Philosophies of Religion Essay

This Essay portrays the basic philosophies of religion particularly Christianity. This will be helpful for Christians to refresh or enhance their faith or take the challenge in strengthening their beliefs. Among the important and basic Christian philosophies to be discussed include; the true religion, real and false churches, minds and soul, heaven and heal, life after death, love and forgiveness, perfect marriage, miracles, Trinity, the challenging questions about the Da Vinci Code, Christians and Muslims, perfect marriage, etc. The discussions presented in this article are focused on indepth reflections of my previous work entitled, Echoes of Heaven: God’s Love is Better than Life Itself. This further simplify the understanding of mysterious things concerning Christian faith and the challenges that shaken or strengthen the beliefs of a Christian. Introduction Many people (Christians and non-Christians) are in a great religious confusion with tough questions about faith, life, death and many other challenging concerns that will most likely affect the faith or belief of the people. Most are searching for answers through reading literatures, the holy bible or the Koran, discussions with peers, religious institutions, and even through prayers. This essay will attempt to offer explanations of the many questions that challenge the beliefs of Christians and non-Christians. Some inputs of this essay are generated from my article, â€Å"Echoes of Heaven: God’s Love is Better than Life Itself† that aim to enhance man’s relation with God. What is Soul? Soul is the energy that God places within a human body so it would receive life. It is in the form of spirit which is invisible to human eyes. It does not reside in one part of the body but keeps on moving throughout the blood. It can leave the body, go to another place or world, and come back into it as long as it remains connected. It happens so fast because it can move at the speed of light. It has the ability to travel into the future and tell how the future will be, that is a vision. Soul gives light and lives in the body and also prevents the body from decaying, and once the soul is unconscious or leaves the body, the body has no life, and therefore it starts decaying. The soul is the body’s life giving spiritual thing which is separate and distinct from the body. They are inseparable in any way when the body is conscious, but the soul could be away from the body when the latter is unconscious. How do minds and soul communicate? Soul has no language barriers. There is only one language understood by all souls, or perhaps the soul has the ability to understand all languages. It has unlimited power and the ability to perform anything. When God created man, He granted this power and authority where the soul operates in human flesh in which the latter is ruled by a human mind. Human minds are limited in terms of power, their ability to perform, language, and mobility, among other things. Mind’s desire is for material or physical things while the soul desires for the things that are spiritual. The soul has the ability to see beyond what the naked eye cannot see and has the ability to gather information from different places in an instant. It is stated that even the absence of language, the soul still communicate with mind in harmony. Soul is therefore, considered as master over mind. A gap is identified between the human level and the spiritual level where either the spirit of God resides or the spirit of the Devil. The soul provides information to the mind. The spirit of God empowers the soul to act at its fullness, but the evil spirit empowers the mind or the flesh. The mind has the ability to process and store information or idea communicated from the soul which can be destructive or creative, depending on its source. What is a true religion? A true religion is the one that follow God’s guidance by building a good relationship with God. God is interested in having a good relationship with people; this is the true religion, knowing what God wants and knowing that we are doing what pleases Him. Likewise, the ISLAM HERALD (2003) stated that a true religion is teaching true concepts like the existence of God, that He is powerful and loving, He is aware of us and wishes to help us, and that certain things are required of us in return. It is therefore imperative that everyone should think that religion is just a vehicle to let people know that there is God and that He wants all the people to follow what He wants. Hence, the issue on true religion should not be argued. People who argue and claim that their religion is the true religion are those who did not follow what God wants them to do, hence, they are fools influenced by the thoughts of the devil. What is death, and how do people feel when dying? Death is the state when the soul has completely left the body and has no connection, or the soul is still in the body but unconscious. When a person meets an accident, the flesh may completely fail to function but the soul is fully conscious, preoccupied with many things, without expecting in meeting death. In this situation, the death of accident victim is declared but remains fully conscious within the body in which souls are looking for mercy, and they can talk. However, after some days, the soul gives up and became unconscious because they can no longer gain strength. What happens when one dies? When some people die, their souls remain unconscious within their bodies; others get out of their body and begin roaming around while the holy ones go to paradise, led by angels. The death of the holy ones will open the gate to a bright world where the angels are waiting to take them home (paradise), but those who remain in the grave are surrounded by darkness; they are not warm or cold. The latter’s case will be determined during the Day of Judgment. The rebellious ones still go on roaming the world and their souls are fully dedicated to the Devil. Are heaven and hell real? The Holy Bible tells everyone that there is heaven and hell. This contention can be read in some passages of the Bible, and among them are the book of Revelation and the gospel of Mathew which can be read below. Heaven Revelation 21:1-4 reads: â€Å"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. Hell Jesus used different images to describe hell. He used the images of torment (Matthew 25:46), a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12), a place of outer darkness (Matthew 8:12), and a place of fire (Matthew 3:12). Revelation 21:8 describes it as â€Å"the lake which burns with fire and brimstone†¦ † To demonstrate that hell is a place of continual and eternal torment, Revelation 14:11 states that â€Å"the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worships the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. This is the biblical teaching on hell. Those who try to dilute it are only hurting people; hell is real, and everyone who does not submit to the gospel of Christ will go there. However, Rev. Douglas Taylor of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton, argue that Hell, like Heaven, is essentially a state of mind although the very opposite state of mind to heaven. If hell is within us, it will be seen outside of us as a place ( a hideous place), reflecting the hideousness of the evil within†. Is there life after death? Yes, there is life after death. This is supported by the Bible’s passage particularly in John 11:25-26 where God said â€Å"There is only one way – through faith and trust in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said, â€Å"I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. They are given eternal life for believing in me and will never perish. Furthermore, this can also be read in the book of Mathew 25:46 which states that â€Å"Those who have been made righteous will go into eternal life in heaven, but unbelievers will be sent to eternal punishment or hell†. Who is right, Christians or Muslims? Christians and Muslims believe in the same God, and their faith is based on the Old Testament. These believers are both believe in the Day of Judgment and the coming of Jesus Christ for the second time. Many are amazed that the Koran talked more about Mary, the mother of Jesus, in regards to the birth of Christ than the Bible itself. Both groups of believers believe in the living God, the Most High King, and the God of the universe. At that high level, both groups have no difference. Those who called by His name are given the power and authority to rule and judge the world. God was just using different messengers for the Christians and the Muslims; Christ Jesus for the Christians, and Mohammad for the Muslims. But, they the same believed the old testament of the Holy Bible. In the eyes of God, the righteous are those who believe that there is God; obey His commands, and those who recognize that He is the most powerful and merciful God. What is a perfect marriage? A perfect marriage is a marriage that put God in the center. A perfect marriage is bound with open communication, faith and trust with each other. In Ephesians 5:23-33 of the Holy Bible, God describes that perfect marriage is based on love. He commands the husband to love his wife more than he loves himself, and to nourish and cherish her. A man should provide for his wife’s needs and consider her a precious possession. The most important part of a good marriage is LOVE, not just a physical attraction, but true love and concern for each other before God. Marriages that last are built on love (Ecclesiastes 9:9). The wise man Solomon said that enjoying life’s blessings with a loving companion is a great reward. Love’s endurance knows no limits, its trust no end, its hope no fading; it can outlast anything. If, we will but follow God’s pattern for the marriage relationship, we can find the happiness that God intended when He ordained it. The pleasure and happiness are there when the husband and the wife have the proper love for each other and for God. These explanations about perfect marriage are anchored on LOVE. What is the secret behind miracles? The secret behind miracles is faith. Many scriptures in the Holy Bible (in the New Testament) tell how Jesus shown that faith makes miracles. However, in some cases, miracles are used by the devil to mislead the people of God and forget the true miracle from God which is the miracle of forgiveness of sins. Do all miracles come from God? Not all miracles come from God. Dan Corner of Evangelical Outreach reveals that miracles come from two sources that is God and devil. The book of Exodus that â€Å"some of God’s miracles were duplicated by Satan’s power channeled through the Egyptian magicians: a wooden staff became a snake† (7:10, 11); â€Å"water was changed into blood† (7:20-22)† and frogs came out of the water and covered the land† (8:6, 7)! † Demons can and do perform miraculous signs† (Rev. 16:14, p. 142). In the Holy Bible (New Testament) Jesus Christ made many miracles of healing the sick people, giving life again to the declared dead person, calming storms, etc. All the miracles performed by Jesus came from God. Are all churches real? Not all churches are real. Elephant shared in his article that the real churches are those where the worshippers are singing with the same voice, moving in the same direction, without confusion, and seek God for salvation. Real churches are those with true worshippers. True worshippers of God are poor in hearts seeking God and left everything behind just to follow God with one purpose, salvation. Is there any false church or prophet? There are so many false churches and prophets even during the time of Jesus Christ. False church is look like a market place where there are lots of confusions; people are seeking God for material things not salvation. Yes, there were false prophets as supported by Ezekiel 13, even God warn the people against false prophets and said to Ezekiel â€Å"These foolish prophets are doomed! They provide their own inspiration and invent their own visions. Christians of today, your prophets are as useless as foxes living among the ruins of the city. They do not guard the places where the walls have crumbled, nor do they build the walls, and so the churches cannot be defended when war comes on the day of the Lord. Their visions are false, and their predictions are lies. They claim that they are speaking my message, but I have not sent them. Yet they expect their words to come true! I tell them: Those visions you see are false, and the predictions you make are lies. You say that they are my words, but I have not spoken to you†. Jeremiah was told by God to â€Å"Tell my people not to listen to what those false prophets say; they are filling you with false hopes. They tell you what they have imagined and not what I have said. To the people who refuse to listen to what I have said, they keep saying that all will go well with them. And they tell everyone who is stubborn that disaster will never touch him. † Is man a complicated creature? Why and why not? Man is a complicated creature because God has provided them everything, the life, the trees that produces foods they need. In Genesis 2:15-16, God even give man a companion in the presence of Eve. With a condition that he should not eat the fruit of the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and bad because the punishment of death will be accorded to him by God. Man’s complication started when he disobey God. The complication continue when God give different languages to human beings and scattered them all over the world. It is hard to understand man because something else that God had no intention to create was created after eating the fruit of the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. Man became a complicated creature and that is why we suffer, because we need to prove to God that we can be faithful and trusted once more. Our first parent chose to follow or listen to a stranger, the devil. He ignored the instruction of God, despite or everything provided to him by God.

Japanese television Essay

I have always believed that there is no other better way to learn than by teaching. Many people say that you lean best by studying yet I disagree and say that one always learns best when teaching. Education is a two way street. The student learns from the teacher and the teacher learns about the student and more about life. It is with this in my heart that I have come to make the decision that I want to move to Japan, to teach and to learn and to live. I must confess that there is much of Japan that I do not know about. What I do know of Japan comes from my childhood and from my brief stay in Japan in 2005. As a child I was always fascinated by the magic of Japanese television; shows such as Godzilla (Gojira) and Space Giants (Ambassador Magma) would fill up my afternoon television slots. In class, I would often share the beauty of Japan with my class by creating posters on Japan in the hope that others could enjoy the magic and beauty that Japan possesses. I knew early on in my life that I wanted to live out my magical fantasy in Japan. In 2005, I was given that opportunity to live out my childhood fantasy. I was given the chance to go to Tokyo. It is such a wonderful place. I distinctly recall enjoying Hiroo, Ebsu and Shibuya. It is an experience that I will never forget. There is something for all the senses: The wonderful food (the sushi, the sashimi, the colorful and scrumptious bento meals); the warmth and friendliness of the people (especially the teachers of AEON) around; the colorful sights from billboards and store signs; the chorus that one hears from the people on the street yakking on their cellular phones and of course the overwhelming love that felt for Japan. There is no other place in the world that seamlessly and effortlessly incorporates such high tech innovations and gadgetry with the quiet yet powerful beauty of ancient Japan all in one place. WHY I WANT TO LIVE AND WORK IN JAPAN PAGE # 2 These experiences of mine with Japan have solidified my desire to want to return to Japan and to live there. I know that my experience with Japan has been minimal to say the least yet I cannot deny that even the one brief immersion in Japan that I’ve had is enough for me to say that I have truly fallen in love with this beautiful country and its people. This is the main reason why I want to return to Japan and teach there and live there and fall in love with Japan all over again. As I mentioned earlier, I believe that through teaching one learns and this is what I plan to do in Japan. I believe that I am a natural teacher and more importantly I want to learn. I’ve had many experiences with Japanese students in the past and the interaction that I experienced when I taught them was delightful. The Japanese students that I met were all very respectful and always had the most amazing stories to tell. The best part of that experience was that by teaching them English I was also helping them achieve their goals and dreams. There were those who studied English in order to work in America while others to get a promotion and some to learn English as a way to expand their horizons and I took a certain amount of pride in being able to play a role in helping them achieve their dreams. Now that I too have this opportunity to live in Japan and experience more of the beauty that I’ve seen and lived before would fall nothing short of having been able to have a dream and have it come true. Living in Japan, experiencing its sights and sounds, being immersed in the culture, interacting with the people and also being given the chance to play a role in helping students achieve their own goals and dreams by teaching them will definitely be such a wonderful experience. To be able to be part of a school as reputable as AEON, to contribute my efforts to helping others attain their dreams and to live my own dream by teaching and learning is a dream of mine and I hope I’m given a chance to live out my dream. Arigatou Gozaimas.

Socially Desirable Merit Goods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Socially Desirable Merit Goods - Essay Example As the paper declares  the government has the responsibility of ensuring implementation of expended schools initiatives and provision of financial support to schools to facilitate smooth learning environment. The government also has the responsibility of providing public schools with recreational facilities and further gives better education opportunities to all children. UK government must ensure that every child gets quality education with a very good start and further helping schools in delivering education strategy. Mainly the government has to ensure that schools have good infrastructure and provides students with better skills.This study discusses that  the government should ensure that education provided to the public is very beneficial, effective and universal to all the learners. The intention of providing education by the government is to equip learners with high level skills that are relevant to the betterment of the economy and instilling skills that are useful in the modern life.  Government should ensure enough funding especially in the universities and colleges due to the importance of graduates in the economic growth. According to OECD report studying for a degree greatly benefits individuals because they earn a lot of money compared to non-graduates.  The report further suggests that the educated individuals were never affected by the economic crisis as it affected the uneducated. The economic crisis and recession was caused by unsuccessfully educated individuals.... According to OECD report studying for a degree greatly benefits individuals because they earn a lot of money compared to non-graduates. University graduates also benefits the governments from the high taxes earned from higher earnings by the graduates. The report further suggests that the educated individuals were never affected by the economic crisis as it affected the uneducated. The economic crisis and recession was caused by unsuccessfully educated individuals. The government should subsidize higher education since university education is important to the UK’s economic recovery because it leads to receipt of high taxes and reduced level of unemployment. All these show the unending benefits of education thus justifying why it cannot be left on the hands of private sector. Educated people get good employment and earn good money compared to uneducated individuals. Learned individuals also acquire knowledge and skills that help them in rational thinking and decision making pro cess thus reducing risks of economic crisis and recession. University education is considered vital in individual’s innovation capability due to the knowledge acquired (McMahon 2009, 180-200). There are several benefits to governments and society that result from studying for a degree such as increased receipt of taxes and social cohesion. University graduates assist individuals in obtaining lucrative jobs thus reducing the level of unemployment in the country. The employed persons will reduce the level of crime in the society because most people are able to economically sustain themselves. Graduates always acquire skills and knowledge that may help them make wonderful innovations that are crucial

Oil Market in The Azerbaijan Republic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Oil Market in The Azerbaijan Republic - Essay Example It also contains the world's largest deposits of natural gas (Energy Information Administration 2008). The breakup of the former Soviet Union has attracted much of the world's interests in the huge oil and gas reserves of the Caspian Sea region. The newly independent countries have signed many contracts worth billions of dollars to develop the region's oil and gas fields. The Caspian Sea has the potential to become one of the major oil and gas production areas in the world similar in its capacity to the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico (Energy Information Administration 2008). During World War II, Azerbaijan's oil production peaked at about 500,000 barrels per day (bbl/d). Oil extracted from Azerbaijan constituted 71.4% of overall oil output of former Soviet Union. Following the war, the former Soviet Union directed resources elsewhere causing Azerbaijan's oil production to drop dramatically. In 1991, Azerbaijan gained its independence from the former Soviet Union and oil production was at a minimum low of 180,000 bbl/d (Energy Information Administration 2008). The ability of Azerbaijan to develop its oil and natural gas resources was dependent on the availability of sources of capital and technology. Since then, Azerbaijan officials have been trying to attract foreign investments into their oil and gas industry. Azerbaijan's has 1.2 billion barrels of proven oil reserves in addition to enormous possible reserves in the Caspian Sea. These oil reserves in addition to successful governmental policies have attracted foreign international investment to Azerbaijan. Since 1996, over $3.4 billion has been invested in the oil sector with expectations to reach $2 billion in 2006. Ever since, Azerbaijan's oil industry experienced a boom reaching almost 800,000 bbl/d in 2007. Much growth is still anticipated during the 21st century. It is expected that by 2010, Azerbaijan's oil production would exceed 1.5 million bbl/d (www.stat.gov.az, 2006). New fields in the Caspian Sea were developed through joint ventures (JVs) and production sharing agreements (PSAs). JVs were later converted to PSAs in 2000, due to their restrictions on the ability to export their oil (Energy Information Administration 2008). The Caspian Sea has 30 billion tons of oil, 18-20 trillion cubic meters of gas, which comprises 15 percent of the world carbon-hydrogen resources. The oil deposit that belongs to Azerbaijan 3-5 billion tons of oil, 5 trillion cubic meters of gas the oil production in Azerbaijan is expected to increase rapidly (SOCAR, 2008).. Azerbaijan carries most of its oil products from the Caspian Sea to the European market through the following four major pipelines: Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC), Baku-Novorossiysk, Baku-Supsa, and Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) as shown in figure 1 (Energy Information Administration, 2008). Figure 1: Four Major Pipelines of Azerbaijan The Caspian Sea is also rich with natural gas. The largest natural gas field in Azerbaijan is Shah Deniz. Azerbaijan is planning to supply natural gas to Turkey and European countries through the development of South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) (SOCAR, 2008). The former Soviet Union lacked of environmental protection has caused heavy environmental damages to Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea. Mismanagement of the oil industry has generated much pollution and alteration of the natural environment of Caspian Sea region. Furthermore, oil and

Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Culture - Essay Example h disparities in the Muslim culture are the same as those that affect other people, but they require a different approach in some forms of treatment so that they adhere to their beliefs. Today, Muslims approach healthcare in different ways, for example, those in the rural areas are deeply rooted in their beliefs, and they do not accept western medicine. They prefer to use traditional medicines in the event that someone is sick. Today, there are traditional healers who use still use the mixture of Quran and other traditional healing techniques like herbs for treatment. Some of them use superstitious practices, and this goes against their beliefs. However, some have adapted to the western medicines, but they require certain values to be followed. They believe in preventive measures since they believe that Allah did not create any disease. They look into their religious, social heritage when using any form of treatment. They have celebrated dates such as Eid Fitr and Eid Adha, and medical practitioners need to consider these dates. For example, their diet requires exceptional care since they are not permitted to feed on pork. Medical practitioners need to ensure that their medicines and food are free from pork supplements. The gap in Muslims that hinders their healthcare is the strict following of the Quran. Cases have been reported where people die since the writings in the Quran do not allow a certain procedure. I believe that they should typify flexibility in their treatment so that medical practices are efficient. Therefore, healthcare providers need to understand beliefs of different cultures so that treating them conform s to their beliefs hence improving health

Geography of Desire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Geography of Desire - Essay Example In addition, people tend to possess a certain kind of attitude and cliche in the way that they lead their lives. This can be explained by the fact the urban environment in the area has certain emotional and psychological effects on the people. Hollywood environment brings out a certain glitz and glamour of the lifestyles led by the people. This starts from the beautiful scenery surrounding the district. To the north, the district is bordered by the Hollywood hills that bring out a certain natural sense of its environment. Therefore, nature has been well preserved in the district to keep the environment well grown and furnished. This is a way of upholding the beauty of the place. In addition, Hollywood is also known for its clean and well developed streets that bring out the whole picture of the major industry of the district, which is the acting industry (Wilson, 10). For instance, Hollywood Boulevard is a street that is rarely jammed up with vehicles due to its spacious definition. The economy of the district has grown significantly due to the income generated from the film industry. A congressional research analysis carried out in the city showed that the city’s economy has thrived greatly since, the motion picture and sound recording industries contribute close to 5% of the overall GDP of the area (Masnick, 1). In addition, news also showed that the film and recording industry was not seriously affected by the great depression as compared to other industries, which were almost closing down. Hollywood is a city that is slightly densely populated and thus, the labor supply is high. However, due to the many production industries, the demand for labor is also high thus, keeping the level of unemployment very low. This is especially supported by the fact that most of the people in the district are mainly involved in the film production industry. The transport systems are also well developed since the culture of area mainly involves use of private cars as o pposed to public means of transport (Masnick, 1). This can be explained by the fact that, Hollywood people have embraced driving themselves. Social aspects of Hollywood can be judged as being carefree and happy-go-lucky. The filming industry has grown to extremes that tend to create a certain image in people’s minds. People in the city tend to ape the ways of the films that they watch (Medved, 15). Therefore, the morality of Hollywood has always been in doubt. Recent news given by the New York Times newspaper showed that; unlike the older films, the current films produced in Hollywood were full of excessive and lustful kissing scenes, nudity, profanity and scenes full of passion (Sarfati, 1). Such films changed the culture of Hollywood into a different era that encouraged adultery and crime. Therefore, the culture of the city has changed into that of a city with a very low level of morality. However, Hollywood is also a place that is filled with creativity and invention. Each day different ways of doing things is invented in the city. Partying and clubbing are also a common culture in Hollywood. Families also tend to hold tea parties, get-togethers and family reunions that bring people together (Wilson, 18). The political environment in Hollywood does not play a major role in shaping the culture of the city since; being a district within Los Angeles, Hollywood does not hold its own municipal government. However, the city used to have a mayor by the name Johnny Grant who directed the city’

Biology 9 Introduction to Environmental Biology Assignment

Biology 9 Introduction to Environmental Biology - Assignment Example Majority of farmers shunned the planting of clover and alfalfa crops which are the nutritional sources for bees. In addition to this, the use of herbicides to kill the weeds has resulted in the elimination of some weeds which bear flowers fed on by the bees. The concentration of neonics on the soil is dangerous as it is absorbed in the plant leaves and nectars. If the bees consume such nectars, they may get twitched and die eventually. The adoption of monoculture form of farming results in the elimination of plants such as almond that are important for the nutritional purposes of the bees. In addition, the emergence of agricultural food deserts have deprived bees of the living farms which were once inhabited by the bees. In order to save the bees from this situation of decreasing numbers, measures must be taken. We need to plant flowers in our lawns, gardens, pots because these flowering plants are the nutritional sites for bees. We should also diversify the farming activities by growing flowering hedge borders to prevent the growing number of agricultural food

Marketing Plan for Saigontourist travel services Coursework

Marketing Plan for Saigontourist travel services - Coursework Example The "Marketing plan Saigontourist Travel Services" describes the way in which the service quality of the tourism industry will improve. Saigontourist is a renowned organisation which is observed to deliver continuous concentration over research and development initiatives in order to introduce innovative tour packages for its customers at frequent periodic intervals. It is worth mentioning that this might be considered as a major strength of the company which can facilitate the organisation to sustain in this fiercely competitive era of globalisation in the tourism industry. For this reason, it can introduce a travelling trip named ‘Cosy Viet’, including outstanding quality of services along with experienced consultants for its customers with the intention to provide them with highly satisfactory experience of travelling to all the implausible regions of Vietnam. It is in this context that the core product in terms of ‘Cosy Viet’ and similar other tour packa ges might assist Saigontourist to attain a higher level of customers’ satisfaction resulting in the overall augmentation of its profitability and its efficiency in relation to customer relationship management. Saigontourist is a state-owned travelling enterprise which desires to attain the largest section of market share in the tourism industry of Vietnam. Therefore, the organisation has been observed to deliberately attempt towards enhancing its brand image by improving its eminence and characteristics of services offered to the target groups. 3. Moreover, the introduction of ‘Cosy Viet’ is also expected to enhance the brand equity of Saigontourist resulting in the overall improvement of its prosperity. Based on this aspect, Saigontourist can also offer the facility of a knowledge tour guide in order to offer value added services at an efficient cost to its customers. This might significantly help the customers of ‘Cosy Viet’ to attain an overall view about the culture, beauty, nature and history of Vietnam and its neighbouring areas such as Dalat-Nha Trang, Da Nang-Hue and others. This in turn is most likely to facilitate in enhancing the dependency and satisfaction level of the customers further resulting in the ascendancy of Saigontourist4. In ‘Cosy Viet’ package, the consumers can also be rendered with extra facilities namely couple passes for luxury cruise day outs, old war site touring packages, river cruising tours and trips for Indochina. Moreover, varied types of insurances c an also be offered at a reasonable cost, in order to enhance customer gratification. Hence, it might facilitate Saigontourist to augment its brand value in the long run5. Price Pricing is the second most important aspect of marketing mix. In order to enhance the corporate image of Saigontourist, it shall be highly beneficial for the organisation to follow value-based pricing techniques, at the introduction stage of its new product, i.e. ‘

Genetic theory VS social approache of human language Essay

Genetic theory VS social approache of human language - Essay Example The main observation of the genetic theory of language is that, children everywhere in the world learn to speak very rapidly. Everywhere in the world children follow very similar steps while learning language and make very similar mistakes. All these can easily be explained by an innate ability to learn language but is very difficult to explain otherwise. This line of reasoning leads to the theory that innate propensity to language must be due to human evolution. Chomsky (1998) was the first to put forward this idea which has subsequently been modified and extended by Hauser, Chomsky and Fitch (2002) and Slobin (2004) among others. The proponents of this theory claim that human brain, during evolution, has developed specific neural circuits, which provide human children the capability to process the language information. Neuroscience has, in fact, identified specific areas in the brain that have distinct language functionality. That is the reason some stroke victims become speech impaired if these areas of the brain are affected. Second evidence in support of genetic theory is development of vocal tract which makes it possible for humans to articulate precise vocal sounds. Genetic theory explains well how creole developed as a full fledged language in Surinam. What started as an incomplete and restricted language form by escaped slaves living together and speaking many different languages, transformed into a full language by their descendants. However, this theory fails to explain why a hearing child of deaf parents, even when exposed to television, could not speak well (Bard, Sachs and Johnson, 1981) The other theory about origin of language focuses more on social interaction and suggests language to be an evidence of a child’s cognitive development process. Children begin by imitating adults, specially their care-givers. Language acquisition also is a part of social interaction. But unless and until a child

Discussion About The Sex Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Discussion About The Sex Industry - Essay Example Criminalization of prostitution renders the women and girls who engage in the practice vulnerable. Legalizing prostitution would make it easier for prostitutes to report criminal acts against them- especially being sexually assaulted. Prostitutes seek assistance from pimps to make up for contractual and legal help, which is denied them; pimps protect them from their customers and police. Majority of prostitutes are constantly faced with the high threat of rape and violence. One research findings indicate that on average, a prostitute is raped an average of 31 times annually. Since prostitution is a criminal offense subject to arrest and prosecution, hardly any prostitute reports such violations perpetrated to them, and even when they do the authorities fail to take them seriously or to follow up and act on the case urgently and professionally as they would with other women not engaged in prostitution. For instance, reports indicate that only four percent of women prostitutes who are violated or assaulted ever report the crime. Legalization of prostitution would get rid of the pimps and others, such as clients and purveyors, who exploit and violate those in the prostitution enterprise.Legalization of prostitution would conversely mean government regulation, taxation and a number of laws to regulate the profession. Many prostitutes would not be supportive of this. Without the government control, most prostitutes enjoy a great deal of independence; a prospect that would be taken away by the legalization of prostitution.... Legalizing prostitution would make it easier for prostitutes to report criminal acts against them- especially being sexually assaulted. Prostitutes seek assistance from pimps to make up for contractual and legal help, which are denied them; pimps protect them from their customers and police. Majority of prostitutes are constantly faced with high threat of rape and violence. For instance, one research findings indicate that on average, a prostitute is raped an average of 31 times annually (Spector 17). Since prostitution is a criminal offence subject to arrest and prosecution, hardly any prostitute reports such violations perpetrated to them, and even when they do the authorities fail to take the seriously or to follow up and act on the case urgently and professionally as they would with other women not engaged in prostitution. For instance, reports indicate that only four percent of women prostitutes who are violated or assaulted ever report the crime (Spector 21). Legalization of pr ostitution would get rid of the pimps and others, such as clients and purveyors, who exploit and violate those in the prostitutionenterprise. Legalization of prostitution would conversely mean government regulation, taxation and a number of laws to regulate the profession. Many prostitutes would not be supportive of this. Without the government control, most prostitutes enjoy a great deal of independence; a prospect that would be taken away by legalization of prostitution.Legalization would mean fixed working areas- the so-called red-light districts, registration as prostitutes, taxes and other levies charged by the government or various authorities such as local municipalities. The registration could expose the woman and

Hitlers actions while he was ruler of the Third Reich Essay Example for Free

Hitlers actions while he was ruler of the Third Reich Essay Introduction There are two schools of thought on Hitlers actions while he was ruler of the Third Reich. One says he has a blueprint of all his intended achievements1 which is based upon Mein Kampf, his autobiography written in the 1920s while the other believes that Hitler did not have any concrete plans which he followed diligently. The latter argued that he rode on opportunities and was propelled into power by circumstances rather than his own abilities. The basis of this essay is to find out which school offers a more convincing argument. Due to the wide aspects of the information and views on Hitler, the scope of discussion would be limited to Hitlers foreign policies, the various interpretations by different historians and my own analysis. One point to note is that although A.J.P. Taylor does not fall into either of the schools, his views seems slanted towards structuralist theory which would also be discussed. Anschluss To determine whether Hitler had a plan or was just waiting to cash in on opportunities, we must look at his foreign policies implemented and his autobiography, Mein Kampf, which he wrote in 19252 while serving his prison sentence. Mein Kampf could be used as a benchmark in finding out whether Hitler was following a laid-out plan. This is because Hitler had claimed so often that all his plans and goals were actually written in Mein Kampf. In Mein Kampf, Anschluss was described as the first stage in Hitlers foreign policy plans, which, with the benefit of hindsight, is true. In a speech on 30 January 1941 in Berlin, Hitler had spoken implicitly of how his intention of abolishing the Treaty of Versailles had been declared or recorded so often that it was impossible for people to not know of his programme of expansionism until 1933, or 1935 or 1937.3 Hitler had also written in Mein Kampf that he wanted to extend the frontiers of Germany to include all Germans, regardless of where they came from.4 Prior to Anschluss, Hitler had been trying to improve his relations with Italy as the latter had interfered in Austrias affairs in 1934 due to concerns about her own territorial integrity5 and. Hitler knew the importance of Italy and tried to improve relations with her. He hoped in this way, Austria would be isolated without Italy defending her. It could thus be argued that Hitler was planning for Anschluss through diplomatic pr eparations. However, Anschluss also represented Hitlers opportunism. Notes written from Goebbelss diary revealed that Hitler had kept his watchful eyes on opportunities for German expansion,6 suggesting that Hitler was always waiting for opportunities to expand German territory, an argument put across by Kershaw. In fact, it was Goering who pressed Hitler to take actions.7 Kershaw argued Goering was pushing the pace for Anschluss, perhaps for economic interests over Austria. Hitler was waiting for a crisis in Austria which would provide the excuse for German intervention and not invasion.8 This arrived on 9th March 1938, when Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a plebiscite on the independence of Austria. Hitler seized this opportunity to intervene in Austrian affairs and pressed Schuschnigg to resign. The National Socialist Arthur Seyss-Inquart took over the chancellorship and formed a new government. With Austrian National Socialists in power in Austria, troops of the German Wehrmacht and the SS crossed the German-Austrian border unopposed on the morning of 12th March 1938. The proclamation of Anschluss into the Third Reich was announced the following day. Taylor argued this was a last minute decision and the belief that Hitlers seizure of Austria was a deliberate plot was a myth. He argued that the crisis was one provoked by Schusschnigg and not Hitler. Kershaw also suggested the view that the decision for annexation of Austria came only after the military invasion. The German military lacked preparations when they marched from the frontier to Vienna. The fact that 70% of their vehicles broke down9 indicated clearly there was neither military preparation nor any back-up plan. Had Hitler made any plans initially, such a situation would not have occurred. Hitlers address to the masses on the balcony of Linz town hall showed that he did not have any intentions to annex Austria.10 Kershaw suggested that the decision to annex Austria might have come from the delirious reception Hitler received at Linz. The Anschluss thus represented Hitlers opportunism where the decision to annex Austria came at the last minute. Although Hitler might have intentions to annex Austria into the German Reich long ago, it was not one of the maturing of carefully thought out plans. Thus I would find it appropriate to agree with the structuralist argue that Hitler was indeed an opportunist. Anschluss came at a point when Hitler least expected it he was smart enough to seize to seize the opportunity. Czechoslovakia Bullock had argued that following the annexation of Austria, the annexation of Czechoslovakia would be the second necessary step in the development of [Hitlers] programme for securing Germanys future11, the second objective that was discussed during the Hossbach Conference on 5th November 1937 which outlined Hitlers view of the future. It was agreed that Austria and Czechoslovakia should be taken simultaneously.12 However, this did not occur accordingly as planned. Anschluss with Austria had instead, improved Germanys strategic position in central Europe13, to allow Hitler to take over Czechoslovakia should an opportunity arise. He might have thought of using Austria to encircle the Czechs and act as a satellite in the conflicts to come14, which in some ways indicated his programme in achieving Lebensraum for Germany. Taylor argued that the conclusion which drawn from the Hossbach Conference showed that Hitler did not really have any concrete plans as to what he wanted. He might have been taking a gamble as usual, hoping that by some chance, he would be successful in achieving aims in his foreign policies. In a situation similar in Austria, I do agree with Taylor that the crisis over Czechoslovakia was presented to Hitler rather than him creating it. Hitler merely took advantage of the situation. According to Kershaw, it was the fatal calculation made by Schuschnigg that gave Hitler the chance he long awaited. Hitler seemed to be least interested in what was the next step he should undertake after the Munich conference. Evidence showing Hitler spending time at the Berghof drawing dream plans for the rebuilding of Linz15 revealed perhaps he was waiting to take over Czechoslovakia through another internal crisis. This opportunity arrived in March 1939 when President of Czechoslovakia Hacha dismissed Tiso the Slovak Premier from office and subsequently declared martial law in Slovakia. The latter then appealed to Hitler for help, who was taken by surprise by the turn of events. He was leaving for Vienna to celebrate the anniversary of Anschluss. Even Alan Bullock agreed, as he puts it, that it was not long before Hitler was able to seize the opportunity that he waited for16, showing that Hitler was relying on opportunities. Protests by the British and French ambassadors against Germanys occupation was countered by the argument that Hitler had acted only at the request of the Czech President, just as the occupation of Austria had been undertaken only in response to the telegram sent by Seyss-Inquart.17 Hitler had spent no more than three days in the process of take-over lasted no more than three days and he was back in Vienna on the 18th. Both fate and opportunity had worked in favour of Hitler once again in allowing him to complete his aims. Conclusion: The Hossbach memorandum was supposed to reveal Hitlers plans and provide a summary of Hitlers foreign policy in 1937-38. Although it indicated that Hitler had some plans in his mind, it was not very specific. Through the examination of the above examples, it would be appropriate to conclude that Hitler was an opportunist. Although much of Mein Kampf was put into action, there was doubt as to whether he was following some form of agenda or programme. Although ideas were laid out in Mein Kampf, it did not mean that they would be implemented inevitably. There was no timescale stated as to when they would be implemented too. In the words of A.J.P. Taylor, I agree that Hitler exploited events far more than he followed precise coherent plans18. Alan Bullock also believes that be it planning or spontaneity, Hitler had only one programme: the gain of power19. Thus the structuralist school which stated that Hitler did not have any concrete plans to which he diligently adhered to seems more appropriate. Most of the time, Hitler was simply waiting for opportunities which he could take to achieve his aims. Notes 1 Stephen J. Lee, Aims of Hitlers Foreign Policy in European Dictatorships 1918-1945, (Great Britain, Routledge, Taylor Francis Group, 2000, 2nd edition), p.217 2 A.J.P. Taylor, Hitler: A Traditional German Statesman, in Hitler and Nazi Germany, ed.Robert G.L. Waite( United States of America, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc, 1966), p. 94 3 Alan Bullock, The Counterfeit Peace, 1933-7 in Hitler: A Study in Tyranny, (Great Britain, Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited, 1973), p. 315. 4 Ibid. p. 315 5 Gerhard L. Weinberg, German-Italian Relations and the Anschluss in The Foreign Policy of Hitlers Germany: Starting World War II, 1937-1939, (United States of America, The University of Chicago Press Chicago and London, 1980), pp.261-262 6 Ian Kershaw, Ceaseless Radicalization in Hitler 1936-1945:Nemesis, (United States of America, W.W. Norton Company, 2000), p.44 7 Ibid. p. 67 8 Ibid. p.67 9 Taylor, Hitler: A Traditional German Statesman, p.99 10 Kershaw, The Drive for Expansion, p.79 11 Bullock, From Vienna to Prague, 1938-9, p. 439 12 Taylor, Hitler: A Traditional German Statesman, p.96 13 Jackson J. Spielvogel, Hitlers War in Hitler and Nazi Germany A History, (United States of America, Prentice Hall, 2001), p. 206 14 K. Hildebrand, German Foreign Policy: from Revisionism to Expansionism in The Third Reich, (Great Britain, George Allen Unwin, 1984), p.30 15 Ibid. p.101 16 Bullock, From Vienna to Prague, 1938-9, p. 480 17 Ibid, p. 485 18 A.J.P. Taylor, Second Thoughts in The Origins of the Second World War, (Great Britain, Hamish Hamilton, 1965), p.X 19 Lee, Aims of Hitlers Foreign Policy, p. 218 Bibliography Bullock, Alan, Hitler: A Study in Tyranny, (Great Britain, Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited, 1973) Hildebrand, K., The Third Reich,(Great Britain, George Allen Unwin, 1984) Kershaw, Ian, Hitler 1936-1945:Nemesis, (United States of America, W.W. Norton Company, 2000) Lee, Stephen J., European Dictatorships:1918-1945, (Great Britain, Routledge, Taylor Francis Group, 2000, 2nd edition) Taylor, A.J.P., Hitler and Nazi Germany, ed.Robert G.L. Waite( United States of America, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc, 1966) Taylor, A.J.P. ,The Origins of the Second World War, (Great Britain, Hamish Hamilton, 1965) Spielvogel, Jackson J. , Hitler and Nazi Germany A History, (United States of America, Prentice Hall, 2001) Weinberg, Gerhard L., The Foreign Policy of Hitlers Germany: Starting World War II, 1937-1939, (United States of America, The University of Chicago Press Chicago and London, 1980)

Research on Immunology in Pregnancy

Research on Immunology in Pregnancy Investigative Review Nichole Gale The systems controlling the implantation and acceptance of the genetically and immunologically foreign fetus within the maternal body have often been likened to that of an organ transplant, or the growth of a cancerous tumour. The fetus is ‘like a transplanted kidney’, in the way that it is ‘genetically different from the host’ and ‘must evade immune defences to avoid rejection’ (Quinn 1999). The fetus inherits ‘foreign paternally derived histocompatibility genes’, meaning that ‘there is close contact between two genetically disparate individuals’ within the maternal body (Warshaw 1983, p63). Thus, the fetus is often referred to as an allograft, an allograft being a ‘graft transplanted by an individual that is not genetically identical, but of the same species’ (Marieb 1998, p789). The subject of fetus acceptance and tolerance within the maternal body has triggered great interest and controversy, and the sy stems that allow the acceptance of the fetus are complex and varying. Internal gestation has involved ‘a wide range of adaptations of animals for retention of young within the body of the parent’ (Warshaw 1983, p63). The human immune system includes many ‘cellular patterns that constantly exchange information’ to provide the body with the ability to ‘recognise foreignness or â€Å"non-self† in the form of antigens that enter our body’ (Warshaw 1983, p200). The recognition of antigens spark the inflammatory response, which must act with ‘minimum damage to the host’, in order to ‘eliminate the intruder’ (Warshaw 1983, p200). ‘Antigens are expressed by early human embryonic tissue’ (Loke 1978, p5), so it could be expected that the early human embryo would trigger an inflammatory response to rid the mother’s body of the ‘foreign body’. The exposure to non-self paternal antigens on the fetus ‘requires the adaptation of the maternal immune system to prevent the rejection of the allogeneic fetus without compromising the ability of the mother to fend off infection’ (Koch Platt 2003). The immune system consists of an innate (humoral) and an adaptive (cellular) component, in order to combat potential pathogens. It has been suggested that the main immune response triggered by the fetus is the adaptive response, where there is antigen representation, followed by response instruction by Helper T cells (Quinn 1999). In normal pregnancy, progesterone suppresses the humoral response. This has been used to explain why some autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis that are under humoral effect, often improve during pregnancy (Quinn 1999). Early work on immunological tolerance, conducted by Medawar, has been the foundation of further studies regarding the paradox of pregnancy. Medawar proposed three mechanisms that might together act to allow immune protection of the fetus. Two of Medawar’s earlier suggested mechanisms have since been proved to not actually ‘pertain during pregnancy’ (Aluvihare, Kallikourdis Betz 2004). The first hypothesis was that there was ‘segregation of the fetal and maternal circulations’, or that ‘a barrier might form between the mother and fetus, preventing exposure of the maternal immune system to allogeneic antigens expressed on fetal tissue’, leading to immunological ignorance (Koch Platt 2003). Medwar’s second hypothesis referred to the immunological immaturity of fetal tissue, and this allogenic immaturity acting to suppress the ‘expression of antigens that the maternal immune system might recognise as foreign and target for dest ruction’ (Koch Platt 2003). More recent research has tended to focus on Medwar’s third hypothesis, ‘that the maternal immune system somehow ignores potentially immunogenic fetal tissue’ (Aluvihare, Kallikourdis Betz 2004). Leading from this, there has also been much focus on ‘the means of inducing immune tolerance, the emergence of T cell suppression in mediating peripheral tolerance, the mechanisms mediating matererno-fetal tolerance and the role played by regulatory T cells in mouse and human pregnancy’ (Aluvihare, Kallikourdis Betz 2005). Koch and Platt (2003) suggest overlapping mechanisms such as ‘the formation of an anatomical barrier between mother and fetus, lack of maternal immune responsiveness, and a lack of expression of allogenic molecules by the fetus’ to account for the lack of fetal rejection. These mechanisms can help in beginning to understand how rejection is avoided, yet do not ‘completely explain how the fetus evades the maternal immune system’ (Koch Platt 2003). Harding and Bocking (2001, p238) state that it was originally proposed that the maternal-fetal interface was perhaps ‘an immunologically privileged site’, or that there was a ‘generalised suppression of maternal immune response’. Recent studies have challenged earlier theories such as these, and it has since been found that not only is there actual recognition of fetal alloantigens by the mother’s immune system, but that her body also responds to them. Fetal cells can be detected in maternal circulation, and ‘fetal tissue expresses MHC class I and class II and is antigenically mature’ (Aluvihare, Kallikourdis Betz 2004). MHC are major histocompatibility complex proteins coded for by genes. Class I are found on virtually all body cells, whereas class II displayed only by cells that act in immune response (Marieb 1998). The understanding of the immune events and mechanisms occurring at the maternal-fetal interface are likely to help in the understanding of the ability of the fetus to survive within the maternal body. Since Medawar’s proposed hypotheses, much focus has continued on fetal immune evasion mechanisms. As well as the three mechanisms above, suggested by Medawar, Koch and Platt (2003) explore a fourth mechanism, site-specific suppression. This refers to ‘local suppression of maternal immune responses at the maternal-fetal interface’ (Koch Platt 2003). ‘Localised suppression at the maternal-fetal interface during pregnancy negates the need for systemic immunosuppression which could threaten the well-being of the mother’ (Koch Platt 2003). Earlier studies suggested that trophoblast acted simply as a barrier between the mother and fetus, but it now seems that perhaps that it could have ‘diverse immunoregulatory properties controlling immune recognition, activation, and effector functions’ (Koch Platt 2003). It has been proposed by various studies that T cells play a major role in sustaining pregnancy. T cells are lymphocytes that mediate cellular immunity. ‘T cells with regulatory functions are potent suppressors of T cell responses and can protect tissues from T cell mediated destruction’ (Mellor Munn 2004). Observations in experimental pregnant mice have shown that while pregnant, they tend to ‘overproduce a kind of T cell that reins in other immune cells that might target the fetus’ (Seppa 2004). In one study, conducted by immunologist Betz (Seppa 2004) it was found that ‘pregnant mice have double to triple the number of CD4+ CD25+ T cells, also called regulatory T cells, in their blood, spleen, and lymph tissue as do female mice that are not pregnant’. It has also been shown that in humans, levels of circulating CD4+ and CD25+ cells ‘increases progressively at each stage in human pregnancy starting from the first trimester’ (Mello r Munn 2004). It has been ‘demonstrated that Tregs (T regulator cells) have a key role in regulating maternal effector T cell responses to fetal alloantigens’ as maternal effector T cells seem to ‘pose a potentially lethal threat to the developing fetus in the absence of regulatory function mediated by maternal Tregs’ (Mellor Munn 2004). It has also been speculated ‘that hormonal changes during pregnancy might provide one explanation for enhanced maternal Treg development during fetal gestation because pregnancy-associated hormones, such as progesterones, promote immunosuppression’ (Mellor Munn 2004). In regard to the suppression of maternal immunity, it is still ‘unclear if Tregs directly or indirectly inhibit effector T cell responses to fetal alloantigens’ (Mellor Munn 2004). To further test the cells’ effect on pregnancy, 30 female mice were mated with males. 15 out of the 30 mice had fully functioning immune systems, whilst the other 15 mice lacked the regulatory T cells. While a slightly higher than normal number of healthy female mice became pregnant, none of the mice lacking T cells were able to become pregnant. It seems that the role of T cells remains unclear, but that further understanding ‘of the role of regulatory T cells might also lead to new treatments for suppressing rejection of transplanted organs and inhibiting autoimmune reactions, in which a persons immune cells attack his or her own tissues’ (Seppa 2004). Mellor and Munn (2004) also suggest that the revelation that ‘maternal Tregs might help protect the developing fetus’ will have various implications, not only the possibility of offering alternative therapies to suppress immunity, but also possibilities for ‘improving pregnancy success rates in p atients with problematic pregnancies’. Again, the effect of T cells on autoimmune diseases is referred to by Mellor and Munn (2004), ‘increased systemic Treg function might explain why some autoimmune syndromes, such as rheumatoid arthritis, go into remission during pregnancy’. There has also been some discussion on the role of macrophages as immunoregulators of pregnancy. It has been claimed that most attention has focused on immune tolerance to the invading trophoblast and fetus, but Mor and Abrahams (2003) suggest that it is also important to ‘consider the function of the maternal immune system in the promotion of implantation and maintenance of pregnancy’. During implantation, apoptosis is necessary for ‘tissue remodelling of the maternal decidua and invasion of the developing embryo’ (Mor Abrahams 2003). It has been sited that apoptosis is active in the ‘trophoblast layer of placentas from uncomplicated pregnancies throughout gestation, suggesting that there is a constant cell turnover at the site of implantation necessary for the appropriate growth and function of the placenta’ (Mor Abrahams 2003). During implantation and invasion, it appears that a large number of macrophages are present in the maternal decidu a and in tissues close in proximity to the placenta. Originally it was thought the large numbers of macrophages were ‘to represent an immune response against the invading trophoblast’. Mor and Abrahams (2003) propose that this may not be the case, and that ‘macrophage engulfment of apoptotic cells prevents the release of potentially pro-inflammatory and pro-immunogenic intracellular contents’. Trophoblast cells carry proteins that are antigenically foreign to the maternal immune system. If these proteins are released as a result of cell death, it could initiate or accelerate immunological responses, ‘with lethal consequences for the fetus’ (Mor Abrahams 2003). Therefore, the appropriate removal of the intracellular components by macrophages may be critical for the prevention of fetal rejection. Mor and Abrahams (2003) conclude that the ‘field of apoptotic cell clearance is beginning to flourish, and many questions remain unanswered’. There is not just one mechanism involved in the immune regulation of pregnancy, but ‘multiple, diverse mechanisms that are likely sequential during gestation’ (Koch Platt 2003). As humans have a much longer gestation period, and a more invasive placental anatomy, it is sometimes difficult to test in laboratory animals and apply results to humans, as there may be different mechanisms. But it is believed that mechanisms involved with the fetus can be utilised in the studies of rejection following transplantation. As Koch and Platt (2003) suggest, ‘knowledge of the immunoregulatory mechanisms of both the fetus and stem cells will help immunologists understand general mechanisms of tolerance and immune evasion, and will prove invaluable in the fields of organ and cellular transplantation’. It has been suggested that both studies in stem cells and fetal rejection can benefit each other and help in understanding of systems involved. Pregnancy has also been said to have overall effects on the mother’s immune system and maternal defence against organisms. According to Creasy and Resnik (2004, p103) ‘numerous reports indicate that pregnant women have increased susceptibility to a variety of infections’. It is said that ‘there appears to be a trend toward increased susceptibility to viral infections, consistent with suppressed cell-mediated immunity and a relative decrease in Th1 (humoral/innate) responses during pregnancy’ (Creasy Resnik 2004, p103). However, it also added that ‘more recent carefully analysed data do not indicate that maternal immunity is substantially impaired, and most pregnant women are able to adequately respond to most infectious diseases’ (Creasy Resnik 2004, p103). Harding and Bocking (2001, p238) also claim that most studies tend to suggest that ‘maternal cell-mediated immunity is unchanged during pregnancy’. According to some experts, infertility, recurrent miscarriage, premature delivery and preeclampsia may all be linked to immunological abnormalities. It could be that some of these problems are due to ‘defective generation of Tregs during pregnancy’ (Mellor Munn 2004). It is possible that methods involving in vitro expansion of Tregs could help in treating spontaneous immune disease syndromes. Koch and Platt (2003) also suggest that both adult and embryonic stem cells might use mechanisms similar to the fetus in avoiding rejection. ‘Future discoveries in the field of reproductive immunology will help us understand not only immune regulation during pregnancy, but also how immune responses towards organ and cellular transplants might be controlled’ (Koch Platt 2003). References: Aluvihare, V., Kallikourdis, M., and Betz, A. 2004 ‘Tolerance, suppression and the fetal allograft’. Journal of Molecular Medicine. [Online], vol. 83, no. 2, pp 88-96. Available from: Medline. [11 October 2005]. Creasy R. Resnik R. (ed.) 2004. Maternal-Fetal Medicine, 5th edn., Saunders, Philadelphia. Harding, R., Bocking, A., (ed.) 2001. Fetal Growth and Development, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Koch, C. Platt, J. 2003 ‘Natural Mechanisms for evading graft rejection: the fetus as an allograft’, Springer Seminars in Immunopathology, [Online], vol. 25, no. 2, pp 95-117. Available from SpringerLink. [7 October 2005]. Loke, Y., 1978. Immunology and Immunopathology of the Human Fetal-Maternal Interaction, Elsevier Horth-Holland Biomedical Press, New York. Marieb. E., 1998. Human Anatomy and Physiology, 4th edn., Addison Wesley Longman, California. Mellor, A. Munn, D. 2004 ‘Policing pregnancy: Tregs help keep the peace’, Trends in Immunology. [Online], vol. 25, no.11, pp 563-565. Available from: Medline. [10 October 2005]. Mor, G. Abrahams, V. 2003 ‘Potential role of macrophages as immunoregulators of pregnancy’, Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. [Online], vol. 119, no.1. Available from Medline. [11 October 2005]. Quinn, T. (1999), Immunology in Pregnancy; The Fetal Allograft, [Online], SIU Medical Library. Available from: http://www.siumed.edu/lib/ref/ppt/immunpreg/> [20 September 2005]. Seppa, N. 2004 ‘Some T cells may be a fetus’ best friend’, Science News, [Online], vol. 165, no. 8, p125. Available from: Proquest. [11 October 2005]. Warshaw, J. (ed.) 1983, The Biological Basis of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Elsevier Science Publishing Co., New York.

Musical History And Societal Influences Music Essay

Musical History And Societal Influences Music Essay The definition of music is defined in many ways; Websters definition is as follows an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, or harmony. There are many theories regarding when and where music formed. Many agree that music began even before man existed. Researchers point out that there are six periods of music and each period has a certain style of music that made what music is today. Here are some resources for you to better understand the history of music. (Estrella 2001) Music is traced back as far as ancient Israel a thousand years before Christ; King David composed and sang hundreds of songs called psalms. A few of them are written in the old testament in the book of Psalms. But music as we know it now, as having structure and form, may have begun in the 10th century with the Gregorian chants. These chants were organized and detailed with soloists and small groups singing distinctive parts. The music we are more in common with began around the year 1200 and soon after, troubadours singing folk music starting to appear in parts of Europe. In the 14th century, sacred music (church music and hymns) was quite common (but secular music had begun to take hold as well). During the renaissance (around the year 1500) one of the most significant events occurred-the birth of the composer. The appearance of composers, of course, spawned instrumental music and the creation of the instruments such as the piano and lute. (Ezine Articles 2005) The years 1750 to 1820 is considered the Classical period with the piano being a composers instrument of choice. During this time, Mozart wrote his first symphony, Bach performed in London, and Beethoven was born. Many of the symphonies we enjoy today were written during this time. Music has truly evolved since this period though. By 1900, a man named Scott Joplin had composed and published the Maple Leaf Rag, an event many see as the beginnings of the music we know today as popular music. Soon after, new musical forms were taking hold. Jazz in the 1930s (Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday), big band music in the 1940s (Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington), and rock-and-roll (Elvis Presley, Chuck Barry) in the 1950s. Other countries (most notably France and Spain) were creating their own popular music during this time. (Ezine 2005) The three time periods I want to focus on is Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary. This is all known to us to day as Opera, RB, Rock, Hip Hop, Soul, etc. Music has been around for years and can be broken down into many stages or cycles. People everywhere all over the world make their own style of music. Ever genre, sound, melody is different in some way. When we look at the medieval music, we are dealing with the longest and most distant period of musical history. Saint Gregory is credited with organizing the huge repertory of chant that developed during the first centuries of the Christian church, hence the term Gregorian chant. He was pope from 590 to 604, and the medieval era continued into the 1400s, so this period consists of almost a millenniums worth of music. One of the principal difficulties in studying medieval music is that a system for notating music developed only gradually. The first examples of musical notation date from around 900. For several centuries, notation only indicated what pitch to sing. The system for notating rhythm started in the 12th or 13th century. Gregorian chant is monophonic, meaning music that consists of only one melodic line without accompaniment. The beauty of chant lies in the serene, undulating shapes of its melody. We do not know who wrote the melodies of Gregorian chant. Like folk melodies, the music probably mutated as it was passed down through generations and eventually reached its notated form. Polyphony, music where two or more melodic lines are heard simultaneously, did not exist (or was not notated) until the 11th century. Unlike chant, polyphony required the participation of a composer to combine the melodic lines in a pleasing manner. Although most medieval polyphonic music is anonymousthe names of the composers were either lost or never written down at allthere are composers whose work was so important that their names were preserved along with their music. (Ezine 2005) Renaissance is reflected by the changing role of the composer in society. Unlike most of their medieval times, the great masters of the Renaissance were created in their own lifetimes. The technique of printing music, while slow to evolve, helped in the preservation and distribution of music and musical ideas. Sacred music was still predominant, though other music became more prevalent and more sophisticated. The repertory of instrumental music also began to expand significantly. New instruments were invented, including the clavichord and virginal and many existing instruments were improved. Masses and motets were the primary forms of sacred vocal polyphony. Other vocal forms included motets, madrigals and songs (generally accompanied by lute or a small instrumental ensemble or consort). Instrumental pieces were usually short polyphonic works or music for dancing. (Ezine 2005) Compared with the medieval style, Renaissance polyphony was lush and sonorous. The era between Josquin Desprez and Palestrina is known as the golden age of polyphony. Imitationwhere one melodic line shares, or imitates the same musical theme as a previous melodic linebecame an important polyphonic technique. Imitation was one method composers used to make complex music more easily comprehensible and give the listener a sense of structure. Imitative polyphony can be heard in the masses and motets of composers from Josquin onward and is featured in instrumental music by Byrd, Gibbons, and the Gabriellis. Baroque music is often highly ornate, colorful and richly textured when compared with its predecessors. Opera was born at what is considered to be the very beginning of the Baroque era, around 1600. This unique form combines poetry, theater, the visual arts and music. It came about because a group of Italian intellectuals wanted to recapture the spirit of ancient Greek drama in which music played a key role. The first great opera was Orfeo, by Claudio Monteverdi, first performed in 1607. Musics ability to express human emotions and depict natural phenomenon was explored throughout the Baroque period. Vivaldis famous set of concertos, The Four Seasons, is a famous example. Although imitative polyphony remained fundamental to musical composition, homophonic writing became increasingly important. Homophonic music features a clear distinction between the melody line and a subsidiary accompaniment part. This style was important in opera and other solo vocal music because it focused the li steners attention on the expressive melody of the singer. The homophonic style gradually became prevalent in instrumental music as well. (Ezine 2005) Many Baroque works include a continuo part in which a keyboard (harpsichord or organ) and bass instrument (cello or bassoon) provide the harmonic underpinning of chords that accompanies the melodic line. New polyphonic forms were developed, and as in the Renaissance, composers considered the art of counterpoint (the crafting of polyphony) to be essential to their art. Canons and fugues, two very strict forms of imitative polyphony, were extremely popular. Composers were even expected to be able to improvise complex fugues on a moments notice to prove their skill. The orchestra evolved during the early Baroque, starting as an accompanist for operatic and vocal music. By the mid-1600s the orchestra had a life of its own. The concerto was a favorite Baroque form that featured a solo instrumentalist (or small ensemble of soloists) playing against the orchestra, creating interesting contrasts of volume and texture. Many Baroque composers were also virtuoso performers. For example, Archang elo Corelli was famous for his violin playing and Johann Sebastian Bach was famous for his keyboard skills. The highly ornamented quality of Baroque melody lent itself perfectly to such displays of musical dexterity. (Grieg 2002) The word Classical has strong meaning, mixed with the art and Philosophy of Ancient Greece and Rome, along with their ideals of disciplined expression. The late Braque was complex and melodically different. The composers of the early Classical period changed direction, writing music that was much simpler to understand. Homophony music, another part of classical music in which melody and charm are distinct, and has dominated the Classical style is another form of classical music. New forms of composition were developed to accommodate the transformation. Santana Form is the most important of these forms, and one that continued to evolve throughout the Classical period. Although Baroque composers also wrote pieces called sonatas, the Classical sonata was different. The essence of the Classical Sonata is difficult to understand. A highly simplified example of such a conflict might be between two themes of contrasting character. (Grieg 2002) This contrast would be found during the course of the sonata, and then resolved. Sonata form allowed composers to give pure instrumental music recognizable dramatic shape. Every major form of the Classical era, including the string quartet, symphony and concerto was molded on the dramatic structure of the sonata. One of the most important developments of the Classical period is the growth of the public concert. Although the aristocracy would continue to play a significant role in musical life, it was now possible for composers to survive without being the employee of one person or family. This also meant that concerts were no longer limited to palace drawing rooms. Composers organized concerts featuring their own music, and attracted large audiences. The increasing popularity of the public concert had a strong impact on the growth of the orchestra. Although chamber music and solo works were played in the home or other intimate settings, orchestral concerts seemed to be naturally designed for big public spaces. As a result, symphonic music composers gradually expanded the size of the orchestra to accommodate this expanded musical vision. (Grieg 2002) Just as the word Classical conjures up certain images, Romantic music also does the same. Whether we think of those romance novels with the Romanticism implies fantasy and sensuality. The Classical period focused on emotional restraint. Classical music was expressive, but not so passionate that it could overwhelm the work Beethoven, who was in some ways responsible for igniting the flame of romanticism, always struggled (sometimes unsuccessfully) to maintain that balance. (Greig 2002) Many composers of the Romantic period followed Beethovens model and found their own balance between emotional intensity and Classical form. Others reveled in the new atmosphere of artistic freedom and created music whose structure was designed to support its emotional surges. Musical story-telling became important, and not just in opera, but in pure instrumental music as well. The tone-poem is a particularly Romantic invention, as it was an orchestral work whose structure was entirely dependent on the scene being depicted or the story being told. Color was another important feature of Romantic music. A large palette of musical colors was necessary to depict the exotic scenes that became so popular. In addition to seeking out the sights and sounds of other places, composers began exploring the music of their native countries. Nationalism became a driving force in the late Romantic period and composers wanted their music to express their cultural identity. This desire was particularly intense in Russia and Eastern Europe, where elements of folk music were incorporated into symphonies, tone-poems and other Classical forms. (Wagner 1999) The Romantic period was the days of the virtuoso. Gifted performers and particularly pianists, violinists, and singers became enormously popular. Liszt, the great Hungarian pianist/composer, reportedly played with such passion and intensity that woman in the audience would faint. Since, like Liszt, most composers were also virtuoso performers, it was inevitable that the music they wrote would be extremely challenging to play. The Romantic period witnessed a glorification of the artist whether musician, poet or painter that has had a powerful impact on our own culture. (Wagner 1999) This style of music became known as being romantic. The evolution of music is at least partly shaped by the influence one composer has on another. These influences are not always positive, however. Sometimes composers react against the music of their recent past (even though they might admire it) and move in what seems to be the opposite direction. For example, the simplified style of the early Classical period was almost certainly a reaction to the extreme intricacies of the late Baroque. The late Romantic period featured its own extremes: sprawling symphonies and tone-poems overflowing with music that seemed to stretch harmony and melody to their limits. It is certainly possible to view some early 20th century music as an extension of the late Romantic style, but a great deal of it can also be interpreted as a reaction against that style. 20th century music is a series of isms and neo-isms. The primal energy of Stravinskys Rite of Spring has been called neo-Primitivism. The intensely emotional tone of Schà ¶nbergs early music has b een labeled Expressionism. The return to clearly structured forms and textures has been dubbed neo-Classicism. (R. Strauss) These terms have been employed in an attempt to organize the diversity of styles running through the 20th century. Nationalism continued to be a strong musical influence in the first half of the century. The study of folk songs enriched the music of numerous composers, such as Ralph Vaughan Williams (England), Bela Bartok (Hungary), Heitor Villa Lobos (Brazil) and Aaron Copland (USA). Jazz and popular musical styles have also been tremendously influential on classical composers from both the United States and Europe. Technology has played a increasingly important role in the development of 20th century music. Composers have used recording tape as a compositional tool (such as Steve Reichs Violin Phase). Electronically generated sounds have been used both on their own and in combination with traditional instruments. More recently, computer technology has been used in a variety of ways, including manipulating the performance of instruments in real time. (R. Strauss) So as you can see, music has been around for centuries. Many people have helped music evolve over the years. The six long periods of music that were discussed above really helped music become what is today. Although each individual listen to various types of music they all started the same, with either a rhythm or beat. Music was originated long before humans even existed and grew from there. Music in general has made the world a better place. It gives people a way to express themselves. Music has been called The International Language; a very simple thought with much meaning behind it. Even if you cant speak the language of a country, you can move, sway, dance and most of all enjoy the music of the country. We may not understand the words of a musical selection but we do understand the beauty. (Ruth 2008) Musics interconnection with society can be seen throughout history. Every known culture on the earth has music. Music seems to be one of the basic actions of humans. However, early music was not handed down from generation to generation or recorded. Hence, there is no official record of prehistoric music. Even so, there is evidence of prehistoric music from the findings of flutes carved from bones. The influence of music on society can be clearly seen from modern history. Music helped Thomas Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence. When he could not figure out the right wording for a certain part, he would play his violin to help him. The music helped him get the words from his brain onto the paper. In general, responses to music are able to be observed. It has been proven that music influences humans both in good and bad ways. These effects are instant and long lasting. Music is thought to link all of the emotional, spiritual, and physical elements of the universe. Music can also be used to change a persons mood, and has been found to cause like physical responses in many people simultaneously. Music also has the ability to strengthen or weaken emotions from a particular event such as a funeral. People perceive and respond to music in different ways. The level of musicianship of the performer and the listener as well as the manner in which a piece is performed affects the experience of music. An experienced and accomplished musician might hear and feel a piece of music in a totally different way than a non-musician or beginner. This is why two accounts of the same piece of music can contradict themselves. (ODonnell 2001) According to The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, learning potential can be increased a minimum of five times by using this 60 beats per minute music. For example, the ancient Greeks sang their dramas because they understood how music could help them remember more easily). A renowned Bulgarian psychologist, Dr. George Lozanov, designed a way to teach foreign languages in a fraction of the normal learning time. Using his system, students could learn up to one half of the vocabulary and phrases for the whole school term (which amounts to almost 1,000 words or phrases) in one day. Along with this, the average retention rate of his students was 92%. Dr. Lozanovs system involved using certain classical music pieces from the baroque period which have around a 60 beats per minute pattern. He has proven that foreign languages can be learned with 85-100% efficiency in only thirty days by using these baroque pieces. His students had a recall accuracy rate of almost 100% even after not r eviewing the material for four years. The article above discusses how the history of music not only helped human beings but impacted their lives greatly to where we learn better and think better. (ODonnell 2001)

Ben Mikaelsen’s Countdown :: Mikaelsen Countdown Essays

An Essay on Ben Mikaelsen’s Countdown      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Countdown is a book written by Ben Mikaelsen and was first published in 1996.   It has a total of 248 pages and published by the Hyperion Books for Children company.   This book is mainly about sending the first teenager in space.   And it is also about finding how a young coward becomes a village warrior.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This story takes place in Big Timber, Montana and in Kenya, Africa.   The setting starts off in winter and fourteen-year-old Elliott Schroeder is busy working around his family farm.   On the news, NASA announces the first Junior Astronaut program and youth all around the country will get a chance to become the first teen in space.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meanwhile, in Kenya, Africa, a young fourteen year old Masai, Vincent Ole Tome returns from tending to his family farm also.   Vincent was no ordinary boy either, his father had sent him to the â€Å"wood school† which is similar to regular school in America.   With the education he had received, many boys disliked him and named him a coward for not working as hard in the family farms.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Getting back to Elliott, many things occurred since the announcement of the Junior Astronaut program.   Elliott is chosen to become to first teenager in space and begins his nine month training along with his alternate, Mandy Jane Harris.   This was it, the only chance that Elliott Andrew Schroeder was going to become a national hero and the only thing in his way was Mandy.   Because of that he developed a disliking towards her which almost costed them their privilege to go to space.   Then Elliott realized that his disliking had to reasonable justification and they became the best of friends for the last four months of training.   Then the day came, when Elliott was really going to become the first teen in space and his only duty was to speak to anyone on earth throughout NASA’s space mission.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While all of this was happening in America, in Kenya, Africa, Vincent is now being tested by the elders of his village along with all other young Masai boys to find who is the bravest of them to become a warrior.   Leboo, a not so close friend of Vincent, tries to tear Vincent’s spirits down by naming him a coward.

16 PF Personality Test Essay -- science

16 PF Personality Test Resolving the conflict of Reliability vs. Accuracy in the 16 PF test Introduction: For psychologists, one of the more popular theories espoused is the trait approach to personality, or â€Å"the idea that people have consistent personality characteristics that can be measured and studied† (Kalat, 2002, 512). However there are several problems that arise. First, there are significant cross-cultural differences, so one set of personality traits for one culture may differ considerably for another. The next problem would concern the creation of a test that could accurately measure these traits. While psychologists have for the most part addressed these issues, I will focus on the latter of the two. There has been a number of multiple personality tests put to use such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), the Rorschach Inkblots and others. In our class we were instructed to take the 16 PF personality test in which we would judge for ourselves how accurate the test was based on our own personal experiences . In judging the usefulness of this test we took into consideration its reliability and validity. For a test to be reliable it must be able to accurately reflect consistent results for various people that can be agreed upon by researchers and therapists alike. Reliability in turn relates to validity. To be valid a test must be dependable producing data that can be used to detect a mental illness or otherwise certain personality dimensions within psychologically healthy individuals. Furthermore personality tests must be standardized, having data capable of being â€Å"interpreted in a prescribed fashion† (Kalat, 2002, 528). These standards are based on a comparison of a large number of people who have taken the test, one group with a particular disorder and another group who consist of the normal range. These allow researchers to identify people who score within a certain range to be more typical of a particular disorder. While the 16 PF personality test meets these criteria, whether or not the test is accurate remains to be explored. Within the next couple of pages I will describe the results of the test and discuss whether or not the data is an accurate reflection of my own personality. Discussion and Interpretation of Scores: While the 16 PF personality test measured the ... ...y until asked to. Graph of all 18 Factors: Conclusion: The test overall did a fairly accurate job in measuring the various factors of my personality. I only disagreed with two of the ten factors, which I merely saw as an overt measurement. The test appeared to be valid for the most part pertaining to my case, and since validity correlates with reliability, its reliability appears to be relatively strong. However this is merely an opinion based on my interpretation of my own personality. It could be equally likely that other people may get many scores in which they totally disagree on. Since this test was written 20 years ago the question of re-standardization also comes into play. As for cross-cultural differences discussed in the introduction, to me it is unclear whether or not the questions are common to all cultures and backgrounds, yet among English speakers the questions seemed well structured. While no test is perfect, the 16 PF does seem to have relatively high reliability and validity, making it ideal in measuring personality tra its. References: Kalat, J. (2002). Introduction to Psychology (Sixth Edition). Pacific Groove, CA: Wadsworth- Thomson Learning. 16 PF Personality Test Essay -- science 16 PF Personality Test Resolving the conflict of Reliability vs. Accuracy in the 16 PF test Introduction: For psychologists, one of the more popular theories espoused is the trait approach to personality, or â€Å"the idea that people have consistent personality characteristics that can be measured and studied† (Kalat, 2002, 512). However there are several problems that arise. First, there are significant cross-cultural differences, so one set of personality traits for one culture may differ considerably for another. The next problem would concern the creation of a test that could accurately measure these traits. While psychologists have for the most part addressed these issues, I will focus on the latter of the two. There has been a number of multiple personality tests put to use such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), the Rorschach Inkblots and others. In our class we were instructed to take the 16 PF personality test in which we would judge for ourselves how accurate the test was based on our own personal experiences . In judging the usefulness of this test we took into consideration its reliability and validity. For a test to be reliable it must be able to accurately reflect consistent results for various people that can be agreed upon by researchers and therapists alike. Reliability in turn relates to validity. To be valid a test must be dependable producing data that can be used to detect a mental illness or otherwise certain personality dimensions within psychologically healthy individuals. Furthermore personality tests must be standardized, having data capable of being â€Å"interpreted in a prescribed fashion† (Kalat, 2002, 528). These standards are based on a comparison of a large number of people who have taken the test, one group with a particular disorder and another group who consist of the normal range. These allow researchers to identify people who score within a certain range to be more typical of a particular disorder. While the 16 PF personality test meets these criteria, whether or not the test is accurate remains to be explored. Within the next couple of pages I will describe the results of the test and discuss whether or not the data is an accurate reflection of my own personality. Discussion and Interpretation of Scores: While the 16 PF personality test measured the ... ...y until asked to. Graph of all 18 Factors: Conclusion: The test overall did a fairly accurate job in measuring the various factors of my personality. I only disagreed with two of the ten factors, which I merely saw as an overt measurement. The test appeared to be valid for the most part pertaining to my case, and since validity correlates with reliability, its reliability appears to be relatively strong. However this is merely an opinion based on my interpretation of my own personality. It could be equally likely that other people may get many scores in which they totally disagree on. Since this test was written 20 years ago the question of re-standardization also comes into play. As for cross-cultural differences discussed in the introduction, to me it is unclear whether or not the questions are common to all cultures and backgrounds, yet among English speakers the questions seemed well structured. While no test is perfect, the 16 PF does seem to have relatively high reliability and validity, making it ideal in measuring personality tra its. References: Kalat, J. (2002). Introduction to Psychology (Sixth Edition). Pacific Groove, CA: Wadsworth- Thomson Learning.

Benifits Of Scientific Knowledge On Health And Behavior :: essays research papers

Today we are relishing the ambrosial taste of the modern scientific technology and applications. Science and technologies are in the part of all human activities, from the houses that we live in, the food we eat, the cars we drive, and to the electronic gadgetry in almost every home that we use to remain informed and entertained. These all evidences show the blessings of scientific knowledge on humans. Before eighteenth century we were plunged in the depths of ignorance and unawareness of scientific knowledge. Without having an adequate scientific knowledge, our ancestors had buried their common senses deep under the mask of ignorant personalities but it was the scientific revolution in nineteenth century that unsheathed it and now we can see that the whole world is globalized due to this scientific revolution. Science has affected human life and culture in many ways and requires numerous books to discuss its impacts on us. So in this essay my goal is only to describe the impacts on health and behavior in comparison with the past and present. Before the revolutionary changes in early nineteenth century, health problems and a large number of fatal diseases gulped the whole community like a malicious dragon. The most common health problem was the numerous fatal diseases and epidemics. There was no cure for the most common diseases so these diseases always acted as a catastrophe. In those days emergence of an epidemic always proved as â€Å"Pandora’s Box† to the whole locality. At that moment average life span was thirty to forty years. Some common disease like Chicken pox, Measles, Typhoid and many different kinds of fevers had killed more than the present American population in last seven centuries through the whole planet. On the other hand if we analyze the ratio of mortality in year 1999 in comparison with the past, we would come to know that these diseases couldn’t affect more than some thousands of human lives. As the most descriptive condition of humans, health is very important factor for us. Wi thout health we can’t survive or by having a bad health we can’t reach the average human life span.After the scientific revolution, the scientific applications have led to the treatment of numerous fatal diseases and health problems and now we are able to increase the average life span to more than seventy years. Now we can treat those fatal epidemics that ruined the every human life in their way of city to city some centuries ago.

Under Population

John Albjerg Writing 122 Persuasive Essay Under population The effect of under population in the world is causing lack of people to replace those who die or retire with inability to continue working. Just done in the U. S. Census 83 countries and territories are now thought to experience below-replacement fertility. This basically means they won’t be able to replace the people who are dying or no longer able to work, these places take up roughly 44% of the world’s total population. Due to several causes in our current world we are experiencing low mortality rates. Currently several countries are having lower life expectancy that they did not have 40 years ago. Though many countries are experiencing a time of peace there is a large HIV-AIDS epidemic going on in about 1/6thof the world. These low mortality rates are causing issues with proper population in these countries. Another cause of under population is the legalization of Abortion. Reports have shown since the legalization of Abortions that since they were legalized Europe as well as 15 countries by 2002 is reporting rates of 1. 3 children per woman or below. A rate of 2. is needed to maintain a population. The reports where this is the largest issue is found in Europe where abortions are used as a method of birth control. This issue is also begunto appear due to women waiting till later to have children. Instead of starting to have children in their early 20’s many women are waiting till 30 or later to have their first child. This is causing people to have smaller families as well . The average family is going from a 2-4 children per family to a 1-2. In some cases the women lose fertility and are unable then to have children at all as well. There is report’s that many nations are not offering enough maternity leave in terms of length and money being paid out to the women during it. This has caused some women to put off having children till later in their careers. This comes into play once again the older the woman gets the less fertile she becomes. This also causes the women to lose desire to have more than one maybe two children. Some nations have begun to address this issue by offering more maternity leave benefits and/or reward larger families in other ways. None of these countries appear to be considering revising their bortion laws in attempt to overcome this issue of under population. If Europe does not get a stronghold on this issue they could be looking at a lack of 20 million workers in 2030 compared to what they have in their current work force today. Now this can be counter acted if they were able to increase their immigration. But it would need to at least quadruple to an average of almost 4 million n et entrants a year just to prevent a decline in the size of people ages 15 – 64 years old, considered the working age over the next 50 years. Soon coming as well is the large amount of people coming to retirement age within China as well. They also in some means of want to control the population within their country have cut down on how many children people are allowed. By doing this they have caused themselves issues in the fact that the work force in large abundance is reaching retirement age within their country. Without sufficient people to support those retiring I think we are going to see a huge economic crash within their workforce and communities. The real cause of under population is all speculative. Only real hard facts are that we are not producing as many children as there are people within the world. Disease, accidents, and old age are all factors to be counted in. But overall people are dying at a much higher rate than producing and if we continue down this path we won’t have the people to make up for the work force that is retiring and dying off. One thing we don’t seem to keep in mind is that even though the advances within medicine are much better today than they were 50 years ago some reason our mortality rate is much lower today than back then. I think people don’t seem to notice the changes due to the fact we are living in a more peaceful era than most of our ancestors in the last decade. In the last 30 years we have not had any world changing wars. That left millions dead and millions more homeless or handicapped for life. But still we are not reproducing at an upward rate. The cause like I said has many factors and not one can be pointed at directly. Well all of these need to be addressed we need to main address the fact that if we do not change our ways of life in the next 50 years our world will not be able to support itself. In conclusion my feeling is that we need to give women more incentive to want to reproduce and have families. We have built our world around a working family. 60 years ago the typical family was the man worked and the woman raised the kids. Today you look at our society and it says that the man and woman should both work. I feel this is the biggest factor that comes into play. It is causing women to wait longer to have children and end up having less if none. All my information from the census and numbers was from the website http://www. abortiontv. com/Lies%20&%20Myths/underpopulation. htm