Artists of the past Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Artists of the past - Essay Example However, the artistic focus of the Renaissance took a different approach to expression from that of their predecessors. The lessons learned from the ancients contributed significantly to the technical developments in ‘realistic’ painting that emerged during this period through the efforts of a variety of famous artists including Giotto, Masaccio, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael. In order to fully understand the artistic revival in painting that took place during this time period, it is necessary to understand the developments each of these artists contributed to the world of art in general and why the ancient world was of particular importance to them. Artists in Florence were able to quickly link the mathematical knowledge of the ancient Greeks and Romans to the proportional focus of their own world. Mathematics was a well-understood concept to the general population of Italy due to its primary importance in commerce. Painters used their foundational knowledge in geometry to create familiar elements in their paintings that would convey their intentions to the greatest possible audience. â€Å"In the same way that a painter could reduce the human form or settings to a play of geometrical figures, so could the merchant simplify all things to geometrical configurations† (Lemaitre & Lessing, 1993: 15). By melding mathematics and artistic expression, artists discovered how to provide their figures with a new impression of weight and volume that had not been previously achieved. This new ability to provide realism in a painting led to even greater explorations into how the world around them manifested itself in visual awareness. This attention to the science of representation eventually led to a systematic development of ever more realistic methods of portraying an image such as the development of dimension, perspective rules, atmospheric interpretation and textural

Movie Genre Essay Example for Free

Movie Genre Essay In a dystopian era plagued by radiation, Dredd is one of the Judges, which is the only presence of law in the land. The most feared of all Judges, Dredd is on a mission to stop the distribution and use of a new drug, â€Å"Slo-Mo†. While training a new Judge, Dredd and his trainee are caught in a slum apartment where a drug lord, Ma-Ma, has gained control over almost all of the inhabitants. The two Judges must fight for survival when the futuristic apartment building’s security is taken over by the drug lord with one mission: to kill Dredd and save the business. Films are generally pretty personal things. What one person loves, another may hate, and there are many concepts that can or cannot be included to create the desired effect. Regardless, there are a few things a film needs that everyone can agree on; an interesting plot, believable characters, captivating dialogue, a realistic set design, and must have a destination (and get there in a reasonable time). Dredd accomplishes all of these with ease, and was a film worth seeing. The plot is pretty basic, and while the basic idea of clashing with authority and who will prevail isn’t relatively new, Dredd presents the concept in a fresh way. Thrilling and suspenseful, Dredd is very well written and captivates the audience. NPR reviewed the film, stating, â€Å"Dredd works because its an action flick with wide appeal that takes risks it doesnt need to in its delightfully off-putting violence and daring style and those choices pay off in a singular and exhilarating movie experience. Its savage, beautiful and loads of fun. (ARNOLD)† Taking something so extraordinarily simple and making a masterpiece is what Alex Garland, the writer, has done. While there seems to be a constant flow of action scenes, the rising action isn’t typical backstory stuff. It offers the pertinent information, but in an energetic way. The climax is certainly the definition of, with more guns and ammunition than you can shake a stick at. Dredd lacks in the falling action, but after the previous high point, any more action may border on too much. Judges are self-described as â€Å"Judge, Jury and Executioner†, being given the power to determine charges on scene, and execute the appropriate punishment immediately. This kind of power is overwhelming and one would expect anyone in this position to be a bit arrogant and demeaning. This demeanor is shown exceptionally well by the Judges at the end of the movie. Many are on Ma Ma’s payroll and corrupted Judges are aplenty. These characters act, as one would expect, prompting the audience to feel a bit of animosity towards them: aptly so, since they are part of the villainous crowd. With a plot as dramatic and intense as Dredd’s, the set must be equally astonishing. Set in a futuristic time, after bouts of radiation, Mega-City One looks drastically different than Earth in present day. Shooting in South Africa provided plenty of vast land to create the perfect set that accurately portrayed the ‘goings-on’. The set is authentic and eerie, and strangely draws you in to the point that when you leave the theater, you wonder where all of the sunlight came from. This kind of believable set makes the movie experience that much more enjoyable. â€Å"I am the law†. Potentially one of the most raw lines in the film, this is the overall theme of the Judge’s attitudes. Being a drama, the film must deliver dialogue that is as captivating as the other elements of the film. Audiences love wit, one-liners, and humor, of any variety. But, in fact, the movie is devoid of too much dialogue, giving the audience the ability to absorb the beautiful set and the extreme action shots that seem to never end. Dredd could have offered more in the way of ‘captivating dialogue’, but Karl Urban, who plays Dredd, makes up for it with the delivery, using his raspy, Clint Eastwood-like voice. Perhaps the most important part of the movie is the plot, and how the movie reacts and evolves around the plot. The natural progression of things, the speed of that progression, and the in-betweens of the plot are all extremely important in holding the audience’s attention and not boring them half to death, or leaving them in the dust, confused. Dredd’s plot is pretty simple; stay alive in a post-radiation era while trying to solve a crime and bring down a drug lord. With the wrong writer, Dredd could be very short, and very boring. However, Garland creates intensity and draws the viewer in with numerous action scenes and suspense with not knowing if they will survive or not. Wired. com calls Dredd, â€Å"a fantastic action spectacle set against the back drop of two people trying to escape hell on Earth. There are massive bombtastic fights, near-death face offs, and bro-ing out between new BFFs Anderson and Dredd. The climax is reached in due time, with an ending that, as a viewer, you can’t help but shout a little â€Å"hoo-ra† at. Dredd is strong on the dialogue and characters, but shines on the set and plot areas. An astonishing set and a plot with non-stop action make Dredd an intense film you won’t want to miss.

Essay --

ii. The ICC and Restorative Justice The recognition of victim’s rights as an integral part of the ICC is exemplified in the Preamble of the Rome Statute, which declares that the ICC was created, in part, in recognition of the fact that â€Å"during this century millions of children, women and men have been the victims of unimaginable atrocities that deeply shock the conscience of humanity.† However, the ICC’s recognition of victim’s rights does not go towards the effectiveness of the ICC at achieving the victim’s goals. The ICC cannot effectively achieve the goals of restorative justice because of: (1) it’s inflexible demand for Western methods of adjudication; and (2) its inherent emphasis on societal rehabilitation as opposed to individual rehabilitation. First, the ICC places an unabated amount of pressure on the demand for a criminal prosecution in the context of a courtroom. The Preamble and Article 1 of the Rome Statute sets forth an important restriction on power of the ICC: it â€Å"shall be complementary to national criminal jurisdictions.† A case will be considered inadmissible when it is â€Å"being investigated or prosecuted by a State which has jurisdiction over it† or â€Å"has been investigated by a State which has jurisdiction over it and the State has decided not to prosecute†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The question most often posed by commentators is: can non-prosecutorial measures demonstrate â€Å"an intent to bring the person concerned to justice?† In the trial against Congolese warlords Germain Katanga & Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Katanga’s defense counsel challenged the admissibility of the case. The Trial Chamber offers two interpretations of the word â€Å"unwillingness† as used in Article 1 7: (1) unwillingness â€Å"motivated by the desire to obstruct the course o... ...avior, i.e. laws, prosecutions support societal rehabilitation by influencing the moral values of that society. Such societal rehabilitation can inoculate the population against lapses into oppressive behavior and repressive regimes. However, prosecutions do not attempt to rehabilitate or change the moral values of the perpetrator, or individual victims. This is primarily brought about by the challenge to balance the goal of restorative justice with the interests of efficiency and fairness. Also, the remoteness of the ICC may play a role in its inability to serve as a rehabilitative function for individuals. Prosecutions at The Hague builds further distance between the conflict and those who participated in and were victims of it. The empirical weight of the ICC’s geographic remoteness has been long disputed; however, no conclusive determinations have been reached.

Abortion

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy. If a woman falls pregnant and does not wish to go through with the pregnancy then she might choose to have an abortion. Abortion is a moral issue which people have many different feelings towards. Some people say it is okay to abort a baby but other individuals are strongly against it and consider abortions as murder. Sometimes people are against it because they believe it is wrong but some are against it because of their religion, their background and the way they were brought up.People who are for abortions may have experienced one previously and think it is okay in certain circumstances. They may also know of a friend or relative who has had an abortion and realised that it was for the best. In this essay I will be discussing the arguments for and against abortion. Some people are against abortion because they think women use it as a type of contraception and use the service far too often. They believe women should be more careful and us e contraception methods that are easily available to them rather than taking the abortion service for granted.This means that women can decide if they are ready for a child and stop using the contraception. This gives women a sense of control within their bodies. Taking the abortion service for granted if wrong and unfair on the women who are physically unable to have children for certain medical reasons. Some women who are unable to have children, and will adopt in the future if they wish to have a child, think it is very unfair that many women are aborting their babies simply because they decided they don’t want it.Abortions were made legal so women had the right to choose weather they want to have a child or not. Women can choose what happens with their body. Hinduism is generally against abortion apart from when the mothers life is at risk. Traditional Hinduism and many modern Hindus also see abortion as going against the duty of them to produce children in order to conti nue the family and produce new members of society. However, the Church of England encourages people to think through the issue of abortion very carefully and ecognises that each individual will have different views of abortion. They understand that under some circumstances abortion is considered as ‘ok’. Some of the reasons for abortion is that nearly all abortions take place in the first stages of pregnancy, when a foetus cannot exist without the mother. As it is attached by the placenta and umbilical cord, its health is completely dependant on the mothers health, and cannot be regarded as a separate person as it cannot exist outside her womb.Another reason is that teenagers who become mothers have grim prospects for the future. They are much more likely to leave school; receive inadequate parental care; rely on public assistance to raise a child; develop health problems; or end up divorced. If a teenager was to fall pregnant then a good option for them would be aborti on. It would not be fair to bring a child into this world if the mother would be unable to support a family.I am for abortions, I think they are very suitable if the person has a good enough reason. I also definitely agree with abortion when it comes to rape. I think that if a woman is raped she should have the option to destroy the child. I understand that this would be very hard to determine, but I think it would be the best way to handle the situation. A woman has the right to do what she wants with her body and should be able to choose weather or not she wants a baby, therefore I am for abortion. . Abortion Abortion has been a topic of discussion by women for ages, and still there is not an answer. Women of all ages, background status, economic status, race, religion or any other reason we can come up with about abortion – has been in the past, is today and will be in the future – choices will be decided, some after much advice and counseling. Yet before the final decision, usually there are questions that are asked ‘what if', or doubts of ‘but', and other excuses. Abortion is an issue that the United States has decided to take a pro-choice position and defend women's rights by supporting her decision whether aborting or not. This is not a pro-life and pro-abortion issue, it is a pro-life and pro-choice problem. Abortion has been a source of considerable controversy throughout human history. It involves removal of the embryo from the uterus before it can reach viability. An abortion can be induced through surgery or medicine, or can occur accidentally. Colloquially, abortion refers to an induced end to pregnancy, while an accidental end is termed ‘miscarriage'. Also, abortion is not an assassination since a fetus depends on its mother for its first three months, and abortions primarily occur in the first two weeks and usually, never after the 3rd month. Women for generations have been taught that abortion is a sin because they have committed murder since they had pre-marital sex, got pregnant, and that God was punishing them. God does not allow us to suffer, rather it is us and society who condemns. â€Å"You see, God is larger than our confined spaces and limited views. He sees situations from the vantage point of what he can do for those who will turn to him. This is God's Heart: ‘The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made†. When we research the topic, women have given several reasons for their choices. In my family, one of my great-grandmothers made a choice to have a child before she was married, placed the child with one of her aunts rather than aborting her pregnancy. After marriage she aborted a fetus, this was after she had given birth to several children, for her own personal reasons just as many women do. After researching the topic on abortion, I found other women who made the same choices: â€Å"Abortions will let me ‘undo' my unplanned pregnancy; my baby might have problems; adoption is not an alternative to abortion; adoption will let me see my baby grow up; I can help a family who can't have kids; adoption is an alternative to abortion†. Sometimes people are disgusted with abortions because they cut the baby up, vacuum him, or other gory methods, but there are other ways to abort, including the ‘morning-after pill,' the partial-birth abortion, and the saline amniocentesis. A Preferred Women's Health Center is allowing women information about their program and what they offer (Abortion Pill – the No Surgery Option) at four sites in GA and NC who states: â€Å"We also offer expedited care; we have expanded services to meet your needs; what to expect when you arrive; how does it work†. They also say that they offer services tailored to the patient not to their circumstances. Each patient will be given viable information, examined and counseled by professionals, and they are equipped with up to date equipment for their patients. Counselors are on staff to make sure the patient understand their rights, and what is expected of both the staff and patients. Before abortions was legalized, women ran into emergency rooms, with severe injuries such as perforations of the uterus, retained placentas, severe bleeding, cervical wounds, spreading infections, poisoning, shock, and gangrene. Women now have other means of having abortions rather than going to illegal houses, abandoned buildings, clinics who do not use sterilized equipment or have clean areas, all these patients need to do is some research to find clinics. Women lives are in danger when they contact these individuals (who perform illegal abortions in unclean rooms), clinics where these abortions are performed without qualified providers and unsafe conditions, no one will see them after the procedure to ensure that they are not having medical issues (life or death). Even if abortion became illegal, it would still occur, and this time illegally, causing that the 68,000 women that die each year from unsafe, non-medical abortions increases. Sometimes people believe that abortions are a ‘luxury' for high social and economic classes, yet this is not true. Around 56 million abortions are performed each year in the world, with about 45% done unsafely. Abortion rates changed little between 2003 and 2008, before which they decreased for at least two decades as access to family planning and birth control increased. Since the early 1970s abortion prices have incredibly decreased and, depending upon the week in which you abort, the prices are even lower. Statistics show that 57% of the women who aborted in the year 2000 were women with a low-income. It is also ridiculous that people believe that this might be the annihilation of human life. But then aren't fertilized eggs in vitro also human lives? These routinely were thrown away. Is this murder? If it is not, then how is abortion murder? Abortion is a safe process if it is done in a clinic, with correct treatment and utensils. If experts do not do it, it might result in terrible injuries and a probable loss of fertility or loss of life for the women. There has always been death associated with abortions legal and illegal. Women have been known to have fetuses to mortify in their bodies because of complications. If abortions were legalized in the entire world, the 68,000 women who die each year of illegal abortions would surely diminish to its half, or even less considering that 54 countries in the world prohibit abortions of any kind. If a female is raped; if a woman feel that she can't care for a child; your life is in danger (life or death situation); your child may a medical problem, be it physical or mental, what would you do? Women have a choice, put yourself in their place, would you want to have a child from any of the situations stated? Then, as a parent ask yourself this question; do you want your child to have a baby by someone at an early age, especially from a family member (incest), physical or mental defect? Would you be willing to assist your child without blaming them for the birth of this child? If I was the parent I would not let my child go through this pain at an early age. I know that killing an innocent human being is wrong, even if that human being has yet to be born, but always remember you have a choice in life but make sure you make the right choice. I also know that by terminating a life, can we justify our acts? By tampering with a life, aren't we acting against the creator of the world, and that Abortion can lead to serious health complications, and in some cases the worst-case scenario can be death. Who wants to see their child going through that much pain to carry a baby for nine months? At the end of the day, it's their decision and not yours if they want to get rid of the baby they have a right to do so without hearing what people has to say about them. Another thing is the mother must go through the actual labor pain and other issues involved with parenting and juggling responsibilities. Others can't precisely gauge or understand the level of trauma that a woman may be experiencing in her personal life. She is the only person who knows best, if she would be able to take care of the unplanned child or not. We all know that it's merely impossible to raise a child without family support and finance in hand, the life of the baby depends upon the mother's health. I will say this is it is up to that person to deiced what they want to do because if it was me I would agree to have one only if you are at an early age and you don't know the first thing about being a parent. As previously stated, it is up to the woman to decide to abort the pregnancy, give birth to the child then place it up for adoption, the choice is theirs. For each of these women I pray that they think, consult, and really look at their options before making their final decision. The consequences can be costly – health, physical and emotional. ReferencesA Preferred Women's Health Center. Retrieved from https://www.apwhc.com/our-services /abortion ¬Ã‚ ¬_pill/Choose Adoption or Abortion – Facts and Stats. Retrieved from adoption-for-my-baby.comThe Pros and Cons of Abortion. Retrieved from https://www.everystudent.com/wires/ abortion.html Abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy. If a woman falls pregnant and does not wish to go through with the pregnancy then she might choose to have an abortion. Abortion is a moral issue which people have many different feelings towards. Some people say it is okay to abort a baby but other individuals are strongly against it and consider abortions as murder. Sometimes people are against it because they believe it is wrong but some are against it because of their religion, their background and the way they were brought up.People who are for abortions may have experienced one previously and think it is okay in certain circumstances. They may also know of a friend or relative who has had an abortion and realised that it was for the best. In this essay I will be discussing the arguments for and against abortion. Some people are against abortion because they think women use it as a type of contraception and use the service far too often. They believe women should be more careful and us e contraception methods that are easily available to them rather than taking the abortion service for granted.This means that women can decide if they are ready for a child and stop using the contraception. This gives women a sense of control within their bodies. Taking the abortion service for granted if wrong and unfair on the women who are physically unable to have children for certain medical reasons. Some women who are unable to have children, and will adopt in the future if they wish to have a child, think it is very unfair that many women are aborting their babies simply because they decided they don’t want it.Abortions were made legal so women had the right to choose weather they want to have a child or not. Women can choose what happens with their body. Hinduism is generally against abortion apart from when the mothers life is at risk. Traditional Hinduism and many modern Hindus also see abortion as going against the duty of them to produce children in order to conti nue the family and produce new members of society. However, the Church of England encourages people to think through the issue of abortion very carefully and ecognises that each individual will have different views of abortion. They understand that under some circumstances abortion is considered as ‘ok’. Some of the reasons for abortion is that nearly all abortions take place in the first stages of pregnancy, when a foetus cannot exist without the mother. As it is attached by the placenta and umbilical cord, its health is completely dependant on the mothers health, and cannot be regarded as a separate person as it cannot exist outside her womb.Another reason is that teenagers who become mothers have grim prospects for the future. They are much more likely to leave school; receive inadequate parental care; rely on public assistance to raise a child; develop health problems; or end up divorced. If a teenager was to fall pregnant then a good option for them would be aborti on. It would not be fair to bring a child into this world if the mother would be unable to support a family.I am for abortions, I think they are very suitable if the person has a good enough reason. I also definitely agree with abortion when it comes to rape. I think that if a woman is raped she should have the option to destroy the child. I understand that this would be very hard to determine, but I think it would be the best way to handle the situation. A woman has the right to do what she wants with her body and should be able to choose weather or not she wants a baby, therefore I am for abortion. . Abortion This paper encapsulates the general ideas surrounding the controversial topic of abortion. The paper displays the views of the members of my community . The mall idea of the paper Is centrally relevant to the topic of how abortion affects relationships; the causes and their effects. Abortion is a common practice among the women of today's society. Though many pro -life activists argue that it is murder, many women feel it is their right to make decisions that will affect their bodies.By definition, the term abortion refers to the premature termination of pregnancy by induced expulsion of a nonviable fetus from he uterus. Living in a community where there are several forms of relationship made it easy to conduct the research as couples were eager to assist me In determining the methods that should be used to reduce the practice. Problem Statement: Survey abortion and how It affects relationships. Research Questions: a) How does abortion affect partners in a relationship? B) What are t he effects of having an abortion? ) To what extent do people support the legalization of abortion? D) How does the church and wider society view the issue of abortion? E) What are the underlying causes why people perform abortions? Method of Research This research was completed with the lad of a self drafted questionnaire. The questionnaire was attempted by 30 members of my community. The results of the questionnaire were then documented and the results put into the required portions of this paper. Observations compiled from interviews with another set of participants are also documented and displayed in the research.There were several precautions I took to ensure the accuracy of the data I would be collecting: a) The questionnaire was succinct and took between 10 – 15 minutes to be completed b) I promised anonymity to the participants. ) The questions were drafted so that the participant could display much candor and Integrity In their responses. Instruments used to Gather D ata Topic: A survey on abortion and how it affects relationships. Dear Resident: This letter is an introduction to a questionnaire which I am seeking your assistance to complete. The questionnaire is requiring that you help me determine the effects of an abortion on a relationship.Answers will be held in anonymity therefore I do not require that you submit your name. I kindly implore that you provide your most honest opinion, because the results of these questionnaires will be submitted in School Based Assessment. Your time and patience is sincerely appreciated. Sincerely yours, Shellac Questionnaire Aim: To determine your views on the issue of abortion, specifically the effects it has on relationships. Information provided is strictly confidential so please do not submit your name. Instructions: Complete all questions in your most honest opinion. Abortion? Abortion? With being a woman come a great responsibility, the responsibility of motherhood. The role women have as mothers in society is substantial and dangerous. The choice of being a mother is not a choice that is in full power of the woman, this choice is shared with men. Throughout history the debate over abortion has not reached a definite decision regarding its legitimacy. The choice in giving birth to a child is no choice for many if not most women in America.The Right to choose to have a child has been taken away from women as individuals and has been placed at the hand of the population at large. Wether abortion is right or wrong it is an option not accessible to many women and therefore deprives them from having a full sense of freedom. Women cannot share the right to choose to give birth or not with a crowd in which most of it’s participants (men) can’t assimilate the responsibility and sacrifice childcare requires. As mothers, women are the only ones to suf fer full mental and physical hardship the choice of childbirth brings.If this is the case, how is it that both men and women hold equal rights on the legal standing of abortion? Abortion is a choice, whom only affects women physically and therefore should only be a choice taken by the woman. Besides the physical implications pregnancy brings, the mother as well has a responsibility in the future of that fetus. This is where, the access to abortion becomes crucial. If a woman chooses to have an abortion she and the fetus are the only ones affected. Abortion isn’t a choice that is taken lightly by women, women seek abortion as means of a last resort.Usually when abortion is chosen it is due to the fact that the supposed mother has concluded that the life of the fetus if bourn will not be adequate and it is not guaranteed the safety and well being of the child in the future. If the option of abortion is taken from women it poses a large issue, according to the European Journal o f Social Sciences â€Å"When an adult, either a woman or a man, states that they are not ready or interested in having a child, it might have a disproportionate future implication.There are several cases of depression, drug and alcohol abuse, self-mutilation, psychosis, and finally suicide, among people who know they were unwanted babies. Several parents even say that openly to their children, causing disproportional trauma and an eternal feeling of not belonging and poor self-esteem. † Un wanted pregnancies can have lots of negative outcomes, more often involving the future of the child. The right to choose to have a child or not is slowly slipping away from the hands of women.In the debate over abortion there are two opposing stand points, which are pro-choice and pro-life. Pro-choice is a stand point that advocates abortion and is pushing for a abortion to become legal in all states. Pro-choice argues that when abortion is illegal women cannot experience full freedom. Abor tion, provides an option to women who’s life of their own and of their offspring is not fully guaranteed to work out, to instead not have an unwanted child and save the mother from then having to give that child up, saving the child from an unknown future.As well, it saves the mother from and the child if it comes from an unwanted pregnancy from having to abruptly change her life to respond to the child, which in most cases forces young teens of school and thus not letting them progress in life individually and for the child. The child then also suffers from not having the full parental support and attention since the parent is either unfit or unable to provide this care.Pro-choice not only focuses on the choice women deserve as birth givers to choose whether they are capable of performing the required task and from taking the responsibility of bringing new life into the world, they also advocate for women’s reproductive rights at a large overview. In the concerns rega rding politics and abortion, abortion is not the only issue women face. Besides the threat of their right to choose abortion or not, being fully annihilated, they also face the threat of have proper reproductive healthcare.Most States in which abortion is illegal, they as well do not offer proper reproductive healthcare and prenatal care facilities that can be accessible to all social classes. The lack of reproductive healthcare, prenatal care and advisement leads to the same concurring issue of an over produced number of unwanted or unplanned pregnancies. The opposing view point to pro-choice is pro-life, which advocates for the criminalization of abortion in all states. The pro-life stand point is one that can be divided in to two points of view, one taking its view from a moral perspective and the other one initiating it’s view from a religious tand. Although this two perspectives can often times be one in the same, it is best to disregard the religious point of view, sinc e it is bias do to the fact that it bases it’s opinions in tradition and the fact that it responds to a non physically existent being. In the European Journal of Social Sciences, it is stated that abortion is a selfish act only centered around the mother as an individual. Pro-life supporters main argument is that abortion is like murder, killing an unborn baby is the same a killing one that is already born.Ironically many pro-life supporters also approve of war, this creates an ethical contradiction to their original beliefs against abortion. Pro-life supporters who advocate against abortion but at the same time support war present a rather hypocritical view point. They see abortion as murder but they do not see war the same way. If any thing war causes more fatalities than abortion. Pro-life supporters who are truly pro-life consider war and abortion the same way, both as wrongful acts of humanity.True pro-life supporters have the shared belief that all life is sacred and th at when it comes to the issue of abortion, the argument is that life begins at conception. In the continuing resistance between pro-choice and pro-life, the question of when does life start is the major counter point in this opposing view points. As stated before pro-life argues that life begins at conception, in the other hand the opposing view point of pro-choice, relies on fertile viability. Pro-life has present the argument that life begins at conception because it is only within a few weeks that the embryo develops a beating heart.On the contrary, pro-choice argues that the embryo cannot be consider life or an individual until it can sustain its own life, this happens when the embryo reaches the first trimester. At the first trimester the embryo begins to support it’s own life and is therefor not considered a part of the mother any longer. Pro-choice supporters believe that up until the first trimester, women should obtain the right to choose whether they want to continu e with their pregnancy or if they choose to terminate it. What can truly be considered the starting point of life can only be determined by the individual.Both sides pro-choice and pro-life are neither right or wrong, it is a dilemma with too many factors involved to reach a conclusion. The answer to wether abortion is morally incorrect can’t be answered, do to the fact that morality is an individual perception. One argument that can be conclude is wether abortion should be legal or not. Passing all other factors in the argument of abortion, the legal matter is that legal abortion is a choice it is not a forceful act upon which all women must abide by but illegal abortion limits women’s rights as mothers and all women must abide by it.The standing the United States has on abortion is one that is not fully pro-choice or pro-life, according to the Women’s Choice and Reproductive Health Protection Act of 1995 â€Å"The 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade es tablished constitutionally based limits on the power of States to restrict the right of a woman to choose to terminate a pregnancy. Under the strict  scrutiny standard enunciated in Roe v. Wade, States were required to demonstrate that laws restricting the right of a woman to choose to terminate a pregnancy were the least restrictive means available to achieve a compelling State interest.Since 1989, the Supreme Court has no longer applied the strict scrutiny standard in reviewing challenges to the constitutionality of State laws restricting such rights. † The nations political standing on abortion is one that only presents problems rather than any benefits to both opposing parties. Do to the fact that abortion and reproductive health rights are decided by the states rather than the federal government, has caused many states to deprive women from any abortion or reproductive health care rights such as various forms of contraception. This legal standing has also brought up a c onflict among states.The Women’s Choice and Reproductive Health Protection Act of 1995 also informs that â€Å"restrictions operate cumulatively to increase the number of illegal or  medically less safe abortions, often resulting in physical impairment, loss of reproductive capacity or death to the women involved burden interstate commerce by forcing women to travel from States in which legal barriers render contraception or abortion unavailable or unsafe to other States or foreign nations interfere with freedom of travel between and among the various States burden the medical and economic resources of States that continue to provide women with access to safe and legal abortion; and interfere with the ability of medical professionals to provide health services; obstruct access to and use of contraceptive and other medical techniques that are part of interstate and international commerce; discriminate between women who are able to afford interstate and international travel and women who are not, a disproportionate number of whom belong to racial or ethnic minorities; and infringe upon women’s ability to exercise full enjoyment of rights secured to them by Federal and State law, both statutory and constitutional. † All the issues that come with the legal standing of abortion can only and need to be compromised at a federal level. No state should have individual rules for an issue that is nation wide and of top national concern.This disagreements can only be broken through a middle ground, both pro-choice and pro-life have a good opinion, but in the case of the argument of pro-choice which wins over pro-life, is that you can’t implant one persons moral ethics to another. Moral ethics come from an individual point of view and should only be addressed individually, like in the case of abortion, abortion is a one side choice which only affects one person and that person only, the woman. Therefore, the woman should be ultimate keeper in the choice of what she is able to accomplish physical and mentally. Works Cited The Women’s Choice and Reproductive Health Protection Act of 1995.In the House of Representatives. Smith, Andrea. â€Å"Beyond Pro-Choice versus Pro-Life: Women of Color and Reproductive Justice. † NWSA Journal 17 (2005): 119-140 Berer, Marge. â€Å"Whatever Happened to ‘A Woman's Right to Choose'? † Feminist Review 29 (1988): 24-37 Lopez, Raquel. â€Å"Perspectives on Abortion: Pro-Choice, Pro-Life, and What Lies in between. † European Journal of Social Sciences 27 (2012): 511-517 Sweet, Ellen. â€Å"REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND THE SUPREME COURT: WHEN ‘ACTIVISM† GOES WRONG† Women’s Studies Quarterly 35 (2007): 338-343 Lieberman, Alice. , Davis, Liane V. â€Å"The Role of Social Work in the Defense of Reproductive Rights. † Social Work 37 (1992): 365-370 Abortion This paper encapsulates the general ideas surrounding the controversial topic of abortion. The paper displays the views of the members of my community . The mall idea of the paper Is centrally relevant to the topic of how abortion affects relationships; the causes and their effects. Abortion is a common practice among the women of today's society. Though many pro -life activists argue that it is murder, many women feel it is their right to make decisions that will affect their bodies.By definition, the term abortion refers to the premature termination of pregnancy by induced expulsion of a nonviable fetus from he uterus. Living in a community where there are several forms of relationship made it easy to conduct the research as couples were eager to assist me In determining the methods that should be used to reduce the practice. Problem Statement: Survey abortion and how It affects relationships. Research Questions: a) How does abortion affect partners in a relationship? B) What are t he effects of having an abortion? ) To what extent do people support the legalization of abortion? D) How does the church and wider society view the issue of abortion? E) What are the underlying causes why people perform abortions? Method of Research This research was completed with the lad of a self drafted questionnaire. The questionnaire was attempted by 30 members of my community. The results of the questionnaire were then documented and the results put into the required portions of this paper. Observations compiled from interviews with another set of participants are also documented and displayed in the research.There were several precautions I took to ensure the accuracy of the data I would be collecting: a) The questionnaire was succinct and took between 10 – 15 minutes to be completed b) I promised anonymity to the participants. ) The questions were drafted so that the participant could display much candor and Integrity In their responses. Instruments used to Gather D ata Topic: A survey on abortion and how it affects relationships. Dear Resident: This letter is an introduction to a questionnaire which I am seeking your assistance to complete. The questionnaire is requiring that you help me determine the effects of an abortion on a relationship.Answers will be held in anonymity therefore I do not require that you submit your name. I kindly implore that you provide your most honest opinion, because the results of these questionnaires will be submitted in School Based Assessment. Your time and patience is sincerely appreciated. Sincerely yours, Shellac Questionnaire Aim: To determine your views on the issue of abortion, specifically the effects it has on relationships. Information provided is strictly confidential so please do not submit your name. Instructions: Complete all questions in your most honest opinion. Abortion This paper encapsulates the general ideas surrounding the controversial topic of abortion. The paper displays the views of the members of my community . The mall idea of the paper Is centrally relevant to the topic of how abortion affects relationships; the causes and their effects. Abortion is a common practice among the women of today's society. Though many pro -life activists argue that it is murder, many women feel it is their right to make decisions that will affect their bodies.By definition, the term abortion refers to the premature termination of pregnancy by induced expulsion of a nonviable fetus from he uterus. Living in a community where there are several forms of relationship made it easy to conduct the research as couples were eager to assist me In determining the methods that should be used to reduce the practice. Problem Statement: Survey abortion and how It affects relationships. Research Questions: a) How does abortion affect partners in a relationship? B) What are t he effects of having an abortion? ) To what extent do people support the legalization of abortion? D) How does the church and wider society view the issue of abortion? E) What are the underlying causes why people perform abortions? Method of Research This research was completed with the lad of a self drafted questionnaire. The questionnaire was attempted by 30 members of my community. The results of the questionnaire were then documented and the results put into the required portions of this paper. Observations compiled from interviews with another set of participants are also documented and displayed in the research.There were several precautions I took to ensure the accuracy of the data I would be collecting: a) The questionnaire was succinct and took between 10 – 15 minutes to be completed b) I promised anonymity to the participants. ) The questions were drafted so that the participant could display much candor and Integrity In their responses. Instruments used to Gather D ata Topic: A survey on abortion and how it affects relationships. Dear Resident: This letter is an introduction to a questionnaire which I am seeking your assistance to complete. The questionnaire is requiring that you help me determine the effects of an abortion on a relationship.Answers will be held in anonymity therefore I do not require that you submit your name. I kindly implore that you provide your most honest opinion, because the results of these questionnaires will be submitted in School Based Assessment. Your time and patience is sincerely appreciated. Sincerely yours, Shellac Questionnaire Aim: To determine your views on the issue of abortion, specifically the effects it has on relationships. Information provided is strictly confidential so please do not submit your name. Instructions: Complete all questions in your most honest opinion.

A Closer Look on Sir Gawain

For Literature lovers, Sir Gawain is best known as the nephew of King Arthur. He is the son of King Arthur’s sister Morgaus and King Lot. He is a Knight of the Round Table. His brothers are Agravain, Gaheris, Gareth and Mordred. He is loyal to his king and to his family. He is a magnificent warrior but has a temper. He is also a ladies’ man. There are some works where his strength depends on the sun. Some stories claim that he is really strong during the afternoon when the sun shines at its best and is weak at night because the sun sets.There are two sides of Sir Gawain when it comes to his duties as a knight and as a family man. He balances both roles well. For example, he is loyal to King Arthur and obeys his commands. However, when Guinevere was slated to be burned at the stake and Sir Gawain was asked by King Arthur to stand post, the Knight nobly said no to the command. His respect for women outweighed his loyalty to his liege. There was also a time when his loyalt y to his friend Lancelot was outweighed by his loyalty to his family.This was when his brothers (except for Mordred) were killed during the battle between Lancelot and King Arthur. But when Mordred overturned the kingdom of Camelot and Sir Gawain was breathing his last, he sought forgiveness from Lancelot and asked him to defeat Mordred in his stead. Sir Gawain is popular in a number of literary works all over Europe. He is often seen as the model of chivalry. Most protagonists are compared and contrasted to him. A lot of French romances portray Gawain in different ways. Sometimes he is the hero.There are other times, he is the loyal wingman of the hero. He is also popularly known as the knight who searched for the Grail. Here, he is seen at his best light. His intentions are pure. It is reminiscent to him stopping his brothers Agravain and Mordred in plotting the downfall of Lancelot and Guinevere by revealing their love affair. During the Post-Vulgate Cycle, Gawain was portrayed a s a murderer. He was no longer the hero but the villain. This generic evil canceled out his records as the noble knight when literature about him is discussed.Therefore, to the eyes of Literature lovers, Gawain is an honorable champion but has flaws. For the Literature in Britain and Scotland, Gawain is a respectable and admired hero. He is also the main man when it comes to romantic stories and lyrical poems. His reputation is not tarnished because French Literature refuse to show Sir Gawain in a negative light. As a matter of fact, in Middle English Literature, he is the central character in a great work â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. † In â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight†, he is an excellent knight but has human traits.He also has flaws. He may be witty, virtuous and respectful of women but there are times that he is also subdued to jealousy. In the end, his love for women frees his wife Dame Ragnelle from her curse of ugliness. The depiction of Sir Gaw ain in glowing lights continued toward the Vulgate and the Post-Vulgate Cycle. The problem is that there were other literatures that stained his reputation, particular the negative characteristics that were attributed to him by Thomas Malory’s â€Å"The Death of Arthur. †Literary scholars compare and contrast the sides of Sir Gawain in every literature he appeared in. Perhaps what makes Sir Gawain genuine is that readers have an idea of his shortcomings but see that he is eager to make up for them (as mentioned in the earlier paragraphs of this essay. ) Therefore, we balance the whole anatomy of Sir Gawain. Just like us, Sir Gawain can be a gentleman and a brute. He can be loyal to his family and friends but turn his back on them the minute his ethics and beliefs are attacked. In the end, it’s all about weighing the pros and the cons of the knight.

Defining General Education

Defining General Education General Education is the program of education that typically developing children should receive, based on state standards and evaluated by the annual state educational standards test. It is the preferred way of describing its synonym, regular education. It is preferred because the term regular connotes that children receiving special education services are somehow irregular. General Education is now the default position since the passage of the reauthorization of IDEA, now called IDEIA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act.) All children should spend a significant amount of time in a general education classroom, unless it is in the best interest of the child, or because the child is a danger to him/herself or others. The amount of time a child spends in the general education program is part of his or her Placement. Once again, General Education is the curriculum designed for all children which is meant to meet state standards, or if adopted, the Common Core State Standards. The General Education program is also the program which the states annual test, required by NCLB (No Child Left Behind,) is designed to evaluate.   IEPs and Regular Education ​In order to provide FAPE for special education students, IEP goals should be aligned with the Common Core State Standards. In other words, they should show that a student is being taught to the standards. In some cases, with children whose disabilities are severe, IEPs will reflect a more functional program, which will be very loosely aligned with the Common Core State Standards, rather than directly linked to specific grade level standards. These students are most often in self-contained programs. They are also the most likely to be part of the three percent of students allowed to take an alternate test. Unless students are in the most restrictive environments, they will spend some time in the regular education environment. Often, children in self-contained  programs will participate in specials such as physical education, art, and music with students in the regular or general education programs. When assessing the amount of time spent in regular education (part of the IEP report) time spent with typical students in the lunchroom and on the playground for recess is also credited as time in the general education environment.   Testing Until more states eliminate testing, participation in high stakes state tests aligned to the standards is required of special education students. This is meant to reflect how the student performs alongside their regular education peers. States are also permitted to require that students with severe disabilities are offered an alternate assessment, which should address the state standards. These are required by Federal Law, in the ESEA (Elementary and Secondary education act) and in IDEIA. Only 1 percent of all students are allowed to take an alternate test, and this should represent 3 percent of all students receiving special education services.

Free Essays on Descartes

â€Å"Therefore, now that I have freed my mind from all cares, and I have secured for myself some leisurely and carefree time, I withdraw in solitude. I will in short, apply myself earnestly and openly to the general destruction of my former opinions.† (Rene Descartes, Meditation I) â€Å"Whatever I had admitted until now as most true I took in either from the senses or through the senses; however, I noticed that they sometimes deceived me. And it is a mark of prudence never to trust wholly in those things which have once deceived us.† (Rene Descartes, Meditation I) Descartes’ Mediations combined equal the embodiment of an effort to establish a foundation for knowledge. Each mediation serving almost as a mental/intellectual rung to achieve the heights of just how we as humans arrive at knowledge. A feat tackled by many a philosopher, Descartes’ method is one that begins with the practice of doubt, systematic doubt. Exemplified in the excerpts from the first meditation, Descartes’ cast himself and the reader into a role of the perplexed being. Perplexed, for all that was or is known may in fact be false if doubt is added into the equation. This addition, thus negating the experiences brought about by the senses. Descartes points out the fallibility of the senses, for they often deceive. The experience of the fallible senses is one that is a commonality, for many have thought an object was closer than it was, or could swear that they heard their name called in the distance. It is agreeable then, that Descartes is right, the senses do deceive, so how can we trust that which does deceive? Descartes says that we cannot, and we should apply doubt, in order to avoid the fallible. In this First Mediation, Descartes’ acknowledges the existence of God or a Supreme Being, as it is already present in his mind. With an ultimate being, God, the creator, as responsible for all things, Desc artes challenges the motives of God.... Free Essays on Descartes Free Essays on Descartes The classical way of thinking was that what we know first, and best is what we perceive with our senses. Rene Descartes was a revolutionary philosopher because he went against the classical Aristotelian way of thinking. Descartes stated, that what we know through the senses is more doubtful then what we perceive through our own reason. Therefore what we know first, we know with the greatest certitude, because he does not want to believe anything else that he has learned in the past, and wants to believe what he discovers for himself. He also said that anything that we can doubt, we should not take to be true because our senses can deceive us. Descartes goes against all other ways of thinking, and believes that what we know through reason and what we learn first is what we know with the most certainty. The order in which we know things, according to Descartes, all stems out from his base philosophy, which is â€Å"I think therefore I am.† â€Å"I think therefore I am† is the basis of Descartes’s philosophy. Because â€Å"I think therefore I am† is the first thing that Descartes bases his philosophy on, and it is what he knows the greatest. Since it is the first thing that he learned, it is also the thing that he knows with the greatest certainty. We know things according to Descartes by what we know first, and since we know â€Å"I think therefore I am† first that is where we begin to learn all things according to Descartes. â€Å"In order to think, it is necessary to exist.† By thinking Descartes comes to the conclusion that he does in fact exist because he thinks. If he thinks, he exists, therefore that is the order that we know things according to Descartes. We must first come to the realization that we exist because we think , and then we can begin to understand Descartes’s other steps. â€Å"†¦ That the things we conceive very clearly and very distinctly are all true.† This is another of Descartes’s most bas... Free Essays on Descartes In this essay, I propose to explain Descartes's system of methodic doubt. It will be necessary to look at his thoughts throughout his work in â€Å"The meditations†. I will also show how Descartes subjected to doubt, all that could be possibly doubted, and arrived at the indubitable proposition: Cogito ergo sum, or I think, therefore I am. I will also explain how Descartes proceeded from this basis to prove the existence of God. Finally, I will conclude with how these two propositions together, for Descartes, established the certainty of human knowledge. Descartes devised his system of methodic doubt in order to discover an indubitable belief, which he could use as a certain, and secure foundation as the basis for knowledge. For Descartes it was necessary to look inside himself at all the beliefs he once held as true, and subject them to the strongest of doubts. For the purpose of freeing himself from all preconceived opinions, he allowed himself to believe that all his past beliefs were false and imaginary, as he states in the first meditation: " So, for the purpose of rejecting all my opinions, it will be enough if I find in each of them at least some reason for doubt." (Cottingham 1984, p12). This provided Descartes with the easiest path by which to lead the mind away from the senses. In considering how far doubt can be extended, he begins by questioning his sense perception. Descartes realises that everything that he has up till now accepted as true has been acquired either from the senses or through the senses. However there have been times when he has found that his senses can deceive, such as when objects may appear differently from various points of view, and that therefore it is highly probable that other things which appear certain through the senses may in reality be illusions. On further reflection, Descartes ponders the proposition of being asleep or awake. He wonders if this is something that cannot be doubted. Ho... Free Essays on Descartes Upon cursory examination, one might assume that Rene Descartes is a â€Å"non-believer† in the existence of a heavenly being, a God that presides over humans and gives us faith. However, this is simply not the case – Descartes is simply trying to destroy all of the uncertainties that have come about by the attempted scientific explanations of such a supreme being. For Rene Descartes and all of the other believers in the world, the existence of God provides a convenient answer to unexplained questions, while never providing answers to the questions about God himself. This is evidenced a great deal in the circular argument made by Descartes in the Meditations on First Philosophy. What follows is a brief account of the third and fifth meditations, which provide Descartes’ response to the masked question, â€Å"What is God?† Can one perceive or confirm the existence of an idea that is external to him, an idea such as God? In order to determine the answer we mu st start by understanding the ways in which we can conclude an objects’ existence. Descartes explains three ways in which a person might come to such a conclusion – the first, through nature; the second, through feeling a value that is independent of the will of the object; and the third, the objective reality of an idea, or the â€Å"cause and effect profile.† The third point is the one that we will primarily spend our time with. Descartes drills us with the idea that an object will have an effect when it stems from a legitimate cause, or an initial idea that precedes with equal or superior properties in one’s intellect. In other words, the mind generates thoughts and ideas about a physical form, and develops a reality for this form, through previous schema and beliefs. â€Å"And although an idea may give rise to another idea, this regress cannot, nevertheless, be infinite; we must in the end reach a first idea, the cause of which is, as it were, the ar chetype in which all the rea... Free Essays on Descartes â€Å"Therefore, now that I have freed my mind from all cares, and I have secured for myself some leisurely and carefree time, I withdraw in solitude. I will in short, apply myself earnestly and openly to the general destruction of my former opinions.† (Rene Descartes, Meditation I) â€Å"Whatever I had admitted until now as most true I took in either from the senses or through the senses; however, I noticed that they sometimes deceived me. And it is a mark of prudence never to trust wholly in those things which have once deceived us.† (Rene Descartes, Meditation I) Descartes’ Mediations combined equal the embodiment of an effort to establish a foundation for knowledge. Each mediation serving almost as a mental/intellectual rung to achieve the heights of just how we as humans arrive at knowledge. A feat tackled by many a philosopher, Descartes’ method is one that begins with the practice of doubt, systematic doubt. Exemplified in the excerpts from the first meditation, Descartes’ cast himself and the reader into a role of the perplexed being. Perplexed, for all that was or is known may in fact be false if doubt is added into the equation. This addition, thus negating the experiences brought about by the senses. Descartes points out the fallibility of the senses, for they often deceive. The experience of the fallible senses is one that is a commonality, for many have thought an object was closer than it was, or could swear that they heard their name called in the distance. It is agreeable then, that Descartes is right, the senses do deceive, so how can we trust that which does deceive? Descartes says that we cannot, and we should apply doubt, in order to avoid the fallible. In this First Mediation, Descartes’ acknowledges the existence of God or a Supreme Being, as it is already present in his mind. With an ultimate being, God, the creator, as responsible for all things, Desc artes challenges the motives of God.... Free Essays on Descartes Since Descartes’ brain-in-a-vat analogy, people have pondered whether they really exist. Even in today’s modern times, movies like ‘The Matrix’ exemplify the modern paradigm of Descartes’ example. So can we prove we exist? In this paper, I hope to show that we can, but not the context we exist within. I will use the example of ‘The Matrix’ to not only show that a theoretical Matrix could deceive us, but also a more plausible and finite Matrix. Descartes’ ‘cognito ergo sum’ (‘I think therefore I am’) is a perfectly valid method of proving we exist. The fact that we are thinking about our existence proves we exist! Unfortunately, this is as far as Descartes and myself agree - he uses this argument to corroborate the idea that the mind can exist without the body. Yet how can a non-physical entity think? I firmly believe that the act of thinking is a physical process - sensory information (or other events) triggers neurons to fire within the brain that in turn excites various other areas and causes chemical reactions that consequentially affects what we think and feel. Therefore, an entity that does not physically exist cannot think. Dualism complicates matters by creating a double meaning for ‘am’ (and any other word related to the person or being). There is the physical meaning of ‘am’, existing within the physical world. Then there is the more abstract meaning of ‘am’ - one’s personality, one’s being and (dare I say it) one’s soul. Therefore, I may be taking Descartes’ meaning of ‘am’ out of context by using it as a combination of both the physical and the mental (since the mental is physical). The problem that surfaces here is the degree of physicality that has to be associated with ‘being’ (or am-ness). How much of our physical body must be intact to consider us being. Our current Matrix example is safe, since the body is kept intact. Yet, the brain-in-a-vat example is different... Free Essays on Descartes â€Å"I am something real and really existing, but what thing am I? I have already given the answer: a thing which thinks.† Rene Descartes was a modern European thinker. Throughout his meditations he constantly implies that we are â€Å"things that think†. Our bodies, these things, are just a jumbled mess of flesh, blood and bone. It is thinking that creates the person. Thinking is what separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom. In â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy†, Descartes says â€Å"I am something real and really existing, but what thing am I? I have already given the answer: a thing which thinks† (pg. 26). This passage explains that the best way to learn is by questioning our very existence. I agree with this belief wholeheartedly. It is up to us to use our senses and minds to develop and explore our beliefs on life. Life would be quite boring if we believed everything we heard. Ineffability, or an individual experience which makes it incapable of being imparted, is when one feels most alive and what sets us apart from others. Skepticism is described as doubting everything and is a frequently used method by Descartes. He doubts the fact that he is really living; maybe what he is doing at this moment is dreaming. â€Å"As if I did not remember other occasions when I have been tricked exactly similar thoughts while asleep! As I think about this more carefully, I see plainly that there are never any sure signs by means of which being awake can be distinguished from being asleep† (pg.19). This quote is found in Descartes first meditation where he doubts many physical things. He is not saying that nothing exists. He is simply saying that there is no way to know; no proof they do exist. I agree very much with this declaration that Descartes made. He knows that there is no proof that the world doesn’t exist and he states that. I certainty agree that it is not certain that the world we are living in is act... Free Essays on Descartes DESCARTES’ IDEA OF A PERFECT BEING In his meditations, Descartes points out that there are three types of ideas; they can be innate, adventitious, caused by things outside of one’s self, and others that can be invented by us, such as ideas of mermaids or unicorns. After he concludes that God must necessarily exist, which will be discussed in more detail later on in this paper, he closes in to the fact that his idea of the Perfect Being cannot be adventitious, coming from without, nor can it be invented by him. Thus, this idea must be innate since he has a clear and distinct perception of God’s existence, and that Descartes must have been created by God with such an idea already in him. The idea of a Perfect Being in Descartes’ mind consists of an infinite, eternal, immutable, independent, supremely intelligent as well as a powerful substance, which created him and everything else. Thus he realizes that the idea of God must have far more objective reality than he has formal reality because God is an infinite substance where as he himself is only a finite substance. Having explained the idea of Descartes’ perfect being lets go into more detail on the process he uses to prove that such being actually exists. Descartes’ proof of the existence of God occurs in the Third Meditation. He builds his entire argument upon his proof in the previous meditation that in order for him to think, he must exist. From this single observation, Descartes notices that the idea of his existence is very clear and distinct in his mind; based upon this clarity and the fact that he has just determined his own existence, he deduces a rule such that the things that he sees as very clear and very distinct are all true. Descartes starts his proof by dividing â€Å"thought† into four categories; ideas (concepts), volitions (choices), emotions (desires), and judgments (beliefs). He then breaks down these categories to discover which types of tho... Free Essays on Descartes In this essay, I propose to explain Descartes's system of methodic doubt. It will be necessary to look at his thoughts throughout his work in â€Å"The meditations†. I will also show how Descartes subjected to doubt, all that could be possibly doubted, and arrived at the indubitable proposition: Cogito ergo sum, or I think, therefore I am. I will also explain how Descartes proceeded from this basis to prove the existence of God. Finally, I will conclude with how these two propositions together, for Descartes, established the certainty of human knowledge. Descartes devised his system of methodic doubt in order to discover an indubitable belief, which he could use as a certain, and secure foundation as the basis for knowledge. For Descartes it was necessary to look inside himself at all the beliefs he once held as true, and subject them to the strongest of doubts. For the purpose of freeing himself from all preconceived opinions, he allowed himself to believe that all his past beliefs were false and imaginary, as he states in the first meditation: " So, for the purpose of rejecting all my opinions, it will be enough if I find in each of them at least some reason for doubt." (Cottingham 1984, p12). This provided Descartes with the easiest path by which to lead the mind away from the senses. In considering how far doubt can be extended, he begins by questioning his sense perception. Descartes realises that everything that he has up till now accepted as true has been acquired either from the senses or through the senses. However there have been times when he has found that his senses can deceive, such as when objects may appear differently from various points of view, and that therefore it is highly probable that other things which appear certain through the senses may in reality be illusions. On further reflection, Descartes ponders the proposition of being asleep or awake. He wonders if this is something that cannot be doubted. Ho... Free Essays on Descartes The classical way of thinking was that what we know first, and best is what we perceive with our senses. Rene Descartes was a revolutionary philosopher because he went against the classical Aristotelian way of thinking. Descartes stated, that what we know through the senses is more doubtful then what we perceive through our own reason. Therefore what we know first, we know with the greatest certitude, because he does not want to believe anything else that he has learned in the past, and wants to believe what he discovers for himself. He also said that anything that we can doubt, we should not take to be true because our senses can deceive us. Descartes goes against all other ways of thinking, and believes that what we know through reason and what we learn first is what we know with the most certainty. The order in which we know things, according to Descartes, all stems out from his base philosophy, which is â€Å"I think therefore I am.† â€Å"I think therefore I am† is the basis of Descartes’s philosophy. Because â€Å"I think therefore I am† is the first thing that Descartes bases his philosophy on, and it is what he knows the greatest. Since it is the first thing that he learned, it is also the thing that he knows with the greatest certainty. We know things according to Descartes by what we know first, and since we know â€Å"I think therefore I am† first that is where we begin to learn all things according to Descartes. â€Å"In order to think, it is necessary to exist.† By thinking Descartes comes to the conclusion that he does in fact exist because he thinks. If he thinks, he exists, therefore that is the order that we know things according to Descartes. We must first come to the realization that we exist because we think , and then we can begin to understand Descartes’s other steps. â€Å"†¦ That the things we conceive very clearly and very distinctly are all true.† This is another of Descartes’s most bas... Free Essays on Descartes I am going to discuss Descartes’ first and second Meditations concerning doubt. I will first summarize what Descartes was trying to say and prove, and explain why he was unsuccessful in his search for a foundation in which he could build knowledge from. In Descartes first meditation he discusses that he has come to the conclusion that many of his beliefs and opinions he had as a child are doubtful. Descartes decides that in order to find out the â€Å"truths† he must disprove his current â€Å"knowledge.† He goes about this by a radical system of doubt and says that he must â€Å"attack those principles which supported everything I once believed (144).† His method of doubt allows him to eliminate anything and everything that has even the smallest possibility of not being factual. Descartes does not necessarily doubt everything that he brings up. In Descartes’ first meditation, he tries to disprove all of his fundamental beliefs. First, he doubts that he can trust his senses because they can be fooled. An example of this is the refraction that happens when a pencil is placed in water; it looks broken, even though it really is not. Descartes then states that there are no definitive signs for him to tell weather he is awake or asleep. And since he cannot trust his senses, he concludes that there is no way to determine whether he is awake or asleep. He does say that there are some things that remain consistent when he is awake and asleep; namely, math. 2 + 2 still = 4 in a dream, and a square will still have four sides whether you are asleep or awake. His point is that even though there a things that remain constant in a dream, they are so vivid sometimes that you cannot tell if you are really conscious. To disprove these beliefs Descartes abandons the idea of a supremely good God like he has believed in all his life and brings up the argument that God is an omnipotent, omniscient, evil genius whose entire purpose is to dec... Free Essays on Descartes DESCARTES (1596-1650) Descartes was a French mathematician and philosopher. It was Descartes who formulated the adage, Cogito ergo sum, "I think therefore I exist." Also, something that really sticks with me is his reasoning in lui of Copernican theory- Descartes also said that knowledge cannot be based on perception (our senses, etc) alone. Descartes was a product of the church and his philosophy reflected the times in which he lived. Descartes was a dualist believing a man was of two natures, a spiritual nature and a temporal nature. Now whether this was a belief held deeply, might be a matter of some question. What is clear is that he would have professed his beliefs, such, that, they were in keeping with the doctrine of the time, as spread by the all powerful church. As a dualist, Descartes, would have accepted that there exists a priori truth (truths not derived from experience; truths such as the existence of God). And, while Descartes accepted some ideas were developed from experience, he was firm in his belief that certain ideas were innate. By pure deduction Descartes evolved for himself entire universes that neither he, nor anyone else, could perceive by the use of their natural senses. All that was necessary, for Descartes, was intense self examination and intense reason, and, through this process, all would b e revealed. Descartes, it would seem, in his philosophical work, continued along the same lines of the church philosophers: the deductive approach, accepting notions which have no basis in reality, and then to proceed to build on those. Something the church was famous for (Catholics still are!). No one can trust the result of such a process: a conclusion can never be more trustworthy than the premises on which it is built. For one to profess a belief in such a process in such a philosophy is to profess one's ignorance of the fundamental universal principles, or natural laws, which have guided man along ... Free Essays on Descartes In the â€Å"Mediations of First Philosophy† Descartes tries to prove the existence of God in the third meditation. He does this by coming up with several premises that eventually add up to a solid argument. First, I will explain why Descartes ask the question, does god exist? And why does Descartes think he needs such and argument at this point in the text. Secondly, I will explain, in detail, the arguments that Descartes makes and how he comes to the conclusion that God does exist. Next, I will debate some of Descartes premises that make his argument an unsound one, including circular reasoning. Finally, I will see if his unsound argument has diminished and undermined his principal goals and the incorrigible foundation of knowledge. In earlier meditations Descartes proved that he existed through the Cogito argument. Descartes must now move on to examine and explore questions about the world around him, but instead of doing this he first stop to examine the question of whether or not God exists. Descartes wants to know that he was created by an all knowing, perfect creator that is good and wants to make sure that he was not created by an evil spirit or demon. If Descartes can prove that he was created by a perfect all knowing creator then his ideas must carry some semblance of truth, because God is not a deceiver and he must of placed these ideas in Descartes. Descartes has good reasons for searching for the answer to the question of God’s existence, now he has to come up with a good sound argument to prove it. Throughout the â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy† Descartes gives a couple of major arguments about the existences of god, he gives one argument in the third meditation and on in the fifth meditation. The argument in meditation three and the one we will focus on is known as the â€Å"Trademark Argument†. This argument comes from the fact claimed by Descartes that inside of everyone is a supreme being, which is place... Free Essays on Descartes [All page references and quotations from the Meditations are taken from the 1995 Everyman edition] In the Meditations, Descartes embarks upon what Bernard Williams has called the project of 'Pure Enquiry' to discover certain, indubitable foundations for knowledge. By subjecting everything to doubt Descartes hoped to discover whatever was immune to it. In order to best understand how and why Descartes builds his epistemological system up from his foundations in the way that he does, it is helpful to gain an understanding of the intellectual background of the 17th century that provided the motivation for his work. We can discern three distinct influences on Descartes, three conflicting world-views that fought for prominence in his day. The first was what remained of the mediaeval scholastic philosophy, largely based on Aristotelian science and Christian theology. Descartes had been taught according to this outlook during his time at the Jesuit college La Flech_ and it had an important influence on his work, as we shall see later. The second was the scepticism that had made a sudden impact on the intellectual world, mainly as a reaction to the scholastic outlook. This scepticism was strongly influenced by the work of the Pyrrhonians as handed down from antiquity by Sextus Empiricus, which claimed that, as there is never a reason to believe p that is better than a reason not to believe p, we should forget about trying to discover the nature of reality and live by appearance alone. This attitude was best exemplified in the work of Michel de Montaigne, who mockingly dismissed the attempts of theologians and scientists to understand the nature of God and the universe respectively. Descartes felt the force of sceptical arguments and, while not being sceptically disposed himself, came to believe that scepticism towards knowledge was the best way to discover what is certain: by ... Free Essays on Descartes In Meditations on First Philosophy, Rene’ Descartes discusses the existence of external objects, primarily in the First Meditation. Descartes doubts the existence of external objects based upon the idea that an ‘evil genius’ exists instead of an ideally good God. This ‘evil genius’ strives at deceiving Descartes. Descartes now assumes that all external objects- â€Å"the heavens, the air, the earth, colors, shapes, sounds†- are nothing more than hoaxes produced by the ‘evil genius’ and therefore do not exist. At the end of the First Meditation, thinking and perception remains certain because your own thinking and perception is the only thing you can believe because it exists in your mind and not in the external world, which can be altered by things such as the ‘evil genius’. In discussing the existence of external objects, Descartes must also include the existence of God. The existence of God is based upon the ‘ontological argument’. The ontological argument is that God is a â€Å"being than which none greater can be thought†. The meaning of the argument is that the concept of God is the greatest being who can be thought, and therefore He must exist. The counter argument is an argument against the ontological argument. It discusses that existence is an essential property and part of the definition of a thing, that is God. The counter argument says that existence is not a property and cannot be part of a definition. Descartes attempts to prove the existence of God and his own self. Descartes argues that God exists as the necessary thing that first caused all other causes in the world, but Descartes has not yet proved that there is a world. Descartes argues that we can only think of this idea of God because a real God exists whom makes it possible for us to have this idea of God himself. Descartes also argues that without God we would not exist because God causes things in this world to exist, that is...

How To Write An Article Review Essay, Detailed Instructions

How To Write An Article Review Essay, Detailed Instructions What is an article review An article review is a process of critically evaluating literature within a specific field, it  entails summarizing, classifying and conducting comparison among different research findings. Article review involves searching for scientific articles among databases to retrieve relevant research findings presented by different authors. The purpose of review is to give both students and scholars the opportunity to evaluate the work of other experts in a specific field.   Using the article review process, experts offer critical opinions about other expert research work. Processes involved in Article Review Article review involves presenting your analysis of a subject based on an article finding to people who are conversant with a specific area of knowledge. It demands professional writing with high standards and an in-depth presentation of our opinion. Important points to consider before starting to review an article includes understanding that an article review does not require new information, but requires our response based on another authors work. Article review requires a critical evaluation and comparisons using theories, ideas and research findings that are related to the subject at hand. A good article review should have well-organized ideas that build ideas and present its arguments consistently. Reading and reviewing Before starting the review process, it is important to read the selected article to have a better understanding of the article content. It is advisable to read and re-read the article to identify some of the common themes described in the article. After reading the article, it is important to pinpoint the key points presented by the author,   this critical step will help identify the main article points of argument that helps in building up logical arguments while critiquing the article. Preparing an Outline An outline is a key when writing a  perfect paper, it  makes the writing easy when presenting articles arguments. Writing an outline involves choosing the specific statement that presents the main purpose of the review, known as the thesis. A thesis statement states the main ideas and helps control their flow. Thesis statements are a reflection of our judgment or opinion which can be generated from reading or personal experiences. Developing a thesis statement entails presenting the intention expressed by the author and presenting if the authors intention were realized. Coming up with an outline requires the writer to read the article and note down important facts and any other contributions made by other relevant research findings. A good outline needs to identify knowledge gaps and any contradictions.   An outline should also entail some of the shortcoming and strengths of the identified articles and finally summarizing the paper based on concrete knowledge. Writing a review Introduction The first part is the introduction, the introduction begins with mentioning the name of the article. For example, the article titled New evidence on the treatment of ADHD by Lucian, Barnes-Holmes, and Barnes-Holmes discusses treatment and management of ADHD among children. The first paragraph should include a thesis statement. The other important points during introduction include writing how the article relates to other research findings on the specific topic. When writing an article review, the topic needs to be clearly stated, citing the identified article at the beginning of the paper, which is also important.   Presenting the topic at the beginning of the paper will communicate to the reader about the main purpose of the writing. The topic needs to be appealing and should highlight the most important points of the article to be reviewed. The topic should be declarative, evocative or probing. Citing the article will enable the reader to know the specific article in question, for example: Luciano, C., Barnes-Holmes, Y., Barnes-Holmes, D. (2002)? New evidence on the treatment of ADHD. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 23 (6), 406-421. During an introduction, one shall explain the criteria the author used when analyzing and also comparing its findings, one will explain the organization for the review. The body of the review When writing a review, the body of the paper should begin with a topic sentence that states the main ideas of the paragraph.   Starting the paragraph with a topic sentence presents the reader with the idea early. The body of the paper should include data analyzed or quotations, or a set of comparison showing evidence. The body of the article should outline the arguments that support the thesis statement followed by a logic development of ideas noted when developing the outline. It is important to quote some facts presented by the author to illustrate the main article ideas. When reviewing an article, it is important to summarize the whole idea of the article, including what the author stated by noting relevant facts and other article findings. The next step is to critique the article by highlighting the articles strengths and weaknesses based on your opinion. It is also imperative to acknowledge the authors contribution in the specific field and also highlight the gaps and any contradictions found in the article.   Criticizing an article entails taking a standpoint to either support or not support the authors findings. All these should be backed up by fact and theories that apply to the topic. When choosing quotes from the article to support your argument, its important to select and discuss materials from the article to prove your point. Quotations help in developing an argument about the authors work using your words. Conclusion The concluding paragraph needs to summarize the views of the article and also restate the thesis statement. In this section, concluding means revisiting the main ideas of the article and highlighting our opinion of the article. The conclusion also presents the opportunity to give a way forward for further research. An effective conclusion needs to go beyond summary and appreciate the authors efforts and the significance of the article. Conclusion helps the readers to realize how you developed an argument or if the paper answered the question.   The conclusion should be developed from a readers perspective. At the end of the paper, the reader needs to gain new insight from the paper about the topic of discussion. Reviewing the draft After completing the first draft of the review, its important to revise the written paper to check for spelling and grammar. Proofreading needs to delete unnecessary and repetitive phrases or words and also add any missing information before submitting the final work.   Proofreading needs to check for errors in quotations or in references, logic development and also check if the paper has a solid support for the thesis statement. During the review, major changes of the content are allowed before submitting the final work.

The Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine - Essay Example The criticism is based on the possible side effects associated with the use of the vaccine The medical fraternity is in favor of the use of the MMR vaccine but the general public has been conducting Anti-MMR campaigns in order to prevent its use. The reason for the criticism from the general public is the fear that exists among parents over the side effects of the vaccine on their children. Parents fear that the MMR vaccine may be the primary cause of autism among children (Newton, 2013, p. 90) Autism is a mental condition that usually affects individuals from childhood and causes difficulty in communicating and establishing bonds with other people. It also causes slurred speech because using language and abstract expressions becomes difficult. The medical world has not been able to provide an appropriate account on the emerging issues concerning the vaccine. In 2002, Medical Research Council did a review of autism. This review covers matters on the prevalence of autism, its effects, and possible causative factors. The review finally associates a number of factors with the cause of autism but singles out genetic factors as a major cause. According to the report, there is no tangible evidence that can establish MMR vaccine as a causative agent of autism. The report further links autism with environmental and behavioral factors like the exposure to drugs or heavy metals before giving birth. Such an exposure causes genetic susceptibility to autism (Hollins, 2015, p. 1). Evaluation of the controversies has also remained accomplished by independent federal committees such as the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunization. The reports from these committees suggest that the argument that autism is related to MMR vaccine has no scientific basis. Therefore, the committees’ conclusion is that there is no causal link between autism and the MMR vaccine.

Segregation and the Racial Wage Gap Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Segregation and the Racial Wage Gap - Term Paper Example Though the world’s governing body has formulated policies for the development of gender equality and elimination of racial discrimination, numerous issues come to light regarding racial discrimination at schools, workplace; gender discrimination, etc. The major issues coming into discussions are about the racial and gender inequality at workplace, discrimination in wages, etc. in spite of various legal provisions available to assist the victim. This paper looks into such cases of discrimination and segregation at workplace with regard to unequal pay and race while reviewing cases published in various newspapers, magazines, journals and online articles. Body Wage Gaps based on race and gender inequality Occupation gender segregation is the strong feature of the US labor market as it is inefficient economically, preventing able people from moving into occupations where they could perform well. Occupation segregation is important point for discussion because occupational choice i s constrained by socialization, lack of information, or more direct barriers to entry to training or work in occupations where one sex is small minority of the workforce (IWPR, 13). Various legislations have been passed in different countries regarding equal pays, right to living with dignity, etc. but the differences still persist in society at large. According to Alfano (Report: Race Gap in US Persists) the median income for white households was $50,662 in the year 2005 as compared to $30,939 for black households and $36,278 for Hispanic households which shows there is huge income gap among the non white and white households revealing the discriminatory practice in income generating opportunities. According to the Economist (Race and Red Tape) black workers in America earn less than their white peers due to less education, skills, knowhow and experience than the whites. However, the article reveals the bias attitude of American companies stating that the companies are more likely to interview white person than the black person, if both of them have identical qualification. The dismal condition of black people is known for generation, gender discrimination is also at large with women entering the workforce competing with the men for the same position. The wage gap between male and female workers was huge when there were no policies protecting their rights. However the gap has narrowed down to 77 cents earned by full time female worker, irrespective of black or white, as compared to every dollar earned by men. However, the gap widens for African American women with 67.9% of men’s wages while Latinas earn 58 percent of men’s earnings (Pappas, â€Å"Women Intensely Dissatisfied with Pay Gap†). Rayner (Pay gap is growing between men and women) reported the statistics from Chartered Management Institute (CMI) which reveals that male managers are paid more than their female counterparts with same qualifications and talents. This scenario has be en explained briefly in an article at Center for American Progress (Wage Gap by Numbers) wherein its is stated that women with more

Religion and technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Religion and technology - Essay Example Therefore, the relationship between technology, specifically as a function of science, and religion is characterized by ‘mutually exclusive’ tendencies on both sides that restrict their ability to work together. Religion and theology refuse to acknowledge and often dismiss the technological claims that do not resonate with the role of God in the Universe or that spelled out by the scripture. For example, advancements in technology are meant to increase efficiency in production and make life easier. On the other hand, religion is concerned with the interactions between man and man, man and the environment and man and God. Ethics are a function of religion because, in most cultures, ethics define right and wrong. The values of right and wrong are defined by the religious values of a community. Currently, there are many problems in the use of technology. For example, environmental degradation is a function of technological advancement. In addition, violation of important ethical considerations in the society has increasingly resulted in poverty in poor societies because of a technological handicap compared to the developed countries. On the other hand, the role of religion has been decreasing over the last few centuries. More people are abandoning their religious beliefs because they often feel that the beliefs are outdated or impractical. In addition, the proposition of other theories of the origin of man and sources of answers previously only provided by religion has lessened the role of religion to the people.

Mexican Healthcare system Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mexican Healthcare system - Article Example The improvement in the healthcare system in Mexico continued throughout the 19th century registering a great status improvement in the 1990s, where the mortality patterns were found to match with those the most developed societies. The government of Mexico has established a three-tire health system that takes care of all its citizens at subsidized rates. The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) was established in 1943 to cater for the welfare of all employees in the private sector and their dependants within the country, which works as a tripartite system involving the joint funding by the employer, the federal government and the employee. The Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE) on the other hand caters for the social welfare and the health needs of the government employees (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). The difference in the healthcare systems between the USA and Mexico lies in various fundamental concepts. First, there is a disparity in the covera ge of the healthcare system in the USA and Mexico, where all citizens in the country are covered through the three-tire healthcare system; while in the USA the healthcare system does not cover all citizens (Garman, Johnson & Royer 2011). Secondly, the cost aspect presents another disparity, where the cost of healthcare in Mexico is lower, compared to the USA. Another major difference is that in Mexico, most of the healthcare system falls under the public sector, while in the USA, most of the healthcare is provided by the private sector (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). Characteristics of the consumers, providers, payers, and regulation policies in Mexico, compared to USA The characteristics of the consumers in the Mexican healthcare system varies from those of the USA consumers in that, the Mexican consumers do not necessarily need to have a healthcare insurance to be able to access subsidized healthcare, while in the USA, the consumers need to be covered by a health insurance scheme to b e able to access subsidized health service (Garman, Johnson & Royer 2011). The characteristics of the providers on the other hand, varies greatly between Mexico and the USA, since public the healthcare providers in Mexico operates under government sponsorship, thus providing subsidized healthcare service to the citizenry. On the other hand, the providers in the USA comprises the private sector as the main player, thus the access to subsidized services are a preserve of a few, who can afford health insurance. Nevertheless, the USA government accounts for a larger share of healthcare provision and financing, accounting for 46% financing of the healthcare system, while the Mexican government accounts for a slightly lower share, financing 44% of the healthcare provision in the country (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). The regulation policies also differs, though to a smaller extent, with the USA providing an open and optional feeding system, where the patients are free to choose the menu, whi le at the same time being allowed outside food. On the country, the Mexican health system offers a single brand of food, while prohibiting outside food in the health facilities (Garman, Johnson & Royer 2011). The staffing, appointment and timeliness policies also differs in both country, with the USA applying an adequate staffing policy for its healthcare, as well as upholding a strict appointment and timeliness policy, as the fundamental aspects of healthcare pro