Gladiator Movie Analysis

How to Make a Histogram in 7 Simple Steps

How to Make a Histogram in 7 Simple Steps A histogram is a type of graph that is used in statistics. This kind of graph uses vertical bars to display quantitative data.  The heights of the bars indicate the frequencies or relative frequencies of values in our data set. Although any basic software can construct a histogram, it is important to know what your computer is doing behind the scenes when it produces a histogram. The following walks through the steps that are used to construct a histogram.  With these steps, we could construct a histogram by hand. Classes or Bins Before we draw our histogram, there are some preliminaries that we must do.  The initial step involves some basic summary statistics from our data set.   First, we find the highest and lowest data value in the set of data. From these numbers, the range can be computed by subtracting the minimum value from the maximum value. We next use the range to determine the width of our classes.  There is no set rule, but as a rough guide, the range should be divided by five for small sets of data and 20 for larger sets. These numbers will give a class width or bin width. We may need to round this number and/or use some common sense. Once the class width is determined, we choose a class that will include the minimum data value. We then use our class width to produce subsequent classes, stopping when we have produced a class that includes the maximum data value. Frequency Tables Now that we have determined our classes, the next step is to make a table of frequencies. Begin with a column that lists the classes in increasing order. The next column should have a tally for each of the classes. The third column is for the count or frequency of data in each class. The final column is for the relative frequency of each class. This indicates what proportion of the data is in that particular class. Drawing the Histogram Now that we have organized our data by classes, we are ready to draw our histogram. Draw a horizontal line. This will be where we denote our classes.Place evenly spaced marks along this line that correspond to the classes.Label the marks so that the scale is clear and give a name to the horizontal axis.Draw a vertical line just to the left of the lowest class.Choose a scale for the vertical axis that will accommodate the class with the highest frequency.Label the marks so that the scale is clear and give a name to the vertical axis.Construct bars for each class. The height of each bar should correspond to the frequency of the class at the base of the bar.  We can also use relative frequencies for the heights of our bars.

How The Immigrants Get Success Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

How The Immigrants Get Success - Essay Example She fled from El Salvador and now she is going to study art at UC Davis. How could she experience such immense success? I think that immigrants reach their American dream because they carried out three essential tasks: finding some support, being confident, and having a firm determination. To succeed in America the first important key to success is finding some support. You may not know how valuable support can be. The truth is that an immigrant will not succeed without at least some kind of support. Let me show you how it works. First of all, there are many kinds of support, such as financial, practical, and emotional support. Support can come from family members, friends, or workmates. Most immigrants feel helpless when they first arrive in the U.S., but they are usually hopeful. In addition, building a new life in a strange and foreign country is not easy. The reality is that as the time goes by immigrants will begin to feel hopeless if they do not get the necessary support. Howev er, if you are supported then you will be strong and confident because you can overcome many difficulties and also have more time to do other things, such as building your American dream. One person who illustrates the importance of support is the young immigrant named Bich. She came from Vietnam and became a successful woman who was also very kind and knowledgeable. Through her memoir, it was revealed that her step-mother and real-father neither inculcated nor took care of her. She felt sad and even sometimes wanted to escape from the house. However, she found loving support from her grandmother Noi. Noi was a harbor of refuge for Bich, as she gave Bich food when Bich was hungry and provided privacy for Bich. Therefore, Noi made Bich’s childhood easier and much happier. This warmed Bich’s heart so that she had a higher expectation of the future. Bich has become an established writer, having published three books. It could be said that this is all due to her grandmothe r’s support. To sum up, support can act as oxygen for a new immigrant. If you already have support then you must be more confident than before. The next essential key I am going to talk about is confidence. You might find that every successful man is confident because he acts with confidence. Perhaps you are wondering how confidence can help you to be successful. Every morning you must face a mirror, and when you look at yourself in the mirror, what do you feel? If you are a confident person then you will think you look good today. This means you are happy when you are on your way to work because you believe in your abilities and trust that you can finish your work nicely. If you are confident then nobody is going to doubt your decisions or actions because they trust you due to your confident behavior. A 17-year old boy named Lester escaped from Cuba by windsurfing more than 80 miles. He planned to escape when he was a kid because he believed he had a very good skill and coul d do this thing perfectly by himself. Before he escaped, he made a detailed plan and practiced windsurfing a lot. He didn’t tell anybody before he left Cuba. He did everything by himself, and this is very confident behavior. He escaped alone yet successful, and Lester became famous after he arrived in America. Confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of your life because it generally leads to success, and this is something that immigrants are striving for. If you have support and confidence then

Progress report Memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Progress report Memo - Essay Example In addition, I have applied general social work frameworks at the organization. The main emphasis has been on assessing the adequacy of services to the mentally ill East Africans and other populations affected by mental illness. I have also developed a clear understanding of the general social work identified with the organizations work objectives. Additionally, I have applied some of the problem solving techniques that I have learned. This includes assessing the situation and evaluating individuals with the mental illness. I have recommended the use of peers as a solution to some of the problems. However, I have not been able to use intervention as a strategy towards finding a solution to these people. I have a plan to integrate with mentally ill East Africans fully, that is, in their lifestyle so that I can identify what exactly is the cause of their mental illness and the challenges they face in

Veteran's Affair Services Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Veteran's Affair Services - Research Paper Example Veteran’s Affair Services When one hears the term ‘veteran’, a perception of its meaning encompasses regular definitions found in the dictionaries, to wit: â€Å"a person who is long experienced or practiced in an activity or capacity† (The Free Dictionary, 2011, par. 1); â€Å"an old soldier of long service or a former member of the armed forces† (Merriam-Webster, 2011, par. 1). In contrast, the Federal definition the term is explicitly stated as â€Å"any person, who served honorably on active duty in the armed forces of the United States† (Veterans’ Agent, 2011, par. 1). These definitions confer that a veteran is a person who has rendered particularly long service, as honorably classified, in the armed forces, not only in the United States, but in other governments as well. ... In this regard, the main purpose of the research is to proffer a study of how Veteran's services affects criminal justice in the United States. Particularly, the objectives of the research are as follows: (1) to present a detailed history of the creation of Veteran’s Affair; (2) to provide a presentation of the mission statement of the social agency; (3) to present financial reports or summaries of the operations of the social agency; (4) to proffer a critical analysis of the effectiveness of the social agency, which includes, but is not limited to: details on how the specific agency interacts with the Criminal Justice System, the services provided, the training of critical personnel, and the motivation of the agency to provide services; (5) to present a commentary on ways in which the social agency could improve its effectiveness towards its social goals; and finally, (6) to provide a prediction concerning the future of the social agency and its impact on the criminal justice system. Historical Background The history of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the US was traced in the year 1636 when a war existed between the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony were at war with the Pequot Indians and a law was enacted by the Pilgrims indicating the support pledged to disabled soldiers (US Dept. of Veterans Affairs: History, 2010, par. 1). The following historical details are presented in tabular form for concise structural arrangement, and sourced from the Dept of VA: History (2010): DATE SIGNIFICANT EVENTS 1776 During the Revolutionary War, Continental Congress encouraged enlistment of soldiers through the provision of pensions to disabled soldiers. 1811 The Federal Government authorized the first domiciliary

Norms and values

Norms and values The purpose of this document is to research, from a sociological perspective the norms, values and socialisation that is essential for family, society and culture. These key attributes provide the individual with key skills, behaviours and habits necessary to enable participation within their own society observing the rules and boundaries established within their Norms and Values and modifying and changing behaviours throughout their life time The Culture of Society is the way of life of its members; the collection of ideas and of habits which the learn and transmit from generation to generation Ralph Linton Norms are the social and cultural guidelines by which we live our lives, and both knowingly and unknowingly conform and comply too during our life time. Out norms are key attributes that define our behaviours and can determine the groups and individuals, social acceptance Or non acceptance. We learn how to behave through a complex combination of stimulus Visual, Oral and Sensory. As we grow in our mental maturity and awareness, the influence of family, environment and culture, combine to define our Norms. These key developmental elements combined, influence and determine, personal and social interactive abilities developing social skills to recognise social boundaries, acceptable behaviours and responses. Therefore our Norms are intrinsic to our development, our personal behaviour, and social acceptance. Key aspects of our Norms are: Convention Being a standard, non culturally specific element within the Norms of convention. An example being that an individual is expected to follow the rules which are an established expectation of behaviours, within the context of conventional social acts and responses. An example of a culturally specific Injunctive Norm is when a Cultural belief, such as polygamy is accepted as a Norm. This is defined as Culturally Specific as this practise is not legally practised or recognised within the Western Society. An exception could be the Mormons, who have Sects that practise polygamy, based mainly in America. The main Mormon Church The Latter Day Saints, no longer advocates such practise, although there are certain Mormon Fundamentalists Sects, whose religious fundamental belief systems adhere to the original writings of Brigham Young. Within many Muslim cultures, a husband can legally take more than one wife. This practise is not recognised legally with Western cultures. Sociological Values may be material or nonmaterial, internal or external. Values and beliefs are culturally specific Given this the evaluation of their respective value is specific to the individual or group. An example might be, when an individual uses their Core value system, they relate into either a cultural or belief system that is specific to the influences within their social Norms and Value origin, group or society. Ultimately Social Norms and Values cover a wide range of Sociological study. Example of Cultural Values defined: Sociological Norms and Values under stress from changes, can impact an individual, group, society or cultural perspective. Change or deviation when combined with poor or irrational judgement that sits outside the Norms and Values of either, a specific Culture or Belief System, can have a mired level of impacts. Therefore Norms and Values can and do change. What may be acceptable as an individual would not necessarily be acceptable at group level. Differentials on the range of what would be acceptable within their own personal attitude and value system is specific. Change to an Individuals Norm and Values can be challenged by the individual on the basis that the Worth or Value is not acceptable to them because it fails to resonate within them as acceptable as a Social or belief Value. Alternatively if may present as an abstract Value and hold no specific desirability. Values are abstract in nature and general. A cultures values are its ideals about what is good, right, fair, and just. Sociologists disagree, however, on how to conceptualise values. There is a conflict theory that focuses on how values differ between groups within a culture. The National Centre for social research annual report for 2009 indicates that the British values are changing the full report is available at (http://www.natcen.ac.uk/pzMedia/uploads/Downloadable/da9c4be7-da86-410a-9176-3b362fb4f1ba.pdf) the 2009 survey consisted of more than 4,000 interviews with a representative, random sample of people in Britain. It finding have shown that change in societys values is g enerally slow and is impacted by the media and other external stimuli. Functional sociologist Talcott Parsons noted that Americans share the common value of the American work ethic, Whilst this is most certainly a cultural social observation which encourages hard work. Herbert Spencer one of the first British Sociologists stated that Society exists for the benefit of its members, not the members for the benefit of society. Common values within western societies are based on materialism, and money, although reliance on science and technology, and the role of democracy and freedom are key norms and values that exist although these can change during stressed and unexpected change. A culture may have conflicting values; an example would be that value of materialistic success may be in opposition to that of charitable acts. Equally the value of social equality may be in opposition to that of the value placed on the individual state. This can be explained as a contraction in what people say, what they really think, and what they do. Social pressure to confor m can be a deciding factor, as individuals own norms and values system will be a sub conscious factor in that decision making. So when does socialisation begin; its starts as soon as we are born and ultimately ends with our death. As soon as a child is born, primary socialisation begins. In every instance of social interaction, a child can uses this period as a learning experience particularly in terms of cultural concepts of identity, social roles, and norms of behaviour. The very young child is totally reliant on its parents or carers. The baby will initially respond to the external stimuli provided by parents or carers. The main senses initially used by the child will be responsive, such as when they are hungry, in discomfit, or want human contact/ touch. They will respond to sound and vision this is important time for child/parent/carer socialisation this represents a very emotional time, and the close bonds of love and loyalty, which in theory will last a life time, are established. As chronological development of the child takes place, by the age of two, a child will be in procession of a rudimentary set of primary skills and behaviours. The child will be able to copy its parents and siblings, and will be learning a wider set of social skills these will be both culturally specific and socially generic. The socialisation of the child within its own society and culture will be established during an intense period of self development and awareness; children acquire a sense of their self. This is an important developmental milestone that occurs between 18/24 months. Psychologist Jean Piaget defined the fact that children progress through clear stages in their ability to think. The Sensorimotor Stage, which is from birth to age two, is when the developing childs reliance on touch for information about it surrounding world is the most commonly used of the childs developing skills. They will also experience the tactile warmth from parent/carers and will also gain stimulation and development from, copying, gestures and actions taste is also a key action of the developing child , and they will put most objects to their mouth, toys, food and potentially anything they can get their hands on. This period represents a time of great discovery and learning socially, and is part of the set of primary socialisation skills, which are prerequisite key developmental milestones. The next stage as described by Piaget is the Pre-Operational Stage. This stage generally starts between ages Two to Seven. Children now have the ability to think symbolically, that being to relate in abstract or via simple symbols. However they cannot perceive the world from another persons perspe ctive. This period also differs from later ones, because it is a time when children learn through hands-on manipulation of objects through copying, play and trial and error. When a child reaches the Operational Stage, ages of 7-12, Young children can now begin to think and reason rationally and logically. At approximately age seven or eight children enter the age of reason, when they can manipulate their own ideas, and apply learnt concepts. A child will now possess the ability to independently interact and abide to a set of social rules and boundaries. They achieve this via the mediums of school, social, family, cultural settings. Children are able to rationalise, apply logic, use and interact with media, and participate in debate verbally. Children are able to recognise self, which is an important milestone in self development: as is the ability to recognise their place socially and culturally. Finally a child moves to the fLogical Stage at ages 12 and on. The child and young adol escent, are capable of complex abstract, logical thought. They are able to have reasoned logical discussion, reach decisions based on fact, and are able to initiate and formulate argument and debate. They have a fully developed sense of self within their family, society and culture. The family plays a significant and defining role in the primary socialisation of a child. The family acts as the primary socialising agent for the first few years of life; however Socialisation in the family varies greatly, and can be dependent on Social, cultural, ideological and ethnical differences. Within Britain, the structure of family has changed; there are more working class single parents families, who have no immediate family support available to provide child care this has resulted in child care providers having a far greater role in childhood socialisation over the last 20 years. One of the most important primary functions of the family is to produce and reproduce biologically, socially and culturally-however, producing children is not the only function of the family. A childs perspective is that the family is its core and primary socialising agent; however the family perspective is one of responsibility, to provide the growing child with the necessary skills and knowled ge in their socialisation and acceptance in their common culture. From the parental/carer point of view the family is the central nucleus that provides the care, learning, development, social, cultural education: the goal of which is to socialise and incorporate cultural ideologies and values in their children. However there are many variants in societies and cultures, which place more emphasis on the sexual division of labour, marriage, and the resulting relationship between family groups and the economics. An example being; that child labour is still practised illegally and openingly in Asia, and parts of Africa. Many of these countries have poor economies and the communities and families require a child to work to contribute to the household or village this can be the difference between life and death. Equally the value of a male child may be greater than that of a female child, as in many cultures, males are preferred for financial and social reasons. In time of hardship cultures such as the Eskimos would practise infanticide, if they were lacking enough food or provisions, this was a decision made on the basis that males contribute more, as they grow in to hunters and support the community, where as a females contribution was seen as less valuable to the community. As in family, education is an important agent of socialisation and the school environment is a formal agent of socialisation. The purpose of education is to socialise children in selected skills and knowledge, preparing them with so that they can build on the skills and knowledge acquired, as they grow and mature. The formal education system in England starts at Playschool for ages 2-4 this is now a socially acceptable form of early socialisation. The child then progresses to a more formalised, yet still free play, Reception Class- these are mainly attached to a primary school, which the child then transition into thereby keeping the social group intact. Primary education provides a child with a formalised approach to learning. The child will learn new social rules and boundaries; these will build on the norms and values that they have been taught by their parents/carers. The family influence is still very strong, as these age groups are heavily dependent upon their family. The chi ld continues its primary socialisation via classroom activities, playing, and school social interaction, within its peer group. The peer group becomes important, as it is based on a childs ability to interact, make friends and socialise the pressure to conform and be accepted, increases with age. There are many reasons for this: such as social standing IE: family wealth, material possession, ethnicity, extrovert /introverts behaviors and the pecking order of favorability within the peer group. Exclusion from a peer group is a highly stressful and can be initiated by the school due to behavioral or attendance issues these issues would require remedial agreement and action between the school, child and parent. Wider involvement of care agencies, such as educational psychologists and family welfare social workers, would be required if the family were found to be unable to function or cope, due to a verity of social or financial reasons. An example being: a male child of 4 with undiagnosed ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) who in reception class could not settle, presenting as disruptive, Impulsive, restlessness with a high level of hyperactivity and an inability to concentrate or focus for any period of time. ADHD will often present as inattentiveness, and will prevent a child from learning and will stunt their socialisation if not addressed. This child was excluded from school at 5 years old. At this point a wider most specialised group of social, education workers worked with the parents, and school, after ADHD was diagnosed. Once the appropriate level of medication (Ritalin- commonly used for ADHD) was prescribed, an immediate change in behaviour was evident. A plan of resocialisation and integration was applied, and an educational statement was issued by the local educational authority. This ensured the funding necessary for one to one support, and additional help required to enable the child to be educated and resocialised. One of the key learning aids for this child reintegration was the use of media the use of media in the home and school, leisure environments have become an integrated part of contemporary life. Such is the impact of Media, that it has become a dominant agent of socialisation. Children are exposed from a very early age to media; examples being a music DVD, Television or Computer games which can be interactive, educational and agility based. Multimedia is used in a variety of ways within the family, and is seen a key aspect of socialisation and development. Equally Multi Media is used within the formal setting of school and is used regularly as part of an Educational programme. There have been negative aspects in attributed to media and the violence seen in games, music, TV and film. Secondary Socialisation is the wider process of learning; a child learns what is expected of them, and what is acceptable/appropriate behaviour, for them; within a small group that is part of a larger society and culture. Secondary socialisation represents a new developmental stage, and is generally associated with teenagers and adults. The social changes we experience are different to those of primary socialisation. An example would be, starting a new a level of education at college or university, relocating to a new environment or a change in social status or society. Some students may be transferring from a rural community to a more urban environment, whilst others may be international students being socialised to the British way of life. Others may be mature students without any prior higher educational experience. Moreover, any social structure can act as a socialising agent. For example, the work environment socialises the employees to conform to their way of business and their culture. In most organisations employees have clear responsibilities to respect authority, adhere to corporate policies, and work hard in exchange for financial compensation in the form of income and status promotions. Also, the wider public venues we all go to; such as shopping centres, libraries, hospitals, football matches, act as social interaction and educate us about new boundaries and constraints thereby influencing our behaviour. When considering the norms of behaviour, of passengers on airplanes; those of a diner at a Michelin Star restaurant; or the fans at a Rugby or Tennis game. We all conform and adapt without conscious thought a large percentage of our lives this conditioning allows us to move in a complex structure of Culture and Society. The secondary socialisation process is crucial particularly in times of stress and change. Transition from infancy to childhood to adolescence and adulthood are all companied by a socialisation process that is designed socially an d culturally to give the individual, all the skills necessary to grow and co-exist. If the process of secondary socialisation fails, due to internal or external factors, the individual may not be in possession of the necessary social or cultural skills to cope logically and rationally. This situation could lead to a change in their values and social group. As an adult we experience the socialisation process through changes in careers, family structure, personal relationships, interests, such as politics. As our lives continue, we move to retirement age, the changes in family and career are now viewed differently; our priorities change, as situations such as being, unwell, or alone take precedence. The extended older family highlight the changing cultural values in the socialisation process. With the introduction of media, older generations, are now learning and experiencing new experiences of information and communication, which is a new form of socialisation for them. This is a new agent of socialisation and is a powerful teacher and influencing agent within the context of socialisation, second only to Family. The media plays a significant role in shaping the social attitudes and social behaviours of our children and adolescents Parents do exert the most influence on children; however the mass media can be considered secondary agents of socialisation. For example, viewing of advertisements is related to lower self-esteem and depression among children who come from low-income families. It is likely that children feel bad about themselves because they cannot have the products that are advertised on television. Media and Marketing work hand in hand to influence our views We are targeted as either specific social groups, age groups and economic groups specifically to sell Products and Services. What we buy, where we buy, how we spend, and who we vote for, is heavily influenced by a range of Multi Media. Such as The TV, internet, Radio, advertising in magazines. Gender identity is one of the most important elements of our sense of self. Some aspects of gender identity are rooted in our biology, such as our physical strength. However most of our gender identity is culturally defined. As we grow and age we develop our self awareness, and how we should relate to others, and the role we play in a larger society. The lessons children learn and the processes through which cultural norms are passed from one generation to the next is known as socialisation. Gender socialisation shows that there are roles, or cultural expectations and norms, which are associated with each sexual classification Sociologists make distinctions between sex and gender. Whilst sex is based on biological factors, gender is the based on cultural factors that stereotypically construct different social roles for men and women. Therefore Gender socialisation is the process through which males and females learn gender specific appropriate behaviour, dress, personality character istics, and demeanour. While gender socialisation is an ongoing and lifelong the majority of the sociological theories tend to focus on early childhood socialisation, as the key factor in Gender determination Four such perspectives are the psychoanalytical, cognitive development, social learning, and social interaction perspectives. In all societies there is a need for resocialisation of an individual. Resocialisation is a sociological concept dealing with the process of mentally and emotionally re-training an individual so that they can exist in an environment other than that which he or she is used to. Examples of a need for Resocialisation such as the release from prison, mental health institutions and the Army ; New recruits into the army are encouraged to bond, so that they can operate as a cohesive unit and then the process is reversed for those who may have become institutionalised by their experiences in the socialisation process. Without appropriate support and counselling, mental health problems could present. Equally if an individual have been institutionalised due to lengthy incarceration because of illness or a criminal offence such as Murder: a staged plan of integration would be required, to allow assimilation and resocialisation to take place in society. Bibliography: Themes and perspectives sixth edition References Emile Durkheim http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Durkheim Brigham Young http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigham_Young Examples Cultural Values http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/CliffsReviewTopic/topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26852.html>. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialization#Types http://www.communicationencyclopedia.com/public/tocnode?id=g9781405131995_chunk_g978140513199518 http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/freud.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resocialization http://www.natcen.ac.uk/study/british-social-attitudes-25th-report/findings http://thinkexist.com/quotation/the_great_aim_of_education_is_not_knowledge-but/198665.html

The Natural History of Mahogany :: Botany

The Natural History of Mahogany Swietenia macrophylla and S. humilis are referred to as Mahogany, a tropical evergreen or deciduous tree that can attain heights of 150 feet. Mahogany is a member of the Meliaceae, which includes other trees with notable wood for cabinet making. Swietenia macrophylla is world renowned for its beautifully grained, hard, red-brown wood. It has been harvested since 1500 A.D. for its wood, with large branches being in higher demand than the trunk. This is due to the closeness of the grain in the branch's wood. Mahogany is used for furniture, fixtures, musical instruments, millwork, cars, ships, boats, caskets, airplanes, foundry patterns, veneer, and plywood (Hill, 1952). In Costa Rica, the only population of Mahogany exists in the Guanacaste-Puntarenas region where the tropical dry forests occur. Both of the species' ranges overlap in this region, with Bigleaf Mahogany, S. macrophylla, extending from the Bolivian Amazon up the Atlantic and Gulf Coast to Mexico, while Pacific Coast Mahogany, S. humilis, ranges from Mexico down the Pacific Coast to 9 degrees N in Costa Rica. The two species defy taxonomy and interbreed to form a hybrid. The hybrid grows quicker than either parent species, has intermediate characteristics, and high quality wood (Everett, 1982). Mahogany is never very abundant, even in undisturbed forests, with a density of only one tree per hectare. This, along with the destruction of tropical forests has added to the growing scarcity of Mahogany. The normal habitat of S. macrophylla and S. humilis is lowland tropical or subtropical forest, with average annual rainfall totals between 1 and 2.5 meters. If the tree is in tropical moist or wet forests, it will lose its leaves briefly. However, in tropical dry forests, such as Guanacaste, the tree will be leafless for a few months. Mahogany has pinnately-compound leaves composed of 4 to 6, ovate-acuminate leaflets. The leaf is often without a terminal leaflet. The bark has vertical scales, giving it the appearance of Silver Maple or White Oak bark. The flowers are imperfect, with greater numbers of male than female flowers. Each flower is small, yellow-white, and borne in a panicle at the end of the dry season. The fruits of the Mahogany will ripen during January-March in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. They are 4 to 6 inch woody capsules which contain up to 40 wind-dispersed seeds, similar to those of an Ash tree.

Religious responses to the verification principle have been largely unsuccessful Essay

‘Religious responses to the verification principle have been largely unsuccessful.’ Evaluate this claim. (20 marks) The Verification Principle claims that it is meaningless to talk about God and ethics etc, as these cannot be verified using empirical evidence or scientific experiments. There have however been many responses to this theory, for example the falsification principle. This is a theory developed by Anthony Flew who says that for a statement to have meaning it must be able to be proven false. So that not religious meaning. This theory is similar to the verification principle but just to prove something wrong instead, however it’s a stronger argument, as it does not go beyond our understanding of God and religion. In response to the falsification principle, R.M Hare criticised it with his theory of the ‘blik’, which is an individual’s own personal opinion and meaningful statements. He says that you cannot falsify the blik because it holds meaning to the individual. Christians will think in their minds that God is good; this is their own thought so we cannot prove their ‘blik’ wrong. However, Flew replies to this criticism saying that this is not relevant and cannot be applied to religious language as it has not happened in real life, just in someone’s mind. Another response to the verification principle is the Via Negativa; this is a theory that suggests that to fully understand what God is we need to say what he isn’t. In addition, Moses Maimonides said that positive statement such as ‘God is powerful enough to lift a rock’, limits God because we are comparing Him to a human and assuming we know what He can do. This is a cogent argument because we cannot understand properly a God we have never seen before, we can only imagine our own personal God and when we die we will then be enlightened with the real God, if there is one at all. However, St Thomas Aquinas rejected the Via Negativa as he believed that there are positive things to say about God. He argued that the only we way we can legitimately speak about God is using analogy. This involves making a comparison between two things, one is familiar and helps us understand another thing and both have similar meanings. He gave examples such as, the analogy of proportion and attribution. However some philosophers criticised this, such as Richard Swinburne who suggested that sometimes words could be used univocally about god. However if you say God is good, this could mean the same way humans are good. Therefore Aquinas is using the word good univocally Aquinas’ theory of analogy is a strong argument as it doesn’t limit God or use ambiguous language. Another response to this that involves the meaning of religious language is symbol. There are many symbols that have meaning to religious people and non -religious people. For example the star of St David for Jews and symbols such as the first aid cross which obviously does have a meaning. However, some symbols change over time for example, the Hindu symbol of peace was adapted by Adolf Hitler to produce the infamous Swastika that reminds people of sadness and death. So it raises the question whether symbols are reliable or not to show meaning. To conclude, I think there are a few reasonable responses to the verification principle such as the falsification principle, as this does not limit God to our understanding but we can still talk about Him. Also the doctrine of analogy is a strong theory as we can compare one thing to another thing we are familiar with without properly describing the unfamiliar thing and this makes it easier for us to understand. However, symbols can often be misinterpreted and lead to confusion, as they don’t say enough about God and religion for people to fully understand.

Black Slang Essay Example

Black Slang Essay Example Black Slang Paper Black Slang Paper Cameron White Writing 1 Section 30 11/8/10 Mellissa Fabros Ebonics and its Handicap on Society In today’s African American community, many speak and use a different form of â€Å"standard† English. Ebonics is a form of English that was established by the early US slaves in search of a reliable means of communication. During slavery, there were laws which mandated that any person caught teaching a slave to read or write could be fined and/or put in jail. This left them to fend for themselves and create their own form of communication. As time has progressed, the Black slag, known as Ebonics, is recognized by many as a less sophisticated form of English. From a linguistics stand point, the use of this slang leads to a negative reflection on the people within the African American culture. And it should be noted, this can be said for any culture within a society’s norms for language. The use of Ebonics merely handicaps the African American society and limits their success and respectability among the educated world due to its negative connotations and perceptions. Discussions revolving around Ebonics, and other types of slag for the matter, seem to evoke much emotion in people- and let’s face it, there are pros and cons on both sides of the debate. For the purposes of this paper, an emphasis is placed on the cons of the use of such slag. â€Å"The term Ebonics (a blend of ebony and phonics) gained recognition in 1996 as a result of the Oakland School Board’s use of the term in its proposal to use African American English in teaching Standard English in the Oakland Schools. The term was coined by Robert Williams in 1973, but it wasn’t until the Ebonics controversy that Ebonics became widely used. Most linguists prefer the term African American English as it aligns the variety with regional, national, and sociocultural varieties of English such as British English, Southern English, Cajun English, and so forth† ( cal. org/topics/dialects/aae. html, November 7, 2010). According to Garrard McClendon, author of book entitled â€Å"ax or ask? † this is a critical issue facing today’s black youth, leaving them unable to infiltrate the professional arena. Formal written and spoken modern English, and the African American slang share the majority of the same root words but differ in the pronunciation as well as many words in general. Although it is technically the same language, the understanding of Ebonics does not equate to formal English in most cases. Leon Todd, A successful African American business owner, stated the following, â€Å"†¦Ã‚  standard English determines ones career success and failure. † In order to obtain a successful career in the educated word it is necessary to practice the correct form of modern English. The majority of the black youth is grown up speaking this form of slang on a day to day basis. Children growing up around this slag terminology and vulgar terms, make it extremely hard on the African American youth of this era to make the transition from one of informal language to the standard English of the educated world. In this day and age this transition is not made priority in the homes of these African Americans. An African American individual who speaks the formal English language has countless opportunities in the educated world. In contrast, Blacks who speak the form of language known as Ebonics are mostly limited to bottom-tier careers and most cases, poverty. It is vital for this transition to be made mandatory in every house hold in the Black community. Ebonics has become prevalent in main stream media. Lately, this form of English has influenced the music business in rap and pop songs. The Hip Hop Industry has become one of the most widespread and effective promoters of this form of speech. This has become a heated issue with in the black community. While the Black youth idolizes these rappers, they are merely crippling the youth’s ability to achieve their fullest potential in the intellectual society of America. These children listen to the music and are inclined to speak like the songs they hear on the radio. As this defected language continues to thrive in the world of hip hop, similar language habits are spread among the population. The recent uprising in the African American upper class can be explained by their understanding of the formal English language and willingness to adapt to the education American population. Recently we have witnessed the first black president in the US. As he speaks out to the millions of listeners nationwide he uses his precise language to move his ideas to the argument he is trying to convey. Barack Obama uses the Standard English language to appeal to the sophisticated world in America. When comparing a person of African descent using the Black English to one who is using the formal form of English a clear line is drawn. This line makes a clear distinction between the upper class and the lower class. Speakers of Ebonics do not receive the respect in formal atmospheres as those who speak the traditional forms of English. Almost all major industries are built around the standard form of English. The justice system is just one example. For example, a black American speaking formal English to a judge will typically get a much better response then one using a strong Ebonics dialect. This may cause controversy among the black community but it is a reality. This is why you don’t see many lawyers using the word â€Å"nigga† or â€Å"dog†. The situation may even sound comical to the everyday person. However, the impact this defective language has on the African American society is far from comical; it limits their overall ability to success in certain atmospheres. Although the language seems to hold back the African American population, positive reflection on the history of the dialect conveys a different message. The creation of Ebonics is somewhat praised in the black community for how it was established. The early slaves of this country accomplished a great feat by creating a way of communication amongst each other without any input from the English speakers of that time. In fact communication between the slaves was not allowed and even enforced violently by the slave owners. From this perspective, the African American population can stand proud of their ability to create an effective form of communication- but only for that purpose and time period. The simple fact is that the form of English an individual speaks categorizes them. One might say the dialect an individual speaks makes more of a sociological impact than the actual race of that person. This is an important fact when taking into consideration an individual’s means to success. However, I am not saying the entire dialect of Ebonics should be eradicated. There is a time and place for everything. For example, In the workplace it is necessary to use formal language, but in a casual environment, the use of black slang English may be appropriate. The Black society of America as a whole will take a giant leap forward toward success when they come to this realization. Ebonics is a wide spread dialect among the black community. Speakers of this dialect suffer consequences in the grand scheme of life- many of which impact their social status, limit career opportunities, and often present situations of poverty. Therefore the breakthrough of a new, even broader age of professional African Americans continues to be held back by the past influence of this slang dialect known as Ebonics. The African American population of today needs to stop and take initiative in appealing to the educated world through the eradication of their root slang and speaking the standard language of the professional world. Opportunities would become limitless to the African American Society as a whole in this country with the asset of a strong foundation of formal English.

Free Essays on Nietsche

Nietzsche believes the origins of morals coincide with "how responsibility originated"(pg147) with the breeding of "an animal with the right to make promises" (pg 145) and progressed to the manipulation of one group of humanity by another in order to implement morals. It is an attempt to develop an explanation for the existence of ethics and morals. For him, morality and responsibility could only come to exist by these means. In the earlier part of his essay, he speaks of forgetfulness and how it is a â€Å"positive faculty of repression† (pg 146) and portrays the inability to forget to a type of mental indigestion. If it were not for forgetfulness then men could not cope with remembering all of the events of their life. However, Nietzsche does believe that memory can be useful in the case of promises because it is the will of the individual that retains the memory. In order for the individual to maintain his promise and ordain the future, man must first undertake and complete the prehistoric labor which Nietzsche has termed â€Å"morality of mores† (pg147). This intends that man should be made calculable, regular, and necessary. However these are only a means to an end. The true outcome of the labor is the â€Å"sovereign individual †¦ with the right to make promises† (pg 148). Therefore responsibility and promise are the rights of the individual because he posses a free will, control over himself and his fate and therefore has the power to ordain the future through promise. This responsibility becomes so profound that it becomes an instinct, an instinct which the sovereign individual calls his conscience. Therefore the significance of Nietzsche’s statement human beings are animals â€Å"with the right to make promises" (pg 145) is a metaphor of the progression of man from a primitive beast to the sophisticated individual capable of shedding his humble beginnings in morality and manipulating the future through promise.... Free Essays on Nietsche Free Essays on Nietsche Nietzsche believes the origins of morals coincide with "how responsibility originated"(pg147) with the breeding of "an animal with the right to make promises" (pg 145) and progressed to the manipulation of one group of humanity by another in order to implement morals. It is an attempt to develop an explanation for the existence of ethics and morals. For him, morality and responsibility could only come to exist by these means. In the earlier part of his essay, he speaks of forgetfulness and how it is a â€Å"positive faculty of repression† (pg 146) and portrays the inability to forget to a type of mental indigestion. If it were not for forgetfulness then men could not cope with remembering all of the events of their life. However, Nietzsche does believe that memory can be useful in the case of promises because it is the will of the individual that retains the memory. In order for the individual to maintain his promise and ordain the future, man must first undertake and complete the prehistoric labor which Nietzsche has termed â€Å"morality of mores† (pg147). This intends that man should be made calculable, regular, and necessary. However these are only a means to an end. The true outcome of the labor is the â€Å"sovereign individual †¦ with the right to make promises† (pg 148). Therefore responsibility and promise are the rights of the individual because he posses a free will, control over himself and his fate and therefore has the power to ordain the future through promise. This responsibility becomes so profound that it becomes an instinct, an instinct which the sovereign individual calls his conscience. Therefore the significance of Nietzsche’s statement human beings are animals â€Å"with the right to make promises" (pg 145) is a metaphor of the progression of man from a primitive beast to the sophisticated individual capable of shedding his humble beginnings in morality and manipulating the future through promise....

A Good Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Good Life - Essay Example This positive vibe helps in accomplishing our dreams and whatever we want to achieve at a certain point of time. Another method that can be helpful is trying to concentrate on our strengths rather than our weaknesses. Once we are aware what we are capable of, we become confident, this confidence in return helps us to become happy and satisfied. Satisfaction is something which is lacking in us today. We are always craving for more and more. The ongoing hunger to get more and more takes away our happiness. Let us take a simple example in this context. A rich man is never satisfied and always tensed, the reason being that he is greedy to have more. He can never be content and happy. Where as a poor man realizes that he cannot achieve much in his life and he is content with what he has and never tries to get more. He is happier compared to the rich man. So, we can understand one thing that luxury cannot give us happiness or in other words, one does not need to be rich to lead a good life . A simple life is important to lead a good life. Another important thing that needs to be kept in mind is that we should never hold on t our past, rather we should let it go. The past cannot be changed but holding to it will definitely ensure that we ignore in building a better future. One should learn from the past and try to be better prepared for the future.

The government should prohibit the production of cigarettes Essay

The government should prohibit the production of cigarettes - Essay Example With this information, the essay affirmatively agrees that the government should prohibit the production of drugs, especially in the European Union and the Netherlands. Smoking cigarettes has adverse effects especially on the health of the smoker. Smoking reduces the health of an individual by affecting nearly every organ in the body. Smoking causes chronic obstructive lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis (Ruiz, Strain, & Lowinson, 2011). Research has shown that, smoking of tobacco causes more death every year compared to other diseases such as HIV/AIDS and motor vehicle accidents. This is because smoking tobacco causes lung cancer, which is incurable if not noticed at its early stages. Tobacco is an addictive drug so once the user starts using it becomes hard for him or her to stop thus causing adverse negative effects on the health of the user. Smoking of tobacco causes different types of cancer they include cancer of the esophagus, kidney cancer, cancer of the la rynx, cancer of the oral cavity, stomach cancer and bladder cancer. Cigarette smoking has adverse effects on early childhood and reproduction especially to women who smoke. It causes infertility, preterm delivery, low birth weight, and stillbirth (King & Brucker, 2011). Research has shown that women who smoke have an increased risk of hip fracture compared to women who have never smoked. Recent research has shown that, students who smoke perform lower than students who do not smoke (Ruiz, Strain, & Lowinson, 2011). This is because smoking causes mental disorders especially among the college students. It also causes depressive disorder, which generally affects the students’ performance. The National Institute on Drug Abuse in their research concluded that, smoking causes mental disorders especially among young adults and adolescents (Lapointe, 2008). College students who smoke are likely to participate in behaviors, which pose great health effects. Smoking of cigarettes result s to respiratory infections and asthma. Exposure to environmental tobacco has also adverse effects to both the smokers and nonsmokers. The environmental protection agency classifies it as a group, a carcinogen. This carcinogen causes lung cancer to both smokers and nonsmokers. This means that, cigarettes affect both smokers and nonsmokers because of the release of harmful substances from the cigarettes such as ammonia, nicotine and carbon monoxide. With these effects there is a need to implement measures to prohibit the production of cigarettes. In the Netherlands, there are laws that have been set to prohibit smoking tobacco in public transport and public building (Blanpain & Anderson, 2005). In the year 2004, the Netherland government said that, every employee has a right to work in a smoke free zone without being affected by smoke from the other people. In the year 2008, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Europe was the first smoke free airport. This means that, the government worked towards prohibiting the smoking of cigarettes in public places. The smoke free law applied to all public places in the Netherlands, especially in hotels and restaurants (Rom & Markowitz, 2007). In the Netherlands, all forms of sponsorship, promotions, and advertising of cigarettes were prohibited. This ensured that cigarettes did not have a