UGC NET/JRF EXAM, December-2019* Labour and Social Welfare

"A principal fruit of friendship," Francis Bacon wrote in his timeless meditation on the subject, "is the ease and discharge of the fullness and swellings of the heart, which passions of all kinds do cause and induce." For Thoreau, friendship was one of life's great rewards.

But in today's cultural landscape of muddled relationships scattered across various platforms for connecting, amidst constant debates about whether our Facebook "friendships" are making us more or less happy, it pays to consider what friendship actually is.

That's precisely what CUNY philosophy professor Massimo Pigliucci explores in Answers for Aristotle: How Science and Philosophy Can Lead Us to A More Meaningful Life (public library), which also gave us this provocative read on the science of what we call "intuition."

Philosophers and cognitive scientists agree that friendship is an essential ingredient of human happiness.

But beyond the dry academic definitions - like, say, "voluntary interdependence between two persons over time, which is intended to facilitate socio-emotional goals of the participants, and may involve varying types and degrees of companionship, intimacy, affection and mutual assistance"- lies a body of compelling research that sheds light on how, precisely, friendship augments happiness.

The way friendship enhances well-being, it turns out, has nothing to do with quantity and everything to do with quality-researchers confirm that it isn't the number of friends (or, in the case of Facebook, "friends").

Whether the views expressed in the passage advocate that friendship is an essential component of well-being. Choose the correct option: 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) toda announced that PepsiCo Chairman and CEO IndrNooyi has been appointed to the ICC Board as th organization's first independent female director Mrs.

Nooyi will join the Board in June 2018 t align with the term of the ICC Independen Chairman, following the unanimous confirmatiorof her appointment at today's meeting.

The introduction of an Independent Directorwho must be female, was approved by the ICC Ful Council in June 2017 as part of wide rangingconstitutional change aimed at improving the globa governance of the sport.

Mrs. Nooyi is a global business leader consistently ranked by Fortune Magazine among the World's Most Powerful Women.

As Chairmar and CEO of PepsiCo, Mrs. Nooyi is responsible fo a global food and beverage portfolio that include 22 brands generating more than $1 billion each inannual retail sales, including Quaker, Tropicana Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola.

Mrs. Nooyi is also the chief architect o Performance with Purpose, PepsiCo's vision 1 deliver top-tier financial performance over th long term by integrating sustainability into the company's business strategy.

Under her leadership, since 2006 PepsiCo has focused on offering more nutritious foods and beverages, minimizing their impact on the environment, and creating opportunities for their employees and people across the markets they serve.

ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar said: "We are delighted to welcome Indra to the ICC. Adding another independent director-particularly a female - is such an important step forward in improving our governance.

To have someone of Indra's calibre is fantastic news for the global game-she is frequently recognized as one of the most influential people in business today, running one of the world's biggest corporations. "We undertook a global search looking for the right candidate who would complement the existing skills and experience already on our Board.

A cricket enthusiast with experience in the commercial sector and independent of the ICC, any Member or state or associated organization were the primary criteria and in Indra we have found an exceptional new colleague and we look forward to working with her in the future."

The Independent Director will be appointed for a two-year term although she may be reappointed for two further terms with a maximum six-year consecutive period of service.

In accordance with international standards of good governance, the Independent Ethics Officer for the ICC and PepsiCo's General Counsel have reviewed and both formally approved the appointment, providing a clear framework for appropriately managing any potential or perceived conflicts of interest that might arise in the future.

Which amongst the following is true in the context of the passage?