Dante, Plato, Aristotle Essay

The assignment is poetry v. philosophy. Plato speaks of a quarrel b/t poetry and philosophy. He dismisses the arts while Aristotle defends them. DO we see traces of this quarrel in later traditions? If so, where? And how is it played out there? For this essay, in addition to Plato and Aristotle, focus on Dante’s Inferno. (Please look to see if my thesis is clear and strong, my evidence is all relevant, and whether this whole essay persuades you) Throughout his life, Plato strongly believed that the arts and philosophy directly opposed each other. On the other hand, Aristotle defended poetry as an aid to philosophy. Dante, a philosophical poet, successfully synthesizes Plato and Aristotle’s views in the Divine Comedy of the Inferno without compromising either school of thought. He acknowledges the fact that while the arts have its uses within the material world and philosophy its uses in the spiritual, both need the other to be complete. Both Plato and Aristotle agree that poetry brings about great emotion which has a lasting impact on the individual and society. However, they disagree on poetry’s emotional effects. In Meno, Plato believes it results in harm while Aristotle argues that it leads to improvement in Poetics. Upon closer inspection, we see that Dante’s Inferno contains a philosophical significance underlying its poetic style. Poetry and philosophy work towards the same end, but in different ways. There is no doubt that poetry is an imitation. What Aristotle and Plato dispute over is the source of that imitation. Plato strongly states that the arts are mimetic, twice removed from the truth. They are an imitation of the ideal entities in the realm of the forms, in which all things are perfect. For instance, tragedy presents multiple possibilities and situations rather than a single essence. In Meno, Plato’s Socrates discusses the difference between doxa and episteme. Poets, politicians and priests utilize doxa, a type of knowledge that is not mediated through any intellectual reasoning. This further demonstrates the composition of the material realm. Right opinion, or doxa, flees from the mind just as the materialistic body quickly perishes. Socrates says opinion is not worth much until it is â€Å"fastened with reasoning of cause and effect† (Plato 65). He is alluding to episteme, true knowledge that remains in the brain. This is accomplished through intellectual inquiry in the ideal realm. Throughout the dialogue, Menon insults Socrates by saying he looks like a stingray, alluding to a type of numbing-drug. However, Menon proves to have false knowledge as Socrates shows how anamnesis occurs via the Socratic Method. Only when he experiences aporia, the state of confusion and realization of one’s ignorance, can he reach true knowledge. The reference to the drug, pharmakon, symbolizes how Menon became numb to the false, material world in order to transition to the divine realm where all things originate. While Plato asserts that imitation comes from the true essence of things, Aristotle believes it has its roots in human action. In Poetics, he examines how humans have an instinct for imitation, harmony and rhythm. We often learn our earliest lessons from mimesis. Aristotle asserts that the only way to reach the ideal is through action. He views it as a horizontal developmental rather than a vertical one, as Plato did. By the process of energia, we move from potential to actuality. This is also analogous to the concept of the material to the ideal. We come out of the cave and into the sun through our own activities. As the arts best represent action, tragedy contains knowledge because it presents psychological possibilities and universal truths about ourselves. Each possible reality may be the ideal essence. Tragedy, after all, is an imitation of action and of life, not men. The stage externalizes what’s within our souls. The actors play out the meaning of life which the audience can safely inspect without endangering themselves. This perspective is extremely human-centric compared to Plato’s divine ideal. For instance, tragedy contains plot that is action-centric and based on the structure of incidents. Unlike a story, a plot’s events can be resequenced in any fashion. This is like an experiment in which the stage is our lab. A plot can furthermore be split in two ways: complex or simple. A complex plot contains peripeteia and anagnorisis. The latter, similar to Plato’s Meno, shows the progression from ignorance to knowledge. Yet the characters on stage, even after making decisions, are still susceptible to Fortune’s will. Thus peripeteia occurs, alluding to God and the divine realm we ultimately reach with the aid of anagnorisis. There are some things people can’t control. However, what we do imitate and control are our actions within the material world. For Aristotle, action was the most significant aim to focus on. In Dante’s Inferno, the poet Virgil guides Dante into Hell. Poetry begins to act as a gentler remedy compared to philosophy. It is more relatable to the human mind and physical world. Through catharsis, Dante must eliminate all emotional tumult to become enlightened. This process of catharsis is similar to the movement from the material to spiritual realm. Paradiso, the highest realm, is where true intellect exists and where we become one with God. In the second canto, Dante demonstrates the wickedness of emotions and the materialistic realm when Virgil tells him: Your soul has been assailed by cowardice, which often weighs so heavily on a man- distracting him from honorable trails- as phantoms frighten beasts when shadows fall. (lines 45-48) This is an extremely Platonian perspective. Partially right, Plato believed that tragedy produced cowardly leaders as it appealed to passion rather than logic and reason. Through Virgil, Dante demonstrates how the arts, especially poetry, are effective in cleansing the soul of emotion by experiencing or contemplating it. Much like the Socratic Method in Meno, Dante must become â€Å"numb† to false knowledge via catharsis and begin with a clean slate. He accomplishes this by observing the damned in the inferno. When he passes through aporia, only then will he become enlightened and obtain truth. The shadows are a reference to Augustine’s â€Å"visio corporals,† the cave of pure materiality, in which false knowledge resides. Dante says in canto one that man must come out of the â€Å"shadowed forest† (line 2) where he is â€Å"so full of sleep† (line 11). All this is accomplished through human action, represented through tragedy and poetry. Furthermore, Virgil symbolizes the coming emergence of Christian Rome through Dante. He has already taken Aeneas to the Underworld, setting up the entire story. Parallel to this, poetry lays the necessary foundation for the coming age of philosophy. Dante uses typology of the inferno to paradiso. Like the Hebrew Bible, the inferno remains incomplete and foreshadows what’s to come. The New Testament completes the text, in the same way philosophy does to poetry. Each is interdependent on the other. In the Inferno, Dante fails to read the inscription to the Gateway to Hell, demonstrating how the archaic style of backgrounding no longer resounds in the new age of foregrounding. This method brings to light how the mind reads and interprets with reason. Because the material realm is incomplete, Dante cannot move to this abstract, spiritual meaning without first going through the forest. In the third canto, Virgil describes to Dante how those in hell have â€Å"lost the good of the intellect† (line 18). The mind can never be fulfilled as it is a pure sensory experience. This is proven when Virgil is only able to guide Dante so far. He cannot take Dante beyond the material realm because he is not a Christian. He represents the arts, the non-metaphysical. A higher entity, Beatrice, will lead him to paradiso. Virgil declares in canto one: â€Å"If you would then ascend as high as these / a soul more worthy than I am will guide you† (lines 121-122). Likewise, we can think of poetry, represented by Virgil, as a disguise to philosophy, the eventual remedy of Beatrice. While philosophy speaks of a thing itself, poetry uses metaphors as a transition to reach a philosophical conclusion. It is a vehicle for truth in its own peculiar way, addressing our minds through imagination, sensibility and feelings. Dante can synthesize Plato and Aristotle’s views because they are working toward one common goal: the divine, the cave of pure intellect. The mechanisms of philosophy are simply a more sophisticated turn on poetry. Traces of Plato are still seen in Dante, especially when he states in the fifth canto: â€Å"Those who undergo this torment are damned because they sinned†¦ subjecting reason to the rule of lust† (lines 37-39). However, in tragedy, what seems irrational and absurd to the audience becomes permeated with reason as it speaks the universal truth about ourselves. The arts show there is something beyond human thought and action as the audience learn how we cannot control everything. There is something beyond this human, materialistic world that we cannot begin to understand. This is God, which is exactly what philosophy aims at. It speaks the truth, not only of human action, but of the existence of the ultimate good. In this way, poetry consists of rational thought and intellect. Virgil tells Dante in canto eight: â€Å"Forget your fear, no one can hinder our passage; One so great has granted it† (lines 104-105). We are turning inward to our souls to reach the divine. This also speaks of God’s infinite and unexplainable power. God makes the impossible possible. Dante had to go down into the deepest level of hell to see the divine. This irony demonstrates catabasis and anagogy, the one single movement towards God. Furthermore, Cassius and Brutus foreshadow Judas’ betrayal. These three make up the material inversion of the Holy Trinity. We are able to see God in Lucifer. This demonstrates the typology from the inferno to paradiso as well as the process of recollection in Plato’s Meno and Aristotle’s Poetics. Just as Dante had to move through death to experience life, the reader must pass through poetry to obtain philosophy. All thinking about God involves moving from the material to the realm of the forms. The divine uses metaphors, our language, to help us understand. We are able to indirectly talk to God through poetry as He determines our fate. It was his will to send Dante into Hell. Like poetry’s catharsis and philosophy’s pharmakon, Dante engages his mind as he journeys through the inferno. By looking and contemplating the suffering of the damned, he becomes reconciled to aspects of his life which would otherwise be nonsensical. Both the poet and philosopher seek the existence of God and of the metaphysical. Although Dante recognizes that the arts have limited utility, he realizes how poetry helps lay the foundation for philosophy through the Aristotelian and Platonian method. It has a cognitive function by helping to better appreciate and complete philosophy. As Venantius Fortunatus wrote in his hymn Vexilla Regis, â€Å"†¦ by death did life procure. † Likewise, by poetry did philosophy come about.

Noah’s Arf: Coming to the Dogs

Kris Price possesses most of the skills that are vital to be a successful entrepreneur. Having a successful career in Nike, Inc. prior to her business venture in establishing Noah’s Arf only means that she is a skilled and accomplished employee. Despite her blossoming career in Nike, Inc. she took the risk of quitting her job to start her own business that unknowingly would be the successful animal haven as we know now called Noah’s Arf. Being an entrepreneur, one must be willing to take risks. Even without prior knowledge of what the outcomes will be in either introducing a new product or expanding one’s business to a new location, an entrepreneur should be willing to take that risk and be able to muddle through the consequences no matter how difficult it would be. Taking risks is very important in dealing with one’s business because entrepreneurs who take risks are most probably the ones who get to experience bigger successes because they were brave enough to try. Kris happens to be one of them. (Sullivan) Kris’ creativity, innovativeness, and her intention to provide services needed by people, led her to develop the concept of Noah’s Arf. From a need, and that is the need to have someone check-up and care for her pet while she traveled elsewhere as an employee for Nike, Inc., the idea of a pet care facility cropped up. It was really impressive that she made efforts to conduct research in order to have an idea of how to develop a pet care facility and determine whether other business establishments offer the kind of service that she wants to provide for her target clients. Although she was inexperienced in writing business plans, she was able to find a solution to her dilemma. She used the Business Plan Pro computer software to write a business plan before starting to develop her vision of a pet care facility. Kris’ resourcefulness led to the development of Noah’s Arf’s business plan that contains the highlights of the pet care facility, the mission and objectives of the business establishment, and the image that it wants to develop for its customer as a credible and responsible pet care facility dedicated to provide for 24-hour service to its customers. Kris once again displayed her willingness to take risks by selling her house and donating her car to be able to raise funds as capital for her business venture. She even applied for a loan, believing that everything that she will be working on will pay off soon. Because of her innate entrepreneurial qualities, Noah’s Arf proved to be successful even after two months of opening up to the public. In just six months, she was able to draw clients, totaling to twenty dogs taken care by Noah’s Arf everyday. In order to attract more customers and contribute to her already solid client base, she spends time promoting her business, the in-home care services, as she calls it, to be specific. This service is very in demand during the holiday season. Perhaps Noah’s Arf is very successful because Kris is able to provide her clients the services that they really need. In addition to this, Kris was able to pick a strategic location, and that is putting up her business near the park where most people take their pets. Lastly, her success is simply because she loves and enjoys what she is doing. According to Kris, she is â€Å"working on adrenalin now.† Noah’s Arf: The Business Plan The business plan was successful in attracting clients to patronize her business. For the most part, the services that she offers are clearly some of the needs and demands of clients. Her reputation as a very hard-working and dedicated employee and her involvement in a service-oriented company prior to her business venture is convincing enough to trust and support the services she is offering. The business plan pointed out the services that she would be offering in Noah’s Arf, her credibility and qualities as an entrepreneur to provide for the needs of her clients as needed. The means of how she is going to establish her business was also mentioned in the business plan. (Business Plan Pro) The focal point of her business plan is very ambitious, in a good way though. Through this we can say that she believes and has faith in her vision in that she plans to achieve a steady increase in the facilities’ annual income, fifty percent gross income on her products for pets, maximization of resources, and expansion in the years to come. She does not limit her services to only dogs and cats and offers convenience for her clients and their pets, etc. These services and her ability to look through the future and predict the outcomes of her business take her halfway to meeting her goals and objectives as a pet care facility entrepreneur. (Business Plan Pro) However, business plans only give the entrepreneur a guide that would lead him tentatively to where everything in the business is going. These business plans change if, in application to real life, it fails to provide for the ideal concept embodied in it. In this case, changes to the business plan will apply if for instance, Kris fails to acquire loans to start-up her business. Then there would be changes as to the target objectives and the entire plan might be altered to fit the amount of money that she has for capital. In the actual business setting, if for instance the business establishment fails to acquire the target number of clients to furnish the amount of money needed to pay off the loans, etc. because of the location, then Kris might make another plan of establishing her business elsewhere. Business plans are changed if the output of the business does not meet the intended projection for the business in a short term and long-term basis. Noah’s Arf: The Website All the necessary information for the clients who want to check out the services they offer and want to look through the character of the facility is incorporated in the website. However, it would be great if the website were redeveloped to achieve a more attractive and amusing website that people would enjoy to browse through. Since Noah’s Arf is promoting a fun and clean environment for the clients’ pest, it would a good idea to add color and vibrancy to the physical make-up of the website. The links that are found at the bottom of the webpage should be put at a taskbar that is noticeable and that people can access easily. It is good that all the basic information is there in the website. It just needs a little restructuring to be true to the character that Noah’s Arf is portraying to its clients. Advertising and Promotional Strategies The use of the website is a good strategy to win over clients. Noah’s Arf should offer free and informational newsletters that will not only be available to those who visit the website but also for people who only get the time to check their e-mails. Clients who are on the go and leave their pets to the facility should be sent e-mail about recent news and other information that is related to pet caring, etc. There should be a sign-up button wherein people can sign in their names to be able to receive free newsletters. Through this, Noah’s Arf will also be able to include in their newsletters advertising for the services they offer, new promotional services, events for animals and pet-owners, etc. Another way is to sponsor a dinner featuring the dogs or cats in a fashion show. This is a great idea because the location of Noah’s Arf is accessible to most of the pet owners who take their pets to the park. It would be a great way to attract more people and clients for them to see the quality of services offered by Noah’s Arf. Through this other people will get to see and hear from Noah’s Arfs’ client base about the goodness and quality service provided by their clients. In addition to this, Noah’s Arf can get a sponsor from animal rights organizations and get to establish a larger network because of the organization’s endorsements.    Future Challenges As she was expecting, one of the future challenges that she will be facing for her business would be expansion. As her client base expands, there would also be a need to develop her business to be able to provide for the heightened needs of her growing clients, even in other places. It would be great, although a big risk, to establish a branch elsewhere, but if there is a need to, then she must be able to do it. Another thing is that as many innovative ideas are being developed nowadays, Noah’s Arf must be able to cope up with these changes and incorporate in their business technological advances that would help in systematizing tasks in the workplace. This would be difficult phase because further research and testing is needed to prove whether these changes will be feasible for her business. Aside from this, many ideas about pet care and animal rights are now cropping up and catching the attention of the people. Noah’s Ark should be aware of these ideas to be able to shape their establishment in a way that does not cause the loss of clients and endorsers alike.             Works Cited Business Plan Pro. 2008. Dog and Cat Kennel Business Plan. Retrieved from Palo Alto Software. 11 March 2008. Noah’s Arf. 2007. Noah’s Arf. Retrieved from Noah’s Arf. 11 March 2008. Sullivan, Robert. 2006. Are You and Entrepreneur? Retrieved from Information International. 11 March 2008.   

History of American Education Essay

The Colonial Period (1607–1775) †¢ 1642 †¢ Massachusetts Bay Colony law requires proper teaching of children. In 1642, the Mass Bay Colony ruled children not taught properly would be apprenticed (practical work experience under the supervision of skilled workers in the trade and arts) to the town. The Early National Period (1775–1820) †¢ 1805 †¢ First elementary school established in New York, Formed by a wealthy businessmen to provide education for poor children. Run on the â€Å"Lancastrian† model that the older students learn and pass it down to the younger children. The Common School Movement (1820–1865). †¢1825 †¢ Noah Webster standardizes word meanings. First edition of Noah Webster’s â€Å"An American Dictionary† is published. The Evolution of the American High School (1890- 1920) †¢ 1895 †¢ First achievement test devised. Joseph Rice develops a spelling test, which he gives to over 16,000 students in eighth grade. The spelling test is made of 50 words. The Modern Era (1946 – present) †¢ 1954 †¢ Brown vs. Board of education, Topeka case makes segregated schooling illegal on the grounds that segregated schools generate feelings of racial inferiority and are inherently unequal. The Colonial Period (1607–1775) †¢ 1642 †¢ Massachusetts Bay Colony law requires proper teaching of children. In 1642, the Mass Bay Colony ruled children not taught properly would be apprenticed (practical work experience under the supervision of skilled workers in the trade and arts) to the town. This even in education history has shaped today’s classroom and proposes great reflection of what children are to become tomorrow. In this even, societies are molding a future for children, boosting their education in hopes that someday they  will have made a wise career choice and make something of them. Not intended for the children to work under someone’s care, but to work for themselves. This is still practiced in today’s classroom. The curriculum gets more complicated and the lessons get harder to accomplish. This paves the way for children to challenge themselves and others around them in order to succeed. Teachers are to encourage students to be what they want to be in life and not to settle for less. Children are encouraged by parents, teachers and society to become successful no matter what they plan to achieve with their education. This method is started before birth for many children and parents. Parents practice things such as singing, playing music, reading and talking to unborn children to stimulate them in the womb. This stimulation helps children progress faster and learn easier when they are born. Society has stressed to children that they should learn, learn, and learn some more to be as successful as they can possibly be.

BUS IP1 Unit 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

BUS IP1 Unit 5 - Essay Example This amount translates into US$ 13000. If on the other hand I choose to take the money to the US banks, then I will earn interest of (2/100*12500). This gives an interest of US$ 2500 for that particular year. The total amount that I would have will then be US$ 15000. The above calculations are based on the fact that Irish banks give 4% interest rate per a one year CD while the US banks give a 2% interest per a one year CD. If I choose to keep my winning and cash it into US dollars one year from today, the period during which the exchange rate changes from US$1 for â‚ ¬.80 Euro, to US$1 to â‚ ¬.85, then my overall winning will increase greatly. During that year the amount will have increased by 40 000 Euro and will be 1040000 Euro. This will then be translated into US$12235.294. Given this calculations, I would rather take my winning to USA than leave then in Ireland. Covered interest arbitrage refers to a trading strategy in which an investor takes advantage of the deference in interest rates between two countries. They use forward contract to shield themselves from risks that may arise as a result of exchange rate difference. An investor can choose to use forward premium to take advantage of forward premium in order to earn profit that is free from risk because of the discrepancies in the interest rates of the two countries involved (Madura, 2007). This condition is possible because the parity in interest rates is not always constant. Three economists Robert, Dunn and John have noted that in some cases financial markets gives data that proves not to be consistent with the parity in interest rates (Dunn et al., 2004). They further observed that instances where significant arbitrage profit of the covered interest appeared feasible was, in most cases as a result of assets having deferent risk perceptions, double taxation risks as well as cumbersome controls on foreign exchange. Purchasing power parity refers to the component of economic theories that determ ines the values of deferent currencies relative to each other (Frenkel et al., 1981). This is based on the assumption that one would require the same amount in one currency to buy another currency and proceed to buy a given amount of goods as to buying directly in the original currency. Under this assumption, the number of US dollars required to directly by a given quantity of goods would be the same if the dollars were first converted to Euros before buying the quantity of goods in question. The purchasing power parity concept enables investors to determine the exchange rate required to result into equivalence of the purchasing power between two currencies. In case of inflation in a country, the currency of that country depreciated in value. This means that the currency the currency has a lower value relative to other currency. As a result more of that currency can be converted into smaller number of other currencies. The purchasing power of that currency reduces with increasing in flation. In the year in which my lottery was invested the value of Euro reduced. This is an indication of inflation in Ireland. As I have noted, If I chose to keep my winning and cash it into US dollars one year from today, the period during which the exchange rate changes from US$1 for â‚ ¬.80 Euro, to US$1 to â‚ ¬.85, then my overall winning will reduce greatly. During that year the amount will have increased by 40 000 Euro and will be 1040000 Euro. This will then be translated into US$12235.294 as opposed to US$ 1300 when the

Discuss causes of the Protestant Reformation.How the did these causes Essay

Discuss causes of the Protestant Reformation.How the did these causes shape the basic ideas of Lutheranism and make it different from Catholicism Explain how C - Essay Example It was because of the institution of these Protestant Churches that the Catholic Church began assessing the unfolding of events affecting the Catholic faith. The Catholic Church began to distinguish the imperfections and weakness of its traditions and practices and began to modify and search for solutions to the developing conflicts and dilemmas within and outside their Church and their followers (Rops 1961). In order to understand the origins of Protestant Church and the Reformation, it is essential to initially recognize that one of the arguments that the Roman Catholic Church defends is that of Apostolic succession. This implies that they claim a superior position over all other churches for the reason that they can trace the succession of Roman Catholic Popes from Apostle Peter. In their belief this provides the Roman Catholic Church a distinctive authority that prevails over other churches. This Apostolic succession can only be located in the Catholic Church and no other unrelated churches to it have any legitimate claim to it. It is due to this apostolic succession that the Catholic Church claims a privileged command to interpret the Scriptures and to ascertain the doctrine, in addition to the claim of possessing a supreme religious head in the figure of the Pope who is seen as a perfect human being. Hence, according to the perspective of the Roman Catholic, the preaching or practices of the Catholic Church as they originate from the Pope are mutually as perfect and powerful as the Scripture they interpret (Rops 1961). This is one of the primary dissimilarities between Catholics and Protestants and also one of the initial causes of the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was an impressive movement of emancipation from religious oppression, and a justification of the sacred privileges of conscience in issues of religious conviction; Luther’s daring act at the Diet of Worms, in front of the two most powerful figures in the world, the

Tidal Power Generation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tidal Power Generation - Term Paper Example Tidal power generation essentially utilizes the vertical movement of a rising and falling water levels during high and low tide (Rajput). This difference in water levels is then used to operate a hydraulic turbine. The turbine subsequently generates power. A basic tidal power plant consists of three essential components; the dam or dyke, the sluice ways that run from the basin to sea and the power house. Each component has an essential purpose. The function of the dam or dyke is to serve as a barrier between the basin and the sea. While the sluice ways are controlled to fill or empty the basin during high or low tide. Lastly, the powerhouse contains the operational equipment for power generation. These include turbines, electric generators and other auxiliary equipment. The current technology employed to generate power through tidal power systems is divided into three major domains (Ehrlich). These domains make use of different energy characteristics of tidal waves such as their potential energy, kinetic energy, or a combination of both kinetic and potential energies. In accordance with these energy characteristics the three significant tidal power generation systems are the tidal barrage, the tidal stream generator and the dynamic tidal power generation system. The tidal barrage power generation system is a more conventional means of generating power through tidal waves (Breeze). The tidal barrage power generation system utilizes the potential energy of tidal waves. This potential energy arises from the vertical rise and fall of tidal waves. This particular system stores potential energy by allowing high tide water to be stored behind a dam or dyke in a basin. The basin serves as a reservoir. The sea and basin are connected by means of sluice ways with turbines. During high tide the water from the sea enters the basin where it is temporarily

Comparative Analysis of Portugal and Australia Culture Essay

Comparative Analysis of Portugal and Australia Culture - Essay Example Comparative Analysis of Portugal and Australia Culture For an individual, it is imperative to comprehend the multicultural values especially in the business environment to successfully perform the assigned activities. With this concern, in order to ascertain cultural distinctiveness of the host or target country i.e. Australia, a person working in the corporate sector in the nation was interviewed. Subsequently, a number of critical facets have been derived that would enable to meet the ensuing challenges in a diverse culture. The objective of the study is to determine the various cultural dimensions which differentiate the business and cultural environment of Australia from Portugal. The behavioral dimension, work purpose, time and human nature among factors are evaluated. The cultural environment of Australia differs from that of Portugal on the basis of certain grounds. From the conversation with the designated individual and from revealed researches, it has been ascertained that the culture of Australia gives much significance to ascertaining harmony of the country which influences the workplace. The harmony is valued to bring cohesiveness and promote diversity in Australia which supports the work culture to a great extent. Australia renders more significance to the individualistic culture, which makes the society loosely knit. This characteristic is displayed in the business environment where the employees are estimated to be self-reliant and exhibit initiative. The people of Australia are modest, val ue authenticity, sincerity and give more importance to the business. The hiring and the promotion of the people in Australia depend on the merit of the individuals. Conversely, in Portugal, the importance is given to the moral and relationship factor. The cohesiveness of the people in Australia makes it a better place for business than in Portugal. The Portugal culture gives more importance to personal relation than business. The commitment among the people is more in Portugal as they follow the collective approach, which gives more importance to the group member than an individual (ITIM, â€Å"What about Australia†; ITIM, â€Å"What about Portugal†). UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE The rules and procedures are flexible in Australia as it follows the pragmatic culture for avoiding uncertainty. With reference to Hofstede’s cultural dimension, it is observed that the score of Australia is 51 as compared to 104 of Portugal which signifies that the Australian culture gives em phasis on idea generation, innovation and has a risk taking approach to help the work environment to flourish amid the changing uncertainties. Whereas, the Portuguese culture states that they follow rigid rules and procedures which help them to avoid uncertainty better than Australia. The people do not focus on emotions much and emphasize planning to make the business grow. The culture emphasizes more emotions, beliefs and have a risk-averse behavior (ITIM, â€Å"What about Australia†; ITIM, â€Å"What about Portugal†). SOURCES OF TRUTH In the Australian organizational culture, the managers are easily accessible due to a flexible hierarchical system. The communication system is informal in Australia which gives scope for both the management and the employees to have a free interaction. Thus, employee for any query or in search of truth