Henry David Thoreau and the Power of Non-Violent Resistance

Thoreau contends that men have lost the free will to make individual decisions regarding war, slavery, and domestic issues because government imposes on its citizens only in its own self interests. (Thoreau 1706). He states government loses its integrity when willing to consider profit over the interests of its citizens, and basic human rights such as slavery and war. (Thoreau 1707). He considers slavery as a â€Å"hateful and stupid enterprise? (Eulau 119). Thoreau feels such deep disgrace being associated with a government who condones slavery, that he refuses to vote, pay taxes, and makes his only contact with this government the tax collector. (Eulau 121). Thoreau personally does not want to be bothered with the issues of government or†¦show more content†¦(Eulau 121). These actions by the State lead him to actively criticize slavery.Thoreau holds individualism, self-knowledge and self-realization are the basic elements of transcendentalism. He uses individualism in his essay by describing that a state must lose its coercive sovereignty in such a way that the law of society will function freely. (Parrington 375). The individual must voluntarily concede himself to the economic and political arms of society but moral law is the basic law and is superior to statutes and constitutions. He believes citizens of this society commit themselves to allegiance. (Parrington 375). He implies that no government can have any right over a person or property unless one will concede to it. (Thoreau 1711). His idea of self-knowledge or realization is based on his belief in keeping in touch with the one subject and source of his being. He is a self-conscious romantic and realizes he cannot achieve perfect sharing with nature. His spiritual concerns and imagination will divert him from nature to higher and different worlds. (McIntosh 407). He tries to exist in a place between his mind and nature. His imagination does not separate him from nature but helps him to relat e to it. He tries to place the spirit, body, intellectual conscious and unconsciousness into harmonious relations. (McIntosh 407). His examples of undue respect for law are soldiers going to warShow MoreRelatedThoreaus Theory Of Civil Disobedience882 Words   |  4 PagesHenry David Thoreau made a practice of conscientiously and willfully disobeying laws that he believed to be unjust. He was arrested and put in jail for doing so on numerous occasions. Thoreau described this as passive resistance, or nonviolent opposition to authority, especially in cases with refusal to cooperate legally. Passive resistance, also known as civil disobedience, influenced people such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and even John F. Kennedy. Civil Disobedience in the sameRead MoreCivil Disobedience By Henry David Thoreau975 Words   |  4 Pages Henry David Thoreau was a very influential writer in the 1800s and still is today. Thoreau was one of America’s â€Å"greats† whe n it came to early American literature. Henry David Thoreau wrote one of the most influential essays entitled Civil Disobedience. This essay was Thoreau’s political statement, it outlined his views on non violent resistance. Civil Disobedience was written during the Mexican War. The Mexican War was a conflict between Mexico and America that was caused by a dispute over theRead MoreThe Need For Civil Disobedience Essay1172 Words   |  5 PagesConscience is the main sense of human being that helps to distinguish what is wrong and what is right. Thus, conscience has to be a main driving force when people encounter unjust laws of government. One of the philosophers who favored this idea was Henry David Thoreau. Specifically, he proposed a theory that a personal conscience is the main sense, which is responsible for basic rudiments of social principles and argued that if complying the law forces to support and be a part of unjust affairs of the governmentRead MoreAnalysis Of He nry David Thoreaus Civil Disobedience1432 Words   |  6 Pages Civil Disobedience or originally known as â€Å"Resistance to Civil Government† is one of the most known essay written by Henry David Thoreau. Published in 1866, it was written shortly after Thoreau spent one night in jail due to not paying a poll tax. Outraged by been imprisoned Thoreau wrote the essay to slam the government on many of the issues that were occurring at the time, some events like the Mexican-American war and slavery were the two major targets he bashed as he was opposed in goingRead MoreHenry David Thoreaus Resistance To Civil Disobedience778 Words   |  4 Pagesthe most dynamic weapon of the individual. By refusing to pay his taxes and subsequently being imprisoned, Henry David Thoreau demonstrated this very defiance. Thoreau’s Resistance to Civil Government conveys the effectiveness of the individual conscience, renounces hypocrisy, and cultivates a sense of urgency where inaction creates a moral conflict. This path of responsibility paved by Thoreau gave our leaders of today the means they need to continuously uphold a fair government, strengthening ourRead More Passive Resistance as a Powerful Tool for Social and Political Change1503 Words   |  7 PagesPassive Resistance as a Powerful Tool for Social and Political Change Passive resistance, simply defined as â€Å"peaceful resistance by fasting or refusing to cooperate,† (hyper-dictionary) is a complex issue, and potent tool to attain a means through absolutely zero violence. As Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi, have argued, passive resistance is a noble means to a peaceful end, in which only the followers of a movement risk themselves and bring no harm to those whom they oppose. â€Å"Passive resistanceRead MoreEssay on The Political Thinking and Influence of Henry David Thoreau2090 Words   |  9 PagesInfluence of Henry David Thoreau The extent and nature of Henry David Thoreau’s commitment to social reform has long been a matter of debate among scholars. Drawing on his well-know disdain for organized politics and his focus of self-reform, some have observed that Thoreau was no social reformer (Goodwin 157). On the other hand, such major anti-slavery statements as Civil Disobedience, Slavery in Massachusetts, and A Plea for Captain John Brown, have been seen as evidence that Thoreau was deeplyRead MoreCivil Disobedience, By Henry David Thoreau1650 Words   |  7 PagesNonviolent resistance has, in many ways, defined the resistance to authoritarian governments and decisions in the past century or so. But is it the most effective way to defeat authoritarian governments? Doesn’t defeating a truly authoritarian government -- a government led by a ruthless leader like Hitler -- require violence? Is using nonviolent resistance actually a way to acquiesce to the controlling powers, a way to show weakne ss? In his 1849 essay â€Å"Civil Disobedience,† American writer Henry DavidRead MoreCivil Disobedience: Cost of Change1469 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power† (Civil Disobedience). Throughout history, civil disobedience was a way to get the people’s attention that the government’s idea is immoral and unfair. It is a way to make a change in law or policy and to take action in a non-violent resistance. The act of civil disobedience is effective in our society, for example, Mohandas Gandhi protest against the British rule forRead MoreArticle Breakdown On Dr. King And Non Violence Essay1199 Words   |  5 PagesArticle Breakdown on Dr. King and Non-violence The main purpose of Billy O. Wireman’s article â€Å"Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi: God’s Co-Workers for Justice† is to connect Dr. King’s influences to the concept of non-violence. King led the American Civil Rights Movement with the realization that hate couldn’t exist within the hearts of those who wanted to produce change. King’s predecessor, Mohandas Gandhi also recognized the same thing. The second page of Wireman’s article reads â€Å"For

Substance Abuse. What Is Substance Abuse . Substance Abuse

Substance abuse What is substance abuse Substance abuse is the use of drugs, alcohol, or chemicals. The substance abuse results in physical, psychological, emotional harm to the user or others. People abuse substances such as drugs and alcohol for varied and complicated reasons, but it is clear that it comes at a significant cost. 0Substance abuse can be recognized through it s signs and behavior changes, as well as short and long term effects. There are various ways however to treat substance abuse. Signs of substance abuse and related behavior It is important is know about signs of substance abuse so that you can recognize it easily. The signs of substance abuse come in the form of physical or behavioral symptoms. Drug abuse†¦show more content†¦Different substances are made to stimulate certain parts of the human body but overusing it can have internal and external effects. In the long-term, substance abuse may lead to mental and physical effects that will require treatment to resolve. The most common long term effects are: paranoia, psychosis, immune deficiencies, brain signaling, and organ damage. There are some consequences that follow these long term effects such as: problems with work, school, or home life, such as job loss, poor work or school performance, suspension or expulsion from school, legal problems, and loss of close friends. Every drug abuser may not suffer the same long term effects. Some of the most common drugs in substance abuse relating to long term effects are alcohol, hallucinogens, and op iates. Alcohol has become very popular in social, cultural and religious events. The long term effects of alcohol include: liver cancer, stroke, breast cancer, mouth and throat cancer, high blood pressure, and weakened immune system. Opiate abuse can cause brain damage due to respiratory depression. When the brain is injured as a consequence of being deprived of oxygen, it can result in lasting neurological and psychological effects. These are some additional long term effects: nasal bleeding, tuberculosis, infection of heart lining, and irritation of nasal lining. These effects must be treated with utmost urgency by seeking medical attention before they get worse. Short termShow MoreRelatedSubstance Abuse And Homelessness : What Is The Connection?1830 Words   |  8 PagesSubstance Abuse and Homelessness: What Is The Connection? Elizabeth Finchum Wright State University What is Homelessness? The word homelessness can have many meanings in today’s society because the word home can be taken vague. Some individuals might be taking shelter in a cardboard box or even underneath a park bench, while others travel from shelter to shelter to keep a roof over their head. In the United States the Federal Definition of Homelessness is referred to as people whoRead MoreWhat Does Substance Use And Abuse? Essay1163 Words   |  5 PagesIn relation to life skills education, the following problems related to mental well and behavior of children can be resolved: (WHO) †¢ Extent of substance use and abuse †¢ HIV/AIDS prevalence; †¢ Pregnancy rates in adolescents †¢ teenage suicide rates; †¢ incidence of childhood psychiatric disorder and psychological problems; †¢ Extent of violence in the schools The first approach/initiative of the life skills approach to educationRead MoreAttention Deficit / Hyperactive Disorder ( Adhd )1166 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween ADHD to substance use and abuse, during childhood and adolescence, since it is such an important developmental stage in life. â€Å"Substance abuse disorder is defined as a physical dependence, abuse of, and withdrawal from drugs and other substances.† (Biederman, 1999) The prevalence of substance use and substance abuse in recent years is a cause for concern and has been a matter of public and scientific debate. There is considerable amounts of literature on the risks of substance abuse among thoseRead MoreSubstance Abuse and the Elderly Essay example1705 Words   |  7 PagesSubstance Abuse and the Elderly Substance abuse in the elderly exists just as in any other population. Many seniors develop substance abuse problems due to circumstances or situations due to the aging process. A report by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that 17% of adults age 60 and older are affected by alcohol abuse and abuse of legal drugs. The report also states that a third of those seniors who abuse substances didRead MoreSubstance Abuse1662 Words   |  7 Pagesthe view and impact of being a mother of a child who has substance abuse problems. It is without question drugs cause diverse issues in the substance users life, however the individuals in the users’ life can have just as many issues as a result. 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Despite the various and complex reasons that cause the parents or parental guardians to abuse substances, it is their children who suffer thus, significantly affecting the parent/parental guardian and child bonding relationshipRead MoreSubstance Abuse And Addiction Counselor1393 Words   |  6 PagesSubstance Abuse and Addiction Counselor Substance abuse as well as addiction is a topic many people choose to ignore or tend to believe that it does not affect them. Addiction itself does not seek out certain types of people but can affect anyone, at any time, for any reason. Stress, per pressure, financial trouble, even genetics all play a role in substance abuse and addiction. Unlike others, I don’t see substance abusers as weak willed but instead in need of guidance and someone to talk to aboutRead MoreSubstance Abuse And Its Effects1707 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to Dictionary.com, substance abuse is defined as a â€Å"long-term, pathological use of alcohol or drugs, characterized by daily intoxication, inability to reduce consumption, and impairment in social or occupational functioning; broadly, alcohol or drug addiction (dictionary.com).† Substance use can include anything from alcohol to any variety of drugs, prescription or illicit. Responsible alcohol use is considered being no more than 3 d rinks for a woman and no more than 5 for a man in aRead MoreDrug Abuse Within The Elderly Population1135 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to Center for Applied Research Solutions, the number of prescriptions written for controlled substances (those with an addictive quality) has increased more than 150% since 2008. Until recently, the social issue of drug abuse within the elderly population has not been widely understood or addressed. Because this is an issue affecting an ever-growing number of the country’s population, the focus of our practice based research project will be based primarily on the increasing number of olderRead MoreSubstance Abuse And Smoking, And How It Affects Family Relationships1463 Words   |  6 PagesThe topic that will be discussed in the following paper will focus on the issues of addiction; in specific, substance abuse and smoking, and how it affects family relationships. Living with someone who struggles with substance abuse is a very difficult b attle amongst many families worldwide. When we were brought into this world, we were not born with a set of values and expectations, but rather, that is something that we learnt over our years of development. Primarily, we spend most of our time with

Comparative Paper on The Aenid and The Epic of Gilgamesh free essay sample

An epic is a long, exalted narrative poem, usually on a serious subject, centered on a heroic figure. The earliest epics, known as primary, or original, epics, were shaped from the legends of an age when a nation was conquering and expanding; such is the foundation of Gilgamesh, of Homer’s the Iliad and the Odyssey, and of the Beowulf. Literary, or secondary, epics, written in conscious imitation of earlier forms, are most notably represented by Vergils Aeneid and Miltons Paradise Lost. (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2008) The Aenid is, if not the greatest, one of the greatest Latin poems ever written. Vergil wrote this in the time of political reforms in Rome. He was determined to make a glorified foundation of the start of the Roman Empire and thus, Aenid was born. The Epic of Gilgamesh is among the earliest works of literature to have been found. It is a Babylonian epic based on an actual historical figure, a king who reigned over the Sumerian city-state of Uruk around 2700 BC although the journeys that were undertaken by the protagonist had no real basis. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparative Paper on The Aenid and The Epic of Gilgamesh or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In terms of form, both epics are divided into twelve (12) sections, with Aenid separated by books and Gilgamesh by tablets. Similarly, the epics are also divided into two major parts. Books 1-6 of Aenid talk about Aeneas’ journey to Italy, and books 7-12 subsequently talk about the war that happened in Italy. The first seven tablets of Gilgamesh illustrate the relationship of Gilgamesh with Enkidu and the tasks they finish together, and the last tablets describe Gilgamesh and his quest for immortality due to his fear of death. Aenid is written in dactylic hexameter (also known as â€Å"heroic hexameter†, usually pertaining to epic poetry) while Gilgamesh has no noticeable meter. Aenid uses a rhyming scheme, while, again, Gilgamesh doesn’t. Also, Gilgamesh makes use of a lot of repetition of a group of lines per tablet. Story-wise, Aenid starts with the journey of Aenid and the Trojans towards Italy. Aeneas is just an ordinary hero, but it is revealed to him that he is destined to establish a great empire once he reaches the place. In Gilgamesh, however, Gilgamesh is already the king of Uruk. His purpose of setting out with Enkidu is to gain fame and recognition. In both stories, women play roles as guides. In Aenid, Sybil of Cumae is a woman who could tell the future. She guides Aeneas and goes with him to the Underworld. Her counterpart in the epic of Gilgamesh is Siduri. She doesn’t accompany Gilgamesh like Sybil does with Aenid. Instead, Siduri only gives him instructions on how to get to Utnapishtim. Two other notable women in the epics are Juno for Aenid, and Ishtar for Gilgamesh. These two embody the quote â€Å"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. † Juno hates the Trojans because Paris chose Venus over her. Her anger leads her to become the main antagonist in Aenid. She continually causes much trouble for the Trojans because she doesn’t want them to reach Italy. Ishtar, on the other hand, is angry because Gilgamesh spurns her advances. In her fury, she sends the Bull of Heaven to attack Gilgamesh and Enkidu, but her plan fails. But in the later parts of the epic, this gesture would serve as a catalyst for the many disasters that would happen in the life of Gilgamesh. In relation to Juno and Ishtar, it should be noted that the roles of gods and goddesses are very important in these epics. They are either helpers or hindrances in the hero’s quest. It is noticeable though, that the gods and goddess are more involved in Aenid as compared to the gods and goddesses of Gilgamesh. Another parallelism in both stories is the presence of symbolic rivers and ferrymen. In Aenid, Charon, is in charge of ferrying the dead across the River Styx in order for their souls to rest in peace. In Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh has to cross the Waters of Death whose waters are deadly to the touch. He gets help from Urshanabi to get across. Urshanabi is in the company of stone-giants, unlike Charon who does his work alone. Aenid and Gilgamesh both touch on the topic of life, death and fate. The journeys of the heroes are journeys towards life. In the case of Aeneas, the establishment of Rome meant a new life for his people and a chance to start over. Gilgamesh also seeks life; specifically, immortality. However, the goal of Gilgamesh is more inclined for self-preservation. The mortality aspects of both epics are more vibrant during the later parts of the epics. In Aeneid, when Aeneas journeys to Hades to visit his father, he also talks to a large number of the warriors that have died in the Trojan War. The death of these warriors shows the mortality of human beings. In Gilgamesh, the death of Enkidu despairs Gilgamesh at first. But soon, he comes to realize how easily his life, too, can be taken away; making him seek eternal life. Lastly, fate, as we know, is something vital in Greek and Roman mythology. It is a fixed order of events and a fixed outcome. Although the former can, at times, be adjusted by gods and men, the latter is something they cannot change. Of the two epics, Aenid better exemplifies this. Juno continually tries to stop or to distract Aeneaas from reaching Rome, but Jupiter reveals that whatever is destined to happen, will happen. Aenid, on his part, follows without question because he trusts what fate has destined for him. Now, unlike Aeneas, Gilgamesh tries to cheat death by going to Utnapishtim and asking him the secret to immortal life. But Utnapishtim says that eternal life was granted to him and his wife only, and that it was something that will never be repeated by the gods. The most interesting in terms of the contrast between both epics is probably the development of their protagonists. As mentioned before, Aeneas is described as a mere hero during the first part of Aenid. He’s a demigod but there doesn’t seem to be something special about him aside from the fact that his mother, Venus always comes to his aid. However, as the story progresses, Aenid now becomes this sort of superhuman being capable of taking down the most skilled of warriors. In contrast, Gilgamesh, in the first tablet, is described as superior in strength and wisdom, and perfect in the physical sense. Towards the end though, after Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh is dissolved into a being that is very much fearful of his own death. He becomes desperate, pitiful and pathetic. We see the evolution of character in Aenid while we see the devolution in Gilgamesh. The two epics have many similar points, but it’s their differences in characterization and plot that make me feel that Aenid has more substance. In writing style, I also like Aenid more. I think that the epic of Gilgamesh uses to much repetition that it already becomes annoying, and tempting me to skip some parts. Overall, of the two epics, I have more appreciation for Aenid simply because it’s more fun to read. Sources: Epic. Encyclopedia. com. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. 12 Mar. 2011 .

The Synopsis of Super Crunchers

Super Crunchers start with two convincing examples. Orley Ashenfelter decided to determine what reasons produce a great wine, and Bill James sought to separate key qualities of a great baseball player. The two men arrived at their conclusions not by walking in the winepresses or sitting in the baseball pitch, but by sitting in their offices analyzing data.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Synopsis of Super Crunchers specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More What person’s name was or the label on the wine bottle or the appearance of the player did not incline them. What mattered was only about the facts captured in the reams of data that were inserted into their computers and processed as trillions of binary digits or bits (Ayers 39). Both men outdid the traditional experts such that neither the wine nor the baseball industries could ignore them. Ian Ayres confronts a vital apprehension all the way through his b ook that is shown by the two introductory examples, super crunchers versus traditional experts. He explores the conduct in which companies are using the statistics available to them to transform the way they interrelate with their clients. Airlines and online booksellers are currently tracking customers and making conclusions based on individual choices. Casinos and auction sites are calculating one’s worth to decide how much cash they can get out from an individual (Ayers 45). The Internet is a significant issue here as surfing the internet and using debit cards does not permit us to buy incognito; we leave in our data, debris that is trolled constantly by companies with their best interest in mind. Organizing all these in order has led to the formation of completely novel Companies called record aggregators. Choice Point was established in 1997, and makes over $1 billion annually in profits from packaging and sale of data. Axciom is even superior, an organization with over twenty billion customer records about 850terabytes of raw data all from community census records, tax data, and business Information supplied by its clients (Ayers 44). Corporations are prepared to compensate substantially for such comprehensive information about consumer habits. Presently so many companies are crunching to give consumers an edge. Some websites will provide the best sale for airline tickets and still calculate whether the cost will be fluctuating. Nowadays one can shop for the finest insurance rates and find out exactly what one should be paying for their next car. These datasets lean on using the regression methods similar to Orley’s wine value approach. They crunch the information to conclude the weight of fundamental factors implicated in home prices or insurance rates (Ayers 43).Advertising Looking for report on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is applied to evidence-based m edicine, with treatment centers now being able to search for symptoms to make a diagnosis of illnesses. In 2004, Don Berwick claimed that if hospitals implemented six changes in care, which he recognized as being avoidable mistakes, 100,000 lives could be saved in the next 18 months. On June 14, 2006, the campaign announced a predictable 122, 342 deaths had been prevented. Don Berwick’s crusade highlights one more essential numerical technique central to the super crunching revolution, the arbitrary trial. Regression techniques date back to James Galton in 1877. The randomized test was not introduced until1925 by Ronald Fisher, the father of contemporary statistics (Ayers 47). For example, you simply randomly assign one set of sick people to be bled by leeches and the other faction to act as a control. The unpredictability of the assignments is what controls all other differences between the two groups, allowing you to measure the effect of the leeches. It is important to not e that we are able to measure an effect with no prior reason why that effect happened. Analyses of Super Crunchers. Ian Ayers is the founder of the new statistical movement, which has transformed the place of mathematical analysis in the society. He has done this through some of the analyses, which he has done on various issues in the society. † We are in a significant moment of horse-versus-locomotive competition,† Ayres writes, â€Å"where spontaneous and experimental know-how is losing out time to digit crunching†(Ayers 47). Wal-Mart and Google, for example, have developed into giants principally by spinning data into earnings. Ayres himself is one of the giants. He has done an interesting research on the relationship between gender and the total sales, which found out why women sell more than men do. Irrespective of his informative findings, his work continues to face critics from various quarters who still believe that intuition is always the best method of m aking judgment. For one fixation, Ayres comments, data intimidate the â€Å"informational monopoly† of experts in a variety of fields (Ayers 44). Nevertheless, even to lots of people devoid of a stake, relying on hard numbers rather than human intuition seems dismal. Ayres tries to prevail over the cynicism by presentation on how effortlessly instinct can go wide of the mark. He does this by conducting a survey using questionnaires, which ask individuals what they think Martin Luther junior was when he died. Some of the respondents answer back with a lot of certainty even though they are giving the wrong answers. He indicates that most of the people would rather rely on instinct rather than rely on the numbers.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Synopsis of Super Crunchers specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He argues that it is because human beings are lazy and they rarely want to disturb their mind, whic h is why most of the people would rather listen to their instincts when doing some calculations. He explains that this is the reason why some of the major companies are gaining an edge in the marketplace by using numbers and data to manipulate the marketplace. He shows how the Wisdom of crowd allows groups to locate things that are best for individuals. Amazon easily tells the kind of books regularly bought by people and the reason why people prefer them. This kind of data mining from group behavior to form personal recommendations has been more successful than regular book or movie (Ayers 40). He further shows how easy it is for informed customers to get bargains from various companies by analyzing which companies are offering the best product at a reasonable price. They can do this by analyzing data, which is passed over the internet every now and then. It is now possible to shop for a product at its minimum price. The customer who purchases products only after thorough crunching will certainly have an edge over a customer who will rely on intuition alone. This book also shows the place of regression in statistics. Through regression, raw data is analyzed and used to predict the association of various variables. Many practitioners due to its high level of accuracy prefer this tool. This tool provides a straight-line graph best fitting the data. Two Canadians, Gordon and Guyatt developed evidence-based Medicine. They argue that facts and numbers should also back treatment, which indicate how the medicine in use has been of benefit to the patients. The Super crunches have revolutionized the modern world into the information age. The author only reaffirms the fact that corporations as well as individuals who will have an edge over others are those who will be having information. That is to mean they should not rely on guesswork and assumptions but rather rely on well-done research. For a long period, humanity in general has relied on their intuition rather than research. However, one should depend on intuition as well. One has to rely on facts and data to make a sound decision. Super crunchers are simply providing solutions to not only the world of economic and medicine but have also revolutionized politics. Nowadays firms like Gallup are very popular simply because they provide statistics on who will win and who is likely to lose an election. Anyone can ignore this at his or her own peril. This simply shows that statistics long replaced instincts and no one in the world of business should solely rely on instincts. They do analysis of why people like a particular party and why they are going to vote for a particular candidate. This shows that numbers can be relied on when one is making a judgment especially when this judgment is going to have greater implications.Advertising Looking for report on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Companies nowadays have to do a lot of analysis before that place a new product or service in the market. They can no longer rely on the intuition that new is always good. Recent customers surveys have indicated otherwise and therefore the companies must be extra careful to have done an analysis of the kind of receptivity their product is going to receive before they invest billions to launch a new product. What super crunching has done is to revolutionize the manner in which decisions are made. Sometime back, an expert opinion from a well knowledgeable person in a particular field was what was required to make a judgment. However, in the modern world the evidence talks more than the opinion and those who fail to rely on the evidence provided will certainly make erroneous judgment, which will soon or later drive them out of the market or success sooner than it was expected. The opinion and evidence are two phenomenon which for sometime seemed synonymous until Ayers differentiated th em. An opinion is an expression of one’s thoughts and feeling towards a particular subject or object. Evidence on the other hand is the truth, tangible information about a particular issue or object. Evidence can be proved whereas opinion cannot be proved. Nevertheless, Ayres is not without critics who think that humanity could not have been wrong for spending many years without using statistics. They accuse him of being used by large corporations, which use statistics to gain and maintain customer credibility to champion the use of statistics as a representation of truth. Facts too cannot be accurate unless the sources of those facts are also accurate. However, those who want to stay irrelevant can only ignore the strong argument of Ayers. Works Cited Ayers, Ian, Super Crunchers: Why Thinking-by-Numbers Is the New Way to Be Smart. Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2002. Print. This report on The Synopsis of Super Crunchers was written and submitted by user Dayton Bruce to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.