Proactive and Reactive MANET Protocols Analysis

Proactive and Reactive MANET Protocols Analysis Ad hoc network Abstract A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is consisting of wireless mobile nodes. The communication of these mobile nodes is carried out without any centralized control. Routing is a critical issue in MANET. The focus of this thesis is on the performance of routing protocols. We compare three routing protocols in MANET i.e. AODV, DSR and OLSR. OPNET is the simulation tool. These routing protocols performance are analyzed by three important metrics: delay, network load and throughput. All the three routing protocols are explained in a deep way with metrics. The comparison analysis will be carrying out about these protocols and in the last the conclusion will be present. That which routing protocol is the best for mobile ad hoc network. Introduction MANET stands for Mobile Ad hoc Network. A decentralized autonomous wireless system which consists of free nodes. MANET sometimes called mobile mesh network. MANET is a self configurable wireless network. A MANET consists of mobile nodes, a router with multiple hosts and wireless communication devices. The wireless communication devices are as transmitters, receivers and antennas. These antennas can be of any kind. These nodes can be fixed or mobile. The term node referred to as, which are free to move arbitrarily in every direction. These nodes can be a mobile phone, laptop, personal digital assistance, MP3 player and personal computer. These nodes located, might be in cars, ships, airplanes or with people having small electronic devices [59]. Nodes can connect to each other randomly and forming arbitrary topologies. Nodes communicate to each other and also forward packets to neighbor nodes as a router. The ability of self configuration of these nodes makes them more suitable for urg ently required network connection. For example in disaster hit areas where there is no communication infrastructure. It is greatly desired to have a quick communication infrastructure. MANET is the quick remedy for any disaster situation. The word Ad hoc means For a special purpose. So MANET a spontaneous network is useful when dealing with wireless devices in which some of the devices are part of the network only for the duration of a communication session and the need for a dynamic network topology is prominent. The MANET working group (WG) within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) working specifically on developing IP routing protocols topologies. In order to improve mobile routing and interface definition standards for use within the Internet protocol suite [59]. After huge research work on MANET, still MANET does not have complete formed Internet based standards. The identification of experimental Request For Comments (RFCs) since 2003 [1] is used. In these RFCs the questions are unanswered concerning of implementation or deployment of these routing protocols. But these proposed algorithms are identified as a trial technology and there is a high chance that they will develop into a standard [1]. Extensive research work in this area has continued since then with major studies on different routing protocols such as Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV), Dynamic Source Routing (DSR), Temporarily Ordered Routing Algorithm (TORA) and Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) [1]. Also on the standardization of routing and interface solutions for mobile networking support through Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Mobile Ad hoc network (MANET) Working Group WG [59]. Aims and Objectives There are two groups of routing protocols. Proactive MANET protocol, Reactive MANET Protocol, and the third are derived from both called Hybrid MANET Protocol. The Proactive MANET protocol is generally called table driven protocol. It detects the network layout periodically. It tries to maintain the routing table at every node. From which a route to the destination from the source can be detected with less delay. Proactive MANET protocols provide good reliability and low latency for deciding a route. Proactive MANET protocol is not suitable for the node moving with high speed. The routing information in the routing table cannot be updated in the routing table. If a node is not moving, then its routing table information is updated continuously. It makes much traffic overhead and also waste network resources as bandwidth [21]. Proactive MANET protocol is also not suitable for large scale MANETs. Whereas Reactive MANET Protocol is called on-demand routing protocol. Reactive MANET Protocol finds the route when a source node requests to communicate with the other. On-demand approach is suitable for the nodes with high mobility. Nodes that transmit data rarely. The main drawback of reactive routing protocols is that the source node broadcasts the routing requests in the whole network. Then it waits for the responses. This route discovery procedure produces significant delay [21]. Hybrid MANET Protocol integrates the merits of Proactive MANET protocol and Reactive MANET Protocol. Zone routing protocol (ZRP) and two zone routing protocols is the example of hybrid of MANET protocol. Research Question Our goal in this Masters thesis is to evaluate the performance of Proactive and Reactive MANET protocols. These protocols have different behaviors for wireless routing aspects. The main problem is to choice the correct and efficient routing protocol for MANET. The main questions arise for the evaluation of these problems. First question is which routing protocol provides a better performance in Mobile Ad hoc Networks? This will give the overall performance of each routing protocol. Second question is what factors influence the performance of these routing protocols? Finally we address the main key differences in these routing protocols. To answer all these questions, we will model some of MANET scenarios with different parameters. To evaluate the performance of Proactive MANET protocol and Reactive MANET Protocols as, AODV, DSR and OLSR with respect to some parameters as delay, network load and throughput. In simulating these scenarios we come to know that no single routing protocol among Proactive MANET protocol and Reactive MANET Protocol is superior in terms of overall network performance. For example one protocol is good in average delay while other is best in network load and throughput. The performance of these routing protocols greatly depends on network load and delay. So the best protocol can give low delay and high throughput. Scope of the thesis As we know the two categories of routing protocols. Reactive, proactive, and the derived one from reactive and proactive protocols are referred to as hybrid routing protocol. The hybrid protocol is a combination of both reactive and proactive routing protocols. In this thesis, we considered three routing protocols. Two of them are reactive protocols i.e. AODV and DSR. One of them is proactive protocol i.e. OLSR. In this thesis we evaluate the behavior of these routing protocols when implemented in the network. We look that how these protocols affect the network performance, and how the routing protocols behave in these networks. There is no need to go in depth the design of these routing protocol algorithms. But we will give a detailed explanation of these routing protocols. That we are able to explain their effects on the network. We did not consider the effects of varying pause time of the mobile nodes in our simulations. These pause time will be kept constant in all the scenarios. Energy consumption of the routing protocol algorithms was also not considered in the thesis. Thesis structure The thesis is mainly divided into six chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the topic. In this chapter we discuss the MANET with detail, and also the research question. Chapter 2 presents the background of our work. Types of wireless networks and some part of related work with example. Chapter 3 gives the state of the art. It gives the full theoretical background and concepts of the ad hoc mobile network routing protocols i.e. reactive MANET protocols and proactive MANET protocols. Chapter 4 is about the performance metrics: delay, network load and throughput and also about the simulation tool OPNET Modeler 14.5. Chapter 5 gives the results and an analysis of all the routing protocols simulated. In chapter 6, the conclusion and future work is presented. Chapter 2 Background and Related Work In this chapter we present the background of our work. Types of wireless networks and some part of related work with example. MANET have a dynamic nature, a large number of applications make them ideal to use. Quick deployment and minimal configuration of MANET in emergencies such as natural disaster makes them more suitable. The growth of technology makes increase in Wi-Fi capable laptops, mobile phones, MP3 players and other small portable devices. Hence a reason for MANET popularity. Extensive research work has been done on the performance evaluation of routing protocols using NS2 network simulator. Different methods and simulation environments give different results for MANET routing protocols performance. We need to look in a broader view for the effects of these routing protocols which are not considered in a specific environment. The theme of this project is to evaluate the performance of Proactive MANET protocols (PMP) and Reactive MANET Protocols (RMP) in OPNET Modeler 14.5 under varying network load [2]. For all these comparisons we will use FTP traffic to look the effects of the ad hoc network protocols. The project goal is to give an extra source of comparison statistics in the research field. In our simulation we have wireless routing protocols carrying FTP traffic. These simulations performed will have a strong link with the theoretical concepts and also with the expected performance in practical implementations. This study work will give a great benef it in the future research work. Related work Extensive research works has been done in the field of MANET routing protocols. Different routing protocols were simulated in different kind of simulators. Here we will discuss different research papers on the performance of MANET routing protocols. In this thesis work we simulate three MANET routing protocols in the OPNET modeler 14.5. AODV, DSR and OLSR were simulated against three different parameters i.e. delay, network load and throughput. The results show that OLSR is best in network delay than AODV and DSR. The protocols best in the network delay must be the finest in the network throughput. Below we will study now different simulators with different routing protocols and their performance. These routing protocols DSDV, AODV, DSR and TORA were simulated using NS2 [3]. Analysis gives different results for every parameter differently. In finding shortest path between the source and destination nodes, delay, DSDV performs well than AODV, DSR and TORA. DSR perform well in network load balancing than DSDV, AODV and TORA. DSDV has good jitter than AODV, TORA and DSR respectively. The results given in [5] analyse DSR and DSDV in idealized and realistic simulation environments on their performance. Another paper in reference [4] gives conclusion in mobile ad hoc network that reactive protocols i.e. AODV and DSR perform well when the network load is moderate. In reference [4] the reactive protocols are saving much resource like energy. It analyse that the proactive protocols perform well in heavy network traffic load. In [6] there are different conclusions about the MANET routing protocols. DSDV, AODV and DSR were simulated in NS2. The reactive protocol AODV outperforms than DSDV and DSR in maintaining connection by sequentially exchange of information for TCP based traffic. The packets are delivered when the node mobility is low and failed to deliver at high mobility. DSR perform well than DSDV at all mobility. In [6] DSR perform well than DSDV and AODV for packet dropping rate (PDR), delay and throughput. DSR generates less network load than AODV. In reference [7], the simulation was done in QUALNET simulator. The author wrote that AODV shows best performance in low and medium node density. Where as in high node density both OLSR and DSR outperforms. The author wrote in [7], that DSR is selected for file transfers where delivery and throughput are critical factors. OLSR performs well in both low and high node density. It is stated in [7] that OLSR is best suited in application oriented traffic e.g. streaming traffic, voice and video traffic. In application based traffic delay is a critical factor. Types of Wireless Networks Before we discuss the wireless networks types, a small difference between wired and wireless network is discussed. A network that sends data from one point to another point with cable or wire is called wired network. The data sent over a network which uses wireless medium from one device to another device is called wireless network. In wireless network data is transmitted from one point to another through wireless links. For communication the devices have to be in the transmission or radio range of each other. Wireless networks are divided into two main groups. First infrastructure wireless network and second is Ad hoc or infrastructure-less network. Infrastructure Networks Fixed network topology is deployed in infrastructure network. These deployed, fixed networks have base stations or access points from which wireless nodes can get connected. All the base stations or access points are connected with the main network through wired links (fiber optic, twisted or coaxial cable) or wireless link. The base station or access point is one of the important units of infrastructure networks. All of the connections will have to pass from the access point. A wireless node can connect to anyone of the access points in its range. Ad hoc Networks An Ad hoc network is deployed where wireless network infrastructure is not available. This kind of ad hoc network is called infrastructure less network. In ad hoc network each node is connected through wireless links. These nodes connected to each other and also act as a router, by forwarding data to other nodes. There is no restriction on these nodes to join or leave the network. Thus the network has no vital infrastructure. Ad hoc networks have two forms; one is static ad hoc networks (SANET), the other is called mobile ad hoc network (MANET). Commercial implementation of ad hoc network becomes possible due to the development of new technology such as 802.11 [5]. The main reason to deploy this kind of network is the flexibility and easiness of deployment. A suitable network for emergency and surveillance use. But with all these qualities, ad hoc network operation is very difficult to handle. Each and every node is responsible for its operation to maintain its routing table and also forwarding packets to its neighbors as routers. MANET has different topology changes while deployed. So ad hoc network need an efficient routing protocol. To construct an efficient routing protocol is a tough and tedious task. Mobile Ad hoc Networks As mentioned before an ad hoc network is a wireless network, which do not have a centralized and fixed infrastructure. MANET is referred to a wireless ad hoc network. In which nodes are free to move arbitrarily. In a MANET, mobile nodes transmit and receive the traffic. Also mobile nodes can act like routers by forwarding the neighbors traffic to the destination. As the routers are mostly multi hops [60]. MANET does not need base stations of wired infrastructure. The mobile nodes in wireless network range can communicate with each other. MANET is self organized network. The mobile nodes form a network automatically without a fixed infrastructure and central management [60]. The mobile nodes have transmitters and receivers with smart antennas, which enable the mobile nodes to communicate with other mobile nodes in the network. The topology of the network change every time by getting in and out of the mobile nodes in the network. In the beginning MANET was designed for military use but now the MANET is used in many areas. Such as in disaster hit areas, data collection in some region, in rescue missions, virtual classes and conferences [60]. This concept with ad hoc network makes the full name of mobile ad hoc network (MANET). By growing the network, combined with the node mobility. The challenges of self configuration of the network become more evident. Security in the MANET is a very important issue. Many techniques were defined for the security of MANET. Intrusion detection technique is investigated in reference [60]. Mobile nodes in the network waste much energy by joining in and out with connection to wireless network. This connection and reconnection create energy limitation in the network. The main purpose of developing the ad hoc routing protocols to cope with the dynamic nature of MANET. The routing protocols efficiency can be determined by the battery power consumption. Energy is consumed during participation of a node in a network and also in routing of traffic. The routing protocol which adapts to the connection tearing and mending is also considered vital. Such routing protocols are AODV, DSR and OLSR, TORA, Wireless Routing Protocol (WRP), Zone Routing Protocol, and Two-Zone Routing Protocol (TZRP) [21]. We will discuss reactive and proactive routing protocols i.e. AODV, DSR and OLSR in chapter 3 respectively. The internet engineering task force (IETF) MANET working group (WG) was dedicated to standardize the routing protocols in MANET. RFC 2501 specifies the charter of the working group [8]. An Example of MANET Application The versatility and self configuration of MANET makes them a best choice for a wide range of applications. MANET can be used in natural disaster areas, pre planed strategic event like surveillance, data collecting in some regions, conferences and virtual classes. In such areas where the fixed infrastructure is not available before. Like earthquake hit areas where the fixed infrastructure has been destroyed, in flooded areas, fire or explosion hit areas, train or air plane crash [21]. A very common use of MANET is during business conferences. The only and key attribute that make MANET ideal is their self configuration and low cost of deployment. Here we will present one practical example. In a virtual class, a WiMAX radio link may be established. Then a MANET access network can be established to give coverage to those areas that is difficult to cover. The nodes far away from the base station rely on midway nodes for communication. Thus provide a best communication network in such hostile situation. Above in figure 1, a deployed MANET over WiMAX backbone is shown. In this figure the mobile nodes and the WiMAX_WLAN Router form a MANET. These nodes are connected to the WiMAX_WLAN router and the router is further connected to the WiMAX network. The router is working like a boundary between the MANET and the WiMAX. The WiMAX_WLAN router is capable of translation between the MANET protocols and the WiMAX network protocols, and also the backbone protocols the WiMAX is connected with. The figure 1 is shown above. Chapter 3 Ad hoc Networks Routing Protocols The theoretical concepts of ad hoc routing protocols are discussed in this chapter. The behaviors of proactive and reactive routing protocols will be analyzed. Routing Routing means to choose a path. Routing in MANET means to choose a right and suitable path to the destination from the source. Routing terminology is used in different kinds of networks. In telephony technology, electronic data networks and in the internet network, the term routing is used. Here we are more concern about routing in mobile ad hoc networks. Routing protocols in mobile ad hoc network means that the mobile nodes will search for a route or path to connect to each other and share the data packets. Protocols are the set of rules through which two or more devices (mobile nodes, computers or electronic device) can communicate to each other. In mobile ad hoc networks the routing is mostly done with the help of routing tables. These tables are kept in the memory cache of these mobile nodes. When routing process is going on, it route the data packets in different mechanisms. The first is unicast, in which the source directly sends the data packets to the destination. The second is broadcast; it means the source node sends messages to all the near and far nodes in the network. The third is anycast, in this the source node sends data packet to anyone which is not in the node group. Routing types Routing has two basic types, which are as under Static Routing Dynamic Routing Static routing is done by the administrator manually to forward the data packets in the network. Static routing is permanent. No any administrator can change this setting [29]. These static routers are configured by the administrator, which means there is no need to make routing tables by the router. Dynamic Routing is automatically done by the choice of router. It can route the traffic on any route depend on the routing table. Dynamic routing allows the routers to know about the networks and the interesting thing is to add this information in their routing tables. This is shown in the figure 3.1 below. In dynamic routing the routers exchange the routing information if there is some change in the topology [61]. Exchanging information between these dynamic routers learn to know about the new routes and networks. Dynamic routing is more flexible than static routing. In dynamic routing it have the capability to overcome the overload traffic. Dynamic routing uses different paths to forward the data packets. Dynamic routing is better than static routing. Routing protocols There are several kinds of routing protocols for wireless ad hoc networks. These routing protocols are categorized as reactive or proactive routing protocols [8]. The ad hoc routing protocols which have both proactive and reactive merits, is called hybrid routing protocols. The first kind of protocol is proactive or table driven routing protocol. The second kind of protocol is called reactive or on-demand routing protocol. The first kind of protocol is simply called Proactive MANET Protocol (PMP). Proactive routing protocol detects the layout of the network actively. A routing table can be maintained at every node. From which a route can be determined with less delay. The proactive routing protocols provide good reliability on the current network topology [21] and low latency for deciding a route. The OLSR is a proactive routing protocol. The second kind of protocol is simply called Reactive MANET Protocol (RMP). In these kinds of protocols the communication is only possible when the source node requests to communicate with the other node. Reactive MANET Protocols are mostly suited for nodes with high mobility or nodes that transmit data rarely. There are some reactive routing protocols which we will consider here. These reactive routing protocols include AODV, DSR and TORA. An ad hoc routing protocol is a standard. That controls the decision of the nodes that which route the nodes have to take to the destination from the source node. When a node wants to join a network, it discovers the topology by announcing its presence, and listening to broadcasts from other nodes in the network. This routing discovery is performed differently according to the routing protocol algorithm implemented in the network. Proactive Routing Protocols The routing information about all the nodes is build and maintained by the proactive protocols. The proactive routing protocols are independent of whether or not the route is needed [62]. Control messages are transmitted with periodically intervals. Even if there is no data flow still control messages are transmitted. Because of these control messages proactive routing protocols are not bandwidth efficient. There are many advantages and disadvantages of proactive routing protocols. One of its advantages is that the nodes can easily get routing information, and it easily starts a session. The disadvantages are, too much data kept by the nodes for route maintenance, when there is a particular link failure its reform is too slow. OLSR (Optimized Link State Routing) It is a proactive routing protocol in MANET. It is also called as table driven protocol because it permanently stores and updates its routing table. OLSR keeps track of routing table in order to provide a route if needed. OLSR can be implemented in any ad hoc network. Due to its nature OLSR is called as proactive routing protocol. MPR nodes are shown in the given figure 3.2. All nodes in the network do not broadcast the route packets. Just Multipoint Relay (MPR) nodes broadcast route packets. These MPR nodes can be selected in the neighbor of source node. Each node in the network keeps a list of MPR nodes. This MPR selector is obtained from HELLO packets sending between in neighbor nodes. These routes are built before any source node intends to send to a specified destination. Each and every node in the network keeps a routing table. This is the reason the routing overhead for OLSR is minimum than other reactive routing protocols and it provide a shortest route to the destination in the network. There is no need to build the new routes, as the existing in use route does not increase enough routing overhead. It reduces the route discovery delay. Nodes in the network send HELLO messages to their neighbors. These messages are sent at a predetermined interval in OLSR to determine the link status. Here we can understand this by Figure 3.3. If node A and node B are neighbors, node A sends HELLO message to B node. If B node receives this message, we can say the link is asymmetric. If now B node sends the same HELLO message to A node. This is the same as first case, called asymmetric link. Now if the two way communication is possible then we can call it symmetric link, as shown in Figure 3.3. The HELLO messages contain all the neighbor information. This enables the mobile node to have a table in which it has information about all its multiple hop neighbors. A node chooses minimal number of MPR nodes, when symmetric connections are made. It broadcast TC messages with information about link status at predetermined TC interval [62]. TC messages also calculate the routing tables. In TC messages MPR node information are also included. Reactive Routing Protocols Reactive routing protocols are called on-demand routing protocols. These routing protocols are called when they are required. So the routes are built when they are needed. These routes can be acquired by sending route requests through the network. Disadvantage of this algorithm is that it offers high latency in searching a network. We will consider AODV and DSR in this report. But the analysis will be of AODV and DSR in the fifth chapter. AODV (Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector) AODV is an on-demand routing protocol. The AODV algorithm gives an easy way to get change in the link situation. For example if a link fails notifications are sent only to the affected nodes in the network. This notification cancels all the routes through this affected node. It builds unicast routes from source to the destination. The network usage is least. Since the routes are build on demand so the network traffic is minimum. AODV not allowing keeping extra routing which is not in use [63]. Two nodes wish to establish a connection in an ad hoc network. AODV is responsible to enable them to build a multihop route. AODV is loop free. AODV uses Destination Sequence Numbers (DSN) to avoid counting to infinity. This is the characteristic of this algorithm. When a node send request to a destination, it sends its DSNs together with all routing information. It also selects the most favorable route based on the sequence number [11]. There are three AODV messages. One is Route Request (RREQs), Route Replies (RREPs), and Route Errors (RERRs) [1]. By using UDP packets, the sources to destination routes are discovered and maintain by these messages. For example the node which request, will use its IP address as Originator IP address for the message for broadcast. It simply means that the AODV not blindly forwarded every message. The number of hops of routing messages in ad hoc network is determined by Time-To-Live (TTL) in the IP header. When the source node wants to create a new route to the destination, the requesting node broadcast an RREQ message in the network. In the figure 3.4 the RREQ message is broadcasted from source node A to the destination node B. The RREQ message is shown by the black line from source node A to many directions. The source node A broadcast the RREQ message in the neighbor nodes. When the neighbor nodes receive the RREQ message it creates a reverse route to the source node A. This neighbor node is the next hop to the source node A. The hop count of the RREQ is incremented by one. The neighbor node will check if it has an active route to the destination or not. If it has a route so it will forward a RREP to the source node A. If it does not have an active route to the destination it will broadcast the RREQ message in the network again with an incremented hop count value. The figure 3.4 shows the procedure for finding the destination node B. The RREQ message is flooded in the network in sea rching for finding the destination node B. The intermediate nodes can reply to the RREQ message only if they have the destination sequence number (DSN) equal to or greater than the number contained in the packet header of RREQ. The intermediate nodes forward the RREQ message to the neighbor nodes and record it in their routing table. The addresses of the neighbor nodes from which it get the RREQ message. This information will be used to make a reverse path for RREP message from the destination node. When the message reach to the destination node. It calculates the shortest path to the source. In the figure 3.4 it is shown. The destination node B replies with RREP message denoted by the dotted orange color line. From node A to node B the shortest path is the lower one shown with dotted line. These nodes routes information were saved in the routing tables and were used to build a reverse route from destination to the source node with the message RREP. The request reach to the destinat ion and then RREP has reached to the originator of the request. This route is only available by unicasting a RREP back to the source. The nodes receiving these messages are cached from originator of the RREQ to all the nodes. When a link is failed an RERR message is generated. RERR message contains information about nodes that are not reachable. The IP addresses of all the nodes which are as their next hop to the destination. All the routing information about the network is stored in the table. The routing table have these route entries; (i) destination IP address, (ii) Destination Sequence Number (DSN), (iii) Valid Destination Sequence Number flag (iv) other state and routing flags (e.g., valid, invalid, repairable being repaired) (v) network interface (vi) hop count (number of hops needed to reach destination) (vii) next hop (viii) the list of precursors and lifetime (Expiration time of the route). DSR (Dynamic Source Routing) Dynamic Source Routing Protocol is a reactive routing protocol. DSR is on demand routing protocol. It is a source routing protocol. It is a simple and efficient protocol. It can be used in multi hop wireless ad hoc networks [64].

Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction on the Restructured Essay

1.0 Introduction At the University of Ghana there are reports that rooms originally built to take two students, are now officially allocated to five students (after minor modifications), but unofficially occupied by as many as eight or nine – to the knowledge of the university authorities! Apart from the obvious hygiene and health hazards posed, what kind of ambience does this provide for study after classes? All of which have brought most African universities to a state of serious deterioration. This is evident not only to those who work or study in those universities but to even the most casual visitor. – (Association of African Universities, 2004) Housing is a basic human need in all societies and fundamental right of every individual. In advanced countries, housing is more accessible to all categories of people including the poor and the needy as a result of subsidies from the government. The situation is not the same in developing countries of the world. In Ghana, for example, accessibility to housing by the poor is quite a difficult situation which is worsened by the harsh economic conditions and poor enabling environment. Likewise, accessing housing facilities by Ghanaian students at the university is no exception, especially where such university happens to be the dream destination of most Ghanaians entering into tertiary institution. In tertiary institutions worldwide, the provision of accommodation to the students’ population takes different models. This includes; non-residential, where students source for their own accommodation. Residential, where the university houses all its students and dual-residential, where the university houses its student population for a period of time only, probably the first and final year, while the students during the remaining period source for their own accommodations. The experiences of students in tertiary institutions in sourcing and securing for their own accommodation around university communities are likely to be interesting and significant. However, it is worth noting that, University of Ghana, the nation’s premier university has gone through a series of development when it comes to how to accommodate its students, both undergraduates and postgraduates. 1.1 Research problem University of Ghana has undergone a series of reforms when it comes to the residential policy for its students. The ever increasing number of enrollees in the institution is what defines this restructuring of the policy governing students’ accommodation over time. In the past two years what the incumbent vice chancellor of the university term as â€Å"Decongestion† has taken place in anticipation to the fulfillment of the university achieving efficiency in its field of operation. The drive has also been fast tracked by his informal goal that the university should achieve a world-class status. Effective August, 2011, the university effectively implemented its decongestion policy allocating rooms to a maximum of three (3) students and four (4) students in the main halls and annexes respectively. This was done to address the problems of overcrowding that resulted in adverse effects of poor sanitation, pressure on residential utilities such as reading rooms and libraries, kitchen and washrooms, among other poor conditions for effective personal studies by students. Residential facilities have been increased to make the policy successful. Even though, the problem of inadequate accommodation for students is not entirely solved, the restructuring have been effective since its implementation, and it is worth investigating the effects of the new policy, whether it has achieved its goal or it is towards achieving its intended goal or otherwise. 1.2 Purpose of the study The main reason why this research is being conducted is to evaluate the satisfaction of students with the current students’ residential policy and its effects on their studies. 1.3 Objectives of the study Specific objectives of the study are as follows: 1. To assess students perception of sanitation in the halls/hostels now. 2. To assess students perception of security in the halls/hostels now. 3. To investigate students accessibility to some basic hall/hostel utilities. 1.4 Research Questions 1. What is students’ perception of sanitation in the halls/hostels now? 2. What is students’ perception of security and comfort in the halls/hostels now? 3. What is the accessibility status of students to basic halls/hostels utilities now? 1.5 Relevance of the study As a top university in Ghana and Africa and one which is striving to attain a world class status, adequate facilities should be provided and already existing ones improved, especially standards of services and facilities which include providing conducive on-campus student housing facility. The above research provides the grounding for this study and highlights the areas of new knowledge which are needed; to focus upon students’ satisfaction of residential facilities in University of Ghana. A key question is what is the level of students’ satisfaction with regards to the students housing facility (SHF) in the context of University of Ghana? The study contributes to a better understanding of SRS of UG. The results offer valuable feedback to the university authorities, facility managers and university hostel/hall administrators in terms of the present standards or the need for further improvement of the SHF through effective designs and management. The results will help to formulate guidelines in terms of allocation of rooms to students, maintenance and for future developments of student housing ensuring that the university is able to provide adequate and contemporary on-campus SHF. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This section reviews existing literature on the student residential facilities. It is mainly made up of previous studies, journals, articles, periodicals amongst other sources. They form the secondary source of data to the study. 2.2 The Concept of Student Residential Facility Student housing has long been regarded as an essential component of the facilities provided by the higher learning institutions in assisting students to expand their intellectual capabilities. According to Hassanain (2008), well planned student housing facilities (SHF) promote desirable educational outcomes and help to achieve the broader objectives such as social cohesion and responsible citizenship. An earlier study by Zahran (1972) reveals that a good student housing promotes interactions between roommates of different backgrounds and specializations; and thus broadens the students’ knowledge. Amole (2005) argues that facilities such as study areas or meeting places for academic discussions and social gatherings provided in the student housing will encourage informal intellectual activities outside the students’ own faculties. Price et al. (2003) related student interpersonal growth to adequate facilities and Fay (1981) highlighted the importance of students’ satisfaction in the SHF as a strategy to enhance student development. Despite the importance of SHF, little literature is available to evaluate student opinions of their housing facilities. Most studies on post-occupancy evaluation focus on family housing either public or private residences, investigating the interaction between owner-occupiers or tenants and their housing settings. Majority of these studies utilized the concept of housing satisfaction when evaluating the interactions between the residents and their physical environment (Amole, 2009b). Arguing that housing satisfaction can lead towards improving individual’s quality of life, Salleh (2008) investigates dwelling, housing services and neighbourhood factors that influence the residents of private low-cost housing in Malaysia. The study revealed that the residents are more satisfied with their dwelling units and housing services if compared to their neighbourhood facilities. Elsinga and Hoekstra (2005) study housing satisfaction among European communities and find out that except in Austria, homeowners are more satisfied than the tenants because homeownership provides security, freedom and financial benefits. In contrast, James (2008) analyses the influence of age and type of ownership on the level of satisfaction and establishes that tenant satisfaction increases with the age at a much faster rate than the type of homeownership. However, student housing and family housing are not the same. Student housing comprises of basic bedroom units with other shared facilities such as bathrooms, toilets, laundry, kitchens, common lounges and cafeterias located either per floor level, per block or for the whole student housing accommodation (Amole, 2009a). On the contrary, the basic unit for family housing is a house which includes bedrooms, bathrooms, toilets and a living area all as part of the unit with other housing facilities such as playground, shops and school at the neighbourhood (Parkes et al., 2002). In addition, student housing offers limited security of ownership and freedom if compared to family housing. Therefore, the above findings may not apply in the context of student housing. Studies on residential satisfaction (RS) from the student perspective are mostly focused on factors affecting RS; such as reasons for students to maintain their previous residence (Cleave, 1996) and predictors of student residential satisfaction (SRS) (Foubert et al., 1998; Khozaei et al., 2010b). There are also studies on student housing with narrower scopes such as the effects of floor height on over-crowding (Kaya and Erkip, 2001); students’ perceptions on indoor comfort (Dahlan et al., 2009); students’ sense of attachment with a particular student housing (Khozaei et al., 2010a); coping strategies for students staying in student housing (Amole, 2005) and the relationship between satisfaction and levels of environment (Amole, 2009b). These studies offer little guidance as to whether the students are satisfied with SHF provided. Among the limited studies on SRS are studies by Amole (2007, 2009a), Hassanain (2008) and Radder and Han (2009). Amole (2007, 2009a) investigates RS among students in Nigeria and the findings indicated a low satisfaction with the SHF provided. Radder and Han (2009) researched student satisfaction levels in South Africa and the findings indicated again a level of dissatisfaction with campus residences. Alternatively, Hassanain (2008) found that students in Saudi Arabia indicated a level of satisfaction with the SHF provided. However, the studies were conducted in countries where the culture and climate are different from that experienced in the Southeast Asia region, which is likely to affect the perceived environment of the built environment. Therefore, the results of the studies may not be applicable to the study context. 2.3 Evolution of the accommodation structure Originally, halls in the university were built to accommodate two students per room. This provision was adequate for students because not many people sought for higher education. However, as the population of Ghana increased and the need to seek higher education became prominent in the country, the number students enrolled each academic year increased rapidly as well. Residential facilities were increased and expanded to accommodate the ever increasing number of student intake which demanded restructuring of student residential policy given the limited resources the university had. In the midst of the reforms, beyond the expansion and modification of the original rooms to accommodate two persons at a time, the number increased to five (5) in a room officially, both in the main halls and the annexes. The continuous increase in the student intake amidst the unexpanded residential facilities meant that, not all students could be accommodated on campus, therefore, private hostels began to spring up to absorb the excess students who could not secure accommodation on campus. The private hostels motivation to make profit meant that they charge high prices which were unbearable by many students. This brought about one of the prominent terms that everyone who has passed through the four walls of the University of Ghana is popular with â€Å"Perching†. 2.4 The issue of â€Å"Perching† The word connotes students who illegally share residential facilities with official occupants of a room. This resulted in overcrowding in the halls, putting extreme pressure on washrooms, reading rooms, hall libraries, dry lines, among other facilities that were originally constructed for two people. This was happening who many reforms were going on. The two most popular reforms were the â€Å"in-out-out-in† and the â€Å"in-out-out-out† policies. The former meant that, all first year students were qualified for accommodation on campus, this qualification did not mean automatic allocation of rooms to freshmen but allocation was subject balloting for a â€Å"YES† or â€Å"NO† and second and third year students were to look for their own accommodation. Under this policy, final year students like first year students also qualified to be accommodated on campus; it is however, worth noting that, even for the final year students, because of the limited number of rooms available, allocation of rooms was also done via balloting a yes or no by students. The latter policy, in-out-out-out raised a lot of eyebrows as it meant that only first year students were offered accommodation on campus. And for this policy allocation to level 100 students was automatic and assured. With this policy in place the problem of â€Å"perching† worsened. The official number of occupants in a room almost doubled for almost all the halls of residence. The adverse effects of poor situation created a lot of problems; poor sanitation, insecurity, discomfort, which had direct impact on students’ health, hygiene, and efficiency. 2.5 The current residential policy â€Å"The University of Ghana Hostels with a capacity of 26000 beds, which was to be built at the University of Ghana, Legon, with partnership between the university and six banks was a dream come alive as long as finding a solution to the perennial problem of accommodation in our public universities is concerned† this was an assertion made by Professor C. N. B. Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of the university of Ghana (GhanaWeb, 2008). From the above statement I would to acknowledge the â€Å"Contingency theory† one of the prominent schools under the Open Systems perspective of Organizations. This theory as a branch of systems design emphasizes that design decisions are dependent on environmental conditions. Contingency theory is guided by the general orienting hypothesis that organizations whose internal features match the demands of their environments will achieve the best adaptation. Lawrence and Lorsch (1967), who coined the label â€Å"contingency theory†, argue that different environments place differing requirements on organizations. In a recent review article, Lawrence (1993) provides a partial list of factors that one or another theorist has considered important. They include size or scale, technology, geography, uncertainty, individual predispositions of participants, resource dependency, national or cultural differences, scope and organizational life cycle. With concentration on the resource dependency factor, it is indicative that, the adaptation and realization of the said solution was heavily contingent on the provision of financial resources by the six banks which are external to the organization. As the resources from the external environment was provided by the six banks, the expansion of the residential facilities have been a reality indeed, making it possible to establish four different hostels which accommodates about 7, 120 students. It is a combination of these factors that made it possible for the decongestion exercise in the five traditional halls feasible. Currently, some of the hostels have been restructured into halls and run as the traditional halls. The standard rooms accommodate four (4) persons as the annexes do. With other stringent measures put in place to control â€Å"perching† it is believed that, the purpose for which this restructuring was done is being worked towards. It must be stated categorically that, the main reason for this exercise is to improve students’ efficiency in the university. 2.6 Halls of Residence/Hostels The University believes in community living as an essential part of student life. It is therefore primarily residential, providing accommodation in Halls of Residence for both undergraduate and post-graduate students as well as flats and guest rooms for senior members and guests. There are five halls of residence (available to all students) and several Hostels. The present Halls and Hostels are as follows: Each Hall consists of junior members (students) and senior members (academic and senior administrative and professional staff), and is managed by a Council comprising members elected by persons belonging to the Hall. The Master (or Warden in the case of Volta Hall) is the Head of the Hall. Each Hall has Junior and Senior Common Rooms for students and Faculty, respectively. A tutorial system offers an opportunity for counseling students and ensuring their welfare at both academic and social levels. Students maintain interaction with each other and the wider community through recogni zed clubs and societies. Each Hall has a kitchen and a dining hall to cater for students’ feeding. Chapels and a mosque are also available for use by various religious denominations. A Chaplaincy Board co-ordinate the activities of religious groups. Social life on the campus is organised mainly by the Students’ Representative Council and the Junior Common Room Committees which provide various kinds of social programmes. LEGON HALL: Legon Hall was the first to be built on the permanent site of the University of Ghana at Legon and is, therefore, the Premier Hall of the University. Its foundation tablet was laid during the Michaelmas Term of 1951 and, in September 1952, the first undergraduates were accepted into residence. On Trinity Sunday, 31st May 1953, the first service was held in the Chapel and the first meal served in the Dining Hall. From these events, the Hall took Trinity Sunday every year as its birthday, celebrated by a common â€Å"Feast† for both its Junior and Senior Members. The Hall’s motto, Cui Datum (â€Å"To whom much is given†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ), was selected from St. Luke’s Gospel, in recognition of the special responsibility attached to the Hall’s seniority. Senior Members of t he University may be assigned as Fellows of the Hall by the Vice Chancellor and they usually keep their Fellowship for as long as they remain with the University. Persons of academic distinction outside the University may be elected as Honorary Fellows at a General Meeting of Fellows. The rest of the membership of the Hall is made up of persons in statu pupillari. The governing body of the Hall is the Hall Council, members of which are Fellows of the Hall. The principal Hall Officers are: The Master, the Vice-Master, the President of the Senior Common Room, the Senior Tutor, and the Hall Bursar. AKUAFO HALL: Akuafo Hall was established with the appointment of Professor D.A. Taylor, a Master-designate and a Hall Council in 1953. The Hall Council in 1954 decided to name the Hall Akuafo to commemorate the generous gesture of the farmers of Ghana in giving money for the foundation of the University College. A crest which depicts a cocoa tree, an open book and a drum, designed by Professor W.J. McCallien, and a motto, laboremus et sapiamus, suggested by Professor L.H. Ofosu-Appiah, were adopted by the Council. A commemorative plaque with a Latin inscription composed by Professor L.H. Ofosu-Appiah was set up to show the gratitude of the Hall to the farmers of the country and to the British Government who gave the University College funds for the building of the Hall. The Hall was officially opened on 17 February, 1956, but the first students, numbering 131, came into residence on the 5th October, 1955. The Hall has its own statutes governing the election of officers and the administration of its affairs. Once a year, the Master has to convene a meeting of the Fellows, who form the governing body, to receive his annual report. The Senior Common Room is open to all Fellows and their guests, and the Senior Combination Room to all senior members of the University. Senior Members may also invite students to the Combination Room. COMMONWEALTH HALL: The first batch of students was admitted into residence in Commonwealth Hall at the beginning of the 1956-1957 academic year. In the Lent Term of that academic year, Ghana attained its independence from Great Britain, and the Hall, hitherto known as the Third Hall, was officially christened Commonwealth Hall to commemorate Ghana’s admission into the Commonwealth of Nations. The official opening of the Hall was performed in March, 1957. It is, so far, the only all-male Hall of Residence in the University. The motto of the Hall, Truth Stands, was taken from a quotation from Satyre by John Donne (1572-1631): â€Å"On a huge hill, cragged, and steep, Truth stands and hee that will Reach her, about must, and about must goe† This motto combines both the physical situation of the Hall (on a hillside overlooking most of the University and beyond) and the proper pursuit of a University education, the search for truth. It is the only Hall of Residence in the University which has a theatre and Amphitheatre for lectures and plays. The Coat of Arms of the Hall depicts the strength and unity of purpose of members of the Hall deriving from the bonds of association enjoyed by the individual members of the Hall. High Commissioners of the Commonwealth countries in Ghana are accorded Honorary Membership of the Hall. There is a Hall Council which administers the affairs of the Hall, assisted by the Tutorial Board and the Senior Common Room Committee. VOLTA HALL: Volta Hall started as the Fourth Hall in the 1959-60 academic year, on 16th November, 1960. The University College Council, on the recommendation of the Hall Council, named it Volta Hall. The Hall consists of the main hall originally designed to accommodate 82 students, and an annex with an original capacity for accommodating 198 students, the occupation of which began in January 1966. The motto of the Hall, chosen during the Hall’s tenth anniversary celebrations, is in the Akan language and it is: Akokobere Nso Nyim Adekyee. This means that the secret or knowledge of life and nature is a gift to women as it is to men. The Hall has a governing Body which comprises all the Fellows assigned to it and those elected by the assigned Fellows. The government of the Hall rests with this body which delegates some of its powers to a Hall Council. The Hall Council consists of ten members, including the Warden, the Deputy Warden, the Senior Tutor and the Bursar who are ex-officio members. The day-to-day administration of the Hall is carried out by the Warden with the help of the Senior Tutor, who deals with all students’ affairs, and the Bursar. MENSAH SARBAH HALL: Mensah Sarbah Hall, the fifth Hall of the University, stands in the southern part of the campus. The Hall consists of a main Hall built around a quadrangle and a number of Annexes standing to the north and east. The last two south annexes are attached to the Hall. Until October 1991, Mensah Sarbah was the only co-ed Hall of Residence in the University, which made it quite unique among the Halls. The governing body of the Hall is the Council, which is responsible to the full body of Fellows who form the Senate. Students’ affairs are handled by students’ own elected government headed by a President, while the general administration of the Hall is under the Master who is assisted by the Senior Tutor and Tutors on the one hand and the Bursar on the other. Other Hall Officers are the Chaplai n, who is responsible for the Roman Catholic Chapel, the Prayer Room Warden, who is responsible for the Protestant Chapel, and the Librarian. Senior Common Room affairs are managed by an elected committee under the President of the Senior Common Room. The Hall is named after the famous Ghanaian jurist, writer and statesman, John Mensah Sarbah of Cape Coast. It has been customary for the Hall to celebrate the birthday anniversary of this great man every year. This anniversary is known as Sarbah Day and is highlighted by a dinner and a get-together. The Hall has a crest designed to bring out the principal features of Mensah Sarbah’s life. It consists of three elements: a pair of scales, a stool with a book resting upon it, and a hill surmounted by a castle. The scale signifies the legal profession, the stool and the book symbolise culture while the hill and the castle are intended to depict the familiar landscape of Cape Coast with its many hills and forts. At the same time, the castle is intended to symbolise strength and honour. The Hall’s motto is: Knowledge, Honour, Service – three words which aptly summarise the guiding principles of Mensah Sarbah’s life. VALCO TRUST HOSTELS: The idea to build a grad uate hostel was first nurtured when Legon Hall Annex C was prepared exclusively for graduate students of the Hall. The quest for a suitable accommodation for graduate students gained attention when Valco Trust Fund offered to finance the construction of a graduate hostel. As a further boost to this course, Legon Hall Annex C was converted into an Annex of the Hostel. The Valco Trust Hostel, donated to the University by the Valco Trust Fund to ease pressure on student accommodation, is a block of purpose-built, self-contained flats for 190 students. The Hostel, which was completed in June 1997, is the University’s first hostel for graduate students. A second block with similar facilities was opened in January 2006. Located behind Mensah Sarbah Hall on the southern part of the campus, the flats are arranged in single and double study bedrooms with en suite shower and toilet. There is a shared kitchen for every twelve rooms. Facilities in the hostels include common rooms, washrooms and a restaurant. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ HOSTELS: The International Student’s Hostels are located on the southern part of the campus off the road to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. For a long time, it had been the dream of the University of Ghana to create and strengthen links with other universities in order to enhance the international student presence on campus. The first phase was commissioned in June 1999 and the second in January 2006. The Hostels are co-educational and each has 43 single rooms and 85 double rooms. In addition, there are facilities such as a well-fortified security system, kitchenettes and restaurants. REFERENCES Amole, D. (2005),â€Å"Coping strategies for living in student residential facilities in Nigeria†, Environment and Behaviour, Vol. 37, pp. 201-19. Amole, D. (2009b),â€Å"Residential satisfaction in students’ housing†, Journal of Environment Psychology, Vol. 29, pp. 76-85. Association of African Universities (2004), â€Å"Challenges Facing African Universities: Selected Issues†, African Studies Review (2004) Vol. 47, No. 1, 1-59 Dahlan, N., Jones, P., Alexander, D., Salleh, E. and Alias, J. (2009),â€Å"Evidence base prioritization of indoor comfort perceptions in Malaysian typical multi-storey hostels†, Building and Environment, pp. 2158-65. Elsinga, M. and Hoekstra, J. (2005),â€Å"Homeownership and housing satisfaction†, Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, Vol. 20, pp. 401-24. Fay, G. (1981),â€Å"A model for reviewing growth environments†, Journal of College and University Student Housing, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 46-7. Foubert, J.D., Tepper, R. and Morrison, D.R. (1998),â€Å"Predictors of student satisfaction in university residence halls†, Journal of College and University Student Housing, Vol. 21No. 1, pp. 41-6. Hassanain, M.A. (2008),â€Å"On the performance evaluation of sustainable student housing facilities†, Journal of Facilities Management, Vol. 6 No. 3, pp. 212-25. James, R.N. (2008), â€Å"Residential satisfaction of elderly tenants in apartment housing†, Social Indicators Research, Vol. 89, pp. 421-37. James, R.N. (2008), â€Å"Residential satisfaction of elderly tenants in apartment housing†, Social Indicators Research, Vol. 89, pp. 421-37. Kaya, N. and Erkip, F. (2001), â€Å"Satisfaction in a dormitory building: the effects of floor height on the perception of room size and crowding†, Environment & Behavior, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 35-53. Khozaei, F., Hassan, A.S. and Khozaei, Z. (2010a), â€Å"Undergraduate students’ satisfaction with hostel and sense of attachment to place: case study of â€Å"universiti sains Malaysia†, American Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 516-20. Lawrence, Paul R. and Jay W. Lorsch. (1967)â€Å"Organization and environment† Boston; Harvard University, Division of Research, Graduate School of Business Administration. Parkes, A., Kearns, A. and Atkinson, R. (2002), â€Å"What makes people dissatisfied with their neighbourhoods?†, Urban Studies, Vol. 39 No. 13, pp. 2413-38. Price, I., Matzdorf, F., Smith, L. and Agahi, H. (2003),â€Å"The impact of facilities on student choice of university†, Facilities, Vol. 21 No. 10, pp. 212-22. Radder, L. and Han, X. (2009), â€Å"Service quality of on-campus student housing: a South African experience†, The International Business & Economics Research Journal, Vol. 8 No. 11, pp. 107-19. Salleh, A.G. (2008),â€Å"Neighbourhood factors in private low-cost housing in Malaysia†, Habitat International, Vol. 32, pp. 485-93. www.ghanaweb.com, (Tuesday, 8th January, 2008) retrieved on 4th October, 2012. www.ug.edu.gh (2012) retrieved on 10th October, 2012 www.ug.edu.gh (2012) retrieved on 2nd November, 2012 www.ug.edu.gh (2012) retrieved on 5th November, 2012

A Relativistic View of The Ballad of Narayama

First Position Utilitarianism, a branch of moral realism, is a doctrine that attempts to explain the abstract idea of morality. Consequentialism, a broader basis of utilitarianism, defines an action as being right or wrong by saying that the right act in any moral dilemma is that which leads to the greatest good for the greatest number of people. It focuses in on the consequence of an action and declares that this result is the true basis for judgment about the morality of a decision.Utilitarianism takes these ideas a step urther and defines the quality of the consequence of an action as its â€Å"utility'. The only way to fundamentally ensure that our actions are good is to prove that the results of the chosen action were really better than the results of the other possible choice. (2) Second Position Moral relativism is a philosophy that defines morality in a way that directly depends on the individual or group of people involved. One prominent division within moral relativism is the meta-ethical position.The basic proposition behind this argument is that moral Judgment cannot be universalized and in this way morality is relative to he parties involved. This permits any culture to practice anything they see as right, and this belief within the culture makes it the right thing to do. In the mindset of a meta-ethical relativist, we must reserve our Judgment if we see people committing what we feel are morally wrong actions and understand that they may be doing the right thing in the context of their culture. (3) Major Objection A moral relativist would see many flaws in the ideology of utilitarianism.One major objection is that utilitarianism is too intense of a doctrine as it suggests there is always a way to act that would benefit more people. There is inherently too much pressure put on humankind if utilitarianism were to be followed because it requires us to constantly act like â€Å"moral heroes,† claiming anything less would make us bad people. Du e to the fact that there could be a greater good in every decision we make, we would barely be able to live our own lives, develop our own relationships with family and friends, and make our own decisions if we strictly adhered to the doctrine of utilitarianism.This flaw of utilitarianism is exposed in The Ballad of Narayama because the action of killing the elderly when they reach 70 would be deemed orally wrong and incorrect. However, the moral relativist realizes that this contradicts the societal tradition and is therefore the right thing to do. To the naive eye of the utilitarian, killing the elderly immediately seems like a morally corrupt tradition that could never be acceptable. However, the moral relativist understands this practice in the context of the Japanese village and renders it acceptable.Keeping Orin alive would be morally wrong to the relativist because it takes the pressure off of Kesakichi and even Tatsuhei to develop as men of the household. They still have Ori n providing food and working for them and as a result Kesakichi remains naive and immature. The young people in the Japanese village need develop on their own, and so the tradition of the village should be honored regardless of specific cases, like that ot Orin. In ad dition, the elderly Just become another mouth to t cases in the impoverished village. 4) First Rebuttal in most The utilitarian would answer this objection by saying that it would not be for the best to take Orin and all the 70-year-old citizens to the top of Narayama. They would argue that societal tradition should not be followed in this case and it is morally ncorrect to leave the elderly to die in this way. Even if they are a burden to society, the greatest good for the greatest number of people comes when they are kept alive. Our deepest inclinations also seem to tell us that killing any person who lives to be 70 is morally wrong.If they were allowed to live, family units would become stronger, wisdom would be pas sed through the generations, and the elderly could find new ways to contribute to society regardless of their age. Additionally, the utilitarian would disagree with the idea of hoarding food while others go hungry, as they do in the Japanese village. The morally correct action that would lead to the greatest good for the greatest number of people would be to share food and services, never placing your own familys needs above the needs of the society as a whole.To the utilitarian, any acts that can be conceived as selfish are morally wrong and every decision should be made with the community in mind. (4) Second Rebuttal The meta-ethical relativist would respond to this rebuttal by sticking to their convictions and arguing that in the context of this Japanese village, it is best to follow tradition and take the elderly to the top of Narayama. The utilitarian lacks the foresight into the future of the society and naively acts with only immediate benefits in mind; â€Å"To suppose that life has no higher end than pleasure† is â€Å"a doctrine worthy of swine† (RR 600).Although the immediate affects of leaving the elderly atop the mountain to die peacefully may not provide the greatest good for the greatest amount of people, in the long run it pays off and does, in fact, result in the greatest good for society. As for the claim that it is morally wrong if you place your familys need at a higher priority, the meta-ethical relativist would say that this type of elfishness drives society. The providers for a family want to supply as much as they can to their children and this motivates them to work harder.Although the utilitarian would think that it would be best if the Japanese villagers openly shared their food, the moral relativist would understand how the society functions and disagree. If an individual donated any excess they had to the society as a whole, the motivation of individuals within the society would disappear and the Japanese village woul d no longer function properly. The lives of the villagers depend on their planning for the future and hard work in the farms.The competition between workers and the desire to provide for their families is the reason this Japanese village has survived for generations. If a villager knew that any extra work he did or any extra food he grew would be taken away from him, then the villager would not work as hard and would not be as worried about securing his own crops and farming his own land. The moral relativist understands this as the basis for the tradition in the village, as killing the elderly puts responsibility on the other members of society to produce while reducing the number of mouths they have to feed.This tradition should be upheld because it allows for them to make their own decisions and look out for their families. The moral relativist position realizes that the action of killing the elderly once they reach age 70 is morally permissible in the Japanese society depicted i n The Ballad of Narayama. This moral Judgment is not universal, as in most societies this action would be deemed morally incorrect and unacceptable. However, given the economic situation of the village along with the dependence on manual labor, the tradition should be upheld as it is morally best for the society at hand.

The Stages Of Symbolic Development - 916 Words

Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist and philosopher, had a fascination with children and their many stages of development. He believed that the key to human knowledge is discovered by observing how a child s mind develops and how the role of maturation in how children contributes to increase their capacity in understanding the world around them. One of Piaget s biggest contributions is the stages of symbolic development. Within these stages, he proposed that a child s thinking process is not a smooth moving transition; instead these stages are developmental points that happen at specific ages. When reaching these ages, a child will have the capability to develop a new set of skills. Jean s Piaget’s theory has been the foundation for many school curriculums and he is considered to be a universal theorist whose ideas are very well known. As a future educator, I have struggled with trying to figure out what I want to do with a Child and Adolescent Development degree. I feel myself leaning more towards a school counselor. According to the American School Counselor Association (2015), the following requirements are; a baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited college, completion of post baccalaureate degree study consisting of a minimum of 48 semester units in a Commission-accredited professional preparation program specializing in school counseling, including a practicum with school-aged children, pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test and thenShow MoreRelatedBiological Aspect of Early Childhood Essay1629 Words   |  7 Pagestransitional life span following toddlerhood is early childhood. Early childhood begins at the age of 4 years old to 6 years old. During the early childhood stage young children become very physically active, their language become more complex, and the evolution of imaginative and elaborate nature of play occurs. Young children at the early childhood stage also begin preschool. 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First, to follow is a discussion which will explain the concept of Mead s role of play in the formation of a child s self-concept, second other symbolic integrationists, such as Stryker’s, will emphasize and provide collaborative insight into the higher identity that emerges in the creation of the self-concept, and finally, in the development of self, what role does mass communication play in forming oneRead MoreThe Effect Of Symbolic Play On Children s Cognitive Development Of Children754 Words   |  4 PagesThe social element of symbolic play is a vital aspect to be taken into account in the cognitive development of children. Vygotsky (1978) theorised that children learn and practice social skills with their parents, and they develop this learning through social interactions. Piaget also emphasised the significance of social interaction so the child can progress outside of their egocentrism that is linked to the pre operational stage. (London, 2001) Similansky 1968 also supported Piaget theory, and