The Death Penalty Is A Controversial Issue - 1171 Words

The death penalty is a very controversial topic worldwide. People are either for the death penalty, or against it, and there is usually no changing their mind by introducing arguments that are contrary to their opinion. The death penalty debate is not a new one, â€Å"capital punishment [has been] practiced since colonial times despite persistent debates† (Jost). However, it was around the 1960s when countries began to abolish, or strictly restrain the death penalty (Jost). The death penalty has existed many years. However, in recent years a majority of countries in Europe have abolished their death penalty and encouraged the United States and other active death penalty countries to do the same. The United States, however, has kept the death penalty around, and continues to do so, despite evidence that it many not be as effective as they believe it is in deterring crime. The United States has become an anomaly as far as the death penalty goes. The United States continues to re tain the death penalty even though all of their close allies have abolished it. There are significant differences between the practice, retention, and abolition of the death penalty in the United States and countries in Europe, and there are many theories that exist as to why the United States has retained the death penalty and the future of the death penalty in the United States. There are three main goals of the death penalty, which are then used as justifications for continuing to practice the deathShow MoreRelatedDeath Penalty : A Controversial Issue2199 Words   |  9 Pages2014 Death Penalty When it comes to the topic of the death penalty, most of us will readily agree that it’s a controversial issue. On the one hand, many argue that the death penalty is cost effective. On the other hand, others say that capital punishment deters crime. In my own view, I don’t believe that the death penalty is cost effective or deters crime; capital punishment should not be given as a punishment for criminals who have committed first degree murder In my judgment the death penaltyRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is A Controversial Issue2057 Words   |  9 Pages It’s no secret that the death penalty is a very controversial issue in the United States. The death penalty has been around for centuries, but so has the movement to abolish it. Does the death penalty really need to be abolished? or are people just too sensitive to the issue? Origin The death penalty dates as far back as the eighteenth century B.C. The Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon established the death penalty for 25 different crimes. The death penalty was also a part of HittiteRead MoreDeath Penalty: A Controversial Issue727 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿The death penalty has been an issue of controversy, causing many states in America to repeal it and call it inhumane. However, the truth is that many citizens are strongly divided on the issue and have strong opinions on whether the death penalty should indeed be kept and reinforced or whether it should just be abolished altogether. When analyzing this issue from a sociological perspective, conflict theory is best used as an argument against the death penalty. This sociological conflict theory isRead MoreControversial Issues Regarding Juvenile Death Penalty2052 Words   |  9 PagesOne of the most controversial issues in the rights of juveniles today is addressed in the question, Should the death penal ty be applied to juveniles? For nearly a century the juvenile courts have existed to shield the majority of juvenile offenders from the full weight of criminal law and to protect their entitled special rights and immunities. In the case of kent vs. United states in 1996, Justice Fortas stated some of these special rights which include; Protection from publicity, confinement onlyRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is One Of The Most Controversial Issue1737 Words   |  7 PagesThe death penalty is one of the most controversial issues. It is an important issue because each side is very significant and they each have strong views. The five main points that will be discussed in this paper are; deterrence, loss of innocent lives, bias, retribution, and quality of the attorney. Both sides will be discussed; reasons to support the death penalty, and reasons not to support the death penalty. For the first point; deterrence, supporters of the penalty say that the death penaltyRead MoreThe Death Pena lty Is One Of The Most Ethical And Controversial Issues1581 Words   |  7 PagesSome may say the death penalty is one of the most ethical and controversial issues of all time. The issue brings forth anger among many individuals among todays society. This anger has developed over time throughout the history of the death penalty. Over time, the policy has been developed, started and evolved over time. Different states and countries choose to address the penalty differently resulting in more of a controversy. I personally believe that this policy is severely wrong and needsRead MoreDiffering Opinions on the Controversial Death Penalty Issue Essay788 Words   |  4 PagesThe issue of capital punishment is one that has been in discussion for many years. How can anyone control the life of another human being? The accused may have taken the life of another citizen but what gives anyone the right to take his. This is the main point of the question but it gets vastly more complicat ed as the issue is further investigated. For instance, the psychopath who goes on a murderous rampage might have an abnormality with the frontal lobe of the cortex in his brain. Now, ifRead MoreThe Death Penalty And Wrongful Convictions980 Words   |  4 PagesThe death penalty has been a controversial topic among society for ages. An issue often brought up when discussing the legality of capital punishment is wrongful convictions. Advocates of the death penalty say that, while wrongful convictions are an issue, those few cases do not outweigh the need for lawful execution of felons who are, without a doubt, guilty. On the other hand, the opponents argue that the death penalty is wrong from both a legal and moral standpoint, an ineffective form of punishmentRead MoreCapital Punishment On Trial : Furman V. Georgia And The Death Penalty985 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Death Penalty in Modern America, he discussed the case of Furman v. Georgia. He explores the controversy that capital punishment holds in the United States of America. The death penalty has been in practice for many centuries. For example, â€Å"In Massachusetts, where religion had played a key role in settlement, crimes like blasphemy, witchcraft, sodomy, adultery, and incest became capital offenses, through juries sometimes hesitated to convict† (Oshinsky, 2010). For the punishment of death theseRead MoreEssay on Death Penalty1342 Words   |  6 PagesCapital Punishment Capital Punishment: a.k.a. the death penalty. To kill or not to kill. This is an extremely controversial question in today’s society. The number of people who are for it still believe in the saying, â€Å" an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.† These are the people who feel if you intentionally take the life of someone else, then yours should be taken as well. But then there are the other number of people who feel the death penalty should be banned because of its cruel and unjust

Choices That Mean Life or Death In Antigone - 1381 Words

Choices That Mean Life or Death In Antigone The play Antigone was penned by Sophocles, a Greek writer, sometime in the late 440s B.C. This Greek tragedy uses a combination of literary elements in order to grab the reader’s attention. Two such elements are theme and conflict. Most importantly, Sophocles’s Antigone deals with themes, such as the conflict of family versus state, the conflict of individual versus government, and the conflict of human versus divine laws, that are still very prevalent in modern human societies (Nardo 16). The play, Antigone, has several primary themes. It raises the question: â€Å"Which laws are paramount and most binding– human or divine laws?†(16).†¦show more content†¦Creon shows that he puts the state above his own blood relatives when he says â€Å"The eyes of the nation are on me. I must stay true to my principles. I must execute her. I don’t give a damn for all her talk about family ties. If I allow my own relations to get out of control, that gives the cue to everybody else† (Sophocles 17). Creon does not save Antigone first because he has just been warned of the grave danger to the whole state and to his family from the anger with which the gods view his treatment of Polynices body. The community, even the other persons in Creon’s family, were more important than just Antigone alone (Norwood 63). The conflict of human laws versus divine laws is also a very dominant theme in Antigone. Critic Edith Hall put it very well when she said: â€Å"The very first law which Creon passes– that the body of the traitor Polynices is to be refused burial– is in direct contravention of the ‘Unwritten Law’ protecting the rights of the dead...† (56). Creon’s justification for his act is that the dead man was a traitor to his own city and would have destroyed the State as it was known at that time (Norwood 60). The chorus in the play seem s to be uneasy about Creon’s edict not to bury Polynices, but they do not dare defy the law. They seem pleased when they find out that Polynices has had some type of burial, even suggesting that maybe it was the workShow MoreRelatedPraising Of Martyrs As A Christian1639 Words   |  7 Pages Praising of martyrs is a means to teach followers of faith on how to model their lives after, the appraisal is to encourage unparalleled devotion to one’s faith. When one hears the word faith, they assume its definition as a belief and loyalty to God, but faith is not restricted only to one’s faith in God or in any religion. Faith can also be extended to one’s loyalty and dedication to familial roles. In addition the act of praising is also an act of memorializing the identity of a Christian orRead MoreComparing Oedipus The King And Antigone1311 Words   |  6 Pagesboth Oedipus the King and Antigone, Oedipus and Antigone are very alike in ways. When reading these plays, the mind is wired to compare how the protagonists are alike, and contrast how they are different. Antigone and Oedipus are idolized by the people, but the legacy of Oedipus seems to have been altered due to the fact that he has experienced bad past family relationships; therefore as Gale explains, â€Å"Antigone hangs herself. Creon’s son Haemon, who was in love with Antigone, commits suicide. ShortlyRead MoreEssay on Sophocles: Family vs. Law890 Words   |  4 PagesSophocles: Family vs. Law Family, an important theme of life, gets expressed throughout many ways in society. Family may take precedence over many things, including authority and the law. Within the tragic play, Antigone, the author Sophocles presents situations where the characters have to choose between their family and the law. The characters must choose what is more important to them, their family or obeying the laws of Thebes. Throughout the play, Sophocles presents a strong theme ofRead MoreAntigone and Hobsons Choice Compared820 Words   |  3 Pagesthe good life, it often comes at the cost of our interpersonal relationships, as demonstrated in Sophocles Antigone, and in Harold Brighouses Hobsons Choice. In Antigone, Kreon makes an attempt to uphold his beliefs and values to obtain what he views as the good life, and it costs him his family, while in Hobsons Choice, Henry Horatio Hobson attempted to maintain a certain standard of living so he could have a good life for himself, and it came at the cost of his daughters. In Antigone, Kreon isRead MoreThe Theme of Fatalism in Antigone1032 Words   |  4 Pagespredetermined - even if one knows and attempts to avoid it. Antigone is the daughter of the Oedipus and the sister of Polyneices and Eteocles. King Creon passed a royal edict banning anyone from burying disgraced Polyneices dead body. Antigone is portrayed as a heroine rebel who does not fear forces from governments, has a different mindset to that of Ismene, her submissive sister. She made the choice of burying his brother Polyneices body that cost her life instead of leaving it in the open. When fate putsRead MoreAnalysis Of Antigone Actions Were Just 1254 Words   |  6 Pagesnever a clear answer, as to which one is superior. In defense of her position, Antigones decision to bury her brother was justified because the laws of the gods, as well as respect for the deceased, triumph over the laws of the state. Morals are often independent and separate from human laws, but they should always be followed. Creon had no right to give an order for Polynices to go without a proper burial. Antigone’s choice to choose her morals, which were established by the Gods were honorable, andRead MoreShakespeares Julius Caesar and Sophocles Antigone789 Words   |  3 Pagesmoral standards, courage and honesty. Many characters showed such traits in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare and Antigone by Sophocles (for example, Brutus being known as an honorable man even by his enemies), but of all the characters in both plays, Antigones and Antonys acts of nobility are most promine nt. While both Antigone and Antony exhibited noble characteristics, Antigone demonstrated the most honorable character due to her good intentions and integrity. Antony did not have such anRead MoreTragic Characters of Sophocles Antigone: Examining Creons Hubris 998 Words   |  4 Pagesa subcategory is the tragedy. Though not so romanticized by contemporary authors, tragedies were particularly popular during the ancient times. Through out his lifetime, Sophocles wrote tens of plays, but one in particular, Antigone earned him his esteemed title. In Antigone, there is much debate present about who the tragic character is. A tragic character (sometimes called tragic hero) is a character who undergoes a reversal of fate, essentially hubris. Many opine the Creon is the tragic characterRead MoreAntigone Theme Essay941 Words   |  4 PagesIn the story Antigone by Sophocles, the theme guilt and innocence, as wells as morals play a huge role between characters, specifically the female character Antigone, the ruler of the city, Creon, Antigone’s sister, Ismene, and Antigone’s husband, Haimon. Antigone and Haimon represent innocence for many reasons. Their morals lead the two in a direction to honor Antigone’s brother, Antigone protects her sister from certain death, and the lovers commits suicide for the sake of innocence itself. CreonRead MoreThe Tragic Flaw Of Sophocles Antigone990 Words   |  4 Pagesseen throughout many works from the Ancient Greek time period. Hamartia means to â€Å"miss the mark† (Merriam-Webster) and is often what leads to the demise of the tragic hero. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, this proves to be true (comma or this idea proves to be true) as the tragic flaw of hubris leads to the downfall of two central characters. Hubris is known as a sense of great pride and through Antigone, Creon and Antigone are shown to be strong-willed characters that both—though in different

A Manifesto for the Position of School Prefect free essay sample

Colleagues, my reasons for vying for this position are very tangible and varied. Firstly, my personal qualities compelled me to vie for this enviable position. I am specifically referring to my high sense of discipline, hardworking, academically good, physically sound and friendly. These are not all, my astuteness, Honest and ability to turn adversity into advantage are just proverbial. Beloved student, a compound prefect should be descent and well discipline, dedicated and wiliness to serve his people with all diligence. These re qualities that I am not deficient in. I know by now most of you are wondering how I will be able to realize them, I am specifically referring to my tactics for achieving these. Colleagues, if you give me the mandate to serve you as your compound prefect for the 2013/2014 academic year, my first priority will be ensuring high sense of discipline, as discipline being the hallmark of every institution, I intend when giving the mandate, to build upon the already laid foundation of the school by my predecessor. We will write a custom essay sample on A Manifesto for the Position of School Prefect or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page To do this, I need your maximum cooperation and that of the administration, to see to it hat the discipline level of this institution has raising to our expectation both in mind and attitude to deal with the environmental challenges of this institute Zion. Beloved student, when you give me the mandate to serve you as your compound prefect, my next priority is helping the school create a conducive and a clean environment as the saying goes **cleanliness is next to To achieve a high degree of academics performance a clean environment is a major factor to consider. And also with help of the school administration provide all the necessary logistics as to ensure a clean and afar environment. Ladies and gentlemen, when you give me the mandate to serve you as your compound prefect, again I will ensure that with the help of the senior house master; provide enough brooms and scrubbing brushes to the various houses to undertake effective inspection. On the issue of grounds work, with the help of the administration, to ensure that at least every house will be provided with a mower as to reduce student using their strengths in weeding. Last but not the least, promise to live a life wealthy of emulation both on campuses and the dormitory, as for student to sake a leaf out of my note book. Do you remember the phrase leadership by example, promise to ensure a clean and a healthy environment. Old go on and on but the constraint of time will not allow me, I therefore wish to solicit to your overwhelming support so that I get the mandate to serve you as the compound prefect, as my motto goes **total service to mother to enable us achieve all the laudable aims and plains outline in my speech. I promise to discharge all my duties to abide by all conditionalitys and to rule in the interest of all. Long live Mother Cannas, Long live her Student. Thank you.

The Other Side Of The Ledger Essays - Fur Trade,

The Other Side Of The Ledger ?The other side of the ledger? is an Indian view of the Hudson's Bay company. The Hudson's Bay company's 300th anniversary celebration where Queen Elizabeth II among the other guests was present, was no occasion for joy among the people whose lives were tied to the trading stores. During the past 300 years, the history has been written by white men. They have only focused on the generosity of the traders and the benefits brought to the Indians. However, there is a sharp contrasting view from what Indians have to say about their lot in the company's operations. At the time of the history, Hudson's Bay company was expended over 1 million square miles of land which is now known as Canada. The Rupert's Land at that time was occupied by the Indians. They (Indians) believed that the land belonged to all men and hence, the land owned by the individual was unknown. However, they failed to recognize that the white men had felt superiority to impose power over their identities. Hence, they just drifted bit by bit into white men's monopoly and never got out of it. Overall, I think, the film has covered up all the basic arguments of the Indians and has helped to understand the period and the people of that time. It has covered all the basic problems of Indians having with the Hudson's Bay Company. In the following, I have highlighted the main points covered in the film which illustrate the basic problems of Indians and to which I agree. As it is shown in the film, I too think that the introduction of the new weapons (i.e.: guns) was the beginning of the Indian's revolution. All the other hunting methods were band. The distribution of weapons in Rupert's land was done by the H.B.C.. Since, company had established treading posts throughout the land and each post was run by the manager, raising up the cost for the weapons was in the hands of the post managers. Hence, they were continuously ripping off the Indians. During the 1869, when decision to sell Rupert's land was made, it was made by the company, not by the Indians. The land was sold to Canada at a very low price. Many treaties were written to compel Indians to give up their rights to their land. However, after the land was sold, Indian people became the responsibility of the govn't and the parliament. When the question of compensation was claimed, the govn't allowed the compensation of $3 a year and was only to those who signed the treaty to give up their right to the land. Such compensation I think, was not to provide financial support to the Indians but was a reminding of who owned the land, money, and most of all, the power. Further, the Indian's culture was also being banished. Since Indians were living in the region which was cold and off the land, they were depended on the hunting and fishing. Some of the contemporary historians (loyalists) claim that since Canada was a free country, Indians could have proceeded further in success. Well, they had legal right to go to city just like other Canadian, but in order to do so they had to give up their hundreds years of culture and place. Hence, white men's place (city) seemed frightening, threatening and impersonal to them. Not only this, but since Indians were a minority, according to white men, they must learn to adopt their rules and regulation which were to stay away from the standard life style of the whites. If Indians didn't perform accordingly, they were to suffer the consequences. Thus, Indians stayed where they were. A glance on the economic position of the Indians to see how they were being swindled by the Hudson's Bay Company. Indians were the lower income earning groups in Canada. Their income was lower then $2000 a year. Company store was the only store where Indians could sell their fur. The prices for the fur were set by the company. Company not only set the prices for the fur but, also for the goods for which Indians traded their furs. Hence, they were paying double the price then what was being paid in the outside world. The cheques that Indians received from H.B.C. were only allowed to use in the company store. This lead to the deaths of the Indian people since they didn't have enough money to buy food. Now when The Other Side Of The Ledger Essays - Fur Trade, The Other Side Of The Ledger ?The other side of the ledger? is an Indian view of the Hudson's Bay company. The Hudson's Bay company's 300th anniversary celebration where Queen Elizabeth II among the other guests was present, was no occasion for joy among the people whose lives were tied to the trading stores. During the past 300 years, the history has been written by white men. They have only focused on the generosity of the traders and the benefits brought to the Indians. However, there is a sharp contrasting view from what Indians have to say about their lot in the company's operations. At the time of the history, Hudson's Bay company was expended over 1 million square miles of land which is now known as Canada. The Rupert's Land at that time was occupied by the Indians. They (Indians) believed that the land belonged to all men and hence, the land owned by the individual was unknown. However, they failed to recognize that the white men had felt superiority to impose power over their identities. Hence, they just drifted bit by bit into white men's monopoly and never got out of it. Overall, I think, the film has covered up all the basic arguments of the Indians and has helped to understand the period and the people of that time. It has covered all the basic problems of Indians having with the Hudson's Bay Company. In the following, I have highlighted the main points covered in the film which illustrate the basic problems of Indians and to which I agree. As it is shown in the film, I too think that the introduction of the new weapons (i.e.: guns) was the beginning of the Indian's revolution. All the other hunting methods were band. The distribution of weapons in Rupert's land was done by the H.B.C.. Since, company had established treading posts throughout the land and each post was run by the manager, raising up the cost for the weapons was in the hands of the post managers. Hence, they were continuously ripping off the Indians. During the 1869, when decision to sell Rupert's land was made, it was made by the company, not by the Indians. The land was sold to Canada at a very low price. Many treaties were written to compel Indians to give up their rights to their land. However, after the land was sold, Indian people became the responsibility of the govn't and the parliament. When the question of compensation was claimed, the govn't allowed the compensation of $3 a year and was only to those who signed the treaty to give up their right to the land. Such compensation I think, was not to provide financial support to the Indians but was a reminding of who owned the land, money, and most of all, the power. Further, the Indian's culture was also being banished. Since Indians were living in the region which was cold and off the land, they were depended on the hunting and fishing. Some of the contemporary historians (loyalists) claim that since Canada was a free country, Indians could have proceeded further in success. Well, they had legal right to go to city just like other Canadian, but in order to do so they had to give up their hundreds years of culture and place. Hence, white men's place (city) seemed frightening, threatening and impersonal to them. Not only this, but since Indians were a minority, according to white men, they must learn to adopt their rules and regulation which were to stay away from the standard life style of the whites. If Indians didn't perform accordingly, they were to suffer the consequences. Thus, Indians stayed where they were. A glance on the economic position of the Indians to see how they were being swindled by the Hudson's Bay Company. Indians were the lower income earning groups in Canada. Their income was lower then $2000 a year. Company store was the only store where Indians could sell their fur. The prices for the fur were set by the company. Company not only set the prices for the fur but, also for the goods for which Indians traded their furs. Hence, they were paying double the price then what was being paid in the outside world. The cheques that Indians received from H.B.C. were only allowed to use in the company store. This lead to the deaths of the Indian people since they didn't have enough money to buy food. Now when

Types of Chemical Bonds in Proteins

Types of Chemical Bonds in Proteins Proteins are biological polymers constructed from amino acids joined together to form peptides. These peptide subunits may bond with other peptides to form more complex structures.  Multiple types of chemical bonds hold proteins together and bind them to other molecules. Take a closer look at the chemical bonds responsible for protein structure. Peptide Bonds The primary structure of a protein consists of amino acids chained to each other. Amino acids are joined by peptide bonds. A peptide bond is a type of covalent bond between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of another amino acid.  Amino acids themselves are made of atoms joined together by covalent bonds. Hydrogen Bonds The secondary structure describes the three-dimensional folding or coiling of a chain of amino acids (e.g., beta-pleated sheet, alpha helix). This three-dimensional shape is held in place by hydrogen bonds. A hydrogen bond is a dipole-dipole interaction between a hydrogen atom and an electronegative atom, such as nitrogen or oxygen.  A single polypeptide chain may contain multiple alpha-helix and beta-pleated sheet regions. Each alpha-helix is stabilized by hydrogen bonding between the amine and carbonyl groups on the same polypeptide chain. The beta-pleated sheet is stabilized by hydrogen bonds between the amine groups of one polypeptide  chain and  carbonyl groups on a second adjacent chain. Hydrogen Bonds, Ionic Bonds, Disulfide Bridges While secondary structure describes the shape of chains of amino acids in space, tertiary structure is the overall shape assumed by the entire molecule, which may contain  regions of both sheets and coils. If a protein consists of one polypeptide chain, a tertiary structure is the highest level of structure.  Hydrogen bonding affects the tertiary structure of a protein. Also, the R-group of each amino acid may be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions Some proteins are made of subunits in which protein molecules bond together to form a larger unit. An example of such a protein is hemoglobin. Quaternary structure describes how the subunits fit together to form the larger molecule.

Metamorphic Facies Defined and Explained

Metamorphic Facies Defined and Explained As metamorphic rocks change under heat and pressure, their ingredients recombine into new minerals that are suited to the conditions. The concept of metamorphic facies is a systematic way to look at the mineral assemblages in rocks and determine a potential range of pressure and temperature (P/T) conditions that were present when they formed.   It should be noted that metamorphic facies are different than sedimentary facies, which include the environmental conditions present during deposition. Sedimentary facies can be further divided into lithofacies, which focus on a rocks physical characteristics, and biofacies, which focus on the paleontological attributes (fossils).   Seven MetamorphicFacies There are seven widely recognized metamorphic facies, ranging from the zeolite facies at low P and T to eclogite at very high P and T. Geologists determine a facies in the lab after examining many specimens under the microscope and doing bulk chemistry analyses. Metamorphic facies is not obvious in a given field specimen. To sum up, a metamorphic facies is the set of minerals found in a rock of a given composition. That mineral suite is taken as a sign of the pressure and temperature that made it. Here are the typical minerals in rocks that are derived from sediments. That is, these will be found in slate, schist and gneiss. The minerals shown in parentheses are optional and dont always appear, but they can be essential for identifying a facies. Zeolite facies: illite/phengite chlorite quartz (kaolinite, paragonite)Prehnite-pumpellyite facies: phengite chlorite quartz (pyrophyllite, paragonite, alkali feldspar, stilpnomelane, lawsonite)Greenschist facies: muscovite chlorite quartz (biotite, alkali feldspar, chloritoid, paragonite, albite, spessartine)Amphibolite facies: muscovite biotite quartz (garnet, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite, andalusite, cordierite, chlorite, plagioclase, alkali feldspar)Granulite facies: alkali feldspar plagioclase sillimanite quartz (biotite, garnet, kyanite, cordierite, orthopyroxene, spinel, corundum, sapphirine)Blueschist facies: phengite chlorite quartz (albite, jadeite, lawsonite, garnet, chloritoid, paragonite)Eclogite facies: phengite garnet quartz Mafic rocks (basalt, gabbro, diorite, tonalite etc.) yield a different set of minerals at the same P/T conditions, as follows: Zeolite facies: zeolite chlorite albite quartz (prehnite, analcime, pumpellyite)Prehnite-pumpellyite facies: prehnite pumpellyite chlorite albite quartz (actinolite, stilpnomelane, lawsonite)Greenschist facies: chlorite epidote albite (actinolite, biotite)Amphibolite facies: plagioclase hornblende (epidote, garnet, orthoamphibole, cummingtonite)Granulite facies: orthopyroxene plagioclase (clinopyroxene, hornblende, garnet)Blueschist facies: glaucophane/crossite lawsonite/epidote (pumpellyite, chlorite, garnet, albite, aragonite, phengite, chloritoid, paragonite)Eclogite facies: omphacite garnet rutile Ultramafic rocks (pyroxenite, peridotite etc.) have their own version of these facies: Zeolite facies: lizardite/chrysotile brucite magnetite (chlorite, carbonate)Prehnite-pumpellyite facies: lizardite/chrysotile brucite magnetite (antigorite, chlorite, carbonate, talc, diopside)Greenschist facies: antigorite diopside magnetite (chlorite, brucite, olivine, talc, carbonate)Amphibolite facies: olivine tremolite (antigorite, talc, anthopyllite, cummingtonite, enstatite)Granulite facies: olivine diopside enstatite (spinel, plagioclase)Blueschist facies: antigorite olivine magnetite (chlorite, brucite, talc, diopside)Eclogite facies: olivine Pronunciation: metamorphic FAY-sees or FAY-shees Also Known As: metamorphic grade (partial synonym)

Introduction to Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Introduction to Business - Essay Example The safest way that a bank can safeguard my money is through insurance. What more can banks do to further ensure this is true? Effective banks with strategies of safeguarding depositors’ money should take covers against losses from insurance companies with good reputation, good history, and strong financial base. The insuring company should have been in the insurance industry for a considerably long period of time to have proven its competence. According my job, I am planning to retire at the age of 60 years. I will be no longer productive in my profession hence it will be time to rest and enjoy the fruits of my hard labor. I want to serve my people in the best way I can in order to build a base for prosperity for the future generation. Steps I have taken? I am working hard to ensure that all my children will be through with their education and living a better life before my retirement. What more do I need to be doing now to make sure it happens? I need to invest in profitable business opportunities. I am directing a good portion of my income to educating my children as well as in ventures which have promising returns by the time I retire. I am also saving part of my income in credible banking institutions. I have also engaged my income into a good life insurance scheme to cater for my old age at that time as well as my family while I am

Make a Case to Legalize Marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Make a Case to Legalize Marijuana - Essay Example In 1970, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act placed marijuana in Schedule I with heroin, mescaline, and LSD, perceiving the drug as low medical utility while highly liable for abuse, consequently rendering it unavailable for medical use. Despite this classification, the federal government permitted its use for a few patients as part of a compassionate use program. By the early 1990s, increasing numbers of people with AIDs applied for the compassionate use program for relief from nausea and loss of appetite. In 1992 the Department of Health and Human Services officially terminated the program. Opposing federal legislation, nearly half the states as initiated by California and Arizona legalized the medicinal use of the drug by the end of 1996. Although the â€Å"possession of cannabis , even for medical purposes, remains a federal offense† (Earleywine 169), its rates of use for medicine continues to be high. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to p ersuade the reader on the necessity for legalizing marijuana. The exploitation of drug cartels, the medicinal and economic benefits, and the requirement for responsible usage will be examined. Legalizing Marijuana: Elimination of Drug Cartels and its Black Market If marijuana prohibition ended, the black market in the drug would disappear to a great extent. Better and safer marijuana would be available to buyers, who will not be required to come into contact with criminals or hard drug users. Thus, â€Å"legalization would save society billions of dollars now spent on pursuing users, and a legal marijuana industry could bring in billions more in revenue† (Ruschmann 87). Further, the government would still be able to punish abusers of the drug, and educate the public about using marijuana responsibly. Moreover, businesses and schools could discourage the use of the drug and prohibit its use in their domains. Legalizing Marijuana does not Result in its Increased Use Other count ries have not experienced serious problems as a result of relaxing marijuana laws. For example, in Australia with tough mariguana laws, decriminalizing the usage of the drug in three states resulted in its increased use in all regions including jurisdictions with a total prohibition approach to cannabis, with the largest increase in Tasmania, a prohibitionist state. The Swiss government, as well as the Canadian Senate Committee have found that based on scientific studies there was no relationship between the harshness of marijuana laws and the percentage of people who use the drug. Similarly, in the United States itself, with the decriminalization of marijuana in some states for more than twenty years, the Connecticut Law Revision Commission found that â€Å"larger increases in marijuana use occurred in states that did not decriminalize than those that did† (Ruschmann 85). Further, although in the United States and Canada there are very restrictive laws on the use of the drug , it is used more extensively than in Belgium, Germany and Spain with highly liberal laws. Additionally, there was no consequent increase in hard drug use caused by the liberal policies of Spain, Italy and Portugal or from over thirty years’ experience of relaxed marijuana laws in the Netherlands (Ruschmann 85). Moreover, in Canada despite the increasing numbers of cannabis users, there has not been a proportionate increase in the users of hard drugs. The

Jane Eyre in the Opening 3 Chapters Essay Example for Free

Jane Eyre in the Opening 3 Chapters Essay Charlotte Bronte is the author of the novel Jane Eyre about an orphaned girl struggling throughout the novel to achieve equality and to overcome oppression. In the opening 3 chapters, Bronte emphasizes Jane’s loneliness, lack of familial affection and emphasizes her sensitive nature and inner strength. As we witness Jane being punished and neglected at the hands of her unfeeling aunts and left feeling isolated and out of place in her society. Firstly, we are introduced to Jane, hiding reading a book. This establishes her odd and lonely place at Gateshead hall. As not only is she separated from the rest of the reed family but Bronte explains that she is ‘happy’ and ‘feared nothing except interruption’. To feel safe and content only from being excluded from her family signifies jane’s neglected and troubled childhood. This is indicated as a child should want to be surrounded by family and love. for Jane to be living in ‘despair’ by the sense of this seclusion to be ‘obstructed’ implies her inner strength of independence as she’s willing to find a book and read educating herself instead of moping and giving up. And she’s joyful when emphasises her independence and drive to find a book and read rather than mope. ane sitting and reading by herself, not allowed to play with her cousins, establishes her odd and lonely position at Gateshead Hall. Yet her willingness to find a book to read, rather than just moping, establishes her independence.

Hackers and the Internet :: Cyberspace Essays

Hackers and the Internet Internet Security covers a broad list of topics. I have chosen to cover hackers and their history. I will go through who hackers are and how we define hackers. I will also cover the history of how hackers got started. This was a very interesting topic and may surprise a lot of people who have had misconceptions of what hackers do due to how the are covered by the media. In the 1960’s at MIT a group of curious students, members of the Tech Model Railroad Club, decided to hack into the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab. At this time hackers were encouraged to explore and were not considered malicious like the hackers the media portrays today. These groups of students were allowed access to the MIT AI Lab by the lab’s director Marvin Minsky. In the 1970’s a trend started with phone hacking. Phreaks exploit phone systems to make free long distance calls. One famous phreak is John Draper, also known as â€Å"Captain Crunch†, made long distance calls for free by blowing a certain tone in a telephone. This tone opened a line on the phone system and he was able to make long distance calls for free. Two names that everyone is familiar with are Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak; these two gentlemen founded Apple Computer. However, what a lot of people did not know is that they were members of Homebrew Computer Club. While being members of this club they began making â€Å"blue boxes†, which are devices used to help phreaks access phone systems. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak had handles that they were known by and they were â€Å"Berkley Blue† and â€Å"Oak Toebark†. By the late 1980’s computer hacking had grown so much that a magazine was formed called 2600: The Hacker Quarterly. This magazine shares tips on phone and computer hacking. The government responds to this growth by passing the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and forming the Computer Emergency Response Team. This gives the government more authority in tracking wily hackers. This about the same time that the Media did a lot of coverage on Kevin Mitnik, a well known computer hacker who was convicted of stealing software and was sentenced to one year in prison. By the 1990 the instances were computers were hacked grew exponentially.

Data Processing

Prior to our procedure, we measured the temperatures of each pond area. We used the low-temperature climate (bird inaccuracy pond) to compare to the higher-temperature climate (Lake Calhoun holding pond and Lake Harriet duck area. After completing our experiment by surveying various sections of each three experimental sites, we gathered our information using a stream study. We surveyed the areas four different times for maximum proficiency. After recording each sample study four times for each area, we added up their water quality rating total index count and divided it by four, generating an average for our results. Conclusion Our groups question was: How does temperature change have an affect on the water quality of aquatic macro invertebrates?After concluding our stream study, our group was able to determine that as temperature increased, the water quality index for aquatic macro invertebrates decreased. With the results that the stream study gave us, we were able to conclude that the area with the lowest temperature of 22 degrees Celsius (bird sanctuary) had an excellent quality rating of over 22. The Lake Calhoun holding pond (24 degrees Celsius) had a water quality rating of six, which fell under poor quality.As for the Lake Harriet Duck Area, we were able to generate a good quality rating of 22. Thus concluding that as the temperature increased, the water quality index decreased. We believe that as temperature is higher, the pond areas are more accessible by other animals/humans, creating the water quality to be less. Some limitations we occurred during our experiment were assuring from three different environments so the surrounding environments could have had an effect on the water quality rating.For example, the bird sanctuary pond is not accessible by people for recreational use, whereas both lake Harriet and lake Calhoun allow recreational use. This could have altered the results of our experiment. Another reason that our data could have been skewed was because recently Lake Calhoun had experienced an E-Coli problem, which is a reason the water quality was so low.

Expectations

Finally, the blade deepens and hits just right, the scar of what the doubtful and painful knife has left me insecure and filled with emptiness. The sparks of love I had was weak and burning low, it soon became a weapon that only caused me harm. This body soon became an empty vessel searching for a purpose in this constant non-fiction world. Tick tock, tick tock, the clock goes, teachers writing riddles on the board, speaking of a foreign language that I cannot comprehend. Various noises filled the classroom, speaking of gibberish as I sit in this isolated bubble of my own. Surviving in this vessel, searching for a purpose- no, but rather waiting to be re-wired and commanded day by day. I love the languages subjects so I am pretty good at it, but I hate maths and sciences, hence I am bad at it. With no further comments I scanned through the whiteboard, but everyday I worry on how people kept instructing me how to grow as a person; giving me options on what's right and wrong, but in the end, the things that I will choose will forever be false.Everyday, I noticed to have a work that is always incomplete; I stare at the blank piece of paper reflecting about my life. With not much personality as an individual, hence I do not find it as an inconvenience to survive in this school. As time continued to pass by, I realized that I'm currently stuck in a never ending cycle of hypnotism, staggering through the same hallways each day, and soon it feels as though everything is on repeat. In class again, questions and answers that are not even needed in my daily life, being drilled into my mind, as I flipped through the textbook, which contains no specific answer. â€Å"How are your grades?† you asked with a smile.I shrugged, â€Å"The same, I guess.†Piercing me with your eyes, reminding me of the â€Å"future† I will soon have. If my tears were colours, then my pillow would be painted with rainbows. Thus in the morning, I would wake up with dark rings around my eyes, taunting me every time I look at myreflection. I would try and cover it up so that they would be a shade lighter, but I know they can never completely disappear. Staggering through the same hallways, towards an empty seat, one far from the sunlight, but rays still reached, blinded me and left me a daze, as if it is trying to question me; â€Å"What were you expecting in life?† â€Å"What are your dreams?†Searching frantically for an answer in that textbook, I can't breathe, I'm choking and it hurts. The stares that they give, beating down my confidence and pride all over again, I tried to find an answer, but its all the same; still an empty white paper, reflecting about my accomplishment in life. â€Å"I can do this†¦Ã¢â‚¬ I keep repeating those words in my mind, as I stare at that incomplete work, reminding me about â€Å"responsibilities†, â€Å"success†, â€Å"achievements†, â€Å"grades†, and so on, and every time I climb back up, your words kept knocking down my stance, chaining me down, to expectations, that I cannot achieve. Expectations and dreams, which are so heavy chaining me, more than gravity ever will. â€Å"I've tried†¦I'm tired†¦It hurts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ When will you ever grow up?† But let me ask, what is the meaning of â€Å"growing up† in the first place? If this is what's it feels like, then I just want to stop. The path they build for me is dictated to be perfect and filled with beautiful lies. Feeding me with expectations, rewiring my senses, choking me with perfection. I cannot breathe, I feel nauseous. My body cannot sustain it. Staggering to a mirror, I see the rings under my eyes, as a constant reminder the about those disappointing glares I noticed:†Ah†¦ they are getting darker.†

United States in the 1780s essays

United States in the 1780's essays 1780's America was a country at the close of the war. A war that was not so much won by America's revolutionaries as simply given up by the British. The country consisted of a patchwork of states geld loosely by a common bond (their fight for independence) whose threads quickly unraveled as each state was faced with the heavy burden of repaying its depts and one government was left with the task of governing a nation. One major problem for the government was how to allow personal freedom and liberty without falling into a state of anarchy; and another was how to create laws that help govern and protect its people without becoming another monarchy. It was during this time that great men lived. They were industrious men who helped shape the country each leading the way to financial independence, westward expansion, and a strong government whose model still exists today. ...

5 Inspirational Books for Teen Writers

5 Inspirational Books for Teen Writers 5 Inspirational Books for Teen Writers 5 Inspirational Books for Teen Writers By Mark Nichol A site visitor requested from me a roster of books that teenagers should read before they graduate from high school. However, I never strove to work my way through the literary classics (whatever they are), so any list I compile may seem deficient to those who believe that doing so will prepare young people to be great writers. The truth is, any compilation will be of some value, especially if the collection consists of stories that speak to the adolescent’s hopes and fears about entering the adult realm. What I offer here is a selection from the books I have read mostly since graduating from high school, because I was not a flashlight-under-the-covers bookworm (until later, that is) that I found memorable because of their emotional resonance. Each one of these stories is also distinguished by a distinctive style prospective young novelists should not seek to imitate but will be inspired by. (One more thing: You’re never too old to read or find inspiration in any of these books.) 1. His Dark Materials Perhaps better known by the titles of its constituent parts The Golden Compass (originally published in the United Kingdom as The Northern Lights), The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, Philip Pullman’s complex fantasy trilogy pits a plucky young girl and her allies against sinister forces fomenting conflict around the discovery of a mysterious substance known as Dust. These remarkably imaginative and inventive stories have been criticized for their antireligious sentiments, but they should be applauded for their championing of intellectual liberty. They also eloquently demonstrate that world-building doesn’t require science fiction hardware, or heroic-fantasy trappings such as multitudinous races and creatures. The quest, the talisman, the helpers all the fantasy tropes are here, but in original guises. 2. The House of the Scorpion Nancy Farmer writes young-adult fiction that not-so-young adults will find challenging, too. In this story set in the near future, a boy growing up in a sovereign opium-growing state carved out of land formerly belonging to United States and Mexico learns the unsettling truth about his identity and sets out defy the dictates of others and control his own destiny. The House of the Scorpion deals with mature themes without being graphic or grim, but it’s laden with dark thoughts and deeds. It also demonstrates how a young protagonist can realistically navigate the grown-up world. 3. I, Claudius This faux autobiography of the titular Roman emperor by the late British novelist and poet Robert Graves has a fascinating premise: Although Claudius is physically disabled, he is highly intelligent and savvy enough to play the fool to survive perilous palace intrigue. The story of a life spent negotiating a treacherous world is heartbreaking and masterfully narrated. It’s a sophisticated tale, but one accessible to younger readers and engrossing as the protagonist strives to avoid dangerous confrontations and deadly plots. 4. The Shadow of the Wind Spanish writer Carlos Ruiz Gafon’s gothic melodrama is the saddest story I have ever read a perfect package of romantic angst for hormone-addled adolescents. The story, masterfully translated by Lucia Graves (daughter of esteemed British author Robert Graves), follows a young bibliophile who becomes enmeshed in an ongoing tragedy involving a failed writer. Saturated with a brooding atmosphere, The Shadow of the Wind is a triumph of style laid over a bedrock of substance. 5. Watership Down In this novel, British novelist and poet Richard Adams creates a modern but timeless myth. Employing anthropomorphized but generally naturally behaving rabbits as protagonists, he sends a band of wanderers off from their doomed dwelling place to seek a new home. Along the way, they face perils from predators and fellow lagomorphs (the latter providing fodder for subtle political allegory) while occasionally stopping to hear their resident storyteller regale them with tales about a legendary trickster hero named El-ahrairah. Adams deftly manages to produce a Homeric epic in which familiar animals substitute for humans without compromising the dignity the characters must possess to appeal to discerning readers. The neat invention of a mischievous, resourceful god for a culture whose members are beset by countless types of predators (El-ahrairah means â€Å"Prince with a Thousand Enemies†) is a masterstroke that serves as an inspiration to writers who wish to incorporate an internal mythology to their story’s milieu. Make sure to check 20 Classic Novels You Can Read in One Sitting as well, which is a list we published a while ago. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Book Reviews category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 Idioms with HeartThe Six Spellings of "Long E"20 Classic Novels You Can Read in One Sitting

Mid-term Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mid-term - Assignment Example speed, he uses his mind to trick the tiger with a glass ball, which the tiger after seeing its image on the mirror believes it is the cub and even cuddles it, allowing the hunter to escape with the real cub (White 7). a. Portals with subtle and twisted columns that seem to be strained by the weight. The portals have been criticized that they might give in to the heavy weight that they support though they have stood the test of time. The Donation of Constantine is the interpretation of the Holy Trinity. The holy trinity refers to three God in one, described as the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. It was important in the Middle Ages since it helped to explain the development of the Roman faith. It explains the shift from the period of worshipping idols to the realization of the modern faith. Sylvester, the universal pontiff, has helped in spreading the modern gospel. Sylvester changed the perception that the author had about the gods Peter and Paul, and told them that they were apostles (Halsall 1). The theme of this passage is love. It clearly brings out the various aspects of two people who love and treasure each other. The lady confesses that his only fear is losing him. The man who is the king treats the beautiful creature like a marvel of nature which he had never seen before. He orders that the creature should be fed well and given drink. Every other man admires the beautiful creature who is depicted by the king as a very special one. The theme of love is cemented by the statement that the couple would always visit places together, and none of them would allow to be separated from the other. The passage relates to the course in that it contributes to the effectiveness of use of figurative language, commonly used during the medieval period. The passage was written by Marie de France and translated by Judith P. Shoaf in 1996 (France, para 12). The theme of the text is religion. It describes the faith and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. The

Music and Passion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Music and Passion - Essay Example According to (Carducci 311) the type of music an individual listens has a reflex action on the type of personality an individual develops. The unique thing about music is not just the beats and the tempo or the rhythm but the words that a song writer chooses to work with. The words involuntarily change the thoughts of the listener. As a person listens, they take in the meaning of the words and slowly make them part of their lives. In a greater way, one slowly starts to change their world view, their thoughts and eventually change their character. This is seen is where an individual starts to use the words that they heard in a song and this shapes their daily lives. (Carducci 123) says that lyrics of a song can great influence the thoughts of an individual in a subconscious state. Aristotle talked about music and its power to communicate the emotional states of humans as well as their character. According to (Williams 92) Aristotle says that music directly imitates the passions as well as states of the soul. An individual listening to a particular type of music they are likely to absorb the same passion and a long exposure to the music, they develop characters based in the same passions. Based on these understanding, then the music people listens to is contributing too many of issues in the society. If the type of music an individual listens to can shape their characters as well as passions, then it means that these effects will also be seen in human relationships, laws, psychological challenges such as depression as well as anger. People who mainly listen to these types of music tend to show high levels of openness to new experience, high verbal ability as well as emotional stability. These individuals also believe that they are highly intelligent and tolerant. Majority of them can champion liberal social ideals. Majority of them are political conservatives and they also tend to be

Gap between Management Theory and Practice Essay

Gap between Management Theory and Practice - Essay Example The evolution of the concept of management dates back to the early civilization. It is due to the art of effective management that those early civilizations produced marvelous wonders that are admired to date. There are many management theories that explain the different styles of management and their impact on the organization. Mason (2010) supported the argument and stated that there has always been a clash of opinions between the academicians, who develop theories of management, with actual professionals in the organizations. The basic difference has been described by Grayson. Management Scientists or researchers: develop management theories which guide the managers to become more organized and structured in their policies and procedures. They are expected to utilize scientific methodology, sociology for organizational decisions as well as people management.Managers: manage the operations and employees by their rule of thumb and need of the hour. They feel that standard theories of management cannot be applied to all instances and issues in a professional life. At times, the fast paced nature of modern business does not give leverage for standard policies and procedures to be developed and thus followed in a strict manner.

The History of the Clock

The History of the Clock The history of clocks is very long, and there have been many different types of clocks over the centuries. Not all historians agree on the history of the clock. The word clock was first used in the 14th century (about 700 years ago). It comes from the word for bell in Latin (clocca). Using the Sun The first way that people could tell the time was by looking at the sun as it crossed the sky. When the sun was directly overhead in the sky, it was the middle of the day, or noon. When the sun was close to the horizon, it was either early morning (sunrise) or early evening (sunset). Telling the time was not very accurate. Sundial Clocks The oldest type of clock is a sundial clock, also called a sun clock. They were first used around 3,500 B.C. (about 5,500 years ago). Sundials use the sun to tell the time. The shadow of the sun points to a number on a circular disk that shows you the time. In the big picture below on the right, the shadow created by the sun points to 9, so it is nine oclock. Since sundials depend on the sun, they can only be used to tell the time during the day. Water Clocks Around 1400 B.C. (about 3,400 years ago), water clocks were invented in Egypt. The name for a water clock is clepsydra (pronounced KLEP-suh-druh). A water clock was made of two containers of water, one higher than the other. Water traveled from the higher container to the lower container through a tube connecting the containers. The containers had marks showing the water level, and the marks told the time. Water clocks were very popular in Greece, where they were improved many times over the years. Look at the picture below. Water drips from the higher container to the lower container. As the water level rises in the lower container, it raises the float on the surface of the water. The float is connected to a stick with notches, and as the stick rises, the notches turn a gear, which moves the hand that points to the time. Water clocks worked better than sundials because they told the time at night as well as during the day. They were also more accurate than sundials. Dividing the Year into Months and Days The Greeks divided the year into twelve parts that are called months. They divided each month into thirty parts that are called days. Their year had a total of 360 days, or 12 times 30 (12 x 30 = 360). Since the Earth goes around the Sun in one year and follows an almost circular path, the Greeks decided to divide the circle into 360 degrees. Dividing the Day into Hours, Minutes, and Seconds The Egyptians and Babylonians decided to divide the day from sunrise to sunset into twelve parts that are called hours. They also divided the night, the time from sunset to sunrise, into twelve hours. But the day and the night are not the same length, and the length of the day and night also changes through the year. This system of measuring the time was not very accurate because the length of an hour changed depending on the time of year. This meant that water clocks had to be adjusted every day. Somebody finally figured out that by dividing the whole day into 24 hours of equal length (12 hours of the day plus 12 hours of the night), the time could be measured much more accurately. Why was the day and night divided into 12 parts? Twelve is about the number of moon cycles in a year, so it is a special number in many cultures. The hour is divided into 60 minutes, and each minute is divided into 60 seconds. The idea of dividing the hour and minute into 60 parts comes from the Sumerian sexagesimal system, which is based on the number 60. This system was developed about 4,000 years ago. Pendulum Clocks Before pendulum clocks were invented, Peter Henlein of Germany invented a spring-powered clock around 1510. It was not very precise. The first clock with a minute hand was invented by Jost Burgi in 1577. It also had problems. The first practical clock was driven by a pendulum. It was developed by Christian Huygens around 1656. By 1600, the pendulum clock also had a minute hand.http://www.arcytech.org/java/clock/images/pendulum2.gif The pendulum swings left and right, and as it swings, it turns a wheel with teeth (see the picture to the right). The turning wheel turns the hour and minute hands on the clock. On the first pendulum clocks, the pendulum used to swing a lot (about 50 degrees). As pendulum clocks were improved, the pendulum swung a lot less (about 10 to 15 degrees). One problem with pendulum clocks is that they stopped running after a while and had to be restarted. The first pendulum clock with external batteries was developed around 1840. By 1906, the batteries were inside the clock. http://www.arcytech.org/java/clock/images/pendulum_mechs3.gif As you already learned, a clock only shows 12 hours at a time, and the hour hand must go around the clock twice to measure 24 hours, or a complete day. To tell the first 12 hours of the day (from midnight to noon) apart from the second 12 hours of the day (from noon to midnight), we use these terms: A.M.Ante meridiem, from the Latin for before noon P.M. Post meridiem, from the Latin for after noon Quartz Crystal Clocks Quartz is a type of crystal that looks like glass. When you apply voltage, or electricity, and pressure, the quartz crystal vibrates or oscillates at a very constant frequency or rate. The vibration moves the clocks hands very precisely. Quartz crystal clocks were invented in 1920. Time Zones Because the Earth turns, it is daytime in part of the world when it is nighttime on the other side of the world. In 1884, delegates from 25 countries met and agreed to divide the world into time zones. If you draw a line around the middle of the Earth, it is a circle (equator). The delegates divided the 360 degrees of the circle into 24 zones, each 15 degrees (24 x 15 = 360). They decided to start counting from Greenwich (pronounced GREN-ich), England, which is 0 degrees longitude. In the continental United States, there are four time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. Each time zone varies by one hour, so when it is 7 p.m. in the Eastern time zone, it is 6 p.m. in the Central time zone, 5 p.m. in the Mountain time zone, and 4 p.m. in the Pacific time zone. Time Time, a central theme in modern life, has for most of human history been thought of in very imprecise terms. The day and the week are easily recognized and recorded though an accurate calendar for the year is hard to achieve. The forenoon is easily distinguishable from the afternoon, provided the sun is shining, and the position of the sun in the landscape can reveal roughly how much of the day has passed. By contrast the smaller parcels of time hours, minutes and seconds have until recent centuries been both unmeasurable and unneeded. Sundial and water clock: from the 2nd millennium BC The movement of the sun through the sky makes possible a simple estimate of time, from the length and position of a shadow cast by a vertical stick. (It also makes possible more elaborate calculations, as in the attempt of Erathosthenes to measure the world see Erathosthenes and the camels). If marks are made where the suns shadow falls, the time of day can be recorded in a consistent manner. The result is the sundial. An Egyptian example survives from about 800 BC, but the principle is certainly familiar to astronomers very much earlier. However it is difficult to measure time precisely on a sundial, because the suns path throug the sky changes with the seasons. Early attempts at precision in time-keeping rely on a different principle. The water clock, known from a Greek word as the clepsydra, attempts to measure time by the amount of water which drips from a tank. This would be a reliable form of clock if the flow of water could be perfectly controlled. In practice it cannot. The clepsydra has an honourable history from perhaps 1400 BC in Egypt, through Greece and Rome and the Arab civlizations and China, and even up to the 16th century in Europe. But it is more of a toy than a timepiece. The hourglass, using sand on the same principle, has an even longer career. It is a standard feature on 18th-century pulpits in Britain, ensuring a sermon of sufficient length. In a reduced form it can still be found timing an egg. A tower clock in China: AD 1094 After six years work, a Buddhist monk by the name of Su Song completes a great tower, some thirty feet high, which is designed to reveal the movement of the stars and the hours of the day. Figures pop out of doors and strike bells to signify the hours. The power comes from a water wheel occupying the lower part of the tower. Su Song has designed a device which stops the water wheel except for a brief spell, once every quarter of an hour, when the weight of the water (accumulated in vessels on the rim) is sufficient to trip a mechanism. The wheel, lurching forward, drives the machinery of the tower to the next stationary point in a continuing cycle. This device (which in Su Sungs tower must feel like a minor earthquake every time it slams the machinery into action) is an early example of an escapement a concept essential to mechanical clockwork. In any form of clock based on machinery, power must be delivered to the mechanism in intermittent bursts which can be precisely regulated. The rationing of power is the function of the escapement. The real birth of mechanical clockwork awaits a reliable version, developed in Europe in the 13th century. Meanwhile Su Sungs tower clock, ready for inspection by the emperor in 1094, is destroyed shortly afterwards by marauding barbarians from the north. Clockwork in Europe: 13th 14th century AD Europe at the end of the Middle Ages is busy trying to capture time. The underlying aim is as much astronomical (to reflect the movement of the heavenly bodies) as it is to do with the more mundane task of measuring everybodys day. But the attraction of that achievement is recognized too. A textbook on astronomy, written by Robert the Englishman in 1271, says that clockmakers are trying to make a wheel which will make one complete revolution in each day, but that they cannot quite perfect their work. What prevents them even beginning to perfect their work is the lack of an escapement. But a practical version of this dates from only a few years later. A working escapement is invented in about 1275. The process allows a toothed wheel to turn, one tooth at a time, by successive teeth catching against knobs projecting from an upright rod which oscillates back and forth. The speed of its oscillation is regulated by a horizontal bar (known as a foliot) attached to the top of the rod. The time taken in the foliots swing can be regulated by moving weights in or out on each arm. The function of the foliot is the same as that of the pendulum in modern clocks, but it is less efficient in that gravity is not helping it to oscillate. A very heavy weight is needed to power the clock, involving massive machinery and much friction. Nevertheless the foliot works to a degree acceptable at the time (a clock in the Middle Ages is counted a good timekeeper if it loses or gains only a quarter of an hour a day), and in the 14th century there are increasingly frequent references to clocks in European cities. A particularly elaborate one is built between 1348 and 1364 in Padua by Giovanni de Dondi, a professor of astronomy at the university who writes a detailed description of his clock. A 14th-century manuscript of his text has the earliest illustration of a clock mechanism with its escapement. The worlds three oldest surviving examples of clockwork date from the last years of the 14th century. The famous clock in Salisbury cathedral, installed by 1386 and still working today with its original mechanism, is a very plain piece of machinery. It has no face, being designed only to strike the hours. Striking is the main function of all early clocks (the word has links with the French cloche, meaning bell). In 1389 a great clock is installed above a bridge spanning a street in Rouen. It remains one of the famous sights of the city, though its glorious gilded dial is a later addition and its foliot has been replaced by a pendulum (in 1713). The historical distinction of the Rouen clock is that it is the first machine designed to strike the quarter-hours. In 1392 the bishop of Wells instals a clock in his cathedral. The bishop has previously been in Salisbury, and the same engineer seems to have made the new clock. It not only strikes the quarters. It steals a march on Rouen by having a dial, showing the movement of astronomical bodies. With escapements, chiming mechanisms and dials, clocks are now set to evolve into their more familiar selves. And the telling of time soon alters peoples perceptions of time itself. Hours, minutes and seconds are units which only come into existence as the ability to measure them develops. Domestic clocks: 15th century AD After the success of the clocks in Europes cathedrals in the late 14th century, and the introduction of the clock face in places such as Wells, kings and nobles naturally want this impressive technology at home. The first domestic clocks, in the early 15th century, are miniature versions of the cathedral clocks powered by hanging weights, regulated by escapements with a foliot, and showing the time to the great mans family and household by means of a single hand working its way round a 12-hour circuit on the clocks face. But before the middle of the 15th century a development of great significance occurs, in the form of a spring-driven mechanism. The earliest surviving spring-driven clock, now in the Science Museum in London, dates from about 1450. By that time clockmakers have not only discovered how to transmit power to the mechanism from a coiled spring. They have also devised a simple but effective solution to the problem inherent in a coiled spring which steadily loses power as it uncoils. The solution to this is the fusee. The fusee is a cone, bearing a spiral of grooves on its surface, which forms part of the axle driving the wheels of the clock mechanism. The length of gut linking the drum of the spring to the axle is wound round the fusee. It lies on the thinnest part of the cone when the spring is fully wound and reaches its broadest circumference by the time the spring is weak. Increased leverage exactly counteracts decreasing strength. These two devices, eliminating the need for weights, make possible clocks which stand on tables, clocks which can be taken from room to room, even clocks to accompany a traveller in a carriage. Eventually, most significant of all, they make possible the pocket watch. Watches: 16th 17th century AD The first watches, made in Nuremberg from about 1500, are spherical metal objects, about three inches in diameter, designed to hang on a ribbon round the neck. They derive from similar metal spheres used as pomanders, to hold aromatic herbs which will protect the wearer against disease or vile odours. The first watchmakers place their somewhat primitive mechanism inside cases of this sort. A single hand set into a flat section at the base makes its way round a dial marked with the division of twelve hours. For their first century and more, watches are worn outside the clothes and are regarded more as jewels than as useful instruments (a comment also on their timekeeping abilities). The best of them are exquisitely decorated in enamel. The spherical watch of this kind evolves in the late 17th century into the slimmer pocket watch, thanks largely to Christiaan Huygens. This distinguished Dutch physicist makes two important contributions to time-keeping the pendulum clock and the spiral balance spring. The pendulum clock: AD 1656-1657 Christiaan Huygens spends Christmas day, in the Hague in 1656, constructing a model of a clock on a new principle. The principle itself has been observed by Galileo, traditionally as a result of watching a lamp swing to and fro in the cathedral when he is a student in Pisa. Galileo later proves experimentally that a swinging suspended object takes the same time to complete each swing regardless of how far it travels. This consistency prompts Galileo to suggest that a pendulum might be useful in clocks. But no one has been able to apply that insight, until Huygens finds that his model works. A craftsman in the Hague makes the first full-scale clock on this principle for Huygens in 1657. But it is in England that the idea is taken up with the greatest enthusiasm. By 1600 London clockmakers have already developed the characteristic shape which makes best use of the new mechanism that of the longcase clock, more affectionately known as the grandfather clock. The pocket watch: AD 1675 Nineteen years after making his model of the pendulum clock, Huygens invents a device of equal significance in the development of the watch. It is the spiral balance, also known as the hairspring (an invention also claimed, less convincingly, by Robert Hooke). This very fine spring, coiled flat, controls the speed of oscillation of the balance wheel. For the first time it is possible to make a watch which is reasonably accurate and slim. Both elements are important, for the sober gentlemen of the late 17th century are less inclined than their ancestors to wear jewels round the neck. A watch which will keep the time and slip into a waistcoat pocket is what they require. Thomas Tompion, the greatest of English clock and watchmakers, is one of the first to apply the hairspring successfully in pocket watches (of which his workshop produces more than 6000 in his lifetime). The new accuracy of these instruments prompts an addition to the face of a watch that of the minute hand. The familiar watch face, with two concentric hands moving round a single dial, is at first considered confusing. There are experiments with several other arrangements of the hour and minute hand, before the design which has since been taken for granted is widely accepted. Chronometer: AD 1714-1766 Two centuries of ocean travel, since the first European voyages of discovery, have made it increasingly important for ships captains whether on naval or merchant business to be able to calculate their position accurately in any of the worlds seas. With the help of the simple and ancient astrolabe, the stars will reveal latitude. But on a revolving planet, longitude is harder. You need to know what time it is, before you can discover what place it is. The importance of this is made evident when the British government, in 1714, sets up a Board of Longitude and offers a massive  £20,000 prize to any inventor who can produce a clock capable of keeping accurate time at sea. The terms are demanding. To win the prize a chronometer (a solemnly scientific term for a clock, first used in a document of this year) must be sufficiently accurate to calculate longitude within thirty nautical miles at the end of a journey to the West Indies. This means that in rough seas, damp salty conditions and sudden changes of temperature the instrument must lose or gain not more than three seconds a day a level of accuracy unmatched at this time by the best clocks in the calmest London drawing rooms. The challenge appeals to John Harrison, at the time of the announcement a 21-year-old Lincolnshire carpenter with an interest in clocks. It is nearly sixty years before he wins the money. Luckily he lives long enough to collect it. By 1735 Harrison has built the first chronometer which he believes approaches the necessary standard. Over the next quarter-century he replaces it with three improved models before formally undergoing the governments test. His innovations include bearings which reduce friction, weighted balances interconnected by coiled springs to minimize the effects of movement, and the use of two metals in the balance spring to cope with expansion and contraction caused by changes of temperature. Harrisons first sea clock, in 1735, weighs 72 pounds and is 3 feet in all dimensions. His fourth, in 1759, is more like a watch circular and 5 inches in diameter. It is this machine which undergoes the sea trials. Harrison is now sixty-seven, so his son takes the chronometer on its test journey to Jamaica in 1761. It is five seconds slow at the end of the voyage. The government argues that this may be a fluke and offers Harrison only  £2500. After further trials, and the successful building of a Harrison chronometer by another craftsman (at the huge cost of  £450), the inventor is finally paid the full prize money in 1773. He has proved in 1761 what is possible, but his chronometer is an elaborate and expensive way of achieving the purpose. It is in France, where a large prize is also on offer from the Acadà ©mie des Sciences, that the practical chronometer of the future is developed. The French trial, open to all comers, takes place in 1766 on a voyage from Le Havre in a specially commissioned yacht, the Aurore. The only chronometer ready for the test is designed by Pierre Le Roy. At the end of forty-six days, his machine is accurate to within eight seconds. Le Roys timepiece is larger than Harrisons final model, but it is very much easier to construct. It provides the pattern of the future. With further modifications from various sources over the next two decades, the marine chronometer in its lasting form emerges before the end of the 18th century. Using it in combination with the sextant, explorers travelling the worlds oceans can now bring back accurate information of immense value to the makers of maps and charts. A millennium clock: AD 1746 In 1746 a French clockmaker, Monsieur Passemont (his first name is not known), completes a clock which is almost certainly the first in the world to be able to take account of a new millennium. Its dials can reveal the date of the month in any year up to AD 9999. It is a longcase clock, in an ornate baroque casing which conceals a mechanism consisting of more than 1000 interconnecting wheels and cogs. Their related movements, as they turn at their different speeds with each swing of the pendulum, are designed to cope with the complexities of the Julian calendar. Thus, for example, one large brass wheel has the responsibility of inserting February 29 in each leap year. This particular wheel takes four years to complete a single revolution. When it has come full circle, it pops in the extra day. (M. Passemont decides, however, not to grapple with Gregorian refinements; the absence of February 29 in 1700, 1800 and 1900 has had to be manually achieved.) Louis XV buys the clock in 1749, three years after its completion. It is still ticking away two and a half centuries later in the palace of Versailles. The minutiae of daily time-keeping are also adjusted by hand (the clock loses a minute a month), but Monsieur Passemonts masterpiece requires no assistance in making a significant change in the first digit of its year display from 1 to 2, at midnight on 31 December 1999.

The Nature of the Absurd How Brecht and Pirandello Express the Notion of Absurdity :: Essays Papers

The Nature of the Absurd How Brecht and Pirandello Express the Notion of Absurdity The word absurd can only be described by the Myth of Sisyphus, written by Albert Camus. It is a myth written about a man whose passion for life led him to his own torture. He was a man condemned by the gods to a life of dreadful punishment. His punishment was continuously rolling a rock to the top of a mountain. Each day the rock would roll its entire weight to the bottom, and Sisyphus would push it back to the top. Sisyphus is the absurd hero, as much through his passion for life as his torture. His whole life is pushing towards a goal that is accomplishing nothing. He lives a purposeless and powerless life. The tragic part of this story is that Sisyphus is conscious to this fact. He knows that every step he takes is one that lacks success. He knows as he is in the duration of his descent, as he thinks about the passions of his life, that he will once again face the sorrows of his hopeless labor when he faces the rock at the bottom of the hill. This is what makes the myth absurd. He can still be filled with happiness, especially on his descent, even though he is condemned to his fate. He never gives in to the circumstances and rises above. He can hold his head up and keep going, just as we do. Today we live our lives no less absurdly then Sisyphus did. We get up and work at the same tasks day after day. I have been going to school almost every day for the last 15 years. I have been following the structure that I am expected to follow, and accomplish little within each day. Sisyphus teaches us that we always have the ability to rise above our lot by laughing at our condition. Two pieces of literature that portray the notion of absurdity are Mother Courage by Bertolt Brecht and Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello, because they both teach us lessons about our ability as humans to overcome our circumstances. Brecht wrote Mother Courage on the eve of World War II, and has a very pessimistic view of the world.

Explain the Principal Psychological Perspectives Essay

The behaviourist perspective is an idea that we can understand any type of behaviour by looking at what the person has learner. This includes personality traits such as shyness, confidence, optimism or pessimism. Behaviourist psychologists explain all human behaviour as resulting from experience. Two key psychologists are Pavlov and Skinner, although these two theorists believed that different processes were involved, they both explained all types of behaviour as being the result of learning. This is everything from shyness to aggression and happiness to depression. Classical conditioning was a theory developed by a Russian psychologist called Ivan Pavlov. He was working with dogs to investigate their digestive system. The dogs were attached to a harness and Pavlov attached monitors to their stomachs and mouths so he could measure the rate of salivation. He noticed that the dog began to salivate when someone entered the room with a bowl of food, but before the dog had eaten the food. Since salivation is a reflex response, this seemed unusual. Pavlov decided that the dog was salivating because it had learned to associate the person with the food. He then developed a theory. Food automatically led to the salivation response, since this response had not been learned, he called this an unconditioned response, which is a response that regularly occurs when an unconditioned stimulus is presented. As food automatically leads to this response, he called this an unconditioned stimulus, which is a stimulus that regularly and consistently leads to an automatic response. Pavlov then presented food at the same time as ringing a bell (neutral stimulus), to see if the dog would learn to associate the bell with the food. After several trials, the dog learned that the bell was associated with food and eventually it began to salivate only when the bell was rung and no food was presented. It therefore had learned the conditioned response of salivation to the conditioned stimulus, the conditioned response is a new, learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that mimics the response to the unconditioned stimulus. The Conditioned stimulus is a neutral stimulus that, when paired with the unconditioned stimulus, produces a conditioned response, just as the unconditioned response used to. Operant conditioning was a theory created by an American psychologist called Burrhus Frederic Skinner. Skinner worked mostly with rats and pigeons to discover key principles of learning new behaviours. He used a device called a Skinner box, the box contains a lever which, when pressed, releases a food pellet into the box which therefore should reinforce lever-pressing behaviour. When the rat is first placed in the box it will run around and sniff the various items and at some point it will press the lever, releasing the food pellet. When the rat has performed this action several times, it will learn that this behaviour is automatically followed by the release of a food pellet. Because the pellet is reinforcing, this consequence increases the probability of the behaviour being repeated. The two types of reinforcement are positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is when the consequence following a particular behaviour is experienced as desirable. Negative reinforcement is when behaviour results in a consequence that removes something unpleasant. Skinner tested the negative reinforcement by running a very low electrical current on the floor of the skinner box. The current would be de-activated if the rat pressed the lever. The lever pressing was therefore negatively reinforcing. Social learning theory: There are many influences on our behaviour, this comes from peers, siblings, parents, television, sports and celebrities. According to the social learning theory, role models are very important. The likelihood of imitating behaviours is strongly influenced by the way we perceive the person performing the behaviour. If we observe the behaviour of someone we admire, we are more likely to imitate their behaviour. For example, if someone such as Bradley wiggins recommends that we should wear a cycle helmet, we are much more likely to imitate this behaviour as we are closer to being like this admired model. But, if someone we look down on recommends that we do the same, we are much less likely to do so as we do not want to be perceived as the person we look down on. Certain attributes of a person determine whether the behaviour is more likely to be imitated, these attributes include; gender, similarity to ourselves, status, prestige, competence and fame. Our behaviour is also influenced by the presence of other, no matter how much we believe ourselves to be individuals. Culture is the shared values, norms, language, customs and practices of a group. It also refers to different sub-groups within society. It is important to understand how culture affects our behaviour in order to gain a full understanding of the people we encounter and those we work with. Watson found that the average amount of eye contact made varied between countries, with high degrees of eye contact being seen as insolent by some Africans and East Asians, whereas among Indians and Latin-Americans this was seen as desirable. The self-fulfilling prophecy is a concept in psychology that has an impact on the way we behave towards others and expect them to behave towards us. If we believe ourselves to be worthwhile, pleasant and likeable then we will almost certainly be polite and cheerful towards those we meet, therefore it will create a favourable impression. In response, those who come into contact with us perceive us favourably and behave in a positive way towards us, this results in our positive self-beliefs being confirmed. On the other hand, if we are angry and feel the whole world is against us, then we are likely to behave in a more aggressive way and therefore this is how we will be responded to, which will confirm our views of ourselves and the world. The Psychodynamic approach: This approach was created by an Austrian psychologist called Sigmund Freud. Freud was one of the earliest thinkers to bring to public attention the idea that we are not always aware of all aspects of ourselves. He said that we’re are aware of things in our conscious mind, but things like our memories, feelings and past experiences are locked up in a part of our mind called the unconscious. We can’t access the unconscious part of our minds but they leak out in dreams or through a slip of the tongue. Part of the unconscious that we can easily access he called the pre-conscious. This contains information that isn’t in the conscious part of our minds but can be easily retrieved. Freud believed that early experiences determine behaviours later in life. He developed the psychosexual theory, he believed we all go through several stages of psychosexual development. At each stage, the individuals libido is focused on a part of the body that is particularly relevant at that stage. If the needs are met for the developing child at each stage, it moves on to the next development stage. If there is a struggle or conflict, the individual becomes stuck at this stage. This results in certain personality traits, which are carried through into adulthood and which can explain behaviour in later life. The earliest stage is the ‘oral stage’, the focus here is on the mouth and consists of behaviours such as sucking, biting and licking. Freud believed that, either, the infant was weaned too early and would feel under-gratified and unsatisfied and would develop into a pessimistic sarcastic person. On the other hand, the infant was weaned too late and would develop a gullible personality and naively trust in others. This stage lasts from birth to approximately 18 months. If the infant passes through the oral stage without becoming stuck, the next stage is the ‘anal stage’, which lasts from approximately one to three years. The libido here is focused on aspects to do with potty training. If there is a battle with parents about potty training, with the child feeling forced to use the potty before they are ready. The child may rebel by retaining their faeces, therefore holding on to the control and withholding satisfaction from the parents. This is called ‘anally retentive’ and is associated with later personality traits such as obstinacy, miserliness and obsessive traits. The alternative is that the child is not given enough boundaries over potty training so they take pleasure in excretion and become a messy, creative, disorganised person. During the ages of four to five, a child passes through the ‘phallic stage’. Fixation at this stage is associated with anxiety and guilty feelings about sex and fear about castration for males. If this stage is not resolved, Freud suggests that a boy may become homosexual and a girl may become a lesbian. Between the ages of five to seven and the onset of puberty, a child enters the ‘latency stage’, it is not a developmental stage but is when the focus is on social pursuits such as sport, academic excellence and the development of friendships. The final stage is the ‘gential stage’, this begins at puberty. Freud believed that the less fixated a child has become during the earlier stages, the more easily this stage will be negotiated, resulting in the ability to form strong heterosexual relationships, with the ability to be warm and loving as well as receive love in a mature way. Another important feature of early experiences is the development of ego defence mechanisms. An ego is the part of the mind whose function it is to moderate the demands of the id and prevent the superego being too harsh. It operates on the reality principle. The use of a defence mechanism allows us to block out events that threaten to overwhelm us. Examples of ego defences are things such as repression which allows a person to forget an event such as a traumatic event. Regression is reverting to an earlier stage of development such as wetting the bed when gaining a new sibling despite never doing so before. Denial is pushing an event or emotion out of the conscious mind, such as denying that a loved one has died. Displacement is redirecting desires onto a safe object, such as taking your anger out on someone you love because of someone else giving you a hard time. Freud suggested that the mind is divided into three dynamic parts which he called the ‘psyche’. The ‘id’ is the part of the mind which is completely unconscious and exists at birth. It is focused on getting what is wants and has aggressive, sexual and loving instincts, such as ‘i want’. The ‘superego’ is a result of socialisation and consists of all the instructions, morals and values that are repeatedly reinforced when growing up. It consists of an internalisation of all the values of right and wrong we have been socialised to believe in, it is our conscience and represents a view of our ideal self. The main role of the superego is to subdue the activity of the id. The ego tries to balance the id and the superego. It is the rational part of the mind. Different behaviours can be understood by trying to infer which part of the psyche is dominant at any time. For example, a person who is submissive, guilty and always wanting to please others may have a very strong superego. A person who is impulsive, careless of other people’s feelings and does not care about the consequences of their actions will have a very strong id. A person who can be submissive but assertive when need be, who is able to think about other peoples needs but value their own can probably balance the id and superego. Eric Erikson was a psychologist who agreed with much of Freuds theory that we developed through a series of stages. Although, he believed these continued throughout our lifetime and were essentially social in nature. He believed that Freud put too much emphasis on desire and not enough on our need to be accepted by society and lead a meaningful life. Erikson suggested that we move through a series of psychosocial crises with a different social focus at each stage. The Humanistic perspective: Humanistic psychology looks at human experience from the viewpoint of an individual, it focuses on the idea of free will and that we are all capable of making our own choices. Maslow is an American psychologist who believed that we are all seeking to be the best we can both, spiritually, physically, emotionally and intellectually. He called this self-actualisation. He made a theory called the hierarchy of needs, which explains that every person requires certain basic needs to be met before they can reach the next level. Maslow believed that until our basic needs are met, we will focus on getting them met and not be able to progress further. When we are comfortable physically, we focus on our emotional needs such as self-esteem. When these needs are met we strive to self-actualise. Carl rogers was a psychologist who was interested in the concept of self. Self-concept refers to the way we view ourselves, this is physically and biologically, attributes such as being male or female, blonde or brunette, tall or short, as well as personality traits such as being kind, humble, assertive or hard-working. The self-concept is formed from an early age and children internalise other people’s judgements of them, which may become a part of their self-concept. Internalise is the way we take in information from the outside world and build into our sense of self. It then becomes part of our feelings, thoughts and beliefs about ourselves. If a child is told they’re silly, naughty and will come to no good, part of their self-aspect will contain these aspects. On the other hand, if a child is praised and encouraged to succeed, they will have positive self-concept. The cognitive/information processing perspective: Jean piaget was a Swiss psychologist who initially worked on measuring intelligence. He noticed that children on the same ages make the same mistakes in logic, no matter how bright they were. He came to the conclusion that cognition develops through a series of stages, each new stage building on the previous one. Birth to 1 Â ½ or 2 years ‘the sensorimotor stage’ – Learning to use senses and muscles – thinking without language. Babies are born with the ability to sense objects, they are also born with a range of reflexes such as the sucking reflex to enable them to feed. These reflexes lead to ‘motor actions’ controlling body muscles. The sensorimotor stage is a stage when thinking is limited to sensing objects and performing motor actions. Piaget believed that a baby would not have a working system for remembering and thinking about the world until they were about 18 months old. 2-7 years ‘the pre-operational stage’ – Pre-logical thinking in language but without understanding logic. Piaget believed that during this stage, children could not think in a logical way. Children can use words to communicate but cannot understand logical implications involved in language. Pre-operational children cannot properly understand how ideas like number, mass and volume really work. 7-11 years ‘the concrete operational stage’ – A stage where logical thinking is limited to practical situations. Children in the concrete operations stage can think logically provided the issues are concrete. In the concrete operational stage children may be able to understand simple logical puzzles. 11+ years ‘the formal operational stage’ – Thinking using logic and abstract thought processes – adult thinking. With formal logic, an adult can solve complex problems. This stage allows adolescents and adults to use abstract concepts to gain understanding of the world. Adults can think scientifically and think through complicated ideas in our head without having to see the concrete picture. George Kelly developed a psychological theory called the psychology of personal constructs. He saw the individual as a scientist, making predictions about the future, testing them and revising them according to new evidence. A construct is a way of construing reality and the environment. Kelly believed that we do not have to be constrained by our past history but can seek out new, alternative, more positive meanings. The biological perspective: Maturational theory – this theory holds that the effects of the environment are minimal. A child is born with a set of genetic instructions that are passed down from their parents. Their cognitive, physical and other developmental processes merely unfold over time, rather than being dependent on the environment to mature. It is a theory which states that development is due to nature not nurture. Arnold Gesell believed that development occurred according to a sequence of developmental processes. Development in the womb has a fixed set of stages; the heart begins to form first, along with a nervous system. Bones and muscles develop next and over time the organism develops into a fully functioning human being. As the child develops from birth, its genes allow it to develop gradually into the person they’re meant to be. Genes can affect behaviour in many ways. Many diseases such as Cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease are passed on through parents genes. Diseases such as these are genetically determined, regardless of environmental factors. Disorders that are not genetically determined, but where an individual’s genes may leave them with a vulnerability to developing the disorder are very common. The autonomic nervous system produces its effects through activation of nerve fibres throughout the nervous system, brain and body or by stimulating the release of hormones from endocrine glands. Hormones are biochemical substances that are release into the bloodstream and have a profound effect on target organs and behaviour. They are present in very small quantities and individual molecules have a very short life, so their effects quickly disappear if they are secreted continiously. There are a large number of hormones, such as, melatonin which acts on the brainstem sleep mechanisms to help synchronise the phases of sleep and activity. Testosterone, which may influence aggressiveness, and oxytocin which stimulates milk production and female orgasms.