Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Social sciences

Arnold's Concept of Disinterestedness

Matthew Arnold used the word disinterestedness with positive connotations. For Arnold, being 'interested' meant being socially or politically motivated, potentially creating an ideology. Literature was often criticized, he felt, because the 'interested' critic evaluated a work based not on its artistic values but on its political, social, and economic features.

The disinterested critic, in contrast, is not influenced by the practical affairs of everyday life; the critic is immune to external pressures. For Arnold, disinterestedness equates to objectivity. This type of criticism characterized the New Critics of the first half of the 20th century in Europe and the USA.

Arnold criticized publications like the... Continue reading "Matthew Arnold's Critical Concepts: Disinterestedness and Touchstones" »

The "Black Biennium" and Radical-CEDA Government (1933-1935)

In the first half of 1933, conservative forces gained ground, aiming for the government to resolve the Republic's contradictions. In the elections of that year, center-right parties achieved victory. A government was formed by the Radical Republican Party, headed by Alejandro Lerroux, with parliamentary support from the CEDA (Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Rights).

Although the CEDA had been the winning party in the elections, it had not achieved an absolute majority. President Niceto Alcalá Zamora doubted the CEDA's loyalty to the republican regime and thus tasked Lerroux with forming the government.

During this biennium, many reforms from previous years were suspended. This led... Continue reading "Spain's Second Republic: Political Crises and Civil War Genesis" »

Dewey Decimal Classification System

000 Generalities

• 020 Library Science
• 030 General Encyclopedias
• 070 News and Journalism

100 Philosophy

• 150 Psychology
• 170 Ethics
• 190 Modern Philosophy

200 Religion

• 220 Bible
• 290 Other Religions

300 Social Sciences

• 310 Statistics
• 320 Political Science
• 330 Economics
• 340 Law
• 350 Public
• 360 Welfare
• 370 Education
• 380 Commerce
• 390 Customs and Folklore

400 Languages

• 410 Linguistics
• 420 English
• 450 Italian
• 460 Spanish and Portuguese
• 470 Italic Languages
• 480 Classical and Greek
• 490 Other Languages

500 Pure Sciences

• 510 Mathematics
• 520 Astronomy
• 530 Physics
• 540 Chemistry
• 550 Earth Sciences
• 560 Paleontology
• 570 Anthropology and Biology
• 580 Botanical Sciences
• 590 Zoological Sciences

600 Technology

• 610 Medical
• 620 Engineering
• 630 Agriculture
• 640 Home Economics
• 650

The Paleolithic Era: Foundations of Human History

The term "Paleolithic" combines "Paleo" (ancient) and "Lytic" (stone), referring to the Ancient Stone Age.

This period is characterized by two interdependent processes:

Key Processes of the Paleolithic Age

1. Hominization: The Evolution of Humanity

Hominization describes the physical and mental evolution of primates, transforming from ape-like ancestors to Homo sapiens sapiens.

2. Culture: Shaping Reality

Culture encompasses everything humans create and do, making humanity unique in its ability to modify reality. Culture is:

• Learned and adapted to environmental variables.
• Expressed through rules, norms, and material objects.

During the Paleolithic, the planet underwent significant climatic shifts, alternating... Continue reading "The Paleolithic Era: Human Evolution and Early Societies" »

The Legislative Process: Drafting Laws

Initiative

• The Executive Power (PE) can present projects on any issue.
• The population cannot submit projects involving:
  1. Constitutional Reform
  2. Taxes (Tributos)
  3. Management
  4. Questions of Sovereignty
  5. Criminal Matters
• Legislative Members have the exclusive initiative for projects concerning troop contributions and recruitment.
• Senators are necessarily the Chamber of Origin for drafts concerning federal co-participation.

Sanctioning the Bill

This stage involves the Legislative Power (PL) chambers, which act as the Chamber of Origin and the Review Chamber. Being the Chamber of Origin is advantageous for the project's progression.

If the Chamber of Origin grants partial approval, the project proceeds to the Review Chamber.... Continue reading "Argentine Legislative Process and Constitutional Control Bodies" »

The Napoleonic Empire

In 1804, a Sénatus-consulte, approved by referendum, established the First French Empire, entrusting the government of the Republic to a hereditary emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. In the same year, Napoleon further consolidated power under the Constitution of the Year XII. His ambition extended across Europe, aiming to be an emperor over other kings. He installed family members as monarchs in conquered territories like Holland, Westphalia, Spain, and Naples. This expansion alarmed Great Britain, which feared its own security should Napoleon's dominance continue. Napoleon founded the Fourth Dynasty of France, the House of Bonaparte.

Liberalism

Liberalism is a philosophical, economic, and political doctrine that promotes civil... Continue reading "Napoleonic Empire, Liberalism, Socialism, Rationalism Explained" »

Understanding Linguistics: The Science of Language

Linguistics is the scientific study of language, focusing on how languages are actually spoken rather than prescribing how they should be spoken. It adopts a critical and inquiring attitude, refusing to uncritically accept ideas or ways of thinking about language.

Considered both a humanities and a science subject, linguistics connects with various fields:

• Humanities: Links include language history and philosophy.
• Social Sciences: Connections extend to sociology, psychology, and even biology.

Main Branches of Linguistics

The field of linguistics is diverse, encompassing several specialized branches:

• Phonetics and Phonology: These branches deal with the sounds of languages.
  • Phonetics: Focuses on how

Understanding Andorran Parishes

A parish is a territorial division established to facilitate the governance and management of a country and its inhabitants.

The Comú: Andorra's Local Government

The Comú is the governing body or council that administers and represents the interests and assets of each parish.

It is democratically elected every four years. The Comú comprises a Consul Major (the highest authority, similar to a mayor or president of the parish), a Consul Minor (who replaces the Consul Major in their absence), and a varying number of Councillors (from 8 to 12, depending on the parish). The Consul Major convenes and presides over Comú meetings. The Councillors collectively decide on the rules and operations of the Comú.

Key Functions

International Organizations and the European Union

International Organizations: These are voluntary associations created by states, with specific objectives related to territory and other goals.

The United Nations

Founded in 1945, the United Nations intervenes in conflicts to promote peace. Its principal objectives include supporting human rights, maintaining peace, and promoting international cooperation.

Main Bodies of the UN:

• Secretariat
• General Assembly
• Security Council

UN Agencies:

• UNICEF
• UNESCO
• FAO
• WHO
• UNHCR
• ILO

State Organization

States are organized into smaller units at three levels: central, regional, and local. Spain, for example, is divided into 17 regions and 2 autonomous cities. Each region is further divided into provinces, and each province... Continue reading "Understanding International Organizations and the European Union" »

Scientific Management School

This school arose in the early twentieth century and introduced concepts such as:

• Task distribution
• Expertise
• Control
• Coordination
• Hierarchy

Its main exponents were Frederick Taylor and Max Weber.

Taylor proposed the division of labor between those responsible for planning (managers) and those executing that plan. The managers' primary responsibility is to optimize the performance of the executors. The specialization of tasks and skills saves the worker time, assuming they perform the same task daily. Weber emphasized the importance of planning and worker training.

Human Relations School

This school criticizes the excessive division of labor, arguing it wrongly presupposes that workers are incapable of planning their work.... Continue reading "Key Management Theories: From Taylor to Contemporary Ideas" »