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

The Thought of Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born in Geneva. His ideals sometimes clashed with the Enlightenment. He lived much in Paris where he won contests, spread Enlightenment philosophy, and wrote several works. One of them, Emile, was condemned by censorship, and its author (Rousseau) was sought, leading him to flee to England where he found refuge.

The two fundamental aspects of Rousseau's thought are:

• A negative consideration of culture and the humanities, as well as civilization and all its products.
• A positive reflection on politics and governments.

His central contribution to political thought is the concept of the general will.

Critique of Civilization and Society

Human nature is good, but civilization and culture have corrupted... Continue reading "Rousseau's Philosophy: Social Contract and General Will" »

Lobbying's Influence in the British Political System

The cultural context of British politics is a mixture of stability and change. The change is gradual and reflects the experiences of new generations. Young people participate in politics through new, unconventional channels, becoming more involved in a wide range of organized movements. Despite all the ups and downs experienced by this country (both world wars, economic decline, loss of empire, etc.), it continues to be a capitalist society governed by parliamentary institutions.

Lobbies and Their Influence

Lobbies in the British political system have a significant influence. Certain institutions, organizations, and associations are crucial when implementing policies or including certain matters... Continue reading "Lobbying in the UK: Influence on Politics and Policy" »

Science Concept and Main Features

Science is defined by various thinkers:

• Ander-Egg: "sound body of knowledge, certain or probable, obtained methodically, systematic and verifiable, and that refer to objects of the same nature"
• Bunge: "rational, systematic, accurate, verifiable and fallible"
• Ferrari: "is the set of rational attitudes and activities aimed at systematic knowledge with limited items, can be subjected to verification"

Science is characterized by:

• Its content: a trait that defines it is its conceptual or theoretical nature. Science, as a form of knowledge, provides concepts through scientific theories, using them to classify, explain, and analyze empirical phenomena.
• Its principles relate to events or facts of reality that can be accessed

Why Prefer Learning English to Kikuyu?

Based on the reach of the languages, we note that the number of English speakers is much larger than the group's mother tongue, Kikuyu. Moreover, the degree of spread of English is far superior to Kikuyu; the proof is its international character, which leads it to occupy first place in this area. Finally, we have to say English is a language that has led to significant textual production. Over 95% of scientific texts published annually in international journals are in English.

What is "Power Sharing" and "Parochialism"?

The force of exchange is universal; the primary function of language is to communicate. Thanks to this, languages expand. Parochialism, on the other hand, is the spirit of narrow-mindedness.... Continue reading "Fundamental Concepts in Linguistics" »

Theme 6: Social Policy and Employment

1. Introduction

2. Economy and Employment in Spain

Economy in the 1970s

2.1 Economy and Employment in Spain in the decade of the 70

Current Economy and Employment

2.2 Economy and Employment in Spain are now

Lisbon Treaty Impact

3. Social Policy and Employment in the Lisbon Treaty

Plan E: Economic Stimulation

4. Plan for the Stimulation of the Economy and Jobs (Plan E)

Public Employment Services

5. The Public Employment Services: The National Theme Sis of Employment

National System

5.1 The Public Employment System

Regional Services

5.2 The Public Employment Services of the CCAA

2009 Employment Measures

6. Act March 6, 2009 on Urgent Measures for the Maintenance and Employment Promotion and Protection of the Unemployed (Plan... Continue reading "Spanish Social Policy and Employment: Economy to Education" »

Heliocentric Theory

The heliocentric theory, illustrated in Andreas Cellarius's Harmonia Macrocosmica (1708), posits that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun. This concept, known as a heliocentric universe, gained prominence in the modern era through the work of Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei.

Galileo, using simple distance measurements between the Earth and the Sun, recognized the Sun's significantly larger size compared to Earth. This observation echoed earlier suggestions by Aristarchus, who proposed that the Earth revolved around the Sun, challenging the prevailing geocentric theory of Ptolemy and Hipparchus. The geocentric model, deeply rooted in an anthropocentric worldview, held sway for centuries.

Over a millennium later,... Continue reading "Heliocentric Theory: Revolutionizing Our Understanding of the Universe" »

The Government and Administration in Germany

The political system established in 1949 aimed to create a strong head of government, moving away from the executive bicameralism of the Weimar Republic and monarchical political structures. This resulted in a system where the Chancellor holds a prominent position, with a relationship of trust between the Government and Parliament being a key feature of the German political system.

The Government comprises the Federal Chancellor and Federal Ministers. Parliamentary Secretaries of State, similar to the British cabinet, also support the ministries.

According to the Basic Law, the Bundestag elects the Chancellor without prior discussion, voting for the individual rather than a government program. The Chancellor... Continue reading "German Government and Administration: An Overview" »

1. Moral Conscience

Moral conscience refers to the human ability to discern and evaluate the rightness or wrongness of actions, both one's own and those of others. It guides individuals toward what they believe to be the correct course of action. Expressions like "My conscience is clear" highlight the significance attributed to this guiding capacity in our lives.

2. Freedom and Determinism

2.1 Definition and Types of Freedom

Freedom is the capacity to make independent choices about matters that affect us. There are various types of freedom:

• Physical Freedom: The ability to move freely. This is restricted for someone who is imprisoned.
• Political Freedom: The power of self-governance within political systems. In ancient Greece, slaves lacked political

Spain: A Democratic State

Spain is a parliamentary monarchy with a constitution and institutions that guarantee the rule of law.

Parliamentary System

In a parliamentary monarchy, the King or monarch serves as the head of state and is the greatest representative. Power resides in the people, who exercise it through their representatives in parliament. The Spanish Parliament, called the General Courts, is elected by the votes of citizens and is constructed through two chambers:

• The Senate: The upper chamber, which scrutinizes government action through interpellations and questions that any of its members may ask the government.
• The Congress of Deputies: The lower house, which elects the President of the Government through a vote and controls government