If a method takes an Object parameter, can this parameter be type casted by
any class?

Example:
public int compareTo(Object o) {
   Name n = (Name) o;
}

public int MultiplyPrint(Object o) {
   String testString = (String) o;
   Int num = Integer.parseInt(testString);
   int theResult = Math.pow(num,2);
   return theResult;
}

public Orange Apple2Orange(Object o) {
  Apple apple = (Apple) o;
  // Convert to Orange
 Orange orange = (Orange) apple;
 return Orange;
}

Also, is it poor programming style to rely on type casting?

TIA

James Davis