Gays marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gays marriage - Essay Example Some countries such as New Zealand and Uruguay have enacted and passed laws legalizing gay marriages and which await implementation in August this year. Laws legalizing gay marriages have faced many hurdles in the passage and implementation in many countries. This is because recognition of gay marriages is a social, religious, political, human rights as well as civil issue in several countries and societies in the world (Scherer 45). Several debates continue to emerge everyday concerning legalizing gay marriages. Such marriages are performed in a religious or secular civil ceremony. Some religious faith groups permit gay marriages and these include the American Episcopalians, United Church of Africa, Quakers, Buddhism in Austria, and Conservative Jews among others (Scherer 45). According to various researches conducted in many countries, majority of people with higher levels of education support gay marriages (Chenier 19). Such support is greater among the youths than the aged. Most pollsters in western countries indicate that a majority of people continue to support gay marriages regardless of race, religions, political affiliations, ethnicities, as well as socioeconomic statuses among others. In US, residents of states such as Maryland, Maine, and Washington voted in favor of legalizing gay marriages. ... For instance, the proponents argue that prohibiting gay marriages infringes on the right of man to socialize with any person he or she wishes and seems appropriate (Saad 1). Moreover, they claim that prohibition of gay marriages is discriminatory since it categorizes people. Consequently, banning of same sex marriages infringes on the right to equal treatment of all persons regardless of sex, gender , religion, social status, race just to mention a few. According to court papers filed by American scientific associations, mockery of gay marriages contributes to discrimination of the people involved in the practice (Larocque 23). In addition, since nobody prefers or likes to be discriminated against, banning of such marriages exposes such people to various forms of discrimination. According to scientific information, marriage enhances the well-being of parents thereby, ensuring children benefit from marriage (Larocque 23). Therefore, legalizing gay marriages will improve the well-being of the couples thus, ensuring that children reared by the couple benefit to the maximum. Moreover, scientific research argues that children reared by parents engaged in gay marriages are as healthy and fit as those raised by heterosexual parents. However, the opponents of gay marriages claim that legalizing such marriages goes against the social norms, which have been respected for long time. These people argue that gay marriages arise from couples that are heterosexism or homophobic. Since such people fear or do not like associating with the opposite sex, they get comfort and consolation from people of the same sex (Mann 156). Therefore, these people are not free with the opposite sex, thus have a problem in the society. Moreover, the opponents of same sex marriage

The Use of Knowledge in Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Use of Knowledge in Society - Essay Example Since the process of decision making process is heavily influenced by the type of knowledge possessed and the type of organizations involved, the motivation for decision making i.e. the type and level of knowledge possessed by them, is of crucial significance. This essay on ‘Use of knowledge in Society’ aims to discuss, analyse, and assess the views put forward by the author, F. A. Hayek (1945) and ascertain the implications of the claims made in view of various micro-economic theories and concepts. Summary: The article by Hayek (1945) on the use of knowledge in society discusses the various merits and influence of price mechanisms on the decision making process and role of specific knowledge as a decision-making mechanism. He states that â€Å"The peculiar character of the problem of a rational economic order is determined precisely by the fact that the knowledge of the circumstances of which we must make use never exists in concentrated or integrated form but solely a s the dispersed bits of incomplete and frequently contradictory knowledge which all the separate individuals possess (p. 519)." He implies that that it is humanly impossible for a single individual to possess all the relevant information to arrive at a favourable decision. The quest of individuals with regard to addressing the economic problem is hence not about applying the available information or knowledge for optimum utilization of resources but rather on the manner in which the best possible resources can be acquired by means of the limited knowledge available at our disposal. Merits of the argument: Product specific or consumer specific knowledge is known to help firms / organizations in maximizing their profits and sustaining their competitive positioning in the industry. The application of market oriented specific knowledge by the organizations helps firms in warding off competition and in developing effective strategies. Critical information or knowledge regarding one's com petitors such as products, prices, or policies adopted by them etc., plays a key role in producing market/ consumer oriented ideas/ products thus helping organizations in effectively catering to their target consumer/ market segment (Glazer, 1991). Such market / consumer oriented strategies developed based specific knowledge provides organizations with a competitive advantage (Barney, 1991) and helps them in succeeding regardless of the presence of negative influences / obstacles in the external environment (Jaworski and Kohli, 1993; Narver and Slater, 1990). Hayek has stressed the relevance and significance of knowledge in the development of society stating that awareness and application of specific knowledge is likely to contribute towards the overall development of the society and it is hence vital for individuals and societies to acquire and apply such knowledge for generating and maximizing their profits. Since capital is by far the most critical input of production in an indus trial society, possession of appropriate knowledge is inevitable for enabling effective decision making in order