Hanukkah Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Hanukkah - Research Paper Example This account contains many of the elements that would evolve into the contemporary holiday. During this period it was indicated that a single candle be lit per household a night; a second option being that a candle be lit for each member of the family. This practice would carry on throughout a number of incarnations into the modern holiday.  Ã‚     There are a number of religious practices associated with the Hanukkah holiday. One of these rituals is the daily prayer service that occurs throughout Jewish homes and Jewish temples during the Hanukkah holiday. There is also a special prayer that occurs after nightly meals. Following the nature of the holiday season, Hanukkah is generally accompanied by families visiting each other and celebrating with elaborate feasts, with lots of fried foods (Gur 2008). While not required, each of the eight-days is generally accompanied by gift giving that slightly mirrors the Christmas holiday. Still, perhaps the most overarching ritual is the li ghting of the candles on each of the eight days. The lights can be candles or oil lamps and on each proceeding night a new light is added to the ceremony, until the final night with eight lights. Three main blessings occur during the Hanukkah celebration. The first night all three blessings are recited; however, on the other nights, only two of the blessings are recited. While there are elements of the Hanukkah holiday that are universal among all sects of Judaism, there exists some differentiation.

Alzheimer's Disease College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alzheimer's Disease College - Essay Example The first thing about Alzheimer's is that it is a progressive disease i.e. once Alzheimer's occurs in a body it keeps on developing for example in the early stages of Alzheimer's a person would only start forgetting recent events or names of people that he or she met recently but as the disease progresses it gets severe and hence as a result the person starts forgetting routine activities as well such as how to brush ones teeth, in the later stages people even forget the names of their family members and also the way to their home, they tend to roam about with no sense of direction or purpose, 1since Alzheimer's is a progressive disease it is a fatal disease as well, people usually die off the infections caused by Alzheimer's within the brain. Alzheimer's is a form of dementia, dementia refers to the loss of memory but it needs to be understood that Alzheimer's is a totally different form of dementia and there are causes that can be cured in certain cases and in certain cases the dem entia is irreversible i.e. the loss in memory is permanent and there is no known cure for that particular type of dementia, unfortunately Alzheimer's falls under the category of dementia that cannot be cured and research is being conducted on how to cure Alzheimer's but scientists the world over are still clueless. 2This paper will systematically divide the issue at hand into categories and would tackle each category at a time but in an integrated manner. Prevention: The first and the foremost question that needs to be tackled is of the prevention of this disease, there are basically two age categories that have dementia, one is the age group from 30-65 and basically this type of dementia or Alzheimer's is due to ones genetic conditions or previous family history, this is known as the early onset, people who have dementia in the early on set may be in any stage the early, middle or late. 3The second type is the late on set, in late on set the most important factor is age, early on set occurs in people from 65+ and they may have no history of dementia or Alzheimer's in their family. Research has shown that people who have much more active brains reduce the risks of having Alzheimer's by 30-40%, this research was carried out on people related to religious services and it was found that priests or fathers that involved in activities like chess and other games where their mind was actively used, had lower chances of contracting the disease rather tha n people who did not. No medications have yet been developed to prevent dementia or Alzheimer's but an active brain certainly reduces the chances, other than this scientists and researchers also recommend that people take care of their general health levels as well to prevent dementia, although no direct link has been found with blood pressure or diabetics it is important that people keep these in check so that the risk of a damage to the brain reduces significantly. Scientists have been able to recognize that Alzheimer's causes the brain cells to die but they have not, as yet, been able to pin point any reason why this occurs and hence prevention can not take place due to this reason but the factors mentioned above do help to a certain degree in helping to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. Causes and Risk Factors: The risk factors that

Consequentialism And Deontology Will Be Critically Discussed Philosophy Essay

Consequentialism And Deontology Will Be Critically Discussed Philosophy Essay Consequentialism and deontology will be critically discussed on their impact on psychological research. The following areas will be discussed on how the ethical theories link with the BPS (British Psychological Society) guidelines. How current studies have impacted on both philosophical ideas and the BPS ethical guidelines. Additionally, it will conclude that a mixture of both theories is more morally and ethically valid. The deontological theory has impacted on psychological research as it argues that human beings are equal so act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law (Kant, 1985 p. 422). This is similar to the BPS guidelines which promote ethical behaviour (BPS, 2000). For example Milgram (1963) was slated for not being ethically valid however, there were no ethical guidelines during his era (Youngpeter, 2008). Yet, this allowed him to investigate the role of obedience and how this affects a persons moral value. In addition, how the participants were going to behave and the outcome of the study was unexpected (Russell, 2009). This supports rule-consequentialists who argue that even if there were ethical guidelines in some cases breaking some rules might be beneficial overall, rather than a world where individuals decide whether some rules should be kept or not (Eggeston, 2007). The impact of the consequentialism theory would argue that current replications of obedience studies are not ethically valid because the participants might think they are harming another individual thus causing the individual stress (Burger, 2009). This suggest that the research was not maximising the good and supports the BPS code of conduct (2009) which claim that participants must be protected from physical and mental harm. However, replication studies of Milgram (1963) have found that, whilst societal attitudes and changes can affect behaviour, the result indicted that the same situational factors that affected obedience in Milgrams experiment is still present today (Burger 2009). This then outweighs the discomfort in the participants because it can explain the role of authority figures during World War 2 and the present day, thus the research was maximising the good. In addition, one important implication of Burgers (2009) replication study was that it did not violate any ethica l guidelines, as the research excluded people with a history of psychological or emotional problems (Burger, 2009, p.10). And the participants were debriefed at the end. Furthermore, the current research links with a consequentialist strength that pleasure is good and suffering is bad (Sinnott-Armstrong 2009). However, consequentialism has issues which surround the idea that if people lived by producing the best possible balance of good over bad then it would not be maximised because people would make miscalculations, allow their personal biases to interfere thus, it may distort their decisions (Shand, 2003). Furthermore, it was found that consequentialism is very demanding as individuals might have to abandon personal projects in order to maximise the good and to resolve issues (McNaughton and Rawling,1998). Similarly, deontology allows the consideration of a persons autonomy, which allows us to assign more weight to our own personal desires and values (Singer, 1993). Consequently, this will make sure we avoid wrongdoings therefore argues that actions are more important than the consequences (Singer, 1993). Kants argues that the moral worth of an action is not determined by its consequences because it is possible that someone does something out of a good intention but ends up bringing about bad consequences (Shand, 2003). Reicher and Haslam (2006) caused stress among the guards and prisoners which violated the ethical code of protection, thus bringing about bad consequences. However, the research provides insight into how social roles can trap us into behaving against what we believe is morally wrong (Reicher and Haslam 2011). This would relate back to a consequentialism idea, that it may be appalling to think of harming the one person but it must be equally appalling to think not of doing so and as a result allowing, the killing of many people (Singer, 1993). Thus maximising the good for the greatest number. Nevertheless, deontology argues that the right should not be defined in terms of the good, the goodness of the ultimate consequence does not guarantee the rightness of the actions which produced them (Fried, 1978, p.9). According to deontologists, it is obvious that the interests of the many does not count nor does it count equally and if they did then it would be obligatory to save all of them and harm the one (Singer, 1993). Furthermore, deontologists forbid harm and criticise consequentialism because it leaves no room for personal autonomy (Singer, 1993). In addition, critics of consequentialism would argue that it would lead an individual to do horrendous deeds, so long as they promise the best consequences (Singer, 1993, p.234), thus consequentialism would support the killing of innocent people however, they argue that the theory should not be judged on wild unlikely possibilities as it is not true to life (Shand, 2003). Although, it has been argued that it would allow and encourage the individual to contemplate more about bad deeds thus by doing this, individuals might not recognise the rights of others in consideration which ought to have restrained th em without thinking about the consequences itself (Singer, 1993). This relates back to the BPS codes, as psychologists can look back at the ethical guidelines when they find themselves in a tricky situation. In addition, in real life there are laws such as the Human Rights Act (1998) which should help individuals make morally right decisions. Deontological theories have impacted on psychological research, as they argue that we must not lie (McNaughton and Rawling, 1998). This supports the ethical considerations in the British Psychological Society which argue that we must not deceive participants about the nature of the experiment (BPS, 2000). Most psychological research deceive participants in order to find out what they are thinking. For example, self report measures use deception frequently in order to find out other factors that might affect the results. For example, one contemporary piece of research told the participants that the questionnaire was on memory and on drug abuse but they also looked at the number of mistakes they made on the questionnaire and gender differences (Rodgers et al, 2003). Another current study deceived hospital staff and results showed that experts misdiagnosed healthy patients (BBC, 2008). This suggests that deceiving participants is necessary because it can show the impact on labels and ho w they affect treatment given (Blass, 1991). Therefore, they were deceived in order to find out whether they were diagnosed correctly. These findings are important as it allows improvements in diagnostic criterias, therefore consequentialists point out that in practice most people do lie and we should break rules in certain circumstances (Shand, 2003). However, it has been argued that there is a risk of psychological harm to the participants and the violation of their autonomy because they are deceived about the true nature of the experiment (Bortolotti and Mameli, 2006). This relates back to a deontological idea on an individuals autonomy. Consequentialism looks at actions and deontological looks at what I ought to do however, further argument suggests that emphasis should be placed on the individual character which is a virtue ethic idea what sort of person should I be (Shand, 2003). Virtue ethics could impact on psychological research for example if Reicher and Haslam (2006) or Burger (2009) involved virtuous individuals then the results might differ in terms of, participants might not conform to groups or they might be more determined to withdraw. Furthermore, according to Annas (2007) argues that the idea that we have global character traits or virtues is empirically inadequate as it does not have a cross situational consistency. A further weakness of virtue ethics is that it does not provide individuals with enough guidance on what we should do but how we should be what would a virtuous person do (Doris, 1998). Additionally, as society develops, individuals might find it difficult to decide on what are the most im portant morals to develop or what type of actions are virtuous or not (Doris, 1998). It is argued that consequentialist theories achieve moral closure, as the individual acts rightly only when their actions maximise utility, whereas deontologists act may be acceptable without it being the best or possibly a good option (Singer, 1993). If both theories were grouped together then it is possible to look at both the type of action and consequence produced, whether if it is right or wrong, this would allow a individual to think and behave more ethically. In conclusion, consequentialism looks at the consequences whereas deontology places importance of the right action to be fundamental to ethics. Consequentialism links with the BPS guideline in explaining psychological research e.g. Burger (2009) and Reicher and Haslam (2006). However, they both maximised the good by giving an insight into social roles. Yet, deontology states that participants in research need to be treated equally. Deontological theories support the BPS ethical guideline e.g. deception, the participants should not be deceived however results will be affected if the participants knew what the research was about. By concentrating on consequences it misses out individual factors (virtue idea). Both theories will be more ethically valid if they were merged together.

The Hebrew Scriptures Essay -- essays research papers

The Hebrew Scriptures Truth, scripture and revelation are three concepts that the Bible has been based on. Truth is defined as the way that things are or should be. It can relate to reality or wisdom. Truth can be communicated in a variety of ways. Literally which is facts and figures and can be shown in math and science. Figuratively which is metaphor and simile and can be shown in humanity. Symbolically in fine arts such as art, drama and music and also narratively such as stories, parables and myths. Truth can be known in the head and the heart because it communicates through reason and intuition. Meanwhile, scripture is defined as being written and taken from script. Scripture is a way for religion to permanently preserve its worth of wisdom, ways of worship and to pass traditions on intact for future generations. Finally, revelation means to reveal. It refers to the initiative of God in communicating with humans. Truth, scripture and revelation are all related because they are all forms of communicat ion that allow us to know God’s message. They allow us to see stories and events of how people lived with God in history and set an example of how we should co-exist with God in our world today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Hebrew scriptures play a vital role in the revelation of God. There have been many events and stories in which God has expressed his message to people of the world. For example, there is the story of Abraham. In the city of Sodom, the people living during those times were living in very selfish and corrupt ways. God wanted them to renounce these sinful practices or else He would destroy their entire city. God ordered Abraham to find ten righteous people in order to save Sodom. In the end, Abraham failed so the city was destroyed by fire. This showed that God was serious about telling people that they needed to change. It gave them concrete proof that God would come through when He said that He demolish their city. Another example of God’s relationship with Abraham is shown when He orders Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. God wanted to test Abraham’s faith in Him and how loyal Abraham truly was. Abraham did end up taking his son to a mount ain to sacrifice him but at the last minute God told Abraham to stop and sacrifice a lamb instead. This event showed that God would come through for Abraham in the end because Abraham’s fa... ... rewards to those who have faith and believe in Him. We should hold true to our faith in God and believe that he will come through for us even in difficult times. If we stand strong through the trials and tests that God chooses to lay upon us, He will exalt us. As well, the example of Moses is conformant to our world today because he shows that God does not condemn those who have sinned against Him. Instead, God chooses to forgive us and look beyond our mistakes. This shows that God still has respect and compassion for those who have made mistakes. Even if we have done wrongdoing, we can still be chosen to be in the Kingdom of God. Finally, the story of David explains that we can all be heroes in the eyes of God even if we are just ordinary people. As long as we believe in ourselves and have trust in God, we can still be successful. Status or strength does not matter in the point of view of God; it is compassion and love that God looks for in each of us. We can lead normal lives but yet still be a king or a queen in the eyes of God. The Hebrew Scriptures will always have a lesson for us, no matter how much our world changes and these lessons are eternally applicable to our lives.

How an HR Practitioner ensures the services they provide are timely and effective Essay

Prioritising Conflicting Needs The needs of customers may sometimes be conflicting (for example, managers want production results and longer working hours whereas employees want more time off and focus on work/life balance). HR would ascertain which demands were the most urgent and important, taking into account the ease and speed of dealing with each issue whilst maintaining focus on the overall needs of the organisation. It is important to keep all customers informed of what HR can provide in the way of services and set realistic expectations. HR needs to be flexible, easy to contact and able to respond swiftly and effectively. However on occasions where the customer’s need cannot be dealt with promptly, a full explanation must be given along with estimated timescales for resolution. Effective Service Delivery Delivering Service On Time By prioritising needs, HR can ensure that issues are handled according to urgency. For example, taking into account the effect of each request on the business and considering: Maintaining the wellbeing of employees Organisational mission, policies and values Meeting performance demands Current legislation Satisfying the demands of internal stakeholders (employees, board members, and management) and external stakeholders (trade unions, shareholders, partners, job applicants). HR good practice would involve developing a case record that could be reviewed to check progress, looking at areas of responsibility and delegation of tasks to ensure needs are dealt with punctually. Plans would be reviewed and updated at regular intervals to check progress and consider any changes in the situation. Delivering Service on Budget At all times HR must consider the financial implications of delivering service by liaising with finance/accounts departments and ensuring service is provided within budget limitations. It is also important to have a clear record of all resources available to the organisation to protect against unnecessary spending. For example, consider using in-house services as more cost effective than buying services in from outside the organisation. Dealing with Difficult Customers Dealing with difficult customers can have a range of implications to staff and the organisation. HR needs to consider: Where difficult customer behaviour may arise and where it would be considered a risk Suitable support for staff and managers handling difficult customers in line with company procedures, such as case conferences or guidance. Consider the needs of external customers including unions and contractors. The most frequently reported difficult customer behaviours are: Verbal Abuse – swearing, arguing, offensive remarks. Hostile Behaviour – body language, threatening gestures. Physical Abuse – that may result in injury Ideas for dealing with difficult customers may include: Keep concise records and ensure these are discussed openly with the customer. This ensures they are aware that their behaviour will be on file and they cannot deny their actions in the future. Adjust to their character; communicate in a way that fits their personality to make them feel more comfortable and avoid confrontation. Always follow correct organizational procedure. Customers will be less likely to dispute actions taken in line with guidance/ law. Ask questions, listen carefully, show an interest in the individual, use non-threatening body language and maintain eye contact. Keep level head and do not respond to their negative emotions or abuse. Never make promises! Handling and Resolving Complaints HR will handle complaints on a formal or informal basis. Each situation must be dealt with promptly as it arises and be handled in a fair and consistent manner. Regular interventions or an open door policy can encourage employees to talk about problems before they escalate. HR should clearly communicate the policy for raising a grievance (eg informal complaints, written complaints, how complaints may be escalated and estimated timescales). Explain that the organisation values it’s customers and wishes to resolve any problems that may arise. Ensure customers feel assured that their issues will be taken seriously and dealt with confidentially and encourage customers to feedback any issues before they intensify. Methods of Communication Effective communication between all stakeholders is vital to ensure all interested parties are informed and involved in the decision making process. The method of communication used depends on the customers needs, the type of information and how much information they need, and how the customer is likely to react to the information also. (Bad news is best conveyed in  person rather than in writing to allow questions and discussion to take place). Three Different Communication Methods Method of Communication Advantages Disadvantages Email Fast and convenient Can be sent at any time of day/night Cheap Can be sent to individuals or groups Attach files & share information Can be encrypted to send confidential information Confirmation of delivery/reading can be set up Conversation/information is recorded in writing Recipient has time to respond Relies on recipient having access to email account Not suitable for group discussions Less personal & may lead to misunderstanding May have long wait before getting a reply Computer viruses Telephone Easily accessible to most people everywhere (mobile) Conversation can be private, or conference call Ideal if a fast response is required Messages can be left on answerphone Person may be engaged/ have no signal, so unable to take call Mobile/Overseas calls can be expensive It is not easy to record the conversation Spoken information only, cannot share images, documents etc Cannot interpret body language Face to Face Immediate feedback Can read body language or facial expressions Can share documents/images and discuss Builds stronger relationships Good for delicate situations Logistics-may prove difficult/expensive to get participants together in one place No record unless note-taker present, so conversation not accountable Discussions may become heated Reference http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_new/communication/comm_methods/miniweb/pg3.htm http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/hmrc/getting-the-message-across-the-importance-of-good-communications http://davidlivermore.hubpages.com/hub/Difficult-Employees

Gender Inequality and Discrimination Essay

The working environment in the United States is still not free of gender discrimination. There are still many cases of arbitrary discrimination that come to the attention of the public, such as Chrapliwy v. Uniroyal. The court case challenged the system of Uniroyal Inc. (a rubber company), which employed mostly female workers in their footwear production division, while males dominated the other lines. This segregation is arbitrary gender discrimination, for there is no biological reason as to why women are more suited to working with footwear as opposed to men. Furthermore, there is an inequality in pay rate between men and women. In an article about gender differences, Time Magazine found that for every dollar a man makes at a certain job, a woman makes only $0.79 at the same job. This may be filed under arbitrary discrimination, for the benefits of this position are brought about by irrational decision-making. The question of gender should have nothing to do with the pay rate in cases that deal with the same employment opportunity. Sex discrimination is commonly defined as the â€Å"arbitrary or irrational use of gender in the awarding of benefits or positions†. In other words, even when a job does not relate to gender roles, the employer chooses to consider gender when hiring employees. For example, the job of a teacher is very gender-neutral; the job skills do not require anything special that only one sex provides. A construction worker, on the other hand, must be physically strong, and in this case, generally speaking more men are suited for this role. If a school principal were to hire a new teacher (from an applicant pool of both men and women) based solely on the fact that he doesn’t want to hire a woman, this is an example of arbitrary discrimination. The logic behind the decision is irrational, for the woman may be more qualified than the man, but the benefits are no t awarded to her only because of her gender. Kymlicka goes on to describe gender inequalities: these are already built-into jobs and positions so that women are at a disadvantage. Men have defined job roles and thus have made it more difficult for women to be suited for these roles. The most common example is  of jobs that require the employee to be free from childcare. This means that the employee is not the primary, full-time childcare provider. For example, lawyers work full-time, which is near impossible with young children to take care of. The raising of a child in itself is a full-time responsibility, so it is difficult to balance with a demanding career. In this case, Kymlicka would argue that men would naturally be more suited to the job of a lawyer because men have structured this job â€Å"in such a way as to make [it] incompatible with child-bearing and child-rearing, and which does not provide economic compensation for domestic labor†. In other words, because society views childrearing as the female’s role, and childrearing requires much time and attention, a lawyer is a male-suited role because it requires much time, which males ha ve. Although Will Kymlicka gives a good analysis of the gender discrimination and inequalities that happen in today’s society, his solution is not enough to answer the broader political and psychological question that society faces. Kymlicka argues, â€Å"Since the problem is domination, the solution is not only the absence of discrimination but the presence of power†. He says that if women could have the power to redefine the existing job roles (or if they would have had the power to define the job roles when they were created), â€Å"we would not have created a system of social roles that defines ‘male’ jobs as superior to ‘female’ jobs†. I believe that the real issue is not how women can redefine pre-existing jobs so that gender inequality is abolished; but rather, how can society change its prejudices towards the role of women through the restructuring of laws and policy implementation? Instead of changing job characteristics so that they become gender-neutral, society should look at men and women as equals so that women have an equal chance at fitting the demanding roles that have already been established. One can start by looking at a doctor as an example of a male-defined profession that is arguably becoming female-dominated. To become a doctor, much education is needed, and when this job was created, only men had the ability to get this higher education. The first woman to graduate from medical school (Elizabeth Blackwell) did so in 1849: much later than the men who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in 1765. Now that the admissions gender ratio of medical schools are about even, this has ceased to be a â€Å"male† job; rather, it is gender neutral. On the other hand, the career of an attorney still has a major  discrepancy between the sexes. Even though 49% of law school graduates are female, they only make up 27% of licensed lawyers in the country. Obviously, the access to education is equal, and so does not contribute to the male dominance of this field. On the contrary, this job is male-suited because of the limitations that it poses for women who wish to have children. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the position of attorney is extremely time-demanding: lawyers are forced to work irregular hours, weekends, with 33% working over 50 hours per week. How can this job be redefined so as to allow more women to be competitive in the job market? Kymlicka would suggest that women be empowered to redefine the position to suit them better—this would mean redefining the position by not working as many hours. If it can be done, it will be difficult. The alternative to this solution is to go to the source of the problem: the gender roles that society already holds. Women are usually the primary source of childcare; this means that their employment opportunities are severely limited to those jobs that have flexible hours in which they could balance domestic and public/private sector work—jobs unlike that of a lawyer. If society would be more accepting of males being the primary caregiver for children, the number of males who either stay at home or take on less-demanding occupations would displace the high number of women who already fill this role. The women who would enter the job market would then be on equal terms with their male counterparts seeking the same demanding jobs. If society would view the two genders as equal for child rearing (e.g. women are not the majority of primary caretakers), there are still complications that arise from the roles, which are deterrents for women. For instance, even if the woman is not the primary caretaker of the child after pregnancy, this does not make up for the fact that there is still a period where she is unable to work due to pregnancy. In other words, the role of mother and father can never be fully equal because the mother has the extra responsibility of carrying the baby to term. However, if the social roles for each gender were to be equal, viewing paternity leave as mandatory could solve this problem. According to the Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act of 1996, health plans must pay for at least 48-hour (vaginal) or 96-hour (caesarean) hospital stay afte r childbirth. This means that at the minimum, a woman should take two days off for maternity leave to recover, if nothing else. Although a man does not  need to physically recuperate from childbirth or pregnancy, he is still a parent of the child and should be viewed with equal consideration when dealing with childcare issues. By making paternity leave mandatory, employers could no longer discriminate between the sexes by accounting for the time lost due to pregnancy. This would not be a difficult policy to implement, considering 71% of fathers took advantage of paternity leave in 2007. To expand on the idea that the roles of the sexes cannot be equal in every aspect: mothers who choose to breastfeed are at a disadvantage, for they will likely take more days for maternity leave. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a woman can take up to 12 weeks off of work. This option serves as a reason why an employer may not hire a woman, even if the social roles of men and women were equal. However, this can be easily fixed by creating an incentive for women to choose to formula-feed or to pump their breast milk—this would make it so that they could return to work as soon as a man would. The FMLA states that although maternity and paternity leaves are unpaid, health benefits still apply. These health benefits could extend to partially cover the cost of formula or a pump. Baby formula is very costly because of the quantity that is needed, and breast pumps and bags can range from $20 to over $200 (depending if it is manual or electric). By making alternative options to breastfeeding more accessible, women need not take more time off than men, and so gender inequality is invalid. Furthermore, even if society views gender roles equally, this does not account for the fact that the majority of men are physically superior to the majority of women when it comes to manual labor. Looking at any construction or shipping sites, one will find that if not entirely composed of men, almost all employees are male. Obviously, if the job is physically demanding and the male sex is the most equipped at handling physically demanding jobs, females will very rarely be more qualified for the job than a male applicant. This can be remedied by the use of technology. In today’s society, much manual labor can be handled my machines that are designed to lift even more than a human being can. These machines need not be operated by those physically superior. If we take manual labor out of the equation by adding technology, both sexes would have an equal opportunity at the job; this is considering the fact that neither sex is inferior in controlling technology. It is here where society can put aside sexual differences and  instead become â€Å"sex-blind†. A sex-blind society is one that does not take into account gender for the awarding of benefits through employment, opportunities, etc. There are many instances in which it would be helpful to have a sex-blind society, but there are some instances where different treatment of the sexes is justified. Kymlicka brings up the example of sex-segregated washrooms. These would not be considered discriminatory because the physical difference between the sexes calls for different treatment. Still, these instances are so rare and are so well justified that they should not interfere with the important notion of the sex-blind society. By eliminating the need for discrimination in manual labor due to physical differences through the implementation of technology, society can successfully become sex-blind and thus end gender discrimination. So to answer the question of how to change society’s prejudices towards the role of women, it is obvious that if minor changes are made to these demanding jobs, they can be viewed as gender-neutral. This in turn will allow more women to compete against men for a variety of jobs. Instead of redefining job roles, society must redefine gender roles through the lens of childrearing; this is so that jobs that are now limited to those individuals without the responsibility of childcare may become more gender-diverse in competition. Today’s society has all the resources needed to implement these changes—it’s just a matter of time until they are enacted in policies and eventually shift gender relations and stereotypes in favor of gender equality. Works Cited Armour, Stephanie. â€Å"Workplace tensions rise as dads seek family time.† USA Today, December 11, 2007. Accessed May 9, 2011. http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2007-12-10-working-dads_N.htm. â€Å"Chrapliwy v. Uniroyal.† Wikipedia. Accessed May 9, 2011. Last modified February 22, 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrapliwy_v._Uniroyal. Cloud, John. â€Å"If Women Were More Like Men: Why Females Earn Less.† Time Magazine. Accessed May 9, 2011. Last modified October 3, 2008. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1847194,00.html. Kymlicka, Will. Sexual Equality and Discrimination: Difference vs. Dominance. 1990. In Morality and Moral Controversies: Readings in Moral, Social, and Political Philosophy, edited by John Arthur and Steven Scalet, 572-575. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009. â€Å"Leave Benefits: Family & Medical Leave.† US Department of Labor. Accessed May 9, 2011. http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/benefits-leave/fmla.htm. Lewis, Jone Johnson. â€Å"Elizabeth Blackwell: First Woman Physician.† About: Women’s History. Accessed May 9, 2011. http://womenshistory.about.com/od/blackwellelizabeth/a/eliz_blackwell.htm. Lloyd, Mark Frazier. â€Å"The University of Pennsylvania: America’s First University.† University Archives and Records Center University of Pennsylvania. Accessed May 9, 2011. Last modified November 1999. http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/genlhistory/firstuniv.html. â€Å"Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act.â €  US Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration. Accessed May 9, 2011. http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/fsnmhafs.html. â€Å"Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Lawyers.† Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Accessed May 9, 2011. Last modified December 17, 2009. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos053.htm. Werner, Wendy. â€Å"Where Have the Women Attorneys Gone? .† Law Practice Today. Accessed May 9, 2011. Last modified May 2004. http://apps.americanbar.org/lpm/lpt/articles/mgt05041.html.