Philosophy and Science Essay

Philosophy, science, art and religion are all major achievements of the human mind. Like science, philosophy calls for careful reasoning and exact language. The nature of philosopher and science are somewhat similar in that they have both relied on logical thinking and a quest for deeper truths regarding life and human nature. There have been great philosophers who have become scientists such as Copernicus and there have been scientists like Albert Einstein who have later become philosophers. Thus there is a subtle relationship between science and philosophy. In ancient times all fields of study including religion, science and art were accepted as parts of philosophy. Science particularly, has been considered very important in every philosophic system. But with the rapid advance of knowledge the sciences and the humanities separated from philosophy (Grolier, 1979). They developed their own methods of investigation and their own vocabularies. Philosophers in recent times tend to focus on general ideas common to different fields. Thus we find that natural philosophy took its root in scientific investigation and later evolved into modern science. Philosophy can be understood in either a popular way or a technical way. In the popular sense, any set of deeply held beliefs about man, nature, society and God is called a philosophy. Everyone who has wondered about the meaning of life and found an answer that satisfied him as his own philosophy. In its more technical sense, philosophy means a highly disciplined and reasonable method of criticizing fundamental beliefs to make them more clear and reliable. This method was first developed by the ancient Greeks in the 6th century B. C. Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Pythagoras, and other learned men began to speculate about the underlying causes of natural phenomena like birth and death, rainfall and drought, the perfectly regular motions of the planets, the reach of fire toward the sky, and the fall of heavy objects toward the earth. In the world of today, science is regarded as an activity based on the experimental gathering of facts, the mathematical modeling of its results, and the framing of hypotheses. Philosophy on the other hand deals with unanswerable ultimate questions about ethics and metaphysics, the meaning of life, or the nature of truth. Today’s philosophers and scientists travel along different paths, it is interesting to note that science and philosophy have had a common background and history. Till the emergence of special scientific branches in the 19th and 20th centuries, ‘natural philosophy’ covered all scientific activity. Isaac Newton called himself a â€Å"natural philosopher†, and telescopes and air pumps used to be classified as â€Å"philosophical instruments†. Natural philosophy or â€Å"philosophia naturalis† referred to the exploration and analysis of all things under the sky including stones to human mental functions and the winds and the stars. The natural philosophy evolved into modern scientific thought through the years 1200 to 1700. This period includes the introduction of Aristotle’s works into the nascent universities to the establishment of stable scientific institutions such as the Royal Society or the Acadà ©mie des Sciences. Science as is kno wn today is   were characterized by experimentation, mathematical modeling, the publication of research results, and the sponsoring of scientific collaboration. Science is usually associated with acquisition of knowledge and more specifically science is connected to theoretical knowledge compared to practical knowledge. The word â€Å"science† has its roots from the word â€Å"Scientia† originally meaning knowledge (Ross, 1996). Modern dictionaries define science as â€Å"the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena through methodological activity, discipline, or study.† The true nature of science is best understood by focusing on its methodology. Fundamentally, then, science can be characterized as a method of obtaining reliable – though not infallible – knowledge about the universe around us. This knowledge includes both descriptions of what happens and explanations of why it happens. The knowledge is reliable because it is continually tested and retested – much of science is heavily interdependent, which means that any test of any scientific idea entails testing other, related ideas at the same time. The knowledge is not infallible; because at no point do scientists assume that they have arrived at a final, definitive truth. Science is mostly about natural processes and natural events. It involves both description and explanation. Description tells what has happened whereas explanation tells why it happened. According to Science, future events may be predicted only based on knowledge of such events. The ancient Greeks formed the word ‘philosophy’ from ‘philos’ meaning ‘lover’ and ‘sophia’ meaning ‘wisdom’. A philosopher according to them was a person who devoted his lfie to the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake without regard for its practical uses. The kind of knowledge that interested Thales and other philosophers of the 6th century B.C. was knowledge of nature and its laws. Philosophy on the other hand deals with the fundamental nature of existence, of man and of man’s relationship to existence. Whereas science tries to take a microscopic perspective in problem solving, philosophy tends to take a macroscopic perspective in problem solving. In general, philosophy questions often are a series of â€Å"why-questions,† whereas science is often said to ask â€Å"how-questions.† In the words of Ayn Rand: â€Å"In the realm of cognition, the special sciences are the trees, but philosophy is th e soil which makes the forest possible.† (Ayn Rand in â€Å"Philosophy: Who Needs It†) Generally speaking philosophy is an attitude, an approach, or even a calling to answer or to ask or to comment upon certain peculiar kinds of questions. Science and philosophy have always supported each other. While philosophy utilizes scientific discoveries to give it strength and a basis for generalizations, science utilizes philosophy to get a world view and perceive things from the framework of universal principles. It is a well known fact that early scientific ideas came from philosophers. The atomic structure of things was first expressed by Democritus and later expanded on by Lucretius and Diderot. What was hypothetically conceived by them was declared a scientific fact two centuries later. The Cartesian reflux as it is known in science was proposed by philosophers to explain conservation of motion in the universe. Spinoza hypothesized determinism based on a general philosophical perception. The idea of the existence of molecules as complex particles consisting of atoms was developed in the works of the French philosopher Pierre Gassendi and also Russia’s Mikhail Lomonosov. The hypothesis of the cellular structure of animal and vegetable organisms, the idea of the development and universal connection of phenomena and the principle of the material unity of the world were all obtained through philosophical thought. Lenin as a philosopher formulated the principle of the inexhaustibility of matter which scientists consider as a firm methodological base (Spirkin, 1983). Just as science progressed through philosophical thought, philosophy was also enriched by science. The philosophical world view and methodology was impacted greatly with every major scientific discovery.   Philosophical theories, statements and conclusions are deduced on the basis of scientific facts. Moreover, philosophical propositions, principles, concepts and laws are discovered through the generalization of these facts. Euclidian geometry and the mechanics of Galileo and Newton are scientific discoveries that impacted human reasoning in a significant manner. Copernicus’ heliocentric system changed the whole conception of the structure of the universe and Darwin’s theory of evolution, changed the general perception of man’s position in nature. Mendeleyev’s table of chemical elements enhanced understanding the structure of matter. Einstein’s theory of relativity exposed the relationship between matter, motion, space and time. The theory of higher nervous activity evolved by Sechenov and Pavlov deepened the philosophers’ understanding of the material foundations of mental activity, of consciousness. The creation and development by Marx, Engels and Lenin of the science of the laws of development of human society contributed further to philosophy in the realm of natural and social vortex of events (Spirkin, 1983). The history of natural and social science shows that scientists, on several occasions have leaned on world-views and methodological principles, categories and logical systems evolved by philosophers in the process of their researches. All scientists who think in terms of theory have expressed their gratitude in their writings and in their speeches. Thus, we find that the connection between philosophy and science is mutual. But this statement is found to be debatable among experts. There is a strong argument among scientists and philosophers that the two disciplines of science and philosophy do not necessarily need each other for growth. But there are others who feel that science can be informed by philosophy. Philosophy is highly valued due to its interconnection with life. But then, there are others who argue that philosophy is based on vague theorizing and it should not have any link to science. However, it is significant to note that there is no such warning for philosophers to keep away from science. The specific sciences cannot and should not break their connections with true philosophy (Spirkin, 1983). Most scientists, especial those who work with theories would agree that creative activity is closely linked with philosophy and that without serious knowledge of philosophical culture the results of that activity cannot become theoretically effective. Scientists with a powerful theoretical grasp, have always accepted the significance of philosophy to the growth of science. Philosophy does not replace the specialised sciences and does not command them, but it does arm them with general principles of theoretical thinking, with a method of cognition and world-view. In this sense scientific philosophy legitimately holds one of the key positions in the system of the sciences. Truly scientific thought is philosophical to the core; just as truly philosophical thought is profoundly scientific, rooted in the sum-total of scientific achievements. Philosophical training gives the scientist a breadth and penetration, a wider scope in posing and resolving problems. Sometimes these qualities are brilliantly expressed, as in the work of Marx, particularly in his Capital, or in Einstein’s wide-ranging natural scientific conceptions. The interconnection between science and philosophy that has existed through the years has only grown stronger with time. It is impossible to achieve complete understanding of theories related to global problems without a broad grasp of inter-disciplinary and philosophical views. There are some people who argue that science has no need of philosophy. It is their contention that science is in itself philosophy. They hold that scientific knowledge is sufficient to provide answers to all problems including philosophical problems. But the â€Å"cunning† of philosophy lies in the fact that any form of contempt for it, any rejection of philosophy is in itself a kind of philosophy. It is as impossible to get rid of philosophy as it is to rid oneself of all convictions. Many scientists who have maintained the positions of crude empiricism and scorned philosophy have eventually fallen into mysticism. Absence of philosophical assumptions leads to intellectual narrowness. Science needs philosophy due to its diversified branches. As Science has become so ramified, no can today master any particular subject such as medicine or biology or mathematics. Scientists are trying to know as much as possible about as little as possible. This kind of specific specialization is both good and bad. Without narrow specialization there can be no progress in science and at the same time, such specialization must be constantly filled out by a broad inter-disciplinary approach, by the integrative power of philosophical reason. Narrow specialization has no breadth of vision and can thus lead to empiricism, to the endless description of particulars. While science requires researchers to look externally, philosophers tend to look both internally and externally – at the world around man and man’s place in that world. This wholesome perception provided by philosophical consciousness is reflective in its very essence. Philosophy is not only an abstract science. It also deals with moral principles, ethics, and conscience. Today, advances in science have brought many kinds of conflict to society. For example, there is the question regarding nuclear bomb. Is it wrong for a nation to acquire nuclear bomb? Only ethical thinking combined with scientific thinking can provide the right answer. Such questions as this one cannot be answered by science alone. While there are many examples showing that philosophical thought was behind many scientific discoveries, Bernal conceived that science was the starting point for philosophy; it was the very basis of philosophy. Marxist social theory emerged within this process. For Bernal, there was no philosophy, no social theory, and no knowledge independent of science. Science was the foundation of it all (Sheehan, 1985). As Bernal saw the transition to the future, scientific and socialist philosophical thinking played a key role.   For a long time, philosophers as diverse as David Hume, Karl Marx, and Edmund Husser felt that philosophy was â€Å"scientific.† But, Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) felt that there are some problems that science alone can deal with and others it couldn’t. Science and philosophy are both different paths taken by different people who desire to explore the truth. Scientists and philosophers can be considered as seekers of true knowledge. These two subjects differ today in the nature and methodology. Despite these differences, true scientific theories are based on philosophy and true philosophical statements have their foundation in science.

Hobbes and Locke: Social Contract Essay

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke held contrasting theories on how government should limit the rights of men, which they referred to as the social contract. Thomas Hobbes’ theory of the social contract is that a government should have complete discretion over the limitations of men’s rights, while Locke’s theory is that a social contract is necessary, but the rights limited should be solely for the protection of property. Thomas Hobbes’ theory of the social contract is that men should give up all of their rights to an absolute government for the protection of their lives. He writes in Chapter 14 of Leviathan that â€Å"man [should] be willing †¦ for peace and defence of himself †¦ to lay down this right to all things †¦. â€Å" (Hobbes 161). He concludes by describing the motive for man handing over rights as being for his security (Hobbes 162). John Locke’s theory is that the social contract should limit the rights of man only to protect his property. In Chapter 9 Locke describes his theory that man joins the social contract â€Å"only with an intention †¦ to preserve †¦ [his] property† (Locke 171). Locke contrasts with Hobbes where he writes in Chapter 7 of Of Civil Government that anyone that thinks that absolute government improves men should read the history of any age to be convinced otherwise (Locke 170). What role the social contract should have in the lives of men is subjective. Thomas Hobbes’ theory on the social contract holds that an absolute government is needed for the protection of men’s lives, while John Locke’s theory focuses on a limited government solely for the protection of men’s property. Works Cited Thomas Hobbes; â€Å"Leviathan†; The Arts 1000 Reader; Pearson 2007; pp 159-163 John Locke; â€Å"Of Civil Government†; The Arts 1000 Reader; Pearson 2007; pp 167-173.

Afrocentric School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Afrocentric School - Essay Example To be precise, the theories that are discussed have a main focus on how the history present in individuals is able to take shape and various practices that are interpreted on cultural activities. These tend to develop when individuals in the community, in behavior of life, form personal identities in relation to the person’s important roles and positions. A person’s historical formation on the various environmental activities makes environmental identity become a construct of the person which is developed and used in organizing the person emotionally and the actions to take. Personal identities in this community are conceptualized based on the complexities of memory, sentiments, a person’s knowledge and ideas of the environment which the person can evoke by the use of cultural identity symbols for the purpose of organizing one’s self to take an environmental action. Once the person’s identity is entrenched in the history that is inside the person, i t will provide a ground for guiding the individual’s behavior towards cultural activities and the person will avoid behaviors that are not harmonious with the community’s assigned identity.... The feeling of unity that occurs in the mind of individuals encourages the members of this community understand themselves as not being agents, but as an intentional stream of individuals involved in the gathering of information concerning the acts of ancient Africans. The Afrocentric community can be regarded as a chain of discourse, communication and a variety of symbols, for the purpose of intellectual motives. This community encourages the use of theories with the intention of shifting self-understanding by encouraging its members to consider agents as carriers of routine, over subjective complexes of migratory movements, forms of interpretation, knowledge and use of the things. Through their membership in this community, individuals are able to stipulate shifts taken by a self-understanding individual and get an ethical meaning of the agency among other factors. It is a fact that this community works towards encouraging the consideration of ethical problems as questions used in creating the various theories and researches that make up the bulk of Afrocentric thought. The ethical problems are considered to be extremely important and are expressed by certain bodies, understandings or things that are complex. Ethics, therefore, are related to the thoughts, the environment and individuals’ motivation and feelings. This move is distinctive in relation to functional ethics of the members of this community and has worked against the general skepticism that individuals have towards ethics that is facilitated by objectivism. It can be said that this community is capable of developing philosophical perseverance without giving up its attachment to

Structural design 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Structural design 1 - Essay Example Failure to carry out proper structural design results to the building being too weak and it may collapse killing many people (Charlton, 1973). A structural engineer has very important roles in designing the support of the house as well as designing the layout of the building. The engineer works closely with the architect to ensure stability of the building. The main challenges of any structural design are; The structure engineer has to critically evaluate and analyze different materials and their behavior when loaded and select the most effective and affordable materials. These analysis are important so that the engineer can come up with a design that is economical and can withstand load. Structural design ensures that the building stands straight, firm and safe. It also ensures that the building resist excessive deflections that expose the structural elements to fatigue. The structural elements must be designed to resist cracking and creep. The design postulated by the structural engineer must also take in consideration the changes in length of the building materials due to change in temperatures as this lead to deformation of materials. The design must be made to the material specifications including all the manufacturing tolerances. The major structural element used in building includes columns, beams plates, arches, shells and catenaries(Science Corporation, 2001). Columns are elements that carry the axial ... The design must be made to the material specifications including all the manufacturing tolerances. The major structural element used in building includes columns, beams plates, arches, shells and catenaries(Science Corporation, 2001). Materials and methods In this design the following structural members will be used. ColumnsColumns are elements that carry the axial force. The force may be either in tension or in compression. The main design consideration is the axial capacity of the column and the buckling capacity. The buckling capacity of the element is it ability to resist buckling. This capacity depends on the; The physical geometry of the beam The effective length of the column (this length depends on the resisting capability at both end of the column). The degree of bending of the column determines the capacity of the column. Beams There are two types of beams used in this design. Beams are subjected to pure bending. The result of this is bending causes parts of the beam to be in tension while the other part to be in compression. Beam Sections under tension must be designed to resist it while sections in compression must be designed to resist crushing and buckling. In cases where the beams are very long, trusses are incorporated. When a beam is under tension ties are used to resist these forces, struts are used where beams need to withstand compressive forces. Cantilever beam This type of beam is supported at one end. The other end lies free. Simply supported beam This type of beam is supported vertically at the two ends. At one of the ends it is supported horizontally to enable it rotate at its support. This prevents

Compare and contrast Herbert Hoover's economic policies with those of Essay

Compare and contrast Herbert Hoover's economic policies with those of Franklin Roosevelt - Essay Example aissez-faire attitude was due to beliefs that: the government should not be entirely responsible to the well-being of the people; and the government is incapable of regulating and controlling businesses.3 Hoover’s beliefs were partly due to the belief that the economy would be able to bounce back after several setbacks just like before, but these were unable to explain why decreases in costs of production did not allow the fall of prices and subsequent economic growth, and Hoovers’ policies on letting the market forces, private sector as well as the Federal Reserve to drive the economy was unable to stimulate employment.4 The downward economic spiral was aggravated further by the declining federal revenues, relying on the gold standard when it was already abandoned by other countries, and declining to spend and providing federal relief to people and wholly relying on local government and charity. Franklin Roosevelt also had to deal with some similar setbacks such as dealing with deflation, preventing wages and prices from falling further to maintain the incomes of workers and employers as well as restoring the reliability of the banking system.5 Some of the New Deal programs were effective in stimulating spending and eventually raising the levels of commerce among the people. Roosevelt’s experimentalist views were able to push through some policies that Hoover might have not even thought of, such as expanding the role of the government in the business and economic sectors, departure from the gold standard, aiming to increase industrial and farm price levels, and the provision for income redistribution, which became the Social Security legislation.6However, while being effective in reviving the economy, some of the programs in the New Deal policy were counterproductive in some strategies. The employment of people by the government kept them earning, and the increase in wages may have increased the spending of the workforce, but the tax increase compelled some

Effective Communication Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effective Communication Case Study - Essay Example An estimated 22000 people have been killed to date due to inhalation of the gas and thousands have to undergo continuous treatments just to breathe in air and survive. Throughout the crisis the most significant feature to be observed had been the lack of communication between the government officials, the plant management in India, the higher management in America and the local people working and living in the surrounding region. Aside from the public that was directly involved in the operations of the plant, there were also stockholders to be notified, the public relations staff which had no clue as to what was going on and finally the press. These two groups of publics must have proper communication channels but this was not the case in Bhopal as was evident when the crisis struck. The internal public in this case were basically the senior management which was based in the United States, the local workers and their managers, the government officials (as they were holding 49.1% of the total shares along with the private investors and had been responsible for the layout and design of the plant) and finally the residents and people living in the ne ighboring community. These people had a direct impact due to the leakage and were the ones who were directly involved in all the communication which took place in the aftermath. The external public involved was the press which found out about the event and the private stockholders who had little effect over them. This group remained unscathed throughout the whole ordeal. After the event took place the communication was evident to be of poor standard. The press was the deliverer of most of the news as the communication systems of Bhopal itself were completely inept. The U.S. has to rely on the coverage of the press as its main source of info as they had no system of communication prior to the event. The internal public

Children's Defense Fund Cradle to Prison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Children's Defense Fund Cradle to Prison - Essay Example 2). The â€Å"Cradle to Prison† pipeline was revealed to be hosted by The University of Houston Law School to address crucial issues affecting American children, particularly to achieve the goal of showing â€Å"leaders on all levels the growing need for a partnership with America's children ensuring that they have, safe housing, adequate education, mentorship-cultural programs, and universal healthcare† (Keeton, 2008, par. 2). The alarming numbers of children of going to prison have instigated immediate measures to inform the public of the dilemma, which, according to Edelman: "Adult's are what's wrong with children" (Keeton, 2008, par. 5). The importance of what you learned (So What?) As the program aimed to challenge American adults to address the alarming neglect for children, the message would be ineffective if no positive action is rendered upon the call. The importance of the message therefore is seen and determined in terms of the number and extent of assistance that is accorded by people who were made aware of the advocacies of the program.

Short Story Fiction. Choose one of the following topics; avoid Essay

Short Story Fiction. Choose one of the following topics; avoid long-winded plot summations - Essay Example Situational irony is present in Everyday Use, which enriches the understanding of the theme and its dramatic plot. Since the story begins with Dees domination of her family, readers may expect that she will continue to control her mother and sister and â€Å"own† the quilts for herself. Dee knows that as the â€Å"educated† one in her family, she can easily manipulate her family, who once when she read to them, were â€Å"sitting trapped and ignorant underneath her voice† (Walker). The reversal of expectation happens, because Mama strongly opposes Dees demands for the quilts and decides to give it to Maggie. Apparently, the lamb can also change to a lion when needed. In addition, situational irony persists as a form of exploring the theme of traditional versus modern beliefs. When Dee arrives in a more â€Å"African† ensemble, Walker seems to be inviting readers to think that Dee has changed and shed her superior ego complex. Instead of being humbled by co llege education, however, Dee becomes more enamored with the idea of subjugating rural life, especially its â€Å"backward† (Walker) thinking and practices. Irony shows that Dee remains culturally immature, as she degrades how rural culture will see these old quilts as fit for â€Å"everyday use† (Walker), when for her, a learned African would see it as a precious piece of African heritage, one that is fit for display. Another situational irony example in this story is when Dee fully turns into a white oppressor, all the while believing that changing what she looks like and her name have turned her into a genuine African. Dee tells her mother that her new name is Wangero, because she could not stand â€Å"being named after the people who oppress me† (Walker). Dee also complains that her mother and Maggie remain completely ignorant of their â€Å"heritage† and she says: â€Å"Its really a new day for us. But from the way you and Mama still live youd never know it†

Argue whether Jennie Livingston's Paris is Burning is primarily a film Essay

Argue whether Jennie Livingston's Paris is Burning is primarily a film about class, race or gender and why. Argue from two different perspectives - Essay Example The film extensively features the groupings and team formations of the members of the ball culture, with such social formations being the basis of the contestants’ protection strength. Thus, the film features a shift from the ballrooms contesting activities to interviews with the major participants in the contests, to clearly paint the picture of the LGBT community in New York, and summarize the theme of gender, sexuality and social classes as informing the ball culture (Leila and Verta, 44). Further, the themes of racism, homophobia and poverty also features in the film, to complement the experiences of the LGBT community encountered from interacting with the larger heterosexual community. Therefore, this discussion seeks to analyze the major themes exploited in Jennie Livingstons ‘Paris is Burning’, with a view to argue from two different perspectives. The first perspective of the discussion will hold that ‘Paris is Burning’ is primarily a film abou t gender; while the second perspective will argue that ‘Paris is Burning’ is primarily a film about race. Jennie Livingstons ‘Paris is Burning’ is primarily a film about gender, considering that it features the male gender that consistently tries to embrace the female gender’s culture, behavior and mannerisms, predominantly with the black and Latino men being featured in their gay context in New York (Rafferty, n.p.). In the film, the Black and the Latino gay men are involved in a series of competitions, and in them, they have devised cross-gender dressing and fashion style, which they then complement with the founding of the voguing dance style (Dean, 22). The film is primarily a portrayal of the Black and Latino gay men imitating the female poses, dance style, fashion dressing and walking style, which forms part of the gay mannerisms. In this respect, the film is a representation of the

Unconditional Service Essay Example for Free

Unconditional Service Essay I know a woman, so fine so fair, she has been teaching for thirty years and that kept her glare.   When I see her, I feel no point of unimportant stare.   When I am with her, I am everything any person would want to bear.   In the eyes of those who seek her presence, she is a woman of faith and hope—of love and service for those who happen to go off shore.   She is very educated and is dedicated to teaching, and with that I admire her- for her astounding pleasant realm. She loves kids and she loves people. But most all she loves black and all she wanted was fairness with no despair. She doesn’t have a tongue of agonistic fear—one reason why people look up to her.   That makes sense that she is one who’s far beyond compare. In every word she says, there is conviction.   In every person she helps, there is admiration.   Day by day, she seeks more than just lame fame, her dedication to others and her peers is outstanding my rationality cannot even level in total mare. There has been no time that she asked for money or for compensation to fill up her folly.   She served with love, with hope and faith—a love so pure so delicate yet so delightful. There seems to be no word to best define her purity, all I know is that her beauty is hysteria of fine mystery. All of which tantamount for one single reason—she is beautiful, she’s pretty—she is more than just a beauty.   And from this day by which I have known her wonderful being, I’ll forever keep the warmth of her presence which sweeps me off my feet as a realization that in this world, when the sky seems to be dark and gloomy, there is hope and it may come from a person named Dr. Franklin—and her kindness that cherishes me.

Example Statement of Purpose Teacher

Example Statement of Purpose Teacher The genesis of my intense interest in education, an interest which has now evolved into an aspiration and a pursuit for a career in the field, happened during my undergraduate studies, while I was a student of humanities. Eventually became the primary motivation for graduate and now for further Studies in Education Language, Culture Teaching at YORK University. My desire of further study in Education is derived from the need of our people and their welfare. Since 2003, once I completed my MSc in Psychology choose the profession of teaching as a career. I started teaching in a secondary school where I was able to help students in their studies of psychology related subjects. I use to meet the students parents and try to find out how to make a healthy relationship between students and parents. As I believe on continuous learning when ever there is as opportunity either to learn new strategies or any sort of teachers training found my self engaged in it. It always fascinated me to help people to improve their Education standards, life style and facilitate them by provision of my expert opinion and guidance for them through my education and experience. I strongly believe that MEd Education is exactly the sort of qualification required though which improvement of the Education standard of communities through education can be achieved. It is also an effective tool to promote the awareness about fundamental issues, and facilitate research to find different methods of teaching. It is to improve the education and well being of people with in the local communities and across the nation and different civilizations. It helps to facilitate people who are not fortunate enough to acquire the fruitful education system and well being. Education Language, Culture and teaching are an exciting and growing field of study. The field challenges its professionals to confront complex teaching methods, such as improvements access of education, and strong emphasis on the study of strategies to improve individuality with close attention to the cultural context. With the help of this degree I may seek to acquire or extend my knowledge and skills in early intervention (0 3 years), preschool programming (0 5 years), family services and public policy for children and families. Education studies are a diverse and dynamic field. As professionals come from varying educational backgrounds and can specialize in different fields. It is a very popular field geared toward serving others. These professionals then can better serve local, national, and international communities. They are leaders who meet the many exciting challenges in protecting the bad affects on study today and in the future. Not only for wellbeing but it is a reward ing field as well. The field of education offers great personal fulfillment working towards improving education standards and be able to suggest the learners the right way. YORK University of Toronto has the richest environment of latest facilities, courses and research facilities available. Making this degree from York University is the most urgent priority in my life. I became aware of Universitys Education programe and the degree that university offers fit exactly what I need and the goals in my professional carrier which I want to achieve. I regard this degree as a tool which will help me to make best changes in society and economy. Attending the degree is a major step preparing for a bright successful future in the Teaching. It is right time to start something innovative and to reach new goals in my life. The purpose to apply for a place at your university is precisely to acquire the depth of knowledge and sophistication of methodology to attain a superior level of expertise by way of strict training. In my previous academic background I have done my undergraduate study. I majored in Psychology because I have a keen interest in psychological disorder. I attained my undergraduate degree form Punjab University Lahore. I was outstanding both at academic courses and extracurricular activities. I was  among the best five in a class of 25. I acted as the assistant to the editor-in-chief  of the school literary newspaper. I am also in-charge of Student First Aid. During my Graduate Study in Psychology from Punjab University, I was among the best 5 in a class of 20. But at that time I begin to feel my needs for self-development in Psychology are not being satisfied because of the lack of necessary latest equipments and facilities available for research and development in this field. The lack of the latest  collection of books on psychology and researches facilities in our library also affected my systematic research. After postgraduate, I have completed different case studies on Educational  Psychology, on social Psychology and Muslim psychology. I also made a notebook on statistical psychology. During my Postgraduate study I visit Fountain House Mental Hospital, Lahore and different Psychiatry department for taking the case history and research findings. After finishing my graduate study in 2002 I start teaching in The  Educators School Lahore which is the project of Beacon house school system Pakistan. I teach mathematics and science and psychology subjects. Now I am doing a job in The Lyceum as pre school teacher. During teaching, my achievements are as following In 2004 I was appointed as the leader of school Teaching. On this post, I make term-based teaching plan, organize discussion and assessment, and coordinate testing. I won the title Excellent Young Teacher awarded by The Educators   for the years 2004, and 2006 respectively. I also have a title of the good teacher prohibiting the Parents complaints The education is a field that offers an abundance of job opportunities to suit a variety of interests and skills. Whether you are more interested in crunching numbers, conducting research, or working with people, there is a place for you in the field of Education. Recent college graduates and those that have been in the field for years have something to offer and to gain in this field. It is ideal for those that gain satisfaction knowing that they are working to improve the lives of others. Once graduate the professionals can work in both public and private sector organizations. Many graduates find work in public sector in local, state, or federal teaching institutes. Also the jobs available are at different schools, day care center or pre-school. Another great opportunity Is to avail the opportunity of working as researchers. Those interested in working for a non-profit organization can find jobs in NGO or research for organizations, or a local non-profit that focuses on specific Educational issues. Achievements cant quench my thrust for self improvement my personal desire is to always go further. This study at your university does help me to find innovative ways to accomplish my goals and to realize my full potential in every aspect of my future professional carrier. I want to approach my carrier with the best possible qualification and study at your institute is essential to such development. Making this degree is the most urgent priority in my life. I became aware of University programmes that you offer. The degree fit exactly what I needed and the goals in my professional carrier which I want to achieve. I regard this degree as a tool which will help me to make best changes in society and economy. Attending the degree is a major step preparing for a bright successful future in the social world. It is right time to start something innovative and to reach new goals in my life. I had chosen this option and this carrier goal is based on my skills, interests and carrier possibilities. I always set up my carrier goals high enough. My ultimate goal is to be a professional and a better human being .I shall be thanking full to you for your kind consideration.

Gender Essay -- essays research papers fc

â€Å"A businessman is aggressive; a businesswoman is pushy. A businessman is good on details; she is picky. He follows through; she doesn’t know when to quit. He stands firm; she is hard. His judgements are her prejudices. He is a man of the world; she’s been around. He isn’t afraid to say what is on his mind; she is mouthy. He exercises authority diligently; she’s power mad. He’s closemouthed; she’s secretive. He climbed the ladder of success; she slept her way to the top. From the first moment a child begins to understand the spoken word, they begin to receive messages about societies view of the different sexes. Language itself can not be deemed good or bad, but it does reflect individual or societal values. The above example displays the way in which language can be used to stereotype gender. Both sexes in the example are behaving in the same way but the language used has separated them, praising the male while disparaging the female. In order to explore the differences between males and females regarding language we must look at whether or not language is sexist, whether it is used differently by different genders and how language has changed, if at all, in relation to these points. Women’s roles in society have changed considerably over time, and they are now valued more than ever in society. It has been claimed that this has largely arisen due to the media. It has been said that newspapers and magazines now largely avoid sexist language, and even advertisers have changed their depiction of both genders to some degree. Universities have expanded their curricula to include courses for women, even hospital’s have changed their policies pertaining to childbirth in directions originally propounded by women’s movement activities; i.e. developing birthing centers etc. These examples are merely a few of the multitudes of changes that have occurred. It has been pointed out that the utilization of language differs with gender. For instance, women have more of a tendency to use finer discriminations than men do in some areas such as color terms. Women would be more at ease using the labels ‘Crimson’, ‘ecru’, or ‘beige’, more than men and men would be found to use the simpler version: â€Å"It’s blue, not cornflower.† It’s also been noted that men have a tendency to drop more expletives into a conversation than women, although some women do swear, especially younger fem... ...ten exploited as sexual objects. Women are described by their appearance while men normally are not, the implied message being that looks are more important for women and also the cause of their circumstance. In drawing an overall conclusion we have found that language itself is not sexist, but has been used by a male dominated society to oppress and denigrate females. Slowly but surely through a wave of feminist movements, this fact is being recognized. Steps are being taken to try and correct this and to give females a chance at being equal and not second class citizens. The more I became engrossed in this assignment the more I realized (being female) that we are being belittled by men’s use of language. It is true that many women apologize for their existence when conversing in general but more especially when interacting with men. This appears to be due to a general feeling of inferiority or lack of confidence. When society itself institutionalizes such attitudes, the language reflects the bias. When everyone in society is truly created equal and treated as such there will be little concern for the asymmetries that exist in the language. Bibliography: CrossCultural Psychology

How the Characters of the Scarlet Letter Represent Sin :: English Literature Essays

How the Characters of the Scarlet Letter Represent Sin Lexico Publishing Dictionary at Dictionary.com defines sin as; 1. A transgression of a religious or moral law, especially when deliberate, and 2. Something regarded as being shameful, deplorable, or utterly wrong. These who definitions cleary represent the sin in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, through the characters Hester Prynne, her daughter Pearl, Dimmesdale the father, and Chillingworth, Hester's husband. Hester Prynne, the wearer of the famous scarlet letter that gave the novel it's name, is the story's source of the unforgivable sin that tears through the community of Boston in the 1600's. Hester's future and reputation in her small home town were changed forever after she was sentenced to wear the beautifuly embroidered scarlet letter "A" for the rest of her days in the village. This letter on her chest forces her to be a public outcast, and a symbol for everyone else around her to look at, as a sinner. As Hawthorne describes it, "It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself" , it did just that. Hester soon realizes that she is in a world of her own now, and must deal with this punishment as she has brought it onto herself. Since the scarlet letter itself represents sin, it brings about her isolation from the world and shows her sin will affect her own livlihood. Also, things such as guilt and lonlines s are concequences of her sin, that she must learn to deal with. But probly the most important symbol of her sin is her daughter Pearl, as she is living evidence of the adultery between Hester and Dimmsedale. Pearl, the outcome of the relation between Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale, is the very embodiment of Hester. Pearl represents them same thing the scarlet letter represents in once sense, as both are bound to Hester forever and are both outcomes of her sin. Both Pearl and the letter A add to the anguish and pain that the scarlet letter offer from her mother's sin. Pearl is not just a reminder of the deed like the scarlet letter, but actually helps in the torturing of her mother without knowing it. As it did to Hester, the scarlet letter became a big part in Pearls life. Pearls attraction to it drove her mother into even more suffering.

Free Grendel Essays: Social Commentary :: Grendel Essays

Authors often have to choose between concentrating on either plot or social commentary when writing their novels; in John Gardener's Grendel, the plot becomes is a secondary consideration. Grendel's exploits provide the reader with a clear understanding of the strong opinions the author carries and can be seen clearly as a narrative supporting nihilism in its many forms. The reader easily perceives the blatant religious subtext in the guise of corrupt priests and the foolish faithful. The notion of the old being wise is unacceptable to Gardener along with any notion of hero idolization. Within his novel, Gardner expresses his views concerning religion, wisdom and nature. Religion plays a large role in Grendel. Priests do not want to perform their services without the proper payment, which, in turn, allows the rich the most access to 'religion' and God. The citizens of the village are also confusingly polytheistic and monotheistic. When praying to their king god does not decrease the frequency of Grendel's visits, they retreat to begging any god of which they have known for help. This reveals their faith to be not faith at all but rather faith that will remain faith as long as it can be proven. A proven religious faith is contradictory term, for it can only be placed in a religion that cannot be proven lest it is true faith no longer. Grendel's interludes with the dragon portray, at their onsets, the dragon as a worldly, wise creature with much to share. The dragon haughtily informs Grendel about his vast store of knowledge as he teases him with how much he knows. As Grendel's interests are piqued, the dragon expends the cumulative result of his travails: "Know how much you've got, and beware of strangers†¦My advice to you, my violent friend, is to seek out gold and sit on it" (Gardner page #). Although the dragon serves as a vessel to point out the necessity of Grendel and makes some pointed observations about mankind, all his respectability is lost with those two short sentences. The author is making an observation about materialism and the falsehood of wisdom always accompanying age. After all his years of intense scrutiny, the dragon can only grasp from human- and animalkind alike that possessions are the key to life's existence. Nature against society is also discussed in Grendel. The fact that citizens surrounded with religion and social status could be so easily overtaken by nature (Grendel) gives a sense of irony to the reader.

Learning Disabilities Essay

Children that are dealing with learning disabilities have a difficult road ahead of them. If the disability is neglected or overlooked for too long, the probability of the child falling behind in school as well as social aspects in their life is very high. However, properly identifying the problem and determining the best steps to assist in managing the disability will be vital in their young lives in helping them to achieve their goals. Life can be difficult and sometimes cruel for children, let alone children that are dealing with learning disabilities. A learning disability is a neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to process and respond to information. Cognitive theory and children with learning disabilities have a close relationship. When talking about children who have learning disabilities, it is safe to say that they are not always identified in its earliest stage, which then can lead to long term problems in an individual’s life. From physical, emotional, and social obstacles, all of which they will encounter at some point in their lives if the necessary measures are not taken to help these children. Not having the organizational abilities to acquire the knowledge as it may be taught, limits the ability to properly learn. From the articles I have selected, Children With and Without Learning Disabilities: A Comparison of Processes and Outcomes Following Group Counseling, Analogical Problem Solving in Children With Verbal and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities, Working memory functioning in children with learning disabilities: does intelligence make a difference?, The Inhibition of Exogenous Distracting Information in Children with Learning Disabilities, and Cognitive functioning as measured by the WISC-R: Do children with learning disabilities have distinctive patterns of performance?, I will provide insight on how, why, and what the resolutions  are for these children. My chosen theory is relevant to my topic because a learning disability is a neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to process and respond to information. A child with a learning disability may not have any major sensory problems yet they may still struggle to keep up with people of their age in functions of learning and regular daily activities. Through our development process, we become equipped with skills in order to grow, succeed, and evolve into our adult life. When a development stage, cognitive development stage, shows that the basic listening, comprehension, writing, reading, speaking, and the ability to reason are not present, someone needs to identify and address the situation as early on as possible in order for the child to have a chance to grow in all other stages of development. â€Å"Children With and Without Learning Disabilities: A Comparison of Processes and Outcomes Following Group Counseling† article will help to shed some light on the events that occur during the counseling process. â€Å"Analogical Problem Solving in Children With Verbal and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities† will help me explain how the children struggle with problem solving when dealing with a learning disability. In the article â€Å"Working memory functioning in children with learning disabilities: does intelligence make a difference?† will identify the importance of having a good, functioning ability to memorize and how children that have learning disabilities usually lack this ability. Cognitive Theory and Learning Disabilities Cognitive theory and children with learning disabilities have a close relationship. When talking about children who have learning disabilities, it is safe to say that they are not always identified in its earliest stage, which then can lead to long term problems in an individual’s life. From physical, emotional, and social obstacles, all of which they will encounter at some point in their lives if the necessary measures are not taken to help these children. Not having the organizational abilities to acquire the knowledge as it may be taught, limits the ability to properly  learn. A learning disability is a neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to process and respond to information. A child with a learning disability may not have any major sensory problems yet they may still struggle to keep up with people of their age in functions of learning and regular daily activities. Through our development process, we become equipped with skills in order to grow, succeed, and evolve into our adult life. When a development stage, cognitive development stage, shows that the basic listening, comprehension, writing, reading, speaking, and the ability to reason are not present, someone needs to identify and address the situation as early on as possible in order for the child to have a chance to grow in all other stages of development. An example of the theory and condition where the two are intertwined would be when a child is in school and could be having difficulties with what other children take for granted as being simple skills that have been learned through development and interaction with parents, teachers, etc. In this child’s situation, he/she does not have the ability to understand the story that he had just read, and now has the task of answering questions about the story in writing. His cognitive development stage for some reason has not evolved the way it should have, which now has left him battling a learning disability that may have gone unnoticed by his parents. In this situation, it is now up to the teacher to be able to identify what is taking place and to make sure that the child receives the necessary attention and evaluation in order to help him/her overcome and cope with what they are struggling with. The difficult part in the whole process is identifying learning disabilities early on and being able to treat them appropriately and in a timely manner. With children, unless significant signs are present, the struggles early on could be attributed to just being a child if one isn’t familiar with the signs of a disability. Once the disability is diagnosed, many options and opportunities are present to help assist in the overcoming of the problems. However, if the disability goes undetected or ignored for too long, a life  of challenges lies ahead for the individual. Literature Review -Children With and Without Learning Disabilities: A Comparison of Processes and Outcomes Following Group Counseling. Authors name: Leichtentritt, Judith; Shechtman, Zipora. Publication date: Mar/Apr 2010 Title of publication: Journal of Learning Disabilities Summary: This study compared outcomes and processes in counseling groups of an expressive-supportive modality for children with learning disabilities (LD) and without them (NLD). Article relevance: This article provides and inside look and results into determining what the best form of counseling is for children with learning disabilities. -Analogical Problem Solving in Children With Verbal and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities. Authors name: Schiff, Rachel; Bauminger, Nirit Publication date: Jan 2009 Title of publication: Journal of Learning Disabilities Summary: In this study, they investigated the analogical problem-solving differences between children with verbal learning disabilities (VLD), nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD), or non-LD. Article relevance: This reference will help to show the struggles that LD children have in problem solving and the great disadvantage that they must overcome with this disability. Working memory functioning in children with learning disabilities: does intelligence make a difference? Authors name: Maehler, C; Schuchardt, K. Publication date: Jan 2009 Title of publication: Journal of Intellectual Disability Research Summary: The present study explored several functions of working memory. A working memory battery with tasks for the phonological loop, the visual-spatial sketchpad and central executive skills was presented in individual sessions to 27 children with learning disabilities and normal IQ (ICD-10: mixed disorders of scholastic skills), 27 children with learning disabilities and low IQ (intellectual disabilities), and a control group of 27 typically  developing children with regular school achievement levels and normal IQ. Article relevance: To show a comparison on how the functions of the brain are affected when dealing with a child with a learning disability. -The Inhibition of Exogenous Distracting Information in Children with Learning Disabilities. Authors name: Censabella, Sandrine; Marie-Pascale Noà «l Publication date: Sept/Oct 2005 Title of publication: Journal of Learning Disabilities Summary: This article reports on an experiment examining the capacities of children with LD to inhibit exogenous interference, such as automatic, prepotent responses and distractor interference. Article relevance: To support the fact that children with LD have interference with there working memory and to explain the possible solutions. -Cognitive functioning as measured by the WISC-R: Do children with learning disabilities have distinctive patterns of performance? Authors name: Amedeo D’ Angiulli; Siegel,Linda S. Publication date: Jan/Feb 2003 Title of publication: Journal of Learning Disabilities Summary: Patterns of performance on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) have been proposed as useful tools for the identification of children with learning disabilities (LD Article relevance: Support in the findings that children with an LD show a pattern in performance that can be determined in early stages in order to counteract the disability. Conclusion The reality of the situation is that learning disabilities in children will always be around. The hope is that someday, with improving knowledge and experimentation, we will have a solution in the process of treating the disability that will allow for the children that have the issues to not feel isolated. The fear alone of a child falling behind in school and in their social life is a stressful situation for that child. Identifying the  disability early and treating it properly is the key to a life without handcuffs.

Analyzing Psychological Disorders Essay

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that is chronic and severe. It can be a disabling illness that affects men and women with the same ratio or frequency. This term is from a Greek word that means having a â€Å"split mind†. Though this usage in medical terms is not accurate. The Western perception of this illness is their belief that the term is equal to a disorder of split personality. They have been found to be very distinct mental disorders. People afflicted with schizophrenia do not manifest split personalities. Schizophrenia is an illness hat affects the mind and is characterized by the disability of perceptions and manifestations of reality. Schizophrenia has five classifications. The first is the paranoid type where hallucinations and delusions are present but there is absence of disorganized behavior, thought disorder and active flattening. The disorganized type of schizophrenia occurs when active flattening and thought disorder are both present. Catatonic schizophrenia occurs when there is evidence of psychomotor disturbances. There is the presence of psychotic symptoms in the undifferentiated type but there is also absence of criteria for the other types of schizophrenia. The residual type is wherein all the symptoms of the mental disorder is present at low level of intensity. Signs and symptoms for people with schizophrenia suffer from delusions and false faith in their personal convictions despite the presentation of evidence disproving the matter. This symptom is not explained by a person’s cultural background and orientation. Those afflicted also suffer from hallucinatory perceptions that can manifest when there is a lack of external diversion. The most common type of hallucination is the hearing of voices and other sounds. There is also the manifestation of disorganized attitude, behavior and thoughts. Speech is also incoherent and disorganized. The person suffering from this type of mental disorder display catatonic behavior wherein the person’s body may become rigid and unresponsive. The causes of schizophrenia are unknown. There are a lot of factors that are said to be involved with the formation of this illness. There is an interaction between genetics, biology, psychology and the environment that leads to the mental disorder. Medical science does not have a full understanding of all the causes and other concerns related to the mental disorder. Recent research and medical studies is slowly but surely shows improvement and progress that would help define the causes of schizophrenia and their explanation. An increase in the dopaminergic activity that is inside the mesolimbic pathway of the brain is a constant and significant finding (Bentall 2005). Data gathered from a PET study shows suggestions that the lesser frequency the frontal lobes are activated during a task that involves a working memory there is a greater increase in the abnormality of dopamine activity in the striatum that is though to be related to deficits in neurocognition in schizophrenia. While the credibility of the diagnosis has introduced many difficulties in the measurement of the relative effect of genes and the factor of environment, more and more evidence have suggested that environmental and genetic factors can combine and create a reaction that would lead to the mental disorder of schizophrenia. Suggestions have also been made regarding the diagnosis of schizophrenia had an important genetic composition but that is influenced by the stressors or factors relating to the environment. The concept of a vulnerability that can be inherited from by some people can be destroyed by psychological, biological and environmental stressors. This is known as the stress-diathesis model. The idea that psychological, biological and social factors is more significant is called the biopsychosocial model in analyzing the causes of schizophrenia (Goldner, Hsu 2002). The approximate degree and frequency of hereditary causes in schizophrenia has a tendency to vary because of the difficulty in the separation of the effects of the environment and genetics. Twin studies have both suggested that there is a high rate of cases involving schizophrenia caused by genetic factors. It is possible that schizophrenia is a mental condition that is complicated in hereditary nature with many genes likely interacting to increase the risk of schizophrenia or the separate parts that can also occur that will lead to its diagnosis. Studies in genetics have implied that genes that increase the risk for the development of schizophrenia are not specific and may also increase the risk of development of other psychotic disorders. A breakthrough in recent research also suggested that very rare copies or omissions of small DNA sequences within the genes that are known as copy number variants were also related to the increased rate of risk for the development of schizophrenia (Noll 2006). It has also been thought that factors that cause schizophrenia can combine in the early development of the human brain during pregnancy. This would later increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. One finding that raised a great amount of curiosity is that people who were diagnosed with the mental illness is said to have been more possibly born in spring or winter in those living in the northern hemisphere of the planet. There is current evidence that exposure to infections during the prenatal stage can increase the risk of the development of schizophrenia in the age of maturity. This finding provides additional proof that linked the utero-developmental pathology with the risk of developing the mental disorder. Social conditions also help the increased risk of schizophrenia. People who are living in a highly urbanized environment have been found out to be exposed to great risk of being afflicted with the mental disorder. Poverty, poor living conditions and social status has also been found to contribute to the risk factor. Migration of people that is related to social problems like racial discrimination, unemployment and people coming from broken families also become factors of developing schizophrenia. There has been an implication made regarding the risk factor of childhood abuse and trauma that can cause schizophrenia later on in life. Lack of support and family dysfunctions also increase the risk but not directly connected to parenting. Substance use have also been found to increase the risk of schizophrenia but the relationship of this link is found to be complex. There has been some difficulty in distinguishing a clear relationship of substance use and the mental disorder. There is also solid evidence that the usage of certain illegal substances can start the onset or relapse of the mental illness in some people. These people who were diagnosed with schizophrenia use these substances to overcome negative emotions that comes with the intake of anti-psychotic medication and the mental condition itself. Negative feelings of paranoia and anhedonia were considered to be primary characteristics. The ingestion of amphetamines can trigger the brain to release dopamine that would increase dopamine activity. It is this excessive increase in activity that it is known to be partially responsible for the manifestation of psychotic symptoms of the mental disorder. This is partially supported by the idea that amphetamines can worsen the symptoms present in schizophrenia. This type of mental disorder can be triggered by heavy usage of stimulants and hallucinogens. One study has suggested the that the use of cannabis contributes to the occurrence of psychosis though some researchers suspect that the use of this substance was only a small part of the many factors of schizophrenia (Green 2002). There is also a number of psychological reasons that have been implicated in the development and sustainability of schizophrenia. A number of cognitive biases have been named in those that have been diagnosed and those that are at risk especially when there is the application of stress or in a state of confusion overly increased attention to potential threats, arriving at conclusions and impaired reasoning. There is also the manifestation of difficulty in differentiating from inner speech mechanism to one coming from an external entity and difficulty in retaining concentration. Case Studies: Anxiety Tom is an engineer, he is happily married, and he is the father of three bright, healthy children. By all appearances, his life is stable and satisfying. Tom, however, suffers from continual worry that he has a difficult time turning off. His anxiety may center on anything from his perceived health problems (he has recently been to his doctor for a physical, but no health issues were discovered) to money and job responsibilities. At times his anxiety peaks to the point that it interferes with his ability to function on the job. Physical symptoms include muscle tension, headaches, and hot flashes that often accompany Tom’s anxiety. Tom often feels nauseated, and he becomes easily fatigued. When he feels anxious, Tom has difficulty concentrating, he becomes irritable, and he has difficulty falling asleep at night. All of these symptoms have been present for the last 6 months. Tom has tried to talk himself out of his anxiety, but this has not worked for him. Toms wife is supportive, but she does not know what to do for her husband (Hauser, 2005). Neural circuitry involving the amygdala and hippocampus is thought to underlie anxiety. When confronted with unpleasant and potentially harmful stimuli such as foul odors or tastes, PET-scans show increased bloodflow in the amygdala. Possible mechanism is malfunction in the parabrachial nucleus, a structure in the brain, that among other functions, coordinates signals from the amygdala with input concerning balance. The amygdala is involved in the emotion of fear. Biochemical factors come into play. Low levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter that reduces overactivity in the central nervous system, contributes to anxiety. A number of anxiolytics achieve their effect by modulating the GABA receptors.

Insanity Defense: Why Should It Essay

Abstract The author of this paper argues several reasons why the insanity plea should be changed or either eliminated. The reasons are considered and supported by evidence. The conclusion states that insanity should be altered or eliminated for the safety and well being of society. Insanity Defense: Why Should It Be Abolished Or Altered Introduction The insanity defense asserts that the criminal defendant is not guilty by reason of insanity. This theory should be abolished or altered. The proposal behind the defense is people who are insane cannot have the knowledge required to perform a criminal act because they either do not know that act is wrong or cannot control their actions even when they understand the act is wrong, but this theory is controversial because insanity is difficult to define, and the circumstances in which insanity can be used to excuse criminal responsibility are difficult to define. History And Background The theory of the insanity defense has been around since ancient Greece and Rome. The theory was put in to use by Edward II. Under the English common law, a person was declared insane if their mental capacity was no more than a so-called â€Å"wild beast†. The first insanity trials began in 1724, those who  were insane and under the age of 14 were found not guilty in the court of law. (Wiki 2011) This eventually led to any criminal or defendant being able to use the plea to excuse the act that had been committed. Though the act was in place it wasn’t upheld in court and wasn’t problem at the time. In 1986 (Ford v. Wainwright) the US Supreme court upheld the common law that the insane cannot be executed. It also stated that a person under the death penalty is to be given a competency evaluation and a hearing in court on his or her chances to be executed. In Wainwright v. Greenfield the prosecutor can argue that a person’s silence during the readingâ€℠¢s of their Miranda rights is evidence of insanity. (Wiki 2011) The court gives jurisdiction for insanity in different rules or a combination of them. The â€Å"M’Nagthen rule† is where the defendant either did not understand what he or she did or failed to distinguish right from wrong, because the disease of the mind. The â€Å"Irresistible Impulse† test as a result of mental disease, defendant was unable to control his impulses, which led to the crime committed. The â€Å"Durham Rule† regardless of any diagnosis, defendant’s mental defect resulted in the criminal act. Finally the â€Å"Model Penal Code† due to the diagnosed mentally ill defendant either failed to understand the crime of his or her acts or was unable to act within the confines of the law. (Lally 1997)) The defense declares that a criminal defendant should not be guilty because the defendant is insane. Whens someone commits a crime in today’s society he or she may use mental illness as a defense, know as insanity plea or insanity defense (Dubsinki 1986). What the insanity defense does is try to give the criminal a so-called fair trial. Even if the crime committed is very extreme and seems to be unruly. The problem arises where do we draw the line for these criminals. What principle is a person considered insane and how is the tested? Insanity defense has been a problem in recent years, and that all criminals have some sort of mental illness. The crime itself no matter how extreme questions the fact if it demonstrates insanity. It has been a major ordeal in our legal system today. If the criminals are considered insane and out of touch with reality, the justice system agrees to pass the trial and the criminals are entered into a mental hospital. (Carpenter 2011) Criminals are then found not guilty by reason of insanity. The Problem For instance, the problem with insanity defense is legal analysts examine each client or criminal from a legal angle, also conversing to different doctors as well as specialists. Each client has to undergo tests. They do not actually come up with scientific prove from the brain to say the person is either mentally ill or not. (Khan 2014) This is the hardest part of the insanity defense, determining whether or not that person is mentally insane or acting like it. How can a person who kills twelve people including women and children be allowed to live in mental hospital while the victim’s families suffer from the loss of their loved ones. Forensic psychiatrist Jonas Rappeport saw such pleas during his quarter century as chief medical officer of Baltimore’s Circuit Court said, â€Å"When you’ve got no better defense, that’s the way to go.†(White 2011) The fact is sometimes these criminals are using the insanity defense to avoid the death penalty and continuing to live life in prison or mental hospitals, and under some circumstances are released from the mental hospitals affirming the patients have been cured (Khan 2014). Any defendant can use the defense. Lorena Bobbitt argued she was temporarily insane when she severed her husband’s penis with a kitchen knife four years ago. She was released after three months of psychiatric evaluation. (Carpenter 2011) Crimes happen everyday, some crimes are inexcusable and those who commit them should be punished. The punishment should fit the crime if we do something that is equally as extreme as take a life from another person, we should not be allowed to defend ourselves by insanity. Murder should go charged which is why the insanity plea should be altered or erased. It allows the criminals to go unpunished for their crime. Rebuttal There are however many criminals who do have some type of mental illness, but still are not eligible for the insanity plea. As shown in a recent survey of prison populations there are higher rates of mental illness and substance abuse among inmates than the general population. (Lally1997) The determining of insanity is very difficult and can inaccurate. If the person is clinically insane what principles do we use to penalize the individual for the crimes they committed? If he or she does not know right from wrong and if the person is out of touch with reality, under what circumstances is the plea suitable for the crime committed? An example would be if shoplifter was  charged for his or her crime and uses the insanity plea as a defense saying they weren’t in touch with reality, we would give that person a reduced sentence. If the person confirms to be insane they need to receive help, if we decided to put that person into a prison it would not help them what so ever. The insanity plea is a very controversial topic many people think it should be erased others think it should be altered. The difficulty of changing the plea is because of the determining if one is sane of not and under what right to do we have to choose the faith of another person. Resolution Accordingly resolution is the insanity plea should be erased or abolished because it’s a threat to the American people. Considering a large number of Americans feel the insanity plea should be erased or even altered to protect people’s own safety. (Dubsinki 1986) Using the insanity plea in a murder case and getting away with disproves the American people. Imagine the reaction people would feel if a murderer who just recently left the mental institution after pleading mentally insane were walking shoulder to shoulder to them. Insanity should not be used as a so-called excuse to avoid the punishment of the crime someone has committed. They should be punished for their actions they ch oose to do and neither the justice or court system should have a say in that. Even though the difficulty to prove sanity is questionable, the person should go through a broader series of tests and have evidence compelling towards insanity. (Harris 2013) If this person is sent to a mental hospital and then is considered cured or not a threat, he or she free to go which is wrong and corrupt. We should have firm standard for judging whether a person is mentally ill or not. Conclusion Thus, the plea should be altered or even erased in some circumstances. Even though some of crimes committed would result in a death penalty for those who murder and kill for no reason. If that person is insane, the punishments should fit the crime they have committed. If they are unaware of what they were doing and the result is being found not guilty, who is to say that they will not commit another crime again. Murder should be punished with death in my opinion and the crime should fit the punishment and there should be no alibi in the court system. If we let these people continue t o use this excuse eventually our jails and mental will be full and the government will be spending even more  money. (Harris 2013) Taking these so called mentally insane people off the streets will give America a safer conscious. References, Dubsinki, K. D. (1986, July 15). Insanity Defense. In Chicago Tribute. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://articles.chicagotribune.com Khan, Z. (2014, March 21). Interview by HK Khan [Personal Interview]. Insanity defense Harris, M. (2013, January 14). Insanity plea repeated. In The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved March 20, 2014, from http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-01-14/ Insanity defense (2011, April 11). In Wikipedia . Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insanity_defense Carpenter, P. (2011, December 29). Legal system needs to rethink insanity, related defense ploys. In The Morning Call . Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://articles.mcall.com/ White, M. D. (2011, January 11). Debating the Insanity Defense. In Psychology Today . Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ Lally, S. (1997, November 3). Drawing a Clear Line Between Criminals and the Criminally Insane. In Washington Post. Retrieved April 20, 2014, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/aron/expert1123.htm

EBI Special Order Analysis

This case study focuses on a business opportunity that has recently been offered to the Earth Baby Inc. (EBB). It concerns a business proposal that will increase the company's sales dimensions while also adding integral quality to its value chain through an alliance with a retail discount business, I. E. Great Deal Inc. (GUI).This analysis will take into consideration one or more strategic measures that should perhaps be taken by EBB in order to assist in identifying and mainlining risk and in order to insure that the proposed business agreement is in the best interest of the company. Aside from the more familiar decisional strategy which has always proven to be reliably effective, e. G. , a SOOT Analysis, an examination of the possible benefits arising from the use of an available heuristic approach that utilizes-foresight and hindsight Judgment parameters'-will be discussed.Keywords: EBB, GUI, SOOT, availability heuristic, hindsight bias, foresight knowledge The proposed opportunit y that has presented itself to EBB entails increasing the company's market share of baby food products through Geld's distribution chain and there resources. The proposed venture will offer EBB an increased profit percentage only if the company agrees to alter its current food processing formulas as well as turn-over a substantial portion of its branding rights to GUI.It is in the best interest of EBB at this time to conduct a comprehensive risk analysis with regards to the changes that will be made concerning the impact upon Bi's new product formula, new business environment and customer base along with branding techniques, marketing strategies and supply chain activities. Risk Analysis Conducting a thorough SOOT analysis would be advisable at first in order to assess Bi's internal strengths and weaknesses and how they will measure up against the- opportunities which may inadvertently turn into threats-with respects to the changes that will occur within Bi's newly adopted business environment.EBB will be challenged to weigh those resources that make up the force behind its competitive advantage(s) because it will be risking the success of its current business strategies against the sum of those changes that will impact it, should the company accept Geld's proposal (Bateman & Snell, 2009). Bi's management might consider backing up the information it garnered from a SOOT analysis with another method that examines the potential of risk involved with regard to opting for a reconfigured or otherwise entirely new and untried business strategy.A method that undertakes the available heuristic approach has been shown to provide business decisions makers with unique way -if optimal results are obtained- of incorporating intuitive Judgment-, referred to as-‘hindsight bias'- and integrating the more positive properties of this mind set with more quantifiable intellectual data referred to as -foresight knowledge'- with respects to formulating new strategies under th e constraints of various risks.This method gauges the two schools of thought by measuring and matching up- and then mapping and mathematically analyzing -the positive relationships between probable outcomes of certain risk factors, as in this case-they may pertain to and/or have- significant bearing on a number of business decisions, their outcomes, and their consequences based primarily upon their -perceived and qualitative'- susceptibility to risks.Conclusion Although at this Juncture, Bi's decision to employ the use of the availability heuristic may seem precarious, however the opportunity to identify and neutralize the risks of he proposal while also discovering some new and innovative strategies does present itself. A safer strategic analysis could be provided through the use of one or more of the conventionally known analytical tools, e. G.SOOT or Porters Five Forces. In any event it would be within Bi's very best interest to thoroughly investigate all the avenues of risks as well as opportunities before making a final decision to accept Geld's business proposal.

Authentic Assessment vs. Standardized Testing Research Paper

Authentic Assessment vs. Standardized Testing - Research Paper Example Such simulations can aid the students to process new information by connecting it to prior knowledge of the subject. When instruction is adapted to conform to the theory of multiple intelligences, it naturally follows that assessment should be similarly adapted. However, in most schools, the assessment practices to gauge student progress rely mainly on standardized testing methods that are often inauthentic, and which only reveal whether the student can recognize and recall what has been told to him/her by way of the lesson. Thus, high scores on standardized tests are a measure of how well a student can take the test and not his/her actual working knowledge. Besides, the standardized tests which comprise of multiple choice, fill in the blank, and true/false questions do not actually promote learning as they only evaluate what the student knows at that particular point in time. The standardized tests cannot identify students in need of intervention or help formulate appropriate instru ctional strategies. This form of assessment of student performance, in fact, controls learning. The test scores lead the students to believe that right answers are more important than analysis and approach. About standardized testing methods, Meier (2002) states clearly that, â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.standardized tests are utterly counterproductive for the educational purpose of seeing what kids have learned in school so as to improve education for all† (p.105). Also, according to Meir, standardized tests do not represent the sole evidence of a student’s intellectual growth. Standardized tests follow pre-set criteria that stipulate how, where and by whom the test is to be administered and scored, who else besides the teacher and the student can be present, the way questions are asked, and what responses are acceptable. That is, such a testing controls all the elements involved in the assessment process except the child's responses. Standardized test results are repo rted using standard scores. Gardner (1993) is of the opinion that the most widely used standardized tests of intelligence (e.g., The Wechsler scales and the Stanford-Binet) measure only linguistic and logical/mathematical intelligences whereas the purpose of assessment should be to obtain information about the skills and potentials of individuals. A multidimensional assessment of students based on a broader concept of intelligence, ability, and learning would be more in line with the theory of multiple intelligences. Authentic assessment, also called performance assessment, portfolio assessment, curriculum-embedded instruction, or integrated education is, according to Miesels et al. (2003), â€Å"......an instructional-driven measurement in which students’ actual classroom performance is evaluated in terms of standards-infused criteria†. In this method of assessment, a student is evaluated on a broader concept of intelligence, ability, and learning based on all intelli gences identified by MI including visual, musical, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and naturalistic abilities in addition to verbal and logical potential. Such an assessment will be formative, providing immediate feedback for learning and teaching,

Imogene King's theory of goal attainment Research Paper

Imogene King's theory of goal attainment - Research Paper Example A mutually shared communication between the nurse and the patient is assumed to happen according to the theory. This in turn formulates the goal towards which they work together. The patient’s perception of the world as a total person making transactions with the other individuals and groups of individuals has been considered a major assumption of the discussed theory. The major concepts which are covered by the theory of goal attainment are based on different systems of interaction which includes; personal systems, interpersonal systems and social systems. The most remarkable advantage of the theory is that it considers all human beings of equal worth (King, 1999). The very fact that the theory of goal attainment considers interaction between the nurse and the patient as a key factor of goal setting and attainment makes it applicable in practical nursing situations. Interaction, transaction and communication which happen between the nurse, patient and also the allied systems of interactions decide what is to be achieved. Here, the goal which is set becomes case specific and thus becomes more effective. In other words, the nurse and the patient as a result of their interaction, communication and transaction decide together what is to be considered as a goal in terms of the health care of the patient. This approach is more inclusive as it considers a number of factors including social, interpersonal and personal concepts. Thus the goal becomes holistic and the achieved results becomes of long term implications. In the local nursing scen ario, this would mean that the treatment will have long term positive implications. The theory of goal attainment leaves the nurse at the advantage of having the freedom to take participatory decisions with the patient. This strengthens the personal interaction between both the parties. The application of this theory in practical nursing practice is thus of huge

Historical essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Historical - Essay Example Lovell had been promised to fly Apollo 14 but his boss Deke Slayton informed him that his team would fly Apollo 13 instead. Lovell and his team Ken Mattingly and Fred Haise had to embark on the mission at hand came out as a cooperation affair. The launch was to take place, but one of the teammates Ken Mattingly was diagnosed with measles attack and immediate replacement was inevitable. In conjunction with Carpenter and Carl’s ideas, I perceive that this was to show that humans have no power to fight the evil in the society with nature and all that is available within the environment. Jack Swigert replaced Mattingly, but Lovell looked as not happy about it, but he gave into it because he was threatened by Slayton, his boss that he might lose his position as a commander. In the movie Marylyn Lovell’s wife had nightmares about the trip his husband was to embark on, but she gained courage and went to see him off to Cape Kennedy the very night before the launch. The flight director Gene Kranz on April 15, 1970, gave permission for the launch from the Mission Control Center in Houston. I like how the launch began with the release of the rocket Saturn V to the sky, the engine cuts off prenatally at the second stage, but the craft eventually reaches the Earth Orbit. The third stage was the actual sending of Apollo 13 to actual entry to the moon was particularly captivating. Swigert anchorages the command service module with the lunar module and later jerks it from the expanded phase. This was the start of testing the heroes as mentioned by Carpenter and Carl. I did not understand why the crew tried to send a live broadcast after three days from the command module, yet there was a network failure. It is during this normal cleaning process done by Swigert, tank-carrying oxygen explodes leaving only one tank with liquid oxygen for the

Job interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Job interview - Essay Example This shows that Baqer is capable of handling tasks that require quick decision making. As a panel an interviewer, I feel that the Baqer Alhashimdid is fit for the job. Baqer Alhashimdid’s questions were technical and they required much thought before answering. The questions focused on one’s ability to make effective decisions fast. Baqer Alhashimdid’s questions were well formulated and could have helped in evaluating how much the interviewee would be able to deal with situations that involved dealing with problems that involved teamwork as is always the case in most organizations. Generally, the questions asked adequately challenging and effective in determining the potential of a person in handling a wide range of situations. As an energy manager, Baqer Alhashimdid’s always has to be competent in ensuring that the organization’s energy supply is reliable. This means that he must be well equipped with various mechanisms that help in the provision of energy taking into consideration the need for back-up energy sources. Having worked in a capacity that involved operations and maintenance scheduling, he is bound to help the company prepare for emergencies that may arise related to his department. As a good team player, he is bound to keep his staff motivated and in providing solutions in the event that conflicts

Daily Social Responsibility in Action Assignment

Daily Social Responsibility in Action - Assignment Example The involved actions in social responsibility may not necessarily remedy the actual effects on the society but aim achieving an overall social benefit. Organizations also engage in social responsibility in order to meet interest of people who influence the organization’s existence and operations. Partnerships and other contracts may for example be tied to terms for corporate social responsibility and this forces organization to honor their obligations to the stakeholders (Grossling, 2011). Another reason for organization’s participation in social responsibility is that the role averts pressure that would have built against the organization’s interest such as crimes into vandalism of assets (Visser, Matten, Pohl and Tolhurst, 2010). Organizations derive diversified benefits from their participation in social responsibility. Such benefits include reduced costs due to recycled resources, innovation into new products, motivated staff and a safer environment. The organization’s employees however benefit from â€Å"environmental awareness,† and â€Å"improved staff morale† towards higher output levels (Frank and Neergaard, 2012, p. 86). My experience with a company that involved in corporate social responsibility involves witnessing academic sponsorship by a commercial bank to needy students. The bank’s partners initiated this role and it improved customer’s loyalty to the bank, especially people from the beneficiary

Currency Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Currency Act - Essay Example The government could decide to sidestep the initial referendum because of its own notion that such votes are not legally binding; in this respect it would be correct (Mendelsohn and Parkin 47-51). The fact remains, however, that the original Currency Act held that the pound sterling could not be changed as the official currency of Great Britain until a referendum had been held. By bypassing this element of the original Act, the British government could be held accountable for the changed currency in any way prosecutors saw fit. The change from the pound sterling into the weaker euro could mean that any number of businesses would face monetary challenges in the way of investment, wages and ultimately in profit; if the right people with the means to bring the issue up did so, the government would have to admit it simply ignored the referendum aspect of the original Currency Act. Despite the fact that an amendment or repeal to the Currency Act is, in effect, illegal without referendum, the establishment of the euro as the official currency of Great Britain would not be too difficult a feat if the government was decided on a course of action. This is particularly true because of the European Monetary Institute.

ER patient intake and hipaa training update Research Paper

ER patient intake and hipaa training update - Research Paper Example Very often ER rooms become crowed with the patient’s family members. Eventually, in such circumstances it becomes extremely tough and stressful for the ER staffs to manage and provide necessary treatment facilities to the patients. ER staff frequently deals directly with the individual in crisis (University of California, 2012). The ER staff members are supposed to work in a charged and stressful atmosphere which is further overloaded with numerous sensory stimuli such as rushing of people, ringing of phones and other related activities. Atmosphere inside the emergency room is something that always demands urgency of work and rush. The ER staffs are always busy in treating patients or in rapid disposition of not so serious or extremely serious patients to other rooms in order to make more space for those patients in more critical condition. Moreover, the ER staff members must be able to distinguish patients who have minored illnesses and who have critical illnesses in order to provide treatment on sequential basis (Phipps, 1988). Contextually, the training will be provided to the staffs associated with the ER department of HIPAA. Moreover, the training will be offered to healthcare providers, business associates, professionals dealing with mental health and people making support team in the healthcare information. Training will be provided by the group of experts in the respective field with the use of latest technologies. The training will aim at developing a less stressful environment for augmenting the efficiencies of the ER staffs. The training should also be provided to ER staffs in matter relating as how and when to access Protected Health Information (PHI) as well as how to maintain confidentiality about the pivotal PHI. Part 2 Organization Analysis HIPAA is responsible for providing training to the employees, agents and volunteers of the organizations that constitute a â€Å"covered entity† under the Act. The training offered in HIPAA incl udes its rules, policies, and manipulation of its information systems, along with privacy protections, violation procedures and many more (Northwest Fire District, 2011). HIPAA educational courses served to the staffs focus on the key areas including confidentiality of the patients’ information and its usage. HIPAA also provide computer training to the different groups of the employees for effective management of the patient’s health information. However, even after such efficient training program, ER staffs are unable to render effective service in patients care and in matters related with PHI confidentiality. Hence, it becomes necessary for the HIPAA to develop its training methods and programs, especially those concerning ER staffs. Task Analysis Essentially, the HIPAA training task is designed to train employees towards ensuring careful utilization of patient’s health information. Hence, it can be affirmed that HIPAA aims to provide training to ER staffs in managing the patients’ information according to the norms established with this concern. HIPAA training program is considered as cost effective for the â€Å"covered entity† employees with regard to privacy and security requirement under the Act. Personal Analysis The training provided by the HIPAA may change the way in which an individual performs his/her job. After completion of the training phase, employees offered with a