal trainers needed a licenseâ⬠ââ¬â Cannon says ââ¬â ââ¬Å"then all fitness organizations would come under the jurisdiction of the government and the ââ¬Ëlicensingââ¬â¢ would be standardized. â⬠I understand how much multimillion dollar certification business would be affected but new market conditions will automatically eliminate companies like ExpertRating Online Certification and increase the entrance barrier into the profession. Iââ¬â¢m sure strong certification organizations like NASM, ACE, IFTA, ACMS and a few others would find their place in the restructured industry although they will fight against licensing to the last breath. As a negative factor of licensing Cannon mentions that ââ¬Å"each trainer would be paying the government every year or so to maintain their license; thatââ¬â¢s in addition to what they pay for fitness continuing education classes. â⬠Of course, no one would be happy about it but the level of discontent will depend on the amount of a fee. Iââ¬â¢m already paying about 500-600 dollars every two years to keep my certification valid and another 400 dollars for insurance so if the new expense would stay within the same range there shouldnââ¬â¢t be a problem. Another concern regarding potential licensing of personal trainers is difficulties in its obtaining. Senate Bill 2164 (ââ¬Å"Fitness Professional Licensing Actâ⬠) proposed in New Jersey in 2008 requires a licensure: To complete an approved course of study of not less than 300 in-person classroom hourâ⬠¦. which shall include not less than 50 hours of an unpaid internship in the presence of and under the direct supervision of, a licensed fitness professional, which internship shall be provided by the school providing the approved course of study; and (b) have passed an examination administered or approved by the board; or (2) possess an associateââ¬â¢s or bachelorââ¬â¢s degree in physical education, exercise science, exercise physiology or adult fitness. (S2164) The majority of fitness professionalsââ¬â¢ community finds this bill inappropriate for experienced and qualified trainers who are in the business for years. It basically means they would have to go back to school and put their clients aside for a while. I personally know a few trainers without a degree but with years of work in the field and several certifications of all kinds. There are no doubts about their qualification! Nevertheless according to the ââ¬Å"Fitness Professional Licensing Actâ⬠these people would need 50 hours of unpaid internship which is absolutely ridiculous! Joe Stein, president of Renaissance Fitness Wellness Inc. , also expresses his negative opinion about the bill by saying that ââ¬Å"the New Jersey state senate is trying to balance the bloated state budget on the backs of personal trainers and their clientsâ⬠(Halvorson). On the other side, proposed legislation requirements establish a comprehensive educational program for people entering the field. Therefore beginner trainers would not only have a strong theoretical skillsà but a real life work experience in the gym. There is no such certification at the present moment that can offer internship or any kind of workshop unless you are ready to pay another 600 dollars on top of the certification cost. Despite all advantages that licensing can potentially bring into the personal training industry, proposed legislation in New Jersey, Maryland and Georgia in 2008 achieved no success (State Licensing of Personal Trainers Update ââ¬â December 2008). The bill doesnââ¬â¢t consider existing circumstances of the profession and is unrealistic at its present format. However, National Board of Fitness Examiners started to work on ââ¬Å"one nationally standardized examination process in lieu of 50 different state board examsâ⬠(State Licensing of Personal Trainers Update ââ¬â December 2008). So when the time is right it can be used by states and will avoid a possibility ââ¬Å"when the exams could be developed by people outside the professionâ⬠(State Licensing of Personal Trainers Update ââ¬â December 2008). After all, I strongly believe that licensing is necessary in personal training business as it legitimizes the profession. I want to be recognized as a ââ¬Å"specialistâ⬠in the eyes of potential clients and people in a health/medical field. From the business ownerââ¬â¢s perspective, licensing would be extremely helpful in finding properly educated and experienced trainers whose work can correspond to the high standards that I set for my clients. How to cite Proposal Argument Essay, Essays
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