Ideal Gas Law Quiz

Science - 947 Words

DNA Technology Task 3 – Poster DNA fingerprinting, also known as DNA profiling, is a technique used in forensic science that identifies individuals based on various characteristics of their DNA. Although the DNA sequences between humans are 99.9% identical, DNA fingerprinting is able to distinguish between individuals due to the presence of specific sequences within the non-coding region of the genome known as satellite DNA. This satellite DNA consists of long stretches of DNA made up of repeating base sequences known as short tandem repeats (STR). These STRs considerably vary in length between individuals, particularly between unrelated individuals, allowing exact individuals to be identified. One major use of DNA fingerprinting is in†¦show more content†¦Due to the presence of negatively charged phosphate groups within the sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA, the DNA fragments diffuse through the gel towards the anode. The smaller fragments are more able to penetrate through the gel and thus travel the furt hest whereas the larger fragments travel a shorter distance. The exact size in bases for each separated fragment in a given sample of DNA can be determined by comparing each fragment against standard fragments of known length. This is commonly known as a ladder within the laboratory. For the purposes of a crime scene investigation, multiple DNA samples would be simultaneously run through the gel, Once separated, a DNA fragmentation pattern is produced that allows the criminal to be identified. As shown in the figure below, a DNA sample obtained from the crime scene is compared to two possible suspects. The pattern of suspect 1 more closely matches the pattern of the DNA obtained from the crime scene thus allowing the true criminal to be correctly identified. Similarly, for paternal testing, the DNA samples of the mother and child are compared to the potential fathers. The fragmentation pattern of the child should resemble both the mother and true father as half of child’s all eles are inherited from the mother and father. Male 1 resembled the child’sShow MoreRelatedThe Science Of Science Or Forensic Science947 Words   |  4 Pagessecrets. There are various categories of science, each with extensive scientific knowledge, and the use of the scientific method. People can only become true scientists after attending college, gaining knowledge about a certain field and it’s previous scientists, learning from them, and implementing the Scientific Method in the work that they do. Foremost, to become a scientist, going to college is a must. A bachelor s degree in natural science or forensic science is mandatory for engaging in this fieldRead MoreScience And Its Impact On Science911 Words   |  4 PagesWhile science serves as a trustworthy means, humans have disrespected it as an insufficient end. The results produced by scientific experiments are legitimate to a particular population, in a particular environment, at a particular time. The results of such do not substantiate claims or assertions of the broadest category of â€Å"human nature†. Science may lead us to conclude a correlation of human behavior, but to claim a causation would be vastly outside the testable scope of science. Godfrey-SmithRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Science And Science1030 Words   |  5 Pagesthis class began, I thought of myself as a person who tended to lean towards science as fact-based and found it hard to believe in some philosophical and religious claims that were not backed up by experimentation and evidence. Five weeks later, my views haven’t changed drastically, but have instead been developed and broadened. I now understand the importance of the philosophy of science and why philosophy and science should be interconnected. 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Science is used in technology, and technology is used in science. Both are important to our society today, and together, they have affected people’s lives all over the world. Science is the knowledge or the study of the naturalRead MoreThe Objectivity Of Science And Science847 Words   |  4 PagesThe objectivity of science would be contingent on our trust in the scientists who are feeding us knowledge. We often believe these scientists, but is there actually a reason for us to trust what they are passing on to us? What would science be if they had not been telling the truth? There is no denying the existence of public trust in the words of scientists, but it should be noted that everything that we understand as scientific fact today would be in question if we lost trust in our scientistsRead MoreThe Science Of Science Education1728 Words   |  7 Pageseducation. Specifically when looking at modern science education. The science education of today has various problems such as killing the curiosity of students, which leads to science becoming this rigid field of study that does not allow for excitement, understanding, or the ability to question the sci ence authorities. These problems in science education lead to long term problems of not creating forward thinkers who are committed to driving science for the sake of scientific curiosity as opposedRead MoreScience, Non Science And Pseudo Science1889 Words   |  8 PagesWhat is Science? When it comes to the word ‘science’ most of the people have some kind of knowledge about science or when they think of it there is some kind of image related to it, a theory, scientific words or scientific research (Beyond Conservation, n.d.). Many different sorts of ideas float into an individual’s mind. Every individual has a different perception about science and how he/she perceives it. It illustrates that each person can identify science in some form. It indicates that theRead MoreScience And Its Impact On Science Essay1755 Words   |  8 PagesScience is an ordered study of the global facts that involves keen observation, analyses and the use of experiment to certify th e researched facts. Science can also be defined as the orderly wits that are obtained through observation and even through the research and experiments. In the field of philosophy, science is defined as the approach or the methodology used to test the philosophical hypothesized statements about nature and other related matters of life. Science interacts differently withRead MoreThe Contributions Of Science And Science3124 Words   |  13 Pagesobserving the timeline of modern science, and all the abridgments made to it over the past few centuries, one cannot help but ponder upon the course that science took to reach what it is today. We are aware of the pioneers of science such as Newton, Lavoisier, Stahl, Joule, Maxwell, Einstein etc, and all of the groundbreaking contributions these extraordinary individuals made to mould science into what we today know it to be. Over the course of History of Science, we have examined the various factors

Renaissance Changed the Individuality of Humans Essay Example For Students

Renaissance Changed the Individuality of Humans Essay How the Renaissance Changed the Individuality of Humans The Renaissance changed how people viewed themselves from the Middle Ages when Christianity was so important. Human anatomy, mans temperament, mans role in the universe and people in art all show the decreased importance of Christianity and the increased importance of how individuals viewed themselves. The perception of human anatomy and its function from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance has changed greatly and diminished the importance of Christianity. The first theory, Zodiac Man, believed that each sign of the zodiac ruled a part of the DOD. A zodiac is a constellation, which is part of the universe that God created. With the importance of Christianity, people in Europe at this time surely did believe that these constellations were controlling the body (Document H). Belgian physician, Andrea Vesuvius, who actually dissected the human body to better explain what actually happened, made another theory about how the human body worked. He discovered this hypothesis over 30 years after Johann; this new notion better explained how the body actually works and was more realistic (Document I). After the announcing of this new theory, the importance of how individuals viewed themselves were increased while people were starting to question how important Christianity really was. Mans temperament through plays showed how Christianity was all that the people of the Middle Ages could think about but then there is a gradual change of how Christianity was viewed in the Renaissance. Plays were conducted for people who were illiterate, this play is written by an unknown author at the start of the Renaissance but the lines of the play carry a meaning straight out of the Middle Ages. Many at this time knew that God was perfect and people felt that they also needed to be flawless in order to go to heaven and live an eternal life. The author starts the play off by saying that sin in the beginning is full sweet but in the end cachets thy soul to weep (Document D). The author is saying that people should not commit a sin otherwise they will go to hell. He also states that the individuals should listen to what God has to say in order to live a good life. Otherwise, Shakespeare states, what a piece of work is man (Document E). This line, along with the rest of he excerpt is dictating that men do make mistakes; they arent perfect because no one is. These two passages from the plays show the different perception of religion, the excerpt from the Middle Ages is stricter on Christianity and how it is perceived thane excerpt from the Renaissance, where how sin is morally accepted because of everyones imperfections. Mans role in the universe shrunk the importance of Christianity and amplified mans sense of individuality from the different drawings of the universe and how the two developed and changed peoples understanding it. Ptolemy developed a theory f the universe that he himself and other scholars believed during the Middle Ages, and that was that earth was the center of the universe. God, having created the universe and the world in which the nation lived, the scholars believed that it would be geocentric (Document F). A new concept came along by Copernicus; he believed that the sun was the center of the universe by only relying on mathematics (Document G). Since the universe had been noted as being heliocentric, people started relying less on Christianity and started trusting themselves as individuals. People in art developed more knowledge on paintings and developed new artistic tales at the time of the Renaissance, which caused them to lead off of Christianity in their paintings and focus more on people and how they are perceived. Faces in the paintings from the Middle Ages through to the end of the Renaissance changed, scenes became less biblical and more realistic. .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 , .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 .postImageUrl , .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 , .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3:hover , .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3:visited , .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3:active { border:0!important; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3:active , .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3 .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6d4884ab53d84a90d1ec4de57eb4c7b3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Italian Renaissance Study Guide (History of the Theatre)In the Middle Ages, the painting was very religious. This biblical scene shows Mary and Jesus surrounded by angels, her face does not look accurate, especially not as accurate as a face that one would see in present time. Also, Jesus does not resemble a baby but looks more like a miniature an (Document A). With a drastic change, the Mona Lisa shocked many people with how realistic her smile is. Whenever in a room with this painting, the eyes will always follow which is a relatively new artistic style at this time (Document B). The real difference between these two paintings is that in the one from the Middle Ages, the artist does not know what Mary nor Jesus looks like because they lived in the biblical age, dying long before the Middle Ages therefore the artist trying to perceive the image of them is difficult. Contrarily, the Mona Lisa is a real model posing for the painting. In dad Vines work, there is no sign of a biblical scene in his objective. Leonardo portrait helped people in the Renaissance stray from Christianity and appreciate themselves as individuals. Literacy at the time of the Renaissance started to spread, more educated people started questioning the teachings of the Church. Humanism, a movement where people developed, praised the beauty and intelligence of the individual started to advance at this time. Humanism worked its way into the arts, literature, the sciences and medicine. It started to change the individuality of humans through the human anatomy and how the constellations that ere first controlling the body but have now learnt that humans are the ones to actually control themselves on what they do and say. Mans temperament and how plays taught people that sometimes people sin because no one is perfect. Mans role in the universe and the two different drawings show that the earth is not the center of the universe but the sun is. People in art drifted from biblical scenes and started to focus more on people and the realism in painting real figures. These things all show the decreased importance of Christianity and the increased importance of how individuals viewed themselves.

Odysseus Essays (1054 words) - Odyssey, Odysseus, Greek Mythology

Odysseus Outline I. Introduction - In Homer's The Odyssey the tale of a man's journey back home after long years at war is also the tale of a man's spiritual journey through his own soul. II. The beginning - Odysseus leaves Troy feeling almost immortal and this pride is what leads to his downfall and second rise. III. The middle - Odysseus undergoes his symbolic death and rebirth. IV. The end - Odysseus has regained power over his household and has restored order to his life. V. Conclusion In Homer's The Odyssey, the tale of a man's journey home after long years at war, is also the tale of a man's spiritual journey through his own soul. Odysseus' role as an epic hero is modified throughout the epic poem. As Odysseus leaves Troy for home, he is the typical bloodthirsty warrior. During the course of his trek, he undergoes a symbolic death and rebirth. Upon his arrival in Ithaka, the wiser man he has become is evident. The Odyssey is Odysseus' story of his journey not only from Troy to Ithaka, but also from bloodthirsty warrior to epic hero. Odysseus begins the tale of his trip from Troy to Phaiakia in Book IX. The beginning of his tale displays the bloodthirsty warrior that left Troy. What of those years of rough adventure, weathered under Zeus? The wind that carried west from Ilion Brought me to Ismaros, on the far shore, A strongpoint on the coast of Kikones. I stormed that place and killed the men who fought. The first lines of Odysseus' story display his warrior side. This passage shows how he and his crew landed and immediately went to battle and plundered. Although Odysseus recalls telling his men to stop afterwards and return to the ship, he never really forcibly tried to make the men return. The lack of effort on Odysseus' part implies that he did not truly care if the men ransacked Ilion. Due to this greed and bloodlust, nearly a third of each ship's crew was lost. This bloodthirsty warrior cared only for battle and blood, instead of his men and his return home. After stopping on the island of Aiaia, the home of Kirke, Odysseus journeys to Hades. This represents a symbolic death for Odysseus. There he must speak with Teirasias to hear the prophet's visions for Odysseus's journey home. Teirasias predicts that the journey can take two paths; either a peaceful journey home, or if the crew and Odysseus can not restrain their desires, death and destruction will befall the crew. Odysseus and his crew do not heed Teirasias's warning, and the entire crew save Odysseus is lost at sea. After nine years on Kalypso's island Odysseus finally continues his journey home. The strong god glittering left her as he spoke, And now her ladyship, having given heed To Zeus's mandate, went to find Odysseus In his stone seat to seaward-tear on tear Brimming his eyes. The sweet days of his life time Were running out in anguish over his exile, For long ago the nymph had ceased to please. Though he fought shy of her and her desire, He lay with her each night, for she compelled him. But when day came he sat on the rocky shore And broke his own heart groaning, with his eyes wet Scanning the bare horizon of the sea. Odysseus had begun to lose hope of ever getting home. Kalypso grudgingly gives in to Zeus' order and aids Odysseus in obtaining wood for a ship. After nineteen days at sea, he is battered in a vicious storm and washes up half-unconscious, bloody, and naked in Phaiakia. This episode represents a symbolic rebirth for Odysseus. His time of incubation on Kalypso's isle is over and he emerges naked and bloody - like the day he was born. Once he has landed on Phaiakia, Odysseus realizes that he can not continue on as a bloodthirsty warrior, but rather must heed the wisdom passed on to him by those he met in Hades and change his outlook. It is at this point that Odysseus begins to fully comprehend the effects his actions have on those around him, as well as on his future. Only now is he truly ready for his tumultuous return to Ithaka. By the time Odysseus returns to Ithaka he is no longer the fierce warrior he was when he left Troy. Instead, he has changed into a man desperate to reclaim his throne and home. Unlike the bloodthirsty warrior he once

How the Best Dissertation Can Guarantee You a Dream Job

How the Best Dissertation Can Guarantee You a Dream Job How the Best Dissertation Can Guarantee You a Dream Job According to the Wall Street Journal survey of about 500 recruiters, employers who hire fresh graduates complain that the majority of candidates lack critical thinking and analytical skills. Some chief executives also say that despite the fact that many applicants are very smart and far more observant than their superiors, they seem not to be able to turn their opinions and assumptions into strategies or ideas for company development. If you’re wondering how your dissertation fits into this scenario, it means that you’ve already refused to put your best hopes in it. But it’s never too late to change the course of events if you really want to. We will tell you how the best dissertation can attract the potential employer’s attention at the time when recruiters start turning down the idea of hiring graduates. The Ability to Think Independently If you choose the right topic just within the sphere of your specialization and, of course, your interest, you will be able to research a relevant field of information as well as provide some valuable insights. It will mean that you are able to critically analyze data, draw the most important details from it, and form your own assumptions – and that’s exactly what employers are looking for. Commitment Not in all colleges or universities, students have to write dissertations. In fact, some educational institutions give you a choice, and if you agree to dedicate a great amount of time to research and analysis, it shows how committed, focused, and result-oriented you are. Time Management Deadline is the Achilles’s feet of almost every student because, firstly, it’s hard to portion your time for such a bulky writing assignment especially when you have to start like a year before your actual D date. Secondly, your mind just doesn’t feel that it has to force you to get a dissertation written, again because the deadline is far away. As a result, you begin doing something when it’s a bit late, and the quality suffers irrevocably. But if you manage to do everything rationally and on time, and your dissertation looks decent in terms of both – the quality and valuable findings – this is something definitively worth the potential employer’s attention. Your True Interest in the Industry A well-researched and well-written dissertation proves that you are indeed interested in the major you chose years ago. Chief executives want to see employees who are dedicated, engaged, and invested into their sphere. By completing a lengthy written project at the university, you can show your potential and possible benefits that you can bring for the company. We know that writing a dissertation is one hell of a task. So, before getting to it, you need to actually sit and decide for yourself whether you will really work in the industry you’ve majored in. Then, you must look for the topic which you are able to contribute to. After you have everything settled, dedicate enough time to polishing it, and only then, you can count on it while searching for career opportunities. So, set your priorities right, kid.

Epicurus His Philosophy of Pleasure

Epicurus His Philosophy of Pleasure Wisdom hasnt come a step further since Epicurus but has often gone many thousands of steps backwards.​Friedrich Nietzsche About Epicurus Epicurus (341-270 B.C.) was born in Samos and died in Athens. He studied at Platos Academy when it was run by Xenocrates. Later, when he joined his family on Colophon, Epicurus studied under Nausiphanes, who introduced him to the philosophy of Democritus. In 306/7 Epicurus bought a house in Athens. It was in its garden that he taught his philosophy. Epicurus and his followers, who included slaves and women, secluded themselves from the life of the city. The Virtue of Pleasure Epicurus and his philosophy of pleasure have been controversial for over 2000 years. One reason is our tendency to reject pleasure as a moral good. We usually think of charity, compassion, humility, wisdom, honor, justice, and other virtues as morally good, while pleasure is, at best, morally neutral, but for Epicurus, behavior in pursuit of pleasure assured an upright life. It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and honorably and justly, and it is impossible to live wisely and honorably and justly without living pleasantly. Whenever any one of these is lacking, when, for instance, the man is not able to live wisely, though he lives honorably and justly, it is impossible for him to live a pleasant life.Epicurus, from Principal Doctrines Hedonism and Ataraxia Hedonism (a life devoted to pleasure) is what many of us think of when we hear Epicurus name, but ataraxia, the experience of optimal, enduring pleasure, is what we should associate with the atomist philosopher. Epicurus says we should not try to increase our pleasure beyond the point of maximum intensity. Think of it in terms of eating. If youre hungry, theres pain. If you eat to fill the hunger, you feel good and are behaving in accordance with Epicureanism. In contrast, if you gorge yourself, you experience pain, again. The magnitude of pleasure reaches its limit in the removal of all pain. When such pleasure is present, so long as it is uninterrupted, there is no pain either of body or of mind or of both together. Satiation According to Dr. J. Chander*, in his course notes on Stoicism and Epicureanism, for Epicurus, extravagance leads to pain, not pleasure. Therefore we should avoid extravagance. Sensual pleasures move us towards ataraxia, which is pleasing in itself. We should not pursue endless stimulation, but rather seek out enduring satiation. All desires that do not lead to pain when they remain unsatisfied are unnecessary, but the desire is easily got rid of, when the thing desired is difficult to obtain or the desires seem likely to produce harm. The Spread of Epicureanism According to The Intellectual Development and Spread of Epicureanism, Epicurus guaranteed the survival of his school (The Garden) in his will. Challenges from competing for Hellenistic philosophies, notably, Stoicism and Skepticism, spurred Epicureans to develop some of their doctrines in much greater detail, notably their epistemology and some of their ethical theories, especially their theories concerning friendship and virtue. Stranger, here you will do well to tarry; here our highest good is pleasure. The caretaker of that abode, a kindly host, will be ready for you; he will welcome you with bread, and serve you water also in abundance, with these words: Have you not been well entertained? This garden does not whet your appetite; but quenches it. Anti-Epicurean Cato In 155 B.C., Athens exported some of its leading philosophers to Rome, where Epicureanism, in particular, offended conservatives like Marcus Porcius Cato. Eventually, however, Epicureanism took root in Rome and can be found in the poets, Vergil (Virgil), Horace, and Lucretius. Pro-Epicurean Thomas Jefferson More recently, Thomas Jefferson was an Epicurean. In his 1819 Letter to William Short, Jefferson points up the shortcomings of other philosophies and the virtues of Epicureanism. The letter also contains a short Syllabus of the doctrines of Epicurus. Ancient Writers on the Topic of Epicureanism EpicurusDiogenes LaertiusLucretiusCiceroHoraceLucianCornelius NeposPlutarchSenecaLactantiusOrigen Sources David John Furley Epicurus Whos Who in the Classical World. Ed. Simon Hornblower and Tony Spawforth. Oxford University Press, 2000. Hedonism and the Happy Life: The Epicurean Theory of Pleasure, www.epicureans.org/intro.html Stoicism and Epicureanism, moon.pepperdine.edu/gsep/ class/ethics/stoicism/default.html

Apache Tribe Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Apache Tribe - Research Paper Example According to Waldman (2006), several Athapaskan-speaking tribes from present-day Western Canada migrated to the southwest region in the 1400s and became known as Apache while in other areas they are called Navajo. Due to their nomadic lifestyle, the Apache sub tribes were identified in different names, mostly according to the geographical regions where the tribes are found. As original inhabitants of North America, these Apachean tribes were known to be the resisting force which opposed Spanish and Mexican occupiers for many years. In this paper, the journey of the various Apachean tribes will be retraced to showcase the struggles and challenges that these tribes went through in the course of history. It will feature the wars that these tribes fought in order to defend their original territory. Also, the Apache way of life will be examined through their religious beliefs, traditions, and social organization. It is important to examine their cultural ways in order to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the indigenous population in North America. Lastly, the examination of today’s Apachean tribe will showcase their presence and coexistence in the modern day America. The word Apache carries a fierce meaning. From the Yuma word, it means â€Å"fighting men† while the Zuni word translates the term Apache to â€Å"enemy†. As such, it is not surprising that the Apacheans were historically powerful tribes which resisted Spanish, Mexican, and later, the Anglo-American colonizers in their homeland. Before the Europeans came, the Apachean tribes were known to be nomadic hunter gatherers who skillfully travelled vast distances and â€Å"literally lived off the land† (De Mayo, 2011). However, the series of armed conflicts started when by the late 1500s when Spanish settlements started to occupy northern Mexico. Since the Spanish conversion of Apacheans did not succeed, these armed conflicts continued until Mexico and New Mexico gained its independence from

The Boston Molasses Disaster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Boston Molasses Disaster - Essay Example A lawsuit was filed against the company and a bitter legal battle ensued after the disaster. Negligence and errors in design were finally proved to be the most obvious reasons explaining the tank failure. This event raised public morale to combat high handed corporates who did not pay much attention to environmental issues and public safety. And the technical aspects of the disaster are also extremely vital. A simple and stationary storage tank had behaved in a strange manner. This signals poor understanding of chemical engineering. Designing a storage tank is not just a mechanical engineering topic. Chemistry of the material to be stored in the tank is highly important. Continual research on the Boston Molasses Disaster can help the engineering community to learn from past mistakes and understand the importance of industrial safety in the context of holistic disaster management preparedness. Background The Boston Molasses Disaster: What happened? The Center for Chemical Process Safety or CCPS has furnished a very concise but informative description of the Boston Molasses Disaster. On 15th January 1919 morning, a large storage tank in northern Boston blasted releasing tons of molasses. The steel tank was 50 ft or 15 m high. It had a diameter of 90 ft or 27 m containing nearly 2.3 million US gallons of molasses. All the rivets sealing the tank walls were spattered in the manner of machine gun firing, and chunks of steel were hurled across the area. Consequently, a wave or molasses rising above 15 ft or 5m began to surge ahead from the site of the blast. The wave had a speed of about 60 km/hr and traveled across two bocks of the Boston city with great momentum. Consequently, 21 people were killed, above 150 were injured, several buildings and vehicles were smashed, and the municipal system was completely disrupted. See Figure – 1. (CCPS 2007) Figure 1: Photographs showing the site of disaster before and after the molasses tank failure took place. Source: CCPS (2007) 1.1.2 The technology/engineering involved The CCPS (2007) has utilized a sound technical a pproach to describe the disaster. This approach is contextual with relation to both the old and new paradigms of engineering. The old paradigm of early 20th century engineering technology was devoid of facilities like computer aided design (CAD), industrial control systems, etc. The new paradigm is modern 21st century engineering which has power of new discoveries and superior computing efficacy. In sum,

Stereotypes in Film Essay Example for Free

Stereotypes in Film Essay Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary clearly defines ethnocentrism as the â€Å"characterization by or based on the attitude that ones own group is superior. † To address the deeper issues associated to ethnocentrism requires a more explicit definition. In this sense, ethnocentrism can be defined as the making of false assumptions regarding others ways based on our own limited experience. The key word is assumptions, because oftentimes we are not even aware that we are being ethnocentric we dont understand that we dont understand. These mannerisms lead to seeing other ways of life through a slanted perspective which can lead to unhealthy feelings of haughtiness and self-righteousness. A variety of cultures can appear differently, depending on our perspective. In many ways we are like the blind men in the fable written by the Persian poet Jalal al-Din Rumi, The Blind Men and the Elephant. â€Å"A beast of mystery appeared in the land of the blind. The raja sent his advisors out to investigate. Waiting until the mysterious beast was sleeping, they touched it. When the blind men had felt the creature, the raja went to each of them and said to each, Well, blind man, have you seen this beast? Tell me, what sort of thing is the creature? There upon the men who were presented with the body answered, Sire, this beast is like a wall. While the men who had observed the ear replied, No, this animal is like a fan. Those who had touched the tusk said, ‘The beast is like a spear. ’ Those who knew only the trunk said it was a snake; others said the leg was a tree; the tail, a rope. All of these blind men described parts of the same thing a sleeping elephant. As you can see, the blind men had only a partial view of the elephant. There moral here is that if you put together your partial views in proper order, you will get an idea of what an elephant looks like. As Americans we seem to be limited by our own perspectives of given cultures and groups of people and fail to see the variety of viewpoints present. Assumptions can also reflect false positive attitudes about others ways. For example, we in an urban industrial society frequently think of other cultures as being free of the stresses of modern society. Unfortunately this view fails to recognize that many stresses are present in their way of life, including the threat of disease, risk of starvation, and lack of transportation to name a few. False positive assumptions are just as misleading as false negative assumptions. Ethnocentrism leads to misunderstanding others and the generalization regarding a person or group of persons, stereotyping. We falsely distort what is meaningful and functional to other peoples through our own point of view. We see their ways in terms of our life experience, not their context. We do not understand that their ways have their own meanings and functions in life, just as our ways have for us. We develop stereotypes when we are unable or unwilling to obtain all of the information we would need to make fair judgments about people or situations. In the absence of the total picture, stereotypes in many cases allow us to fill in the blanks. Our society often innocently creates and perpetuates stereotypes, but these stereotypes often lead to unfair discrimination and persecution when the stereotype is unfavorable. For example, if you were walking downtown late at night and come upon three senior citizens walking with canes and wearing fur coats, you may not feel as intimidated as if you encountered three college-aged boys wearing leather jackets. Why is this so? In each case we have made a generalization. These generalizations have been formed based on experiences we have had ourselves, read about in books and magazines, seen in movies or television, or have had related to us by friends and family. In many cases, these stereotypical generalizations are reasonably accurate. Yet, in virtually every case, we are resorting to prejudice by ascribing characteristics about a person based on a stereotype, without knowledge of the total facts. By stereotyping, we assume that a person or group has certain characteristics. Quite often, we have stereotypes about individuals who are members of groups with which we have not had firsthand contact. So here we have a paradox: we falsely assume because we are not even aware we are assuming and furthermore it is the normal thing to do. We cannot not be ethnocentric, and we cannot will it away or make ourselves have a completely open attitude. Is it ever possible not to be ethnocentric?

Athena :: essays research papers

Athena The god to be the topic of discussion in this report is Athena. Athena was an important member of the Olympic pantheon. She was born fully armed from the forehead of Zeus, the chief god. Athena was Zeus's favorite child. He entrusted her with the Aegis, his breastplate, and with his thunderbolt. Athena's role as a goddess varied. She was a major warrior and most images depict her dressed in armor and holding a spear. In Homer's Iliad, she is described as a fierce battle goddess who continually intervened on the side of the Greeks. She also took an interest in handicrafts and agriculture. The olive tree, which she said to have created, is sacred to her. She was noted for her wisdom which explains her close association with the owl, an ancient symbol of wisdom and reason. The most famous temple to Athena was the Parthenon (5th century BC) which was named for Parthenos ("the Maiden"), which still stands atop the Acropolis in Athens. The interior of the Parthenon stands a statue of Athena Parthenos, sculpted by Phidais. When I was reading through myths, I decided I would talk about "The Gift of Athena" which, in my opinion, best illustrates Athena's colorful personality. Here is how "The Gift of Athena" goes: Long, long ago, when this old world was a very young place, and when the few people there were had just begun to live together in groups for their own protection, the great gods selected the places for humans to build the cities. They looked down upon the earth, through the clouds that shrouded their home on the very peak of the high mountain called Olympus, and they chose the sites they thought would provide everything mortals needed to live and prosper. Now, each god and goddess was eager to have a great city built in his or her honor, and so the prime locations-the very best places for the great cities to be built came to cause much bickering and jealousy among the many deities for all wanted a great city built in their honor, a city whose people would worship that particular god or goddess above all others. It happened that great Zeus, the king and ruler of all the gods, had found a spot on earth that appeared absolutely ideal for the building of a noble city; indeed, he foresaw that the city that would be built there would someday become the noblest city on earth. Well, you can imagine that all the gods and goddesses wanted this city for their own, and you would be right.

The Mind & Brain

The Mind & Brain: Are There Differences? Darreia Johnson PHI208-Ethics and Moral Reasoning Professor: Kurt Mosser February 27, 2013 The Mind & Brain: Are There Differences? This is a fascinating subject, â€Å"the mind and the brain† because these are the kind of questions philosophers work so hard to answer. Many people believe the mind and brain are the same. Mind and Brain are two terms that are understood to mean the same when used in the colloquial sense. There is certainly some difference between the two in their making.Brain is made of physical matter while mind is not made of physical matter. To be more elaborate brain is made up of cells, blood vessels and nerves to name a few. Mind is nothing but the thought that resides in the brain. Apart from thoughts, mind gives room for emotions, memories and dreams as well. I will address certain perspectives from different academic sources as well as my own concerning the mind and brain and how they work. In terms of a compute r, we can look at the brain as the hardware and the mind as the software, but it is much more complicated than that. Mind† refers to the part of you that is capable of thought. â€Å"Brain† can be a synonym for mind, and it can also refer to the physical organ within your skull. That is, the â€Å"brain† is a physical organ while â€Å"mind† is a more philosophical concept. People sometimes make a careful distinction between the two words when discussing the philosophical concept. Like, when people are debating whether there is such a thing as an immortal soul, they will say things like, â€Å"Can the mind exist without the brain? † In most day-to-day contexts, the two words are pretty much synonymous.The brain, part of the central nervous system situated within the skull. It includes two cerebral hemispheres, parallel masses of deeply furrowed tissue as well as the brainstem and cerebellum. Its functions include muscle control and coordination, sen sory reception and integration, speech production, memory storage, and the elaboration of thought and emotion. According to Susan Greenfield in an article I read, she has a different approach. She says: â€Å"There is a familiar dichotomy between mind and brain, hereas the concepts of ‘mind’ and ‘consciousness’ often are conflated: I wish to argue here that both suppositions are wrong. † We want to first explore the aspects of the mind and brain. â€Å"Where ‘brain’ obviously needs no definition, ‘mind’ presents more of a trip-wire. Normally the term is used to refer to abstract airy-fairy events that float free of the biological squalor of neuronal circuitry and chemicals. But more than rather vague mental activity, ‘mind’ is used also for personal aspects of brain function, as in ‘I don't mind’, ‘broaden the mind’, ‘make your mind up’, etc.I would venture therefore that perhaps ‘ mind’ is very close to what we might refer to as ‘ personality’, but the big difference is that personality is in the eye of a third-person beholder, whereas ‘mind’ is a first-person perspective, i. e. it is what it feels like to be you rather than what other people judge you to be. † (Greenfield, 2002) The brain, Susan suggest, is a gross aspect and can vary from one individual to another, they offer n clue as to who is kind, witty, cruel and good at cooking. Let us consider how the brain is organized. Within each macro brain region there is no single isolated complete function.We know, for example, that vision is divided up into color, motion and form processing and, in turn, the function of vision can preoccupy over 30 brain regions. Similarly, any one brain region, like the prefrontal cortex, can participate in more than one function. So brain regions are bit players on the brain stage, and not autonomous units. Within each area we know that there is complex brain circuitry, finally boiling down to the synapse, across which we find all the biochemical baggage needed to operate a system of chemical transmission: in turn, this baggage of enzymes, receptors and uptake mechanisms is the result of gene expression.Moreover, we know that in our whole body there are merely 30 000 or thereabouts genes, so that even if every single gene in the body was devoted to a synapse, one would still be out by 1010 (assuming approximately 1015 connections in the brain). So, we can no more attribute autonomous functions to the most basic level of brain function, genes, than we can to the most macro, the brain regions. In both cases there is very little room for man oeuvre and therefore it is hard to see how personalization of the brain, the mind, might develop. Greenfield, 2002) Speaking of genes, one would agree that genes play important roles in our thought process. In The Birth of the Mind: How a Tiny Number of Genes Cre ates the Complexities of Human Thought, Gary Marcus takes as his goal â€Å"not to try to prove that genes make a difference—a matter that is no longer in serious doubt—but to describe how they work and to explain, for the first time, what that means for the mind† (pp. 4–5; italics in original).He specifically disparages the popular press (and the scientists who so inform it) for announcing the discovery of a gene for this or that just as he dismisses the question â€Å"whether nurture or nature is more important† (p. 7). He understands the only meaningful answer involves their â€Å"interaction,† an understanding of which leads to the more refined and productive question, â€Å"How do genes work together with the environment to build a human mind? † (p. 8). Nothing less is at stake than the tossing out of the gene as a permanent template.Marcus's chief point, made after disposing of both the dangerously fallacious â€Å"single geneà ¢â‚¬  theory and the notion that genetic structure is â€Å"unmalleable† and therefore that behavior is foretold, is that â€Å"genes do for the brain the same things as they do for the rest of the body: They guide the fates of cells by guiding the production of proteins within those cells† (p. 86). The alert reader, now accepting the idea of the flexibility and plasticity of the genes, will want to know precisely how the external environment shapes the genes.The answer, Marcus writes, is that every genetic process is triggered by some sort of signal. From the perspective of a given cell, it doesn't matter where that signal comes from. The signal that launches the adjust-your-synapse cascade, for example, may come from within, or it may come from without. The same genes that are used to adjust synapses based on internal instruction can be reused by external instruction. Candland, 2004) It goes on to say how genes shape our behavior, I also agree with Candland’s perspective on the issue. I think that although the mind and brain often are seen as one, that they are two different entities within the same host. I was reading an article earlier that said: we can study the brain but not the mind. I disagree with that article because that is what makes it so complex, we can hold the brain in our hands but not the mind. I think the mind is measured on different levels but studied as well.Psychiatrist, philosophers, and the field of medicine, just to mention a few, study the mind every day. They are able to draw the line between sane and insane, according to our text; Philosophy, A Conscious Decision, talks about the extreme skeptic as Descartes seems to have constructed a skepticism so powerful that it calls into question anything we have ever been certain of: that we have bodies, that there are other people around us, that we're awake when we think we are, and even that 2 + 2 = 4.Most important, for epistemology, is that Descartes transforms the discussion into one of doubt about what we call the external world: the world of objects that are outside of our mind, including the ordinary objects, such as tables and chairs, about which we make our most confident knowledge claims. (Mosser, 2010) This is an example how powerful and complex the mind is. Another way of learning how our minds work is to understand the brain systems that would produce mental representations with the properties just described.For this purpose, he introduces the principle of learning by prediction and links it to Bayesian decision theory. He argues that many of the cognitive phenomena considered can be explained if it is assumed that the brain operates as an ideal Bayesian observer. This conceptualization directly builds on the notion that perception and action are proactive processes and involve the generation of mental models. The models generated by the brains are continuously tested against reality and adapted using sensory signals and prediction errors, which are computed based on probabilistic knowledge derived from past experiences.When facing a tall animate object in a streetcar, for example, probabilistic information about the likelihood of encountering a human being versus a gorilla plays a critical role in the perceptual processes that allow for object recognition. In motor control, probabilistic knowledge (e. g. , a filled backpack typically weighs x) is combined with sensory feedback to support the optimal selection and online correction of movement when pursuing an intention (e. g. , to pick up the backpack). (Kohler, 2008)In contrast to the above theory, it is said modern belief that the mind is the same thing as the brain, and therefore consists of genetic and chemical processes. Contrary to this notion is the more common sense view that our minds are made up of experiences in the world and with others, and while the brain may be the material home of the mind, it is not the mind itself. Professor Kando begins wit h a refutation of materialistic reductionism and positivism, and then builds on the work of William James, George Herbert Mead, and Joel Charon to make the case that the mind is a product of learning and not the same thing as the brain. Kando, 2008) The mind and brain are also associated with personality disorders. In this context the use of the words â€Å"mind† and â€Å"brain† in psychiatry is often associated with a set of polarities. Concepts such as environment, psychosocial, and psychotherapy are linked with â€Å"mind,† while genes, biology, and medication are often associated with â€Å"brain. † The author examines these dichotomies as they apply to personality disorders. Method: Research on antisocial and borderline personality disorders that is relevant to these dichotomies is evaluated.The implications of the findings for the understanding of pathogenesis and treatment are reconsidered. Results: In the clinical setting, it is problematic to lu mp together terms such as â€Å"genes,† â€Å"brain,† and â€Å"biological† as though they are separate and distinct from terms such as â€Å"environment,† â€Å"mind,† and â€Å"psychosocial. † These dichotomies are problematic, because genes and environment are inextricably intertwined in the pathogenesis of personality disorders, psychosocial experiences may result in permanent changes in the brain, and psychotherapy may have its effect by altering brain structure and function.The â€Å"theory of mind† is a useful construct for bridging â€Å"mind† and â€Å"brain† in the treatment of personality disorders. Conclusions: Severe personality disorders are best understood and treated without â€Å"either-or† dichotomies of brain and mind. Each domain has a different language, however, and the language of the mind is necessary to help the patient develop a theory of mind. (Gabbard, 2005) In conclusion, it could be n ecessary to associate the mind with the brain, but this is a complex issue because without the brain the mind cannot exist.However the mind and brain are very different. Theo Clark says, Scientific knowledge suggests that the world is inanimate, purposeless, made up of material things which operate on a cause and effect basis; yet the mental world seems to involve consciousness, planning, desire etc. It would seem paradoxical that one world is the product of another. Yet this is the conclusion we are faced with if we are to make any sense of the evidence at hand and resolve one of the major questions of all time. Do the electronic processes of the brain ‘create' or ‘give rise to' the mind; or is it that the electronic processes Are the mind? † The ratiocination of this question is essentially philosophical, but by necessity, it is grounded in the world of empirical science. (Clark, 2008) There are two vantages from which one can study the mind. The first-person acc ount (â€Å"I seered†) and the third-person (â€Å"He says he sees red when certain pathways in his brain encounter a wavelength of six hundred nanometers†).This can be broadly labeled as ‘Introspectionism' and ‘Behaviourism' respectively. As one cannot directly see into another's head, methodological problems arise using Introspectionist techniques, a result of which can be seen in the foibles of much introspective psychology (such as Freudianism). Behaviourism holds that any mental events are outside the realm of empirical science; ergo, it is now the brain which is the focus, as opposed to the mind. (Clark, 2008) References Candland, D. K. (2004). ‘What Is Mind? No Matter. What Is Matter? Never Mind. Mind Is Matter: Psychology Better Mind. Psyccritiques, 49(Suppl 2), doi:10. 1037/040007 Clark, T. (2008) â€Å"Is there and Difference between the Mind and the Brain? Research, Science http://www. scribd. com/doc/2451851/Is-There-a-Difference-Between- the-Mind-and-Brain. Gabbard, G. O. (2005). Mind, brain, and personality disorders. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 162(4), 648-55. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/220501257? accountid=32521 Greenfield, S. (2002). Mind, Brain and Consciousness. The British Journal of Psychiatry,

Rehab vs Retribution Essay

I negate the resolution which states: Resolved: Rehabilitation ought to be valued above retribution in the United States criminal justice system. The value for this round will be: justice, where everyone gets what they are due. In order to provide a criterion for which to judge the value, as well as a way to achieve my value, the value- criteria shall be: retribution, where the punishment of an individual is more often than not weighted by the gravity of the crime that they committed. This is not to say that the justice system is justified in putting our criminals through excruciating torture and interrogations in order to ensure that they never commit a crime out of fear. However, this means that retribution makes more sense than rehabilitation and thus should not be valued less than rehab. Note: By negating, I can say that retribution is just as valuable as rehab, just not less valuable? Contention One: The retribution system only serves criminals what they are due in return for th eir actions. A: Retribution is not the same as revenge. Background and context The criminal justice system comprises many distinct stages, including arrest, prosecution, trial, sentencing, and punishment (quite often in the form of imprisonment). As will become clear, it is in the last two of these many stages that the debate over rehabilitation and retribution is of special significance. It is a very serious mistake to think that the retributive ideal in the criminal justice system is about vengeance, retaliation or payback. Rather, it is an extremely sophisticated idea that often forms the basis of, and arguably is even the leading indication of, a developed sentencing system. The term ‘retribution’ is therefore unfortunate because its everyday meaning connotes ‘revenge’; it is better described as ‘desert’, ‘just deserts’ or ‘proportionality’ theory. The debate between rehabilitation and ‘retribution’ involves two broad questions: ideologically, which is the more satisfactory justif ication for punishment; and practically, which can serve as a more useful guide for sentences and other agents in the criminal justice system? B: RETRIBUTIVE IS NOT THE SAME AS REVENGE Pojman, 04: Louis P. Pojman, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at West Point Military Academy, in an essay titled â€Å"Why the Death Penalty is Morally Permissible,† from Adam Bedaus’ 2004 book titled Debating the Death Penalty: Should America Have Capital Punishment? The Experts on Both Sides Make Their Best Case, wrote: â€Å"People often confuse retribution with revenge†¦ Vengeance signifies inflicting harm on the offender out of anger because of what he has done. Retribution is the rationally supported theory that the criminal deserves a punishment fitting the gravity of his crime†¦ Retribution is not based on hatred for the criminal (though a feeling of vengeance may accompany the punishment). Retribution is the theory that the criminal deserves to be punished and deserves to be punished in proportion to the gravity of his or her crime, whether or not the victim or anyone else desires it. We may all deeply regret having to carry out the punishment, but consider it warranted. When a society fails to punish criminals in a way thought to be proportionate to the gravity of the crime, the danger arises that the public would take the law into its own hands, resulting in vigilante justice, lynch mobs, and private acts of retribution. The outcome is likely to be an anarchistic, insecure state of injustice.† http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001004 When you are a little kid, your mother most likely put you in time-out when you did something wrong. We have been taught all our lives, then, that there is a consequence for every action, whether that action is moral or immoral, conformed to the guidelines of society or looked down upon by society. Teenage life and adult life is no different- people must be made aware of effects that what they do have on other people. Retribution is the answer. B: Retribution restores justice. RETRIBUTION REQUIRES ONLY THE RESTORATION OF JUSTICE Budziszewski, 04: J. Budziszewski, PhD, Professor of Government and Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, in an Aug./Sep. 2004 OrthodoxyToday.org article titled â€Å"Capital Punishment: The Case for Justice,† wrote: â€Å"Society is justly ordered when each person receives what is due to him. Crime disturbs this just order, for the criminal takes from people their lives, peace, liberties, and worldly goods in order to give himself undeserved benefits. Deserved punishment protects society morally by restoring this just order, making the wrongdoer pay a price equivalent to the harm he has done. This is retribution, not to be confused with revenge, which is guided by a different motive. In retribution the spur is the virtue of indignation, which answers injury with injury for public good†¦ Retribution is the primary purpose of just punishment as such. The reasons for saying so are threefold. First, just punishment is not something which might or might not requite evil; requital is simply what it is. Second, without just punishment evil cannot be requited. Third, just punishment requires no warrant beyond requiting evil, for the restoration of justice is good in itself†¦ For these reasons, rehabilitation, protection, and deterrence have a lesser status in punishment than retribution: they are secondary†¦Ã¢â‚¬  http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001004 Contention Two: Retribution helps deter crime. Barton, 99: Empowerment and Retribution in Criminal and Restorative Justice, Professional Ethics, A Multidisciplinary Journal. Volume 7, Issue 3/4, Fall/Winter 1999, 28   Selected Papers from the 1999 Conference of the Australian Association for Professional and Applied Ethics, Charles Barton, Pages 111-135 Restorative justice critiques of the status quo in criminal justice often miss their mark because of the mistaken belief that current practice in criminal justice is essentially, or predominantly, retributive. What is being overlooked is that restorative justice responses often contain retributive and punitive elements themselves – and sometimes, such as in serious cases, necessarily so. (Barton 1999, Ch. 10) Therefore, blaming retribution, or even punitiveness, for the ills of the criminal justice system is largely beside the point. Punishment and retribution cannot be ruled out by any system of justice. By implication, a more plausible critique of the status quo is needed†¦ More generally, even if the threat of punishment is no longer a deterrent to a relatively small number of repeat offenders, that does not mean that the prospect of punishment, such as imprisonment, for instance, is not a deterrent to the majority of people who otherwise might be more tempted to break the law and violate the rights of others in pursuit of their own goals and interests. At best, the evidence on this point is inconclusive, but the phenomenon of sharp increases in mindless vandalism, looting, and violence by otherwise law abiding citizens when they feel that they can get away with it, should cause us to re-think the wisdom of rejecting punishment altogether. Contention Three: Victims must be taken into consideration; present and future If victims feel that justice has not been served, then self help will be sought out, putting more people in danger and increasing the overall crime rate. SELF HELP IS SOUGHT OUT WHEN â€Å"DESERVED† PUNISHMENT IS NOT ENACTED In Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976), the US Supreme Court in a 7 – 2 decision written by Justice Potter Stewart, JD, stated: Gregg v. Georgia, 1976: â€Å"The death penalty is said to serve two principal social purposes: retribution and deterrence of capital crimes by prospective offenders. In part, capital punishment is an expression of society’s moral outrage at particularly 66boffensive conduct. This function may be unappealing to many, but it is essential in an ordered society that asks its citizens to rely on legal processes, rather than self-help, to vindicate their wrongs†¦ The instinct for retribution is part of the nature of man, and channeling that instinct in the administration of criminal justice serves an important purpose in promoting the stability of a society governed by law. When people begin to believe that organized society is unwilling or unable to impose upon criminal offenders the punishment they ‘deserve,’ then there are sown the seeds of anarchy — of self-help, vigilante justice, and lynch law.† http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001004 Although the general public is not in a position to determine the fate of every single incarcerated person there is in the U.S., their interests must still be taken into account when attackers and abusers are put in to prison.

Relationship between Canada and the US essays

Relationship between Canada and the US essays Relationship between Canada and the US from 1960-1963 As the last years of Diefenbaker as Prime Minister came to an end, the relation between Canada and the US reached an all time low. As the Cold War deepened, the tension between the two countries worsened. It didnt help at all when it came to the personal relationship between Prime Minister Diefenbaker and President Kennedy. Diefenbaker refused to load nuclear warheads on the missiles he had bought; therefore the relations became tenser for the two countries. Also before Diefenbaker was out of office, the Canadian government postponed placing Canadian air forces in NORAD on highest alert as the Americans, and refused to send troops there during the Cuban Missile When John F. Kennedy became president, Diefenbaker quickly started to dislike him. Not only because he was young, charming, and aggressive in pursuing American interests, but also because Kennedy urged Canada to join the Organization of American States during his visit to Ottawa in 1961, even after Diefenbaker had put down the idea. Diefenbaker was angered because Canada was always being pushed in certain areas by the US. He believed in nationalism, which meant standing firm against American When Diefenbaker was elected, he had agreed to unite the air-defense plan with the United States. But everyone in power knew that its costs would have been very 2 high, that there were no foreign orders, and that it was disorganized. As a result Canada was better off without it. Therefore Diefenbaker rejected to load nuclear warheads on the missiles that he had bought. In the later years the Cabinet split over the issue of nuclear ...

Twelve Books for College Students

Twelve Books for College Students Reading reaches a whole new level when you enter college: papers, reports, textbooks. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with all the readings, there’s still nothing like a good book to pass the time. We have a few titles to help you get through the semester, whether you’re looking to feel a little smarter, laugh or just feel inspired, we’ve got you covered. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s This Side of Paradise The novel is a classic tale of a recent Princeton grad coming to terms with how different the real world is from his privileged upbringing as he falls in love. This witty romance is Fitzgerald’s debut novel and a favorite among many. Not only will you relate, you’ll have some great quotes to share in your next English class. Anyone? Sigmund Freud’s Civilization and Its Discontents This is one book every college student should read to gain firsthand insight into the mind of Freud and society as a whole. Freuds ideas had a huge hand in shaping our current culture and will enlighten many of the views and philosophies you’re learning about right now. Isabel Allende’s In the Midst of Winter This novel, rated one of the best reads of 2017, chronicles several Brooklyn-based immigrants whose chance meeting in a minor traffic accident lead to a deeply, moving and reflective tale of love, life and humanity. It’s a timeless tale that takes you from Brooklyn to Brazil, 2017 to 1970 and all the places your imagination will go after you’re finished. Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities If for no other reason, A Tale of Two Cities of one of the literary masterpieces every adult should read, and with the novel taking place before and after the French Revolution, you’ll get a bit of history lessons in while you’re reading. Sprawling, passionate and poetic, this novel is a must-read. James Baldwin’s Go Tell It On the Mountain This American classic is lyrically sound, direct, powerful and compassionate. It chronicles a single day in the life of a fourteen-year-old boy coming of age in 1935 Harlem as the stepson of a minister. Baldwin’s first major work, this novel will touch you and challenge you page by page. Your professors will be impressed too. Josh Waitzkin’s The Art of Learning This is the book that will help you learn almost anything. This pro-self-educating non fiction book will keep you entertained and enlightened. Chessmaster Josh Waitzken will explain how to make mistakes work for you and ways to optimize your performance in any life or professional setting, key tips for this crucial part of your life. Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? The talented and super funny comedian has many quirky, comedic stories during her rise to fame and she shares them all with good-natured self-deprecating humor that puts today’s awkward social moments in great context. Her observations are sure to give you a good laugh. Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking A book about the year after the author’s husband died? Sound depressing, doesnt it? Not a chance! One of America’s greatest authors takes readers through a whirlwind of family medical emergencies, love and loss with an uncanny ability to share strength, enduring faith and perspective. Sheryl Sandberg’s Option B The subtitle to this book is Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, three challenges every college student faces at some point in their journey. In this touching business book named one of the Best Books of 2017, Sheryl uses a massive loss to share her growth in learning how to overcome hardships, how to build compassion and help other people in times of crisis. Life lessons abound in this raw memoir. William Deresiewicz’s Excellent Sheep If you’re a student with good grades who feel you’re not â€Å"jumping through hoops,† this is a must-read. It shows how many top students often don’t think for themselves and instead fit the mold of the educational structures and expectations set by family, teachers and peers. This Yale professor will challenge your thoughts on education in the best way. B.J. Novak’s One More Thing If you like randomness this is for you. A quick read with great sections for a commute, or those boring moments in the bathroom, One More Thing takes you from a kid winning six-figures in a cereal box to a woman hoping to seduce Tony Robbins. Whether humor, strange, or inquisitive there’s something here for everyone. George Orwell’s 1984 If you haven’t already been made to read this book several times (or even if you Cliff-Noted through it in high school), now is the time. This classic and prophetic novel will have you feeling quite haunted by the similarities between today’s political and social climate and the dystopian depiction of the government in Orwell’s masterpiece. Have you read all of these books? Wow! Thats impressive.. and a bit terrifying. Heres the list with even more books to read. Enjoy!

Team-Working Is the Most Effective Means of Organising People Essay

Team-Working Is the Most Effective Means of Organising People - Essay Example Team-working also leads to greater diversity of ideas strengthening the problem-solving process. For this reason it can be argued that team-working is a powerful organizational tool which enables the management to organize human resources in such a manner as to maximize its value to organizational performance. Because the external environment is characterized by a fast pace of change, an organization has to change accordingly in order to remain competitive. This objective can be achieved by incorporating the notion of team dynamics. Team dynamics are defined as interpersonal forces which affect team performance. Therefore the top management can make use of team dynamics to organize their people in the most effective manner. The team dynamics determine how the communication process takes place. Communicating in teams and organization is one of the critical success factors in building high-performance teams, defined as those teams which are characterized by superior performance managem ent systems. Because the performance in these teams is measured continuously, the organization can continue to deliver superior business results in an ever-changing external environment. For this reason, team-working is an effective means of organizing people according to the prescribed deliverables. Because of the continuous process of change occurring in the external business environment, an organization cannot afford to remain still. In that case it will not be able to sustain its competitive advantage. According to the strategy formulation framework developed by Michael Porter, a business organization can implement the strategies of cost minimization, focus and differentiation to develop a competitive advantage. However this advantage is only temporary because the competitors can also implement the same strategies to attain an identical level of performance. Thus the original organization does not have a competitive edge any more. However, if the competitive edge is based upon o rganizing people, then it can be sustainable because this is related to the organizational culture and the culture of each organization is unique. For this reason team-working is one of the critical success factors in the present day business environment. Team-working enables the management to organize the people in such a manner that the organizational culture becomes the source of the organization’s competitive advantage. When the organizational culture is based upon team-working, it focuses the management’s attention on creating an effective communications structure. Creating a well-functioning communications structure is the key to creating high-performance teams. Unless there is a free flow of ideas between the team members, the performance of the team will be affected negatively. Communicating in teams and organization ensures that each team member fully believes in the team behaviors and values. Only then can the teams reach their goals of high performance. Howe ver team-working provides a framework for organizing people in the most effective manner. If the management wants to implement the continuous improvement process, then organizing people into high-performance teams is the best solution. It creates a flexible organizational

Mini-Literature Review Evaluation assignment Research Paper

Mini-Literature Review Evaluation assignment - Research Paper Example The patients experienced physical discomfort and difficult behavior. The intervention employed to make the patients comfortable is STA OP! (Dutch version of the STI protocol) Compared to the control intervention. The design used is cluster randomized controlled trial in moderate or mild patients in nursing homes (Pieper et al., 2011). This study was conducted by several persons with end-stage dementia who were under the care of a hospice. The method used was randomized controlled palliative care trial with an objective of enhancing patient’s comfort. The intervention employed comprised of long-term enteral feeding, phlebotomy, systematic antibiotics and new feeding tubes. The research concluded that it was not possible to assess the degree of comfort and awareness of feeding through a tube (Ahronheim, Morrison, Morris, Baskin & Meier, 2000). This research was conducted to analyze the end-of-life care in patients with dementia. The method used was in a form of questionnaires that consisted of questions in regard to emotional and physical signs that hap ended in the last three months of the patient. The interventions utilized include (CAD-EOLD) comfort assessment of dying individual with dementia, psychological and physical signs (Volicer, Hurley & Blasi, 2001). The implementation of the serial trial intervention for pain and challenging behaviour in advanced dementia patients (STA OP!): A clustered randomized controlled trial. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from

United States Department of Labor Case Study Research Paper

United States Department of Labor Case Study - Research Paper Example The data available on the website was obtained through the occupational Information Network and the National Labor Exchange (U.S. Department of Labor, 2014). The OINC provides information on the skills and employment requirements for vast occupations in the US. The NLE, on the other hand, comprises of Direct Employers Association and delivers information on the job requirements of various US corporations. Thus, the website provides a reliable documentation of labor benefits in the federal government regulations. The first feature is the fact that the website is primarily about the United States department of labor. This implies that the information available on the website is all about labor and employee welfare in the United States (U.S. Department of Labor, 2014). The second feature is that the website gives an outline of all the employee benefits inclusive of their details. It clearly indicates what benefits the employees have and the conditions needed to be met for the benefit to suit the particular employee. For example, the website indicates that The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) requires that the employee’s health plan should observe a group health plan approach. The third feature is that the websites provides links to other websites that give more information related to the employee welfare. For example, some of the links provided in the website offer the reader information on the COBRA continuation coverage assistance under the American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009 among others. The fourth feature is that the website is simple and easy to understand and navigate its contents. The fifth feature is the fact that the website provides its information through other strategies such as the creation of tabs that allow the reader to navigate the various pages in the website. For example, the general arrangement of the website context favors all the audience by

The Roles Of The Nervous System Biology Essay

The Roles Of The Nervous System Biology Essay The nervous system plays an important role in the smooth functioning of the body and is a complex network of cells which transmits signals through the body. The signals are transmitted by the brain, so if someone wanted to catch a ball their brain would transmit a signal to their hands to reach and catch the ball and are specialized in certain function. These cells communicate with each other through electrochemical waves. The neurons and glial cells are the important components of the nervous system. The two parts in which the nervous system is divided are the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. The spinal cord and brain form the central nervous system and neural tissues lying to the exterior of the central nervous system compose the peripheral nervous system. The main function of the nervous system is to keep a control over the systems of the body through these following processes. Sensory receptors of the nervous system are useful for the extraction of information from the environment and sending it to the central nervous system. The sensory neurons carry the information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system. The central nervous system collects information from the sensory receptors and carries out the processing. The task of transferring and interpreting the information is carried out by the interneurons. The peripheral nervous system sends information processed in the central nervous system to the glands and muscles of the body. An appropriate response is then activated by these glands or muscles. The motor neurons carry out the function of sending instructions to muscles or glands. The autonomous nervous system responds involuntarily. The involuntary processes of the body such as breathing, digestion, body temperature regulation and etc, are carried out by the autonomous nervous system. The autonomous nervous system is sub-divided into sympat hetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Coordination of body movements and homeostasis is carried out by the hind brain. Hind brain consists of different parts such as medulla, cerebellum and pons. The receptors are classified as exteroceptors, interoceptors and proprioceptors. The exteroceptors are used by the nervous system in smelling, listening, looking, touching, tasting and feeling. The signals associated with blood pressure, alimentary canal, bladder and osmotic pressure of blood plasma are received by the interoceptors. The movement and position of body parts is tracked by the proprioceptors. This kind of stimulus received by receptors is also one of the modes of classifying the receptors. Chemical receptors, mechanoreceptors and thermoreceptors are different types of receptors classified on the basis of the above-mentioned criteria. Thermoreceptors which consist of warm and cold fibers are excited by rising and falling temperatures respectively. The mechanoreceptors carry information about the mechanical stimulation to the central nervous system. The chemical receptors are sub-divided into olfactory, gustatory and glucose detectors, which are responsible for detecting smell, taste and glucose respectively. The glucose detectors are also responsible for providing information about the acid-base balance in the body Endocrine System The endocrine system is a collection of glands that secrete different hormones for the various functions and chemical reactions occurring within the body. The main function is to maintain a stable environment within the body or homeostasis. For example, maintaining the blood sugar levels according to changes occurring in the body is homeostasis. The other function of it is promoting the structural changes of the body which are the permanent changes occurring in the body over time such as height, development of sexual organs, and etc. There are 8 major glands that help in the functioning of this vital system. These major endocrine glands are as follows, Hypothalamus, Pituitary gland, Parathyroid gland, Thyroid gland, Adrenal glands, Pancreas, Ovaries and Testes. Hypothalamus, a collection of specialized cells that are located in the lower central part of the brain is called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is the main link between the endocrine and the nervous systems. The nerve cells of the hypothalamus control the pituitary gland by stimulating or suppressing the hormone secretions. Pituitary Gland, the pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain just below the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland is the most important part in the endocrine system. The pituitary gland secretes hormones on the basis of the emotional and seasonal changes. The hypothalamus sends information that is sensed by the brain to pituitary triggering production hormones. The pituitary gland is divided into two parts: the anterior lobe and the posterior lobe. The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland regulated the activity of the thyroid, adrenals, and the reproductive glands. The anterior lobe also produces hormones such as Growth Hormone, to stimulate the growth of the bones and tissues. It also plays a role in the bodys absorption of nutrients and minerals. Prolactin, activate the production of milk in lactating mothers. Thyrotropin, stimulate the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. Corticotropin, stimulate the adrenal glands to produce certain hormones. Endorphins, reduces the feeling of pain. The pituitary glands produces hormones that signal the reproductive organs to secrete sex hormones. The menstrual cycle and ovulation in women is also controlled by the pituitary gland. The posterior lobe of the pituitary gland produces anti-diuretic hormone that helps to control the water balance in the body. Oxytoxins that trigger the contractions of the uterus in a woman who is in labour is secreted by the posterior lobe. Thyroid Gland, the thyroid gland is situated in the front part of the lower neck that is shaped like a bow tie or butterfly. The production and secretions of the hormones of the thyroid glands are controlled by thyrotropin secreted by the pituitary gland. Thyroid produces thyroxine and triiodothyronine, that controls the rate at which the cells use up energy from food for production of energy. The thyroid hormones are very important as they help in growth of bones and the development and growth of the brain and nervous system in children. Over or under secretion of thyroid hormones lead to a number of thyroid problems in the body. Parathyroids, these are four tiny glands that are attached to the thyroid gland. They release the parathyroid hormone that helps in regulating the level of calcium in blood along with another hormone produced by thyroid known as calcitinin. Adrenal Glands, there are two triangular adrenal glands situated on each of the two kidneys. The adrenal gland is divided into two parts. The outer part called the adrenal cortex produces corticosteroids, which influence and regulate the salt and water levels. They are also helpful in the bodys response to stress, metabolism, immune system and the function and development of sexual organs. The inner part called the adrenal medulla, secretes catecholamine like epinephrine. This hormone is also called the adrenaline, which increases the blood pressure and heart rate when the body is under stress. Reproductive Glands or Gonads, the gonads are present in males and females and are the main organs producing sex hormones. In men, the gonads are related to testes. The testes are located in the scrotum and secrete androgens. The most important hormone for men testosterone is secreted from the testes. In women, ovaries are the gonads that are located in the pelvis region. They produce estrogen and progesterone hormones. Estrogen is involved during the sexual maturation of the girl, that is, puberty. Progesterone along with estrogen is involved in the regulation of menstruation cycle. These hormones are also involved during pregnancy. Pancreas, these glands are associated with the digestive system of the human body. They secrete digestive enzymes and two important hormones insulin and glucagon. These hormones work together to maintain the level of glucose in the blood. If these hormones are not secreted in the required levels, it leads to development of diabetes. Pineal, the pineal gland is located in the center of the brain. Melatonin is secreted by this gland that helps regulate the sleeping cycle of a person. Genetic System Genes are the basic units of hereditary transmission of characteristics. Heredity is the passing of traits to offspring (from its parent or ancestors). This is the process by which an offspring cell or organism acquires or becomes predisposed to the characteristics of its parent cell or organism. Through heredity, variations exhibited by individuals can accumulate and cause some species to evolve. In humans there are 23 pairs of Chromosomes which are located in the cell nucleus. Each person has 46 chromosomes, half from our mother and the other half from our father. The difference in the sex hormones is that Females have XX chromosomes while Males have XY chromosomes. This full set of genes in any organism is known as the Genome. No single gene determines a particular behaviour due to its complex traits involving multiple genes that are affected by a variety of other factors. But it share traits such as nurturing, cooperation, and altruism. These behavioural characteristics enhance t he survivorship of each species. Raquel Deering (2002) stated that a study performed by Harvard and MIT scientists involved the silencing of the gene responsible for coding of an important enzyme, CAMKII, in lab mice. Mutated mice were found to be unusually aggressive and daring. When placed in an open field, a mutated mouse would dawdle. However, when under the same conditions, a normal mouse would immediately run to the perimeter for cover. The atypical brazen attitude of a mutant mouse would make it much more susceptible to attack by prey in nature. Therefore, this trait is not frequently observed among mouse populations because it has been naturally selected against. A genetically influenced trait tends to be polygenic in characters involving many genes acting in concert to produce a certain response and also depends on the interaction of multiple gene sequences with environmental influences. These multiple gene systems are referred to as quantitative trait loci (QTL), reflecting their ability to quantitatively distribute phenotypic characteristics. The recently completed human genome sequence has greatly assisted the detection of QTLs and polymorphisms It must also be emphasized that genes do not directly dictate action, but rather are mediated by the proteins that they code for (Peter McGuffin, Brien Riley and Robert Plamin, 2001). It is necessary to examine not only the genes but also the assortment of proteins responsible for expression of particular traits (Joseph D. McInerney, 1999). It is anticipated that detailed analysis of the human genome will contribute to understandings about gene organization and transcription, and hence regulatory elements that control expression. By utilizing genomic and proteomic tools, the relationship between gene/protein and behaviour may be more accurately described. (Deering, 2002) Traditional research strategies in behavioural genetics include studies of twins and adoptees, techniques designed to sort biological from environmental influences. More recently, investigators have added the search for pieces of DNA associated with particular behaviours, an approach that has been most productive to date in identifying potential locations for genes associated with major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Genetics and molecular biology have provided some significant insights into behaviours associated with inherited disorders. For example, we know that an extra chromosome 21 is associated with the mental retardation that accompanies Downs syndrome, although the processes that disrupt brain function are not yet clear. We also know the steps from gene to effect for a number of single-gene disorders that result in mental retardation, including phenylketonuria (PKU), a treatable metabolic disorder for which all newborns in the United States are t ested.(McInerney, 2008) The importance of biological perspective in achieving the goals of psychology The field of Psychology is the study of the mind, how it works, and its impact on thinking, behaviours, and our abilities to relate to our environment. Psychologists practice their craft based on different theoretical beliefs of behavioural causes but they all share similar primary goals which are Goals, Description, Explanation, Prediction, Change, Considerations and others have also recognised Observing and Improving as part of the primary goals. Biology has brought in brain and body structural understandings of typical and different types of people for understanding and brought about solutions in how to cure and treat the disorder. Researchers in biological psychology draw techniques and theories from related fields to identify the relationships between the activity of the nervous system and observable behaviour. Example high levels of testorones are associated with increased aggression (Dabbs, 1990 cited in Laura A. Freberg, 2006, pg.3). Biology in this case appears to be driving the behaviour and have helped in achieving goals in psychology through case studies, correlation studies, surveys, laboratory test and others to find the cause and solution for such problems. Researchers have also have brought about Imaging method to watch and identify the differences between how typical people and people with disorders/serial killers brain function by using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and etc . Theres also Recording method whereby it records electrical charges across their membrane using electrodes on the surface of the skull such as Single-Cell recordings and Magnet o encephalography (MEG). Theres also medicine prescribed to help control the fluids, hormones and etc in our body to maintain stability for future health reason. These methods are used to explain to the world how are persons behaviour is determined and what makes their thinking and character unique from others. Since the most important part of psychology is the brain, they must look for the help of biology, which is a sub-field that focuses on the brain movements. They also have found out the ancient histories of human bodies and how it has changed since then and also how will it change further in the further, also known as evolution, was all found out and brought to the worlds recognition and understanding through these biology. Its been stated that single cell organism appeared about 3.5 billion years ago and animals with very simple nerve nets developed about 700 million years ago. More complex animals with the first rudimentary brains, appeared about 250 million years ago and the first human brain probably appeared about seven million years ago (Calvin, 2004, cited in Freberg pg.54) and are using the samples of the ancient body parts to study, refer and relate to the present humans of biological factors and behaviours. Through many studies it has brought about cure and proper treatment plan for disorders or severe illness such as migraine, bipolar disorder, tumour, autism and etc also have predicted what may happen to a person in the futur e and are also still doing more research to study about learned and instinctual behaviours which are still are underlying questions in the world. Biology is the study of life. Without biology, we would have no idea about an organisms makeup or the most basic unit of life, a cell. It plays a very important role in our lives by teaching a person about body functions and how to take care of it. You have a better overall view when you know all areas of academic study. Likewise, you get to know the scientific method. Biology influences a person in many ways. Such as teaching why should we take care of the environment, why of our body, and a better overall view. As mentioned above environmental factors, body factors (genes and bodily functions), food all plays a role in determining and developing a persons behaviour and sometimes explanation is required to the world. Through these fundamentals brought in from biological perspective, it helped in achieving goals in psychology. (2599 words)

Essay on Personal Freedom Song of Solomon -- Song Solomon essays

Search for Personal Freedom Song of Solomon      Ã‚  Ã‚   Personal freedom is the ability to ignore societal and familial influences to find the true sense of self. Individuals are truly liberated when they are physically, mentally, and spiritually free. The search for personal freedom is exemplified in Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. The main protagonist, Milkman achieves personal freedom through attainment of knowledge, by confronting his family, and by overcoming the prejudices of society.    Knowledge is a primary factor in the attainment of personal freedom. This includes not only scholarly education but also awareness of historical heritage and familial legacy. The fact that African-Americans were held in human bondage cannot be forgotten; it has to be remembered and passed on through rememory. Moreover, literacy gives minority cultures a voice to reach out to others with encouragement and hope.    Milkman has a high school education which he took for granted. For Milkman to achieve personal freedom, he needs to search for his ancestral roots. Milkman's father, Macon Dead, Jr., denies Milkman his rememories because Macon assumes that achieving the American Dream means erasing his past. However, as stated above, Morrison believes Milkman has to remember; he has to know his past in order to know his self. His father taught him that Athe one important thing you'll ever need to know: Own things. And let the things you own own other things. Then you'll own yourself and other people too@ (Morrison 55). Macon falsely leads Milkman to believe that "You'll be free. Money is freedom Macon. The only real freedom there is" (163). Milkman buys into his father's fallacy as he too frantically searches for the gold that will s... ... personal freedom is not an easy one, but we must persevere. Milkman's realization of his personal freedom came as his life ended. We must all remember the old Chinese proverb "The longest journey begins with a single step".    WORKS CITED Carmean, Karen, Toni Morrison's World of Fiction, Troy: The Whitston Publishing Company, 1993. Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York: Plume, Peach, Norman. Modern Novelists Toni Morrison. Ed. Norman Page. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1995. Storhoff, Gary. "'Anaconda Love': Parental Enmeshment in Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon." Style 31 No. 2 (Summer 1997). 290-309. September 18, 2001 <http.//p26688.cl.uh.edu:2071/cgi-bin/web>. Willbern, David. "Reading After Freud." Ed. G. Douglas Atkins and Laura Morrow. Contemporary Literary Theory. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1989. 158-179.

Asia & Australia in World Affairs Essay

In as much as the unsuccessful Taiping Rebellion of 1850 played a significant role in ending China’s isolationist outlook, it also paralleled the socialist ideals put forth by Marx and Engels in the Communist Manifesto of 1848 to manifest itself in the communist seizure of power in China in the 20th century Student: Ben McCosker Teacher: Mr Hart Due Date: Thursday 24 March 2005 Against the backdrop of a passive and inflexible Chinese state devastated by the foreign incursions of the 1840 Opium War, the Taiping emerged to overthrow the Confucian Qing Dynasty and establish an egalitarian community based on the quasi-Christian beliefs of its leader, Hong Xiuquan. In their struggle to â€Å"adopt institutions of equality and communism† (Newsinger, J, 2000), Hong and his followers paved the way for the formation of the People’s Republic of China in October 1949 by tapping into the passionate anti-Manchu nationalism among the peasantry. In as much as the unsuccessful Taiping rebellion of 1850 played a significant role in ending China’s isolationist outlook, it also paralleled the socialist ideals put forth by Marx and Engels in the Communist Manifesto of 1848 to manifest itself in the communist seizure of power in China in the 20th century. While Hong’s dream for a ‘Kingdom of Heavenly Peace’ was not brought to fruition in his lifetime, his recognition and attacks upon dynastical weakness awakened an oppressed nation to rebellion and served as the catalyst for social and political reform in the 20th century. On the eve of the communist seizure of power in China, Mao Zedong spoke of the tireless efforts of Chinese reformists, including the Taiping, when he said that â€Å"I have witnessed the tremendous energy of the masses. On this foundation it is possible to accomplish any task whatsoever†. This essay will investigate the interconnection between the Taiping Rebellion of 1850 and the communist seizure of power in the 20th century against the backdrop of their shared socialist underpinnings. The exploitation of the peasant class and unerring belief in China as ‘Zhongguo’, or the centre of existence, were the main criticisms that Hong held of the feudalist Qing dynasty, led by Dao Guan. Hong disapproved of the Chinese system of reform, which historically had encompassed a series of deteriorations and restorations of dynastic houses with the aim of perfecting systems of the past rather than instituting true change. As an unsuccessful scholar of the civil service, Hong came under the influence of Christian missionaries and after suffering from an intense fever in which he claimed to have been visited by God, he proclaimed himself as â€Å"God’s Chinese Son† and declared a mission against the Confucian ideals and incompetent rule of the Qing Dynasty. In the context of 19th century China, where revolt was endemic and hatred for the gentry class was widespread among the peasant population, Hong’s call for revolution quickly gathered support. When rallying for the defeat of the Manchus, Hong would preach his distorted version of Christianity; â€Å"I have received the immediate command from God in his presence; the will of Heaven rests with me† (Xiuquan, H, 1850, quoted in Spence, 1996, p.67). Discontent with the unequal treaties and proliferation of Western activities among some sections of Chinese society, Hong and his Taiping rebels questioned not only traditional Confucian principles, but also the right of foreigners to rule, highlighting the powerful anti-Manchu theocracy that underpinned the revolution and encouraging the recognition of Chinese superiority. Spreading through the eastern valley of the Chang River, the Taiping movement captured Nanjing in 1853, before undergoing reform at the hands of Hong Rengan in 1859. Rengan understood the problems of Chinese society far more profoundly than his contemporaries and played a vital role in bringing Hong Xiuquan’s original ideas to maturity. Under Rengan, the Taiping continued to dominate the Qing resistance, capturing the port of Ningpo in 1862, until the death of Hong in 1864 and the resulting fragmentation of Taiping units. Although a technical failure, the Taiping rebellion played an integral role in changing the way Chinese government functioned. Under the Manchu government, as one poor peasant woman argues, â€Å"we were vulnerable and exploited†¦our anger was a cause of our government’s lack of power and increase in corruption† (Kong, H, 1870). With the rise and fall of the Taiping Rebellion, China was forced to adopt a broader and less centralised world view and relax its foreign policy, thereby ending the reign of the indolent and corrupt nobility of the Qing Dynasty. The egalitarian aspirations of the Taiping closely mirrored the ideals expressed by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels in their publication â€Å"The Communist Manifesto†. Marx and Engel’s seminal work also formed the ideological foundation for the communist seizure of power in 1949, clearly identifying the Taiping rebellion as the antecedent to the Chinese communist state. Marx began the Communist Manifesto with the words â€Å"A spectre is haunting Europe–the spectre of Communism†; little did he know that less than two years after writing these words, this ‘spectre of Communism’ would be spreading ferociously across the Chinese mainland. With the capture of Nanjing in 1853, Hong and his followers built an autonomous state based on the principles of laissez faire, supported by the twin pillars of communalism (essentially a debased form of communism) and equality. This doctrine of ‘communalism’ involved the appropriation of all private property by the Taipings and its redistribution among the Chinese based on their needs, a concept that emerged in both the Communist Manifesto and the communist seizure of power almost a century later. Although it is almost certain that the Taiping rebels were oblivious to the socialist movement in the Western world, the similarities between the rebellion and the struggles of the proletariat in Europe are unmistakeable and are representative of the self-development of the Chinese people, culminating in the Communist seizure of power in 1949. The communist seizure of power in 1949 was not in itself the embryonic Chinese interpretation of European socialism it was perceived to be, but rather a fulfilment of the ideals espoused by the proto-communist Taiping rebels almost a century earlier. When viewed objectively, the Heavenly Kingdom of the Taipings is not so distant from the classless egalitarianism that Mao Zedong instituted on 1 October 1949 with the seizure of power by the Chinese Communist Party. Indeed, the doctrinal pillars upon which Hong built his Heavenly Kingdom have been described as â€Å"a primitive form of communism† (Hooker, R, 1986) and some have gone as far as to say that â€Å"the communist revolution may have been but a realisation of an underground movement in China [The Taiping Rebellion] which began in the mid eighteen-hundreds† (Ny, G, 1991). Like the Taiping Rebellion, the communist seizure of power was an example of western ideals being adapted to the Chinese condition and similarly , both revolutions started in the agrarian centres of the South before moving north towards the political epicentre of the Chinese state, Beijing (Peking). Both revolutions shared common egalitarian elements, the most notable of which was the immersion of women into society as the social and economic equals of men. Under Hong’s leadership, all members of Taiping society were seen as â€Å"brothers† and â€Å"sisters†, which both established equality among the sexes and discouraged the formation of relationships among those with administrative positions. This was a radical departure from the traditional Confucian philosophy promoted by the Qing Dynasty, which preached women’s inferiority and subservient role to men. Indeed, under the Manchu government, the practice of foot binding was still widespread, as women had to bind their feet to be eligible for marriage in the eyes of the law. Like the Taiping rebels, the Chinese Communist Party realised that the liberation of women was integral to the true emancipation of the country as an egalitarian nation; so in a parallel for the Fun Yu-Lan, or ‘rules of the Heavenly Kingdom’ laid down by Hong Rengan, the communist government enacted legislation that revolved around the protection of women including the Chinese Marriage Law of 1950 and the Labour Insurance Regulations Law of 1951. In their contextualisation of Western theologies, both the Taiping Rebellion and the communist seizure of power banished the traditional androcentric beliefs of their preceding governments, instituting systems of equality in their place. Sun Yat-Sen’s ‘Three People’s Principles’, as published in the Guomindang Manifesto of 1924, itself a forerunner to the ideals of the CCP, reflect the original motives of the Taiping rebels; increased power for the people (democracy), equality among the citizenry (people’s livelihood) and the development of a national identity for China (nationalism). The shared social institutions and egalitarian precepts of both uprisings serve only to illustrate the fact that the Taiping Rebellion of 1850 was the philosophical forerunner to the Communist seizure of power in the 20th century. While the Taiping philosophy was sound in itself, a combination of inadequate military strategy, diplomatic incompetence, ideological inconsistencies and insufficient resources condemned the rebellion to failure while its latter-day counterpart, the Chinese Communist Party, thrived due to more consistent and efficient management. The very basis of the Taiping movement, Hong’s distorted version of Christianity, detracted from the authenticity of the rebellion in the eyes of foreign onlookers, which meant that the Taiping were unable to forge valuable alliances with more conventional Christian powers in the west. This oversight had fatal implications in the summer of 1864, when the Taiping looked to foreigners for support, but encountered the opposition of Westerners opposed to Hong’s bastardised version of Christianity. Mao Zedong, Li Dazhao and the other leaders of the CCP had the benefit of viewing revolutionary precedent through the failure of the Taiping Rebellion, t hus it can be seen that the ‘lessons’ of the Taiping were able to be applied to CCP strategy, lessons which resulted in Mao’s inclusion of peasants against the Marxist model and drive for agrarian revolution over urban uprising. Both conflicts arose from a strong desire from the proletariat for social and political reform, but it was the Chinese Communist Party that most effectively gathered the people’s support, while largely avoiding the corruption and poor foreign policy that plagued the Taipings. While the Chinese Communist Party remained a tightly-networked organisation in its struggle for power, the Taiping force was split into various factions before capturing Nanjing in 1852, which had the two-fold consequence of denying the rebels the opportunity to conquer Shanghai and also foregoing the continued pursuit of the Manchus after capturing Nanjing, which, as Larlee argues, â€Å"proved to be a fatal flaw in the rebellion† (Larlee, D, 2000). The failure to adequately support the Northern Expedition of 1852 resulted in Western Powers, already antagonised by the suppression of opium from Taiping-controlled China, to forge allegiances with the Qing Dynasty, a movement which ultimately ended t he Taiping rebellion. Like its communist progeny in the 20th century, concubinage amongst leaders was prevalent in the upper echelons of the Taiping leadership, which invoked doubt in the peoples’ minds over the capacity of the rebels to institute true change. Finally, in 1860, intervention by foreign powers came in the form of a British Envoy led by Frederick Bruce, who supported Prince Gong (the leader of the opposing Manchu government) in his quest to â€Å"purge the country of the sinful rebels† (Poon, 2000). After the death of over 25 million Chinese citizens (McEvedy, 1978) and the devastation of 16 provinces, The Taiping Rebellion was finally suppressed in 1864, ending 16 years of reform but paving the way for the Communist Seizure of Power in the 20th century. Philosophically, the Taiping Rebellion of 1850 and the Communist Seizure of Power in the 20th century shared remarkable similarity in their egalitarian goals and quest to overthrow oppressive rule. Both were born out of a socioeconomic situation of deprivation and shame, with drought, famine, and overt foreign influence common to both uprisings. The Rebellion cannot be judged objectively on its failure as a revolution alone, as its primitive implementation of socialist ideals and reformation of China’s isolationist outlook manifested itself in the communist seizure of power 100 years later. Its failure to institute permanent reform reflected not only the ideological flaws of Hong and his followers, but also the society’s resistance to change, a result of hundreds of years of dynastical rule. As â€Å"one of the early tremors of a communist earthquake† (Franz, M, 1999), the Taiping rebellion played an integral role in the Communist seizure of power in the 20th century. 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