Thursday, March 19, 2020

Francis Bacon on Youth and Age

Francis Bacon on Youth and Age Francis Bacon  was a true Renaissance man- statesman, writer, and philosopher  of science. He is considered the first major English essayist. Professor Brian Vickers has pointed out that Bacon could vary the tempo of argument in order to highlight important aspects. In the essay Of Youth and Age, Vickers notes in the introduction to the Oxford Worlds Classics 1999 edition of The Essays Or Counsels, Civil and Moral  that Bacon uses a most effective variation in tempo, now slowing down, now speeding up, together with syntactical parallelism, in order to characterize the two opposed stages of life.   Of Youth and Age A man that is young in years may be old in ​hours, if he have lost no time. But that happeneth rarely. Generally, youth is like the first cogitations, not so wise as the second. For there is a youth in thoughts, as well as in ages. And yet the invention of young men is more lively than that of old, and imaginations stream into their minds better, and as it were more divinely. Natures that have much heat and great and violent desires and perturbations, are not ripe for action till they have passed the meridian of their years; as it was with Julius Caesar, and Septimius Severus. Of the latter of whom it is said, Juventutem egit erroribus, imo furoribus, plenum1. And yet he was the ablest emperor, almost, of all the list. But reposed natures may do well in youth. As it is seen in Augustus Caesar, Cosmus Duke of Florence, Gaston de Foix, and others. On the other side, heat and vivacity in age is an excellent composition for business. Young men are fitter to invent than to judge; f itter for execution than for counsel; and fitter for new projects than for settled business. For the experience of age, in things that fall within the compass of it, directeth them; but in new things, abuseth them. The errors of young men are the ruin of business; but the errors of aged men amount but to this, that more might have been done, or sooner. Young men, in the conduct and manage of actions, embrace more than they can hold; stir more than they can quiet; fly to the end, without consideration of the means and degrees; pursue some few principles which they have chanced upon absurdly; care not to innovate, which draws unknown inconveniences; use extreme remedies at first; and that which doubleth all errors, will not acknowledge or retract them; like an unready horse, that will neither stop nor turn. Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success. Certainly it is good to compound employments of both; for that will be good for the present, because the virtues of either age may correct the defects of both; and good for succession, that young men may be learners, while men in age are actors; and, lastly, good for extern accidents, because authority followeth old men, and favour and popularit y youth. But for the moral part, perhaps youth will have the pre-eminence, as age hath for the politic. A certain rabbin, upon the text, Your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams, inferreth that young men are admitted nearer to God than old, because vision is a clearer revelation than a dream. And certainly, the more a man drinketh of the world, the more it intoxicateth; and age doth profit rather in the powers of understanding, than in the virtues of the will and affections. There be some have an over-early ripeness in their years, which fadeth betimes. These are, first, such as have brittle wits, the edge whereof is soon turned; such as was Hermogenes the rhetorician, whose books are exceeding subtle; who afterwards waxed stupid. A second sort is of those that have some natural dispositions which have better grace in youth than in age; such as is a fluent and luxuriant speech, which becomes youth well, but not age: so Tully saith of Hortensius, Idem manebat, neq ue idem decebat2. The third is of such as take too high a strain at the first, and are magnanimous more than tract of years can uphold. As was Scipio Africanus, of whom Livy saith in effect, Ultima primis cedebant3. 1 He passed a youth full of errors, yea of madnesses.2 He continued the same, when the same was not becoming.3 His last actions were not equal to his first.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Case Study Writing

Case Study Writing In higher education, students are often required to write case studies. Used in most (if not all) academic disciplines, a case study serves to provide a thorough analysis of a situation, or â€Å"case.† Its purpose is to reveal interesting information about a classification of things – and is analytical in nature. Perhaps it’s best to see the case as the â€Å"real-life† situation; the case study is the analysis of this situation.  Fundamentally, case studies seek to solve a problem. For example, a business student may perform a case study on a particular company; while the political science student might conduct one on a particular country or a political ideology. In a psychology course, a case study could be written about a person’s mental illness, or how kids with cerebral palsy learn to read and write and speak, for a more specific example. Case studies cover a broad range of topics – but there is one underlying theme: they highlight a larger problem or issue, a real-life situation, in the field and, through heavy research and the application of theories, concepts and common knowledge in a field of study, serve to illuminate those problems through an in-depth study of its application to an individual or single unit. There are two approaches to writing a case study.  One is the Analytical Approach, where the case study is performed in an attempt to understand what has happened and why and does not identify a problem or suggest solutions.  The other approach to a case study is the Problem-Oriented Method used to identify existing problems and then suggesting solutions to said problems. Case Studies Should Always: Apply the knowledge and ideas covered in a course to a practical, real-life situation Identify – then suggest solutions to – present problems Recommend the BEST solution to these problems Detail exactly how this solution should be incorporated The Five Steps to Writing a Case Study Step 1. Choose a subject, issue or problem, and conduct thorough research on that topic (by using books, journals, magazines, and newspapers). Of course, the issue should pertain to the course in which the assignment is given, and the student should make sure to record these sources for later. Step 2. Choose a case â€Å"site† – a location, organization, company, or even individuals experiencing a problem – then plan and set up interviews. Remember: interviewees should, for example, be involved in the same company or organization, or the case â€Å"site,† with a common interest in solving the problem. Step 3. Conduct interviews. This is a crucial step to a case study. Ask interviewees what solutions have already been attempted, as well as inquired about their feelings about the situation, and what they could, perhaps, do differently to solve the underlying problem in the future. Open-ended questions are best – What is working? How did the situation develop? Stay away from yes or no questions for an objective analysis. Step 4. Organize and analyze the information gathered from the interviews and the research to identify which are most pertinent in solving the problem. Step 5. Double-check all the information on the case study, make your conclusions, and voila its ready. You may be interested in: Critical Analysis How to Write an Argumentative Essay Book Report Writing Writing Effective Assignments Tips on Improving Students Study Skills The Eight Sections of a Case Study:   Synopsis/Executive Summary outlining the purpose of the case study, a description of research, a broad outline of the issues and findings, and the theory being used   Analysis, which identifies the problems in the case and is supported by factual evidence   Discussion summarizing the major problems, which identifies alternative solutions to these problems; it should briefly outline each alternative solution, and then evaluate the advantages/disadvantages of each   Conclusion – it should sum up the main points gathered from findings and the discussions   Recommendations explaining what alternative solutions should be adopted to solve the problem, briefly justifying these solutions in a persuasive manner. In this section, integration of theory pertinent to the coursework is most appropriate   Implementation explaining what should be done, by whom and when   References used in the case study   Appendices may be used to note any original data relating to the study that may have interrupted the flow of the main body These are basic case study writing steps. If you need any further assistance and/or guidance with your case study, is the service that is happy to assist. Simply send us your requirements, attach any relevant files and send it over. We will analyze your assignment and then provide feedback on how it should be done. Additionally, we can provide additional counseling and guidance on case study writing by providing a sample case study response. You will then be able to use this model paper as a sample to work on your subsequent case study assignments. is happy to be your academic advisor!