Free Essays on Aztecs

Aztecs By: Josef E-mail: Dxyster@aol.com The Aztecs Around 1168 AD, a Nahua tribe called the Aztecs left their mysterious homeland known as Aztln and migrated south to Central Valley. At first the Aztecs were practically enslaved by the other Nahua tribe, but they continued to struggle for power. By the 1300's the Aztecs had founded two different settlements on Islands in lakes. These places are known as Tlaltetalco and Tenochtitln. By the 15th century Tenochtitln was the center of the Aztec world. By the 16th century Tenochtitln dominated all the other cities in Central Valley. The middle of the Aztec Empire was near the Lerma River. This plateau is made up of five different sections; the volcanic axis lies across the southern part of the plateau. This area still has active volcanoes; they receive a lot of rain and have fertile soil. The bajio is located just north of the volcanic axis; it has an average elevation of 7,000 feet. This is where the Aztec capital Tenochtitln was locate d. Accounting for more than half of the plateau is the Mesa Del notre. The Mesa Del notre has an average elevation of 9,000 feet. Along the western ridge of the plateau is the Sierra Madre Occidental. The Sierra Madre Occidental is a long mountain chain that protected the Aztecs from outside invaders. Along the eastern side of the plateau is the Sierra Madre Oriental. The Aztec capital receives anywhere between 30 - 50 cm. Temperatures range from 10 - 15 degrees centigrade in winter, to 20 - 25 degrees centigrade in summer. Aztec society was divided into three classes, the slaves, the common people, and the nobility. The Slave class was mostly made up of criminals and POW's. Slaves could obtain freedom in two ways. The first was to buy it. The second way was to try to escape from their masters. If they reached the royal palace without being caught, they were immediately given their freedom. The commoners, also known as the Maceualtin were given own... Free Essays on Aztecs Free Essays on Aztecs The Aztec Nation A distant sound is heard. It sounds like a deep drum being hit with a heavy instrument. You hear it again and strain your eyes in the direction of the sound. All around you is dense jungle. Snakes slither between your legs. You hear the sound once again. In front of you is a dense stand of ferns. You part them and look down into a wide open valley. The valley gets so wide and it is so green that it takes your breath away. But that is not what you are looking at. You are staring at a huge city with glittering buildings shining in the spring sunlight. Smoke rises up from some of the many houses. You can see and hear children playing in the wide open fields in front of the shining buildings. Lamas and chickens are being bought and sold. You see bags of gold jewelry being bought and sold. Beyond the market place you can watch a religious ceremony. You hear the scream of a person being sacrificed to one of the gods. Beyond the city there are roads made of stone and! canals full of pedestrians and canos. Who are these people and what are they doing here you wonder? The above paragraph describes what an early explorer in Mexico might have seen between 1400 and 1500 AD. The Aztec nation is one of the largest and most advanced Indian nations to ever exist on earth. Just about every part of the Aztec life was advance to such a state that at that time of the world the people were living better than many European nations. The Aztec nation is unique in its history, economy, environment, and way of life then any other nation at that time. Perhaps three to four thousand years ago, small bands of hunting-gathering peoples made their way across the land bridge that was the frozen Bering Strait, migrated southward through what is now Alaska, Canada, the United States, Central America, South America, and Mexico, settling along the way. One such hunting- gathering group settled in the Central Valley of what is now Mexico (Nicholson 1985)... Free Essays on Aztecs Aztec Empire I INTRODUCTION Aztec Empire, Native American state that ruled much of what is now Mexico from about 1428 until 1521, when the empire was conquered by the Spaniards. The empire represented the highest point in the development of the rich Aztec civilization that had begun more than a century earlier. At the height of their power, the Aztec controlled a region stretching from the Valley of Mexico in central Mexico east to the Gulf of Mexico and south to Guatemala. The Aztec built great cities and developed a complex social, political, and religious structure. Their capital, Tenochtitln, was located on the site of present-day Mexico City. An elaborate metropolis built on islands and reclaimed marsh land, Tenochtitln was possibly the largest city in the world at the time of the Spanish conquest. It featured a huge temple complex, a royal palace, and numerous canals. After the Spanish conquest, the empire of the Aztec was destroyed, but their civilization remained an important influence on the development of Mexican culture. Many contemporary Mexicans are descended from the Aztec, and more than 1 million Mexicans speak Nahuatl, the native Aztec language, as their primary language. In Mexico City, excavations continue to uncover temple foundations, statues, jewelry, and other artifacts of the Aztec civilization. Aztec refers both to the people who founded the empire, who called themselves Mexica, or Tenochca, and, more generally, to all of the many other Nahuatl-speaking ethnic groups that lived in the Valley of Mexico at the time of the Spanish conquest. The name Aztec is derived from Aztln, the mythical homeland of the Mexica; according to tradition, Aztln was located northwest of the Valley of Mexico, possibly in west Mexico. The name Mexico is derived from Mexica. II EARLY HISTORY Long before the rise of the Aztec, the Valley of Mexico was the center of a highly developed civilization. A fertile... Free Essays on Aztecs Aztecs By: Josef E-mail: Dxyster@aol.com The Aztecs Around 1168 AD, a Nahua tribe called the Aztecs left their mysterious homeland known as Aztln and migrated south to Central Valley. At first the Aztecs were practically enslaved by the other Nahua tribe, but they continued to struggle for power. By the 1300's the Aztecs had founded two different settlements on Islands in lakes. These places are known as Tlaltetalco and Tenochtitln. By the 15th century Tenochtitln was the center of the Aztec world. By the 16th century Tenochtitln dominated all the other cities in Central Valley. The middle of the Aztec Empire was near the Lerma River. This plateau is made up of five different sections; the volcanic axis lies across the southern part of the plateau. This area still has active volcanoes; they receive a lot of rain and have fertile soil. The bajio is located just north of the volcanic axis; it has an average elevation of 7,000 feet. This is where the Aztec capital Tenochtitln was locate d. Accounting for more than half of the plateau is the Mesa Del notre. The Mesa Del notre has an average elevation of 9,000 feet. Along the western ridge of the plateau is the Sierra Madre Occidental. The Sierra Madre Occidental is a long mountain chain that protected the Aztecs from outside invaders. Along the eastern side of the plateau is the Sierra Madre Oriental. The Aztec capital receives anywhere between 30 - 50 cm. Temperatures range from 10 - 15 degrees centigrade in winter, to 20 - 25 degrees centigrade in summer. Aztec society was divided into three classes, the slaves, the common people, and the nobility. The Slave class was mostly made up of criminals and POW's. Slaves could obtain freedom in two ways. The first was to buy it. The second way was to try to escape from their masters. If they reached the royal palace without being caught, they were immediately given their freedom. The commoners, also known as the Maceualtin were given own... Free Essays on Aztecs The Aztec lived in the city of Tenochtitlan, which is a fertile basin about 50 miles long and as wide. Surrounded by mountain ranges and several volcanoes, the Aztec has abundant supply of water. With being 8000ft above sea level the day were mild and the nights are cold during much of the year. The Aztecs name means "heron people" their name is derived from the mythical homeland to the north called Azatlan. This in mind their language(Nahuatl) also belong to the linguistic family as the Soshonean, a tongue will represented among the Indians of the Untied States. In the Aztecs culture their main principal crop was maize. Maize was usually cooked with lime then ground to make dough, then patted into tortillas, other principal crops were beans, squash, tomatoes, cotton, chilies. The two crops maguey and agave were used as cord, sacks and sandals and a substitute for cotton in clothing. From the juice of the maguey was use in a mild form of alcohol called pulque, which was the ceremonia l drink. Only the old men of the committee was able to drink pulque freely, otherwise among the younger generation couldn't get drunk except at certain religious feast. Drunkenness was considered a serious offense even punishable by death. In the Aztecs culture there were clans, each clan there was tribes and each tribe was divided up. Then each family were allotted sufficient land for its maintenance, if no one else were alive in the family, then the land were reverted back to the tribe. Urban communities, the land were communal, each group called capulli was composed of a few families that jointly owned a piece of land. Then part of the yield was given to the state as a tax. Rest of yield would be either sold, traded or for their own use. There were two kinds of farmer, first there was the general field workers. They were in charge with preparing the soil, breaking up clods, hoeing(with the coa digging sticks), leveling, setting boundary markers, planting,...

The Importance of Asking for Performance Feedback

The Importance of Asking for Performance Feedback Do you know if you’re doing well at your job? More importantly, do you know if others (including your direct supervisor) think you are doing well? Sometimes the days, weeks, and months pass by so fast in such a busy haze of work that you don’t have time to assess your performance. Then, as you gear up for your annual review, you’re in the dark.  Might you get you promotion this year?  What do  your co-workers think of you?Take charge of your career by removing uncertainty from the equation–ask for specific feedback at least once a month from someone at your workplace. Being proactive about your performance status will give you targeted advice on where you excel and where you need improvement.Just finished a big project?Schedule a one-on-one with your manager to discuss how it went, where you thrived, and what you can do differently next time.Work side-by-side with the same people every day?Shoot a co-worker an email to ask how she thought you handled a recent stressful situation.Do you have clients you deal with on a regular basis?The next time you talk, check in to see if they’re getting everything they need from you.Soliciting feedback not only shows you’re invested in your career and in improving your skills as an employee, but it also demonstrates you are committed to working toward the future of your workplace.

Language and Power 2.2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Language and Power 2.2 - Essay Example As such, the following analysis will seek to provide an overview and understanding of how educators, as well as fellow stakeholders, can develop effective responses to issues of language in power. It is the hope of this particular author that such a level of discussion will be beneficial; not only in providing a broader level of identification and understanding of the subject matter of module two – but also in terms of effectively understanding the many nuanced impacts that language has upon the life of the individual student and stakeholder within society. Similarly, a specific focus will also be placed upon pedagogical responses to my: such as critical literacy, critical pedagogy, critical multiculturalism, and other aspects that are oftentimes included in core curricula around the globe. In terms of critical pedagogy and critical multiculturalism, Alastair Pennycook indicates that one of the major issues facing educators within the current era has to do with the interpretation of teaching ESL students; or more specifically (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Within his article, entitled â€Å"Critical Moments in TESOL Praxicum†, Pennycook indicates there is a certain stigma that is attached to teaching these students; a stigma that most directly relates to an understanding that TESOL education is a type of grunt work – something that no other educator wants. As can directly be seen, the implication of this has for critical pedagogy and critical multiculturalism is one in which these students are oftentimes understood or viewed in terms of the â€Å"untouchables† (Pennycook, 2004). Whereas it is oftentimes not the race, gender, or culture of the ESL student that encourages certain educators to make this assessment, the impac t of lack of desire, lack of passion, or lack of interest in

Organizational behavior Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational behavior Analysis - Essay Example What made our group more successful in carrying out the project was how each member discussed and listened to everyone’s opinions. For instance, during the choice of places where an interview was to be carried out, all members would lay down their suggestions. Everyone would emphasize why his or her ideas were appropriate while others would oppose, but we would all come into consensus after considering the views of the majority. Despite the achievement of the group all group members would have practiced more commitments in the meetings. If all the members would have attend the meetings held in the school library, there would be a great team impact on the project. For instance, there would be huge contributions to the ideas fostering good progress on the project. There are other weaknesses that I observed in our group which I have reasons to believe would make the group more effective if they were observed and tackled. The weaknesses were relative to a number of concepts. The first one was motivation. Motivation is an act of giving a person a reason to do something in a particular way. According to my observations for the group, the members did not have enough motivation especially when it came to attending meetings. There were those who failed to attend some of the meetings held in the school library. The second concept was emotions. This is any strong feeling of anger, love, hate, joy, or fear (Fugate and Kinicki 81). Some of the members would sometimes get into a negative emotion such as hate, fear and anger. This usually happened during debates on issues involving group activities. For instance, it happened that any issue or idea would be placed at a platform were a number of the members would either oppose or propose. In most cases, those opposing an issue would lose to the proposing side. This would bring

Social Work Essay Example for Free

Social Work Essay There is a crisis in social work which requires a radical analysis of the contradictions within contemporary social work. The confusion about the role of social work and the declining morale and self-confidence of social workers have resulted in the loss of experienced staff and reluctance of young people to consider a career in social work. This analysis inevitably challenges the present culture of professional training. Proposals to increase the professionalism among social workers have created a crisis in social work. Increasing professionalism will remove social workers further from the people they serve. Questions are already being asked about the value of academic social work training and whether it adequately prepares people for the realities of the job. The social work task is best learned by students working with people in the community who are committed to social change. There is more to social work than simply conforming to, and fitting in with organizations that employ social workers. The ability to show a certain independence of thinking is what makes the social worker a professional. Social work has a rich history of this independent thinking. Social work as a profession should assert that the assessment of a clients needs should not only be driven by the availability of resources but should also be concerned with the reduction of inequality and social injustice. Unfortunately, the social work profession now seems divorced from its roots in socialist ideology and too narrowly concerned with its promoting itself. These elitist pressures are contributing to the current crisis in social work and must be resisted. Proposals to increase the length of training of social workers and elevate their status are not the answer. Increasing professionalization will remove social workers further from the people they serve. Questions are already being asked about the value of academic social work training and whether it adequately prepares people for the realities of the job. The social work task is best learned by students working with people in the community who share their expertise and knowledge with each other and are committed to social change. At present the middle class training establishments are blind to class issues. They claim to be teaching non-oppressive practice but in reality it is a myth. Anti-discriminatory training has failed to put the spotlight on the position of the invisible oppressed i.e. the working class. It can only be assumed that social work  training takes the view that the s ituation of the working class is the natural order of things. If social workers genuinely seek to serve all the members of society there must be an overhaul of training and a radical shift in social work practice to ensure it reflects the centrality of class issues. Social workers today need to draw upon this rich heritage and challenges the increasingly conservative environment within which it operates. The gulf between the services that social service organizations say they deliver and the services that they actually they deliver. Departments may claim to provide services for people in need but social workers know that many people who are suffering material and social deprivation do not get essential services. Many service organizations today have actually become narrower in their focus because of new reforms such as welfare reform. In many instances, social workers titles have actually been changed to that of Case Managers where their roles have been reduced to that of mediator between the client and services they locate for them with other organizations. The overall effect of such changes has been to obscure the high level of poverty and deprivation of service users and to seriously undermine social work values. There is a crisis in social work which requires a radical analysis of the contradictions within contemporary social work. The confusion about the role of social work and the declining morale and self-confidence of social workers have resulted in the loss of experienced staff and reluctance of young people to consider a career in social work. This analysis inevitably challenges the present culture of professional training. Proposals to increase the professionalism among social workers has created a crisis in social work. Increasing professionalism will remove social workers further from the people they serve. Questions are already being asked about the value of academic social work training and whether it adequately prepares people for the realities of the job. The social work task is best learned by students working with people in the community who are committed to social change. There is more to social work than simply conforming to, and fitting in with organizations that employ social workers. The ability to show a certain independence of thinking is what makes the social worker a professional. Social work has a rich history of this independent thinking.  Social work as a profession should assert that the assessment of a clients needs should not only be driven by the availability of resources but should also be concerned with the reduction of inequality and social injustice. Unfortunately, the social work profession now seems divorced from its roots in socialist ideology and too narrowly concerned with its promoting itself. These elitist pressures are contributing to the current crisis in social work and must be resisted. Proposals to increase the length of training of social workers and elevate their status are not the answer. Increasing professionalisation will remove social workers further from the people they serve. Questions are already being asked about the value of academic social work training and whether it adequately prepares people for the realities of the job. The social work task is best learned by students working with people in the community who share their expertise and knowledge with each other and are committed to social change. At present the middle class training establishments are blind to class issues. They claim to be teaching non-oppressive practice but in reality it is a myth. Anti-discriminatory training has failed to put the spotlight on the position of the invisible oppressed i.e. the working class. It can only be assumed that social work training takes the view that the situation of the working class is the natural order of things. If social workers genuinely seek to serve all the members of society there must be an overhaul of training and a radical shift in social work practice to ensure it reflects the centrality of class issues. Social workers today need to draw upon this rich heritage and challenges the increasingly conservative environment within which it operates. The gulf between the services that social service organizations say they deliver and the services that they actually they deliver. Departments may claim to provide services for people in need but social workers know that many people who are suffering material and social deprivation do not get essential servi ces. Many service organizations today have actually become narrower in their focus because of new reforms   such as welfare reform. In many instances, social workers titles have actually been changed to that of Case Managers where their roles have been reduced to that of mediator between the client and services they locate for them with other organizations. The overall effect of such changes has been to obscure the high level of poverty and deprivation of service users and to  seriously undermine social work values. The Crisis in Social Work There is a crisis in social work which requires a radical analysis of the contradictions within contemporary social work. The confusion about the role of social work and the declining morale and self-confidence of social workers have resulted in the loss of experienced staff and reluctance of young people to consider a career in social work. This analysis inevitably challenges the present culture of professional training. Proposals to increase the professionalism among social workers has created a crisis in social work. Increasing professionalism will remove social workers further from the people they serve. Questions are already being asked about the value of academic social work training and whether it adequately prepares people for the realities of the job. The social work task is best learned by students working with people in the community who are committed to social change. There is more to social work than simply conforming to, and fitting in with organizations that employ social workers. The ability to show a certain independence of thinking is what makes the social worker a professional. Social work has a rich history of this independent thinking. Social work as a profession should assert that the assessment of a clients needs should not only be driven by the availability of resources but should also be concerned with the reduction of inequality and social injustice. Unfortunately, the social work profession now seems divorced from its roots in socialist ideology and too narrowly concerned with its promoting itself. These elitist pressures are contributing to the current crisis in social work and must be resisted. Proposals to increase the length of training of social workers and elevate their status are not the answer. Increasing professionalisation will remove social workers further from the people they serve. Questions are already being asked about the value of academic social work training and whether it adequately prepares people for the realities of the job. The social work task is best learned by students working with people in the community who share their expertise and knowledge with each other and are committed to social change. At present the middle class training establishments are blind to class issues. They claim to be teaching non-oppressive practice but in reality it is a myth.  Anti-discriminatory training has failed to put the spotlight on the position of the invisible oppressed i.e. the working class. It can only be assumed that social work training takes the view that the situation of the working class is the natural order of things. If social workers genuinely seek to serve all the members of society there must be an overhaul of training and a radical shift in social work practice to ensure it reflects the centrality of class issues. Social workers today need to draw upon this rich heritage and challenges the increasingly conservative environment within which it operates. The gulf between the services that social service organizations say they deliver and the services that they actually they deliver. Departments may claim to provide services for people in need but social workers know that many people who are suffering material and social deprivation do not get essential services. Many service organizations today have actually become narrower in their focus because of new reforms   such as welfare reform. In many instances, social workers titles have actually been changed to that of Case Managers where their roles have been reduced to that of mediator between the client and services they locate for them with other organizations. The overall effect of such changes has been to obscure the high level of poverty and deprivation of service users and to seriously undermine social work value

Golden Rice Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

'Golden Rice': Who Would Have Thought Something So Dry Could Raise So Much Controversy? Heated debate over the bioengineering of a type of rice that has come to be called 'golden rice' has been taking place in the past five years. Exploration of the possibilities that would follow the mapping of the rice genome began in response to the huge populations in developing countries that experience vitamin deficiencies; namely, vitamin A. When biotech company, Syngenta, announced that they had mapped the rice genome, a series of activist groups spoke out against a project that was, many argued, politically and financially motivated. This has been a topic of intense debate that I was surprised to find. Developing a kind of rice containing a vitamin that is lacking among large populations seems to be such a great idea. So why does so much controversy surround the project? There are many more disadvantages to the introduction of the new technology than one might anticipate. The following first explores the effects of vitamin a deficiency and then the arguments of the opposition a nd supporters' responses to it. Vitamin A is an organic compound that is needed in small amounts in the human body; however a deficiency in this micronutrient can lead to problems and illnesses (3). The vitamin is found naturally in many plant and animal foods in the forms of retinal in animals and carotene in plants (3). Retinal pigments that are very important for night vision are produced by Vitamin A; the vitamin is also important in maintaining the strength of epithelial tissues (5). Without proper amounts of Vitamin A, the outer lining of the eyeball becomes dry and wrinkled, leading to redness and inflammation and, which brings potential of blindness... ...ww.indiatogether.org/reports/goldenrice/science.htm 9)"An exercise on how not to do science.", Author of this article is adamant critic of 'golden rice.' http://www.indiatogether.org/reports/goldenrice/science2.htm 10)"Golden Rice and Vitamin A Deficiency.", This article addresses problems with Golden Rice http://www.foe.org/safefood/rice.html 11) "Golden Rice: blind ambition?" Friends of the Earth International. Link Magazine: Issue 93, April/June 2003. More arguments against Golden Rice 12)"Grains of delusion: Golden rice seen from the ground.", Assessment of pros and cons of Golden rice. http://www.grain.org/grain/error404.cfm?url=/publications.delusion-en-p.html 13)"Golden Rice and Beyond.", This article contains arguments supporting Golden Rice research and the importance of technology transfer. http://www.biotech-info.net/Grandbeyond.html

Hamlet Behavioral Essay Essay

Shakespeare’s Hamlet for years has been the classic example of a man turned to madness because of his foul deeds and tortured soul, and yet despite this characterization he has also proven to be a character that the audience could relate to. He wasn’t loud or brash; indeed Hamlet was an educated man, a university scholar. As the play progresses the audience learns that he can and does love another person despite his quiet and reserved nature and when he does finally die in the closing sequences of the play, he does so in honor after killing the man who killed his father and who plotted to kill him. In Act III, Scene i of the play we meet Hamlet uttering those famous words â€Å"To be or not to be: that is the question† (III. i. 58). He is thinking about committing suicide because he is unable to deal with his own painful memories, especially those surrounding the death of his father. Later in this scene he rebukes Ophelia when she tries to return his gifts, categorically stating that he did not give her anything in love at all. He becomes angry with her and even demands that she move to a nunnery, as he was so upset at the concept of marriage. In this part of the play we see a man who is actually acting in kindness. He did not feel worthy of Ophelia’s love or affection and given that he was contemplating his own death he would be aware that Ophelia would be safe in a nunnery even if she wasn’t that happy. There is a suggestion from Shakespeare that Ophelia is aware of Hamlet’s motive behind his anger when she is described as mourning Hamlet’s mind, believing he had actually succumbed to insanity. In the second scene of Act III the audience is shown the plans Hamlet has for exposing the King through the enactment of a play that was meant to strongly resemble the actions that Hamlet presumed led to his father’s death. When the King does leave the room during the play Hamlet seeks assurances from his friends that the King’s behavior was suspect and therefore the King must be guilty. Hamlet decides to have a frank talk to his mother about the King before any action is taken. He is quoted as saying, â€Å"I will speak daggers to her, but use none† (III. ii. 366). This scene shows the paradox of Hamlet’s anguish over this father’s death. Although he believes the King his uncle is guilty, he also has the horrible duty of telling his mother about his suspicions and although he does exhibit signs of some mad behavior, he is still in control enough to understand the hurt his mother will go through after his revelation. This is evident in his further angry comments with Ophelia before he goes to speak to his mother. By the third scene Hamlet has worked himself up to a state where he could kill Claudius and avenge his father’s death, but when he goes to confront the man he sees that Claudius is on his knees praying. Now this scene is important because although Hamlet was angry enough to kill the King he wants to wait until the man has finished praying. A person that was totally out of control would not be considerate enough to wait until the victim had finished his prayers, but Hamlet did although his dialogue at the time suggests that Hamlet waited only because he did not want Claudius’s soul to go directly to heaven. The last scene of Act III is where Hamlet does confront his mother with his own suspicions and by accident kills Polonius. The scene contains graphic dialogue from Hamlet to his mother especially regarding her sexual relationship with his uncle, with his statements seemingly proving his lapse into insanity. The random killing of Polonius showed that even in anger Hamlet was not prepared to kill Claudius (the intended victim) face-to-face, which is why he did not pull back the curtain to ascertain the identity of the hidden man. Act III does contain some of the more graphic examples of Hamlet’s madness but on analysis it would seem his behavior could not be considered negative when taken in context. Hamlet was justifiably upset when he finds out Claudius has killed his father, and then married his mother straight afterwards. He wants what many young men of that era wanted, and that was to avenge his father’s death with honor, but it would seem that he just didn’t have the killer instinct in his behavior to actually carry out the act. Hamlet also shows foresight in arguing with Ophelia and in the way he verbally attacked his mother concentrating more on the sexual aspects of her life with Claudius rather than his personality. On analysis it would seem that Hamlet’s behavior in the third act would be as positive as it could be given the circumstances, and on reflection it is his lack of killing ability and his consideration for this mother and Ophelia that shows Hamlet’s behavior in a more positive light than can be assumed from a surface reading of the dialogue alone.

Do You Believe in Miracles

Ami Denman Dr. Anderson Phil 1043 4/26/13 Do You Believe In Miracles? Do you believe in miracles? I find it rather intriguing that some people still try to use science or any number of other disciplines as a way of explaining, give meaning or rationalizing the question of miracles or the existence of a higher power.I find it hard to understand why humans deny at least the possibility that everyday life presents us with mysteries that cannot simply be explained by human reasoning, rational explanations, the laws of science, or by the laws of nature, but instead just simply acknowledge that some things are unexplainable or justifiable and just miraculous.Although the belief in miracles have seemly been acknowledged as factual for centuries in works such as the Bible, many philosophers and scientists still question the validity of a miraculous event or experience and refuse to ascribe to the reasonable explanation that some things in the natural world cannot be proved by the method of s cience and are explicitly miraculous. A miracle can be de? ned by Hume as a ? transgression of a law of nature by the violation of a particular deity or invisible agent?.For scholars such as Maurice Wiles, Alastair McKinnon, and Steven Bayne a miracle can never occur because the actual concept of a miracle is incoherent. Bayne states, â€Å"Given Hume’s view on the nature of belief and belief production, it seems†¦that we should begin not by asking whether belief in a miracle can be rationally justified, but by asking whether a belief in a miracle is even possible. † However, I will aim to demonstrate why miracles can occur because ultimately the de? nition of miracles put forward by David Hume is archaic and irrelevant to today’s society.David Hume proposed a theoretical and practical case for why it is impossible for one ever to know if a miracle has occurred. His theoretical case begins by stating that all our knowledge comes from sensory experience and empirical evidence and the only proof for a miracle is its testimony. The probability that this is incorrect due to the witness being deluded or unreliable is much greater than the probability that a miracle has actually occurred, that is that the laws of nature have been violated.For this reason it seems clear that a miracle can never occur because the chance of the testimony being incorrect will always be greater than the laws of nature being wrong. For Hume ? a wise man proportions his beliefs?. There are several problems with this proposition, which demonstrate why Hume is incorrect, and miracles do actually occur. The ? rst is that his theory is founded upon Newtonian laws of nature and thus he argues that laws of nature are absolute and ? xed. However, works of Einstein have showed that laws of nature are in fact not absolute and ? ed and much of Newton? s work is to be doubted upon. Furthermore, quantum mechanics has shown that actually laws of nature don? t always have regul arity the study of particles on such a detailed level has shown that movement in the particles is random. The implications of these discoveries in science have meant that theories such as Hume, which base themselves on Newtonian laws, are also invalid like Newton’s work. Miracles can then occur and cannot be explained by science like quantum mechanics.However, there are not just problems for skeptics and scientists with accepting the existence of miracles. Maurice Wiles an American theologian suggested that if we accept miracles then we are lead to the conclusion that God is arbitrary and partisan therefore not a morally good God. Wiles says that this is unlikely, it is more likely that God is morally good and chooses not to intervene. He states that the only intervention God has in the world is creation and now sustaining his creation.Wiles on these grounds reject the notion of a miracle and suggests that they can never occur. What Wiles fails to realize is that God is not h uman, he is a being out of this world with characteristics possessed by no humans and so it is not necessary that this dilemma can be applied to him. As St Augustine said God is beyond human reasoning and it not necessarily that we will understand him or his behavior fully. Also, what Wiles is saying contradicts belief which has been around for over 2,000 years.It seems more likely that Wiles is incorrect than all the philosopher and theologians who predeceased him. For this reason, we can reject Wiles? argument and believe that miracles do actually occur. Swinburne, nevertheless, attempts to answer Wiles? dilemma. He gives that analogy of a child and parent relationship. Just like a parent keeps rules and expects the child to follow them, now and again the parent may agree to break the rules if for example a child pleads a lot. The same way God may violate the laws of nature if he so feels that it is logical.This is a credible suggestion for God? s apparent arbitrary and partisan n ature because religious scripture can be used to back up the belief that a parent and child relationship is analogous to the relationship between us and God and it makes sense. Furthermore, if God decided to constantly perform miracles there would be no such thing as faith and judgement because everyone would believe in God. We would not even make advancements because we would be so reliant on God? s intervention.This suggestions show that there may be other reasons to why God intervenes in such an â€Å"arbitrary and partisan† fashion. Alastair McKinnon went one-step ahead of Hume and stated that miracles are impossible because the concept of a miracle is incoherent. McKinnon begins by de? ning a law of nature, for McKinnon a law of nature is a descriptive sentence which describes a course of event for example, if I drop my pen and say gravity has caused my pen to fall on the ground, I am just describing what happened and nothing more than that.McKinnon goes onto question ho w can one then say miracles, which are violations of laws of nature, occur. It is impossible to suggest that a course events could be violated. McKinnon therefore concludes that the existence of miracles is impossible. McKinnon’s view on this topic is not a popular one and this is because he rests his case in the belief that laws of nature are merely descriptive. Most scholars and nearly all scientists would disagree and explain that a law of nature is more than that, a law of nature explains how things occur nd make predictions and thus it seems perfectly logical for this to be violated, hence miracles to occur. Another problem with all of the arguments explored in this essay is that they seems to categorize miracles are natural events yet there is no proof for that. Miracles may actually be supernatural events caused by something out of this and again leading to the possibility that miracles can occur. My position and the scholarly views presented have been built on the fou ndation that a miracle is a violation of a law of nature when actually this may not be true. The de? ition proposed by Hume suggests we have some kind of God of the gaps that where science cannot be used to explain something we use God when actually in our modern world a miracle is not looked at in terms of the laws of nature it has violated and probability. For most people a miracle is an event which holds religious signi? cance. This de? nition was put forward by R. F. Holland and P. Tillich and seems to be much more realistic. It can be conceived then that miracles can occur because at the end of it Hume? s de? nition of a miracle is outdated and not a clear representation of how people understand miracles today.A miracle is any event whether it breaks the laws of nature or not but holds religious signi? cance for the individual. Bibliography Anghel. Alexandru. â€Å"Hume On Miracles and the Lourdes Phenomenon†. Scientific Journal of Humanistic Studies 4. 6(2012):25-32. Ac ademic Search Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. â€Å"Are Miracles Identifiable? † Web. 10 Apr. 2013. www. thywordistruth. com/Miracles/miracles. pdf Bayne, Steven M. â€Å"Hume On Miracles: Would It Take A Miracle To Believe In A Miracle? †. Southern Journal of Philosophy, 45,1,pp 1-29, Academic Search Complete.Web. 2 Apr. 2013. Corner, David. â€Å"Miracles. † Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. March 24 2005. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. www. thestudentchatroom. co. uk/Wiki/Revision:Miracles Corner, David. â€Å"Philosophy of Miracles. † Continuum Studies in Philosophy. International Publishing Group. Jan 21 2007: p 17. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Cowan, Steven B. , and James S. Spiegel, Loving Wisdom: A ChristianIntroduction to Philosophy. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2009. Frost-Arnold, Greg. â€Å"The No-Miracles Argument For Realism: Inference To An Unacceptable Explanation. Philosophy Of Science 77. 1 (2010): 35-58. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. Larmer, Robert . â€Å"Miracles, Divine Agency, And The Laws Of Nature. † Toronto Journal Of Theology 27. 2(2011): 267-290. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. McKinnon, Alastair. â€Å"Miracles and Paradox. † American Philosophical Quartely 4. (Oct 1967):308-14 Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Yurs, Mark E. â€Å"The Ethics Of Preaching On The Healing Of Jesus. † Clergy Journal 85. 1 (2008): 12-14. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2013.

Animal Farm Study Guide

Animal Farm Study Guide Published in 1945, George Orwells Animal Farm tells the story of a group of farm animals who stage a revolution and take over their farm. The revolution begins with principled idealism, but its pig leaders become increasingly corrupt. They soon turn to manipulation and propaganda in order to maintain power and control, and the farm becomes a totalitarian regime. With this narrative, Orwell creates a searing political allegory about the failures of the Russian Revolution. Fast Facts: Animal Farm Author: George OrwellPublisher: Secker and WarburgYear Published: 1945Genre: Political allegoryType of Work: NovelOriginal Language: EnglishThemes: Totalitarianism, corruption of ideals, the power of languageCharacters: Napoleon, Snowball, Squealer, Boxer, Mr. JonesFun Fact: Inspired by the cynical donkey in Animal Farm, George Orwell’s friends gave him the nickname Donkey George. Plot Summary Old Major, an elderly boar living on Manor Farm, gathers all the other farm animals for a meeting. He tells them about a dream in which all beasts are free, and he encourages them to organize and rebel against humans. A few days later, when the the cruel and incompetent farmer Mr. Jones abuses the animals, the animals organize a revolt, led by two pigs named Napoleon and Snowball. They succeed at driving Mr. Jones off of the farm. Initially, Snowball and Napoleon work together. Snowball establishes the philosophy of Animalism, and the seven animal commandments (including All animals are equal) are painted on the side of the barn. When Mr. Jones returns with some human allies in an effort to reclaim the farm, the animals, led by Snowball, drive them away in a glorious victory. The power-hungry Napoleon begins to undermine Snowball and eventually chases him away altogether. Napoleon slowly takes on the corrupt behaviors and habits of the humans that the revolution once opposed. Squealer, Napoleons second-in-command, alters the commandments painted on the barn to reflect these changes. A simple-minded, hardworking draft horse named Boxer works so hard to support the revolution that he collapses. Napoleon sells him to a glue factory. The other animals are upset until Squealer, a skilled propagandist, convinces them that what they saw with their own eyes (the glue factory truck) isnt true. Life gets worse for the animals living on the farm. Meanwhile, the pigs move into the old farmhouse. They begin walking on their hind legs, drinking whiskey, and negotiating with human farmers. By the end of the novel, the animals cant tell the difference between the pigs and the humans. Major Characters Mr. Jones. The incompetent and cruel human owner of Manor Farm. He represents Czar Nicholas II of Russia. Napoleon. A pig who becomes an early leader of the revolution. Napoleon is greedy and selfish, and he slowly abandons any pretense of revolutionary fervor. He represents Joseph Stalin. Snowball. Another pig who becomes an early leader of the revolution, as well as as the intellectual architect of Animalism. Snowball is a true believer who attempts to educate the other animals, but power-hungry Napoleon drives him away in order to consolidate power. Snowball represents Leon Trotsky. Squealer. A pig who serves as Napoleon’s second-in-command. Squealer is skilled at lying, creating altered historical accounts, and disseminating propaganda. He represents Vyacheslav Molotov. Boxer. A strong, powerful draft horse who is dedicated to Animal Farm and the revolution. He works himself to death for the cause. He represents the workers of Russia who supported Stalin. Major Themes Totalitarianism. The revolution begins with principled ideas, but it is quickly co-opted by a power-hungry leadership. The pigs frequently lie and spread false historical accounts in order to increase their power. Ultimately, they rely on the ignorance of the masses in order to stay in control. Orwell uses this narrative to argue that without an informed and educated population, tyranny and despotism are inevitable. Corruption of Ideals. There are two kinds of corruption on display in Animal Farm. The first kind is the overt corruption of Napoleon and the other pigs, who become increasingly greedy as they acquire more power. The other kind is the corruption of the revolution itself, which loses any semblance of principle due to the other animals worship of Napoleon’s cult of personality. The Power of Language. Animal Farm  explores how language can be manipulated to control others. The pigs invent stories, spread false historical accounts, and popularize propagandistic slogans in order to remain in control of the other animals. Literary Style Animal Farm is an allegorical novel about the Russian Revolution. Nearly every element of the novel represents a person, group, or event from the Russian Revolution. Within this political allegory, Orwell infuses a great deal of humor. His use of animals as stand-ins for historical figures sometimes has a comical, caricature effect (i.e. the representation of Stalin in the character of a pig). In addition, Orwell uses irony to demonstrate the ridiculousness of propaganda when viewed from an informed perspective. About the Author George Orwell was born in India in 1903 during the period of the British Raj. He was one of the most influential writers and thinkers of the 20th century and beyond. Today, Orwell is best-known for his novels Animal Farm and 1984, as well as his voluminous essays on politics, history, and social justice. Orwell’s influence is so significant that the word Orwellian is used to refer to anything thats dystopian and totalitarian in a similar way as the setting of 1984. Many of the concepts Orwell introduced have also entered the common vocabulary, including the well-known term Big Brother.

Kurds Identity

Kurds Identity What do we know about Kurds? Read about Kurds identity in this article. Hashtag: #CizreUnderAttack Kurds Identity Before the 1980s, little was known about the Kurds, a large ethnic group living in southeastern Turkey, due to the lack of academic institutions to fund and coordinate research, and other barriers. For instance, as the existence of a Kurdish nation in Turkey was traditionally ignored and being pursued as an official policy, the Turkish government limits the scope of studies on all aspects of Kurdish life. Academic debate and research were also severely suppressed by the hegemonic representation of the Kurds in the state’s discourse as a case of separatism, terrorism, and so on. Moreover, since the basis of this hegemonic representation was a state-sponsored classified research, it prevented researchers from questioning the officially recognized representation of the Kurds or engage in issues related to Kurdish society and culture. However, when the Kurdish national movement emerged and political activism in Turkey increased in the 1980s, studies addressing various issues and focusing on aspects of Kurdish society and politics were freely carried out and published. Some of these studies focus on Kurds origin and identity while others are more interested in conflict analysis, re-emergence, and evolution of Kurdish nationalism. As a stateless people who have been exposed to oppression, suffering, subordination, and forced migration, Kurds history, and origin, according to the literature relates to their struggles to gain independence and freedom. For this reason, the main components of Kurds identity include their homeland, the memory of the past, shared experiences, language, and national symbols. Their homeland, according to the literature is â€Å"Kurdistan†, a territory delineated by the Allies after World War I.   Kurdistan consist of a two hundred thousand square miles of mountainous expanse and some 550,000 square kilometers of land spanning the present state boundaries of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. However, there are no internationally recognized Kurdistan territories and the term â€Å"Kurdistan† has been banned in Turkey since the 1920s. Yasar Kemal Is a Master of Word The delineation of Kurdistan resulted to the dispersal of the Kurds into nearby territories where they need to cope with varying socio-political and cultural conditions imposed on them. The dispersion in a way negates the possibility for the Kurds to have a fixed and essentialist Kurdish identity. Although most Kurds consider themselves as descendants of the ancient Medes, researchers view of Kurds identity still revolved around the demarcation of their homeland due to lack of written historical sources that could link them to ancient periods. Kurdish Nationalism Kurdish nationalism according to literature is one the most  controversial and critical predicaments in the Middle East. For instance, since there are about 20 to 25 million Kurds live mostly in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, Kurds effort to establish their own state not only resulted in numerous clashes with the government of the states in which the Kurds reside but claimed tens of thousands of lives. However, despite being a direct threat to the territorial integrity of the above states, the nature and origin of Kurdish nationalism remain unexplained and poorly studied. As a political ideology, Kurdish nationalism is inspired by collective identities, traditions, self-awareness, and imagined communities. In 1878 for instance, the Kurds who rebelled against the Ottoman Empire and invaded the Urmia region in Iran used the term â€Å"Kurdish nation† and expressed the need to unify the Kurds and create a Kurdish state. A Kurdish poet, on the other hand, edited and republished an epic poem in 1695 containing expressions of an independent Kurdish identity and the need for a Kurdish ruler.   Similarly, â€Å"Kurdistan†, the first newspaper in the Kurdish language published in Cairo in 1898 was a step toward Kurdish self-awareness or awakening possibly leading the creation of a Kurdish state. The Fall of the Ottoman Empire Tells Us about Modern Events The Kurdish question in Turkey is still defined by the separatist tracks of Kurdish nationalism, but with less radical inkling and seeks cultural recognition and political equality within the confines of democracy. In fact, many scholars believed that since violent demands for recognition is often met with equally violent Turkish strategies, Kurdish nationalism needs to be decoupled from ethnic violence and essentialism.

Issues Surrounding Childhood Labor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Issues Surrounding Childhood Labor - Essay Example Although not all the children get spoiled in child labor, most of them are deprived of their educational prospects. In developing countries that aim education to provide chiefly employment prospects, child labor plays a catastrophic role. The very essence of education is lost in such nations. The entire mass of children, adolescents and even adults get numbed to the health risks involved in child labor. The most unbearable but never spoken out tragedy is that the meager earnings and ‘the altogether changed life style’ veils their biological sufferings. The approaches of Governments in this regard vary from time to time and places. The main lacuna in attainment of the governments’ goal of reducing child labor in several countries is the employers’ ambition to get low cost production fueled by the poor peoples’ need for basic needs. Historians and thinkers view this issue of child labor vehemently against the practice. Their recordings of changes, cult and vision reveal that we have just begun the journey in the way of getting the practice eradicated. I have picked the following works to get a clear idea on how child labor had plagued throughout in America and other countries too. The author has expressed the magnitude of ill-effects of child labor in his preface itself by way of presenting the huge volume of child population that never came to the screen of data collectors’ endeavors. The blindness of fatty employers towards the pathetic plight of child laborers and the highly numb practices adopted both by the employers and parents are depicted by the author elucidating the full scenario of child labor. The author has admonished the practice of child labor and hinted the usage of the terms ‘legal employment’ and ‘illegal employment’ as a measure of simple quantification of the problem. But unfortunately legal employment has been misconstrued as a license to practice the ill. That

OD ethics and values, Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

OD ethics and values, - Case Study Example They are to diagnose all organizational problems and suggest proper solutions to them. When it comes to the case of Northern Country Legal Service, it has been providing OD consultancy service with the help of its director, Julie. One of its various services and functions directed to various clients was intake process, in which the consultant prepares paperwork consisting of legal-related questions in three to six pages. The NCLS staff members ask these questions to clients in order them to be ready to provide proper answers. The intake forms include some relevant information like client demographic data including household income and household size etc. The NCLS is expected to prepare monthly, quarterly and annual statistics in order to help funders measure its performance and thence to grant funding (Anderson, 2011, p. 58). The role of an OD consultant is of a mentor, teacher and knowledge provider as well. He is expected to possess knowledge, wisdom and sensitivity and to advise the client on the basis of his wisdom to implement changes effectively. At NCLS, when Julie returned to office on a working day, there was an important message from one of its clients, Dylan Foundation, demanding last quarter’s statistics. The centre has failed to show more progress in winning cases and this also has been highlighted by the foundation. As an OD consultant, Julie could have prepared the statistics well in advance especially because of that this statistics has been considered as the base for funding to be provided. Though Julie and her co-workers have done jobs well, this could have been well communicated to the clients including Dylan Foundation so that it could have avoided troubles in contacts with clients. The leadership style that has been found in the managerial communication of Dylan Foundation was Exploitative Authoritative. This system of the management style is one of the four systems that Likert (1967) found to