Confucius vs Taoism Essay Example for Free

Confucius vs Taoism Essay Good governance and political system has always been a cry for many nations especially developing countries Zambia inclusive. It is believed that good governance yield more economic and social development. Numerous scholars have written a number of books concerning good governance. Confucius believed to have been born in 551 BCE in Zou, Shandong Province and Lao Tzu said to have lived in the sixth century BCE are such examples of people who attempted to contribute to how people should be governed. Thus, this essay analyses the kinds of governments proposed by Confucius and Leo Tzu. Thereafter, it shall select one which is appropriate for the Zambian government and explains why it is ideal for the Zambian government. Although Confucius had a great education and became a teacher, teaching earned him little money and he was forced to take on other jobs. Before he died, there is evidence that he had many students who traveled around with him. However, Matt Rank (2007) argues that Confucius himself never achieved a very high office in government. He spent many years of his life trying to achieve a change in society through the right leadership, but he was never able to find a leader who would listen to him. Dubs H.Homer (1946; 275), on the other hand asserts that Confucius came to be appointed to the minor position of governor of a town. Eventually, he rose to the position of Minister of Crime in 501 BC. However, Confucius proposed through what might be called the bible of Confucianism the Analects, how the government and people generally should live in society. The Analects contains the wisdom of Confucius as written down by his students while he was alive and after he was alive. Its clear that Confucius prioritized certain principles over others. He was not concerned with the ingenuity of humanity, with whats been invented or thought up. He was not concerned with who is more intelligent than whom. He would have been unimpressed by Einstein. For Confucius, human society begins with (and is sustained by) society, government, custom, and personal virtue. Confucius was probably the most obvious humanistic philosopher. He emphasized the idea that humans could change and better their present circumstances through their own intelligence and effort. Confucius was, in modern terminology, a down-to-earth philosopher. He reasoned that we should not think about things outside of the realm of immediate human existence. Confucius stressed the social over the individual. Confucius political thought is based upon his ethical thought. He argues that the best government is one that rules through rites and peoples natural morality, rather than by using bribery and coercion. He explained that this is one of the most important analects: If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of the shame, and moreover will become good. (James Legge 1880; 345). This sense of shame is an internalisation of duty, where the punishment precedes the evil action, instead of following it in the form of laws as in Legalism. â€Å"Lead the people with administrative injunctions and put them in their place with penal law, and they will avoid punishments but will be without a sense of shame. Lead them with excellence and put them in their place through roles and ritual practices, and in addition to developing a sense of shame, they will order themselves harmoniously. † (Analects II, 3) Confucius asserts that an emperor would rule, and his rule would be established through benevolence and virtue. Even though laws could be instituted and punishments for breaking each said law would be enforced, the only true way for people to follow what was good was to see that their leader was good. In other words, Confucius taught that rulers should lead by example, and this was the only way a truly great empire could be created at last. Confucius taught his students about the old ways. He thought that the social hierarchies of the ancients were what kept society intact. To us, this might seem a conservative positionkeep the old, reject the newbut during his time it was a more radical position. This is partly because Confucius advocated moving away from worshipping spirits and ghosts, and embracing that part of Chinese wisdom that focused on ceremony and personal virtue. While he supported the idea of government by an all-powerful sage, ruling as an Emperor, his ideas contained a number of elements to limit the power of rulers. He argued for according language with truth, and honesty was of paramount importance. Even in facial expression, truth must always be represented. Confucius believed that if a ruler were to lead correctly, by action, that orders would be deemed unnecessary in that others will follow the proper actions of their ruler. In discussing the relationship between a king and his subject (or a father and his son), he underlined the need to give due respect to superiors. This demanded that the inferior must give advice to his superior if the superior was considered to be taking the course of action that was wrong. Confucius believed in ruling by example, if you lead correctly, orders are unnecessary and useless. Confucius proposed another new idea that of meritocracy, led to the introduction of the Imperial examination system in China. This system allowed anyone who passed an examination to become a government officer, a position which would bring wealth and honor to the whole family. Having looked at Confucius’ way of governance on the other hand, Lao – Tzu’s philosophical teachings were more religious than political. However, potential officials throughout Chinese history drew on the authority of non-Confucian sages, especially Lao Tzu to deny serving any ruler at any time. Lao Tzus most famous follower in traditional accounts had a great deal of influence on Chinese literati and culture. Politically Lao Tzu advocated humility in leadership and a restrained approach to statecraft, either for ethical and pacifist reasons, or for tactical ends. In a different context, various anti-authoritarian movements have embraced the Lao Tzu teachings on the power of the weak. James A. Dorn(2008;45) states that Lao Tzu proposed that minimizing the role of government and letting individuals develop spontaneously would best achieve social and economic harmony. He also asserts that wisdom and understanding of the opposition between political power and the cultural activities of the people and community. In his 1910 article for the Encyclopedia Britannica, Peter Kropotkin also noted that Lao Tzu was among the earliest exponents of essentially anarchist concepts. More recently, anarchists such as John P. Clark and Ursula K. Le Guin have written about the conjunction between anarchism and Taoism in various ways, highlighting the teachings of Lao Tzu in particular. In her translation of the Tao Te Ching, Le Guin writes that Lao Tzu does not see political power as magic. He sees rightful power as earned and wrongful power as usurped He sees sacrifice of self or others as a corruption of power, and power as available to anyone who follows the Way. No wonder anarchists and Taoists make good friends. Le Guin, Ursula K. (2009; 20) Having looked at both Confucius and Lao Tzu’s kinds of government proposals, it is clear that the government proposed by Confucius is ideal for the Zambian government. Confucius sought to become an advisor to a ruler and directly to change society for the better, using heroes of the past as models (Moore Bruder, 2005; 503). According to the text; Tzus vision to change society was very different than Confucius. Moore Bruder (2005) state that, Tzus ideas are used to gain power and stay in power. This kind of government will not promote democracy as preached by Zambia to the rest of the world through its democratic free and fair election. Confucius embraced education and according to the text, was committed to the study of wise men at a young age. This is very ideal for Zambia because leadership skills will be learnt at a tender age and people will know what is required of them when they ascend to government offices. Moore Bruder (2005) state that, Confucius supposed that a person can always improve themselves through education and study. According to the text, he believed that once a person had knowledge of the Tao they had a purpose and would not leave this world in vain. Confucius believed also in a philosophy of helping others and treating others in the way that one would want to be treated themselves (Moore Bruder, 2005). For example, if a person wants kindness shown to them they should show kindness to other people. Likewise, according to Confucius, A virtuous man wishing to establish himself seeks also to establish others, and wishing to enlighten himself, seeks also to enlighten others' (Moore Bruder, 2005; 512 ). In conclusion, it is clear that Confucianism is more persuasive because he believed in education and that everyone can better themselves. The philosophy of Taoism concluded that not everyone can attain wisdom and Tzu did not feel that his philosophy needed to be improved upon. I was also more persuaded by Confucius because he believed in the kindness of others; treat others as you would like to be treated. Lao Tzu (Taoism) these were ways to change the world; he instead believed you must obtain power. A good philosopher has respect for anothers views and Confucius showed appreciation for Lao Tzus philosophies while it seemed Tzu was more bent on convincing Confucius he was wrong in his beliefs. For these reasons I was more persuaded by Confucianism than Taoism. Reference Dubs Homer (1946). The political career of Confucius. Journal of the American Oriental Society 66 (4). James Legge (1880). The religions of China: Confucianism and Taoism described and compared with Christianity. London: Hodder and Stoughton. Le Guin, Ursula K. (2009), Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching: A Book about the Way and the Power of the Way, Washington, D. C: Shambhala Publications Inc. Moore, B. N. Bruder, K. (2005). Philosophy: The power of ideas (6th ed. ). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Roberts, Moss (2004), Dao De Jing: The Book of the Way, Berkeley: University of California Press.

PLato and Education Essay Example for Free

PLato and Education Essay Plato was the earliest most important Greek Philosopher and educational thinker. Plato thinks education as a key for a society and he stress on education, for this purpose he want to go to the extreme level even removing children from their mothers and rise them by the state, he want to identify the skills of the children and give them proper education for that particular skill which they have so they could be become a suitable member of the society and fulfil their duty in society. Plato want to a search for intelligent and gifted children in the whole society, Platos don’t belief that talent belong to a limited class therefore he stress on education for all so the talented children get the chance to shine. Plato contributed a lot in the form of ideas and it inspired his follower to find new ways for education and training of the children. In fact Plato himself did not contribute directly to science and mathematics but he stress on these subjects, his philosophy of education influenced the developments of these subjects in centuries to come. In the philosophy of Plato we can see some signs of the philosophy of Socrates; However Plato covered the major aspects of philosophy discussed today. Plato was born in an upper class family in Athens; he was interested in political career, but after the death of his teacher Socrates Plato pursues his teacher philosophy. For the purpose of education Plato travel to Egypt and Italy, there he learnt mathematics. After returning home he established an Academy, to teach moral values to the elite youth of Athens to make them better leaders of the society. Plato shows his ability of writing in different fields; ethics, music, drama, poetry, metaphysics, dance, architecture which are the ideal forms of Government. Contribution of Plato in scientific subject is little but his ideas on education inspired his followers to explore new dimension in education. Plato writes in his book Let us describe the education of our men. What then is the education to be? Perhaps we could hardly find a better than that which the experience of the past has already discovered, which consists, I believe, in gymnastic, for the body, and music for the mind. Plato not only consider better education for men but also believe on strong body and sound mind, for body he recommend sports and for sound mind music. Plato †No man should bring children into the world, who is unwilling to persevere to the end in their nature and education. † EDUCATIONAL THEORIES OF PLATO Education for All Plato want every boy and girl educated to it limit. State Education Education should be provided by the state not by parents. Organization and Curriculum. Plato curriculum was consist of gymnastic and music, where in gymnastic include physical training and music used in broad term for dram, history, oratory and music in real term, he define different stages for the organization and curriculum; 1. Elementary School Co-education at elementary level and teach them mathematics, poetry, music and literature till the age of eighteen years. 2. Military Training After elementary education two years of Physical education should be given to them and select best of them for higher education; to prepare for the future guardians of the state. 3. Higher Education Higher education should be given from twenty to thirty-five years of age, he well study the subjects at this stage mathematics, literature and philosophy. Later on he would be opponent at a minor administrative position to get experience for the future more important governing positions. â€Å"The object of education is to turn the eye which the soul already possesses to the light. The whole function of education is not to put knowledge into the soul, but to bring out the best things that are latent in the soul, and to do so by directing it to the right objects. The problem of education, then, is to give it the right surrounding. † -(Plato’s Republic, Book vii, 518) Nothing was more important to Plato in human life as education. He considers education the greatest thing in human life as he mention in his book â€Å"the one great thing†. Plato’s Theory of education was an indispensable necessity for mankind. It was a positive remedy for the problems and operation of justice in an ideal state. Women Education Plato also emphases on women education, he consider the same kind of education for women. Women should the same physical and educational training; they should know the art of war. The main aim of Plato was that each member of the society should undertake his work and responsibilities. Plato believed that women are equal to men and that, although some women are physically smaller or weak, some women are physically equal to men therefore those women who are physically strong should be allowed to learn the same skills that men do. In his book Republic Plato describes how male and female receive the same education and be given the same duties in society as given to the male member. These people are the ones who will be in charge his republic which would be an ideal society, where philosophers are kings. In other words, who know what is good for the people and for the mankind and take their decisions based on that knowledge. Teaching Methods Plato recommended play method at elementary level; student should learn by doing. And when he reached the higher level of education, his reason would be trained in the processes of thinking and abstracting. Plato wants motivation and interest in learning. He is against the use of force in education. Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind. In another place he writes Do not then train youths by force and harshness, but direct them to it by what amuses their minds so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each. – Plato Plato writes in his Republic â€Å"Bodily exercise, when compulsory, does no harm to the body; but knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind† Plato â€Å"The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things. † Plato wants a place where children love to go and stay there and they play with things which enhance their education by playing. Plato gives importance to nursery education, he thinks nursery education plays a vital role in the education of man, it help to build his moral character and state of mind The most important part of education is proper training in the nursery. –plato Plato think It will be hard to discover a better [method of education] than that which the experience of so many ages has already discovered, and this may be summed up as consisting in gymnastics for the body, and _music_ for the soul For this reason is a musical education so essential; since it causes Rhythm and Harmony to penetrate most intimately into the soul, taking the strongest hold upon it, filling it with _beauty_ and making the man _beautiful-minded_. The above quotation of Plato show, how he sees education, he wants the total development of a man, mind body and soul by using every possible mean. That why in another place Plato writes; But then, if I am right, certain professors of education must be wrong when they say that they can put a knowledge into the soul which was not there before, like sight into blind eyes. They undoubtedly say this, he replied. Whereas, our argument shows that the power and capacity of learning exists in the soul already; and that just as the eye was unable to turn from darkness to light without the whole body, so too the instrument of knowledge can only by the movement of the whole soul be turned from the world of becoming into that of being, and learn by degrees to endure the sight of being, and of the brightest and best of being, or in other words, of the good. -Platos Allegory of the Cave Exploring Platos Plato Aims of Education* To develop leader among the future rulers. * To develop hard and competent workers. * To produce leaders with military skill among the warriors. * To produce future Civil Servants of the state. The highest goal of education, Plato believed, is the knowledge of Good; to nurture a man to a better human being it is not merely an awareness of particular benefits and pleasures, Stages of Education Plato describes different stages of education in his republic. According to Plato the education of child should be start at the age of seven year and before this stage the child should stay with their mother or elders and learn moral education from them. After the age of six years both girls and boys should be separated and boys should play with boys and girls with girls and they should be taught the use of different arms to both sexes. This stage goes up to the age of seventeen years. During these years they should teach them music and early education. After the age of seventeen years the youth should be brought to battle filed to learn real life experiences. The four stages start at the age of twenty five to thirty years and in this age they get the training of Mathematical calculation and last for another ten years, after the completion the selected one’s are admitted in the study of dialect. During fifth stage they study dialect for another five years and after that, at the sixth stage one is ready to become a ruler and philosopher and the one enter in practical life. Platos View on Moral Ethics Ethics is the most important branch of philosophy. Plato especially gives attention to the moral and ethical education of the men, later on Plato gradually widened the scope of his investigations by reflecting not only on the social and political conditions of morality, but also on the logical and metaphysical presuppositions of a successful moral theory. Plato presents his ideas for an ideal society in his Republic and he provided detail about the curriculum and system of education. According to Plato the ideal society who cares for their youth and the guardian would be responsible for the moral education of their children. Every person would know his duty and his responsibility. Bibliography Annas, J. (1993). The Morality of Happiness. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Franck, Matthew. (n. d). Aldous Huxley’s City in Speech: Brave New World and the Republic of Plato Paper presented at the annual meeting of the The Midwest Political Science Association, Palmer House Hilton, Chicago, Illinois, A Kahn, C. (1996). Plato and the Socratic Dialogue. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Numan, M. (2003). Foundation of education. Peshawar: Umair composing center. Posted by Sultan Muhammad at 9:39.

Advantages of Composite Construction

Advantages of Composite Construction With regards to Civil and Structural Engineering, composite construction typically refers to the use of steel and concrete formed together so that the resulting component behaves as a single element. The aim of composite construction is to utilise the best properties of the different materials and to deliver performance that is greater than had the individual components been used together but not unified. In the case of steel and concrete, the best properties would be the tensile capacity of the steel and the compressive capacity of the concrete. (Nethercot, 2004) Composite construction is an effective method of construction and delivers good performance. The methodology for designing composite structures has been researched in great detail. For these reasons, composite construction is a very popular method of construction around the world. In order for the materials to behave as one element, it is necessary for some method of connecting the two materials. A shear connection between two materials will enable composite action between them. (The Institution of Structural Engineers) 2.1.1 Benefits of Composite Construction The benefits of composite construction include speed of construction, performance and value. Steel framing for a structure can be erected quickly and the pre-fabricated steel floor decks can be put in place immediately. When cured, the concrete provides additional stiffness to the structure. Additionally, the concrete encasement protects the steel from buckling, corrosion and fire. Service integration within the channels on the composite decks is another advantage to composite construction. Building quality standards can be adhered to easily by the use of pre-fabricated decks. Excessive deflections can be controlled by cambering the beams or by shoring the metal decks to limit deflection when concrete is poured. 2.1.2 Codes for the Design of Composite Structures The design of composite structures was governed by the British Standards. BS 5950-3-1 dealt with the design of beams whilst slabs were governed by BS 5950-4. Pre-fabricated decking used with composite structures was governed by BS 5950-6. Since the introduction of the Eurocode set of standards for the European Union, the design of composite structures is standardised by Eurocode 4. (BS EN 1994-1-2) (BCSA; TATA Steel; Steel Construction Institute) 2.1.3 The Principle of Composite Action The principle of Composite Action underpins the use of composite materials in construction. It relates to the interaction of two or more separate elements acting together and contributing together rather than separately. By physically connecting them, the strength of the beams and the resistance to bending, shear and torsion are significantly increased. The Principle of Composite Action is best illustrated as an example. The diagrams below shows two uniform concrete beams placed on top of each other and loaded with a uniformly distributed load. Both beams will resist the load independently and there will be relative movement between them. The bending strength will be the sum of the individual beams contribution. If the beams have width w and height h, the bending strength M will be: However, if the two beams are connected rigidly together by shear connectors and the relative movement between them is eliminated, the width remains w whilst the height becomes 2h. The bending strength M will be: This represents a doubling of the bending strength through the use of composite action. This is the principle behind the use of steel beams with reinforced concrete floor decks. The two are connected by shear connectors. The increase in strength due to composite action can be as much as 20%, resulting in lighter and thinner sections. (TATA Steel) Figure : The differences between identical beams when composite action is utilised. The beam on the left is comprised of two concrete beams that are not connected compositely. When loaded, there is relative slip between the beams. The component beams on the right are rigidly connected together by means of shear connectors. When loaded, there is no slip between the beams and the assemblage behaves as one large beam. Image from TATA Steel. 2.2 Composite Floor Deck Slabs Composite floor decks are comprised of either steel beams or concrete embedded steel beams together with a reinforced concrete slab. The profiled steel formwork that supports the concrete floor during casting is of vital importance as it also provides the shear bond to enable the materials to work compositely. The role that the profiled decking plays in fire resistance will be discussed in more detail in Section 3.3. Composite action is achieved between the beams and slab by the use of shear connectors that will be discussed in Section 2.4 in more detail. (Metal Cladding and Roofing Manufacturers Association, 2003) The profiled steel decking used in the construction of composite floor systems contributes significantly to the ease and speed at which the structure is construction. It acts as both the permanent formwork and contributes to the overall requirement of reinforcement. The performance of the steel decking when exposed to fire needs careful consideration and is dealt with in Section 3.2. Additional reinforcement is positioned in the troughs of the decking to ensure adequate performance in fire. Benefits associated with using profiled steel decking are reduced dimensions and weight of the overall structure. They also provide satisfactory performance in the areas of strength and economic constraints during construction. (Michel Crisinel, 2004) 2.2.1 Types of Composite Slabs The classification of composite slabs depends primarily on the geometry of the steel deck profile used. Shallow decks are classified by depths in the range of 120-200mm whilst deep decks are classified by depths in the range of 200-350mm. (Aida Rodera Garcia) The most common composite slab consists of the profiled steel decking and concrete cast in-situ. Once cured the concrete and decking act compositely. Sufficient interaction between the concrete is achieved by a chemical bond and a mechanical bond facilitated by the shape of the decking. In design, it is common to neglect the contribution from the chemical bond as it is unreliable. There are many different types of profiled decking available and contribute to the classification of the slab. (Nawy, 2008) Pre-cast concrete slabs can also be used to form a composite floor deck system. The slabs must be designed specifically so that they can interact with the beam system in place. The composite action in this case can be achieved by welded shear studs and transverse reinforcement across the floor deck. By utilising pre-cast concrete decks, hollow core slabs can be used. These can reduce the weight of the whole building whilst offering similar performance to solid slabs. Pre-Cast slabs are usually covered by a layer of concrete after installation to produce a more finished and aesthetic result. Figure : Examples of Hollow-Core Slabs The final type of composite floor slab is the Slim Floor. This consists of the supporting steel beam being encased in the concrete with the lower flange of the beam supporting the floor. Diagrams depicting the various composite slab types in use today are shown below. Figure 4: Proprietary Slim Floor System Slimdek- TATA Steel Figure 3: Example of Solid Slab with Topping and Encasement cast In-Situ Proprietary Slim Floor System Slimdek- TATA Steel http://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0143974X99000759-gr5.gif 2.2.2 Design Composite floor decks are comprised of permanent formworks of profiled steel decking. The decking serves to support the concrete during casting and before it has cured sufficiently to support itself. It is important to ensure that after curing sufficient interaction between the concrete and steel has developed so that the assembly behave compositely. The rebar is placed in the steel decking prior to pouring as is a steel mesh that serves to minimise cracking over supports and to increase the fire resistance of the floor deck. Most decks achieve a satisfactory degree of shear connection with the concrete by the presence of embossments and indentations along the profile of the decking. This type of shear connection is known as a shear bond. (Steel Construciton Institute, 1994) The decking also contributes to the stabilisation of the structure against lateral torsional buckling of the steel supporting sections and transfers wind loading forces to the walls and columns. The decking also serves to minimise cracking of the concrete slab during expansion and contraction such as during curing and fire. This will be further discussed in Section 3. (Aida Rodera Garcia) The steel decking is normally in the range of 0.9-1.5mm thick and has a yield strength of 280-350 N/mm2. Higher strength steels may be used if the spans are longer than the norm. Typical spans for a composite floor deck are between 2.7 and 3.6m although longer spans may be achieved by shoring the deck during construction. Galvanisation of the faces of the decking is done to prevent damage to the steel during pouring and in service. 2.2.2.1 Concrete Type Strength Both Normal Weight Concrete (NWC) and Light Weight Concrete (LWC) may be used in composite floor slab construction. The most convenient method for concrete placement is by pump. The concrete type and grade is an important design consideration as it affects the final stiffness of the deck system and the strength of the shear connection. 2.2.2.2 Steel Decking Resistance The elastic moment resistance of the steel decking may be calculated from the effective breadth of the steel elements in compression. Stiffeners are present in the deck design and contribute to increasing the effectiveness of the section. In designing a deck system, moment redistribution is not allowed. This results in an underestimate of the critical load for the decking. (ECCS, 1993) 2.2.2.3 Deflection Deflection limits for a composite slab are generally the span/180. However, by shoring the composite slabs during casting, this can effectively be reduced to zero. Increased deflection limits of span/130 are allowed if pooling of the concrete occurs in the middle of the span after pouring. (ECCS, 1993) 2.2.2.4 Transverse Reinforcement The strength of the concrete should be checked to ensure it is capable of receiving the force transferred from the shear connectors. Where the concrete may be susceptible to cracking, the provision of transverse reinforcement perpendicular to the beam is required. (Aida Rodera Garcia) 2.2.3 Failure The ultimate moment resistance of a composite slab is defined as the point at which less than 2mm of longitudinal slip has occurred between the concrete and the decking. Failure of a composite deck is deemed to have occurred when slip of more than 2mm occurs. Failure most commonly occurs during curing before the concrete has reached its design strength. 2.2.4 Fire Resistance of Composite Sections The minimum slab depth will be determined by the fire insulation requirements and the amount of reinforcement that is necessary to withstand loading at the fire limit state. This will be dealt with in more detail in Chapter 3. 2.3 Composite Beams A composite beam can be structurally described as a T-Beam, with the top flange composed of concrete in compression and the steel section in tension. Forces between the two materials are transferred by shear connectors. The principle of composite action with regards to beams leads to increased strength and stiffness of the system whilst using a smaller steel section. The two main variants of composite beams used today are shown in Figure 6. Beams are usually composed of a UKB or UKC section, partially or fully encased in concrete for strength and fire resistance purposes. (ECCS, 1993) 2.3.1 Design In composite beam design, the steel section is first sized to adequately support all the loads acting on it. No contribution is taken into account from the concrete as it has not gained adequate strength for composite action. A common value for the load applied to the beam from the concrete slab is 0.75kN/m2. Once the loading has been calculated, the beam is designed according to Eurocode 3. The presence of steel decking normal to the steel section provides lateral restraint to the beam. In this case, the beam can reach its full plastic moment. In cases where the presence of steel decking is parallel to the beam, the beam is only laterally restrained at the connections at either end and the buckling resistance of the beam must be calculated based on its effective length. The effective breadth of the concrete flange, taken from the supported slab, is approximated as the span/8 on both sides of the beam. This results in an effective breadth of span/4 for simply supported internal beams. 2.4 Shear Connectors Shear connectors are an essential element of composite construction if it is to perform adequately. The main purpose of the shear connector is to provide longitudinal shear resistance between the materials so that they act compositely and to facilitate the interaction between the different materials and to allow them to act as one. (MCRMA, 2003) The shear connection between steel beams and concrete slabs is typically achieved by headed steel studs, welded to the top flange of the steel beam and subsequently encased in concrete. The performance of the studs depends on their dimensions and the spacing along the flange of the beam. Near supports, where the shear forces are greatest, the spacing is reduced. Shear studs can be welded through steel decking. Welding shear studs to the steel beams has a number of limitations and guidelines. The flange of the steel beam has to be bare and can not contain any contaminants such as intumescient paint used as fire protection or moisture. This method also works best when the thickness of the steel decking is less than 1.25mm. Weather conditions will also affect the use of this method of connection. Excess moisture in the air can result in the finished weld being brittle and prone to sudden failure. Shear connectors can also be placed during production although mistakes in placement can be difficult and costly to correct. The purpose of a shear connector is to primarily resist lateral shear forces and displacement between the beam and concrete slab. However, they are also designed to prevent upward displacement of the slab from the beam as it has a tendency to do. For this reason, the studs are headed to provide vertical resistance to seperation. 2.4.1 Types of Shear Connectors In the past, the most common method of shear connection was a headed stud. As welding is only suitable for decking with a minimum thickness, where the decking is too thin, nailed studs are used instead. The choice of which shear connector is used ultimately depends on the shear resistance required and the grade and strength of concrete used. There are four main types of shear connector in use today. The most common is the headed stud. However, with the advent of thinner composite decks, the use of headed studs is not practical. This had led to the introduction of nailed sheets of shear connectors. The dimensions of the most common stud are 19mm x 125mm and the method of connection to the steel beam is ceramic disk welding. (Aida Rodera Garcia) 2.4.1.1 Headed Studs The most common form of connecting materials compositely is with the use of headed shear studs. The behaviour of headed studs does not vary significantly when concrete properties are changed. Resistance to shear depends on the number of studs used and performance is less that that achieved by more modern shear connectors such as the Perfobondstrip or a welded T-Section. (Zingoni, 2001) The advantages of stud connectors is that the welding process is quick and simple, the placement of the studs does not interfere with the placement of reinforcement within the slab and they provide uniform resistance to shear in all directions normal to the axis of the stud. (Johnson, 2004) 2.4.1.2 Oscillating Perfobondstrip The curved form of an oscillating perfobondstrip provides better force transfer between steel and concrete than a continuous strip. The load capacity of this connector is larger than a headed stud or welded T-Section. This form of connector is most suited to light weight concrete or high strength normal weight concrete. Problems with this form of connection are difficulties in welding the section to the steel beam. (Zingoni, 2001) 2.4.1.3 Continuous Perfobondstrip The continuous perfobondstrip is similar to the oscillating perfobondstrip but achieves lower resistance values in all categories of concrete type and grade used. For this reason it is not as widely used as the oscillating form although welding is easier. 3.3.1.4 Welded T-Section Welded T-Section connectors perform very well in comparison to headed studs and achieve the same load resistance as oscillating perfobondstrip. Load capacity increases when Light Weight Concrete or high strength concrete is used. The strength comparisons of the shear connectors described above are shown in Table 1 below. The results were obtained from Galjaard and Walraven (2001) from tests carried out to Eurocode 4 standards for push-out resistance. It can be seen that large differences in resistance and ductility were observed. (Aida Rodera Garcia) 2.4.2 Shear Connector Design The choice of which shear connector design is open so long as it possesses the ductility and provides the necessary shear and separation resistance to the composite system. Headed studs are the most common form of connection and the design of such will be dealt with in this section. The design of shear connectors and composite slabs is given in Eurocode 4. Partial safety factors (ÃŽÂ ³v) of 1.25 for ultimate, 1.0 for serviceability and 1.0 for fire are specified in the codes. (Steel Construciton Institute, 1994) 2.4.2.1 Spacing The correct placement of studs along the upper flange of the beam is of great importance. It is important that the flange of the beam be clean, dry and free of contaminants such as paint or fire protection material. A number of conditions for the placement of studs are described below. The upper flange thickness may not be less than 40% of the diameter of the headed stud. After pouring, the head of the stud should have a minimum of 20mm cover. The minimum edge spacing of the headed studs is 20mm, to facilitate welding. Transverse spacing of headed studs must be greater than or equal to four times the diameter of the headed stud. Longitudinal spacing of the headed studs must lie between the minimum of five times the diameter of the headed stud and the maximum of 800mm or six times the overall depth of the slab, whichever is smaller. (ECCS, 1993) 2.4.2.2 Resistance of Shear Connectors The failure of a composite floor deck slab and the failure of shear connectors occurs due to either the strength of the concrete being surpassed or the strength of the weld connecting the studs to the flange of the beam failing. Shear connection design resistances are taken as the minimum of either the concrete or the headed stud. The equations for the design resistance of the concrete and the headed stud are given below. Where: d is the diameter of the headed stud. The ultimate tensile strength (fu) is most commonly 450N/mm2 and should not exceed 500N/mm2. The characteristic cylinder strength of the concrete is given by fck. Ec is the mean value of the secant modulus of the concrete. The values for different concrete strengths are given in the Annex Table 4. The value for ÃŽÂ ± is governed by the ratio of the height of the slab to the depth. The values of ÃŽÂ ± are given below. For 3 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ h/d à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 4, ÃŽÂ ± = 0.2(h/d +1) For h/d > 4, ÃŽÂ ± = 1.0 The partial safety factor () given by 1.25 in the ultimate limit state. (ECCS, 1993) Figure 10: Bearing stress on the shaft of a Headed Stud Connector (Johnson, 2004) 2.4.2.3 Degree of Shear Connection The degree of shear connection is based on whether the required numbers of shear connectors necessary for the composite beam to develop its full plastic moment have been installed. If fewer than the required amount necessary have been installed, the moment resistance of the composite system will be less than the maximum. The degree of shear connection is given by the equations below. Where Rc denotes the compressive resistance of the concrete slab and Rs denote the tensile resistance of the steel section. Both values are given by the equations below. Where hc is the depth of the concrete slab above the profiled decking. Eurocode 4 also provides provision for the minimum for the degree of shear connection based on the span (L) of the composite beam. These ratios are given below. For: L à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 5m, N/Nf à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 0.4 5m à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ L à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 25m, N/Nf à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 0.25 + 0.03L L > 25m, N/Nf à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 1.0 (ECCS, 1993) Chapter 3 Composite Steel Deck Floors in Fire 3.1 Background The performance of composite steel deck floors in fire has been much studied to assess the design considerations that must be implemented and for designing the rules for reinforcement placement. In general, composites perform well in fire due to the insulating properties of concrete and the role of correctly placed mesh reinforcement and metal decking. (BCSA, Corus, SCI, 2007) Research conducted in the UK has concluded that previous methods of designing composite floor decks for fire scenarios was over conservative and that composite floor performance in many common fire scenarios was satisfactory. (Steel Conctruction Institute, 1991) Composite steel deck floor systems are typically not provided any fire protection material although the supporting beam to which the floor is connected is fire protected. The profiled decking of a composite floor acts as some of the tensile reinforcement of the system. For this reason, it is important to account for the effects that elevated temperatures will have on the decking. (Steel Conctruction Institute, 1991) The main contributor to the fire resistance of a composite slab is the embedded rebar mesh in the slab. As the temperature of the profiled decking increases in a fire scenario, the resistance that it provides is neglected. Additional reinforcement in placed in the slab to compensate for the loss of strength of the decking at elevated temperatures. The embedded reinforcement mesh is insulated by concrete and maintains a temperature sufficient for load bearing at the fire limit state. The positioning of rebar within composite floors typically results in higher concrete cover compared to normal reinforced concrete slabs. This results in good fire performance as the temperature of the reinforcement will rarely approach critical levels. The positioning of the reinforcement in the upper of the slab also contributes to controlling spalling in fire. The decking of a composite does play an important role however in maintaining the integrity of the concrete slab during fire. It limits the passage of flame and hot gases into direct contact with the concrete and controls spalling. 3.2 Load Resistance in Fire Design of composite slabs in fire conditions is based on the ultimate limit state properties. A composite floor slab is assumed to behave in bending as either a simply supported or continuous element. The load resistance of a composite floor deck system is due to the floor behaving as a reinforced concrete slab with loads being resisted by the bending action of the slab. Failure of a slab in fire occurs as a result of reinforcement failure. (Corus Construction Industrial, 2006) 3.2.1 Methodology There are two main methods for calculating the fire resistance efficiency of a composite floor deck system, referred to as the fire engineering method and the simplified method. 3.2.1.1 Fire Engineering Method The fire engineering method is based on the assumption that in the fire limit state, the plastic moment capacity of the floor is reached at higher temperatures and that redistribution of moments occurs where the slab is continuous. Temperature gradient experiments have produced temperature profiles such as those present in the Eurocodes. These profiles can be used to calculate the capacities of the beam in both hogging and sagging bending. The capabilities of the beams in the fire limit state can then be assessed. 3.2.1.2 Simplified Method The simplified method involves little or no calculation and relies on test data of actual fires to design the reinforcement in the composite slab. The density of the mesh can be adjusted to account for point loads and increased moment around supports. In general, the simplified method will deliver a result that demands less reinforcement in the design whilst the fire engineering method will allow greater flexibility in positioning the reinforcement and customising fire resistance time periods. The use of different grades of concrete will affect the dimensions and composition of a composite slab. Light Weight Concrete (LWC) has better insulating properties versus Normal Weight Concrete and its use will result in thinner slabs. 3.2.1.3 Design Period Deflection Limits The fire resistance of a composite floor deck system is measured as the time that a floor system can maintain sufficient load-carrying ability, maintain its integrity or by limiting heat transfer through the slab. The load-carrying ability of the composite floor system is measured by the amount of deflection that the system undergoes during fire exposure. Deflection greater than the span/30 is deemed critical as is a deflection rate greater than span2/9000d mm/min between deflections equalling span/30 and span/20. The integrity of the composite floor is deemed satisfactory for fire resistance if it can limit the passage of flame and hot gases. The insulating properties of concrete are deemed sufficient for fire resistance if after fire exposure, the upper surface temperature of the concrete slab remains below 140 °C. (Steel Conctruction Institute, 1991) 3.2.1.4 Reinforcement Fire resistance of a composite deck is attributed to the positioning of reinforcement in a mesh configuration within the slab. The most common forms of mesh are A142 mesh (6mm wires at 200mm c/c) and A193 mesh (7mm wires at 200mm c/c), the numbers referring to the cross-sectional area of steel per metre run, although larger gauges may be used if necessary. The tensile strength of the reinforcement is typically 450-500N/mm2. The positioning of the mesh is in the upper portion of the slab with a minimum cover and can be arranged to resist hogging or sagging bending or a combination thereof. (Aida Rodera Garcia) 3.3 The Fire Engineering Method The fire engineering method for composite slab design is discussed in this section. The partial safety factors at the fire limit state for materials and loads are outlined below. Materials: Steel: ÃŽÂ ³mr = 1.0 Concrete: ÃŽÂ ³mc = 1.3 Loads: Dead: ÃŽÂ ³fd = 1.0 Imposed ÃŽÂ ³fi = 1.0 3.3.1 Materials In conjunction with a suitable design fire scenario, it is possible to account for the reduction in strength of both the reinforcement and the concrete in fire conditions. With elevated temperatures, a reduction factor K may be used to account for the loss of strength associated with the increase in temperature. The table of reduction factors is given in Annex Table 5. The equations used for assessing the design strengths of the reinforcement and concrete at elevated temperatures including the reduction factor (K) are given below. Reinforcement: Concrete (Steel Conctruction Institute, 1991) 3.3.2 Depth The minimum depth of the concrete slab is taken from the tables below. Different values are obtained depending on the type of decking used, such as trapezoidal or re-entrant, and the concrete grade. This minimum depth satisfies the insulation requirement for composite slabs during fire exposure. Alternatively, the minimum depth may be taken from experimental test results from buildings of a similar design. (Steel Conctruction Institute, 1991) (Aida Rodera Garcia) 3.4 The Simplified Method The simplified method consists of installing a layer of mesh (A142, A193 or similar) in the upper layer of the concrete. One of the main differences between the Fire Engineering Method and the Simplified Method is that relatively few calculations are required for the Simplified. An outline of the Simplified Method is a follows: Imposed loads on a composite floor deck slab should not exceed 6.7kN/m2. The mesh size is chosen based on the required fire resistance period and the span of the slab. The minimum cover to any part of the mesh must be at least 15mm and not greater than 45mm. The span of a composite floor slab designed using the Simplified Method is typically 3.6m although spans greater than this may be used if adequate calculation is carried out. 3.5 Comparison of Methods While no method is definitively better than the other, they both have advantages over the other. The Simplified Method is more economical and is based directly on test results and not on theoretical calculation, which has a tendency to under-estimate the strength of materials. The Simplified Method also takes into account the contribution from the profiled steel deck even though the contribution may be small compared to that from the reinforcement mesh. The Fire Engineering Method however allows great flexibility in the customisation of the reinforcement and fire resistance periods. It is generally more expensive to design using this method as opposed to the Simplified Method though will result in thinner slabs that utilise more reinforcement. 3.6 Shear Connectors in Fire The performance of shear connectors in fire has not been widely studied. One of the major research projects on shear connectors in fire was The Restrained Beam Test conducted by British Steel as part of the Cardington Fire Tests in January 1995. The test consisted of the heating of a secondary beam and an area of the surrounding slab on the seventh-floor of the test structure. The steel section tested was a 305165 UB40 that was heated along 8m of its 9m length. Only the top 70mm of the concrete slab was taken into account. This was the maximum height of the slab above the troughs of the profiled decking. (Huang, Burgess, Plank, 1999) The temperature distributions in the steel beam and concrete slab were taken as averages of the test results recorded across the cross-sections of the components. The temperature of headed studs exposed to fire was approximated as 75% of the temperature reached by the top flange of the steel section. (Huang, Burgess, Plank, 1999) The degree of shear connection in the heated beam was assumed to be partial whilst the rest of the composite floor deck systems in the surrounding area were modelled as having full shear interaction. Analysis of the test results showed that the deflection at the mid-span of the heated beam increased with temperature. It was concluded from this that the assumption that partial interaction was corre

Financial Services Report Essay -- essays research papers

Financial Services Industry Report In order to succeed in the global market, it is imperative to know the various global financial institutions and the sources of funds for international operations. This paper will identify the role of financial institutions in the global economy and explore changes this industry will be experiencing during the next decade. In addition, this paper will demonstrate the impact these changes will have on Campbell Soup Company. Financial institutions have the ability to serve as agents for its clients providing financial services. These services include, but are not limited to the facilitation of money, such as credit; investments-related services; stock exchange; and any other accounting or finance services. The global financial system (GFS) refers to those financial institutions and regulations that act on the international level, as opposed to those that act on a national or regional level (Global financial system, 2005, p1). The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Bank are considered to be the most important international institutions. The Internal Monetary Fund acts as a lender of last resort to governments in financial distress, e.g. balance of payments crisis, currency crisis and debt default. Decisions are based on quotas, or the amount of money a country provides to the fund (IMF at a glance, 2005, p1). The World Bank aims to provide funding, take up credit risk or offer favorable terms to development projects mostly in developing countries that could not be obtained by the private sector (What is the World Bank, 2005, p1). The only global international organization that deals with the regulations of trade between nations and settles trade disputes and negotiates international trade agreements is the World Trade Organization (What is the WTO, 2005, p1). An important area of international finance is the financing international trade and investments. This area must be understood in order to raise funds at the lowest cost possible. There are some organizations that deal with international trade and have access to both the domestic and foreign capital markets. For example, the Eximbank (Export-Import Bank) finances exports from the United States to foreign countries. It facilitates the financing of U.S. exports through landing money to foreign purchasers of U.S. goods and... ...ed the importance of global financial institutions, and as globalization proceeds, the magnitude of this industry is expected to grow. References Basic facts about IFC. 2005. Retrieved on April 2, 2005 from (http://www.ifc.org). Campbell Soup Company 2004 Annual Report. Eurobond Online. Retrieved April 2, 2005 from www.eurobondonline.com/euro.htm Eximbank Mission. 2005. Retrieved on April 2, 2005 from (www.exim.gov). Financial Services Fact Sheet. (2004). Hoover’s Database. Retrieved April 2, 2005 from University of Phoenix Online Library. Financial Services Trends and Market Analysis (2004). Plunkett Research Online Database. Retrieved April 2, 2005 from University of Phoenix Online Library. Global Financial Systems. 2005. Retrieved on April 2, 2005 from (http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Global_financial_system International Finance Corporation Online. Retrieved April 2, 2005 from http://www.ifc.org IMF at a glance. 2005 Retrieved on April 2, 2005 from (http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/glance.htm). What is the World Bank. 2005. Retrieved on April 2, 2005 from (http://www.worldbank.org). What is the WTO? 2005. Retrieved on April 2, 2005 from (http://www.wto.org).

What is Geothermal Energy? An Overview Essay -- Alternative Energy Pow

What is Geothermal Energy? An Overview The term geothermal comes from the Greek geo meaning earth and therine meaning heat thus geothermal energy is energy derived from the natural heat of the earth. The heat that flows from the Earth's hot interior due to crustal plate movements, zones of high heat flow, may be located close to the surface where convective circulation plays a signifcant role in bringing the heat close to the surface (World Bank Group, 2004). earth coreThe Earth's crust, on which we live and depend, is in large part the product of millions of once-active volcanoes and tremendous volumes of magma that did not erupt but instead cooled below the surface. Such persistent and widespread volcanism has resulted in many valuable natural resources throughout the world. ... Groundwater heated by large, still-hot magma bodies can be tapped for geothermal energy. -- Excerpt from: Brantley, 1994, Volcanoes of the United States, USGS General Interest Publication Deep circulation of groundwater along fracture zones will bring heat to shallower levels, collecting the heat flow from a broad area and concentrating it into shallow reservoirs or discharging as hot springs. These reservoirs may contain hot water and/or stream. By drilling into these reservoirs, the hot water and/or steam is piped to the surface where it is used for direct use applications, or the high pressure steam is separated to drive turbines for power generation. The low energy waste water form such power generaiton is then usually re-injected back into the reservoir, or further utilised for direct heat applications. This technology enables it to be utilised to generate electricity and provide domestic and industrial heat. Geothermal energy has proven... ...ermal Energy.† 07 April 2003. http://geothermal.marin.org/GEOpresentation/sld108.html Green Jobs, "Introduction to Geothermal Energy." 18 August, 2002. http://www.greenjobs.com/Public/info/industry_background.aspx?id=11 Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. â€Å"Geothermal Energy Research.† 11 September 2004. http://geothermal.id.doe.gov/ n Kilpenin, Malia. â€Å"Renewable Energy.† 20 May 1997. http://community.hei.com/altenergy/geo.ad.html n U.S. Geological Survey. â€Å"The Plus Side of Volcanoes – Geothermal Energy.† 16 December 2004. http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/LivingWith/PlusSide/geothermal.html n World Bank Group. â€Å"Geothermal Energy.† 18 August 2004. http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/energy/geothermal/ n World Flowers. â€Å"Technical: The Harnessing of Geothermal Energy.† 27 February 2005. http://www.world-flowers.co.uk/09technical/geothermal.html What is Geothermal Energy? An Overview Essay -- Alternative Energy Pow What is Geothermal Energy? An Overview The term geothermal comes from the Greek geo meaning earth and therine meaning heat thus geothermal energy is energy derived from the natural heat of the earth. The heat that flows from the Earth's hot interior due to crustal plate movements, zones of high heat flow, may be located close to the surface where convective circulation plays a signifcant role in bringing the heat close to the surface (World Bank Group, 2004). earth coreThe Earth's crust, on which we live and depend, is in large part the product of millions of once-active volcanoes and tremendous volumes of magma that did not erupt but instead cooled below the surface. Such persistent and widespread volcanism has resulted in many valuable natural resources throughout the world. ... Groundwater heated by large, still-hot magma bodies can be tapped for geothermal energy. -- Excerpt from: Brantley, 1994, Volcanoes of the United States, USGS General Interest Publication Deep circulation of groundwater along fracture zones will bring heat to shallower levels, collecting the heat flow from a broad area and concentrating it into shallow reservoirs or discharging as hot springs. These reservoirs may contain hot water and/or stream. By drilling into these reservoirs, the hot water and/or steam is piped to the surface where it is used for direct use applications, or the high pressure steam is separated to drive turbines for power generation. The low energy waste water form such power generaiton is then usually re-injected back into the reservoir, or further utilised for direct heat applications. This technology enables it to be utilised to generate electricity and provide domestic and industrial heat. Geothermal energy has proven... ...ermal Energy.† 07 April 2003. http://geothermal.marin.org/GEOpresentation/sld108.html Green Jobs, "Introduction to Geothermal Energy." 18 August, 2002. http://www.greenjobs.com/Public/info/industry_background.aspx?id=11 Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. â€Å"Geothermal Energy Research.† 11 September 2004. http://geothermal.id.doe.gov/ n Kilpenin, Malia. â€Å"Renewable Energy.† 20 May 1997. http://community.hei.com/altenergy/geo.ad.html n U.S. Geological Survey. â€Å"The Plus Side of Volcanoes – Geothermal Energy.† 16 December 2004. http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/LivingWith/PlusSide/geothermal.html n World Bank Group. â€Å"Geothermal Energy.† 18 August 2004. http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/energy/geothermal/ n World Flowers. â€Å"Technical: The Harnessing of Geothermal Energy.† 27 February 2005. http://www.world-flowers.co.uk/09technical/geothermal.html

Essay --

Kailey Knowles Period 2 December 10, 2013 Oedipus Cycle Analysis Creon as a Tragic Hero As once said by Aristotle, "A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall". A tragic hero is often seen as someone with great stature who is noble yet imperfect, and experiences suffering due a moral flaw. In Sophocles’ Ancient Greek play The Oedipus Cycle, Creon represents the true tragic hero when his flawed actions and excessive pride create the path towards his demise. Creon’s declination begins in Oedipus at Colonus when his infatuation with power and control begins to arise, in turn bringing forth a rigid side to his character. The battle over the kingship of Thebes is a pivotal point in Creon’s development. He goes to drastic measures when threatening the lives of Oedipus’ daughters in order to bring him back to Thebes, and in conversation with Oedipus, Creon says, â€Å"Your daughters: one of them I have just now / Had seized and carried off; now I’ll take this one† (129). His forceful and domineering actions towards his brother-in-law begin to peel back the layers of his intentions. In Oedipus Rex, Creon did not want the throne, nor did he enjoy attention, but he now finds pleasure in being the head figure of leadership. The first signs of Creon’s craving for personal pleasures are unravelled as he begins to act under the influence of his Id, â€Å"a demand to take care of needs immediately† (Bo eree). The animalistic tendencies, destructive nature, and amoral actions are all induced by the Id, and Creon unconsciously begins to tap into that part of his mind as he strives to gain power. All other emotions and opinions of others are disregarded and Creon makes it his goal to become king, seemingly stopping at nothing t... ...ng presence of his superego that was lacking throughout the earlier areas of his life. Superego is the â€Å"internalization of punishments and warnings† (Boeree) which plays a part in Creon’s growth of emotions that he struggled with early on. His previous impulses of pleasure and aggressions have been masked by his superego. Creon’s ability to have an anagnorisis in Antigone helps contribute to his role as a tragic hero. The once King of Thebes had everything in life to be content with, but the relentless attitude of his own superiority ushered him to his downfall. While he lost his grip on his relations with others and experienced an overwhelming influence of his Id, and it was too late by the time he realized, Creon nonetheless had an epiphany about his actions and understood his faults. Through his perils and travails, Creon earns the title of a true tragic hero.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelly

In their chapter on ghosts in literature, Bennett and Royle propose that nineteenth century literature altered the widespread understanding of ghosts. The ghost now ‘move[d] into one's head. The ghost is internalised: it becomes a psychological symptom, and no longer a thing that goes bump in the night†¦ ‘ (p. 133). Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley certainly provides evidence for this argument that nineteenth century Gothic literature became more concerned with the haunted consciousness than the haunted house (Byron 2004: Stirling University). The tale like all Gothic works is concerned with the uncanny, and if we believed the popular representation of Frankenstein, we could be fooled into thinking that it is simply about a terrifying, grotesque monster. However, is this actually what Shelley's novel is about? By paying particular attention to chapter two in volume two of Frankenstein, and using Bennett and Royle's chapter on ghosts, I will consider to what extent Frankenstein can be described as a ghost story. Before we start to look at Frankenstein itself, we should first look at the context in which it was written. As is well known, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein when travelling in Geneva with her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. In her preface to Frankenstein, Shelley tells the reader that ‘in the evenings we crowded around a blazing wood fire, and, occasionally amused ourselves with some German stories of ghosts†¦ ‘ She goes on to describe how ‘these tales excited us in a playful desire of imitation. [Percy Shelley, Lord Byron]†¦ and myself agreed to write each a story, founded on some supernatural occurrence' (Norton Anthology, p. 908). So before we have even read her tale, we know that she initially intended to write it as some form of ghost story. Did Shelley achieve her goal? Chapter two in volume two of Frankenstein does seem to provide evidence to the presence of the theme of the supernatural. This is the chapter in which Victor and his creature are reunited after Victor first ran away after bringing the creature to life because he was terrified by its horrific appearance. Prior to this, our only impression of the creature was very much a mysterious one; we knew him only by Victor's description of his hideous and deformed appearance. Now we get to ‘meet' him for ourselves, and our first impression may be that of shock; not because of his appearance (as of course we never really know what the creature looks like) but due to the eloquence with which he speaks. As Sparknotes summarise, ‘The monster's eloquent narration of events†¦ reveals his remarkable sensitivity and benevolence. ‘ The creature tells Victor of the pain and rejection he has had to suffer with great emotion; ‘All men hate the wretched; how then must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things! (Norton Anthology, p. 960). His expressive words show us that the creature is not a purely evil being, as Victor would have had us believe. The creature's appearance has an otherworldly attribute, simply because we never know and never will know what he actually looks like; we can only rely on Victor's and Walton's descriptions which may be biased, and so his appearance remains a secret. Nicholas Abraham ventures that ‘ghosts have to do with unspeakable secrets' (Bennett and Royle, p. 134). As we know, Frankenstein felt his secret of creating life was unspeakable to his family and friends – the only person he recounts his tale to is Walton (that the reader knows of anyway). On the other hand, Victor never constantly reiterates the creature's horrific appearance, and pays much less attention to the humane, sensitive side of the creature. This turns out to be a fatal and tragic mistake, as the creature's human characteristics turn out to be the most important; it is his humane side that becomes blackened by rejection of society, and causes the creature to kill Victor's family and friends and eventually, Victor himself. The way in which the creature appears before Victor in this chapter is also extremely eerie. He ‘bound[s] over the crevices in the ice' as an answer to Victor's call to the spirits. Victor pleads with them ‘Wandering spirits, if indeed ye wander, and do not rest in your narrow beds, allow me this faint happiness, or take me, as your companion, away from the joys of life' (Norton Anthology, p. 959). The fact that the creature's arrival comes when Victor is pleading for someone to carry him away from his worries by means of death could foreshadow who Victor's ‘saviour' will be. The creature also has a distinguishable effect on Victor when the two are reunited; he becomes the catalyst to cause Victor to become haunted only by his sheer animal hatred of the creature. As the creature approaches Victor, Victor describes how ‘anger and hatred had at first deprived me of utterance, and I recovered only to overwhelm him with words expressive of furious detestation and contempt' (Norton Anthology, p. 959). The creature has a ghostlike effect on Victor, as he causes him to become paralysed, not by fear however, but by his pure loathing for him. If we take this further, we could even venture to say that from the creature's animation right until Victor's death, the creature ‘initiates a haunting theme that persists throughout the novel-the sense that the monster is inescapable, ever present, liable to appear at any moment and wreak havoc' (Sparknotes). Victor constantly lives in fear from the appearance of the creature, and also fears that he will kill all his family and friends. The way in which Frankenstein is narrated also carries on this haunting theme. It is told through a series of multiple narratives, as if Shelley was trying to recreate the way in which scary stories are passed down through generations, and perhaps also how they change over time. A noteworthy example of the creature's haunting effect on Victor comes when the two are reunited on the glacier. Victor describes with horror the feeling that came over him as he ‘beheld the figure of a man†¦ advancing towards me with superhuman speed. ‘ He tells the reader that ‘I felt a faintness seize me; but I was quickly restored by the cold gale of the mountains. I perceived as the shape came nearer, (sight tremendous and abhorred! that it was the wretch whom I had created. I trembled with rage and horror†¦ ‘ (Norton Anthology, p. 959). Victor must have, on some level, expected a reunion with his creature at some point; he knew he could only run from him for so long. However, his guilt has haunted him from the creature's creation, and so it could be that the creature is simply the embodiment of all of Victor's guilt and remorse for acting like God. This could explain why he is overwhelmed with horror – not by the creature's appearance, but because now he has to face his guilt head on, which he has attempted to put out of his mind for so long. We should also observe that Victor says he was ‘restored by the cold gale of the mountains' (Norton Anthology, p. 959) when he feels faint. This is the chapter in which the theme of sublime nature becomes utterly important in regard to understanding Victor Frankenstein, his creature and their remarkable relationship (Sparknotes). The majestic scenery of nature affects Victor's moods, has the power to move him and remind him of good times and also bad times. In a striking example, he goes so far as to say that ‘these sublime and magnificent scenes afforded me the greatest consolation that I was capable of receiving' (Norton Anthology, p. 58). This comment may show that Victor takes greater comfort in God's creation, that is, nature, than his own family, to whom he has not told his awful secret, and thus a barrier has been created. Victor has chosen instead to isolate himself and take comfort from the inanimate and almost haunting scenes around him. The changing weather can also arouse in Victor his feelings of despondency. He remarks ‘†¦ the rain poured down in torrents, and thick mists hid the summits of the mountains. I rose early, but felt unusually melancholy. The rain depressed me; my old feelings recurred, and I was miserable' (Norton Anthology, p. 58). This could reveal that Victor's moods are ruled by some absent yet ever-present being – perhaps God. God is notable primarily by his distinct absence in the novel (Byron 2004: Stirling University). However, the way that Victor does not appear to have the power to control his own feelings could show us that he has lost some of his own life and vitality in creating the creature, and now leaves it up to the changing nature and weather to control his emotions. The place where Victor and his creature meet is also significant, as it first introduces the idea of the creature being Victor's doppelganger. The fact that they both meet at a rather random scene of beauty rather than an actual place could show that they are both isolate creatures, albeit that Victor is isolated because he chooses to be, and the creature because he has to hide from human eyes. The language that Victor uses indicates to the reader that he would prefer to be alone with his secret in nature than with other people. He uses phrases such as ‘solitary grandeur' and ‘terrifically desolate' (Norton Anthology, p. 958) to describe the scenes around him, and perhaps also his state of mind. The creature, like Victor, is affected by beautiful nature around him, and feels that ‘the desert mountains and dreary glaciers are my refuge,' (Norton Anthology, p. 960) which also reflects how Victor feels. The creature and Victor are both so at home in nature, which could stress that there is more to this relationship than meets the eye; are these two really so different? Many modern critics believe that the creature is Victor's doppelganger. In earlier Gothic literature, evil was generally located in an external source, but Frankenstein sees a turn inwards to a focus on the evil within ourselves (Byron 2004: Stirling University). Bennett and Royle propose that ‘conflicting senses of the word ‘ghost' suggest ghosts are both exterior and central to our sense of the human' (p. 132). The creature in Frankenstein is the embodiment of this confusion. While he is physically exterior, he also pervades Victor's consciousness. It has to be remembered that it was Victor who created the creature, and so perhaps the creature is Victor's doppelganger, as he is ‘the embodiment of an internal and irreparable division in the human psyche' (Byron 2004: Stirling University). It is possible to see that the gaps between Frankenstein and his creature are not as wide as we may have initially believed. However, while I do believe that Frankenstein is a ghost story to a very large extent, I do not think one could describe the tale of Frankenstein without, at some point, mentioning the genre of science fiction. While at once being Gothic and having the style of the German ghost stories that Shelley and her companions were reading on their travels, the story would have much less of an impact if it were not for the role that science plays in the book. Victor becomes obsessed by the secret of life in the book, and it is he who creates the ‘ghost' in the story, so it is not simply a case of the bogey man in Frankenstein. The creature challenges our way of thinking about ghosts because he was brought to life made of dead parts, as if life can spring from death with the use of science. So, while I would argue that the tale is most definitely a ghost story, I do not think that Frankenstein would have become such a literary classic if Shelly had not chosen to use the role of science to show us what can happen if we mere mortals meddle too much with God's prerogative.