Month: October 2022

The movement of people from the countryside to cities cannot be sustained. Discuss.

• assess the scale of the movement of people to urban environments
• consider the extent to which movement of people from the countryside to cities can be sustained
• make a judgement, based on the consideration of the evidence and argument put forward
• the need for people to live in the countryside for resources and work
• the negative impact of excessive numbers of people moving from the countryside into the town
• the danger of overcrowding in urban environments and the negative impacts of this on people
• how urban life quickly adapts to the increasing number of people
• the provision of a wide range of facilities for large groups of people
• urban infrastructure may develop to meet the needs of a growing population
• the benefits to work/life balance of living in largely populated urban environments
• how it may be necessary and whether it is possible to reverse this process.

‘While environmental sustainability is desirable, it is an unachievable goal.’ Discuss.

While there is increased awareness and  education surrounding one’s  ecological footprint and  its impact  on the environment, conservation efforts through environmental sustainability have been questioned for its true effectiveness in mitigating the  impact  of our current  environmental degradation.   This begs the  question of whether true environmental sustainability is indeed possible to achieve or if it will only remain  as a mere  goal  that  is impossible to carry out, let alone, impactful.

The assumption in the question in that sustainability has intrinsic value. It has positive  benefits or impacts on our environment. Environmental sustainability is unachievable and  any efforts  will not  be  able  to mitigate the  existing problems and  impacts of our current  environment.

Discuss the desirability  of environmental sustainability and evaluate whether the goal or the  efforts  at  achieving  this goal  are  achievable  or not.  A thoughtful  response also  reflects  the perspective of “Ideal versus Reality”; reasons and factors that may hinder  the goal from arriving at its idealistic  outcomes are discussed, resulting in a key treatment of the contention “desirable, but unrealistic  goal”.

Provides  an accurate and  complete understanding of the  key terms  in the  question; the  concept of ‘environmental  sustainability,  as  well  as  the  contention of  ‘desirability’  and  ‘achievability’  of  this concept is explained  and  evaluated  against  each  other   consistently  and  extensively.  Explain  environmental  sustainability  in  terms   of  the  efforts  taken   by  various stakeholders (Individuals, Society, Government, NGO, etc.) in ensuring the longevity  of resources and ensuring that  environmental degradation is kept  to a minimum.  The ‘desirability’ of sustainability is explicitly discussed in terms  of its inherent worth, value, significance, or benefits. The ‘achievability’ of a goal  is also  discussed through analysing  the  outcomes of the  goal/objective, or the  process of carrying  out  the  objective.

To what extent has space exploration benefitted humankind?

• examine how exploring space has benefitted humankind
• consider whether space exploration has had any negative impacts on humankind
• make a judgment, based on the consideration of the evidence and argument put forward
• the benefits of ongoing programmes to explore the moon for water and life
• the development of the international space station and the implications for global cooperation
• new inventions and technological advancements enhancing various aspects of life on Earth
• the learning achieved from studying various planets and phenomena in the Solar System
• the search for alien life and the benefits to humankind of what we have discovered so far
• there being no need to look into space, as humans have their religions and philosophy to aid understanding
• money used for space exploration could be better spent improving humankind in other ways
• space exploration being of no benefit to life on the planet as it is merely to fulfill intellectual curiosity.

Evaluate the view that education does not encourage creativity.

• discuss what education should be about or concerned with
• explore whether or not education encourage creativity
• make a judgement, based on the consideration of the evidence and argument put forward that education does not encourage creativity.
• traditional education curricula emphasising basic skills of literacy and numeracy
• most countries expecting education to produce ‘useful’ citizens who will contribute to the economy
• creativity in schools contributing to an appearance of apparent disorder
• academic education usually being considered as the prime target of schooling
• most children demonstrating innate creativity that ought to be nurtured and channelled
• the modern world requiring more creative ‘solutions’ rather than just a production line
• creativity often involving collaborative effort that lies at the heart of the modern workplace
• nurturing creativity helping to develop the originality and dynamism that drives all human endeavour.

‘Too much pressure is placed on government leaders to solve the problems of their people.’ How far do you agree?

Social Contract Theory suggests that governments across  the various systems in the world have the social obligation to care for its people, as well as to be responsible not just for the provision  of public goods in the country,  but  also  the  problems  faced  by  its people.  Understanding that, it is important to  question  how  much  government intervention  is adequate or  how  much  is considered  ‘too  much’  when  it comes to  authorities’  role  and obligation in solving some of the problems of its people. Are there differences in the types  of problems faced by citizens that can be categorised as government’s responsibility or the responsibility of individuals  or other stakeholders? What is considered too much pressure on government leaders and how does one measure it?

Establish the  understanding of the  issue  of the  question regarding the  government’s obligation to its people when it comes to solving their problems. Such responses also further present an  acute, accurate, and  complete  understanding  of whether too  much  pressure is placed  on  the authorities to solve the problems of its people and  whether such pressure on the government’s intervention to solve the problems of citizens is justified.

Ensure that you can show engagement with the contention of “excess” of the question – evaluating and  justifying the  extent of government’s  intervention  and  its sufficiency.  Clear  yardsticks  or  measurements are used to determine the extent of the government’s intervention in solving problems of individuals and to justify his or her stand.

Make sure you focus on the  contention of excess (“too  much”) or superficial  treatment of the excess with mere  assertions such as agreeing or disagreeing with the stand without  giving adequate attention in addressing the contention of excess in the question. In such responses, usually, there are no  or unclear  criteria  or yardsticks  to  determine the  adequacy of the  government’s intervention in solving the problems of individuals.

Is the modern world becoming a more charitable place to live in?

The question suggests that the  earlier  days  of the  modern world  were  ones  where  there was  a lack of charity,  necessitating greater calls for and  concrete action  to make  the world a more  charitable place. The increase in charity must address some modern world problems societies are grappling with.

A coherent judgement of whether the modern world of today  is indeed a more  charitable place  to survive or thrive in as compared to before. The response would need to draw from a range of examples across the world given the global  scope of discussion and  the examples must be contemporary ones. These  illustrations  must drive  arguments  that   are  comparative  to  furnish  the   assessment  of  ‘more’  or  ‘not  more’.  The conceptual understanding of ‘charity’ must also be  sound.

It is expected that this essay will present a complete and comprehensive understanding of ‘charity’ and  what it comprises and show shifts in the  modern world that  have  helped/blocked the growth  of charitable attitudes and  behaviours. IT is important to explain the underlying factors  that could account for the emergence of more  or less charity in the world today. It is also important to focus on the key word ‘ to live in’ and  the reasons accounting for this trend. Don’t confuse ‘charity’ and  being ‘charitable’.