A Book Report on Socrates Café by Christopher Phillips Essay

This seeks to write a book report for the book Socrates Cafe by Christopher Phillips. This paper discusses the author’s declared purpose in writing the book in relations to what Socrates may have left as legacy in latter’s works. The dilemma of believing what may not be the truth. We live as we believe as they say. If Socrates is alive today, he would have asked: â€Å"Do we voluntarily have convictions or could they be imposed upon us? How do we acquire the things the we ultimately believed? † Convictions lead us to action because we believe what we are doing. Without conviction it is really hard, to move into action. Seel Jr. , shared to us the same dilemma when he said, â€Å"There is a danger in both Christian families and Christian schools that indoctrination is taken for education. Nothing could be farther from the truth. One’s convictions cannot be coerced. Instead, they are ultimately based on what we love and best learned in an environment of trust. Too often family dinner tables, Sunday schools, and Christian school classrooms are only one-way conversations—telling at the expense of listening. See more:  First Poem for You Essay As such, many Christians have never learned the intellectual discipline of asking questions. † We are however not left without any option. We can ask questions. Seel, Jr. agreed, saying â€Å"Yet an educated mind begins with a questioning mind. One of the distinctive of the school where I teach is its commitment to allow students the freedom to express their uncertainty. The policy manual reads, â€Å"Students are treated as young adults and are encouraged to develop their own convictions. This will inevitably mean that at times students may challenge their parents’ beliefs and question their own. The school seeks to create an environment where students are able to respectfully raise honest questions and express doubts within a community of loving acceptance and intellectual inquiry. † The importance of book of Phillips on Socratic Cafe assumes a remarkable significance with our dilemma. The author aims to bring back questioning in the minds of many. Seel, Jr. confirmed this when he said, â€Å"His aim is to bring probing conversations about the important questions to common people. † Do we really need to seek the truth? How do we seek the truth? We should be searching the truth. In the inventions, that we make we discover the truth of many things. We adopt decisions in our courts because that is how we see the law at a certain point in time but we also change jurisprudence in the light of evolution of events. Without the desire for truth man would have remained ignorant that the earth is flat and not round or that the earth is the center of the universe. Our discoveries reveal our desire for truth. For greater purpose we seek the truth as in the way court cases are decided, thus truth is a requisite of justice. Indeed, Seel, Jr. aid, â€Å"Our community is committed to the pursuit of truth. Convictions are to be held and beliefs maintained on this basis alone. There are obviously many reasons why a person becomes a Christian. We all have our stories. But ultimately, Christianity is to be believed because it is true. It is True Truth, as Francis Schaeffer used to say. More than true for me; rather the truth of reality. But to recognize this, one must first learn to ask honest questions. † Seel, Jr. further said that â€Å"The Socratic Method is a powerful tool for sharpening our thinking and exposing what we don’t know. It is a powerful pedagogical tool but a disastrous epistemological one. † Phillips has the right to make use of the title of his book are he is believed to have hosted Socratic dialogues and has traveled the country holding various and numerous conversations in coffee houses, bookstores, senior centers, elementary schools and even prisons. † Seel, Jr. agreed saying, â€Å"The greatest danger of truth is not falsehood, but diversion and indifference. †¦.. Humility is beginning of wisdom. † Without searching for the truth we will always be mislead and continue to live in ignorance. The reason why we rarely ask why  Our not asking why seemed to have been conditioned with our environment. Thus, Seel, Jr. agreed saying, and â€Å"Our convictions are too often based on social conformity rather than personal reflection. We say we are concerned about truth. But we do not pay the dues truth demands. † Given the benefits, what are examples of questions asked by Phillip under Socratic Method? Christopher Phillips asks in the Socrates Cafes: What are the Big Questions and what makes them so? What is a question? What would life be like without questions? Why am I here? What is home? Where am I stuck? What is a friend? What is wonder? What is silence? What is old? Am I asking the right questions? What am I meant to do? What is love? What is what? Why ask why? Socrates claimed that an unexamined life was not worth living. If we live without consideration of its destination, and whether the road traveled will get us there, then we are fools and not wise. Or as Jesus asks, â€Å"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? † It must be noted that the questions are interconnected with one another so that the answer to one question would lead to more truth in answering the following questions. Would not asking too much a sign of presumptive superiority of the person asking that could discourage relations with the person or persons asked? This is where Socrates have made the Socratic Method unique and worth memorable from the lessons he has to left his fellowmen. Seel, Jr. mentioned them as follows: First, Socrates always showed his opponents deference. By putting himself in the position of the learner rather than the teacher, he avoided raising in his opponent feelings of suspicion or defensiveness. The second lesson of Socratic argument is: Encourage your opponent to make the argument his or her own. The third lesson of Socrates is: Seek a shared higher standard. However, Seel, Jr. noted that on the third criterion, Phillips failed on this area. Arguing, Seel, Jr. said, â€Å"In the hands of Phillips, â€Å"The Socratic method is a way to seek truth by your own lights. † For Phillips the questions are the end not the means to an end. † The argument of Seel, Jr. claiming failure of Phillips could be contradicted and explained under which this paper qualifies Phillips work to have pass under the third criteria. Phillips, said, â€Å"The one thing Socrates know beyond a shadow of a doubt, he was fond of saying, was that he didn’t know anything beyond a shadow of a doubt. Yet Socrates, contrary to what many think, did not try to pose the ultimate sceptic. He was not trying to say all the knowledge was groundless, that we were doomed to know nothing. Rather, he was emphasizing that what he had come to know, the truths he had discovered by hard-won experience, were slippery, elusive, always tentative at best ,always subject to new developments, new information, new alternatives. Every last bit of knowledge, every assumption, Socrates felt, should always be questioned, analyzed, challenged. Nothing was ever resolved once and for all. The fact that question leads to further question does necessarily not mean â€Å"ending with the question† but rather the truth that is revealed by every question leads to further truth. The Author reemphasizing the impossibility of exhausting all the questions In trying to explain his work, â€Å"socratising† is almost obvious in many part of the book. Thus, Phillips said, â€Å"It is with this that I launched Socrates Cafe. And the one and only firm and lasting truth that has emerged from all the Socrates Cafe, discussion. I’ve taken part in is that it is not possible to examine, scrutinize, plumb, and mine a question too thoroughly and exhaustively. There is always more to discover. This is the essence of magic, of what I have come to call ‘Socratising’† He further said, â€Å"Socrates Cafe does not have to be held in cafe. It can take place anywhere a group of people- or a group of one –chooses to gather an inquire philosophically. It can take place around a dining table, in a church or a community centre, on a mountaintop, in a nursing home, a hospital, senior centre, a school, a prison. † As long as man lives, he will continue to ask question whether inside or outside his religion. He must be fortunate to have freedom to Socratic Method, anytime and in any where. This is clearly expressed by author saying, â€Å"Anywhere and anytime you desire to do more than regurgitate and nauseam what you read or think you have read, about philosophers of the past who are considered by academics to the undisputed exclusive members of the philosophical pantheon. It can take place anywhere people want to do philosophy, to inquire philosophically, themselves, whether with a group of people or alone. † Conclusion: Socratic Cafe is a powerful book in making Socrates alive in the heart and mind of people of believe in Socratic Method. In indeed seldom any kind of TV talk shows is made a success without the artful way of asking questions. Any good research must have a research questions. If many good inventions started with research and if research seeks to address to a research question it could categorically be said that questions will always be there. Questioning stops if the truth is found, but who could claim to have found the truth. Hence the message of Socrates Cafe will always leave something practical if not profound knowledge and realizations for people seeking the truth to subject their works to further questions, This would be good for such is also is the reality that a man travels in this travel to seek perfection in his ways or in trying to know his God from inside and outside on himself. One could not escape the relevance of the Socratic way of teaching or learning as it could be applied by group or individually, anywhere and anytime.

Old World Monkeys - Cercopithecidae

Old World Monkeys - Cercopithecidae Old World monkeys (Cercopithecidae) are a group of simians native to Old World regions including Africa, India and Southeast Asia. There are 133 species of Old World monkeys. Members of this group include macaques, geunons, talapoins, lutungs, surilis, doucs, snub-nosed monkeys, proboscis monkey, and langurs. Old World monkeys are medium to large in size. Some species are arboreal while others are terrestrial. The largest of all Old World monkeys is the mandrill which can weigh as much as 110 pounds. The smallest Old World monkey is the talapoin which weighs about 3 pounds. Old World monkeys are generally stocky in build and have fore limbs that are in most species shorter than hind limbs. Their skull is heavily ridged and they have a long rostrum. Almost all species are active during the day (diurnal) and are varied in their social behaviors. Many Old World monkey species form small to medium sized groups with complex social structure. The fur of Old World monkeys is often gray or brown in color although a few species have bright markings or more colorful fur. The texture of the fur is not silky nor is it woolly. The palms of the hands and soles of the feet in Old World monkeys are naked. One distinguishing characteristic of Old World monkeys is that most species have tails. This distinguishes them from the apes, who do not have tails. Unlike New World monkeys, the tails of Old World monkeys are not prehensile. There are a number of other characteristics that distinguish Old World monkeys from New World monkeys. Old World monkeys are comparatively larger than the New World monkeys. They have nostrils that are positioned close together and have a downward facing nose. Old World monkeys have two premolars that have sharp cusps. They also have opposable thumbs (similar to the apes) and they have nails on all fingers and toes. New World monkeys have a falt nose (platyrrhine) and nostrils that are positioned far apart and open either side of the nose. They also have three premolars. New World monkeys have thumbs that are in line with their fingers and grip with a scissor-like motion. They do not have fingernails except for some species that have a nail on their largest toe. Reproduction: Old World monkeys have a gestation period of between five and seven months. Young are well developed when they are born and females usually give birth to a single offspring. Old World monkeys reach sexual maturity at about five years of age. The sexes often look quite different (sexual dimorphism). Diet: Most species of Old World monkeys are omnivores although plants form the larger portion of their diet. Some groups are almost entirely vegetarian, living on leaves, fruit and flowers. Old World monkeys also eat insects, terrestrial snails and small vertebrates. Classification: Old World monkeys are a group of primates. There are two subgroups of Old World monkeys, the Cercopithecinae and the Colobinae. The Cercopithecinae include primarily African species, such as mandrills, baboons, white-eyelid mangabeys, crested mangabeys, macaques, guenons, and talapoins. The Colobinae include mostly Asian species (although the group does include a few African species as well) such as black and white colobuses, red colobuses, langurs, lutungs, surilis doucs, and snub-nosed monkeys. Members of the Cercopithecinae have cheek pouches (also known as buccal sacs) that are used to store food. Since their diet is quite varied, Cercopithecinae have non-specialized molars and large incisors. They have simple stomachs. Many species of Cercopithecinae are terrestrial, although a few are arboreal. The facial muscles in Cercopithecinae are well developed and facial expressions are used to communicate social behavior. Members of the Colobinae are folivorous and lack cheek pouches. They have complex stomachs.

Free Essays on Nelson Mandela

Profile of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Nelson Mandela's greatest pleasure, his most private moment, is watching the sun set with the music of Handel or Tchaikovsky playing. Locked up in his cell during daylight hours, deprived of music, both these simple pleasures were denied him for decades. With his fellow prisoners, concerts were organised when possible, particularly at Christmas time, where they would sing. Nelson Mandela finds music very uplifting, and takes a keen interest not only in European classical music but also in African choral music and the many talents in South African music. But one voice stands out above all - that of Paul Robeson, whom he describes as our hero. The years in jail reinforced habits that were already entrenched: the disciplined eating regime of an athlete began in the 1940s, as did the early morning exercise. Still today Nelson Mandela is up by 4.30am, irrespective of how late he has worked the previous evening. By 5am he has begun his exercise routine that lasts at least an hour. Breakfast is by 6.30, when the days newspapers are read. The day s work has begun. With a standard working day of at least 12 hours, time management is critical and Nelson Mandela is extremely impatient with unpunctuality, regarding it as insulting to those you are dealing with. When speaking of the extensive travelling he has undertaken since his release from prison, Nelson Mandela says: I was helped when preparing for my release by the biography of Pandit Nehru, who wrote of what happens when you leave jail. My daughter Zinzi says that she grew up without a father, who, when he returned, became a father of the nation. This has placed a great responsibility of my shoulders. And wherever I travel, I immediately begin to miss the familiar - the mine dumps, the colour and smell that is uniquely South African, and, above all, the people. I do not like to be away for any length of time. For me, there is no place like home. ... Free Essays on Nelson Mandela Free Essays on Nelson Mandela Profile of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Nelson Mandela's greatest pleasure, his most private moment, is watching the sun set with the music of Handel or Tchaikovsky playing. Locked up in his cell during daylight hours, deprived of music, both these simple pleasures were denied him for decades. With his fellow prisoners, concerts were organised when possible, particularly at Christmas time, where they would sing. Nelson Mandela finds music very uplifting, and takes a keen interest not only in European classical music but also in African choral music and the many talents in South African music. But one voice stands out above all - that of Paul Robeson, whom he describes as our hero. The years in jail reinforced habits that were already entrenched: the disciplined eating regime of an athlete began in the 1940s, as did the early morning exercise. Still today Nelson Mandela is up by 4.30am, irrespective of how late he has worked the previous evening. By 5am he has begun his exercise routine that lasts at least an hour. Breakfast is by 6.30, when the days newspapers are read. The day s work has begun. With a standard working day of at least 12 hours, time management is critical and Nelson Mandela is extremely impatient with unpunctuality, regarding it as insulting to those you are dealing with. When speaking of the extensive travelling he has undertaken since his release from prison, Nelson Mandela says: I was helped when preparing for my release by the biography of Pandit Nehru, who wrote of what happens when you leave jail. My daughter Zinzi says that she grew up without a father, who, when he returned, became a father of the nation. This has placed a great responsibility of my shoulders. And wherever I travel, I immediately begin to miss the familiar - the mine dumps, the colour and smell that is uniquely South African, and, above all, the people. I do not like to be away for any length of time. For me, there is no place like home. ... Free Essays on Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in a village near Umtata in the Transkei on the 18 July 1918. His father was the principal councillor to the Acting Paramount Chief of Thembuland. After his father s death, the young Rolihlahla became the Paramount Chief ward to be groomed to assume high office. However, influenced by the cases that came before the Chief s court, he determined to become a lawyer. Hearing the elder’s stories of his ancestors’ valour during the wars of resistance in defence of their fatherland, he dreamed also of making his own contribution to the freedom struggle of his people. After receiving a primary education at a local mission school, Nelson Mandela was sent to Healdtown, a Wesleyan secondary school of some repute where he matriculated. He then enrolled at the University College of Fort Hare for the Bachelor of Arts Degree where he was elected onto the Student's Representative Council. He was suspended from college for joining in a protest boycott. He went to Johannesburg where he completed his BA by correspondence. He entered politics while studying in Johannesburg by joining the African National Congress in 1942. At the height of the Second World War a small group of young Africans, members of the African National Congress, banded together under the leadership of Anton Lembede. Among them were Mandela and others. Starting out with 60 members these young people set themselves the formidable task of transforming the ANC into a mass movement, taking its strength and motivation from the unlettered millions of working people in the towns and countryside, the peasants and the professionals. In September 1944 they came together to found the African National Congress Youth League. Mandela soon impressed his peers by his disciplined work and consistent effort and was elected as the secretary of the Youth League in 1947. Later he was elected as President in 1950 and then deputy national president in 1952. When the A...

Gilmore Girls Critical Review Essays

Gilmore Girls Critical Review Essays Gilmore Girls Critical Review Essay Gilmore Girls Critical Review Essay More Than Family In 2000, The WB television network introduced the world to the Gilmore girls. Set in the small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, Gilmore Girls is a charming television drama that tells the story of a single mother, Lorelai Gilmore, and her teenage daughter, Rory, as they navigate their way through the shifting tides of day-to-day life. Lorelai and Rorys relationship is one built out of friendship as much as it is based on maternal love, which allows for more drama and depth than most family shows. Lorelai played by Lauren Graham is a relatable character because she has built up her life from nothing since she got pregnant and left home. In her first television role Alexis Bledel, Rory, showed depth in her character and was relatable to many teens who watched the show. Rory gets thrust into the prestigious school Chilton that her grandparents pay for in return Rory and her mother must go to family dinner every Friday night. This starts conflict because Lorelai hasn’t had a good relationship with her parents since she got pregnant with Rory at sixteen. Richard and Emily Gilmore, Rory’s grandparents, played by Edward Herrmann and Kelly Bishop are rich and are not afraid to flaunt their wealth around. This ensures a lot of conflict between them and Lorelai because she doesn’t want any of their money and nothing to do with them. Rory’s best friend Lane, Keiko Agnea, is a Korean American who just want to play rock-n-roll, but her mother is stuck in her Korean ways and wants Lane to go to church and find a nice Korean boy to marry someday. : Once Rory graduated Chilton she goes to Yale, her grandfather’s alma mater. Lorelai is not happy about this because she thinks Rory is picking her grandparents over her mother. At Yale, Rory aspires to be a journalist and has tough times on the Yale newspaper team. Gilmore Girls started out as an alternative show to watch when all of the sexual innuendo ridden television shows were not what people wanted to watch. Gilmore Girls shows the depths of parenthood between a young mother and her teenage daughter. The strong relationship between the mother-daughter duo is most like a friendship. The issues of raising a teen daughter when Lorelai had to give up hers to raise Rory seemed like it had its tough points but was doable if you just stuck with it. The bickering between Lorelai and her parents sometimes got old, but it was a comfort because all children and parents fight. The small town of Stars Hollow had many characters that lit up the screen and made you want to visit occasionally but not live there. The money of each episode was spent mostly on the wardrobe because there were many costume change throughout the entire episodes. Also, getting the permit to film in the town is part of the production cost. In most of the episodes there were no special effects. When television all television shows were constantly bringing up sexual innuendos and sexual content Gilmore Girls went outside the norm and showed a somewhat wholesome television show about a mother-daughter relationship. This relationship wasn’t perfect, and there was a lot of conflict in the show. The truthfulness of the show kept people coming back week after week and it became a show people talked about. This show had seven seasons and throughout all the years the show kept it sizzle. The relationship was most like a friendship but at times there was conflict between them and there was a motherly side when you didn’t think there would This show changed society by not being normal but going outside the box and showed chemistry between a young mom and her teenage daughter. Set in a storybook Connecticut town populated by an eclectic mix of dreamers, artists and everyday folk, this multigenerational drama about family and friendship centers around Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter, Rory. Lorelai owns the towns bed-and-breakfast, the Dragonfly Inn, with best friend/chef Sookie, and contends with weekly dinners with eccentric, well-off parents Richard and Emily Gilmore (who always have something to say about their daughters life). After high school, Rory attends Yale University but frequently returns to Stars Hollow to visit her mom

Compare and contrast two articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compare and contrast two articles - Essay Example In comparison, Max’s Understanding Comparison in Criminal Justice Research: An Interpretive Perspective journal explores the implications on interpretive philosophies. It investigates the values and beliefs in the context of social sciences developed by intellectuals such as Peter Winch and Max Weber. The objectives of these works are comparative research in criminal justice. It addresses the definitive meaning personality of human activities. However, unlike postmodernism and constructivism this theory pays attribute to the disposition and goals of institutional realities. Therefore, the principle of this assignment is to compare and contrast the presentations of the two authors with close reference to methods and findings applied in each of the documents. It is easy for the reader to notice these scholarly pieces are similar in not one but many ways. Michelle Newton goes on to articulate her profound knowledge in giving simplified evidences that gives the booklover an excell ent resource that aids in accounting for the promises of degrees in sociology. She also exposes students to career paths that they did not previously take into deep appreciation and may not have known the existence of these opportunities. This serves as the basis for incorporating new perspectives of populations marginalized or in other words the voices from the field. As an accumulation of the connection, Max Travers’ draws heavily on American empirical and experimental lessons that make use of qualitative techniques to give reason to statistical variation. They are similar in that they both reveal and display interpretive traditions and often find it complex to free them from activists assumptions. They fail to conduct investigations about how social players engage and understand in comparison to each and every day lifestyle. In conclusion, they also present a discussion of the data gathered, processed, analyzed and documented without the exclusion of the procedures brought into play in ethnographic studies of children's courts in Australia. This is a demonstration of how consistent and thorough come within reach of the interpretive structure (Michelle, 2009). The main difference is the fact that Mitchell and Max submit applications that does not utilize parallel modus operandi of gathering and processing data. The ways to inquire for information of Max’s work involves the journeying of unconventional agendas and mechanical approaches that are very significant in knowing criminal justice. It is imperative to consider that these systems should take account of marginalized voices for the enhancement of the richness of our apprehension of justice and crime. Max introduces his ideas through citing other affiliated authors such as Hillary Potter and Joanne Belknap confronting students to seriously consider how their identities, beliefs, and life experiences help them in selecting the profession. This serves the purpose of guiding the impacts the cri minal justice work and linked views. Max gathers a lot of information from already published academic journals in the draft of his final copies. This assures that the execution of the secondary information offers credible correlation to the main points that he wishes to make known to the audience and reader. In comparison, Michelle believes that in social sciences many acknowledge the fact that philosophical postulations underpin dissimilar programs of pragmatic

Gerome (Napoleon In Egypt) v.s Manet (Gypsy with Cigarette) Term Paper

Gerome (Napoleon In Egypt) v.s Manet (Gypsy with Cigarette) - Term Paper Example Romanticism and Impressionism were among these artistic movements. The paintings of two major painters of these two movements have been taken for discussion in the paper. The first painter is Jean-Leon Gerome from Romantic Movement, and the second painter is Edouard Manet from impressionist movement. The masterpieces of these two painters we have taken are â€Å"Napoleon in Egypt,† and â€Å"Gypsy with Cigarette.† Before discussing the two masterpieces of these painters from two movements, it is necessary to understand the background of these two movements. Keywords: artistic movement, France, romanticism, impressionism, Napoleon in Egypt, Gypsy with Cigarette Romanticism and impressionism: The period of Romanticism has the element of heroism. This heroic element was combined with revolutionary idealism to produce a style. The painting called â€Å"Napoleon in Egypt,† has the qualities of a typical romantic movement painting. Impressionism or impressionist moveme nt started first in France at the end of 19th Century. The major concern of impressionists was the effect of light on an object rather than the exact presentation of the form. Vivid colours were basically used than the dull or dark colours. This movement is also known as optical realism as it focuses on actual visual experience and effect of light and movement on appearance of object. Equation 1Napoleon in Egypt Napoleon in Egypt Middle East and Northern Africa had been the centre of attraction for many artists from romantic era. The artists such as Delacroix, Jean-Leon Gerome (1824–1904), Theodore Chasseriau (1819–1856), Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps (1803–1860), and William Holman Hunt (1827–1910), travelled to the near East such as Egypt, and other Arab countries. Orientalist painting was the popular form of art and painting in the nineteenth century and it was greatly influenced by artists' direct experience of everyday life in Cairo and other Near Easter n cities and settlements. The genre of the painting is associated with heroism. Jean-Leon Gerome was a French painter as well as sculptor. He strongly opposed the movement of impressionism started by Monet and Manet. He continued to cherish and develop the French Neo-classicism. Like other artists in 19th century Jean- Leon Gerome had attracted towards East. Somewhere the superiority complex of the Western painters reflects in their painting. That might be the reason why Gerome has painted the picture of Napoleon as a warrior. Somewhere the painting represents the obsession of imperialism and establishing complete dominance on East. Jean- Leon Gerome belongs to the romantic era of art and sculpture. Some of the major attributes of Romanticism has been represented by the painting of Napoleon in Egypt. The major characteristics of Romanticism are as follows: Nationalism and Exoticism Subjectivity Vivid and passionate artwork Heroism The painting of Napoleon in Egypt has almost all the characteristics of the romantic era. It represents the nationalism as well as exoticism. Nationalism was one of the important vehicles of Romanticism. It was the era of major political changes in France. Napoleon became the inspiration for the painters like Jean- Leon Gerom. The pride of winning the world is reflected on the face of Napoleon which must be the pride of the painter. While painting Napoleon, Jean- Leon Gerome might have been patriotic. It was because Napoleon belonged to the same country where Jean- Leon Gerome was

British Airways Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

British Airways - Essay Example This is according to the chairman of British Airways from 1993 to 2004, lord Marshall of Knightsbridge. While the history of BA in its current structure and name began in 1976, its predecessors can be traced back to the late ‘10s. The first British Airlines, Aircraft Transport and Travel, was established in 1919, with the initial scheduled flight taking off on August the 25th from le Bourget to Honslow, its home. Two other airlines, Handley page and Instone, were established using modified bombers. The three companies underwent a period of great difficulty, especially competition from French airlines, which were cheaper. To solve these problems, they merged to be joined later by British Marine Air Navigation, forming Imperial Airways. Imperial Airways began local and overseas flights immediately, flying as far as Egypt and India with a crew of 250 and a fleet of 18 crafts (Gaskell, 2010). This paper is an essay on British Airways. Later, Imperial Airways was a Brisbane, Austral ia route, whose duration would take grueling 12 days. The new airline added new planes such as the short S.23 C-class model, which signified that the airline was growing, as was a new carrier British Airways limited (Gaskell, 2010). After the start of the 1st World War, these two merged to form British Overseas Airways Corporation, which re-started its transatlantic flights after the war ended. In addition, they created the BEA, a new airline to handle the European flights. At this point, the carriers needed to order new and more efficient aircraft. BOAC consequently ordered the Boeing Strato-cruiser, the Lockheed Constellation, and a Rolls-Royce engine equipped version of the DC-4. It did not take long before they ordered a jet plane, the De Havilland Comet, which dramatically reduced the length of trans-Atlantic flights (Marriott, 2010). The early 60’s saw BOAC order the Rolls-Royce Conway engine driven 707-436 to tide over until the VC-10s were ready. By 1970, with the fir st 747 and rapid growth, BOAC and BAL were ready to merge and work as one, establishing British Airways in 1976. BA’s most crucial year was 1976; it had a partnership with Concorde, coupled with big fleets of Lockheed TriStar and Boeing 747. The early 1980s saw the company face its second major threat, economic trouble, although measures were taken to privatize the company, which duly happened in 1987. Increasing competition from US based carriers also forced BAs hand in the merger with British Caledonian, which saw the A320 among other planes enter the fleet (Marriott, 2010). This merger further enabled BA to begin operations at Gatwick Airport. However, its base remained at Heathrow, where BA operates approximately forty percent of the total flights. In addition, the airline has created service stations in Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester. British Airways has built its brand around fast travel, which has seen it at the forefront of jet travel. The first jets for short hau l flights were ordered in 1980, with forty four 737-200 planes delivered. New 737s were ordered in the late 80s, most of them being the 400-plane model with increased passenger capacity. Although not a choice of BA, the Airbus A320, entered the British Airways service after it merged with British Caledonian (Marriott, 2010). However, the planes proved quite efficient in their flights and duties. Medium haul flights were performed by the larger Boeing 757 fleet, as well as the 767, which were equipped with engines from Rolls-Royce. A number of Boeing 767-300ER in turn, performs long haul flights, which do not require huge passenger capacity. Most of these carry two hundred and fifty two passengers, with additional Boeing 777-200 and 747-400 complementing this segment. Recently, the company replaced all Boeing